In Deeper (19 page)

Micah touched Celeste’s back as Drake revealed the details of the threat she faced. She was stiff as a board, her spine unyielding and straight. She must hate this, having to ask for help. She was proud, and it had to be hard for her to admit she couldn’t do it on her own. The gazes moved toward them, some curious, some judging, and a few outright amused. Micah returned the attention with a hard glare of his own, silently daring anyone to say something out of the way.

He draped an arm around her shoulders. He didn’t care if everyone saw. He wanted them to, damn it. He was marking his territory, and the other wolves should steer clear.

Drake continued speaking. “I’ve e-mailed all of you a picture of Leo. If you see him on the island, call me immediately. Do not attempt to capture him yourself. Lions are extremely dangerous, and I want none of you hurt because of this situation. We have twenty-four hours to find out who is threatening Proctor Publications. But before we get to work, enjoy the buffet my wife has ordered. She made me promise to send all of you out with full bellies.”

Laughter floated on the air as well as good-natured ribbing of the alpha’s capitulation to his tiny wife’s demands. Emma had won over the Society with her water-bending skills. If not for that, the wolves may not have been so quick to accept her as one of their own.

Once Drake called an end to the meeting, Micah led Celeste away from the crowd and down to the beach. He led her away from the lights of the party, moving out of earshot of the other partygoers. The water swirled around their ankles, and the sand shifted beneath their toes. One of the things he loved most about Tybee Island was being able to walk around barefoot.

Moonlight shone down on them and lent silver streaks to Celeste’s pale hair. Beneath the glow of the moon, her luminous beauty was soul-stirring. How had he looked at her and pretended she was anything but his? He ran a finger along the deep V of her dress and delighted in the shiver she gave. “Are you OK?”

She gazed at the ocean, and the turbulent waves matched the emotion brewing in her eyes. “I just want it over and done with. I want to be able to move forward and not embarrass my company because some idiot has it out for me. But I hate this.” She lifted a hand and waved toward the beach house. “I hate asking for help. I hate admitting I can’t fix it on my own.”

“You’re not Wonder Woman,” he gently teased. “Or maybe you are. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen the two of you in the same room.”

Her lips curled into a smile, but the faraway expression remained. She focused on him, but he sensed her mind was a million miles away. “Thank you.”

He nudged his head against hers. “For what?”

“For this.” She pushed back with her forehead. “For everything.”

“No thanks are needed. I’m doing it for entirely selfish reasons. I want to ensure you remain in my bed every night.”

She laughed, and her eyes twinkled. “So that’s the only reason?”

“Pretty much,” he teased but quickly sobered. “We’re going to find him, and when we do, he’s going to wish he’d never been born. That’s a promise.”

* * *

By the time the party broke up a little after midnight, Celeste was exhausted. She’d danced with Micah, forcing a smile to her face and pretending she didn’t dread what the next day would bring. Either they found the person responsible for threatening her, or she had to pull the plug on the anniversary celebration.

To make matters worse, today was the day of the anniversary edition.
Savannah Living
would hit newsstands that morning, and she wouldn’t be in the Proctor Building to celebrate with her editors. The injustice of it all made her spirits sink.

Micah stayed downstairs with his family, assisting in seeing the guests out the gates and making sure the property was locked down. Drake now changed the codes daily, so that only the family and the most trusted house staff could turn off the alarm. Just another example of how she’d disrupted their lives. She felt intense guilt for bringing her troubles to their front door, but she needed help. She realized it, even if she didn’t want to admit it.

She kicked off her heels and slipped out of the dress she’d borrowed from Emma for the impromptu party. The water bender was one size smaller and half a foot shorter, but where the dress had been flowing and long on Emma, it had turned into a skin-tight mini on Celeste. But it had done the trick. She’d seen the hunger in Micah’s eyes.

In her bra and panties, she climbed into bed and checked her cell phone for messages. It was habit to respond to any she hadn’t had time for during the day, but there were no missed calls or blinking letter symbols. With nothing to do but wait for Micah, she snuggled beneath the covers and closed her eyes.

The doctor had visited before the party and declared her almost healed from the cyanide. He’d seemed surprised that she’d bounced back so quickly. Thank goodness for her healthy immune system. A weaker wolf wouldn’t have been so lucky.

For the first time, she considered the facts. She could’ve died. She would’ve gone to her death never telling Micah she loved him. Had her near murder been the catalyst for him to reveal his feelings too? Whatever the reason, she was glad they’d finally been honest.

The door cracked open and softly shut. She smiled, but didn’t open her eyes. “Did everyone finally leave?”

“Not everyone.”

The gruff, familiar voice sent chills skittering across her body. She shot up in bed and used her wolf vision to see in the darkness. The outline of a hulking man with shoulder-length hair filled her with fear. “What are you doing here?”

Instead of rushing her like she expected, he remained by the door. “You’re in danger.”

No, duh. She pulled her feet to the side, preparing to flee from the covers if he approached her. “From who?”

“I don’t have time to tell you everything. Meet me at the beach tomorrow morning. Come alone.”

She gathered the sheet to her body. Why would Lion Man sneak into the Randolphs’ beach house and set up a meeting she’d never agree to? “Who sent you?”

“No one.” The rumbling-rock voice was the same—intense and powerful. Almost sincere. “I came to warn you before it’s too late.”

“Too late for what?” She was thoroughly confused. “Look, man. I don’t know who you are, but my boyfriend is going to be here any minute and—”

“Micah Randolph?” Lion Man chuckled. “I’m familiar with him. I’m going to be straight with you. The Society is facing more danger than I think you even realize. Meet me and I’ll tell what I can.”

She pointed a finger at him. “If what you say is true, why me? Why not go to the alpha? Who is sending me those damned e-mails?”

“There’s no time.” He cocked his head to the side, probably hearing the same laughter she’d heard coming from downstairs. “Meet me tomorrow. Six. And I’ll tell you everything. Come alone.”

Before she could say, “Never going to happen,” he was out the door. She darted for her clothes and got dressed in a hurry, following him out of the door and downstairs.

She encountered Max at the bottom of the stairs. He didn’t appear too steady on his feet. It wasn’t like Max to drink too much, but she had bigger concerns. “Did you see him?”

“See who?” Max asked, followed by a hiccup. “No one here but me.”

“Gah!” She pushed past him and searched the first floor but saw no sign of Lion Man. How had he got in, and how had he escaped so easily?

“Celeste? What are you doing?”

She’d just finished checking the kitchen and side doors when she heard Drake call her name. She spun around and opened her mouth, but something held her tongue. Lion Man hadn’t told her not to say anything, but he had instructed her to come alone. Did she trust him and do as he said? Or should she reveal all to Drake?

“I thought I heard someone.”

“Probably the last of the guests leaving. Emma and Micah are coming in now.” Drake’s eyes narrowed. “You’re pale. Do you not feel well?”

She grasped at the excuse. “I think all the dancing wore me down more than I thought it would.”

He came forward and guided her toward the stairs. “You should be in bed. The effects of the cyanide are probably still playing havoc with your system.”

She hadn’t planned to keep the Lion Man’s visit from him, but something stopped her. The sincerity in the man’s voice, the way he hadn’t attempted to hurt her. She’d been all alone on the second floor. If he’d attacked, no one would’ve known until it was too late. She wasn’t a fool. She’d be no match for a lion, even in her wolf form.

Micah and Emma joined them. Drake casually guided her toward his brother. “Celeste is tired. She shouldn’t have stayed up so late when she’s still getting over the poisoning.”

Celeste gritted her teeth. She hated being treated like an invalid, but the truth was she was tired. Stressed to the max and now dealing with a new complication. Micah took her hand and helped her up the stairs. She pretended a weakness she didn’t possess and allowed him to take care of her.

Once he had her stripped and ensconced in bed, he stood and studied her. “You need to rest.”

She frowned and reached for him. “Are you coming to bed?”

He took a step back. “If I get in that bed, you know what will happen. I’ll go to the guest room.”

“No!” She didn’t want him to leave her. “Stay.”

“Celeste,” he said in a warning tone.

She tossed back the covers and patted the mattress. “Don’t ‘Celeste’ me. You’re sleeping here and that’s final.”

“Bossy,” Micah teased, but his nimble fingers undid his tie.

She waited with bated breath for him to remove the remainder of his clothing. The jacket went first, tossed over an armchair, followed by his shoes and pants. In a pair of tight, black boxer briefs, he strolled to the other side of the bed and slid in.

She rolled toward him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She snuggled her nose into his chest, inhaling the scent of him. Now she had his warm, firm body next to her, she realized she was sleepier than she’d thought. The Lion Man should predominately fill her consciousness, but exhaustion muddied her mind.

“I should’ve realized you needed rest,” Micah said. His voice rumbled against her cheek, while he stroked the curve of her back. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I had fun tonight.” And she had. Up until her unexpected visitor.

“I’d planned for more fun.” He nuzzled her neck but retreated when she would’ve tried to kiss him. “Not tonight. I meant what I said. You’re sleeping, and that’s it. No hanky-panky.”

Laughter trickled out of her. “Did you just say hanky-panky?”

“Yeah.” He rubbed a palm over the curve of her buttock. “I did. Now get some sleep. We’ll talk more in the morning.”

The morning, when she apparently had a meeting with a lion shifter who had a big secret to tell her.

Why wasn’t life ever simple?

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Fog rolled in overnight, blanketing the ocean in a haze so thick Celeste barely detected the horizon when she ambled away from the deck. The sun had risen a few minutes before six, and the faint rays of sunshine peeped through the intense cloud of moisture coating the shoreline. She’d left Micah sleeping, and hopefully she would make it back to the room before he awakened with his seven o’clock alarm.

She huddled inside a gray hoodie sweatshirt she’d filched from Micah’s closet and turned her head to the left and right, scanning for any sign of the lion shifter. The beach appeared deserted so early in the morning, but a set of footprints and an odd scent let on someone had been there not long before.

She pulled the hood over her hair and followed the track of large prints, hoping she was right and they belonged to Leo. Her bare feet sank into the sand, and she shivered at the damp mist blowing in off the ocean. She walked several yards, nearly out of sight of the house, before she caught a glimpse of a man in a black T-shirt and khaki cargo pants. He stood at the edge of the water with his back turned to her. He appeared to be the right size.

She didn’t speak, instead preferring to approach him quietly. Was she making a mistake? What insane idea had convinced her it was OK to seek Leo alone while the Randolphs were still in bed? She prided herself on clear thinking and level-headed sense, but something about Leo had urged her to trust him. She had to hope her premonition was correct, and she wasn’t walking into a trap.

The man turned when she was less than a dozen feet away. The shoulder-length blond hair and hazel eyes reassured her somewhat. It was indeed Leo, but what did he want with her?

The lion shifter smiled. “You came. I’d wondered if you would. Glad I was right.”

She stopped a safe distance away and tucked her hands into the oversize pockets of Micah’s sweatshirt. “What do you want with me? Why have you been following me?”

He held up his hand. His palm was nearly the size of her head. For such a large man, he moved quietly. “I promised I would tell you, but first you need to know I’m not responsible for the e-mails you’ve been getting. I approached you in Atlanta, unaware of your situation and bungled the meeting I was trying to arrange with you.”

“Why me?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “If there is something important you have to tell me, why not go to Drake?”

“You were an easier target.” Leo smiled again, the lopsided grin almost wolfish. “And prettier.”

She rolled her eyes. Men. “Get on with it. If you’re not the one e-mailing me, what do you want?”

Leo stuffed his hands in his jeans’ pockets and rolled back on his heels. “You’ve probably already guessed, but I’m a lion shifter. My pride is based in Marietta, right outside Atlanta. For the past year, we’ve been tracking suspicious activity taking place against shifters. Unexplained murders, missing persons, things of that nature. We have reason to believe the Savannah Lycanthropes are the organization’s next targets.”

Her tongue seemed to stick to the roof of her mouth. “Come again?”

Leo’s gaze gentled. “I’m an investigator for GBOPA. I can show you my badge if I need to.”

“GBOPA?” She’d thought the Georgia Bureau of Paranormal Activity was a myth, a bedtime story that shifter parents told their children to make them behave. “It’s real?”