Tell Me Your Secrets
Tell Me Your Secrets
Virginia Cavanaugh
A book in the Emerald Isle Fantasies series.
Jesenia North chases her writing muse all the way to Ireland. Surely Castle Tullamore will provide some inspiration for a new book. What she doesn’t expect is to become the hunted, not only by a rabid wolf, but also by a very sexy Dorian Kavanaugh.
Dorian will stop at nothing to keep his race a secret, but when the high-spirited Jesenia is chased by his rabid packmate, Dorian must find a way to redirect her attention. And he isn’t beyond using hot sex to do it.
Now he must hunt down Grady and kill him along with the mutated strain of rabies before people find out that there are shifters in the area. But touching Jesenia has a price, one he may very well pay for with his heart.
A Romantica® paranormal erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave
Tell Me Your Secrets
Virginia Cavanaugh
Chapter One
A low growl rumbled through the still night air. Jesenia North felt its vibration as it cascaded over her skin, rattling her bones. She stood frozen, not even daring to breathe as she stared at sharp white teeth that glistened in the low light of the moon. Saliva dripped from one pointy canine. Blue eyes stared back at her. She shivered as a staggering breath entered her lungs.
The beast prowled forward across the rocky ground, a snarl tearing from its lips. Somehow she found the strength to run. Blood pumped hard through her veins, fueling her muscles as she beat feet back toward Castle Tullamore. She’d checked into the castle-turned-hotel hoping to find her muse. Now she just wanted to avoid being the beast’s dinner.
“Oh please, God, don’t let it eat me!” she prayed as she heard the sickening slide of claws against stone behind her. He followed. She picked up the pace, but already her body screamed. As an author, she sat in a chair most of the day, always telling herself to get up and work out, but somehow it didn’t happen as often as it should. But now she sent up promises in silent offering. She’d exercise every day if she made it to the safety of the castle.
Damn. What had she been thinking? It was sunset when she’d headed out toward the craggy cliffs that over looked the shore. The waves had beat against the unyielding sides, sending up sprays of white foam and mist, while farther down they rolled across the pebbled sand of the beach. But her muse hadn’t been there. The elusive bitch still ran from her as she now ran for her life.
Labored breaths filled her ears. Had the wolf closed the gap or was it her own gulps of air making a deafening noise? As if to answer her silent question she felt the nip of teeth at the sole of her left foot. She yelped then whimpered as she pulled her foot free of her tennis shoe, stumbling but remaining on her feet. Maybe the blasted mutt would accept the new chew toy and leave her alone.
She didn’t spare a glance backward to see. Her gait became odd as she continued to run without one shoe. Each razor-sharp rock that pressed with cruelty into the bottom of her foot threatened to slow her. The soft lights of the castle grew closer. Hope soared as she stretched her legs, ignoring the burn of her thighs and the stitch in her side. Only a hundred more yards and she would be in the courtyard.
Dense foliage and rough ground gave over to manicured lawn as she burst through the last bit of brush that lined the edge of the estate. The erratic beat of her heart boomed inside her ears as sweat slicked her body. A large wooden door stood ahead. She wasn’t sure which part of the castle it would lead to. She only hoped that it wasn’t locked.
A mere breath away she reached out to grab the brass knob, but the door swung open and she collided with the solid wall of a man. Strong hands gripped her upper arms as she wrapped her own fingers around large, firm biceps. Her breaths sawed in and out of her lungs as she clung to the stranger, her legs like Jell-O wobbling beneath her.
“What’s frightened you, lass?”
The low baritone voice washed over her and she pulled another harsh breath in and answered on a whoosh of air. “Wuufff.” The muscles beneath her palms tightened and then relaxed.
“Say again?”
Jesenia pushed back to look up at the stranger’s face. Dark hair fell across his forehead, short and neat in style. Green eyes, so pale and stunning, stared down at her with concern. She tried to speak again as she sucked in air. “A wolf.” She inhaled another breath. “A wolf…chased me…from cliffs.”
The tanned skin on his cheekbones shifted as his full lips tipped up in an amused smile. Laughter floated through the room behind him. It wasn’t funny. She’d nearly met a horrid fate. Confused, she peered around his broad shoulder to see a couple more men in the room. One man sat at a high-top table with a drink in his hand. Red hair stood up in spikes from his head. The other was an older man, wrinkles crinkling around his eyes and mouth as he laughed. Her gaze shifted back to the man who held her. “I’m serious.”
“Lass, there aren’t any wolves in Ireland.”
She twisted her body, pulling out of his embrace as she looked out into the moonlit night. Nothing was there. Nothing moved, not even a tree stirred by the wind. She turned quickly to look at the man who had caught her. “No. I’m sure of it. He was huge and black and had big teeth. He even stole my shoe.”
One dark brow arched in question before he transferred his gaze to her feet. Blood had already begun seeping through her white sock.
“Where did you leave your shoe?”
Jesenia glared at the man as she gripped her side, getting her breathing under control. “The damn wolf took it. He was nipping at my heels. Literally.” Was she not making herself clear? She yelped as the man leaned forward and scooped her up into his arms. “What are you doing?”
“My name is Dorian Kavanaugh, and I am going to take you to get that foot looked at.”
She gripped the back of his neck, her arm resting on his solid, broad shoulder. “You can put me down. I can walk to the first aid room.”
Dorian strode forward. “Not without getting blood all over the floor. Áine would be mighty sore at you for staining her carpets.”
“Who is Áine?”
Dorian smiled. “The lass who owns Tullamore. Have you no’ met Áine yet?”
Jesenia looked at the side of Dorian’s face. Handsome was an understatement. And damn if that accent wasn’t sexy as hell. She shook her head when he glanced her way, looking for the answer to his question. His pale-green eyes glinted in the light as he stepped into the hallway. A tickling sensation danced through her lower belly. Really? A wolf had nearly devoured her and now her body had chosen to go from fight or flight to fuck. But honestly, how could she not. She was in the arms of a well-muscled, hot Irishman.
“Well, I’m sure you’ll run into her sometime during your stay.”
Jesenia glanced around at her surroundings. She didn’t recognize anything. Gray stone walls with an occasional woven tapestry met her gaze. She looked over Dorian’s shoulder to see rich-blue carpet flowing down the hall. Yeah, she could imagine bloodstains would be a bitch to get out. “Where are you taking me exactly?”
“Up ahead where the old castle meets the newer portion. There’s a small medic station. Áine likes to keep a nurse on duty in case of accidents.”
No wonder she hadn’t recognized anything. She’d avoided this older part of the castle ever since she’d arrived. A shiver ran down her spine as she remembered checking in a few days ago. In the office near the concierge desk, a red-haired woman in a business suit tried to console another female guest. The woman swore that a ghost had climbed into bed with her. When asked for her room number, the woman had pointed toward the old wing.
While Jesenia had never encountered a ghost before, she sure as hell didn’t want to go looking for one. And hav
ing one climb in her bed, no matter how horny she was, sounded creepy as hell. “Do you believe in ghosts, Dorian?”
He chuckled. “Ghosts? As in the wee flying white specters?”
“Never mind,” she mumbled.
“Sorry I laughed, but first you come in crying wolf and now you want to know about ghosts. Will you be asking me about vampires next?”
She wiggled in his arms, her irritation rising. “You can put me down here. I can find my way.”
He tightened his hold. “Nonsense. We’re nearly there.”
She clenched her jaw tight. “So happy I could amuse you. You seemed to know a lot about the castle and its owner, so I figured you might have some information on the ghost stories circulating. And why do you know so much? Do you work here or something?”
“Nah. My cousin Seamus, the red-haired lad sitting in the old breakfast room, works here. He’s a valet. Here we are.”
Dorian steered her feet first into a room. A medical exam table sat in the corner and a pale-green-and-pink curtain hung from a track around it. A petite woman with short black hair stood up from her rolling office chair.
“My, what have you done to your foot?”
“The lass ran across the rocks outside after losing her shoe.”
Jesenia pursed her lips in his direction as he sat her down on the table. “I didn’t lose my shoe, it was taken from me.”
Dorian hung his head and shook it. “Lass.”
“What do you mean ‘it was taken’?” the nurse asked.
“I was out by the cliffs when a wolf crept up on me. When I ran from it, it yanked off my shoe with its teeth.”
Jesenia watched as the nurse made a funny face and then turned away. She masked a laugh with a cough and Jesenia sighed. “Great. You think I’m full of it too.”
The nurse let the laugh loose as she turned to face Jesenia, pulling on a pair of latex gloves. “I’m sorry, ma’am. But there aren’t any wolves in Ireland. Maybe you saw a dog or something.”
She wasn’t in the mood to argue with these people. She knew what she saw. “Maybe.”
“Well, don’t you worry. I’ll take care of this quickly. My name is Elina, what’s yours?”
“Jesenia North.” She winced as the nurse pulled the sock from her foot.
“The damage isn’t too bad. Mostly contusions and mild abrasions. I’ll disinfect it for you and wrap it up.”
“Thanks.”
Dorian leaned against the wall and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Jesenia’s gaze locked on him as the woman began working on her foot. “You don’t have to wait for me.”
“Someone will need to carry you back to your room.”
“You heard the nurse, it’s not that bad. When she’s done I won’t be bleeding anymore, so I can walk.”
Dorian winked. “I’ll be making sure you arrive safely to your room, then.”
Jesenia rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” He gave her a toothy grin and she looked toward the floor. Irritating and charming. What a combination.
It didn’t take long for them to be on their way. She hobbled down the hallway, trying to ignore Dorian. He kept pace with her and stayed silent. When they stepped on the lift she spun to face him. She couldn’t let it go. “Why do you think I’m lying about the wolf?”
“Lass, there aren’t any wolves in Ireland. Each person you’ve come in contact with hasna believed it. Why are you so certain you seen one, when nary a soul ever has?”
She blinked as she looked up at him, trying to remember when she’d first run through the door and into his arms. A smile spread across her lips. “Why did you tense and look past my shoulder when I said a wolf chased me?”
He rolled his eyes. “I didn’t tense because of that. I merely braced to catch you.”
“Sure ya did.” She smirked as the bell chimed and the metal doors opened up to her floor. She limped past him and out the door.
He followed behind. “You’re trying to paint it the way you want to see it.”
Her room was only a few doors down. She stopped and turned around, leaning back against the wood frame. “You’re entitled to your opinion.”
He smiled. “You’re a spirited one.”
Jesenia’s muscles stiffened for a moment when his hand raised, brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear. His fingers trailed down the side of her face and neck before his hand fell back to his side. That small touch did things to her insides. Wicked things that made her want to invite him inside, which was totally inappropriate. She blamed it on adrenaline. She’d heard stories of people becoming really horny after a life-or-death situation. So yeah, she’d go with that.
“I shall hope to run into you again, Jesenia.”
He turned and walked back toward the lift. Damn if his beefy ass didn’t fill out those jeans to perfection. She spun away from the tempting sight before he caught her staring and she unlocked her door.
A soft glow bathed the interior. She’d left the desk lamp on when she’d gone downstairs earlier. The room itself definitely met up to the standards it had advertised. Yellow-and-gold wallpaper covered the walls. Blue-and-gold curtains framed the window that offered a beautiful view of the sea. Blue armchairs sat in a corner with a small table made for a tea tray. Her king-sized bed was comfortable and covered in a blue-and-gold bedspread.
The room was perfect for a fairytale setting, but still she’d not written a single word since her arrival. Her gaze moved back to the desk. Her laptop sat open on top of it. She had stared at the white screen for hours before going out to the cliffs. But now, as she crossed the room, she had a purpose. She knew what she’d seen. She sat down on the comfy chair, and a few keystrokes later she was ready to begin her search.
* * * * *
Dorian headed down the asphalt path leading into Bás Woods. Jesenia North. The stubborn, sexy brunette could be dangerous. He couldn’t believe Grady had attacked her. At least she hadn’t received any bites. The damage to her foot was from the ground. This was the first time the wolf had dared to come this close to the castle grounds. Last night Dorian had nearly caught him in the woods. Some unsuspecting female had decided to stay in an abandoned cottage. Well, not totally abandoned if you counted the male spirit that had been floating around. When Grady caught her scent, he’d gone mad, clawing against the door. Dorian had let loose an arrow from his crossbow and it sank into Grady’s hindquarter. Grady had released a series of yelps, and in his struggle broke off part of the arrow and ran into the woods. His injury was probably the only reason he didn’t catch Jesenia tonight.
But Jesenia, with her curves and full breasts, presented a real problem. Not only to his libido but to the existence of his race. He’d managed to keep his fellow wolves hidden for all these years, and that secret would still be safe if not for some fucking lab experimenting on dogs.
A week ago there had been a fire in the nearby village of Kilmorny. A laboratory housing dogs had gone up in flames. One of those dogs escaped and found its way to Dorian’s den, hidden deep in the woods near the cliffs that looked down onto the sea.
While the animal had been aggressive, his pack mates hadn’t been worried. Their kind was immune to the diseases that affected other canine populations. And this dog had definitely been rabid. Foam dripped from its maw. When Grady received a bite taking it down, they thought nothing of it, until changes came over him. His level of aggression rose, and more and more he gave over to his animal form.
Dorian fashioned a pen to keep him in as others from his pack went into Kilmorny to find out what the laboratory had been testing. Turned out the young scientists there were trying to find a cure for rabies. The injections they’d given the dog had altered the strain enough to now make werewolves susceptible.
Grady escaped his pen and now Dorian had to find him. But even worse, he had to take him down without getting close. They had no way of knowing if Grady could transfer the disease with his bite. Dorian would have to kill him and the mutated strain with him.
His eyes acclimated to the low light of the moon filtering through the trees. In the distance crickets chirped and an owl gave out a low-pitched call. Under his booted feet dried leaves crumbled. Something told him Grady had made his appearance for the night and would not show again.
He’d wanted to run out into the darkness the second Jesenia had flown into his arms, but he couldn’t risk it. Old man O’Kane wouldn’t have thought anything of it. His daughter long ago fell in love with a wolf and forged her life force with his. The old gardener knew about Dorian’s kind and could be trusted to keep a secret.
Dorian had been proud of his cousin and O’Kane when they laughed off Jesenia’s claim so easily. They both knew what danger Grady presented and hearing that he attacked a human wasn’t good news.
Especially a human as beautiful as she. He ground his teeth. He couldn’t think of her in that way. Following any attraction to her would be stupid. He had a mission to tend to, and as alpha of his pack he owed it to them to stay focused.
Brushing away thoughts of the alluring female, he set to searching the woods.
Chapter Two
Jesenia tucked the Book of Ardal in the crook of her arm and made her way back to her room. She’d been on the internet most of the night and was happy to find there was evidence of a wolf population in Ireland. Well, at least there was at one time. She was convinced that more research would lead her to answers.
She’d found mention of the Book of Ardal on the internet and to her surprise, the castle had an old library that actually had a copy of the very ancient book. Maybe she would find the exact information she was looking for within it.