On Pins and Needles: Sierra Fox, Book 3

by Yolanda Sfetsos

  “Are you sure? I don’t want you to think I’m taking advantage of you.”

  “I know you’re not.”

  “Thank you.” Willow flashed a pretty smile and headed for the door. She stopped just outside, turned and said, “I’m really glad I found you. I’ve always wanted a sister and you’re even better than I imagined.”

  I smiled back and felt a warm glow inside. She might come with a few otherworldly problems, but who didn’t have some kind of baggage nowadays? “I’ll see you tomorrow, Willow.”

  She strolled out the door and I turned back to my office.

  After picking up the folders and stacking them where they belonged, I decided there was no way I would get any work done now. Besides, it was almost time to meet Papan in the city.

  I shut the window, put on my mostly-dry jacket and made sure my dagger was still secured between sock and boot. I loaded up with keys, wallet, and phone before heading for the door, wishing Oren would hurry up and teach me the incantation to make my pockets deeper than they really were.

  After closing the door behind me, I made sure it was locked before rushing for the stairs. I might have walked into my office in a morose mood, but I was now filled with a sense of hopeful energy.

  I’d helped poltergeists before without being able to see them. I could handle this for my sister.

  Wow, it feels good to say sister.

  As soon as I stepped out of the building, I smacked right into someone. When strong arms wrapped tightly around my midsection, I struggled to squirm out of the vice-like grip.

  Oh shit, not again!

  Chapter Three

  “Whoa, hold up, Fox!” a familiar, masculine voice called as the arms loosened around me. “Where’re you rushing to?”

  “What the hell, Papan? You almost gave me a heart attack!”

  He released me and I took a small step back, trying to calm my breathing and heartbeat. I did manage to smack him in the shoulder, though, which only made him laugh.

  I’d been too wrapped up in my own thoughts to notice him as I stepped out into the dreary afternoon. This worried me a bit because I couldn’t afford not to be cautious—not after the incident outside Sally’s store. But meeting my half-sister and discovering she had poltergeists attached to her had thrown me a bit off balance.

  “You’re wound way too tight,” Papan said with a cheeky grin. “I think I’ve got just the thing for that.”

  This time, when he wrapped his long, strong arms around my waist and pulled me closer I didn’t resist. Instead, I got on my tiptoes and practically threw myself against him. I couldn’t believe he was actually here. When he lowered his mouth to mine, I melted into his warm embrace and the masculine sweetness that was all Papan. He tasted like minty toothpaste at the moment and smelled delicious—all man and spice, with an undertone of deodorant. I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d stopped by his place or mine before deciding to surprise me here. We were supposed to meet in the city.

  I pulled back from the kiss and looked up into his handsome face. “What are you doing here?” I touched his coarse cheek, and ran a fingertip over the adorable dimple.

  “I finished up the case a little earlier than expected. After all that time sitting in the car eating junk food and crawling around in the dark taking compromising photos, I needed to work it all off. So I stopped by the gym for a few hours, took a shower and thought I’d surprise you.”

  Well, that explained the wet hair and dry clothes. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He looked so good, even if he was wearing his usual faded jeans, a tee, and boots. The black T-shirt made his dark blond hair look lighter, and his green eyes always stood out.

  “I have to admit that I really like your surprises.”

  “This isn’t the only surprise I have planned for tonight,” he teased, running his fingers down my waist and settling them on my hips. He leaned down for a quick kiss. “But first, we need to catch up. Are you hungry?”

  “Yeah, actually, I am.” My stomach flipped, but it had nothing to do with skipping lunch and everything to do with the wave of desire rushing through my cold body. What I really wanted was to get him home—alone.

  “Good, let’s get a bite to eat.” He grabbed my hand and we strolled towards the other end of the street.

  “Are we going anywhere in particular?”

  “I thought the café down the road would do,” he said, glancing at me. “Is that okay with you? I’m famished.”

  “That sounds good.” I didn’t care where we went because right now my stomach was tied up in knots and I doubted I’d be able to eat much. It literally felt like I was suffocating from desire and the lustful balloon was about to burst. The thought of spending even another hour without getting naked with Papan made my skin itch with need. For now, having my hand engulfed in his would have to do, but there was no way I wasn’t going to get a proper taste of him tonight.

  We walked down the mostly deserted Serene Hills Main Street like a real couple, and I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. Papan had a way of temporarily wiping away every single bad feeling I’d accumulated, but I didn’t let myself relax completely. Not until we were behind closed doors.

  The rain had stopped for now and most pedestrians were staying off the wet streets, but there was plenty of traffic. We passed by my whale of a car and for just a second I almost dragged Papan into it.

  Jason Papan wasn’t just a PI and good friend—he was also a werewolf. A fact I’d recently found out but didn’t deter me from the strong attraction I’d always felt towards him. It took me a few years and one shitty relationship to realize how much I wanted Papan in my life. Since recently confessing our mutual attraction, I couldn’t get enough of him. His being busy the past week had made me miss him. A lot.

  “So, how was your day?” he asked, squeezing my hand.

  “I’m not having the best day, to be honest.” I sighed, not wanting to get into any of the crappy things that had happened. “Although it looks like my night’s going to be just fine.”

  “Oh yeah, you can count on that.” He leaned closer to my ear. “I’ve got plans for you and me, and I’m pretty sure you’re going to like them.”

  I hoped those plans involved a bed and no clothes, but I didn’t voice my thoughts.

  “What made your day so bad?” he asked.

  I hesitated for a moment. Maybe I shouldn’t tell him the whole sordid story, but I did want to start this relationship with an honest note. I’d kept a lot from him in the past and still hadn’t come clean on all of it. I knew he wasn’t exactly open about everything in his life either, but I didn’t mind. I wanted to set my own pace for sharing. I was already at the stage where I wanted to tell him everything.

  “Well, I went to see my friend Lavie—”

  “The demon hunter?”

  “Yeah, that’s the one,” I said with a smile. “Anyway, I dropped by her aunt’s store because I wanted her to help me with the research I’ve been doing.”

  He nodded, because he knew exactly what I was talking about. He’d read some of those Obscurus files with me.

  “And nearly got run over…”

  He came to a sudden stop, tightened his hold on my hand as he turned to face me. “What?”

  “It was nothing—an accident.”

  “Did you get hurt?” He looked me up and down, his eyes shiny.

  “No, I used the protection incantation but I’d cleared the road before getting hit anyway.”

  Papan frowned thoughtfully. “Do you think it was intentional?”

  I shrugged. I could tell myself a hundred times that it had been an accident, and try just as hard to convince him, but experience proved otherwise. I was expecting the next Obscurus member to strike at any moment, so this might have been it.

  “Did you see the car?”

  “Not really—”

  “So you don’t know the make and model, color?”

  I shook my head.

  “What about the license plat
e?”

  “I was too busy trying to get out of its path, Papan!” I exhaled, regretting the fact I’d even mentioned the damn car. “Besides, I was blinded by the headlights.”

  He rubbed my cheek with the back of his hand. “You have to be extra careful out there, Foxy. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  “I know that.” I didn’t want anything to happen to me either.

  “And next time, try to take more notice of the small details.”

  I snorted. “Yeah, okay, Mr. PI. I’ll make sure I can describe my surroundings perfectly for you. And thanks for mentioning there’ll be a next time.”

  He winked. “With you, there’s always a next time. Come on.”

  We continued in silence until we reached the café.

  “Anyway, while I was in Sally’s store, she saw my death in the tea leaves.”

  Papan froze in mid-motion before holding the door open for me. “Tea leaves can be wrong,” he said, following me inside.

  I took a deep, warm breath, sucking in the atmosphere. The warm yellow light helped the cozy ambience of this popular café, and the chill I still carried in my bones faded. It wasn’t a big place, but roomy all the same. The main counter was equipped with several registers and contained a curved glass display, hosting an array of cakes, pastries and muffins. There were several wooden tables and chairs nearby, counters along the two side walls with stools, and four booths at the back.

  We waited by the service counter and Papan ordered our drinks. He knew what I preferred, and when he asked what I wanted to eat I chose a blueberry muffin. He grabbed a chicken schnitzel sandwich and a slice of apple pie. The gym must have made him hungry.

  He told the attendant we were eating in and the guy said he’d bring it all out to us when it was ready. I held Papan’s hand tighter as we headed towards the back, where two booths were unoccupied. The place was packed with couples and friends, all talking and enjoying coffee, tea, hot chocolate, sandwiches and pastries. Their collective, enthusiastic chatter hummed in the air.

  I slid into the booth and Papan sat beside me. He moved in real close and placed an arm over the backrest. He kissed my cheek and pressed his nose into my hair. “Mmmm. You always smell so nice.”

  “Thanks,” I said, feeling a little giddy. And glad his mood had lightened. “What do I smell like?”

  “A combination of vanilla, lavender…you smell like home.”

  “You’re quite the sweet talker, Jason Papan.”

  He winked, but we were interrupted when the guy dropped off our coffees and food. Papan thanked him and the attendant left.

  “Are you sure you don’t want a sandwich or something?” Papan asked.

  “Nah, this is enough.” The anticipation and excitement of being with him made me too excited to eat much.

  “You’re not worried about the death thing, are you?”

  I shook my head. And honestly, out of everything that had happened today, that was the least of my concerns. For someone who’d lived with death for so long, I’d come to terms with the knowledge that it awaited me someday. Besides, predictions were so often vague. Seeing my death in the tea leaves could mean I was going to die tomorrow, next month, in a year, or maybe in ten.

  “Good, because you’re not going anywhere.” Papan took a sip from his cup. “What else upset you?”

  “Ebony’s still not talking to me,” I said. It made me sound like a petulant child, but he was aware of how much the distance between us affected me. “Actually, I tracked her down at Conrad’s and she pretty much told me to fuck off.”

  “She used those words?”

  “No.”

  “That’s unlike her.”

  I couldn’t help but grin. He could soften up any situation. “But seriously, I’m really worried about her. She doesn’t look well and told me she’s taking all of her annual leave right now. Roe said I should keep an eye on her, so I was kinda hoping to take her along for our meeting. You know, trick her into it.” I sighed. “But I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

  Papan grabbed a few of my curls and twirled them around his fingers. “You told me the same thing happened to both of you, right? And you’re not suffering any of the side effects, so maybe she just genuinely wants some time away from everything.”

  “She’s definitely suffering from the side effects. She’s lost so much weight and looks gaunt.” I couldn’t shake the memory of her knobby knees or the bruises. Ebony had always been on the too-thin side, but she was closer to resembling a bag of bones now. “Besides, if Roe hadn’t given her a charmed adrenaline shot, she might not have woken up at all. I returned to my body instantly. I don’t know what effects being separated for so long had on her.”

  “But she did wake up and she’s going to be okay.” Papan released my hair and intertwined his fingers with mine. “She just needs some time to get over this and accept it.”

  “She blames me for what happened.”

  He snorted. “I think that’s just a deflection. She probably feels stupid and maybe a little guilty for not listening when you tried to warn her. Don’t worry about her, she’ll come around. You can’t do much more than give her the distance she wants.”

  “I don’t think I can. I need to make sure she’s okay—”

  “So keep calling her, leave messages, and she’ll call you back when she’s ready.”

  “Speaking of messages, Jonathan’s still at it.”

  Papan’s jaw clenched tight. “Have you listened to any of them?”

  I shook my head. “And I have no intention to, either.”

  “Good, though I doubt that’ll stop him from calling.”

  “He can call all he wants, but I’ll just keep ignoring him.” During the infamous night, while making our escape from inside the Spook Catcher Council, I’d seen my ex lurking in the dark. He actually sounded the alarm that got the authorities to the Tower. We narrowly missed being caught inside and I still didn’t know if that’s what he’d intended. But seeing him stalking around in the middle of such chaos had affected me so much the thought of even hearing his voice made my skin crawl.

  Papan’s phone buzzed and he grabbed it from his pocket, glaring at the screen. “Shit, not again. I better answer it this time.” He placed it on the tabletop, pressed the speaker button and said, “Hello?”

  “Hi, Jason, is that you?”

  “You called my number, so yeah it’s me. What do you want this time, Anna?”

  “Why haven’t you answered any of my calls? Where are you?”

  “Hi Vixen, he’s with me.” I couldn’t help baiting her. Since Vixen—aka Anna Smith—the werewolf hunter, had been bitten by the black dog and infected with his lycanthropy, she continually hounded Papan like a stray in need of a master.

  Silence suddenly filled the space between us. I thought she’d hung up, until she cleared her throat and started speaking to him again as if I wasn’t even there.

  “Jason, I think something’s happening to me…”

  “Something like what?” Impatience was written all over his face, but instead of voicing it, he kept his hand over mine and used the other to hold up half of his sandwich. He polished it off in seconds.

  “I don’t know—you’re the one who knows about all this,” she whispered. “I need you.”

  The last bit sounded too needy, especially for a werewolf hunter who had recklessly hunted Papan without giving up until she put all of our lives in danger and almost got herself killed.

  “You need to get on with your life. Don’t act any differently. The last thing you want to do is catch the attention of any hunters,” Papan said.

  “But—”

  “I’m going to hang up now.”

  “No, wait—”

  He disconnected the call, and the phone started to ring instantly. He set it to silent and put it back in his pocket.

  “Gee, she sounds kinda clingy,” I teased.

  “You have no idea. I had to switch my phone off several t
imes because she kept calling and sending me messages.” Papan shook his head. “The sooner the next full moon comes, the better. Then we’ll know for sure if she’s going to shift or not, because I’m sick and tired of babysitting her.”

  “I’m sick of her too.” I bit my bottom lip. “Do you think that can really happen—her getting the attention of some hunter?”

  He shrugged, polishing off the other half of his sandwich. “Don’t know, don’t care. I just need her off my back.”

  It looked like we both had unfinished, clinging business with others at the moment.

  “Oh, and to round off my perfect day”—I made air quotes around perfect—“I finally met my sister.”

  “Oh yeah, how did it go?”

  “It was strange,” I replied. “She’s just a kid—seventeen—but she’s got some serious issues.”

  He frowned. “What kind of issues?”

  “Yeah, you can keep frowning because my half-sister has some freaky poltergeist guy and his dog attached to her.”

  “What?” He almost choked on his apple pie, but I smacked his back lightly and he took a long sip from his cup of coffee.

  “You heard right—she has a poltergeist or two following her around. When I asked her about her father, she went all strange and a lightshow appeared around her.” I hated to simplify something so serious, but this was the situation we were in.

  “Is that what the lights flashing from your office were?”

  “You saw them?”

  “I was crossing the road and thought you were playing with a torch or something.”

  I laughed. “No, it wasn’t me.”

  “Well, are you going to help her?”

  “Of course I am.”

  “Yeah, you can’t help yourself, can you?”

  “It looks like I can’t,” I said, taking another sip of coffee. The blueberry muffin sat mostly ignored.

  “What’s her father’s name?”

  “Uh…” I tried to summon it from the back of my mind. I hadn’t written it down because I didn’t want to come across as dealing with her coldly. Ah, yeah, I remembered! “Eli John Moss. Why?”