by G. A. Rael
“You’ve really thought all this out, haven’t you?”
He smiled. “I had a bit of help.”
“And Darren agreed to this?”
“It was his idea,” Chase admitted.
“I don’t know what to say…”
“Say you’ll consider it. I can’t stand to see you this way, Jordan.” The sadness in his gaze stopped her from shutting down the idea. It wasn’t a terrible one, even if she did feel guilty for thinking about agreeing to it. The idea of sleeping with more than one man had always been unthinkable to her, but she’d never imagined her heart could be as evenly divided as it was between Darren and Chase. Samael and Hermes already occupied a greater portion of it than she would have liked, but the unfamiliarity with Max and the distance that had come between she and Hermes lately were only adding to her confusion.
“And the others are on board with this?”
Chase smiled knowingly. “Jordan, if you think it’s possible to be around you without leaping at the chance to know you better, you really are naive.”
Her face flushed, and she realized that Chase’s flustering charms had never worn off. Quite the opposite. “If you’re really okay with this…”
“I am,” he said, kissing her. “Consider it a trade. When we go on our honeymoon, I intend to have you all to myself.”
“How are we supposed to honeymoon when we can’t leave the city?”
His eyes twinkled. “Leave that to me. I’ll let you get dressed. Your first date is waiting downstairs.”
“Already?” Jordan cried. “How’d you even know I’d agree to it?”
He stopped in the doorway to wink at her. “I think I know you pretty well by now.”
Jordan waited until he’d closed the door to groan. He did know her, probably better than anyone. Certainly better than he knew himself.
She took a quick shower, deciding her mystery date could wait a few extra minutes since she hadn’t been given proper notice. She hesitated when it came time to get dressed. What exactly did you wear to a date the day after your wedding? She settled on a pair of black jeans and a nice yet simple blue blouse, not wanting to wear anything too romantic. Her date’s identity was as much of a mystery as to where he planned to take her. It wasn’t like they could go out to a local restaurant without drawing unwanted attention and launching the latest town scandal.
When Jordan made her way downstairs, she noticed that the gold car was still in the driveway, along with a motorcycle that certainly didn’t belong to Chase. “What in the…?”
“Well, hail the queen,” Samael said wryly. He was leaning on the railing, blocking her way down from the stairs. To Jordan’s relief, he was wearing one of his usual gray flannels and jeans. Not fine dining attire by a longshot. It looked like he wasn’t taking Chase and Darren’s plan too seriously, either.
“It’s you?” she asked, coming to a stop in front of him. “I still can’t believe you’re going along with this.”
“Hey, your original bodyguards made a decent argument. Can’t say I expected it, but…” He shrugged. “I’m not complaining.”
“Neither am I,” said Max, stepping out from the living room. He was as casually dressed as Samael, even if his mode of dress was more biker than country. He looked damn good in those tattered jeans with a leather jacket that was already zipped up. At least now she knew how the motorcycle belonged to. “Course, I’d rather not share.”
“Then you shouldn’t have lost the coin toss,” Samael said, barely glancing over his shoulder.
“That was a trick coin, you prick,” Max growled. “I thought angels were supposed to have morals.”
“I’ve got plenty of morals. Namely the most important one, which is never lose to a dog.”
“I’m starting to see how fist fight number three happened,” said Jordan.
“We came to a compromise,” Max said grudgingly.
Jordan was strangely relieved. She enjoyed any time she got to spend with Samael, but her recent truce with Max hadn’t done anything to dispel her concerns about working with him. They barely knew each other, and Chase was right. The ritual would be all the more awkward for both of them if they didn’t break the ice somehow. The fact that Samael, whom she already trusted, would be along for the ride, put her at ease. She felt a tinge of guilt for being excited about it.
“While you’re both here, I should apologize for last night. I wish you hadn’t seen all that between me and Hermes.”
“You don’t need to apologize for shit,” said Samael. “I think you went easy on him.”
“Look at that,” Max scoffed. “We agree on something. Anyway, it was a crash course, but I’m a little less confused than I was.”
“After all that? Seriously?” asked Jordan.
“I know how witches are, and I’ve heard plenty of stories about demons,” he said, shrugging. “This whole arrangement makes a hell of a lot more sense if the end goal is breeding.”
“Breeding?” Jordan winced.
“Ignore him. Wolves,” Samael sighed, offering his arm to Jordan. She took it, noticing Max’s death glare.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“She’s riding with me,” said Samael. “No way she’s getting on the back of that toy you built in your garage.”
“It’s a custom Harley! You have any idea how shitty the safety ratings are on the 67’s for that model? Here’s a hint: the NHTSA wasn’t a thing.”
Samael rolled his eyes. “I’m an angel. You don’t think I know how to drive stick?”
“I’m a wolf. She’s a lot safer with me than she is with you.”
“Okay, that’s enough,” Jordan groaned. She’d never imagined that morning would start out refereeing an argument between the two men who’d hated her months ago, especially since said argument was about her safety. “Where are we even going?”
They looked at each other and both said, “It’s a secret.”
“Well, at least you can agree on something,” Jordan muttered, walking over to Max’s bike. It certainly looked sturdy enough, but she’d never actually been on one and the idea of clinging to his back was a bit too intimate for a first date. “I’ll ride over with Sam. I’m already nauseous, so the motion sickness isn’t going to do me any favors.”
“Are you sick?” Max asked, frowning. He sounded genuinely concerned.
“I’m fine,” Jordan assured him. “It’s just nerves with…everything.”
He nodded and a look of understanding crossed his face. “Sure. I’ll meet you guys there, then.” He shot Samael a dirty look as he swung a leg over his bike. “No cheating.”
Jordan watched him drive off as Sam opened the door for her. “What was that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing,” Samael said with a chuckle. “Just hang tight. Won’t be a long drive.”
Samael wasn’t lying about the drive. They’d cut through a rural road that led through the forest and when they came to a stop in the middle of nowhere, Samael got out to grab something out of the trunk.
Before Jordan could open her door to see what he was doing, Max swung it open.
“Shit!” she cried. “You almost gave me a heart attack.”
He grinned unapologetically, offering his hand. His touch was warm, even if it wasn’t as much of a shock as the last time. It looked like her energy was acclimating to his. “Sorry.”
“You don’t look it.”
His only response was a laugh as he led Jordan over to the clearing. She heard the sound of rushing water and felt the moisture in the air. “Are we by a waterfall?”
“Turns out Cold Creek has some decent natural scenery,” Samael said, coming over with a picnic basket in hand. “You picked a shitty spot to turn yourself in.”
Jordan frowned. “Sorry I wasn’t paying attention to ambiance when I planned on handing over my soul. We’re going on a picnic?”
“We figured you wouldn’t want to go anywhere too public,” said Max. “And I know how much you
like wandering around the forest.”
Jordan’s face grew warm. “That was thoughtful.”
“Come on,” Max said, jerking his head for her to follow. Samael laid out a blanket closer to the waterfall and Jordan could feel the wet breeze on her skin. The air was lighter and she breathed a little easier for the first time since…
As soon as her thoughts drifted to Chase’s other half, her mood darkened. She knew from the moment Samael’s eyes met hers that he’d picked up on it, too.
What had she been thinking, going out with a wolf and her would-be guardian angel?
“Something on your mind?”
“Just the end of the world,” said Jordan. It had become her go-to excuse and she felt guilty for the fact that anything else weighed more heavily on her.
“At least now I know why you’re always staring off into space when I see you in town,” Max said, rummaging through the basket. He pulled out three plastic boxes stuffed with a surprisingly delicious-looking array of foods. It even smelled homemade.
“Please tell me you didn’t have your aunt cook for us.”
Max gave her a look. “I’m not that hopeless. I made it myself.”
“Not bad,” Samael said, already digging in.
Max stabbed his hand with a plastic fork. “Do you have any manners?”
“Sure I do. No dogs at the table.”
Before Max could start in on him, Jordan interjected. “So. Max. Tell me about your pack.”
He kept his eyes on the angel for a second before sighing and turning to face Jordan. “It’s pretty much like any other family, except that when we fight, there are usually claw marks.”
“How many siblings do you have?” Darren had mentioned a brother, but that was the extent of what she knew of the Danbridges outside of Lucas and Cindy.
“Four brothers,” Max answered.
Jordan almost choked on her iced tea. “That’s…a lot.”
He chuckled. “What can I say? We’re prolific.”
“Like rabbits,” Samael said, smirking.
Max flipped him off. “Do you have any siblings, Jordan?”
“I did,” she said quietly. “A brother.”
Max and Samael both grew serious. “I’m sorry,” Max said, clearing his throat. “Darren told me about the fire, but not everything. I hope that’s okay.”
“It is,” she said. “I’m relieved, I guess. My brain’s been all over the place, so the more you both know, the better.”
To a certain extent.
“Speaking of family, Darren told me you saw your mother at the wedding,” Samael said, frowning. “What was that all about?”
Now that was one detail Jordan wished he’d kept to himself. “It was nothing. Nothing real, anyway.” She realized Max was watching her curiously, so she added, “I see ghosts sometimes. My mother’s about as pleasant in the afterlife as she was in this one.”
They were both watching her with concern, so she added, “I’m used to it by now. According to Hermes, the ability Darren unlocked was mediumship, and it was bound to get more intense now that we…” She trailed off, wishing she hadn’t started.
“Right,” Sam said awkwardly. “Well, I’m not convinced what you saw was a ghost.”
“What do you mean?”
“You said your mom was the one who tormented you in Paradise, right?”
Jordan hesitated, reluctant to discuss as much in front of Max. She decided that things weren’t going to get any less awkward unless they just dove in, so she nodded. “Yeah. Why?”
The angel hesitated and Jordan could tell he wasn’t looking forward to saying whatever it was he was about to. “I’m just saying, after all the stress you’ve been through, it’s entirely possible she was only there in your own mind.”
Jordan frowned. “I’m not crazy.”
“Of course not. I never said that, but you’ve been through shit that would make anyone else throw in the towel,” he argued. “Weddings are enough to make some people crack. All I’m saying is that it would be understandable if you —”
“Well, I’m not, so let’s just drop it, okay?” She regretted her tone immediately, but she couldn’t bring herself to take it back.
“Sure,” Samael said. The fact that he seemed more worried than hurt just made it worse.
Max watched them anxiously and Jordan was surprised he wasn’t jumping at the chance to get a leg up on the competition. Then again, she wasn’t sure why he was willing to participate in the first place.
“Hey, I’ve got an idea,” he announced. “Anybody feel like a race?”
“A race?” asked Jordan. Samael looked just as doubtful.
“Yeah. You’ve got wings, I’m the top predator in the country,” Max said, grinning. “Unless you’re scared to lose.”
Samael snorted. “Please.”
“Okay, then.” Max stood, shrugging out of his jacket. “From here to the mountain peak.”
Samael followed his gaze to the green peak in the distance. “You’re serious?” he asked, even though he was already standing.
“We could make it interesting,” Max offered, a devilish glint in his eyes. “Whoever wins spends the rest of the day with Jordan. Alone.”
The angel raised an eyebrow. “You’re on.”
“Uh, hello? I’m right here,” Jordan reminded them.
Sam pulled her to her feet. “Don’t worry, little lady. I got no plans of losing to a mongrel.”
“That wasn’t what I meant,” she huffed.
Max was already taking off his tank top and the sight of his sculpted torso was enough to make Jordan forget what she was talking about. He was tall and lean, but there was power lurking beneath his smooth skin. The tattoo on his chest caught her eye. Three claw marks with a tearaway effect around the edges.
He caught her looking and gave her a sheepish smile she hadn’t expected. “Family tradition. We all get one the first time we shift and my tastes at fourteen weren’t exactly subtle.”
“I kind of like it,” she admitted. “Gets to the point.”
The tattoo wasn’t the only thing Jordan noticed. Max’s body was covered in scars, and a few of them were clearly made by a wolf’s teeth. He wasn’t joking about the family feuds.
Jordan looked away quickly when he stepped out of his jeans, but not quite quickly enough, and she scolded herself for the way her face flamed. The werewolf was hung like something else entirely.
Samael rolled his eyes. “Come on, I’d like to get my date started sometime today.”
“You wish,” Max scoffed before kneeling down. He took a deep breath and Jordan stepped back as a pained look came over his face. She heard his shoulder crack and flinched.
“It’s alright,” he assured her. “Just a little messier when we shift during the day. You should probably look away. It’s not pretty.”
Jordan felt like a wuss for taking him up on his warning, but when she heard the moan he’d barely managed to stifle followed by the ripping of flesh, she realized it was the right decision. Something heavy hit the ground and the sound of a soft, constant growl hit her ears. It sounded almost like a purr. She could feel an intense source of heat coming from directly behind her, almost as if someone had started a bonfire.
When she turned around, the wolf was standing there looking every bit as huge and terrifying as it had the first night. It took Jordan a second to remind herself that it was still Max, and when she met his eyes, it became a little easier. In the sunlight, he didn’t look quite as monstrous as he had at night. He was certainly a sight to behold with those huge white teeth that his mouth never quite closed around, but his eyes were almost gentler than they were in his other form.
Hesitantly, Jordan reached out to touch the black fur on his chest. His shoulders heaved with every breath, and his body pulsed with power and a strange energy that was muted when he was human. Even still, Jordan wondered how she’d ever missed it now that she knew what she was sensing for.
“Hi,” she brea
thed.
The wolf let out a snort that sounded an awful lot like a laugh and extended a clawed hand to pat her head. “Hi.”
Jordan nearly jumped out of her skin when he spoke. She wasn’t sure if he was actually speaking out loud or in her mind, but his voice was distorted and much lower either way, more like a growl. Nonetheless, she got the distinct impression that he was mocking her.
“You gonna stand there gawking all day, girlie?” asked Sam. When she turned to face him, his wings were out in all their glory. They hadn’t turned any grayer since the last time, much to her relief, but it was still an unsettling marker of the condition of his soul. Max may have been the beast, but Samael’s graying wings reminded her of the cursed rose from the fairytale. “We got a race to run.”
Jordan detected a hint of jealousy in his voice, which was oddly endearing. Probably only because of what he was, and the absurdity of the idea that an archangel would covet a human’s time or attention.
“Who’s keeping track?” Jordan asked. “There’s no way I can keep up with either of you.”
Samael stopped to think about it. Max came up beside Jordan, nudging her.
She stared up at him and realized what he wanted her to do. “Oh, no. I’m not riding you.”
Sam chuckled. “It’s not a half bad idea.”
“Whose side are you on?”
“Yours,” Samael answered without hesitation. “But you might need to run someday, and it would be good for you to get used to your noble steed in a more casual setting.”
Jordan hesitated. The image of the beast she’d seen when she read Max’s fortune wouldn’t leave her head. As frightening as he was, he was nothing like that hellish creature who’d waged destruction on everything within sight. She told herself her fear was even more irrational than everything else that was happening and reluctantly approached the wolf.
Max lowered himself so she could climb on his back, and as soon as she’d put her arms around his neck, he hoisted her up. She gave a startled cry and clung to his fur for dear life. With a satisfied snort, he nodded to Samael and got down on all fours. Jordan realized he was giving himself a handicap by assuming that position. When he’d fought the demon, he’d been running on his hind legs.
