“They’ve brought in hunters to help them.” He was still disgusted that fellow wolves would stoop to such a level as to associate with the hated hunters.
“Hunters?” He’d forgotten for a moment that she really had no idea of what life was really like for werewolves, for her people. She, like most humans, had no idea of the silent war that raged around them between paranormal beings and bounty hunters.
The fighting mostly took place in desolate, abandoned parts of the cities or in more secluded towns and the surrounding woods. The paranormal creatures didn’t want the entire world to know about them. Survival was hard enough without government and the military hunting them. As for the hunters, they were a breed apart, men and women who didn’t fit into society. Their mistrust of authorities and government kept them quiet. That and the fear they’d end up in a psych ward in some institution if they started spouting on about werewolves, vampires and demons.
He wanted to shelter Alex from the truth, but knew that wasn’t possible, nor was it smart. She’d had a nice, comfortable life before today and for a brief second he regretted having had a part in destroying it, even though he knew that there had been nothing else he could have done. There was no way he could have allowed other wolf packs to take her. They might not treat her with the care and respect they would a full-blooded female wolf, but regard her as little more than a brood mare to give them the children their kind so desperately needed.
He reached out and brushed a smudge of dirt off her cheek with his thumb. She was obviously exhausted, hot and sweaty. Her sweatshirt was stained and dirty, her boots scuffed and dusty. She wore no make-up and there were dark circles beneath her eyes. She was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen and he hated that he was going to add to the fear he saw in her beautiful gray eyes.
“Bounty hunters,” he began softly. “There are many who want to eliminate our kind from the face of the planet. They kill as many of us as they can, but it is the young and the elderly who are the most vulnerable.”
“Oh my God,” she cried. Her eyes were huge against her pale skin.
He inwardly cursed all hunters for bringing that look of fear and disgust to her face, but he continued. She had to know the truth, if only for her own protection. “They hunt with silver bullets, with heavy steel traps coated in silver, and skin whatever unfortunate wolves they catch whether they are in human or wolf form.” He closed his eyes and swallowed as memories of friends and loved ones he’d found too late washed over him. The children were always the worst.
Sounds of Alex retching pulled him out of his memories. She’d turned away to a dark corner and was bent over at the waist with her arms wrapped around her stomach. He quickly went to her side and held her until she was finished. Not that there was much in her stomach to lose, but she continued to heave long after it was empty. Finally, she stopped and her legs buckled. Swinging her up into his arms, he carried her over to the window.
“We have to leave, Alex.” Comfort would have to wait. They’d already wasted more time than was safe. He needed to get her far away from this area.
“I know.” Her voice was weak, but determined. “Is that what I have to look forward to? Hunters wanting to trap me and skin the flesh from my body simply because of an accident of birth?”
His arms tightened around her. “That won’t happen.” He would not allow it to happen.
“You might not be able to stop it.” She rubbed her hands over her face and took a deep breath. “Put me down.”
He stared at the window, trying to figure out how he was going to get through it with her in his arms. He’d have to tear off a few more of the boards, but that meant he’d have to put her down, which he didn’t want to do.
“Joshua.” She cupped his face with her hands, turning it toward her. “You have to put me down. I’m fine.” She cut him off with a sharp shake of her head before he had a chance to speak. “No. You know I’m right. You need to have both hands free in case you have to fight. I need to be on my feet in case I need to defend myself.”
Giving into the inevitable, he released the arm tucked beneath her knees, letting her body slide over his as her feet touched the ground. “Stay close and do exactly as I tell you.”
He knew she didn’t quite like his order, but she nodded. Then her face softened once again. “Thank you for coming to look for me.”
“I’ll always come for you, Alex.” He forced himself to release her and ease himself through the window. He looked back and she was still standing there watching him, an unreadable expression on her face. He held out his hand to her. “Come. We have to go.”
Taking his hand, she allowed him to help her climb out of the building and into the night that had fallen over the city.
“Where are we going?” She kept her voice pitched low so that it was barely a whisper.
“We have to hide somewhere safe while I try to round us up another means of transport.”
She hesitated, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. He almost groaned as the unconscious action sent a bolt of lust through him.
“I can get us something to drive. A car that won’t be tied to either dad or me.”
He shook his head. “Don’t worry. I can get us another vehicle. I’ve got contacts in the city.”
“You do?” Surprise tinged her voice.
He ignored her unspoken question, keeping his eyes, ears and nose open as he led her behind a large group of buildings before heading back out to the sidewalk. They walked in silence for several blocks and then jumped on a bus, riding it until the crowds grew thicker as they moved into a more heavily populated area.
Getting off the bus, they assimilated with the crowd of people, many of whom were on their way to dinner and then on to the clubs to dance and drink and maybe find a partner to fuck for the night as a way to forget their problems.
“Joshua?” she prompted again.
“We’ll talk when it’s safe. I’ll answer your questions then.” He could sense her irritation with him, but ignored it. Nothing was more important then her safety.
“You bet your ass you will,” she muttered under her breath. But he heard her and it made him smile.
Chapter Eight
Alex kept pace with Joshua as he led her down one street and then another. It was dark now and she was glad that he seemed to know where he was going because she had no idea where they were headed.
She was still shaken from nearly coming face-to-face with one of the attackers from this morning. For a while, she’d almost allowed herself to believe that the morning attack was a one-time thing. That somehow her life might be able to go back to normal. Seeing him was a brutal reminder that this was now her reality. These men would kill to have her.
And others might just kill her. She shivered, pulling her jacket tighter around her as she thought about the bounty hunters. What kind of men hunted and killed children just because they were from a different species? She shook her head at the naiveté of her question. There were always individuals that preyed on those who were weaker or different. She saw it in her own neighborhood. It happened every day around the world. People feared anything, or anyone, who was different.
Alex swallowed, tasting the sourness in her mouth from where she’d lost what remained of her lunch. That had been weak. She needed to toughen up if she was going to survive. She straightened her shoulders and kept her eyes on Joshua. He’d killed a man today. Snapped his neck with his bare hands. While she couldn’t get the wolf she’d shot out of her mind, she didn’t think that Joshua had given the man he’d killed a second thought.
Not that Joshua was cold blooded or cruel. He was the exact opposite. Joshua lived by a code of right and wrong. His goal was to protect his people and he’d do whatever it took to do so. He didn’t go looking for trouble, but he wouldn’t walk away from it. She knew without a doubt that he’d give his life to protect her.
How did a man get to be like Joshua? What life experiences had shaped his character, making him
what he was?
He exuded a bone-deep confidence in his ability to take care of himself and her. There was almost a feral quality in the way he watched the world around him. He was definitely the predator. It was in the way he held himself. In the way he walked. Men would fear him even as they wanted to be him and women would just want to be with him.
Joshua was an enigma. One minute amorous, the next totally controlled, seemingly almost indifferent. The man had more layers than an onion and she was determined to get under his skin. What did he mean that he had contacts? Did that mean he wasn’t here alone? Why hadn’t they gotten help before now if it was available? She had so many questions she was beginning to get a headache. Her stomach was still queasy and she desperately needed some water to rinse her mouth out.
Glancing around, she saw a convenience store that was still open. “I need some water.”
Joshua turned to her and searched her face before nodding. “I should have thought of that.”
That one sentence made her smile. “You’re not God, Joshua. You can’t think of everything.”
One corner of his mouth twitched, but he didn’t smile. “It’s my job to think of everything.” He held the door open to allow her to enter in front of him.
The lighting was harsh and she blinked, allowing her vision to focus. She headed straight to the cooler in the back and slid the glass door open, extracting a couple bottles of water. Joshua had one eye on her and the other on the customers in the store. She had no doubt that he knew exactly where everyone was, what they were wearing, and could give a detailed description of them if needed.
What must it be like to have to live like that? She guessed that she’d better start learning from him, start paying more attention herself. He might think he was responsible for her safety, but ultimately she was responsible for herself.
“Is there anything you want?” She kept her voice low as she made her way back to his side.
He shook his head. “When we get where we’re going I’ll get whatever we need.”
She took her place in the small line, plunking her two bottles on the counter when her turn came. Reaching into the pocket of her jeans, she found a crumpled bill. The middle-aged clerk paid her no attention as he rang up her purchase, took her money and handed her back her change. She stuffed the money in her pocket, grabbed the two bottles of water and headed for the door with Joshua right behind her.
As soon as they were outside, she tucked one bottle into her coat pocket and twisted the cap off the other. Lifting it, she brought the opening to her mouth. The water felt cool and refreshing against her lips. She didn’t swallow though. Instead, she swished the liquid around in her mouth and spit into a garbage can that was right outside the store. She did that several more times, trying to rid herself of the nasty taste in her mouth, before finally allowing herself to drink some of the water.
“Better?”
She nodded as she tilted the bottle up, draining what was left in it before tossing it into the garbage can. She plucked the other one from her pocket, opened it and offered it to Joshua. He took it, his fingers grazing hers as he removed it from her hand. The slight brush of his skin against hers had her entire body clenching with need. This was ridiculous.
He took a long pull from the bottle. The column of his neck was strong and his throat moved convulsively as he swallowed. His face was in profile to her, emphasizing the harsh planes and the silhouette of his nose. She’d never noticed the small bump in the center of it before. It was a fairly large nose, but it suited his face well.
He lowered the bottle and licked his lips. Alex found herself licking her lips as well. What she’d really like to do was lick his lips. Shaking herself, she managed to tear her eyes from him just before he turned back to her and handed her the bottle.
“Thanks. That hit the spot.”
She was careful not to allow their fingers to touch when she took the container back from him. “You’re welcome.” She drank what was left and tossed the bottle into the garbage bin. “I’m ready.”
“You certainly are.” His low, intimate voice stroked over her skin like a physical caress. What the heck did he mean by that? Before she could get the nerve to ask him to explain himself, he was already on the move again. She had to hurry for a bit to catch up before falling in to step beside him.
Physically, Joshua was a sight to behold. She watched him as he prowled down the dimly lit sidewalk. His legs were long and thick with muscles. His jeans cupped his ass to perfection and he had a loose-legged gait that had made more than one woman stop and stare. Alex responded by glaring at them.
It was pure pleasure to watch Joshua move. The man was incredibly good looking in a rough sort of way. He had a fluid grace that she’d only ever seen in one other man—her father. She realized now that it was the wolf in them both that allowed them to move in that manner.
Alex couldn’t deny that there was an animal magnetism about him that drew her. Was he right? Would she be just as drawn to another werewolf? Alex didn’t think so. There was something special about Joshua. Werewolf or man, she would have felt the pull.
What would it be like to make love to him?
A shiver skated down her spine and she rubbed her sweaty palms over the legs of her jeans. It was almost enough to make her come just by thinking about all that male intensity focused entirely on her. He would be a thorough lover. Of that she had no doubt. Everything he did, he did with purpose, putting all his attention into it. It was all too easy to imagine him braced over her, driving himself deep into her core, making her scream with pleasure. She had quite an imagination even though she’d never had a lover before.
She licked her lips as she glanced away, needing to gain some control over her runaway hormones. Alex looked around and caught a few familiar landmarks, eventually getting her bearings. They were near the entertainment district. Art galleries, restaurants and trendy clubs all vied for people’s money. These were, for the most part, upscale businesses, but there were clubs and bars throughout the city, ranging from chic to seedy, and everything in between.
Mind-numbing liquor, loud music and a chance to forget just how brutal and unforgiving the world could be was their appeal. There were private clubs, if you knew where to find them, offering all sorts of illicit experiences. Everyone knew about them, but most never talked about them or knew exactly where to find them.
“Where are we going?”
“We’re going to see someone about getting some new transportation.” Joshua caught her hand in his and tugged her along the sidewalk. She supposed she’d slowed down, although it hadn’t been intentional. The colored lights and the sounds of music drifting out from the clubs had caught her attention. There was a party atmosphere in the air, but beneath it she sensed the darkness, the desperation.
She also sensed Joshua’s growing tension and it made her nervous. It was too loud, too boisterous, too everything here. It almost hurt her eyes and ears to take it all in. Vendors hawked food from steaming carts, while bouncers stood outside clubs, muscular arms crossed, allowing people inside a few at a time. She noted a sharp-eyed youth lift the wallet of one unsuspecting man, and several men and women who passed them were carrying weapons. She might have been somewhat sheltered in her life, but her father had taught her how to watch others so she could protect herself. Not that she could criticize them. She had a knife shoved in each of her boots and a 9mm stuffed in her pocket.
Alex watched all the people streaming by them. Hard-looking men in jeans and leather shared the street with businessmen in three-piece suits. Women in high heels, short skirts, skimpy tops and too much makeup laughingly called out suggestive ideas to some of the men. Other women in expensive dresses and glittery jewelry were let into clubs while others waited in long lines.
Several men glanced at her, but quickly looked away when Joshua pinned them with a lethal glare. They couldn’t know what he was, but it was as if they sensed he was not a man to mess around with.
“Stay close.” He tugged her away from the general stream of humanity. They kept walking and Alex caught a whiff of chocolate on the air. That could only mean one thing—the Fulton River District. Here thriving businesses, that included a chocolate company, sat alongside empty warehouses and million-dollar condos. Development was fast and furious in this section of town.
Alex’s curiosity was aroused. Were they headed for one of the empty warehouses or one of the fabulous condos? Apparently neither. Joshua led her down a dimly lit alleyway that ran alongside a large warehouse. Even from outside, she could hear the heavy pulse of the music pounding from the nightclub within. They passed a long line of patrons waiting outside and went to a closed iron door.
“Hey man,” one guy complained. “There’s a line here.”
Joshua ignored him and banged on the door. Several other men began to curse and the crowd grew restless. Alex edged sideways so that she could watch the crowd. She didn’t want anyone sneaking up behind them. Joshua hammered on the door again.
It was shoved open by the biggest man Alex had ever seen and she forgot all about the crowd behind them. She just stood there and stared at him. The guy had to be at least six-foot-eight, if not larger. Wearing leather pants, boots and a vest, and with his head shaved bald, he was an intimidating sight. Thankfully, he ignored her and glared at Joshua. “What?”
“I need to see Damek.” Joshua didn’t seem to be the least bit concerned that this guy was bigger than him.
The bouncer stared at Joshua, then at her. She felt pinned to the spot by his stare but she didn’t look away, meeting his gaze without blinking. She let out the breath she’d been holding when he turned back to Joshua. “And you are?”
“Striker.”
The bouncer’s eyes widened, as if he recognized the name. He nodded and stepped aside to let them pass. Some of the people waiting started to complain. The big man silenced them with a single threatening look.
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