Wolf Hills (10 page)

“I’m good, now that these idiots have stopped shooting at us.”
 

Jason and she knew well and good that the girl had been their true target. They were bewildered now, seeing Sally in the kid’s jacket. Colleen and Sally looked enough alike to confuse the issue. They both had medium-length brown hair and a tall build. Hopefully that would be enough to convince these guys they really had shot at Sally and not her lookalike.

They both heard the sound of an engine in the distance. The sheriff must’ve had someone nearby to get here this fast. Sally heard two sets of footsteps make their way through the underbrush. Jason called out when it was clear to all that somebody was in the woods with them. Luckily, they weren’t too far from the road.

The two policemen took over with calm competence. They took the hunters into custody when Sally said she wanted to press charges. One of the deputies asked about her permit to carry concealed in their state and she was able to produce the appropriate paperwork from her wallet. Likewise, they asked about Jason’s permit and he did the same. They seemed to know Jason, but the investigation into the incident was carried out with all the professionalism she could ever hope to find.

In short order it was determined that only two of the rifles had been fired. Those belonging to the older guy who’d been on the ground and the tree guy. Both were taken into custody and put in the back of the patrol car so they could be taken down to the station for processing.

As they were being loaded into the car, Sally thought she saw something out of the corner of her eye. It looked like a tattoo on the tree guy’s wrist. A tattoo she’d seen before. Once before. And it had gotten her in a heap of trouble and embarrassment at the time. She wasn’t about to call attention to it now, and there was no way to discreetly alert Jason so he could take a look. Regardless, it was gone in a flash when the man’s long sleeve settled back into place as he sank into his seat.

Sally would to try to get a peek at the police report the next day. That would list any identifying marks on the perps—birthmarks, scars, tats, piercings and the like. That would confirm what she thought she’d seen.

She hoped the local cops threw the book at these two. Assault with a deadly weapon was a likely charge, as was negligence and a few other things the locals might tack on. It wouldn’t keep them long, but it was likely the two men would be overnight guests of the county, for which Sally was thankful.

She gave her preliminary statement to one of the deputies and was asked to go to the station the next day to be interviewed in more depth. Fine with her. She wanted this incident on these guys’ rap sheets. You couldn’t go hunting
people
, for goodness’ sake. Even if they were people who could transform into animals.

The two younger men were strongly cautioned to pack up their gear and leave. They hadn’t done any shooting so they couldn’t be charged, but the deputies made it clear they weren’t welcome to camp up on the ridge and would be watched by extra vigilant patrols if they chose to stay. Sally hoped they took the hint and moved on.

Sally and Jason left when the patrol car did, following them down the ridge road until it came to a crossroad. Jason steered his motorcycle onto another country road while the patrol car continued toward town. Sally felt a weight lift off her shoulders as the two jerks in the back of the patrol car drove out of sight. For tonight at least, the woods would be safe for man and beast alike.

Though traumatic, the whole incident took less than two hours. It was nearing dinnertime when Jason pulled the bike to a stop in front of a huge, modern home set back in the woods.

“Welcome to our Pack house,” he said as he climbed off the bike after her and unfastened his helmet.

Again, he took hers and stowed them on the side of the bike while she fluffed her hair. It was a mess after all she’d been through today, not to mention the flattening it took from repeated helmet use. She must have looked a fright, but Jason didn’t seem to mind. He had a sort of smug pride as he walked with her up the steps to the beautiful home.

A few children played on the wide porch. They all greeted him respectfully as they passed and stared at Sally with wide eyes. She wondered idly if they’d never had a human guest here before.

When he ushered her into the doorway, a trio of shocked faces met her appearance. One was an older woman with gray hair and wrinkles. The other two were younger females, one with a baby on her hip, the other shooting daggers at Sally with her eyes after she saw the possessive hand Jason had around her waist. A rival, then. Sally didn’t much care for the woman’s obvious attitude but she really shouldn’t have worried. Sally was only there for two weeks. After that, the wolf bimbo could have Jason all to herself if she wanted.

Why that thought hurt so much, Sally didn’t care to examine at the moment. The old woman overcame her shock first as Jason introduced her.

“Sally, this is Mother Josepha. She’s one of our elders and the backbone of the Pack.” It was clear he complimented the woman from the way she beamed. “Mother, this is Detective Sally Decker, the Mistress’s friend from San Francisco.”

The old woman shook Sally’s hand with a sort of cautious welcome, but it was still a welcome, which was more than could be said of the bimbo. The woman with the baby had tempered her response and now watched with nothing but eager curiosity. Jason cut short the introductions by the simple expedience of asking about Colleen.

“She’s all right,” Josepha assured them. “She came limping in a little while ago and is being coddled by her mother and aunts. She won’t have any permanent injury and you can be sure her father will be talking to her later about prowling around alone at her age.”

“I think she’s learned her lesson.” Jason’s relief was evident though otherwise, Sally was learning, he kept his emotions very close to his vest. “I need to talk to Detective Decker for a few minutes before we grab some dinner.”

So saying, he left the trio of women, Sally following in his wake. There was a tension about him that she hadn’t noticed, in the tumult of the situation. Could be he was having a bit of a reaction now that the adrenaline had faded. She’d been through that herself. It happened from time to time. Such was the nature of her occupation. Days and weeks of boredom interspersed with moments of sheer terror.

Somehow, she’d gotten used to it over the years and now she lived for those few moments when life and death were on the line. She wasn’t an adrenaline junkie. Not by a long shot. But she no longer appreciated the dull times. There had to be more to life than sitting at a desk or filing papers. Didn’t there?

Jason led her through the big house, down a hallway and into a private room that looked like a study. There was a desk filled with papers and a few comfortable chairs ranged in front of it. A long leather couch lined one wall, but that was all she got to see before he closed the door and whirled around, capturing her in his arms.

She found herself the recipient of a bear hug that almost bruised her ribs. He held her so tight, like he would never let go. It felt good. It was also more than a bit overwhelming.

“Jason?”

“I’m sorry, Sally. You were incredible out there. I knew you would be. I could tell you were an Alpha female, but that doesn’t mean I enjoyed seeing you in danger. Four men with rifles, Sally. Four! All trained on you.”

She could feel the slight tremble of his body against hers. It was anger at those men. His fury came through in every word he spoke, but it wasn’t directed at her, thank goodness. No, he was really pissed off at those four jerks she’d captured. She understood. It was hard to go off to take care of business, leaving your partner under the gun. She’d had to do it a time or two herself and she never liked it. Not one bit.

Sally stroked her hands down his back, gentling him.

“It’s okay, Jason. It all worked out. And in my job, this wasn’t the first time I’ve had a lot of guns pointed my way. There was a bank robbery last year involving five gunmen and I walked right into their escape path. It was a little tense before my backup showed.”

She’d thought her words would calm him; instead, he held her tighter. Damn. She should’ve realized the man had a protective streak a mile wide.

“If you’re trying to make me feel better, it’s not working.”

She heard the humorous note in his voice that hadn’t been there a few seconds ago. Good. He wasn’t the type to linger over bad thoughts. She’d had to develop the skill herself.

She smiled up at him as he released her enough to do so. His arms were looser, but he still wasn’t letting her go.

“Then I’d better not tell you about the shootout three years ago.”

“Shootout? Damn, woman. You want to get me all worked up, don’t you?” His grin told her that might be just the ticket. Getting this man worked up would definitely be her pleasure. All night long.

A flush stole over her body as her thoughts turned lascivious. This man affected her like no other. In his presence—especially in his arms—she had trouble focusing on anything other than sex. With him. Now. On the couch. On the desk. Even on the floor.

Damn. She had it bad.

“If you’re good, I might even show you my scar.” She was teasing but his eyes narrowed and his armed tightened, just a little.

“Scar? Honey, you got shot?” His gaze was intense.

“Just grazed,” she clarified. “Hurt like the dickens at the time, but I only have a tiny scar to show for it. I’m surprised you didn’t notice it before.”

“Where?” The single word held a multitude of feeling. Caring, concern, desire…it was all mixed up together in his expression and it touched her deeply.

She moved away from him and he let her go. She unbuttoned her jeans and lifted her shirt, displaying the white line that rode along the top of her left hip. Jason dropped to his knees in front of her, surprising her. His fingers traced the four-inch scar almost reverently as his breath wafted over her skin, raising gooseflesh. She would have moved away but he grabbed her hips, holding her in place while his lips touched her flesh, kissing the scar that she never really showed anyone.

To her, it was a mark of stupidity. She’d read the situation wrong and almost got killed for her troubles. It was a mark of experience, of learning. She had never forgotten the lesson of that injury. She had never put herself in the same situation again.

“What happened?” Jason spoke the words against her skin as he continued touching her, moving his hands into the open flap of her jeans. Her stomach clenched as vibrations started deep within her.

“I trusted a perp. I thought we had an understanding and I put myself in the open, expecting no more trouble from her.”

“A woman did this to you?” His hands moved lower, taking her jeans down, inch by inch. She locked her knees so they wouldn’t give out on her.

“It was a domestic dispute. She’d already shot her husband in the chest. I figured her rage was at him alone and that she wouldn’t take it out on another woman. I thought I’d talked her into surrendering. Turns out, I was almost dead wrong. She had nothing left to lose. She had already killed her kids in the other room, before I got there. The husband was the last one she wanted to take out before she committed suicide by cop. She was just waiting until she thought he was good and dead before she took a potshot at me to get the other officers to open fire. I totally misread the situation.”

Chapter Five

Jason’s hands stilled, one on her belly, under the elastic of her panties, one on her back in almost the same position. He rested his forehead against her hip for a long moment while he took in what she’d told him.

It infuriated him to think of all the close calls she hadn’t yet revealed. She alternately fascinated him and made him want to bite. In a big way. Her scent had driven him mad from the first moment he’d smelled her at that damned party. He’d wanted to take her out in the woods right then and there and stake his claim, but he prided himself on being more civilized than his ancestors.

He’d have had her this afternoon in the most idyllic forest glade he knew. It would have been perfect. Except for the cat. Though Steve’s presence had brought out a wild side to Sally that Jason hadn’t really expected.

He’d been hard for hours, it seemed. He needed to be inside her like he needed to breathe. But his best laid plans seemed to have gone awry this afternoon. Instead, he’d treated her to a day of danger and shotgun blasts. What a charmer.

And now, here he was, listening to her talk about her job—and getting
shot
, for Lady’s sake—while he had his hands in her pants. Something was very odd about this whole situation, but somehow, it was also perfect.

This Alpha female would come to him on her terms. If this was the way she wanted it, he’d give it to her. Any
way
she wanted. Any
time
she wanted. Any
place
she wanted. The big, bad Alpha male was well and truly snared.

She wasn’t a shifter, but his wolf didn’t seem to care. She had a tiny bit of wolf blood, which pleased the beast within him. There was something else too, besides the almost overwhelming scent of human female. Something magical. Something special. It was tantalizing in the extreme. Another mystery for him to solve about this puzzling woman.

“Sally, you shouldn’t tell me stuff like that at a time like this,” he warned in a gruff voice. “The wolf gets protective and wants to keep you all to himself. If he had his way, you’d be tied to my bed all night and shackled to my arm all day, just to keep you safe.”