by Jae
Would the human attack or accept her presence as she had before?
The woman moved slowly. She said something, her voice soft.
Pricking her ears, she let the soothing voice wash over her. A complex mix of smells brushed along her nose—maple, black cherry, oak, and a spicy scent of unknown origin mingled with the scent of the human’s skin.
She knew that scent, and despite its human origin, it didn’t bring a wave of fear. Instead, her tension lessened. She tilted her head and sniffed, extending her neck to catch more of the woman’s scent.
The human made more sounds and gestured with her arms, giving some kind of order. “Kelsey!”
She knew that name. The woman was calling her, wanting her near!
With a low whine, she crouched and, carefully setting one paw in front of the other, approached. She was eager to be with someone who could protect her from the horrors that had happened in this place.
The woman stayed where she was, asserting her territory. Her scent said she was nervous, but the odors of panic or hostility were absent.
The scent of the woman’s uneasiness made a whine rise up from her chest. Instincts propelled her forward to provide reassurance. When she reached the woman, she stretched her neck and nosed the human’s hand, breathing in the scents of the bare skin. Her tongue darted out and gave a careful lick.
For a moment, the fingers flinched back and denied her tongue access.
She pushed with her nose and licked harder. The salty taste of the human’s skin was new and familiar at the same time.
Finally, the fingers stilled and accepted the touch.
She pushed her head beneath the human’s hand and leaned against her, eager for more of the soothing contact. The woman’s scent filled her senses, drowning out the frightening smells wafting through the room. Up close, her nose caught faint traces of her own scent clinging to the woman. Their mingling scents indicated that somehow, they belonged together. Images of them sharing a den drifted through her mind. She gave a woof of recognition.
“Kelsey, shhh!” The woman talked to her in urgent tones.
Tilting her head, she stared up at the human and tried to figure out what she wanted. Hazy memories tingled at the edge of her consciousness. They were searching for someone. A pack mate, a pup that had gotten lost.
Protective instincts rose. She needed to find the pup and bring him back to the pack, where it was safe.
She lifted her muzzle and breathed in the scents.
The woman pointed to the middle of the room, where the smell of blood was coming from.
Her flanks quivered as she took one step in that direction and then stopped. She looked up at the woman and whined. Staying close felt safer than going off to explore on her own.
The woman walked toward the middle of the room, then paused and patted her thigh.
Not wanting to be left behind, she bounded over to the human.
Step by step, the woman led her through the room and stopped at every object they encountered.
After a while, she finally felt safe enough to explore her surroundings, so she put her nose to the floor and trotted along the back wall. The biting odor of alcohol made her sneeze. Fur flew as she shook herself.
When the human walked over to a couch and patted its surface, she put her front legs onto the armrest and sniffed.
The stink of unwashed humans was everywhere, but it couldn’t drown out the pup’s familiar peanut scent.
A noise from the den’s entrance caught her attention. Her ears flicked forward. She caught a whiff of two other humans—humans who weren’t part of her pack.
The woman hissed like a startled cat.
The scent of her human’s agitation made a whine rise in her chest, but she suppressed it, sensing that the woman wanted her quiet.
The woman pointed behind the couch and whispered something.
With an almost subvocal whine, she squeezed between the wall and the couch and peered up at her human.
One quick touch to the fur on her neck, then the human strode away to protect their territory from the intruders.
Chapter 37
The metal door swung open before Rue could throw her weight against it and keep it closed. Two men appeared in the doorway.
Shit! Oh, please, don’t let them see Kelsey! She sent a mental message to the wolf. Kelsey, stay put!
What would Kelsey do? Would she feel threatened and attack? Or try to flee and get hurt jumping through the shattered windows?
Rue needed to get rid of the men before either of that happened.
“What are you doing in here?” a man with a yellow hard hat shouted. He held out his clipboard like a stop sign. “This is a crime scene, lady, and the building is scheduled for demolition. You can’t be in here!”
Behind him, another man with a hard hat peeked through the open metal door.
Rue threw a glance over her shoulder to make sure Kelsey stayed where she had left her. “Give me five minutes. I’m searching for my son.”
“He’s not here. We checked. The warehouse is empty.”
“You didn’t notice me going in here either. Just let me check. Maybe he left something behind that can help me find him.” Rue stepped closer to the man, blocking his view of the room. “The police have released the scene, right?” They probably had, or the crew wouldn’t be getting ready to demolish the warehouse. “I’m not destroying any evidence by being here. You and your men could get yourself some coffee, and when you get back, I’ll be gone.” She pulled a few bills from her wallet.
The man slapped the clipboard against his thigh. “Ma’am, there are regulations. We’re already behind schedule. I can’t just leave you here on your own.”
Rue put away her money. A change of strategy was in order. Arguing with the stubborn foreman was taking too long. She threw another quick glance toward the back of the room, where a black nose peeked out from behind the couch. Stay where you are. Rue looked back at the foreman. What would Kelsey do if she were in her human form?
She would look up at him with that damned cute shy smile that always makes her seem like she’s smiling up at me even though she’s just an inch shorter. Somehow, Kelsey made people want to help her.
“Please.” Rue lowered her head and sent a pleading glance up at the foreman’s six-foot frame. “A boy died here last night, and my son was seen here. I’m worried that something might have happened to him too. If you’d just let me check for any sign of him, I won’t bother you again. Please.”
Never in her life had Rue begged for something like that. The words tasted foreign on her tongue.
A low whine sounded from behind the couch, and Rue coughed to drown out the sound. Damn. Kelsey, stay quiet!
The foreman hesitated. He exchanged a quick glance with the man behind him. “Okay. Check. But make it quick.” He stood in the doorway and directed an expectant gaze at her, clearly waiting for her to check the warehouse while he watched.
“Um, could you give me five minutes alone?” Rue asked. “It’s been a very emotional day that started at the morgue. I just need a moment alone while I check for signs of Danny. Please.”
“Five minutes,” the foreman said and lifted his index finger. He turned and waved at the second man to follow him.
Rue stared after them. Wow. It worked. She closed the metal door behind them and hurried to the back of the room.
The wolf was crouched behind the couch, the tan and brown fur standing on end. She whined when Rue approached.
“Kelsey, calm down.” Rue hesitated, then reached out and rubbed the wolf’s ruff to soothe her. “You need to shift! Quick!”
But the wolf just stared at her through familiar orange-brown eyes.
Shit. It seemed Kelsey had forgotten to tell her the magic word that would turn her back into a human. “Abracadabra?”
Of course, the wolf remained a wolf.
Rue’s gaze darted around. The demolition crew would be back within minutes, and she had no clue h
ow to smuggle a wolf out of the building and into her hotel. Her gaze fell onto the pile of Kelsey’s clothes.
“Yes!” She dashed over and grabbed Kelsey’s cell phone. With trembling fingers, she pressed the redial button, hoping that the woman named Jorie would pick up and tell her what to do.
Instead, a baritone voice said, “Hello, Kelsey.”
What now? Was the man even a shape-shifter, or did he have no idea who Kelsey really was?
“Kelsey? Is that you?”
“No,” Rue said. “Kelsey is... She can’t talk to you right now. Is Jorie there?”
“Jorie? You mean Jorie Price? She doesn’t live here.”
Shit. So Kelsey had called someone else after calling Jorie.
A low growl vibrated through the phone. “Who are you?”
“Who are you?” Rue asked instead of answering. If he was human, she was wasting her time talking to him.
“I’m Kelsey’s father.”
Then he’s a shape-shifter too. “Tell me how to get her to shift back!”
“What are you? A cat-shifter? Haven’t you ever worked with a wolf-shifter before?”
“No time for explanations,” Rue said, then realized that Kelsey’s assertive-sounding father might be the pack leader or something, so she added a respectful, “sir. What do I do to make her shift back into human form?”
“You can’t,” Kelsey’s father said. “Just wait until she wants to shift back on her own.”
“There’s no time for that.” Cold sweat broke out all over Rue’s body. She threw a desperate glance at Kelsey, who looked up at her with a tilted head, panting anxiously as if sensing Rue’s distress. “There has to be a way. Kelsey’s life might depend on it.”
Was the old wolf being stubborn, or was he telling the truth?
“If you were a higher-ranked Syak, you’d pin her beneath you and stare her down until she submits, then order her to shift,” Kelsey’s father said.
Rue clenched her fist around the cell phone. That explanation didn’t help her at all. “What the hell is a Syak?”
Stunned silence answered her. “You don’t know what—? Shit, you’re human? What in the Great Hunter’s name is going on?”
“She’s in danger, and I need her to shift back. Now!”
“If you hurt her in any way, I’ll—”
“Goddammit!” Rue wanted to smash the cell phone against the wall. “I’m trying to help her, not hurt her. She’ll be in serious trouble if you don’t tell me how to get her to shift! Please. Is there really no way?”
Kelsey’s father hesitated and then said, “Not for you. She won’t want to shift with a human around, and you can’t force her. If you pin her, she’ll panic. Her wolf form sees humans as dangerous. You’re not a pack member she can safely submit to.”
Shit, what now?
“What’s going on?” Kelsey’s father asked again.
Rue didn’t answer. She turned and strode back toward the couch.
The wolf greeted her with a tentative wag of her tail. When the wolf gave a whine, then a soft bark, Rue caught a glimpse of sharp canines.
She swallowed. “Pin her beneath me,” she mumbled. “How do I do that without getting myself killed?”
“You’re human. You can’t.” The old man’s tone left no room for discussion. “No Syak, unless he’s hurt or defeated, would ever submit and shift just because a human orders him to.”
Cursing, Rue ended the call and set down the phone. Kelsey had called her too fearless for her own good, but this was not the time for hesitation. With two quick steps, she reached the wolf and tried to grasp the thick fur on her ruff.
The wolf yelped and darted out of reach.
“Goddammit, Kelsey!”
At the snap of Rue’s voice, Kelsey hunched her back and crouched until her belly almost touched the floor. Ears pinned back, she whined and averted her eyes.
She’s submitting!
Rue realized that she had to act like a superior wolf, not like a predator hunting Kelsey. Submission required trust. She took a deep breath and tried to relax her tense muscles. She straightened her shoulders to make herself look broader and then strode toward Kelsey.
The wolf whined and ducked lower.
Her heart racing, Rue reached around behind the wolf, keeping an eye on Kelsey’s sharp teeth. With slow, but determined movements, she clamped her fingers around the wolf’s neck like the bite of a mother disciplining her pup.
Kelsey ducked down until her belly brushed the floor.
Rue followed her movements, keeping steady pressure on her neck.
The wolf yelped, flipped over onto her back, and exposed her cream-colored belly. Her tail curved between her legs. She whimpered and tried again to lick Rue’s hands.
“Good. Good wolf.” Rue dug her fingers into the thick fur of Kelsey’s ruff and stared into the wild orange-brown eyes. “Shift, Kelsey! You need to shift! Shift! Now!” She unclamped her hand from around a fistful of fur and patted her own chest to help the wolf understand.
Somewhere, Kelsey’s cell phone rang, but Rue ignored it.
The wolf growled, and Rue prepared to jump back. But then she noticed that the light fur along Kelsey’s belly was starting to recede. Bones crunched, and muscles jerked beneath Rue. Kelsey’s legs elongated, and the leathery pads pressing against Rue’s shoulder became fingers. Pained growls turned into human moans.
Jesus, shifting shape must be agony! As much as shifting was a natural part of Kelsey’s existence, she was enduring pain because Rue had asked her to. Rue swallowed. Gratefully, she stroked Kelsey’s bare arm and felt the fur retreat beneath her fingers.
Finally, Kelsey lay still, and Rue became aware that she was leaning over a stark-naked woman. Her gaze trailed along the flare of Kelsey’s hips and up to her breasts. How surreal that a wolf can turn into such a beautiful woman. After a few more moments, she realized she was still staring at Kelsey. She licked her lips and looked away.
Kelsey gave her a gentle nudge. “Who’s the prude now?” she whispered.
Rue blinked, and then a slow smile spread over her face. She resisted the urge to reach down and tickle Kelsey—or stroke her soft skin. “Come on. We need to—”
The creaking of the metal door interrupted.
Suppressing a curse, Rue threw Kelsey’s jeans at her and held out her shirt.
The foreman ducked beneath the crime-scene tape. “Time’s up!” His voice boomed through the old warehouse. He reached them just as Kelsey pulled up her pants and shoved her feet into her shoes. “Where the hell did she come from?”
Rue stepped in front of Kelsey, giving Kelsey a chance to hide her unbuttoned pants and half-open shirt. “She’s helping me look for my son,” she said instead of answering his question. She slung one arm around Kelsey’s waist, helping to keep her pants from dropping around her ankles. “Thanks again for letting us check.”
The foreman said nothing as they hurried past him, but Rue felt his puzzled gaze follow them all the way to the street.
Chapter 38
Jorie set her suitcase on the bed of their hotel room and looked around. Not exactly the Ritz-Carlton, but it would have to do. “I need a shower.”
“Me too.” Griffin grinned. “Want to share?”
“Hmm. I don’t know.” Jorie pretended to think about it. “What do I get if I graciously share my shower with you?”
Griffin strutted over, slung her arms around Jorie, and pulled her against her solid body. She nibbled on Jorie’s lips. “How about—?”
The ringing of Jorie’s cell phone made them jump.
“Probably Kelsey,” Griffin mumbled. “Your bodyguards have a talent for interrupting at the most inconvenient times.”
“Why don’t you go prepare the shower? I’ll tell her we’ll join the search in half an hour.”
Griffin strode toward the bathroom. “Better make it an hour. I’ve got plans for you.”
Smiling, Jorie pulled the cell phone from her pocket.
When she glanced at the caller ID, her smile disappeared. “Jeff Madsen,” she whispered as if he could hear her. “I hope he doesn’t suspect that we’re not in New York for a meeting with my publisher.” She hit the green button on her phone to answer the call. “Yes?”
“What in the Great Hunter’s name is that damn bodyguard of yours doing?” Jeff Madsen shouted.
His blood-curdling growl made Jorie flash back to being hunted by a white wolf. For a moment, she was back in the forest, running for her life.
Suddenly, Griffin was there and pulled her into her arms, bringing her back to the hotel room. A protective snarl vibrated through Griffin’s chest. “What’s going on?”
Jorie shook her head. She gripped the phone more tightly. “Um, which one? I have about a dozen bodyguards, and I’m not keeping track of their every move.”
“Apparently not. I’m talking about Kelsey Yates. Do you have any idea what’s she’s doing?”
Wide-eyed, Jorie stared at Griffin. Oh, shit. He knows. How? “She’s visiting her family in California or Oregon or something.” She hoped her voice wasn’t shaking.
“That’s what you think. Her father just called me, threatening to declaw me if anything happens to his daughter while she’s on her mission.”
“Mission?” Jorie drew on her considerable skills as a poker player to put just the right amount of astonishment into her tone. “But she’s not on any assignment right now. Why would her father think that? He must be mistaken.”
Madsen snarled. “Guess then he’s also mistaken about a human calling him, wanting to know how she could get Kelsey to shift back?”
Christ. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse. “A human? What human?”
“I don’t know—yet. But if you’ve got anything to do with it…”
Griffin wrenched the cell phone away from Jorie. “Are you threatening my mate? Our only dream seer?”
Griff, no. Jorie tried to get the phone back, but Griffin wouldn’t let go. She put Madsen on speakerphone.