Emmitt's Treasure: Judgement of the Six Companion Series, book 2 (10 page)

Her gaze drifted to my neat pile of clothes, and she grinned. Her attempt to bend down and pick up my shirt almost landed her on her face.  I moved quickly, using my side to keep her upright.  Once she had the shirt in hand, she straightened and pressed the material to her face.  A partial groan and growl escaped.  She was doing it again.  Scenting me.  The woman was hell-bent on driving me crazy with mixed signals.  Did she fear me or want to inhale me?

When her eyes didn’t open for a few seconds, I realized I was going to lose her to sleep and nudged her.

“Good boy,” she said, opening her eyes and patting my head again.

Heaving a sigh, I used my teeth to try to pluck the shirt from her hands.

“Bad,” she scolded, in a stern voice.  Then, she tapped my nose in reprimand.

I snorted and slowly started the change back, giving up on the shirt.  Hopefully, once she saw some skin, she’d understand who I was and maybe turn around.  All the petting hadn’t helped calm me down.

As soon as my chest and shoulders were furless her eyes widened comically. “Oh!” she said, spinning on her heel, still clutching my shirt.

I pushed through the rest of the change and quickly pulled on my pants.  The rasp of my zipper caused her to groan.  I grinned as I scented her embarrassment.  It was much better than fear.

“Is it too late to ask for another shot?” she whispered.

“Yep.”  We were way past that.

She swayed on her feet, and I decided she’d had enough.  Scooping her into my arms, I turned toward the house.  She sighed and rested her head on my chest.  I looked down at her peaceful expression.  Her eyes had already drifted closed again.

“Now, you promised to answer a few questions,” I said softly.

She nodded, burrowing in a little as she set her palm against my bare chest.  For a second, I couldn’t remember what I’d wanted to ask her.

I swallowed hard and tried to focus.

“If you’re not worried about David, who are you worried about?”

When she didn’t answer, I lightly jostled her in my arms to wake her up again.

She smiled up at me.

“Can I sleep in your shirt tonight?”

The image of her in my shirt created a gnawing need in my gut.  Yeah, she’d be sleeping in my shirt tonight, and if I were lucky, she’d be sleeping in my bed within a week. First, though, I needed her trust.

“Why did David keep you locked away?”

“Blake told him to.  I really liked when you kissed my neck even though I tried not to.”

How was I supposed to think with comments like that?  My gaze fell to her neck.  Did she want me to kiss her again?  I really wanted to.  She sleepily smiled up at me, beckoning.  So tempting.  My fingers twitched with the need to follow the direction of my thoughts.  But if I did, I wouldn’t find out about her past and tomorrow, we’d be right back to her smelling like fear.

“Who’s Blake?” I asked.

“I like you without a shirt.  A lot.” Her fingers danced along my skin again, heating my blood.  Then, suddenly, her expression changed from dreamy to concerned. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

“I have you, honey.  Let’s get you ready for bed.”

She nodded, and l started toward the house.  Inside was quiet.  I had no doubt both Winifred and Jim were awake, though.

When I started up the stairs, Michelle looped her arms around my neck and pressed tightly against me.  My thoughts returned to snuggling and kissing her neck.  I was climbing a true stairway to heaven.

At her closed door, I hesitated.  Not willing to let her go just yet, I shifted her weight to one arm and opened the door.  The soft sounds of her brothers’ breathing came from the bedroom.  I stepped inside and nudged the door almost shut behind me.

Her eyes fluttered closed, and her hold around my neck grew lax.

I wanted to kiss her.

“But I won’t,” I said softly.

She turned her head slightly and opened her eyes.  When she saw me, she smiled. “So handsome.”

Her lids closed again, and I wondered how much she would remember tomorrow.

My resolve to leave her alone weakened.  I lowered my head, watching for any sign of aversion.  Her lashes remained on her cheek as I touched my nose to her temple.  Inhaling, I trailed my way to her neck.  Her scent soothed the need that had been growing since I first saw her, but created a new ache that demanded more.

“Mmm...”

The sound of her throaty groan caused my teeth to lengthen and my arms to tremble.  But, I didn’t stop my exploration.  Reaching the curve of her neck, I pressed my lips to her skin and held still.  She sighed a little and relaxed further.

I shook with the need to run my tongue over her skin.  To taste her.  To bring us one step closer to Claiming, then Mating.  Mine.  Her reaction now, even though she was drunk, helped assure me that there would be a time when she would come to me willingly.

I pulled back and jostled her a little.  As soon as her eyes opened, I set her on her feet.  Being upright seemed to bring a clearer level of awareness to her gaze.  She looked up and studied me for a moment before turning away to follow the path to her bedroom.  She swayed on her feet, but I didn’t move to help her.  If I touched her any more, I wasn’t sure I’d have the strength to leave again.

Waiting by the door, I listened to her undress.  She didn’t get into bed as I expected but reappeared in the hallway, dressed in my shirt.  The hem kissed the tops of her thighs.  Cutoffs showed just as much skin but somehow, seeing her in just my shirt made that same skin so much more delicious.

I fisted my hands, wanting desperately to close the distance between us.  The hesitation in her eyes kept me in place.

“Good night, Emmitt.”

With her words, she blushed slightly.  A hint of her interest in me perfumed the air, and I smiled.  She was mine, and soon she’d realize it.

“Sweet dreams, Michelle.” I turned and walked out the door, waiting in the hallway until I heard her crawl into bed.

Rolling my shoulders to ease some of the tension, I started down the stairs.  Jim and Winifred were waiting for me at the bottom.

“How did it go?” Winifred asked.

Exhaling heavily, I motioned to Jim’s apartment.  She went to the fridge and grabbed three beers.  No one said anything as I opened mine and took two long swallows.

“Well, I think.  I shifted and she didn’t run away screaming.  So that’s something, right?”

Winnifred nodded and sipped her beer.

“She said some things to me that aren’t right.  When I found her, a man named David was trying to take her back to wherever she’s from.  David mentioned two other names.  Blake and Richard.  Last night she told me someone kept her brothers locked in their room.”

Jim growled low and I nodded.

“But when I told her I wouldn’t let David come near them again, she gave me a funny look and said she wasn’t afraid of David.  I think one of those other two were keeping her and her brothers locked away.”

“Old boyfriend, maybe?” Winifred said.

“Why do you think that?”

“Humans can get possessive, too.  And when they do, they tend to cross lines.  It’s the only thing I can think of that would make sense.  It would also explain why she fears you more than Jim.  She’s interested in you, and the last man to be interested in her locked her away.  Wouldn’t you be afraid of that happening again?”

I nodded slowly.  It would make sense.

“But then, who was David?” Jim said.

I wished I knew.

We stayed up talking for another hour.  Before Winifred went for her nightly run, I asked for some aspirin in case Michelle needed it in the morning.

Sleep eluded me as I lay on the couch.  Michelle hadn’t lied when she said she needed a friend.  More than that, she needed someone she could trust.  But, what more could I do to show her she could trust me?  Revealing what I was and that werewolves existed was my biggest secret to share.  It was my way of showing Michelle that I trusted her.  She could destroy lives with that simple fact, not that I thought she’d say anything.  She kept secrets; she didn’t tell them.  And, that was the problem.  She needed to trust me so she could tell hers.  I couldn’t help her until she did.

*    *    *    *

The faint sound of a floorboard creaking brought me instantly off the couch.  I filled a glass of water and grabbed the pills before taking the stairs two at a time.

Werewolves didn’t get hangovers, but my mom did, and it didn’t take much alcohol.  I didn’t want Michelle feeling like that.  Plus, I just needed to see her.  Would she remember all of last night?  Would her fear of me be gone?  Would she be ready to see me as her Mate?

I knocked and waited.  When nothing happened, I knocked again.  Louder.  From inside, I heard Liam use his nickname for Michelle.  He was trying to wake her up.  Good boy.  I kept knocking to help.

A faint groan reached me.

“Mimi,” Liam said, softly.  “Someone’s at the door.  I think it’s Uncle Jim.”

Uncle
Jim?  Liam and I obviously needed to do some more bonding.

Another groan.

“Should I get the door?” Liam asked.

When I heard footsteps, I stopped my knocking and waited with the pills and water ready.  Anticipation coiled in my chest.  A moment later, the door flew open.

Her dark hair was a messy halo around her head.  Sleep marks creased one cheek, and she had a hand print on her neck.  And she was scowling.

Trying to hold back a smile was impossible.  Especially when she was still wearing my shirt.  I held out the water and pills.

She took the glass and swallowed down the pills without a word.  The tilt of her head and the movement of her throat pulled my gaze.  I was dying for a taste of her.  Could she tell?  Did she know that was why I was up here?

“I heard Liam moving around and wanted to know if he’d like to come down and eat breakfast with me,” I said.

Her eyes met mine, and I watched emotions play across her features.  When she cringed, I knew she was remembering last night.  I waited for her reaction, but the scent of her fear didn’t return.

“I’m never drinking again,” she whispered.

I grinned.  We were good.  Not Mates or even friends, but we’d get there.

“I like your pajamas,” I said, still smiling at the beautiful woman who owned my heart.

She looked down at it and frowned. “We’re not on speaking terms today,” she said.  But I saw the humor in her eyes.

I laughed.  She didn’t have a chance.  Mine.

Liam walked down the hall, dressed for the day.  I waved him over, ready to bond so Michelle could get more sleep.

“Send Aden down when he’s up.”

*    *    *    *

We were all sitting at the island when I heard her on the stairs.  Jim quickly reached out and grabbed seven more pancakes from the mountain on the platter in the middle of the island.

“Jim, save some for Michelle,” Winifred said at the same time I moved the pancake platter further out of his reach.

“She won’t be hungry,” Liam said quietly.  “She never is when she has her headaches.”

The sad way he said it gave us all pause.  Then Michelle walked in.  Winifred went back to helping Aden cut his sausage, Jim went back to drowning his pancakes in syrup, and I forgot everything.

She’d showered, and her hair was up but still damp.  The tank top hugged her curves and her jean cutoffs hugged her—

I looked up as she kissed her brothers so she wouldn’t catch my wandering, and very appreciative, eye.  In the light of the kitchen, she looked pale.  And the sidelong glance she gave the food told me she wasn’t yet feeling well.

Winifred gave Michelle a once-over from head to toe.  Quickly focusing on fixing Michelle a plate, I pretended not to notice when Winifred turned to glare at me.  The scent of old booze, particularly tequila, was hard to miss.

Emmitt, she’s under my protection.  Do not allow her to consume that much alcohol again.

Yes, ma’am.

“What do you guys want to do today?” Michelle asked her brothers.

“It’s going to be hot and humid.  Can we go back to the lake?” Jim asked, distracting Winifred from scolding me further.

Michelle nodded, surprising me.  She hadn’t seemed too excited about going the last time.

“Michelle and I will get the groceries this time,” I said, lightly pouring syrup over her pancakes.  When I handed her the plate, she wrinkled her nose.

“No,” Winifred said.  “I think you should take Jim so you can teach him how to shop.”

I turned away so Michelle wouldn’t see my frown.

She was afraid and asked for another drink.  I allowed two shots then she had water.  I didn’t like that she felt she needed the alcohol to face the truth about who we are, but I wasn’t about to deny her, either, when she was giving me a chance.  I don’t think that—

Emmitt.

I knew better than to keep going.  Winifred might look old, but she was the most capable and fiercest Elder we had.  If she wanted, she could lay down a beating that would make me whimper like a pup, or she could command me.  Commands were far worse.

I want to ask how she’s doing, and she’s more likely to speak freely without you two here.

When I turned back around, I saw Jim finishing Michelle’s pancakes.  I gave him a look, and he gave a slight shrug and nodded toward Michelle.

*    *    *    *

Winifred was right to send me with Jim.  We would have been eating beef sticks and cheese popcorn all day.  As we loaded everything into the back of the truck, I contacted Winifred.

We’re done.
 
Real food for a picnic lunch.

Meet us at the beach.  We’re just rounding up the kids.

How is she?

Hung over.  But surprisingly well-adjusted given what she’s just learned.

I exhaled with relief.

We’ll see you soon,
she said
.

“We’re meeting them at the lake,” I said as I got in behind the wheel.

The drive seemed to take longer than I remembered.  Nervous anticipation wound in my gut.  It seemed as if I hadn’t seen Michelle in weeks.  I itched to sit on the beach with her and inhale her sweet scent.

“Thinking about her bikini again?” Jim said, interrupting my thoughts.  “Me, too.”

“Find your own.”  I punched him in the arm, and he laughed.

“Nah.  Michelle’s a gift.  The chances of two cubs from the same family Mating are about one in never.  Besides, Winifred needs me.”

“I don’t think she’d agree.”

“Nope.  Me neither.  But, she does.  She knows she won’t live forever, and the future of our kind worries her.  Training me gives her peace of mind.”