by Breezy Jones
I knitted my brows together. “But I have a pack now,” I said, and his grip tightened slightly before releasing.
“The djinn and werewolves know about you, but there are a lot worse things out there. Any protection I can give you to hold off the rest, I’m going to do it.”
“Okay,” I said, leaning in to give him a hug. “Thanks.”
Joe released me and held the front door open for me as I made my way through.
“Hey,” Seth said as he came up beside me. “How was your night?”
“It was good,” I replied and shot a grin at Joe.
“Hey there, Seth,” Joe said, turning away and locking the door behind us.
Together we all set off into the darkness down the sidewalk. “Glad it was a good night,” Seth said from beside me. “With everything going on, Ryker think’s it’s best if you come back to his place again.”
I nodded pulling my bottom lip between my teeth, “Yeah, I figured he’d say that,” I said with a little laugh. “Where is Ryker, anyhow?”
Seth shrugged. “Still out talking to the other packs. He’d said it might take a while.”
“Ah…” I said, drawing out the word a little disappointed that Ryker might not be back for a while. We approached the intersection where we’d go our separate ways.
“Goodnight,” I said to Joe.
Joe reciprocated and waved to us.
Chapter Eleven
I watched, enthralled, as the bath bomb fizzed and transformed the water and tub a glittery pink. The smell of passionfruit and citrus filled the air. Inhaling, I relished in the way the scent seemed to melt away the tension between my shoulders. Ryker’s guest bathroom was twice the size of my own, and I couldn’t help but enjoy this part of being forced out of my apartment two nights in a row. I was using it to my full advantage since Seth said Ryker wouldn’t be back for a while.
I eased into the hot water allowing the soapy bubbles to wash away the stress of the past few weeks. In the quiet, I hummed contentedly. Here, I could forget about my troubles—Joe being a supernatural librarian, me being a werewolf caught up in a pack power struggle, and even the complicated tangle between Ryker and me.
For a moment, I was just a girl in a tub—relaxing after a long day on her feet.
All too soon, my thoughts drifted to the coming full moon. Although it terrified me, as usual, Ryker’s offer to run with the pack made it less so. I tried to picture what would it would be like to run with Ryker as a wolf. The image heated my cheeks. The thought reminded me of his kiss the other night, the look in his eyes, and the feel of his hands on my skin. My whole body thrummed with desire, and I closed my eyes tight.
A loud pop rang through the room startling me. I jerked upright—my back tensed as bright pink water sloshed over the edges of the tub. I searched the bathroom for the source but found only a thick cloud of blue smoke. The same smoke from the kitchen the night before.
Shit.
A second later, the smoke cleared, and a man stood in its place. I screamed, covering myself with the bubbles the best I could.
“Get out!” I yelled, but Enzo only chuckled as his gaze swept over me. “Out! Out! Out!”
Another laugh.
“Your wish is my command,” he cooed, still snickering as he walked out of the bathroom and shut the door behind him.
After he was gone, I rinsed the soapy suds from my body, then got out of the bathtub. I dried off quickly and threw on my pajamas and a bathrobe. I stalked into the bedroom to find Enzo leisurely lounging on the bed.
My bed.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I demanded, my hands on my hips, as I glared at him.
“I was curious,” he replied airily.
“Curious about what?” I snapped. “What I looked like without clothes on?”
Enzo stood and walked toward me. His movements were fluid as if he were almost floating across the carpet. It was a little mesmerizing to watch, and I tried not to think about the fact that I was in my pajamas.
“About you, of course.”
As he got closer, my breath hitched not wanting him anywhere near me. But he only brushed past me to perch on the window seat.
“You came to gawk at the first female werewolf? Does female anatomy differ that much in your own kind?”
“Oh no, dearie, you’re not the first female werewolf I’ve ever met. Just the first in the last few centuries that’s all.”
I blinked, digesting everything he’d just divulged, including the fact that he was ancient. “What? But Ryker said…”
Enzo clucked his tongue. “Oh, you wolves think you know everything.”
I looked around the room then, wondered why Seth hadn’t come upstairs. Surely, he’d have heard Enzo. I opened my mouth to say something about it when Enzo cut me off with a malicious smile.
“Seth can’t hear us,” he said, reading my thoughts. I glared at him and he continued, “I’ve soundproofed the room with magic.”
“Why?” I asked then stopped myself with a slight tilt to my face. “Why are you here?” I growled, my patience running thin.
“I’m curious about your purpose. She-wolves, though incredibly rare, generally tend to be trouble.”
A devious smile spread across his lips, sending a shiver down my spine, and I narrowed my gaze. “Out of the two of us, I don’t think I’m the one causing trouble,” I said.
He scoffed. “Trust me. You, dearie, are a very dangerous girl.”
I hesitated, wanting to say that I wasn’t dangerous, but I also didn’t want to make myself appear like an easy target.
I bit my bottom lip and thought about what he said. Lifting my chin, I asked, “And what if I am?”
“Oh, but do you know why you’re dangerous? I can help with that.”
I glared at him pinching my lips tight.
“Oh, I know all about your little bout of amnesia when it comes to the night you first changed. Whatever happened to your little friend—Lindsey? That was her name, right?”
I froze at the sound of her name. “What the hell do you know about Lindsey?”
“Funny isn’t it, how she claimed to be your best friend—no, your family—then ditched you in the woods, all alone and scared going through this awful change? Why do you think she did that?”
“You’ve done your homework,” I replied. “Why are you even bothering to ask me when you seem to know the answers already?”
“Let’s call it curiosity,” he said.
I huffed. “I don’t know why she left.”
Enzo’s eyes darkened with a greed in them. “Oh, I’m sure she had her reasons,” he said with a glance out the window before slowly rising and making his way closer to me. My body tensed from his nearness sending more chills down my spine.
“Ryker seems very fond of you,” Enzo proclaimed suddenly, changing the subject again. “And you of him.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but he put a finger to my lips stopping me.
“No point arguing, dearie. I’m a djinn. We know these things.”
I snorted, rolling my eyes, but I wasn’t going to argue. He’d already proven he knew things he shouldn’t. “Why are you asking about all of this?” I demanded. “What do you want?”
Enzo took a step closer to me leaving just a few inches between us, and my heart thudded wildly as fear seeped into my veins. Power rolled off him. More than I’d ever felt from anyone—including Ryker.
“Relax, she-wolf. I’ll tell you,” he said his smile curling in its sinister nature. His blue eyes flashed sharply, each of them like vipers striking at their prey. “For a price,” he said.
Ryker’s warning rang through my mind. I shuddered and wrapped my arms around myself. “Get out,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Watch your back, dearie, someone is out for you. Someone w
illing to kidnap and kill to get to you,” he said with a wink. His lips curled up, and then he was gone, disappearing into a cloud of smoke.
Chapter Twelve
The sun had only begun to peek over the mountain tops, and I was already exhausted. Despite the threat of attack, Ryker hadn’t let up on our morning running ritual. After days of the torturous exercise, just being able to keep pace with Ryker felt like an achievement. Especially when my mind was so full after last night.
“You okay? You seem distant this morning,” Ryker said, pulling me from my thoughts. He slowed to a walk and grabbed my hand.
I took a moment to catch my breath before answering him. “I’m sorry. I need to tell you about some things.”
Ryker stopped and faced me. “Okay,” he said the word delicately as if preparing himself. I looked up into his face searching his eyes for encouragement.
“Joe and I worked everything out about him being Winter Fae,” I started with a small smile. “You were right. He was the one using his magic to shield my scent. He also told me all about Christmas and Winter Fae. There was something else…” I paused, biting my lip. “You can’t tell anyone,” I said eyeing him hard, so he knew how serious I was.
“Okay, I won’t tell a soul.” His forehead creased.
I drew in a deep breath and let it out. “He’s the librarian for the Winter Fae,” I said.
Ryker sucked in a whistle. He frowned before replying, “Well, now that makes sense.”
“Really?” I asked.
He grasped my other hand. “Yeah, being the librarian, he’d have all kinds of information for all different supernaturals. He’d be able to pinpoint what you were faster than I could have. That’s also how he would have known to mask your scent to protect you, and why he didn’t tell you about what he was.”
“Yeah, that’s sort of what he said,” I replied and blew out a long breath. I shrugged. “There’s more…”
“More?” Ryker asked as we started walking.
Choosing my words carefully, I said, “Last night while you were gone, Enzo visited me.”
“What!” Ryker exclaimed. He stopped again, and his eyes bore into mine. “While you were at my house?”
I held up my palms and decided to leave out the fact that I’d been taking a bath at the time. “I’m fine….” I said hurriedly. “I made no deals with him.”
“What did he want?”
I swung my head from side to side before replying, “I’m not really sure. Enzo told me that I wasn’t the first female werewolf. He even mentioned Lindsey and asked me why I thought she’d left. He even said that you’re into me. Ultimately, he didn’t really say anything that made much sense. He wanted me to make a deal for the answers, but I told him to eff off.” I paused hesitant to say the last piece. “Enzo said someone was after me. Someone who was willing to kill and kidnap to get to me.” I dropped my eyes and focused on the shoveled sidewalk.
Ryker pulled me into his arms. “I won’t let anyone get to you,” he said, stroking my hair. I leaned back and glanced up. Ryker’s shoulders were up around his ears—so much tension there because of me.
“I know.”
“I should have been there,” he said. “I should have protected you.”
“Your warnings kept me from agreeing to any kind of deals, so you did protect me. Plus, he used magic to seal the room, so Seth couldn’t hear him. You wouldn’t have been able to either.”
Ryker didn’t reply for a long moment as his eyes searched the town square around us. Finally, he said, “We’ll figure all this out together.”
“Yes, we will,” I said against his chest, my heart racing with his arms around me.
He held me for a moment longer before we separated. Ryker intertwined his fingers with mine as we headed across the street to Hot Shots.
The daily ritual of our post-run coffee was a lot easier to embrace. However, I was not prepared for the onslaught of Christmas decor that greeted me. The damned place practically dripped with yuletide. My mouth fell open and a slight queasiness hit my stomach as I took in the sight. Lexi bounded over to us, her smile as bright as any Christmas tree.
“Oh, don’t you just love it?” she exclaimed, clapping her hands giddily.
Childlike wonder practically exploded from the wide grin she wore. I just didn’t have the heart to tell her that it looked more like elves had vomited Christmas cheer. Instead, I smiled and nodded.
A few small groups were clustered around the square tables. Ryker waved at one of the werewolves then draped his arm over my shoulder. I leaned in to him, glancing up at his face and then back to Lexi.
Ryker’s grin was pure arrogance, clearly enjoying my lack of enthusiasm. Lexi pouted, but within seconds her smile returned. She grabbed my arm and guided me to our usual table by the bay window. Ryker followed behind, stopping to say hey to two others I recognized in the pack before joining me at the table.
“With the attack and all we never got to the decorations,” Lexi explained. “So, I decided to do it myself.”
“Well, you did a fantastic job.” Ryker’s compliment earned a delightful squeal from Lexi before she bounced off to get our drinks.
I turned toward the window not really paying attention to anything. Ryker laid his hand on top of mine. I twisted around to him and smiled.
“You ready for tonight?” Ryker asked, quirking his lips to the side.
I squinted my eyes and wrinkled my nose sarcastically.
“Tonight,” I said, echoing his word. I shook my head and ended up burying my face in my hands. “Uh… yeah… no…” I admitted, slowly drawing out the words.
When I glanced back at Ryker he was smirking, and I groaned. “I’m nervous, and excited and a bundle of emotions to be honest,” I said.
Lexi returned with our drinks and headed off toward her other customers.
“You’re going to do fine,” Ryker assured me.
I raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue. I’d never run free before, and I had no idea what would happen. The thought of not being chained up and hiding made my heart race in anticipation. The thought that Ryker would be right there with me made my veins run with fire.
“Yeah,” I licked my lips, averting my eyes for a moment. When I turned back, my eyes immediately went to Ryker’s lips.
“I’ll be with you.”
I swallowed hard, and Ryker’s eyes darkened as if he read my thoughts.
The doorbell jingled and caught my attention. A woman dressed in a red velvet cloak walked in, her face shielded beneath the hood.
Across from me, Ryker tensed. The woman did a quick scan of the room then headed straight for us.
“Do you know her?” I asked.
Ryker didn’t answer.
“Ryker.” The woman reached us and tugged back her hood.
I gasped.
Her face though clearly human held strong deer like qualities, an angular nose with white freckles against her tan skin. Her round doe-shaped eyes were an ice-blue, so piercing it was hard to look away. The most startling, however, were the delicate antlers that sprang from the top of her brown hair.
“What?” she demanded, glaring at me. “You’ve never seen a reindeer before?”
Quickly, I schooled my features as if it were an everyday thing seeing a deer in a diner.
Ryker’s strong voice cut through my haze. “Vixen,” he said. “What are you doing here? You know better than to risk being seen by humans.”
The woman huffed impatiently and rolled her eyes. “This is too important. Besides it’s Christmas. I’ll fit right in.”
She gestured to the extreme amount of holiday decor around us, and Ryker lifted a brow. I couldn’t argue with her there.
“What is it?” he asked.
“I’m sure it’s no secret to your kind that Winter Fae have been disappearing
for weeks now. And just this week Nick’s gone missing. I talked to Frost, and she swears she has it under control, but I’m not so sure that’s possible. Not with Nick gone.”
Vixen’s voice grew more urgent with every word.
“You know we stay out of Christmas business, Vixen,” Ryker said.
“Yes, but it’s not just Christmas. It’s all Fae and shifters, too. I don’t just mean my brothers but wolves as well.”
“What wolves?” Ryker asked sharply.
“From other packs. “Vixen pursed her lips. “You’re telling me you don’t know?”
My gaze bounced between Vixen and Ryker as I wondered if she meant Joe’s cousin and Claus.
“Has the council been alerted?” Ryker asked her, interrupting my thoughts.
“Yes, of course they have. But there aren’t enough missing wolves yet to get their attention. And you know as well as I, they couldn’t care less if Christmas disappears all together.” She paused, chancing a glance over her shoulder and lowering her voice as she continued, “That’s why I came to you. Jack says you’re close to Joe. I’d hoped maybe you’d help.”
Ryker glanced away thoughtfully just as Seth walked up.
“Sorry to interrupt, sir, but Pops is asking for you. He’s waiting at your house.” Seth eyed Vixen suspiciously but didn’t speak to her. “He says it urgent.”
Ryker inclined his head, and Seth took that as his cue to go.
Rubbing his forehead, Ryker said, “I’ll look into it, Vixen. You need to get underground and tell no one else. Understand.”
“Fine. But I hope we can count on you.” Vixen wasted no time as she gathered up her hood and slunk from the cafe.
Turning back to me, Ryker pressed his lips together tightly. Worry creased his brow, and I had the distinct desire to reach out and comfort him.
“Come on, little wolf. I need to talk to Pops, and I don’t want to leave you alone if Fae and wolves are disappearing.” His tone left no room for argument.
I was bursting at the seams with a hundred questions but kept quiet. For once, I obeyed without putting up a fight.