Shoes weren’t really necessary. It was wet and chilly, but I knew it wouldn’t be long before I stepped in the steamy bubbling water.
Just his watching my approach gave me a shiver of anticipation as I climbed the few steps up to the elevated deck of the private alcove. I was disappointed to see Bodhi wearing trunks, sitting on the edge, water up to his calves.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I just didn’t want to walk out here naked. You don’t want the ladies on those tour boats to ogle me, do you?”
“So humble.”
He shrugged his broad shoulders. “Feel free to remove my trunks whenever the mood strikes you. For that matter, you did know I was talking about your birthday suit, right?”
“What do you think, Bodhi?”
He reached out and tugged the end of my belt, my silky robe parting. “That’s my girl.” He dipped his finger in the water and trailed it from the dip at the bottom of my throat to my belly button.
I moaned. The wet trail making me shiver in the brisk air. I removed my robe and tossed it on a chair. Bodhi took my hand as I stepped down into the delicious heated water. Turning toward him, I stepped between his legs, nearly eye level with the growing bulge in front of me. He leaned down to kiss me, our tongues dueling in a timeless dance. My hands roamed his chest and abs. I felt his muscles bunch and release. My fingers followed the dips and swells until I reached my first goal, his waistband, the ties left undone. I slid my hand down inside to grip my second goal. Not too hard—my grip —just a few strokes to let him know what to expect.
With my hands back at the waistband, I said, “Lift up.”
Bodhi being Bodhi, he held onto the edge and lifted his entire body up using his arm strength to hold himself up, much like those male gymnasts using the handles on the horse.
I ripped the trunks off in one smooth motion and tossed them over his head. “It’s amazing how they laid out the trees to hide the tub, but yet we still have an amazing view of the seaway.”
“Yes, it’s an amazing view, all right,” he said, staring at me.
I blushed. “Are you coming?” He raised one eyebrow. “I mean in the water. Oh, you know what I mean.”
“Whatever you say, sweetheart.” He dropped down with a small splash and pulled me forward to straddle him as he sat. His eyes riveted on my breasts just breaking the water. One hand on my back.
“Hey, my eyes are up here.”
“But they’re begging me for a kiss. Look.”
I looked down as he lunged and groped. Warm tingles coursed through my body as shivers raised goosebumps on my flesh above the water.
Bodhi pulled me closer, bringing my center into contact with his, which was standing at attention. He released my nipple with a pop and pushed me to lay back in the water. He gripped my hips, sliding me against his erection. “Oh, yeah. That feels good.”
He stopped. I opened my eyes. He was looking past me.
“Look at the sunset, Evie.”
“Seriously?!”
“I’m very serious.” He pushed me away to flip me around until I was again straddling his legs, my back to his front. The sky was an abstract painting, made up of swaths of orange, pink and purple. Clouds, left over from the earlier rain, airbrushed the hues. The colors were mirrored in the water. The sun was still several minutes from full sunset. Bodhi reached between my legs. Testing.
I was slick and he was having fun. Leaning back against his shoulder, I squirmed, feeling him at my back. I reached behind to slide my hand up and down his member. Always amazed at the petal softness around steel.
“Oh, I can’t wait. I have to be inside you.”
I moaned. “I’m ready.”
He lifted me up, poised on the tip.
“What are you waiting for?!” I asked.
“We’re in water, we have to take it easy at first.” He controlled my descent, inch by inch until I was filled completely. Bodhi wrapped one arm around me and gripped one breast and leaned back forcing me back with him. He bit my earlobe and whispered. “Watch the sunset.”
I did as he asked, as he pumped in and out. Faster and faster. My head lolled on his shoulder; my eyes barely open, watching the colors morph.
My body was throbbing, and everything was tightening as he slowed. “Don’t you dare stop! Bodhi.”
“I’m not, sweetheart. Just varying the pace to keep it interesting.”
“Faster.”
He chuckled, but didn’t listen to me. If anything, he slowed to a leisurely pace. I was starting to enjoy the slow and steady motion when he sped up his thrusts again.
“You just…like…keeping me…off balance,” I gasped out.
“It’s working, isn’t it?” he gritted out.
“Oh, Bodhi!” He wound me so tight I burst, seeing the sunset’s colors in my mind’s eye. The sounds he made and the hot gush excited me all over again. Pleasure coursed through me in waves.
We collapsed back just as the sun disappeared beyond the horizon. Bodhi turned my head and kissed me deeply. “I love you, sweetheart.”
“I love you, too, Bodhi.”
“We should get out. Your skin is red.” He stood with me in his arms and stepped up and out then set me on my feet. The shock of now frigid air caused me to shiver until he wrapped a thick cotton robe around me and tied the belt. He’d apparently brought it with him. That was Bodhi, always prepared. “You go on, get some sleep.”
I crawled in bed and tried to focus on the case, but the day had been an emotional rollercoaster and thinking about it brought back the pain. A motion picture of the day’s events played in my mind, featuring Maggie and her horrifying death mask. I couldn’t turn off the projector and wished I could turn off the power. The next thing I knew, I had just walked in Maggie’s room and sat on one of the giant pillows on her floor. The pillow was soft, feather-filled, so I sunk in the center while the sides reached up to cradle me. I startled her and watched as she shoved a small book under her pillow.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Nothing, just a family heirloom of sorts,” Maggie answered from her spot on her bed.
“It looks like a diary. Surely you know I would never take it or try to read something private.”
She gave me a pitying look, “I want to believe you, honestly I do, but I’m not used to privacy of any kind in my pack. I have a hiding place here and one at home. I hope you understand, I’m just fiercely protective of it.”
Part of my brain was awake and realized this was a scene from a couple of months ago when we were new friends. Suddenly the room morphed around me. I looked at the bed. Maggie was sitting there looking at the same book only this time she was an animated corpse. Raw rope burns marred her wrists as she turned the pages. I couldn’t do anything more than just stare at her, watching words form from her silver burned mouth. She was reading aloud, but I couldn’t hear her.
I brushed at the warm liquid on my face, positive that it was a tear. I couldn’t remember starting to cry. Now, blood was dripping down Maggie’s face. I watched in horror as blood started running everywhere. Down the walls, filling the floor like a lake of red, desperately trying to sink my feather raft.
“Evie, wake up.”
Someone was calling my name off in the distance, but I was in that room, trapped. My raft started shaking and shuddering.
“Evie!”
I opened my eyes a crack and could blearily see a shape. I recognized Grimm’s voice as he shook me.
“Oww. What are you doing?”
“You were moaning and crying in your sleep. I came back to tell you goodbye because you were busy earlier.” Grimm cupped my face and wiped my tears with his thumbs.
“Bad dream.”
“You think?”
I punched him in the shoulder knowing it would hurt me more than him. Principles.
“You’re still leaking, Evie. Do you want to tell me about it?” Grimm asked.
I shook my head. “Not really. It was basically a compilation of
today with additional twisted features to keep me motivated.”
“I’m sorry about your friend. I’d like to stay with you, but you know how it is, duty calls.”
“The autopsy?”
He nodded. “I’ll do my best to get any answers.”
“I know you will.”
Our foreheads touched as he leaned in. “Thank you, Evie.”
“For what?” I whispered. It was difficult to focus on his face, but it was such a sweet gesture.
“For whatever you said to the tracker team assholes.”
I snorted, which unfortunately made our heads bounce into each other. “I gave a piece of my mind to some, the rest of them witnessed it, but that’s it.”
“They all talked to me. Most were just quick apologies, but Demas and Bodhi, I think, finally believe that I want to help and be part of the team. This never would have happened without you, so thank you.”
Grimm captured my lips with his in a hot open-mouthed kiss, pushing me back on the bed with his body. His fully clothed body, dammit. I felt a fire start to burn deep inside. Hard to believe after my time with Bodhi. I pulled at his shirt until an iron hand gripped my wrist.
“Not tonight, my sweet.”
“Why?”
“I have work to do.” Grimm brushed my hair back. “And frankly, the rift between me and the tracker team has just been repaired and I don’t want to jeopardize the situation.”
“Are you saying we’ll never be together again?” I was shocked and hurt.
“Hell, no, Evie! I’m just saying not right now. Believe me I want to, but your friend’s case is important. It’s best for me to scope out things before morning so I can spot problems in protocol.”
“What exactly are you supposed to do tonight?”
“I’m going to sneak into the evidence locker and log and review all the evidence. Check it for magic. Make sure it doesn’t vanish. And as you know, witness the autopsy. I have to determine if Aurora’s forensic team is compromised after the incident with the voodoo doll. Basically, I need to ferret out the bad guys. Ha-ha. Get it?” He winged his elbow at me.
I rolled my eyes. Grimm was a demon who could shift into any form but his favorite was a ferret because long story short that was how he had come to Earth. As a child, I’d summoned him into the body of my dead pet ferret. “Seriously? That’s the best you’ve got?” I wrapped my arms around his neck, and hugged tight. “When will you be back?”
“I hope Sunday afternoon, depends on the autopsy. If you need me, you’ve only to call.”
I kissed him on the cheek and sent him on his way.
17
Professor Werewolf
D emas opened the boathouse doors from the inside. He felt shitty for sneaking out as the sun crested in the east, but he wanted answers for Evie’s sake. The sooner they solved this case, the better for all of them.
“Boss, you sure about this? You know Evie’s going to be pissed. She has it in her head that we don’t trust her, and this is going to add fuel to that particular bonfire,” Bodhi said, while hopping into their speedboat.
Demas jumped in. “I know, but I’ll deal with the fallout later. We need answers, the faster the better. If we come up with more lines to tug on this case, surely, she’ll understand. Do we not encourage her enough?”
“I don’t know. The problem is her mother. Briar chose to hide Evie’s powers and denied her birthright, her whole life. That was a huge blow to Evie when she found out.” Bodhi started the engine and started backing out.
“You’re right. And she kicked Evie out of helping in her tattoo parlor when her abilities started to come through, which crushed Evie. No wonder she never thinks she’s good enough. Briar had to know you can’t deny power. It’s energy and will find a way. That is one thing we can thank Grand-mère Delphine for, if nothing else. She did help Evie to begin to understand her power just in time.”
“That reminds me, do you ever wonder about Evie’s powers?”
“What do you mean?” Demas asked.
“Well, she’s not your typical witch.”
“No, she’s part necromancer. We’ve already discussed this.”
“I guess.” Bodhi nodded. “She’s just got so much sexual energy. I’ve never known a female like her who wasn’t part Mermaid or Fae.”
Demas smiled. “True. Her powers are somewhat sexual. That’s obvious from the way she can heal us, but we’ve never been in love before either so maybe it’s just that.”
“Maybe.” Bodhi agreed, “Anyway, why did Eleutian take off so quickly this morning?”
“Grimm called and asked for his assistance down in New Orleans. I assume he found something concerning but I hope I’m wrong. Razor might try to use a compromised forensics team against Aurora.”
Bodhi frowned and accelerated; their destination loomed ahead.
Demas forged a path straight to the headmistress’ office like it was his own. He understood his level of power as director of the tracker team, but this new wolf-based attitude was something he was starting to appreciate. Maybe he’d denied his wolf for too long and it wasn’t going to take it anymore. Shit, had he?
The office was dark, just as he’d expected, so he flipped the switch. The fireplace roared to life and light flickered on in the sconces spaced strategically on the walls, giving the office a homey feeling if you were Daniel Belasco from Hell House or the Collins family from Dark Shadows. He shook his head at himself, thinking about old T.V. shows and movies. Wait a minute—Barnabus Collins. He knew there was something familiar about the headmistress’ name. Creepy.
He sat in her chair and thought about how he wanted to proceed. Babs first. She was horribly nervous, but just maybe she wouldn’t be first thing in the morning before she came across the students or other professors.
Speak of the devil. He could hear her voice. She opened the door, on the phone.
“Yes, sir! Hello? Hello? Shit, shit, shit.”
“What’s wrong, Babs?” Demas asked, as he stood and stepped toward her.
“Oh! Mr. Batavian—I mean, Professor Batavian.” She dropped her phone and it bounced on the carpet to land at his feet.
He picked it up. Demas wished he could surreptitiously see to whom she’d been talking. He handed it to her. “Who hung up on you, Babs?”
“What? How did…? Oh, you heard that,” Babs rattled on. Her face was paler than normal, even for a vampire. “It was a concerned parent. One of the Fae. As you can imagine, I’ve fielded several such calls.”
He nodded. “I’m here to question you, Miss Barnabus.”
“Me?” She gasped, tucking her phone into the pocket of her ever-present cardigan. “Why? I swear I only use that master key in cases of emergency. I would never harm a student. Oh, God, I don’t think I have an alibi.” She was wringing her hands and pacing as if she were a caged animal. “I was threatened. You saw it for yourself, Professor. You promised you would investigate it. You can’t think I put it there myself? I wouldn’t have known you would see it there. Wait a minute! How did you see it?”
Jesus. He started to think she was a harpy, not a vampire. And honestly, he never considered her a suspect. He was sure she’d break down and confess if she took a paperclip. Murder? No. “I’m here to investigate. That’s how we do it, by asking questions. As far as the threat in your closet, you should know, the tracker team has oversight to search whenever and wherever we like. We may live in the human world, but we certainly don’t follow their procedures when dealing with supernaturals. “Now. Back to my questions. We found your fingerprint on a document threatening Maggie Howl. Can you explain that?”
“Oh, no, no, no. She was receiving them, too? That poor girl.” Babs shook her head with a remorseful look on her face.
“Miss Barnabus! I asked you a question.”
“Boss, I’m done with my surveillance, “Bodhi interrupted. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you started the interviews.”
“Surveillance? What are you talk
ing about?” Babs asked with a hint of steel in her voice.
Demas looked closely at her. She had a hard look about her eyes. Hmm. “I will not ask you again! Bodhi, did you bring your silver handcuffs?”
Bodhi’s eyes widened, but before he could answer, Babs sputtered.
“I’m sorry, there’s no need for that, gentleman. This is just so distressing. I have never been a threat to anyone, let alone a student. I mean, look at me.” Babs waved her hand up and down at herself. She looked uptight in her black pencil skirt and buttoned-up white silk blouse with a large bow tied under her chin. A black cardigan covered most of the outfit and her hair was in a severe bun so tight it looked as though she’d had a bad facelift. “Do I look like someone who ever breaks a rule?”
“Looks can be deceiving,” Bodhi interjected.
“Whatever! Professor Batavian, if you’ve been in my closet, then you saw I store the computer paper there. It’s used by everyone in the school. I handle the paper when I need some for my own printer. My prints are probably on numerous pages throughout the school. I don’t always lock my office door, if I’m just running a quick errand in the school or grabbing lunch. Anyone could have come and taken paper I’ve touched.”
“All right, ma’am. Calm down.” Bodhi walked to the beverage cart parked against one wall. He opened the doors to the cupboard above and pulled out the bottle of Macallan thirty-year-old scotch whisky.
Demas whistled silently to himself, someone knew their whisky.
Bodhi poured a finger for the headmistress and handed it to her. She threw it back like a shot. What a waste.
“Better?” Demas asked. She nodded. “Okay, why haven’t you reported the threat you’ve received?”
“Are you kidding? You saw it, right? I’m scared.”
Demas could vouch for her fear; he could smell it. “I found a pink cardigan in your supply closet. No offense, ma’am, but you don’t seem fond of pink.”
Sticks & Stones Spell Werewolf Bones: A Why Choose Academy Romance Page 9
