There’d been some light snowfall during the night, but nothing that made the roads dangerous. They made good time out of the dreary little town of Darner, before hitting one of the interstates that would take them south to Maryland. Since Lev and Sam were deep in discussion about some additions they wanted to make to their cabins once they were home, and there was Christmas music playing softly on the radio, Skye felt comfortable using the time to ask Elliot some of the questions she had. She was eager to learn as much as she could about his life and the people he lived with—in a place he called Bloodrunner Alley—before they arrived there later that day.
James hung back from the trucks on the road, since he was in her car and they knew that was the vehicle the wargs, as they called them, would be looking for. There was one scary moment when James called Lev’s cell and said he thought he’d caught sight of someone tailing him. But it turned out to be a false alarm, and Lev distracted her by asking if Elliot had explained to her yet how the couples in the Alley were bonded as fated life-mates, which led to an entirely new set of questions that she could have sworn made Elliot more than a little uncomfortable. Reaching over and grabbing her hand, he basically mumbled his way through something about how “God, gods, or fate” could draw people together, but she couldn’t get much more out of him than that.
As with some of the other things she’d asked him about, she could tell he was only giving her part of the story, glossing over a lot of it, almost as if he were walking a tightrope with what he wanted her to know...and what he didn’t. Since there were things she was holding back on herself, Skye did her best not to press him too much, even as she acknowledged in the back of her mind that what they were doing wasn’t healthy for a normal relationship. She tried to make herself feel better by arguing that nothing about their relationship so far had been what you could call normal, but it was clearly only a temporary fix. One that would no doubt blow up in her face.
Damn it, there really was so much she needed to share with him. So much that he deserved to know, before this thing between them went any further. They were heading into a serious relationship at warp speed, which was pure freaking madness, and she knew Vivian would be the first to tell her that she’d lost her ever-loving mind. That she could enjoy the sex, but needed to protect her heart. But she didn’t care. She wouldn’t change how fast or crazy it all was, even if she could, because this was what she needed. If they were in a “normal” situation, she’d have never found the confidence to keep seeing a guy like Elliot, writing him off because of her own issues before he even had the chance to prove himself.
It didn’t make her proud to admit it, but that was the truth.
Eventually, they stopped for a break at an upscale rest station, giving everyone a chance to stretch their legs while grabbing coffees and some snacks, which Skye insisted on buying despite Elliot’s cute, endearing protests. When they headed back out, Kyle switched vehicles with James, while she and Elliot continued to ride with Lev and Sam.
The guys had given up on the Christmas station, playing the Arctic Monkeys’ latest CD instead. As the sultry notes of the music filled the cab, she reached over for Elliot’s hand and drew it into her lap. She could feel the heat of his gaze against the side of her face as she turned his hand palm up, and then, using the tip of her finger, started to spell out a private message for him.
I.
Want.
You.
So.
Much.
She heard the catch of his breath, and knew she’d surprised him. With her lips curling up in a grin, she started to write another message, when he suddenly reversed the position of their hands, and wrote:
You’re.
Playing.
With.
Fire.
Biting her lip, she turned his hand over, and replied:
Good.
I.
Hate.
To.
Be.
Cold.
A rough, deliciously sexy laugh slid lazily from his lips, and she thought she might melt right there into the leather seat, he made her so freaking hot. Curling his hand around the top of her thigh, he gave it a possessive squeeze as he lowered his mouth to her ear, whispering, “Should I just take you now, then?”
She turned his way a little, and slid him a hungry look from under her lashes. “Maybe I’ll take you,” she mouthed, loving the way his dark gaze warmed and his nostrils flared as he sucked in a sharp breath. Just when she was sure she could see his inner wolf there in his hooded, molten gaze, he grabbed her behind the neck, pulling her toward him, their mouths only a second away from crashing together, when Lev suddenly rolled down his window, saying, “Is it just me, or is it getting really friggin’ hot in here?”
They both burst out laughing, and she couldn’t even be that embarrassed, because Elliot looked so adorably happy. When she glanced toward the front seat, she caught Lev winking at her in the rearview mirror, and knew the gorgeous merc had been purposefully teasing them.
“We’re almost there,” Elliot said, taking her hand and linking their fingers together.
She wanted to smile at the excitement she could hear in his voice, but was simply too nervous. “That’s...great,” she said shakily, quickly realizing she hadn’t asked him nearly enough questions to feel prepared for this.
“Hey, don’t be nervous,” he told her, the tender way he was looking at her almost managing to make her feel calm. “They’re gonna love you. I promise.”
She blinked, finding herself a bit dazzled by how gorgeous he was when their faces were that close together. And, geez, he really did have the thickest, longest eyelashes she’d ever seen.
“What?” he asked, giving her an inquisitive look when he realized how she was staring at him.
“Nothing,” she whispered, licking her lower lip. “You’re just incredibly pretty.”
He snorted. “Guys aren’t pretty, babe.”
She grinned cheekily. “You are.”
“Is that right?” he asked with a soft growl, leaning even closer to her.
“Yep.”
“Do I need to prove my macho manliness to you right here?” he drawled with a slow smile, the look in his dark eyes so wicked she could feel her face flushing with heat. Then she lowered her gaze to his beautiful mouth, practically panting with desire, and knew he was playing with her as he ran his tongue over the edge of his teeth. Oh...God. It was such a freaking sexy move that she gasped, her mouth suddenly smashing against his so hard that it hurt, but she didn’t care. She just wanted to kiss him until she forgot all about the Alley and how nervous she was—but all too soon Lev’s deep voice was saying, “Make out time’s over, lovebirds.”
“Fuck,” Elliot growled against her lips, his hand on the side of her face as he pulled back. “We really are here.”
She managed a little nod, then turned to look out the window as the truck pulled to a stop beside a beautiful, rustic-looking cabin that’d been decorated with white Christmas lights. And all she could think was Wow. Just...wow.
Elliot had described Bloodrunner Alley to her as a secluded, sloping glade surrounded by thick, lush forest. Originally, there had been ten cabins. But not long after Elliot and Max had become Runners, Lev and the guys had decided to make the Alley their permanent home base, and had built an additional five cabins at the far end of the glade, the fifth cabin belonging to Eli Drake, who had worked with the mercenaries for years.
Although they were basically in the middle of the woods, Elliot had assured her that it wouldn’t feel anything like camping, which had caused the guys in the front seat to laugh. But she’d been relieved to hear that despite the natural setting, they had all the modern amenities there, from power to hot water and high-speed internet access. The same could be said for the Silvercrest pack’s hometown, Shadow Peak, which was built farther up the mountain.
According to Elliot, Shadow Peak looked just like any other small mountain community—rather than the base for a thrivi
ng pack of werewolves. Only the inhabitants knew the truth about the town, and they seldom encountered visitors, since the roads that led this far up the mountain were all private. But as a precaution, there were scouts posted throughout the forest, ready to alert them to any humans who wandered onto the pack’s land.
So yeah, she’d been given a lot of the basic information. But she hadn’t been prepared for how truly beautiful the place was—or how many people would be there to greet them when they arrived. Because from what she could see, there were a lot. Enough that she was kind of freaking out on the inside, though she tried to keep a serene expression on her face as Elliot opened his door, climbed out, then reached in and simply pulled her across the seat, and out his door, as well.
“Come on,” he said, grinning down at her as he set her on her feet and took her hand. “I told Mason earlier on the phone that I want to give you tonight to just settle in, so we’re not going to have a meeting about Chiswick and all that shit until first thing in the morning. Right now, it’s going to be really mellow and low-key. I just want to quickly introduce you to everyone who’s here, and then we’ll head over to my place by ourselves.”
“Okay,” she replied in a slightly breathless voice, walking with him toward the group that was gathered only about twenty feet away. As she looked over the faces of the men, women and children, she couldn’t help but be a little awed by what a friendly, good-looking bunch they were, the men all as massive as Elliot, and the women just as beautiful as Viv. She expected them to notice the way Elliot was holding her hand, keeping her close to his side, and get perplexed looks on their faces, as if to say What the hell is he doing with her?
But that wasn’t what happened. Not even close.
When a pretty woman with red hair and glasses came rushing up and gave Elliot a big hug, he introduced her as Torrance. Skye knew this was the human who loved to mother him, and whose children he considered to be like siblings. When Torrance’s big green eyes took in the way Elliot was holding Skye’s hand so possessively, she smiled like she’d just been told she’d won the lottery.
“How did you two meet?” she asked in an excited rush, as a big, handsome, dark-haired guy Skye knew must be Mason Dillinger came and threw his arm around the tiny redhead’s shoulders. “I know Elliot was looking for you, because of the case. But how did you actually talk the first time? I hate to be so nosey, but I can’t help it!”
Tucking her hair behind her ear, Skye grinned as she slanted Elliot a quick look, then said, “Well, he, um, came into the diner where I work and sat down in one of my booths. I noticed him, but it was busy and I hadn’t been able to take his order yet. So he was sitting there, watching me, eating some of the peanuts that we set out on the tables. And when I walked by his table the first time, I couldn’t stop myself from glancing over at him, wanting a closer look, and I realized he was choking.”
Torrance’s eyes went comically wide. “He was choking on the peanuts?”
Skye nodded as she laughed. “I know it’s not funny, but you should have seen his face after I whacked him on the back as hard as I could. I’ve never seen anyone look so surprised.”
* * *
It was pathetic, but Elliot knew he was blushing so hard his entire face must be red.
“This happened when you got close to him for the first time, is that what you said?” Mason asked Skye, though he was looking at Elliot as he spoke, giving him one hell of a knowing smirk.
“Yes.” She grinned up at Elliot. “He was probably distracted by my ugly uniform. I look really hideous in it.”
“Not true,” he murmured, hating to hear her say anything negative about herself, even when he was kind of wishing the ground would just open up and swallow him whole. “You looked fucking hot as hell in that thing.”
“Language,” Torrance reminded him with a laugh. “Katie already has enough bad influences around here without you adding to the problem.”
As if she’d just been waiting for the sound of her name, the little girl suddenly crashed into Elliot’s legs, arms lifted high in the air, waiting for him to pick her up.
“You won’t repeat any of the potty words you hear come out of Uncle Elliot’s mouth, will you?” he asked her, loving the way she squealed when he tossed her up into the air, then perched her on his arm.
“Nope,” she said, giving Skye a shy grin, before looking back at Elliot. “I promise!”
“That’s ’cause my Katie Olivia is a good girl, right?”
“Yep,” she agreed, before her dirty little face scrunched up, and she leaned in a little closer to whisper, “Only, I kinda kicked my brother this morning.”
From the corner of his eye, Elliot could see Skye biting her lip to hold in her laughter. “What’d he do?” he asked, having to fight back his own chuckle.
“He told me I couldn’t play with him and the other boys ’cause he said I’m a stupid girl.”
Mason groaned, Torrance gasped and Elliot pressed a quick kiss to Katie’s chubby little dirt-covered cheek. “Well, we both know that’s not true. Girls are tons smarter than smelly boys, right?”
Katie’s smile beamed. “That’s what I told him!”
“Can we make you guys some dinner?” Torrance asked, reaching out and taking Katie into her arms.
“Thanks, Tor, but we’ll be fine. I just want to give Skye a chance to get settled in tonight.”
“Dinner now!” Katie argued, wiggling her way down to the ground from her mother’s arms. “Please! Please! Please!”
Wrapping his arm around Skye’s waist, Elliot looked down at Katie and said, “We’ll eat dinner with you soon, munchkin. I promise.”
Katie got that calculating gleam in her big eyes that Elliot recognized only too well. “Dinner and a movie?”
He looked to Skye, who was smiling her agreement, and told Katie, “I think we can probably swing that.”
“Yay! And you have to bring Skye, ’cause she’s pretty. Me and Mommy will make your favorite cookies and she can eat them, too!”
He looked at Mason and grinned. “Your girl is starting to get some serious negotiating skills.”
“Don’t I know it,” the Runner drawled, shaking his head.
“Come on, you little terror,” Torrance said with a laugh, grabbing her daughter’s hand. “It’s bath time for you.”
Katie reached up and ran her little fingers over her browner-than-usual cheek. “But Reece said the dirt makes it look like I’m tan like Daddy.”
Elliot laughed. Reece was Jeremy and Jillian Burns’s youngest son, and the little dude was already a handful.
“That might be so,” Torrance muttered, “but it’s made you smell like a boy.”
Katie gasped with theatrical outrage, then started pulling on her mom’s arm, obviously changing her mind about needing that bath.
“I’m looking forward to us having more of a chance to talk tomorrow,” Torrance called out to Skye, and then a whole group of his friends—Jillian, Elise, Carla and Chelsea—were coming forward, introducing themselves to Skye and welcoming her to the Alley, while their kids ran around playing in the snow. He knew from talking to Mason on the phone that Brody Carter and his wife, Michaela, who was also Max’s sister, were up in Shadow Peak, helping to care for Brody’s ailing grandmother, which explained their absence. But Elliot didn’t doubt he’d be getting a call from Brody soon, demanding to know what the hell was going on with Max.
As Elliot stepped to the side of the group, since Carla—the only female Runner—had pretty much shoved him away, Mason clapped him on the shoulder and laughed. “So I was done in by my feet, and you by some peanuts.”
“Shut up,” he muttered under his breath. He should have friggin’ known the Runner would figure out what had happened, seeing as how he’d reacted just as crazily when he’d found his own mate.
“I’m just saying, it’s pretty fucking funny,” Mason drawled.
With a quiet snort, Elliot said, “At least I didn’t trip anyone.”
>
Mason just grinned. “Best damn decision I ever made in my life.”
Torrance had had to run back to grab the scarf Katie had left in the snow, and since she’d been close enough to hear that last remark, she shot her husband a knowing look. “I thought that was marrying me.”
“It’s all connected, sweetheart,” Mason playfully growled, suddenly lifting his wife into his arms. “If I hadn’t stopped you, I might have lost you.”
“Never gonna happen,” she said with a warm smile, throwing her arms around her husband’s neck as he told Elliot he’d see him at the meeting in the morning, before carrying her toward their cabin.
Thinking it was pretty awesome, how crazy in love those two still were, Elliot glanced over at Skye, and found her watching Mason carry his wife away with a dreamy expression on her face. He completely got how she felt, since it was hard not to be a little in awe of the connection that the couples in the Alley shared. They’d all lived and fought through hell together, to get to where they were today, and it’d made them stronger. Closer. And fucking unbreakable.
“Sayre wanted to be here,” Cian Hennessey said as he stepped up beside him, “but she’s taken Brannagh up to Shadow Peak to visit her mom.”
“Still not the woman’s biggest fan?” Elliot asked, knowing damn well that the Irishman’s mother-in-law was a hard woman to take.
Cian gave him a wry smile. “We get along when we have to. But we sure as hell don’t go out of our way to spend time together.”
Elliot laughed. “I don’t blame you.”
“By the way, Sayre stocked up your kitchen with some fresh supplies.”
“Yeah? That’s awesome. Give her a kiss for me,” he teased, but Cian just smirked at him. Dude was so friggin’ blissed out and in love with one of Elliot and Max’s closest friends, it was hard as hell to get a rise out of him these days.
Nodding his head toward Skye, who was chatting with an even bigger group of Elliot’s friends now, Cian said, “Looks like you’ve finally got your own woman to kiss.”
He shot Skye a possessive, heavy-lidded look. “That I most certainly do,” he murmured, beginning to understand Cian and the others in a way he never really had before. If they felt even a fraction of the way Skye made him feel about their own women, then it was no wonder they were able to smile through even the toughest of times.
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