Page 54 of Witch's Wolf

He pulls me close and slaps my ass. Turning me around and sending me into the embrace of molten desire. Warm water lands on my spine as I surrender to him.

29

SAM

You’d better use your head the next time emotion overwhelms you.

The thought lingers, insistently hovering on the edge of my tongue all night. Instinct, maybe. A warning I should give in to, but don’t.

Erica had made a mistake. Let emotion cloud her judgment and that led her straight into danger. Who’s to say she wouldn’t do it again? No one. No one could guarantee me that she wouldn’t screw up, that she wouldn’t get herself hurt. I had to rely on her, trust that she would learn.

And because of that, I hold my tongue. Because she came back. Pulled herself out of the darkness of her past and into my arms. No matter how much fear gnaws my guts, I have her. She faced her mistake, saw the damage it caused, and now… she’s trying to make up for it.

And I’m not going to complain about her first step in fixing it. This reckless, consuming night during which she clings to me like I’m the only solid thing in her world. As if she’s trying toerase the distance she put between us with touch alone. She acts like we’ve been apart for months, like the time we lost was unbearable.

Sheets tangled around us, she takes what she wants, no hesitation, no doubt. I don’t have to reach for her. She comes to me. Again and again. As dawn breaks, satisfaction turns into something heavier. The night fades, and there is reality, waiting impatiently. Harsh and unforgiving. I can’t forget what happened. I won’t.

Her parents tried to kill me and that isn’t paranoia, it’s fact. Worse, they’re still out there, lurking, waiting, and plotting. I don’t think they’ll stop until they finish what they started. I’m not sure why they want me dead. And if that isn’t enough, now there’s another threat, the vampire.

Attacking in a bar full of humans makes no damn sense. He could’ve picked off any number of easy targets. The alley behindMichelle’swould’ve given him the perfect cover, but he didn’t go for any of the patrons. He went for Erica. Why? Is it related?

His excuse was bullshit. Out of hundreds of people, he zeroed in on her. Lurked in her dressing room, a risk no predator in his right mind would take. One stray staff member, one set of sharp ears, and he’d have been exposed.

So why her? What made her so special? I don’t like the answer forming in the back of my mind. Not one damn bit.

Agreeing to my request, Erica follows me back to the mountain. She has three days until her next gig, giving her some free time. Her only protest was that she needs a piano to practice on, which is an easy enough fix. I called Ray on the way and asked him to go to Shandaken and buy whatever piano or synthesizer indecent condition he could find. It probably won’t be fancy, but it’ll have to do. It’ll be the best I can do on short notice. I’m sure she’ll make it work.

I stop the truck in front of my cabin. The yard is quiet and still, the same as usual, but today it feels different. She’s here. It makes everything feel more alive. I know, whether she realizes it or not, that she belongs here.

Ray steps out of the workshop, wiping his hands on a grease-stained rag. His sleeveless tee is streaked with oil, a dark smear cutting across his stomach, and there’s a fresh stain on the knee of his jeans. His gaze flicks to Erica, then locks his eyes on mine, curling one finger to motion me over. I glance at Erica.

“Go see Nora. I’m sure you two have plenty to catch up on.”

“Okay,” she agrees, her eyes darting to Ray then back to me.

She purses her lips and when they part, I think she’s going to protest, but instead she shakes her head. Turning away, she walks to Nora’s house.

“Morning, kid,” I say, grinning at Ray. “How’s work? You guys miss me today?”

“Nah. Why would we miss your bitching and breaking shit?” Ray asks, but the sarcasm is flat.

He’s keeping his face carefully schooled and unreadable. That puts me on edge. Ray doesn’t hide his feelings and especially not from family. Something’s up.

“Welcome back,” Raul says, emerging from the shop and coming up beside our brother. “You guys back together?”

“Yeah.” I nod, tensing for his argument against me being with her. “She apologized. Promised to keep her cool.” I glance at Ray whose expression is still set like stone. “What’s with him? He looks too serious for a morning greeting.”

Raul exhales, lips pressing into a thin line.

“There’s been a development.”

The air shifts. Tension that I know too well, the type that comes right before shit goes sideways, settles over me.

“Some of the pack reported a lot of activity around Dawson and Shandaken last night,” Raul continues. “They found sixteen dead birds and four dead deer.”

“And?” I ask, straightening as my shoulders stiffen.

“We went out to investigate. Took a search party to Lake Paxton.” His gaze sharpens. “It was like a horde tore through there. Tents. Dying fires. Hot barbecues. Half-eaten steaks. You name it.”

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