by Jae
“I’m not the crazy one. You almost got stabbed! Isn’t once enough?” She shook Rue as if trying to wake her up. “Let him go. He doesn’t know where Danny is, and we’ll only lose time if we call the police and have him arrested.”
When the large man disappeared around a corner, Rue’s struggles ceased and Kelsey let go. Rue leveled a glare at her and stumbled toward the street, where she hailed a taxi. She got in without looking back, leaving Kelsey behind.
* * *
Kelsey banged her fist against the door to their hotel room, cursing the fact that she didn’t have a key. “Rue? Please, let me in. I brought some ice for your throat.” She heard Rue stomp around the room. “Great Hunter,” she muttered, more to herself. “If this is how you deal with problems, no wonder your relationship with Paula didn’t work out and Danny ran away!”
The door was wrenched open. Rue loomed in the doorway, looking larger than life. “What did you just say?” Her eyes narrowed like those of a sharpshooter about to fire a deadly shot.
Kelsey froze, fist still suspended in midair. Damn. For a human, her hearing is fantastic. She dropped her gaze to the floor and pressed herself against the doorjamb. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.”
“Oh, yeah? Then why did you say it?” Rue’s gaze stayed hard.
Kelsey handed Rue the bucket of ice, squeezed past Rue, and closed the door behind her. For a moment, she considered slinking away to the bathroom and letting Rue calm down on her own. Her whole life, she had disliked confrontations. But she knew Rue would pace back and forth in front of the bathroom door and pounce on her the moment she stepped out. They needed to settle this once and for all. “You should have waited for me to catch up before you tackled him,” she said as calmly as possible.
“And let him get away?” Rue slung her arms around the bucket, erecting a firm barrier between them.
An image of the man’s blade slashing through the air flashed through Kelsey’s mind. She saw Rue fall and bleed out like the boy in the morgue, and she hugged her arms to her chest to stave off a bone-deep chill. “Better than getting yourself killed.”
“I didn’t get killed. He kicked me. That’s all.”
“Yeah, because I got there just in time to prevent it. Which was why I told you to wait in the first place. I’m a trained soldier, and you’re not. Why can’t you just admit for once that you need my help?” Kelsey’s voice became louder. “My brother died because he thought he could handle everything alone, and now you pull the same macho crap!”
Rue clutched the bucket with the ice as if she had to hold herself back from grabbing or even hitting Kelsey. “I’m not a fucking macho! And I’m not your brother!”
Hurt sliced through Kelsey, but she tried not to let it show. She focused on her growing anger instead. “You sure act that way—jumping in feet-first without considering the consequences for yourself or anyone else!”
“The only thing to consider is finding Danny! You don’t understand. I’m his mother, dammit!”
“And I’m his aunt, but you don’t see me taking stupid risks!” One second later, Kelsey’s brain caught up with her mouth. Shock doused her anger. She dug her teeth into her lower lip. Oh, shit. Did I really say that?
Judging from Rue’s wide-eyed stare, she had.
They stood frozen and stared at each other.
“What?” Rue said, her voice a toneless whisper.
“I said I could be his aunt. He’s at the right age to be my nephew, and—”
“No.” Rue took one long step, right into Kelsey’s personal space. “That’s not what you said. Tell me what’s going on. Now!”
Kelsey was sick of the lies and the silence. She had longed to tell Rue the truth for some time, and now it nearly burst out of her. “I’m Danny’s aunt. He’s my brother’s son.”
“Your brother’s son,” Rue repeated as if she needed to let the words sink in.
Kelsey nodded. “I know it’s a lot to take in, but it’s the truth.” She could hardly believe it herself.
Rue’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Then your brother abandoned him?”
“No! No, it wasn’t like that. Franklin...Danny was in the car with us the night Garrick and his wife died. We thought that Danny had died too.”
“And now that you know he’s alive, your family sent you to kidnap Danny away from me.” Rue stepped closer with every word, now only inches away from Kelsey. Her chest heaved, and hot breath hit Kelsey’s face.
“No. No, that’s not...” Kelsey trailed off. Her gaze flickered away from Rue. She had been sent to kidnap Danny, but not for the reasons Rue thought. “My family doesn’t know who Danny is. I only just figured it out.”
The scent of primal emotions—possessiveness, fear, and betrayal—wafted up from Rue, making Kelsey’s head spin. Rue stared at her, her eyes narrowed to slivers of blue ice. “Do you really expect me to believe it was just one big coincidence that brought you to North Carolina?”
Wrasa philosophy taught that there were no coincidences. It had been Jorie’s dream vision that had sent her to Rue’s home. “It wasn’t a coincidence, but I really didn’t know. I thought I would protect a young Wrasa from a human out to hurt him. But then I met you and Danny, and everything changed.”
“I won’t let you take Danny away from me!” Rue flung the bucket of ice Kelsey had brought her as a peace offering against the wall. Crushed ice flew everywhere. Rue’s hands shot out and grabbed Kelsey’s collar. They were so close now that her body heat mingled with Kelsey’s. “Do you hear me?”
Kelsey hung helplessly in Rue’s grip. She felt as if she were pulled into the gravity of Rue’s body. Her skin tingled with Rue’s closeness and the scent of anger, hurt, and determination emanating from her. “I-I only want what’s best for him.”
“Oh, yeah? And you think that’s living with a bunch of bloodthirsty werewolves?”
Her instincts screamed at Kelsey to duck her head and submit, but for once, she ignored them. She lifted her head, met Rue’s gaze, and allowed the tumble of emotions of the last few days to transform into anger. “It’s not like you have been doing such a good job with Danny.”
Rue’s grip on her collar tightened.
Kelsey put her hands on Rue’s shoulders to keep her balance. Heat seeped into her palms even through the fabric of Rue’s shirt. “You spend your time at work to avoid facing your failures at home. I bet you haven’t had one meaningful conversation with Danny in the last two years!”
Rue flinched as if Kelsey had hit her. Her hands flexed on Kelsey’s collar and jerked Kelsey even closer.
Their bodies collided, heat mingling. Rue’s ocean-and-pine scent washed over Kelsey and nearly swept her off her feet.
They both paused and stared at each other.
Kelsey swallowed. She took in Rue’s heaving chest, her flushed face, and the blue eyes burning with intensity. She licked her lips. “Rue, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said—”
“Shut up!” With a groan of desperation, Rue yanked Kelsey’s head toward her. Then Rue’s mouth found Kelsey’s lips.
For a moment, Kelsey froze, but Rue’s lips melted her hesitation. All thoughts gone, Kelsey returned the kiss. She slid her hands around Rue’s shoulders and wove her fingers through golden hair, eager to touch Rue, to be closer and lose herself in Rue and forget everything else for a while.
One of Rue’s boots hit the wall. The other one thumped against the door. Her jeans followed. Rue wrenched her lips away from Kelsey’s to strip Kelsey out of her coat and jerk the sweatshirt over her head.
Kelsey shivered as she lost contact with Rue’s body.
Then Rue’s mouth was back, licking and nipping along her neck, trailing kisses down her chest. Through the thin fabric of Kelsey’s bra, she scraped her teeth over one of Kelsey’s nipples.
Pleasure shot through Kelsey’s body. Oh, Great Hunter! What’s happening? Her knees weakened, and she slid her hands beneath Rue’s shirt and clutched her back.
; Rue pulled her closer and reached around her. She unhooked Kelsey’s bra with impatient fingers. When the material fell away, Rue cupped one breast while her other hand tangled in Kelsey’s hair.
Kelsey moaned. She pressed her face against Rue’s neck and breathed in deeply. The scent of Rue’s hair, her skin, the rich scent of her arousal made her blood burn.
When Rue raked callused fingers over her erect nipple, Kelsey bit down. The taste of Rue’s sweat-dampened skin made her head spin with the need to taste more, feel more.
Rue groaned.
An answering growl echoed in Kelsey’s throat. Careful. Don’t hurt her. She forced herself to unclamp her teeth and pressed a soothing kiss to Rue’s neck.
The other woman didn’t seem to feel any pain. With insistent pressure, she walked Kelsey backward until the backs of Kelsey’s knees hit the bed and she toppled over onto the mattress.
Kelsey felt a soft touch on her ankles and weakly lifted her head to see Rue strip off her shoes and socks. Then Rue slid her hands up Kelsey’s calves, her touch a strange mix of rough possessiveness and gentle affection. Rue’s hands on her thighs made Kelsey tremble.
Rue knelt between Kelsey’s open legs and lifted her hands away to open the top button on Kelsey’s jeans. With her hands on Kelsey’s fly, she paused and looked at Kelsey, her gaze hazy with passion.
Eager to feel her skin against Rue’s, Kelsey pulled down the zipper herself. The rasping of the zipper sounded unusually loud in Kelsey’s ears. What are we doing? She’s human, and we were shouting at each other a minute ago.
But when Rue slid her hands up her thighs, none of that mattered. Rue’s passion was as powerful and as intense as everything else about her. It swept over Kelsey like a river, and she stopped fighting and let it carry her away.
Rue grabbed the pant legs and pulled.
Kelsey’s hips arched, allowing Rue to strip off her jeans and underwear.
In one quick motion, Rue pulled her own shirt over her head.
Kelsey stared up at her. Her hungry gaze took in Rue’s firm breasts, pale skin, and leanly muscled arms. Want, her wolf side growled. She moved to the middle of the bed to make room for Rue.
Rue slid her panties off long legs, put her hands to both sides of Kelsey’s body, and lowered herself.
Her skin felt cool against Kelsey’s own, but still it increased the heat rushing through Kelsey’s body. Her eyes fluttered shut. She ducked her head against Rue’s damp shoulder and breathed in deeply.
The calluses on Rue’s hand rasped along the sensitive skin of Kelsey’s belly, then wandered down, leaving behind a trail of goose bumps. At the first touch of Rue’s fingers against her wetness, Kelsey drew in a ragged breath and raked her nails along Rue’s shoulder blades and down her back until she clutched her backside.
Rue moaned.
Nearly drunk on the sounds, sight, and scent of Rue, Kelsey tried to pull her closer. Now, now!
But Rue resisted and continued to set the pace. Her dominance was a powerful aphrodisiac. She teased for a few more moments and then moved her fingers lower.
“Oh! Oh, yes!” Kelsey clutched at the sheets as Rue filled her body, her mind, her senses. She strained against Rue, wild and fast, her muscles quivering already. Unrecognizable sounds fell from her lips.
Rue ducked her head and flicked her tongue across Kelsey’s nipple.
Kelsey surged up and then froze as she surrendered to the sensations coursing through her body. Her breathing caught. Rue’s moans dimmed as the world around Kelsey ceased to exist. Her teeth closed on Rue’s shoulder as pleasure shot through her.
Slowly, her senses returned. The first thing she took in was the aroma of their mingling desire. As soon as she could move again, she rolled them over until she was on top.
Rue looked up at her without smiling, her expression intense and hungry.
Kelsey felt the same hunger. She wanted to touch Rue everywhere, feel everything all at once, but she forced herself to slow down and savor every second, knowing she’d never get another chance. She shoved the thought away and focused just on this magical moment.
A fine sheen of sweat gleamed on Rue’s skin, making it look like alabaster. Kelsey kissed along Rue’s tan lines, raked her teeth over Rue’s biceps, and then nipped along her breastbone. The racing heartbeat beneath her lips made her own heart pound.
Rue groaned. Her chest heaved, and she threaded her fingers through Kelsey’s hair, guiding her to one breast.
Kelsey licked the underside of Rue’s breast and then nosed and nibbled and explored, enjoying the way Rue’s nipple hardened beneath her lips. The taste of Rue’s skin and the sounds she could draw from Rue were like a powerful drug. Sucking, biting, and licking, Kelsey made her way down.
Rue writhed beneath her and covered her eyes with one arm.
Crawling down the bed, Kelsey slid her hands down Rue’s thighs and felt the muscles flex beneath her touch. Her nostrils flared as she breathed in Rue’s musky scent. She dipped her head and got lost in Rue.
Rue’s hands found their way back into Kelsey’s hair, pulling her closer, guiding her to the spot where Rue wanted her most.
Kelsey followed Rue’s directions eagerly. She clutched Rue’s hips as Rue bucked and arched beneath her. Rue’s gasps and moans sent shivers down Kelsey’s body.
A slight tremor started in the legs clamped around Kelsey’s head. Rue’s fingers tightened in her hair, spurring her on. One moment later, Rue let go and grabbed hold of the sheets instead. She surged against Kelsey once more, and her legs tightened. Then she fell back on the bed, her body shaking and quivering.
Kelsey lay still, staying in her cocoon for as long as Rue would allow her. She breathed in Rue’s dizzying scent and gently stroked her hips and thighs.
Finally, she felt Rue’s hands on her shoulders, pulling her up.
Almost reluctantly, Kelsey crawled up the bed and settled next to Rue.
Their gazes locked.
Kelsey tried to read Rue’s expression, but the only thing she could make out in the flushed face was the same dazed confusion she felt. With the scent of their desire filling the room, Kelsey couldn’t smell what Rue was feeling.
After staring at Kelsey for a few seconds longer, Rue rolled over and lay with her back toward Kelsey.
Kelsey squeezed her eyes shut. She felt like a junkie coming down from an incredible high. The withdrawal pains were starting already.
Chapter 43
People crowded Danny from all sides. He veered to the left, trying to escape the crowd and the smells slamming into him, but there were more people striding down the street. The smells seemed to get stronger with every step he took. Sweat ran down his back as his body temperature rose.
Where am I? Normally, he prided himself on his sense of orientation, but now everything had changed. Nothing looked familiar anymore, as if he had awakened in a slightly distorted world.
Steam wafted up.
He glanced down and realized he wasn’t walking across firm ground but a giant metal grate in the street.
Heat flashed through him. Out, out. He wanted out of this jungle of steel and concrete.
His sneaker caught on something. He crashed into another pedestrian. Pain flared through him as he scraped his nose on the stranger’s backpack.
The man shouted something Danny didn’t understand. The man’s lips blurred before his eyes.
Danny growled and hurried away, wiping sweat off his brow.
The flashing lights of an ambulance stopping in front of a building caught his attention. Could those people help him? Carefully, he walked closer.
Biting smells of disinfectant, panic, and sickness wafted across the parking lot.
Danny whirled around, ready to flee.
Two men in scrubs stopped him. One of them said something and pointed at the front entrance of the scary building.
Danny wildly shook his head. He walked past the men.
Strong hands gripped Danny and dragged h
im toward the terrifying smells.
Panic shot through him. He struggled, kicked, and shouted, but the more he fought, the harder the men held on.
They pulled his arms behind his back and half-carried him through the entrance.
No, no. Not in there. No!
Artificial light hurt his eyes. The dizzying stink of paranoia wafted through a closed door.
Danny increased his struggles. “No! No!” he shouted. Or maybe he wasn’t shouting anymore. He couldn’t tell whether his hoarse voice had given out on him. He dug in his heels. When he looked down, he expected to see claws dig into soft earth, but instead, his sneakers left black scuffmarks on the tile floor that stank of disinfectants.
The itching of his skin became a piercing ache. Something moved inside of him, as if his bones were preparing to rearrange. Hurts! What’s happening?
Then another set of hands touched his burning skin. The fingers were cool and gentle and accompanied by a soothing jasmine fragrance.
He looked into the dark eyes of a woman. Dimples formed on her cheeks when she smiled at him.
A second woman shouldered one of the men aside. Something about the way she tucked a strand of light brown hair behind one ear reminded him of Kelsey. He longed to be home. Home, where the air smelled of the pine trees, good food, and Rue, not of sweat, urine, and madness.
At least the woman didn’t offend his nose. A hint of jasmine clung to her clothes too, but beneath it...
Danny stared at her. As he breathed in, the image of a coyote flashed through his mind. The coyote trotted along a lakeshore next to its shadowy mate. Something about the scene called to him. He yipped with excitement, wanting to run with them. His feet ached in sneakers that felt too tight.
Then the image changed. The coyote slid to a stop and stared at him with quivering flanks.
The woman stared at him too. Slowly, she averted her gaze and said something to the two men.
After a short discussion, the men left.
For a moment, Danny could breathe easier as the burning in his body lessened. He let himself be guided to a chair that was bolted to the floor.
