Possessing the Witch

* * *

Selene stayed by his side through what remained of the night. When it came time to open her dress shop above her apartment, she would leave it closed for the day. The man in her bed needed her more than women needed the vintage and whimsical dresses, beautiful, colorful blouses and artistic jewelry her business was known for in the city.

Gryph’s wounds had taken more out of him than he would have admitted. He burned with fever for hours and every time he moved, the pain shot through him, triggering the beast within.

Exhausted from little sleep and the stress of caring for her strange patient, Selene was drifting off in the chair beside the bed when her cell phone rang.

Selene hurried to the kitchen to answer and keep from disturbing her patient.

As soon as she clicked the talk button, Deme’s urgent voice asked, “Selene, honey, are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.” She laughed softly. “Did you expect anything else?”

“With a strange man in your apartment, I didn’t know what to expect. Is he still there?”

Selene turned toward the bedroom.

Gryph lay as still as death, his face flushed with fever.

“Yes, he’s still here.”

“Do you want me to come over? He hasn’t attacked you or anything?”

“No, he’s too far out of it to be a danger.”

“What about when he comes to? I can be there in five minutes. Just say the word.”

“No.” Selene was firm. If Gryph changed in front of her, Deme might not understand. She sure as hell wouldn’t agree to let him stay in Selene’s apartment after that. “What’s the status of the woman who was attacked?”

“She regained consciousness for a few minutes, but she was so distraught, we couldn’t get her to answer questions or identify what attacked her. We’re at the hospital now, hoping she’ll come to long enough to describe her attacker.” As a member of Chicago PD’s Special Investigations Division, Selene’s sisters, Deme and Brigid, had an inside track on any case that defied the norm. Last night’s attack was right up their ally.

“Let me know what you learn.”

“We had the ME examine her wounds.”

“Isn’t that a bit premature?”

“Her physician wanted a forensic look at what he saw.”

“And?”

“They both confirmed it was some kind of animal attack.”

Selene’s hand tightened on the cell phone. “Did they say what kind of animal?”

“No, only that it was large enough to snap her neck and paralyze her. If she lives, most likely she’ll never walk again.”

Selene drew in a long breath, empathy for the girl weighing deeply in her mind. What if she was wrong? What if the man in her bed was the beast who’d attacked the woman?

She focused on the man lying against her sheets for a long moment. She could sense no latent savagery in him. No hunger to kill. Even when he’d half shifted in pain, she hadn’t sensed that he was capable of killing without cause. He wasn’t the one.

“Selene, are you there?”

Selene shook her head and returned her attention to her sister. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“Brigid is with me. I can send her over to assess the guy in your apartment, if you’d like me to.”

“No, Deme.” She gripped the phone. “You didn’t tell her about him, did you?”

“No. I respected your wishes. Although if you’re comfortable with him in your home, why be secretive? We’re sisters. Since when do you keep secrets from any of us?”

Since the man in her bed had a beast inside him. “Please, just let me get him well. I’ll tell the others once he’s able to get around on his own.”

“By that time, he might be well enough to attack you. I tell you, Selene, I’m not happy with the situation. It’s bad enough watching over a stranger who’s been attacked. I don’t want to know what it feels like to stand over one of my sister’s hospital bed.”

“I’ll be okay. I promise.”

“Well, I’m coming by later today. Whether you like it or not.”

“He’s unconscious now. Let him wake before you do.”

She snorted. “I’m not liking this.”

“Duly noted.” Selene sighed. “Don’t worry, Deme. I’ll be careful.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m sure that’s what this woman said as she stepped into that parking garage.” Deme hung up.

Selene sagged against the counter.

She could hear the man in her bed moan, the moan changing to a low rumbling growl as he thrashed, the sheets slipping low over his waist.

Tired, but determined, Selene prepared another of her mother’s poultices, wet a clean washcloth and filled a basin with fresh water. She laid them on a tray and carried them into the room.

With great care, she removed the bandages and plucked away the old poultice a little at a time. The wound was an angry red around the edges. When she applied the damp washcloth, the man jerked to a sitting position, his gaze wild as he slapped her wrist away as if slapping a paw at her. His eyes were glazed, his cheeks flushed with fever.

“It’s okay.” She pressed a hand to the uninjured shoulder. Speaking softly, she urged him to lie down.

As if he understood, he eased to his back, grimacing, his lips drawing back over long catlike fangs.

As she removed the poultice from the wound, she talked softly. “I’ve never met a man quite like you.”

He winced and growled, small hairs rising on his neck and arms. Fascinated, she stopped cleaning and reached out to touch the hairs. “What are you? Half man, half beast? I have a million questions for you when you are up to answering.” She sang her words, soothing him as she applied the new remedy and bandages.

By the time she finished, his face had paled alarmingly and his body shook so hard his teeth rattled.

She pulled the sheet up over his chest.

“Shh, you’ll be okay,” she said, worried when he shivered so hard he shook the bed. Even after she’d covered him with a blanket, he trembled and his jaw clenched.

Afraid he would go into shock, Selene did the only thing she knew to do. She stripped down to her panties and slipped beneath the blanket and sheet, pressing her warm body against his cold skin. Careful, so as not to touch his wound, she draped an arm over his belly and a leg over his thigh. Curling her body around his, she held on, praying to the goddess the fever and shock wouldn’t be the end of him.

Slowly, the tremors lessened, dropping from constant to intermittent and finally, they stopped altogether.

Warm alongside him, and tired beyond exhaustion, Selene lay her face against his chest and closed her eyes. His deep, even breathing reassured her that he would be okay while she took a short nap. Sleep claimed her instantly and with it began the dreams...

Wandering through the dark, she recognized the tunnels. They were just like the ones she and her sisters had traversed beneath Chicago to save the youngest of her sisters from an evil Chimera a couple of years ago.

So dark...

Selene carried a flashlight, the beam barely lighting the way, pushing against the inky blackness like a hand shoving back heavy drapery.

The longer she walked, the longer the tunnel seemed. She stepped over old railroad tracks, discarded pallets, pipes and debris, searching for...whatever, she wasn’t quite certain.

Something clattered behind her. Selene stopped to listen. Nothing but the eerie silence. When she started walking again, she sensed something moving with her, getting closer.

At a T-junction, she ducked to the left, clicked off her flashlight and waited, barely breathing so that she could hear the sound of footsteps treading softly in the passage.

There it was.

The soft steps, moving slowly toward her. Not those of a human but the close succession of patters on the ground like those of a four-legged creature.

The closer it moved the faster her heart beat and the more shallow her breathing. She was afraid if she made even the slightest sound, she’d give away her position.

Just as the creature eased to the junction, Selene flicked her thumb over the on switch, shining her light into the eyes of the predator, hoping to blind it while she made her escape.

The red eyes of a wolf shone back at her like twin blood orbs in a face so dark it blended into the black of the tunnel.

Selene screamed and backed away, the hand holding the flashlight shaking so badly she almost dropped it.

It was huge, as big as any man, only twice as menacing. Its lips curled back, exposing long, sharp teeth, and it emitted a growl so frightening, Selene spun and ran through the tunnel.

“Help me!” she cried, her voice echoing off the empty walls. No one was there—most sane people didn’t venture into the subterranean underworld beneath the city. She was alone, being chased by a wolf. She ran, knowing she couldn’t outrun the creature.

Her foot caught on a broken rail and she crashed to her knees.

The wolf caught up, braced its paws on either side of her and breathed its hot breath onto the back of her neck, as if waiting for her to turn over. To face her death.

Selene rolled to her back, clutching her pentagram between her fingers, unable to close her eyes to the wicked gleam in her attacker’s face, knowing she would witness her own death.

The wolf’s body tensed, his mouth opened and he bunched his muscles.

Then a tawny golden flash of sinew and fur hit him head-on, knocking the wolf onto his back.

Selene scrambled backward, grabbing for her flashlight as a mighty battle for supremacy raged in the beam of her light between the wolf and a glorious male lion.

The wolf lunged at the lion, his teeth sinking into the lion’s shoulder.

Selene gasped. “No!” She pushed to her feet and would have thrown herself at the wolf, but hands held her back.

“Let me go. I have to help,” she whimpered.

“Shh,” a low male voice crooned. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not.” She wept, struggling to free herself. “He’ll die.”

“It’s only a dream,” the voice said. A hand smoothed the hair back from her forehead. “It’s only a dream. Come little angel, wake up.”

“A dream?” Selene whispered. Rising from the darkness, she blinked her eyes open...

Selene stared at the glow-in-the-dark stars she’d tacked to the ceiling shortly after she’d moved into her small apartment. The stars reminded her of the night sky filled with twinkling stars that dispelled the darkness and gave promise of the vastness of the universe.

A solid warmth pressed against her side. She turned her face, her cheek resting against skin—a lot of skin. Selene tipped up her chin and stared into golden eyes and lips quirked at the corners.

“The angel awakens.” His words rumbled in his chest, echoing into her ear. His arm shifted beneath her head, his hand cupping her shoulder.

“I must have fallen asleep,” she said.

“I think you and I must have been having the same dream. I woke only moments before you.”

“I was being attacked by a—”

“Wolf?” His brows descended. “I saw you.”

“But then a lion saved me.” Selene’s eyes widened. “Was that you?”

His gaze grew guarded. “I should be going.” He tried to sit up, growled in pain and fell back against the pillow, wincing at the effort.

“You’re in no shape to go anywhere.”

“I can’t stay here.”

“Why not?” Selene leaned up on her elbow before she realized she was only wearing her bra and panties. She lay back down, her face burning.

His eyes flared, the pupils dilating. He opened his mouth to say something.

Selene placed a finger over his lips. “Don’t get any ideas. I only lay here to warm you when you were going into shock.” She cupped his cheek. “It seems the fever is gone.” Sitting up, she pressed a pillow to her breasts. “You won’t need me to keep you warm.”

His good hand closed gently around her wrist. “Stay.”

“But I’m not dressed.”

“I know. And neither am I.” His voice had lowered to a warm rumbling purr. “I feel a chill coming on.”

Selene frowned. “Yeah, right.”

His body shook and his face tightened in pain. “Please. It’s your bed, and you need sleep as much as I do.”

“I don’t know you.”

“I’ll keep the monsters away from your dreams.”

“What if you’re the monster?”

“You’ve already proven you can tame my beast.”

She wavered, the warmth of his skin tempting her. “I’ll need to change your bandages soon.”

“They can wait.” He tugged on her hand, drawing her back to the bed.

“I am tired.” She settled against him, trying to read into his mind. She couldn’t hear his thoughts, could only feel his emotions or see flashes of images. They weren’t malevolent so much as hot and lusty, sparking an answering heat deep in her core. “I shouldn’t.” Her hand rested on his chest.

His muscles hardened, his skin stretching tight. “You should sleep,” he whispered.

Ha! Sleep was the furthest from her mind as she lay almost naked against this ruggedly powerful and mysterious man. The longer she lay there, the more she wondered what it would feel like to press her lips to his skin.

An image of lips brushing the top of her head was followed by a featherlight stirring at her temple. Selene’s breath caught in her chest.

Her heart tripped over itself then thundered against her ribs. She shifted until she faced him, staring up into his eyes. “Did you kiss me?” she asked, her voice little more than air.

His mouth quirked upward. “Had I really kissed you, you would know.”

Every logical thought in her head screamed for her to get up, get dressed and throw this man out of her apartment. But logic didn’t rule when it came to Gryph. Her heart had firm control and was moving forward, the momentum sweeping her with it.

Bolder than she’d ever been in her life, she leaned up until her mouth hovered over his. “Then kiss me so that I’ll know.”

He chuckled, the mirth dying as his gaze claimed hers and his head rose to close the distance between them. His hand wrapped around her hair and pressed her into him and he claimed her lips, his mouth slanting against hers, his tongue snaking out to dart between her teeth, sliding the length of hers, the surface coarse, sensual, enticing.

Selene slipped her hand behind his head, her fingers threading through the longish, thick, golden mane, tangling and tugging, to get closer still. Half lying on his good side, she inhaled the musky scent of male and something more primal. Her body ignited, her skin on fire from breast to thigh where it met his. Her center tightened, her channel growing slick.

A low purr rumbled in his chest and his hand flexed and skimmed across the small of her back to cup the curve of her buttocks. His fingers massaged the flesh, sliding into her panties and between the seam of her thighs, finding her entrance.

Her insides clenched, a wash of liquid dampening the path as he pressed his finger inside her.

Her mouth consumed his, she sucked his bottom lip between her teeth and moaned as he swirled the digit inside her.

Selene let go of his lip and arched her back, her head tipping back as she basked in the rush of sensations shooting fire through her veins.

Gryph raised his injured shoulder and cried out. “Damn!”

Yanked back to reality, Selene slid off him and stood in her bra, then adjusted her panties, her eyes wide. “That shouldn’t have happened.”

The man in her bed nodded, his hand pressing gently against the bandage over his shoulder. “You’re right. I’d be taking advantage of the situation.”

“You? You’re the injured party.” Selene grabbed a short champagne-colored silk robe and jammed her arms into the sleeves, pulling the edges closed around her. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” She grabbed the washbasin and rag and rushed from the bedroom into her little kitchen, where she stood with her back to the open door, her body trembling. Not from fear, but from coming so close to making love with a stranger, and then pulling back. She still wanted him and—damn it—he was injured, practically a prisoner in her bed until he could get around on his own.

Selene sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She had to get a grip, go back in there and dress his wound. The sooner he was well, the sooner he’d be out of her bed, her apartment and her life.

As she filled the basin with fresh, clean water, mixed more of the magical poultice and grabbed another clean cloth, she squared her shoulders and called herself a fool for falling into bed with a stranger.

With her mental pep talk fresh on her mind, she entered her bedroom.

Gryph lay on the bed, the sheet covering all the right places but it was tented.

By the goddess.

Selene nearly dropped the basin. Her hands shook so badly and her body burned, craving to be beneath the sheet sporting the evidence of his desire.

“You don’t have to do this,” he said.

“If I don’t, your wound will get infected and you could die.”

“So?” he said. “You don’t owe me anything.”

“I owe you human kindness. I’d take care of anyone injured as badly as you.”

“Anyone,” he said softly. “Selene, what happened a moment ago—”

“Don’t.” She set the basin on the nightstand. “Let’s forget it ever did.”

“Problem is...I can’t.” He nodded toward the tented sheet.

“You can and will.” She refused to glance at his groin, focusing on the injured shoulder. “It should never have happened.”

“Because I’m different?”

“No, because I am.”

He frowned and opened his mouth to say something else, but the cell phone in the kitchen rang, saving Selene from further argument. She didn’t want to explain why she was different. How would any man like to know she could read his thoughts? What if she could project her thoughts? What if all of Gryph’s desire could be a manifestation of what Selene was feeling? Her gift was being able to connect to other’s minds. A telepathy of emotions and images.

She ran from the room and grabbed her cell phone.

“We need you at the hospital,” Deme said without preamble.

“Why?”

“The victim is awake and we don’t know for how long. Hurry.”

“I can’t leave right now.”

“Brigid is already on her way. She should be there to pick you up in less than two minutes.” Her sister sighed. “I don’t like you being alone in that apartment with that man.”

“I’m fine.” Selene’s gaze shifted to Gryph. “He’s not going to hurt me.”

“We’ll know more as soon as the woman can tell us. We need you here for that, in case she can’t speak.”

“But—”

“Come, or I’ll tell Brigid about your guest.”

Her hand clenched around the phone. Her sister wouldn’t understand Selene’s trust in a stranger. And for that matter, Brigid was more likely to throw a fireball first, ask questions later. With the threat of letting Brigid in on her rescue, Selene had no choice. “Fine. I’ll come.”

Selene clicked the phone off and scooted back to her bedroom, grabbing her jeans from the floor. “I have to go.”

“When will you be back?”

“I don’t know.” She jammed her legs into her jeans and pulled them up over her hips. Her hands hesitated on the robe. “You won’t go anywhere, will you? You’re not healed enough.”

His gaze met hers, the heat of those golden eyes warming her body all over again. He gave a brief nod. “I’ll stay until I’m better.”

Selene dropped the robe, without breaking visual contact.

His golden eyes flared, his lips tightened and a low, rumbling purr rose from his chest.

Then she pulled a T-shirt over her head. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Chapter 4

“I don’t know why I had to come.” Selene couldn’t help worrying about the stranger she was forced to leave behind in the bed, back in her apartment. Alone, injured and sexy as hell.

“I’m sure Deme had good reason. Probably because you can read minds better than any of us.” Brigid parked her Harley in the visitors parking area outside the emergency room and kicked the stand down to hold up the big machine.

Selene climbed off, pulling the helmet over her head.

In her biker leathers and with her badass attitude, Brigid was hard enough to stand up against. To keep Brigid from asking questions or entering her apartment, Selene left without inviting her sister in, claiming they’d better hurry. Her Chicago police special detective sister didn’t need to know about the man. She’d go ballistic, possibly even fling a fireball or two, if she even knew Selene had him in her apartment.

In the dark hours just before dawn, Selene and Brigid slipped in through the emergency entrance to the hospital. They headed straight for the elevators and the ICU floor where the injured woman was being cared for.

As they rode up in the elevator, Selene let her guard down and stretched her thoughts out, gathering in emotions, thoughts and fears of the people in the hospital. Most were asleep, some dreaming, some having nightmares. Those who lay awake in their beds worried about their loved ones or whether they would live to see another day.

The overall feeling was one of worry and sadness, with one exception. A dark malevolence slithered through Selene’s thoughts, skimming at the edges, slipping in and out like a thief. One moment the darkness took shape, the next it pushed her away, making her head hurt with the pressure.

A hand on her elbow made her open her eyes.

Brigid stared at her, her brows furrowed. “Are you all right?”

Selene hadn’t realized she’d closed her eyes. Nor had she realized the elevator door had opened onto the ICU floor. She blinked and forced a smile. “Yeah.” Then she stepped out onto the highly polished tiles, rolling the strain from her shoulders. Surely she’d imagined the darkness. “Let’s get this over with.” That way she could get out of this hospital and back to the man called Gryph, lying semiconscious in her bed.

As she rounded the corner of the elevator bank, Selene saw Deme and Cal, Deme’s fiancé, standing at the nurses’ station, consulting with a doctor.

Deme looked up, the strain in her face easing slightly when she recognized Selene and Brigid. “I’m glad you came.” She introduced them to the doctor, who immediately excused himself, leaving the four of them standing beside the nurses’ station. Deme tipped her head to the right. “Let’s go somewhere we can talk. I could use some coffee.” She led them back to the elevator and down to the cafeteria that remained open 24/7.

“Was the woman able to identify her attacker?” Brigid asked.

“The victim’s name is Amanda Grant,” Cal said.

Selene leaned forward, her breath lodged in her chest. “What did she say?”

Deme’s gaze connected with hers and she continued without looking away. “We had a sketch artist draw from her description. Show her what we got, Cal.”

Cal Black, the tall, handsome Chicago police officer, pulled a white page from the folder he held and handed it to Brigid. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Me, either,” Deme said, her gaze fixed firmly on Selene.

Brigid whistled. “What is it?”

Selene leaned over, her heart beating so fast, it pounded against her eardrums. When the page came into view, she gasped.

Lion eyes stared out at her, and a full mane of hair encircled a half human, half lion face. The same face she’d seen when Gryph had suffered severe pain and changed into something she’d never encountered before. Selene swallowed the lump in her throat. “Miss Grant said this was her attacker?”