“Do you have an in to the Were world?” was one of the first questions the hunters asked, and Angus said no, because he wasn’t using Cain like that. Hell, the way they’d left things, he wasn’t sure there was any connection between them left.
In reality, he was still mad as hell at the Were.
Chapter 23
Gillian had her second shift two nights later, with the other Dires and some Weres making a circle in the woods to keep her protected. She ran and ran like the wind and Jinx hung back and watched her.
She was safe and happy. And he was dreaming of hellhounds while Rogue dreamed of hell.
“After we run, I’d like to come hunting with you,” she said when she came back and shifted in front of him.
“Ghost hunting?”
“Isn’t that what you do?” she asked.
“It’s safer for you back at the apartment.”
“I think you’re safer with me,” she asserted. “You’re always saving people. When are you going to let someone save you?”
“It doesn’t work like that.”
“Why can’t it, Jinx?” Gillian asked softly. “What if that’s what I’m built for?”
“You’re fast and strong—a warrior, yes,” he started.
“Faster and stronger than you,” she pointed out.
“That hasn’t been put to a real test.” Shit, he was so going to lose this bet and she wouldn’t let it go.
“Then let’s put it to the test.” She crossed her arms, challenging him.
“I can’t do that.”
“You will. Let’s start with a race,” she suggested. “Last I recall, you could barely keep up with me.”
“I didn’t want to crowd you,” he said defensively but she’d already taken off, flying across the field. She stopped on a dime, turned and told him, “I’ll give you a head start.”
“You’ll give . . .” He laughed a little. “You’ll give me a head start?”
“That’s what I said, slowpoke.” She motioned for him to run past her and he muttered, “Oh, honey, you are so going down.”
He took off at a speed that would make him a blur to her as he ran by. Suitably impressed with himself, he raced toward the woods as a blast of air whooshed past him. . . .
There was no way.
But it was her. He ran faster, but she was already so far ahead of him he could barely see her disappearing figure. He fought the urge to yell at her not to get too far ahead but that would mean admitting defeat and he was not doing that. Forget it.
Something whizzed by him again, this time going the other way and he stopped and heard Gillian’s laughter behind him.
“Have you always been this fast?” he asked and she shrugged.
“I’ve learned to push it down because the boys never liked to be beaten.”
“I wouldn’t say I was beaten,” he huffed and Brother Wolf was equally offended and wanted the challenge reissued, wolf to wolf.
But hell, that could prove to be equally embarrassing.
“You were so schooled!” she called over her shoulder, fell to the ground, tickled over this fact.
He walked over to her. “Okay, fine, you might have the speed. Maybe. But the strength . . . never.”
She rolled onto her stomach and looked up at him innocently. “Wanna arm wrestle?”
“You’re serious?”
“Totally.”
“You can’t arm wrestle on the ground,” he pointed out.
“Then we’ll wrestle wrestle.”
“Forget it. I don’t wrestle chicks.”
“You’re really worried you’re going to lose.”
Before he could say anything, she’d goddamned flipped him. And that was no mean feat, because he’d flipped hundreds of wolves, including Dires who were bigger than he was without breaking a sweat.
“How the hell did you do that?”
She shrugged, like it had been the easiest thing in the world for her. It had been. It came naturally to her. And now it made sense why no one had ever been able to find her during the times she’d left the hospital to run in the woods, because you’d think a beautiful naked woman running wild would’ve gotten spotted at some point over the past six years.
But she never had, because she could practically outrun wind.
“Why didn’t you mention this?”
“When we first met, it didn’t seem relevant. And after you told me about the wolf thing, I assumed that all Dires were fast and strong—everything fell into place for me. I never thought my boyfriend would be a slowpoke.”
He was offended and stuttering at slowpoke, but he was more worried about the boyfriend part. This was the perfect time for the I’m no good for you; it’s not you, it’s me speech but the words wouldn’t come out of his mouth.
“Can we run some more?” she asked.
“No,” he said, a little too loudly, then added, “Too dangerous to go much farther.”
She nibbled her bottom lip a little and nodded. “Wrestle more, then. Maybe I can show you some moves.”
“Maybe you can show me . . .” He couldn’t finish his sentence and she smirked at him.
“Your indignation kind of turns me on.”
“You might actually be worse than Vice.”
“I take that as a compliment.”
“You would.” He got to his feet just as she did. He circled her, leaving enough space between them that she couldn’t just reach out and go all ninja wolf on his ass, but he’d once again forgotten about the sick speed she could use even within short distances. His head spun as she was suddenly grabbing him from behind and pulling him to the ground and he couldn’t even make a damned dent in her hold.
This was going to kill his rep. He could only pray that Jez—or Vice—holy hell Vice—never, ever saw this shit. . . .
“Did you just get taken down by a girl?” Vice’s voice rang over him as Gillian effectively trapped his arms behind his back so he was eating dirt. “Holy shit—Jinx just got spanked by a girl.”
“I’m a wolf, thank you very much,” Gillian said as coolly as she could. And then she giggled. Yeah, she was having way too much fun with this.
“Perhaps you could let me up?” he asked and she relented, but slowly. He rolled over and she was towering above him holding out her hand to help him up. And Vice was literally on the ground laughing so hard tears were coming out of his eyes.
“Dude, I am so putting this in the next newsletter.”
“We don’t have a newsletter,” Jinx said through gritted teeth.
“I’m making one, because this shit is that good,” Vice declared. And then he suddenly got completely serious and said, “Wait a minute—Gillian’s got an ability? An honest to Odin ability?”
“Looks like it,” Jinx said.
“That means she’s—”
“Fast and strong, yes,” Jinx finished for him with a hard look for Vice to shut up and ix-nay the immortality thing. Too much, too soon and Jinx had barely finished explaining the Dire and Were thing.
To let someone know they were never, ever going to die wasn’t something you spilled out. And Vice understood that better than anyone, nodded sincerely and said, “I’m still doing a newsletter. Or at least a long Christmas card. ‘This year, we learned that Jinx can be felled by a girl and ridden like a pony.’ Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”
Jinx jumped him before the wolf could say another word and soon the two of them were slamming into trees and tussling like old times, like they didn’t have a care in the world.
Chapter 24
“She’s got an ability. That’s why she was given away,” Stray said from his spot in the trees. They hadn’t meant to spy but hell, wolf hearing made it nearly impossible to keep secrets. It didn’t help that Vice was gleeful about the whole Jinx-getting-beaten-by-a-
female thing.
Stray had to admit that made him laugh, the first real one in days.
“Maybe the Elders didn’t see that coming,” Killian offered.
“Oh, come the hell on, they know everything, remember?” Stray slammed the lid of his laptop down. “It’s the only reason that pack was allowed to live and breed. We’re the enforcers, so clearly they have to spawn Dires with abilities every once in a while for the amusement of the Elders.”
“Does Rifter know?”
“You really think Vice can keep a secret?” Stray asked.
“Gillian could make a lot of money on the underground ultimate fighting circuit,” Killian said thoughtfully. “I could even manage her.”
“This entire place has lost its mind,” Stray moaned, his head in his hands.
“Relax, brother. I don’t think she’d go for it anyway. Doesn’t mean I won’t ask though.”
• • •
Jinx watched Gillian cavort in the lake, splashing happily. Free. And what had been just a nagging feeling in his gut was sure.
She was a warrior. And not only in the way that Dires were. No, she was stronger. Faster. It wasn’t Dire strength and speed, it was beyond.
It would take a strong man to submit to a warrior Dire like she was. And he would. He might say he was doing it for her but really, he was doing it for himself.
Finally, she seemed content enough to climb out of the water, shake off and shift. His wolf growled at her nakedness and he fought going over to her and taking her right then and there.
It helped that Rogue and Jez were waiting for him. They dressed and got back into the truck where Rogue and Jez waited.
“You ready? We need to go check on our charges,” Rogue told him. “Just you and me. Leave Jez to watch over Gillian.”
It was the right thing to do, but Jinx would rather walk barefoot over hot coals. “Maybe tomorrow night.”
“I don’t want to do this any more than you do. But I can’t wait anymore. I’m connected to this. Those hounds didn’t kill me because they recognized me as part of you,” Rogue explained. “These markings make things call to me. I don’t know if they’re beacons . . . or if I’m being controlled by them.”
“Jinx, let me go with you,” Gillian said.
“Too dangerous—you can’t see ghosts.”
“I can see you.”
He looked at her incredulously and she continued, “You saved me. I’m returning the favor.”
He opened his mouth to tell her he didn’t need saving, but the lie didn’t come out. “You can’t help me with the monsters.”
“I can guard you while you’re vulnerable.”
“You want to be my bodyguard?”
“It’s what the Dire female wolves are. We take care of our mates, especially the warrior women. You told me that, but I feel it, here. Let me take care of you.”
How long had it been since anyone said that to him? His Dire brothers always would—that was a given. But Jinx was far more used to being the protection than the protected. Wasn’t sure he even knew how to let himself be vulnerable.
“The best part is that no one will suspect it. They wouldn’t know my strength or speed.”
“You can’t do anything in human form that will give you away.”
“I’ll have to be your secret superhero,” she whispered into his neck before she nipped it.
“You two need a room in an apartment far from mine,” Jez muttered from the front seat and Jinx ignored him.
“You can protect me,” he said.
“That’s a gift—I accept it with great honor.”
“I’ll watch both of you,” Jez nodded. “Sorry, didn’t mean to ruin the moment.”
“And who’ll watch you, deadhead?” Jinx asked and Rogue’s voice answered, “Me,” and then added, “This is becoming one big circle jerk.”
“Rogue . . . you don’t have to. . . .”
“Gotta know how bad it is. Better to jump in with both feet,” Rogue said quietly.
“It’s bad . . . and worse,” Jinx told him as the truck made its way toward Pinewood Cemetery. They drove through the iron gates with guns loaded with rock salt. Holy water. Each of them held iron.
When they got out, Jinx made a salt circle around them and the truck; this way, they could get inside and stay there if things got bad enough.
“Tell me what you’re thinking,” Rogue told him.
“Besides the fact that I’m never letting you go back to hell . . . I keep thinking that we could use these fears to eradicate the trappers forever,” Jinx admitted.
“And then what? The more these things feed, the more they want,” Rogue pointed out.
“I know, you’re right. We have to get them back inside. Locked up someplace tight.”
“There are definitely places in hell they could go. Hell’s expanded immensely since fears were created,” Rogue told him.
“I don’t think they’ll just go if we ask.” And they were right back at the beginning again.
“Something’s here,” Rogue said, his voice choked. The markings on his face glowed and he rubbed them almost absently as he moved around inside of the circle looking out into the night.
The ghosts moved around, waving to get Jinx’s attention. “Do you see any of yours?”
“Nothing,” his twin said hollowly as the hellhounds ran toward them, making the ground shake.
“What is that?” Gillian asked and then scented the air. “Hellhounds.”
“Bingo,” Jez said. “And here comes their charges.”
The black and gray smoke twisted and rose from over the graves, racing toward the circle at alarming speed. They stopped right before them and hovered.
“I hate this part,” Jez muttered.
Just then, Jinx dropped to his knees and Gillian dropped next to him.
“What is it, Jinx?” Gillian asked and when he spoke, his voice sounded hollow and odd, even to his own ears.
“The hellhounds aren’t just to protect me,” he told them. “They’re to keep me from getting too close to the monsters released from purgatory. I’m locked out. And it’s only a matter of time before the hellhounds rebel.”
• • •
They’d gotten back in the truck and out of the cemetery after Jinx told the hellhounds to keep the fears under control. They seemed to still be obeying but how long that would last was any wolf’s bet.
Now, they were up on the roof of the apartment building, with Rogue and Jez on one side and he and Gillian on the other.
“I’m so sorry, Jinx.”
“Not your fault. My father tricked me. But because the Dire ghosts fought, he was laid to a peaceful rest. What do I get?”
“When I thought I was crazy, I would’ve done anything to get away from the disease. When you gave me a way out, I was relieved.” She paused. “But you . . . you never get to walk away. You’re hunted all the time.”
He shrugged.
“You’ve got to find the good in it.”
“I help humans. In return, they try to kill us,” Jinx said, his voice tight. “I help ghosts. In return, they try to kill us.”
“You helped me and I don’t try to kill you,” she pointed out.
“Because you can’t,” he said and snorted in spite of himself. “Speaking of . . . there’s something I haven’t told you yet. I was waiting. Didn’t want to overwhelm you.”
“And now, after we know that hellhounds are protecting monsters and will eventually turn against the world, it seems like a good time?”
“Actually, yes.” He took her chin in his hand. “Your speed and strength—you know it’s not normal for a Dire. You know it’s called an ability.”
“Yep. You told me that.” He’d also listed all the other Dires’ abilities as well.
“Ther
e’s something that comes with abilities. At least it has for all of us.” He stared at her. “I told you we mated for life. But I never told you how long that life would be.”
She blinked, tilted her head. “I know you’re old. I assumed . . . a lot of years?”
“I’m immortal, Gilly. And if I’m right, so are you.”
“Immortal as in . . . I’m never going to die?” She tried to breathe but couldn’t.
“And this is why I waited to tell you.”
“If someone tries to kill me, what happens exactly?”
“You kind of die. And then you come back to life pretty quickly. It’s not painless, but it’s never permanent.”
“I gather you’ve tested the theory.”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
She wondered if there was ever the possibility of a Dire with abilities not being immortal. But finding out would be akin to playing Russian roulette and she wasn’t ready to do that, not after promising Jinx she would stay safe. “I’m okay. It’s just . . . the concept of never is hard to wrap my mind around.”
“Tell me about it after you’ve lived for centuries.”
“You lived for centuries . . . with no one to love,” she murmured.
“You were worth the wait. Well worth it.”
Chapter 25
Vice heard the yelling in his sleep, assumed it was someone having good sex and ignored it. After ten minutes, he realized it was distress and that it was coming from the basement rooms where Max was being held.
Gwen checked on her several times a day, typically with Rifter. Vice seemed to set her off too much and, as he wanted nothing to do with her, that was fine by him.
But tonight, it seemed like he was the only one home. Maybe Gwen was out running with Rifter—Vice had come in early, mainly to sleep so he could forget about brooding and worrying, because there was so much shit going on he couldn’t control or help with.
He missed Jinx. And Rogue. And Eydis. Had no idea how the hell they were going to deal with all of them. Was worried about Liam and the responsibilities the young king faced and, hell, Vice was charged with helping him.
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