He leaned closer to me. “I would say that made you quite astute.” His lips drifted to my ear, and despite being determined to avoid the effect he had on me, a shudder ran through my body as a quickening curl of desire flooded my core. “I did find your sister, you know.”
“At what price to me?”
“More like at what price to me. Now that I know you exist, you will forever haunt me.”
∞ ∞ ∞
After we’d finished lunched and changed into training clothes, the Fire Wolf transported us to the community center using his personal portal. It landed us in one of the huge rooms inside, and I knew from a quick perusal that it was a training room.
“We’ll train here every day,” the hunter stated. He was still wearing those damned loose pants, but at least he was wearing a shirt too. “But it won’t be what you’re expecting. Something tells me this new power inside you is less physical and more mental.”
That comment snapped my attention away from ogling his physique. “Why do you think that?”
“Because you can’t feel it when you’re not under imminent threat. That tells me it’s less connected to your physical body and more to your mental powers.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“I know a thing or two about newly instilled mental magic.”
His cryptic words had me frowning, then planting my hands on my hips. I gazed around at the large, airy area that was similar to the gym Prisha’s family owned.
The Fire Wolf obviously sensed my hesitation because he added, “There are wards around this room. Even though wolves usually battle here, the Ontario pack employs several sorcerers and witches. These walls can withstand all species’ magic.”
“So are Canada’s packs similar to America’s? You obviously have community centers like they do.”
“They are.”
The times I’d visited Carlos’s home with him in the States, we’d also ventured to his pack’s community center. In most packs, the centers were huge buildings filled with classrooms, large dining areas, and training rooms. It allowed the entire pack to join together under one roof to mingle, care for the pack’s young, hold pack meetings, and train.
I eyed the clock on the far wall. It was mid-afternoon. “You know, I’m still really sore from yesterday. Even if you think my new power is mainly mental, I don’t know how much I’m capable of doing today.”
“Relax, I promise to go easy on you for our first practice.” He lifted his arms above his head, stretching. Muscles bulged everywhere.
My mouth went dry. Lord, help me. I crossed my arms. Forcing my gaze away from his very tempting appearance, I tapped my foot. “What makes you so confident that you can train me? My new power stumped Prisha’s father, and he’s been training me my entire life. Granted, he’s never seen my new power in action or felt it like you have, but what makes you so confident?”
“I have a particular skill set that many don’t share.”
“And what exact skill set is that?”
He gave me another wicked smile. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Here we go again.” I shook my head, and cast him an aggrieved stare. “I’m being serious, you know. This is only my life that we’re gambling with ’cause I’m pretty sure Jakub-Dipshit doesn’t value it.”
All joking left his face. “I know that. I take this very seriously.”
“Then would you answer my question?”
He held my gaze for a moment before replying, “It has to do with what I am.”
“And what are you?”
He leaned down and began pulling mats together on the floor, the broad muscled plains of his back shifting and rippling. “I’m a supernatural unlike anybody else on earth.”
“Meaning what?”
“Meaning, as you’ve pointed out several times before, I have a unique genetic mixture.” His muscles bulged when he lifted an entire mat over his head before placing it beside the first. The scent of rubber rose around us every time he shifted the huge squares.
“What exactly are your genetics?”
“You already know that I’m part werewolf and part demon. But there’s more to it than that.”
“As I’ve surmised, since you’re capable of casting spells.” I tapped my foot again. “Are you ever going to tell me?”
His lips tilted up in a smirk, a low chuckle escaping him. “I don’t know. I quite like when you constantly beg me. Your curiosity is amusing.”
I advanced on him, intent on wiping that smirk right off his face.
An excited gleam grew in his eyes. Ugh. His demon side was running front and center right now, just waiting for the conflict. No, not waiting. Relishing what was about to come.
Seeing that brought me up short. I halted two feet away, realizing I’d almost fallen into his trap. He loved to provoke me, but what if I flipped the tables on him? I crossed my arms again. “How about this? I’ll make a deal with you.”
He straightened to his full height. Damn, why did he have to look so good? “I’m listening.”
“If you tell me what you are, I’ll tell you something in return.”
“Like what?”
I shrugged. “Something that you’re curious to learn about me.”
“No deal.”
My arms fell. “Why not?”
“Because that’s not what I want.”
“You’re not interested in learning about me?” For some reason, that needled at my heart.
“On the contrary, I’m very interested in learning about you, but that’s not what I want at this moment.”
“Then what do you want?”
“You already know.” Heat grew in his gaze.
“Oh my gods, you’re such a male. That’s not happening.”
He sauntered away to grab the last mat by the far wall. I tried to ignore how those loose pants hung so low on his lean hips. “That’s a shame,” he called over his shoulder. “I know you’re dying to know what I am.”
My teeth snapped together as I glowered at his back. Stupid, insufferable demony wolf.
His dark chuckle rumbled in the room. “Careful. I can feel those daggers shooting into my back.”
I cupped my mouth to project my voice. “Good. I hope they’re painful!”
He laughed, the sound resonating around me.
I scoffed, and despite knowing that he was purposefully baiting me, I couldn’t stop my curiosity. “Why can’t you just tell me what your genetics are? How can you wield fire and magic?”
He strolled back, the last mat in tow. “I’ll answer that if you give me what I want.”
“No. I refuse to fuck you.”
“But what if that’s not what I was going to request?”
I eyed him warily. “Then what was it?”
“Sleep with me tonight.”
I rolled my eyes. “Dude, what did I just say? I’m not fucking you, and I am not a prostitute. I’m not bartering sex for information.”
“I never said sex. I said sleep with.” He took another step forward, and his citrusy cedar scent hit me with such a vengeance that my entire body fluttered to awareness. When had his scent grown so strong? “You’re the one who’s wanting to strike a deal, and I just gave you my terms. I’ll tell you exactly what I am if you share my bed tonight. Do you accept?”
I narrowed my eyes, not liking at all how my belly was tightening in anticipation. “Define what your definition of sleep with is.”
“We share the same bed.”
“And?”
“And we sleep beside one another.”