But a long, quiet moment passed before he spoke, and that wasn’t what he said at all.
“If you ever want to talk about it, I’m here. You can yell, cry, scream, rant, whatever you need. I know firsthand how much someone you care about can turn your world upside down.”
She looked at him. Just a sideways glance through a few tendrils of loose hair, but it was enough to see how sincere he was. “I bet you do.”
He genuinely cared. Wasn’t mad—anymore—about what she’d said to him in the hot tub. Wasn’t holding a grudge. He just wanted her to know he was available if she needed someone to listen to her.
She saw him with new eyes. Really saw him for the kind and caring man he was. She’d been utterly and completely wrong about him. And all because she’d let her past color her view of him.
That understanding was such a revelation that it caught her off guard and sent a shiver through her, which was exacerbated by the wet clothes she still wore.
Without hesitation, he put his arm around her and pulled her close. She leaned in. “I’m really sorry,” she whispered.
“I forgive you. I promise.”
“Thank you. But I’m also really sorry things didn’t work out between you and Zoe.”
A moment of silence passed. “Thanks. I was sorry, too, for a long time. Still am, most days. But I think it’s time I got past that.” He squeezed her shoulder where his hand was resting. “I’m sorry about what Eric did to you.”
“Thanks.”
“Did you kill him?”
His startling question caused a laugh to bubble out of her from deep down inside and burst out with such force that her whole body rocked back. “What? No! But he probably deserved it.”
Titus grinned. “Don’t you kill anyone who crosses you?”
The mischief in his eyes told her he was joking. She decided to go along with it. “I do, actually. Does that frighten you?”
“Me? Frightened? I think the real question here is…” Magic danced over his features, transforming them just slightly so that when he smiled at her, his eyes glowed and his canines were wolf-sized. “Aren’t you afraid of the big, bad wolf?”
She let out a playful shriek and jumped off the steps. “Don’t you dare bite me.” But even as the words left her mouth, the idea didn’t seem that bad.
He stood and came down the steps toward her with the kind of slow, predatory stride that sent another shiver through her. “You do smell awfully good. The only problem is, I don’t know if you’re Little Red Riding Hood or the huntswoman.”
“My sword’s not drawn yet.” Freya help her, she wanted him. It was definitely the spell. The magic was thick in her blood and clouding her brain. But deep inside, she knew that wasn’t the only reason.
His grin widened. “Can I see it?”
“My sword?”
He nodded. “You’ve seen me as a wolf. Only seems fair.”
To her, what seemed fair was kissing him again. She squeezed her eyes shut at the idea but didn’t force it away like she had the last time. Maybe showing him her sword would distract her brain. Fill it with thoughts of battle and fighting and kissing—nope, that wasn’t helping. She smiled back at him, eyes wide. “Sure.”
She untucked the towel still wrapped around her body and dropped it to the floor beside her so that he could see her back. Then she turned around. “Watch now. You should be able to see it despite the straps of my sports bra.”
She thought about her sword, about the magic that hid it from all non-valkyrie and non-berserker eyes and then about opening that magic so he could see it too.
A ripple of sensation went down her spine where Helgrind resided like a magical tattoo, waiting for her touch to bring her to life. “Can you see it?”
“Wow,” he breathed. “I can. It just came into view. Pretty cool how you can do that.”
“Generally, our swords aren’t visible unless you’re a valkyrie or berserker. Or a vampire. Basically, if you’re not a valkyrie or a berserker, you have to be dead to see our weapons. Pretty sure that’s all tied into how souls on the battlefield recognize us.”
“That’s pretty interesting. Cool that you can show it to me, though. It’s the most realistic ink I’ve ever seen. I swear the metal is actually gleaming in the light as you move.”
“It is. Because it’s not ink.” She glanced over her shoulder at him, loving the curiosity in his eyes. “It’s…hard to explain. Better I just show you, I guess.”
Just talking about the weapon made it vibrate with anticipation, its bladesong dancing through Jenna with a happy trill.
“How old were you when you got it?”
“I was born with it. We all are.”
He pondered that a moment. “Then you didn’t have a choice in being a valkyrie. Just like I didn’t have a choice in being a werewolf.”
She nodded. “In that, we are alike.”
“We’re alike in a lot of ways.”
So she’d been told. She just smiled. “Do you want to see it, then?”
He nodded. “I do.”
She reached back and felt the hilt solidify in her hand. An electric current zipped over her skin. The sensation wasn’t something she’d felt in a while. It was Helgrind’s anticipation at being unsheathed.
On the job, her service weapon was the only thing she used. Wasn’t like she could go around brandishing a sword, despite her proficiency with the blade. Sad, really, that Helgrind didn’t get to come out for more than practice.
Jenna liked that Titus seemed so interested. “Step back a little.”
He did as she asked, still looking very eager.
She tightened her grip on the hilt. Then pulled the sword free.
Titus had never known the hiss of metal could have such a sweet, melodious sound to it, but that’s exactly what he heard as Jenna unsheathed her sword.
It was bigger than he’d expected, gleaming bright with an almost blue-white light that made it seem like a living thing. Set in the pommel was a blue-green stone that seemed to have a beam of light deep within its smooth-polished heart. Other than that, the sword was unadorned. But it didn’t need anything more.
“Wow,” he breathed again. “It’s a work of art. What’s the stone in the handle?”
“Just glass,” she said.
“It’s beautiful all the same. But I guess that makes sense, considering who owns it.”
A look of disbelief filled Jenna’s eyes for a moment. “You think my sword is beautiful because…”
“You’re beautiful. Yes. I do.” He was done resisting the spell, done pretending he didn’t like her. That he wasn’t attracted to her. Done with anything close to lying. Especially after learning that she’d been hurt by someone she’d cared for. It wasn’t his job to heal that wound for her, but he certainly wasn’t going to add to it.
And if he could give her some happiness by being kinder, by being truthful, then that was an easy thing for him to do.
Plus, she was standing in front of him, holding a deadly weapon. Now was the perfect time to start being complimentary, if ever there was one.
“Oh,” she said softly. “We, um, that is, valkyries generally are naturally attractive, so that’s really just genes—”
“Can I hold it?” He’d rather change the subject than hear her discount his compliment.
She smiled. “No. I mean, you can try, but the sword won’t let you.”
His brow wrinkled. “The sword won’t let me.”
“Nope. Helgrind is pretty picky about who lays hands on her. Basically just me.”
“Helgrind?”
Jenna nodded. “Means hell gate.”
His eyes widened just a little. “That seems appropriately intimidating. But how do you know Helgrind won’t like me? Maybe she wants me to hold her.”
She laughed and held the sword out, freeing her hand from the hilt so that she was only holding it between her thumb and forefinger. “Be my guest.”
“Really?”
&nbs
p; “Sure.”
He wrapped his hand around the hilt. The metal thrummed with its own energy. “I can feel the magic in it.”
She nodded, looking very pleased. “It’s really something, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
“Got it? I’m going to let go.”
He tightened his grip. “I have it.”
She was almost laughing now. “You sure?”
He got the sense she was playing with him. “Yes.”
“Okay.” She took her hand away.
The sword vanished.
“Hey.” He looked around. “Where is it? What kind of trick is that?”
She turned to show him her back. The sword once again ran from the edge of her hairline down her spine, disappearing beneath the waistband of her gym shorts. When she twisted to face him, her eyes were alive with amusement. “Told you.”
“So the sword only exists if your hand is on it?”
“No.” She reached back and brought the blade out again, then walked over to his workbench and laid it down. “It can exist without me. It’s absolutely real on its own.”
“I see that.”
She stepped away. “Go ahead, pick it up.”
“Pretty sure I know how this turns out.” The moment his fingers made contact, the sword disappeared again. “Let me guess. It’s returned to you?”
She nodded. “That’s how valkyrie and berserker swords work. Trust me, it’s a good thing.”
“I believe you. It’s pretty cool. Like the best possible safety a weapon could have. Thank you for sharing that with me.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “I feel special.”
Her gaze narrowed. “Are you making fun of me?”
“No. I really do feel special. I’m guessing you haven’t shown that sword to many people. Have you?”
She shook her head. “Sorry for assuming the worst.”
Against every instinct telling him not to, he reached out and took her hand. “You don’t have to think that about me anymore. I promise. I’m going to do everything I can to be friends with you. I want us to be a team and work together.”
She looked at his hand holding hers, then up at him. “The only problem is…”
When she didn’t immediately finish her sentence, he did it for her, his heart sinking in his chest. “You don’t want to be friends with me.”
“Right.”
He let go of her hand and walked away. She was impossible. Hard-hearted and—
“Titus.”
“What?” He snapped, turning to look at the most difficult woman he’d ever met.
Oddly, she looked nervous. Almost reluctant. She sighed and stared at the ground. “I meant that I don’t want to be just friends with you. I would be okay with trying to be a little more than that. I know that’s a complete reversal from what I said earlier and that it’s a big ask coming from me, the same woman who just said terrible things to you in your hot tub, but you’re such a different man than I thought you were and—”
He stepped into her space and kissed her, hard. He threaded his fingers into her hair, cupping her face in his hands, and pressed his mouth to hers. He wanted to show her he was serious.
She melted against him, the little sigh that escaped her throat caught between them. Her hands went to his waist, then slid under his shirt and higher to his ribs.
Her touch nearly took his breath. How long had it been since he’d felt a woman’s touch? Too long.
A little voice told him they were just feeding the spell, strengthening it. He didn’t care, even while he understood that he didn’t know what was real and what was magic. The separation between the two ceased to matter.
Only she mattered. Only this moment, this kiss.
Temperatures went up. His, hers, the room’s. They might as well have been standing on a lava field.
After a few more long moments, she put her hands to his chest and pushed, ending the kiss. They were both panting.
She shook her head. “Are we really doing this? Giving in to the spell?”
“I don’t see it that way.”
She looked up at him. “How do you see it, then?”
“The spell wouldn’t work if there wasn’t something there already, right?”
“I don’t know. But…maybe.” She held his gaze. “I guess we’ll know when Alice breaks it.”
He nodded. “We should probably go to bed.”
Her eyes widened. “Settle down, Merrow. That’s too fast for me.”
He snorted. “I meant we should go to sleep. In our own beds. The inspector arrives tomorrow. And you need to get to work on figuring out how to stop that wraith.”
“Oh. Right. Sleep.” She laughed, cheeks going pink. “Do you usually have breakfast? Or do you go straight to work?”
“I go straight to work, where I make breakfast for my crew.”
She was still smiling. “Does the binding spell make me part of the crew?”
He nodded. “Absolutely. Can you be ready to leave by six thirty?”
Her brows went up. “Wow, you do start early. Sure, I can be ready.”
“Good. I usually swing by Zombie Donuts on the way in, grab a couple dozen.”
She smirked. “That’s very nice of you, but buying doughnuts doesn’t qualify as making breakfast.”
“Oh, the doughnuts are just the appetizer. You’ll see.” Then he pulled her in and kissed her once more, short and sweet. “Now, we really should go to sleep. Because if I kiss you a third time, sleep will be the last thing on my mind.”
Jenna slept. But she also dreamed. Weird, happy, scary, mixed-up dreams that had everything in them from her ex to the wraith to Titus in the hot tub. There was even a cameo by Duncan, Tessa’s cat.
Jenna woke needing coffee but feeling okay about things between her and Titus.
Honestly, she was slightly giddy in the weirdest way about suddenly being involved with Titus. Okay, involved was probably too big a word for what was happening, but she wasn’t about to speak it out loud. Anyway, that feeling had to come from the spell, but it felt real.
Or was it? Could it be real even if it was magic-induced?
She didn’t know and didn’t have time to dwell on the question longer than it took her to shower, dry her hair, and put a little makeup on. Titus wanted to leave by six thirty, and she was not going to make him late.
Normally, she’d wear her uniform, but since she wasn’t going to be at the sheriff’s department or on patrol, that didn’t seem like the right choice.
Technically, she wasn’t going to be officially on duty again until the spell was lifted. She was still free to work on figuring out who’d set that bomb—and how the wraith played into it—but she didn’t need to be in uniform to do that.
Because of that, she settled on skinny jeans, then grabbed the first T-shirt on top of the stack she’d brought, along with a cardigan in case the firehouse was chilly. To that, she added a belt and cute flats.
She checked the time. She had twenty minutes before they left. Was that enough time to have some coffee here? She realized she could smell some, which hopefully meant he’d made a pot.
She went out to the kitchen and found him standing by the window, drinking from a cup. “Morning. Is there more of that?”
He nodded without turning. “I made a whole pot.”
“Thank Freya,” she muttered.
“Mugs are in the cabinet above. You need sugar or creamer?”
“Just sugar, but I can go without if you don’t have it.”
“Same cabinet.” He looked at her. “Didn’t you sleep well?”
She got a mug down and found a small white container of sugar packets that looked like they’d come from Howler’s. “Tossed and turned a bit. Weird dreams. Lot on my mind, you know.”
“I know. Had a bit of that myself.”
She added two packets of sugar, then filled the mug with coffee and turned to lean on the counter as she took her first sip. She closed her eyes and let the coffee reach her soul b
efore attempting further communication.
She opened her eyes at the sound of Titus’s soft chuckle. “What?”
He shook his head, his expression morphing from pure amusement to the most innocent of faces. “Nothing. How’s the coffee?”
“Good. Really strong, which is how I like it.”
“Isn’t that the standard sheriff’s department brew?”
She smiled. “Pretty much. Your brother likes it strong enough to work a shift on its own.”
“And then there’s Birdie.”
“She loves her fancy coffee, doesn’t she? Good thing there’s lots of that to choose from in town. I think she’s got her own account at the Hallowed Bean.”
“I think you’re right.” Titus glanced past her. “Almost time to go.”
“It won’t take me long to drink this. Unless you have a travel cup I can put it in?”
“Take your time.” He winked. “You have three minutes.”
“Gee, thanks, Merrow.” She rolled her eyes good-naturedly, then took another big sip of her coffee.
“You’re welcome, Blythe. I’m going to brush my teeth, then I’ll see you in the truck.”
She gave him a thumbs-up since she was still drinking. After he left, she took one more big sip, then put the cup in the sink and went to brush her teeth a second time. Coffee breath wasn’t conducive to kissing. Which was totally the spell talking.
She rushed through brushing her teeth in an attempt to stop thinking about kissing, a wholly unsuccessful endeavor, then went straight out to the truck. She had to get it together. She was going to be with him all day!
Titus locked the house before joining her. He smelled so good. That wasn’t helping.
As he pulled out of the driveway and headed for the exit, the look of amusement returned to his face. “Nice T-shirt, by the way. You are definitely going to make some friends today.”
She glanced down only to realize why he’d been grinning so hard in the kitchen earlier. She’d inadvertently put on the T-shirt Tessa had given her for her last birthday.
The one that proudly proclaimed I ♥ Real American Firefighters.
Jenna groaned, but Titus laughed heartily. He’d been holding it in since the kitchen. “Hey, as a real American firefighter, I love that you love us.”
The Werewolf Dates The Deputy (Nocturne Falls Book 12) Page 10