Right, we were back to the subject of my orgasms. Le sigh . . .
The Fire Wolf made a discontented sound when I replied, “Something like that. Now, please, can I just wait for my ride in peace?” I gave my ex an apologetic look.
Carlos straightened his jacket and took a step toward me, although he eyed the hunter warily. As a werewolf who’d grown up in a pack, Carlos knew better than to push an alpha, which the Fire Wolf obviously was. Still, as a mid-level, Carlos was also used to having dominance over some, so he wasn’t a complete pushover. “I can still come with you. I’m going there anyway.”
Right. The whole reason my ex had shown up on my doorstep was because the Supernatural Forces was now willing to search for my sister. And since Carlos had begun working for the SF again, he’d offered to deliver that news to me personally. Only thing was, the Fire Wolf and I had already found Tessa. Still, the SF needed to know that Tessa’s abduction was actually part of a much larger kidnapping ring.
A warning snarl erupted from the hunter. Apparently, my ex was standing too close to me again.
I muttered a curse at the hunter’s animalistic behavior. I needed to nip this in the bud, because the Fire Wolf looked seconds away from shifting. And considering I’d seen how fiery his wolf could get, that was the last thing I needed. I kinda wanted my neighborhood to stay standing, not burned to the ground, because being homeless on top of everything else I was dealing with would be the icing on the cake.
Speaking of being homeless…
I planted my hands on my hips again and cocked my head at the hunter. “Do you know how Declan is?”
My question forced the Fire Wolf’s attention to shift from my ex to me. His shoulders were still tensed, though, but he took a deep breath and some of the fire receded from his eyes. “He’s fine.”
“Are you sure? Did you actually check on him?”
The Fire Wolf nodded tightly and gave Carlos a side-eye again. “Actually, I did. I promised you I would, didn’t I? Miranda’s got him placed in one of their rehabilitation centers. Declan’s got his own room and a roof over his head. He won’t be back on the streets again.”
Some of the ire died inside me. Because of the hunter, one less homeless kid was walking the streets in Portland, but that didn’t mean the Fire Wolf and I would ever mate.
Carlos’s gaze drifted from me to the Fire Wolf and back again. “Who’s Declan?”
I shook my head. “Long story.” I shivered again as I waited on the sidewalk. According to my app, my ride was still five minutes out. FML, seriously.
The Fire Wolf stepped closer, until he stood right beside me. “You know, I can take you there.” He pulled his yellow crystal from his pocket. “You don’t need to wait for a ride.”
“No thanks.”
“But you’re cold.”
“As I’m aware.”
He growled and slammed a hand through his hair. “Dammit, Tala, I could see your shivers a mile away. I’m just offering you a free and quick form of transportation.”
I nibbled my lip. He was right. I was freakin’ freezing, and a ride to the SF would probably cost me at least twenty bucks, but a clean break was the only way to do this. It was best to hold firm and not muddy expectations. “Thanks, but I’ll wait for my ride.”
His nostrils flared, but he made no move to leave, and when my hired ride finally pulled up, he opened the door for me. So he was back to being the gentleman. This was full-blown Courting Shit 101.
Once inside the warm cab, I was about to reach out for the door to close it, but the hunter was suddenly there, sinking onto the seat beside me before slamming the door.
“Um, what?” I sputtered. But then the door on my other side opened and Carlos slipped in.
I tilted my head back and sighed.
“Do you mind?” Carlos asked. At least my ex had the decency to ask.
“Whatever.”
The Fire Wolf angled his body, his huge chest brushing mine, and my damned libido perked up. Ugh.
A sharp intake of breath came from both werewolves. Yep, my arousal was that obvious, but then the hunter growled a warning at my ex, his hand creeping possessively toward my thigh.
I brushed his hand away even though the contact made my nerves tingle. May the gods save me. I just couldn’t win.
The driver cast the three of us an uneasy look in the rearview mirror before pulling away from the curb. Even though the driver was human, it was obvious his instincts had detected predators in his midst.
I leaned my head back against the seat again as the car picked up speed. Because apparently all three of us were going to the SF . . . in my ride.
Chapter 2
When we reached the Supernatural Forces’ office, both men tried to reimburse me for my hired ride.
I rolled my eyes. “Put your wallets away. I’m not a damsel in distress.”
The Fire Wolf’s lips curved up while Carlos awkwardly stuffed his wallet back into his pocket.
Without waiting for either to reply, I strode toward what appeared to be a mom-and-pop barbershop but was in actuality the Supernatural Forces’ office.
Their office sat on a street corner in the midst of a middle-class neighborhood. Two-story houses sprawled only a block down from the supposed barbershop. Nobody would have guessed that this was actually the gateway to the supernatural community’s elite law enforcement and military.
The Fire Wolf and Carlos followed behind me, their footsteps quiet. They hadn’t argued on the ride over, but the tension strumming between the two was palpable.
I pinched the bridge of my nose and hoped that this would be a quick stop. My stomach was growling, and I still had to go to Practically Perfect and possibly work the rest of the day. Not to mention, whether I liked it or not, I needed to talk to Tess and learn what she’d disclosed to Jakub’s people about my abilities. I wasn’t looking forward to any of those things.
I stepped over the SF’s threshold and the wash of magic tingled across my skin. The illusion of salon chairs and mirrors disappeared as the Supernatural Forces’ office materialized in front of me.
Seated at the front desk was a familiar face. When I approached Jeff, he looked up from his computer screen, then rolled his eyes when he spotted me, but when he took in the Fire Wolf, that smirk wiped clean off his face, and he sat up straighter.
The hunter wore a blank mask as he assessed the office interior, yet Jeff’s attention stayed on the Fire Wolf even when Carlos asked, “Is Commander Klebus free? There’s been a development in the case regarding Tessa Davenport. It’s important that we speak with her immediately.”
Jeff nodded, attention still on the hunter. “She’s in her office.”
“Follow me,” Carlos said.
The Fire Wolf silently prowled at my side as we followed Carlos toward the back offices. Jeff watched us the entire way. Um . . . okaaaaaay.
I shrugged off the receptionist’s strange interest in the hunter as we wove through the halls, the turns familiar. Even though I wasn’t a Supernatural Forces’ member, I was no stranger to this building. I’d been seated in front of Commander Klebus more times than I wanted to remember, thanks to Tessa.
When we crossed the threshold into the commander’s office, she looked up from her desk, her eyes like sapphire jewels. When she was human, I would have bet money her complexion had been a rich brown, but now it was as bright as molten gold, due to her vampire transformation.