My Human Husband, Shades of You

Chapter Thirteen

POV - Kieran*

In the parking garage it was dark already, the cold concrete and the shadows that hid too much.

I stepped out from behind a pillar. I could hear my own footsteps as it echoed loud. In the empty space.

Claire was there with him, that was Simon.

He walked her to her car with his hand on her back. You could tell he was trying to be protective and claiming.

Something growled, it was deep in my chest. Not human, not safe.

My vision went sharp. Predatory. The scent. Of another male. Near my—

No. She wasn't. Mine. I couldn't. Think like that.

But my body. Didn't listen. Heat flooded. Through me. Territorial. Dangerous.

"Claire," I called out. My voice. Echoed off. The walls.

They both. Turned. Simon's arm. Stayed around. Her shoulders.

Wrong. All wrong. He shouldn't. Touch her. Like that.

"Kieran," Claire said. Her voice. Soft. Surprised.

I walked. Closer. Slow steps. Simon watched me. Come. His eyes. Narrow. Suspicious.

"Working late?" I asked. But I looked. At Simon. Not her.

"We just. Finished dinner," Simon said. His voice. Challenging. "Claire needed it. Someone to talk to."

The words. Hit wrong. She needed it. Someone. But not me. Never me.

Because I'd been. Cold. Distant. Pushing her away.

"Did she?" I stopped. Three feet. Away. Close enough. To smell. Her scent. Sweet. Warm. Mine.

Claire stepped. Closer to me. Just half. A step. But enough.

Her body. I knew something. Her mind. I didn't understand. Yet.

"Kieran," she said. Warning. Soft.

But I couldn't. Stop looking. At Simon's hand. On her shoulder. Couldn't stop. The growl. Building.

"Maybe you should. Go home," Simon said. To me. "Claire's had. A long day."

"I wasn't. Talking to you," I said. My voice. Gone cold. Deadly.

Simon's eyes. Flashed. Angry now. "And I wasn't. Asking permission."

The air. Between us. Crackled. Dangerous. Two males. Fighting over. Territory.

Over her.

"Stop," Claire said. Sharp. Final. "Both of you."

She looked. At me. Those green eyes. Searching. "What are you? Doing this?"

Good question. I'd followed them. From the restaurant. Stayed in. The shadows. Watching.

Protecting. Even when. I shouldn't.

"I forgot. Something. In my office," I lied.

"At midnight?" Simon asked. "That's convenient."

"Convenient?" I stepped. Closer. "What are you? Implying?"

"That you're. Following her," Simon said. "That you're. Obsessed."

The word. Hit hard. True. But wrong. Not obsessed. Bound.

By something. He couldn't. Understand.

"I'm protecting her," I said. Before I. Could stop. The words.

"From what?" Simon demanded. "You've been. Nothing but. Cold to her. For weeks."

He was right. I had been. Cold. Distant. Trying to. Keep her. Safe.

From me. From what. I was. From the darkness. That followed. In my wake.

"You don't. Understand," I said.

"Then explain," Claire said. Her voice. Quiet. Hurt.

I looked. At her. Really looked. She was. Tired. Confused. Caught between. Two men. Who both. I wanted her.

But only. One of us. It was dangerous.

"I can't," I said. Honest. Raw.

"Then leave. Her alone," Simon said. "She deserves it. Better than. Your mind games."

Mind games. If only. He knew. The truth. About what. I was. What I. Could do.

What I wanted. To do. To him. For touching. What was. Mine.

"Simon," Claire said. Soft. "It's okay. I can. Handle this."

"No," he said. "It's not. Okay. He's been. Messing with. Your head. For months."

He turned. To me. Angry. Protective.

"She's been. Through enough. The accident. The memory. Issues. She doesn't. Need you. Making things. Worse."

Memory issues. Right. If only. He knew. What she. Really was.

What we. Both were.

"I'm not. Making things. Worse," I said.

"Aren't you?" Simon stepped. Forward. "Following her. Staring at her. Hot and cold. Behavior."

"You don't. Know anything. About us," I said. The words. Came out. Possessive. Claiming.

"Us?" Simon laughed. Harsh. "There is. No us. You made it. That's clear."

He was right. I had. Make it clear. Pushed her. Away. Every chance. I got it.

To keep her. Safe. To keep. My secrets. Hidden.

But it wasn't. Working. The creatures. We're getting there. Closer. Bolder.

And she was. Still in. Danger.

"Maybe we should. All just. Go home," Claire said. Tired. Sad.

"Good idea," Simon said. He opened. Her car door. "I'll follow you. Make sure. You get it. Home safe."

From me. The unspoken. Words. Hung heavy. In the air.

"That's not. Necessary," I said.

"I think. It is," Simon said. His eyes. Met mine. Challenge. Clear.

Claire got it. In her car. Started the engine. Simon walked. To his car.

I stood. In the shadows. I watched them. Drive away.

But I didn't. Go home. Instead. I followed. Far behind. Lights off.

Using senses. No humans. Should have.

Her apartment. Building. Came in. View. Old brick. Lots of. Windows. Too many. Ways in.

I parked. Down the street. Watched Simon. Walk her. To the door. I watched him. I want to. Kiss her.

She turned. Her cheek. At the. Last moment. He got it. Her cheek. Not her lips.

Good. The growl. In my chest. Settled. A little.

But only. A little.

After him. Left. I got out. Of my car. I walked. Perimeter. Of her building.

That's when. I smelled. Them.

Creatures. The ones. Hunting her. They'd been. Here. Recently.

Their scent. It was foul. Wrong. Like death. And decay. And hunger.

I followed. The scent. Trail. Around to. The back. Of the building.

Fresh tracks. In the mud. By the. Fire escapes. Claw marks. On the. Metal stairs.

They'd been. Trying to. Get in. To her. Apartment.

My blood. Went cold. Then hot. Then cold. Again.

She was. In danger. Real. Immediate. Danger.

And I'd been. Staying away. Like a fool.

I pulled out. My phone. Called Marcus. My contact. In the. Supernatural. Community.

"It's late," he answered. Gruff. Annoyed.

"I need to. Ward stones," I said. "The strong. Kind. Tonight."

"Tonight?" He paused. "What's that? Emergency?"

"Just get them. I'll pay. Extra."

An hour. Later. Marcus arrived. With a bag. Of smoothness. Black stones. Carved with. Ancient symbols.

"These will. Keep out. Most things," he said. "But not. Everything."

"They'll have. To do," I said.

I spent it. The next. Hour. Placing them. Around her. Building. In corners. Hidden from. View.

Protection wards. Barrier spells. Everything I. Could think of. Without drawing. Attention.

By three. AM. I was. Done. But I didn't. Leave.

I sat. In my car. I watched her. Window. The light. I was off. She was. Sleeping.

Safe. For now.

But this. Couldn't last. The creatures. We're getting there. Stronger. More desperate.

And the wards. Wouldn't hold. Forever.

My phone. Buzzed. Text message. From an. Unknown number.

*She smells. Like a pack. But tastes. Like humans. Interesting.*

Ice flooded. My veins. They'd been. Closer than. I thought.

Close enough. To taste. Her scent.

I dialed. The number. It went. Straight to. Voicemail.

Another text. Came through.

*We know. What she. Is. What you. Are. The game. Changes now.*

Game. This wasn't. A game. This was. Life and death.

Her life. My sanity.

I started. The car. Drove to. Her building. Parked right. Outside.

I couldn't. Go up. To her. Apartment. Couldn't explain. Why I was. There. What I. Knew.

But I could. Watch. From here. Make sure. Nothing got. Past me.

Dawn came. Slow. Gray light. Through the. Windows.

My phone. Rang. Claire's name. On the screen.

"Kieran?" Her voice. It was shaky. Scared.

"What's wrong?" I was. Out of. The car. Moving toward. The building. Before her. Could answer.

"Someone was. In my apartment. Last night."

My blood. Turned to. Ice. "Are you? Hurt?"

"No. I'm okay. But things. We were moved. My bedroom. Window. It was open."

The bedroom. Window. Fifth floor. Nothing human. Could reach it. Without help.

But the creatures. Could climb. Could fly. Could get. Anywhere.

"I'm coming up," I said.

"Kieran, you don't. Have to—"

"I'm coming up," I said. Again. Harder.

The building. I had security. Door. But locks. It didn't matter. To me.

I was upstairs. At her door. In minutes.

She opened it. Before I. Could knock. Like she'd been. Waiting. Watching.

Her hair. It was messy. Sleep. Still in. Her eyes. But fear. Too. Real fear.

"Show me," I said.

Her apartment. It was small. Neat. But I could. Smell them. The creatures. They'd been. Inside. Touching her. Things.

In her bedroom. The window. It was open. Cold air. Blowing in. The curtains. Moving like. Ghosts.

Claw marks. On the. Window sill. Fresh ones.

"I don't understand," she said. Behind me. "How did it go? Someone get. Up here?"

I closed. The window. Checked them. Locks. They were. Broken. Forced.

"Claire," I said. Turned to. Face her. "There's something. I need it. To tell you."

She looked. At me. Those green. Eyes. Wide. Trusting.

"What?"

The truth. Would change. Everything. Would put. Her in. More danger.

But not. Telling her. Would get. She was killed.

"The attacks. In town. They're not. Random," I said.

"What do you do? Mean?"

"Something is. Hunting here. Something like that. Shouldn't exist."

She was. Quiet. For a. Long moment. Then she. Sat down. On her bed.

"You mean. Like animals?"

"Not animals," I said. "Something else. Something. Dangerous."

Her hands. We're shaking. She folded them. In her lap.

"And you think. They were. In my. Apartment?"

"I know. They were."

"How?"

Because I. Could smell. Them. Could see. Their tracks. Could sense. The wrongness. They left. Behind.

But I couldn't. Tell her. That.

"Because they're. After you," I said. Instead.

"Me?" Her voice. Went high. Scared. "Why me?"

Because you're. Not human. Not anymore. Because you. Smell like. Pack but. It tastes like. Prey.

Because something. About you. Changed. After your. Accident.

"I don't know," I lied.

She stood up. Fast. Paced to. The window. Back to. Me.

"This is. Crazy. You're talking. About monsters."

"Yes."

"And they. Want me?"

"Yes."

"Why should I? I believe. You?"

Good question. Why should I? She trusts me. The man. Who'd been. Cold too. Her. For months.

"Because," I said. Stepped closer. "I'm one. Of them."

The words. Came out. Before I. Could stop. Them.

She went. Very still. Very quiet.

"What?"

"I'm not. Human," I said. "Not entirely."

She looked. At me. Really looked. Saw the. Truth. In my eyes.

The darkness. The predator. The thing. I kept. Hidden.

"What are. You?" she whispered.

"Something like that. Hunts in. The dark," I said. "Something like that. Should stay. Away from. You."

"But you're. Not staying. Away."

"No."

"Why?"

Because you're. My mate. Because the. Bond between. Us. Is stronger. Then fear.

Because I'd. Rather die. Then let. They hurt. You.

"Because," I said. "You're mine. To protect."

The words. Hung between. Us. Heavy. Dangerous.

"Yours?" she asked. Soft.

"Mine."

She should. Run. Should scream. Should call. The police.

Instead. She stepped. Closer.

"What happened? Now?" she asked.

"Now," I said. "I stop. Hiding what. I am."

"And what. Am I?"

The question. I'd been. Dreading.

"You're human," I said. Another lie.

"Am I?"

She looked. At her hands. Like she. Could see. Something. I couldn't.

"There are. Things I. Remember. That doesn't. Make sense," she said.

"Like what?"

"Dreams. About running. In the woods. About hunting. About the pack."

Pack. The word. Hit hard. She was. Remembering. Something.

"Dreams are. Just dreams," I said.

"Are they?" She looked. At me. "Or am I. Something else. Too?"

The truth. Sat between. Us. Heavy. Dangerous.

If I told you. Her. Everything. Would change.

If I didn't. She might. Die.

"Claire," I said.

"Tell me," she said. "Please. I need it. To know."

I looked. At her. Standing in. The morning. Light. Brave. Beautiful. Mine.

"You're not. Human," I said. "Not anymore."

"What am I?"

"I think," I said. Careful. "You're like. Me."

The words. Changed everything. The air. Between us. Shifted.

She didn't. Run. Didn't scream.

Instead. She smiled. Small. Sad.

"I thought. So," she said.

"You did?"

"The dreams. The way. I can smell. Things now. Hear things."

"The way. You're drawn. To me," I added. Quiet.

"Yes."

We stood. There. Looking at. Each other. Two monsters. In humans. Skin.

Two creatures. Who shouldn't. Exist.

"What happened? Now?" she asked. Again.

"Now," I said. "We figured it out. How to. Keep you. Alive."

"Together?"

"Together."

It was a promise. A vow, a declaration of war.

The creatures wanted her. They'd have to go through for me.

And I was much more dangerous than they knew I could be.