“You’re as jittery as a newborn pup bounding for its bowl.”
“Yeah, I’m used to drinking it every day.” I’m used to a lot of other different things, too. “I came in with Trenton, the police officer.”
Julia grinned knowingly. “Oh, you met the lone wolf on the force. He’s a good man. He’s always working extra shifts to help out the human officers we have on staff.”
“Is he important in town?”
Julia passed her the cup. “Everyone’s important around here. What do you mean?”
Even though the paper cup was scalding hot, Charly’s grip tightened on the cup. All the while, her mind tried to figure out what she could say to get the information she needed, yet not sound too suspicious. Her approach so far had been far too bold. “I meant to ask if he’s the chief of the police or something like that.”
Or if he’s one of the second-in-commands under Kyle, the pack alpha.
“I don’t know, to be honest. Kyle was the only cop when he returned to town.”
“Trenton mentioned something bad happened around here, but he didn’t go into detail.” The shop was empty, so Charly didn’t feel out of place asking the woman a question like that one.
The shop owner paused for a moment while she wiped down a table. “It was a bad time.” She pointed for Charly to follow her to a built-in bench by a bay window. Charly imagined the open lighting made it a great spot for customers to relax and read. Julia patted a cushion on the bench. “I was sitting right there when everything changed. My daughter was at school when the town postman came running up the road. He’d been attacked. He had bright red blood all over him, and he was shaking with fright.” Julia visibly swallowed, and Charly glanced at the cup in her hands. “He kept mumbling about sick werewolves that had broken into his house that morning. They’d killed his wife and son, and then they came for him.”
“Damn.” The word escaped Charly’s mouth.
“That was only the beginning. After he’d showed up, my business cleared out real fast. Everyone ran home or to their loved ones, but it was too late. With each bite from the infected pack alpha, the sickness spread and the crazed werewolves were impossible to fight against. All thanks to that lowlife black witch.”
Charly’s stomach clenched into an iron ball. Julia had referred to the blood witches as black. What else did they not know about her coven?
“She’d come to Liam, our former alpha, and she’d cast some kind of spell on him overnight at his ranch outside of town. One minute he was there, and the next he disappeared. Only to reappear with death riding his backside.”
“Do you think the witches will come back?” Charly’s voice was a bit quieter.
“I hope they don’t, but a part of me wishes they would so I can kill every one of them. We’ve done nothing to harm them, yet they tainted something so beautiful. We live in harmony with the humans here.”
Charly forced herself to nod. “Why do you think she cast a spell on him in the first place? Maybe she had reasons you don’t know about?”
“What reason is there to kill people?”
“I can’t think of any.”
“My brother made mistakes once in a while, like any man. He had a relentless ego and a personality as prickly as a cactus, but he’d never make a decision to unleash cold-blooded killers on innocent humans and werewolves.”
Her brother.
Julia continued. “Liam had always wanted Emma as the alpha female. He’d chased after her, even though she grew up loving Kyle. The poor fool wanted her so much he drove away Kyle to have her. When Liam bit Emma, he expected her to become his alpha female. She ran to Kyle instead, and Liam chased after her with the witch.” She settled into the seat across from Charly. Up close, Charly could make out every feature in the woman’s face. The freckles along her cheekbones. The faint worry lines at the corner of her eyes.
“Emma told me they managed to kill my brother and in the process bring down the witch,” Julia said.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Charly managed. She couldn’t even bring her eyes up to Julia’s to offer her a sympathetic glance.
“He died so the madness could end. Hadley is better off now, but if I had known sooner, I would’ve gotten out of here. Brother or not.”
The madness wasn’t over yet if the witches had their way. There was no way Charly could turn back now, since the townspeople even wanted the witches to die. Memories from the blood demon’s attack, how it killed anyone that neared it, brushed against her thoughts. She’d seen spells cast and blood shed for the greater good. But in this never-ending fight, now the witches had victimized the Hadley werewolves in their endeavor to keep the demons at bay.
When would it all end?
Charly took a sip of the hot coffee as a heavy silence drifted over the coffee shop. The drink’s heat bit the tip of her tongue, but all she could do was try to resolve the endless cycle of bitterness. Even more so, how could she keep her mother safe in the process?
After Charly left the shop with a promise from Julia to let her know about a possible part-time job, she spent the rest of the day restoring her strength by observing the locals. The tiny park at the top of a hill that overlooked the eastern edge of town was perfect for people-watching. Werewolf-watching.
Over lunch time, a line of young children had gone from a building off Main Street and crossed the road to the library. Two girls, a human and a werewolf based on their scent, held hands. Even when one boy tried to dart between them, they didn’t part. Into the afternoon, light traffic picked up. She spotted a woman with light blonde hair go into a shop. Something about the woman was familiar, but Charly shrugged it off. Maybe she’d seen too many people. As the evening gathered the light on the horizon, teens congregated at the edge of the hill to skateboard. With a lazy smile, she watched them do tricks along the curb.
As relaxed as she was, she still had a mission.
She had to get control of a few werewolves here. Not all of them. She refused to do that. Everything she’d seen today was so idyllic. A blood demon would sweep through this town with far more fury than her aunt Amelia. A powerful blood witch was one thing, but a supernatural creature with no corporeal body and an endless lust to consume the living was another thing entirely.
“You gonna sit there all night?”
She swiveled her head around to see Trenton. He approached from downwind without sound. Yet again someone had snuck up on her unawares. She made a sorry werewolf, still so new and honing her senses.
It took her a moment to find the right words. “I sat down and then getting back up didn’t seem as appealing.”
Trenton cocked a grin. “The guys at the police station got worried.”
“I’ve barely moved a muscle,” she replied. “I didn’t know I was a threat.”
“Most visitors sample the pie at the restaurant or have coffee at the shop.”
“I did one out of two,” she said with a lazy smile. “Rather good for a first-timer in my opinion.”
He eased down on the other side of the bench. A foot separated them, but that wasn’t much with her newly heightened sense of smell bringing him closer. His scent filled her nose and mouth as if she could taste him.
“What do you plan to do tonight after you become one of the petrified land gnomes in the park?” he asked.
She snorted. “I’m rather good at sitting still, especially if there’s something good to look at.” His eyes danced at her reply. Especially after she looked him full in the eye.
“Charly, I’ll be honest with you. I check everyone who comes into town, and I looked up your background.”
Charly switched her crossed legs and leaned in his direction to offer her full attention. “So what heinous crimes did you uncover? I tried to make sure I built up a nice record of armed robbery before I came.”
“On the contrary, you don’t have a record. Not much of anything. Not even a driver’s license on file with the state of Nevada.”
She sigh
ed. “Driving is overrated.”
“At your age, I’d expect at least some kind of digital blueprint.”
“Not everyone wants to post selfies on Facebook and Instagram. I happen to find more value in my studies than revealing every second of my life on social media.”
“A student, huh? Where did you attend?”
“A private institution.” As more shadows settled in around them, Charly couldn’t ignore how close her fingertips were to his. Her hands had drifted to the smooth wood of the bench, and now she gripped the edge. The heat from his left hand touched her right and the uncomfortable silence almost made her scattered thoughts all too clear. Could he hear her heartbeat the way she heard his hammering in his chest? The way she breathed faster?
She could reach out and touch him. Maybe he was the target she was looking for: a second-in-command. The enchantment spell could be cast quickly. She’d had all day to rest. All it would take was a moment of focus and a droplet of blood. Charly closed her eyes as she took the fingertip of her left hand and pressed the digit along the wood until she came to a sharp edge. With a brisk movement, she drew blood. Drawing the glyph in her palm was all too easy.
Then her conscious got the best of her.
Charly shifted to get up and Trenton suddenly grabbed her wrist. “You don’t have to go. I’d like to talk to get to know you better.”
“I just wanted some distance.” He didn’t let her go.
“Have I said something wrong?”
Her mouth opened and closed. Should she be honest? “I just … I feel something around you. I don’t know why I can’t look you in the eye,” she murmured. “It bothers me.”
“Am I scary?”
“Maybe you should be afraid of me.” Her breath hitched as she stole a look at his face. Something changed. Her wolf senses had become acute, pricked as they registered the intensity of how Trenton gazed at her. It didn’t seem like a look he’d give to just any woman, and the heat from his desire radiated through her. She was new, different, and maybe that had interested him in her as much as she was in him.
“I want you to look at me.” He scooted closer. “I’d like for you to. Please. Stay a while.”
“This is all a bit overwhelming.” Her voice was a hoarse whisper. “This new werewolf skin I’m living in.”
“You’re doing fine,” he said. “When it comes to our kind, we crave affection from our pack. What you’re feeling isn’t unnatural.”
Was it merely the blossoming werewolf in her who wanted him or did she want him? Maybe the spell she was about to cast.
“Just because I’m a werewolf doesn’t mean I should want you. We just met a few days ago.”
“You’ve never been attracted to someone you just met?”
“Of course.” She couldn’t resist smiling.
“What about me?”
She licked her lips. “Not really—I’m nervous. That’s all.”
“You’re lying.”
She chuffed. “How would you know?”
“I can smell it.” His smug expression made her want to smack him in jest.
“Werewolves smell lies?” She crossed her arms, pondering on all the new things she had to learn.
“You haven’t noticed it yet in others?”
She shrugged. “Not really.”
“How about this?” His smile turned devilish. “There’s nothing I find interesting about you. Not your eyes or the way you smile. When you tilt your head in the sunlight, I don’t find you beautiful at all. And don’t get me started on your fashion sense.”
She couldn’t resist laughing, but she paid attention this time, too. Right after he slowly said the words, she caught a sharp spike in his scent. Almost like the flicker of a candle. “I almost missed it. Fascinating.” A breeze blew her hair into her face, but she didn’t push the strands out of the way. She couldn’t help thinking about the man beside her and what he said. “You’ve never been attracted to someone you just met?”
Yes, but not like this.
“I like hearing you laugh like that,” he whispered.
“Oh, stop it,” she said. The dead seriousness in his expression made her stomach flip. Her right hand came to rest on his forearm with the initial inclination of pushing him way. She gripped his arm instead. Under his shirt the muscle was firm and burning hot. He wanted her to touch him. The final few inches took an inhale and an exhale. One moment she took him in with her gaze, and the next he kissed her lips. She fell toward him. His hands shifted at first, attempting to run up her arms, but she jerked and he stopped.
Their lips were still locked, but neither of them moved.
Her coven instructed every witch to enjoy the men who came to the compound. She wasn’t much different. Yet Trenton was different. He wanted to get to know her.
Slowly, he moved until their tongues brushed together. Ever-so-gently, he deepened the kiss until she couldn’t stifle the moan at the back of her throat. As pleasure built, the magic coursed through her stomach, building into a fiery crescendo that sent tingles up her legs into her core. Charly’s grip on his arms tightened. Now was the perfect time for the enchantment, but maybe they could be so much more. She pushed away thoughts of her mission, but it was too late—the magic was there, spilling over the edge until the buildup in her belly surged up her torso into her hands. With a long moan, Charly enchanted Trenton.
CHAPTER FIVE
If Trenton ever kissed a woman like Charly again, he’d get arrested for public indecency. The minute their lips parted, he couldn’t wait to kiss her again. Her hardened nipples brushed against him, and the urge to rub his face into the crook of her neck and smell the sweet skin along her collarbone overwhelmed him. He gave in, running his lips along her pulse point. Her heartbeat thrummed against his lower lip while her scent flowed through him, further stirring his body to life.
Their rushed breaths and the wind were the only sounds at the top of the hill. Even the skateboarders had left for the night.
At first he wanted to say, “Would you like to eat at my apartment?” But the very idea seemed too forward. Didn’t a man take a woman out for a date before inviting her to his home? He didn’t want to come off as an overeager jerk.
“That was amazing,” he whispered.
She quirked a half-smile. “That’s just a taste of what’s to come.” Her laugh was throaty, yet nervous.
“Be serious.”
“Honestly, I don’t get out often, but yes, that was...breathtaking.”
Breathtaking. A much better term.
Trenton let his hands drop to her hips and tipped his head to the side. “Now that you’ve been here a few days and checked out the townspeople, what plans do you have?”
“Are you asking as Trenton Spencer, the guy who just kissed me or the officer who ran a background check on me?”
“I’m asking as the guy who’d like to kiss you again.” He’d offered her his PG version to keep himself in check.
She laughed. “I’d like to hang out for a spell, but I’m getting tired. I’m used to getting up early in the morning for a desk gig.”
“What if I promised not to keep you up too late?” He chuckled, quickly switching the subject to keep her beside him. “What did you do before you came here?”
“I used to catalog ancient inscriptions. I’d translate the text from Latin and then do data entry into a computer.” She looked into his eyes and he smelled the truth in her words.
“You’re highly educated.” The space between them decreased as he tugged her closer with his arms. He didn’t want her to leave. Her lips were delectable.
“In a way.” She scooted back on the bench. “I gotta get home.”
“I could give you a ride if you like?”
“The fresh air will do me some good.” Her eyebrows lowered with a coy slant. “For some reason, I’m really hot right now.”
Helping her out of those bothersome clothes would be a welcome task, but she left the bench, strolling backwards whi
le keeping an eye on him. He’d make the time to see her tomorrow after his shift ended. “Then I’ll see you around.”
“You will.”
By the time she disappeared down the road, he realized he’d never asked if she had a cell phone number.
Once Trenton’s long shift had ended, he wanted to settle into bed and imitate a rock. But as he walked up the wooden stairs to his apartment above the coffee shop, he was far more awake than he wanted to be. Every nerve ending flickered in his body. Every hair on his arms was sensitive to touch. Even his hand against the heavy oak banister didn’t feel the same.
His arousal bordered on uncomfortable. He’d never been this rock-hard before. Not that Trenton was the type of guy to bed any woman that offered, but if Charly had said yes, he would’ve made love to her. He would’ve taken his time and showed her how much he wanted to be with her. While she hid away at the pack alpha’s home, all he could was think about her.
He unlocked the apartment door and stumbled inside. The aroma from the coffee shop below permeated his senses. Usually, he’d inhale and enjoy how the rich coffee beans made his place smell homely, but today they tore at his nostrils and made him grunt. They were far too strong. Almost as if Julia had dumped her new stock right in front of his bed along with ten gallons of burnt coffee.
Trenton didn’t have to go far to reach for a glass and a bottle of water. His one-room studio served its purpose as somewhere for him to sleep; it was a kitchen, bedroom, living room all in one. He snagged the plastic bottle and downed it without a glass. He usually preferred his cold water with ice, but, ehh, fuck it. Each gulp should’ve quenched him, but his thirst kicked in deeper and deeper. He dawdled in front of the open door to the fridge and perched his head on edge. The chill from the tiny frozen section rose up to him in waves. His vision wavered.
Maybe he’d finally stayed up too long working.
Bed. He needed to go to bed.
Once he settled beneath the covers, the cool night turned feverishly hot. Twice, he wiped sweat from his brow. He shuddered and stretched out over the bed on his stomach. Sleep didn’t welcome him, though, he drifted from slumber to wakefulness. Then a hand touched the small of his back. Fingertips rained up his spine, the tips pausing over each bony point. The delicate sensation was absolutely delicious. Another hand circled around his waist to rest on his hard stomach. His muscles clenched as the bold fingers caressed his heated skin. He arched up against the soft body above him, unable to suppress a moan as the hand around his waist ventured up to rub against his chest and over one of his nipples.
Bitten by Treachery (Hadley Werewolves) Page 4
