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  No time to waste, he tried to astral project back to Chloe. But she was no longer in the dream world, and thus off his radar. Cursing loudly, he knew what he had to do.

  Protect her at all costs.

  Chapter Two

  Chloe banged into her office, dropped her suitcase on the floor, flung herself onto her leather couch, and let out a pent-up sigh. “Home sweet home.” For however long it took to find a decent, affordable apartment anyway. Her life was on the east side of Fort Lauderdale, so she would look for a place near the beach, not too far from her office. She was tired of living in ostentatious quarters, out west in the ritzy side of town for Gerald’s benefit. She was tired of battling the horrendous rush-hour traffic every evening. She was weary of driving miles to the beach.

  She knew she should rouse herself from the couch and start her real estate search, but weariness crept in and she allowed herself some space. The beach beckoned so she exchanged her sneakers for a pair of casual sandals. She exited her tiny building nestled between skyscraping bank buildings and art deco condos and strolled across A1A, the bustling beach boulevard, to the enticing white sands. Sunshine lifted her spirits, and combined with the refreshing salt air, rejuvenated her.

  Wet sand squished between her toes as waves crashed upon shore. The scent of seaweed teasing her nose, she scrunched it. She bent to retrieve a stranded starfish and tossed it back into the waves. Then she picked up another and another, feeling a strange kinship to the poor creatures. She too was stranded, not merely literally on her secondhand office couch, but emotionally. She was still attached to a man who had been gone for the better half of a decade.

  Utterly pathetic.

  A physician, she should understand life and death better than anyone, and that those left living needed to go on with their lives. It wasn’t healthy to mourn a man for so very long.

  If only the dreams would stop haunting her, maybe she could put memories of Luke in their proper place. But was she holding onto the dreams, as if calling them to her nightly?

  Strolling along the weathered pier, she stared down into the murky depths of the Atlantic, hoping to find an answer. But as usual, no answers were forthcoming, no whisper of wisdom.

  Perhaps it was time to consult a counselor. Mental health was as important as physical health and to be whole, she needed both. Or maybe she just needed an exorcism.

  She sank onto the warm sand, uncaring that it clung to her clothes and damp flesh. Somehow, its grittiness felt comforting as she watched the seagulls soar overhead, occasionally swooping down to catch a fish. If God took care of his creatures of the air, surely he would provide for her needs. She was only temporarily homeless and much better off than when she’d been chained to Gerald and his warped ideals.

  Longing to be as free and unfettered, as aimless as the egrets wandering aimlessly through the damp sands leaving her footprints as they left theirs, she slipped out of her sandals and buried her feet beneath the frothy waves lapping ashore. God she missed strolling hand in hand with Luke along this stretch of shore. The memories almost choked her, and she swiped angrily at an errant tear that had the nerve to slide down her cheek.

  So why didn’t the glorious freedom make her giddy with relief? She didn’t miss Gerald, so what disturbed her?

  The dreams.

  Luke.

  Her flesh tingled from the bright sun, and she chided herself for neglecting something so basic as sunscreen in this semitropical climate. Rising to her feet, she plodded back toward her office, taking the long way through back alleys to avoid people. She needed to be alone, not jostled by the throng of ever-present tourists wearing floppy straw hats and gaudy flower print shirts, crowding the beach boulevard.

  At first, she welcomed the cool shadows, but then an eerie sensation crept over her and she hesitated, listening for sounds. The buzz of traffic whined from a distance, as did the crash of waves. She turned around swiftly to surprise anyone that might be there, only to find shifting shadows.

  Still spooked, she resumed her journey, quickening her pace, slipping onto the populated sidewalk, just in case her sixth sense had picked up on something sinister. And then she felt the presence again. This time, there was a horde of beachgoers in brightly colored beach wraps, Hawaiian print shirts, and cameras strapped around their necks. None looked like stalkers. None met her gaze but none avoided it, either.

  She must be going mad. But her heartbeat sped up, and her nerves jumped with every unexplained noise. Something rubbed against her legs. Yelping, she clutched her throat, her heart ready to jump out of her chest when a tawny tabby cat meowed up at her.

  The harmless creature purred and wound itself around her feet begging for her attention. Blinking, she did a double take, not trusting her eyes. The cat wore a hat! “Well, look at you. What a cute little hat you have. Dr. Seuss would be delighted.”

  Smiling despite herself, she scratched the whimsical creature under its neck. So this was the dark, dangerous creature that had been following her, half scaring her out of her wits? Man, but she felt silly, being spooked about nothing. “Why in the world do you have a hat on, guy? Is this someone’s idea of a joke?”

  The tomcat just gave her a secretive smile and meowed again, its tail crooking around her calf. “You hungry, little dude? I probably have something in the office fridge.” They were almost to her building. At the mention of food, her stomach growled and she remembered that she had tossed her breakfast down the garbage disposal. Too bad she hadn’t thrown the engagement ring down with it.

  “I hope you like leftover Chinese.” Leftover Chinese topped her personal favorites. Perhaps the cat would enjoy it too. In her experience, cats liked almost everything as long as it wasn’t cat food. She hand-fed scraps of chicken to the cat on her back step, her fear forgotten. “You don’t look malnourished or abused. You just out begging? Someone must love you an awful lot to buy you a little hat to keep the sun off your nose.”

  To her surprise, the feline jumped in her lap and climbed onto her shoulder, hugging her. His heart beat against hers in a strangely comforting rhythm that melted her heart and made it go ahhhh.

  “You’re a real sweetie, aren’t you?” The rascal charmed her out of the rest of her meal, and then curled up beside her, never closing its eyes, ever vigilant. When she got up to go inside, the cat squeezed between the crack of the door and trotted after her.

  “What is that scruffy mongrel doing in here?” Gerald’s voice made her jump back, almost squashing the cat underfoot.

  Startled, she lashed back with more furor than she intended. Gerald had no right to dictate or ask anything. He definitely had no business stepping foot on her property. “The cat’s here because I invited him. You’re the trespasser.”

  “I came to beg your forgiveness.” He crossed the room and tried to capture her hands in his, cornering her. “I was an unforgivably rude ogre. I just miss getting to spend time with you and was heartbroken that you didn’t seem to mind being apart from me so much, sweetums.”

  Sickened, she almost choked on his saccharine endearment and tried to duck away from him. Her patience had all been used up that morning, and her diplomacy had evaporated. “Get out.”

  “But, pumpkin, it was just a little lover’s spat. Let’s not hold a grudge.” When he moved in to kiss her, her stomach roiled and she turned her head. As she was about to order “no”, the cat hissed and swiped Gerald’s leg with extended claws.

  Chloe gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. But her apology was strangled in her throat when Gerald aimed a vicious kick at the small creature. “I’m going to call Animal Control and have that flea-bitten creature put to sleep.”

  Repulsed by the callous verdict, she dove for the door and shooed the cat outside to safety. “Scat!” She barricaded the door and stood between Gerald and her new ally.

  “What are you thinking? Now you’re letting strays inside your facility? I forbid you to feed it. It only encourages it to come around. If I see that feli
ne here again, I’ll summon the authorities.”

  She couldn’t believe her ears and she treated him to her most venomous glare. “You forbid me?” How dare he? Did he see a collar around her neck? Did he hold ownership papers?

  “You have no rights over me. In case you forgot, we broke up this morning.”

  “We had a tiff.”

  “You took back your engagement ring.”

  He dragged the rock from his pocket and tried to slide it on her finger. “That was the heat of the moment talking. I brought it with me…”

  Scorched by his despicable touch, she yanked off the damn thing. “See how much I want it or you?” Opening the door wide, she flung the detested piece of metal into the sea of sand with all her might. “Now leave before I call the police. I don’t want to see you on my premises again. Do I make myself clear?”

  Gerald’s jaw dropped wide open. “I can’t believe you threw away a ten thousand dollar diamond ring…”

  “Believe it. Leave. I don’t want you or your ring.” She’d have to change the locks to keep him out.

  To his retreating, hunched back, she called, “Oh! I’ll be by later today with the cops to get my things. They’d better be there as I’ll have witnesses vouch what I had in there.”

  * * * * *

  Luke listened intently at the door, his hearing supersensitive since his rebirth. Swearing under his breath, he turned into his human form, ready if need be to break down the door, to wrench the jerk off Chloe. His fangs burst through his gums, ready to rip out the man’s jugular at the slightest provocation. The jerk would be sorry he ever laid a rough finger on a woman, but especially on Luke’s woman.

  He hadn’t wanted to reveal himself to Chloe, however, particularly not in this manner, so he hesitated.

  Then he heard the front door squeak open and a second feminine voice interrupted the pair inside. “Yo, boss lady? Is that you making all that racket? Everything okay in there?”

  A bit more commotion ensued before Chloe said, “Gerald’s just leaving. Come on in. What are you doing here so early?”

  “Just need to catch up on a bit of paperwork. You know what a slave driver you are.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Chloe muttered.

  His Chloe had always been a pussycat as far as bosses were concerned, a regular pushover most of the time. Her practice must be thriving.

  Gerald, Luke presumed, was the one who stomped out and slammed the door, shaking the windows. But he listened for Chloe’s beloved voice in case he had to follow her again. Anika could strike at any time.

  “What crawled up his lily-white ass?” the woman asked.

  “We had the mother of all arguments this morning, and we broke off the engagement.” Chloe didn’t sound very happy about it, leaving Luke in a quagmire of emotions. At least she had given the moron his walking papers.

  “’Bout time you kicked his sorry butt out of your bed. That brother is bad news, like I’ve been telling you. Can’t say I’m sorry to see his backside.”

  “Do me a favor and call the locksmith. I want the locks changed right away. Pay him the extra to come out tonight.”

  “You that worried, doc? What did the man do to you? I ain’t never seen you like this.”

  Bristling, Luke held his breath. His fangs were fully bared and he crept deeper into the shadows so that no one would see him.

  “He didn’t do anything. I just have an uneasy feeling…”

  As well she should. Unfortunately, the best locks in the world couldn’t keep Anika or her kind out of Chloe’s office or dreams. At least it would keep that Gerald jerk out.

  The scent of Gerald’s blood strong in his nostrils, he licked it from his fingers. “Spoiled.”

  The creep was a parasite through and through.

  * * * * *

  The air-conditioning whooshed over Chloe, making her bare nipples bead. Or maybe it was the dozen pairs of eyes ogling her that caused her pussy to clench and her nipples to perk.

  She felt absolutely decadent in her skimpy miniskirt and knee-high boots. Her skirt sashayed with every step, showing glimpses of her nakedness beneath the material. Her boss thought it more erotic for their clientele if she waited tables sans undergarments as well as topless. He also liked to take a glimpse whenever she went into the back to collect her drinks.

  From the way the men drooled, her boss knew his clientele.

  She balanced the drinks on the round tray, careful that her jiggling breasts didn’t knock them to the floor.

  “Me first, darlin’,” a muscle-bound soldier-like character with a crew cut crooned as his hand found its way over her bare bottom.

  “Patience, patience.” She tsk tsked and moved deftly out of range, earning a frown from her boss from across the room. She nodded at him, plastering a sunny smile on her lips.

  She had the most wonderful job in the world. She could live out her every fantasy, make men drool, and sate her every desire. She got to parade around topless in front of a roomful of men nightly, choose the ones she wanted to sample, and she could do it on duty while making dynamite tips.

  “Why would she want a tiny little prick like yours when she can have my big dick?” a long-haired, gold-toothed trucker asked, coiling his arm around her waist and drawing her onto his lap.

  Laughter bubbled from her lips in a silvery tinkle as she enjoyed her power over the men. “Careful! Don’t spill the drinks.”

  “If you don’t hurry up and service me, I’ll be spillin’ something else,” a GI Joe said huskily, reaching under her skirt again.

  “Promises, promises.” She wet her lips with her tongue, enjoying the parry. She liked to tease the men, and even let a couple of them stroke her velvety folds or lick her nipples, but she was choosy who she let fuck her. It usually started an orgy and she’d go home satiated, and sleep for a week.

  “Tell those losers to get lost. You’re all mine, darlin’,” a sultry voice drawled behind her, setting her nerve endings on fire.

  Luke. The one man she couldn’t resist any time, any place. But he didn’t need to know that and become too cocky.

  Slowly, she leaned back, so that her hair spilled down her back and he appeared upside down. Her breasts pointed upward, too eager for his touch, and she tingled all over. “I think these men beg to differ with you.”

  Luke growled, a feral gleam in his eyes. She could swear they glowed red. He reached down and lifted her from the trucker’s lap, swooping her into his arms. “Do the honors, darlin’.”

  She didn’t have to ask what he meant as they’d danced this dance enough times before that she knew the routine by rote. He laid her reverently on a table and started licking her breasts down to her pussy. Liquid heat filled her as he ate her to a slow, blistering climax.

  After she floated back to earth, he dipped his head and captured a pert nipple in his mouth. Revitalized, she released his huge cock from its prison, running her fingers along his heated, velvety shaft. Eager to unite body and soul with him, she pushed down his jeans. “Take me, lover.”

  He drilled her with a wild fury. “Anything you say, darlin’.”

  She was so wet and horny, she nearly exploded. Gasping for breath, she pleaded, “Don’t ever stop loving me.”

  “Already done.” He bent over her, biting her breast erotically, sending shudders down to her toes.

  The other men lined up behind him, unzipping their pants, holding their cocks dripping with moisture as they watched Luke take her masterfully.

  “Get lost. The lady’s all mine.” He didn’t miss a beat, stroking into her as he gave the evil eye to her would-be lovers.

  “Maybe she has something different to say about it. She was hot for me before you stole her away.” The trucker shoved Luke, goading him.

  “You don’t want to be doing that, friend,” Luke said, his voice lethally quiet and controlled.

  “Oh yeah? Am I supposed to be afraid of you? Like you’re going to take us all on.” The man swung at Luke, who ducked and p
ulled out, leaving her on the brink of rapture, stealing her breath.

  “Be careful, Luke!” She eyed the dodgy crowd surrounding him like a pack of wild dogs.

  Before her amazed eyes, Luke turned into a wolf, bared fangs, and pounced on the leader, driving the frenzy back.

  “What in the hell is it?” The men spun on their heels and ran, pulling up their pants.

  “What are you?” Chloe asked, mesmerized by Luke’s glowing eyes trained on her as he shifted back into the shape of a man.

  He refused to answer, gathering her into his arms gently, spreading soft kisses down her body until he pushed her skirt up and buried his face in her mons, his tongue caressing her, sending tidal waves of exquisite need through her. “Where were we when we were so rudely interrupted?” He suckled her clit, his hands kneading her buttocks.

  “In heaven.” And she never wanted to leave. All she ever wanted to be was to be with Luke, in his arms, forever and eternity.

  “What are you?” Chloe asked, mesmerized by Luke’s glowing eyes trained on her

  He faced her, pain on his face. “Do you love me?” he whispered.

  She stared. How could she answer that? He died. He left her.

  “Do you love me, Chloe?”

  Suddenly she knew her answer. “More than life.”

  Gathering her into his arms gently, he cradled her against his swiftly beating heart.

  * * * * *

  “Lukas! Leave her!” The voice cut across her dream jerking her awake. She sat up, blinking, trying to focus her eyes, still cloudy in the dark. From the corner of her eye, she saw a shifting shadow. It was large enough to be man or wolf, but she wasn’t fast enough to make out its essence.

  “I’m delusional again.” She moaned, sitting up on the couch and crossing her legs in the lotus position. What was wrong with her? More dreams of Luke? And oh what a bizarre, depraved dream. Would she ever move on with her life?