Birds of Prey Read online

  Tiana rubbed her arms where gooseflesh had appeared. “Nothing. I don’t like storms.”

  “Why?”

  Tiana shook her head. “They always remind me of an ominous warning of doom.”

  “That’s only for people who feel like they have something to hide,” Hawke said bluntly. “Do you have something to hide, Tiana Swan?”

  She pointed a finger at him. “That’s just creepy.”

  “Uh-huh.” He went towards the kitchen. “Have you eaten since you got lost?”

  She shook her head. “No, I had lunch early and kind of worked through the energy bars and water I had packed. Don’t look at me like that. I have a healthy appetite.”

  “I’m warming up some chicken stew and dumplings. You’re welcome to some,” Hawke offered.

  “Thanks.” She looked at the covered windows when a flash of lightning came through the slats of the storm barriers. “How long does it storm like this, and are we safe up here?”

  He spoke with his back to her as he prepared the food. “It can rain for a few days nonstop even if the winds die down in a few hours. This house is built sturdier than most on the ground. It can sustain hurricane force winds. The trees that are used as foundations have been here for over five hundred years. They’ve been through much worse and are still standing.”

  Tiana nodded and came over to the counter. “I guess I’ll have to take your word for it.”

  He turned and looked at her for a moment. “I guess so.”

  He worked silently until she couldn’t stand it any longer.

  “You’re not much for talking, are you?” Tiana said.

  “No, I’m not.”

  Hawke took two bowls from the cabinet and set them on the counter and then got glasses and utensils.

  She looked around. “No TV or the likes. What do you do here alone?”

  He sighed as if he tired of her questions. “I read and I work which is what I like to do, unlike talking to people.” He gave her a direct stare. “That is something I don’t like to do.”

  “Okay, then I should zip it,” Tiana said.

  “Please.” He ladled the aromatic stew into the bowls.

  Tiana couldn’t help but open her mouth again. “But if we’re stuck together for days we may need to talk and I happen to like people and learning more about them.” Tiana smiled hesitantly. “Since you saved me from the torrent outside you can ask me anything you like.”

  “Why are you here?” he said bluntly.

  She looked up at him alarmed and felt her heart begin to race. “What do you mean? Y-you know I was lost and…and you found me.”

  He put the bowl of food down in front of her and leaned his hands against the counter and said calmly, “The thing is, you say that, but your heart picked up speed with a simple question. You started to sweat just a little and I can feel your anxiety from here. So, Tiana Swan, unburden yourself.”

  She swallowed and met his gaze. “Maybe it’s because you are as welcoming as a porcupine and you don’t want me here. Maybe you are so damned surly and your personality makes anyone uncomfortable. Maybe that’s why I’m anxious and the reason why my heart is racing.”

  The first hint of a smile crept onto his face. “I don’t have horns. No one should be scared of me.”

  She snorted. “Have you met you?”

  “Eat your food,” he said curtly.

  They ate in silence at the rustic wood table in the corner of the kitchen. Not knowing how hungry she really was, she devoured her meal. Hawke was an excellent cook. The stew of chicken and dumplings was simple, moist and flavorful. She didn’t refuse when he silently filled her bowl again. Instead, she gave him the peace of silence that he wanted. When they were finished eating, he took everything off the table and washed the bowls and utensils quickly and efficiently. The rain was still coming down hard and the way it was hitting the roof and the shutters made a comforting and relaxing background noise.

  “I could’ve washed them.” She yawned.

  “You seem tired.” He put the dishware to drain. “You can take a shower. There are solar panels on the roof so the water will be hot. The rainwater fills the tanks. Towels are in the linen closet in the bathroom.”

  “So you’re using rain water to wash things and bathe?” Tiana tried not to wrinkle her nose.

  “The water out here is cleaner than any city water and there is water filtration and a purifier built into the tanks,” Hawke explained. “There’s also an underground spring my contractor tapped into. You won’t melt, city girl.”

  “Where will you be?” Tiana asked.

  “I’ll be in my bedroom, reading and enjoying my solitude,” Hawke said.

  “Then what should I do?” she asked.

  He rolled his eyes. “Go to sleep, read a book or relax on the couch and watch the fire, I don’t care. The only reason for you to knock on my door is if the sky is falling, but I doubt that will happen. This storm will go on for a bit, and then when it’s over, with all the rain it will take a few days to trek you out of here. But there’s food in the fridge, so help yourself whenever. The power shuts itself off at midnight. There are solar-powered tap lights along the wall.”

  “Um, goodnight, I think,” Tiana said.

  “Same to you.”

  Hawke turned and went into the bedroom closest to the front door and she stood there silently looking around. Outside, the wind howled and the rain pelted the frame of the house. The silence was deafening even over the tumultuous weather outside. She turned quickly and went into her designated bedroom. With the door closed behind her she leaned against it as she expelled a breath. Oh, you got yourself into it this time, she thought. She sat on the bed and took off her shoes, thinking about the man who was in the room beside hers. She dared not even look at the phone because, hell, if he could sense her discomfort at his questions and could hear her heartbeat—or was that a lie?—she wasn’t going to take any chances, but she couldn’t live with the dishonestly of it all either. She’d own up tomorrow, and if he threw her out into the elements she deserved it.

  * * * *

  Hawke lazily woke up and stretched while the fog cleared from his brain. From the time his eyes opened he was alert and in his head the entire world came off mute. He slept like a rock, but his internal clock was set to five-thirty every morning. Outside, he could still hear the rain and in the room next to him, if he listened carefully enough, he could hear Tiana’s steady breathing. Why did he go to sleep thinking about her and why was she the star in his dreams? Needless to say, he couldn’t wait to have her gone so his routine could go back to normal.

  Do you really want that? the small voice in his head chided him. He always thought about a mate, someone to share his world. But that was a pipe dream. How could he explain who he was and how he came to be when he didn’t even know himself? He woke up one day at age eighteen flying through the sky and freaked out. It took him three days of concentration to get back to his human form and by then his foster parents thought he’d run off or was dead somewhere. The pretense of having to make up a story about why he was gone didn’t compare to the fact that he had just become a bird of prey. It took him months to be able to control it and by that time his foster father said they’d had enough of him being gone for days at a time and kicked him out, admitting that they’d only wanted him for the stipend the government gave them each month for raising him. After that, he spent all of his time in the library because, for one, it was warm and he could hide in the stacks during closing so he’d have somewhere safe to sleep and, two, he could research and use their computers to find out what was happening to him and who he was. He’d only ever found a few answers, but nothing on his birthparents.

  Okay, enough of this. Hawke threw back the covers furiously, revealing his stark naked body and got out of bed. He never slept in clothes. It was still dark outside, but he knew that on the horizon the first hints of morning would be visible. The urge to fly and take pictures overrode the sense of wariness he
had about the woman in the other room. How would she know? She was a city girl who probably didn’t get up before seven or eight, if that. He’d be back way before then and maybe he’d spot her car. There was a large balcony off of the bedrooms which he used to take off from and to land. He fixed the camera that he’d had retrofitted for his bird form. It was the only one of its kind and this was how he got the pictures no one else could.

  Hawke slid back the glass door and stepped out into the cool morning air combined with the rain pricking his skin. He embraced his second nature and took to the skies. He sliced through the rain clouds and for a moment played in the rain. Then the timer went off signaling the automatic start of the camera that would snap pictures in rapid succession. Going through the pictures was always the most fun because he never knew what he got until he saw them and it made his heart race. The camera could take up to one thousand shots in rapid succession and out of those he may find twenty to fifty shots he loved. When the beep sounded to warn that the micro card was full, he turned and dipped. He caught a glimpse of the road and flew low to search for Tiana’s car. He frowned when he saw nothing from the direction she said she came from. Maybe she was more lost than she realized. He turned for home and the clouds opened up with more rain. The light rain of before was easy to fly in, but he could feel himself getting heavy as his feathers became soaked. It was uncomfortable, just like a man walking in a big coat that was dripping wet, so when his home came into view he was relieved. What he didn’t expect was to see Tiana standing on the balcony by her bedroom door. Shit. He wouldn’t be able to shift until she was gone. He landed on the railing, happy to give his wings a rest.

  “Oh, my God, it’s a hawk!” she exclaimed softly when she saw him land. “I’ve never seen one of you up close. You are so big and gorgeous.”

  Hawke sat still and blinked at her and watched as she curiously stepped closer. Someone should have warned her about touching animals in the wild. She reached out towards him, hand shaking. He watched the rain splash against her chocolate skin. He let her get close enough then pecked at her hand with his beak. He wasn’t going to hurt her and moved slow enough that she could move her hand away. But, still, his sharp beak scraped her skin and she pulled her hand back with a soft cry. Damn. He was instantly remorseful and Tiana stepped back.

  “Okay, I get it. That is your space and I was in it. It’s cold and wet anyway, so I’m going back inside,” she said and turned.

  He sat there and waited until she slid the door shut and then the blinds closed and then waited a bit more before he shifted and slid the door of his own bedroom open as quietly as possible before stepping inside. Hawke dropped the camera on his desk and grabbed an extra towel from his small closet to dry his hair and body. He could hear her in his kitchen puttering around and humming softly. Damn it, why did she have to sound so good and be so warm and welcoming? Hawke shoved on some jeans and pulled on a T-shirt. He couldn’t sit in his room to avoid her and, besides, the energy it took to shift and fly made him hungry. He stepped out of his room and she looked up with a smile. He felt his heart do a little flip in his chest and that irritated him all the more. She should not affect him like this.

  “Guess what?” she exclaimed.

  “Do tell,” he drawled and sat at the counter. “What are you doing in my kitchen?”

  “Even in the morning you sound grumpy.” Tiana frowned. “I’m making us breakfast. You have all the ingredients needed to make biscuits and sausage gravy.”

  “Okay, sounds good. So what am I supposed to be guessing?” Hawke asked.

  “I saw your namesake outside on the balcony.” She laughed. “First I was surprised at how much more awesome your house got by having a balcony, but then the hawk just sat there staring at me. So I moved closer and he didn’t move, but then when I reached out to touch him he gave me a good peck with his beak. I don’t think he was trying to hurt me, just saying back off, personal space.”

  “Didn’t your parents teach you to not play with wild animals?” Hawke asked.

  “I wasn’t playing with him. I wanted to pet him,” she pointed out, and at his raised eyebrow she sighed. “You’re right, petting counts towards what you said. Even so, it was so cool! It was raining and he was soaked but so regal. Hey, why is your hair wet?”

  “Shower.” The lie slid smoothly from his lips.

  She smiled. “You probably were up way before me. I was out like a light which is unusual for me since I don’t sleep well away from home.”

  “Exactly where is home?” Hawke asked.

  “I live in Charlotte,” she answered. “I have a little boutique there that I’m trying to start with my own clothing designs.”

  “Very creative,” he said.

  Tiana winked. “I could say the same for you, but I’ve only seen pictures of your work on the Internet. Your openings are too exclusive for us lowly peons.”

  Hawke got up to grab a cup of coffee that had just finished brewing in the pot and poured her a cup as well. “Trust me, I don’t want to be there either, and you’re not missing anything.”

  “You sound like you don’t like your own galas.” Tiana laughed and looked at him as he took a sip of coffee. “You really don’t, do you?”

  “No, I don’t. I don’t play well with others nor do I like sucking up to pretentious people who act like they know shit they don’t all for them to buy a damn picture. They are going to either buy it or they won’t. I don’t want to stroke their ego for it,” Hawke answered.

  And that was the truth. He hated the men who wanted him to preen or compliment them to buy a piece of his art or the women who threw themselves at him expecting fame and access to his bank account. He was only ever at his openings because he had to be and nothing more.

  “I’ll make sure you have invites from now on,” Hawke said. “You can go in my place.”

  “I don’t think they would accept that.” There was amusement in her voice.

  She turned and he caught sight of the red scratch on her hand. He knew that he had caused it while in his second form and took her hand suddenly. Hawke ran his thumb over the scratch and he felt her pulse race beneath his fingers.

  “I—it’s from the hawk. I cleaned it with peroxide I found in your bathroom,” she said huskily.

  “I’m sorry,” he said and pressed a kiss to the spot.

  She sucked in a breath and then said, “It wasn’t your fault.”

  “It happened at my house,” Hawke said and turned and walked towards his bedroom. He had to get away because she elicited a strange feeling in him and her warm skin under his lips called him for another taste.

  “Don’t go too far, breakfast is almost done,” she called.

  “Yell, I’ll hear you,” he said over his shoulder.

  In his room, Hawke closed the door and paced the length of the floor. “What’s the matter with you, why did you touch her?” But he had to admit that it felt good to feel her pulse race and to watch her full lips part when he kissed her skin. Would she gasp if he touched her or bit the sensitive skin of her neck? Would she moan his name naked under him and beg him for more? But it would never work because what kind of woman wanted to be with a man like him, a man who had no clue what he was or why he was the way he was? He was a freak, an aberration of nature. He wasn’t giving anyone a chance to get behind his defenses and break apart his world, the only world he knew even if it was fucked up. He would set out early the next day, intent on finding her car. Tiana had to go before she turned his world upside down.

  Chapter Three

  Tiana paced the room, all the while rubbing the slight scab that was left by the hawk’s beak. It didn’t hurt, but Hawke’s touch affected her. Her pulse galloped just thinking about it. Having him so close made her ache in places that she had long forgotten about. But she also didn’t feel right wanting him. He was a cold man, grumpy, and definitely not people friendly. But, still, there was something about him that made her want to know more, to knock through those wa
lls he’d built high and sure. But right now she was crawling out of her skin with nothing to do. After breakfast each day he went into his room and she heard nothing but silence. There was no TV and there were only so many books she could read before her own mind started to drive her crazy. She hadn’t checked in with Joslyn in days.

  The rain was barely misting outside, but the fog was dense. Still, the need to get outside took hold and she got her cloak and quickly went out the door. Soon, she’d need a clean pair of clothes. Her small pack only had two pairs of jeans, three sweaters and a few undies. She’d have to ask Hawke how he did his laundry. If she was to be stuck with him she wanted to be clean. Outside, the mist was cool against her face and she lifted her head to take a deep breath of the fresh air. If she could run and twirl in the woods she would have, but at that point she had one thing in mind—contact Joslyn and find a way out of this mess. Tiana walked away from the house and made her way through the trees, always making sure to keep the house in sight so she didn’t get lost. When she turned her phone on, the messages from Joslyn came flooding in.

  Where are you?

  OMG. Are you hurt? It’s been days. Text me back!

  Tiana, please, I’m worried! Shit, if I don’t hear from you in two days, I’m calling the police.

  Are you really that worried? You are the one who sent me out on this farce, Tiana thought angrily and then sighed. She couldn’t blame Joslyn. She could’ve said no to the whole thing and let it be done with that. She pressed the number programmed into the SAT phone and heard the beep. The freaking thing would die soon and she’d have to find a way to charge it without it being seen. I hate lying! Luckily, Hawke’s house had electricity and ran from a generator that was in a concrete type room sunken into the ground not too far away. If he found it, she could say it was her cell phone and it wouldn’t work until she charged it. More lies… The phone on the other end of the line rang twice before her friend’s frantic voice came on the line.