Hot Blooded (5 page)

“He’s coming with us,” I assured him.

“You must be joking.” Danny laughed, his face incredulous. “Surely we’ll be trekking where no human can follow. He’s bound to end up killed or worse. Not that there’s actually anything worse than dead, but it could definitely hurt more.”

I shrugged. “Then he’ll die. But I’m not killing him right here in cold blood.”

Danny’s expression switched to a sardonic grin in an instant. “Whatever you say. You’re the boss.”

I took a sharp breath. “You have to be careful, Danny,” I scolded. “Why do you always tread so close to the hairy edge? Someday your mouth is going to spin you into trouble and no amount of sweet talking is going to get you out.” Referring to me like that so boldly could cause waves where none should be, especially when the real boss was still in the building.

He didn’t pretend to misunderstand. “It’s an addiction, naturally. What fun is the world when everything is so safe and tidy? Everything in its proper place?”

He had a point.

I moved toward the door. “Take Ray to his house and pack a bag. If his house is under any surveillance, regroup. Meet me back at my apartment when you’re done. We’ll be out at full dark; the vamps will be there shortly after. Be ready.”

As I left, I heard Danny say to Ray. “No need to look so glum, Detective Hart. The vampires won’t kill you instantly.
They like to play with their prey first. That means you and I will have a lot more happy fun time together. Won’t that be smashing?”

I headed back into the main offices of Hannon & Michaels, the P.I. firm I shared with my partner, Nick Michaels. Nick was a werefox who’d been raised on the Compound with me, my father having taken him in as a child. Because of the fact that male werewolves didn’t play well with one another, we’d been inseparable ever since.

Marcy, our fearless secretary and resident spell caster, stood from her desk as I walked in, reading me accurately with her sharp, intelligent eyes. Marcy was a sassy, curvy, redheaded witch whom I secretly adored. She hated overt emotional interactions, so I tended to heap it on whenever possible.

“What’s up?” she asked. “Cop chat didn’t go well? You look a little haggard.”

“I feel haggard. Do we have any food left?”

“Nope, you and your compadres scarfed everything down an hour ago, and there were at least twenty takeout bags in the lunchroom. What is it with you guys? Who can possibly keep up with all these constant hunger demands? It’s unnatural.”

“What can I say? Wolves like to eat.” I chuckled to myself, even though eating massive amounts of food in order to feed my new, faster metabolism was becoming a serious adjustment.

My stomach grumbled to punctuate my point.

“
Like
to eat?” Marcy said. “Your eyes roll back in your head every time food comes through that door. It’s like watching a puppy dig into its breakfast bowl.”

I couldn’t exactly argue. Food tasted amazing with my new, enhanced senses, and just imagining a cheeseburger could induce orgasmic thoughts.

Marcy read my face accurately. “I can order you more food, Godzilla, but it’ll take a few minutes to get here.”

“Never mind. I’m heading home in about two minutes anyway. Is my dad still here?”

“Yep, he’s in your office making some calls.”

“Did they get rid of the imp?”

“The greasy unconscious guy?”

“That’s the one.”

“Gone. A couple of big fellas took him away. You guys don’t screw around in the breeding department. The boys who hauled him out of here were huge.”

“What about Nick?”

“He’s out on a call, but he said he’d swing by your apartment before you left. You’re supposed to wait for him before you leave town. His orders.”

“Is he still pissed he’s not going?”

“Pissed wouldn’t be the description I’d use.” Marcy tapped a perfectly manicured nail on the table. “Try brokenhearted or severely devastated.”

“He can’t come.”

“I know.”

“Someone needs to stay here.”

“Because I’m clearly inept at running things.”

I arched a brow. “What if he gets hurt?” Nick was like a brother to me, but he wasn’t as strong as a wolf. In our world, your animal matched your strength. A fox would be at a serious disadvantage against a powerful goddess. I wasn’t willing to take the risk. Plus, someone had to stay behind to keep the business running. I had no idea how long I’d be gone—or if I’d even be
coming
back.

“He’s a big boy. He can take being left behind,” Marcy
declared as she sat down and started shuffling papers, avoiding me and the emotional conversation we both knew was next. “He’ll get over it. Eventually.”

I walked over and braced my knuckles on her smooth wooden desk. “You’re a frustrating witch, you know that?”

“I know.” She wouldn’t meet my eyes as she continued to stack her notes.

“You’re going to cry like a baby when I don’t come back.”

“You’re coming back,” she said, finally tilting her head up to meet my gaze. Her eyes were clear, but I could sense her emotion.

“How can you be so sure? You have no idea what’s in store for me. Selene could rip my skin to shreds with her bullwhip, or she could shred my heart with her metal Wolverine claws.” Sounded like something the sadistic bitch would have. “There are a million ways she could kill me, and you know it. We’re just sidestepping the main issue—this might be our last tender goodbye forever.” I didn’t want to admit it, but I was a little nervous I wouldn’t see her—or anyone—again. All jokes aside, I was betting on me, but I had no idea how things were going to turn out in the end.

“Let me tell you something.” She motioned me to lean over further with a curl of her finger, and I obliged. Very softly, right next to my ear, she said, “I know you’re going to survive, because I’m witchy and I know a thing or two about the future. And guess what?”

“What?” I whispered.

“Chicken butt.”

I crept down my apartment hallway like a burglar.

I hadn’t had the balls to confess to my neighbor, and unlikely new pal, Juanita, I was leaving again for an undisclosed amount of time. She was an extremely intelligent woman and at some point she was going to start questioning me and my new revolving posse of extra-large men, and begin to reevaluate the misplaced loyalty she’d somehow invested in me. Plus, I’d already inadvertently put her in harm’s way when I’d asked her to keep an eye on my place, and I wasn’t planning on doing it again.

Keeping her at arm’s length was the safest for everyone.

My wolf snapped her jaws at me, urging me to move faster.
I’m going. It’s just easier if we don’t have to deal with the neighbors. This is what humans call
finesse.
See me
finessing
my way through the hallway instead of barreling down it like you’d prefer? My way makes us invisible; your way brings people out to investigate.
She bit the air in front of her.

My wolf was past agitation and on to full frustration. Her
number one priority was reaching Rourke. Nothing else mattered to her. But my human obligations made it impossible to drop everything and run after him. Not to mention we had no idea where to start the search until the vamps arrived. Getting their help locating Colin Rourke, the werecat who happened to be my mate, was the no-no deal I’d struck with the Vamp Queen. I’d sworn an oath to her, against my father’s wishes, to return to New Orleans very soon, in exchange for vampire aid. The vamps in question had been out scouting since last evening, and after they awoke tonight, they were supposed to magically arrive on my doorstep. They were our quickest way to Selene, the Lunar Goddess, we were tracking, and I’d sacrificed a lot to make that deal.

It had been only thirty-six hours since we’d left the Queen, but it felt like an eternity.

We’re leaving soon. Hang tight.
She growled, but finally settled down.

In the very brief time I’d spent with Rourke something had changed. His clear, pale eyes, ringed with the thinnest line of emerald, were still at the forefront of my mind. His scent was etched like an intricate pattern into every part of my soul in painful detail—the rich, dark cloves mixed with sweet molasses—almost as if I smelled him right now. The images of him fighting for me, protecting me, kissing me, were overwhelming, and they played over and over in my mind like a broken movie projector.

I had to find him. When my thoughts drifted to Selene harming him in any way, my nails shot to sharp points before I could stop them. I wasn’t just going to kill her—I was going to
annihilate
her. The anticipation that filled me was delicious. My wolf barked sharply in agreement, opening her jaws and twisting her head like she was about to snap a neck.
You got
that right. She doesn’t stand a chance against us.
She gave a decisive bite.
I know you’ve been patient and if it had been up to you, we would’ve left right away. But staying was the right choice. We have to wait for the vamps. Without them, we lose too much valuable time. You have to trust me on this.

The logistics of who was in control and how often was still an uncertainty between us. I’d slammed a barrier down in my mind after our first real fight for Dominion and it still held. But I’d found quickly that I could relinquish control to my wolf when I needed to, and when the crisis was averted, she was back on the right side. In light of the scary-Prophecy-from-hell, my wolf and I were going to have to start working together as a team, learning to share both power and knowledge fluidly. I wasn’t going to survive this mess without her, and she didn’t stand a chance without me. There was a common place in the middle—it was the next natural step—but I wasn’t ready to merge us yet. She still had a lot to learn about the human decision-making processes. I had to be the boss in this world, and as of right now, she wasn’t buying it. If I switched control to her this minute, we’d be bounding out the nearest window after Rourke.

A sharp laugh punctuated the silence at the end of my hallway. I’d been lost in thought, but it brought me back quickly.

It was coming from my apartment and it was female.

There was a distinct, unmistakable ring to it.
So much for sneaking under the radar.
My wolf gave a yip of irritation.

I walked up to my door and pushed it open, resigned to my fate.

“
Hola
, Chica!” Juanita wooted as I walked in, waving at me from inside my open kitchen. “Look what I brought for you! I bring you deenar! Jour brother, Tyler—” She pointed at my brother, who was on the other side of the kitchen, sidled
comfortably up to my breakfast bar on what looked like a borrowed stool. “He lets me in and says you are both leaving soon. Es jour grandmother sick again?” That was the excuse we’d used last time I’d gone away unexpectedly.

I met my twin brother’s amused expression as he shoveled in a big spoonful of something that looked and smelled delicious. I tried to keep the impatience out of my voice. “Yes. Unfortunately she’s come down with something else. We got a call this morning and we’re going to have to make another trip to see… our beloved Gram.” I shut my door and walked across my empty apartment toward the pair. My entire living room was still free of furniture since my wolf had trashed it when we’d made our first change. “Juanita, you didn’t have to cook for us again. That was extremely nice of you, but we don’t want to keep putting you out.” She’d happily fed Danny while we were away. If this was going to become a thing, I was in trouble. Having her drop in on a regular basis would not be ideal for her health.

She clicked out of the kitchen and over to me in her high heels, reaching up to embrace me. I hugged her back, because what else was I going to do? My eyes watered as her floral perfume snuck up my nose. But under all that manufactured smell, I took in her real scent and smiled in spite of myself. Eucalyptus and lime fit her perfectly. Fierce and sassy bundled together in one compact five-foot package.

Before I could draw away, she planted a huge kiss on my cheek. I caught Tyler out of the corner of my eye, delight written all over his face. I smirked and mouthed
just you wait
. He shoveled another mouthful of food into his maw to cover up his laughter.

“Oh, es no problem to do the cooking,” she purred next to my ear. “I am happy to help you get back on jour feet. Jour life
es complicated, no?” She gestured around my bare apartment. “It looks like bad luck has come to stay, but I weel help you. Es what I do best. Come; eat.”

“Um, okay,” I said as my stomach betrayed me like the traitor it was. “Thank you, Juanita. It does smell delicious.” The aroma was amazing, even though I had no time for company. If I was going to be completely honest, I never had time for company. I glanced out the window. It was still light out. My stomach protested again. I could spare a few minutes to eat—as if I actually had a choice in the matter.

“Come on, Chica. Don’ be shy. The saliva, I see it drips down jour chin. The chicken es my specialty. No other compares. You must taste for jourself.” She was remarkably strong as she half ushered, half dragged me to the counter and the giant pan full of chicken legs, sausage, and shrimp all spread on a bed of aromatic rice. A blast of saffron sent my salivary glands into overdrive.
Jesus.
My stomach gave another long, low growl. “Sit and eat. You work too hard, never taking enough breaks. You are losing too much weight lately. See, the men, dey like meat on the bone. It gives them someteen to grab on to.” She tossed her head back and laughed as she pulled out another stool. Both chairs were painted in bright colors and were obviously from her place. She’d brought furniture and food. This woman had successfully barreled her way into my life and it looked like she was here to stay. I found I wasn’t super against the idea, which was a little startling.