Rivals: Episode One Page 5

  She looked over at me, speechless as a small smirk grew up the side of her lips. My bear roared to life inside of me. I had to work now to keep myself from mounting her right here in public. I could tell Kimberly was more conservative than some of the other women I’ve laid with, and that only made me want her more. I wanted to tease her out of her shell and fuck her until she wanted my cock at any moment of the day.

  She giggled and shook her head, still speechless.

  “I’ll have an old fashioned and one dirty martini,” I said to the bartender as he finally came over to us.

  “So why this place? I would think a guy like you would be clubbing with the rich and famous. At the very least, hanging out with models in an infinity pool overlooking all of Miami Beach.”

  I looked at her, taking in the way her cheeks created the subtlest of dimples. “I’ve never been one for the higher profile type of things. I prefer somewhere with low lights and little chance of recognition. It’s more intimate.” I adjusted on the bar stool. “More personal. Why, are you let down?”

  “No, no,” she laughed, “fuck no, to be quite honest. I’m the happiest I’ve been in a while.”

  “Really?”

  “Ok don’t let it get to your head, buddy.”

  If only she knew what actually had gotten into my head. I was sure she felt the connection between us, but it was known that humans felt the imprint weaker than shifters did. At least in the beginning. They had more room to shift and explore their emotions than shifters, who felt that inseparable connection the moment they imprint.

  “So where else do you like to go? What does a billionaire do in his free time?” The bartender placed both our drinks on beige napkins and slid them over.

  “Not much really. I work-out whenever I have free time from work, and I like to lay out or play a game of football out on the beach. Oh, and I guess I enjoy spending time in my private movie theatre or swimming laps in my indoor po—”

  “Ok, now you’re just showing off,” she said, putting a hand out. Damn, she was spunky. “Although all those things are pretty awesome… a private theatre?” She asked, leaning in.

  “Yeah, plays whatever I want it too.” I grinned as I drank from my whiskey. It sat warm against the back of my throat. “You’ll have to see it sometime.”

  She cocked her head. “I don’t think I’d turn that one down.”

  “How about you?” I asked, wanting to know what was underneath that sexy skin.

  “Definitely not as interesting as yours.”

  “I doubt that.”

  “Well, that’s kind of you. But really, my life is pretty bland. Well… at least it was.”

  “Oh really?” I raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like somethings changed.”

  “It has.” I could make out her smirk in the low light. Hell, I could see most things in dim lighting. “I’ve got a new job and it’s completely different than anything I’ve ever done.”

  Oh. I thought she was talking about me.

  She took a sip of her dirty martini. When she placed the glass back down on the bar, she took the toothpick holding the olive and brought it to her lips. She smiled before opening her mouth and sliding the olive on her tongue, pulling it off.

  Fuck.

  “I’m not sure if it’s the safest job either,” she continued, placing the toothpick down on the napkin.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “Well… I’m an assistant for a high-profile client. And he just gives off this vibe, this dangerous sort of feeling.”

  I leaned forward. “You know you don’t have to work for him, right? Kimberly, if there’s something going on, if you’re fearing for your life, then tell me and I can help.”

  “Oh no, it’s not necessarily like I’m scared for my life. It’s just odd. I guess I’m not used to it yet. But the good thing is that I barely ever interact with the boss so it works out.”

  “An assistant that doesn’t communicate with her boss?” Skepticism crawled into the back of my brain. What was she hiding?

  “We have a system worked out,” she said, smiling.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  KIMBERLY

  Oh shit. I can’t tell him I work for a vampire! He’d probably just walk out.

  I felt myself getting flustered. In reality, I had no idea how Gaige would react to finding out my boss was a vamp. It was said that the two supernaturals never really meshed, often fighting in the shadows. But there have been shifters and vamps spotted together and they weren’t at each other's throats.

  I just didn’t want to take that risk. It’s not like I was lying to him anyway. I was just being a little dodgy.

  Since when did I become so invested in this guy anyway?

  “Well forget about our jobs for now. Tonight is about you.”

  I felt a shiver form in my lower back and spread through my inner thighs.

  “You’re one smooth talker,” I said, immediately regretting it.

  Smooth talker? Were we in Grease?

  “And you’re one stunning woman. I guess we all have our gifts.” He tilted his head, his amber eyes absolutely breath-taking, even in the dimly lit bar. We locked our gazes, and that’s when his hand rose to grab the back of my head. His strong fingers twined with my hair and brought my face to his.

  His touch was absolutely fucking electric. I could feel every single nerve in my body cry out for this man—this bear. With just a kiss, Gaige was able to ignite me down to the very core, making me wet all over again.

  I didn’t even think that would have been possible. But here I was, his tongue sparring with mine, and my pussy yearning to be filled by him.

  He growled into my mouth which made me moan back, almost uncontrollably.

  He broke from the kiss and licked my top lip. We locked eyes again, close enough to really see each other. It was like the bar was disappearing around us and all that stood in the space were two bodies, ready to be intertwined in a sweaty, passionate, lust-filled night of primal fucking.

  “Wait.” His eyebrows suddenly drew together as his focus was immediately drawn somewhere else. My head reeled back a bit, confused by the sudden shift in tone.

  “Kimberly,” he said, “get ready to run.”

  “What?” I asked, putting my drink down with suddenly shaky hands. What was he sensing?

  “Vamps. A lot of them.”

  “Maybe they’re just coming for a good night out?” I asked, not even convincing myself. No vampire would be caught… well, dead in this part of town.

  That theory was thrown out the window by the fact that the door, once separating us from the vamps, was ripped off it’s hinges and thrown onto the street, the heavy wood splintering across the pavement with a loud crash.

  I shrieked and instinctively fell over onto Gaige, who’s every muscle was tensed, ready to explode in an outburst of raw power. I felt him practically radiate anger as a voice filled the air.

  “Gaige?’

  Wait… that’s… no, it can’t be.

  I didn’t believe it, I didn’t even want to think it. I pushed off of Gaige and turned, only half-surprised to see Xavier standing in the shadow of the doorway. He had ditched his business suit for a rugged leather jacket and worn-in jeans. He wasn’t wearing a shirt underneath the jacket, exposing his practically porcelain eight-pack. He was slim, but it was obvious he could do some major damage.

  His eyes snapped to mine as soon as he recognized me.

  “Kimberly?”

  “Wait, you two know each other?” Gaige asked, sounding incredulous.

  “Yeah… that’s my boss.”

  Gaige looked from me to Xavier, who just stood there as more vampires stepped up behind him.

  How the fuck did I get myself into this position? I looked around, trying to calm my racing heart. My pulse pounded inside of me like a hundred raging drums, making my veins throb with adrenaline. I looked over at Xavier, his pale, chiseled form looking perfect in the moonlight. Almost serene.

  B
ut the whole scene was far, far from serene. The only thing that was serene about it was the loaded quiet that hung in the air, only penetrated by a shifter coughing behind us. I could almost taste the danger.

  How in the hell are we getting out of this…. Jesus.

  Every muscle inside of me was ready to explode with movement the moment something happened. I was never a good runner, somehow having avoided P.E. class my whole life, but I knew I would have to run hard and fast tonight. Danger was the name of the game. I could feel it in the air.

  Here I was, standing inside of a grimy dive-bar facing a beautifully dangerous vampire while a powerful werebear stood by my side. Both sides wanted to rip the other’s throats out.

  This was not how I thought my Friday night was going to go.

  “Kimberly, what are you doing here?”

  “That’s none of your fucking business, vamp.” Gaige growled, in a way that made even me shiver with fear.

  “Oh, on the contrary, I think it’s more than my business.” He stepped into the bar, practically sucking the air right out of the room. It was like the temperature had dropped ten degrees. “Kimberly has become more to me than just an employee.”

  I felt my eyebrows scrunch together in confusion, not exactly following where this was going.

  “Now, get out of my way you filthy flea-ridding creature.”

  “Watch your fucking mouth,” someone called from behind us. It must have been one of the shifters that had been slumming it in the shadows.

  Xavier turned his attention to whoever spoke, his eyes focusing on the man behind us. “I’ll deal with your worthless life in a second. Let me handle this first.”

  “Oh fuck no,” the shifter roared from behind us. And that’s when all hell broke loose.

  In an instant, the room was filled with fur, fangs, and blood. I yelled as Gaige grabbed me by the arm and rolled us over the bar, just before a massive lion leaped passed the stools we had just been sitting on. We stood up, my heart pounding, as Gaige burst into action and lead us under the countertop and around a lioness tearing into a vamp, her canines buried deep in the vamps shoulder.

  I could see the bright red exit sign hovering only a few feet away from us now. We were so close, so ready to escape. I was going to run as fast and as far as I could. I would escape with Gaige and never have to deal with this again.

  I had planned all of that in the few seconds it took to run towards the door.

  The exit, so close, was suddenly pulled from my vision as something caught onto my leather jacket and yanked me back.

  My vision blurred as the air was knocked out of my lungs. Time slowed down at that moment, and all I knew was that I was fucking screwed.

  So damn screwed.

  Hope you enjoyed episode one of Rivals. Continue reading for the first two chapters of Episode Two.

  Find Episode Two on Amazon by clicking here!

  Subscribe to my newsletter by clicking here and be the first to know when new episodes are published.

  Contact me at mg_walker@Outlook.com

  And if you enjoyed the story, consider leaving a review!

  -M.G.

  KIMBERLY

  All the oxygen in my lungs was pushed out when my back slammed on the floor. Stars infiltrated my vision as I looked up, trying to make sense of what just happened. Someone stood above me—a woman with a set of terrifying canines protruding from under her upper lip—a vicious, crooked smile on her face as she looked down at me. Spotted orange and black fur started to take place of the woman’s pale skin. Fear filled me as I realized that I was looking into the eyes of someone who was about to kill me. For what reason, I had no idea, but I also didn’t question the fact that my life was close to an end.

  She reached down, her hand now turned into terrifying claws, and was inches from my neck when she was suddenly propelled across the room. I shrieked and saw her slam the far end of the bar with devastating force, causing her to crumple to the floor in a heap of limbs. Xavier stood above me now. He reached down and picked me up in his arms—something I never imagined happening to me—and turned towards the exit. In the blink of an eye, we were outside. Either the superspeed or the fear was making me feel really nauseous.

  He placed me down and looked me over. “Are you ok? Did she hurt you?”

  I shook my head and patted my body, dreading to find blood on my hands. Thankfully it looked like nothing was broken or bleeding.

  “What the fuck is going on?” I asked, still trying to catch my breath. “Where’s Gaige? Why are you attacking us?”

  Xavier’s eyes flashed with anger at the mention of Gaige. “Ask him yourself.”

  A roar erupted from the bar’s entrance. “Get away from her.” It was Gaige. He looked larger than I had remembered him, his body rippling with energy. His hands ended in huge paws that looked powerful enough to punch through a brick wall. His lips were twitching up to reveal massive canines starting to form underneath.

  “I just saved her life from one of your filthy beasts,” Xavier spat.

  Gaige launched forward as his body shifted into a massive grizzly bear. My stomach dropped to my feet. My hands instantly became clammy and my throat dried up immediately. I was aware of the beast that Gaige had lurking inside of him, but seeing him in his full form was something I could not have prepared for.

  His gigantic paws connected with Xavier’s shoulders, but the vampire was ready. He grabbed the massive bear by the wrists and threw him over his head, causing Gaige to land with a slam on the ground behind Xavier. The sight snapped me out of my fear paralysis. I ran to my left and crouched behind a car as I heard another crash come from inside the bar. Chaos was everywhere. People who were soaking in the Miami nightlife were now running for their lives and screaming bloody murder. I could hear sirens coming from the distance but I had no idea how they were going to get this under control.

  “Your actions carry consequences, Gaige. Did you genuinely think I wasn’t going to come after you? And now you’re putting Kimberly in danger too? I won’t let that happen.”

  Wait, they know each other?! And… is Xavier protecting me?

  I couldn’t process any of it. The whole night was flipped on its head. I thought the danger was Xavier, but now it looked like things were the opposite.

  Another roar ripped through the humid air, shaking me to my very bones. Even the car I panted against shook with the sound. And now I could see the red and blue lights flash across buildings a few streets down from us.

  “Fucking coward!” Xavier yelled. “I will find revenge for my sister.”

  Sister?

  I looked over the hood and expected to see the werebear and vampire squaring off for a fight bound to end in blood. Instead, I saw Xavier standing there, alone. Gaige was nowhere in sight. Xavier looked back at the police cars closing in and then turned to me, his eyes locking on. In an instant, he stood next to me, a hand on my shoulder.

  “It’s going to be ok, but we need to go.” Sirens blared louder. “Now.”

  My brain was mush at this point. Jeffrey Dahmer could have come up next to me and told me to pack my things and I would have done it. So it didn’t cross my mind that I could be escaping from the law with a potential murderer, because I still had no idea what the fuck was going on with these two. But before I knew it, I was standing up and running down the street with Xavier next to me. There was a jet black Porsche parked a few cars down from us, which Xavier sped forward to. My door was opened just as he was sitting down in the driver’s seat. I threw myself in, still confused and shocked from where the night had headed.

  He threw the car in gear and peeled out of the parking spot. Police were speeding down the street towards us. “Shit. I do not want to deal with these idiots tonight.” Xavier swerved down an alley, throwing me against the side of the door as the tires screeched underneath us. I gasped and grabbed onto the door handle as he took another sharp turn and pulled out into the opposite street. We missed hitting another car by inches
as the car’s exhaust roared down the road.

  “Don’t worry, I won’t let you get hurt. I’ve been driving since the beginning of the twentieth century.”

  I shook my head, my brain pathetically trying to piece everything together. “Isn’t it a bad idea to run from the cops?” I said, looking back and expecting a trail of police officers chasing after us. It looked like Xavier’s fast and furious driving seemed to take care of the cop problem.

  “Laws haven’t caught up to supernaturals yet. In this world, Kimberly, not even the cops are on your side. Battles will be fought and they will be won, but I’m not going to risk being put under public scrutiny because a police officer decided to meddle.”

  My eyebrows drew together. “Yeah but you can’t just burst into a bar and handle things yourself like that.”

  “It wasn’t planned. I would have confronted Gaige in a much more private location, but we had gotten word that he was planning something else and I wasn’t going to let that happen. I couldn’t wait any longer. And the last person I was expecting to be there was you. Plans changed when I sensed you. I couldn’t chase after Gaige, I needed to protect you.”

  The car sped onto the highway. “Protect me? From what? What the hell did Gaige do?”

  He stayed silent for a moment, as if debating on whether or not to tell me. I realized that I hadn’t known Gaige for longer than a week, but something inexplicable had happened between us. I hadn’t felt such strong feelings for someone so quickly since… Xavier. Shit. What the hell was going on?

  “I don’t know the history between you and the bear but Gaige is not who you think he is.”

  Wow… well that was a lot to digest.

  GAIGE

  I crouched in the alley, panting as I tried to find my breath again. I had shifted out of bear form and now tried to control the beast inside of me as it tried to burst forth again. There was no way I could hide as a thousand pound grizzly bear in the middle of Miami, so I needed to stay in human form and fight down the urge to shift. Even though all my bear wanted to do was erupt out of the alley and hunt down the fucking blood-sucking vamps before they did anything to Kimberly. But truth was, I was outnumbered, out-powered, and the police would take me into custody in an instant. I couldn’t risk that.