That Shifter Love

Chapter 7

Lucy snuggled up next to Nathan, a lazy smile on her face. Her body was sated, her mind relaxed more than it had ever been. Her eyes were closed, so she could not see that he was watching her, enjoying the content on her face. He ran a finger down her cheek and across her lips, and her smile grew with his finger. He continued the slow massage of her face until she spoke.

Marissa had followed Austin several blocks on foot. She complained in her mind about her choice of footwear that day; a pair of four-inch heels in a lovely maroon to match her blouse. Her feet would hurt tomorrow, but that was a good excuse to wear her athletic shoes to work tomorrow. Casual Thursday, it would seem, she laughed at herself.

Marissa lost sight of Austin for a moment. She craned her head up and saw his back entering a bar three doors down from her. Perfect, she thought. Drunks are so easy to coerce.

Marissa had never shied away from using her looks and flirting ability to get her way. She had never stooped to actually sleeping with anyone to get what she wanted, but she wasn’t sure she wouldn’t. She’d never been put in that position, so she didn’t know what she would do. But there was little she wouldn’t stoop to in order to get her way.

The bar was definitely not of the finest quality. She looked around to acclimate her eyes to the lack of light; the nighttime sky was actually brighter. Each table had its own candle and the bar was lit by two globes hanging from the ceiling; that was all the available light. Few people patronized the bar, and none had looked up when she entered. The bartender had given her a cursory glance before returning to the book he was reading.

Marissa looked around and saw Austin at the very end of the bar, almost hidden by the keg handles advertising the four types of beer sold most; they were the cheapest beers sold anywhere, and the most tasteless.

Austin pulled back quickly when she sat on the bar stool next to him. He looked her up and down, frowning. She very obviously didn’t fit in at this bar in her business attire.

When he still didn’t speak, only stared, Marissa rolled her eyes and said, “Hi, I’m Marissa.”

“Austin. Do you need something?”

She smiled. “I couldn’t help but hear your conversation at the restaurant with that woman.”

He glared at her. “Yeah, so? What about it?”

“I believe you. She is a werewolf. And that man she was with is also a were,” she told him. His eyes widened, but he didn’t speak. “You say she attacked you?”

“Yes! One minute we were making out, the next she was growling at me and tried to bite me,” he confirmed his story.

Marissa felt a moment of disgust at this hideous man. She didn’t doubt for a moment that he had attacked Lucy, but she didn’t care. Lucy had to go. Besides Nathan’s attraction to her, Marissa had done her research and found out who her mother was. Lucy would definitely cause trouble if she remained in the city; if she were banished like her mother, so many problems could be solved.

“Who have you told so far?” Marissa asked the man as the bartender sauntered over. “I’ll have a rum and coke, please. And whatever he wants.”

Austin narrowed his eyes at her. Beautiful women didn’t buy his drinks. “Same,” he told the bartender without taking his eyes off her. “Listen, lady, what do you want?”

“Who have you told?” she asked again.

“No one,” he mumbled, his head hung low. “When I saw her at the restaurant, the memory came back to me. It was fuzzy until then. I lost my temper.”

“I understand that well,” Marissa concurred. “But I think you need to speak to a reporter. The police won’t believe you, and this kind of thing shouldn’t go unnoticed. Those damn weres are dangerous creatures. Especially that one.”

The bartender sat their drinks down in front of them and moved away.

Austin had been nodding in agreement as she spoke. He pointed his finger at her chest, mere inches from touching her. Marissa sneered, but he didn’t notice. “You’re right. Those damn things are evil. There’s no way I’m the first person to be attacked by one of those things. And Lucy has always hated me.” He took a deep pull on the rum and coke.

Marissa cringed and debated about the intelligence of this move. She stared at him as he mumbled to himself about ‘those damn things’ and decided that no matter how this went, she’d at least get to watch Lucy put in a bad spot.

“I know just the person,” Marissa whispered conspiratorially. She pulled a card out of bag and handed it to him. She pointed at it and said, “This guy works for one of the local stations. He’s always looking for interesting stories.”

“I don’t want to be made fun of,” Austin grumbled.

“He doesn’t work that way, I assure you,” she told him. “He’ll make you look like the victim you are, and make her look like a monster. He has a certain prejudice against the weres.”

Austin nodded his head. “I’ll do it first thing in the morning.”

Marissa pulled a few bills out of her wallet and laid them on the bar. “I think that’s a good idea, Austin.” She rose and exited the bar, musing that she’d call her friend at the news station in the morning and make sure Austin had called him. A smile crossed her face as she hailed a cab.

*****

The next morning, Lucy and Nathan lay in bed together, curled around each other like they’d slept together every night for years. Lucy woke but didn’t move. She didn’t want to wake him. His face was close to hers, and she wanted to look at him for a few minutes so she could memorize it. His lashes were dark against his skin and incredibly long. His blonde hair was mussed from sleep and s*x, and he looked like he’d stepped out of the ocean after surfing and let the breeze dry it. She wanted to brush it off his forehead so she could more clearly see his handsome face. So she did, then jumped when his eyes flashed open.

Lucy chuckled at her reaction. “I’m sorry, did I wake you?”

“You did, but I don’t mind one bit,” Nathan replied. He kissed her forehead, her nose, and her lips softly.

“I like waking up like this,” she said, snuggling closer to him.

“Yeah, me too,” Nathan agreed. “How about another romp, sexy lady?”

“Hmmm, what a romantic offer,” she teased. They kissed slowly. “What a good morning.”

“Morning? Honey, it’s nearly one,” he chuckled, glancing at the clock on her side table. “We slept late after a night of continuous loving.”