SHADOWS OF A WOLF MOON Book 5: RISE OF THE ARKANSAS WEREWOLVES (11 page)

“What’s that?” He turned.

“Apparently even if I got out of stripping, my options for jobs are quite limited. I got really excited and motivated to take one of those online quizzes to see what my purpose was in life.”

“And?”

“I got personal snuggler.” She shook her head. It sounded even more stupid when she said it out loud. “It’s where you hold people so they can go to sleep.”

“That’s a thing?”

“In Japan it’s a thing.” She cringed and looked away.

“And you took this seriously?” A slow smile crept onto his face.

“Yes! It’s how you find out your calling, your destiny in life!” She looked at him with wide eyes.

“Well, did you take it again?”

“Yes, two more times. The second time it said funeral director.”

He barked out a laugh.

“It’s not funny, Lucien.” Her heart pounded in her chest. She should have kept it to herself.

“It’s a stupid test. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“Says the guy who’s never taken it.” She narrowed her eyes.

“I’ve taken it. It told me I should be a male model.”

“Ha! See! It’s accurate.” She dropped her head. “The last test gave me the most ridiculous answer of all.”

“More ridiculous than a funeral director?”

“Yes.” She sighed. “A lawyer.”

“What’s so ridiculous about that? It makes perfect sense to me. You would be carrying on your family’s legacy.” He nudged her chin up with his finger. “Plus you’re stubborn and like to argue.”

“You have to be smart to be a lawyer.” She shook her head. “I don’t think it’s up my alley.”

“I think you don’t give yourself enough credit. We need good lawyers, smart people who care about others. I’ve seen how you look after those who can’t look after themselves. Like Mrs. Willis.”

His faith in her tugged at her heart.

He pulled her into his muscular chest. The city streetlight beamed across his sinfully handsome face. His heavy lidded gaze seared her. The energy shifted. His erection pressed into her stomach. Her body warmed and then melted as he covered her mouth with his.

“I want you again,” he murmured against her lips and he picked her up in his massive arms.

“Good. I want you to have me,” she said breathlessly.

He carried her to the bed and carefully laid her down. Time and noise fell away until they were the only two people that existed. He moved between her legs, kissing and touching her with slow deliberation.

She’d never felt more loved and cherished even if it was for a moment.

In life, she knew a moment was all she was guaranteed.

Chapter Sixteen

Lucien squinted as the blinding morning sun filtered through the lace curtains. He rolled over to his side and pulled Catty into his arms.

“We don’t have time for another round.” She laughed and she tried to wiggle away.

“There’s always time for another round.” He buried his face in the crook of her neck.

His hand went between her legs and stopped.

He frowned. “Why are you already dressed?” He inhaled her scent at her neck. “And showered?”

“Because it’s almost eight o’clock and I need coffee.” She rolled over and kissed him on the mouth. “Besides, you said something last night about some meeting today. I thought you needed to be up early.”

He sat up in bed and glanced at the clock on the bedside table. “Shit.”

“Relax, I’m sure you’ve got plenty of time.” She tugged on her shoes and glanced over at him.

“I’ve got to be in Mississippi tonight.” He grabbed his phone and pulled up his map and confirmed how long the trip would take on a Harley.

He relaxed when he saw he had plenty of time to make it.

“Where in Mississippi?” She grabbed the brush off her night stand and ran it through her blond hair. The silky blond strands glistened like gold in the morning sun. He itched to reach out and run his fingers through her hair. The way it had felt against this chest as she slept was one of the most intimate moments he’d ever shared with a woman.

“Yazoo City.” He put his feet on the floor and tugged her toward him.

She froze. “Please tell me you’re not going there to see her.” Her pupils dilated and her lips parted.

“Who?”

“The witch.”

“How did you know who I was going to see?” An uneasy feeling crept up his spine.

“Because there’s no reason for any werewolf to go to Yazoo City unless you’re looking for trouble. She is nothing but trouble.” She shook her head.

“Do you know her?”

“Unfortunately.” Her beautiful eyes narrowed into hardened slits and she pressed her lips into a thin white line.

“If I asked you not to go, would you listen to me?” She shot him a glare.

“No.” He couldn’t help but grin. “Sorry, baby, but I’m on a job here.”

She frowned. “Am I part of the job?”

“The job is the reason I came looking for you. But what’s going on between us is not part of the job.” He swallowed and pulled her into his arms. Guilt stung his gut like bees. He hadn’t been totally honest with her. He hadn’t told her what he was.

He hated lying to her when she’d bared herself to him in so many ways.

“So how do you know her?” He pulled into his lap.

“Keeping her hands to herself when it comes to someone else’s boyfriend is not a skill she possesses.”

Jealousy spiraled down in his stomach. “Boyfriend? How long ago was this?”

She snorted. “It’s been a few years. So you can stop looking at me like that.”

“What happened?”

“I saw her in a bar one night when I was out with my boyfriend. We were dancing and she kept trying to cut in. He kept turning her down. It didn’t matter to her. He went to grab us some beers. When he didn’t come back, I went looking for him. I found him banging her in the alley out back. He had this weird unfocused look in his eyes, like he was seeing right through me. I didn’t realize at the time, but she had cast a seduction spell on him.”

“I’m sorry.” He really wasn’t. He was glad she wasn’t still dating the douchebag.

“I think a guy who is weak enough to cheat doesn’t need a spell. He probably would have done it eventually. Better that I found out when I did so I didn’t waste any more time with him.” She shrugged. “Needless to say, the witch and I are not going to be BFFs anytime soon.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “And it’s also why I’m coming with you.”

“You don’t trust me?” He arched his eyebrow. His chest filled with warmth. It felt good to have someone feel protective over him. Even if it was for the moment.

“I don’t trust her.” She stood and pulled out of his reach. She shoved her thumb in the direction of the bathroom. “Now hurry up and shower. We’re going to need to stop by my place so I can change into jeans and my biker boots.”

***

It had been a while since Catty had been on the back of a Harley. With the wind in her hair and her arms around Lucien’s waist, she couldn’t stop smiling as they sped down the highway. It was an escape from reality she desperately craved.

“Doing okay?” Lucien yelled over the wind and the roar of the engine.

“Never better.” She smiled as she laid her head on his warm leather-clad shoulder and tightened her grip. She’d tried to convince him to take the heavy jacket off, but he insisted on wearing it.

They rode for hours, only stopping a couple of times to get gas. He tried to get her to eat something, but the heat sapped her appetite. She was too eager to get back on the Harley and get to their destination.

Would Lucien be drawn to the witch? Would she seduce him like she’d done so many men in the past? Or would Lucien be able to stand strong and resist her under his own power?

She inhaled deeply and pushed away her negative thoughts. Lucien was different.

He had to be. He’d been nothing but honest with her, and she’d seen how hard it had been for him.

Whatever reason he was looking into the dirty dealings in New Orleans made her think he had been hired from within the Arkansas Pack. Maybe he was running intel for the Pack. Maybe it was personal. She wasn’t sure.

She was sure he wasn’t a Guardian. The Guardians always had their back tatted up with their insignia. Guardians were lethal and were the peacekeepers among the civilian werewolf population. She couldn’t imagine Zane being a Guardian. They were the muscle for the Pack Master, and her brother was always more of the brains kind of guy.

But people change. She knew better than anyone. She wanted to change for the better.

At least Lucien wasn’t a Guardian.

If anyone at the club caught wind she was hanging with a Guardian then it would mean her life. She knew Lucien would never put her in danger.

***

Lucien slowed his speed once he hit the city limits of Yazoo City, Mississippi.

It was well after dark and the streets were illuminated by streetlights and headlights of traffic. He made a turn and continued down the steep hill that led into the heart of the city. Keeping his speed well under the limit, he continued his trek through the historic little town.

Streets were lined with oak trees, Victorian homes, and sidewalks. For an outsider passing through, it looked enough like a normal small town. But he wasn’t fooled. His senses went on high alert and he could feel some odd paranormal energy flowing through the town that seemed to get stronger the closer he got to his destination. It felt like a curse hanging over the small town.

When he reached the entrance to the Glenwood Cemetery, he parked and killed the engine.

Setting the kickstand, he slid off the bike and then lifted Catty off.

“I can do it myself.”

“I know. I just like touching you.” He held her close and gave her a quick kiss before taking a quick glance around.

“The gate is locked.” He frowned.

“Yeah, I figured it would be. The witch’s grave has been vandalized so many times that they started locking it at night.”

“How did you know?”

“I Googled it.” She shrugged.

“Climb on my back and I’ll scale the fence.”

“I can climb, Lucien.”

“I don’t care. If you slip and fall on the fence, it will impale you. I’m not taking the chance.” He pointed to his back. “Get on.”

She sighed heavily and climbed on his back.

His body immediately warmed when she pressed her lips against his neck. “Just so you know, don’t look her in the eyes.”

“Why? Is she Medusa?”

“The only thing she’s interested in turning into stone is your dick. Just make sure it doesn’t happen.” The icy tone in her voice and the glare she shot him made him realize how much she hated the witch.

He smiled. “I like your jealousy. It’s turning me on.”

“As long it’s not her turning you on.” She climbed on his back and wrapped her arms around his neck.

He jumped, scaled the fence, and landed on the other side. She slid off his back.

Lucien took the opportunity to assess his surroundings. The cemetery was empty and he could see there was no one else around. But the distinctive sound of seventies music drifted around them.

“What the hell is that godawful sound?” He flinched and looked around, trying to determine where the sound was coming from.

“Oh yeah. I forgot to tell you. Our witch prefers listening to ABBA.” Catty cocked her head and stilled. “Sounds like she’s listening to ‘Dancing Queen.’”

“Fuck me. This is going to be torture.” He hated any music that wasn’t rock. He especially hated seventies music.

He took Catty’s hand in his and led her farther into the rows and rows of graves and headstones.

Some of the graves were illuminated by solar lights loved ones had placed near the headstones. Others had flowers, both artificial and real, sitting around the graves. Few security lights were within the cemetery, making some areas well-lit and others surrounded by darkness.

Catty looked up from her cell phone. “According to my map, her grave is over there, not far from the fountain and near the funny-looking headstone.”

They found the identifying markers, and the closer they got the louder the music was.

There was headstone broken and lying on the ground with large chains around it. Some of the links in the chains were missing.

“I’m guessing the chains are supposed to keep her here,” he said.

“Which is why they are broken.” A sultry feminine voice came from a nearby tree.

A woman dressed in a white sundress stepped out from the shadows.

The nearby security light illuminated her flaming red hair which flowed in waves across her slender shoulders. Her eyes, a startling shade of electric green, held a hint of amusement as she studied them both with interest.

She looked to be in her mid-twenties, and she was a far cry from the image of an old hag Lucien had imagined.

“I was expecting you to be alone.” She smiled as her gaze roamed down the length of his body and settled on his crotch. He shifted under the scrutiny of her vulgar stare.

“Hello, Ella,” Catty said.

“I’m sorry. Do we know each other?” The witch turned her attention to Catty and glared.

“Yeah. You fucked my boyfriend in the alley in New Orleans.” Catty’s dry tone held a deadly edge.

“That doesn’t narrow it down at all, honey.” Ella smiled sweetly.

“I’m not surprised.” Catty snarled.

Ella lunged for her. Catty let out a feral growl, ready for a fight. Lucien stepped in between the two women.

“I was told you have some information for me. About some of the missing Guardians.” He glared at the witch.

The smile dropped off her face “I think you heard wrong.” The tone in her voice was too sure, too forced, too ready to change the subject. She snapped her fingers, and the music changed to a different song by ABBA.

Lucien closed the distance between him and the witch.

“Listen, don’t waste my time. I’m here because I was told you could help me.”

She arched her perfectly plucked brow and gave a chuckle. “I don’t give information away for free. That’s not how I play.” She sat on a nearby headstone and spread her legs suggestively. “I’m going to need something in return for the information you want.”

Catty growled.

“Really?” Lucien reached inside the jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope. Inside was ten thousand dollars Barrett had sent along with the direction.

He held it out to Ella.

“Money is something I don’t need since I’m stuck inside this cemetery.” She snorted and stepped up to him. “Now if there is something else you want to bargain with, then I’ll talk.” She ran her finger down the front of his chest.

He grabbed her hand and frowned. “How are you in human form if you’re supposed to be dead?”

“Part of this damn curse. My body won’t die and my soul is bound to my body. I’m cursed, stuck inside this cemetery. What good is money to me here?”

“According to legend, you escaped. And burned the city.” Lucien didn’t trust this bitch as far as he could throw her.

“Well it was kind of a fluke, actually.” She shrugged. “I knew I had to make a blood exchange. I had to sacrifice someone so I could escape. The innocent blood lowers the curse, therefore making it possible for me to escape. The first time, I escaped and set the town of Yazoo on fire for killing me. The second time, the time no one found out about, I made it all the way to New Orleans before being sucked back in this place.”

“You have to kill a human?” Catty glared.

“I prefer someone with supernatural blood. Human blood is weak and it only lets me out for a little while before the curse brings me back here.”