by Fawn Atondo
Yet it was not Flint who came back in, but Ella. Which did have Falyn worried. Why was she putting her nose into Falyn’s business? Flint was the Alpha of the pack so Ella had no place to keep him from what he wanted – or who.
“Falyn, we need to talk,” Ella said.
“Where’s Flint?”
“He went to join the others,” Ella told her calmly.
“Why are you putting yourself in between us, Ella?”
“Because you can’t be his mate, Falyn. You could bring death to this pack.”
“What do you mean?” Falyn demanded.
“You told me you have been a werewolf since you were little. You were found as a pup, right?” Ella inquired gently.
Falyn felt the blood leave her face. Of course, how could she forget the stupid rules! They were thinking she was born a wolf, meaning she was either a pure blood or a half breed!
“I could have been bitten as a babe, you don’t know!”
“I do know, Falyn, that if you had been bitten as a babe, you would have died.” Ella assured her.
The words sank in: she was a pure blood or a half breed, not a bitten wolf. She could not be Flint’s mate. Clearly he was not going to fight the issue. After all, rules were rules.
So, without so much as a goodbye, Falyn left the pack house, never looking back. She had no idea what everyone was up to and she never let herself think about what ifs.
Instead she used her wolf gift of tracking to make ends meet to avoid being at the mercy of anyone’s rules! In her reasoning, how would some in the Lycan court learn she had slept with someone outside the code zone? They couldn’t, Falyn was sure, so she figured there was no need stressing over the whole werewolf code thing any longer.
Now here she was at nineteen and still had not found anyone worth giving herself to. She had worked jobs with all kinds of supernatural beings; she even ran into a few very good looking ones. She had no clue what some of them really where but there had been a few that had been insanely tall and muscular, reminding her of Greek gods! Yet none of them seemed right, so she had given up trying to make a connection. Anything to do with romance and the immortal world just didn’t seem to be for her.
Instead, she focused on work, lingering between the human and the supernatural without being really a part of either.
Falyn sat down at her laptop and screened her email for more work. She’d had a busy week but most of her current cases were finished.
There was one email in her inbox. She read it with her normal blasé attitude. The man’s name was Alex Rave, he was seeking info on a missing child. It had happened years ago however he was hoping her talent could shed some light on the issue. He would meet her when and where she chose.
He didn’t state he was supernatural, it was what most supernatural knew to do, so she figured he had to be among the human world. A missing child was an easy enough task to take on. She emailed him back.
“Meet at Libs diner at ten a.m. tomorrow, bring something that belonged to the missing, 10,000 dollars cash.”
She hit send before heating up some noodles from yesterday while she waited for Mr. Rave to answer back. In less than ten minutes she got a reply.
“Tomorrow at ten and I’ll have your payment.”
It was to the point, just how Falyn liked it.
The next morning she waited in her normal booth, coffee in hand, watching the people coming in, trying to guess which one would be her Mr. Rave. When a tall man entered with dark hair, eyes so deep blue she was amazed by their color, even from across the room, she had a feeling he was going to be her next client. Call it a gut feeling, but she was rather good at figuring out these kinds of things.
Sure enough, Mr. Blue Eyes did come over to her booth. Why he was looking her over, Falyn saw a flash of something flare to life in those cobalt eyes.
“Falyn?” he asked her with a small smirk.
“Yes. I assume you are Mr. Rave?” she replied.
“You would be right. Thank you for agreeing to help me, or rather my boss,” he said with another flash of perfect white teeth.
“If you can pay my fee, then I am willing to do the work,” Falyn told him with her first smile.
She didn’t miss the fact that her smile stopped him cold, but she went on like she had not noticed as she asked him about the missing child.
Alex ordered coffee and a muffin before telling her about her assignment.
“I work as a sort of bounty hunter for hire but usually on dangerous cases,”
“Um, does this child pose a dangerous threat, Mr. Rave?” Her humor was clear.
“No, not the child herself. However, she would no longer still be a child, she’d be an adult now. But no, it is the fact that I won’t be the only one looking for her that makes it dangerous.” His voice held an edge that made her skin tingle.
“I’m having a hard time painting the picture of why you need me then, Mr. Rave?” Falyn felt herself growing more annoyed by the second. If this man didn’t need her, why was he wasting her time and his money?
“The girl is in danger. The less others know of her, the better. I could seek her out myself, but the cost of my method would be too high a risk to her, so that is where your talent comes in. I was told you can find someone without much info on them.” He once more flashed a smile, this one more blade-like than the others.
Falyn studied the man across from her. Somewhere deep inside her she knew that she was going to give into him. Maybe in more ways than one! The idea struck her with a rush of embarrassment as she met his eyes.
“You’re turning a little red,” he observed with a lifted eyebrow.
Falyn felt herself blush even more before dismissing it. Forcing herself to get back to business with a good mental shake, she was once more in control of her emotions.
“Sorry, must be getting warm in here.” She gave a shrug of her shoulders.
He didn’t point out it was the middle of winter and the diner was more like an ice box than anyone would like it to be.
“Do you have something of the girl’s with you?” Falyn asked.
“I do, here.” Alex handed a small leather band to her.
When her hand covered the anklet, she felt a jolt like she always did when she touched something, then a few fuzzy flashes. She was quick to place it in her pocket so it was no longer touching her skin.
“Now, where do we go from here?” Alex asked her.
“I need to go to where the girl was last known to be,” Falyn told him.
“The Oregon Coast so it’ll be a long drive,” Alex said, rubbing his hand through his thick black hair.
“A long drive is fine with me, if you have the time,” Falyn assured him.
Falyn would have gone on the trip even if he’d said the last place was New York, because right now all she wanted to do was be around this handsome stranger.
“My time right now belongs to this case, so I’m ready” he told her with another one of his smiles.
“If you really want to pay me to do your job…” Falyn presumed.
“I can’t finish this job without your skills, Falyn, not without putting the girl at risk.”
His words washed over her, bringing another burn to her cheeks.
Falyn hoped she didn’t look too awestruck. She hesitated for two seconds before asking him to follow her home. She never normally let a client come home with her as she usually tried her best to keep them as far from her personal life as she could. However, she needed to check her email and pack her things before they set off.
“Okay, lead the way,” Tall, Dark and Handsome said as they paid their tab.
Falyn knew she was taking a risk letting him come into her home, she did prided herself on being a great judge of people however. Besides, she hadn’t picked up a bad vibe from him. Lusting after him might be missing with her common sense’s however.
She pushed her lack of judgment out of her mind.
/> Back home, she sat Alex down on the sofa while she checked her computer. There were two new emails in her inbox. But as she glanced down at them, she felt a rush of fear run down her spine.
“I’m looking for a missing girl. Willing to pay whatever it takes to find her.”
Falyn glanced back at Alex Rave. Biting her bottom lip, she wondered what the hell was going on. This was from a man named Bale, not from a Mr. Rave, but the words stood out: missing girl.
The next email really sent her over the edge as it too was seeking help in finding a missing girl, but it did not say anything else or even give a name.
Falyn felt she should get to the bottom of this puzzle. Were all these inquiries about the same person? Should she tell Alex about it? No, she had no idea if it was the same girl, so instead she replied to both people telling them she was busy with a case but would let them know when she was free. She hit send. Pushing the strange feelings the emails had caused a side for now.
“Shall we take your wheels, Mr. Rave?” Falyn asked, hurrying into her room to pack an overnight bag.
“Yes,” she heard him say. “And since we’re going to be traveling together, shouldn’t we go by first names?”
His question had her belly doing flips.
“Yeah of course… Alex,” she called back.
“Thanks, Falyn.” His voice came from behind her.
Turning, she saw him standing in her doorway with that odd look in his eyes once more. The buzzing of his cell ruined the moment.
He walked out into her living room to take the call while she scurried to the bathroom to pack her toothbrush and some girly goodies.
A short half an hour later they were on the freeway leaving Portland for the Oregon coast. Falyn’s mind was reeling with more than the case; it was reeling with heated thoughts about her new client as he sat next to her.
With a long sigh she turned to look out the window at the fading daylight, wondering what she was getting into this time.
Chapter Two: Siren Call
Alex was doing his best to keep his eyes on the road ahead as he drove down the dark lanes running along the coastline, but he was having a hard time keeping them off the girl sleeping next to him.
Something about her was far more alluring then he liked. After all, she was working for him and he never mixed business with pleasure. Yet her skin, though not too fair, seemed washed out with the darkness of her hair.
Still, she was stunning. Her eyes were sexy as hell. It was too much of a draw to not look into them when she talked. Normally he was a fan of green but he now found himself liking brown instead.
Shaking his head, he once more tried to push the thoughts of the girl out of his mind. He was failing badly because every time she stirred in her seat, his eyes flew to her. She must be brave because here she was in a stranger’s car but she never showed a hint of worry about it.
Who was this small girl? Why was she making him so crazy after a mere five hours in her presence? He should have been able to drive the whole night, but he was finding it too hard with his thoughts full of the job and Falyn. He kept weaving over the white line.
While a crash would do nothing to him, it could very well kill her so he pulled over on the shoulder. The spot overlooked the ocean which was lit only by the light of a full moon.
He leaned his seat back, closed his eyes and tried to figure out what he was going to do when he found the missing girl. If they found her, now an adult, it would probably be hard to get her to happily leave with him. He would have to use force.
Reason why his employer had hired him in the first place. He’d made Alex aware others would be seeking her, now that the knowledge about her birth was out. While he tried to avoid the jobs with questionable morals, Alex was sure this girl would be safe with her own father.
A loud groan made his eyes fly open. He sat up, looking over at his passenger who was still sleeping but softly moaning now. It did things to him he was not proud of. He was a grown man, so how could one small, very young woman make him so insane?
Alex noticed a lock of dark hair falling down her face. He moved forward to touch it. As he pushed back the black hair, the whole mass slipped back. She was wearing a wig?
“What the hell?” he muttered.
He stared at the cascade of blonde hair falling around her face. It was knotted in a lose bun at the nape of her neck.
Alex was dumbfounded. How did she get all her hair under a wig in the first place? More pressing, why was she wearing a wig at all? He tossed the wig onto the back seat before once more staring at Falyn. The blonde hair went better with her skin tone, yet he somehow felt annoyed because it made her even more pretty.
Pretty was not even the word: she was breathtaking, like a sleeping goddess. He was just about to give up looking at her, when she shifted toward him, laying her head on his chest. The feeling that swept over him made him tense like a bow. He sat there for what felt like hours, not moving because he did not want her to turn back the other way.
Then she really sent him over the edge when she whispered in her sleep.
“Alex.”
He closed his eyes, swearing softly, as he did his best to forget the woman on his chest for the rest of the night.
Alex eventually felt her move away from him as the sun came up. He knew she was awake when he heard her string of cuss words.
“Where is it?” she muttered, messing with her hair.
“You mean that hideous wig?” Alex asked, stretching. She turned to glare at him. “I tossed it on the back seat after it fell off your head last night,” Alex told her with a grin.
The blush which graced her cheeks was amusing as hell.
“Well, I guess the jig’s up. Might as well leave it back there then!” she snapped.
“Trust me, you’re better without it!” He winked at her.
She gave a tight smile as she dug through her bag for a brush for her insanely long hair. It hung to her hips. Seeing this he felt like someone had punched him in the gut.
She turned to him, face framed in loose blonde curls.
“Mind telling me why you wear a wig?” Alex asked. It was bugging him to no end.
“See all this blonde hair?” she asked him, holding up a lock.
He simply nodded yes.
“See these dark eyes and the otherwise dark features I have?” She gestured toward her face.
“Yeah, and…?”
“They don’t really go well together and that makes me too conspicuous. I stand out everywhere I go. Something I would rather not do,” she explained.
Alex didn’t say anything; he just stared at her, taking note of her fair hair paired with her dark exotic eyes. She was right – if he’d seen her in passing, he would surely remember her.
“You ready to get going?” she asked as she put the brush back before pulling her shirt off over her head.
“You have got to be kidding me!” Alex heard himself stutter out loud.
“Excuse me?” she asked, pulling a soft grey sweater on.
“You needed to do that now, with me here?”
She laughed, shaking her head as she put on her seat belt.
“Yeah, it’s cold! Besides, I promise not to take my pants off!” Then she winked, leaving him lost for words.
So, with a shake of his own head, he started the car pulling back onto the road.
She didn’t talk as they drove down the coastal highway. She seemed content to watch the sea pass by them. Yet he was dying to ask what she was. Clearly she must have some kind of gift if she could find people, but he knew some humans had gifts too. Asking her could bring the same question to him, and he was not about to give himself up just to learn more about her, however tempting.
He looked over at her one more time, finding big brown eyes staring right back at him. He gave her a half smile then brought his eyes back to the road. He was sensitive to people’s emotions. He could almost taste them, he co
uld taste lust coming from her.
He fought back a groan as he felt his body come to attention in the knowledge she felt desire for him. It did things to him it shouldn’t. He had a feeling his self-control was about to go out the window.
“How old are you?” she asked him, out of the blue.
She turned to him, waiting for an answer. He was trying to figure out her game even as he answered, “Thirty five.” He didn’t even blink at the lie.
He saw her frown. It seemed being thirty-five made him old! He suppressed his laughter waiting for her to say something else.
“Really? You don’t look that old,” she told him.
“I don’t? Well, that’s good. How old are you? Twenty-six?” He guessed super high, hoping to make her mad.
“Close,” she winked.
“Oh, come on! Close? Not even!”
“I could be!” she argued.
“I would be lucky if you were over sixteen!” he muttered under his breath.
“Then it’s your lucky day because I’m nineteen!” Her tone was seductive now.
“Falyn, are you trying to drive me over the edge?”
“Why, whatever do you mean?” she said with faked innocence.
“You are not fooling anyone with that act,” Alex said, glancing at her.
With a big smile, she turned once more to face the window. He figured their little banter was over.
“Do you plan to stop for a bathroom break or food on this trip? Or should I be prepared to starve and pee myself?” Her tone was joking.
“There is some trail mix in the glove box and I have a jug in the back,” Alex returned.
“Um yeah, but I think pancakes and a restroom are more my speed!” Falyn laughed.
“All right. The next exit, I’m all over it.”
He would be too. Hunger pains where pulling at his gut as well but his meal would not come off a menu. After the night spent in the car with Falyn, he needed some space.
“Hey, I think we’ll set up base camp here since the spot we need is only a few miles down the road.” He found himself wondering how she would feel about this.
