Touch of Darkness (11 page)

“Janine is facing a number of serious charges. It will take some time for it to go through the legal system. We’ll put that time to good use—get her enrolled in anger control classes, therapy, anything and everything to impress the prosecutor, judge, and jury that she’s not a menace to society. I can’t promise you one hundred percent safety. But I can, and do, assure you that I’ll be keeping her under very close personal supervision while we work through this mess. She won’t be getting off scot-free from us either. She deserves harsh punishment for what she did, and she’ll damned well get it. I didn’t realize how often she’d been using my position as a club against others. That will stop.”

Elaine meant what she was saying. The problem was, there was only so much she’d be able to do. Her political position and clout with the werewolves would help, but ultimately it would be up to Janine. Was she sane enough to act in her own best interest? Maybe. But I wouldn’t have wanted to bet on it. While I would love to believe that either therapy would help or she’d get put in jail for a good long time, I didn’t. Not really. Therapy generally seems to work best if you want it to and are willing to put in the effort. Janine didn’t think she needed help to get over Tom. She wanted me out of the way.

But pressing charges wouldn’t help the situation. It would piss Janine off more. Too, my name would make it practically certain the press would be all over it. The werewolves didn’t need that kind of bad publicity.

“I won’t press charges.”

I watched the muscles of her back and shoulders unclench as she let out a slow, careful breath. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

She gave me a wry smile that softened her features, made her look more human. “Connolly was right about you.”

I raised an eyebrow at that. I realized I’d started to cross my arms over my chest, but the cast wouldn’t cooperate—

leaving one hand resting on the opposite shoulder. It probably looked as odd as it felt, so I dropped my hands back to my lap.

“I talked to her before I came over here, while you were still in surgery.”

“Dare I ask what she said?” I sounded almost as wary as I felt. There’s not much about me, good or bad, that Mary doesn’t know. I like her. I respect her. Thinking about it, I realized that her good opinion mattered a lot to me. The smile turned into a grin. “She said that you were one tough cookie and stubborn as hell, but ultimately you’d do the right thing. She also told me not to even bother trying to use bribery, intimidation, or influence peddling; that it would just piss you off. That if I wanted something I should just ask.”

It had been good advice. I don’t like bullies. It really doesn’t matter whether they use power, money, or physical threat. It’s still bullying, and it gets my back up but good. Stupid really, and God knows how much trouble it causes me, but true. It also told me, albeit indirectly, that Mary had expected her to threaten me.

“She knows me well.”

“Yes, she does.” Elaine looked at me with serious eyes. “I was going to order Tom not to marry you. Not because of Janine, but for the good of the wolves. Our situation really is getting fairly desperate. We need all the good press we can get, and to avoid as much conflict with the vampires as we can.” She sighed, and for just a minute she looked old. I watched her pull herself together in front of my eyes, rebuilding the persona she presented to her people. “I was going to order him. Not now. Instead I’m asking you both. Please. Wait. Not forever, just for a while. Let us get a handle on things.”

She looked from me to Tom and back. I looked away from those oh-so-serious eyes, seeking, and finding Tom. I knew what he wanted without telepathy. He wanted me, as his wife and his lover, but he didn’t want to endanger his people, or complicate an already tense situation. I gave a slight nod, letting him know that I understood, but I let him answer.

His voice wasn’t resigned, or angry. It was adjusted to let her know that we were making a reasonable concession

… not giving in. “We’ll wait… for now.”

She didn’t even try to hide her relief. It showed in her face, and in the sudden relaxation of muscles she’d held tense.

“Thank-you.” Elaine rose, extending her hand to me. I shook it, and felt a shiver of electric power pass between us. Her eyes widened just a fraction, and she let go of my hand abruptly. “You’re a dangerous woman, Kate Reilly. I don’t think I realized until now just how dangerous.”

She left the room before either of us could respond. Just as well. I didn’t have a clue what to say.

7

« ^ »

I cleaned up in the shower and we went to bed early. Despite the setting, neither Tom nor I was up for sex. Too much had happened, most of it bad. Instead, we slept.

I woke in the morning spooned against him, his arm wrapped around my waist. When I stirred, he made a small protesting noise, pulling me closer against him so that I could feel his body hard and ready against my buttocks. Are you up? I sent a tendril of thought his way. He responded by brushing my hair aside with gentle fingers and laying a kiss on the spot where my neck met my shoulder.

“Oh, yeah.” He moved his hand down my abdomen in a gentle, sure movement, his fingers caressing the tender skin, sliding down until he could brush them against the most intimate parts of my body. I writhed against him, and felt him grow even harder.

“You must have had good dreams. You’re wet.” His whisper tickled my ear as his finger moved inside of me, making me shudder with pleasure.

I didn’t remember dreaming, but I was definitely wet, and ready; so incredibly ready. I’d missed everything about him. But I’d really missed this. Tom hadn’t been my first lover, but no one had ever moved me the way he could. Just looking at him could make my body ache with the need to touch and be touched.

He nibbled my shoulder as his finger sought the sweet spot and began stroking it over and over, until I couldn’t help but writhe and moan.

“I missed you.” He released me so that I could roll over onto my back. It was difficult to move the cast around easily. The pain killer had worn off and I winced. This time, when he sent soothing magic my way, I happily gave in and felt the pain dim and then float away, until all that was left was pleasure.

I looked up into his eyes and the expression on his face took my breath away. There was just so much emotion, such intensity. Then he smiled, and it was like the sun coming out from behind the clouds. He leaned down and kissed me, warm and hungry, his mouth opening mine so that our tongues danced and played. He slid his right hand from my waist to hip and lower in a slow caress that ended with his hand beneath my knee. With gentle strength, he lifted and spread my legs. My body arched so that the tip of him rubbed against my opening, drawing a low moan from his lips against mine.

I lowered my hand to find him, hard and ready, the blood pulsing beneath my hand as I stroked his silken flesh with my thumb. His body shuddered, and he pulled away from the kiss. His eyes were a little unfocused, his breathing faster than normal. I used my hand to guide him, and he slid inside me, fast and hard enough to make me cry out, but not in pain. It felt so good, so incredibly good, to have him moving inside me. I bent my knees, bringing them up so that my calves could wrap around his waist. It changed the angle just enough, so that each thrust rubbed against that perfect spot. I felt the orgasm building slowly at first, then faster, my breath coming in pants as my body strained and reached for the release it craved. My hands cupped Tom’s ass, and I could feel the muscles moving as his body pounded into mine in an ever increasing rhythm.

I felt Tom’s body tense and shudder as the orgasm hit him, and it was all that I needed. My body spasmed around his, my nails digging furrows into his flesh and a long, loud scream of pleasure left my lips. We collapsed as one, our frantic heartbeats slowing, relearning how to breathe.

I let Tom take his shower first. I couldn’t move. I doubted I’d be able to for a while. It had just been that good. When I could finally bring myself to stir, I used Tom’s laptop to print out our e-tickets while Tom was in the shower. We’d go back to Denver, deal with the police and the insurance investigators, and see if the building inspector had determined the place was safe enough for us to recover what we could from the apartment. I was dreading the whole thing. I’d worked so hard for so long. It just about broke my heart every time I thought about everything I’d done sitting in ruins, so I was trying hard not to think about it.

The phone rang, breaking into my reverie. I leaned across the bed to grab the nearest extension. “Hello?”

“Kate, it’s Mary. Can you and Tom meet us downstairs in a few minutes for breakfast?”

“Both of us?”

“Please.”

“He’s in the shower right now, but we can come down as soon as he’s dressed.”

“Thank-you.”

She hung up without explaining why she wanted to meet. Not good. On the other hand, she hadn’t sounded particularly upset. It was at that moment I realized that we hadn’t talked to her since we’d met with Elaine. Shit. We probably needed to tell her what had gone on. We probably should have told her last night. Tom hadn’t mentioned it, and I honestly hadn’t thought about it. I’m too used to acting on my own to handle the wolf power structure very well.

Well, if she got pissed, she got pissed. We’d just have to deal with it.

“Who was that?” Tom stepped out of the bathroom wearing only a hotel towel tied loosely at the waist. He was using another towel to rub his dark curls dry. He looked positively scrumptious, but I was still a little sore and plenty satisfied from our earlier exertions. Still, I couldn’t help but drool a little. It should be criminal for anyone to look that good.

“Mary wants us to meet her downstairs for breakfast.”

“Do we have time? When does our flight leave?”

“Not for three hours. We should be okay if we don’t dawdle.”

“Right. No dawdling.” He gave me an impish grin that flashed those irresistible dimples. “Good thing we took care of business earlier.”

I blushed, just like he’d planned. Seeking revenge, I grabbed one of the throw pillows from the top of the bed and lobbed it at him, but he was too quick. Laughing, he ducked through the bathroom door. The pillow bounced harmlessly off to lie pitifully on the floor.

I stood, and picked it up, and went into the bathroom. If I was really, really quick I had time for a shower. Since I didn’t really want to meet Mary for breakfast smelling of sex, I hurried. As I scrubbed myself virtuously clean I could hear Tom in the other room talking to his grandparents on the phone as he got down to the business of packing. It was a smart thing to do. If we had everything ready to go there’d be less chance of us getting caught in a panicked rush to the airport and leaving something behind.

I quickly toweled myself dry, and pulled on the outfit I’d chosen. It wasn’t the most comfortable thing to wear, but I’d chosen it more to impress Tom than for any other reason.

I stepped into the doorway, and came to a complete stop.

He looked good. Spectacularly good. Somewhere he’d found a tailored dress shirt in a color that was somewhere between brown and copper. He’d folded back the cuffs twice, which showed off his muscular forearms. The color of the shirt looked amazing against his skin, and brought out the gold and copper flecks in his eyes. His hair was still damp and looked almost as black as the pair of brand-new black jeans that fit like a glove over his well-toned backside. He’d opted for a simple pair of black running shoes rather than his usual boots—the better to get through the inevitable shoe search.

“You’re staring,” He teased.

“Can’t help it,” I admitted. “You look amazing. I love the shirt.”

“I thought you would.” He gave me a pleased, possessive smile. “You’re looking pretty spiffy yourself.”

I was glad he’d noticed. I’d packed for a honeymoon, so I had brought some of my most flattering clothes. This morning I’d picked a scooped neck tee in a soft shade of daffodil yellow with tiny flowers embroidered in a daisy pattern on it. The neckline was low enough to show off actual cleavage—a feat obtained through the use of a very effective, if relatively uncomfortable, push-up bra that (while he wouldn’t see it until later) exactly matched the lacy panties that were currently hiding under my most flattering pair of jeans. They’ve been washed enough that the color has faded to an almost powder blue, and the denim is soft to the touch.

Despite a fair amount of pain, I’d worked yellow and white ribbons into the braid hanging down my back and was even (gasp) wearing makeup and jewelry. It was all very soft, very feminine. The only sour note was the black cast, but hey, you can’t have everything. I’d have been a little disappointed if he hadn’t said anything. Silly of me. But I only go to the effort of dressing up for him. Before he came into my life my clothing was all about function and accessories were guns and knives. When I’m working I still make sure to wear clothes that allow for a concealed carry. I am, after all, guarding other people’s valuables. But for Tom I go girlie. It takes a little effort, but he rewards me in the most creative ways.

“Thanks.”

He came close. Putting his arms on my waist, he pulled me in to his body. I rested my head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. He buried his nose in my hair, breathing in the scent of my shampoo. I’d never really paid too much attention to scents until I started dating Tom. But werewolves have an incredibly acute sense of smell. It’s as important to them as their eyesight. Once I learned that, I started paying more attention, and I found myself noticing things as well. Like the fact that he’d used his usual soap instead of the stuff provided by the hotel. Or that the maid had been using carpet freshener in the hallway. Little things, but it added up to a whole new appreciation for so much I’d simply overlooked.

“Thank-you.” His breath moved against my scalp as he whispered the words.

“For what?” I tilted my head to look up at him. He sounded so very serious.

“For everything.” He smiled, but it carried a hint of sadness. “I don’t know too many women who wouldn’t have thrown a fit about having the pack force them to call of their wedding plans.”