Creed Read online

  The confrontation was bad when she’d told him to stop or they were over. He’d tried to get physical. That had been a mistake. She’d been raised with Lycans. Her parents and pack mates had taught her how to fight. He might have thrown the first punch but he’s the one who had been taken away in an ambulance. She’d moved to a new apartment.

  Her experiences with previous relationships sucked because she was in love with Creed. None of them had ever stood a chance of making her forget him. But he was the very definition of emotionally unavailable.

  She lifted her gaze to the cliffs. Creed was the toughest man she’d ever met. Was it possible this ravage thing could take his life? She hugged her chest and fought tears. She’d always wanted him, but would one night ever be enough? And how bad would it be for her to live with afterward, knowing what she was missing?

  She had no answers.

  Movement from the corner of her eye drew her attention and she turned her head. Four large wolves crept out of the woods. She smiled.

  “Hi, guys. I’m home.”

  One of them rushed forward and jumped up on the rock. She reached out and scratched Amond’s coat on the back of his neck. He flashed teeth at her and bumped his head against her shoulder. She laughed.

  “It’s good to see you too. No clothes nearby?”

  He shook his head and licked her cheek. She pushed him away. “Gross. I don’t know where that tongue has been.” She leaned back, staring at the smaller version of him. “Tell your brother how wrong that is.”

  Tonni growled. Her tail wagged and she turned toward the village. Amond backed away but he lightly gripped Angel’s wrist with his teeth and tugged.

  “Okay. I’ll see you guys in about ten minutes. Go put some clothes on. My mom made chocolate chip cookies. We’ll meet up there.”

  Amond released her wrist and lifted a paw, batting at her hair.

  She glanced at it. “What do you think? You didn’t recognize me from behind, did you? The wind is blowing in the wrong direction for you to pick up my scent. Did you think I was an intruder?”

  He whined.

  She gripped his muzzle and pushed. “What were you going to do? Bite me? I know what a sweetheart you are. You probably would have let me rub your belly if I were a stranger, like some playful puppy. Go on. I’ll see you in ten.”

  They ran off and she sighed. They’d want to know why her hair wasn’t black anymore, and why she’d returned when they weren’t expecting her. She needed to think up something to tell her friends. Her gaze lifted to the cliffs and she tensed.

  A dark figure loomed in the sky—and it soared right at her.

  Creed’s wings were tucked and he plummeted fast. He almost hit the river before he braked the decent by opening his wings. She felt fear for a second at the sheer speed with which he could move, and the fact that it seemed as if he were going to slam right into her. She actually leaned back, expecting the impact, but his wings opened wide. One powerful flap had him jerking to a halt. He landed on the rock a foot away.

  “Who the hell are— Angel!”

  He was still as gorgeous as ever. His jet-black hair fell to his shoulders. It was silky to the touch and baby soft. She remembered that. His eyes were a stormy dark blue. It was the swirls of silver that gave them that appearance, like lightning flashes in a midnight sky. Long, thick black eyelashes accented them. She’d always envied him those. His full lips pressed together, giving him a harsh expression. It didn’t detract from his looks at all. Nobody did brooding better than Creed. He was sexy regardless.

  She glanced at his body as he tucked his wings behind his broad shoulders. It was a shame, because he had lovely black ones. They weren’t feathers, but some type of soft texture that came from his Gargoyle blood. He’d allowed her to touch them a few times and it had reminded Angel of velvet.

  “Hello, Creed.” She finally got her voice to work, refusing to drool over his muscular arms revealed in the thin-strapped black tank top he wore. She knew he liked them because they didn’t rip when he sprouted his wings.

  “Your hair. I’d forgotten it used to be blonde.”

  “It’s still blonde. I just didn’t hide it with dye this time.”

  He looked angry when his eyes narrowed. “What are you doing home? This isn’t your time.”

  She stood. Her legs felt shaky and she hated how short she was compared to him when they were close together, but he was a freaky height of six feet five. Any woman would feel that way unless she was over six feet tall. She brushed off the ass of her jeans.

  “My time? Am I not allowed to come home to visit my parents when I feel like it?” She knew she was trying to pick a fight but old heartache wasn’t easy to get past.

  “Of course.” He took a step back. “I saw you interact with the wolves and thought you were a lost hiker. They didn’t transform.”

  “Amond is a little too old to flash his goods at me. I’m grateful for that. We’re not kids anymore. I’m sure he’s grown a bit since then. They might be comfortable with the naked thing but they know I’m not, since I don’t have a reason to strip in front of them.” She paused. “Is that how you deal with strangers? Swoop down at them like an angry demon and give them heart attacks?”

  He scowled. “No. I capture them and go retrieve a VampLycan to wipe their minds of anything they’ve seen, before I send them on their way.”

  “That’s good to know. You’re still keeping the pack safe. I thought you were only on duty at night.”

  He glanced away. “I was awake.”

  She glanced at her watch. “You’re up early.”

  He looked back at her then. “Is everything okay with you?”

  “It’s all great,” she lied. “Why do you ask? Is everything okay with you?”

  “You only come in early summer.”

  He ignored her question. She didn’t blame him. It wasn’t as if he’d confess the ravage was about to hit him. That would mean he might actually ask her to help him out. She studied his eyes, really looking at him.

  There was a tiredness to them that hadn’t been there before. It concerned her, then irritated her. He’d shut her down when she’d admitted to caring about him. It was a mistake to show him she still did, and that wasn’t something she was willing to do. He’d probably just fly off.

  “Well, I’m not some nosey hiker trespassing on pack land. I was just visiting my old fishing spot.”

  “I remember. We spent a lot of time here.”

  It stunned her that he’d mention that. “That was a long time ago.”

  His gaze locked with hers. “Yes, it was.”

  “I should go. My friends are meeting me at the house. They’ve had enough time to put on some clothes.”

  She spun away, making it a few feet before he spoke.

  “You look good, Angel.”

  She halted. Her heart raced and faced him again. A wariness settled in. He was probably just being polite by giving her a compliment…but Creed wasn’t one to do that. He usually didn’t say anything unless there was a reason. She stepped closer and tilted her head, studying him.

  “What?” His body tensed.

  She walked up to him until they almost touched, really gazing into his eyes. They were bloodshot on closer inspection, and he actually looked a little pale. The guy always had a deep tan, even in winter. She reached out and placed her hand on his bare skin just above the material of his tank top. Alarm hit.

  “You’re cold.”

  He jerked away but couldn’t go far on the rock without falling into the river. “I’m a GarLycan.”

  “You usually run hot unless you’re shifted.” She reached up and pressed her hand against his neck. “You’re cold to the touch, Creed.”

  “I’m fine.”

  She didn’t believe him. “You’re lying.”

  He growled.

  She took a step back, stunned. That was new. She didn’t even know he did that. Emotion flashed in his eyes for a split second before he masked it. That