by Sarah Makela
Chapter Three
Ethan
I threw my bag in the backseat of Mia’s pristine car. Why the hell couldn’t Nolan just have requested time off, instead of having his little sister pick me up? Once I got to my apartment, I’d be giving him a piece of my mind. Whether he liked what I had to say or not.
However, it did bring to the surface some things. Things I wasn’t quite sure I knew how to comprehend. Why had the big dog, which had looked suspiciously like a wolf, decided to attack us in the airport’s parking garage?
Mia was in some kind of trouble. She was very careful not to explain to me about anything that had gone on. Besides, where had the fire come from? How did she do that?
This was the exact opposite of how I’d imagined my return from deployment would be. Aside from seeing Mia. But she was off limits. Chasing after my best friend’s little sister was wrong on so many levels. I had a moral code to follow, even if she’d grown into a body that took my breath away.
Our moment in the car had been a little too close, but I hadn’t wanted her to mistake my reaction for something creepy. The space between us had tempted me. I’d wanted to close the distance and taste her lips, but I’d needed just to back the fuck off her.
I rested my forehead against the top of the car, taking a deep breath before I climbed into the driver’s seat. “Talk. If you’re not spilling by the time we leave the garage, I’m doing as I said.” I threw the car in reverse, backing out of the spot, then we headed down to the first floor of the garage toward the exit. “Do you understand me, Mia? I’ll take you home and leave.” Even in my heart, I knew I didn’t want to do that. Protecting her from harm was important. I wouldn’t stand back while she was in danger.
She nodded, keeping her gaze on her lap. Her denim skirt revealed long, milky white legs. “I...I don’t know where to start.” She tugged at the skirt’s hem, before smoothing it out again.
“What was that thing that attacked us? Why would some dog or wolf want to attack you? The animal seemed smarter than one you’d find in a zoo. What the hell is going on?” Anger surged in me, but more from helplessness than frustration with her. Why wasn’t she talking?
Mia jerked and slid lower in her seat. “It was a.... I don’t know how to say this.”
I turned the corner, getting closer to the exit. “Just say it.”
“Werewolf! That was a werewolf.” Her voice shook, and she clenched her hands into fists, keeping them on her thighs.
“What the hell? Are you on drugs? There are no such things as werewolves or vampires.” I muttered under my breath, not wanting to believe her. “You always did have an active imagination as a kid.” However, it didn’t explain the fire.
“I’m trying to be truthful, even though it goes against my very being, since it’s not a good idea for you or anyone else to know about the supernatural community that resides all around you. You’re just going to get yourself hurt. More than you already have, at least.” Mia’s breath came out in gasps. “Please. Don’t press me, Ethan.”
While I knew Mia wasn’t one to lie, I couldn’t believe what she was saying, even though there’d been a wolf. Although, maybe it had been a dog with rabies. Weird things happened all the time. Maybe we were both delusional. I should’ve thought about the hospital sooner. Maybe she’d hit her head against the car a little too hard. That had to be it. Besides, she was getting pretty emotional and I hated seeing her cry.
“Don’t worry about me getting hurt. I’m more worried about your safety right now.” I glanced over at her, before turning my eyes back to the road in front of me. While I wanted to drop it, I did have several more questions. Questions I didn’t want to wait for her to answer.
The fire and scent of burning hair had been real. She’d been chanting and doing something. What exactly had she been doing? How did it fit in with everything else? While I wanted to ask, what would she say?
With her this upset, it was better to wait until she had calmed down. If what I’d seen had been real, I didn’t want to piss her off. If I did, she might start throwing fire at me. I shook my head, not wanting to think more about it.
The thought of taking her to the hospital to get checked out could’ve been good, but there might be too many questions asked. If there were such things as werewolves...what would that make her? A witch?
Frowning, I pulled to a stop, waiting for the traffic to clear on the road. A few cars zoomed past. Well over the speed limit, from what I’d guess. When the coast was clear, I pulled onto the main road. “What are you?”
She started violently coughing. “Wh...what do you mean?”
A sinking feeling weighed on my chest. “I’m pretty sure I saw more than just the wolf attack us. What did you do to it? What are you?”
Mia shook her head, leaning more and more away from me, her fingers gripped the door. This didn’t look good. When I pulled to a halt at the next stoplight, she lunged for the door handle, but I grabbed her wrist.
“Let go of the door, damn it. Talk to me.” I tried not to squeeze her wrist too hard. I didn’t want to hurt her, but the ferocity of her wriggling made me grip her tight. “Mia, damn it. We’ve known each other for years. Calm down and talk to me.” Hitting the button, I engaged the doors’ locks, trying my best to keep her in the car.
“Please, let me go, Ethan.” She tried to pry my fingers off her wrist, but she didn’t have much luck. I was strong; I had to be to fight the nation’s enemies overseas. “Stop it.” Her gaze flicked from my hand to the door again.
No way would I be letting her go, not when she’d made it clear that she’d jump from the car. I didn’t want to hurt her. But I needed to make sure she didn’t hurt herself either.
“Stop squirming. I will not release you if I’m not confident that you won’t open that fucking door. You can either settle down, or I’ll have to tie you up and throw you in the backseat.” She didn’t need to know that I didn’t have rope.
Mia met my eyes for the first time since I’d started driving. Her eyes widened in fear and her lips parted, the tip of her pink tongue swept over her lower lip. The thought of crushing my mouth against hers filled my mind. Pressing my body on hers as she lay beneath me, her hands bound and her body wet and ready. Behind me, a car honked, and I looked up to see the light had turned green.
Damn it. If I didn’t watch myself, I’d be in for a cold shower when I got home.
Shifting in the seat, I tried to adjust my swollen cock, which was pressed tight against my uniform, without drawing too much attention to what I was doing. Fucking hell. This woman was going to drive me crazy before the holidays were over.
She leaned back in the seat, sitting incredibly still, her wrist limp in my grasp.
After a few minutes, I glanced over at her, making sure she wasn’t getting into mischief. Instead, she was just staring out of the passenger window. She chewed on her glossy pink lower lip and shook her head. Her breasts rose and fell with her breathing, and she leaned back against the headrest.
I turned onto the main road near where we grew up, where the high school we’d graduated from was situated. “What’s wrong?”
“Take us to my house. Please,” she said, her tone resolved if not a little sad. “I’ll look at your wound...and...and I’ll try to talk to you. Just please listen to me. Don’t assume I’m trying to pull anything. I’m not thrilled about opening up about this. It’s hard for me.”
Mia had never been very outspoken before, but she was a confident woman who rarely faltered and always seemed put together. However, right now, she wore vulnerability like a cloak and I wanted to strip it away.
Instead of turning onto my street, I made my way to her house. I’d only been there once when she’d moved in. Nolan and I had done most of the work when it came to unloading her moving truck, while she and her mother had started unpacking. Her father had back problems, so he’d only moved lighter things to do his part.
I’d had no reason to go back there, since we d
idn’t hang out much, aside from the occasional dinner with her and her parents. I wouldn’t have minded being with her more. However, I’d had no reason to be. But seeing her again after being overseas...there had been so many times when I’d thought of her. My parents were dead. I had no siblings, so her family was my family now. Nolan was more like a brother to me than a friend.
I kept my grip on her wrist, even though she’d stopped fighting. I’d let go when we pulled into her driveway, but how could I be sure she wouldn’t bolt from the car. However, I was a pretty fast runner, so I didn’t doubt my ability to catch her if she tried to escape and lock the door on me. Besides, she said she’d talk to me and look at my wound, which was hurting worse by the minute. I’d known her for years, and if she said she would talk, then she would. Besides, I wasn’t the type of guy to use force when it came to a girl; especially not this girl.
Looking at her darkened house, I almost wished we’d stopped by my place instead. At least then I’d be able to have a weapon to protect us from whoever...or whatever...hunted her. Blowing out a breath, I turned to Mia. “Don’t move. If you move toward the door, I’ll pull out of this driveway and go back to my place, then you’ll have to talk to Nolan about what’s going on as well.” I knew that was a horrible idea. Getting Nolan involved in this wasn’t safe. However, if it was between scaring her into a cooperative mood, or not doing that, then I would make sure she didn’t go off and do anything stupid.
“No, you can’t involve my brother. That’s too dangerous. You know that.” Mia jerked in my grip, pulling at her wrist with every intention of breaking free, but I had a firm grip. There was no way she would be budging from that car, not unless I wanted her to...or if she threw a fireball at me. I hoped she wouldn’t resort to that, but if she did, I’d have no choice but let her go off and do whatever the hell she was going to do.
I only hoped she’d accept my assistance. “Help me help you. If you keep struggling, I’ll have to drag you through the car from the passenger seat. Your neighbors will get quite a show,” I said, nodding at an older woman peeking through the blinds. “But we don’t want to draw attention, do we?”
Mia widened her eyes. She followed my gaze to the neighbor and shot the woman a look. Her demeanor immediately changed from rebellious to calm...er...albeit still hostile. “Fine. I’ll play nice. Don’t involve my brother, and don’t you dare drag me through the car.” Her lips thinned into a severe frown.
“Deal. Stay in the car. I’ll open your door for you.” I started to climb out, but I paused to give her a backward glance. “Don’t move.”
She didn’t respond, just stayed still, staring straight in front of her.
I grabbed my bag from the back seat, even though the pain of the attack still gnawed at me. Standing on my feet was harder than I’d anticipated. If I didn’t get attention soon, I might pass out. However, if anything, I needed to stop the trickling blood leaving an ever-growing stain on my uniform.
