Dare (14 page)

I couldn’t break away. I didn’t want to. The nearness of her drove me crazy. There was more light than dark. I wanted the light. “I know this is a lot to ask, but would you stay with me again tonight?”

M
y heart thudded. My breath quickened. He asked me to stay over. And it wasn’t like last night, nothing like it.

I wanted to take my time and make a rational decision. One that fit all the circumstances I was dealing with. One I wouldn’t regret tomorrow. One that wouldn’t put his life in danger. One that would keep us both alive.

I was the one holding us in this moment. My indecision creating energy, feeding the connection we felt, giving us time to think about what it meant if I stayed, and what it ended if I left.

He didn’t move. His eyes pressed mine for a response.

“Stay,” he whispered.

“For a little bit,” I answered. I still had patrol, but he didn’t need to know that. “I’ll stay…until I have to go.”

I climbed into the bed, aligning myself behind him, careful not to touch his leg. I nuzzled my chin against his shoulder, sliding my hand around his chest. My fingers moved slowly, experiencing his skin. The smoothness of it, the firmness of his muscles, the ridges over his chest. I inhaled his scent, my head filled with it. He smelled like juniper and something masculine.

We should sleep. We both needed sleep, but as the seconds passed and my body fell into the rhythm of his breath, my chest pressed into his back, my fingers trying to still the want to explore him, I felt more alive than sleepy. It was the newness of him, the way I
didn’t
know him. The way I wanted to discover him.

It was like a fever sweeping through me, taking my veins in waves, pushing through my body until every inch of me felt warmth. I wanted to wrap myself around him, take him with me, but I couldn’t. We couldn’t.

I pulled away and rolled on my back. I needed air.

“You ok?” He could only roll so far. His leg kept him from lying on his left side.

I stared at the ceiling fan. “I’m fine. I’m going to try to sleep. That’s all.”

I steadied my breath and watched the blades circle. If I counted the rotations enough times, maybe I would forget I was sleeping next to an irresistible guy.

He propped up on his elbow. I didn’t need a light to see how he was staring at me. There was nothing but lust in those blue eyes. “I don’t know if I can sleep.”

I felt it again, the burning, the want. I looked away.

People were missing. People were counting on me to find them. He wasn’t going to bleed to death tonight. I couldn’t let myself steal this kind of time. It was selfish.

I wish I could be the type of queen who was selfish, but that wasn’t me. The Nox came first.

“I’ve got to go.” I landed on my feet on the other side of the bed. It was abrupt after agreeing to spend the night, but I was afraid I would talk myself into staying if I looked into his eyes again.

“What happened? What’s wrong?” He looked disappointed.

“Nothing. I have a lot going on. It’s complicated.”

“Not the first time I’ve heard that.”

I paused at the door. “I want to stay, but not tonight. I have to take care of a few things first. I-I—” There wasn’t any way to make this right. I had ruined tonight.

He still looked confused. “Good luck with whatever is complicating your life.”

“Thanks. I’ll check on you tomorrow.”

I wanted to crawl back in bed with him, and do all the things he was thinking about, but I didn’t have the luxury of time. For a split second, I had let myself believe I deserved a minute to rest, maybe even deserved a distraction from the crisis destroying my life. But queens don’t have those choices. I cursed myself for forgetting my responsibilities and my mind.

I closed the bedroom door. There was a witch I needed to see.

If he was surprised to hear from me, he didn’t let on. Detective Grace said we could meet in private, preferably somewhere no one would see us.

After I hung up from our call, I drove downtown. There was an old tobacco warehouse under construction. He said we could meet there.

I didn’t spend much time in this part of Sullen’s Grove. It was too far from campus to be a regular college hangout, and it wasn’t anywhere near the woods where I patrolled at night.

I stepped over a beam, kicking a bucket full of nails by accident. It appeared this was going to be a condo conversion. I could see the framework for individual rooms.

“Hey, there.” He appeared from the dark end of the building. I wondered if he had been watching me long.

“Hi.” I was nervous. I was about to out who I was. “Detective Grace.”

“Just call me Ian.” He walked toward me. “I thought we could talk here. It’s safe. I cloaked us when you walked in. We don’t have to worry about anyone seeing or hearing us.”

“Cloaked?”

“Yes, the doors are sealed. No one can get in.” He leaned against a sawhorse. “So, what is it you need help with? Should I assume it has something to do with that animal attack last night?”

I hadn’t thought through all the consequences of working with a witch. All I could concentrate on was getting the girls back. What if he had sealed me in and I was the one on lockdown? What if Case had gotten to him first? I was starting to doubt my instincts to trust him.

“First, I need to know what your angle is. Why do you want to help me?” I asked.

“Because I like helping people. I’m a cop.” He shoved his hands in his pockets.

“But you’re also a witch.”

“First timer?”

“I don’t usually reach out.”

“Then whatever it is, it must be pretty serious.”

I tried to gauge him. He had blond hair, green eyes, but not deep like mine. He was a good-looking guy. I couldn’t detect anything sinister about him.

“It is. My friends have been kidnapped.”

His eyebrows lifted. “Kidnapped? Who are they? Did you report them missing?”

I shook my head. “No, it’s not an ordinary human kidnapping. They were taken by something more supernatural.”

“Who?”

“The king of the Jaguar Tribe.” I finally sat on the sawhorse across from him. We would be here awhile.

“Can’t say I know him.”

“I wish I didn’t.” I let a low growl slip.

“That bad?” he asked.

“We’re betrothed through the council. Although, I’m not going through with it. Thus, the kidnappings. He’s taken my friends to prove a point.”

Ian looked like he was thinking it over. “And how exactly are you going to get out of the council’s commands?”

“It doesn’t matter to me what they command. I’m not marrying someone and handing over my territory.”

“And Sullen’s Grove is your territory?”

I nodded. “It has been since I was born. I’m sworn to protect it. If I marry Case, then it becomes his territory. I lose my kingdom. I lose my ability to shift.”

“What?” He looked alarm. “What kind of shifter are you?”

I was hoping maybe we could have this entire conversation without divulging my identity, but if I needed his help, I had to be honest.

“I’m Dare. Queen of the Nox. I’m a she-panther.”

His eyes widened. “Should I be calling you your majesty?”

I let a smile slip. “No. That’s only during formal events. Dare is fine.”

“Honestly, I’ve met a lot of shifters, but never a panther. I was starting to think you were only a legend.” He laughed.

“You mean like the famous Sullen’s Grove witches?” I taunted.

“Yeah, exactly like those.”

I was starting to feel at ease with him. He had a calming effect.

“I don’t understand why you won’t be able to shift anymore. Not that I’m condoning arranged marriages, because I don’t. Not cool.”

“It gives me hope that someone else in the magical community has some common sense.” I sighed. “I’ll give you the short version of the story. This is what happens. Panther shifters are given territory at birth, under their father’s reign. When it’s time to marry, which is when the female turns twenty-two, she gives her territory to her husband. He sticks around until he knows she’s carrying his cub, which usually takes less than a month.” This part was embarrassing. “She-panthers usually get pregnant in the first few times together.” I skipped ahead. “Anyway, he leaves and moves on to his next wife. But when a she-panther gives birth, she transfers all of her power to her cub. She loses the ability to shift again. Her magic is completely transferred.”

He looked completely stunned. “That is screwed up.”

“I know.”

“And it just keeps perpetuating?”

“Yes. Well, not anymore. I’m ending it.”

“What do you mean?” He pressed his lips into a thin line.

“I’ve spent years gathering other she-panthers who would be willing to defy the council. I brought them together. We’re not going to marry any shifters, and we’re certainly not going to have a fatherless cub we have to raise alone. We don’t want to be human. I don’t want to stop protecting the city. Case doesn’t care about Sullen’s Grove. He just wants to add land to his kingdom.”

“How did you become a queen? Is it ok I ask that?”

It was a reasonable question. “My father was a king. It’s my birthright.”

“How did I not know this was going on?” Ian looked angry.

“It’s not witch business, I guess.”