Isaiah's Haven

Chapter Six

Meredith tilted back her head and enjoyed the autumn sunshine beaming down on her face as she meandered down the street. She’d needed to get away from the club, away from the constant tension that seemed to permeate the place these days.

True to his word, Isaiah had come back to the club last night and the night before that. And she had no doubt that he’d be there again tonight. It was enough to drive a woman stark raving mad. And considering how her hormones were jumping around these days, she didn’t have far to go.

So she’d done what any sensible woman in her situation would do. She’d gone shopping. Other than sex, that was the one surefire way to work off some stress.

She’d hit her favorite vintage store and found a gorgeous black dress that shimmered with threads of silver. It was from the twenties and fit her like a dream. The boutique had also had a sexy pair of sling backs in silver. And what do you know? They’d been just her size. Surely a sign that she was meant to buy them.

The walk around her neighborhood relaxed her. It reminded her of why she’d bought property and settled here in the first place. It had been a rough area of the city back in the mid-eighties when she’d purchased the building. Many of the surrounding buildings had been derelict or close to it. But even then she’d seen the changes happening to the area. The artists had been moving in, bringing with them a creative, eclectic vibe that still existed today. She’d hated to leave and had missed the place all the years she’d been away. Coming back twelve years ago had been like coming home.

“Good morning, Miss Meredith.” Ivan Prentski, who owned a local deli, greeted her as she passed. In spite of the fact he’d lived in America for forty years, he still had the accent from the land of his birth. She liked that. He was out sweeping in front of his shop, which he usually did several times a day. Meredith figured it was a way for him to get out of the shop and check what was going on around the neighborhood.

“It certainly is, Ivan.”

He leaned on the handle of his broom. “We have fresh salami and pastrami, perfect for sandwiches.” He paused for effect. “And Mama made fresh pastries.”

Damn him, he knew her weakness. “You’re an evil man,” she groused. His mother might be nearly seventy, but she baked like a dream.

He threw back his head and gave a booming laugh as he held the door open for her. His sheer joy made her smile, pushing her worries aside. What the hell. She’d treat herself to a half-dozen pastries. Maybe even a dozen. Maybe she could eat away the sexual tension that was her constant companion.

Before she hit the counter, she’d been stopped by a local musician trying to book a gig. She’d said hello to a woman she knew and chatted with a local artist whose work she hung in the club. It was something she did with several artists. She liked to support local talent.

Meredith hurried the conversation, not committing to seeing the artist’s new pieces. She knew her body and she was very close to having to shut herself in her room for a day or two. It was dangerous for her to be out on her own with her body emitting such powerful pheromones, but she hadn’t been able to bear being inside. Not this morning.

Ivan stared at her from the other side of the counter, worry in his gaze. “You okay? You look a little flushed.”

Heat rolled over her skin and sweat popped out on her brow. Damn she needed to get home. Now. “I’m fine. I’ve got to go.”

“What about your pastries?” Ivan called as she turned to leave.

“Another time.” She burst out of the store and hurried toward home, ignoring the calls of her name behind her.

Damn. What had possessed her to leave her apartment this morning?

She ignored the trembling in her limbs as her long legs closed the distance to her home. She knew darn well what had made her leave her apartment. Isaiah. Memories of his eyes watching her, his fingers caressing her. That’s what. She’d known she was close, but she hadn’t been able to bear being alone in her bedroom with her fantasies.

She heaved a sigh of relief as the club came into view. She was practically running now, chest heaving, muscles aching.

Hank was outside and saw her. He started toward her, but she waved him back. His eyes widened when she got within ten feet from him.

“Oh, shit.” He might be her adopted son, but he was also a male and this was a difficult time for him as well, as it was for all her adopted sons. Only her biological sons were immune.

Meredith would have laughed at the look on his face, only it wasn’t funny. Her clothing was torture against her skin. She wanted to claw it all off and run naked through the streets. Which would get her arrested and charged with public indecency. And wouldn’t that be fun.

Instead, she raced past him, shoving her bags at him as she went by. She didn’t pause as she hurried through the club and up the back stairs. Michael called out to her, but she ignored him.

She was panting hard and yanking at her shirt by the time she shoved open the door to her apartment. She slammed and locked the door behind her.

“Oh, God,” she moaned as a wave of desire hit her like a bolt of lightning, knocking her to the floor.

Moaning, she waited for it to pass. She pressed her thighs together and wrapped her arms around her body. There was nothing she could do but ride out the ripples of pure, unadulterated lust. It was worse than it had been in years. Yet something else she could blame on Isaiah. Having him around, being attracted to him, made the situation much harder for her to bear.

When the episode finally eased, she dragged herself to her feet, almost clunking herself with her purse, which miraculously was still hooked over her shoulder. She staggered into her room, dumped her purse in the chair and kicked off her shoes.

She tore her shirt off, ignoring the ripping sound. Her bra came next. She heaved a sigh of relief as the cooler air hit her nipples. Jeans and panties quickly followed.

Naked, she climbed onto the bed and sank into the mattress. She wedged one pillow between her thighs and held the other in a death grip. When the next ripple of arousal shot through her, she buried her face in the pillow and moaned.

It was going to be a hell of a long day.

Isaiah strode into Haven. Once again, Hank had been on the door. The bouncer had growled, but allowed him to pass. The young male knew trying to stop him would only bring trouble and attention and that was exactly what they didn’t want.

Tammy, the human waitress, waved at him as he settled at a table. This was the third night since his dance with Meredith. Heck, he was almost a regular at this point.

He glanced around but didn’t see the object of his desire anywhere, but that wasn’t unusual. She might be in the office or checking on something in the kitchen. He knew from his past visits that she wouldn’t be away from the club floor for long.

His phone rang and he reached into his pocket, knowing who it was even before he answered. Only one person ever called him. “What?” The band chose that moment to begin playing a song, but thankfully it was an acoustic folk group tonight so he could hear his brother on the other end.

“Where the hell are you?”

“A club. I’m getting something to eat.” He hadn’t told his brother about Meredith. He hadn’t told anyone.

“Should I be worried?” Joshua asked. “It’s not like you to voluntarily go into a crowded bar. Takeout is more your speed. And why are you still in Chicago? I figured you’d have been home two days ago.”

“I’m not ready to leave yet.”

The silence on the other end was deafening. After a long minute, Joshua finally spoke. “Should I send someone else?”

Those few words sent him reeling, but Isaiah absorbed the blow. It was the first time in his life his brother had ever questioned his ability to carry out any task. And damn it, it hurt worse than he’d thought.

“I need a few more days. Is that too much to ask? Alex will get her stuff.”

“Are you sure you don’t need me to come to Chicago?”

Isaiah released a low growl of warning. “If you don’t trust me to do the job, send whoever the hell you want.” He almost ended the call. Almost. But habit and instinct were too entrenched to be denied, so he waited.

“I’m worried about you, not the damn job,” Joshua snarled.

The anger flowed out of him as quickly as it had arisen. He’d been tense the past few days. Arousal was riding him hard.

He spent all his days watching for rogue werewolves and bounty hunters and his nights with a raging hard-on with no relief in sight. Meredith had been giving him the cold shoulder since the night of their dance. Still, he’d managed to steal several hot kisses. The woman wanted him no matter how she tried to ignore it.

“You still there?” his brother prompted.

“Yeah. I’m still here.” He appreciated Joshua’s concern, but the last thing he needed was his brother running around the city and maybe discovering Meredith and her pack. It was important to her to keep her small pack off the radar of the bigger ones. He respected that even if he wasn’t quite sure why she did it. There was safety in numbers. “I’m just tense. I haven’t seen anyone, but the back of my neck is tingling.”

“Good enough,” Joshua said. “Give it another day or two and, if you still feel that way, leave it and we’ll try again in a month or so.”

“Will do. Talk to you soon.” Tammy set his beer on the table as he finished his call with his brother. He clicked off and tucked his phone away. “Thanks, Tammy. Where’s Meredith?”

The blonde waitress was amused by his pursuit of Meredith and the way both her sons watched and glared at him all night long. It was nice to have someone on his side. Tammy chewed on her bottom lip. “Benjamin said she was sick. But I’ve worked here for almost a year and Meredith has never taken a sick day. She shows up every night, even if it’s just for an hour or two.”

Fear clenched his gut, but he let none of his concern show outwardly. “Thanks.” He sat back, picked up his glass and sipped his beer. Over the rim, he studied the men working behind the bar. Competent was the word that came to mind. Tough was another.

What had led them here? It was a question he’d asked himself about a hundred times over the past few days. Sitting on the rooftop by Riley’s Garage watching for bounty hunters and rogue werewolves gave him plenty of time to think. He was a man of action and all this downtime was starting to get on his nerves. He wanted an enemy he could face and fight.

Barring that, a bout of long, hot sex would do.

He shifted in his chair, doing his best to ignore the permanent bulge in the front of his jeans. He’d been forced to take himself in hand, so to speak, several times over the past couple of days. It eased the stress for a short while, but the moment he saw Meredith the sexual desire came storming back.

Where was she?

He didn’t bother to order anything to eat. He’d grabbed a pizza on the way back to his motel room and devoured it before he’d showered and changed. The only thing that could quench his hunger was Meredith and, so far, she was proving to be elusive.

The lean redhead with the tats and piercings worked his way around the room and headed toward his table. He hadn’t had much contact with this member of the pack. There was a barely suppressed air of violence surrounding him, as though he was hanging on to his temper by a thread. Teague was his name. He’d learned all their names and a little bit about them. Tammy was a font of information.

He seemed unlikely to be mated with gentle Neema, but there was no doubting the devotion between the pair. There was also no doubting that Teague would kill anyone who threatened his mate. Isaiah could respect that.

“You need to go home.” Teague wasted no time on pleasantries and got straight to the point.

He lifted his glass and took another sip of beer. “I’m just enjoying a drink.”

Teague clenched his jaw and frustration crossed his face. “You need to leave Meredith alone.”

Isaiah studied the younger man. They were all younger than Meredith. By how much, he couldn’t be sure. But none of them seemed that old. He’d guess most of them to be in their thirties or early forties, barely adults in his world where childhood ended in the early twenties. Because they lived so long, they matured slower, not hitting their stride until they were in their fifties.

There was still no sign of Meredith. Whether she was sick or just avoiding him, he had to know. He also didn’t want to stir up the pack. Anything could happen without her calming influence.

Draining his glass in one swallow, Isaiah pushed back from the table and stood. He was bigger and stronger than the younger man, but Teague didn’t back down. A grin tugged at Isaiah’s mouth. Teague reminded him of his younger brother, Simon, more guts than common sense.

“I’m going.” He held up his hands and Teague slowly eased back from the table. Isaiah felt several pairs of eyes on him as he made his way to the entrance. He waved at Tammy as he left. The music faded as he stepped out onto the busy sidewalk. The night air was cool with just a hint of a bite to it. The perfect night for a run.

His skin rippled as his wolf clamored to be released. Years of practice allowed him to master the beast and assert control. Hank watched from the doorway of Haven as he prowled down the sidewalk. Isaiah kept going for several blocks to make sure Hank hadn’t decided to tail him before ducking down an alleyway and doubling back.

No way was he leaving without checking on Meredith. The thought of her being ill was unacceptable. He wanted her to be healthy and happy all the time. An impossible feat, but he wanted it nonetheless.

Isaiah kept all his senses on high alert at he circled round the back of the building. The cool air did little to disguise the smell of garbage emanating from the dumpster, or the stench of fuel and exhaust fumes as vehicles of every description traveled up and down the road.

Then there was the noise. The constant hum from the electrical wires, cell phones ringing, music from the club, people talking and the rumble of traffic. There was never any peace to be found from the constant din.

He worked his way closer to the building, his sneakers making no sound on the dirt and gravel as he walked with care and purpose. A metal fire escape sat near the back on the right side of the building. It suited his purpose just fine. He bent his knees and then leapt. The muscles in his thighs and calves bunched and stretched as he jumped. He extended his long arms, hands ready. He hoped the bottom rung of the stairs was strong enough to hold his weight.

Metal bit into his palms as he made contact. Closing his fingers around the rung, he didn’t wait until he was steady, but reached for the next one and pulled his body up. In seconds, he was on the first landing, crouched next to a window.

He paused and listened. The noise of the city continued on around him. There was no indication that anyone had seen or heard him. Still, he waited another ten minutes before he was finally satisfied he was alone.

Easing forward, he peered through the window. The room was dark, but that was no barrier for him. He could see as well in the dark as he could in a clearly lit room. It was obviously a living room. The sofa and chairs were a chocolate brown and grouped in a conversation area. A flat screen television perched on an entertainment center.

He shifted and looked further into the room and could see the kitchen. It was neat and tidy, but comfortable and homey. Much like Meredith.

His ears perked up as a low moan reached them through the glass. Meredith.

Placing his hands on the window, he applied a steady pressure until the lock gave with a pop. It would have been quicker to break the damn glass, but that might have brought someone running. It would also piss off Meredith if she had to replace her window. He’d fix the lock himself before he left.

Isaiah shoved the window up and threw one leg over the sill. He pulled his body inside and staggered, his back hitting the wall as a blast of erotic perfume assailed him.

Meredith was in full-blown heat.

As though dragged by an invisible rope, Isaiah headed toward the bedroom, his keen sense of smell leading the way. The door was closed, but he shoved it open. The panel hit the wall, bounced and started to close again, but he put out his hand to catch it before it hit him in the face.

The rest of the room faded around him as his gaze zeroed in on the woman writhing and moaning on the bed. The forest green comforters had been kicked to the floor and she was sprawled naked on her back, her hips undulating, her legs moving restlessly. Her fingers tugged on the sheets as her head rolled from side to side.

Her hair was a black curtain across the pale green sheets. Her skin was coated in a light sheen of sweat, making her skin glow in the light from the street lamp drifting in through the window. Her nipples were pebbled and her pussy glistened with cream.

Isaiah licked his lips in anticipation of tasting her. He’d never seen a more beautiful sight in his life.

Finally sensing his presence, she opened her eyes and stared at him. He didn’t move. It had to be her choice. She had to invite him.

Even if it killed him.

His cock was jerking and throbbing, wanting out from his confining jeans. His lungs worked hard to suck in much needed air. His nostrils hummed with her unique scent. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from her.

“Let me help you.” He almost didn’t recognize his own voice. It was guttural, almost animalistic.

“I won’t let you claim me,” she gasped, panting hard between each word.

He shook his head. “I wouldn’t. Not like this.” And he realized it was true. As much as he wanted her to belong to him, he wouldn’t claim her when she was in heat, when biology was pushing them both toward it. He wanted it to be her choice.

He shook his head. What the hell was he thinking? He didn’t want a mate. There was no place in his life for one. Let alone one who came with so many built-in responsibilities. He’d proven when he’d allowed his sister to be taken by bounty hunters that he wasn’t fit to protect anyone. It was why he’d never taken the mantle of Striker with his pack. Why he’d devoted his entire life to protecting what family he had left, to the exclusion of all else.

Just the mere thought of tying himself down to a female, of staying in the city permanently, should have sent him running.

He took a step toward the bed.

She licked her lips, her hips arching. She moaned and Isaiah couldn’t hold back a groan as he was bombarded with another wave of sexual desire. Her scent was so thick in the air he could almost taste her on his tongue.

“Meredith?” He couldn’t wait any longer when she cried out. Pain tinged her cry of longing.

Isaiah yanked his shirt from the waistband of his jeans, dragged it over his head and tossed it aside. His lungs were working like a bellows now. In and out. In and out.

He kicked off his sneakers and tugged at the button of his jeans, but his hands paused on the zipper. Damn his misplaced sense of honor.

He strode to the side of the bed and reached down, cupping her face with his hand. “Look at me.” She closed her eyes and shook her head. He gave her a small shake. “Look at me,” he commanded.

She swallowed hard and opened her eyes. They were blue-gray pools of need. Like an ocean in the middle of a storm.

“Let me help you. I promise I won’t try to claim you.”

He could sense how torn she was. He slid his fingers down her neck, tracing her delicate collarbone. His hands hovered over her breasts, her nipples straining toward his palms.

“I won’t let you,” she panted.

He withdrew his hand. Pain tore at his gut and his heart ached at her rejection. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat but it was too large. He took a step back even as every instinct screamed for him to stay. His wolf growled and pushed against his skin, struggling for release.

Isaiah gripped his hair with his hands and tugged. He had to get out of here before he did something he’d regret for the rest of his life.

“Won’t let you,” she said again. “Not claim me.” She held out her hand to him. “Help me. Be with me.”

Happiness surged through him. She wasn’t rejecting him, just being permanently claimed and mated in the way of their kind. He could live with that. The happiness was followed by a bolt of lust so great it almost doubled him over.

He didn’t need to be asked twice. He dragged down his zipper and stripped off his jeans and socks. Since he didn’t wear underwear, he was now naked.

His cock rose up from the nest of curls at the base, strong and proud and more than ready to pleasure her. The thick veins pulsed and his shaft jerked as he crawled onto the bed. He kept going until he was straddling her on his hands and knees.

Reaching her hand up, she grabbed a hank of his hair and yanked him down to her. He gave a sharp laugh, her enthusiasm pleasing him no end. It quickly died when their lips met. Laughter faded, replaced by an overwhelming need that would only be assuaged when he had his cock buried in her hot sheath, fucking her until neither of them could stand it any longer.

Meredith didn’t know where Isaiah had come from. Like someone in a dream, she’d been lost in a maze, her sexual desire swamping her. It was worse than it had been in years. Her body recognized there was an eligible male close by. One she wanted in spite of the fact he was mostly a stranger.

Thankfully, her family knew what was happening. Hank would have told them what kind of shape she’d been in earlier today. She was confident they’d handle the club for the next two days. It certainly wasn’t the first time this had happened, even though it was one of the worst.

There was no way they’d tell Isaiah what was going on. They’d made no secret of the fact they wanted him gone for good. But somehow he’d come to her anyway.

He climbed atop her, holding his weight off her body, supporting himself on his knees and hands. God, she needed him. Needed his mouth on hers, his hands on her skin and his shaft buried deep in her tight, slick channel. Fisting her fingers in his hair, she yanked his mouth down to hers. She heard him laugh and then their lips met and nothing else mattered. He tasted musky and male and so inviting.

She tugged his head back and they stared at one another, both of them panting hard. Her body yearned to be covered by his. She sucked in a deep breath and took the plunge, knowing it would be too late to stop him once they started. She would have to trust him not to claim her.

“Help me.”

Isaiah growled and swooped back down, his mouth taking hers in a brutal kiss.