A Deal with Death

by Carrie Pulkinen

  He’d always thought it hokum, but after spending time with Odette and learning about Baron Samedi, he couldn’t help but wonder if there was any truth to the tale. Cade returned in human form, and Noah joined them shortly after.

  “What the hell were you chasing?” Cade scanned the area, still on high alert. “The image was fuzzy in your mind.”

  James rose to all fours. He’d never gotten a clear look at the creature, but it seemed to match Odette’s description. When he didn’t answer, Cade furrowed his brow.

  “C’mon, man. Shift and let’s get out of here. This place gives me the creeps.”

  James growled low in his throat. They’d have to walk ten blocks to get back to Odette’s, and he had a slight problem with doing that in human form.

  “Do you know what’s wrong with him?” Noah asked Cade.

  Cade crossed his arms and shook his head. “Are you hurt? There’s blood in your fur.”

  James let out his breath in a huff. Yes, he was hurt, and if he were a full werewolf, it would have healed by now. His injury wasn’t the problem, though if his friends tried to coddle him, it would become one—for them.

  The corner of Noah’s mouth twitched before turning into a full-blown grin. “Wait a minute. You said he was coming from Odette’s place, right?”

  Cade shrugged. “Yeah.”

  Noah chuckled. “You’re naked, aren’t you? You were banging the Baroness when it happened.”

  Baring his teeth, James let out a menacing growl. Noah needed to show respect for his girlfriend, and if he could form words, he’d tell him so.

  Cade guffawed. “Oh, man. This is classic. Give him your pants, Noah.”

  “No way. You give him yours.”

  “I don’t think he wants mine. I’m commando underneath.”

  Noah groaned and crossed his arms. “He’s not getting my pants. He made it here in wolf form; he can make it back. We’ll meet you at Odette’s.”

  At least one of them was making sense. Backing up a few steps, James sprang onto a tomb and then vaulted over the cemetery wall.

  Not the smartest move he could have made.

  He overshot his target and landed in the road. A horn blared as a car speeding down St. Louis street slammed on its brakes. James scrambled onto the sidewalk, cursing himself for his lack of caution, and the passenger rolled down the window and stared, wide-eyed, as the vehicle crept past. Damn it, he didn’t have time for this. He needed to get back to Odette.

  Another car passed, and he raced across the road, determined to get his ass out of view. But he wasn’t fast enough.

  “Holy shit.” A police officer with dark hair and a beer belly rounded the corner and nudged his partner, gesturing toward James as he unclipped his gun from its holster.

  The taller man stopped and cocked his head, his right hand resting on his firearm. “Is that a wolf?”

  Shit. Shit, shit, shit.

  Ten more feet and he’d have made it to the public parking lot where he could have hidden amongst the vehicles. Instead, he stood, fully exposed, beneath a street lamp, two cops cautiously approaching with their guns drawn. If he took off now, they’d shoot. Hit him in the heart or head, and he’d be dead.

  Sucking in a deep breath, he forced himself to relax to get the ridge of hair running down his back to lay flat. Best to not look menacing to innocent humans with the power to kill him.

  “There you are.” Noah took off his belt and jogged toward him. “You can’t run off like that, buddy.” He sweetened his voice, talking to James like he was a dog.

  A goddamn dog.

  “I told you that leash was a piece of crap.” Cade strode up and stopped by Noah. “Snapped in half the first time you used it, didn’t it?”

  “The leash snapped because you yanked it so hard. Pulled the poor guy’s collar right off his neck.” Noah held the belt toward James.

  James huffed and backed up. No way in hell was he pretending to be a domesticated house pet.

  “You don’t have much of a choice here, man,” Noah whispered under his breath.

  One of the officers holstered his gun. Beer belly held his tight by his side. “This your dog?”

  “Yes, sir.” Noah plastered on a smile and slipped the belt around James’s neck. “We’re on our way home.”

  “Why’s he bleeding?” The tall guy nodded toward James’s shoulder.

  “Oh, uh…” Noah squinted at his blood-soaked fur. “He tried to squeeze through a broken fence. Sharp edge of wrought-iron got him. We’ll take care of it when we get home.”

  “Biggest damn dog I’ve ever seen.” Chubby adjusted his grip on his gun, and sweat beaded on his upper lip.

  Cade moved to James’s other side, flanking him. “He’s harmless.” He scratched him behind the ear, and James gritted his teeth to stop himself from snapping at his friend.

  “Holster your weapon, LeClerc.” The taller officer stepped closer, while LeClerc did as he was told. “How’d you domesticate him? He’s a wolf, right?”

  “He’s half-wolf. His domesticated side drains the wild right out of him, doesn’t it, buddy?” Cade patted his head, and James held in a growl. “He’s not nearly as tough as a full-wolf would be.”

  James jerked his head from Cade’s grasp. That comment better not have been a jab at his lineage. His mom’s humanity was common knowledge, but James worked overtime to make up for what he lacked. No one called him a lesser wolf.

  “Can I pet him?” The cop reached a hand toward James.

  “Uh…” Noah started, but Cade cut him off.

  “Sure. He’s a sweetheart.”

  Noah tightened his grip on the belt. He couldn’t have held James back if he tried, but the gesture reminded him to play the part in front of the cops. As soon as he was alone with Cade, though…

  His friends exchanged a few more words with the officers, and then they headed back toward Odette’s. James tugged from Noah’s grasp, but his friend clutched the belt again.

  “Do you want to draw any more attention? Just a few more blocks.”

  Cade laughed. “Yeah, buddy. Be a good boy.” He rubbed the top of James’s head.

  He didn’t hold back this time. A menacing growl rolled up from his core, and he snapped his jaws, clamping onto Cade’s hand, his teeth penetrating to the bone.

  “Ow! Damn it, what was that for?” As if he didn’t know. Cade tried to pull his hand from James’s maw.

  Coppery blood oozed into James’s mouth, and he tightened his grip, his growl turning into a snarl.

  “The half-wolf comment was a low blow,” Noah said.

  Cade sucked in a breath through his teeth. “I’m sorry, okay? But you knew I was joking.”

  James released his hand and blew out a hard breath. A sliver of truth laced every so-called joke, and Cade needed to remember his place. James would always out-rank him.

  They reached Odette’s and searched the perimeter, but they found no sign of the creature. Cade’s wound had healed by the time they made it to the front porch, and he lifted his hand to knock as the lock disengaged and Odette opened the door.

  She started to speak, but whatever she’d planned to say got stuck in her throat when her eyes met James’s. She flicked her gaze to Cade and then Noah before opening the door wider and ushering them all inside.

  James narrowed his eyes at his friends, a silent message for them to stay in the foyer, before trotting through the kitchen to Odette’s bedroom.

  She followed on his heels. “Is everything okay? What happened?”

  He shifted to human form and fumbled to right his inside-out jeans. Anger fumed in his chest. Anger at Cade for being an ass. At Noah for the idiotic idea of acting like he was a dog. But most of all at himself for not killing the creature when he had the chance.

  “Here. Let me do that.” She took his jeans and righted them while he yanked on his underwear. “I take it the demon got away?”

  “That was no demon.” He shoved his legs into pants, and Odett
e brushed her fingers across his neck.

  “It hurt you.”

  He touched the wound. Two scratches were all that remained of the gash the creature had torn in his shoulder. He’d healed, but not fast enough to hide it from her or his friends. Then Cade called him harmless because he was only half-wolf… He’d show the jackass harmless.

  “I’m fine.” He pulled on his shirt and clutched her shoulders. “Did it come back here?”

  “I don’t think so. It hasn’t tried to get in if it did.”

  Nodding, he took her hand and led her to the foyer. As soon as his gaze met Cade’s he dropped her hand and lunged for him, slamming his back against the closed door, his forearm pressing the air from his lungs. “If you ever pull a stunt like that again, your ass will be mine. Understood?”

  Cade scowled. “What about him?” He gestured with his head toward Noah. “The whole thing was his idea. Aren’t you going to bite him too?”

  Odette gasped. “You bit him?”

  “He was treating me like a dog.” He leaned his weight into Cade, showing his dominance.

  “We saved your ass and kept the pack’s secret safe.” Cade’s voice strained under the pressure.

  “He’s right.” Noah placed a hand on James’s shoulder. “I’m sorry it had to be that way, but the pack does come first.”

  He glanced at his friend. When did Noah become the voice of reason? “I see your point.” He looked into Cade’s eyes, holding his gaze, asserting his dominance again. James may have been wrong to challenge his friend, but he wasn’t about to lose a fight.

  Cade glared at him briefly before lowering his head and dropping his gaze to the floor, ending the confrontation.

  Odette clutched his arm, gently tugging until he stepped back, and Cade brushed the front of his shirt as if brushing off the threat.

  Wrapping his arms around her, James kissed her forehead and unclenched his jaw. “I’m sorry I didn’t end this today.”

  She leaned into him, resting her hands on his shoulders. “I didn’t expect you to. If it’s going to end, we have to do it together.”

  She was right. In his attempt to prove himself capable of protecting her, he’d blown their chance at defeating the monster. They were stuck in this cycle together, so they’d have to work together to end it. No more leaving her behind while he tried to fight the bad guys.

  He turned to Cade and offered his hand. “Sorry, man. Thanks for your help out there.”

  Cade accepted the handshake. “Me too.” He glanced at Odette. “Are you going to call Luke?”

  James raked a hand through his hair. As the alpha, Luke needed to know what was going on, but as his boss… “Shit. It’s complicated. I…”

  “You broke the no sleeping with clients rule.” Noah failed at hiding his smile.

  Odette laughed and slid an arm around James’s waist, resting her other hand on his chest. “It’s okay. We haven’t slept together…yet.” She pinched his side as she said the last word, and he jumped.

  Noah chuckled. “He still has to explain to the alpha why he was at your house at two a.m…naked.”

  She laid her head on his shoulder. “I think he’ll make an exception in this case. This isn’t our first life together. We’re soulmates.”

  Oh, hell. She went there.

  “She’s your fate-bound?” Cade cracked a smile and slapped James on the shoulder. “Why didn’t you say so? Congrats.”

  James slipped from Odette’s hold and ushered his friends toward the door. “We’ve got it under control here. Why don’t you give Luke a preliminary report and tell him I’ll call him tomorrow?” He opened the door and shoved them through, following them onto the porch.

  “Congratulations.” Noah shook his hand. “It’s about time.”

  “Like I said, it’s complicated. Just…don’t say anything about this, okay?” He gestured to the door. “Tell him about the monster; I’ll fill him in on the rest later.”

  Cade looked at him incredulously. “What could possibly be complicated about finding your fated mate?”

  How about the fact that his half-human wolf insisted he needed two mates? He gripped the doorknob. “Thanks for your help tonight. I’ll talk to y’all tomorrow.”

  He went inside to find Odette waiting for him in the foyer, wringing her hands and biting her lower lip. “That was it, wasn’t it? The monster that wants to kill us both? It was too big to be an imp.”

  “I’m afraid so.”

  Her brow lifted, and for the first time since he’d met her, true fear glinted in her eyes. “What was it?”

  “I don’t know. It smelled like swamp, so it wasn’t a demon. It was human-shaped. Kinda. Its limbs were longer than a person’s, and its head was… It’s hard to say because it moved so fucking fast, but its head looked like it had melted onto its shoulders like you described. It stayed in the shadows, so I never got a good look at it, but when it bit me, it felt like a wolf bite.”

  “It sounds like it’s the same beast.”

  He took her in his arms and hugged her tight. “Sure does. What are we going to do?”

  “Are you still up for doing a past-life regression? The monster always kills me first, so maybe you’ll see more than I do.”

  His breath hung on her words. Reliving her death and his own wasn’t the slightest bit appealing. Could he even handle the trauma? If it would help them fight the thing in this life… “Now?”

  She shook her head. “It’s three-thirty in the morning. I’ll call Natasha tomorrow to set it up.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” He stood still, holding her, memorizing the way she fit in his arms. Like she was made for him. “What should we do until then?”

  She slid her hands into his back pockets and gave his ass a squeeze. “How about we finish what we started?”

  That he could handle.

  Chapter Twelve

  The overcast sky blocked the moonlight from illuminating the bedroom, but the hall light filtering in through the open door cast enough glow for Odette to see the seductive smile on James’s lips. He removed his shirt for the second time tonight, and she couldn’t fight her own smile as she took in his chiseled features. Perfectly defined abs rolled down his stomach, accented by the V disappearing into his jeans.

  Oh, that delicious V…

  The monster had found them. Death was knocking on their door, but if her time on this Earth was limited, she wanted to get more than a taste of him before she had to go. Slinking toward him, she ran her fingers down his chest, lightly grazing his soft skin. His stomach tightened as she reached his jeans, the muscles becoming even more defined as he held his breath.

  When she popped the button and slid down the zipper, a slow hiss escaped his lips. He caught her hands and brought them to his mouth. “This time, you have to get naked too.”

  “I suppose that’s fair.” She hadn’t begun to have her way with him, but if he wanted to see her, she could afford him that.

  She stepped back, peeling her shirt over her head and unclasping her bra, letting it fall to the floor. “Better?”

  An appreciative growl rumbled in his chest. “Getting there.” He pulled her into an embrace, taking her mouth in a kiss.

  Leaning into him, she allowed herself a moment of vulnerability, getting lost in the feel of his strong arms wrapped around her, the warmth of his bare skin against hers and the magic sizzling between them making her shiver with need.

  Before she could get too lost, though, she pulled away. “Take off your pants.”

  James grinned. “My pleasure.” He removed the rest of his clothes and stood before her, holding his hands out to his sides. “Your turn.”

  She let her gaze travel the length of his magnificent body, lingering on his dick, hard and ready, before she stepped toward him and took him in her hand. She stroked him, pressing her lips to his neck and running her tongue up to his ear lobe.

  His eyes fluttered shut as a moan slipped from his throat, and he reached for the button o
n her pants. Stepping away, she pushed him onto the bed. He chuckled and scooted to the center of the mattress. When she didn’t move, he arched a brow. “You are planning to join me, aren’t you?”

  “I have lots of plans for you, James.” She unbuttoned her slacks and slid the zipper down. As she worked them over her hips, he rolled onto his side, his blue eyes smoldering in the dim light.

  “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.” His baritone voice wrapped around her, his words encircling her heart, holding it tight. He opened his mouth as if to say more, but his brow furrowed, a look of confusion tightening his eyes briefly before he composed himself.

  “Everything okay?”

  He blinked. “It would be a lot better if you climbed into bed with me.”

  She slinked toward him and crawled onto the mattress. He rose onto an elbow, taking her face in his hand and leaning into her as if to put her on her back. When his lips met hers, she clutched his shoulder, pushing him to the sheets and straddling him.

  He laughed. “You like to be in control, don’t you?”

  “Always.” She kissed his neck, nipping at his skin as she worked her way down to his shoulder, the taste of him, his intoxicating, warm scent making her blood hum.

  “So do I.” Faster than should have been possible, he wrapped an arm around her and flipped her onto her back. Clasping a hand in each of his, he raised them above her head, pinning her to the pillow.

  She gasped, her first instinct tempting her to wiggle free, to regain control. But she couldn’t deny the thrilling quivers shooting through her core, sparking like fireworks inside her. “You’re strong.”

  “I’m a werewolf, and right now, both man and beast want to ravish you.” He glided his hands down her arms, across her chest to cup her breasts. As his thumbs teased her nipples, another explosion of sparks ricocheted through her core.

  She could do this. She was in control of every aspect of her life. If she were to let go somewhere, here in the bedroom, with her soulmate, was the best place to do it.