I nibbled my lip. He was right. I was freakin’ freezing, and a ride to the SF would probably cost me at least twenty bucks, but a clean break was the only way to do this. It was best to hold firm and not muddy expectations. “Thanks, but I’ll wait for my ride.”
His nostrils flared, but he made no move to leave, and when my hired ride finally pulled up, he opened the door for me. So he was back to being the gentleman. This was full-blown Courting Shit 101.
Once inside the warm cab, I was about to reach out for the door to close it, but the hunter was suddenly there, sinking onto the seat beside me before slamming the door.
“Um, what?” I sputtered. But then the door on my other side opened and Carlos slipped in.
I tilted my head back and sighed.
“Do you mind?” Carlos asked. At least my ex had the decency to ask.
“Whatever.”
The Fire Wolf angled his body, his huge chest brushing mine, and my damned libido perked up. Ugh.
A sharp intake of breath came from both werewolves. Yep, my arousal was that obvious, but then the hunter growled a warning at my ex, his hand creeping possessively toward my thigh.
I brushed his hand away even though the contact made my nerves tingle. May the gods save me. I just couldn’t win.
The driver cast the three of us an uneasy look in the rearview mirror before pulling away from the curb. Even though the driver was human, it was obvious his instincts had detected predators in his midst.
I leaned my head back against the seat again as the car picked up speed. Because apparently all three of us were going to the SF . . . in my ride.
OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 2
When we reached the Supernatural Forces’ office, both men tried to reimburse me for my hired ride.
I rolled my eyes. “Put your wallets away. I’m not a damsel in distress.”
The Fire Wolf’s lips curved up while Carlos awkwardly stuffed his wallet back into his pocket.
Without waiting for either to reply, I strode toward what appeared to be a mom-and-pop barbershop but was in actuality the Supernatural Forces’ office.
Their office sat on a street corner in the midst of a middle-class neighborhood. Two-story houses sprawled only a block down from the supposed barbershop. Nobody would have guessed that this was actually the gateway to the supernatural community’s elite law enforcement and military.
The Fire Wolf and Carlos followed behind me, their footsteps quiet. They hadn’t argued on the ride over, but the tension strumming between the two was palpable.
I pinched the bridge of my nose and hoped that this would be a quick stop. My stomach was growling, and I still had to go to Practically Perfect and possibly work the rest of the day. Not to mention, whether I liked it or not, I needed to talk to Tess and learn what she’d disclosed to Jakub’s people about my abilities. I wasn’t looking forward to any of those things.
I stepped over the SF’s threshold and the wash of magic tingled across my skin. The illusion of salon chairs and mirrors disappeared as the Supernatural Forces’ office materialized in front of me.
Seated at the front desk was a familiar face. When I approached Jeff, he looked up from his computer screen, then rolled his eyes when he spotted me, but when he took in the Fire Wolf, that smirk wiped clean off his face, and he sat up straighter.
The hunter wore a blank mask as he assessed the office interior, yet Jeff’s attention stayed on the Fire Wolf even when Carlos asked, “Is Commander Klebus free? There’s been a development in the case regarding Tessa Davenport. It’s important that we speak with her immediately.”
Jeff nodded, attention still on the hunter. “She’s in her office.”
“Follow me,” Carlos said.
The Fire Wolf silently prowled at my side as we followed Carlos toward the back offices. Jeff watched us the entire way. Um . . . okaaaaaay.
I shrugged off the receptionist’s strange interest in the hunter as we wove through the halls, the turns familiar. Even though I wasn’t a Supernatural Forces’ member, I was no stranger to this building. I’d been seated in front of Commander Klebus more times than I wanted to remember, thanks to Tessa.
When we crossed the threshold into the commander’s office, she looked up from her desk, her eyes like sapphire jewels. When she was human, I would have bet money her complexion had been a rich brown, but now it was as bright as molten gold, due to her vampire transformation.
A surprised expression formed on her face. “Tala?” She pushed to a stand, cocking her head, but when she beheld the scourge of society, a hopeful smile danced across her lips.
My brow puckered. And what the hell was that all about?
“Hello, Mr. King.” The commander dipped around her desk, her eyes on the Fire Wolf and him only. “What a surprise to see you here.”
Mr. King?
The hunter crossed his arms. “That makes two of us.”
She didn’t react to his disinterested tone. “What can I help you with?”
And just like that, she glided right past me with her vampire speed, as if I wasn’t even there. Um, what the hell?
My mouth fell open as she avidly assessed the hunter.
“I’m not here to speak with you about that,” the Fire Wolf said with bite. “I’m only here because of Tala.”
That? There was a that? I frowned. What kind of secret was he hiding now? And what in all the realms? Were he and Commander Klebus an item or something? I tried to picture the two of them together and just . . . couldn’t. As for the slight flare of jealousy that suddenly coursed through me, well, I was just going to completely ignore that.
“I see.” The SF commander frowned. “Then what can I do for you, Ms. Davenport?”
“Her sister was abducted,” Carlos replied for me. “We need to launch a full investigation. It sounds like it goes deeper than any of us have estimated.”
“Is that right?” The commander gave another wistful glance in the hunter’s direction—and now my curiosity was seriously piqued—before she glided back behind her desk and waved at the two chairs across from her.
“Have a seat.”
Since there were only two chairs, Carlos took one and I the other. The hunter drifted closer and positioned himself directly behind me. Not so close that he was smothering my personal space, but close enough that it was obvious he was here for me.
A warm feeling drifted through my belly, and I wanted to kick myself for it. I reminded myself that the Fire Wolf’s interest in me was only because of his damn wolf, and then I forced myself to remember the numerous times in the past forty-eight hours that I’d embarrassed myself when he’d detected my desire. Each time he’d looked amused. Amusement wasn’t really something I was looking for in a life partner. So best to remember that and squash these ridiculous reactions.
“So you’ve confirmed that Tessa Davenport was indeed abducted?” the commander asked Carlos.
He gave a swift nod.
“Where is she now?”
“At our apartment,” I cut in before Carlos could answer. “The Fire Wolf—err, Mr. King—and I rescued her last night from a dance club in New York.”
The commander’s eyebrows raised. “Rescued her how?”
I took a deep breath and glanced at the hunter. His eyes burned into me, those red flames appearing again. Just thinking about last night, about how close we’d both come to being killed, about how we would have been if my forbidden power hadn’t saved us . . . I shivered.
The Fire Wolf placed a hand on my shoulder. It felt hot and heavy, yet also strangely comforting.
Despite the warm and fuzzy sensations his touch was giving me, I shrugged him off and shifted my attention back to Commander Klebus. “The Fire Wolf tracked her there, and then when he’d been inside the club for what I thought was too long, I went in too. I found him surrounded by six supernaturals in their underground rooms. They were talking about someone named Jakub, and we know someone named Damascus is also involved due to another incident. Long story short, we think the European mafia might be involved, or it could all be a cover to hide who really is involved. But anyway, a fight ensued, and we managed to get the upper hand. From there, we—or rather, the Fire Wolf—freed the other supernaturals also held imprisoned. There were seven total.”
