Page 2 of Reveal Me
I wanted to run. My feet itched to bolt out of the forests, away from the vision of my entire life planned out for me. I made to do just that, but that’s when I saw my would-be best friend in the clearing.
We were no longer alone. There was another panther there. A larger one. A hungry one. One infected by the madness of our god. He pounced on my would-be friend.
It looked like Fate was giving me a choice, after all. I could save the cub. I was the panther prince. That sick panther was full-grown, but he was no match for me and my power. I could take him.
But if I did, the cub and I would become friends. If we became friends, I would meet my fated mate and have all my other choices taken from me.
I hesitated… and then I picked up my feet and ran.
Chapter 1
Present Day -All Hallow’s Eve
Niamh
I sat at the barstool, my tea warm and comforting in my hands, the mug steady against my fingers. The amber liquid was smooth, a calming balm against the growing restlessness in my chest. The sounds of clinking glasses, the low hum of chatter as people moved toward the exit, and the occasional burst of laughter filled the space around me. None of that drowned out the enthusiastic bout of sex leaking through the door behind the counter.
I took another sip of my tea and picked up my pen. The nib descended with a smooth click as it touched the Sudoku puzzle I was working on. I didn’t use a pencil—just the pen. No erasing mistakes. If I was going to mess up, it was going to be permanent.
“Closing time,” the waitress said, glancing over at me with a raised brow. She was moving past me, her feet soft against the worn floorboards.
“I’ll just be another minute.” My voice was casual, unhurried, as I filled in another number. “I’m waiting for my boyfriend.”
The waitress glanced behind me at the closed door, where the sounds of bedroom escapades hadn’t quite reached their crescendo. Her eyebrow arched in disbelief. “Jimmy is your boyfriend?”
I nodded, taking another sip of the tepid tea. It was chamomile, which always had a soothing effect on me.
The waitress looked back toward the door. Then back to me. Her mouth formed a bit of a tight line. “Jimmy? The one who—” She paused as if reconsidering how to word it. “He never mentioned a girlfriend.”
I shrugged, keeping my focus on the puzzle. “He’s a fuck boy. I’m not surprised.”
The waitress gave a soft chuckle, a touch of sympathy behind her expression. “Well, at least you know who you’re climbing into bed with.”
My friend Tori had said something similar. She accused me of only getting involved with men who weren’t ever going to stay. The truth was that fuck boys were the best in bed. And I didn’t need anything more than that skill from a man.
The waitress said nothing more. Her gaze softened before she moved to attend to other things. The bar was empty of all its patrons now. There was only the sound of the ice clinking in the bottom of a forgotten glass, the soft hum of the refrigerator in the back, and the occasional creak of the wooden floors as the cleaning crew shuffled around.
Oh, and the fucking going on behind the closet door. It sounded like the big finale was coming, and so was Jimmy. True to form, a few minutes after hisOh God, holy fuck,the door behind the counter creaked open, and out came Jimmy. His face was flushed, a stupid grin plastered on his lips. When his eyes met mine, his smile faltered.
“Niamh?”
“No, you did not just ask me what my name was after putting your dick in my ass.” That came from the waitress Jimmy had dipped into the room with. Her ponytail was lopsided, and her name badge hung off her shirt with the pin undone.
I lifted my hand and wiggled my fingers at Crooked Ponytail. “He was talking to me.”
“Who are you?”
This was my least favorite game to play. It’s when I wished my parents had named me something else. Because the way my name looked and the way it was typically pronounced by anyone who wasn’t Irish or from a Celtic background were two different things. Surprisingly, my soon to be ex-boyfriend came to the rescue.
“Niamh, baby, I thought you were going to a party?” His words came out in a nervous stutter.
“I am.” I lifted my chin, sipping my tea like nothing had changed between us. “Just wanted to say goodbye first.”
Jimmy glanced nervously at Crooked Ponytail and moved closer to me. “I was just helping Jessica rearrange some boxes.”
“Dude, don’t touch me with another woman’s cum juices on you. That’s just rude.”
“Is this your girlfriend?” asked Jessica of the Crooked Ponytail.
