"All right, Elena," Charles said, positioning me so I could look in the wall-to-wall mirror in the studio. Mats covered the floor except for a small periphery, and a punching bag hung from the corner. "How tall would you estimate this guy was? And it was a man, you think?"I nodded. "I'm ninety-five percent sure he was male. And maybe a half-a-foot shorter than you? It's hard to tell with the coat he was wearing but I think he was a lot wider than you."Charles nodded. He was wearing tracksuit bottoms and a thin, grey shirt. It made his intense blue eyes pop and I could see the muscles of his abs clearly outlined through the material.I swallowed hard. I needed to control myself and take this seriously. I needed to learn, just in case."Attackers tend to grab women from behind first. It's a more vulnerable position."He put his hands on my shoulders and leaned in toward me. His voice was gentle, concerned, and he spoke close enough that his vetiver smell overwhelmed me.My heart began
"I feel more confident, that's for sure," I said into my cellphone to Cathy, trying to keep my voice down, facing the window of my cubicle. "He made me feel good about what I can do."There was a brief silence on the phone from my best friend. "You're a grown woman, Elena, and I know you don't take guff from anyone, but I'm still worried about you. Having someone follow you...""We don't know for sure that's what was happening," I said.
"Oh my gosh, these kids are so cute!" Matilda said, smiling and laughing as they crowded around, arms wrapping around her knees and thighs in greeting."I gonna fall! Elena, take my camera!"I reached over the crowd and grabbed the expensive camera with the enormous lens.Matilda, giving way, laughed and pretended to
I could smell Charles before I felt him step beside me."Was that the person following you?" he asked. He put his heavy, strong arm around me, pulling me close.Without thinking, I leaned into him, feeling his strength fill me and replace the fear I'd just felt. His other arm wrapped around me protectively, and I suddenly wanted to stay there forever.
I could still feel the intensity of his eyes and the weight of his words the next day.He would protect me. I had friends. I should have been thrilled that he thought of himself as my friend and protector. So why did I feel disappointed?I did my best to distract myself by working hard. If he was going to sp
It was dark when Charles stood up from his desk and stretched."I think that's a day, Elena," he said, his voice not exactly weary, but ready to be done solving problems. "That Panang beef you ordered was delicious.""Good," I said, clearing up the last to-go boxes from his coffee table.I checked my phone. There was
Within the half hour we were hurrying toward the entrance of the emergency room.Emergency rooms at night were never pleasant. The lighting was harsh, the smell antiseptic, which gave werewolves instant headaches, and despite the problems being no different than what happened during the day, at night they seemed more frightening, more intense.Charles, however, suddenly expanded the moment we entered the room. I looked at him in surprise as he strode to the front desk. Despite his casual
Despite how I felt about seeing her alive and moving, she obviously didn't feel the same about me.When the elevator doors opened and revealed Amy hovering over her in a wheel chair, she looked at me and scowled as if I'd said something offensive."Jessica! I'm so happy to see you alive and looking so well!" I said, smiling and walking up to her despite the bad looks she was giving me.