Dire Desires ewc-3

by Stephanie Tyler

  Gillian was up, pacing now, her wolf restless. He wouldn’t be surprised if she shifted right in the middle of the living room, but she held it together. Didn’t ask to go outside, although at points, she stopped in front of the large picture window, raised her palms to press against the pane, put her cheek there as if feeling the sun through the glass.

  Maybe that’s what she did when she was at the psych hospital, he thought. She’d been held back for so long.

  “Want to tell me what you’re thinking?” he asked.

  “She’s out there, shifting for the first time. Alone. Scared . . .” Gillian put her hand to her throat and didn’t finish the thought.

  Jinx didn’t know what to say, because she was right. Stray would probably have to check into unexplained animal maulings but that would be no comfort to know that, at this rate, they were more than likely to find her sister through a murder report.

  “Shouldn’t I feel her, the way you do Rogue?” she asked, just as Cain let himself into the house, carrying bags of food and some beer and soda.

  “Who’s the beer for?” Jinx asked Cain, who pointed to himself, and then Jinx answered her, “We grew up together. Slept in the same bed as infants.”

  “But how does it happen? How do you call for him?” she persisted as Cain cracked the first can and chugged.

  “It’s just . . . I’ve never had to think about it before,” he admitted, even as he cast a worried glance in Cain’s direction and wondered what the hell was going on. “Rogue can tell if I’m in pain. If I’m upset, nervous, unhappy. It’s not like a psychic prediction. I’ll just feel it and I’ll know it’s his feeling.”

  “So say I’m happy and get an odd nervous feeling for no reason?” she asked the unfinished thought and he agreed. “Could be your twin. But it won’t help you to locate her.”

  “Cyd and I can pass messages to each other in our minds,” Cain offered, after a loud burp. “Sorry.” But he continued chugging the beer, wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and, Christ, this was going to be another long night.

  “Seriously? And you never thought to mention that you communicate telepathically?” Jinx asked.

  “I thought you and Rogue could do it too,” Cain explained and Jinx wondered if it had something to do with the omega thing. He rubbed his head, then instructed Cain to call both their brothers.

  He thought about excusing himself from Gillian for a second but hell, she’d hear it anyway and it’s not like they needed to hide things from another Dire.

  “They’re on their way in,” Cain confirmed. “They were together anyway.”

  “Before they get here, want to discuss what’s bothering the shit out of you?”

  “No,” Cain said pointedly and opened another beer. “Maybe I should call them and tell them to bring more beer.”

  “Or maybe you could answer my question.” Jinx eyed him steadily.

  “Angus Young saved Gillian.”

  “The guy from AC/DC was in the woods?” she asked, and Cain said, “I kind of love that you know who he is.”

  “Are you kidding? I love their music,” she said with the first smile he’d seen all afternoon.

  “Okay, hold up. Before you two bond over your love of classic rock, Cain’s talking about an FBI agent.”

  “Former,” Cain said. “He’s a hunter now.”

  “And don’t hunters hunt . . . us?” Gillian asked.

  “It’s really goddamned complicated,” Cain told her as he went to fiddle with the incredibly complicated sound system Jez had installed in here before the opening strains of “Let There Be Rock” rang out overhead. “Want a beer?”

  “Yes!” She accepted one and they knocked their cans together and he half expected them to break out lighters and sway together to the song.

  But hey, it got her mind momentarily off the heaviness. Cain had a gift for shit like that and Jinx forgot how much he appreciated it. Realized how much he missed that, missed him and Cyd too.

  “Cain, do you want to explain . . . about Angus?” he called over the music and Cain called back, “No goddamned way!” as Jez came in and stared at the two dancing wolves for a long moment.

  And then the vampire broke into a smile, announced, “I have Guitar Hero,” and Jinx groaned and sank down on the couch because there was no way out of this. If he brought Harm out, this would be an eighties party extraordinaire.

  He simply crossed his arms and watched them, especially Gillian, her movements fluid, graceful, her eyes glowing.

  He was never letting her out of his sight again.

  When Rogue and Cyd came in, they simply stared as Cain, Gillian and Jez danced around making devil horns at the sound system and singing at the top of their lungs. Then Cyd, of course, jumped right into the action and Rogue sat down next to him.

  “This is what happens when you fate twenty-one-year-olds, old man,” Rogue told him.

  “You’re only six minutes older than I am,” Jinx reminded him.

  “I guess that’s why my knees ache,” Rogue said seriously, bent down to rub them with his palms. “Did you call us here for the concert?”

  “She wants to know about our twin thing,” Jinx said. “How we . . . feel one another.”

  “You make it sound so dirty.”

  Jinx laughed and looked out at the group. “It’s nice that she can have some fun. She’s been through . . .”

  “Hell?”

  “I didn’t say it.”

  Rogue shrugged. “Hell is whatever you think it is. I’m not one to lord it over everyone just because I’ve really been there.”

  “Yeah, you are.”

  “Of course I am,” Rogue agreed.

  * * *

  “We’re going to look into your background more thoroughly,” Stray explained. “And we didn’t want to go behind your back. So now that it’s all out in the open, we wanted you to be . . . involved.”

  “Thanks for that,” she said. The music blared still and the others were listening and the heavy feelings she’d managed to shed for a little while came back. She supposed that was how it would be from now on, until she found her twin. “Go ahead and talk. I’m okay with it.”

  Killian jumped in first. “The Arrow line . . . shit, I mean, there were three daughters around our ages, from what I remember, but Gillian could be a grandkid of theirs at the rate they breed.”

  “It’s not like they keep any kind of birth records,” Stray added.

  “How about checking psych hospitals?” Gillian suggested quietly.

  “All across the country?” Kill asked but Stray was already typing.

  “If I set up some search parameters, I might get a hit,” he said.

  “Might want to check prisons too,” Vice offered and ignored Stray and Jinx’s glares. “Come on, man. Be realistic. If she’s strong and exhibiting signs of violence like . . .” He jerked his head toward Gillian and made the universal sign for crazy by his ear.

  “You’re aware that I can see and hear you, right, Vice?” she asked.

  “Of course he is,” Stray grumbled.

  “Part of his charm,” Killian tacked on.

  “Least someone appreciates me,” Vice huffed.

  “Do you have the key Walter gave you?” Stray asked and Vice nodded. “Think Cyd could track the scent?”

  “This thing’s passed through many hands.”

  “Recently, yours, Walter’s and the man who owns the storage facility. That’s three,” Stray said and Vice shot him the finger.

  “Fine, worth a try, I guess. But let’s try New York, otherwise it’s a wild-goose chase,” Vice said.

  “Maybe both twins were placed in New York,” Killian said hopefully.

  “Why so close to us, though?” Vice mused.

  “My parents moved to New York when I was five,” Gillian said suddenly. “Before that, we lived in Texas. From before I was born, my parents lived there.”

  “Guess Cyd and I will get our cowboy boots on,” Vice said and Cyd did a
loud yeehaw that turned into a howl. “We’ll work on that. Come on, Were, let’s go pack for our trip.”

  “I’m totally hanging my head out the window the entire time,” Cyd said as they left the apartment.

  “Do you think they got freaked out over the prophecy?” Stray asked Killian.

  “It said brothers,” Jinx pointed out.

  “I never said the pack was smart,” Killian snapped. “I guess they didn’t want to take any chances.”

  “I wonder if they’re identical?” Stray mused and Gillian left them to their searches and speculation in favor of sitting with Rogue and Cain and finding out more about this twin bond they seemed to have.

  “Even with Cyd gone, I can feel him. Hear him, actually, if need be,” Cain told her. “It’s been that way for as long as I can remember. Close your eyes. Concentrate.”

  “Might be tough for her because of Jinx—that bond they have might interfere,” Rogue pointed out and she was glad he’d said that. Because every time she closed her eyes, she saw Jinx’s face. Not a bad thing by any means—just not what she was going for at the moment.

  Still, she gamely tried everything they said. They even went up to the roof, because she felt more open there. And still, nothing.

  “Just keep concentrating. Keep trying,” Cain told her.

  “What if she doesn’t know she’s got a twin?”

  “But what if she does?” Rogue asked.

  “Do you always play devil’s advocate?” she asked and Rogue gave a wry smile and said, “Unfortunately, I have no choice.”

  He left her and Cain together, and Cain sat next to her as they dangled their feet off the rooftop and looked out over the buildings.

  “She’s out there somewhere,” she said, wrapping her arms around herself.

  “And we’ll find her. Cyd’s a great tracker. If he can’t find it . . .”

  “It doesn’t exist,” she finished and he sighed and nodded. “You know, the missing part . . . I thought it was just family. But even after meeting all of you, and Jinx, especially, I was so happy. But something still nagged at me. But she’s what I’m missing.”

  “Sounds like it,” Cain said.

  “Would I know if she was . . . dead?”

  “Yes,” Cain said seriously.

  “But if I’m immortal . . .”

  “I don’t know if she is. I don’t know how these Dire abilities get parsed out. It would stand to reason she’d have an ability as well,” Cain said. “Maybe you could appeal to the Elders?”

  “Jinx forbade me to do that. And I understand why—I want nothing to do with them.” She practically spat the words and Cain smiled a little. “What?”

  “You’re such a goddamned Dire.”

  “I’m hoping that’s a compliment.”

  “It is,” Cain assured her.

  “And you’re in love with Angus Young, by the way,” she said softly.

  “The guy from AC/DC?” he asked and she smiled a little.

  “I hope he loves you back.”

  “Me too,” he muttered.

  Chapter 31

  Cain and Vice walked out of the penthouse together after Jinx had come for Gillian. Cain was drained after his discussion with her, but helping the Dire was necessary.

  “You were good with her,” Vice said.

  “I like her.”

  “Don’t say that in front of Jinx,” Vice warned. “You need a ride home?”

  “No.”

  “You shouldn’t be running alone, wolf.”

  “I’m staying in the apartment tonight,” he admitted. “I just figured I’d walk you out.”

  “My bodyguard,” Vice said sarcastically. “I guess we’re going to your apartment to talk.”

  “I actually was going to call Jinx about this.”

  “Is this a twin thing?”

  “It’s a mate thing.”

  “I know a little something about that.” The Dire wouldn’t take no for an answer so Cain didn’t bother trying. Angus was meeting him later, but if the human walked in while they were there . . .

  Turned out he didn’t have to tell Vice shit. Even though Cain was able to hide his scent on Angus, he could do nothing about Angus’s scent in the apartment.

  “It’s on you, too. Faint, but it’s there,” Vice told him as he sprawled out on the couch and Cain locked the door behind them. “I figured it was just from when you spoke to him in the woods. Turns out, I was wrong.”

  “He’s been here, yes.”

  “You’ve been playing with fire, wolf.” Vice’s eyes glowed.

  “That might be why it’s been so good.”

  Vice gave a soft laugh and Cain hung his head. “He’s my mate, Vice.”

  “Get the hell outta town.”

  “Yeah, that too. I’m supposed to, with Liam.”

  Vice sat down next to him, handed him a silver flask and lit himself a hand roll, which Cain took from his hand and inhaled. Strong shit. He took another toke and then a few long swallows of the strong whiskey that burned going down.

  “You’re sure about the mate thing?”

  “He told me I goddamned glow.”

  “I hate to say this, Cain, but he’s a hunter. Maybe he heard the lore—”

  “How would he know what I was? He saw me glow long before he was a hunter. He’s got nothing to gain with that shit. Makes it even worse for him.”

  “Did you protect him?”

  “I had to.”

  “You did. You’re right.” Vice lay down onto his back, blew smoke rings as he considered the situation. “Jinx would come talk to you if you called him. You know that, true?”

  Cain did. But Jinx appeared to have more than enough problems. “I haven’t even told Cyd any of this. I tell him everything. But this was all kinds of sacred.”

  “So you decided I was the right person for sacred?” He and Vice both laughed at the Dire’s words, but the truth was, in some odd way, Vice was sacred.

  “Vice, what am I going to do? I’m mated to a human.”

  “One you happen to have fallen hard for.” Vice stared at him. “And dude, I’m the last one you should be asking for advice on your love life.”

  * * *

  Cain decided he needed to tell Angus before he did anything else. After Vice left, he paced again with the window wide open until he scented the human. And blood. He had the irrepressible urge to lock the man in the apartment again and never let him out.

  Because that went over so well the first time . . .

  He practically dragged Angus into the apartment, stripping him down to check him as Angus said over and over, “It’s not my blood, Cain—I’m fine.”

  “I’ll be the judge of that.” His mating instincts were in full force. They wouldn’t be as bad as Rifter’s . . . but they’d be tough to handle for a human.

  He’s tough enough.

  He’d have to be. He stared for a long moment at the handsome brown-haired man who was a couple of inches taller than he was and then dragged his eyes along the lanky chest, nearly growling at the old scars. His wolf wanted to scar Angus, but in the good way.

  Get ahold of yourself.

  Once he had Angus naked and was convinced that no part of him was bleeding, Cain threw the clothing in the washing machine and dragged the man into the showers. “Don’t want you smelling like anyone but me.”

  Angus didn’t say anything, but his stance was calm. He stroked his hands through Cain’s hair as they stood under the spray, Cain still fully clothed. He didn’t protest when Cain spun him around and barked, “Hands on the tile.”

  The human shuddered a little but he did as requested. Cain soaped his hands and spread them along Angus’s back and shoulders, watched as the tension bled out of him at the gentle touch. He moved a little closer and soaped the man’s chest, then moved lower to circle his cock with a soapy hand.

  Angus jumped and Cain asked, “Want me to stop? I will.”

  “I know. And no, don’t.” Angus’s eyes were sc
rewed shut and his breath came fast and Cain knew it wouldn’t take long. The man was rock hard.

  He stroked gently even as he kept his body from touching Angus, so the man wouldn’t feel boxed in. There was just Cain’s hand and Angus’s soft moans and he cried out Cain’s name as he spilled onto Cain’s fingers.

  He pressed his forehead to the tile and Cain released him. The man shook and Cain realized it was in relief, not panic.

  “Come on, Angus—let me finish,” he said quietly, his wolf calmer now. Angus let him wash him down completely and then dry him. He wore a pair of Cain’s sweats and Cain stripped off his wet clothes, which landed with a heavy thump on the tiled floor, before drying and dressing himself in a similar fashion.

  Angus looked relaxed, like he could fall asleep. He also deserved an explanation. “Come on—I’ve got to talk to you.”

  “Okay.” Angus let Cain tug him out to the couch, where he sat calmly, but Cain smelled the fear rising again. And fuck it all, he was nervous too. “If this is bad news—”

  “It’s not. Not exactly. Fuck.” He slid a hand through his hair. “I don’t think it is. But it’s . . . unexpected.”

  “Cain, if you don’t start telling me what it is—”

  Cain held up a hand. “Okay, look, the other night you mentioned the glowing thing. And the mating thing.”

  “And you told me I had the wrong information.”

  “What if I told you that you didn’t?”

  Angus blinked. “I was right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “But that means . . .”

  “Yeah,” Cain said softly. This was worse than an out-of-control roller coaster—too fast, too many twists and turns and he wasn’t sure if he could handle the trip down. But he was balanced at the top and all it would take was one little push. . . .

  Angus moved next to him, took his face in his hands. “Good.”

  And then the man kissed him and Cain roared down the tracks at a hundred miles an hour. He forced himself to tamp it all down, to wait for the mating instead of doing this now and possibly scaring Angus more. Because the human still was scared, no matter how much of a show he was putting on.

  He also loves you. Cain knew that, even though Angus hadn’t voiced it yet. And he let Angus kiss him, reveling in the fact that the human wasn’t asking for chains or trembling. Maybe it was the bond he’d put on him the other night to cover his own scent or maybe he was just trusting Cain to control himself.