Changeling 03 - All I Want For Christmas Is A Werewolf Read online

  All I Want For Christmas Is A Werewolf (Changeling Encounters)

  By J.S. Scott

  Copyright© 2012 by J.S. Scott

  All Rights Reserved

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Story

  Excerpt of Mine For Tonight

  Gavin Lancaster hated Christmas.

  It wasn't just a mild distaste for the season, or even something similar to ambivalence or disinterest about the December holiday. Nope. It was a total and complete aversion, an absolute loathing for all things green and red, anything associated with the period between Thanksgiving and New Years, the time when everyone was full of artificial good cheer and nauseatingly jolly.

  Thank God, everything will go right back to normal after January 1st! Everyone will revert back to being greedy, self-serving, calculating and rude...

  His two brothers called Gavin The Grinch. Really, it wasn't like he was trying to steal Christmas, he just wanted it to be fucking - over!

  Unfortunately, it was only the end of November, the day after Thanksgiving. Black Friday, the day when all of those supposedly happy people full of the holiday spirit trampled each other just to save a few bucks. What in the hell was so joyful about this peculiar custom he would never understand.

  Merry Fucking Christmas...Now get the hell out of my way before I break your fingers for touching the item I want that's on sale. Ho Ho Ho!

  So why was he here at the mall, at eight o'clock in the evening, on the busiest damn shopping day of the year? It certainly wasn't because he was looking for bargains or got a kick out of finding good deals. Fuck! He was a millionaire, able to buy anything he wanted at a regular, reasonable price. In his opinion, Black Friday was for masochists, people who enjoyed torturing themselves.

  He was here for one reason and one reason only. Zoey, his twin brother Rafe’s mate, had called him because he just happened to be in the city tonight on business and she had used that calculating, sweet voice of hers to manipulate him into stopping at the mall to pick her up a new laptop computer.

  Please, Gavin. I really want this computer and they'll run out of them if I don't get one now.

  If it had been Rafe who had asked, Gavin would have had no problem telling his brother to go straight to hell. But the bastard had gotten Zoey to call, Zoey to ask, and Gavin hadn't been able to say no.

  Really, he needed to get more of a backbone when it came to his sisters-in-law. Zoey and Grace could get him to do almost anything for them. All they had to do was call him up, ask sweetly, and he was jumping through hoops to get them anything they wanted, doing whatever they requested, regardless of how inconvenient it might be for him.

  He felt sorry for Rafe and Noah. At least he only got an occasional call from Grace or Zoey, and usually their requests were fairly reasonable. Except tonight! His two brothers actually had to live with Grace and Zoey, were mated to them, at their females' beck and call every waking moment of every damn day. Sure, Rafe and Noah both had a live-in sex partner, available and convenient, but at what cost?

  Gavin jockeyed through the masses of bodies around him, trying to plow his way through the crowd to get to the computers in the filled-to-capacity, popular electronics store. He cursed as he took an elbow to the gut and was propelled forward with a vicious slam of a shopping cart to his ass.

  Christ! What the hell was he doing here? It wasn't like Rafe couldn't afford to pay full price for the damn computer. Both of his brothers were as wealthy as Gavin. Unfortunately, Zoey knew exactly how to get to him, pleading that she needed the computer right away, that she really wanted it, really needed it.

  Sucker...it's your own fault for answering your cell phone. You could be home right now, out of the city, relaxing with an excellent glass of wine and reclining in your hot tub.

  Instead, he was surrounded by glassy-eyed people in a bargain-hunting frenzy. What the hell was it about Black Friday that sent a perfectly normal community into temporary insanity?

  A low snarl escaped his throat as he reached for a box that contained the computer that Zoey had requested, his patience wearing thin. His wolf was pacing, anxious; it hated the city and the masses of people around him. Gavin sucked in a deep breath, taking air in through his nose for the first time since entering the store. He'd tried to avoid the scent of the crowd - his sense of smell was sensitive, and some of the bodies colliding with his had clearly not practiced particularly good hygiene.

  A small, delicate hand landed on top of his; the simple touch making every hair on his body stand on end. He hissed as he inhaled a scent he thought he would never experience again.

  The fragrance of his mate.

  Gavin’s olfactory sense kicked into overdrive and he struggled desperately not to let her fragrance absorb into every pore in his body, but he failed miserably, his Changeling mating instinct too strong. Her sweet bouquet surrounded him, consumed him, within seconds.

  Dear God, not again.

  His cock swelled as the essence of her overwhelmed him, ripping away his common sense and control, leaving only animal instinct. The desire to claim his mate.

  Mine!

  His feral gaze trailed upward as his heart thundered against the wall of his chest. Her hand jerked away and he almost groaned with disappointment as he was deprived of the feel of her skin against his. Grasping the computer box, he scooped it up and put it under his arm, his eyes raking over every feature, every detail of the female who had his undivided attention.

  Beautiful!

  She was short, curvy, dressed in jeans and a sweater that was topped by a pink quilted vest. Thick glasses sat on the bridge of an adorable, button nose. Her light skin was flushed, and Gavin could feel her unease. She nervously pushed a strand of straight, silky brown hair behind her ear. Gorgeous hair that brushed her shoulders, that he wanted to reach out and touch, bury his hand into, nuzzle his face into, until all he could feel and smell was her.

  Mine!

  Gavin had to clench his fists to keep from reaching for her, from taking what belonged to him. As his gaze met hers, it was her terrified expression that stopped him. Christ! He was scaring the hell out of her. No doubt his growling and possessive expression were a bit much, even if it was Black Friday.

  "Here. You take it. It's the last one." He held out the computer like a peace offering, fighting every carnal instinct in his body to try not to frighten her.

  "Uh...no thanks. You keep it. You look like you want it more than I do."

  God, her voice was sweet, low and husky, seductive. He yearned to hear her cry out his name as he buried his pulsating cock into her body, claiming her, satisfying her.

  She turned and began to jog away. Fuck! She's afraid of me! He followed, elbowing his way through the crowd, trying not to lose sight of her curvaceous ass while he followed in her wake, sweat dripping from his brow, his heart slamming.

  Don't run. For God's sake...don't run.

  She was fast, dodging through the crowd, ducking under arms and bodies, pushing her way out of the store as though the devil were on her heels. Gavin cursed, trying to gain ground without knocking people to the floor. He was desperate, and his urgency increased twofold as she tried to get away from him. His wolf snarled, excited by the chase, wanting to track down its prey. Gavin, the man, was just as aroused. He wanted to catch her, strip her, pin her to the wall and fuck her until she begged for mercy.

  Stop. Don't run.

  Fleeing from a Changeling mate only increased his need to catch and dominate, inflamed his already out-of-control desire.

  Gavin pursued her, his hand about to grab her around the waist
, when he was seized by several security guards. Irritating buzzers blasted loudly as he crossed the exit, the barrier protected with alarms.

  Shit! Noooo!

  His wolf howled, the grating noise reverberating inside Gavin’s head. He fought, trying to contain his beast, unable to determine, for one frightening moment, whether the victor would be man or canine as his hungry eyes watched the retreating backside of his mate.

  He stopped struggling against the men who were restraining him. He could have easily laid them both out on the ground, unconscious...or worse. But the man in him wouldn't allow it; he wasn't about to injure two men who were just doing their job - no matter how badly his wolf wanted him to.

  No! Damn it. I don't want a mate. It's too fucking painful.

  Gavin stepped back, allowing the two men grasping his arms to propel him back into the store. He'd have to deal with them, and he would, as soon as he could tear his gaze away from the rapidly fading image of his mate, growing smaller and smaller as she fled further and further away from him.

  It took everything he had, every ounce of strength in his body not to break away and pursue her until he had her well and truly caught. His wolf instinct demanded it, growling and howling in despair as Gavin struggled - with himself. Conflicted, one part wanting to haul ass after her, the other part wanting to get as far away from her as possible, he jerked his gaze away from her retreating figure.

  I can't do this again. I won't.

  Gavin took another step back, trying to shake off the shudder that moved violently through his body, caused by the mounting distance between himself and his newly-discovered mate.

  He took a deep breath, her scent lingering on his skin, consuming him with every second that passed, knowing from experience that the insanity wouldn't leave him.

  It was worse this time, much more intense. The only things holding him back were his human self and his emotions - namely his fear. Fear was a powerful motivator, an excellent reason for him to ignore his wolf. Problem was it wasn't just his wolf that wanted her. He was a Changeling, and nearly every cell in his body reached for her, ached for her to complete him, and he wasn't so sure that fear alone could win this war.

  Eyes narrowing, his glance shot back to the last spot he had seen her, needing to connect with her in some way, desperate for something, anything, that would calm the storm raging inside of his body and mind.

  But just that quickly, she was gone.

  *****

  Faith Prescott exited the dollar store in the mall quickly, a sense of urgency hurrying her steps, not exactly sure why she was feeling so on-edge.

  She shivered, not from the cold, but from...anticipation? Shaking her head in confusion, trying to clear her muddled brain, her eyes searched for her vehicle in the dark parking lot, trying not to let the image of him blur her vision.

  Piercing sapphire-blue eyes, blond silky hair cut in a windblown style that suited his sculpted face, and his big, massive body that was made for sin, were pretty damn difficult to ignore. Dressed in an immaculate suit and a deep blue tie that matched his eyes, he had been...breathtaking...and her reaction to him had been nothing short of intense.

  But it hadn't been just his ultra-hot appearance that had gotten her attention. There was something about him, something that called to her, made every primitive instinct in her body stand up and take notice.

  Have you already forgotten that you're in your current situation because of a man?

  Really, Faith’s last boyfriend should have put her off men for life. She was poor, had no job, and not a prospect in sight. All because of a handsome face and a charming smile.

  She had just found out today that her low-life bastard of an ex-boyfriend - if she could really call a few weeks together a boyfriend - had just taken the job that she had been angling for, after stealing her doctoral thesis, making it his own and securing a position that she had long coveted.

  Tears misted her eyes as she spotted her car, and made her way toward the small, barely-running vehicle. She clutched the bag in her hand tightly, trying not to let herself be overwhelmed by her dire situation.

  Two years of my life down the drain, stolen from me by a no-good piece of crap without a conscience.

  She had spent the last two years of her life as a nomad, studying the grizzly bear, recording her findings, building all of her knowledge into her thesis. She had met James during her last trip to Alaska several months ago. Why hadn't she suspected, been suspicious? Since when had an attractive guy actually paid her any attention? She was a mousy woman with plain features, a few extra pounds on her ass and hips, glasses that did nothing to improve her appearance, and gray eyes that added to her drab exterior. Still, James had come onto her hot and heavy, hanging on her every word, claiming to be a professor in wildlife biology. They had spent several weeks together in Alaska, James following her around like a lost puppy, turning her head with his interest in her project and his dimpled-cheeks-smile good looks.

  Then, on the last day of her stay in Alaska, she had returned to her rustic cabin to record her findings for the day, her thesis completed, but every single remnant of her research had disappeared. No laptop, no paper notes, not a single thing had remained of the last two years of her research.

  All gone, and not a sign of James. Probably because he was too busy hightailing it back to the city with your purloined thesis to steal your job. She had since discovered that he had been a doctoral student, just as she was, obviously anxious for her coveted position, and he didn't want to work two years to get it.

  She mentally kicked herself again for not backing up her information, having the information stored somewhere, so she could actually prove that she was the researcher, the author of the thesis. But she hadn't, and she was paying for it now. Really, who would have thought that a person would be sneaky enough to steal a damn thesis in the wilds of Alaska? Her bank account was dwindling rapidly, as she had planned on having a decent job by now, having calculated her finances tightly to cover the two years she would need to get through her thesis.

  Shit, I'd take any job at the moment.

  Anything to stop the rapid disappearance of her savings. Currently, Faith was living in a major dump of an apartment in a rough part of town, trying desperately to get any available work. She had applied for any open position, even seasonal retail positions and gift-wrapping, all with zero results.

  Please Santa, I really, really need a Christmas miracle!

  Tears started trickling down her cheeks as she reached her car and began searching for her keys. She'd have to start all over again, do another thesis so she could become Dr. Faith Prescott. And she would. Right after she picked up the pieces of her previously carefully planned future. She'd do another thesis, another study good enough to earn her doctorate, find an even better job than the one she had planned on securing this year.

  In the meantime, some asshole will be doing the job I wanted.

  Sighing, Faith pulled her keys out of her bag, searching in the darkness for the key to the car doors and ignition, wishing she could have gotten one of the computers on the Black Friday deal. She didn't just want the computer, she needed it. If she was going to file more applications for jobs, look for work and start another thesis, she needed a computer. And the bargain on a decent computer had slipped right through her fingers. Not that she could really afford the laptop, but it was a necessity, and the Black Friday price had put that computer within her grasp.

  Damn it! If only Mr. Tall, Blond And Terrifying hadn't gotten to it first. There was no way I was going to take the last computer from him. He looked even more desperate than I am. And I'm pretty damn desperate!

  Unlocking the door of the car, she tossed her plastic bag into the passenger seat, shivering as remembered the fierce look in his eyes, the low growling noise that she had thought she heard escape from his throat. The man had to be desperate. Or psychotic. Ah well, at least she had picked up some supplies; a notebook, pencils and folders at the dollar store
to start writing. Since James had already turned in, and been credited with her thesis, she truly did have to start over. Doing her thesis on the grizzlies now was not an option. Her specialty was large mammals and she'd have to find another species to study.

  Two wasted years. Two more years of writing another thesis. On another subject. All because a man gave me a little attention, showed the slightest bit of interest. How pathetic is that?

  Faith blinked repeatedly, trying not to allow herself to cry. It was her own stupidity, her own mistakes that put her into this situation. She'd just have to somehow pull herself out.

  How? I don't have the resources for two more years? I barely made it through the last two.

  She shook her head slowly, refusing to let herself be daunted. Fighting through obstacles was something she did well, had always had to do. Crumbling under pressure was not an option.

  Shifting her body to sit behind the steering wheel, Faith was halfway into the seat when an arm shot out of the darkness and seized her around the waist. A strong, masculine arm, corded with muscles powerful enough to pull her up against a hard body.

  Faith didn't have to look up at his face to know that it was him, the intense guy from the electronics store. She could actually feel him, sense the vibrations that thrummed around her as their bodies made contact. It was the same sensation that had washed over her, held her in momentary thrall, from the simple touch of her hand over his.

  Get away!

  Get closer!

  Run!

  Need him!

  Conflicting emotions raced through her mind faster than Faith could process them. How could she be in this much danger, in the middle of a dark parking lot, and feel her nipples harden, her core flood with heat?

  She struggled, trying with her conscious sane mind to get away from him, but he only held her tighter, pulling her body against the solid muscle of his chest and abdomen, her back to his front, his warm ragged breath caressing her ear as he bent his head. "I won't harm you." His voice was harsh, but somehow comforting.