by Mac Flynn
The chief dropped his hand and shook his head. “That wasn’t there for Orion. I put it on my hands to ward off the Sickness. I’ve been fooling with the stuff for so long I guess I worked up an immunity stronger than Orion’s.”
Orion smiled. “I guess I’ll have to work on getting better at that stuff.”
The chief sighed and hung his head. “Anyway, that probably makes you caught up with everything I know.”
Orion nodded. “Yeah, and it puts you in the middle of a big mess.”
A small smile slid onto the chief’s lips. “It’s something I deserve, and I’ll let the Council decide what to do with me.”
At that moment the officers came around the corner. Between them were their mostly-naked human coworkers and the mayor. They pulled them into the cars and shut the door.
One of the deputies came up to the chief. “What do we charge them with?”
The chief’s eyes flickered to Orion. “The same thing you have to charge me with. Public endangerment, tampering with evidence, and conspiracy.”
The deputy tilted his head to one side and furrowed his brow. “Chief?”
Orso held out his hands with his wrists pressed close together. “You heard me, deputy. Cuff me and I’ll give you my testimony at the station.”
His deputy frowned, but placed handcuffs on the chief. He led Orso toward the car. Orion stepped forward. “Orso.” Orso paused in front of one of the doors to a police car and glanced over his shoulder. Orion smiled. “Remember all those times I got you into trouble?”
A crooked smile slipped onto Orso’s lips and he nodded. “Yeah, and I got you out.”
“We’ll switch places this time,” Orion told him. “So that means don’t get comfortable in that cell.”
Orso chuckled. “Damn. I hear those beds are pretty nice, too.” He turned away and slipped into the car.
The officer closed the door and turned to us. “Looks like you’ll need a lift. Where to?”
Jasmine looked from Orion to me. “My dad-” Orion smiled and patted her shoulder.
“We’ll go take him to the hospital now,” he assured her.
We borrowed one of the unused police vehicles and drove back to the junkyard. Jerry still lay where Darnell had dropped him.
“Dad!” Jasmine yelled as she leapt out of the car and rushed over to him. She knelt by his side and shook him. “Dad, wake up!”
A soft groan escaped his lips and his eyes flickered open. “Jasmine, please do not be so loud. You will never find a husband if you are so noisy.”
She laughed and hugged him. Orion and I walked up behind them. My mate knelt beside her. “He’s got some bad bruises. Let’s get him up and to the hospital.”
Orion helped Jerry to the car and we drove to the hospital. We were met by the same doctor who tried to keep us quarantined.
I glared at him. “Don’t try it again. I know were-fu now.”
He shook his head.. “I’ve just been informed that the mayor’s orders have been revoked.”
“Could you help my dad?” Jasmine spoke up. “He caught the Sickness.”
The doctor smiled at her and nodded. “It looks like someone administered the antidote to him, but I’d be glad to help.” The doctor led father and daughter away.
I glanced at Orion as we left the hospital. “So are you going to tell me?”
He arched an eyebrow. “About what?”
“About that crazy old woman at the cabin,” I reminded him. “She said something about casting a spell, and Jazz made it sound like serious stuff.”
We paused on either side of the car. Orion set his arms on the top and grinned at me. “Do you really want to know?”
I mimicked his movements. “Am I a reporter?”
He chuckled. “You must be. I don’t know of anyone else who can get into this much trouble this fast.” He ducked into the car and I followed. We shut the doors and he turned to me. “Did you ever believe in any paranormal stuff before you came here?”
I snorted. “Not anything I wasn’t willing to attach my byline to.” Orion stared ahead at the hospital and furrowed his brow. I leaned forward to catch his attention. “There’s not just were-people here, is there?”
He shook his head. “No. We’ve got quite a few different-um, people here.”
“Namely witches?” I guessed.
He nodded. “Yeah, and a lot of them.”
I arched an eyebrow. “So why are they here?”
He smiled and glanced at me. “The same reason you are. The tree.”
I leaned back into my seat and folded my arms. “That’s one strange tree.”
He chuckled and started the car. “You have no idea.”
I sighed and slid down my seat. “Witches. Were-people. Politics. What next? A mole-man running for mayor?”
Orion smiled as he pulled out of the parking lot. “Don’t tempt them.”
I shook my head. “For once I don’t want to know.” I glanced out the window at the dark world of god-awful-early morning. “So now what?”
He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. “I don’t know, but I could really go for a midnight snack.”
I glanced at my watch. “I don’t think anybody’s going to be open at one in the morning.”
He grinned. “You’d be surprised.”
23
I wasn’t too surprised when he drove me to Mab’s place. I stepped out of the car and looked down at my tattered clothes. “Should we go in looking like this?”
Orion looped his arm threw mine and led me to the door. “There might not be much left of them, but we’ve still got shirts and jeans on.”
The lights were on and somebody was home, namely the black cat. It sat on the counter as we walked through the front door.
Orion walked up and patted its head. “Why don’t you go fetch us a couple of glasses of water?”
The black creature hissed and leapt down. It scurried its dark rear into the kitchen as we slipped onto a couple of stools at the counter.
I wagged my finger at Orion. “You shouldn’t piss off the business mascot. It might come back to bite you in the ass.”
He leaned his elbows on the counter and chuckled. “It has before, but here comes our water.”
Mab walked through the doorway from the kitchen. In each hand was a tall glass of chocolate milkshake, and on her face was a sly smile. Two straws stuck out of the brown mixture. She set them down in front of us.
Orion straightened and leaned back. He arched an eyebrow and glanced from glass to waitress. “What are these for?”
She chuckled. “A celebration for the victors.”
I blinked at her. “Victors?
Orion frowned. “You know I don’t like sweet things.”
Her eyes flickered to me. “I thought perhaps you had changed your mind.” She returned her attention to Orion and pushed the glass closer to him. “But why not give it a try? It’s been a few years since you had one.”
He pushed it away. “Maybe another time.”
She shrugged and pulled out her pad and pencil. “Suit yourself. What kind of fries would you like with your hamburgers?”
“Plain,” Orion replied.
I raised my hand. “I’d like an explanation.”
Mab scribbled her pencil across the pad. “One plain, and one curly. Your orders will be ready in a few minutes.” She turned away from us and strode into the kitchen.
I stretched out my hand to her. “Hey, wait-” She disappeared. I turned to my companion.
He hunched down and studied the contents of the milkshake. “I wouldn’t put it past her to put a sour gumball in one of these. . .”
I leaned forward and caught Orion’s attention. I pointed a finger at where Mab had gone. “Mind telling me what that was about?”
A smile teased the corners of his lips and he shrugged. “It’s a small town. News travels fast.” He leaned forward and took a dainty sip of the drink. His nose wrinkled and he pushed the milkshake away.
“Nope, still bad.”
I took a sip of mine and frowned at him. “It tastes fine.”
He shook his head. “Nope, bad.”
“Fine.”
“Bad.”
“Fine.”
Orion leaned toward me and caught my lips in a searing kiss. He pulled away, leaving me breathless and flushed. My mischievous mate grinned. “Bad.”
I narrowed my eyes and opened my mouth, but Mab came from the kitchen. In her hands was a tray with burgers and fries. She set down the food between us and smiled. “Enjoy your supper before your fight gets cold.”
“It was a friendly disagreement,” Orion argued as he picked up a fry and chewed on it.
Mab smiled and turned away. “No doubt.”
She left us to our food which was scarfed down at a new land-speed record. A few minutes later I leaned back and patted my stomach. Our tray was devoid of all but the paper wrappings and some grease.
Orion tipped his head back and downed the rest of his water. He smacked his lips and sighed. “Mab sure does know how to serve a good meal.”
“We should compliment the cook,” I pointed out.
He grinned. “Maybe another time. For now, what do you say about a walk beneath the moonlight? Just to get our minds cleared.”
I snorted. “I don’t think that’d be a good idea.”
He arched his eyebrow as Mab came from the kitchen. “Why not?”
I tapped my finger close to my eye. “I’m still in training wheels with this night vision stuff, so that’s a definite ‘no’ unless you can pull a flashlight out of your torn jeans.”
“I have one,” Mab spoke up. She pulled a long cylinder from beneath the counter and placed it in front of me with a wink. “I think you’ll find it helpful.”
My mouth dropped open as I picked up the object. It was my flashlight, the one I’d dropped in the snow my first night in town. I jerked my head up. “Where’d you-” Her back disappeared around the corner and into the kitchen. I slid off my stool. “Hey, wait a-” A hand caught my shoulder. I looked behind me at Orion.
He smiled and shook his head. “Don’t bother. If she doesn’t want to answer any questions then you won’t find her.”
I shrugged out of his hold and glared down at the flashlight. “But how’d she get this? I dropped it in the middle of the street.”
Orion plucked the flashlight from my hands and held it above my head. “I don’t know what Mab’s up to, but I know we can talk about it on that walk home.”
I pursed my lips. “A good reporter doesn’t leave a story unfinished.”
He swept me into his arms and carried me to the door. “A good reporter also needs her beauty sleep.”
“A good reporter knows how to walk a beat!” I snapped.
He chuckled. “We’ll just your rhythm is off right now.”
“You say that, I say nay!” I quipped.
We strode out the door and down the street. The late hour meant the town was deserted. A chill breeze swept over us. I shivered and wrapped my arms around myself.
“Cold?” Orion asked me.
I snorted. “I’m half naked in the middle of autumn in the middle of the night. Yeah, I’m cold.”
He grinned. “And a little angry.”
I glared at him. “You’d be angry, too, if you were chased by half the county of a place you couldn’t escape.”
He sighed and nodded. “Yeah, I think I’d be pretty mad, too. Still, there are perks.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Name one.”
He chuckled. “I’ll show you when we get home. It’ll solve your cold problem, too.”
I rolled my eyes. “Werewolf. Were-bear. They’re all still men.”
He leaned down and pressed a teasing kiss against my lips. A warm rush of heat swept over me as his whispered words came to my ears. “You know you like it.”
I couldn’t deny it. My red cheeks were proof enough. I wrapped my arms around him and pressed our lips together. The searing heat of lust sank deep into my body. The long walk felt like a few moments. Maybe they were. One moment we were downtown, and the next thing I remember I was being carried into his bedroom.
Our steamy kisses quickly progressed to blind groping. Our throbbing bodies pulsed with our deep, sensual need Our torn clothes were cast aside and our sweat-soaked bodies were allowed to rub against each other. My moans filled the air. His grunts echoed my calls.
His hands were all over me, exploring me as no other man had done. His lips massaged the tips of my breasts. I groaned and arched into his firm, clinging touch. My body was aflame with lust, and every touch of him against my flesh stoked the fire hotter and deeper.
“Oh god,” I groaned.
He lifted his head. His yellow eyes stared at me with the hungry look of a carnal predator. I felt my muscles tighten and stretch as the beast inside me threatened to break loose. My breath came out in quick, shallow pants that made my breasts rise and fall.
“Mine,” he growled.
I grasped the sheets and licked my dry lips. My body ached for him. It demanded sweet, sensual satisfaction that only this feral beast could provide. “Yours. All of me.”
He spread my legs apart and pushed his thick manhood deep into my hot, wet core. I groaned as he stretched my walls and slid against my trembling womanhood. His thrusts were long and hard. I grabbed his shoulders and rocked my hips in time with his rhythm.
I sank into the bliss he created inside of me. Every thrust, every push was a heaven of shivering pleasure. I gasped and panted. He continued on, stroking me with his thick, throbbing member as I sank deeper into wonderful, sensual delights.
My body twitched and strained. My fingers lengthened into claws and dug into his flesh. Every part of me begged to be released, to be granted the pleasure every touch of him promised.
My groans deepened in tone as I felt his muscles beneath my fingers change. They stretched and shifted. His thrusts grew faster. His member throbbed and thickened. I gasped and whimpered. He grunted. It was a deep, guttural grunt.
The beast inside me answered the call. Carnal desire overtook conscious thought. I felt myself slipping away as fur sprouted from my body. My sweat-soaked muscles tensed and expanded. My hips rocked faster. I barely recognized my own deep voice.
“Faster. Fuck me faster,” I growled.
He snarled and wrapped his arms tightly around me. I was pinned between his thick, muscular body and the bed. The bed rocked back and forth as he pushed harder and faster. Every thrust stroked my trembling nerves. My body was swept into a sea of hot pleasure.
I arched my back and groaned. “Yes. Oh god, yes. Take me. Take me faster.”
He abandoned rhythm for pure fornication. His thrusts were fast and quick. I couldn’t keep up, but I could feel. What I felt was a deep, insatiable hunger for my mate. My body was consumed by my need for his warmth, for his touch, for him. His thick, sweat-soaked body was a drug that brought me pleasure beyond anything I could imagine.
My body trembled beneath such an onslaught of delicious lust. My cries of pleasure filled the air as I clung onto him.
I nipped at his ears and whispered sweet words to him. “Yes. That’s it. More. Oh god, so much more.”
His thrusts were hard and shallow now. My body tensed as orgasm teased my senses. I leaned my head back and let loose a long, deep howl as pleasure after blissful pleasure washed over me. My mate joined me in the howl, and in a few moments we both collapsed onto the sheets.
Orion shifted onto his side and pulled me against him. He threw the covers over both of us and wrapped his arms around me.
I buried my face into his warm chest and tried to catch my breath. “Is there. . .every a. . .dull moment around here?” I choked out.
He chuckled. It was a deep, guttural sound. “I hope not.”
24
A hard stomping noise awoke me. My eyes creaked open at the same time the door to the room swung open. I sat up and glared at Orion who stood in the doorway
. The light from behind the curtains told me it was past noon.
Orion raised his hands above his head. “I bring news, oh studious reporter!”
I winced and clapped my hands over my ears. “I should shoot the messenger.”
He grinned and stepped over to the bed. “You won’t after I tell you the verdict of the Council.”
I paused in rubbing my eyeball and arched an eyebrow. “Come again?”
He plopped down beside me. “Things work fast around here. Everyone’s trial happened in front of the Council.”
I frowned. “And? What happened?”
He shrugged. “The chief is on unpaid leave and is up for reelection soon, so the voters will decide his fate. As for the deputies who helped Darnell, they’re out of jobs.”
“And Darnell?” I asked him.
“She’ll get time off for rescuing Jazz and you from Jerry, but we won’t have to worry about her for a while,” he assured me. “Her brother decided he wanted to increase the population count.”
I slammed my fists on the bed and snarled. “Damn it. I really would have liked to have seen her in an orange jumpsuit.” My narrowed eyes flickered to him. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me it was happening?”
He held up his hands. “You needed your beauty sleep, and besides, it was closed for you. Citizens only.”
I snorted. “I thought I was made an honorary citizen when the mayor made me bite into that apple.”
Orion dropped his hands and pursed his lips. His eyes studied me. “Not exactly. I put in a good word for you with the Council, and for all your help they’ve decided to give you a choice.”
I arched an eyebrow. “What choice?”
He sighed. “You can either remain here, or you can leave.”
I straightened and blinked at him. “Leave? As in get into my car and race out of here?”
He gazed into my eyes as he nodded. “Yes.”
My smile nearly cracked my face in two. I pumped a fist into the air. “Yes! Freedom of the press is alive and-” I stopped when I noticed Orion’s downcast face.
He noticed my noticing and slapped a smile on his face. “You’d have to be careful, of course. No Hulking out when you got angry or anything like that, or its back to Apple Hollow detention for you.”
