15 comments/ 36491 views/ 72 favorites Pipe Dreams Ch. 01 By: Cia81 Prologue The impulse to move was almost overwhelming. She stayed still, frozen between the cars. She wanted to leave but knew that if she did, if she tried to leave the property she'd be punished. Leaving the house might be forgiven, if he was drunk enough, but if he wanted her and she wasn't there... She shuddered, her unnatural stillness finally broken. Wrapping her arms around her body did little to warm her in her thin nightgown. The rough concrete of the driveway hurt her bare feet. She heard yelling in the house and bit her lip. Now or later? Which would be worse? She shifted, rocking as she agonized over the decision. "Aurelina!" A light was growing in the kitchen window. Was he trying to cook? The stove was broken; the gas wasn't going to the burners. She hurried back toward the house. "Ow!" She bent down to grab her foot, blood dripping from a cut on the sole from stepping on a broken beer bottle on the ground. The explosion was loud enough that the neighbors a half mile away heard it clearly. When the police and firefighters showed up the house was burning fiercely and the teenage girl was unconscious in the middle of the grassy front lawn. Chapter 1: They Meet for the First Time "Hey, Lina!" Turning, Lina waved at the tall brunette that was rushing toward her. "Hey Maggie!" Maggie was a little breathless when she finally got to the corner of the quad where Lina was waiting. "Whew, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to catch you." "Are you actually going to class today?" Lina asked her. "Oh yeah! Didn't you hear? The guest lecturer for this one is supposed to be a real hottie." Lina made a sound of disgust. "You looking for a middle aged sugar daddy now?" She grinned when Maggie elbowed her and shot her a glare. They started walking toward the large red brick building that most of the business management classes were held in. "No, thank you very much." Maggie fanned her red face, trying to cool off. "God, there is no way it should be so hot this late in September." "This is weird. It's usually pretty cool by now. Indian summer I guess," Lina said with a shrug. "Whatever. I can't wait for it to cool off. I got the cutest jacket for this winter, wait til you see how it looks on me." "One, you are enjoying showing off all that tan skin in those tiny tank tops, don't act like you aren't." Lina laughed when Maggie just grinned and tried to look innocent. Her chest didn't exactly fit in a size small but Maggie had that tall, lean runner build and looked great in them. "Yeah, thought so. Two... I was with you when you bought that coat, remember?" "Then I'm sure you agree with me!" Lina laughed. Maggie acted like a typical rich girl, shallow and vain, but she knew her friend was very smart. She skipped class because most of the time she didn't need to be there. Lina went to every class and spent most of her free time studying. She was dedicated to her plan for finishing school and her career plan after that. She wasn't afraid to work hard to make her dreams come true. Her view was that if it was worth it, it was worth working for. "So what do you know about this guest lecturer?" Lina and Maggie were both taking a business management degree track. Almost finished with their degrees, they both needed this entrepreneur class to graduate. "Tara texted me, she said the guy was a total hottie with eyes to die for." Maggie held the door open for them both. The air conditioning inside brought a sense of relief. It really was too warm outside. Lina shifted her backpack to one shoulder and the air felt cold on the sweaty spot that was uncovered. They walked up two flights of stairs to their lecture room. It was one of the out of the way classrooms since not many people went in for entrepreneurship classes. Lina couldn't understand why, Professor Paviels was an engaging teacher and he had a number of businessmen come in as guest lecturers. There was nothing more inspiring than hearing about the struggles of men and women with actual experience doing just what some of them were hoping to once they left college. Lina knew she would be able to follow her plans through if she had the degree and the skills to back up her drive to succeed. Her dream in life was to be a social services administrator which amused Maggie. She didn't mind the low salary projections; she wasn't majoring in business for the prospect of raking in money hand over fist like many of the others in her class. Her goal, once she had some experience in the field, was starting a non-profit organization to help victims of abuse that had fallen through the cracks in the system. The idea was there but she wasn't quite sure where to focus her efforts. There were many needy groups of people who could use a hand up. She shook her head; she had plenty of time to think of that. "What?" Maggie asked. Lina looked up at her, her forehead crinkling. "What, what?" "You stopped walking. Nervous to go in?" Maggie grinned as she waved at the door to their class in front of them. "Oh," Lina rolled her eyes, "No, sheesh, it's just a guy Maggie. I was just thinking about something. Sorry if I kept you from your precious ogling time." Lina laughed at the superior look Maggie tried to use on her. Maggie slipped one arm over her shoulders. "Fine, I'll forgive you this once. Just don't do it again." Lina pushed her away but they were laughing when they walked into the classroom. Lina's laughter died as soon as she felt the stare of the man across the room. She sensed his scrutiny and it made her uncomfortable, sending her scurrying over to her usual seat beside Maggie. The ones they usually sat in were by the door so she was able to avoid all the eyes of the other people in the class but when she looked up she was caught in the piercing gaze of the man who had to be their guest lecturer. On the short side for a woman, Lina was used to looking up to people. This guy was so tall even Maggie would have to look up at him though. He was leaning against the wall by the windows and his head was level with the six foot windows which meant he was at least a few inches taller than that when he stood up straight. He was well built under his suit too; wide shoulders tapering down to long fingered hands were nimbly straightening his tie as he continued to stare at her. Lina couldn't bring herself to look away. His eyes were light, much lighter than his dark brown hair would make her expect. They were that odd shade some called ice blue but they were anything but cold. If anything they seemed to burn; the look he was sending her was intensely focused and fierce. When he licked his lips she almost expected him to rush forward and pounce on her. That odd thought snapped her out of her trance. She blushed, feeling the fierce red stain creeping up her neck and burning her cheeks. She looked down at her hands where they clenched on the strap to her backpack so hard her knuckles were white. "Ooof." An elbow driving into her ribs made her grunt and cringe. She looked at Maggie who had one eyebrow raised. "Why did you elbow me?" "You didn't hear a thing I said did you?" "Umm, no," Lina cleared her throat, "sorry." Maggie grinned and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "I saw him staring at you. He's as hot as Tara said, isn't he? Did you catch a glimpse of his mouth before you got lost in those pretty blue eyes?" She sighed happily, "I love a guy with a soft mouth for kissing. His lips almost look pouty, don't you think?" Lina risked a quick glance from the corner of one eye. She really hadn't noticed anything beyond the almost animal magnetism in his eyes. He was still watching her, his sharp looking white teeth sunk into a bottom lip that did look perfect for nibbling. She jerked her eyes away at that thought, completely shocked at herself. She didn't look at guys like that; in fact she usually avoided all men as much as humanly possible. She felt herself blush again. Great, she was probably the color of a tomato. "Oh my god." Maggie laughed at her. "I didn't think anyone could turn that color." "Shut up," Lina hissed. Thank god Professor Paviels started the lecture right then. Lina set up her laptop, hiding her face behind the screen while he introduced their topic for the class. "As we will be covering how to start and grow a new venture in a risky business climate such as we are currently undergoing I have invited Alerkane Jacy to speak with us." Lina frowned. Jacy... that was the name of a local millionaire family. This guy was their representative for a start up? Professor Paviels was still speaking. "He has experience with this; recently starting up his own new business in the last five years, one which has grown steadily since that time." The students clapped politely when the Alerkane made his way to the lectern. He didn't have any notes in his hands nor did he take any cards out of his suit pocket. He did make sure and sweep the classroom with his eyes, smiling warmly as he made eye contact with just about everyone. "Thank you, Professor." Alerkane stood there facing them and Lina couldn't look away though she had fought to keep her eyes on his chin when he was sweeping the room and keep it there. She could do this. She needed the grade on her transcripts too much to leave or not pay attention, no matter how unsettled she felt. "As Professor Paviels said, my name is Alerkane Jacy. Most of you know might know me as the current CEO of Jacy Industries. Several years ago I also..." Lina jerked in her seat, her eyes rising to meet his sharply. He stopped speaking immediately. "Is there a problem, Miss...?" "Devers," Lina said shortly. She brushed her hair out of her face and looked at Alerkane with narrowed eyes. "I thought you had a start-up company. If you are the Kane Jacy in charge of the multi-million dollar Jacy Industries started by you grandfather more than 50 years ago, how exactly does that qualify as a start-up?" He smiled warmly at her. "Well, you'd be right if the company Professor Paviels mentioned was involved in Jacy Industries. However, the project spoken of is one I started with capital from my own funds and other investors; it is also in no way connected to Jacy Industries. It's registered under my partner's name, not under the Jacy name as well. "It is a non-profit company, geared to taking troubled teens and putting them through an outdoor camping and hiking expedition course. The actual trips take place on a privately owned small ranch with trails and even animals for the teens to care for. Since we first began Okwa'ho, we've progressed to have eight groups go through the program this last year." Lina was still trapped in his eyes but she couldn't help but feel a little impressed by what he was saying as well. She wouldn't have expected him to be involved with such an alternative company. "Those families who can afford to pay for the program do; we have a scholarship style fee system set up for those who need assistance. We can't take everyone but we have a board to ensure those who are in real need and show the aptitude to benefit get the chance to go to Okwa'ho. In addition to the trail courses, we have different programs in place to keep the camp self-sustaining during the off season and provide funds for the summer session. We are looking to expand currently to new locations in Idaho and Wyoming." Lina blushed and looked down when he finally looked away from her, embarrassed that her assumptions that Kane Jacy didn't really know what it was like to start a business from scratch like a regular person without his family connection. She had heard of Jacy Industries, most people in the area had considering that there was even a building at the college named for the family and had judged the man based on that assumption. Based on the fact that he was a local businessman and had agreed to be a guest lecturer, Kane had probably gone to school here in the past and knew the professor personally. She decided to be quiet and listen the rest of the class and most of all, avoid that unsettling gaze. Maggie didn't have any compunction about asking questions though. "So how did you get something like that off the ground? Where did you find the market?" Lina sighed silently in relief when she felt the man's intense attention shift to Maggie. Thank god Maggie didn't have a shy bone in her body. "It started with some friends actually. There was a group of teens creating a real issue in the small town I grew up in. Their parents all decided to teach them some responsibility the hard way and together we decided to take them for a survival week. They were provided with the bare essentials and taken on a trip designed to teach them what it meant to respect the world around them and what it meant to rely on someone else to keep you alive. It worked remarkably well. Two of the teens are actually working as guides now." A voice spoke up behind her, "But how did that translate into a business?" "A few different ways actually," Kane smiled, "The town is pretty close knit and wouldn't have made it without two brothers who were instrumental. One was the local probation officer for the county and the other was the game warden. They contacted me when the actions of the teens proved how effective the hike was. It turned out they wanted to know if we could do it again. There were a few kids from outside town that just needed a little intervention before they crossed the line into real criminal activities. "I put up some money to hire the guides and the camp gear as well as things such as a basic business license and insurance. We did four more trips that summer." His hands waved about as he talked and most of the women in the room seemed captivated. Lina tried glancing up and then back down to be polite but she had to fight the urge to stare as much as they were. Kane went on, "The high rate of success convinced state officials that this was a good alternative to placing kids in juvie. I put up the capital and they began a referral system as part of the local juvenile diversion system." Despite herself, Lina was intrigued. "The next year we focused on ways for the program to become more self-sufficient, earning money to defray the costs to run it. That is where the other brother came into play. He works for the state and had the idea to use the teens in the program to help maintain trails in the state parks. We got permission to use state land and a grant in exchange for grooming the more remote trails that weren't accessible to the equipment. "With help from our investors we purchased the ranch and use that for the base camp after the first year." Moving around as he talked, some of Kane's hair had fallen out of the tie at his neck, he pushed it back absently with one hand. His suit pressed tight to his chest for a moment and Lina caught sight of the muscles he was hiding under the thick jacket. She wanted to touch them but as soon as she caught the urge she blushed and her gaze shot back down to her laptop. "We have a year round staff to provide upkeep and to take care of the animals in the winter. This last year we added a few trips in the spring and fall that focused on ranch working while the summer trips mostly followed the sheep from the ranch off to their seasonal grazing. The hands take care of the shearing and we are also able to sell the wool." "So why not put the Jacy name on it? Wouldn't that bring in more investors and exposure for the program?" Kane moved out from behind the lectern. He stood in front of the class in a casual pose, leaning against the wood podium, yet he held their attention like none of the other lecturers had. He was young, only a few years older than most of them and a success, not just for his family business, but for his own endeavors. It was impressive and what most of them were hoping to experience with their own business ventures. Lina was taking notes as well. "I have the luxury of not putting my entire financial well-being into the company start-up like so many entrepreneurs. Still, I guess I wanted to prove that anyone could do it; that I had the business acumen to succeed the way my grandfathers did. "The biggest cornerstone to any successful venture is not just having the money to pursue it, though that is vital, of course. The one thing you cannot replace is a product or service you believe in and that your partners or investors can believe in too. You have to be willing to think outside the box and put a lot of time and effort into the company, especially in the first few years. Get rich quick ideas rarely pan out but if you're willing to work for it you can succeed and build a successful business. If you are willing to commit your time and resources and know your company's target groups and their needs, you can do well when starting your own business." Professor Paviels began to clap at Kane's concluding statement and the students followed suit. "We don't have a lot of time left but if there are any more questions I'm sure Alerkane would be more than willing to answer them if he can." Lina listened to the few additional questions her fellow students asked but didn't pose any herself. She focused on putting away her computer and getting ready to go, keeping her eyes off the charismatic man at the front of the room. Her reaction to him was freaking her out and she had a study group meeting after class. She would have just enough time to grab a quick sandwich on her way if she hurried. Kane was very nice, answering questions for the next few minutes about his start up as well as his family business for the students. Looking at the clock she was just getting ready to stand up when he said something that caught her attention. "We haven't advertised this yet, but with the focus this winter on expanding the Okwa'ho camp program to two more states we have decided to offer an office internship program. It would be unpaid but the hours would be flexible and it would give the person chosen something to put on their resume after college." Lina would have loved to get that internship but she was sure it would involve close contact with Kane Jacy. Something about him was unsettling, it felt almost as if he was the hunter and she was his prey. She had felt his eyes on her several times through his lecture but she avoided looking up to meet his gaze whenever she could as she waited politely for the professor to end the class. She was attracted to the man, something that had never happened to her before and that scared her more than anything. Truth be told, she just wanted to leave and forget all about Alerkane Jacy. "If anyone would like more information please come up and get one of my business cards. You can contact my secretary in order to set up an interview. Thank you." As soon as those words were out of his mouth Lina was out of her seat and heading to the door. Maggie knew about her study group so she wouldn't say anything, even if Lina didn't usually leave quite that quickly. *** "What? Why would I do that?" Lina asked Maggie incredulously. She picked at the french fries on her plate, swirling them in her favorite fry sauce. "You know it's perfect for you. A non-profit organization helping at risk teens with an experienced businessman? You know that is really close to what you want to do in the future and it would be invaluable for your resume." Her eyes narrowed at Lina who was trying to look innocent as she quickly stuffed more fries in her mouth to avoid answering. She should have known trying to look innocent and hungry wouldn't work because she could see Maggie wasn't buying it. "Why don't you want to apply? You have taken every single course you could that might even remotely help you after you get a degree so you can work as a program administrator for social services. You said it's your dream before starting your own company. Not to mention the man couldn't take his eyes off you and he was even hotter than Tara said. How could you not be interested in getting some of that?" Pipe Dreams Ch. 01 Lina shrugged, pushing her long dark hair over her shoulder. "It's not that important and I'm already taking an extra class this semester. I'm too busy." "Bullshit. There's something else. Now spill or I'm going to steal your entire stash of chocolate cookies." It was Lina's turn to narrow her eyes. "You wouldn't." Maggie looked at her smugly. "You sure?" Lina sighed and frowned. She fidgeted with her napkin. She couldn't believe she was going to tell Maggie this, it was just too weird. She had been completely distracted during her study group and had to call Blaine afterward to get her section so she could do the work because she totally forgot what had been assigned to her. She had never felt like this. "Stop stalling. You know why you don't want to apply; you don't have to think up a lie. I'll be able to tell, you know." "Fine," Lina said in disgust, "I'm attracted to him, okay?" Maggie stared at her in shock. She sagged back in her chair. "Really? As in want to jump his bones, lick every inch of his body from his head to his toes and gobble him up, attracted to him?" "No!" Lina denied it hotly but suddenly a visual of her sucking and biting his neck hard enough to leave a mark hit her and she felt a flash of arousal in her core and a sudden wetness in her panties. "Oh god!" She buried her face in her hands to hide the hot blush that she could feel flushing her cheeks. "Oh my god! You do! You so do!" Maggie shouted. Lina looked up, fixing her eyes on Maggie with a glare that should have made her fall out of her chair sideways, completely dead. "Shut up!" Maggie ignored it. "Girl, you have got to go after that. The way he was watching you he is into you too." Lina shook her head. "I don't want to. I just... I don't even know how..." Lina buried her face again, certain her blush had her face damn near glowing. Maggie looked confused. "Haven't you ever--" She paused and Lina jumped in before she could finish her sentence. "No. I've never done anything with a guy. I wouldn't have any clue what to do." She picked her up her cup of ice water and took a drink, hoping it would help cool the flush in her face from just thinking about getting close to 'the' Alerkane Jacy. Her nose wrinkled, now she was doing it too. The man was hot but he was still just a man. "I've known you for four years now and you've never dated anyone." Maggie was watching her closely but Lina just answered with a shrug. "Are you into girls then?" Lina just wanted the conversation over but Maggie was relentless. "No. I've never been into anyone, man or woman." "Never?" "Never." "Until today, right?" Lina nodded reluctantly. She put her cup down, fiddling with the straw and stirring the ice around. Maggie stood up, picking up their plates from the table and took them over to the sink. She was quiet for a few minutes and Lina had some hope that the conversation was dead but she should have known better. Maggie finished putting the dishes in the dishwasher and then turned around. "I get why you would be weirded out today but why would you let that get in your way of what you want?" Her voice was serious, her teasing over. She dried her hands on a dish towel. "Look, you know this internship would help you. Just because you are attracted to the guy doesn't mean you have to act on it. You are the most focused person I know; you can do the work and forget about the rest of it." She reached into her bag on the counter and pulled out a business card. She held it out to Lina wordlessly. "I don't know..." Lina really did want the internship but she was scared almost witless about being around Kane. She nibbled on her lip before finally taking the card Maggie was holding patiently. She didn't like men in general and usually stayed away from them; her father had made sure of that. Maggie was right; she would just keep it professional. Besides, she might not even get the internship. She sighed as her finger traced Kane's name embossed in black and silver on the card. "I'll call tomorrow." Pipe Dreams Ch. 02 Lina couldn't believe she was sitting in the outer office of Alerkane Jacy, CEO of Jacy Industries. She smoothed her charcoal skirt down her thighs once again as she wished she'd gone with the pants suit she'd originally picked out. Maggie had vetoed that choice and pulled out a skirt to pair with a deep purple blouse that she said made Lina's skin look like porcelain. Her long black hair was pulled back into a smooth twist and she even wore heels. She felt overdressed when she left the apartment but when she walked into the Jacy building Lina realized that she actually fit right in, at least in the clothing department. She made a mental note to thank Maggie. The last applicant before her had just come out of the office when the secretary picked up the phone, the light on it flashing. She listened for a minute before hanging up and looking up at her. Lina swallowed hard, the office was empty besides the two of them and she knew it was time for her interview; the knowledge made her stomach feel like it was full of razor winged butterflies. "Miss Devers? Mr. Jacy is ready for you." The secretary went back to her computer, her polished nails clacking on the keyboard as she did whatever the secretary of a millionaire CEO did. Lina stood up, unable to stop smoothing her skirt as she headed toward the large wood door. Her knees were shaking just a little so Lina took a brief second to calm herself down. She straightened her spine and her determination, trying in vain to deny the true reason for her anxiety. She had spent the last week trying to forget the attraction she felt to Alerkane and pretty much convinced herself that she had blown it all out of proportion in the first place. At least until she walked into the office and saw the mid-twenties tall, dark and absolutely gorgeous man that was sitting in a large leather chair behind a big dark wood desk. She paused, caught by the absolute sense of power emanating from him and the confidence in his eyes. She swallowed hard; he was looking right at her with that same hungry look. He was wearing a dark black suit but he had his jacket off. The dark blue shirt and his gray silk tie couldn't hide the fact that he was seriously muscled; obviously he didn't let his job behind a desk keep him from staying in shape. She wondered if his chest was smooth or if it had more of that gorgeous brown hair covering it. Instantly flushing, Lina closed her eyes in shock that the thought even crossed her mind. She fumbled with her simple leather case as she pulled out a fresh copy of her resume. She had faxed one in to the number the secretary gave her but hers was printed on a thick weight paper and she considered it more professional than a fax copy. Getting it out also gave her a second to compose herself before she had to look at him again. When she looked up Kane was on his feet and coming around the side of his desk toward her. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest and her body lock down but all he did was hold out his hand. Up close, he towered over her. She glanced up at his eyes quickly before she focused on his large palm. She reached out to shake his hand firmly, holding her breath in anticipation of something she wasn't quite sure of. Her palm tingled and she felt a shudder go from the base of her spine all the way up to her neck and lodge in the base of her skull. The hair on the back of her neck rose and she exhaled noisily and then looked up sharply to see if he noticed. He wasn't looking at her strangely so maybe he didn't see how the barest skin contact was making her skin warm, as if waves of fire were flowing from him into her. She tried to clear her mind as she cleared her throat. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Mr. Jacy. I know was a bit rude during class but I appreciate the chance to speak with you about the internship you mentioned." She tried to pull back but Kane's fingers tightened on hers as he stared down at her. He smiled. "Don't worry about it. You had a legitimate question and you weren't afraid to speak up. I admire that forwardness. Please, call me Kane. Would you mind terribly if I called you Aurelina?" He held her hand captured in both of his, squeezing it with careful pressure as if he was afraid to hurt her. It felt like the room was hot all of a sudden and she had to work to compose herself without fanning a face that had to be bright red. "I go by Lina, actually," she said quietly. She was trembling but pleasantly surprised that she wasn't trying to pull away in panic. Normally a man touching her was enough to make her have an attack. She was very careful to avoid casual touching but for some reason after he denied her attempts to pull away the first time, she settled and let him hold her. "Lina it is," he said in a pleased tone. "Won't you sit down?" He still didn't let go of her hand completely, instead he led her to a grouping of chairs to one side of the office next to a large window with a spectacular view of the city, the sun lowering over the western horizon. He indicated the low chair, it's white cloth cover stained orange from the colors on the setting sun. Only then did he let her hand go, squeezing it one last time. Smiling nervously, she at last handed him the resume she'd pulled out before smoothing her skirt and sitting down. He took the chair on her right. She made sure to sit upright and cross her legs at the ankle properly, waiting for him to read the resume. He did glance at it, checking the second page but he set it aside well before she was ready for him to. "To be honest Lina, I was impressed when I read your resume the first time. You have done work very similar to what we would be looking for in an intern for the Okwa'ho program. What exactly are you hoping to gain working with us?" Lina pushed aside the feeling that he was interested in more than her resume, she could be professional. She would be. She was also prepared for that question. She knew honesty was her best shot at making Kane understand how much she really wanted to help make his program succeed. "Well, I was impressed when you described the program to be honest myself. My childhood wasn't the best and I spent a few months in foster care when I was sixteen. There were several other teenagers my age in the group home I was in that weren't bad kids; they just needed someone to teach them that. I want to work with social services in some way when I graduate or maybe some private organizations that do what you are doing with Okwa'ho. My ultimate goal is to start my own." She took Kane's nodding as encouragement for her to go on. She settled a little in her chair, some of her nervousness fading, if not the light in her eyes. It was a spark she often hid around new people, lack of trust making her hide her true self. She was passionate in her desire for her chosen career. She didn't know how her eyes would shine when she talked about it but she could sense that Kane believed her dedication to making a change in the lives of teenagers and children who just needed someone who understood them and saw what they were worth. "I want to make a difference. I have the skills and the drive you need to help make your program succeed." She felt that maybe her last statement was a bit cocky so she tempered it a little. "If you choose me for the internship, that is." Kane smiled, seemingly amused at her enthusiasm and Lina felt her cheeks grow hot. She hated how her pale skin showed her feelings with every little blush. His smile sent a little bolt of pleasure through her though. "Well your classmates who have applied are all clearly good at business but you have something they don't." Kane paused for a minute, his hands resting on the arms of his chair tapped as he seemed to think about what he was saying. Lina waited breathlessly for him to say what that was. It sounded as if the internship was as good as hers. She was finding it hard to be that close to Kane, his cologne was teasing her and she couldn't stop staring in his eyes. Good eye contact was one thing but she felt like she was drowning in the pale blue irises. "You have the heart for the job. It's not just numbers and projections, the ratio of success versus failure. You want to help people and while the technical aspects of the job can be taught, the emotional dedication can't." Lina leaned forward. "So you're going to give me the job?" she asked eagerly, unable to wait any longer. Kane laughed. "Yes, if you want it, however," he stood up, "there is just a little bit of paperwork to fill out and then we can work on a schedule for you." "Of course!" Lina jumped up eagerly. "I can do it now!" Kane glanced at the clock. Lina looked and saw that it was already after six. "Oh." She couldn't believe she didn't realize how late it was. "You must be done for the day. I can take the paperwork home and then make another appointment with your secretary if you like. I'll primarily be working with her, won't I?" Lina held her breath. She wasn't sure if she wanted his answer to be yes or no. The butterflies in her stomach were back in full force. Her plan to keep her distance from him, even her desire to do so, was crumbling with every moment she spent in his presence. There was just something about Kane that drew her to him. "You'll primarily be working with me, actually. Jacy Industries has a board that pretty much runs it but I have to keep my hand in some aspects, part of the family responsibilities. I can spend a lot of the winter working on furthering Okwa'ho, however." He was looking at the clock again when his stomach suddenly rumbled with a large growl. "Oh, I beg your pardon. I had an important meeting so I skipped lunch today." He looked away, blushing a little himself. Lina thought it was sort of cute; it made him seem more human and less intimidating. "How about I just come back tomorrow? That way you can go get dinner and can let your secretary go home." Kane waved that idea off. "Mrs. Lareux already left. Her hours are over strictly at five thirty PM so that she can get home to her kids." He seemed to think for a moment, and then he smiled. Lina's breath caught at how the smile changed his face, lessening the seriousness of it and making his eyes almost shine. She wasn't even nervous knowing she was in the office with a man who was practically a stranger. Her therapist would be proud of her. "How about I grab that paperwork for you first? I have a phone call to make before I can go that should take about twenty minutes. You can use Mrs. Lareux's desk to fill out the papers while I do that and afterward we can go out and get some dinner." Lina's mouth dropped open as she stared at Kane in shock. He was asking her on a date? Suddenly her mouth snapped shut and she took a deep breath in through her nose, trying to ignore the overwhelming scent of him so close, his cologne really was amazing. She narrowed her eyes at him though, ignoring it. If he thought he could take liberties with her just because he gave her the internship... She might be insanely attracted to the man but she was not someone who would tolerate that sort of manipulation. No job was worth that. "I do not believe that it would be appropriate for me to go on a date with a man who would then be my boss," she said icily. She took a step back. "Perhaps this is a bad idea. I'll just..." He caught her arm when she went to turn away, unable to finish the sentence. She was so angry she tried to jerk out of his gentle grip. She had to leave and yet she didn't want to either. That confusion in her feelings was driving her crazy. "Wait. Stop." Kane's voice was sharp and commanding, taking her breath away and making her core throb hot and wet. She stopped, still facing away from him, though she wasn't sure why she should listen to anything he had to say, especially if he was going to talk to her like that. She didn't like being spoken to like that, couldn't like it, she told herself. She took a step but her angry retreat was stopped by his hand rested softly on her shoulder from behind. "I'm sorry," he said softly when she didn't try to jerk away again, "I didn't think about how that would sound. I didn't mean to imply anything improper." Lina turned around to face him reluctantly. "Why should I believe you?" "You have no reason to, I know, but I do apologize. If you want to go home I understand. You probably have people you can celebrate with. I just thought we could get to know each other over a meal since we are going to be working together closely this winter. There are no strings attached and you are free to say no, the internship is yours no matter what." Lina searched his face, trying to see if he was only going to trick her or try to use her. She became aware that he was still holding her arm, his fingers squeezing it gently, at the same time he apparently did. Kane dropped his hand just as she pulled her arm away. Lina cleared her throat. "Just dinner, as friends?" Kane nodded, held up his hands innocently. "Just friends." *** The dinner that night was the first of many they went on, though if they were seriously swamped they had take-out delivered. Lina was swamped with school but most of her free time in the afternoon and early evenings was spent at Jacy Industries. Maggie teased her endlessly about her 'dates' with Kane but Lina assured herself it wasn't anything like what her friend suggested. She had kept her distance, though it was hard. Her feelings for him and the almost compulsion she felt when she was around him were hard to ignore. Especially when he seemed to touch her all the time. All innocent touches, of course. It was enough to drive her nuts. Her therapist thought it was a wonderful improvement. She's been encouraging Lina to start reaching out and speaking to men, perhaps even dating. Granted, going out for meals with her boss wasn't the same thing but the fear Lina had of just being around men had almost completely faded. Of course her fear that her attraction to her boss was all too apparent was replacing it. There were moments when she could almost feel him staring at her, his lips parted like he was about to say something, but he never did. Lina was getting ready for work one afternoon when Maggie barged in to the bathroom. Lina jumped and knocked over the perfume bottle on the counter. She cursed when the cap fell off and she had to hunt it down under the cabinet. "Don't do that! You could knock you know." "I could," Maggie said blithely as she sat sideways on the toilet and looked up at Lina. Lina rolled her eyes. "I feel like I've barely seen you this term." Maggie began sorting her cosmetics. "What are you doing?" "I know; I'm sorry. Between work and mid-terms things were nuts. Right now I'm getting ready to go over to the office. Kane has a teleconference with the juvenile corrections, social services, and park preservation offices over in Butte County. We got the program set up in Wyoming easily enough but Idaho is giving us a few fits. We originally wanted to get a ranch property over in Caribou County, the mountains there would be perfect for hiking, but the local government wasn't willing to work with us." Lina leaned forward, brushing her mascara gently over her eyelashes, the dark color making her dark green eyes seem even darker. "So then why are you getting all dolled up?" Maggie met her eyes in the mirror and Lina blushed. "You are so teasing the boss man aren't you? Making him want things he can't have?" She raised one eyebrow, grinning in what could only be naughty amusement. "Darn it!" Her neck and cheeks were bright red as Lina turned to glare at her friend. "Stop making me do that, it's embarrassing." Maggie laughed. "Are you guys going out for another," she put her fingers up in air quotes, "business dinner?" Lena bit her lip and then shrugged, reaching into a drawer to pull out her brush as she straightened her hair. "I don't know. If he gets verbal agreements from each of the directors he will probably want to. It's no big deal. We're both there late and we have to eat." Maggie was laughing so hard tears seeped out of the corners of her eyes. Lina turned and glared down at her friend; she hated being laughed at. "And just what is so damn funny?" "You are so into him and he is so into you. When are you going to stop lying to yourself?" Lina swung back to face the mirror, fumbling with her make-up bag. She had to get away from this conversation. "You're wrong. He's never shown any sign that he wanted... more, with me. Besides, he's my boss and the CEO of Jacy Industries for crying out loud. He has to have rich, beautiful girls falling all over him." She focused on putting on a final coat of lipstick, even though she didn't need to, and ignoring Maggie. She had so many dreams since she started working with Kane about him kissing her or touching her, that she had almost grown used to them. At first embarrassment had made her jumpy around him but since Kane didn't try to overtly hit on her, Lina had slowly relaxed. She still avoided men whenever possible but getting to know Kane had erased some of the fear her father had instilled in her. She sometimes wondered if she had imagined the interest she'd sensed in his lingering touches during her first interview and the way his fingers pressed into her lower back as he moved her to proceed him through a door. Or the unreadable looks she'd caught him giving her from time to time. Okay, so maybe she caught every single one and it had become a fantasy she couldn't stop that they meant more than they did. She stared at herself in the mirror, trying to convince herself as much as Maggie that she didn't feel what she knew she did for her boss. Just the thought of him did things to her body she wasn't used to. She noticed her nipples poking through her blouse and flashed on one vivid moment from the dream she had the night before where Kane sucked the soft tips of her breasts through the silk until they became hard and showed obscenely through the warm wet fabric, his tongue tracing circles around the firm peaks as he held her and caressed her body. She shuddered and grew wet just from the memory, then glanced at Maggie, hoping she didn't notice. "Did you have a reason for coming in here other than to bug me?" Lina asked. "Well yeah. Mom just called. She wanted to double check that you were sure you wouldn't come have Thanksgiving with us in Maui." Lina snorted, her mind pulling away from her too hot to handle boss. "No. I'd fry into a crisp." "You could wear sun block." Maggie smiled at her wistfully. "It won't quite be the same after you being there the last three years. Mom and Dad are so boring." "I would burn right through it and you know it. Remember that one week up in the mountains where I got the snow burn? Plus you know you are going to spend all your time on the beach trolling for hotties. You'll be fine." Lina turned, bending down and giving Maggie a hug. "I know you think I'll be sad or lonely but really, I'll be fine. I've never really cared about celebrating Thanksgiving anyway. Tell your mom thanks again but I'm going to stay here." Maggie pouted. "Fine. Be that way." She got off the toilet and stood behind Lina. Their eyes met in the mirror and it was Maggie's turn to lean down and hug her. "You look really good," she said mischievously. "Do some flirting already!" She squeezed Lina. "You know you just want to suck on him like your own personal candy Kane." She burst out laughing when Lina gaped at her, shocked she said that. She left when Lina threw a lipstick at her, still laughing hysterically. Of course they had gotten the contracts that night and Kane had taken her out to eat at a lovely little Italian place. She loved to watch him eat, covertly peeking at him when he was focused on his food just as intently as most men were. The difference was the absolutely graceful way he used his silverware. Really, his movements were fluid and careful every time he was in motion but it gave her a secret satisfaction to watch him eat, his lips sliding across his fork. Maggie's remark about candy Kane's earlier came back to her and made her blush and drop her eyes. Pipe Dreams Ch. 02 She couldn't have those feelings for Kane; he was her boss. Tuesday morning Maggie left and since classes were out for both of them, Lina didn't have much to do. She cleaned and did some shopping; the stores were crazy of course but she got what she needed and got out. Not really having anything else to do she decided to go into the office and pick up the files she had on the applicants for the prospective staff they needed to hire for the new Okwa'ho programs. She was weeding through them, picking out likely candidates based on the criteria Kane had set out. She thought some of his requirements were odd but considering how well the original program was doing he was obviously well schooled in picking employees. She would sort through her files, picking up the ones she'd yet to go through. She saw a light at the end of the hall when she entered their floor. It was coming from Kane's office. Lina was surprised there was someone else working; Mrs. Lareux was gone for the Thanksgiving weekend and she hadn't expected anyone else to be there. She shrugged and headed to her own temporary office space; she didn't intend to be there long so there no need to disturb whoever else was working on their holiday break. It was probably just the cleaning staff. "Lina, what are you doing here?" A man's voice coming from behind her startled Lina, making her gasp. She stood up and turned around quickly, her metal name placard from her desk clenched tight in one hand. "Oh, Mr. Jacy! I just came in to get some paperwork to do." She dropped her makeshift weapon back on the desk, a little embarrassed. Kane's eyebrow was raised as he watched her try to mask the movement. "Paperwork? Over the holidays? Won't your family be upset you're not spending time with them?" Lina shrugged. "No family and I decided not to go to Hawaii for the holiday with Maggie's family." She fell silent, not really sure why she told him that little bit of information. He was pretty good at innocuous small talk but she'd managed to keep most of her history to herself over their dinners. She usually refused to speak of personal issues like her family, or lack thereof. She had put all of that behind her when she moved and changed her name. A fresh start was all she really needed when she left California and other than Maggie, no one knew the truth. Well, and her therapist. There was a look on Kane's face she didn't quite understand. He was in jeans and a polo shirt, a far cry from the usual suit and tie. The shirt was slightly stretchy and clung to his shoulders and arms. She blinked, realizing what she was doing, namely ogling her boss. Her eyes snapped up and focused back on his face. Of course that really wasn't any better. She had known that his hair was longer than usual for a businessman but it was usually pulled back into a small queue, a tight band keeping it severely away from his face. Today he had it down and it fell in waves to his neck, skimming cheeks that were covered in a sexy stubble where they were usually shaved smooth. "So you have nowhere to go for Thanksgiving?" he asked. He leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms over his chest as he watched her, a strange look on his face. The move pulled his shirt even tighter over his muscled body. Who knew his suit hid such a form? He had to work out for hours after work each day. She shrugged, trying to keep cool while her heart was pounding a million miles an hour. The man was just so damn handsome, she wasn't sure what she liked better, him in his suit with a clean cut powerful aura or this more relaxed sexy muscle god in a pair of tight jeans look. "I have somewhere; I just didn't want to go. It's not like no one invited me." "What if I invited you?" He... invite her? She broke his stare, unable to bear the intensity. She couldn't help but eye his chest again, the muscles bunched where his arms were crossed and then flexing as he took a deep breath and laughed. Her head snapped up, she hated being laughed at. Boss or not boss, if he was laughing at her... He wasn't though. His face was anything but mocking. "Um, invite me to what?" "Oh come on," he straightened from his casual lean and took a step closer, "You know what I mean. Will you spend Thanksgiving with me and my family?" Lina bit her lip. His family? With that one question posed to herself, she realized that she knew as little about Kane's family as she had told him about hers. All in all, pretty much nothing. She knew his dad had died; that's how he inherited Jacy Industries, but was his mom still alive? Siblings? Cousins? "I don't know if that would be very appropriate. Do you frequently invite employees to holiday dinners with your family?" He stalked into the room and Lina pressed back against her desk, the hard edge digging into her lower back. He was watching her with an intensity she hadn't seen since the first time they met at the lecture. "What are you doing?" Lina's voice shook as he stopped just inches in front of her. He radiated heat and she was cold. Something in her wanted to lean forward, press closer to his heated skin. She leaned back instead. His hand came up and she shied away further. He frowned angrily but quickly smoothed the expression when she sucked in a breath and turned her head to the side, looking away. His fingers lifted and gently brushed against her cheek and then down along her neck to curl around the back. His free hand came up and nudged her chin until she was staring into his eyes. His large hands were gentle but firm as he held her steady and then leaned down. Lina could feel her eyes go round and she gasped a little when she realized what he was going to do. She couldn't bring herself to pull away though and her eyes fluttered shut as she felt his breath against her lips. The kiss was gentle, his lips brushing against hers and pressing lightly. He barely traced the small gap between her lips with his tongue but made no move to deepen the kiss, seemingly content to caress her gently. His fingers were massaging her neck and she felt boneless. She swayed into his body, catching herself with her palms against his chest. Her fingers curled into the fabric as she tried to stay on her feet. She was dizzy and breathless as the kiss went on and on. When he finally pulled away, the need for oxygen made them both gasp but she let out a wordless protest at the kiss ending as she caught her breath. He chuckled and she could feel the vibration against her hands. He wrapped his free arm around her and rested his hand on the small of her back. He leaned down and gave her another kiss, deeper this time. His lips bit at hers softly and his tongue licked at the opening of her barely parted lips before he thrust inside. He caressed her mouth with his, the heat and taste of him consumed her until she was close to passing out but it wasn't nearly long enough for her when he pulled away again. He stared down at her. "I think we both know that you are not a regular employee. I know I came on too strong for you when we first met. I've been really trying to give you time to get used to me but I can't keep my distance any longer." Lina's mind was spinning. Part of her was in shock that she had just been kissed by Alerkane Jacy. Another part of her was shocked that she'd let him touch her. She bit her lip, something about him got past her defenses and made her feel safe. This time she didn't flinch when his hand came up and brushed a tendril of hair away from her face. "I'm nothing special." Kane made a sound of disagreement. "Nonsense. You're perfect," he said softly. He shot a hot look from her head to her feet and then stared into her eyes. "Besides, do you even know what you look like right now?" Lina looked down and blushed. Since she hadn't expected to see anyone she hadn't changed from the comfortable clothes she had put on earlier, things she usually only wore on the weekend around the house. She had on a pair of tight jeans and an old shirt, one that molded to her chest a little bit too well. It had been one of her mom's but she loved it. She kept it, one of the few things saved from the fire. She blushed; the fabric was getting so thin Kane could probably see the color of her blue bra. She had always worn business outfits to the office before, like dressing casually would mean relaxing her defenses. "Sorry," she muttered. His finger under her chin made her lift her face. "I like you. I want to spend time with you, have dinners where we don't talk about work. I have been trying to let you get to know me slowly but I find myself needing to be closer to you, much closer." Lina was waiting for the familiar panic to hit her, the tight feeling in her chest making it impossible to breathe. She was breathless, but in a good way; the spicy scent of his cologne filling her lungs. She realized her hands were slowly brushing back and forth, caressing him through his soft t-shirt as she stared into his pale blue eyes, trying to see into him, see if he would hurt her. All she saw was the same kindness he had shown her for the last two months and the laughter and a joy in life that was usually hidden behind his stern facade. She liked the way it eased the stress wrinkles on his forehead and made his eyes gleam. He looked younger and so much happier. She could feel the same inside when she was with him, the happiness that made her feel as if she would burst. Her dreams had been filled with caresses and kisses from Kane since she met him but not one of them had been nearly as perfect as what they just shared. She wanted more too. "I want..." she paused, gathering her courage, "I want that too but--" He interrupted her, "No buts. That's good enough for me; we can work out anything you feel is a problem together. Just give me a chance." She had to make sure he understood first. "I've never done this before, dating someone," she admitted, before he could stop her again. She had to tell him just enough. "My dad wasn't someone that inspired a lot of trust in men for me. I haven't found anyone who made me feel safe enough to want to get close to them. But there's just something about you that draws me in." Kane looked pleased. "Thank you, Lina," he said softly. "I've never really dated either, but I want to with you." Lina frowned and pulled back a little. "I don't believe that you've never gone out with another woman. You're Kane Jacy for christ's sake! You're like, the city's most eligible bachelor." Kane smiled. "Yes, I've gone out before to company events, fundraisers with women who are only after me for that sort of thing. That's not what I meant though." Lina cocked her head and he smiled, his one finger of his free hand tracing her lips, making her shiver. "I've never gone out with someone I truly wanted, someone who intrigued me and made me as... as happy, as I feel when I spend time with you. You don't seem to care about my money or try to use me to get noticed. You are so pure and I find myself wanting to claim a little bit of you that no one else has, something for me alone. I want to make you as happy as you have made me, just by being my friend and being willing to be more." Lina melted. Literally, felt her insides warm and turn into goo when he said that. No one had ever said anything so beautiful to her or made her feel so special. She went up on tiptoe, her hands moving up to cup his face and she kissed him for the first time. She pressed against him and their lips moved together softly as she reveled in the sensations of arousal and pleasure with a man that she had never expected to find. "Yes." He cocked his head. "Yes?" She smiled. "Yes, I'd love to have Thanksgiving dinner with your family." Her softly spoken answer made him smile. Pipe Dreams Ch. 03 Lina had a hard time getting to sleep that night. Trying to settle when she kept flashing on that kiss in the office was next to impossible. She squirmed into her pillows again, trying to get comfortable. She kept wondering what would happen when they were at his home with his room so close. A room with a bed. She groaned and rolled over. "Hmm... so soft." His hand trailed down her neck and along the collar of her shirt, tracing her skin. He popped the top button out of its hole and Lina stiffened. He looked up at her with a smile and then deliberately popped another button loose, exposing the top of her breasts to his predatory gaze. His finger traced the newly exposed skin as he opened the rest of her shirt with painstaking care. His hands caressed the skin that peeked through her open blouse. She shivered when his knuckles brushed along the lacey fabric of her bra. Kane slid his hands up over the edges of her collarbone and up her neck to cup her face. His kiss began with the same slow care of his caresses. Their lips brushed each other repeatedly and Lina whimpered, her mouth opening to him. She submitted, tipping her head back and relaxing into his touch, her body aching for him. He took advantage; the tip of his tongue flicked in the opening and caressed the warm inner edges of her lips and danced along her teeth. At the same time his hands slid down along her shoulders, pushing her blouse off until she was standing there in just her skirt and a lacy red bra. "So beautiful," he murmured as he pulled back to look at her. Kane's deep voice and the heat in his eyes made her body thrum with desire, the heat piercing her to lodge deep inside her core. She could feel herself growing wetter by the second. She desired something she couldn't name; she needed more, a lot more. "Please, Kane." Her head tipped back and she leaned into his arms as they locked around her. Kane crushed her to him, his hard arousal rubbing against her stomach. He bent down and kissed her again, the tenderness of the first soft touches consumed and changed by a fierce heat. She moaned as he kissed her with fiery passion, consuming and claiming her with every suck and lick at her mouth with his lips and tongue. He pulled back and Lina opened her eyes, staring at him hungrily. She sucked in a huge breath, her chest heaving and her breasts pressing against his chest as she sought to remember how to breathe. He groaned, his eyes pulled downward. His hands left her back, tracing along her ribs to cup her breasts, lifting them as he bent down. His warm, wet tongue ran along the edges of the red lace covering her hard nipples. Lina grabbed Kane's shoulders, her hands fisting in the crisp fabric of his shirt. She trembled, the fire burning hotter as she grew needier with each touch she had denied him for so long. "Oh god!" Lina threw her head back as Kane's mouth latched onto one hard nipple then the diabolical man used his tongue to trace the outline of the flowers on the lace before sucking the entire tip back into his mouth. Shocks coursed through her as he suckled and nipped at one sensitive peak before turning to tease the other. "Kane, I need... I need..." Her hands opened and closed spasmodically on his shoulders as the emotions and sensations surged through her. "I know what you need." Kane straightened and pulled his shirt off. "I'll give it to you, but you must surrender to me." Lina felt a different kind of shiver at the dark demand paired with the erotic promise. Her body was on fire and she needed something she sensed only he could give her. She was going to get exactly what she needed. "Take off your skirt and get on the bed," he ordered. Lina slowly reached behind her, unzipping the skirt. She closed her eyes when she let it go to puddle at her feet. Stepping out of the skirt and standing next to the bed in only her matching red bra and panties made her feel vulnerable. She lifted her eyes and shot a quick look at Kane who was just standing there, staring at her almost naked body. He looked... hungry. She sat and then slowly pushed herself backward onto the bed, the soft comforter giving way to silky sheets as she leaned back, lying on the pillows. Her eyes never left his, not for a moment as she displayed her body the way he wanted it. "That's it, that's what I've been dreaming of for weeks now. You, in my bed, waiting for me, eager for my touch. Do you want it?" When she nodded silently, he groaned. He quickly unbuttoned and pushed his pants off his hips. Lina's eyes widened when she saw the bulge in his black boxer briefs. She licked her lips, wetting the soft pink flesh and leaving them glistening for him. "Oh, gods Lina. You have no idea what you are doing to me." He climbed on the bed, looming over her, caging her body with his. His nostrils flared as he moved up her body. "You are so beautiful, so wet, and ready for me." He kissed her, nibbling along her jaw to her ear and down her neck to her breasts still bound by red lace. He popped the front clasp and then moaned when her pale white breasts were exposed, the skin crinkled around the pink tips that were already hard, jutting out in invitation for him to suck and nibble. Lina watched the way his muscles bunched and rippled as he dove down to suck hard on first one and then the other. One sharp nip and a twist and her back arched, her cry echoing in the room as the twin bolts of newfound pleasure shocked her. Her thighs rubbed together as she writhed on the cool black sheets. "Gods, Kane. I feel so empty." She whimpered when one of his hands slid down her stomach and across her underwear, dipping between her barely parted legs. She could feel him stroking her through the wet fabric. He released her nipple, swiping his tongue across it before he looked up at her, erotic intent filling his eyes. "You're so wet, so ready for me." His fingers stroked her again, slipping along the edges of her panties to tease her. "Are you ready?" Lina shuddered at his erotic growl but managed to nod. "Tell me. Tell me that you want me," he demanded. His dark voice did things to her, made her hotter and wetter. Her thighs relaxed and she opened her legs as far as she could with him still straddling her. "I want... I want you, want you inside me," she moaned. His moan echoed hers as he slipped a single finger just barely inside the hot, wet heat of her body. "You want to be mine?" Lina took a shuddering breath and nodded. He squeezed her breasts and pinched her nipples with his strong hands. "Say it." She tipped her head back, looking at him through her lashes. "I'm yours." His eyes burned into hers as his fingers hooked into the edges of her panties and pulled, tearing them off. He yanked off his underwear and then slid back over her, right between her wide open thighs. She was so focused on the hot hard length of him jutting out that his kiss took her by surprise. "Going to make you feel so good," he whispered throatily in her ear. His lips traced down her neck to her shoulder as his hips lowered. The head of his erection brushed against her core, parting her wet lips. He kissed her collarbone just as his hips... Beep. Beep. Beep. The alarm clock went off and Lina sat up with a gasp. "Holy hell!" She groaned and fell back against the mattress, trying to ignore the slick heat between her thighs. *** Lina wasn't sure what to wear to a Thanksgiving dinner for the Jacy family. Slacks and a nice blouse were enough for Maggie's family but this was the JACY family. She smoothed down her black skirt that ended mid-thigh. Her heels were a modest three inches high and Maggie said that her silk sky blue blouse would look perfect. Lina had spent hours on the phone with her going over everything Kane had said in minute detail. Maggie had squealed loud enough make Lina jerk the phone away from her ear when she told her that she kissed him. Lina didn't dare tell her about her dream; Maggie might burst her ear drums. Either that or tease her until she died of embarrassment and couldn't make the dinner. As hard as she tried to relax, her stomach churned as she stared at herself in the hall mirror one final time. She smoothed her hair to make it lie flat and then put down the brush, deciding she was as put together as she would ever be. She took a deep breath. She was dressed up, her hair was done, make-up applied and she had a batch of spinach tartlets to take. She wasn't sure if that was appropriate or not but it was her favorite appetizer. She even made the little crusts from scratch that morning. It had kept her from pulling out the vibrator Maggie had bought her for a gag gift on her last birthday. Lina had promptly shoved it in a drawer, never to be used. She wasn't so sure about that now. Something about Kane had brought a part of her to life that she had never known existed. The doorbell rang, making her jump. She took another deep breath. Okay, she could do this, she knew she could. Kane told her that he would send a car for her so when she opened the door she expected to see some unknown driver picking her up but instead Kane himself was there. He stood there in a pair of black slacks and a deep green shirt. His dark brown hair was set free from its usual style to fall loosely around his shoulders. She stood there frozen, staring at him in silent appreciation. "You look lovely," he said, staring back at her with shining eyes. He held out a bouquet of flowers that she hadn't even noticed. She blushed and ducked her head to bury her face in the fragrant blossoms. "They're beautiful but you didn't have to do that! Thank you. You look very handsome yourself. Please come in while I put these in some water." She turned around, heading off to the kitchen, very aware of Kane shutting the door behind him. They were alone in her apartment. She dug in a cabinet, pulling out a vase to put the flowers in. Filling it with water, she put the stems of the flowers down into the vase, giving it a quick arrangement. She turned to put them on the table and nearly ran into Kane. "Oh, I'm sorry. I was just going to put these over here," she said as she put them down. "They really are beautiful and they smell so good." Kane smiled at her. "My mother told me to never pick a lady up for a date without flowers, especially when you want to make a good impression." Lina couldn't help but laugh. "Very good advice to follow." "I don't want to keep you from your family though. I hope you don't think I'm too rude, not giving you a tour of my place." "You can do it next time," Kane said, winking at her. "Oh," Lina blushed, "sure." She grabbed her purse and the dish of tartlets. "I'm ready to go." "You didn't have to make anything." He took the dish and then grinned as he held out his arm to walk her out. Lina smiled back, giggling at the formal gesture as she wound her arm through his and let him lead her to the black four door sedan in the driveway. "These do look delicious though," he said, ushering her into the car. "Thank you. It's my favorite recipe for spinach tartlets. I hope I made enough for everyone, you never did say how many people were in your family." Kane handed the dish to the driver and sat back. "Well, it varies. I have a large circle of... close friends that I consider family. I don't have any actual blood relatives left though." Lina put her hand on his arm. "Oh, I'm sorry. I know how hard that is." Kane smiled at her. "It's okay. I'm very lucky, I know that. I can't wait for you to meet everyone. A few people couldn't make it, Larry and his ma... wife are visiting her family with their children. You'll get to meet Carrie and her uh, husband Mike, Petier and his partner Karl, Mark and Chris, and my best friend Teddy. The guys might bring dates; I know Mark has been seeing Angela lately. Usually we have a larger gathering around the time for dessert. I have a wide circle of friends." Lina blinked, feeling a bit overwhelmed. How was she ever going to remember all those names? Kane chuckled and leaned down, one hand on her shoulder and the other on her knee. He kissed her gently for a moment before the kiss grew heated and he pressed closer to her. Lina leaned into him, her hands coming up to rest against his shoulders as she gave into his kiss and let his tongue probe her mouth, lightly stroking it with hers in return. The driver tapped the brakes a few times when he came to a red light and Kane pulled back well before Lina was ready. She pouted a little. Kane smiled at her and then looked toward the man in the front seat, making Lina blush yet again. She had totally forgotten where they were and that they had an audience, though the man was respectfully silent and didn't indicate he had noticed their kissing at all. "That was bad of me," Kane bent down to murmur in her ear, "but I couldn't help it. You look so beautiful and I couldn't resist tasting your mouth." He pulled back and licked his lips, watching her. Lina smiled a little at the lipstick that had come off on his mouth. She reached up and wiped it off with her thumb, gasping when he captured her finger with his lips and sucked it into his mouth. Lina closed her eyes, clamping her thighs together when they traitorously tried to open. She was not the type of woman who made out in public. She trembled a little when Kane let go and kissed the tip. His hand came up and caressed the side of her face. "You okay?" She nodded, opening her eyes to smile tremulously at him. "Just a little overwhelmed. You seem to do that to me every time I'm around you." Kane studied her face carefully. "Should I say I'm sorry?" Lina instantly shook her head, blushing when Kane smiled at her. "I think I like it. I just... I've never quite felt like this before." Kane's other hand was still on her knee and he squeezed it, then slid it up her thigh a little in a soft caress When he spoke his voice was rough."Good; I like that no one else has made you react like I can. I don't think I could keep my hands away from you anyway. The last two months have been nothing but pure torture." Lina could only nod in agreement. She had been attracted to Kane from the moment she saw him but as she got to know him, little by little, she realized that it could turn out to be more than that. Much more. The man had a good heart and was fiercely loyal to his staff. He didn't act like a spoiled rich trust fund baby at all, even though he was still pretty young. His money could be an issue when compared to her lack of it. Money did a lot of things to people, made them act differently than they might otherwise. The other big question was how he treated her in front of his friends. Without anyone to see him, he might be willing to dip below his social station; what his social circle might think of her might change that. They didn't exactly move in the same levels of society. She was trying to keep an open mind though; he did invite her to a major holiday. It could turn out okay. It could even be wonderful. The car stopped in front of a large gate that opened slowly and Lina couldn't help but gasp when she saw the house they were pulling up in front of. Big white pillars in front of a set of steps graced a three story home that looked as if was plucked from a colonial romance novel and plunked down in the middle of the city. There were wide grass lawns in front of the house and off to the right were a rose garden, a pond with a water fountain, and a side porch. The railings she could see were covered in a green vine that was just beginning to fade in the cold of the coming winter. Kane got out before her and turned to hold a hand to help her as she stepped out onto an intricate brick driveway that circled in front of the house. Lina stood in the open door of the car just taking it in and then looking at Kane in amazement. "Beautiful, isn't it? My family has lived here for generations." "It's gorgeous. I don't think I've ever seen a house this big in person before." Lina could see that the house extended a huge distance back as well. They walked up the steps and in through one of the massive front doors. The red wood was polished and intricately carved. Lina ran her fingers over the design that featured a howling wolf as Kane led her in to the foyer. The inside was just as impressive as the outside. Large windows let in the dim autumn afternoon sunlight and it seemed as if there were no dark corners at all. Lina had expected the place to feel overly large and empty but it didn't. There was a comfortable lived in feeling to the house that surprised her. The man who lived here though... She was still in disbelief that Kane Jacy could really be interested in her. He was light years beyond her in every way; completely out of her league. He was the type of person who grew up in a house like this. She grew up in a two bedroom house that had been falling apart well before her father had blown it up. She tried to smother the feelings of inadequacy. Her therapist had told her time and again it was the voice of her father; her mind repeating his abuse. She had to break the cycle. She turned to Kane. "It's great. I can tell this is a real home," she said. "Let's just drop these off in the kitchen and then I'll give you a tour," Kane led her across a hall and through a set of double doors. "Wow. Your kitchen is bigger than my whole place," Lina said softly. Blue ceramic tiles decorated the walls in places and there were more huge windows behind the double sinks at the far wall. Kane smiled down at her. "We like to eat and I like to cook, when I get the chance. It was hopelessly outdated so I had it redone a few years ago." He put the tartlets down on the counter near some other appetizer trays and held out his arm. "The turkeys and ham won't be done for a while and the rest of the group will be bringing the sides. Let's take that tour. "Ready?" Lina nodded, though she wasn't really sure. They left the kitchen and Kane began a running commentary on the house and decor while she tried to pay attention. She looked at the man who was chivalrously holding her arm and escorting her about the large and beautifully decorated rooms on the first floor. The insecurities that plagued her tried really hard to make her believe this was all some sort of horrible joke. For some reason her body stayed relaxed though and she couldn't get upset or nervous or scared as long as he was with her. The way he looked at her, the feeling of his touch on her body... her instincts told her this was a man she could trust. She just had to get the voice that her father had instilled in her to shut up. Meeting the group of friends Kane had mentioned in the car went far better than she expected as well. The couples were easy to tell, their bodies remaining in close contact, hands touching or even snuggling. Carrie was pregnant which surprised Lina a little; even though Kane had mentioned one couple had kids she just didn't expect his close group of friends to be in that stage of their lives. They all looked so young but her husband Mike hovered around her and caressed Carrie's stomach frequently. Teddy, Kane's best friend, could almost have been his twin aside from the difference in eye color. Their hair was even a similar shade, though Teddy's was just a bit darker and he had it cut in a very classic fade and spiked up. Apologizing, he pulled Kane away for a few minutes, leaving Lina with Petier and Karl. They'd had a lovely conversation about how the pair had met in France years before while she waited for him to come back. "So, Lina, Kane says you two met in one of your classes?" Petier's accent was very pronounced but she was able to understand him. He was a slight man with fine features but he had a bright open smile that made Lina want to smile back. His partner Karl had been sitting with them but had gotten up to refill their wine glasses. Pipe Dreams Ch. 03 "Yes. He was a guest lecturer in one of my business classes." Lina took a sip of her white wine. "This is very good," she said, leaning forward to get a stuffed mushroom appetizer. She sat back, Kane's arm going around her shoulders to toy with her hair as she enjoyed the appetizer. "Kane always serves delectable wines, don't you dear man?" Petier smiled at Kane who rolled his eyes and simply nodded his head. Karl returned and handed Petier his refilled wine glass. He grabbed a few tartlets and mushrooms and sat down carefully, resting on the arm of the loveseat Petier was perched on. He was as big as his partner was small, even bigger than Kane, which had frightened Lina a little when she first met him. "Hmm, these are very good." Karl closed his eyes and savored the tartlet. "What do you put in it?" "Well I kept those simple. A nice sautéed onion and spinach mixed with a little smoked gruyere baked in actual tart crust. It's very easy to make." Karl opened his eyes and smiled at her, a quiet warm smile that was what won her over after they began talking. The giant hulk of a man was quiet and gentle, his every movement careful, especially around Petier. "Do you think I could have the recipe?" Lina nodded. "Of course! I can send it to Kane and he can forward it to your email." Karl reached forward impulsively and hugged Lina who froze for a moment in surprise but then hugged him back. The real surprise was a rumble from Kane and the feeling of hard hands on her shoulders that pulled her back. Over her shoulder she could see just see Kane's face behind her as he glared at the large man, gritting his teeth. "Mine," he growled. The room fell silent. Lina smacked him and wiggled in his suddenly tight arms. "Ease back there Mr. Caveman. He was just giving me a hug." Kane was still glaring at his friends who looked a little surprised but then started laughing. Teddy was laughing the loudest. Lina sighed in exasperation. "Not helping guys." Teddy smirked. "Sorry Lina, just never thought to see the A... uh, Kane so insecure as to feel threatened by a gay man." "Well he's allowed his stupid moments, I'm sure." She turned her head to look better at Kane. "Though if you don't let go of me, I can't be held responsible for my behavior." Kane didn't say anything, jut rubbed against her before bending down to kiss the part of her shoulder bared by the wide neckline of her blouse with an open mouth. His chest rumbled against her back. She gasped and blushed at the knowing looks on Karl and Petier's faces. She looked up at Teddy, expecting to see him smirk but instead his face was very serious and a little worried. Just then Carrie and Angela came to save her. Carrie pulled her away from Kane easily and towed her off, saying something about finding the bathroom before the baby finished its dance on her bladder. Kane stood there blinking but Teddy moved to his side, putting a hand on his shoulder and saying something quietly. Lina cocked her head, trying to hear what it was but she couldn't quite catch it. Carrie squeezed her hand and smiled at her in reassurance before looking at the guys. "We're going to freshen up before dinner and have a little girl talk. You boys behave now." She led the way into a large powder room and bathroom set up on the second floor. Plopping down on the small settee in the middle of the room she sighed as she kicked off her shoes. "Oh, it's good to have those off. Pregnancy has ruined my feet for all my shoes. None of my favorite pairs fit anymore." She wiggled her toes, grimacing at her swollen ankles. Angela had settled down next to her. Not quite sure where to sit, Lina perched on one of the cushioned stools. "How much longer do you have left again?" Angela asked. "Two months but it feels like forever," Carrie groaned as she shifted. "Plus Mike has been so protective lately I've taken to hitting him upside the head whenever he gets too bossy. I think my hand is starting to develop a permanent bruise." Angela and Lina both laughed. "It's not like he can help it though. It's just how they're made," Angela reasoned. Carrie looked at Angela and then looked at her, widening her eyes a little and raising an eyebrow. Lina pretended she didn't notice but it made her wonder. She'd seen several whispered conversations and glances at her from Kane's friends. She tried to ignore them, still trying to overcome her apprehension. "All good men, that is," Angela added. "Think of how good a daddy he will be." Carrie smiled, caressing her stomach. "Yep, our little boy is going to be one lucky lad. So, Lina... you're dating Kane? How long have you been together?" Her shift in the conversation wasn't subtle at all and caught Lina a bit by surprise. Lina blushed. "I'm not really sure. We're just friends and he found out that I didn't have plans for Thanksgiving so he asked me. I'm working with him on the Okwa'ho expansion project. We haven't really talked about what we are." Angela tilted her head at her. "I've never seen Kane bring anyone to the house before, much less a, uh, family event. Besides, he certainly didn't look like he just wanted to be friends earlier." Lina blushed, groaning internally. She cursed her pale skin that showed every emotion. Angela's eyes brightened and she grinned. Carrie nudged her. "Stop teasing her. She's not one of us. She doesn't know." Lina was taken aback. 'One of us'? What did that mean? That she wasn't rich? Lina's good mood sank and she looked down. "Shouldn't we get back downstairs?" Carrie looked at her watch. "Dinner will be in a few minutes." She groaned as she shoved her feet back in her shoes and scooted to the end of the cushion before she stood up. "I've got to visit the bathroom, again. Be right out." Angela and Lina wandered out into the hall. Lina pretended to be absorbed in looking at the pictures, trying to push away the uncomfortable feeling. She was staring at one that had a younger Kane standing in front of two older people. His face was almost a carbon copy of the older man in the picture but he had the woman's eyes. Carrie came up behind them. "Those were Kane's parents. They took that picture about six months before they died." Lina nodded. "I can see the resemblance. Were they close?" "Very. I've known Kane since we were babies, our parents... worked together. His mom always wished she had more kids but he was it for them. They adored him. He's been lonely since they left." Lina frowned. She didn't like the thought of Kane unhappy or lonely. Carrie smiled at her and hugged her with one arm. It felt like she liked Lina but what had that earlier comment meant? "He's been a lot happier since he met you." Heading downstairs, they all met up in the foyer and went to the dining room, the table already set. Teddy sat on Kane's right and Lina sat on his left at one end. The others went automatically to their seats as if they always sat in the same ones. Lina was just glad her appearance didn't seem to have displaced anyone from their spot at the table. Dinner was full of happy conversation as they enjoyed the turkey and traditional side dishes. After the meal they went back to the living room and lolled about on the various couches. Most of the guys were groaning and holding their stomachs. "How about a movie?" Kane suggested. Lina was a bit surprised they weren't watching football. Her dad had always sat around drinking beer and watching the game. A movie was a lot better in her opinion. Everyone nodded and Kane got up, opening up an armoire full of movies. He ran his finger over the shelves. "Aha! Perfect." He put in the movie and then sat down next to Lina. She laughed when the beginning credits for the movie Christmas Vacation came on. "I love this movie!" she said happily. Kane grinned at her. "Me too." He pulled her against him and they snuggled together during the whole movie. At one point during the film Lina looked around at Kane's friends. For the most part she had been made to feel very welcome. There were undercurrents of things she didn't understand that they said but she figured that came from knowing each other since childhood; they'd all grown up together. They had included her in their conversations but what Carrie had said in the bathroom still niggled at the back of her mind. She snuggled deeper under Kane's arm and put her hand on his chest. He rumbled a little, squeezing her hand and then turning his focus back to the movie. When Lina looked back around she saw Carrie wink at her and she smiled back, trying to just enjoy the day. Not long after the movie ended even more people started showing up. Lina looked on in amazement as about fifty visitors all came to share dessert. Kane walked around with his arm around her, introducing her to everyone. "There is no way I'm going to remember everyone's names," she whispered to him when he finally led her over to the buffet style dessert table set up. She was eyeballing the chocolate cake but the traditional pumpkin pie was her favorite holiday treat. "Lina," he turned her to face him, "no one expects you to remember their names. There is no expectation here. I just wanted you to meet the people I consider my family and have them meet you." He bent down and kissed her. A few of the guys catcalled and Kane glared at them when they made Lina's face turn red with the inevitable blush. The men Kane looked at shrank back into the crowd. Lina didn't want to tell him about the conversation with Carrie and Angela upstairs and the very real judgment she heard in their words. Kane didn't treat her like she was inferior so she decided to try and forget it once and for all. She turned her attention back to the desserts and finally picked a slice of pie. Lina had just sat down on the couch next to Kane to enjoy it the front door was shoved open with a bang. "Kane! You better get out here!" Shouting and the sounds of grunting came from the foyer. Lina didn't recognize the voice, it sounded almost distorted, not quite like a man's at all. "Lina, stay here!" Kane jumped up and rushed out of the room while Lina sat in shocked confusion. She knew what she wasn't going to do and that was stay in place like a good little girl when someone could be hurt. Before anyone could think to stop her she stood up and hurried after Kane. She jerked to a stop when she saw a person standing in the foyer with Kane. He looked wet; it must have started raining while they were eating. He had some blood trickling from his nose but that wasn't what shocked her. What had her frozen in her steps was the face of the unconscious man he held in his arms. Pipe Dreams Ch. 04 Kane didn't notice her following him as he rushed to the two men in the foyer. "What happened Max?" he barked. The wet man took a deep breath to answer Kane so he must have been Max. Lina watched in shock, barely listening to the conversation as her mind focused on the oddest things. "I think he overdosed. I stopped by to pick him up and found him like this! There was a packet that said Pipe Dream on his table." Lina gasped, her hands coming up to cover her mouth. Tears sprang to her eyes. Oh no, no, no. Kane grabbed the unconscious man who was seizing and drooling vivid purple foam from his mouth. "He's been like that for at least ten minutes," Max said. He stood in the entry way, rain dripping from his hair and clothes, his shirt stained in purple blotches. His voice was anxious as he stared down at th e man helplessly, his voice broken. "I got here as fast as I could." "Shit! He hasn't woken up at all?" "No. He's so out of it I couldn't get him to shift either." Lina started forward. She was on the verge of hyperventilating but she had to tell Kane what she knew about Pipe Dreams. That guy needed to be in the hospital if he was going to have any chance to survive as more than a vegetable. She couldn't believe his friend had brought him here instead of going to the emergency room right away. If he died it would be all her fault. She had known better; even back then she'd worried someone might have found out. She should have stopped him. Hands caught her around her shoulders and pulled her back. Lina fought but Teddy started talking urgently in her ear. "Wait, please. You can't distract him right now. He's going to be livid and need all his control when Carson wakes up. Just please... don't forget everything you know about Kane, okay?" What the hell did that mean? Lina tried to pull away but Teddy's hands tightened on her shoulders. "Fine!" Lina said angrily. His hands relaxed and shrugged them off her shoulders but she stayed near the door, waiting as he asked. She'd give it five minutes... She stopped breathing completely when Kane set the dangerously sick man down on the marble floor and his body began to twist and change. She watched in shock as the man she knew changed; his muscles thickened and he got even bigger, his clothes tearing with a loud ripping sound. His skin rippled and she watched in shock as a dark black fur flowed across his body. His face elongated into a short muzzle and within moments there was no trace of the man she knew. Standing in his place was a beast, a large, muscular, hairy... creature. She let out a whimper, jerking away from Teddy who was reaching for her again and backed up fast, slamming against the door frame. The creature's head swung toward her and she saw that his eyes were the same, the ice blue color as Kane's eyes that always intrigued her. Her hand came up to cover her mouth. There was something... wild swimming in his eyes as he looked at her. He looked away and she felt as if she had been released physically, so strong was the sensation of his eyes on her. She fell to her knees, huddling down and pressing into a tight ball. In shock and more scared than she had ever been in her life, Lina still couldn't look away as one of his large clawed hands fell on to the center of the sick man's chest. When the creature spoke his voice was a low rumble, clear but much deeper than Kane's usual tone. She could feel something as he spoke, like a tingle than surged through her as he spoke to the dying man still convulsing on the floor. "Carson Everson Marks, shift now." The depth of the voice had changed but it was still the same confident voice; the voice that said he had spoken and those who heard would obey. It had been tough to hide the effect it had always had on Lina. Strangely, it reassured her now and her body reacted to the low order. Somehow, the creature was the man she knew as Kane. The man she had been dreaming about was not a man! Lina made a sound in her throat and suddenly Teddy was by her side. "Shh, don't distract him. He has to focus on Carson and then he'll explain things to you. Don't be afraid, Kane would never hurt you." Kane growled when the man didn't move. "Shift, Carson." The man on the ground groaned and his eyelids fluttered. His back arched and a horrible moan was torn from his throat. "Carson Everson Marks, you will obey your alpha. Shift now!" The power in the room shifted palpably. Somehow even Lina felt it as Kane shoved his will into the convulsing man. All at once Carson's body began to shift. Instead of growing larger like Kane had done his body shrank. His arms and legs changed shape and gray fur covered his body. When he was done changing a larger than average size wolf lay on the floor. His convulsions stopped and his eyes blinked open. His tail tucked between his legs and he shrank away from Kane who stopped him from moving with a firm grip in the hair on the back of his neck. The wolf went limp and he whimpered as their eyes locked. "We will be having a talk after you have rested and can shift back into human form," Kane said in a voice deepened by the growl still rumbling in his chest. He glanced over at Lina who couldn't help but turn away; she couldn't stand the pain in those ice blue orbs. "You have done more than disobey my orders with your reckless drug use." Kane released him and the wolf tried pathetically to stand up but fell to the floor in exhaustion before he even made it to his feet. Kane stood up."Take him down to the basement, Max, and let him sleep it off. He's not to leave the safe room." Max nodded wordlessly and then picked up the wolf, moving to a door Lina hadn't noticed before. It looked like an ordinary door but there was a security pad next to it and when he opened the door she saw that it was several inches thick and the wood panel seemed to cover a steel core. As soon as it shut behind them Kane turned to her. His eyes flicked to the people still standing in the door to the foyer. "Leave us." Teddy protested, "Kane, she might--" Kane growled, "I said leave us!" Mike made a sound of frustration but he turned, pushing people back toward the living room. "You heard your Alpha." Teddy stayed a moment longer but followed Mike after Kane shot him a look with a shake of his head. Kane turned to look at Lina. She was trembling against the wall just inside the foyer. It was all she could do not to crawl away as he moved closer to her, stopping just a few feet away. Even if Kane was in there somewhere, this creature, whatever it was... scared her too. "I would never hurt you Lina." Kane spoke quietly as he faced her. He clenched his hands and she could see his nails, hard and sharp looking. This could not be happening. "This isn't how I expected you to find out, not how I wanted you to see me transform into a werewolf for the first time." Lina laughed shakily. "There is a good way to find out you're what, some sort of mythical creature? I mean... I didn't just imagine that you are some sort of what... a werewolf?" Kane nodded; his expression solemn. Lina exhaled noisily. "You were supposed to tell me that this is really like a tryptophan induced Thanksgiving nightmare and I need to wake up because Chevy Chase is done being an idiot on TV." Kane took another step closer to her. "I'm sorry Lina, I really am, but this isn't a dream." She buried her head, her arms coming up to lock around her knees as she rocked gently. Why couldn't she meet a normal, nice guy? Oh no, she has to meet a werewolf. A mythical creature starred in her fantasies and had asked her to Thanksgiving with his 'family'... or was it his pack? "I was afraid you were going to say that." Kane sank down in front of her. "I would have told you, before things between us went too far. My kind, werewolves, cannot expose ourselves to just anyone. This has to be kept a secret at all costs, you understand?" Lina's head came up, her eyes wide in horror. "What does that mean? Are you going to do something to me so I won't tell?" Her stomach flipped and she clenched her hands around her calves. She'd run if she had to, even if she probably wouldn't get very far. She'd not just sit there and let them hurt her. Kane's hand came up to her cheek and she flinched back, scooting along the wall. He sighed as he dropped his arm back to his side. "No, baby, I swear. You can't tell anyone but I would never hurt you or allow any of my pack to hurt you either. I know this is a big shock but I trust you. I would have told you soon. For you to find out like this... be afraid of me? I never wanted that." He clenched his hands in fists and pressed them to his thighs, making Lina wonder if he was fighting not to touch her. His eyes held such yearning. She found herself battling between the curiosity that had gotten her into trouble as a teenager and the fear she still felt looking at the fur covered face of her... what, boyfriend? Love interest? Boss? Gods... this was so messed up. "Why?" she whispered. "Why would you tell me this, risk your secret? What is so special about me that you can tell me but not other people?" She stared at her knees, unable to ask that question and still meet Kane's eyes. Kane sighed again, the sound making her look up. He unclenched his hands and scrubbing them over his face. "This is not how I wanted to do this." He slowly reached out and she froze, not knowing what he was going to do. She needed answers though, so she didn't try to run. Surely if he was going to hurt her he already would have. Instead he was talking to her, just like he was a man. He put one finger under her chin, lifting her face until she was looking straight into his eyes. Lina let him do it, not pulling away. She felt his power wash over her but it was a gentle warm feeling, not the hot buzz she had felt earlier when he ordered the man to change. His finger felt the same, other than the tiny poke of his nail. "You are my mate." Her eyes widened. She'd read a ton of paranormal fiction. If werewolves were real did that mean... "Mate? As in a wife type mate?" she asked incredulously. "Yes." His simple one word answer was so certain, so calmly delivered she felt her anger stir to life and her fear begin to fade. "What if I don't want to be your mate! Do I have any say in this?" Lina put her hands on the floor, ready to burst to her feet and bolt if she had to. Was he going to bite her, try to change her? She wouldn't let him! "Of course!" His body was beginning to shake. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. "I wouldn't force you into anything, much less mating with me. I'll have someone take you home right now if that is what you want." A shudder ran down his spine. His voice was anguished when he spoke again, "I would just ask that you would keep our secret that we are werewolves, it would spell death or life as lab rats for our kind if governments were to find out. Carrie and Mike's baby should be born free, not as a captive." Lina made a sound in her throat; distressed at the idea of the woman she had liked earlier facing something like that happening to the baby she spoke of so lovingly. Suddenly she realized Carrie and Angela had meant when she said she wasn't like them. She wasn't a werewolf. Oddly enough, Lina felt a surge of relief when she figured that out, since it meant they weren't looking down on her, just being cautious for the good for their kind. She couldn't tell the secrets of others. If werewolves were dangerous to other people there would be reports of them. She'd never seen Kane lose his temper or attack anyone, and she'd worked with him on days when the moon was going to be full. Granted, she'd never been around him at night, but he was a werewolf right then and wasn't attacking her. He'd never been anything but wonderful to her; even know when he was some sort of fur covered mythological monster. She made a decision. "I would never tell anyone." Kane's shoulders slumped in relief. He knew that the werewolves in the living room could hear them, knew they could hear her sincerity in her voice. He could smell her conviction and the truth of her words. "And I don't want to leave right now. I don't think you'll hurt me. But I'm not... I'm not one of you. How could I be your mate?" "Our kind and regular humans have always been able to mate. We are different but the abilities in us that allow us to transform are just that, abilities. We are still human. The biggest risk when we find out that our mate is a human is that they might reject us." Lina searched Kane's eyes and saw his pain and fear that she would do that. She didn't think... "I can do that?" "You can." The words seemed to be torn from Kane's throat painfully, like it hurt him to say them. "You're not ruled by your inner wolf as we are. Our wolves are a part of us and we are still humans but in some things they are dominant. The selection of our mate is usually something that comes from them, they can sense it the moment they meet the one for us. Once our wolf bonds it will never change its mind." "Are they..." Lina paused, unable to believe she was speaking about the inner wolf of the man she had thought just wanted to introduce her to his family and maybe date her, as in independent being. Now that man was crouched in front of her covered in fur, with a short muzzle and she wasn't screaming or trying to run away. Surreal. "Are they always right?" Kane nodded. "You are perfect for me. I've known it since the moment you walked into the lecture hall at the college. It was all I could do not to chase after you when you left the room without speaking to me. Thankfully your friend Maggie did. I'll admit I pumped her for information on you though." That made Lina smile a little. "She told me. She's the one who convinced me to apply for the internship. I was so nervous that day." "I know, I could smell it." Lina gaped at him. "You can smell how I feel?" She let her knees straighten and stretched out her legs as she leaned back against the wall. Kane chuckled. "Don't be embarrassed. I love the way you smell. Your natural scent is sweet and light, sort of like melons, but it changes a little and gets stronger depending on what you are feeling." His voice dropped down to a whisper, "I love it the most when you are kissing me, I can almost taste your arousal in the air it gets so strong." "Oh god," Lina moaned. She loved it when his voice caressed her like that. Every scrap of praise at the office had sent the same surge of pleasure through her. He had smelled that? Kane reached out to her again and this time she let him pull her into his arms. He looked different but under the exterior changes he was still Kane. She had been scared and uncertain but that had faded as Kane had acted normally, his patience and quiet calm while taking the time to reassure her made her certain that no matter what, he wouldn't hurt her. She sat stiffly on his lap for a minute; his hands rubbed circles on her back until she relaxed against him. His body felt different from when they had snuggled on the couch earlier, muscles bulkier and the thick black hair covering him was soft against her skin. His smell was the same and made her want to lean into his chest and neck to saturate her senses with it. She'd always sort of wondered what it would be like if werewolves were real. They were her favorite characters in the paranormal books that were her guilty secret. She loved it when the dominant male claimed his female, his natural aggression tamed and tempered with love for his mate. Now it was like she was the one inside the book. She shivered. Suddenly, she could feel something that hadn't been there before move against her hip. Oh no, no way was she doing anything funny with a furry man. She might be able to touch him, let him touch her but that was too much. She scrambled to get off his lap but his arms went around her and held her still. "I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I can't help that I'm strongly attracted to you, my wolf is just so desperate for our mate. My control is less in this form but I am not going to do anything, push you for anything. Just, don't run away from me, please? Running would make him want to chase you; he couldn't hurt you but I don't want to scare you either. Please stay." Kane shifted their bodies so that they were sitting close but Lina was no longer on his lap. "Better?" he asked anxiously. He took a deep breath, as if he needed the calm the moment brought him as he waited for her reaction. His face was uncertain as he watched her, the fear in his eyes holding her in place as surely as his hands were. She nodded; the movement slow but sure. He really wasn't like most men at all. She didn't understand him but the thought of running from him, something he seemed so afraid of, was just as upsetting to her. She was scared, uncertain and nervous but... Kane was reaching for her, brushing the hair from her face that had fallen between them. "I'm not really sure how I feel about this," Lina said softly. "Can we take things slow; let me get used to the idea that you are a werewolf?" It had been a long day, full of highs and lows. She hadn't even told him about the drugs yet. Her stomach twisted at the thought. Kane's hand froze. "You would be willing to try? You still want to be with me?" "I think that we both have been keeping secrets. I have things I haven't told you either." Lina shifted under his arm. "You're nervous." Kane began rubbing her back again. "Whatever it is, it can't be that bad. You can tell me." He tried grinning at her. "Whatever it is, it can't be as shocking as me turning into a werewolf in front of you." She wasn't so sure of that. Lina bit her lip, her hands clenched together in her lap. She was ashamed of her past, the weakness she felt and the wrongs she never made right. She couldn't help but fear Kane's reaction a little bit too. "That drug the blond guy mentioned, Pipe Dreams? I know where it came from; it's all my fault her took it and almost died." Kane stiffened beside her, his hand falling away. They had been sitting so close that she could feel his muscles bunch. Her head shot up and she wrapped her hands around the rock hard arm next to her, the black fur tickling her palms. He tried to move away from her but she held on fiercely. "Wait, please, you made me promise no running, please just wait and let me explain," she begged him. Kane growled but stopped moving away. "Explain how you are involved with drugs and a member of my pack almost dying." "My dad was a cook." Kane's brows lowered. "What does a job making food have anything to do with this?" Lina knew she wasn't making much sense. She took a deep breath and marshaled her thoughts. If she spoke about it from a distance, disassociated from it, she'd be okay. She would. "He was a drug cook, not a cook that makes food. Plus, he didn't just do meth like most two bit druggies who were trying to make a bit of cash though. He was a chemistry whiz. The man could cook up things that would make meth seem like sugar pills. He made shit all the time, tested it out on local junkies and then sold the 'recipes' to big time drug dealers he'd met when he was in the military. Then he came up with Pipe Dreams. "It's a spray, a liquid drug for sellers to add to their existing product. It's so toxic that just skin contact with the stuff when it's wet can kill you. Highly flammable too, as my dad found out." Lina glanced sideways at Kane. His arm had slowly dropped back to his lap but she kept a hold of it, the contact with his warm skin helping her stay in the moment and not flashback to that day. It was hard to focus, she never thought of it, never even told her shrink what had happened. Her breathing was shallow but she went on. Pipe Dreams Ch. 04 "He had just come up with it the day before it happened. He... He'd given some to this guy named Rat; at least that's what he called him. He was so young, just a few years older than me but he was addicted to meth and alcohol. He'd do anything my dad said for a fix. When he melted the meth down and injected it the convulsions started in seconds. He died minutes later, purple foam leaking from his mouth and blood leaking from his nose. "It was the water, see? That he cooked the meth with. It activated some chemical compound in the drug and made it into a poison. My dad was so mad when he died. I didn't want to help but he made me." She fought to keep her eyes open and focused on Kane. She wouldn't see it again, she saw it often enough in her dreams. "We hid him out in the desert. My shoulder was nearly dislocated but he made me dig..." Lina couldn't take it anymore; she looked away from Kane, the memory of the beating and her father threatening to hurt her again unless she helped him bury that poor boy. She shuddered and pulled her knees up, rocking in agony at the guilt and pain that still ate at her insides. Kane's free hand came up and brushed at her face, turning her empty eyes to him. "Shh... you don't have to tell me anymore." His touch made her focus and she could see him again. She had to finish this. "I do." She took a breath. "He couldn't get a new junkie to test his drug so soon so he turned to me." "The next night he was trying to get me to take Pipe Dreams by smoking it, but I refused. I escaped out a small window in the bathroom when he tried to hotbox me with smoke coming in under the door. He was so mad and I didn't want to stay but I was too afraid to leave either. The beatings when I ran away were so bad. I was hiding in the driveway when it happened; I think he got high from the smoke instead of me. He was raving, stumbling through the house. I think he dropped the pipe he had. The metal bowl on it got so hot it could have easily caught the carpet on fire. It didn't take long before the flames reached his chemical stores and the explosion was huge. "I was hurt and he was dead. When I got out of the hospital I went to a lawyer who left his card for me when I was in the hospital. It turned out my dad had a life insurance policy from his union that came directly out of his paycheck. I don't know if he even knew part of paycheck went every week to pay into it. It was enough for me to have a new start. I had skipped several grades before all that happened and finished high school early, using their college advancement program to take classes for free. She turned to Kane, her voice pleading. "I thought his Pipe Dreams was dead with him so I didn't tell the police. I needed the cash and knew that if he was accused of drug dealing it'd be gone." Lina looked at Kane, hoping he'd understand. She didn't want him to blame her for his friend or pack member getting hurt, even if she blamed herself. If she'd just gone to the police they might have stopped it all years ago. "I know it was wrong but I cashed out the insurance and drained his bank account. Then I changed my name and moved to a place as different from California as I could." Tears were slipping silently down her face. "He was my father but I'm glad he's dead. I know it's wrong but he was evil; his drugs hurt people and he made me help do things I didn't want to do. I didn't want to hurt people, I swear I didn't." Kane sighed. "I know you didn't baby. You would never hurt anyone if you could avoid it." He put an arm around her and rocked for a while, not talking. He was running his hands though her hair when he spoke again. "You know, I'm going to have to talk to the pack security. No one caught that Carson was back on drugs and our background check on you didn't tell us any of this. I thought I had good security." Lina shook her head. "I'm sure you do. My dad was an exceptional liar. He was good at his job, a well liked, upstanding single father as far as everyone knew. I saw a very different side of him." Her face went pale. "What?" Kane asked. She swallowed hard. "That kind of dual personality, the ability to lie so well to cover up who you really are? It reminds me of how good at lying he was. He screwed me up for so long, even after he died." Kane glared at her. "I am not anything like the man you described. I would never use you. I ask that you not reveal our kind but I am not asking you to conceal anything harmful that would hurt other people. Do you think that I could do that, make you hurt people? That I would hurt people?" "Oh no!" She was making a mess of everything. "I didn't mean that! I know you wouldn't hurt people. You like to protect your... pack. I understand, I do. But it just hit me, that I felt that way. I didn't think about how that would sound to you, as if I were accusing you of being something bad. I don't feel that way about you, not at all. But what if my insecurity messes things up? What if I can't get past my fears and ruin this between us?" Kane relaxed. "You can't ruin this between us. It's meant to be." His hand came up to touch her face lightly. "You don't hide much do you?" he observed. Lina shook her head. "I never have been able to. I think the only reason why the cops didn't catch on after the explosion was because I was so doped up on the pain medicine. Usually I blush at everything and if I lie people can tell. It's far more comfortable to just speak my mind and worry about it afterward." Kane smiled wryly. "I'll try to keep that in mind." He rearranged his legs and she caught herself as her gaze began to travel down his chest and stomach. She quickly returned her gaze to his face, swallowing hard. She wouldn't give in to her curiosity, she wouldn't. "It's okay to look if you want to," Kane said. "I don't mind." He smiled at her and winked. Lina rolled her eyes. "I mind. We're having a serious discussion here. Kane, one of your pack," she stumbled over saying the word but kept going, "almost died tonight." The teasing look on Kane's face faded and he nodded, his free hand coming up to run through his hair still thick and long. "Honestly, I don't think we can do anything more right now. I can change forms back to human now but it will probably be tomorrow morning before Carson is able to wake up enough to shift. I know you didn't expect to stay the night but I need to be here to address the pack's concerns." "I can go home alone," Lina said. "You can have the driver take me." She didn't want to suggest spending the night but more and more all she could see in front of her was Kane, the man she had this incredible connection and attraction to. Would he want her to stay in his bed? Would he sleep there with her? Before Lina could blink she was reclined across Kane's lap, caged against his body by the strong grip of his muscular arms. He leaned down and kissed her, the hard press of his mouth and sharp teeth against hers hotter and hungrier than the other times he'd kissed her. Her hands clenched hard on his shoulders, fingers digging in as she couldn't help but respond with equal fervor. The fur of his body felt strange but sensual against her body. Kane pulled back with a groan while Lina tried to calm her rapidly beating heart and let go of his shoulders. She massaged the muscles there, stroking through the fur to his skin. "You smell so good," he whispered. She blushed; he must have smelled her arousal at the thought of sleeping with him in his bed. The idea was a little overwhelming. She was a bit anxious about what he would say, worried he might expect things from her even if he said he wouldn't. "I want you to stay. You can sleep in my bed and I'll take the couch if you are worried about me doing anything you're not comfortable with. The bedroom has a lock. You have had a lot of shocks and I don't think you should be alone and Maggie is out of town." Kane kissed her again, gently this time, and Lina's head was spinning. She found it hard to think beyond the throbbing between her thighs and her desire for Kane. "Stay. Sleep in my bed." Lina considered it. His requests were so often orders but they were ones she wanted to obey. She found it strangely exciting when his eyes focused on her, staring hard as if compelling her. Not to mention that the idea of seeing his room and sleeping in his bed was very tempting. When she thought of the small, silent house she would be returning to alone she frowned. His hands caressed her back. "I have a king size bed with a mountain of pillows. You can sleep in and I'll make you breakfast in the morning." His mouth came down to nip at her throat. "Say you'll stay." Lina's back arched under the arousing assault. She sucked in a breath when he hit a sensitive spot on her neck. She blinked when he stopped. Oh, he was definitely dangerous. "Okay, you're right, I don't want to be alone tonight. I'll stay." *** Kane carried Lina up to his room over her protests that she could walk. It was huge but the bed was so big it dominated the room. The headboard and foot were carved cherry wood, a deep rich russet color and the bedding was a deep rich green. She lay back where he'd placed her on the bed and watched him as he moved around. She could see the heated looks he was still sending her and sat up. As much as she wanted him, she wouldn't sleep with him and it wasn't fair to lie sprawled on the bed as if she was offering something she wasn't ready for. He smiled at her ruefully, as if he knew her thoughts, and gave her a huge t-shirt. "For you to sleep in," he explained. He took some clothes for himself and then went in the bathroom. She sat on the bed to wait for her turn. When he came back out she saw that he was human again. His blue track pants and white t-shirt were the most casual clothes she had ever seen him in. Lina could see that he was just as unsettled as she was but just the sight of him made her become slightly damp with arousal. Lina was vaguely disturbed by his change and curious at the same time. "If you could shift at any time why didn't you earlier? Why stay as... umm..." She didn't know what to say, what he called that sort of part animal part human form he had been stuck in. "We call it our hybrid form. Only Alphas can do it. We are more powerful because we are more integrated with our wolf half than most werewolves. Our powers are stronger and we can dominate and control the bonds the rest of the pack members have with their wolves. In a pack, the Alpha is both the strongest and most in control." His expression turned a little rueful. "I have some troubles with my control around you though." "Oh, okay." Lina doubted he had that much trouble; he always seemed so self-assured. She already knew he was the dominant male type, her arousal when he acted on it confused her but she pushed that away. She couldn't think about him being in control and her in his bed or she would give in to him before she was ready. "Well then why didn't you change from your hybrid form downstairs? It would have made talking easier, don't you think?" Kane chuckled. "Not really. My clothes were torn and in tatters on the ground when I shifted. If I had changed downstairs I would have been naked in human form. I thought my hybrid shape would be different enough that you would be more comfortable." He leaned down and brushed her hair over her shoulder and out of her face. "Besides, I think being naked around you in my human form would be beyond the limits of both our control." He kissed her lips, a gentle caress that was quick and yet anything but perfunctory. "If you decide to mate with me we will take that step together but I want it to be the right time. Once we make love, once you're mine," he said the last word with a growl, his hands clenching at his sides. He took a deep breath. "There's no way I'll ever let you go Lina. You have to be sure because I am. I want you as my mate more than anything else in this world but I won't take your freedom to choose away from you." Lina was stunned by the depth of his consideration for her feelings and needs. She felt an insane urge to tell him to mate with her now but she managed to stop herself from blurting the words. As usual he knew what she needed; it would be best to take some time to make sure this was right. Not just for her, as he said, but for both of them. She didn't speak, just nodded, and he stepped back. "I must go speak with the pack, reassure them that their Alpha hasn't forgotten about them and send someone to Carson's apartment. Please feel free to take a shower if you want one. There are towels in the cupboard as well as some froofy ladies bath soap Carrie gave me ages ago and made me swear to keep in case I ever had a woman in my suite. I'll be back soon but you can lock the door before you go to bed if it will make you more comfortable. I can sleep on the leather couch in the next room." "Good night," Lina said softly as she watched him walk out the door. He had a gorgeous ass. Lina rolled her eyes at her own dirty thoughts and went to take a shower. She found the soap and towels where he said they'd be. She pulled the wrapper off the soap. He'd said Carrie got them for him to have on hand if he had women in his rooms. The bottles were unopened. She was a little surprised but a warm feeling filled her at the thought that she was the first woman he'd brought up to his personal space. She looked at the smile on her face in the mirror then sighed a little. It had been a long and very shocking day. Not at all what she expected for a Thanksgiving holiday at the Jacy mansion. Not at all. Stripping off her outfit and underwear, she stepped into the shower. She took a deep breath; the scent of his body wash filled the small space. She popped open the container, trying to see if that was the source of his spicy scent that always made her feel as if her head was swimming. It smelled good, but it wasn't quite the same scent. She shut the bottle and put it back, resting against the wall of the shower. The water rained down on her and she luxuriated under the heavy flow, washing away the stress of the day. Pipe Dreams Ch. 05 Unable to keep her eyes open, Lina fell asleep almost as soon as she climbed into Kane's bed. It was different from the bed in her dreams but just as comfortable. She had lingered in the shower, afraid to go to sleep and wary of the memories that might surface in her dreams but she couldn't help but relax when she was surrounded by the strong scent of Kane the bedding held. She woke up the next morning curled up under the heavy comforter, cuddling a pillow to her. Her dreams had been... interesting, to say the least, but held no memories other than ones featuring the kisses that she and Kane had shared. Her clothes were folded on a chair near the bed and Lina eyed them curiously. It looked like the unlocked door had been an invitation for someone to come in, even if it wasn't Kane. She slid out of the bed and padded over to the chair. The clothes were clean. Someone must have done that for her while she slept. She smiled and thanked the person in her mind, making a note to ask Kane who had done it so that she could pass along her appreciation in person. She took another shower and then got dressed. The only thing she couldn't find was a brush. She did find a comb to use. She was sitting on the bed struggling with some of the knots in her long hair when there was a knock on the door. "Come in." Kane walked in dressed only in a pair of plaid lounge pants. "Good morning." Lina froze, her hands stopping mid-stroke. She stared at his chest, struck again by how muscular and chiseled he looked. She suddenly realized what she was doing and looked away. Her cheeks had to be bright red with how hot her skin felt. "Oh," she mumbled, "um, good morning." She looked down, focusing on the struggle to pull the comb through the handful of hair she held in her fist. He crossed the room and bent down over her, kissing the top of her head. "Having trouble?" His casual touching should have bothered here but it didn't. Not in the way she expected at least. She squeezed her thighs together, trying to ease the ache brought on by the simple greeting and his warm scent filling her. "Just trying to get the tangles out. My hair is really fine so I have to use a brush usually. It's a bit harder with a comb." He took the comb from her limp fingers. "Here, let me try." He crawled up on the bed, sitting behind her. Picking up a handful of hair, he gently began to comb at the bottom and work his way up to his hand. She could see him in a mirror on the wall, a small smile on his face. Lina was acutely aware of him so close behind her and the gentle movements of his hands. "So, did you sleep well last night?" he asked casually. Lina blushed. "Yes," her voice came out in a squeak. She cleared her throat, embarrassed. "Did you?" "Well, the couch is comfortable," he said. "I did come in to get some pants to sleep in but you were so buried under the covers I couldn't see more than the top of your head. I hope I didn't wake you." He didn't mention the fact that she left the door unlocked and she decided not to either. Lina shook her head. "Ow!" "Sorry," Kane leaned forward and kissed the spot where the hair pulled when Lina moved. "I didn't mean to hurt you. Does that feel better?" Lina laughed nervously. "Yeah, um, thanks. My fault anyway. It's just been a really long time since anyone brushed my hair." Kane set down the comb, already done working out the knots. He ran his fingers through the damp strands that slid through his fingers and fell to lie smoothly against her back. "Why? Your hair is beautiful and so soft. How could anyone not want to touch and play with it?" he asked. A pleasurable sensation from his caress made her shiver. She shrugged. "Well I enjoyed it. Thank you for letting me." He pushed her hair aside and dropped a kiss on her shoulder, nuzzling her as he gave her a hug from behind. He growled quietly, squeezing her in his arms. "Are all of your kind this touchy?" she asked, leaning back into him. She didn't know why she felt so comfortable with him but she decided she wasn't going to question it. She resolved to just enjoy herself. Things would work themselves out. "Am I bothering you? I thought since you know what I am and seemed okay with it yesterday. I just. . . ." He tried to pull away. Lina felt bad, grabbing his arms and holding them to her stomach so he couldn't step back away from her. "No! It's not that. Jeez, I'm always saying things the wrong way around you. It's just, I noticed that Carrie's husband spent a lot of time touching her yesterday and today you are touching me a lot more than you have any other time. I was curious." "Oh." Kane moved back on the bed, pulling her with him. "Our kind is definitely a lot more physical than most humans, I guess. We enjoy touching close friends and family. It's not as taboo as it is for most humans; we touch for comfort or to share scents. Things like that affirm the bond between members of the same pack." "I've never been comfortable with a lot of touch," Lina said with a shrug, "but I like it with you. It's like how I feel about you gets stronger every time we are close. Maybe your pack has the right idea." Kane nodded, stroking her hair. "That's the bond. The pheromones our bodies emit affect you as well, so while you don't have an inner wolf driving you to claim or accept me as your mate, your natural desire for me would be more focused when we are close. It helps draw our mates to us." Lina stiffened; his body was making some sort of chemical to make her feel this way? "What? Are you telling me that because you think I'm your mate you are emitting smelly pheromone to make me want you, to take away my choice? That, "she was almost spluttering in agitation, "that's so wrong!" "No! No, you always have a choice. All our pheromones do is help us recognize our mates by the strong pull we feel for them. They don't actually control us or you. You feel more at ease with me sooner than you might with a regular human and your attraction might be stronger when we are together than what you feel away from my presence but the pheromones can't affect you if you weren't already attracted to me as a mate." He rubbed her arms and shoulders, trying to ease the stiffness. "I told you last night, I won't force anything on you. I promise that I would never hurt you like that." Lina had tears in her eyes. She could hear the pain in his voice when she accused him of manipulating her, and had to acknowledge the absolutely sincerity when he made his promise. She knew he would keep it; his word meant more than anything to him. In the months she had known him he never went back on a business deal or tried to cheat a client. In fact, he was the most honest person she had ever met. . . About everything but being a werewolf, that is. "I believe you," she whispered. She relaxed, sighing as she leaned back against him. Turning her head, she kissed his cheek. "Thank you. The thought of having my choices taken from me terrifies me. I can't live like that again, with some guy ordering me around and expecting me to obey him all the time." Kane snorted, "Well, I'm the Alpha of a werewolf pack. I am used to ordering people around and being obeyed. An Alpha is naturally dominant, so it is in my nature, but I don't want to control you. That's not what I want in a mate. I want someone who will talk with me, stand up to me when I'm wrong and challenge my decisions, someone who is my equal." He squeezed her. "I definitely want that someone to be you." Lina flushed. God, he sounded so perfect, what he said he wanted from her is what she always dreamed of having in a relationship with a man. A man who was her equal, a partner to walk through life with. She couldn't say anything though, afraid that they were moving a bit too fast. She needed time to really get to know Kane, the one she'd met last night here in his home. The werewolf. He hugged her one more time and then pulled back. "I guess I had better get a shower. Carson should be able to shift back by now, and Max has been on guard duty all night. I'm sure he is eager to get home and rest," he said grimly. Lina's stomach growled. Kane's chuckle made her blush. "First, we'll get you some breakfast. I smell eggs cooking so someone is probably up. Sorry, I wanted to have a breakfast with just the two of us but our meeting ran late and some of the pack stayed the night." "It's okay," Lina said, "we'll have other chances for breakfast. Maybe even breakfast in bed one day." Lina bit her lip, a bit embarrassed but she wanted him. He could probably tell anyway with that nose he had. Kane grinned at her with a wink. He padded over to the closet, taking out some jeans from a shelf and pulling a black polo shirt off a hanger. She looked away when he pulled a pair of underwear out of the dresser. "Later today we'll run back to your place and get you some new clothes. Angela cleaned your outfit from yesterday; she said that you wouldn't want to run around in just my t-shirt all day." "She was right. That would be weird, to let people see me in just your shirt, even if it is long enough to be a dress on me." Kane looked over his shoulder where Lina was busy braiding her hair. "True. Only I should get to see you like that, relaxed with your hair down and ready for bed." He grinned and Lina could practically see the lust on his face. "Go take your shower!" Lina laughed. "I'm still hungry." *** After breakfast they went downstairs to the safe room. Lina went with Kane, though he was reluctant to have her there when he spoke to the errant werewolf. Talking to Carson didn't get them much. His mind was... damaged. He had a hard time focusing until Kane captured his eyes and then allowed his power filled the room. Lina could even feel it as he ordered Carson to tell him about the drugs he took, and where he got them. The man was finally able to say a name. Even a werewolf couldn't heal that much damage in a single night. His street dealer was the only name they were able to get from him, the rest was just broken pleas for more of the drug as the poor guy shook and sweated from the last dose he took. When they got back upstairs, Kane called a meeting with his betas. Carrie was in the library reading and putting her swollen feet up so Kane took Lina to spend some time with her when he tracked down Mike to pass along the message. Lina reached up and pulled Kane into a hug. She could feel how upset he was; his muscles were tense. He squeezed her hard and then dipped his head down and gave her a kiss. It was soft and she sighed as she leaned into him, letting him hold her up as they embraced. The kissed ended too soon but then Lina remembered Carrie was in the room, and she blushed a little. She didn't object when Kane took a step back but she did miss the feel of his body against hers. "I promise we'll go get you some clothes when I'm done, enough to last until Maggie gets home from her break." Lina nodded. Kane just automatically assumed that she would want to stay with him more than a single night, but since she did, Lina didn't argue. She knew that if she said she wasn't comfortable with it that he would make other arrangements. He wasn't going to ignore her wishes; he would listen to her if she was uncomfortable. He just wasn't used to asking people for what he decided should happen. Lina could see it causing trouble in the future but decided to pick her battles. This one wasn't one she cared to win anyway. He was a dominant male and she wasn't sure she wanted to test her will against his yet. Her dreams the night before had been even more vivid with Kane's scent surrounding her in his bed. As scary as it might be in real life, in a dream she was comfortable letting him dominate and take her. "Hi," Carrie said quietly. She was searching Lina's face, her hands cradling her stomach. "Hi, Carrie. How are you feeling today?" Lina sat down in the chair opposite her. "Not bad. The baby is turning somersaults though." She winced as a small bump arced across her stomach under her shirt. "Oh wow!" Lina said. "I've never seen anything like that." "Never been around a pregnant woman before?" Lina shook her head. "You can feel it if you want to," offered Carrie. Lina nodded. She bent forward, resting her hands on Carrie's hard stomach. She didn't feel anything for a minute but suddenly there was a quick shove against her hand and then two more right after that. Carrie grunted a little. "Ugh, I think we're going to have a boxer. Mike couldn't be more thrilled." She grinned and shook her head. "Men." Lina smiled at her and then looked down nervously. "Umm are you . . . well, are you a. . . ." She couldn't think of how to say it. "Am I a werewolf?" Carrie finished for her. Lina nodded. "Yes, I am. I wasn't always one though, not like Kane or my baby will be. I was just a boring librarian when Mike found me. He changed me after we fell in love though I wasn't sure about the whole mate thing. I made him date me for a while first. I wanted to have kids and werewolf babies are too hard on human women, our blood isn't quite compatible. Even if it was, a human body can't handle the pregnancy since the babies are so much stronger in the womb than a human baby. We can't shift when we're pregnant but being a werewolf means we heal faster too." "What? You mean... I would have to..." Carrie looked stricken. "Oh no! Kane didn't tell you that yet?" She groaned when Lina shook her head. "He's probably trying not to flood you with too much at once. He would have told you, I know it. There's just so much going on." Lina tried to calm down. Kane had said that he would never force anything on her. He wouldn't make her become a werewolf any more than he would force her to become his mate. She held on to that belief, it was the only thing keeping her from freaking out. She was trying to stay calm but it was a lot to be told in a very short amount of time. "It's okay Carrie. This is just a lot to take in. Plus with Pipe Dream showing back up again..." Carrie tilted her head. "Did your dad really come up with that stuff?" Lina looked down, ashamed. "You heard?" "We could all hear you last night. Werewolf hearing is very acute." Lina nodded but put the warning about werewolf hearing in the back of her mind. "My dad was not a good man. I had hoped that stuff would have disappeared when he blew up our house. The way Rat died was... horrible," she whispered. Carrie rubbed her stomach and looked sad. "I'm sorry; I don't want to bring up bad memories. It's just... what happens to one in the pack affects us all. We can feel each other, in a way, like there is something wrong when everything should be right. Mike was down in the safe room earlier; he said Carson is still really hurt. What if he never gets better?" Lina reached over and patted Carrie's arm. "Kane seemed to think he just needed more time. He'll be okay. I trust Kane, you should too." Carrie took a deep breath and sighed. "You're right." She brightened a little, settling in a different position in her chair. "So, anything you want to know about werewolves? I had a million questions before I became one." Lina cocked her head, considering. "Well. . . ." Carrie settled back in her chair. "Go ahead, you can ask me anything." "Is what Kane says true? The whole pheromones thing? Did you have that with Mike?" "Oh yeah," Maggie laughed. "It made tumbling in the sack so much more fun. Their scent... it revs you up. Though Mike is a beta, not an alpha, so I'm not sure if the power level would be quite the same." "Alphas are really different then?" Carrie nodded. "Yes, though I've only met one besides Kane. A few members of a pack traveling through stopped to pay their respects and get permission to be in our territory. The human family of the Alpha's mate had moved to our area. It was pretty intense for a little while but Kane's a good leader and had a lot of control over his wolf. "Alphas have the ability to do a half shift to the hybrid form, and they can command members of the pack. Just like real wolves, there is a hierarchy among our kind. Alpha's lead and protect the pack, Betas enforce his orders, and the regular pack members obey them all. Most of the time Kane doesn't have to order anyone, he usually reasons with the pack and we make decisions together. He's the core of the bond that makes us a pack. As I said, he's a good leader." "And you all have lives outside the pack? Among humans? That's allowed?" "Of course! Quite a few of us work for Jacy Industries but that's not required. As long as we can keep our secret and stay within the territory Kane allows the members to live, their lives as normal as possible. Most of us don't live in the city though." "You don't?" "Oh no, there's just not enough room. Even here," she waved her hand around indicate the property, "it's enough room to visit but a whole pack of wolves running around and howling would attract attention. We have a town near a big forest about an hour from here that is almost all werewolves, or humans that know about us." Lina knew that was where Kane has started the Okwa'ho program. She hadn't realized until that moment just how much sense that actually made for a werewolf as a business. The property around the house in the city looked huge to Lina but then she had always lived in cities. Wolves probably needed a lot more room to run. Plus if they were howling every month at the same time. . . She could see Carrie's point. "So you all become furry every full moon, huh?" Carrie chuckled, "Oh no. Well, I mean, we can; we don't have to. Our changes aren't tied to the moon like the myths say. It's just a good time to hunt so more of us would change during the full moon back when times were more primitive." "Hunting?" Lina swallowed hard. "What do you hunt?" "Deer, elk, small game animals. Pretty much whatever is in the woods that we can catch to eat." "You, um, you eat it raw?" Lina tried not to show how gross she thought that was. Carrie burst out laughing so she obviously didn't do a good job. "Oh, you're great. I haven't laughed this much in ages," she gasped out, holding her stomach as she spoke between giggles Lina made a face. "Laugh it up. It just sounds so gross!" Wiping her eyes, Carrie apologized. "Sorry, sorry. I understand your objections. I had them before Mike changed me but the wolf is part of us. The way you feel, and the way you see the world around you changes. It's hard to explain to someone who is wholly human. The legends and stories about werewolf kind are so varied; it creates a lot of expectations in some. Honestly... we're just us a bit more furry with better instincts. We have this other side but we live, love, have families just like regular humans. If anything, because of the pack bonds we are closer and more devoted to each other than most people, but we're not animals." "What about... umm... the baby?" Lina was staring Carrie's stomach but she could see the baby moving and a sudden thought of the movement being from paws or a snout was freaking her out a little. Carried smiled tenderly. "That was something I asked Mike too. I didn't want to have a litter of puppies, but it's not like that. Our wolves are part of us but like I said before, we aren't animals we're human too. I have a baby in there, not a puppy. Werewolves don't start changing until they hit puberty." Her hands stroked her stomach, caressing the bulge of her growing baby. Lina blushed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to get too personal." "It's fine. There are a lot of things to think about before you become a werewolf, your entire life changes. If I can help you let me know, even if it's just to talk. Having someone to ask about all of this is a huge help since you can't tell your friends or family." Pipe Dreams Ch. 05 "I don't have any family," Lina muttered. She hadn't thought about not being able to tell Maggie though. She hated keeping secrets from her best friend, but this was about more than her; if their secret was it could affect a whole bunch of people. People with lives and children that shouldn't have to live in fear of discovery. "I know its hard Lina, but it's worth it. You should give Kane a chance; there is no one more devoted than a werewolf mate." Maggie put her book down and started to struggle to her feet. Lina jumped up and held out a hand, helping pull the pregnant woman up. "Ooof," Maggie stretched, arching her back and thrusting the rounded curve of her belly forward. Lina eyed her curiously. "I would have thought you would be stronger, as a werewolf." Maggie nodded. "We are. Our senses get better too but all the strength in the world won't help a pregnant woman. It's all about balance and equilibrium." She patted her belly, "This addition throws it all off, not to mention blocks my view of my feet. I can't wait to be done." Lina chuckled. "Hey mate, where do you think you're going?" Mike strode into the room, going straight to Carrie's side. He nuzzled her neck and then kissed her cheek. "Hmm... you smell good." He looked up. "Hi Lina." Lina smiled shyly but stepped back by her chair. "Hi Mike." "I'm off to the bathroom, for like the tenth time in an hour. Your child is doing a tap dance on my bladder." "You're already taking the blame for the bad things he does, Mike. Just wait until the teenage years!" joked Kane as he walked in. He paused until Lina smiled at him, and then went over to her. He gave her a gentle hug and a kiss on the forehead. She noticed he inhaled her scent the same way Mike had done with Carrie when he nuzzled her. "Your meeting is over?" "Yes. Are you ready to go?" "Sure." By the time Lina had gathered her purse, coat, and shoes, the car was waiting out front. Kane led her out and seated her carefully. "Brr... it's getting chilly," she said. The leather seats in the car hadn't quite warmed up yet and her skirt wasn't as long as she'd like. He held up one arm and she snuggled into him, hugging his chest. "You're warm." "Part of the werewolf thing," he said. Lina cast a swift glance at the driver to see if he heard Kane. "Oh, don't worry, Les is one of us." "Oh. Well, good." Lina was quiet for the rest of the drive, enjoying her spot snuggled up to Kane as the man caressed her from time to time. Lina felt strange walking into her place with Kane right behind her. "Sorry, I know this isn't as nice as where you live." She put down her purse on the breakfast bar and looked around the small living room and kitchen. The walls were painted a warm cream color and there were several dramatic pictures on the walls of various landscapes at sunrise and sunset. The furniture wasn't new but it was in good shape, a tan microfiber couch and chair faced a medium size TV in an oak armoire. The kitchen was small and plain but Lina liked it, everything was in arm's reach for her when she cooked. Kane hugged her from behind. "You'd be surprised. My cabin at home is only four bedrooms and two baths. The house here is to keep up the Jacy business appearance and for the pack to gather in town when needed. This is your place; I like it because this is where you live." He kissed her neck. "It's lovely." "Thank you. Umm . . . you can wait out here, if you like. It'll just take me a minute to gather a bag." She had been in Kane's room, even slept in his bed, but the thought of him in her room was just too much for her to handle right then. She waited nervously for him to insist that he go with her but he squeezed her and then let go. "Go ahead. I'd like to take a look at these pictures anyway." "Those are Maggie's. She's an awesome photographer." Kane smiled and headed over to the wall. Lina headed down the hall to her room, shutting the door behind her. She sat down on the bed and looked around. Everything was just where she left it twenty four hours ago. It felt like something should have changed, since her whole perception of the world had. She shook her head; werewolves were real. She still couldn't believe they existed, or that she hadn't run screaming when she found out. Sighing, she pulled out a small suitcase from the closet and began packing it. She put in some casual wear and a suit but stalled when it came to pajamas. She had a closet full of totally not sexy pajamas, mostly mid thigh sleeping shirts. She dug around; looking for the black satiny pair of shorts and matching cami Maggie gave her last year. "Aha!" She found them in the back of the closet, still in the gift bag. She bit her lip then stuffed them in her suitcase along with a few night shirts. She blushed just thinking about wearing them but she wanted to be prepared. She'd never been in a situation like this before; she wasn't really sure how to go about it. She slipped across the hall to the bathroom and brushed her teeth. She hadn't wanted to ask for a toothbrush that morning so she had used her finger and toothpaste she found in the bathroom. She felt better with her teeth really clean. Packing that up in a travel case, she grabbed her shower stuff and took them back in her room, along with her brush and make-up. "I'm ready," she said, wheeling the suitcase over by the door. "I just need to grab my laptop and school work." "Do you have a lot to do?" Lina shook her head. "Not much, just some reading and research for a project." "I have work to do as well, plus this investigation into the drug that Carson took." Lina paused, still bent over to pick up her laptop bag. She stood up slowly, looking at her feet. "I'm sorry that he got hurt. I feel so much guilt; I just hope he gets better." Kane was over to her in just a moment, hugging her to his body and lifting her chin with one hand. "I'm sorry he got hurt but it was his choice to do the drugs. Carson has had some . . . difficulties lately. It was your father's choice to make the drugs. You did nothing wrong; other than being in the right place to tell us what he took and more about where it came from. You don't have to worry about it anymore; you have suffered enough from these drugs. As long as I am with you, it doesn't touch you anymore, understand?" Lina nodded. She wasn't convinced but she would try to get past the fact that her dad was still screwing up her life from the grave. If he didn't want her involved in the investigation into where the drugs came from, she wouldn't be as far as his pack was concerned so she couldn't offer to help them either. She knew Kane only did it to protect her and really. . . She didn't want to think about it anymore. She buried her face in Kane's chest and breathed in his scent. She had other things to think about. Pipe Dreams Ch. 06 Lina was surprised at how quickly the large house became as familiar to her as her own. Roaming through the rooms when she wasn't doing work or spending time with Kane kept her occupied. There were beautiful paintings and decorations and even a small indoor greenhouse to explore. Strangely enough, there was a desk in one corner between two tables full of some feathery ferns she'd never seen before. When she asked Kane about it he told her that is where he went to work when he was stuck in the city and needed to breathe clean air. Her werewolf boyfriend was often busy with his betas or stuck in his office dealing with various issues that cropped up from Jacy Industries, but he spent a lot more time with her than she thought he would have. When the weather was too cold to walk in the gardens, he walked her around, telling her little stories about the people in the paintings in the hallway, long lost ancestors, both human and werewolf. He always seemed to find a little nook and would draw her in, teasing her with passionate kisses and caresses, always over her clothes. She was slowly being driven crazy by him, and he knew it. When he wasn't teasing her body into a state of willing surrender, or telling her more about werewolves, he was easing her into pack life. She had seen several others change into wolves, even watched them play one night in a field behind the house. Kane had given her a reassuring look and then stepped away, changing into a huge silver werewolf with brindled fur. He'd nudged her hand as she had stared at him, a little shocked, and then took a step back when he moved closer. He sat down in front of her and even though he wasn't human, he looked sad. She had bent down, unable to bear that look on his face and buried both her hands in his neck, rubbing the fur behind his ears. "I'm sorry," she whispered, "I was just a little. . .I don't know. I'm sorry." He whined. "I'll be okay. You go play." She stood up and he nudged her, and then ran off. The other wolves greeted him eagerly and then they ran into the woods. Lina decided to join Carrie inside to watch a movie while they waited for their men to come back. They had another talk about werewolves, and Lina let go of a bit more of her worry, knowing that no matter what form he took, Kane was still the man she knew and cared for. One of the things Lina liked the least was checking on Carson. She felt responsible for his situation though, so she went with Kane when he checked on Carson every day. Lina was amazed at how much better he was, but he still was locked into cravings for the drug and raving because he couldn't get any. He was lucid for only brief moments when Kane would exert his influence as Alpha. Sunday rolled around before Lina knew it, and classes were set to resume on Monday. Unsurprisingly, Maggie was planning on skipping the first two days of class to stay a little longer soaking up the Hawaiian sun. Lina had called her on Friday and told her that she was staying with Kane for a few days. Maggie's squeal had been loud enough even he had heard it from across the room. Lina had eyed him, a smile had lingered around his mouth when Maggie started to ask if she had finally got busy and lost her 'v-card' but Lina had been able to cut her off before the final part came out of her mouth. She was pretty sure Kane could hear everything Maggie was saying, and that would be more humiliating than she could bear if he were to find out that she was a complete virgin. She'd shushed her overly curious friend with the promise of a private ice cream gossip session. Lina knew she'd have to pay up, but she would have to keep out all the wolfish details, so to speak. She wasn't exactly looking forward to the talk much. She wasn't used to having to censor herself so much with Maggie and was worried it would drive a wedge between them. "What are you thinking about?" Kane asked, coming up behind her. She jumped, turning in his arms. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" She glared at him. "I wasn't trying to." He leaned down and nipped at her lips, then soothed the stinging bites with his lips and tongue. His hands slipped down to her ass and pulled her closer to him, his rigid erection pressing against her stomach. He buried his face in her hair, breathing her in with deep breaths before he pulled back with a groan. "You smell so good." Lina lifted her head from his chest where she'd rested it against the hard muscles."Hmm. . .so do you." She was rubbing his back as she looked up at him, smiling. Her need to touch him seemed to be growing, and she was thinking about those black pajamas. Her heart was racing, but she took a deep breath and tried to calm down. There were hours until they went to bed. Kane let her go a little reluctantly. "So, what was it?" "What was what?" "What you were thinking about. You looked sad." Kane was watching her face and looked a little worried when she frowned. She sat down on the couch, tucking into a small corner with her feet tucked under. "Just what I'm going to tell Maggie. I've never had to keep a secret from her." Kane nodded, his expression serious. "I know and I'm sorry. I wouldn't ask it of you if it wasn't a matter of life and death." Lina sighed. "I understand. I can look at Carrie and all I think about is her baby; what kind of life they would have if the public or the government was to find out?" She knew though. The baby would be taken away; they'd be tested on and treated like animals. "I won't tell anyone, it's just a little hard." "How about I take your mind off of it for a little while? Would you like to have dinner with me?" "Dinner?" Lina said as she looked at her jeans and emerald green sweater. "Um, what kind of dinner? I didn't exactly pack a lot of date clothes, though I suppose I could wear my skirt and blouse from Thanksgiving again." Kane pressed down on her shoulder to keep her sitting down. "No, the way you are dressed is fine. There is a diner with a fifties retro theme I like to go when I can manage some time away from the pack and business. They have the best burgers and chocolate malts on the menu. You might even be a bit overdressed." Lina looked up at him with an amused smile. "What?" he asked. "Just surprised, you know," she shook her head, "you aren't anything like I expected a multi-millionaire to be. Honestly, you aren't anything like I would have expected a werewolf to be either. You're. . . ." She blinked, considering what word to use. "Perfect," he finished for her, preening a little and puffing out his chest. Lina smacked his stomach. "Conceited!" He laughed, pulling her up into his arms and hugging her. His warm arms around her again stoked the fire inside her even hotter. She was definitely going to pull out those pajamas that night. She was sure of him as anyone could be, as quick as their relationship was progressing and everything she found out. She was attracted to him in ways she had only ever imagined. She couldn't take much more teasing; she was ready for more with him. "You are a little bit perfect though," she whispered shyly before she leaned up, kissing him. She even dared to dart her tongue out and press it between his relaxed lips, tasting him quickly before she pulled away to bury her face in his neck, inhaling his spicy scent. She pressed her lips under his jaw, kissing his neck. "Hmmm," he rumbled, his hands pulling her closer. "That's the first time you've done that." Lina turned her head, looking up at him with her head still on his shoulder. "Done what?" His hands were sliding up and down her back under her hair, caressing her. She felt herself shiver, enjoying the chills from the wonderful sensation. "The first time you've kissed me." She looked at him in disbelief. "First time we kissed? We've been kissing every day, or have you totally not noticed?" "I've been kissing you." One hand came up to press on the tip of her nose. "That was the first time you kissed me first." "Oh." Lina blushed. "It's okay; I know it may take you a while to get used to the fact that I'm a werewolf. I don't blame you for being wary of me," Kane held her tighter, his smoldering eyes making his words a bit unbelievable. "I don't even mind sleeping on the couch. For now." She knew he would wait as long as she needed though. Lina had tried to get him to let her stay in a guest bedroom but he refused, insisting that she sleep in his bed. She had tried to get him to sleep in a guest room instead of the couch after that, but he refused to do that as well, claiming he needed to feel her close. She might have wondered he was waiting to catch her unaware, but he never pressed her, never pushed beyond what she felt comfortable with. At first she appreciated it, but she found that she had no problems with the werewolf half of him or his pack. She was worried about many things; where Pipe Dreams had come from, Caron's recovery, and finishing school, but Kane? No, him she was sure of. She no longer cared if it was his pheromones, or just the fact that she was finally ready to go that final step with someone; she wanted him. His gentleman act was wearing thin; she wanted her werewolf in bed with her and not on the couch. Maybe she'd just come out of the bedroom in nothing at all. She could feel her cheeks blush scarlet at the thought. "I am not worried about you being a werewolf anymore. I like your pack. I just. . .I'm a. . . ." Lina couldn't say it, not out loud. She leaned forward and kissed Kane again, this time moaning a little when she dipped her tongue fully into his mouth. She drew his tongue out and into her mouth where she sucked on it. His hands came down to her hips and he pulled her closer to him, his arousal sparking her own desire even hotter. She straddled his lap and rocked against him. Movement in the next room made Kane break the kiss. He let her lean her forehead against his and they stared into each other's eyes, panting as they caught their breath. They were both caught up in the intense feelings coursing through them. There was a yellowish gleam in Kane's eyes, as if his wolf was looking out at her. Lina blinked slowly, then pulled away to cuddle her body into Kane's. "I'm sorry," she said. "I got a little carried away." "I'm not." His voice rumbled in her ear that was pressed to his chest. "I don't think I've enjoyed anything in my life so much as your kisses." Lina blushed, glad he didn't know what her dreams were like then. They had done so much more in them; she was surprised he hadn't heard her moaning in her sleep. The dreams were so much more vivid since she came to the estate. She pushed herself, daring herself to be bold. "Perhaps we can do some more of that after dinner?" She glanced up at Kane through her dark lashes. It would be a good start to getting him to join her in the bedroom. He groaned. "I don't know if I can wait." He was urging her lips back to his when her stomach growled. Lina apologized when he frowned, thinking he was irritated that her stomach was interrupting them. He laughed. "No, it's not you. I was just trying to think if there was someplace closer to go eat, or if you'd let me get away with just making you a sandwich." Lina paused like she was considering it. "Hmm," she said. Kane grinned and tapped her on the nose. "Stop playing, and go get your purse. I want to take you to my diner. I don't get to eat there as often as I want to, and I'd like to get out, just the two of us." The burgers and malts were as good as Kane said they were. Lina couldn't believe how much she ate, but her stomach was very happy. Kane watched her with small smile on his face all through the meal, clearly happy she was enjoying his favorite food. Sighing in pleasure, she sat back and considered what she was planning on happening later. "Do you think we can swing by my apartment on the way home? I need to grab a thumb drive I forgot to pick up the other day," she asked. Plus a few other things, she finished silently. Kane nodded. "Sure, we're not far from there." He looked over at her with a grin. He reached out his hand and grabbed hers, lacing their fingers together and pulling it up to kiss the back. "What was that for?" "You said home. You called my place home. I liked it," he said honestly. "Oh." Lina leaned her head back against her seat. She had said that. When she thought about it more, it was clear that it felt right. It did feel like home. The people she met, Angela, Karl, Teddy, and especially Carrie, had made an impression. Lina didn't like to let people in, but she felt safe with the pack members. She knew their greatest secret and they could have mistrusted and treated her like an outsider, but they didn't. They had welcomed her instead. She was quiet as they left the diner. "We're here." Kane put the car in park. "What? Oh." Lina looked around, realizing they were at her place. "Umm, I'll be right back." "I could come up with you." Lina shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'll just be a minute." Kane stopped her with a hand on her arm when she opened the door. "Are you. . .are we okay?" Lina leaned over and kissed him. "Yes. I just need a moment. I never thought that I'd feel like. . . ." She shook her head, unable to really say what she felt. The look on Kane's face said he understood though. She knew she wanted him, that she accepted his wolf and his pack. Just a few days before Kane had been her boss and someone she thought was off limits. Now he was the man she hoped to make love to, the first man she wanted to make love to in fact. "I'll be right here when you get back." Lina smiled at him and climbed out of the car. She shut the door. She looked at her dark house, screened by privacy fence, no longer seeing the haven she found and treasured. It looked lonely. She stopped at the front door and looked back at Kane in the car. She studied his profile, the strong nose and full lips. She frowned a little at the look on his face. He was probably checking his messages, his phone had gone off during their meal, but he had silenced it. She went inside, flicking on the light switch so she could see to turn reset the alarm. She frowned when it didn't turn on. She flipped the switch a few times, then looked at the alarm. The red light wasn't on. What the hell? A hand came up over mouth and she felt something press into her back. "Don't make a sound, or I'll shoot you right now." Lina stiffened, crying out against the hand across her face. She struggled mindlessly. Cursing, the man brought the gun back and hit her on the head. She felt a sharp blinding pain and her vision went black. She moaned as she felt herself falling, unable to make her arms work to catch herself. She lost consciousness when she cracked the side of her face on the hardwood floor. *** Lina woke up with a gasp, a sharp slap pulling her away from the comforting blackness. The sharp pain in her cheek was doubled when her other cheek was slapped. She moaned, her eyes still closed. Another double set of slaps made her open her eyes as she cried out in pain. Her face felt like it was swelling with every throb of her heart. Hot, wet tears filled her eyes and dripped down her face as she tried to look around. Everything was blurry, but she blinked several times. She managed to stop crying when she wasn't hit again, blinking repeatedly until she could see clearly. The shock of the blows was worse than the actual slaps; it had been many years since someone had hit her. "Ahh, good. You're awake." A man stood in front of her, his suit clean and neat. From the way he was flexing his hand, she guessed he was the one who hit her. She didn't see anyone else in the room, but they could have been behind her. She looked up at the man's face, the tan skin and medium length blond hair looked more suited to a surfer than the businessman his suit made him appear. "I have some questions for you," he said in a hard voice. "What do you want?" Lina whispered. He got in her face and she tried to shrink back into the hard chair she was in, but she was tied too tight. The yellow ropes were wrapped so many times around her body, she was unable to move more than an inch or two. "Why is your boyfriend snooping around my operation?" "I don't know what you're talking about!" Was this guy some sort of werewolf? Did he know that Kane was one? Lina had promised she wouldn't say anything but she never imagined that she would be in a situation like this. Another sudden, sharp slap made her already throbbing cheek feel like it was on fire when the man hit her again. The blow was enough to wrench her head to the side, twisting her neck as she cried out. "If you think being a woman makes me any less ready to beat you until you cooperate, think again. Now, why is your boyfriend snooping around my drug operation? What interest does Kane Jacy have in Pipe Dreams?" Lina gasped, her eyes widening as she realized what this was about. The movement of her bruised facial muscles made her moan. It wasn't about the pack; this was about the drugs. This guy was one of the scumbags who was selling the drug he father made and hurting people. "You're the person selling the drugs! Don't you know how dangerous it is? Most of the people who use Pipe Dreams fry their brains or end up dead." The man laughed, his head thrown back. "Who cares, as long as they keep buying in the meantime? There will always be more buyers when word gets around how good the high is for the stupid little junkies." He took off his jacket, carefully folding it and putting it on the desk behind him. Lina hadn't really looked around but she did then. She tried to stay calm, realizing that she was in an office and not her house. "Obviously you know something about the drug. Now, why don't you tell me before things get," he paused, "messy." He was rolling up his sleeves as he eyed her carefully. Lina shook her head. "I won't help you. You're the worst kind of lowlife, someone who could care less about the harm that happens to people as long as it makes him a profit. You kill people for the money the drugs bring you. You're a murderer!" "And you should think of what that means for you," he snarled, suddenly in her face again. "Don't think for a second I will let you or your rich boyfriend take me down. This is my territory, and I control the flow of Pipe Dream to it. You have no idea who you are messing with, you bitch!" His fingers dug into her face as he threatened her. Lina could feel her body shaking, but she tried not to give into the fear. The memories of all the times her father had threatened and hit her filled her mind. She had survived then, and she would survive now. Kane would be looking for her. "I don't think you know who you are messing with. I don't know how you found out how to make the drug, but you won't get to sell it around here much longer. Kane will stop you!" Her defiance ended abruptly when his free hand slapped her again. Her vision went white, and she felt a hot pain in her nose and mouth. Fluid dripped onto her chest and she could taste blood in her mouth. Tears poured from her eyes and she struggled not to sob, not to let him know how scared she really was. She pulled on the ropes, trying to get an arm free as the man laughed at her. "Like that spoiled little rich boy is man enough to do anything. I saw his men nosing around, questioning my hustlers. Well, we're going to make a phone call, you and I. You're going to tell him to back off, or I'm going to do permanent damage to that pretty little face of yours." He shoved her head back, finally letting go of her jaw. Lina tried to ignore the fierce throbbing in her face and the burning pain in her hands tied behind her. She blinked, trying to clear her eyes. She had to be smart; she couldn't give in to her fear. The man walked over to the desk and pulled a cell phone out of the suit pocket before walking back to stand beside her chair. Pipe Dreams Ch. 06 "Now, we're going to make this as simple as possible. All you have to do is what you are told." He grinned nastily at her as he dialed the phone, then set it in her lap. He put it on speaker, and they listened to it ring. "Who is this?" growled the voice that answered. Lina could barely recognize it. "Kane!" she shouted. The man wrenched her head back with her hair and then covered her mouth with his hand, cutting off her cry of pain. "Lina! Where are you? Are you okay?" "Hello, Mr. Jacy." Kane stopped speaking abruptly. "Lina's here with me. We've been having a little talk about you and your little investigation." "Who are you? I swear, if you hurt her. . . ." A low rumbling growl filled the silence of the room. The man laughed. "You can call me Mr. In Control. I haven't hurt her. . .much. But I will if you don't call off your guys who have been hassling my men. They're just doing their jobs, and you've been responsible for a few of them not being able to do that anymore. That interferes with my plans. I will not allow that. If you want your little bitch back, you'll do exactly what I say--" Kane's voice interrupted him. "Charlie Stalm. Your name is Charlie Stalm, and you live at 2409 Everest Court, a slightly run down house out in the suburbs. You moved to Montana from California earlier this year then you started pushing Pipe Dream in the local druggie market. You fought a few turf wars, and now control most of the drug market locally." Lina wished she could see the man's face. He had gone so still that she couldn't even hear him breathe. "Do I have all that right?" Kane's voice was dark and vicious. "Do you even know who you are messing with? You think you could come here, take what is MINE, and I wouldn't know everything about you faster than you could wrap that pea brain of yours around a way to figure out my phone number? "You touch one hair on her head, if she is harmed at all. . .I will rip your throat out with my bare hands and teeth. Do you hear me, Charlie? You. Will. Die." Kane's snarl punctuated every word as he emphasized the punishment coming for the man who had taken his mate. Lina knew he meant it literally too. His vicious snarls could be heard through the phone. "What the hell are you?" Charlie asked shakily. Kane didn't answer that. "I'm coming for you Charlie," he said darkly. There was a click. The hand over her mouth fell away. Lina couldn't stop the tears flowing down her face from the relief she felt. Kane was coming, that was all she could think of. Charlie came around to face her. "What the hell is he? How did he find me so fast?" He shook Lina by her shoulders, the ropes digging into her body made her cry out again. He pulled out a knife and she screamed in fear. He leaned over her. She was going to die. Lina closed her eyes tight and Kane's face filled her mind as she said good-bye to him in her thoughts. She regretted that she'd never gotten to make love to him, that she'd never get to run with him in wolf form as his mate. She waited for the knife to rip into her body but she felt tugging on the rope around her body as Charlie sawed at them with the knife. She opened her eyes to gape at him. "You're letting me go?" she whispered in disbelief. "Are you fucking nuts? Did you hear your boyfriend? He's going to kill me. The only bargaining chip I have is you. We're leaving." He grabbed her by the arm and yanked her out of the chair. Lina cried out as she stumbled, her legs numb at first and then burning with pins and needles. Irrationally, the thought that she must have been unconscious for longer than she had figured crossed her mind. She should be trying to think up a way to get away from Charlie, but she couldn't seem to focus. Her body was a mass of pain and she was dizzy. She hadn't noticed it as much sitting down but her head began spinning as soon as Charlie dragged her out of her chair. "Shit!" Charlie shook her when she pulled against his arm. "Stay right there, or I will cut you. I won't kill you, but I'll make you wish I had." He put down the knife and began rifling through the desk frantically. "I don't feel so good." Lina's hair was hanging over her face and she felt her stomach rebelling against the whirling the room was doing around her. She swallowed repeatedly as her knees went out from under her, and she fell toward the filthy floor. "Damn it!" Her fall pulled her arm out of Charlie's and she knelt on the carpet heaving, the burger she ate for dinner returning to haunt her. Pain exploded in her throbbing head and took her breath away as her stomach felt like it was trying to follow the food she'd eaten. Unable to stay on her knees, she slipped sideways, falling hard onto her shoulder, her eyes barely open slits as she struggled to stay conscious. Charlie's phone rang and he answered it, cuss words pouring out of him as he ranted in panic at the person on the other end of the line. "What the fuck did you do, Rock? They know who I am! How the hell did they find out? He quoted my god damn address to me not three minutes ago. I swear, if they find me, they're going to find you too! I'll make sure of it!" Lina tried to focus through the waves of dizziness and pain. She was trying to remember everything he said so she could tell Kane. She had to believe Kane was coming and would get there in time before Charlie could get them out of the house. "I'm going to the country house. It's in his name, not mine, so they shouldn't be able to trace it and find me." "Fuck it, stop the shipment. Half our street dealers are out of commission or flat out disappeared. We don't have the men to push it, and there is no way in hell I'm sticking around to get new ones." "I know he's going to be pissed but this is serious shit! There's something wrong with that guy. If you're smart you'll get the hell out of town too." Another pause, longer this time. "No, she's our insurance, she's coming with me. Call T and tell him what happened. I'm serious, there is something strange going on with the son of a bitch, and I'm keeping her until I can meet up with T. He'll know what to do." He snapped the phone shut. "Get up, you stupid bitch. We're leaving." Charlie bent down to grab her, and Lina went totally limp. With her arms still tied behind her back she couldn't do much to fight back, but she could hinder him in his attempts to escape before Kane could find her. She just had to give him more time, that's all, just a little more time. He had to be on his way. Glass shattered and rained down on Lina. The way Charlie was leaning over here was the only thing that saved her face and neck from being cut to ribbons. Snarling and screams filled the room. Lina saw a gray and white wolf snapping and biting at her captor who was sprawled on the floor. The wolf kept trying to get to Charlie's throat, but the man had picked the knife back up and managed to bury it in the wolf's side. The animal whined in pain but kept attacking, using his claws to rake at the vulnerable stomach area that Charlie couldn't protect with his arm still covering his face and throat. Lina closed her eyes. She wasn't the praying type, but she couldn't help but pour her soul into the silently spoken plea that Kane had found them and was going to save her. She didn't think it was a coincidence that a wolf was attacking the man, but it wasn't Kane's large silver wolf or any that she had seen. She didn't recognize this one at all. She heard wood breaking and hands were on her again. These were large and hot, but gentle as she was raised to a sitting position. She was turned and then pulled into a hard chest that was covered in a soft fur. She barely felt the claws that sliced through the rope around her wrists in one angry swipe but she felt the fire that coursed through her wrists, elbows, and shoulders as the rope fell away and her arms fell dead to her sides. She screamed at the additional pain. It was all too much, and she fainted. Pipe Dreams Ch. 07 When Lina woke up she had no idea where she was. She could hear beeping as she shifted in discomfort, her body ached all over. She began to move her arm, trying to find the pillow saturated with Kane's scent that had been helping her sleep the past few nights. She had to find the alarm clock and turn off that incessant beeping too; she wasn't ready to get up yet, she felt so tired. "Ow!" A sharp pain and a sensation of tugging in her arm made her stop moving. "Lina?" She opened her eyes slowly. She was lying on her side in a narrow bed covered in white sheets. The first thing she saw was a bank of monitors. A hand grabbed hers and squeezed gently. Lina blinked; why was someone in her room? She looked around, and then frowned. Where was she; this wasn't Kane's room. "You're awake! Oh, he's going to be so upset." Lina looked down and saw Maggie sitting in a green plastic chair next to the bed. Lina blinked. "What are you doing here?" she croaked. "Aren't you supposed to be in Hawaii?" "Oh Lina, like I would stay there when you were here and hurt. Your boyfriend here got me a flight back the second I insisted on coming home. You've picked a good one Lina," Maggie whispered. "Where is Kane?" Lina looked around rapidly, ignoring the pain as her heart beginning to pound. Had he left her? Did he change his mind about her, think she brought too great a risk of exposure to his pack? The beeping on the machine began to race with her heart. "Lina?" A deep voice behind her, the sleep lowered tone made her gasp. The sound was like a blanket of calm draping around her. Rapid footsteps brought Kane around the bed to stand at the head of her hospital bed. "Oh baby, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Kane brought his forehead down to hers, stroking her hair softly. She locked gazes with the man who claimed her as a mate, seeing his eyes filled with many emotions. She could see pain and fear, anger and love in the light blue eyes that were filled with tears. She watched in awe as the first drops fell, her own face wet with tears without her even realizing it until Kane wiped them away with his thumbs. "I'm sorry I failed at protecting you," Kane whispered. "This was my fault, all mine." "You couldn't know that he was following you and saw me and took the chance to grab me." "I'm a werewolf, Lina. If I hadn't been screaming at Mike over the phone I would have heard you. I was so upset that Carson managed to get out of the safe room. I thought you would be safe, and I didn't use my senses. I should have known better!" "I don't blame you, I'm thankful to you for finding me, for saving me. I was so scared that he would manage to get away before you could find us." Lina's tears turned into sobs as she relived those moments of frantic hope that Kane would find her and desperate fear that he wouldn't get there in time. "Shh, baby, shhh . . . We were right outside by then. We looked for you, but couldn't find you. Then Mike told me that Carson tracked a man who smelled like you. We knew you were in the house; but we didn't know where you were or if he was holding a weapon on you. It was all I could do to wait and let my men do their duty before I could go to you. It broke my heart, thinking you were being hurt." Kane soothed Lina, a slow rumble from his chest and his hand stroking her hair gradually calmed her. A nurse came in. "Mr. Jacy, the officers are here to speak with you and Miss Revers if she is awake." Lina shifted uncomfortably in Kane's arms. Her arms felt heavy and sore and her face was throbbing after her crying jag. She didn't need to say anyone. "Thank you, Mary. Lina needs a moment to compose herself and then some more pain medication would be appreciated, I'd bet." The nurse went over to Lina's monitor. "Yes, her heart rate is a bit elevated." She turned to Lina. "Are you in much pain my dear?" Lina nodded. "What would you rate it on a scale of one to ten, with ten the worst pain you can imagine." Lina frowned, that was hard. She felt like a wimp, but a five was what her mind said. She hurt so much and Kane suggested she take the medicine. She cleared her throat. "About a five." Mary nodded and checked her chart. "Well, the doctor left notes that you could receive some additional medication, and ice chips if you were thirsty." Ice chips. Oh, her throat was burning at the thought. "Please." "Sure thing, sweetie. I'll go get those before we left those cops in, that way you can suck on a few before you have to talk much. If you feel like it's too much for you let me know, and I'll make them leave." "Thank you." She bustled from the room, and Kane let go of Lina's hands. She protested wordlessly, reaching for him. She didn't want him to be away from her at all. "I'm just getting a washcloth for your eyes. I'll be right back." He wet a white cloth in the sink and brought it back, wiping her eyes gently and then folding the cloth over them. He leaned down close to her ear. "We can't afford to let the cops into the investigation. We had to lie," he whispered before the nurse came back. Lina listened closely, knowing this was important for the pack. She was already dedicated to her friends among Kane's pack and the urge to protect them was stronger than her feeling of wrong for hiding things from the police. "You were abducted from your house. Some guy grabbed you, but he wasn't around when you woke up. You were able to break a window in the room you were held in and climb out; that explains the cuts. You were beat up a little, but that came from before he knocked you out and took you from your house. Once you were out of the house you ran. You found a house down the road with lights on and got help from them. Okay? Can you remember that for me?" Kane picked up the washcloth, turning it to a fresh side and wiping her face and eyes again. "I'm sorry to ask you to lie, but we can't stop whoever is making Pipe Dream if we hand over what we know to the cops. Not yet." "It's okay. I want everyone to be safe. What about the house I called from?" Lina worried about that; the police would check their story, she was sure of it. "A pack family has volunteered. They understand what they are to do." Kane glanced at the door. "Mary is coming back. Do you think you can remember that? Should it be better for you to play asleep?" Lina shook her head. "If my face didn't give away that I was awake my heart would." She glanced at the still beeping monitor ruefully. "Okay." Kane kissed her on the forehead and Lina closed her eyes, feeling the cool wet cloth drape across them again. "Is she asleep?" Mary asked in a whisper. "No," Lina said. "My head just hurts. Can we turn off the lights?" "Oh, sure thing honey. First, let me get this shot going." Lina stiffened when the nurse came closer and her heart rate monitor began beeping faster. "Oh, don't worry, it's going in your IV. No needles for you." Lina sighed in relief. She hurt so much already, but a needle was just something that freaked her out. Her therapist thought it was a byproduct of her dad's business in the drug world. A knock on the door distracted her from her thoughts. Kane touched her lips with a cold spoon, and she sucked in a few ice chips. She let them melt on her tongue and dripped down her throat, sighing in relief as she felt the cool water soothe the raw feeling. "Miss Revers, my name is Detective Abrams and this is my partner, Detective Lizzet. We'd like to come in and speak with you, if you're feeling up to it." The cop speaking was a man, and Lina felt Kane's hand tighten on hers. She squeezed it back. "Yes," she said softly. There were a few noises and Mary patted her on the shoulder from behind. Lina flinched away and whimpered. Kane instantly crouched down, their foreheads together as he stroked her hair with his free hand. "It's okay, baby. Shhh . . . ." More tears leaked from behind the washcloth as Lina fought the urge to break down. She breathed deep, pulling in the spicy scent that always seemed to surround Kane. It helped draw her back from the fear swamping her. She'd nearly had a phobia about people touching her, and the recent attack made it worse. Kane removed the washcloth. "Maybe it will be better if you can see for a bit, just now." Lina nodded, still breathing him in, unable to talk. "Miss Revers has just had some medication so please keep this short, officers," Mary said from the foot of the bed. Lina glanced at the officers standing behind Kane. Two men, both average height and average age. One red haired, the other had dark black hair, but she couldn't see anything that stood out about them. They wore suits, but had their badges out. Kane looked at both of the names and numbers, his lips moving silently. Lina had seen him in action in the office and knew that he had both memorized, just in case. "Miss Revers, we'd like to speak with you privately. If Mr. Jacy could just wait outside, we don't have too many questions for you." Kane didn't make any move to leave, but Lina clutched at him. Her heart rate monitor went crazy and she began crying again. "No. No, don't leave. Please..." she whimpered. Kane shot a glare at the officers and bent down again, drawing Lina's head up to meet his eyes. "I'm not going anywhere, Lina. Breathe, baby. Look in my eyes. I'm here, you're safe. No one is going to hurt you again." Lina choked back on her sob. "You won't go?" "No," he said soothingly, "Not a step away from your side until you're ready." The door opened and Mary came walking back into the room rapidly. She took one look at Lina and then turned to the detectives with her hands on her hips. "What's going on? Why is my patient so upset?" "Ma'am, this is a police investigation. We must ask Miss Revers some questions and asked Mr. Jacy to step outside." Mary was pushing buttons on Lina's monitors. She glanced at Lina who was still shaking in fear. She clung to Kane's hand. The nurse reached for her, but Lina shied away. "Sorry," she said. The nurse gave her a comforting look. "Don't you worry about it, dear. You just try to relax. "I would suggest you gentlemen resign yourself to Mr. Jacy's presence, or wait until Miss Revers has had a chance to calm down. Either way, if you upset my patient like that again I will be calling her doctor who will be calling your boss." Mary gave them a stern look and then bustled out of the room, leaving Kane to continue to calm Lina. The detectives were clearly unwilling to ask their questions with Kane in the room, but Lina refused to speak to them without him. When Kane agreed to remain completely silent they finally agreed. They asked her a lot of questions, more than she expected about what happened. She pretended to be fuzzy on the details, her concussion certainly made remembering the past events difficult anyway. Detectives Abrams and Lizzet left when Lina's medications kicked in and began to put her to sleep, promising to do what they could but without much confidence in their voices. Kane waited until they were gone and then snuggled up to Lina, crawling up in the too small bed with her. She curled into his chest, his extra warmth and his spicy smell blocking the sterile hospital room from her senses. Lina was just sinking into sleep when she suddenly remembered something. "Wait. Where's Maggie?" she asked in a groggy voice. Kane chuckled. "I thought you missed that. She said she was going home to rest since I had it under control." Lina's eyes popped open. "Is that safe?" Kane rubbed her arm gently. "Yes. We seem to have run all of Charlie's associates out of town once we caught up to Rocky. He was our main target until Charlie took you and we managed to track Carson to him. Teddy took Rocky to our property in the country. He's sitting in the jail cell we keep for dangerous werewolves. He has two guards on him at all times until my betas and I can question him. The rest were all small time dealers who were just pushing Pipe Dreams for the money they were paid; they're not going to escalate to violent crime. Besides, Carson has taken to patrolling around your home since Maggie arrived. No one is getting by him to hurt your friend. "You're both safe, now rest. I'll be right here when you wake up." Lina sighed sleepily. She was in pain and she couldn't seem to stop shaking, but she did her best to go to sleep. She felt a little like she would fly apart; it was almost like she wasn't quite all there, but with Kane's arms around her she decided her worries could wait until the next day. He would keep her together until she could do it for herself. She'd get past this, and Kane would be there like he promised. She held tight to that thought as she let the drugs take her away into a painless sleep. *** The hospital only kept Lina for another day after she woke up, their policy for patients with head wounds and concussions. "Are you sure you don't want to come home?" Maggie asked her as she helped her out of the hospital gown and into a comfortable pair of jeans and an oversized button up shirt Kane had brought. "No. I'm sorry Maggie. I don't know if I'll ever be able to feel safe there again." She pulled her friend into her arms and hugged her. "Plus with Kane, I just . . . ." Lina paused, unable to finish the thought. "You're just head over heels in love with Kane, and he's got it just as bad as you. I'm surprised he let me in here alone with you to get dressed. He hasn't left your side in days." She returned Lina's hug carefully and then pulled away. "Do you know where I can get a guy like that?" Maggie joked as she knelt down to help Lina put on her slip on shoes. "You never know. Kane has a lot of friends." The comment just slipped out, but Lina was shocked she hadn't thought of that before. Well, she probably would have, if things hadn't gone so crazy. If Maggie found a mate among the werewolves then Lina wouldn't have to keep secrets from her. Maggie held up her coat. "So, I talked with your professors. I'll get notes for the class we share but you're responsible to get the material for your other classes. They all said you can take the rest of the week to recover." Lina winced and muffled a whimper as she tried to pull her jacket on. Her arms and shoulder muscles had been strained and the doctor said she would be sore for a few more days. Soaking them would help, and another benefit of going to Kane's house instead of hers would be the big sunken tub in his bathroom that had jets. The door opened instantly. "You okay in here?" Kane asked, sticking his head in. Lina knew he'd heard the whimper. "Just a little sore," she said. "Good timing," Maggie said. She headed into the bathroom to get Lina's toothbrush. Lina shook her head and smiled at Kane. "I think that's everything," she said as she came back out, stuffing the toiletries into the small bag of stuff she'd brought from home for Lina. She handed it to Kane when she looked at the clock. "Sorry honey, I have to get to class. Call me later, okay?" She hugged Lina carefully and kissed her cheek. "Bye Maggie, thank you!" Maggie waved back at her, already breezing out the door. Kane laughed. "Does she ever slow down?" Lina laughed with him. "Only when she's sleeping and even then she sometimes sleepwalks." Kane walked over to her and wrapped her in his arms. "It was harder than I thought to wait outside. I need to hold you for a minute." Lina rested her head on his chest, soaking up the comfort and security she felt while snugly held in Kane's arms. It was rapidly becoming her favorite place in the world. The pain pills they had given her were making her slightly drowsy and she could feel her eyelids getting heavy. "I think I like having you with me all the time too." There was a knock at the door and an orderly came in with a wheelchair. While Lina got situated Kane made a call on his phone. Lina sat down carefully and Kane walked beside her, carrying her stuff as the orderly took her to the exit.. When they got downstairs Les was already waiting with the car at end of the sidewalk. "Thank you," Lina said when he held the door open. The werewolf smiled at her briefly, but lowered his eyes and tilted his neck back a little when a quiet growl rumbled in Kane's chest. Kane was right behind her as she got in the car. Les got back in and they pulled away from the hospital. Lina sighed. "I'm tired already." Kane pulled her toward him. "Just rest. We'll get you in bed as soon as we get home." Lina yawned and leaned her head on Kane's shoulder, breathing in his scent. He smelled vaguely like the hospital, a unique scent that she'd always hated. Maybe they all used the same antiseptic. Her nose wrinkled. "Bath first?" Kane chuckled. "Okay." Lina fell asleep until the car stopped in front of the house. Kane helped her out of the car carefully and kept an arm around her as they walked in the house. Several pack members were there including Carson. Lina had never seen the wolf alert and awake before. "Hi Lina." Carrie came forward and hugged Lina carefully, her big belly getting in the way and making her have to lean dangerously far. "Hi Carrie." "We're glad you're okay," she said, going back to stand with her mate. "We were so worried." Lina smiled at her warmly. "I'll be fine," she said. "Once she rests." Kane looked at the rest of the pack who were staying at the house at the moment. They all seemed to get the hint, except Carson. When the rest of the pack backed away, he came forward. "I'm sorry if I hurt you," Carson said. He fell to his knees and leaned his head back, his whole front of his throat exposed. The air was charged with tension as his adam's apple bobbed when he swallowed hard. Lina looked up at Kane, completely confused. Kane was glaring down at the man at her feet. "Carson was the wolf who attacked the drug dealer. He wasn't supposed to burst through the glass that way but he lost control, again. He is . . . apologizing." When Lina looked back at the man she could see faint pink lines on his face, like well healed cuts. Having the man on his knees in front of her and so vulnerable made her feel nervous, but she knew it had to be a werewolf thing. "What am I supposed to do?" she whispered. Kane dropped his arm from around her shoulders. "If you were a wolf, such an offer would be met by taking his throat in your teeth. It shows his submission and reaffirms the pack bonds with a scent mark. If you forgive him you touch him gently, if not . . . ." Kane didn't finish, but Lina shuddered. She got the idea. "I don't think I can--" "It's okay," Kane said. "You're not a wolf. He just doesn't know any other way. "Do you forgive him?" Lina nodded. He'd help save her, and she understood if control was hard for him. The man had almost died from the drugs the dealer was pushing. "As long as he doesn't use drugs ever again." Kane bent down and his nostrils flared. Lina watched as Kane opened his mouth, his teeth and jaw seemed to grow slightly. He bit down a little hard, his teeth denting the white skin; Carson whimpered and then went limp. Lina put her hand on Kane's shoulder and it seemed to pull the growling man back a little. He took a deep breath and let Carson go, smelling him again with their scents now mixed. "My mate has forgiven you," he growled, "but make sure that this never happens again. If it does..." Carson glanced up at them, unable to hide his wince at the bruises on Lina's face. They were there as a direct result of his actions as a human, not the wolf attack, but it was still his fault. Lina knew the wolf would take his reprimand seriously; she couldn't see Kane letting anyone stupid enough to repeat the same mistake stay in his pack. Carson straightened his shoulders, but stayed on his knees. Pipe Dreams Ch. 07 "I understand, Alpha." Kane stood back up. "Good. Your penance is to track down the other drug dealers and help eliminate this threat. Mike has determined that the source is coming from another pack's territory. You can go with Teddy to negotiate for cooperation so we can investigate further." Dismissing the lower ranked wolf, Kane turned back to Lina, who was feeling even more worn out by the emotions of the scene she just took part in. She wasn't as tired now, her rest in the car had helped, but she just wanted to be alone with Kane. "Let's go upstairs." Kane picked her up and she didn't protest, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head on his chest. She was quiet while he set her on the bed to start the tub. Her mind was working furiously though, thinking about everything that had happened since she met Kane. She was sore, but she wanted to be closer to Kane, as close as two people could be. She would just have to convince him. When he came back for her, Kane was naked except for a pair of underwear. Lina's eyes widened. She hasn't seen that much of her lover in real life. If anything, he looked even better than her dreams had come up with. His wide shoulders and chest flowed into a stomach that rippled with muscle and then narrowed to a trim waist and long, lean legs. He looked like a swimmer in just his boxer briefs and Lina felt desire stir in her. Kane's nostril's flared. "I thought it would be better if I got in the tub with you since you're so tired." Lina licked her lips. "I'm not so tired now." Kane chuckled. "Well, I can get in the bath with you anyway if you want." Lina smiled. "I want." She sat up carefully and Kane watched her raptly. She toed off her shoes and gingerly removed her coat. Unbuttoning her blouse, she let it slide off her shoulders, standing in front of him in just her bra and pants. Kane's breath left him in an exhale when she unclasped the front snap of her bra and let that last barrier covering her breasts fall away. "You're so beautiful," he said. Lina looked down. "I'm covered in bruises." Her hands swept across the marks the drug dealer had left on her pale skin. "I hate them, but you're still beautiful to me," Kane assured her. "They'll disappear soon, and you'll be perfect again." Lina blushed, but dropped her arms to her sides, exposing her round breasts. Kane's control broke and he moved in front of her, his hands stroking her shoulders as he kissed her. His tongue invaded her mouth gently but thoroughly, sweeping and caressing every inch. He broke the kiss and groaned when their bare chests pressed together. His arms stroked up and down her back and sides as he nuzzled her neck. "I want to see all of you." He urged Lina to sit back down on the bed and then lay down. She stared up at the man she had kissed for the first time less than a week before and knew being with him was right. Werewolf pheromones or love, she just knew that she wanted to be with him, whatever changes she would have to make. Her pants sliding off her feet brought her out of her thoughts, and she watched as Kane's eyes changed. He eyed her silky blue underwear as if he wanted to rip them off. She waited for him to do it, but when he touched her his hands were gentle and his movements as he pulled her panties off were almost too slow. For the first time Lina was naked in front of a man she desired and she could feel her nipples tighten and her belly clenched when his fingers traced back up her legs and her sensitive thighs. She held out her arms to Kane who crawled in the bed beside her. He lay on his side, propping his head up so he could watch her reaction as his other hand traced patterns on her skin. It felt like little trails of fire were dragging across her sensitized nerves. She was panting when he traced circles around one of her nipples. She was about to beg when he finally touched it. A flash of heat streaked to her core and she trembled, moaning. He stroked over her nipple again and again, rolling and plucking at the firm nub until it was almost painfully tight before he then turned his attention to the other one. She was panting, thinking that she was in bliss, until he stopped and put his soft lips on her skin and sucked one throbbing tip into his mouth. Crying out, Lina's hands came up to clench in Kane's hair, holding his head to her. "Oh god!" She shuddered hard. Kane pulled back, panting. "I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" Lina ran a hand through his hair. "No. That felt amazing." "We shouldn't be doing this. It's too soon." His hand traced the wide bruise around her wrist and he stared at the dark purple mark, a sad look on his face. Lina used her hand in his hair to get his attention. "It's just a few bruises and they'll be gone soon, just like you said. I didn't even think about them when you were touching me. I couldn't feel anything but you." She took a deep breath. "I want that Kane, I want you to make love to me. I need to feel you touching me and know that we're together. I want to feel strong, like your mate would be." "You are strong." Lina shook her head. "I was kidnapped and beaten before your pack rescued me. I couldn't stop that man from doing anything. I threw up." Kane pulled her into his arms. "Oh, baby, you had a concussion. Even wolves can get those. Besides, you didn't tell him anything when he hit you, did you?" Lina shook her head. "You held on, stalling for time, and you were so sure that I would come for you. I was right outside. You held on," he said fiercely. He pulled her tight and buried his face in her hair. "I was so scared I would lose you. No one can be strong all the time." Lina soaked in the warmth of Kane's embrace, holding him as he held her. It was a few minutes before he relaxed and pulled back. She smiled at him. She traced a hand over his face and down to his chin. She pulled him down. "Kiss me," she whispered against his lips, "make love to me, and make me your mate. I want you, I need you to make this bond between us real." Kane groaned, and his lips came down on hers. Lina felt a moment of pain from the cut, but her pleasure pushed it away. She knew what she wanted and she would use her body to break her mate's reluctance if she had to. She arched, pressing her breasts into him and moaned into his mouth. "Please, Kane," she begged. Kane growled against her lips as she arched again. His tongue pushed into her mouth and he captured her head, holding the back of her neck. He kissed her over and over until she was felt dizzy. She moaned as he pulled away. "You are sure you want to be my mate?" he asked in a rough voice. "You have to be sure Lina." He stared in her eyes. "I'm not wholly human. I am an Alpha and there are things I want . . . things I need from you. I don't know if I can be as gentle as you need me to be with your sore body." Lina took a breath at the intensity in his voice and eyes. "I know you would never hurt me. Don't you want me as your mate?" Kane closed his eyes and shuddered. "More than anything in this world. I just want you to be sure." "I love you so much, and I never want to live without you, so yes," Lina cupped his face in her hands, "I'm sure." Kane's eyes snapped open. Tears filled them as he stared at her adoringly. "Oh Lina. I love you too." He pulled her into his body carefully. He began kissing her again, licking and sucking her neck as one hand traced down her side to her thigh and then slipped to the inside to spread her thighs apart. Lina stiffened for a moment and then relaxed and parted her legs. She wanted him so badly she ached. She lay trembling on the bed, lost in sensations she had never felt before as Kane began stroking her core, parting her wet folds and rubbing her clit with little circles. He sucked hard on her neck and she moaned. His hands finding all the sensitive spots on her, and the way his mouth and teeth nibbled and bit on her neck and sensitive breasts were more than she could take. Her hips jerked, and her whole body locked up as she orgasmed, crying out in pleasure. Kane slipped a finger inside her as her body clenched, but stopped as soon as she moaned. She lay there panting as she waited for him to move on top of her, but he didn't move. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, his yellow eyes were shining; the werewolf who was claiming her as his mate so clear in his gaze. "Why did you stop?" she asked breathlessly. "You're a virgin?" he asked slowly. Lina blushed. "Yes." She looked away and then took a deep breath and looked back. "I want you to be the first and last to take me as you claim me as your mate." Kane's eyes clenched shut and he shuddered, his whole body tensing. "What's wrong?" Lina asked, "Don't you want to? Does my being a virgin turn you off?" She started to move, to cover herself but Kane held her immobile. "No." When Kane opened his eyes his wolf was staring out at her. When he opened his mouth she could see his teeth had lengthened. Kane struggled to speak, as if he had forgotten how. His eyes were shining and he was trembling. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "If I make love to you now it will go beyond claiming you. I will mark you and change you. I can't hold my wolf back, he is too pleased that we are the first you have been with you. He wants to mate you too much for me to have any control. You have to be sure, Lina, sure you want me for life." Lina brought one hand up to cup Kane's cheek. "Nothing you could do could convince me otherwise. I meant it when I said I love you." Kane breathed in sharply, leaning his face into her hand. With a suddenness that should have frightened her, Kane had his underwear off and was on top of her body. All she could feel was excitement that the rising tension between them, the need that had been keeping them both on edge, was about to be sated. He nudged her thighs wider apart and she let him. She looked down and saw his rigid erection; her body clenched at the sight of him rubbing against her slick flesh. She could feel the wetness of her thighs from her first orgasm coating him as he rubbed against her, easing the slide through her folds. He looked so big, but she knew he would make it feel so good. She trusted him to be gentle with her so she relaxed and let her thighs fall apart. Kane leaned over her, their stomachs touching as his erection slid through the moist heat of her cleft as his hips flexed gently. Kane didn't seem to be in any hurry to breach her depths as he sucked one breast into his mouth, his teeth toying with the firm tip before he released it to play with the other one too. He held his body over hers, careful not to press anywhere she was bruised. He might not be in a hurry, but she was getting almost desperate to drive away the ache that made her arch her hips and try to get his head inside her. "Kane! Please!" "Gonna make you mine," he said, his voice a deep growl of possession. He claimed her lips, his tongue plunging into her mouth and out again. She sucked on it and he moaned. Her arms were still sore so she left them at her sides but brought her legs up to wrap around Kane's hips. He surrounded her with his body, his hips pressing her down into the bed. She shivered in pleasure, loving how he felt over her. She took a deep breath; all she could smell was the warm spice of his skin. She pulled back from his kiss and arched her neck back and turned her head to the side to expose her neck. She knew it would excite his wolf to a fever pitch. "Do it," she whispered, "make me yours." She felt pressure between her legs as the new position pressed Kane's erection inside her a little and then his teeth clamped down on the skin between her neck and her shoulder, distracting her from slight pain. He growled and then bit down, breaking through the skin in a deep bite just as his hips thrust forward, sliding his erection inside Lina's body for the first time. Lina cried out, not expecting the rush of pleasure that eased sting of his bite along with the slight pain of him taking her virginity. Her hips rolled and she thrust against Kane. It hurt, just part of generous length filled her and more, but the pain was easing. She thrust against him again. His growl rumbled through her body, and she felt a new sensation course through her chest. She stilled and he pulled back, licking at the bite mark in her shoulder. She whimpered. "Kane!" Lina felt the enormous pressure inside different from before as she was filled and surrounded with Kane's body. His scent saturated the air and she rubbed against him. "Please," she whimpered. Kane took her lips in a careful kiss filled with tenderness and love, and then he pulled back, thrusting forward hard. His wolf growled as Lina cried out at the bite of pain as she stretched around him and then it turned to pleasure as he pulled back and then with one last firm thrust, he finally bottomed out. She locked her legs around him as her body tightened. She gasped and shuddered. "Do it again," Kane pulled back until his head was barely inside her and then thrust forward, stopping when he was fully sheathed. Her back came off the bed at the sensation and she could feel her muscles ripple around his erection, making them both moan. He pulled back again and their bodies fell into a slow rhythm as he thrust hard into her body again and again. Kane kissed her and licked his mark, cradling her to him as they grew closer and closer to climax. "Kane. . . ." Lina was going insane, the slow forceful rhythm building her toward orgasm, but wasn't enough to send her other the edge. Her hands reached up and gripped Kane's hips, nails digging in as she pulled him toward her. "I need something..." Kane finally sped up, their bodies meeting with more force as he drove into her. Lina gave herself up to the sensation as he took her body and made her his mate. Kane dropped to his elbows, cradling her head in his hands as he turned his neck to the side. "Bite me." Lina eyed his neck, unsure if she could do it. She lifted her head, and her lips touched the warm skin of his neck just as he thrust into her harder than before. She sucked in a gasp at the burst of pleasure as he did it again. His scent was so strong and she felt something come over her, some instinct newly awakened. She opened her mouth and sank her teeth deep into Kane's neck, the hot wash of his blood flooding her mouth before she pulled back, crying out as her orgasm exploded through between her legs and flashed through her whole body. Her muscles clenched and rippled around Kane who thrust twice more and then froze. "MINE!" he roared, his hips punching forward one last time as he came inside her, his wolf growling through his lips as they marked their mate. *** Lina blinked and groaned. She was lying on her side on the bed with Kane behind her, the mixed scent of their climax still saturating the air. She frowned; did something happen? She thought something would happen when they mated and Kane claimed her. He said it would change her but she didn't feel different. How did a werewolf feel? "Lina? Are you okay?" Kane asked her anxiously. Lina thought about that for a moment. Her body ached, especially between her legs and her shoulder, but she also felt good; in fact, she felt better than she ever had before. There was something else. . . . "Am I a werewolf like you now?" she asked. She didn't look furry. Kane's arms tightened around her. "Yes." He kissed the already healed mark on her shoulder gently. "How do I know?" Lina was still overwhelmed by everything she felt as they made love, and the few minutes she'd spent passed out worried her, but she was more concerned that something had gone wrong. "Are you sure?" "I can smell your wolf and feel the pack bonds in you. She's just waiting for you to greet her." Lina looked over her shoulder. "I thought you said that the wolf was just a part of you. How can I greet her?" Kane smiled at her. "They are a part of us, but it's hard to explain. Let me show you, it's the most amazing thing." Lina took a breath, suddenly nervous. "Okay." Kane cuddled her close. "Just close your eyes. Take deep breaths and quiet your mind." Linda did what he said, trying not to think about his body cradling hers. It was harder than she thought but after a few minutes her breathing steadied. "That's it. Now, picture her in the blackness, let her feel you reaching out, and she'll come to you." Lina did what he said, letting a picture of a wolf form in her mind. She thought it would be silver like Kane's, but the one she saw was a petite black wolf with a silver patch on her neck. She looked deep into those yellow eyes and felt a connection between them cement inside her. She could feel her wolf's pleasure and her happiness with their mate. Lina gasped when she realized that she could feel Kane in her mind too. Her wolf grinned at her, and then faded away. "I can feel her," she whispered in amazement, "and you too. You're both inside me, part of me." Lina turned to Kane and hugged him, pulling him down to nuzzle the bite mark she'd left on his neck. "I love you so much." "We'll always be with you now," Kane said before he kissed her softly. He pulled her tight to his body and held her close. "I love you too, my mate." The End Okay, before you crucify me, I do plan to write a sequel to answer the questions left from this. The Jacy pack will return in a whole new story, just as soon as I can find the time to write it!