I smiled, feeling excited that he would be there. I had a feeling Adrian and I would need all the help we could get. It was surprising that after six months a werewolf still couldn’t find what he was searching for. “Great, I’ll keep you updated on our progress. I just hope that we find her sooner rather than later.”
He nodded. “The whole situation is odd. As a werewolf, Adrian should have found his sister long ago, even if someone was deliberately moving her just when he catches her scent. It can’t be a human, how would they know he was onto them?’
“You think a werewolf has had her all this time?”
He shrugged, standing up and holding his hand out for me to take. “Charlotte was involved and it’s the only explanation that makes sense.”
I placed my hand in his, warmth enveloping my fingers. “Well, this should be an interesting trip then.”
He didn’t answer as he pulled me up off the sofa and into the bedroom.
Chapter Five
The Search
The flight was uneventful. Since I had called Adrian before my plane took off and gave him my arrival time, he was there to meet me. He had driven into Sacramento the night before so he would be there when the plane landed. Then we were planning to drive the two hours back to Marksville, where he had last caught his sister’s scent. We’d track her from there.
As I emerged from baggage claim I saw Adrian’s black hair and tall frame waiting in the lounge. With all the other scents and smells I couldn’t distinguish his and I was thankful I wouldn’t need to. Just the sight of him brought back images of our friendship. There were very few people that I felt a kinship instantly with and Adrian was one of them. I didn’t realize I had missed him so much until I saw his rugged features. His face was unshaven with not quite a beard, but a scruff covering his chin and jaw. His hair was untidy and longer than his usual short cut. The darkness under his brown eyes showed he wasn’t sleeping well. And the way his shoulders were slumped, suggested that the last six months of searching for his sister with no results had taken a toll on him. I knew he would never give up looking for the last of his family, but I could see that he was struggling. My heart went out to him. He was determined to keep his remaining family member with him. And I was determined to help make that happen.
His eyes lit up when he saw me and I rushed forward closing the distance between us. He hugged me close when I approached and I breathed in his chocolate, minty scent. His grip was strong as he held me, further evidence of his frustration. “I’m so glad you’re here,” he mumbled into my hair.
I tried to pull away, to return the sentiment, but I was unable to move. His grip was unyielding.
After several minutes and a few curious glances in our direction from fellow travelers, I began to feel a little awkward. “Um… Adrian?” My voice was muffled as I spoke into his hard chest. His black t-shirt smelled of crisp air and sweat.
A soft, “Hmm?” was his only answer.
“Can you let go? This is getting weird.”
A deep rumble of a laugh sounded in his chest as he finally released me. “Sorry. I’m just so happy to see a familiar face.”
I reached for the handle of my suitcase and studied him, now that I was closer. “You don’t look too good.”
He rubbed his hand over his face with an exasperated sigh. “I don’t feel good either. And I won’t, until I find my sister.” He took the suitcase from me and started down the corridor, heading toward the parking lot exit. I followed behind, trying to keep up to him, swerving around hoards of impatient travelers, both coming and going. I stared at the back of his t-shirt where there was a brown stain that I hoped was chocolate. I was afraid to take too big a breath and find out otherwise. “And I’m going to kill the werewolf who is keeping her from me.”
I stopped walking, shifting my carry-on to my other shoulder. When Adrian noticed I wasn’t behind him any longer he stopped. He turned around to face me, his brows rising in question.
“So, you think it’s a werewolf as well?” I asked, feeling a little leery. The thought of going up against another werewolf was not my idea of a good time. I’d had my fair share of werewolf battles and I was a little nervous to face more. I knew that not all of our kind were evil, but I had barely survived my run-ins with some that were.
He shrugged a shoulder slightly. “It’s the only explanation that makes sense. How else would they know I’m on their trail?” He began to move again and I reluctantly followed him through a crowd of people waiting outside the airport doors. When we had passed them he turned his head to look at me. “And besides, I’ve scented what I believe to be werewolf, but the scent is off. I can’t explain it.”
“What do you mean, off?”
He shrugged again, coming to a stop beside his Jeep. He opened the back and stashed my bag inside. Shuffling to the passenger door he turned the lock and opened the door for me. Instead of moving out of the way so I could climb in he stared off into the distance, deep in thought. A gust of cold air brushed my cheeks as I waited for him to speak. “I don’t know. There’s an added scent to it, one I’ve never smelled before. I’d like your take on it. I just hope the scents are still there when we return.”
When he moved to the driver’s side of the car, I climbed in…and winced. The air inside the vehicle wasn’t exactly what you’d call…fresh.
“Sorry, it kind of stinks in here, I’ve been basically living in here for the last few months.” His words were confirmed when I glanced around the interior. There were food wrappers littering the floor and what appeared to be dirty clothes strung in the backseat.
“You might want to invest in an air freshener,” I suggested, wishing I could plug my nose. Even though I had accepted becoming a werewolf, I could have done without the heightened sense of smell right about then.
He laughed as I rolled down my window. Fresh air was definitely needed. “Yeah, well, maybe later. But right now I want to get back to Marksville. We need to return to the hunt as soon as possible.”
As he started the car and pulled out of the lot I leaned forward, squeezing his leg, hoping to give him some reassurance. He was no longer alone. I was here and I would help him in any way possible. We wouldn’t stop until we found her. “We’ll find her.”
Instead of answering he pursed his lips and nodded his head ever so slightly.
He was silent during the drive back to the town where he had last scented his sister. To fill the silence I prattled on about the shelter, filling him in on the progress they were making on the addition.
“Are they using 2x4’s or 2 x6’s?” he asked as we passed a tiny town I hadn’t caught the name of. Fields stretched before us and the sun shone brightly in the sky reflecting off the white road signs. After the dismal day we had back in Creekford the sun was a welcome change. And since we were in California there was no humidity like I was used to.
He might as well have been speaking a foreign language. “Huh?”
“What size of studs are they using?”
My brow furrowed. “For what?”
“To frame the addition.” He spoke slowly, as if talking to a child.
“I don’t know.”
“They should be using 2x6’s; they’re sturdier. What kind of insulation are they putting in?”
Again, I had no idea? I shrugged my shoulders. “Adrian, I don’t have to know this stuff.”
“If you’re in charge then you should know.”
“I trust Mark. He’s the head contractor and it seems like he knows what he’s doing.”
“You’re paying him; he’ll say anything to make you think that. Just be careful. There are people out there that will take advantage.”
I puffed out a frustrated sigh. A snotty comeback about how he was supposed to be the contractor was on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t say that. I knew he was doing what he had to. And I would do anything to help. “Well, once we find Marisa you can be in charge.”
His lips turned slightly at the corners, an attempt at a smile
. “I hope so. And I’m sorry for bailing on you when you first started the addition. I really wanted to help.”
I waved my hand at him, dismissing his words. “It’s fine. She’s your sister, the last of your family; there is nothing more important than that.” I wished I felt the same for my own family. My parents and I hardly ever spoke and I honestly wasn’t sure how hard they would look for me if I was missing. It made what Adrian was doing all the more special. Not everyone would do it.
The drive only took an hour and a half, mainly because of Adrian’s crazy driving. After we arrived he pulled up alongside a four-story apartment building, in the middle of what looked like the center of the small town.
“Do you smell anything?” he asked when we stepped out onto the sidewalk. He meant did I smell a werewolf. I had never met his sister, therefore I wouldn’t have been able to distinguish her scent from any other humans that were walking past.
I breathed in deeply, but could only smell food, garbage, animals and human scents. “No, if it was here, it’s gone now. Why? Do you smell it?”
He shook his head. “No, but I did yesterday morning before I called you.” A twinge of guilt appeared at his words. Since I didn’t get back to him until last night he wasted a whole day waiting for me.
“So what do we do now?” I asked, new to this whole tracking thing. Nate and Joe had done it when they were searching for me and Lauren after Charlotte had kidnapped us. It took them a day and a half to finally track us down. But I had never had the need to find anyone and didn’t know if I could.
He glanced around our surroundings. “Well, so far whoever has taken her has gone a straight route, so we keep heading north. Hopefully we’ll catch a scent somewhere.”
“Should we take a look in their old apartment to see if there are any hints to where they might be headed?” I asked as I scanned the sidewalk. Two old men dressed in sweater vests and shorts were headed our way, carrying on a heated conversation. They barely noticed us as we stepped out of their way. A cloud of old spice wafted in the air. I coughed from the sheer strength of it and my eyes threatened to water.
“I did that yesterday. There was nothing.”
Since he wasn’t offering any suggestions I offered the only one I could think of. “How about I drive and you can keep your head out the window.”
He raised a brow at my words.
I shrugged. “That’s what Nate and Joe did when they were looking for me and Lauren.”
A half grin played at his lips, but his eyes were tormented. The reminder of my kidnapping must have brought up memories of his time with Charlotte. He hated her actions, but did nothing to stop her because he was afraid for his sister’s life. I understood his predicament and didn’t hold him responsible. He was as much of a victim to Charlotte’s sadistic behavior as I was.
He tossed me the keys before opening the passenger door. When I slid into the driver’s side he told me what road to take.
As we began our journey we fell in to a quiet lull. I was focussing on the road and his head was leaning out the window like a dog with its tongue hanging out. When I asked him if he wanted a doggy biscuit he rolled his eyes and pointed a certain finger at me. I laughed as I turned back to the road, allowing the quiet take over again.
After a few miles he broke the silence. “I’m surprised that Nate let you out of his sight, Mrs. Riley.” He elbowed me playfully, leaning away from the window for a moment.
My cheeks flushed, embarrassed for some reason. Adrian and I were friends and had never hinted at anything more, so I was surprised that his use of my married name affected me. “He wanted to come and help, but he has a meeting tomorrow that he can’t get out of. But he said he would try to meet us afterward if we still haven’t found her.”
His jovial expression faded. “I don’t want to be a bother. I only asked you because you offered.” His voice was strained at the mention of Nate coming to help.
“I hope you don’t think he holds my kidnapping against you. I know he punched you when he found out, but he now understands why you did it.”
Remorse flashed in his dark eyes. “I am so sorry about that.”
I let go of the steering wheel and reached out, placing my right hand on his. “I know,” I said softly, hoping to ease some of his guilt. He smiled sadly as I returned my hand to the wheel.
He returned to his former position, his head leaning out the window, the wind slapping his hair around his face. “I’m also sorry that I couldn’t make your wedding. How did your mom handle you eloping?”
I grimaced as I noticed a sign up ahead announcing a new town. “Not well. She screamed and cried when I called her.”
“That must have been rough,” he said with sympathy in his voice. He knew that my relationship with my mother had been strained even though he had never met her. I had told him plenty about her when we first met.
“It was. But it got even worse when she stormed into the cottage and yelled at me the day Nate and I returned from our honeymoon.”
His eyes widened in sympathy, shock and even a tiny bit of humor. “How did you react to that?” There was a slight tremor in his voice and I knew that he was fighting laughter.
I chose to ignore his reaction. “I screamed at her and told her all of the things I’ve always wanted to.” I turned away from the road to look at him. “She actually apologized.”
He smiled. “Well, that’s good isn’t it?”
I focussed on the road ahead. “I guess, but it doesn’t change anything. Although she is planning a small reception with Mona and she’s keeping it small and tasteful.”
“Do you think you’ll have a better relationship with your parents now?”
“I doubt it. I’ve accepted them as they are and I don’t expect them to change, especially after just one rant from me.”
He was silent for a moment gazing out the window, his nostrils flaring as he checked for his sister’s scent. “I’d give anything to have my parents back.” The wistfulness in his voice was heartbreaking.
“Tell me about them.” I said, feeling sorry that Charlotte changed his life so drastically in one night. She killed his parents and sent his five-year-old sister away. He hadn’t seen her in ten years.
He smiled sadly, a shadow washing over his dark brown eyes. “My father owned a construction company and my mother was an interior designer. They both worked a lot, but when they were home they always planned fun things for us to do. My father and I built a tree house together and we used to have sleepovers in it when I was a kid. He was too tall for it, so his legs stuck out of the window when he slept.” His voice trailed off as we drove into a small town. “Are you hungry?” he asked as a burger joint came into view. I suspected he was happy to change the subject and I wasn’t going to pry for more.
I smiled. “I’m a werewolf. I’m always hungry.”
“Does that mean you’re finally accepting your new situation?”
I turned into the restaurant’s parking lot. “You mean turning nineteen? Yes, my birthday was a few months ago.” I grinned at my own joke. When I first met Adrian we were in a yogurt shop and instead of using the word werewolf we were calling it “being nineteen.” It was the age he was when he was bitten.
Adrian laughed, shaking his head. “Yes, that’s what I meant.”
My smile faded as I contemplated his words. “I am embracing my new life as much as I can.” I pulled into the drive-thru and stopped behind a red van. “Thanks to you.”
He sat up in his seat, no longer needing to lean his head out until we were back on the road. “What do you mean?”
“I took the advice you gave me when Nate was burying Charlotte and her buddies. You helped me see that when Nate bit me, he saved me from a lot of pain. And there was no point in dwelling on what I couldn’t change.” I moved forward in the line. My lips twitched, fighting the smile that was threatening as I thought about mine and Nate’s reunion. “We made up that night.”
Adrian smiled. “Good,
I’m glad you saw how wise I am and took my advice.”
I snorted a laugh as we moved forward.
Once we placed our order and we were back on the road, I asked, “What happened to your parents’ house. Did you look there when you were searching for Marisa?”
He shook his head as he balled up a wrapper from the burger he had just devoured. He reached into the bag and pulled out another one. He took a few bites before he answered me. “No. Charlotte forced me to let her use it, so we used to stay in it when we were in the area.” He clenched his teeth and balled his hands into fists. “I hated them being there. James and Charlotte killed my parents and then they stayed in our house like they owned it. I couldn’t stand it.” His voice trailed off. “The first time we were there I tried to kill James.” His voice was an angry whisper. James was one of Charlotte’s minions, who just happened to be a nephew of Nate’s that hadn’t taken the secret of what Nate truly was well. Charlotte found him and bit him, making him a werewolf like she did to Nate so many years ago.
I sucked in a breath, suddenly nervous for him. His face was hard, his eyes colored yellow with rage. “What happened?” I whispered, my burger forgotten on my lap.
He lifted a shaky hand and pushed back his bangs to show me the claw marks I noticed when I first saw him in the yogurt shop. “I stabbed him with a silver knife and Charlotte attacked me in her wolf form.”
“Why didn’t the marks heel?”
“Because they put salt on it to prevent it from heeling.” He smirked, his lips turning into a bitter smile. “They wanted me to remember what would happen if I did anything like that again.”
I gasped, imaging how painful that must have been. “That had to hurt.”
His eyes flashed with fury as he nodded sharply.
I swallowed hard, sensing the need for subject change. “Um…well…when we find Marisa, you can fix up your family’s home for her.”
He was now staring at the half eaten burger in his lap. “I’m never going back there.” His voice was barely above a whisper, but I heard him clearly.
Riley's Redemption (A Moon's Glow Novel) Page 5
