Finding the Magic Page 6

  She had only caught brief glimpses of him as he went to and from his bedroom. There had been one particularly charged encounter on the stairs when he had been returning from the gym. He had been dressed in shorts and a T-shirt which clung to his broad chest and had a towel around his neck. His burnished hair was slicked back into a ponytail. It had obviously been a pretty intense workout, sweat had dampened the hair at his temples and the front of his shirt. She caught the clean, sharp smell of it and felt the heat radiate from his body as he stood on the step below her. For endless moments, he had stared at her with an almost predatory stillness. His nostrils flared and his chest expanded as he drew in a breath and shuddered. A battle seemed to be fought and won within his eyes and he had slipped silently past her and on up the stairs. Jayne had been left breathless and he hadn’t even touched her.

  Mary talked about him very little, but when she did, it was with visible affection. As a child, he had apparently been a prankster. Playing tricks on the members of the household with annoying regularity. He had done things to and around priceless antiques which had made Jayne’s blood run cold.

  Now, Jayne saw a man who loved his family and friends but rarely showed it. She still thought he could be rude…and arrogant, though. Had it only been his parents’ deaths that had changed him? Why was he going to such trouble to isolate himself? Every time she saw him, she saw a longing and desire in his eyes that made her want to go to him. Take him into her body and heart and keep him there. She sighed. Megan was right, she read far too many romances. Still, there was no denying the feelings. Hadn’t Megan told her the very same thing about how she felt about Jack? Megan had told her a lot before she decided to get all cryptic.

  The hell with suspected. She knew Cameron was avoiding her. She also knew there were things he was keeping from her. Why exactly she was here, for instance, he had been a little too vague about that. So was Mary and let’s not forget Megan and Jack. They were all definitely hiding something. Dammit, why did everyone seem to be keeping secrets from her lately? It was beginning to get annoying. She was no fool and as impossible as it may seem she had a good idea what Jack’s secret was but was it Cam’s too? She thought about his big, muscular body, his—catlike?—grace of movement and the air of danger that surrounded him. That golden mane and the intensity of his amber gaze… She laughed. Or she could just be letting her imagination run away with her.

  Jayne glanced back toward the hallway and smiled. She could always just ask him. “So…Cameron, do you spend part of your time as a cat?” That would certainly get a response from him. What’s the worst that could happen? He wouldn’t throw her out. For reasons known only to himself, he evidently felt responsible for her and felt she was in danger. He couldn’t really avoid her more and still keep an eye on her. Or—if she really let her imagination take over—he might say yes and suddenly start sprouting fangs and claws and fur.

  Cool.

  Boredom and curiosity are wonderful and terrifying things. With a grin, she rose from the table, left the snowy scene behind her and headed for Cam’s office before she could change her mind.

  By the time she reached his closed door some of her boldness had seeped away but she gathered it back, knocked and walked into the large room. The curtains were open at the windows in front of her and the ones on either side, letting in the cold, gray light. A computer sat on a large curved desk in the middle of the floor. Cameron sat behind it, brows drawn down in a frown, as usual, while he toyed with a pen on the desktop. An empty glass sat beside him with traces of what looked like milk in it and beside that was a mug with black coffee gently steaming.

  “Don’t you ever smile?” she blurted.

  “Hardly ever. What do you want?”

  She looked around, stalling for time, searching for the courage that had once again deserted her.

  “Nice office.”

  The walls were pale in color and the floor looked like polished oak. She had been right about the minibar. It stood against the left-hand wall. Two chairs and a small sofa in black leather were grouped in front of it around a glass-topped table. The right side of the room was taken up by more desk space, shelves and various storage units. Every surface was taken up by every conceivable office machine and gadget. It was clear that this was very much a workspace and the organized clutter all around told her it was used often. Cam watched her in silence, waiting in that unnerving way of his. So, how do we go about this? Do I just blurt it out or do I try to ease my way into it? Right. How exactly do you ease into that particular subject? “Shame about the weather, oh and by the way…?” She snorted and Cam raised one eyebrow in query.

  “Jayne? Was there something you wanted to ask me?”

  “Yes. Yes, there is. I’ve been spending a lot of time the last couple of days on my own and, well, it’s given me time to think. I’ve been thinking about a conversation that Megan and I had a few months ago and I just wondered…” She walked up to the desk and leaned her hands on the polished surface, watching his face carefully.

  “Are you a shapeshifter?”

  The pen dropped from his fingers and he placed his hand over it, stilling its movement. Shock followed by anger flickered briefly over his handsome features before he quickly schooled them back into their usual impassive lines.

  “What the hell are you talkin’ about? Are you off your bloody head, woman?”

  “Nope. At least I don’t think so. So what about it, Cam, is that what you’re hiding from me?” She walked around the table to stand in front of him and noted the white-knuckled fist resting in his lap.

  “Dinnae be daft, there’s no such thing. Who’s been fillin’ your head with this nonsense—Mary?”

  “Now that’s interesting. That you should think it was Mary, I mean. I wonder what she would tell me if I asked her the same question.”

  His gaze stayed steady on hers and there was suddenly a heat there that had nothing to do with anger. “She likes legends and fairytales and she’d tell you the same.”

  “You’re probably right. She loves you and isn’t likely to reveal any of your secrets. Just so you know though, I’m not convinced.”

  He reached for her hand and drew her into the vee of his legs.

  “Well then, I guess I’ll just have to do my best to convince you I’m all man, won’t I?”

  Jayne laughed. “That was a very bad line.” Cam grasped her hips and rubbed his cheek against her stomach. She shivered and combed her fingers through his unbound hair. “But effective.” His hands tightened on her briefly and a shudder ran through his big frame. He pulled her down onto his lap and buried his face in the curve of her neck. He drew in a deep breath as though savoring the scent of her skin and moaned. A fine tremor shook his body and she wrapped her arms around him. She felt the hard ridge of his arousal, the heat burning her even through the worn fabric of their jeans. Again he rubbed his cheek against her, like a cat marking its territory. He whispered, “Oh, god.”

  She urged his face up to hers and took his lips in a kiss that shook him with its intimacy. Jayne poured everything she felt into the kiss. She couldn’t get close enough. She wanted to climb inside him, wanted him inside her. Her skin felt sensitized, alive. Desperate for the touch of his hands. But he had fisted them in the fabric of her sweater so that the only naked contact between them was her mouth on his as their tongues mated. He tasted like coffee and smelled like the outdoors. Like the earth and the pine trees in the woods outside the windows. He pulled away enough that his words brushed hot against her lips. “Ah shouldnae be doing this.”

  Jayne nipped at his jaw. “Yes, you should.”

  “We…” He took her lips again and she found she was trembling almost as much as he was. “We need to stop.” He almost growled the words.

  “Don’t you dare.”

  “It’s almost too late. Ah have to, before Ah have nae choice.” He pulled away, breathless and lifted her to her feet in one motion. “Ah cannae do this. Ah’m sorry, lass. God, you have
nae idea how sorry.”

  “I can’t believe you’re doing this again. I know you want me as much as I want you. What’s going on, Cameron?”

  He shook his head and plowed a hand through his hair. “Ah cannae explain. Please… Please just go. Stay away from me. For both our sakes.”

  Jayne stood her ground on shaky legs and tried to pull her scattered wits back together. “You can’t say something like that and not give me some kind of explanation.” She stared at him, barely resisting stamping her feet in frustration as it became obvious that he wasn’t going to say any more. An electronic chime rang from the computer behind him and a cheerful voice sang out, “You’ve got mail,” breaking the awkward silence.

  “Okay, fine. I’ll leave, but you know all you’ve done is make me more curious.” With that parting shot, she turned on her heel and left the room. She needed a shower. A cold one.

  * * * * *

  “Shit… Fuck… Bloody buggering hell!”

  Cam ground the heels of his hands into his eyes and tried to bring his body back under control. If he wasn’t very careful, Jayne Davis was going to be his downfall. Even now it was taking almost everything he had not to chase her down and make her his. She was meant to be his.

  His fìorcèile.

  He would not take her though. He couldn’t risk ending the same way his parents and so many of his kind had.

  She knew about them. Not everything, but enough to be dangerous. How the hell had she found out? Megan must have told her or hinted enough that she had put two and two together. It was the only explanation. Jayne hadn’t believed anything he had told her to the contrary. All he could do was continue to deny it. After all, what she believed and what she could prove were entirely different things. He knew he could trust her not to talk to anyone else about it. If not for his sake, then for the sake of her friend and her new husband. That would have to be enough.

  He turned back to the computer and the e-mail that had provided such a timely interruption. It had been sent through his company address and had no subject. He didn’t recognize the sender except to note that the address indicated it came from a public library account. Curious, he opened it.

  Have you lost a cat?

  His name is Nick.

  If this cat is yours, please respond with a description and I will be in touch with his location.

  It had to be a joke. But then surely no one who knew Nick Douglass was a shifter would dare. Cam read the note again not quite able to believe his eyes. Slowly anger replaced the disbelief. It didn’t take long to find that the account holder was John Doe and that it had indeed come from a library in the city of Glasgow. He had no doubt that the sender was long gone. There was little chance he would find them since they would have been able to access the account from any one of many libraries in the city.

  It could be a fishing expedition, bait for a trap. After all, it seemed that the people responsible for the disappearance of shapeshifters were aware of him. Jayne had been right when she said it was likely him they were trying for with their roadside trap. This may just be an attempt to draw him away from the safety of Murray House to a place where he could be captured. The only way to find out for sure was to play along. His reply was as carefully worded as the original e-mail. Stating that his cat Nick had black hair and blue eyes and had been believed to have been killed and that he was eager for his safe return.

  Cam thought briefly of getting in touch with Jack and decided to wait until he knew whether the e-mail was a genuine lead. He knew Jack would be back in a heartbeat if he thought they might have a clue to his brother’s whereabouts. One thing was certain, Cameron wanted to be ready for any outcome and the best way to do that was to call in the security team. He just hoped the outcome wasn’t going to confirm his worst fears and lead to the discovery of his friend’s body.

  Contacting the team had been easy. A quick phone call was all it took to ensure their arrival at the house later that evening. Mary would be pleased to see them and Cameron himself was looking forward to spending some time with his friends. Although it would no doubt lead to more arguments about why he could no longer be an active member. Only Chris really understood his reasoning and even he didn’t agree fully.

  He missed them.

  Until a little more than two years ago, Cam had been an integral part of the team. His skill with computers and security systems had been invaluable. Then he had begun to show signs of entering his mating cycle. At first, it hadn’t been too bad, he had been sure his willpower was strong enough to resist the compulsion to take a mate. But as his cycle progressed, it became a huge problem.

  His appetite had declined. Insomnia plagued him and he started to become distracted and short-tempered. His libido increased and his cock was hard more often than not. He found himself being aggressive and combative with other males with little provocation. Once or twice, their work had brought them into contact with marked, unmated females. Cameron had been next to useless as he found he had to concentrate all his efforts on fighting his instincts. It made him a liability, causing unnecessary risk to himself and the other team members. Since he had sworn against ever taking a mate, he had seen no other option other than to leave the team.

  Ultimately, he had ended up retreating to Murray House where he stayed as much as possible in order to try to ride it out. Thanks in a large part to Mary’s medical knowledge and his own determination, he had kept the worst of the effects of the cycle at bay. Until Jack Douglass had landed on his doorstep four months ago. That’s when his carefully ordered life had started to go straight to hell.

  His insomnia was worse than ever and he was exercising himself to exhaustion to try to get some sleep. Mary had threatened him with sleeping pills more than once. His appetite had gone from poor to nonexistent and it was only a matter of time before it became obvious. The high-calorie drinks and meals were only going to help for so long. Then there was the fact that he felt like a walking hormone and the answer to two years of abstinence was sharing his house. A house that definitely wasn’t big enough. To top it all off, by this time tomorrow, there were going to be four more men under the same roof. Shapeshifters. A fact that, with his current run of luck, would not get by Jayne for long. Particularly in Christopher’s case. Cameron dropped his head in his hands and groaned. For the first time he wondered whether it might just be easier to give in.

  To everything.

  Chapter Seven

  Under the pine trees at the edge of the wide lawn, Henry sheltered from the bitter snow. He and another one of his men had hiked over the hill that morning. They had joined the two men he had already in place and set up a small camp at the far side of the loch. They were armed with both tranquilizers and guns in case things got out of hand but Murray would be no use to them dead. All day they had been watching in turns with high-powered binoculars and thermal imaging cameras. Waiting for darkness to fall and the lights to go out. Then it would be safer to approach the house and disable the motion sensors and alarm system. The snow was a problem at the moment, making for poor visibility, but later it would be an advantage.

  He didn’t think the couple had bonded yet since they had apparently spent most of the last forty-eight hours in opposite ends of the house. There was a small chance that he was wrong though and it scared the hell out of him. There had been a moment earlier that day, when he had watched through the windows as the couple had been hot and heavy in the office chair, that he had thought it was all over. They had stopped though, for whatever reason, and since neither one of them had changed, he figured he was safe.

  Not for the first time, he wished he hadn’t taken the professor up on his job offer. Prison would have been the better deal after all. There was a much bigger chance of getting out of there with your life. After this job, he was getting out, the professor could find himself a new “head of acquisitions”. The money wasn’t worth it anymore. At this rate, he wasn’t going to be alive to spend it anyway.

  He shifted slightly,
clenching and unclenching hands that had begun to go numb from the cold. The sound of approaching vehicles broke the silence of the evening. Moments later, a voice murmured from his headset, “Sir, I’ve got four vehicles on the road approaching the gate.”

  “Watch them, I want descriptions.”

  What the hell were they doing getting visitors at this time? Moments passed and he listened intently, heard the car doors slam.

  “Looks like four men and a woman. They’re inside, sir, no clear ID. Damn snow. They were all covered up. Had luggage though, looks like they’re staying.”

  “I want to know who they are.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Henry cursed silently. It would be stupid to try for the house now. Unless circumstances changed, his best bet was to wait and keep watching for his chance. And if he was too late, then he was just going to have to disappear a little bit sooner than planned.

  * * * * *

  Jayne was in the library when she heard the cars in the driveway. She had been trying to read for the last couple of hours without great success. Her mind kept wandering back to the scene in Cameron’s office earlier. She was still clueless about why he kept pulling away from her. It was getting incredibly frustrating and she’d give almost anything to be able to read his mind. Since that wasn’t an option, she was just going to have to work harder at convincing him to open up. Meantime, it was still snowing and boredom was circling her.

  Tomorrow she was going outside, snow or not. It was only water after all, she wouldn’t melt. Poor Mary had done her best to entertain her again at dinner. Another dinner at which there had been no sign of Cam. Mary had shrugged it off, saying that he didn’t keep to strict mealtimes and that he usually preferred to eat alone. But Jayne had seen worry in the woman’s eyes and it had made anxiety flutter in her own stomach. Something was definitely going on with that man.