Hunt Mates

by Mary Hughes

  But the kid made a frustrated growl, pulled out a switchblade knife, and tried to saw through the cable. An extended moment of shrieks and swears made Emma, with her sensitive hearing, wince.

  The kid raised the knife to his hooded face. Its edge was wrecked.

  Just then the air conditioning kicked in.

  The kid startled. Emma’s held breath came out in a rush. The kid, either spooked by the air or hearing Emma’s hiss, ran.

  “Crunchy damn.” Dr. Light took off after him.

  The man was fast, but the boy had a head start. She could see Dr. Light wouldn’t catch him, so she shifted to wolf. Her father had explained once that, as creatures of magic, the shift was really more like exchanging one body for the other, and so the clothes that were on her as a human would still be on her when she shifted back. The stronger the shifter’s magic, the easier and faster the shift, and the more nuanced, like Emma’s ability to change out individual parts of her body.

  As wolf, she bounded off down a parallel aisle. Extending her forelegs and pushing with her powerful hindquarters, she sped up until she saw the boy in flashes between gaps in the counters. She was gaining…gaining…just before the far wall, she caught up.

  She leaped for him, shifting human midair, and tackled the boy to the ground. Small in both woman and wolf forms, the thief outweighed her by a good fifty pounds. But with her momentum, she took him down.

  “Good job, Emma!” Gabriel Light crowed, running up.

  The kid was already struggling beneath her. Shoving her off, he scrambled to his feet, about to run again.

  Dr. Light grabbed the would-be thief by the shoulder, the man’s strong fingers digging through hoodie and shirt to cinch on muscles underneath, by the boy’s wince.

  Dr. Light grimaced. “Sorry if I’m pinching you, but you might shrug the hoodie off and run again. What were you doing?”

  “Nothing.” The boy cast a surly glance out of his dark cocoon.

  Dr. Light pushed the hood back. The boy was a scrawny seventeen if he was a day, younger even than Brant. “Did you take the original Wrapphone last night?” Dr. Light touched a hand to his waist, and strangely, the boy relaxed.

  Even more strangely, he began to talk.

  “Last night, I hid until closing. I was gonna take a few small things, to sell. You’re rich, you wouldn’t miss them.”

  Dr. Light’s jaw tightened but he didn’t say anything.

  “Then I saw a man come in.” It was the only time the boy’s narration got excited. “Through a wormhole or something! Like a tunnel that just appeared midair, and this robed man stepped out.”

  Emma breath hitched. That sounds like witch magic. She didn’t know a lot about magic, just the basics, that shifters were magic, witches did magic, and familiars knew magic—but the biggie was that mundanes could never ever find out about magic. The Witches’ Council had jailed shifters over that.

  She glanced at Dr. Light, who rolled his eyes reassuringly.

  Well, of course. She didn’t know a lot about Gabriel Light, but she did know he had a scientific mind. He’d reject even the idea of magic.

  “All right.” Dr. Light’s doubt dripped on every word. “What then?”

  The kid grimaced. “He swiped the pricey phone.”

  “How’d he open the lock?”

  The kid made a vague circling gesture. “He spun his hand at it, and then it shook, harder and harder, until it just sort of popped open.”

  Emma didn’t know why, but the idea of magic became more firmly planted in her brain.

  “I see.” Dr. Light grimaced. “What’s your name?”

  The teen’s jaw kicked up belligerently. “Raider.”

  “Your real name.”

  “Tanner,” he grumbled. “But everyone uses my street name.”

  “We’re not on the street right now. Follow me, Tanner. If you try to run, I’ll make it worse for you.” He released the teen and, waving Emma into step with him, led the way to the break room.

  Again, strangely, the boy simply did as he was told.

  On the way, Dr. Light leaned toward Emma. “Do you believe him?”

  Emma could smell lies pouring off humans. This boy had only smelled of boy, and cheap cologne. “Yes. Or at least, I believe he believes it.”

  “All right. Tanner, sit there.” He pointed at a table and began to feed coins into the vending machine. Gathering an armful of bags, he dumped them in front of the boy. “Eat. You can sleep tonight in my office. Tomorrow, you work here to make up for the trouble you caused.”

  At that, some of the boy’s belligerence came back. “You gonna pay me?”

  “Pay you?” A light entered Dr. Light’s eyes. “If you work hard—yes.”

  The teen blinked in surprise…and strangely, a bit of hope bled through into his gaze.

  “Now. Tell me the most important thing.” Dr. Light settled a soft drink can in front of the boy, who was ripping into the bags and stuffing food in his mouth like he was starving.

  And maybe he was. The boy glared sullenly as he filled his mouth, barely chewing to say, “What?”

  “Why did you do it?”

  And then Gabriel Light waited. Patiently, calmly.

  Emma gazed at his strong profile with admiration. Most wolves would simply rip answers from their suspect.

  Dr. Light…didn’t.

  Quietly, she lowered herself into a chair and waited too, fascinated to see how this played out.

  “Why?” The boy snorted as he finally slowed down. “Because that’s the only way. You wouldn’t understand.”

  One dark eyebrow raised in challenge.

  “You wouldn’t,” the boy repeated. After another couple seconds of that eyebrow, the teen spat, “It’s my gang. Or not my gang.” He grimaced, as if he’d revealed too much.

  Not his gang? The gang he wanted in on, then, but was only peering in from the outside?

  Like she was with her family. Poor boy. He’d need to prove himself. Aching for him, for herself, she said, “You thought stealing would prove to them you belong.”

  The teen’s sullen gaze switched to her and lit with surprise. “Yeah.”

  “Why do you need a gang?” Dr. Light asked gently. “Don’t you have a family? Friends?”

  “Family?” The boy laughed bitterly. “It’s because of my family I need the gang. I need the steady income, you know? To buy my mom’s meds…shit. I want a lawyer.”

  He shut down, but Emma’s heart went out to him. We’re only trying to please people…because nobody really wants us. She’d alienated her mother and brother; she’d been trying to make up for that incident ever since. Trying to win her way back into her family’s hearts.

  This boy was trying to make room for himself, too.

  “Lawyers are for police interrogation. You’ve already told me everything I need to know. Done eating? Take your soda pop and come with me. I’ll show you where you can bed down. Emma…” His blue-green eyes came to her, and his expression was torn.

  “It’s okay. I’ll let myself out.”

  Behind his glasses, his gaze intensified. “I’d rather walk you to the bus stop and wait with you.”

  “But you can’t.” She knew he couldn’t leave the boy on his own. “I’ll be fine. See you tomorrow?”

  “Tomorrow.” He smiled gratefully. “We’ll talk then.”

  * * *

  When she came out, the bus stop was empty of life. She sat down on the bench and breathed a deep sigh.

  The smell of spoiled meat floated on the air from the nearby sandwich store. They must’ve just thrown the stuff into their dumpster.

  She sighed again.

  Suddenly the prissy little insurance adjuster, Omniss, appeared.

  “Ah-hah! I’ve caught you now.”

  Emma, deep in her own head, blinked up at the insurance adjuster in confusion. “What are you doing here?”

  “That idiot detective suspected the assistant manager. Sure, she was the only one to demo
nstrate the phone, and she was the last one in the building the night it disappeared. But I knew better. And sure enough, when the new Wrapphone came in, it was too good to pass up. I knew I’d catch you.”

  Emma was tired from stress and long days and she’d just had the most amazing time of her life with the most amazing man she’d ever met, only to have it cut short. She was not in the mood for Omniss. “Whoopee. You caught me catching the bus.”

  “No, I’ve caught you coming out of the Choice Buy after the alarm was set. No doubt for more nefarious deeds.”

  “I didn’t take anything.”

  “We’ll see about that.”

  “What do you mean by that?” She nearly snarled it.

  He took one surreptitious step back. “I think a body search will prove quite interesting.”

  Just as a patrol car prowled into the strip mall parking lot.

  Chapter Ten

  Emma watched the patrol car pull to the curb, incredulous. Who had Omniss bribed to get the police here? She protested, “I didn’t take the Wrapphone.”

  “We’ll let the cops determine that.” Omniss seized her arm and yanked her toward the car. The smell from the sandwich shop came stronger.

  She could have used her wolf’s animal strength to resist, but when her iota got angry, Emma sometimes lost control, as the Bloodfang fiasco with her mother had proved. Emma didn’t trust her wolf not to take a dollar-fifty of Omniss’s best hamburger out of him.

  So she went quietly and an hour later, she was sitting in holding cell waiting for a female police officer to come and do the search. From what she’d overheard, she’d be waiting until morning.

  Alone.

  Her shoulders hunched and she wanted to cry. She’d been so happy getting the Choice Buy job. It had felt so nice working with Dr. Light. She’d felt almost as if she belonged.

  It had all backfired. Now she sat here, potentially worse off than before. Even when the police found she didn’t have the Wrapphone on her, Omniss seemed to be determined to prove she was the thief. And how long would Dr. Light want her as an employee if she’d been in prison?

  Alone. She lay back on her bunk. Or rather, alone again. She ought to be used to it by now, ought to relish it, even. After all, there were so many things she could do better alone. Use her wolf’s nose to investigate. Use her wolf to run after the thief.

  But with a partner like Gabriel Light…she could think of so much more to do not alone. Waiting. Jokes. Smelling his masculine essence. Basking in his alpha presence.

  Sex.

  She shivered with longing. She’d probably never have sex with him—he was too big and smart and her boss and human—but if she could, even once, she just knew it would be amazing.

  She lay back on her bunk, remembering her dream, and imagined them trying to fit together. He towered over her. He’d have to bend to kiss her, whereas her mouth…was just about nipple level. She could lick and kiss the mounds hidden by his sweater vest to her heart’s content.

  No, she’d tear off that damned vest and lick his naked body like ice cream. Heat pooled in her belly, down low.

  He’d fondle her breasts. And how would that feel?

  Cracking her eyes, she double-checked there were no cameras before touching her breast, plucking at the nipple, imagining him doing it. His fingers would be big, hot, and oh-so-capable.

  Her hands could roam over his ribs and the flare of his lats to his back. Wrapping her arms around his trunk, they’d rest easily on his waist, her hands sliding down his glutes without having to stretch. She could nibble down his hillock abs and would barely have to bend to take his growing erection into her mouth. She wondered how big he’d be, straining for her.

  Or maybe he’d lift her to wrap her thighs around his hips. She’d be light and he’d be strong enough. He’d kiss her, slide his hands under her bottom to cup her buttocks. She’d rub herself against him, growing hot and wet between her thighs, rumpling the hair of his body as she clung to him and tasted him.

  She slid a hand into her pants and met her raised, hard clit. One stroke took her finger sliding inside her. Her sex was hot, wet, and swollen open. She trembled. Completely ready so fast, just from thinking about him.

  She’d feel his erection growing beneath her and swivel her hips to pop him into place. He’d slip easily into her blossoming sex and it would take one hard thrust of hips, his or hers, to drive him deep inside her.

  Uh. Her body shuddered with lust, wringing her pelvis with deep need.

  She’d gasp. He’d drive his tongue into her open mouth and take pleasure in her. He’d be big for her mouth but he’d give her pleasure in return, driving his tongue into her in tandem with his pistoning cock. He’d hold her steady with one brawny arm wrapped around her, his hand clamped to her hips, holding her still for his driving cock, thrusting over and over, pushing her higher and higher until she peaked…

  She barely remembered possible ears in time, coming so hard it was almost impossible to throttle her moan, but she managed to swallow most of it.

  As her thudding heart slowed and her body cooled, she withdrew her hand. That had been the best orgasm she’d ever had.

  She could only imagine what the real Gabriel Light would be like.

  * * *

  Gabriel went to retrieve the fake Wrapphone. Returning to his office, he locked the phone in his desk drawer then sat in his executive chair, his gaze lighting on the sleeping boy.

  Without the teenage belligerence or the boy’s worries twisting his face, he looked even younger than sixteen or seventeen. Gabriel sighed.

  A vibrating came from his belt. He sighed again. He’d have explained it away as his phone to anyone who noticed, but it was actually one of his talismans, signaling it needed a recharge. He knew which one. The scent-absorber, working overtime to neutralize the scent of his desire for Emma.

  The talisman’s low-power-alert had already been vibrating earlier, or he might have tried to keep her here longer on some excuse. Pulling it out from under his sweater vest, he saw it blinking red. Nearly empty.

  Wow. Should’ve lasted a whole week, but gone in couple days? He rarely put a power alert on his talismans, but he was glad he took the extra trouble for this one.

  Time to make more.

  The way he’d reacted to her, time to make a lot more.

  Rising, he activated a simulacrum of himself in the chair, then sketched a quick screen spell between his credenza and where the teen slept. If the boy woke, he’d only see Gabriel doing paperwork.

  Releasing the hide on his equipment, Gabriel took down a half-dozen talisman blanks.

  His hand closed on a bracelet blank.

  Permanent hires got a comprehensive benefits package including a free emergency bracelet engraved with allergies, medical conditions, and a toll-free number to call if they were in trouble—plus one added benefit. A touch of magic. If the employee felt him- or herself in immediate danger, Gabriel’s phone would chirp an alert. Thanks to basic human nature, he got an alarm from one employee or another a couple times a month.

  Normally he’d wait until the probationary period was up to make the bracelet. But as long as he had his equipment out, he’d create Emma’s.

  Ah, crunchy hell, be honest. I’m going to do everything I can to make her permanent.

  He wasn’t sure if he meant employment or something more.

  As he set up for the neutralizers first, he thought about what Tanner had said. If the boy was to be believed, a man had stepped from a mid-air tunnel.

  That sounded suspiciously like a witch.

  A witch changed everything. Emma’s shifter nature would protect her from ordinary crooks, but a mage’s battle? He didn’t want her exposed to that.

  Conclusion—he’d have to set the next trap alone.

  If it was a witch. He set his small cauldron over a tea light, snapped his fingers, and lit the fire. Witches and tech went together like vinegar and paper cuts. The more finicky the tech, the worse the mi
sfires. Seriously, a normal witch could never use something as advanced as the Wrapphone, at least, not reliably.

  A mundane with a tunneling talisman? That made more sense technically, but most mundanes didn’t know the secret of magic.

  Unless it was a shifter or familiar.

  Not Emma.

  Grimacing, he plunked the blanks into the cauldron and picked up a lancet. Not for blood magic, but a drop would key the talismans to his scent. He pricked himself then watched the ruby liquid gather and fall.

  Be honest. Logically, it could be her. She needed the money and had smarts and guile enough to evade Carol’s sweep that first night. Emma was definitely smart enough to figure out how to get a cable lock opener and use gloves. More, as a shifter, she’d not only know about witches, she’d probably have access to one. Sure, packs didn’t like witches, but someone had to make the talismans and spells that guarded their ceremonial grounds.

  Still, his whole being rebelled against the idea. Not Emma.

  Smart and capable, she’d also proved herself to be kind, conscientious, and a hard worker. Not that Omniss would care about any of that. With a soft snarl, he took out his wand and waved an incantation over the cauldron. Something would have to be done about Omniss.

  He let the talismans simmer and picked up the bracelet.

  Extracting the single hair he’d filched from her earlier, he wrapped it around the links. He plucked a couple of his own from his scalp and tucked them under hers. Murmuring an incantation, he waved his wand over the bracelet, flicking the wand on the last word to fuse the hairs’ essence into the bracelet with hot bonding magic.

  The hairs didn’t light, they exploded.

  Emma’s in trouble. His heart nearly exploded with the hair. She was in trouble now.

  Gabriel was rarely rash, but that did it. He waved a quick hide spell over his equipment, snatched up the bracelet, frisbee’d a business card with his cell phone number onto the sleeping boy in case he woke, and dashed for the door. Almost immediately he wheeled, blew out the tea light, used his fingers to fish out the no-scent talismans, ouching them into his pocket as he ran out the door.