Ava let out a long, slow breath. “I feel like I should be doing more.”
Man, oh, man did he understand. He’d been feeling the same way since they got here. “Oh yeah, I feel ya on that one. I just can’t figure out what else to do. My powers are limited and it’s frustrating.”
“I know exactly what you’re saying. I wish I had a fraction of the knowledge and power my grandmother did. I think then I could do so much more. I’m such a novice, I don’t know why they sent me in.”
Novice? He didn’t think so, and he was incredibly glad they’d put her on his team. “Should we go see what Lily found out during her run?” Please say no.
Against his shoulder she shook her head. Her silky hair against his bare skin was almost more than he could stand. “No. I think she and Jayne need some time together.”
That made him smile. “You still believe they’re going to fall in love.”
She patted her hand over his heart. “I don’t think, I know.”
“But they just met.” He’d been watching them, and yeah, he could definitely pick up on the attraction. There was a distinct vibe between the two. All in all it appeared pretty normal to him. No big love-at-first-sight thing. Obviously Ava was seeing more than he was.
“Love doesn’t have time limits, you know. Or any hard and fast rules. It is what it is, and it does what it does in its own time.”
She had no way of knowing that he did get that all right. He’d been in love with Ava since day flipping one. Not a single thing had changed during the time they were apart, and in truth his feelings had only grown deeper since he’d picked her up at SeaTac. He was good old-fashioned crazy about Ava. “I’ll trust you on that one. What do you think we should do? Go downstairs? Try another spell together?”
“I’d like to stay right here, if you don’t mind.” She snuggled in even closer.
He definitely didn’t mind. “Not at all.” It would take an earthquake—a big earthquake—to move him away from her.
“You make me feel safe.”
“You make me feel great.”
Her arm tightened. “I like that.” She yawned. “I think I might be able to sleep now.”
Kyle reached over and grabbed the spread that earlier he’d kicked off to the side. He pulled it up around them both. This was heaven. “Sleep would be nice.” Not that it would come any easier for him with her, warm and fantastic, pressed against his side. He’d like to do other things besides sleep. He kissed the top of her head.
She was already asleep.
Chapter Twenty-three
Jayne’s heart was racing, and it was easy enough to blame it on the wine. If she was in denial, that is, and she wasn’t. Watching Lily change earlier, seeing her come back, striding across her lawn naked and gorgeous, put her over the top. She had come into this uneasy partnership a grumpy nonbeliever. Any lingering doubts she might have had evaporated a little while ago.
She was on board with Lily and her team one hundred percent. To say it was all because of what she’d seen them do would be a lie. At least part of it was attributable to the reality that she was attracted to this woman in a way she couldn’t remember ever feeling before. She’d been single a long time and had never even come close to making a lifetime commitment. Oh, her heart had been broken a time or two, but in hindsight, she could blame herself for those disappointments. Marriage had not been an option until recently, and she’d been okay with that. Her relationships had never even reached a point where that might be a discussion, and it gave her an easy out. She liked easy.
Suddenly she found herself entertaining all manner of foreign thoughts. Words like “forever,” “marriage,” and even “love” were floating through her mind. Unwelcome thoughts, if she was being honest. This was the absolute worst time to be thinking about a relationship of any kind. She had deaths, missing people, and, especially, Willa to worry about. Her love life was way down on that priority list.
Rationalizing any of this made not a damn bit of difference. She felt what she felt. Damn it anyway. She told herself that kiss out in the yard was going to have to be enough. Yes, it was enough. She pushed all the troubling thoughts out of her head and kept her expression neutral as she talked to Lily.
When Lily had asked about Ava and Kyle, she’d told her they’d retired about an hour ago. Actually, she was a little surprised neither of them came down when Lily got back. It was possible they were sound asleep. The strain was beginning to wear on all of them. She certainly didn’t blame Kyle or Ava for trying for sleep when they could.
“What next?” God, she hoped Lily had something.
Lily ran her hands through her hair. Long, dark strands fell around her face. It was the first time Jayne had noticed how tired she looked. “I think we’re done for tonight. A bit of rest would do all of us good.”
A part of her wanted to protest and suggest they search tonight or, as an alternative, stay right here. She didn’t want her time with Lily to end. But the practical side of her knew they both had to get some sleep. Exhaustion wouldn’t help anyone.
As much as she wanted to argue against it, she capitulated. “Good idea. Let’s get some sleep and hit this hard in the morning. I want to track this son of a bitch down fast. I want to find Willa. No, damn it, I need to find Willa.”
She picked up the wineglasses and took them to the sink. With the cork pushed back into the top of the bottle, she set the wine on the counter. Nothing else to do here. She followed Lily in that gorgeous robe up the stairs. At Lily’s door she wasn’t sure exactly what to do. Walk away? Kiss her good night? What?
Lily took the decision out of her hands when she pushed up on her toes and kissed Jayne lightly on the lips. “Thank you,” she said against her lips. Then she turned and went into her room.
Jayne stood there for a moment, letting the warmth of the kiss roll through her. Wow was all she could think. Things weren’t exactly progressing in the way she’d imagined. Of course nothing in her world right now was as she believed it would be when she came back here, beginning with living in this house.
This was her brother’s home. He’d built it with loving hands, intending to spend his life here. Instead, he was gone and she was rattling around pretending she didn’t mind being alone. In those moments, those rare moments, when she let herself dwell on truths, she knew she was living a coward’s life. Some might argue that logic, given her chosen profession. They’d be wrong. It wasn’t hard to put her life on the line for others. It somehow felt right and the thing she was destined to do. Where it fell apart was when it came down to her personal life. She holed herself up in this monster house and kept herself nice and secure. If she didn’t get close to anyone she didn’t have to worry about losing them or getting her heart broken. It was so very safe.
It was so very lonely.
Actually it had been working pretty darn good for her until this team showed up. Kyle and Ava were young and kind and dedicated. She could sense that each of them possessed the heart of a warrior while still holding on to compassion. It was admirable. She was beginning to like them a lot.
And then there was Lily. This tiny little woman was incredibly strong and complicated. She was smart and intuitive, and everything about her appealed to something deep inside Jayne. Something that had been missing in her life for a very long time.
The typical Jayne side of her wanted to keep all of this on a strictly professional level. Danger lurked right outside the door, and as the sheriff it was her job to eliminate that danger and keep her people safe. There was no room for her to give in to desires of the heart. It would be distracting.
Except, she thought as she placed the palm of her hand on Lily’s closed door, when their lips touched. How in the world could she stay focused and neutral when all she wanted to do was throw off her clothes and make love to Lily? A very good question that would most likely require the services of a very good psychologist.
Taking her hand away from the door, she moved down the hallway to he
r own room. Inside, she paced for a few minutes before deciding to take a shower. Perhaps the warm water would relax her muscles and calm her racing thoughts. It wasn’t an idle comment when she said they could all use some rest. She was quite serious. The more rested they were, the better equipped they were to deal with the craziness that was defining the situation in Colville at the moment. She intended to get this thing done and over with tomorrow. She would figure out what was going on, and she would stop it. She would bring Willa back to her cheerful little apartment.
The shower felt wonderful, and Jayne was pretty sure it was the secret to helping her sleep. In a T-shirt and a pair of boxer-style shorts she was rubbing a towel over her wet hair when she walked out of the bathroom and back into her bedroom. Glancing over her shoulder and back into the bathroom, she lobbed the towel in the direction of the laundry basket with one hand. As the wet towel hit the intended target, she smiled. “That was a three-point shot,” she declared.
“Three points?”
At the sound of Lily’s voice, Jayne spun around. Stretched out on her side in Jayne’s bed with her head propped on one hand, dark hair cascading like a waterfall onto the pale linen, Lily smiled. That alone was a big shock. Her heart almost stopped when she realized Lily was naked.
*
Bellona was frustrated. First, because once again Little Wolf had openly defied her. It was hard because she truly cared about her and didn’t want things to have to change. But if Little Wolf didn’t stop, they were all going to be in trouble. She could only clean up so much. Once more, she would forgive her, though this time, her pet had to go.
Trying to spin a positive out of the situation, Bellona realized she could use the woman as the bait. She had to draw the Jägers out of Colville and get them focused on a different area. This woman could be the ticket. Currently, she was in the back of the SUV as Bellona drove south. She was going to take her closer to the city to make it appear as though they were on the move. That should redirect the Jägers. If it didn’t, she’d have to resort to Plan B, and it had been a long time since she’d had to take that path. The last Jägers hunter she’d killed had been over a century ago. They didn’t take it well when one of their own bit it, so it was always best to avoid that course if at all possible.
The other problem wasn’t as much a problem as a sadness. She’d lost her ruby necklace somewhere, and she had no idea where. It wasn’t that the necklace was terribly valuable in monetary terms. The value lay in sentiment. She’d had it a very long time, and it reminded her of her childhood. Or at least the part of her childhood that had been filled with happy memories.
To lose it now after all these years was a cruel joke, one that she, of course, had played on herself. She couldn’t blame anyone else because it was her responsibility. The necklace was never out of her possession, except when she was in wolf form, and even then, she was careful about her things. She made sure her clothing and possessions were tidy and, when she shifted back, right where she left them.
In this instance all she could figure was that the clasp had broken, and it had fallen somewhere during her travels. She’d covered a lot of ground today, and even if she spent tomorrow retracing her every single step, realistically she had little hope of finding it. The more likely reality was that the final piece of her past was gone forever.
Driving down the highway lit only by the moon that tomorrow would be full, she tried to blink away the tears that filled her eyes. It was stupid to be so sentimental about a piece of jewelry. For that matter, if she really wanted, it would be an easy matter to have it recreated. Plenty of jewelers would be able to make it for her even better than the original. With the back of her hand she wiped away the single tear that escaped to roll down her cheek. She knew she’d never do it because it wouldn’t be the same. It was as if the gods were sending her a message: let go of the past.
This time of night there was virtually no traffic on the highway this far north. The two-lane highway was mostly flat and straight, with just a few changes in elevation between Colville and Spokane. In many places the trees grew so thick on either side of the road it was a little like being in a tunnel. Or thrown back in time a few hundred years, before cities and towns wiped away the forests. She liked it because it reminded her of a time when she and her family and friends would travel by carriage surrounded only by forest and wildlife. Here, too, wildlife was something to watch for. Deer, elk, and moose were common sights and another reason she didn’t prey on humans. There was no need.
In the distance was the glow of red light that grew larger as she drove. When she got close enough she could see it was another car pulled off onto the shoulder with its emergency lights blinking. Her first instinct was to swerve left in order to give it a wide berth, and then another, more intriguing thought crossed her mind. If she was trying to create a path leading the Jägers away, one body was good…two were even better. Bellona put on her blinker and pulled the SUV to the side of the road. Honestly, it was like the universe was simply handing her the tools to solve her problem.
Opening the driver’s side door, she got out. Instead of heading straight to the disabled car, the head of its occupant clearly visible in the glow of her headlights, she walked around to the back of her SUV. She popped the hatch open and quickly removed her clothes. Not bothering to fold them, she tossed them into the back. She didn’t plan to be gone long enough for them to even get wrinkled. Not that it mattered. Who exactly was going to see her on this trip? Well, anyone who would live to tell about it anyway.
So far the driver of the car was being cautious and staying inside. That was good. Smart, really. With a smile she leaned around the back of her SUV and waved. “Hello,” she called out. “Do you need any tools? Water or snacks?” Isn’t that what a Good Samaritan would ask?
The driver’s side door of the disabled vehicle started to open. One leg came out and then another. A man stood next to the car. Perfect. With her head tipped to the buttery glow of the moon, Bellona called the change.
Chapter Twenty-four
What she was doing was crazy and completely out of character for her. Didn’t matter. Lily had felt the draw to this woman in every fiber of her being. Never in all her years had she experienced such all-consuming desire. This was neither the time nor the place to give in to passion, and yet while she’d been in her own room, alone, she’d decided why the hell not?
Frankly, she was tired of always doing the right thing. She’d been the face of the Jägers for centuries. Going where Senn directed her, cooperating with people who hated her, pretending to be something she wasn’t, and worst of all, always living with a secret she couldn’t share. Until now, that is. For the first time she’d met someone she trusted instinctively. She had no real basis for that trust, but she knew it was real. When a person lived and walked this earth as long as she had, they knew real when they felt it.
So, why pretend she and Jayne were colleagues working together on a case and nothing more? It was a lie and she knew it, as, she suspected, did Jayne. When she’d shifted in front of Jayne, she’d harbored a bit of worry that she would be repulsed. That worry was put to rest once she’d walked naked back into the yard. It was surprising and delightful to have Jayne come to her with the robe.
It was even more delightful to feel her arms around her body and her lips pressing against Lily’s. The sensation was like being wrapped in one of the bearskin blankets of her youth. For lack of a better description, she’d melted into the kiss. Once they’d gone inside, they’d made an admirable effort to pretend things were the way they’d been before. At least where she was concerned, it wasn’t very successful. Nothing was the way it had been before that kiss.
That’s why she’d made her way across the hall and into Jayne’s room. When no one had answered her soft knock, she’d let herself in. Realizing Jayne was in the shower, Lily had decided to go for it. Her nightshift was on the ground, and she was, as Senn liked to say, commando under the covers. Instead of feeling uncom
fortable or nervous, she was feeling a bone-tingling excitement. Especially when Jayne walked out of that bathroom rubbing a towel across her hair. That T-shirt and boy-shorts were a damned sexy combination on her.
“Lily?” The word came out of Jayne’s mouth like a strangled cry.
Lily smiled and patted the bed next to her. “Pretending isn’t my style.”
“I…I…”
Lily sat up and let the sheet drop away. Cool air kissed her bare breasts, making her nipples pucker. “Tell me you’re not interested, and I’ll trot right back across the hall.”
“I’m, ah, interested.” She still didn’t move from her spot near the bathroom door.
Lily smiled and winked. “Yes, I was pretty sure you were. Come on, Jayne. Like I said, pretending isn’t my style. I want you and you want me. Maybe if we give our mutual desire an outlet, our rational sides might be a little clearer in the morning. What do you say? Up for that kind of experiment?”
For a long moment she thought Jayne was going to turn her down, and then a slow smile crossed her lips. She grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it up and over her head. She kicked off her shorts as she walked toward the bed. “You’re full of surprises.”
“I try.” She leaned in and kissed Jayne, pushing her tongue between her lips and past her teeth. She tasted like peppermint. Jayne returned her kiss.
Lily ran her hands over Jayne’s shoulders and down her arms. She was well muscled, but her skin was smooth and soft. When her hand moved to her breast, Jayne sighed against her lips. Her breasts were not large but were firm, and as she teased her nipples, they beaded against her touch.
“Where have you been all my life,” Jayne whispered against her lips.
“Just waiting for you, I think.”
Jayne dropped back against the pillow, and Lily lowered her head until she could take one of the hard nipples into her mouth. She sucked it, making it even harder. Jayne’s hands pushed into her hair, holding it tight as her body arched into the touch of her mouth. She smelled so sweet and clean, her scent filling Lily with a rush of hot desire.
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