Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 38466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Deacon let his eyes go over to the sleeping female. He heard the worry in his brother’s voice, and he wanted to assure him he could handle himself, but he knew he couldn’t make that kind of promise.
On the best of days he was hanging on by a thread, on the worst … well, he didn’t even want to think about the bad days. He took in her raven colored hair that fanned around her like a dark halo. With her eyes closed he didn’t know what color they were, and he found himself aching to find out.
The dark, crescent shapes of her lashes were obsidian slashes on her too pale cheeks. Just thinking about her had his skin tightening uncomfortably. The image of her well and leaving had him clenching his hands.
Yeah, this shit was royally fucked up, and so was he.
Chapter
Three
Thayer finished wrapping the female’s head and checked her vitals once more. Everything was stable with her, and now it was just a matter of waiting until she woke.
She had a few superficial scrapes and cuts, most likely from the glass breaking, but the seatbelt had saved her life. His heart constricted at the thought, and a wave of relief washed through him. He absently rubbed the center of his chest, not knowing where the unexpected emotions came from.
He had given her five sutures on the laceration on her forehead, which surprisingly had been the only major injury on her. His medical training had come in handy more than once, especially when Deacon ended up injured for one reason or another because he flipped the switch, which happened more often than not.
Thayer moved back to his desk and watched Deacon over the rim of his reading glasses. His brother watched the female like she was the tallest glass of water and he was in the Mojave Desert.
If he didn’t know what kind of aggression and animalistic tendencies his older brother harbored, he wouldn’t have worried about the girl’s safety, but because he had seen Deacon unhinged more than once, there was a part of him that couldn’t help but be concerned.
Deacon had never harmed a female, but Thayer had noticed over the past few years his brother sinking deeper into himself. He was starting to become more animal than man.
Being Snow Leopard shifters gave them the power to control both halves: the animal and human. Deacon had never been “normal” in that sense, never able to separate his two selves. With time it became increasingly clear that he was getting worse, especially being so isolated.
Thayer knew Deacon’s relationship with their father was most likely the cause of his inner struggle, and if he could have taken it away from his older brother he would have.
Their father had been too hard on Deacon, and because of that the man before him was broken in many senses.
“Maybe you should go into town, and get yourself a female for the night. You look like you’re about ready to snap.”
Deacon brought the now half empty bottle of whiskey to his mouth and took a long pull. When he lifted his eyes they were hard and unyielding.
“Listen, I’m just trying to make sure you get rid of all that extra energy before the girl wakes up and sees that wild look you got in your eyes. You’re going to scare the shit out of her.”
Deacon stood and paced the length of the living room before taking long strides into the kitchen and setting the bottle down on the island. He braced his hands on the granite top and exhaled loudly.
Thayer knew there was too much going on inside of his brother, knew that if he didn’t release all of it the explosion of violence and aggression would be devastating.
The only ways that helped relieve all that testosterone were to run, fight, or fuck it out.
“Yeah, I think you’re probably right.” He ran his hand over the back of his head. “I was about to take down a buck when I caught her scent.” Deacon turned around, his body facing Thayer’s, but his eyes right back on the female. “Yeah, I think I need to blow off some steam.” He slid his eyes to Thayer. “She’ll be okay?”
“She’ll be fine. I gave her some pain meds, so she should sleep through the night.” It took him a few moments to move from his spot, but when he finally shut the front door behind him Thayer found himself relaxing.
The tension in the room from Deacon had been thicker than hell, and as soon as he left it was like a monumental weight had been lifted out of the room. He sat there for several moments, his eyes on the small, huddled form beneath the blankets on the couch.
There was definitely something about her. Even Thayer felt like a bee to honey in her presence. The scent of her was incredible. It was fresh and clean and had just a hint of apple in it.