He held the phone to his ear. “This had better be important.”
“We’ve got a problem.” Chase’s voice sounded grim. “Danny called an emergency meeting. There’s a crowd at the bar.”
“What?” He stepped away from Macey. “He doesn’t have the authority.”
“He saw you with the detective tonight. Rumors are flying that you’re choosing a human over the pack. People are scared.”
Damn it. He thought he’d appeased his pack member at the jazz club when he’d assured him he was trying to lead Macey astray. Apparently things were worse than he’d thought. “I’ll be there in ten. Can you hold down the fort ‘til then?”
“I’ll do my best.”
Macey picked up her dress. “Where are you going?”
The disappointment in her eyes tugged at his heart, and he wanted nothing more than to finish what they’d started. To take her to bed and make love to her all night long.
But as much as he wanted to be with this woman right now…forever…he couldn’t. His pack was scared. Of the demons and of the possibility that Stephen could become alpha if Luke didn’t get his act together. James wasn’t the only one who’d threatened to go rogue if Luke let Stephen lead, and now it seemed the sentiment was spreading.
He was letting his heart get in the way of his duty, and it was about to tear his pack apart.
“It’s a work emergency.” He pulled his shirt over his head.
“At eleven o’clock at night?”
“I’m sorry.” He kissed her on the cheek and opened the front door. “There are some things I need to take care of. I might be busy for a few days, but I promise I’ll call you as soon as I can.”
She furrowed her brow. “I don’t understand.”
What the hell was he doing? He had to make a choice between the woman he loved and his pack, and there was no right answer. He wanted both. He needed both. “I’ll call you in a few days. I’m sorry.”
Chapter Eighteen
Jimmy held the ceremonial kitchen knife in his sweaty right hand and tried to keep it from trembling. The cut always hurt more when his hands shook. He wasn’t scared. Ross had already made him summon so many demons, he was used to the pain. Jimmy’s hands were shaking because he was mad.
He glared at the boy lying on his futon. That was Jimmy’s futon, and the boy had stolen it. His back ached from sleeping on the floor, and he had bruises on his hips from where the bones dug into the hard linoleum. His brother said the boy was more useful. Smarter. Jimmy was a stupid idiot, and stupid idiots slept on the floor.
“What are you waiting for, dimwit? Do I have to possess you and summon the demon myself?” Ross’s voice came from everywhere and nowhere all at once.
“No, please. I’ll do it.” He pressed the blade against his palm, only wincing a little as a fresh ribbon of blood pooled in his hand. He held it over the altar, counting as three drops fell into the ceremonial bowl. It looked like a cereal bowl to Jimmy, but he’d learned not to argue with his brother.
He whispered the special chant Ross had made him memorize. It took him two weeks to learn the chant because he was stupid and didn’t know how to read. He’d learned a little before Momma died, but once she was gone, he didn’t go to school anymore. He knew the chant now though, and he whispered it fast so he could move away. This was the scary part.
He grabbed a towel to stop the bleeding and clambered into the corner as a big mass of billowing black smoke swirled out of the bowl. All the air seemed to be sucked out of the room, ripped from his lungs like he was sitting inside a vacuum. The smoke spread out, hovering below the ceiling like thick carpet before tumbling back toward the bowl. A demon with bright red eyes and shiny black skin crouched on the altar and stared at Jimmy like it wanted to eat him. Jimmy’s whole body shook, and his heart pounded like it was going to explode out of his chest. He really didn’t want to get eaten. Sometimes the demons looked like mean people, with human colored skin. This one was slick like a snake, and twice as scary.
Ross said his own chant in a language Jimmy didn’t understand, and the demon shot out the door. Jimmy whimpered.
“Why are you scared, idiot? I told you I won’t let them hurt you. Only a pure human can raise a demon. You’re special, brother.”
Special? Jimmy was special? He must be if Ross said he was. His mouth curled into a smile, so he covered it with his hand.
“It’s okay to smile. You did good. Now, get over there and raise another one.”
“Another one? But I’m tired, Ross. Calling demons makes my tummy hurt, and it gives me a headache. Can’t that be enough for today?”
A blow to his head knocked him to the ground. Jimmy clutched his eye, trying to hold it in because it felt like it was going to pop right out of his head. He was stupid. He deserved to be hit.
“As long as those damn wolves keep killing my demons, you’ll keep raising more. And that bitch detective. I saw your face all over the evening news yesterday, and I know she was behind that. We’ve gotta take her out.”
“Isn’t she dating that werewolf? Won’t they all be protecting her?” Jimmy braced himself for another strike, but it didn’t come.
“You’re right. You may not be as stupid as I thought you were.”
Jimmy’s mouth tried to pull into another smile, but he fought it this time. He could tell by the tone of his brother’s voice that he wasn’t going to like what Ross said next.
“I think it’s time for us to pay Detective Carpenter a visit. But, first, we’re gonna need a lot more demons.”
Chapter Nineteen
Macey and Roberta sat in a swing on her mom’s front porch, sipping tea and trying to build Macey’s powers. She took a deep breath and focused on the energy trapped inside an antique clock.
“It was in a Creole plantation. A young slave girl used to dust it every day, but she knocked it off the shelf once.” Macey read the energy, relaying the melancholy story of the artifact to her teacher.
Roberta nodded encouragingly. “That’s good. Now, I want you to see if you can release the energy.”
“What do you mean?”
“When you touch the clock, you see a story. You understand why the item makes you feel a certain way. For most people, all they get is the feeling. This clock brings sadness into the home, but most don’t know why. If you can release the energy into the universe, you’ll be cleansing the item so someone else can enjoy its beauty without feeling the sadness that comes along with it.”
Macey looked at the clock, turning it over in her hands. “You can do that?”
“I can, yes. And I think you can too, if you try. Find the energy inside the clock, and coax it out. Set it free.”
Macey turned her focus to the clock and the energy that swirled inside it. She imagined opening the clock and warm, white light flowing through it, whisking the negativity away. An electric pulse radiated through her hands as the slave girl, and the horrible beatings she’d endured, broke free from the artifact and floated away. Then, nothing. She rested her hand on the clock, searching for a trace of the energy, for the story, but it was gone. “That’s it? It’s that easy?”
Roberta smiled. “For you, it seems it is.”
“Huh.” If she’d known using her ability could be that simple, she’d have sought out help a long time ago. “Thanks.” She tugged on her bottom lip and stared at the clock. If only everything were this easy. “Have you seen Luke around lately?”
“I can’t say that I have. Is there a problem?”
“He had to leave abruptly on our last date, and I haven’t heard from him in a few days. He said he had a work emergency, but…”
Roberta inhaled deeply, and an unreadable expression fell across her features. “I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about, child. He’s probably behind on a deadline; give him time.”
“Yeah.” That’s probably all it was. How many times had she pulled twenty-hour shifts when she’d been working on an important case? He probably worked
all day, and then crashed from exhaustion as soon as he got home. It made sense. Still…he could’ve at least sent her a text by now.
“You’re right.” She had another question that had been burning in her mind. “I’ve been meaning to ask…Why weren’t you afraid of that wolf the other day? Do you have some sort of animal power too?” Or were werewolves really a possibility? At this point, the idea made as much sense as any other theory she’d heard about the case.
She laughed. “I suppose you could say that. The wolves are our friends.” She clamped her mouth shut, pressing her lips into a tight smile.
“Okay.” Roberta was a mysterious woman, for sure.
“Same time tomorrow, then?” The old woman heaved herself from the swing and straightened her skirt.
“Sounds good.”
Macey handed Roberta the clock and said goodbye. Maybe her power could be of some use after all. Maybe not on the case, but at least it was good for something. The attackers had been quiet for several days, but it was only a matter of time before he—they—it—whatever it was struck again. The spirit that had tormented her was quiet too, and she wondered again if the two were related.
She wondered a lot lately. Thought about the case incessantly. Anything to keep her mind occupied, her thoughts away from Luke and the strange way he’d left.
“Macey, dear.” Jenny stepped onto the porch and sat next to her daughter. “It’s not that I don’t love you being here, hon. But…don’t you think Thor is getting lonely? You’ve slept here after work three days in a row.”
She waved her hand dismissively and picked up her tea. “He’s a cat, Mom. I stop by the house every day to make sure he’s okay.” Please don’t ask me about Luke. “I better get ready for work.”
She hopped off the swing and shuffled inside.
Her mom followed. “It’s about that boy, isn’t it? Did he break up with you?”
She groaned. “He’s not a boy; he’s a grown man, and he didn’t break up with me. He’s been busy.”
“Have you tried calling him?”
“No, and I’m not going to. If he wants to see me again, he’ll call me.” And if he didn’t, that was fine too. That’s what she’d keep telling herself, anyway. It was her own fault for letting him in. For getting close. She’d ignored all the warnings her logical mind had thrown at her, and look where it had landed her. Missing him. She could hold on to the hope that he’d call for a few more days, but then what? Admit that yet another person she cared about had abandoned her? That she wasn’t worthy of love?
Her mom rubbed her hand on Macey’s back. “Men are complicated creatures. I won’t even pretend to understand them. But there are other fish in the sea, right? Someone better will come along.”
“I don’t want another fish. I want Luke.”
Luke sulked into O’Malley’s and slid onto a barstool. He needed to get his shit together. The demon activity had been quiet the past few days, so there wasn’t much to distract him from his thoughts. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Macey’s face. He’d purposely spent the last three days away from her to appease his pack. They needed the reassurance that he wouldn’t let them down…that he would be the next alpha…but, damn it, why did he have to hurt Macey in the process?
His fingers itched with the desire to dial her number every time he looked at his phone. But as soon as he heard her melodic voice, he’d have to see her again. He wouldn’t be able to help himself. What the hell was he going to do?
Chase slid him a beer, and Luke gulped it down. His mom would lecture him about daytime drinking, but he’d say it was her fault for raising him in a bar. Besides, it was the only thing that dulled the pain in his heart. His folks would be home in a few days, and the pressure to find a mate would pick up again. His dad’s retirement would happen on the next full moon, but did it have to be at the cost of Luke’s happiness?
“Slow day at the office?” Chase asked.
“You could say that.” He should’ve been on site, helping his team, but he couldn’t focus on anything but figuring out a way to make Macey his mate.
“What did you decide to do about your detective?”
Luke laid his palms flat on the bar and stared at his fingers. Only days ago, those fingers had caressed her supple body, twisted in her silky hair. They tingled with the memories. “I’m thinking about petitioning the council.” They probably had more knowledge on the issue of weres mating with other magical beings. But a no from the council would be a conclusive no, and he wasn’t sure he could handle something so final. At the moment, he at least had a shred of hope that his dad would change his mind.
Chase arched an eyebrow. “You sure you want to go over your old man’s head? The pack bond’s already volatile.”
He closed his eyes and let out a low growl. “You’re right. Even if they approved her as my mate, I’d lose the pack’s trust if I disobeyed the alpha. I’ll either make him change his mind or I’ll have to break it off with her.” His chest ached at the thought.
“I’m sorry, man.”
“My duty to the pack comes first.”
Stephen stepped through the office door and strutted to the bar. “It’s about time you acted like an alpha. I was starting to think you wanted to be second the rest of your life.”
Luke squeezed his hands into fists. “Don’t start with me.”
“Seriously, though, cuz. I’m sorry you couldn’t make it work with your human. It would’ve been nice to have a cop on our side.”
“What cop?” Alexis asked as she entered the bar, followed by a couple of Luke’s employees. “What are you talking about?”
Damn it. Who else was going to eavesdrop on this conversation? He should’ve kept his mouth shut. Now the whole pack was in his personal business. Alexis was out of line questioning her superior like that. Being a rogue was no excuse for not following pack rules. The two workers sat at a table in the back, but Alexis lingered by the bar, waiting for an answer. When he didn’t give her one, she glared at him before shifting her gaze to his cousin. What the hell was her problem?
Stephen wiggled his eyebrows and grinned. “Our soon-to-be alpha is going to stop screwing the detective.” He leaned on the bar, resting his chin on his hand to feign interest. “How are we ever going to keep her off our trail now?”
A low growl resonated from Luke’s chest, warning his cousin to back off. He didn’t need this kind of disrespect. Especially in front of a rogue.
“You’ve really been screwing Macey?” Alexis sounded incredulous.
Luke turned to face her. “How I run my pack is not your concern, rogue.”
She bristled. “It is when you’re hurting innocent people. You can’t use a woman, lead her on like that, to serve your pack’s purpose.” She spat the word pack in disgust. “Macey has feelings. She’s not some pawn in your demon hunting game.”
Luke rose to his feet, straightening to his full height. “You’re a rogue. Why do you care so much about what happens in my pack?”
“I don’t care about your pack. I care about my sister.” Her eyes flashed like she’d said more than she intended, but she set her jaw and gave him a challenging look.
“You…” He stammered, squeezing his eyes shut, clutching the edge of the bar to steady himself. His chest tightened, and he had to remind himself to breathe. Did he hear her right? “Macey is your sister?” His voice came out as a raspy whisper.
Alexis raised her chin. “Yes, she is.”
Luke turned to Chase, who raised his eyebrows. If Macey was Alexis’s sister, that meant she was…
“She’s your biological sister? You have the same parents? The same blood?”
She crossed her arms. “That’s generally what ‘sister’ means.”
“Looks like we finally got our man on the inside,” Stephen grumbled under his breath.
“Goddammit!” Luke pointed a finger at Alexis. “Stay here until I get back. I’m not done with you.”
He stormed out of the bar an
d stopped on the sidewalk, resting his hand against the wall, heaving heavy breaths as his eyes adjusted to the blinding sunlight.
Macey was a werewolf.
Why hadn’t he made the connection before? She’d told him she had an older sister. Macey had powers like other second-born weres. Hell, he’d even detected a hint of werewolf in her energy the first time he’d touched her, but he’d dismissed it—his ego insisting no werewolf could live in the Quarter without his knowledge. How could he have been so stupid? It made so much sense when he pieced it all together. Alexis was the sister who’d abandoned her in foster care.
He had to talk to Macey. He could make things right.
He jogged up St. Philip Street and made a left on Burgundy. He’d knock on her door and tell her everything. They could be together. Elation filled his heart, inflating his chest with joy. It was two in the afternoon. Would Macey be up? He’d wake her if she wasn’t. This was too important to wait.
He lifted his face to the cloudless sky, letting the sunlight warm his skin as he trotted along the sidewalk. The answer to all his problems had come to him in the form of a cumbersome rogue. Who would’ve thought?
He chuckled as he rounded the corner, but the bookcase he plowed into cut his laugh short. He grunted as his knee made contact with the edge of the shelf, shooting stinging pain down his shin, and he knelt to pick up the second-hand novels he’d scattered on the sidewalk. The store clerk stepped outside, and he smiled at her as he returned the last book to the case and continued on his way. Nothing would spoil his mood today.
He could finally fulfill his duty as alpha and spend the rest of his life with his fate-bound mate.
But would Macey still want him after he’d blown her off? His run slowed to a walk. Would she be willing to open her heart to him after the way he’d acted? He had to find out. He’d beg if he had to.
He bounded up her front steps and pounded on the door. “Macey? Macey, it’s Luke. Open up please.” The seconds ticked by into an eternity as he waited for her to answer. He knocked again. Please be home. He held his breath as the lock rattled and the door cracked open.
Werewolves Only Page 14
