He brushed back a lock of hair from her face. It stuck briefly before sliding off her skin, reminding her she was a sweaty mess. “We’re not susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases. And females don’t usually get pregnant until after they’ve mated. At least that’s what I’ve been told.”
Bethany felt uncomfortable. Did that mean he was glad the odds were she wouldn’t get pregnant? She should be happy, feeling relief that there was little chance she’d get pregnant. Now was definitely not the time. Not with her life in such upheaval. Still, she couldn’t suppress a twinge of disappointment.
“It’s probably for the best.” There, that was the right thing to say, the mature adult thing to say.
“Yeah.” Quinn rolled up and raked his fingers through his hair. “I need to get showered and go to work.”
Their interlude was over. Bethany pulled her tattered defenses back around her. “Sure. Me too.”
He turned to her and cupped her cheek. “Want to share the shower?”
She smiled and felt her puny emotional defenses crumble. “I’d like that.” She took his hand and rolled out of bed, leading him into the bathroom.
Chapter Seven
Hours later, Quinn’s body was still vibrating with pleasure. He could still taste Bethany’s skin, salty and hot. Her arousal filled his nostrils, spicy and sweet. Hell, he was still sporting a semi-erection just thinking about her.
He’d been totally discouraged when they hadn’t found Chris in any of the abandoned buildings they’d searched. Sick at heart, it was all too easy to imagine his sister at the mercy of her captors. The frustration of being so close to Chris only to have her slip through his fingers made him want to beat his fists through a wall and howl his fury to the world. He’d almost found her. After all these long months, he’d missed her by a matter of hours. It was enough to drive a man mad.
But Bethany had opened her arms to him and offered him respite from his never-ending torment. He felt guilty as hell, like he was taking advantage of her when she was entering into heat. He didn’t deserve to find such exquisite release from the anguish eating at his soul. But he wasn’t stupid enough to walk away and let one of the other males offer to ease her body.
Bethany was his.
His wolf growled in agreement. Since Bethany had arrived he’d been having a much harder time keeping his wolf in check. The beast was always right there at the tip of his consciousness, wanting to escape and run free. That was only natural from all that he’d heard, considering Bethany was almost in full-blown heat.
He glanced across the floor of the bar from his seat in a dark corner. The object of his desire was wearing a pair of jeans, a long-sleeved V-neck shirt with the Haven logo printed on it and a pair of sneakers. Not overly provocative clothing. Yet Quinn wanted to throw a blanket over her and drag her out of the bar and up to his room. He didn’t want any other males looking at Bethany, seeing her soft smile, listening to her warm laughter.
He was seriously fucked up. He wanted Bethany with a fire that burned to the depths of his soul. But he didn’t feel worthy. His sister had depended on him to keep her safe and look what had happened to her. He felt guilty enough simply sleeping with Bethany while Chris was missing. It seemed wrong for him to find any kind of happiness when he knew his sister was a prisoner of some mad scientist and his werewolf flunky.
It was stupid to think that way. Intellectually, he knew that. One thing didn’t have anything to do with the other. Just because he acted on his attraction to Bethany didn’t mean he’d stop looking for Chris. Ever.
A car backfired outside on the street and Quinn flinched, his hand automatically reaching for a weapon that wasn’t there. He hadn’t worn a gun tucked in the back of his belt since he’d left the bounty hunters.
For a brief moment, his mind slipped back in time. Gunfire erupted around him. Men yelled. Werewolves howled. So much blood spilled. So much death and destruction. And he’d had a hand in much of it.
Quinn shook away the flashback and sought Bethany, needing to simply look at her to calm his ragged soul. He found her easily, hustling around the club serving drinks and food to the customers. She smiled and laughed easily. He was amazed at how quickly she’d been able to put the kidnapping behind her.
A little voice in the back of his head told him she hadn’t dealt with it at all. She simply had too much to handle with her werewolf heritage and going into heat. The kidnapping would have to wait. But eventually she would have to come to terms with it.
His own experiences had taught him you couldn’t outrun your past forever. Eventually it caught up to you, giving you nightmares and memories you could only pray would fade over time.
He watched Bethany hurry to the bar, empty tray in hand. The slightly worn fabric of her jeans cupped her heart-shaped ass to perfection. He licked his lips as hunger roared through him like a tsunami. He wanted to take her like that. He wanted her naked, ass in the air as he drove into her from behind, claiming her as mate in the way of their people. He might be half human, but the werewolf side of his nature ruled supreme.
What he was thinking was crazy. Impossible. He wanted Bethany, but he couldn’t offer her anything permanent. Not until he found Chris. Maybe not even then. He couldn’t simply erase his past and all the things he’d done. Bethany deserved better. He knew he should just walk away from her and allow the other males to court her. That was the right thing to do.
Damned if he was going to. It might be wrong but he didn’t care. He wanted Bethany too much to walk away.
Michael leaned closer to Bethany as she placed her order for more drinks. Quinn’s eyes narrowed. There could be trouble there if he wasn’t careful. Michael was a pureblooded werewolf with a good job and a future to offer Bethany. There was no doubting the fact he found her attractive. Who wouldn’t? Bethany was an incredibly sexy and intelligent woman.
He sauntered over to the bar just in time to hear Michael’s latest comment.
“You’re a natural, Bethany.” Michael smiled at her as he added several bottles of imported beer to her tray. “The customers really like you.”
A reddish tinge highlighted her cheekbones. “Thanks. I’ve been a waitress for years.”
Quinn hadn’t known that. He was suddenly filled with the overwhelming urge to learn everything about her. Michael was right. Bethany was a natural. She was friendly and efficient, completely at ease with the customers.
Michael glanced at him but turned his attention back to Bethany. “That’s the rest of your order. One bloody Mary, three draft beers and a screwdriver.” He placed the last of the drinks on her tray.
“Thanks.” Bethany kept her head down, not looking at him as she tried to move past.
Quinn didn’t like the way she wouldn’t meet his gaze. He stopped her by simply stepping into her path. With all the tables surrounding them she had to stop. He caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger and raised it. “You okay?”
She nodded. “Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?” This close to her he could smell her sweet, seductive scent. His testicles tightened and his dick jerked. He licked his lips again, barely refraining from throwing Bethany over his shoulder and dragging her upstairs to his bed.
He felt eyes on him and raised his head to glare at Michael. The other male was watching them intently. Or, more specifically, he was watching Bethany. If he could smell her then so could Michael.
A wave of protective possessiveness rose inside him. Before he realized what he was doing, Quinn leaned down and kissed Bethany, laying claim to her in public. Michael might be a purebred werewolf, but Quinn would fight him for Bethany if it came down to it. Which was crazy. He needed the pack’s help to find his sister. But he couldn’t seem to stop himself, especially not with Bethany’s lips moving beneath his.
“What was that for?” she asked, her voice breathy and tinged with arousal. The tray of drinks jiggled as her hands trembled. He placed his hand on the tray to steady it.
With his free hand, he
stroked the line of her jaw. “Because I wanted to.”
As if suddenly remembering where she was, Bethany straightened and glared at him. “Well, don’t do it again. Not here.” She glanced nervously over her shoulder before hurrying off with her drink order.
She might not think anyone had noticed their quick kiss, but she’d be wrong. Sure the bar was dimly lit, a three-piece jazz band played on the small stage in the corner and patrons chatted and laughed with one another, but every single werewolf male here, pureblood or half-breed, was watching Bethany.
It was getting harder not to. Her scent, whenever she passed by, was an aphrodisiac. He was semi-erect whenever he was around her and knew the other single males had to be reacting to her in much the same manner. It made him want to hit something. He shot Michael a quick glare. Or maybe hit someone.
“How are you holding up?” Meredith placed her hand on Quinn’s arm and turned him toward the bar. It was only then he realized he was still watching Bethany, unable to tear his eyes away from her slim form.
“I’m okay.” That was his standard answer. The only one he could give.
“No, you’re not.” She nodded toward Michael. “None of you are.”
Quinn jerked his head around and noted the other male’s eyes were burning with lust. A low growl broke from Quinn’s chest. An answering one came from Michael.
“Stop it. Both of you.” The command in Meredith’s voice was compelling, reminding both of them in a very visceral way that she was female alpha of this pack. Hank materialized by her side, ready to step in if needed.
Quinn lowered his head, ashamed of his actions. He needed to keep his head on straight, not challenge the female alpha or threaten her son, a man he actually respected when he wasn’t looking at Bethany. He had to remember he wasn’t a part of this pack and he could easily be shown the door and asked to leave. He was jeopardizing his sister’s safety with his obsession with Bethany.
“Sorry about that.” His control was strained to the max. That wasn’t acceptable. He needed to get a grip on the wayward emotions making him act so crazy. The last thing he wanted to do was draw human attention to himself or to any of the others in the pack.
Meredith gave him an understanding smile as she pushed her long braid over her shoulder. “It’s not a problem unless you lose control.” She glanced toward Bethany and sighed. “This will probably be her last night of work for a while.” She nodded her thanks to Hank and he ambled back to his position by the front door of the club.
“It’s that bad?” Quinn knew the basics of what happened to a female werewolf when she went into heat, but not specifics.
Meredith rubbed her hands over her arms. “Worse.” She glanced at Michael and then back at him. “She’ll be in a bad way.”
“What can I do for her?” Quinn didn’t like the idea of anything hurting Bethany. His eyes sought her and his soul seemed to sigh in relief when he caught sight of her working her way around the room. God, she was beautiful.
“Quinn.” Meredith waited until she had his full attention again.
She raised her eyebrow at him, reminding him of his question. He felt his cheeks flush like he was some damn teenager lusting after his first girl. Sex was obviously an option. “Besides that?”
She shrugged. “That’s pretty much all that will ease her. The only other option is to leave her alone and let her ride it out. We’ll have to ban all unmated males from the third floor until she’s through this phase. And even then it will be hard on all of you.”
The thought of leaving Bethany alone, writhing naked on a bed with sexual arousal thrumming through her until it was painful was more than he could stand.
“I don’t think I can do that.”
Meredith patted his arm. “I didn’t think that you could.”
It occurred to him suddenly just how much of a mother figure Meredith had become to him. Not that she looked like anyone’s mother. She looked young and gorgeous and sophisticated. Tonight, as usual, she was wearing a knee-length sparkly dress with a slit up the side.
No, she definitely didn’t look like his mother.
She could have easily tried to dissuade him from being with Bethany, could have pushed one of her own sons toward the unmated female. After all, female werewolves were scarce. There were four unattached males besides him here. And they were all pack. He was just an interloper.
He shifted uncomfortably. A part of him wanted to run from Meredith’s kindness and understanding. Another part of him wished he felt at ease enough to put his arms around her, hug her and thank her for everything she’d done for him and his family. But he didn’t belong here at Haven with all of them. He’d been alone most of his life, but he’d always had Chris and Craig until eighteen months ago. Those long months completely alone had taught him what true loneliness was. He never wanted to go back to those dark days but they’d shaped him, changed him irreparably.
“You’ll figure it out.” Meredith brushed a lock of hair away from his face and he got a lump in his throat. He missed his own mother with a fierce ache that made his heart hurt. She hadn’t been the best judge of character when it came to men, but none of her children had ever doubted how much she’d loved them. It had never mattered to her that he and Chris were different, and she’d done everything in her power to gather as much information as she could to help them. At times like this, he missed her so damn much.
“Thanks,” he replied, his voice husky with barely suppressed emotion. He lowered his head and stared at the floor as he composed himself. He didn’t know what the hell he was going to do about Bethany. He’d think of something. He always did.
“Any news?” Michael moved down beside them and placed a glass of sparkling water in front of his mother and a beer in front of Quinn. He’d probably heard their entire conversation. Werewolf hearing was exceptional and he’d only been standing a few feet away.
Meredith took a sip of her water. “Damek called and said he’d be over after closing.”
Quinn jerked upright, hope burning in his gut. “Does he know anything?”
“He wouldn’t say. He wants to meet in person.”
Quinn swore. Michael chuckled. “Damek works in his own time and in his own way.”
Quinn wanted to strike out at Michael for his flippant comment even though he knew the other man didn’t mean it in that way. He was simply commenting on the way the vampire operated. But it still burned in Quinn’s gut. This was his sister they were talking about. His fingers tightened around the beer bottle in his hand. He didn’t even remember picking it up.
A slow, burning rage began to pump through his veins until it threatened to devour him. Through the red tinge of his gaze he saw Bethany hurrying toward him, concern on her face.
“What’s wrong?” She touched him and that easily bled some of the fury away, leaving him with a manageable anger.
“Damek is coming later tonight,” Meredith answered.
“That’s good. Right? He could have news.”
“Maybe.” Quinn wasn’t about to get his hopes up again only to have them dashed.
Bethany placed her hand on his arm and squeezed. “Everything will be okay.” He knew she couldn’t promise that any more than he could. Still, it helped soothe the fires of guilt and fury that threatened to consume him.
“I’ll give Hank a rest on the door.” Hank was the club bouncer. Quinn didn’t mind taking over for him. He wouldn’t mind a fight right about now.
Meredith stopped him, shaking her head. “Not a good idea in the mood you’re in. Why don’t you check in with your brother to see if he’s made any more progress with his computer searches. Or, if you really want to keep busy, you could help Teague in the kitchen. Wash dishes or something.”
Meredith obviously sensed his volatility. Smart lady. He nodded. Bethany shot him another worried gaze before grabbing her tray and hurrying off again.
They were all on edge. Tense. Between the ever-present threat of bounty hunters, the search f
or Chris and Bethany going into heat, this place was a powder keg waiting to blow.
Knowing he wasn’t doing anyone any good here, Quinn took himself off to Meredith’s office where Craig was currently set up. He’d shoved a table against one wall and set up all his own equipment there. He had a desktop computer as well as a laptop. Both were state of the art and he’d modified them himself so they would perform even better. Craig was a bloody genius when it came to the things. He’d written many of his own programs, which he’d used to help infiltrate the paranormal bounty hunters when Quinn was undercover in their group.
“How’s it going?”
Craig held up one hand and kept typing with the other. He hunched over the keyboard, working furiously for a few more minutes. He hit one final key and sat back, rubbing his neck.
His younger brother looked tired. There was stubble on his jaw and dark circles under his eyes. “I’ve got several searches going at once. I’m using Dr. Morton’s name, family names and variations of them to search for property. I’m also running a search in the bounty hunters databases on any information about a werewolf named Brian. It’s a long shot but it’s something.
“You’re working too hard.” Quinn grabbed the other desk chair and dragged it over by his brother.
“Yeah, well, I’ve got nothing better to do.”
“I’m sorry, man.” Quinn felt like he’d let his family down. Craig should be in school somewhere learning how to hone his computer skills. He should be drinking with his buddies on the weekend and worrying about girls, not lost in the world of werewolves, kidnappers and vampires.
Then there was Chris. He missed her so damn much. She was the one he’d always talked to, the only one who’d ever understood what he was going through.
He missed her laugh. He remembered her trying out a new recipe one night for dinner. He couldn’t even remember what it was she was trying to cook. All he knew was it had gone horribly wrong. Some kind of mix-up in spices and cooking time. It was damn awful but Chris hadn’t gotten upset. She’d laughed and laughed until she’d cried, pointing at his face and the expression on it until she’d had both him and Craig in stitches too. They’d finally ordered a pizza. The memory brought a ghost of a smile to his face.
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