Dark Fates (A Paranormal Anthology)(57)

She stared up at him. She hadn’t had to use her street instincts in a long time, but she still had them, and the alarm that went off in her head to tell her she needed to sit up and pay attention rang loud and strong. “How long ago?”

“Believe it or not, I’m trying really hard to limit the amount of baggage I dump at you at one time.”

Hayden’s non-answer spoke volumes. He was hiding something.

“I think you’d better come out with it then. How long ago did Prentice die?”

“A couple of hundred years ago.” He held out his hands in front of him as if he might ward off an attack. “Look, we live longer than you do. And when you mate me, from what I understand about human-wolf pairings, you’re going to have an extension of your own life.”

Her heart rate sped up until it raced in her chest. She’d been relatively cool about all of it right until that point. Two hundred years? Mating him would affect her life span? How long? Now things had just taken a different turn. How long could she live with her visions spinning her life out of control? It was too much, the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.

Hayden sucked in his breath, but she didn’t wait to hear what he had to say. She took off running through the vines. The sandals she’d been wearing stunted her sprint, and she kicked them off, even knowing she’d likely cut up the bottom of her feet.

She had to get out of there now. This wasn’t the first time she’d run for her life. Only now she had to do it against a werewolf in his own vineyard. Hell, she was so dead. The vines cut into her when she was foolish enough to try to look over her shoulder, and blood dripped down her arm. If she got out of there intact, she’d consider herself a lucky woman.

Chelsea had run for so long she’d lost track of time, and she still hadn’t gotten out of his vineyard. Or maybe it wasn’t his anymore. How would she be able to tell if she crossed over into another winery? Did they have gates? With her breath coming in and out in short gasps, she stopped running. Her feet burned, and she was too out of breath to keep going at the pace she kept. Around her, the world went silent, which was a funny thought, but that was what stuck her as she listened to herself pant. Wherever she landed, she was going to find a gym. Too many years with the True Believers had made her soft.

He hadn’t chased her. Hayden had let her go. Tears swam to her eyes, and she pushed them away. What the f*ck was the matter with her? She’d run to get away from him. He was a werewolf. She’d clearly needed something from him when she’d arrived. Now she couldn’t remember what that was, but it didn’t mean she had to stay where she didn’t want to be.

Only she had nowhere to go, and she was in Northern California with the gentle afternoon sun shining down on her tired body in waves of warmth that didn’t scorch her. A breeze caressed her skin, and a hot man—werewolf or no werewolf—who clearly had the soul of an artist from the way he loved the plants that made wine like they were his babies wanted her in his life. For an extra-long time. When had anyone ever desired her presence?

And she’d just told him that she had stolen from people, used drugs, and he hadn’t even blinked. Because he had a past too, one he’d been trying to tell her about when she’d taken off like the coward she consistently proved herself to be.

“Chelsea.”

Hayden’s voice made her jump, and she whirled around to find him right behind her. How had he gotten there? He didn’t seem out of breath at all, and she’d not heard a sound at his approach.

“You’re bleeding.” He took her arm in his. “We can’t have this. Let’s get back to the house. I’ll treat your wounds.”

She cleared her throat. “I ran from you.” Speaking the obvious seemed the only choice.

“Yes.” He nodded.

She searched his dark eyes for any sign of anger or hurt and didn’t find any. “Doesn’t that piss you off?”

Hayden raised one eyebrow. “I’m surprised it took you so long.”

“Ugh.” She closed her eyes and ripped her arm from his embrace. “I’m so far out of my depth here I don’t know how I’ll ever find my way again. What the hell am I supposed to do? How are you any different than the True Believers? Don’t you also want to lock me up and keep me? Just like they did. Am I trading one destiny where I had no control for another one?”

“No.”

She opened her eyes at the forlorn sound he made. Deep sorrow surfaced in his gaze. His eyebrows furrowed, and he ran a hand through his hair.

“I don’t want you to feel that way at all.”

“Well I do.” Sort of.

“Let me get you back home. I have to stop you from bleeding. It’s all I can think about. Okay? Then we’ll find you some place to live away from here.”

“Oh. Okay. Wait. What? You’re agreeing with me?”

He shook his head. “No. I don’t agree with you. Not even a little. I want you here. With me, for always. But I’ve just met you, and you’re human. You aren’t going to instantly want to move in. I get it.” Small lines appeared next to his eyes. “So we’ll get you something that’s yours, and we’ll figure it out.”

That wasn’t what she wanted, and she had no idea why since it suited her needs perfectly. But his words also made her skin crawl, and she wasn’t a woman who liked to be agitated. It was hard enough living with the fugues. The rest of her life had to be pleasant.