Come on, she thinks. And she is not completely sure who she is cheering for.
Then she sees the telltale twitch in Jared’s cheek, and she knows he is channeling all his strength. And he has considerable strength even when he is in his human form.
Lucien’s forearm starts to bend. His eyes narrow as he fights back.
She raises her knuckles to her mouth and bites on them. The anticipation is killing her.The people around them crowd closer.
“Come on, Mr. Walker,” says the waiter who has shown them in.
“You can do it, Mr. Walker.”
Lucien’s forearm is now three inches off the table. He is grunting and resisting everything Jared has to throw at him. It is not a fair contest, Shannon thinks. No normal human being can go up against Jared.
Lucien’s forearm comes up again in a burst of strength. Now he is almost back to midline. Jared seems surprised.
Jared starts to growl. Once again, he takes Lucien’s arm down in a pendulum arc of strength. Beads of sweat dot both men’s foreheads. Shannon’s teeth indent her knuckles, and she takes them away, surprised to see the deep tooth marks.
Lucien has not had the upper hand in this contest of wills yet. Not once has his forearm brought Jared’s down across the midline.
“Raise you ten dollars on the dark-haired guy,” mutters one patron behind Shannon.
She feels a flush going into her cheeks.
She’s close enough to the two men to smell their sweat of locked determination. She’s close enough to see every scalloped vein on their temples and arms, every detail of their grim faces. She finds herself admiring Lucien Walker’s face again. Truly, he has the face of a Nordic god. His chin with the little cleft juts out like a profile on a Scandinavian coin. His blue, blue eyes sparkle with contained effort.
Because she is studying him surreptitiously (or at least, as surreptitiously as she would like to think), she sees the sudden change in color that comes over his eyes.
It is fleeting. She doesn’t think anyone else has noticed it. But it is unmistakable. One moment, his eyes are cornflower blue – the startling blue of an Impressionist painting – and the next, they are completely black, as though his irises have been taken over by his pupils. It is as if an eclipse has come over the sun.
Then, as quickly as it has appeared, it is gone.
She blinks. Is she imagining things?
Lucien Walker seems to have a burst of strength. For the first time since the arm wrestling began, he now has inched Jared’s arm over the midline. Gasps of appreciation issue from the onlookers. Jared is shocked.
“Urrrr,” he grunts. With another feral spurt of energy, he slowly claws his way back.
But Lucien is unstoppable. His arm comes down again and forces Jared’s hand down . . . down . . . down.
“Oh!” The gasp which escapes her lips makes Jared’s gaze dart at hers for a split second.
That second is all Lucien needs. He slams Jared’s arm down against the table with a thump. Jared cries out with the pain.
The little crowd erupts in applause. Hometown boy wins!
“Fuck!” Jared cries. He is clearly disbelieving over what just happened. He stares at Lucien’s smug face.
She knows what he is thinking. No one has ever bested Jared before in a show of strength since the Change. She’s thinking the same thing about Lucien.
What the hell are you?
WINNINGS
“I’ll be collecting my winnings now,” Lucien says, standing up.
They both massage their elbows. It has been a strong, well-matched contest. Jared is still glowering, and Shannon can tell he will not be satisfied with this outcome. He will demand a rematch.
“I’m sorry,” Lucien continues, shifting his gaze to her, “but we haven’t been properly introduced. I am Lucien Walker, as you have no doubt deduced. You are?”
He leaves it hanging.
She discovers her tongue. “I’m Shannon.”
“I know. I heard your name the first time from your brother. But I would like to know the full name of the beautiful woman I am going to date.”
Jared bridles at this, but she stays his arm. He won it fair and square.
“I’m Shannon Bellamy. And this is my brother, Jared Bellamy.”
“So you are indeed brother and sister.”
“Um, we are not actually related by blood. My mother married his father and I decided to take the name ‘Bellamy’.”
“That’s too much information, sis,” Jared says sarcastically.
“No, on the contrary, I find it very interesting.” Lucien’s blue eyes favor hers again, and a thrill of excitement shoots down her gut. “May I pick you up tonight, Shannon, at seven thirty?”
Her mouth goes dry. “I-I don’t know where we’ll be staying.”