Not. He headed for his own town house. He was too tired tonight to keep an eye on Abby. He’d contact one of his brothers, have him watch while Seth slept. Micah would do it, if only because Seth would then owe him one.
He managed to get into his town house without falling flat on his face. He did wind up crawling up the stairs and into his bedroom. Kicking off his shoes, he crawled onto the bed and pulled his cell phone from his pocket.
“Hey, Seth. Need me to guard your girl for you?” Micah’s deep, serene voice flowed over him. If anyone could keep Abby safe, it was Micah.
Seth smiled. “I’d appreciate it, thanks.”
“No problem. Rough night?”
“Yeah. Damien’s intel panned out. The son of a bitch was hired to find Abby.” Without Damien’s unique abilities, Seth wouldn’t even have known she was in trouble until it was too late. The name Marcheson had shown up on one of Damien’s computer-generated alarms. When he realized it was the little sister of Bill Marcheson, Dante’s coworker and Seth’s friend, he’d immediately contacted Seth.
Someone had done a thorough search on her, using paths open only to the Shem and the Nephilim, dark magics and light, mixed with modern technology that no human could have performed. If Damien hadn’t found the traces of the search, hadn’t insisted on hunting down the Shem who’d initiated it, they might have already lost her to a Shem’s hunger.
Seth didn’t even want to think about that. There was something sweet and innocent about Abby, something that hadn’t dimmed as she went from gawky teenager to pretty, shy woman. Seth would hate to see that light of hers go out, snuffed by a Shem bastard.
Gabriel had agreed to allow Seth, as a friend of the family, to officially guard Abby while the rest of the Neph did what they did best.
Hunt Shemyaza.
“Shit. I’m on my way.”
“Stay safe, my brother.” Seth’s hands were beginning to shake. Fuck the pizza. He was going to sleep. He’d hit Waffle House in the morning or something.
“Stay safe, my brother.” Micah hung up, probably already on his way. An Angelus like Seth, Micah would fly to her home, invisible, and guard her until morning.
But Seth found sleep elusive. The Shem they’d killed tonight hadn’t known why he’d been hired. He hadn’t known anything other than someone was after her, that someone might want more than her blood. Now Gabriel wanted them at the mansion. The leader of the Nephilim was making it official.
Sweet little Abby Marcheson was on a Shem’s hit list, and not one of them knew why.
* * *
“You know, he’s perfect for you.” Trish was smiling as she followed Abby into the kitchen.
“Mmm-hmm,” Abby mumbled. For God’s sake, she had to get a grip. She was completely insane. Just because she’d caught a glimpse of Seth, waved at him, she was acting like some stupid Twilight fangirl, all ready to squee and pass out at his feet.
Man, she had it bad. One friendly smile, one glimpse of those blue-gray eyes, and she was ready to have his babies. After everything she’d been through, she should have been off men for life, but no. Something about Seth just...made her feel safe. Abby never felt completely safe.
It was weird.
Problem was, Seth was always polite, always had a smile for her, but that was it. He had never once approached her without Bill or Trish tagging along behind him. He was funny, articulate, handsome and kind. She was surprised he hadn’t been snapped up yet. Were the women where he worked deaf, dumb and blind?
She put down the bag and pulled out the coffee mugs. She set up the coffeemaker and pressed start, eager to change the subject. “Coffee okay?”
“Ew, coffee? How about chamomile tea?”
Abby turned and stared at Trish. “Funny, you don’t look like a pod person.”
“Okay, you got me. Give me the good stuff.”
Abby shook her head and prepped the two cups. She put barely a hint of sugar into Trish’s cup, but she poured a ton of cream and sugar into her own. Her friends and family often teased her about her coffee-drinking habits. Bill told people that she only added the coffee for color.
“I don’t know why he doesn’t see it.” Trish took her mug with a nod of thanks, groaning at the first taste.
“Who?” Abby sipped her coffee slowly, sitting down at the dark-stained, artistically distressed kitchen table. She’d had a crush on Seth van Licht since her high school days, when he’d been in college with Bill. She’d thought, once, that she found a man to make her forget Seth, but she’d been wrong on so many levels.
“I mean, it’s not like he dates much. Just last week, Bill tried to set him up with a nice girl who works clerical over at the precinct, and he wasn’t interested.” Trish took a sip from her mug and reached for one of the pan dulce pastries Abby had pulled out of the oven just before the grocery trip. They weren’t warm, but they were still good, and Trish smiled her appreciation around a bite.
“Mmm-hmm.” Abby stared down into her coffee cup. Who had he been dating back then? Flora, Finola... No. Fiona. That had been her name. Some Icelandic-looking goddess who’d swept him off his feet. Abby had only met her once, but she’d been devoted to Seth, and Seth to her. Abby had shrugged, her heart only slightly torn, and moved on, hearing about Seth’s wedding after the fact. He’d been Bill’s friend, not hers. She’d just been the annoying little sister.
But...his smile, the one he directed only at her, hadn’t changed. Not one tiny bit.
“By the way, I told Bill to stop trying to fix his love life, because that’s my job.”
Abby nodded. “Mmm-hmm.” She stirred her coffee in a desultory way, barely listening. She’d heard about Fiona’s funeral after the fact too. Cancer, Bill had said, but he hadn’t told her what type. Abby had still been too wounded to do much, but she’d managed to send a card. Seth hadn’t responded, but then Bill later told her that Seth had been barely human after Fiona’s death.
“Then I told him that I wanted to watch while he swallowed live goldfish.”
“Mmm—what? Oh. Sorry.” Abby grinned at her sister-in-law sheepishly, trying to shake off her preoccupation. “What were you saying?”
Trish snapped her fingers under Abby’s nose. “Pay attention. We’re talking about Mr. Hunka-hunka, remember?” Trish batted her lashes. “Oh, Trish, whatevah shall I do? I will simply die without him. Die, I say.” Trish dropped her head onto her arms and pretended to sob.
Abby bopped her on the head with the hairstyle magazine she’d been browsing over breakfast. “I don’t have it that bad.”
“Bull. He’s the only thing besides your job you think about these days. And, I must add, it’s about time you showed interest in another man. Doug doesn’t deserve another second of your tears or your fears.”
Ugh. Doug. Her first—and last—taste of romance.
At least her therapist would be pleased that she was interested in another man. Abby wasn’t so sure.
Hell, maybe it was the right time to learn to trust again. The family knew him, even if she barely did.
“Oh, my God, Abby! Seth’s naked outside your window!”
Abby twisted in her chair halfway toward the window before she realized Trish was pulling her leg. Abby’s head thudded down on the table. Ow. That’s going to leave a mark.
Trish sighed. “You’ve got it bad, hon.”
She lifted her head and let Trish see all the longing she usually kept buried inside. “Yeah. I know.”
“This is a good thing. You haven’t dated at all in five years.”
“I haven’t wanted anyone in five years.”
Trish shot her a knowing glance.
“Except for Seth.”
Abby grimaced. “Fat lot of good that’s done me. At least I no longer shake when I see him.”
“You do, but for good reasons.” Trish laughed as Abby hit h
er on the head with the magazine again. “Seth’s a good man. Bill thinks the world of him. If you’re going to start dating someone, Seth is one of the few my husband won’t throw a fit over.”
Abby glared as some of the things Trish had said filtered through her I saw Seth haze. “Wait a minute. You talked this over with Bill?”
“Duh. You think I’m not going to tell him that not only do you like Seth, but you’re not afraid of Seth either?”
Abby whimpered. “I can’t believe you talked to Bill about this.”
Trish waved her hand impatiently. “None of that matters. What does is, what do you want to do about it?”
Abby took a sip of her coffee and came to a decision. “I’m willing to try, but I don’t even know if he’s interested.”
“He’s male. If he finds out you’re interested, trust me, he will be too.”
Abby grinned. “Men aren’t that bad.”
“Oh, really?” Abby flushed at the knowing tone in Trish’s voice. “You want to know if he wants you? Walk up to him, bat those baby browns at him and take off your shirt. If he’s not interested, he’s gay.”
“I want him interested in me, not my boobs. Dork.” If she was going to try and win Seth’s heart, she needed to make sure he wanted the woman, not the body.
“I hate to tell you this, but the boobs are the lure you use to hook your man. Then you reel him in with your sparkling wit and keep him with your cooking.”
“Sparkling wit?” Abby’s laugh was bittersweet. “I lie awake at night and think of things I should have said to him. I want to scream, because every time I see him, I freeze up. I can’t talk to him. Hell, I have trouble looking at him. What if I’m wrong again? Let’s face it, my taste in men sucks.” She sighed roughly. She had to get over this. She had to. If she didn’t, Doug won.
“Doug hurt you badly, but it wasn’t your fault. He was a sick bastard, and I hope to God he’s getting his ass reamed on a daily basis by some big guy named Bluto or Bubba.” Trish’s eyes lit up. “Oh! How about a tag team? And I hope they forget the lube.”
Abby shook her head. “You’re nuts.”
“And right. You didn’t do anything wrong, Abby. He did.”
“Yeah.” And it had taken a lot of therapy to get her to see that. “But I still freeze up and can’t think straight when Seth is near me. Then he leaves, and it’s too late. I wasn’t exactly Ms. Popular in school, Trish. I was always shy and tongue-tied around guys. Doug just made it worse.”
“You’re not like that with people you know.” Trish put her hand on Abby’s. “With us you’re the crazy nut we know and love.” Trish leaned back in her chair, a speculative gleam in her eye. “Maybe that’s the key. What if I told you he’s interested in friendship, but nothing more? Would you feel comfortable talking to him then?”
Abby got up and started putting away the groceries. “I don’t know.” She paused, her can of corn halfway to the shelf. “God, I’m back in high school, aren’t I? Would you do me a favor and pass him a note during study hall?”
“Hmm.” Trish covered her smile with her cup. “I could post ‘Abby likes Seth’ to his Facebook page.”
Damn it. Trish would do it too. “Are you for real??”
Trish put her hands up in the air. “Hey, I’ll leave the poking to you.”
Abby threw a dish towel at Trish’s head.
“If it makes you feel any better, Bill threatened to cut off my purse allowance if I screw this up for you. He really likes Seth.”
Abby grinned. Trish’s obsession with handbags was well known. “Big brother getting all protective again?”
“Yes, well, you know when Bill puts his foot down, I’m not about to argue with him. Unless he’s wrong, of course. But that’s different.”
“Of course.” Abby grinned at her sister-in-law. Trish had Bill wrapped around her pinky finger, and she knew it. So did Bill, who didn’t seem to mind one bit. He adored his tiny, crazy spouse.
Abby made a sudden decision. The right decision, she hoped, pressing a hand to her fluttering stomach. She was about to jump into the deep end, and the thought both scared the shit out of her and made her feel strangely free. “All right. What do I have to do?”
Trish punched the air. “Yes. Invite us to dinner, and I’ll explain it to you then.”
“That’s it?” It couldn’t be that easy. Not when Trish was involved.
“That’s it.”
Abby shook her head, smiling, but agreed. She had no idea what Trish was up to, but she had to do something about these feelings for Seth soon or she would go batshit insane.
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ISBN-13: 9781488051289
Hour of the Wolf
Copyright © 2019 by Dana Marie Bell
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