Her mind conjured up grisly pictures of an animal coming for her in the middle of the night.
I told you we should run.
You never pay attention to us.
Let’s talk about the way you put us to sleep, and we’re just waking up.
Good thing we woke up in time to save your life.
Are you really listening to them?
No.
She might have listened or ran for her wellbeing if she hadn’t spent the night with him. But when you’ve spent hours in a male’s arms only to be treated like a goddess it gave you cautious hope. True it was only one night, but it was enough to make her want to explore other nights.
“Do you need me to change?”
“No, I choose to believe you.”
“What if I’m too horrible to be around?”
“Are you still you?”
He nodded giving her a look that said he didn’t understand.”
“On the second day of my period is when I really start to feel the cramps. Then I want to kick the whole world in the balls and make them feel my pain. Some would say I was a monster others would say something worse. The thing is I’m still me. I like what I know about you. So, no I don’t need you to change right now because I know I’ll see your other form.” She pulled him down and placed a kiss on his jaw.
“I don’t like your unfinished house though, you need furniture, and I need clothes. We should go back to my place and pack a suitcase or two until I figure out what to do with all of my things.”
He was slacked jaw looking at her.
“I surprised you?” he nodded.
“One,” she lifted a finger. “Deja is my sister even if not related by blood. She loves Enzo and Ven no matter what they are. There is no fear in her. Two, I can feel you in my soul. Three,” Another finger came up to join the other two. “You spent the night holding me in your arms. I was safe and warm. Four, when we jumped today you weren’t thinking of yourself, you were thinking of me. You positioned your body to keep me safe every second, and yeah, I noticed. Five, you’ve been here four hundred years keeping to yourself. I don’t think you’ve finally decided on world domination or to enslave the females of Earth.”
She gave him a wicked grin as she headed to the front door. “You coming Alpha?”
Hell yeah, he was coming. His mate was smart as well as sexy. She thought things through it was good to have an Alpha mate that could think on her feet, literally.
“This might not be the best thing to do.” He held the door open for her as they went outside. Her car was parked in front of his house.
“Would you mind if we took my car instead?”
“And leave my baby sitting here? Do you know how fast she is?”
“Fast?” She sighed that wasn’t the answer she was expecting from a male.
“Okay, let’s take yours.” Her stomach dropped to her knees. She wasn’t a snob or bougie or even an elitist. The fact was that she had seen his house and couldn’t imagine how his car would look. What if they needed speed?
He walked to the attached garage and hit a small button opening it.
Her hand went to her throat before it went to her mouth covering her surprise. Declyn’s car was a red charger with black accents. It was in prime condition and shined as it sat in the garage.
This is what she expected from him. His house was just a place to stay. There was no one there but him, she could appreciate that. This car, on the other hand, had to represent freedom to him. The ability to go where ever he wanted when he wanted. That’s what her car represented, and she took care of it like he took care of his.
She looked at him and realized they were on the same page. She was like him. A small smile tilted her lips. He didn’t understand what home meant yet, but he would soon.
“Let’s take your car, but next time I want to drive.” His smile made her heart race.
Chapter Nine
They were sitting behind her apartment building. “Should we go in?”
She looked at him a little nervous. He parked in back because he didn’t want to announce their presence. It was a smart move, and she gave him a nod at his quick thinking. Now that they were here she was nervous. What if they were waiting for her to come back? Even now someone could be watching them from a higher vantage point.
“We’re here we might as well go in. You said you wanted clothes and you didn’t bring any.”
“True,” she pulled the handle and swung her legs out the car. He walked around to meet her.
“This was one big mistake, you’ll see.”
He took her hand and kept a neutral expression on his face. She deserved a minute of denial, but she did it while he was near so that he could take care of her. His mate had been targeted but how and why? There was no connection between them so they couldn’t have zeroed in on him and found her. She was human, he didn’t know if she would have the ability like the others to change but right now it wasn’t there.
He squeezed her hand. “Let’s take the stairs.”
They walked in the back door of the building, it was quiet, but that was one of the perks about this complex. The stairwell was empty most took the elevator unless they claimed they wanted to exercise. They arrived at the third floor with no problems. Declyn opened the door slightly looking for anyone watching her apartment. There was no one there.
She took a deep breath before she put the key in the lock and opened the door. Her eyes moved taking in every bit of her apartment without moving, her feet were glued to the floor.
“Declyn?” Her voice was trapped in her throat while a tear slipped from her eyes followed by another.
“Let’s get out of here.”
“No,” She clutched at his shirt as he stood beside her. “I have to see, to know what they did.”
He nodded and slipped in front of her going to check the bedroom and bathroom before coming back. “It’s safe to enter.”
She shook her head, it would never be safe again. Her couch was slashed like someone was looking for something inside the cushions. Every knick-knack, every book, everything she had sitting out had been thrown, broken or smashed to pieces as someone invaded her home and destroyed every memory she had accumulated.
“Why?” She was standing in the midst of it turning in a circle as she took it all in.
“Fire.”
“No, Declyn, just no. They came here to hurt me. Ron didn’t know you were here with me. He didn’t call in reinforcements they were already here. He planned to hurt me, probably kill me. If you weren’t here, I would be dead. Why?”
She moved into the kitchen looking at her glass dishes that were in a pile of pieces on the floor.
Her feet took her to the bedroom. Her bed was slashed her headboard had been hacked to pieces. “What could you get out of this? How could it make you feel good?”
Every picture that had been sitting out had been torn to pieces. Hours of her time down the drain. Ice was building in her veins as she looked at her life that had been torn apart.
Her head moved from side to side in sadness. She opened the door to her closet that’s when she broke down. Her clothes had been ruined not only were they shredded, but if the substance she saw on them was what she thought they had taken one more step in desecrating her home.
“No, please no.” She looked at Declyn as she tore out the room and ran to the bathroom. It was the room with the least amount of damage. Her fingers were clawing at one of the decorative panels on the wall.
Declyn pulled her away holding her close.
“Secret panel,” it was all she could get out as her breathing tried to seize in her chest.
His fingers became claws as he ripped the panel from the wall.
She sagged in relief as she looked at the picture that was rolled in the wall. Grabbing it, she hugged it close to her chest.
“I want to leave now.”
He pulled her close wrapping her in his arm as he led her to the door. He stopped in the hallway
checking out the shadows before he led her to the stairwell.
“I feel like I’m being watched,” she whispered looking around to find no one. He nodded, and the jogged down the steps. He looked around once again and opened the door for her.
He started the car and took off at a sedate speed until they were out of the complex. He gave the car gas allowing it to pick up speed.
“What do you have in your hand?”
“I’ll show you it when we get back to your place.”
He gave a quick nod. “We need to make a stop first.”
He drove watching her as she ran her hand over the canvas she was holding. She looked up when he pulled into a parking space.
“Why are we here?””
“You need clothes, and honestly I’ve watched this twice. Once with Deja, but really with Jessie. I want you to feel comfortable not like you’re an outsider in my home or even like you’re freeloading. I don’t think your nature will allow you to stay in a situation like that.”
He walked around the car and opened the door for her. She looked at his outstretched hand and the canvas in her hand.
“I’ll carry it for you.” She placed her hand in his and allowed him to help her out the car.
“We should call the detective.”
“Do you want to do it or will it be okay if I do it?”
“You don’t mind?”
“No.” She handed him the canvas, shut the door, and they walked into the mall together.
“Let’s stop here I can get a toothbrush and paste, soap and other little things I like.” They walked into a small drug store that had been set up in the mall. When they were done, he took the bag from her and led her to a store where she could buy lingerie and clothes.
“You’re being really nice about this.”
“I’m happy you think so. My other choice is to sit at home and worry about you till you come back. That’s not happening. Go shop I’ll make the call.”
He watched her as she wondered off, keeping her in his sights but not making her nervous with his presence.
“Hello, may I speak to Detective Baker?”
“Who’s calling?”
“Tell him, Declyn Lupe.” He waited several minutes until the line was picked up again.
“Mr. Lupe I wasn’t expecting to hear from you so soon.”
“I wasn’t expecting to call. Safire decided she wanted to go back to her place to pick up some clothes. When we got there, the door appeared locked, but when she opened it, her apartment was trashed. They ripped the stuffing out the couch, broke any visible piece of furniture or small mementos she had sitting out. I checked the place before I let her in, it was empty. They tore apart her bedroom and slashed her clothes. They also masturbated and sprayed everything with their DNA. That should help you to find them.
“We won’t be going back, but I wanted to alert you to what happened.”
“You should have never gone inside it was clearly marked as a crime scene.”
Declyn closed his eyes to keep from drawing attention to the way they were heating up and clenched his teeth to keep from having his fangs drop.
“You did not mention she was unable to retrieve her personal belongings when we met with you. If there had been any indication that the property was off limits because it was a crime scene we would have not breached the door. I’m not sure how we were supposed to tell when there was nothing there indicating this.”
“You missed the large yellow tape barring the door?”
“No, it was not there.”
“Mr. Lupe, I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but I suggest that Ms. Morris be careful.”
“I will pass that along to her. She will be calling her landlord to drop her lease tomorrow. Whatever is in the apartment she will give permission for them to throw away. You may want to talk to the landlord if you want to preserve the crime scene for a while.”
“Yes well, I can handle my job thanks for calling.”
He growled low when he got off the phone.
“What’s wrong?” She placed her hand on his arm.
“Humans are impossible to deal with.” He frowned when he looked at her. He didn’t mean it that way, but the detective seemed like he was pushing at him trying to get a response.
“I think what you mean is Alpha males have a hard time getting along. That is what both you and the detective are. The difference is that your secure in who you are, on the other hand the detective is challenged every day. That can become uncomfortable.”
“You’re right Alpia.”
She laughed at him. “Bow to my wisdom. I’m going to try these on do you want to come and wait outside the dressing room.”
“I do, too bad those nice purple sweats with the white hearts on them are gone.”
“Never worry I picked up a pair of pink sweats with black hearts on them.” She held them up before she started towards the dressing room.
He laughed drawing attention to himself as he followed her. They passed a pair of black sweats with white skulls on them, he snagged her a pair for variety.
They were in a shoe store now. She hit three stores buying whatever she thought she needed.
“After this, I’m ready to go.”
“Won’t you need more?” When Enzo took Deja shopping, she shopped for days. The number of things she bought still made him dizzy to think about.
“Yes, but I’ll replace it all in time. For now, I have enough. I wish we had enough time to look at some furniture for your house.” She cast her eyes down and then looked up. “I don’t want you to think I’m trying to move in or change things. I just think you’d be happier in a cozier home. Sorry, I don’t mean to overstep.”
He bent down and whispered in her ear. “Do you remember I said you might want to keep me?”
She nodded a shiver of desire was playing with her spine making her want to drop and pull him on top of her.
You’re in a shoe store!
Kinky sex I love it.
I always wanted to try it in an elevator.
She laughed at the voices in her head and then went to the cashier to pay for her shoes. It was time to go home…back to Declyn’s place.
Chapter Ten
“You only have one dresser.”
He looked around the room seeing it through her eyes. It was clean, but it was also shabby. He thought of Enzo’s house. It was filled with mementos, more now that Deja was there, but his house always felt a little like home which is why he always went over there when he decided to cook out. Changing his house was something he always put off now he knew why. If it had felt like a home, he would have suffered knowing that there was no mate for him. Finding Fire was something he could never dream of, and then she came and went in a blaze of glory. It felt like she would never be back.
“We could go tomorrow and get some dressers or whatever you need in here.”
“Are you sure?” He nodded.
“Thanks, I’d like that shower now. I’ll put my clothes up after that.”
He pointed to the bathroom door. She took her toiletries and makeup into the bathroom. When she opened the door, she stopped.
“Declyn.” It was a whispered command.
“What’s wrong?”
“Explain this.” Her finger was pointed into the bathroom. Not only was it immaculate it was extraordinary. There was no way she could have dreamed of that bathroom in a million years.
“I redid the bathroom about two years ago.”
“You did this?”
“I did. I built the whole house. Most of us built our houses if someone needed help we banned together and helped.”
“How…why…I don’t know what I’m saying right now.”
“When I come into the house, it feels empty, lonely, but the bathroom is supposed to be used alone. On the ship, most of my people used common facilities. I had one to myself, but it was cramped. I just wanted something different. Do you like it?”
“I love it.” She crooked h
er finger for him to come closer. When his face was close enough, she pressed a kiss to his lips before she went in and closed the door behind her.
She put her things down and opted for a shower because she knew Deja was waiting for her. She placed on bonnet on her hair so it wouldn’t get wet and lost herself under the spray of the hot water.
Declyn was a mystery. He was all still waters run deep. Anyone who judged the surface wouldn’t come close to knowing who he was. Was that what it took to be Alpha? Careful compartmentalization to preserve who he was so he wouldn’t get lost among the people he took care of?
She stepped out the shower and began getting ready. When she walked into the room all she had to do was dress.
“You’re beautiful.” He was sitting on the bed waiting for her.
It was the sincerity in his eyes that touched her. He wasn’t paying her lip service hoping to get lucky, he meant every word.
“Thank you. The longer I am around you, the more beautiful I feel.”
“That’s the way it should Alpia when you’re with the right male all you should feel is his admiration for you.”
“You pulled my clothes out.”
“I didn’t touch your lingerie, but I know you want to put these away before going to Enzo’s and Deja’s. I’ll be waiting in the other room.”
He was so graceful. She loved the way he moved like he was a cross between a dancer and a martial artist every move was thought of and fluid. She could feel a flare of desire before she got herself under control. He had cleared out a space for her in his closet as well as his drawers. She made quick work of getting her clothes put up before picking up the black lingerie she left out and the sundress. One last look in the mirror and she was ready to face Deja.
“I’m ready.”
His eyes lit up when he saw her. “I love the way you look.”
She did a twirl allowing her sundress to swing around her legs. She took his hand giving him a smile before they walked out together. Enzo lived several houses down the street, his house was breathtaking.
“He built this?”
“He did.” They walked up the steps the door was open welcoming them in.
Declyn (The Wolves Den Book 3) Page 6