Instead of talking I leaned down to turn up the radio, giving him as much privacy as I could, considering we were in a small vehicle together.
After twenty minutes of strained silence, he pointed to a town coming into view. “Let’s drive around here and see if we catch a scent.”
I followed his directions and made the turn off.
Chapter Six
Close call
The town of Boman was larger than it appeared when we first drove into it. Side roads wove from a busy main street that led to another business district. There were two high schools that Adrian wanted to drive around. He thought that if his sister was going to relocate, they might choose somewhere near a school. But after hours of driving without catching any scents we left the town.
We continued down the I-5, stopping at each town or city we came across hoping to catch the distinct smell of werewolf or Marisa’s human scent. When we still hadn’t found anything when the sun dipped in the sky, we began to worry that we had taken the wrong route. I finally convinced Adrian to stop and rent a hotel room for the night. I was tired from all the travelling, first the plane and then an entire day of driving in his smelly car. And if I was being honest, I missed Nate. Pathetic, I know. I couldn’t be away from him for one night. Man, I had it bad.
Adrian pulled into a tiny motel that was basically a small row of rooms. The outside was pale-blue sided, with most of the paint peeling, exposing gray rotting wood. “Are we sharing a room?” Adrian asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
“I don’t think so.” I answered dryly, pushing my door open. I was relieved when the cool evening air whooshed into the tiny space, replacing the smell of dirty socks inside the car.
He laughed as he slammed his door and stepped onto the sidewalk in front of the motel’s office. “I guess you’re right, I haven’t been working out lately and I couldn’t take Nate’s reaction if he found out.” He rubbed his jaw, a slight smirk appearing on his face. Months ago, when Nate saw Adrian and me together and realized he was one of Charlotte’s minions, he went a little crazy and mistook Adrian’s face for a punching bag. I was shocked. It was so unlike the Nate I knew, he was the most non-violent person around, despite being a werewolf.
“Ha-ha.” I punched him in the shoulder softly. “I told you that he wasn’t angry anymore.”
He winced, holding the spot where I had hit him, feigning that it had hurt. “But he would be if we shared a room.”
I shrugged. “I’m honestly not sure. He trusts me and because we’re mated and married, I don’t think he’d care.” I stood next to him, yanking my bag over my shoulder. “But it doesn’t matter anyway. We’re not sharing a room.”
He winked at me as he pulled open the glass door.
The air in the tiny office stunk even more than Adrian’s car. Over the last six months I sometimes hated my extra werewolf senses. This was definitely one of those times. The most obvious odor was smoke. The old wrinkled man at the counter was smoking like a chimney. I couldn’t help the cough that escaped my lips as he blew a puff of the offending smoke at us. But the underlining stench that most humans would likely miss was body odor and urine. My gag reflexes were threatening to lose control. Adrian’s eyes widened, giving me a look of revulsion as he got a whiff of the disgusting smells.
“Can I help you?” the wrinkled man wheezed, pushing his thick, black framed glasses onto his nose.
Adrian stepped up to the sign-in counter, leaning away from the man as much as possible. “Yes, we’d like two rooms next to each other, if possible.”
“You need easy access, do ya?” the old man asked with a wink in my direction. “Why not get one room?” After his insulting words, he laughed a cheesy, “Heh heh.”
My gag reflex threatened to return.
Adrian snorted out his own laugh and covered it up with a cough when I elbowed him in the ribs. “No, two rooms are fine; please.”
The man shrugged and leered in my direction.
Once he took the money Adrian handed him, he gave us our keys.
I couldn’t get out of the room fast enough. The guy was giving me the heebie geebies.
Outside in the fresh air, I shook my body. “Ewww! He was creepy.”
Adrian laughed. “Oh, come on, he’s harmless.” He slung his arm over my shoulder and walked me to his car. “But it is a good thing we’re close. It gives me easy access.” He wiggled his eyebrows again and barked out a laugh when I swatted him in the shoulder.
“Just open the trunk so I can have a shower and scrub the stench of that office from my body with a brillo pad. It smelled worse than your car.”
He narrowed his eyes at me, faking a scowl. “Ha, ha.”
Taking his keys out, he opened the trunk, pulled out our bags and then I followed him to our rooms.
“Goodnight, Meg. I’m really glad you’re here.” The jovial tone disappeared, replaced by his serious words. “I didn’t realize how much I needed you.” I knew he meant that he needed companionship as much as my extra pair of eyes. He had been alone for way too long and his solitude along with his frustration in not finding his sister was getting to him.
“Adrian, you are my friend. I’m here for you whenever you need me.”
His eyes washed with emotion before he slipped into his room. I did the same and took in my surroundings. As expected, the room wasn’t the Ritz. But it was cleaner than I thought it would be and the stench from the office was thankfully missing. Instead, it smelled of lemons and cleaner.
After a quick shower, I fell onto the bed and flicked on the TV, looking only to chase away the silence. I dialed Nate, hoping he was still up.
“Hey, Meg. I’m so glad you called.” His deep voice was just what I needed to cheer my weary mind.
“Did I wake you?”
“No, I’m just going over some work before the meeting tomorrow. We’re thinking of expanding into Canada.”
I shifted on the hard mattress. “Oh, yeah? I thought your stores were all over the world.”
“No, not yet.” A muffled sound came through the line as if he was moving around. “So, how is it going?”
“Ugh, not good. We just drove around in Adrian’s smelly car all day and found nothing. We’re in a motel for the night, before we move on tomorrow.”
“I hope you find something soon.” He paused for a few seconds. “You’re not sharing a room are you?” he asked hesitantly.
I wanted to snort with laughter, but I didn’t want to offend him. “No, we’re in separate rooms. Why, would that bother you?”
“Uh…no. I mean, I trust you. But since we’re not sure whether or not Adrian has met his mate, I’m not entirely sure I trust him.”
Again, I fought the urge to laugh. Adrian had hinted at liking someone when we first met and I had thought he might have a mate. I wasn’t sure though and I never asked him. But Nate had nothing to worry about. I was a mated werewolf and I had absolutely no urge to be with anyone but him. “You realize I love you more than anything right?”
“I know and I love you. But you’re traveling alone with another guy, the person who you leaned on, after I betrayed you. I can’t help but worry a little.” I hated the strain in his voice. I wished he would forgive himself, but after everything we’ve been through, how could he doubt me? Besides, Adrian was and always would be my friend, nothing more. For some reason, I enjoyed being around him, he made me laugh and I felt comfortable with him. I considered him part of my family, or at least part of our little werewolf pack.
“Well don’t. You are my husband. Besides, Adrian said he hasn’t been working out since he’s been away and I have. If he tries anything, I’ll kick his ass.”
He chuckled softly, the soft sound warming my heart. “Why was I worried?”
I smiled, wishing he was there with me. I ached to feel his touch. “Who knows?”
We talked for a while longer until the day’s events started to creep up on me. We said good-bye and he promised to call if he was able to join us
tomorrow.
The sound of a door slamming pulled me out of a deep sleep. My muffled brain registered that I wasn’t in the cottage. And just as my mind started to shut down once again the scent of an unknown werewolf drifted through the door. I jumped up, suddenly wide-awake.
Wearing only the tank top and shorts I fell asleep in, I peeked out the window. A girl that looked about my age with her brown hair in a messy braid, wearing faded jeans and a black rock band t-shirt, stood in the parking lot. “I’ll be right back. Stay in the car until I return.” Her voice was sweet and cheerful as she spoke to someone in the blue station wagon she emerged from. As she started to head toward the office I moved to the door and opened it, poking my head out. The werewolf with the braid had her hand out, reaching for the knob.
When I turned my head and gazed into the car I could see a girl with long black hair, leaning back in the seat, reading a book under the interior light.
The wind shifted and from the corner of my eye I could see the girl with the braid spin around. Her gaze landed on me and then she was moving, running back to the car.
I stepped out of my room and banged on the door next to mine. “Adrian,” I yelled, just as the braid girl made it to her vehicle.
Before she slipped inside she reached out and stabbed Adrian’s tire with a knife that appeared out of nowhere. I rushed into my room, yanked on my jeans, grabbed my bags and rushed back out. The station wagon was spinning out of the lot and Adrian was opening his door. When he poked his head out, his hair sticking up in all directions, he was only wearing white boxers. His eyes were half closed as he opened his mouth to speak. I knew when he caught the scent because his eyes widened and his nostrils flared.
“They’re getting away, hurry up!” I yelled, banging on the roof of his Jeep.
He disappeared into the room and then quickly returned with his pants and shirt on and his bag over his shoulder. “What happened to the tire?” he shouted, irritation edging his words.
“The werewolf stabbed it with a knife.”
He pounded the top of the car; a thundering crack rang out in the night sky. “Well we can’t follow them like that.” He stepped away from the car. “Damn it!” His booming voice pierced through the air.
I remained still, my bag over my shoulder and suitcase handle in my hand. I didn’t know what to say to him. His sister had been so close and now she was gone. He must feel so frustrated. Nothing I said would have made it better.
He walked away from me and stood in the center of the lot, his arms bent and hands linked behind his neck, staring up at the sky, as if asking someone up there what to do next. I felt like I should say something comforting, but I had no idea what that should be. He was just ten feet away from his sister, the closest he’s been in ten years and now they were gone and with a flat tire we had no way to follow them.
Finally, after several minutes of silence, I couldn’t take it any longer. I could feel his pain from where I stood and I had to try to help. “Why don’t we call a tow truck and get it towed to a garage. Or we could call a rental place and have them pick us up.
Adrian spun around, his face strained. “Or we could change the tire.”
I gaped at him. “You can do that?”
He stalked toward me, pulled out his keys and then opened the trunk to reveal a spare tire and a Jack.
“Why the hell didn’t you do that when they rushed out of here instead of just standing there?”
He spun around, his eyes flashing yellow with anger. “Because I was pissed off and I never thought of it until now,” he yelled.
I would have been angry, if I didn’t understand his frustration. He had never yelled at me before, even when I was being stubborn and refused to except that I had just become a werewolf. So I knew he must be upset.
He reached inside the trunk and unscrewed the tire from its lock and pulled it out.
I watched his quick movements as he fixed the problem. Ten minutes later, we were on our way following the blue station wagon. Of course they were nowhere in sight, but since we saw the direction they took and the car they were driving, we had hope. Adrian was closer to finding his sister than he had been in six months and I could feel the nervous energy coming off of him.
“How did she look?” Adrian asked. It was the first time he had spoken since he fixed the tire. I had remained silent too, not knowing what to say.
I swallowed hard, understanding who he was referring to. “I didn’t see her very well. She was leaning back in the car reading a book. All I saw was the back of her head. She had long black hair.”
He nodded sharply, his eyes glazed with emotion.
“She seemed okay.” I gulped. The air in the car was thick with tension—and stinky socks. “The werewolf that has her is a teenage girl who looks our age. And she doesn’t seem evil. By the sound of her voice, she sounded like she cared about Marisa.”
The only reason I knew he heard me was because he gripped the steering wheel harder, his knuckles going stark white.
I leaned my head out the window, sniffing the air. I had the werewolf’s scent in my senses and now I’d recognize it anywhere. But, unfortunately, I hadn’t caught it yet. She must have her window closed and until she got out of the car we wouldn’t find it.
After another long stretch of strained silence, I couldn’t take it anymore. “Are you alright?”
Adrian breathed in sharply, his eyes flicking to mine: his stare intense. “I’m going to kill her.” His voice was so tormented; it tore at my heart and left me speechless.
I didn’t know what to say.
Chapter Seven
A Message
The back of my eyelids were bright pink and I could feel the hot sun baking over my face. I must have fallen asleep, but as I came into consciousness I could feel the car moving under me and the drone of the radio playing low. Slowly, I opened my eyes and stared at a jean-clad leg, black sneakers and the floor of the Jeep that was encrusted with gravel and dirt. The sound of wind whirling through the window and the scent of old food crashed into my senses. “Where are we?” I asked, my voice raspy with sleep.
“Just outside of Roseburg.”
I sat up and glanced around, trying to shake the cotton from my mind. “No sign of them?”
“No.” His response was abrupt. He was obviously still in an irritated mood.
“I’m sorry Adrian. I should have tried to stop them. I know how to fight. I could have gone after the werewolf—”
“Don’t.” He interrupted me before I could apologize anymore. “It’s not your fault. She’s the one keeping me from my sister.” He turned toward me and I winced when I saw his yellow eyes. “And she’s going to pay for it.” It was then that I noticed his arms shaking. He was fighting the wolf.
“We’ll find them.” I placed my hand on his arm and rubbed softly, hoping to calm him. He must have been stewing the whole time I had been asleep, worrying about his sister. I wanted to make him feel better, but I didn’t know how—other than finding his sister and that was what I intended to do. We would search for as long as it took.
He only nodded, turning back to face the road ahead.
I gazed outside, taking in the scenery. We were in a rural area with only fields, trees and a few houses visible. A glance at the clock on the dashboard told me it was after ten in the morning. I had been out for a while. “Have you stopped at any towns to check for their scents?”
His eyes faded back to their natural color. “Some, but there weren’t any. I have a feeling she’s going to drive as far as possible since she’s been spotted. She probably won’t stop until they hit a big city where they can get lost in all the people.
I rubbed my sleep-caked eyes, digging the goop out of them. “What about bathroom breaks?”
With his attention still on the road ahead, he answered me. “If they stopped, they went deep into a town where I couldn’t scent them. If they went to a rest stop or along the road I would have known it.
I shifted
in my seat and rubbed the cool window with the side of my hand, sending prickles into my skin. “Is that the closest you’ve been to finding them?”
He nodded. “And I was sleeping. She was right there and I didn’t even know it.” The self-hatred emanated out of him and again his eyes turned yellow.
“Don’t worry, we’ll find them.” My voice was soft and, I hoped, soothing. We couldn’t have him wolfing out inside the car while he was driving.
Thankfully his expression softened as he turned to look at me, his eyes returned to their normal dark brown. “Thank you for coming. It’s much easier doing this with you.”
I smacked his shoulder; his muscles were not as hard as they were months ago. He definitely needed to get back to the gym. “You should have called earlier,” I scolded, feeling annoyed at him for so many reasons. First for refusing to ask for help and for not realizing he needed me earlier. If I wasn’t with him, we wouldn’t have almost caught them last night. And if he had taken more breaks or rented rooms instead of sleeping in his car, he wouldn’t have been so exhausted and probably would have heard them himself, even without my help. His refusal to let anyone in was frustrating, yet understandable. For ten years he was basically held captive with a group of selfish werewolves he couldn’t count on. I was his first real friend in a decade. Of course he would be hesitant to trust me or anyone else for that matter. But just because I understood his actions didn’t mean I would let him off the hook.
He grinned sheepishly. “I was trying to handle it on my own.”
I rolled my eyes. “You are not alone anymore. We are your friends.”
He sighed, slowing down to take a corner. “I’m not used to having friends I can trust. I guess I don’t know how to handle it.”
“Did you have friends before Charlotte found you?”
His lips turned up into a smile. “Yeah, I was in my first year at college. My best friend Marty was in the same course as I was and we met a few guys there. I was pledging a fraternity and lived on campus. I was home for the weekend when it happened.”
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