Projected Pleasure (13 page)

104

Jennifer Salaiz

Marley’s eyes darted to the Josephine’s bloody face. “What do you mean we share the same bloodline? I’m not related to you. I’m not even from here. I came from Texas.”

“I didn’t say we were sisters. Sharing the same bloodline doesn’t mean that, exactly. It simply means we share the same original maker, but yours is so pure, I would think he bit you himself. How long have you been a wolf? It’s taken me my whole life to build up this much strength.”

Josephine wrinkled her nose. “And what’s up with your scent? It doesn’t make sense to me.”

The guys were staring at Josephine just as shocked as Marley was. How they had even gotten out here, she hadn’t noticed.

Momentarily speechless, she tried to think of which question to answer.

“Not long, only a few days. Who is the ‘he’ you’re referring to?”

“Only a few days!” Josephine looked toward the guys. They shook their heads, telling her Marley spoke the truth. She looked back at Marley. “Shit, I don’t know who ‘he’ is. Demon or Jordan never mentioned his name. He’s a god, an ancient wolf. Supposedly, he was a great, great, great, distant relative or something of ours. Like I said, they were so secretive around me. They never told me anything.”

“You said your other brother Demon left when Jordan did. Do you think he’s responsible for the recent attacks on our pack?” Marley asked hesitantly.

Josephine looked down. “I’m not sure. Demon was always the bad one. He continually made Jordan do things he didn’t want to do. If my twin was in this rival pack you speak of, then, yes, I believe Demon is behind it.

“But I’m not sure Demon will be their Alpha. He didn’t have it in him. That’s why Jordan was always getting pulled into his schemes.

He was the more powerful of the two. Demon might be stronger now.

They were both still young when they left me with my aunt. It’s been over four years since I’ve seen either one of my brothers”

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“For what it’s worth, I’m really sorry about Jordan. I don’t think he was all bad. I wish I could tell you why he happened to do the things he did,” Marley said quietly. Just talking about Jordan was making her extremely uncomfortable, but she wanted to put Josephine at ease. She knew it had to be painful for her to have lost her twin, and Marley might not like Jordan, but she was gaining a whole new respect for the twit. The girl could definitely deliver a punch.

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Jennifer Salaiz

Cole couldn’t believe the information about Josie. And the fight was even worse. His instincts pulled at him to defend Marley, even though she didn’t need it. He and Zachary couldn’t help but gape in utter disbelief at the strength and quickness she had displayed. If this was just the beginning for her, how powerful would she become? The thought struck him with fear.

Once someone in a surrounding pack heard of her power, would they come to test it? Zachary was once considered a prodigy, and plenty of times other packs wanted to dominate them just for boasting rights, but with Marley would it be the same? He didn’t like the feeling that twisted in his stomach.

Werewolves were all about proving themselves. It was almost certain some cocky new alpha would want to come to test the theory.

Could he or Zachary sit around and let them challenge her? No. A war would ensue for sure.

Cole shook his head, trying to block the majority of his thoughts from Marley. She seemed occupied with Josie on the computer so hopefully she wasn’t paying attention. The last thing he wanted to do was worry her. But he did need to talk to Zach.

He looked over in his best friend’s direction and smiled. Demetri stared intently into Zachary’s face while it seemed his alpha carried on a conversation with the nonverbal child. Cooing sounds came from the baby as he swung his fists around in the air, obviously in a very happy mood.

It suddenly dawned on Cole how different his friend had ultimately become in the months he wasn’t here. Zachary used to be
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so focused and serious all the time. Now he was smiling and talking gibberish to a baby that probably didn’t know what in the hell its father ranted on about. The transformation made him smile.

So this was the family love his mother always talked to him about.

She always said when he found his mate and they started their own family he wouldn’t be so crazy anymore. Now that he thought about it, since he met Marley, he hadn’t done anything he would usually be doing.

He couldn’t even remember the last time he went out to a bar and tried to meet someone. The need no longer felt necessary. But as for family and kids, he’d probably never know the feeling. Surprisingly, if he had Marley it didn’t matter so much.

“Outside, you say. Well, if you insist then I won’t deny you. You know, I can’t deny your mother anything, either. What have you both done to me?” Zachary asked Demetri, laughing.

Cole saw his opportunity and took it. “I’ll walk out there with you. I need some fresh air anyway.”

Marley looked up from the computer long enough to smile at all three of them and then went back to pointing at clothes and talking with Josie.

Cole followed Zachary out into the hallway and into the brightly lit living area. When they approached the back doors, his alpha stopped and looked directly at him. Zachary’s gaze pierced his very soul. There was no more babbling father. It was pure business.

“Shut off your thoughts.” Zachary waited a few seconds and then proceeded. “Marley may not have been listening to you. But I did catch pieces of what ran through her head. You’re worried about her strength.”

Cole let out a sigh and opened the door. They walked into the garden area, coming to a stop under the large gazebo. “Yes, I think she’ll be challenged in the future. Maybe not too soon since we’ll try to keep her a secret, but eventually people will know. You, of all
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people, should remember how it is to be a prodigy. Arrogant jackasses think they have something to prove if they beat the strongest.”

“Yes, I’ve worried about it myself. But Marley’s not to know. She has so many things she’s already worried about.”

“Agreed. We keep it to ourselves. So, what about Josie? That news came as a shocker, wouldn’t you say?”

Zachary rolled his eyes and adjusted Demetri in his arms. “Yeah. I sure as hell wasn’t expecting it. How Marley could sense it is beyond me. Cole, I’m almost afraid to admit that I have no idea what exactly my wife is. She’s wolf, but she grows claws in half form. I can’t do half form, and no one else I’ve ever met can, either. Maybe wolves that were purer of blood could, but that would have been hundreds of years ago. I don’t know what to do.”

Cole took a deep breath and shook his head. “I don’t know what to do, either. You’re the strongest wolf I know. Shit, that anyone knows. Is there a call you can make to get some answers?”

“I’m afraid the man that held the answers in long in the ground.

My father would have known more of our history, but he never shared it with me, and he sure as hell didn’t write it down anywhere. Of course, I did send off the tickets for Marley’s parents. They have to be the source, or at least know of it.”

“Yes, you may be right. But how are you going to ask them? What if they’re human and have no idea she held lycanthropy? It’s not a question you can come right out and ask.”

“You’re right. Josie holds somewhat of the same strand, but it’s disappointing she doesn’t know anything about her history. Wait…I know what we need to do.”

Cole looked at Zachary confused. “Well, tell me.”

A smile broke across his face as his blue-green eyes began to sparkle with excitement. “Since we might have killed one of the only ones who knows anything, we find Demon. If anyone is definitely going to have information, it’ll be him. There are just some things I don’t understand.”

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“Like what?” Cole couldn’t seem to keep up. Marley’s thoughts about clothing kept pushing into his head. He was not interested at the moment. He wanted to know how to help her. Not fill her store full of new merchandise. Quickly, he shut off his thoughts as best as he could.

“When Marley was attacked, why didn’t they take her or kill her.

She was curled into a ball. She was the easiest target, yet this red wolf didn’t even try. And what about the apparition? Cole, we both know Jordan was the only one who projected that way. Do you think it’s possible he taught his brother before he died?”

Cole shook his head, thinking. “How, when he was on the road with us for a year? We always stayed together. Even if he did disappear for a few minutes it wouldn’t have been long enough for him to give a lesson on projection, even if he did do it over the phone.

I don’t know what is going on with the see-through figure. I wish I knew.”

* * * *

Marley could feel the tension rolling through her body, tightening her muscles. Josephine and she may have been temporarily on good terms, but a part of her still couldn’t get over the fact that she was Jordan’s twin. Gluing her eyes to the computer so she didn’t have to look at the girl caused the throbbing in her head to worsen. She needed a break, something to take her mind off of the past.

“Why don’t we go for a walk? I think I need some fresh air.”

“Would you mind if I got some clothes from you and took a shower? I really need to just clear my head. I’m sorry, Marley, but this thing with my brothers is really eating at me. It’s just really hard for me to understand.”

“I don’t mind, really. Why don’t you follow me and I’ll get you some clothes.”

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Marley stood and led the girl into her and Zachary’s room.

Josephine, head down, followed her to the closet quietly. The confusion whether she should say something tugged at her conscience. Should she be comforting the possible enemy? Would Josie turn on them all if she was put in a situation that made her choose?

“You wouldn’t happen to have an old pair of sweats, would you? I really don’t feel like dressing up right now.”

“My specialty,” Marley whispered. “If you ask me, you can never have too many.”

She took out a pair of new undergarments, a navy blue pair of sweats and an oversized AC/DC shirt. A laughed bubbled out of the blonde as she grabbed them and instantly wrapped her arms around the shocked Marley.

“I was telling the truth when I said I wanted to be your friend. I know it’s going to be hard for us to get used to being around each other because of the circumstances, but I’m willing to try if you are.

My parents had high hopes for this pack. I believed them and trusted them. If they wanted to be a part of this, then so do I.”

Speechless, Marley nodded her head. She watched Josephine walk away quietly. Rooted to the ground, she was more confused than ever.

The girl hadn’t lied, she could tell. She really did want to become her friend. And the information about the trust her parents held for the pack left tears clouding her vision.

Yes, I want to talk to Gerald as soon as Marley gets done with
what she’s doing.

The thoughts plowed through her head almost making her scream. It just occurred to her this was the first time she could recall really hearing them. Surely, Cole hadn’t been sleeping. She saw him leave with Zachary and the baby. Now they were having a conversation and she just now began picking up on it.

Cole,
I want to go. Tell Zachary I’ll meet you two downstairs.

Josie’s in the shower, so I think it’s the perfect time.

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Yes, Zachary thinks it best if you talked to Gerald instead of him.

There’s something I need to take care of, but I’ll tell Zach you’ll meet
him there.

Thanks, Cole.

Marley jogged out of her room and headed for the stairs, praying Gerald held new information for them. If they could get some answers then maybe they weren’t back to square one after all.

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Jennifer Salaiz

Easing into the room, she watched Zachary follow her in. Gerald looked so lifeless lying against the white sheets. He lingered so close to death’s door, Marley feared for what she was about to do. The pale boy with charcoal hair possibly held information to questions they needed answered.

Slowly, she approached the bed. The labored breathing caused her heart to ache. Was he going to make it? She wasn’t so sure. If his health were better, he could possibly go into wolf form and heal faster, but he wouldn’t even have the strength for that.

Zachary walked up next to her, wrapping his arm around her waist. “Remember what I told you,” he whispered. “He’ll feel more comfortable talking to you. He really likes you. If I question him, he might get scared. Are you sure you can do this?”

“Yes, I can do it. Is he going to be all right?”

“I don’t think so. They really did a number on him.”

She leaned down to the bed, inches away from Gerald’s face. The closer she got, the heavier his breathing became. She could feel her own heart accelerate at his anxiousness.

“Gerald, it’s Marley. Can you wake up?”

The light fluttering of his eyelids caused hope to surge through her, but he didn’t open them. “Gerald, I need to ask you some questions. Will that be all right?”

His lungs sucked in air raggedly while he nodded his head.

Marley knew she didn’t have time to waste. “Did you see who attacked us?”

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The quick nod of his head yes had excitement making her toes tingle. “Are they the rival pack we fought with last year?”

He nodded his head yes again, and she looked toward Zachary.

His fist rested against his mouth while he studied the pale boy.

“Is Demon their Alpha?”

Dark purple eyelids flashed open to reveal sapphire eyes filled with fear. He shook his head no while his breathing increased rapidly.