Omega (7 page)

Home is where the heart is.

Home had been wherever chasing had taken him. Mostly crappy hotels
like this one. As for heart, he put his hand to his chest almost expecting
quiet to find his fingers. The beat was still there, only it was stripped bare
of all emotion.

Cole took the stairs two at a time then flexed his right hand, still
swollen from his confrontation earlier when he’d beat the crap out of a skin shifter.
Yeah sure, the skin had been about to kill a man so that he could take over his
identity. At least, just until he became bored, at which point he would have
killed the family. The wife, the three kids, hell even the family dog.
Couldn’t
have the blood of all those innocents on his hands now could he?
Then
again, maybe he had gone a little too far. Hounds, the skin would live. Well,
at least until he was found guilty and put to death. Tough, so what if he was
feeling a little unforgiving at the moment. It would make him a better Chaser.

Cole looked down at the ring on his hand remembering Gray’s words.
It had hurt physically to put the thing back on. To push back down and cage a
part of himself. His wolf. It had helped at least though to dull his emotions,
the parts of him that were missing Katy more than he dared admit openly.

Katy
.

Leather. Red lace. Summer breeze…

Damn, just thinking of her made him imagine her scent. Like she was
here somewhere close. His beating, traitorous heart clenched at the thought.
Cole neared the end of the hallway and bend that would lead to his door.

His nose twitched. It
was
her scent. Well, sort of because he
also smelled cheese burger and starch – the kind used in laundering clothes.

“Housekeeping.” There was definitely someone in the next passage but
the voice was not Katy’s. One explanation - he was going nuts. Cole fisted his
hand as he reached the bend, already the swelling was going down. The pain had
subsided to a dull resonance.  Just before turning, he reached into his coat
slipping his fingers over the hilt of his knife, just in case.

An overweight woman somewhere north of fifty dressed in a room
attendant outfit stood on the other side of his door. A big housekeeping
trolley blocked the rest of the path. His hand tightened on the blade.
Something had alarm bells sounding in his head. That scent was stronger than
ever.

…besides the lace, flowers, definite candle lit dinners, he could
smell fear etched with…determination. 

Katy stood up from behind the trolley.

Everything in him froze, even his breathing stopped. His heart
finally had the good grace to let up, if only for a beat or two before quickly
making up for lost time.

What the…?

This was so not a part of his well thought out plan.

“My room is good thanks,” Cole addressed the cleaning lady. The hand
on his weapon easing only when she disappeared down the other end of the hall.

“Hi,” he said and couldn’t help but smile as their eyes locked. She
was like a break in the clouds on a rainy day. Like rain in the dessert. The
first cherry blossom in spring. He had to stand there for a moment or two, just
to make sure she was really there and not a figment of his tortured
imagination. “Come in…please.”

Her heart raced.

The scent of her fear weighed thick in the air.

Was she afraid of him? After all they’d been through, did she still
think he would hurt her?
There was something more
there. Damn if he knew. Another scent he couldn’t wrap his nose around.

Katy walked into the cramped room, she accessed her surroundings.
Probably looking for a chair to sit down on. When she came up short, she sat
down on the only available surface. The bed.

It immediately struck him how perfect she looked in his space. Then
she turned those baby blues on him, eyes fanned by thick black lashes. Her
heart still raced but most of the fear had been replaced with…
desire
. Cole
felt himself thicken. His wolf had been quiet ever since he’d placed it back
behind silver bars. It sprang to life now though as if it knew something he was
failing to see. Maybe it was as happy as he was to see Katy. That must be it.
He willed the beast in him to remain calm. It was important that he be able to
think clearly. As over the full moon as he was to see her, he had to remind
himself that nothing had changed. This was not the life he wanted for her. It
was crucial that he harden himself to whatever she had to say because it didn’t
matter. He loved her too much to allow her to turn her back on what could be a
happy life. A normal life. One he would never be able to give her.

“Why are you here? How did you find me?”

Katy didn’t even flinch, it was like she had expected him to play
hard ass.

“Gray told me how to find you.”

That would explain things since Ash knew exactly where he was and
Gray and Ash were working together to solve the string of murders. 

“Why are you here? Is everything okay?”
Maybe another wolf…?
Maybe the female demon wolf had contacted her? Or tried to…?
Cole crouched
down in front of her leaning both his hands on either side of her. “Has
anything happened?”

Hades hounds, she stroked his cheek and he had to work to keep
himself from moving. A part of him wanted to react which would involve more
touching. This time from him. Another part wanted to get the hell out of there
and the quicker the better.

“I’m fine. Nothing has happened. I needed to see you. I didn’t like
the way things ended.”

This was what he had been afraid of. All the while her hand ran its
way down his cheek before moving back up and threading into his hair.

“Katy, there’s nothing to talk about.”

“Gray came to see me because he couldn’t believe that we weren’t
together. That you had just up and left.”

Cole pulled away; he stood, taking off his trench coat as he moved.
Not that he could get very far in this small room. It had become unbearably hot
all of a sudden. “What was he expecting? Why did you listen to him anyway?”

“I listened to him because he was right,” she stood up moving
towards him.

“No”—Cole paced in the other direction—“he was wrong.”

“What was he wrong about?”

“Everything. He was wrong about every God damn thing.”

“Cole…Cole please look at me…look at me damn it.”

How could he not? Her smell of fear was back. It wasn’t him she
feared, but rather his reaction to what she had to say. Why in the hell did
that make him feel so good even in the midst of all this?

“Gray was right. There is something between us. Don’t you feel it?”

He moved towards her, positioning himself right in front of her.
“Yeah, I feel it alright. It’s called attraction…good old fashioned physical
attraction.”

“You’re wrong Cole. It’s more than that. It’s…it’s…”

Please don’t say it
…he mentally begged
her not to say it…
please don’t.

“Sex. Katy. Sex.” This time he saw her flinch. “Just because we’re
good together doesn’t mean we’re meant to be together. I’ve done my duties as a
Chaser. You’re safe and if that’s all you came for then you can go.” The last
thing he wanted was to hurt her but he knew deep down inside that this was the
right thing for her. Instead of leaving as he hoped, she stepped in closer,
inches separated them.

“Fine, tell me that there’s nothing between us and I’ll go.”

He couldn’t.

“Tell me I mean nothing and I’ll leave and never come back. I
promise.”

Hells hounds but he couldn’t. He could not look her in the eye and
lie so blatantly. So he did the one other thing that came to mind and kissed
her. At least this way she couldn’t ask him things he couldn’t answer and he
wouldn’t be forced to lie. At first she kissed him back, made that whimpering
sound he liked so much. Melting, melting and then she was freezing up so he
slanted his lips, wrapping his arms more tightly around her.

****

As good as it felt to be with Cole like this, she knew it was wrong.
If she gave in they would end up in bed together, proving him right. That there
was nothing more between them than sex which was not the case so, she fought
him, and he fought back. Cole pushed his leg between hers and they fell onto
the double bed that smelled of him.

Earth and powerful man.

Oh God help her she had to stop this. His hands were on her.
Stroking her through her clothes making her arch and moan.

“Cole…you’re right,” her voice was strained and breathy. She had to
try and get a grip which was difficult when she could feel his erection
straining between her legs.
Why oh why had she worn a summer dress?
“There
is
a physical attraction between us”—

“Mmmm,” he said this while doing things to her nipple, right through
her thin dress.

—“but there is more to it. Way more,” she continued.

“Yeah, there’s this,” he slipped a strap from her shoulder taking
her already tight bud into his hot mouth, “…and this…” Next, he slipped a
finger into her panties and stroked her clit. Given another few seconds and
she’d come straight into his hand proving him right.

“Stop!” she pleaded.

He did, right away, saying softly into her ear, “I’m sorry Katy.
You’re right.”

 Cole moved off of her and she adjusted her clothing, but they both
stayed on the bed. It was unbelievable how badly she wanted him, but she wanted
more than just his body.

“Say it,” she had to look away.
What if she was wrong?

“That’s it,” he cussed so softly she barely heard him, “You’re not
wearing your necklace. Damn it Katy I told you to leave it on.”

“I am what I am. I’m an Omega demon wolf not a human.”

“You had a chance at a normal life.”

“You’re wrong Cole. The necklace stopped me from being who I am. I
feel happier with it off.”

“What is it that you want to hear?” he asked.

Katy had to look at him.

When she did the sternness of his features melted and his voice
softened. “That I have feelings for you. That there’s more between us than just
really great sex? Look around Katy because all I see is a flea infested,
two-bit hotel room. Is this what you want?”

“I see
you
Cole. Forget the room and everything else. I see
exactly what I want.”

He raked a hand through his hair, “I give you three years tops
before you’re done with all the moving around, with all the death, the drama,
before you decide you want more and move on. I wouldn’t blame you.”

“Three years? It’s a long time, how will you feel about me in three
years?”

At first he didn’t move, had even seemed to have stopped breathing.
Then the right side of his mouth hitched up ever so slightly. “I think I’ll
still be feeling as physically attracted to you as ever.”

“Physical attraction huh?”

He was looking at her lips, her eyes and back.

“You’re full of shit Cole,” she said.

He smiled breaking out his secret weapon – those incredible dimples.
She found herself smiling along with him.

Then he went all serious again. “You deserve better and I care for
you too much to let you waste your life on a mongrel like me.”

The bed rocked as she slid clear, standing in front of him. “Okay,
have it your way but it’s important that you know, I sold my house and quit my
job. I have no life to go back to. Gray said I could join the pack anytime, and
I’m going to take him up on his offer.”

****

There were many things he could be named, but an idiot was not one of
them. It was as clear as the wolf inside him that she was trying to get a
reaction out of him. Hades be damned. The wolves would go crazy if they caught
a snout full of her. Omega females were much more readily accepted into a pack.
Especially ones that looked and smelled like Katy.

“You wouldn’t.”

“I will. I’m a demon wolf,” she shrugged her shoulders. “I belong
with my mate but since he won’t have me I’ll have to make do with a second
choice, but hey at least he’ll be a pure blood demon wolf.”

His wolf went berserk, he was forced to shut his eyes and breathe
deeply. “No.” The word left his throat in a low growl. “I won’t allow it.”

“I get to decide how I live my life and I choose you. I don’t care
about the hotel rooms or anything else as long as we’re together it’ll be
okay.”

He kept his eyes shut and worked on keeping his wolf calm. If the
beast in him had his way he would claim Katy as his in the most animal, most
primal way possible.

“Gray told me how to find you. It’s part of the reason I took off
the chain. He told me if I took it off and if we were meant to be mates, that I
would be able to find you.”

His eyes flew open searching her face for any trace of deception
knowing that he would find none. “It can’t be.”