Page 9 of Shiver

Wait—how was I going to get home? Brayden had driven, and I couldn’t call him because his phone was also in a lockbox. Cabs in the city were expensive, but what other choice did I have? I wasn’t walking several miles home in the rain.

Sighing, I glanced up and down what had been a busy stretch of downtown when we’d arrived, but it must’ve been later than I thought, because the traffic had cleared out and there wasn’t a cab in sight. Fine. I’d just call for one.

I pulled my cell out of my pocket, and my forehead creased as I saw the black screen. I hadn’t turned it off, but I hit the power button anyway, and when a blinking empty battery flashed on the screen briefly, I cursed. Great. What now?

I thought about banging on the door of the den and asking to use their phone, but seeing how they’d been so quick to kick me out, I knew it wouldn’t get me anywhere.

Resigned to my fate, I flipped up my collar to ward off the chill and began the long trek back home.

It hadn’t been my intention to follow him. My intention in having the lamb thrown from the den was to protect him from the wolves inside. But as I pushed open the side door of the club and stepped out into the night, I realized my error immediately.

From where I was standing, I could see the back of the young man, Jesse, as he looked up and down the now deserted street, and the thrill I got out of being alone with him, unbeknownst to him, was electrifying. It zipped along my veins and made me antsy as I stood silent and still in the inky shadows with Faolán by my side. I stroked my fingers over the top of his head in a soothing manner, making sure he stayed put as I continued to watch the man out on the curbside, as he dug in his coat pocket for his cell phone.

When he had it in hand, I found myself holding my breath in the hopes he couldn’t get service, but I doubted that would be the case, as I never had trouble myself. As it turned out, Lady Luck seemed to be on my side tonight, because he cursed loud enough that I could hear and then shoved it back in his pocket.

No battery, maybe? Oh, you poor little lamb.

Jesse flipped the collar of his jacket up then, and even though I knew I should turn around and go the fuck back inside, I waited to see what he’d do next. I glanced down at Faolán, his eyes finding mine as he waited for his next command, and when I heard the distinct sound of footsteps, I returned my attention to the street to see that Jesse had started to walk up it.

I tipped my face up against the rain and wondered why I expected it to wash away the sinful thoughts racing through my mind. This was the exact kind of thing I lived for. I was a hunter by nature. I’d known that from an early age. And as I watched Jesse head down the street, I did the one thing I’d sworn I wouldn’t do—I followed him.

“Come,” I said to Faolán as I stepped out onto the sidewalk. I stuck close enough to the buildings to be concealed by the shadows stretching along the road and pavement, where puddles were forming.

Jesse was a decent way ahead of me, but not far enough that I couldn’t make out his hands, which were now shoved in his pockets as his long legs ate up the distance. His head was down, as though shielding his face from the rain, and the long line of the back of his neck made me pick up the pace to get a little closer.

As he approached a four-way intersection, Jesse slowed until he came to a complete stop, and I edged my way further into the shadows as to not be detected. The hunt wasn’t fun unless your prey led you on a chase. And it was time to make Jesse run.

Faolán stopped beside me, keeping his eyes forward, and when Jesse started back up again to cross the road, I finally gave the signal for Faolán to go ahead; he knew what I wanted of him. My wolf took off down the side street we just passed, and I had no doubt he would find his way back to me. But first, he would go and pick up the scent of the man I refused to take my eyes off.

As my pace increased, the blood thrumming through my veins was a sure sign this had the potential to turn bad—really bad if I didn’t quit now. But as I passed by a garbage can, I kicked it over, wanting the safety the silence had so far provided the little lamb to vanish, and it worked like a fucking charm.

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