Callie's Shadow Ch. 04

Author's Note

I always thought this was one of my best. But where I had it published, their contract was up and I'd thought to republish it, instead, I remember all of you wonderful people that loved my ASP novels. This one is no longer available anywhere but right here on Literotica. I hope you enjoy it!

*****

Callie's eyes swirled with silvery lights giving her an otherworldly look. Fangs appeared in her mouth but that's as far as she allowed the change to go. Her aching body seemed to throw off its fatigue, giving her a second wind she desperately needed if she was going to win against Shadow.

"Then you'll be mine," she whispered under her breath. She knew what her winner's choice would be and where it would be. She'd take him home with her and finally have him as her own, if only for a short time.

"Are you ready or not?" Shadow called his stick in his hands, held at the ready.

"Yeah, keep your pants on," Callie called, knocking her stick on the ground to turn it off. They would start at the beginning, with the sticks at low power. She took up her position opposite him, meeting his gaze with a steady eye. Nodding, they both tapped the sticks on the floor and then the fight was on.

Shadow struck the first blow, a glancing tap on her shoulder that she barely felt. It pissed Callie off. "If you aren't going to take this match seriously there's no use even having it," she growled, feeling her hair prickle as her anger fueled the beast. "I've been hit harder by a pup."

"Fine," Shadow said, taking up his stance again. "I won't pull my blows."

"Thank you," Callie said, surprising him by spinning under his arm and hitting a good blow against the back of his knees that almost had him on the floor. The electric shock went through him making him swear.

"Nice," Callie teased. "Did you kiss your mom with that mouth?"

"You're pretty feisty for someone who's had her butt kicked twice today."

"Twice? What the hell are you talking about?" She furled her forehead, missing his move and found herself on the floor, her foot jumping from the shock of the stick. Jumping back to her feet, she glared at him. "You're full of it, Shadow, and you're also scared of me."

"Right," he said, nodding his head but watching her hands. "You just terrify me."

"I do," she confirmed, then threw her body backwards into a perfect back walkover, the toe of her workout shoe catching him on the chin and making him stagger back. "You're afraid if I win I'm going to want you to fuck me."

Shadow shook his head, clearing it. "Nice, you kiss your mom with that mouth?"

"You want me to kiss you with this mouth," she taunted, blocking one of his blows and ducking the other. "Quit patronizing me, Shadow. I know you're better than this. Or maybe you want to throw the match. Maybe you actually want to share my bed."

"Honey, I don't want to get your fleas." He laughed when he saw the barb strike true and she came at him, anger making her clumsy. He deflected her blow, getting in one of his own that sent her skidding backwards. "Had enough?"

"In your dreams," she snapped, getting back to her feet. Callie was angry with herself for letting him get to her. She couldn't do that if she expected to win.

She came at him again, this time methodically striking and blocking, feeling the power of the stun stick in her hands and arms as the shock of electricity grew. Their panting was about the only sound that could be heard in the cavernous gymnasium, that and the sound of stick striking stick, the sparks shooting high in the air.

Then Shadow stepped into her blow, grabbing her arm with one of his strong hands. He spun her around so that her back was to his chest and he held his stick at her throat. "Give up?" he whispered in her ear, flicking it with his tongue.

"Fuck no," she growled, struggling against his strength.

He laughed, making her all the more mad. Dropping her stun stick to the ground, she leaned against him weakly, breathing heavily.

Shadow let his stick fall from his hand, his other coming up to turn her chin so that he could look at her. Instead, he yelped as she stomped down hard on his toes with her heel, ducking under his arm and grabbing it with both hands. A quick turn of her body and she used his own body weight against him, flipping him over her hip so that he landed on his back on the ground. A quick flip and she was once more armed, standing over him with the stun stick pointed at his throat.

"Give up?" she asked, rubbing his thigh with the toe of her shoe.

"Fuck no," he said, growling her words back at her. He grabbed her ankle, trying to throw her off balance, but she moved with the grace of a cat, using him as a spring board and flipping back away from him. She ended close to the wall, dropping her stun stick and grabbing two of the finely made, deadly sharp swords.

Waiting until he got to his feet, she threw him one of the blades, watching as he swished the blade through the air, hefting it in his hand to test the balance. "Ready?" she asked.

"Shouldn't that be 'en garde'?"

"Whatever," Callie said, rolling her eyes. But she was ready for the first attack, their blades flashing through the air, the clang of metal on metal seeming continuous. He attacked furiously, sending her skipping nimbly backwards, only to push one of the training dummies into his path.

He leapt around it, a smile coming to his lips. He had never trained with Callie when it came to the swords. She was graceful and swift, her grip on the blade, firm and true. His blows were met and returned with a finesse that was impressive to say the least.

"Very nice," he said, allowing his surprise and delight to color his tone.

"Thank you, my father is a master with the blade and I learned from him." She met his blade again, their hands meeting as each tried to get the upper hand before finally, he pushed her back. She stayed on her feet, glancing at the wall behind her and grabbing a dagger in her left hand.

"Unfair advantage," Shadow commented. He stepped back and into the wall, the sword in his hand affected by his own accelerated molecular rate and changing with him.

"You wanna talk about an unfair advantage," Callie called, her eyes carefully scanning the wall. "You're cheating, Shadow."

He reached over her shoulder and took the blade out of her hand, surprising her enough that she actually let him take it.

"Foul!" she cried, spinning around.

"No rules were made, Callie." He ducked backward as she narrowed her eyes, aware she still held the dagger. "You made no mention of anything but the stakes for the winner. Are you ready to admit defeat?"

"You don't know me very well," she growled. She stepped back, dropping the dagger to the floor. Before he could say a word, she pulled her top over her head, dropping it on top of the dagger. Her shorts were next, landing on top of the shoes she pushed off. In two steps she changed to the wolf, leaping at him and knocking him to the ground.

The blades were knocked out of his loose grip and he fell back, landing with an oof on his back on the mat. Callie was on him in seconds, her teeth touching the sides of his throat without actually breaking the skin. Her eyes were full of triumph, staring at him as if daring him to move.

Shadow smiled.

Without breaking a sweat, he relaxed against the mat, his hands on her furry front legs. Before she could move, he'd sunk back and into the mat, drawing her there with him. She lifted her nose as she felt the strange sensation of her legs sinking into the mat.

He left her there, emerging from just in front of her. "Now," he grinned, "I know you can't talk, but I'll accept the fact that you are stuck there until I release you as proof that I've won the wager."

Callie growled, deep and low in her throat. She snapped her jaws shut, her silver eyes glaring at the pulse in his throat.

"Un uh," he smiled. "No biting. Now, admit defeat so we can get to bed." Shadow realized what he'd said and cursed lightly under his breath. "I mean alone, Callie. Admit defeat so we can go to our separate homes."

She stubbornly kept her mouth shut, glaring at him before turning her big head to the side, and not looking at him.

"I never thought you'd welsh on a bet."

The disappointment in his voice got to her and with a growl, she turned back toward him and nodded her head. Her eyes were hard as he pulled her free of the mat and she trotted to where she'd left her clothing, turning to stare at him.

Shadow had seen her change before, but he'd never seen her turn back. She stood before him, conquering the wolf once more and letting the human side of her emerge.

It happened slowly and he was spell bound by each little difference, how the fur seemed to recede into her skin, leaving it smooth and bare. He watched the hair on her head grow long and thick, her ears changing from points to curved whorls. He almost groaned as she stood before him, proudly naked, curved and sleek with a well trimmed patch of curls upon her sex, her breasts full and lush, the nipples pointed and hard.

"I won't welsh, Shadow. This is what you'd have had if you'd lost. What do you want of me?" Her voice was husky as she stood still under his gaze.

Shadow felt as if someone else were controlling his body. He took the three steps that separated them, unable to do anything else. His hand shook as he reached for her, sliding over her waist and to her back. "You're so beautiful."

His other hand came up, pushing a thick lock of her hair back from her face. "You did this on purpose, Callie. You knew I'd never be able to resist."

"I-I'd only hoped," she stammered. "Shadow..."

"Brian," he said, interrupting her.

"W-what?"

"My name. It's Brian," he repeated. "Brian Matthew Harris."

"Brian," Callie said softly, tasting his name on her lips as her hands slid up his chest. "Will you kiss me, Brian? Please?"

"I don't know if I'll be able to stop if I do, Callie." His voice was husky, his hands moving over the smoothness of her flesh as if he couldn't be still. This was the side of him he'd always wanted to show to her, the side he'd hidden since the first day she'd stepped into his office as his newest recruit.

"I don't want you to stop." She stepped closer, until he could feel her heat, the softness of her skin against his bare chest.

A low moan was ripped from him as she reached his neck with her hands, one sliding over and playing in the soft edges of his dark hair. Her nipples brushed against his chest and a shiver slipped through her, one that he knew wasn't from the cold. Her skin was hot against his chest and under the palms of his hands as he pulled her even closer. "Say my name again," he almost begged.

"Brian," she moaned, coming up on her tip toes. "Kiss me."

With a moan of his own, he did. His lips were soft, brushing against hers lightly as if afraid to take it deeper. He was, he was terrified of the hold she had on him and what she could do with it if she ever found out. He'd fought and worked to keep her away, to hold her at arm's length because of what he was and who she was. In a single moment of madness, he'd been unable to resist.

His hands cupped her ass, dragging her even closer as his tongue pushed past her lips and found the heat and taste of her mouth. She was sweet, the taste of coffee mixing with the essence of her passion, overwhelming him. Moaning, he changed the direction of the kiss, unable to stop himself, wanting more with every touch and promising himself he'd stop after just one more.

Callie rocked against him, unconsciously rubbing against the thick ridge of flesh hidden by his pants. His hand slid down her thigh, lifting her until she wrapped her leg around his hips. He groaned against her lips, feeling her heat and the wetness of her sex. Tearing his mouth away, he tried to drag air into his straining lungs.

"I've got to have you," he managed to say. "Now, Callie. God..."

"They were really going at it, you should have seen them," a voice said from behind Shadow. They froze, and then Shadow instinctively turned, his body hiding Callie from the sight of the two men who were coming into the gym.

"Oh, we didn't see you there, sir," one of the two said.

Callie recognized his voice. He was another Were, though not a wolf. She shivered, trying to stay hidden behind Shadow's back even as he spoke to them.

"I'll need the gym for about ten more minutes," he said gruffly. "You two can have it then."

"Oh, sure," Boyce, the Were-rabbit said. "Not a problem." He looked at his friend and shrugged. "We can come back then."

They turned and Callie darted from behind Shadow, grabbing her clothing. She stood there uncertainly for a minute, looking into Shadow's icy blue gaze.

Shadow closed his eyes, shutting out the sight of her, one that would haunt his dreams. He shook his head, only looking up when he heard her bare feet slap against the mats and head toward the lockers. The door closed behind her before he moved. Then he picked up the weapons they had used, carefully putting them back in their brackets on the walls and picking up his uniform top and his socks and shoes. Glancing once at the closed door to the woman's locker room, he left out the hallway door and headed toward his office.

Callie stood under the water in the shower for a long time, letting the heat hide the flush on her cheeks before turning the water cold. It did little for cooling off the fire she had in her blood, one put there by Shadow.

"Brian," she whispered. She couldn't help but wonder why he'd told her his name. She'd tried for the longest time to get him to tell her, but tonight, he'd begged her to use it. "Brian," she whispered again. "Damn you, Brian!"

She shivered under the cold water for a moment longer before she realized that it wasn't going to cool off the passion he'd drawn from her and the need she felt now. Then she slammed off the shower, not even noticing the clothing strewn in the corner of the tiled room.

Going into the locker room, she gave half hearted smiles to the two women who were in there, readying themselves for the day shift of ASP. She pulled street clothes onto her still wet body and grabbed her purse, sliding her taser into it as well as her badge before she grabbed the duffle and tossed in her dirty clothes. She shook her hair, not caring if drops of water still dripped from it, little caring that they drenched the back of her shirt.

She dug her keys out of her purse before she'd even left the locker room. She was running, she knew it and hated herself for it. But the look in his eyes before he'd shuttered them behind his lashes had told her everything she needed to know. He regretted what they'd done.

The thought was a bitter pill to swallow. The fact that she'd all but thrown herself at him was worse. If he'd wanted her even half as much as she had him, he'd never have been able to turn away that easily. Would he?

The hallway out to the parking garage was empty and she used her key at the end to make her way into the garage, climbing up a floor to reach her car. Her red Mustang didn't even cheer her, even though she'd scrimped and saved, refusing daddy's help to buy that beauty for herself. It was the one thing that always made her smile ... until today.

Now she hit the button on remote on her key ring, unlocking the car. Opening the car door, she threw her duffle bag into the back seat, climbing behind the wheel and starting the car. The engine purred and the stereo turned on, blaring Hinder from the car's many speakers.

Callie flipped off the radio and put the car in reverse, backing out slowly before throwing it into first gear and letting up on the clutch. The tires spun as she took off, driving recklessly out of the garage and into the early morning traffic. Brakes squealed and the guy she'd cut off laid on his horn, giving her the single digit salute when she glanced in her rear view mirror.

She drove across town, cursing when traffic began to get heavy the closer she got to the business district. Cutting down a side street, she breezed through a yellow light and hit the button on her dash. Large wrought-iron gates parted before her and she headed down a private drive and onto the circular driveway that was in front of her father's home.

It was an impressive place, surrounded by trees, a garden and even a small lake, as well a wide stone fence meant to keep people out. It did the job admirably. But of course, it would, Callie thought. No one would dare try to intimidate or rob the great Callan Wolfe.

Callan was a master of commerce, collecting companies the way some people collected coins. He loved being on the front lines of any new product, lived for the rush of one upping the competition. But he wasn't just a Master of business. No, Callan Wolfe was a philanthropist. No crisis was too big or too small for Callan. When Katrina hit the shores of Louisiana, Callan was the first to send planes full of water and food and to offer lodgings for the Weres and the supernatural community that was uprooted by the catastrophe.

When the horror of 9/11 struck, Callan was there. He helped to look for those that were lost, giving money as well as himself and his resources to the men and women who went through the rubble, searching for signs of humanity.

He'd even spent time in Iraq until his wife had begged him to come home.

Callie was named after him. Her mother had dubbed her as Callandria Ann, a mouthful to a young pup. Her father had shortened it to Callie. He'd hoped she'd follow him into business, starting at a very early age with taking her to his office, transacting multi-million dollar deals with her on his knee.

But Callie knew what she wanted to be. She knew the only thing that would make her happy and she went at it despite any walls that her father could have put up.

Parking her Mustang in front of the house, she skipped lithely up the front steps and let herself in the stately front doors. Callie smiled as her father's man, Tucker, came out into the entry, quickly twitching his jacket into place before he saw her and relaxed.

"Miss Callie, we weren't expecting you today. What a pleasant surprise. You father will be delighted."

Callie walked up and went on tiptoes to plant a kiss on Tucker's cheek. Despite his youthful looks, the Were-tiger had been with them for years. Her father had taken him in off the streets, giving the young cat food and shelter. He'd gone to bat for Tucker, helping to clear up problems with the human police and gave him a sense of pride in whom and what he was once more.

Tucker had repaid Callan in kind, loyally working for him ever since.

"I didn't know I needed to be expected," she teased. "Is he in his office?"

"Isn't he always," Tucker teased, making Callie laugh.

"You've got me there. I'll just pop my head in and say hi. I can't stay long."

"You need to come for dinner, Miss Callie. This big house is so empty since you pups grew up and moved out."

"I promise, Tucker. I'll try to get around more often. You are better than my mother with the guilt trips. Did you somehow turn into a Jewish grandmother when I wasn't looking?"

"Ha, funny," Tucker narrowed his eyes but he couldn't help the delighted grin that turned up the corners of his lips. "Get along with you and stop in and say good-bye before you leave."

"I'll do that," she said over her shoulder as she moved down the hall. Stopping in front of the twin doors of her father's study, she finger combed her hair and glanced quickly in the mirror above one of the side tables.

She looked pale, her silver eyes too large in her wan face. The scrape on her cheek stood out, the bandage having come off while she showered. It looked almost like road rash. Her eyes seemed haunted and she tried to rid herself of the emotions that coiled and writhed just below the surface. If her father even guessed she was upset, he wouldn't stop until he'd gotten it out of her. She couldn't tell him about Shadow. No, Brian, she'd call him Brian from now on. She could never tell her father about Brian.