by Anya Nowlan
“Tell me about it,” Dakota chuckled, plopping down on the edge of the couch.
Wes turned more serious as he sat down on the other end of it, his eyes trained on her. Dakota couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the flecks of amber in his hazel eyes, even though her brain was telling her she had already done more than enough ogling.
But Wes was hard to look away from. Even the way he carried himself, square-shouldered, straight-backed, yet with a certain simple elegance to his movements, was more than attractive to her, and the way his muscles rippled beneath his shirt didn’t exactly hurt either.
“Was this always how you saw your life going?” he asked, catching her off guard. “Did you always know you were going to follow in your father’s footsteps?”
Dakota’s expression must have betrayed some of her hesitance, as Wes rushed to smooth things over.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize how personal that question is,” he said.
“No, it’s okay,” Dakota shook her head.
It wasn’t that she wanted to avoid the topic – Wes was surprisingly easy to talk to, after all. It was more that she didn’t know the answer to Wes’ question. Her father’s death had seriously knocked her off balance, and even the things that she was most sure of now didn’t make sense.
“I guess I always knew I would have to step up at some point,” she said, fidgeting with the edge of the blanket laid out on the couch. “But now that the time is here, everything seems a lot more confusing,” she admitted, surprised at her own candidness.
It felt good to voice her doubts. She had been keeping them in, not just because she didn’t really have anyone to talk to about them, but because she didn’t want to admit to herself how unsure she was feeling.
This was what she was supposed to be doing, wasn’t it? Or had her sense of duty to the family business, so to say, conditioned her to think that?
“I get that,” Wes replied, nodding. “Expectations are a hell of a thing.”
“Yeah,” she drew out, before flopping down onto the couch. “I’m still not taking your bed though,” she grinned, changing the subject.
This was not the time to get caught up in her self-doubt. Not when key pieces from her dad’s collection were still out there, in god knows what kind of hands.
“You’re a stubborn woman, Dakota Thompson,” Wes sighed, the edges of his mouth curving upward.
“Another thing my dad taught me,” she replied.
Hopefully my stubbornness helps me get father’s things back before someone tries to follow a recipe from a spell book and accidentally summons a demon into their kitchen.
“It’s right up there,” Dakota said, pointing to a dirt road coming up ahead.
Sitting in Wes’ truck, bumping along the unpaved road, with rocks peppering the side of the vehicle, she had her backpack on the floor tucked between her feet, and her hair up in a messy bun. Large sunglasses kept her from squinting at the sun streaming in through the windshield, while a small breeze coming in from the half-opened windows tickled the back of her neck.
She would have been fine hiking back to where she’d left her car, but Wes had insisted on driving her. She didn’t mind that much. It was more comfortable, for one. And she didn’t want to admit it, but Wes’ company was also a perk.
Staying in his cabin had been a welcome change from sleeping in her car or getting rooms at cheap motels. It felt like staying over at a friend’s house, despite Wes pretty much being a stranger. But it had been a little piece of normality in her life that she hadn’t even realized she had been missing.
“So, where are you headed now? Off to track down more antique store owners?” Wes asked, turning down the road Dakota had pointed at.
“Unfortunately no,” she sighed. “There’s this businessman down in Denver who’s had an eye on dad’s stuff for a while now. He bought a big share of the books, some of them very dangerous, and I have a bad feeling about him,” she admitted, as her Toyota came into view, parked by the shoulder of the road.
“If he’s been waiting to get his hands on these books for so long, you’re going to have a hell of a time buying them back,” Wes remarked, pulling his truck to a stop and turning those piercing hazel eyes her way.
“Probably,” she nodded, unbuckling her seatbelt. “But I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure those books aren’t used to hurt anyone.”
“Now that sounds ominous,” Wes replied. “Do you have backup? Anyone from those other demon-hunting families ready to help you out?”
“Don’t worry about me,” Dakota smiled. “I’m the female Indiana Jones, remember?”
“Even Indy had help, once in a while.”
Dakota hesitated for just a second before reaching out and pushing the door open. Wes had a point. This was a tough task to take on by herself, but she knew that going in. There were other families, but she didn’t know who they were or how to contact them.
The secrecy was necessary. That way, if one family got taken down or captured, they couldn’t divulge any information that might lead demons to the others. Dakota swung her legs out of the door, stealing a glance at Wes and clamping down the loneliness beginning to swirl around in her chest.
This is my job, and my job alone.
Ten
Wes
Wes watched as Dakota gave him a wave out the window of her little silver Toyota, sending dust flying all around as she sped off. He waved back, putting on a smile even as his wolf was entirely unsatisfied by watching her leave.
Even if it was just to give her a head start.
His bags were already packed in the bed of his red Honda truck, gleaming beneath the sun, spotless and shiny, despite the back roads and no-roads Wes had to take to get in and out of pack lands. It was his pride and joy. Besides, there wasn’t a whole lot to do in the proverbial outback.
Climbing back into the pickup, Wes tapped his fingers against the steering wheel, watching Dakota disappear behind the horizon before starting up the engine and following, careful to stay out of sight.
He knew which way she was headed anyway. In case she had been telling the truth about Denver, that was. Wes didn’t like weighing the possibility that she might have lied about that, but he had to. The pack was counting on him to make sure Dakota was playing on the same team as they were, and he couldn’t afford to screw this up.
They were his brothers. They had taken him in when they didn’t have to, when he didn’t have anyone else. And he wasn’t about to let them down.
At least following Dakota back onto the highway wasn’t difficult – all he had to do was perk up his ears and listen to the sound of her engine in the quiet of the woods surrounding them.
When the trees cleared, opening up to paved roads, Wes took care to stay back until she had pulled into traffic, and made sure there were always plenty of cars between him and Dakota. His wolf was excited by the chase, and he couldn’t help but grin to himself.
The path before him was entirely unclear. He couldn’t know what would happen next, he couldn’t even be sure if he was heading to Colorado or not. But one thing he was sure of – whatever this mission turned out to be, it definitely wasn’t going to be boring.
Of course, he would much rather be working alongside Dakota instead of spying on her. But this was the hand he was dealt, and he was going to play it and see where it led. There was an exhilaration that came with the unknown, a thrill he couldn’t deny he loved.
Wes wasn’t exactly well-versed in the art of tailing someone, but he hoped his sharp senses would give him an edge. And Dakota had no reason to think she was being followed, at least that’s what he hoped.
The road whooshed beneath his tires, the radio quietly playing in the background as his eyes remained glued on Dakota’s Toyota. Hours passed as the sun began to lower, and Dakota still hadn’t made a single stop. Frowning to himself, Wes tapped his fingers against the steering wheel.
She’s going to have to rest somewhere.
Wes’ w
olf helped keep him alert, his animal side invested in the chase, and as a shifter, he didn’t need much sleep to feel rested. But as badass as Dakota was, she was still only human.
He was already thinking up ways to stay under the radar when Dakota inevitably stopped somewhere, when the Toyota suddenly changed lanes, heading straight for a roadside rest stop with a cloud of dust swirling behind it.
Wes kept his cool and just kept driving, slouching in his seat in case Dakota was looking his way. He couldn’t exactly pull in after her, so he continued down the road until he could make a U-turn and circle back, all the while cursing the fact he had lost sight of her.
It only took him a minute or two to get back to the rest stop, slowly cruising down the road and keeping his eyes open. He let out a sigh when he spotted the Toyota still in the parking lot, now empty.
Parking on the other side of the café slash gas station, he got out and stretched his legs, breathing in the scent of cheap meat and gasoline. He kept his steps light as he crept up to the corner of the building, leaning over to get a look at the entrance.
A couple of truckers were finishing up refueling, jumping back into their cabs to continue on their way to wherever they were headed. Other than that, the parking lot was pretty empty, both of cars and people.
Wes stayed where he was, lurking in the shadows like a grade-A creep for a good ten minutes, waiting for Dakota to reappear. When she did, he immediately tensed, his wolf all but panting with excitement. She was holding a box of something that smelled like cherries, strolling toward her car with her head held high and her hips swaying from side to side.
She placed the box on the roof before turning around and crossing her arms in front of her, scanning her surroundings. Wes flattened himself against the wall, confident he was out of sight.
“You can come out now,” Dakota called out, making him freeze in place. “You don’t think I know when I’m being followed?” she added, when Wes didn’t respond.
Shit.
How could he have messed this up already? This wasn’t how this was supposed to go at all. He tried to convince himself that Dakota was bluffing, but that seemed very unlikely.
“Come on, Wes,” Dakota said, a sigh in her voice. “Let’s stop playing games and maybe I’ll even share this pie with you,” she cajoled.
Defeated, Wes pushed himself off the wall and slunk away from the shadows, heading straight for Dakota, who was now leaning against her car, her ponytail gone and her hair falling in soft, glossy waves around her face.
“You got me,” he said, spreading his hands.
Dakota pursed her lips as he walked over, eyeing him closely.
“So,” she started, as Wes came to a stop in front of her. “Is this you stalking me or did the pack send you to keep an eye on the untrustworthy demon-hunting lady?”
“It’s not that we don’t trust you,” Wes tried to explain, but she cut him off.
“The latter, then,” she nodded. “Figures. I’d imagine there are less weird ways to ask a girl out on a date if you were after the former. You know, I really don’t appreciate being spied on.”
“I’m sorry,” Wes sighed. He really was. A little. “It’s just that everyone is a little on edge right now. We thought we had put the whole demon-thing behind us, and then you show up. It’s torn up some old wounds, and the council just wants to make sure we’re not in for a bad surprise.”
Dakota seemed to think that over, her eyes narrowed.
“Well, I did promise you pie,” she finally said, shrugging her ascent. “Want a cup of coffee to go along with it?” she asked, nodding toward the café.
“You’re buying me a cup of coffee? I thought you’d be more likely to run me over with your car,” Wes arched a brow at her.
“I think my car would fare worse than you,” she scoffed, looking him up and down. “But I’ll keep that option for later. And you’re buying me coffee,” she added, grabbing the box from on top of her car and brushing past him. “You coming or what? I think we have a lot to talk about,” she said, heading back into the building.
Wes followed her, unsure of what to make of Dakota’s reaction. But the view was good as he stalked after her so who was he to complain.
Full of surprises, this one.
He did owe her a cup of coffee at least, and clearing the air couldn’t hurt. In a way, he was glad Dakota had caught on to him. Maybe now they could work together, instead of Wes hanging on the sidelines, watching.
Dakota pushed open the café’s door, strolling past the counter and straight to a table in the back. There were a couple of men having coffee at the counter, a burly-looking guy behind it flipping pancakes. Setting the pie on the table, Dakota whirled around, giving Wes a small smile.
“You get the coffee,” she said. “I need to use the little girl’s room.”
“Sure,” he replied, and off she went, turning the heads of the men sitting at the counter as she went.
Wes watched her disappear into the bathroom. Would she try and give him the slip? He glanced outside, where her car was in full view in the parking lot. She had to know she’d never get away with backing away from their deal without him noticing, right?
Sighing, he sank into his seat, tapping his fingers against the edge of the table. The waitress came and went, taking his order for two coffees as seconds turned into minutes. Just as Wes was about to get up and see what was taking Dakota so long, he spotted her running out from behind the building, bolting straight for her car.
“Oh, no you don’t,” Wes muttered under his breath.
Dakota was already hopping into her car, so instead of heading for the exit, Wes high-tailed it to the bathrooms instead. Just as he had suspected, he found a backdoor there, leading straight to where he had left his truck.
Dakota hadn’t gotten much of a head start, and he had a lead foot, so he had no doubts about catching up to her. All but bursting through the door, he already had his truck keys in hand, but stopped short at getting in when his gaze wandered to his tires.
Flat. All four of them. Looked like a certain someone had let the air out, meaning catching up with Dakota was now markedly more difficult. Wes grunted, kicking at the rims in a moment of frustration. But a grin spread over his lips a moment later. It was his own damn fault he got played like this.
I should have known she wasn’t going to make it easy.
Despite signs of the contrary, this was going to be fun.
Eleven
Dakota
The diner was mostly empty, the breakfast rush gone and the waitresses going around clearing tables. Dakota sat in a booth near the back, the red leather of the seats crinkling as she turned to rummage around in her purse, pulling out a folded-up newspaper she had grabbed from a nearby gas station.
Flipping to the weather section, she looked up when a waitress stopped by her table with a pot of coffee.
“Fill that up for you, sweetie?” the woman asked, the lines around her eyes growing more pronounced as she smiled.
“Sure, thanks,” Dakota replied, mirroring the smile and sliding her mug closer to the edge of the table.
Not that she needed any more caffeine. She was jumpy enough. Having chosen a booth near a window, she kept glancing outside, eyes darting around. Her car was parked out front, since there were only woods in the back, and it was way too visible from the road for her liking.
But if she hadn’t stopped to take a break, she would probably be crashed in a ditch somewhere, not to mention she had really needed to stretch her legs. After having left Wes stranded the way she had, she had spent the better part of the night driving, only pulling over for short naps or coffee breaks. After the fifth time her ass had fallen asleep, though, being chased by a pissed-off wolf had seemed more like an inconvenience than anything.
She knew she had a head start, with Wes having to get his tires repaired, but there were only so many roads to Denver, and she would rather not run into him again.
All right, so tha
t might not have been entirely true. It was actually kind of fun, seeing him again and calling him out. But that didn’t make him following her okay, nor did it mean she wanted him meddling in her business more than he already had
“No problem,” the waitress said, filling her cup before turning to leave, her shoes shuffling softly on the linoleum floors.
Bringing the mug to her mouth, Dakota took another look around. It was a greasy spoon sort of joint that she had been to many times before. Easy to stop at on the side of the highway, with cheap coffee and fresh pie. The waitresses were always friendly, but not too curious or interested in her in particular.
Just another customer, passing through on their way to somewhere else.
Dakota always traveled alone. She didn’t need company. The fewer people she had to worry about, the better. She was just thinking that maybe she should go back and try and park her car somewhere else, when the sound of an engine made her look up.
Eyes flitting to the window again, she suppressed a groan at the sight of a familiar truck, pulling up right next to her Toyota.
And here I thought I’d lost him.
Sighing, she slid the newspaper in front of her off the table and shoved it back in her bag, as she started to get up from her seat. But when the little bell above the front door dinged, she plopped back down, fixing her gaze on the man strolling inside.
His attention immediately focused on her as he walked over and sat down opposite her, making the table look small next to his tall and broad frame. Leaning back in her seat, Dakota crossed her arms in front of her and pursed her lips.
She was hoping she wouldn’t see him again, but she’d be a filthy liar to claim she wasn’t a little glad to have him show up, all fiercely sexy and determined as he was.
