by Dahlia Rose
“I was tracking my mate. Dad scared her, I think.”
“Well that’s a new twist. You mean there is actually a woman out there meant for you? Poor female.”
“Keep joking, Teka, I know a certain coyote that has been dying to get his hands on you. I’m not above calling up my old friend. Bet he would run the distance to get here within the hour.” Jace spun and bent over the desk to meet her glower.
A pink hue rose up her neck tinging her skin. “You wouldn’t.”
“Try me.” He shrugged. Can I get your walkie-talkie?”
“I hate you.” She unclipped the device and tossed it at Jace.
“That’s nothing new.” He lifted the gadget up and pressed the button on the side. “That was not cool, Dad.” Jace set the transmitter down and waited.
“Now you’re baiting the old man. Really, what the hell is your problem?” Teka made a tsking sound through her teeth.
Jace held her gaze. “I’m serious. I met my mate, claimed her, and just watched her run into the desert.”
“Really?” Teka leaned back in her chair and sniffed the air. “You don’t smell any different—well—maybe a little fruity but I figured that was a new soap or something.” She giggled.
The door swung open and Jerimiah strutted in. “You have a problem with me, son?”
Jace rose and stared at his father. “Damn right I do. All you had to do was leave Leticia alone I would have come and got herand instead, as usual, you interfered in my business.”
“You have better things to do than coddle some human woman. You’ve mistaken lust for a mating.” Jerimiah kicked the barrier shut with is heel. “You have the blood of ancient warriors in you. Don’t waste your gift on some inept mortal. You’re better off finding a native woman to sink your dick into.”
“Wow, a human! The elders are going to be pissed,” Teka murmured. “Didn’t they curse the last Thunderbird who took a human mate? Oh shit, dude, you don’t want to end up like Kokomo, forever wandering the earth a god but not one!”
Jace ignored her and squared his shoulders. “This coming from the king of man-whores. Leticia is my mate and there is not a fucking thing you or the old men can do about it.” His voice continued to rise. “Step into the damn twenty-second century.”
“Dad?” Teka’s voice was calm.
“Son, I fought with Geronimo. I have seen the destruction man can wreak. Find a woman within your own species, or at least within your own race. One that will understand your struggles.”
“Leticia is black. I think she has a better grasp of my struggles than the average woman would. I’m bringing her back and you will clear the way for me with the elders.” Jace ground his teeth together.
“I was referring to her status as a human. I give less than a damn about her race. She knows nothing about shifters!” Jeremiah yelled. “Or maybe that’s something you need to come to terms with.”
“Go to hell.” Jace stalked toward the door
“Been there. I let your mother have that waterfront property in the divorce.” Jeremiah snorted.
“Uh, Dad?” Teka spoke up.
“What, Teka?” Jeremiah twisted to look at her.
“The crazy corporate guy is back.” She pointed at the screen.
Jerimiah exhaled. “I’ll take care of it.” He glanced at Jace “This isn’t over.” He pushed off the desk and grabbed the knob, swinging the door open. The doorjamb rattled when he slammed the barrier shut.
“Whoo boy, Jace, I swear I thought for a minute there you and the old man was going to come to blows.” She leaned back and set her booted feet on the desk’s surface. “On second thought, that might not be a bad thing. This tribe could use new leadership…maybe someone of the female persuasion.” She rocked in her seat.
“Keep dreaming, Teka. You know your future lies with a coyote rout. One more comment and I will be calling Myer in a matter of minutes.” Jace peered at the screen and watched his father enter the area from the side stopping at behind a suited man. “I warned that Messina guy off. When did he return?”
“You’re not a very effective sheriff, are you?” Teka grumbled. “That asshole was back the next day.”
“Guess I wasn’t clear enough. Once I find Leticia, I’ll swing by his hotel and pay the asshole a visit.”
“You may not have to. Pop’s getting tired of him.”
“I can tell.” Jace lifted his chin to the screen. His dad had the man by the elbow and was escorting him toward the entrance. Jace and Teka watched as Jerimiah crossed the paths of different cameras as they moved from area to area.
“It’s your fault he’s annoyed.” Teka spoke in a singsong tone. “Call Mom. She can probably smooth things over for you.”
“Dad will get over it and calling mom will only make it worse.”
“Be a dumbass. Mom is the one with elder ties. She is the daughter of the last chief and the tribe’s shaman. She would be the one to soothe any ruffled feathers your union might cause.” Teka twinned her fingers and placed her chin on her knuckles. “Sometimes it takes the gentle touch of a woman and not the blunt force of a man to get things done. That’s all I’m saying.”
“We’re not ten, Teka. I can fight my own battles.”
“Little brother, you have yet to learn finesse. You want to handle Dad, bring in the big guns, i.e. Mom.” Teka stared up at him.
“I’ll take care of this just like I handle everything else.” He offered her an indulgent smile. “I may be your little brother but haven’t I always taken care of problematic issues?”
“You have, and I don’t doubt you’ll get this little situation worked out.” She spun her hand around. “But all you and Daddy are going do is butt heads. The two of you are too much alike.”
“You handle casino security, and I will handle tribal law.” Jace bent over and pecked his sister on the cheek. “I’m going to head out. I have a mate to find.”
“Careful, Jace. I listened to the wind this morning. Bad things are on the horizon.”
“Teka, you see omens everywhere.” He winked. “Watch the blackjack table in section twenty-one. The old fella in the Hawaiian shirt is counting cards.” Jace cracked the door and slid through the opening. As he walked around the gaming tables he pulled his cell from his pocket and scrolled through his phone log. He tapped his index finger on the last number.
The call was picked up on the first ring. “Myer.”
“I need a favor.” Jace sidestepped a patron.
“Funny, I want to date Teka. You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours,” Myer growled.
“If you’ve had that flea bath I recommended, then I’ll consider it.”
“Fuck off, you flying pansy.”
“Are you still pissed I took your eye? I left you with the other one so you wouldn’t be blind.” Jace chuckled.
“Payback is a bitch, bird. What do ya want?” Myer laughed.
“The address of one Leticia Washington and a BOLO. If she’s found, I want her detained and me notified. I’ll come pick her up.”
Myer’s whistle pierced the air. “What she do?”
“She’s my mate, she’s human, and she’s running scared.” Jace sighed.
“Damn that’s deep…and a little creepy.” Myer grunted. “I got your back putting the info out on the wire. You’re lucky I like you. Good luck with the claiming.”
“Who needs luck, coyote? I got skills and I want you to know I am slowly wearing Teka down.” Jace pushed through the door to the outside and reached for the sunglasses in his pocket, quickly placing them on as he moved toward the parking lot.
“You also have ego. It will be fun watching you get cut down to size, old buddy.”
“I got this under control.”
“Yeah sure. You’re a bird who has ended up mated to a human and your people are not only secretive but they don’t like strangers. Yeah I’m just going to get me some popcorn, ’cause this show is going to be fucking awesome.” Myer’s voice escalated on
the last word.
“Step out of the eighties, my friend. No one uses awesome anymore. I’ll be hunting low so let me know when or if you get anything.” Jace pulled his truck keys out his back pocket.
“I’ll text you the information. Later, brother.” Myer disconnected the call.
Jace slid the key in the lock and opened the door to climb into the cab. He gazed at the rock cliffs in the distance. Sand and cacti surrounded them. Leticia couldn’t get far. He lifted his head and raised his hand to shade his eyes. The sun was high, and it had to be at least a hundred degrees out. He slammed the door shut and started the engine. His mate shouldn’t be too hard to run down. Jace closed his eyes and tried to sense her. East, she was moving toward town. He put the vehicle in gear and peeled out the parking lot. He’d stop by the station and pick up a patrol car. If necessary, he would lock her ass in the back until she agreed not to run again.
* * * *
Deciding to walk was not one of Lettie’s better ideas. She lifted her arm and wiped the sweat off her face with the sleeve of his shirt. Her clothing clung to her damp form and large dark circles of perspiration were spreading from under her arms. Her tee was cut down the sides so she had to use some of his clothing and her panties had been ruined by Jace the night before so she couldn’t wear them. The thick denim material of her jeans was chaffing her ass cheeks with every step.
Hindsight was always damn twenty-twenty vision. Instead of running out the casino as fast as her legs would go, she should have gone to the leering old man’s office and dialed 911 to report a kidnapping. At the very least she should have called Leo and told him to get his ass there to get her. She had better sense than just walking into the desert without so much as a bottle of water and yet here she was. All that gambling going on at the res, the highway should be packed with cars. She hadn’t seen a single automobile. At this point she would happily climb on the back of a donkey if it would get her home faster. She scratched at the wound the condor had made on her neck. The minute she stepped out of the parking lot it started to itch like crazy. Her luck she caught some sort of avian disease.
Lettie stopped, closed her eyes, and dropped her head back. Please get me out of here. She opened her eyes and spun in a circle to take everything in. Sand as far as she could see. She huffed and resumed walking. It was the birdman’s fault she couldn’t think clearly.
The man was like somebody’s magician when it came to sex. He knew when, where, and just how long to touch her until she found herself begging for release. Her pleading was unnatural in itself, but what he could do with his tongue was absolutely unlawful. She wiped a palm down her face. A slow ache started behind her eye and was quickly transforming into a throbbing pain.
Enough was enough. She halted again and turned toward the mountains in the distance. “If I broke some kind of spiritual law by digging up a few plants on your lands, I am fucking sorry!” She screamed, then realized she cussed. “I apologize for the word fucking too. If you are out there, umm, Great Spirit, just kick my ass off your lands and I will never set foot on the res again. Oh and I didn’t mean ass, I meant butt. As in have a little sympathy for those of us that don’t understand your ways.” Leticia threw her hands up. “To hell with it. If you—whatever you are—can’t handle some foul language from a woman under duress, then you have bigger issues than I to deal with.” She turned toward the road and started hiking.
Within minutes of her tirade a cream-colored sedan pulled up next to her. She bent to peer into the window and met the deep brown gaze of an attractive man. His arm was draped across the back of the passenger seat. A gold watch hung loose around his wrist. The sleeve to his dress shirt was rolled up to the elbow. She gazed up at his face. Toffee-colored locks had deep ruts through them as if he’d finger combed the strands. Stubble covered his top lip and jawline. The window slid down. Blessedly cool air flowed over her face.
He smiled and his face lit up. “What is a beautiful woman doing walking in the desert? I didn’t pass a broken-down vehicle, so where did you come from?”
“Long story that may or may not involve a skewed reality.” She smirked.
“Sounds rather entertaining. My name is Christophe.” He pressed a button and she heard the faint click of locks disengaging. “I don’t suppose you want a ride?”
Lettie straightened and peered at the car from the trunk to front fender, then returned to her position at the window. “I don’t suppose you have an unusual fondness for birds or other desert creatures? Are you a serial killer?”
Christophe cocked a brow. “I am not a big lover of animals, so I think you’re safe. Now if were talking about the occasional cute puppy…well who doesn’t love those? Do you really think I would tell you if I liked to murder people?”
“Good point.” She shrugged. “It was worth a try.” Desperation to get out of the sun was the driving force in her decision to take the ride offered. She yanked on the lever and the door swung open. Lettie slid into the smooth plush seats. She’d survived a romp with a birdman and a trek in the desert. If she was meant to be taken out by a guy in a luxury car, then so be it. “Drop me of anywhere in town. I can get home from there.” She tugged and the door closed with a thump.
“We got another half hour before we are off tribal land. Why don’t you tell me a bit about yourself, starting with your name.” The locks engaged.
Leticia scooted closer to the door. “Leticia, but my friends call me Lettie.”
“It a pleasure to meet you. So, want to fill me in on why you’re strolling down a road in the middle of nowhere?” He drove onto the lane. The window rose, dimming the sun’s rays
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. I’m not sure I would believe me.” Lettie sunk into passenger chair and angled her head so the air conditioner blew directly at her face.
“Maybe one day then. Let’s start with this. Are you single, Lettie?”
“Only my friends call me Lettie and why do you want to know?” She scratched at the bite on her neck as it started to burn. The gentleman next to her was handsome but he wasn’t the sexy Indian that she’d spent the night with and she was reminded of that every time she rubbed her throat.
Christophe voice dropped to a seductive growl. “I’m hoping you’ll consider me one of those fortunate few.”
She leaned toward the window and stared over at him. “You move fast. I think I have more than my fair share of friends.”
“I see something I want, I make no qualms about going after it and you, Leticia, are someone I believe I want to get to know.” He glanced over at her before focusing on the road. “After all, you only live once.”
Where the hell were the crazy men coming from? The air chilled the sweat on her body, she leaned forward and thrust the vent away. The pain of her bite rivaled the returning ache in her head. She gazed out the window at the landscape where one tumbleweed resembled another and the scant bushes all blended together in one continuous row. Leticia took a deep breath and caught a whiff of Christophe’s cologne. Her stomach lurched in response. What was wrong with her? She must be experiencing a touch of heat stroke. The closer they came to the reservation’s lines, the worse she felt.
If she didn’t know any better, she would say that damn Jace did something to her while she slept. If a man could become a bird, and that idea still creeped her out, anything was possible.
“Uh, I changed my mind, would you mind dropping me off at the university?” She needed to do a little research.
“I will on one condition.” He turned off the two-lane road onto the county highway.
She forced a small smile. “I’m listening.”
“Have dinner with me tonight. Meet me at the Strawberry Cactus at eight. I understand that’s the best restaurant in the area.”
“It is, and why should I come? I mean you don’t know anything about me. I could be a mass murderer.” Her curiosity was piqued.
“Because I’m probably the most interesting man you’ve ever met and I
want to hear your story.” His voice took on a seductive tone. “You’re welcome to kill me softly.”
Small buildings popped up along the roadside and a few cars passed them. The smart thing to do would be to get the hell out of town and head back to the East Coast, stay with Leo maybe. She had the distinct feeling she hadn’t seen the last of Jace and knew without a doubt her bedmate from the previous evening was far more fascinating than the man sitting next to her. Then again she never did what she was supposed to and a free meal at the hottest restaurant in town didn’t sound like a bad deal. She swallowed the sense of dread and plastered on a wide grin.
The car rolled to a stop at the curb in front of a building with the architecture of an old European monastery. “I believe this is the school’s entrance.”
“It is.” She gripped the handle and waited. When he pressed the button in the control panel she heard the light snick and eased the door open. “Thanks for the ride and the dinner invitation.”
“Is that a yes I’ll meet you, or a no, you’re sweet but this is a brush-off?” He twisted in his seat and pursed his lips.
She couldn’t help it; she snorted. “You’re funny. Yes I’ll meet you at eight.” Lettie rose out the car and leaned in. “I hope you’re as captivating as you claim, or I’ll make my disappointment known.” She slammed the door shut.
Leticia straightened and spun on her heel to climb the steps that led to the inner grounds and the library. She rubbed the back of her neck trying to alleviate some of the tension emanating from those muscles. Hopefully she could find a picture of the mural she saw at the casino in one of the local history books. That would give her a base to start from. Something happened in the twenty-four hours she spent with Jace on the reservation and she needed to know what.
Perhaps some hallucinogen was in the water or maybe toxic chemicals had been stored in the canyons some time ago. Either way, she wanted to know what the hell was wrong with her, but first she had to find a pay phone and call Leo. Good heavens, she hoped there was still one operating on campus.
