The tension in Olivia’s body was so powerful that I knew she was about to say something we both might regret. I grabbed her forearm and pressed my fingers into her skin hard enough to make her grimace and glare at me.
Before any of us could say anything, Rodán continued. “Ice is our best scent tracker. Joshua is virtually invisible when he shifts into shadow.” He looked at Angel. “As a squirrel, Angel can serve as sentry and travel through the trees in a way no one else can.”
I had to admit, his logic was spot-on.
“Of course,” Rodán said, “Nyx and Olivia are the best PIs in the state of New York and are needed to solve this situation.” He looked directly at Olivia. “And they are both excellent Night Trackers.”
For once Olivia didn’t seem to have some smartass remark as she realized Rodán had referred to her as a Tracker. It was obvious she was stunned. For that matter, so was everyone else at the table.
“I guess I need a tight leather suit to go along with my Sig,” she said, and Nadia grinned.
“Nyx, Olivia—I want you and your team to stay and discuss your plans. Bronwyn, you take Ice’s territory while he’s gone.”
Bronwyn, currently a rover, nodded. “Got it.”
“Nadia, this week you’re with Mandisa,” Rodán said. “Kelley, you’ll be working with Nakano. Carlos, you’ll partner with Max.”
Everyone gave a nod of agreement, but Nadia looked a little green. “She’s bigger than I am,” Nadia mumbled, “and she has poisoned arrows.”
This time I grinned as I looked at my friend. “You’re an even match. Have fun.”
“Oh yeah, fun.” Nadia put on a brilliant smile and faced Mandisa.
Mandisa didn’t smile.
Rodán gestured with his head toward the door. “Everyone but Nyx and her team get out there and get to tracking.”
The Fae Trackers’ movements were silent as they made their way out, but everyone else seemed to make an inordinate amount of noise as they left the room.
“Ice?” Olivia scowled as she looked at me. “Can’t you get us out of this, Nyx?”
I shrugged.
“What’s your problem, norm?” Ice wore a smug expression as he looked at Olivia from across the table. “Intimidated to work with me?”
Olivia gritted her teeth before she said, “I’ll intimidate your ass.”
I put up both hands, indicating they needed to shut up. “Save your energy for the real problem.”
The “Down Under” Shadow Shifter, as well as the Doppler cheerleader with Stephen Hawking’s brains, moved to other seats so that they were closer to me and Olivia.
Rodán stood and bowed. “I will leave you to it,” he said before exiting the room.
Great. Two newbies and Ice, all accompanied by a good dose of arrogance, not to mention Olivia, who personified attitude all by herself.
Dream team. Not.
When everyone on my newly assigned team was seated and the door had closed behind the last of the Trackers and Rodán, I folded my hands on the table. “We’re headed up to Hunter Mountain in the Catskills in the morning. You’ll need camping gear and enough food for two weeks.”
“What’s your master plan, Blue?” Ice said with a skeptical expression.
I tried not to clench my teeth at his reference to my hair, obviously trying to get a rise out of me.
“The master plan is to make sure you end up as one of the missing once we get there.” Razor-sharp irritation snapped in Olivia’s voice. “Shouldn’t be too hard, considering you have the intelligence of a potato.”
Before a small war started, I cut in, fast. “Like Rodán explained, we don’t know what we’re facing.” I folded my arms on the table and leaned forward, doing my best to project full confidence in my voice that I didn’t completely feel. “We will do reconnaissance, interview the Werewolves, and track down whatever or whoever is kidnapping, mutilating, and murdering the Werewolves.”
I looked at Olivia, Angel, Ice, and Joshua. “This is not a situation where I simply tell you what to do. I’d like you to offer up your own ideas on what is happening and what you believe could possibly lead us down the path to solving this case.”
“No scent…” Angel pursed her lips, and her expression looked like she was running a million options through her mind like a human computer.
I shook my head. “Unbelievable considering how sensitive Were noses are.”
One of Angel’s corkscrew curls fell over her shoulder as she moved. “Hawking suggested folding space to travel from one galaxy to another. It hasn’t been accomplished or even proven by humans, but I believe it’s possible. Perhaps a similar method is being used to take the Werewolves.”
Interesting. Trust our Harvard grad to come up with that option. I pursed my lips. “Perhaps it’s an unidentifiable scent that is the problem. Your suggestion would make sense in that regard, too.”
“What about the Great Guardian?” Angel pulled on the loose corkscrew curl and it bounced back up to her cheek. “She should know.”
Ice snorted and Olivia rolled her eyes.
“Don’t bother,” I grumbled. “All we’ll get are riddles and cryptic messages from the GG.”
Olivia snorted. “No kidding.”
Ice smirked. “We don’t have the time to screw around with the Guardian’s games.”
The two new Trackers looked interested in but non-judgmental about our back-and-forth about the GG. Neither said anything.
“Don’t follow our example,” I said to Angel and Joshua. “Out of all of the Trackers, the three of us are going to end up in Underworld. We’re the GG’s least biggest fans.”
“Since I’m human, it’ll be Hell for me.” Olivia leaned back in her chair. “I don’t know which would be worse—Hell or Underworld.”
“Hell.” The Shadow Shifter caused us all to swivel our heads toward him. His expression was even, but yellow-orange flames danced in his almost black eyes. “Believe me—Hell is far worse than Underworld.”
FOUR
Usually I reveled in tracking and enforcing paranorm laws. But this morning it felt good to be home instead of out still hunting down bad guys. Maybe it was because I’d be leaving in a couple of hours for Goddess knew how long and wouldn’t have my home as a refuge.
After the team’s brainstorming session, I’d headed out to track. Thank Anu it had been a slow night because my mind had been on the upcoming assignment.
And Adam.
I stared at my duffel on my bed and fingered the soft black leather of one of my fighting suits as I pictured Adam. I imagined looking into his eyes that were the beautiful color of alder wood…running my fingers through his rich sable hair…and seeing the passion in his expression that had once been for me.
But not anymore. Not after blowing it big-time.
“Stop it!” I gritted my teeth and scooped up a week’s worth of Victoria’s off my comforter and threw them into my duffel. Thank goodness Kali hadn’t shredded all of my bras and panties. Dahlia, my Shifter maid, was going to feed Kali while I was gone.
The blue Persian had curled up my pillow as if she was a queen on her throne holding court. I frowned. Kali’s tail moved up and down in a lazy movement.
I shook my finger at her. “Do you think you can leave the rest of my panties and bras alone while I’m gone, your highness?”
Kali gave me her usual regal yet annoyed look before she raised her front paw and started licking it in delicate swipes of her tongue.
If I was gone for more than a couple of days, she was bound to finish off what I had left in my drawers. “I really need to buy a safe just for my panties and bras,” I grumbled for probably the five hundredth time since moving to New York City from Otherworld.
Kali ignored me.
I returned the favor.
Last night while I tracked, a debate had ping-ponged in my mind so hard it had given me a headache. I wanted to tell Adam that I would be gone. But I didn’t know if he even cared. I didn’t know
if he’d forgiven me. If he’d ever forgive me.
“Don’t delude yourself into thinking that.” I moved away from the bed. “After what you did, there is no more Adam and Nyx.”
It had ended before it had really started.
My head hurt more as I went to the shelves in my closet. I grabbed my black leather Elvin boots and a couple of sets of the Elvin-made black leather half-tops and pants that I wore at night when tracking. The pair of jeans I was wearing now felt different than my usual designer skirts and slacks, but I liked the feel of the brushed cotton against my thighs and the snug fit around my hips and at my waist.
The hardwood floors were cool beneath my bare feet as I made my way to the bed and shoved the outfits into the expensive leather duffel. Maybe I spoiled myself too much. Nah.
But right then I’d have traded every designer shoe and handbag to have Adam forgive me and to be back in his strong arms.
Two weeks had passed since our last time together and it was still so difficult trying not to picture his boyish smile and his quarterback build and remember every brush of his skin against mine. I shook my head and forced thoughts of Adam from my mind. Or tried to.
Guns N’ Roses’s Welcome to the Jungle belted out from my purse, the current ringtone for my XPhone. My long hair swung across my face as I leaned across the bed and reached for my purse. I shoved my hair over my shoulders with one hand when I had the phone in my other.
“Olivia,” I said out loud when I saw the caller ID screen. I pressed the on button with my thumb and brought the phone to my ear. “What’s up?”
“How long is it going to take your girly ass to get ready?” Olivia said, almost sounding amused. Why she’d be amused, I had no idea. “You’re going to be late, but you’d better not be too late.”
“What’s with you? I’m never late.” I rolled my eyes and smiled. “But thanks for checking up on me, Mom.” I brushed my palms on my jeans, then adjusted my light brown sweater over my breasts, enjoying the softness of the cashmere against my skin. “Almost finished dressing and packing.”
“Think you can live without your designer clothes on this case?” Olivia said with good-natured sarcasm in her voice. “I don’t suppose you’ll wear practical Levi’s or T-shirts on an outing like this.”
“I’m bringing practical clothing.” I’d wear my Elvin-made boots I used for tracking. That made sense. The other turtle-necked cashmere sweaters I’d packed would of course be practical for this kind of case during the day. They were even colors that would blend in when I was in the forest. Double practical.
The black Burberry jacket and the cashmere sweaters would keep me warm in the extreme chill of the Catskills this time of year. Because I’m Drow I don’t get very cold, but I liked the snuggly feeling of a nice coat. “I’m more than ready to spend some time in the woods,” I added.
“Uh-huh.” I could swear Olivia was holding back a laugh.
I pulled the phone away and scowled at it before I put it to my ear again. “I’ll be there by nine, so don’t worry about it.”
“Oh, you’re going to be running late,” Olivia said, but didn’t sound annoyed, which was odd. So was her insistence I wouldn’t be on time. “Just not too much, got that? I’ll give you an extra thirty minutes, tops.”
What was she talking about? I narrowed my brows. “I’m not going to be—”
Olivia severed the connection at the same time I heard a loud knock at my front door. The following knock was loud enough that it reverberated through my head.
While still gripping the phone in my hand, I walked to the door. What was with Olivia? And who was making my headache worse with all of that knocking?
I unlocked the door and yanked it open. “It’s not necessary to—” I dropped my phone and it landed with a clatter on my hardwood floor. My heart jerked.
Detective Adam Boyd.
Adam.
He strode through the door, forcing me to step back as he closed it behind him.
His sable hair was adorably tousled by the wind, but his expression was grim and his eyes a shade darker than normal.
“What’s wrong?” I asked just before he grabbed me by my upper shoulders, pulled me to him—
And kissed me.
Startled was too mild a word for how I felt, but I regained my senses fast enough. Fast enough to wrap my arms around his neck and press my body against his.
Goddess, how I’d missed his scent, coffee and leather and masculine spice. Zeus must have been throwing bolts of lightning the way the sensations zinged through my body as Adam’s muscular chest flattened my breasts.
I couldn’t get enough of his taste, his touch, his scent. I didn’t even pause to think why he was there because all that mattered was that I was in his arms.
Adam placed his hands on my ass and pulled me upward so that my feet left the floor. I gasped against his mouth and crossed my ankles behind him. With my thighs hugging his hips, I felt the hard ridge of his erection against me, even through my jeans. I held onto him, my arms wrapped around his neck.
He explored my mouth with his tongue, and it felt like he was trying to learn every detail again. I did the same, nipping his lower lip, then running my tongue over his teeth and further into the warm depths to explore every part of his mouth I could.
Adam raised his head, breaking our intense kiss. He stared down at me and so many emotions seemed to travel across his face. My head was spinning too much to even try to figure any of this out, much less the emotions that might be simmering under his surface.
He focused on me with his beautiful alder-wood brown eyes and I licked the taste of him on my bottom lip, savoring it. “What—”
“You were going to leave without saying goodbye?” Adam gripped me tighter to him and he frowned.
“I didn’t think you cared anymore.” More surprise caused my eyes to widen. “You said—”
“I can’t stop caring for you, Nyx. I should have given you a chance to explain.” Adam shook his head, his expression almost harsh as if he was angry with himself. “Although I just can’t—” His jaw tensed. “It was none of my business what you did before we slept together. If it had been after, then yeah, I couldn’t forgive that. But that wasn’t what happened, was it?”
“No.” I swallowed hard and he set me on my feet before bringing me to him so that my head was lying against his chest. “Rodán was my lover, but I’d stopped seeing him when I started feeling the way I do about you. Even though you and I hadn’t done more than work together.”
I drew away and looked up at his face. “That night I spent with Rodán a few days before you and I…got together…it was the night Natalie was murdered.” Adam’s features seemed to grow softer as I spoke. “Rodán and I comforted each other in the only way we knew how. But I never would have been with him if you and I had started seeing each other. Never.”
“I’m sorry, Nyx.” Adam took a deep breath and brushed my cheek with his knuckles. “I should have known better than to judge you like that.”
“How could you have?” I moved my face back and forth against his fingers. The memory of what he’d told me after finding out about Rodán traveled through my mind. “Nyx, I can’t see a woman who’s involved with another man.” Adam had said the words with pain in his eyes. “Been there already and not going there again.”
“It wasn’t right of me to assume that you were having a dual relationship with Rodán,” he was saying in the here and now.
“You went through something terrible.” I reached my hand up and cupped the side of his face. His stubble was rough against my palm. He hadn’t shaved that morning. “Someone hurt you badly and that day brought back those memories.”
My voice was soft as I continued. “I’m not going to ask what happened, but I can make a guess why after what you said. I won’t ever hurt you like that, Adam. I could never hurt you.”
Pain flashed across his face, pain from the memory of the way some other woman had hurt him. The strong urge t
o track her down for what she’d done to him made my body ached. I didn’t know what I’d do with her when I found her, but I wanted her to know how badly and how wrong it had been to hurt him the way she had.
He shook his head again. “What happened in the past is no excuse to treat you the way I did.”
“Enough.” I tipped my face. “Now is what matters.” I brought my mouth to his and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.
“Where are you going with Olivia?” Adam held me close and it felt like his body was burning as much as mine was. “It’s dangerous, isn’t it.” It was a statement, not a question.
I drew my brows together. “Did Olivia call you?”
Adam had a puzzled expression. “I had a feeling. It was strange. I knew you were leaving and it didn’t feel right. Something about where you’re going. What you’re doing.”
Even through his concern he looked a little sheepish as he added, “So I called Olivia.” He shook his head. “I couldn’t believe it when she told me you were leaving the city on some kind of assignment. How could I have known that?”
Rodán’s words flashed through my mind. “Each liaison has latent psychic ability. A psychic version of stem cells…”
When the Demons were capturing key human liaisons, the shock of Rodán’s statement had reverberated through every Tracker at the strategy meeting. That information was yet another thing that had been kept from the Trackers, as well as from the human liaisons themselves. I was so tired of the Great Guardian’s—and sometimes Rodán’s—secrets.
I gave a slight shrug and smiled. “Coincidence.” It probably wasn’t a good idea to go into that with Adam and tell him he had some kind of psychic ability that was apparently making an appearance. It didn’t really feel like it was my place to say anything.
“We have some kind of connection.” He leaned his forehead against mine. “I don’t know what it is, but it’s powerful.”
“I’ll miss you.” My words were soft and low. “I’ve missed you since that day we had the…the misunderstanding.”
“I want to go.” Adam raised his head. “I’ve got a shi—boatload of time coming.” He always tried not to curse in front of me and it made me smile. “I haven’t taken a vacation from the NYPD in God knows how long.”
No Werewolves Allowed Page 5
