Obsession (6 page)

“It is like living flame that does not burn. But do you burn, Jessica? Burn with the desire all our kind possesses?”

Dry-mouthed, she struggled for a comeback.
Think, think!
No way could she allow this silver-tongued devil wolf to best her.

“Right now I burn with a tremendous desire.” Jessica tugged her hair away from his loose grasp. “A desire for you to stop touching me.”

He arched a brow. “That is not touching you, little one. When I touch you, you will know it, and be unable to resist.”

“Arrogant ass!”

Raphael gave a charming smile. “My ass is not typically arrogant. J.J. says my mouth is much more so. I open it and suddenly all kinds of arrogance flies out, like bats from a cave.”

She struggled not to laugh. Raphael was confident and sophisticated, but he had a sarcasm she could appreciate, and share. No one in her family understood her mouth, either.

Don’t let your guard down around him. He wants something.

Startled by the sudden thought, she shrugged it off. Men in college had wanted something from her as well, but she’d never given it to them. Oh, they had pressured her, but surrendering her virginity to an overly eager, and horny Skin boyfriend in a temporary relationship had never appealed to her.

She’d wanted something more.

What?

Suddenly Jessica wished she had taken a lover in college. At least now she’d be on more equal footing when flirting with a male Lupine as handsome as Raphael.

A male who was much more sophisticated in playing the field.

“Bats, huh. And the Lexus is your bat mobile? I’d expect you to be driving a Porsche.”

He bowed his head. “My vice is my BMW K 1200.”

“Looks like fun. Maybe I’ll steal it and take it for a joyride.”

“You could not handle it. It is far too powerful.”

More arrogance. Judging from his smug smile, he was baiting her, wanting to get a reaction. “I can more than handle speed. Danger excites me.”

She gave him the once-over. “You look like you could use a little excitement, stuck out here in the country. Live a little dangerously.”

White lines bracketed his mouth as his body tensed. “You have no idea of what true danger is, and the cost of wishing for a little ‘excitement.’”

His gaze seemed to pin her to the bench. Jessica refused to lower her eyes, as a lesser Lupine would do before a superior. She’d had enough gaze lowering in her own pack.

“You know nothing about me, Raphael. And you have no right to patronize me.”

“Perhaps I know more than you realize.”

A quiet ring chimed from Raphael’s pocket. He fished out his cell phone and spoke in rapid Spanish.

Jessica waited.

He ended the call and pocketed his cell phone. “My apologies for the interruption. It was a business deal I needed to close.”

“Purchase of ten Arabian thoroughbreds for J.J.’s new breeding program. Sounds quite lucrative, especially if you’re paying close to half a million per mare.”

Jessica gave him a singularly sweet smile as he blinked, then recovered.

“Your Spanish must be excellent if you followed my conversation.”

“I spent time in Miami.” She stood, dusted off her bottom and saw him track every move.

He glanced at his watch. “I’m afraid I have to leave you now. I have business that requires my time away.”

“Pity.” Less she saw of him, the better. Jessica suspected Raphael was very good at his job, and protecting the ranch. She didn’t want him knowing her real purpose here—that she planned to hack into J.J.’s files to get the answers she needed to find her brother.

“It is a pity I won’t spend more time with you.” He gave a slow smile. “But I will amend that later. I plan to stick quite close to you, Jessica.”

“Why? Bored with spending all your time with horses?”

He captured one of her curls between thumb and forefinger and rubbed it. “Let’s just say I find you more intriguing than a mare.”

And perhaps I would enjoy taking you for a ride…in my bed, his look indicated.

Raphael kissed the lock of her hair, then released it. Turning, he strode off. She watched him walk away, his long thighs pumping, his very fine ass outlined by tight blue jeans. Releasing the breath she’d held, Jessica tried to relax. She must take caution around this wolf, or he’d discover what she planned.

If Raphael caught her, she suspected the punishment would be much worse than she’d ever anticipate at his hands.

Jessica shivered, but whether from anticipation or dread, she wasn’t certain.
 

Chapter 4

Jessica felt an immediate bond with Daniel.

He was a tall, lanky child with a thick mop of dark brown hair, blue eyes and thin cheeks. He’d been possessed by a Changeling Gnome when he was 12, and had been freed only recently by Xavier, the Crystal Wizard, one of the four ruling wizards who judged Others. Alexa had told Jessica about Daniel when Jessica had called to ask if it was okay to visit.

Daniel didn’t remember anything about being possessed, Alexa had warned Jessica on the phone. “He’s a little different, but he’s a good kid,” she’d said.

Alexa’s parents greeted her warmly. Francis, Alexa’s father, looked much better than when she’d met him at graduation from the University of Florida. His skin was no longer pasty and he stood straight, and looked as if he’d finally put on a few pounds. Patricia, Alexa’s mother, still walked slowly, as if stricken with arthritis, but there was a sparkle in her eye previously lacking.

She’d always liked Alexa’s parents.

But Daniel…

He broke her heart. He stood aloof and alone, away from the others, as if he sensed he was different. When Alexa introduced him, he simply mumbled and looked away. Jessica had dealt with shy, awkward teenagers before, but the vulnerability in Daniel’s dark eyes got to her.

She knew what it felt like to be on the outside, never quite fitting in, looking for your place in the world.

So she refused to give him space. Instead, she nodded at his cotton T-shirt logo featuring a wolf wearing a spacesuit.

“Gamer, huh?”

Daniel plucked at the black fabric and remained silent. Alexa pasted a bright smile on her face. “Jessica’s a gamer too, Daniel.”

“But Space Wolf always got the best of me. Can’t kick those gremlins on Level 4. They always pop up when I least expect it and my ship malfunctions and my avatar loses control of the aft thrusters,” she told him.

A small white lie to break the ice. Daniel thawed. “That’s because you have to check the cargo bay. They always hide there.”

“Oh yeah? Good tip. I’ll have to try that.” Jessica grinned. “I thought they hid out in the engine room.”

“Too easy. They hide in the cargo bay and make their way to the engine room through the chutes. Check the chutes too, after takeoff.”

“Thanks! Useful advice.”

He looked a little hopeful, and less like a kicked dog. “Yeah?”

“Maybe when I’m here, you can show me a few tricks.”

“Cool.” He jammed his hands into his pockets and a quick grin touched his face.

Alexa gave her hand a quick squeeze and murmured thanks. Francis left with the excuse he needed to rest and Patricia accompanied him. Alexa, Jessica and Daniel climbed into the waiting golf cart and rode to the arena J.J. had built to host the rodeo. It sat on a wide swath of land about a mile from the ranch.

Alexa chatted the entire time while she drove, with Daniel in the back seat. When they arrived at the rodeo grounds, Jessica felt a sense of sheer awe. Red railings encircled the 8,000 square foot arena. Metal bleachers ringed it, and overhead a metal roof protected the area from the sun and rain.

They walked inside to the shaded arena and Alexa climbed the bottom run of the red railing.

“J.J. had this constructed a few months ago when he decided to host a rodeo for the locals. It gives his cowboys a reason to blow off steam, and gathers the local ranchers and Lupine ranching packs together. It’s an event for Skins and shifters alike, so there are strict rules. No magick. And Aiden Mitchell is coming all the way from Montana with his cowboys, just to participate.”

Jessica turned to Daniel with a smile, determined to draw him into the conversation. The kid hung back, staring at the ground. “Do you like horseback riding?”

He glanced up beneath long, dark lashes. Again, the vulnerability on his face kicked her in the stomach. “Aunt Alexa’s teaching me to ride. I wanted J.J. to show me, but he’s too busy.”

At the comment, Alexa’s smile seemed strained. “J.J. is in the middle of a huge business deal and preparations for the rodeo, sweetie. When it’s over, he’ll have more time.”

She felt bad for Daniel, who has spoken with a note of longing in his voice. “Sure, and in the meantime, you can show me those tips on Space Wolves.”

As she patted his shoulder, an odd feeling rippled through her, as if she’d touched an electrical cord and received a mild shock. Daniel lifted his head and stared at her as if she were an alien from outer space. His eyes glazed over and he swayed, as if he were going into a deep trance.

It was spooky and a chill raced down her spine.

“Daniel?” she asked. “You okay?”

He spoke in a deep, ominous tone, as if he were an ancient Greek Oracle. “You’re not one of us. You hunger for what you lack, like he did. He is soulless and evil.”

What the hell?

Alexa climbed down and put her hands on the boy’s thin shoulders. “Daniel, it’s okay, sweetie. This is Jess, my good friend.”

“Alexa, she will turn on you if the evil growing inside her is not stopped,” Daniel droned.

A cold shiver snaked down her spine. Jessica’s stomach turned. It was not only creepy, it was downright chilling, as if Daniel had turned from a child into a something else.

“Daniel!” Alexa hugged him as he sagged against her, suddenly boneless. Her friend looked deeply troubled. “I’m sorry. He’s been like this since being freed from the Changeling Gnome’s possession. J.J. thinks it’s a result of being possessed by a Gnome for years. He has these visions…last week he told J.J. that he’d be stranded on the road and he got stuck outside Durango. Small things like that. But never anything this grim.”

Unease flickered through her. Then Daniel went silent. He wriggled out of Alexa’s tight grip. “What happened?” he asked, his brow creasing. “Did I zone out again?”

Major zone out. Alexa’s mouth wobbled, but as she started to speak, Jessica cut her off. “A little.”

His mouth pulled downward and he looked like someone kicked him in the guts. Her stomach tightened again. He was just a kid. “It’s not a big deal. I get the same way, talking about video games.”

Daniel nodded, but somehow he looked older and weary. He blinked hard. “Aunt Alexa, I want to visit the horses.”

Alexa smoothed down his hair. “Okay, honey, but make sure you stay behind the fence.”

They watched Daniel race over to the horse corral as if nothing had happened.

“It’s his favorite place, hanging out here. I think he likes to be alone, connect with the horses.” Alexa turned to her. “I’m sorry, Jess. I know that was…strange.”

“I’d never turn on you. I don’t know why he’d say such a thing.” Jessica shook her head. “Why?”

“Daniel’s had a rough time of it. He’ll get used to you. Just give him a day or two.”

Jessica watched him look at the grazing horses. “He doesn’t remember anything after he goes into that mood?”

Her friend shook her head. “Like it’s been erased from his mind.” Alexa squeezed her hand. “I’m sure it’s nothing. He’ll get used to you. He’s just not good with strangers.”

“And I can be quite strange,” Jessica joked, but unease rippled through her. If Daniel had psychic powers, he could be trouble. What if Daniel could read minds and figure out Jessica was really here to hack into J.J.’s computer system and access the forbidden database recording the genealogy and records of all Lupines?

Though it grated against her loyalty to her friend, she had to keep her plans secret from Alexa. She and Alexa and Molly had never kept secrets from each other during their friendship. But Alexa had J.J. and Daniel now, and her own family.

Jessica smiled and linked her arm through Alexa’s. “Enough horses and cowboy stuff. Let’s go back to the house. I need to shower off this travel dust and then we can talk like old times. Maybe bake cookies and sit on the porch and gossip about men.”

Alexa glanced away. “Jane has to get dinner ready. Mom was going to make cookies tomorrow. And I need to talk with J.J. He’s in the middle of an important business deal. Why don’t you shower and rest until dinner? We’re having roast chicken and new potatoes.”

Jessica hid her disappointment. She had hoped something fun would help them reconnect. “Sure.”

Alexa gave her a thoughtful look. “Everything okay with you, Jess? You seem different from the last time we saw each other.”

“How?”

“I don’t know. Sharper, more edgy, like you’re set apart from everyone else.”