Unconditional (7 page)

“Easy for you guys to say, your mate was a wolf. She knew about this world, about what it all means.”

Gabe shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. You get what you get. If she’s worth it, you’ll find a way. You’re a smooth dude. I’ve seen you charm your way into plenty of panties. And you’ve been with her before. She knows you.”

He stayed a few hours more, hearing a report on Nick’s niece and nephew who they’d ended up raising after they’d all taken over the pack. They were both in college now, doing great. Tracy came down after she’d put the girls to bed, and they’d watched a movie before he headed back home.

He took a walk to check on the guy watching the hotel, standing for some time gazing at the window to her room.

“Lights went off before nine. No movement since.”

“Good. Thanks.” He ambled back home, hoping she got some rest because morning would come early and she needed it.

She was awake before six, restless. Wanting to see him. God. God. God. Why did it have to be Josh? Why did he have to be so nice and helpful on top of a heaping spoonful of gorgeous?

And why was it so hard to stop thinking of him? When she’d been with Mark, it hadn’t been so intense. She’d loved him and they’d had a healthy sex life and all that jazz. But when he’d gotten the job in Seattle and asked her to move with him, she’d
known
it was a step she wasn’t willing to take.

She’d loved him, yes, but it hadn’t been enough.

Josh though? Well, she knew him. Or a version of him.

She rolled from bed and pulled on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. She’d work out in the hotel gym. She’d been lucky to have caught Charlie yesterday. If she hadn’t been in shape she might not have. It was a good reminder how important that part of the job was.

Plus, she thought once she got running on the treadmill, it was always a good way to take her mind off things. To just let go and give over to her body.

But of course her body wanted to think about Josh too. She should feel guilty about the kiss, shouldn’t she? After all she was supposed to have been entirely focused on Allie, and instead she made out with an ex-boyfriend.

There had been hours upon hours she spent with Josh back in the day. Lying on a blanket looking up at the stars as she poured out her hopes and dreams. When he’d left that had been what she’d missed so much. Being able to have that depth of connection with someone else.

She was close with Allie, but it hadn’t ever been the same as those times she’d spent, falling in love with Josh under the stars. Though she supposed not for him either, because she’d been falling for him and he’d just walked away.

Which wasn’t entirely fair. Now that she’d heard the whole story, she’d understood. If she had been human, he couldn’t have told her. Couldn’t have come back to Roseburg to do what? His life was better here in Portland without a doubt.

She’d missed him a great deal. And there’d been this comfort and connection with him the day before. She could talk with him about all the craziness of the case. No one else really but him.

He’d listened. And helped. Had put aside his own job to help with hers. To help not just because it was these dangerous mages, but because she’d asked him to.

At least thinking about him had made the five miles pass relatively easily and quickly. She headed back up to her room to find him standing at the door.

“Is everything all right?” Great, she looked like a sweaty mess.

“I was about to ask you the same. I was worried when I couldn’t hear movement inside.”

“I’m not that…oh you have super hearing. I forget about that. I need to shower and we can get moving.” She unlocked, and he followed her inside, standing very close. But the only thing that bothered her about it was she had to have been smelly.

“You probably don’t want to stand so close. I just ran five miles.”

He stepped even closer, and she couldn’t do anything else but watch, fascinated as he closed his eyes, bent and breathed her in. “You smell delicious. Woman. Magick. Hard work. Your muscles are loose and warm. You still smell of sleep.”

She gulped, licking her lips. She knew what else he was going to smell because he’d already told her he could scent her arousal, and she was that all the sudden. Hot. Nipples hard and tingling, her pussy slick.

“Jesus, this is fucking torture.” He shook himself a moment and stepped back. “Go get showered or I’m going to do what your body is begging me to.”

She blinked at him, mouth opened. She should have been outraged. Denying that claim, but she’d have been a liar and they both would have known it. He wasn’t angry. His words were tortured.

She willed herself into the bathroom and showered quickly, turning the water ice cold at the end before she headed back out to him.

“I’m sorry,” he said as she entered the room.

“For what?” She checked her weapon before sliding her shoulder harness on. They needed to go back to that gas station. She also needed to check in with Pam at Portland PD to see if they’d received any new info.

He moved to her, tipping her chin up, and all the hard work the cold shower had done fell away as want slammed into her again. “I shouldn’t have said that. You didn’t deserve it.”

Unable to help it, she smiled. “Yeah? You think I’m too fragile to face that I was hot for you and you knew it?”

He groaned. “Why do you do this to me?”

She got serious. “What?” Without meaning to, she reached up to touch his cheek, and he leaned into her palm.

“I want you. A whole lot.”

She’d be such a liarpants if she denied she wanted him right back. But there were other things right then to deal with.

“Yes. I want you too. But, Allie. I need to focus on that right now.”

He swallowed, and she breathed in deep as he slid an arm around her waist, dipping his head to kiss her. His progress was slow enough that she could have stepped back or stopped things.

As if.

She tipped her head up, pressing herself closer, and when his lips came down on hers, it was like everything sort of clicked into place. He was like the thing in her life she hadn’t known she was missing but now she did.

His tongue slid over the curve of her bottom lip, and she opened to him, sucking it inside her mouth. He grunted, pressing his cock against her belly. Her nails dug into his sides, holding him close as his taste filled her.

The hand he had at her back slid down to cup the swell of her ass, hauling her closer. She wanted him to toss her on the bed and fuck her senseless, exhaust her. But they didn’t have time for that. Not right then.

He broke away, breath coming fast. “That was…it’ll get me through the next hours.” His eyes held that light she’d already begun to associate with his wolf. “We should go. Pam is going to meet us for breakfast. I hope you’re hungry, this place serves a great breakfast.”

“I’m beginning to think all the places you eat serve heaping plates of food.”

He slid a hand over that rock-hard belly and grinned like a pirate. “A benefit of shifter metabolism.”

She grabbed her stuff and followed him out into the hallway. Damon already stood near the elevator. She waved.

“Morning.”

He nodded her way. “Morning, Michelle. Listen,” he said as they all took the elevator to the lobby, “my mate, my wife, she’s a witch and she wanted me to invite you over when you got a chance. She’s excited to meet you and said to tell you there’s a sizeable community of witches here in Portland. They’re affiliated with Clan Owen.”

“Oh. Well…thank you. Thank her, I mean. I don’t know how long I’ll be around, but I appreciate the invite and I’m always happy to meet other witches. I don’t know very many.” Her mother pretended she was human. The only other witches she was close to who didn’t hide it were Allie and Kathy.

Damon’s gaze shifted to Josh quickly before he replied. “I’ll tell her. Just let me know. Maybe we can grab a coffee. Or you two can have a drink since Josh and I can’t really get drunk.”

She smiled. “That must sort of suck.”

Josh patted his belly again. “There are other benefits. I’d rather be able to eat like a horse.”

She snorted a laugh. “You ate like a horse before you got bit too.”

He grinned. “Yeah, but that seventeen-year-old-boy metabolism only lasts so long.”

They drove over to a small diner where she ordered a pot of coffee and a stack of pancakes. Damon and Josh of course ordered enough food for four people but the server didn’t even bat an eye.

Pam the cop came in right as their food arrived. She asked the server to bring a farmer’s breakfast and more coffee, and then she turned to Josh, nodding.

“No further sightings of the SUV north of here. One more west of that gas station. Charlie hasn’t been very helpful. He lawyered up right away. Our contact in the coroner’s office says the dead guy was human.”

“There was magick in the room.”

Pam nodded. “Whatever ripped him apart wasn’t human, that’s for sure. No teeth marks found so at least it’s not going to be pinned on Weres. Given the time of death, it couldn’t have been a Vampire. I’m not sure what else would have had the power to do that.”

“I’m a little freaked that a spell could manage something so horrible and violent.” Josh shoved a biscuit and two pieces of bacon in his mouth like a machine.

“To be fair, those aren’t witches. That’s mage magic. I don’t know all of it, but enough to know they don’t have the same rede we have. Witches like those in clans like Owen and in the covens hold to a belief system that says we don’t use our power to harm anyone except in self-defense.”

Her phone rang. “I need to take this.” She stood and moved outside, not wanting to be rude. Josh followed, holding his plate.

“I don’t want you alone. Take your call.”

She rolled her eyes but answered.

“Michelle? I’m Lark Jaansen, I work with Clan Owen. I just wanted to call and check in with you.”

“I appreciate that. We don’t know much more. It’s definitely mages. I caught their energies at two rest stops and then at a gas station here in Portland. We found a dead body there too.” She went over all the rest with Lark, asking questions here and there, clearly taking notes.

“I have to deal with a disappearance here, so I can’t come down and Gage is on an investigation as well. Normally we’d send someone from our Hunter team but we’re…drowning right now. This is…there’s a lot of horrible stuff going on, I’m sorry to say. But we have some contacts there in Portland and I’d very much like it if you’d get in touch with them. The support will be helpful. And I hate the thought of you being alone in all this. The wolves are helping, which is good. In fact, this witch is mated to a wolf. But we want you to be supported. I know the missing woman is your friend. That has to be hard. And she’s one of ours, as all witches here are. I hate that you have to be on your own.”

Somehow it was this last bit that got to her and pushed the tears she’d been trying too hard to bury to the surface. She didn’t need that. So she wiped a hand over her eyes and ignored Josh, who perked up when she did it.

She cleared her throat. “I appreciate it. I think I may already know who she is. Damon, one of the wolves, has a mate who’s a witch. I got the feeling things were escalating out of control when I last spoke with Gage. I’m sorry. It’s not good for any of us. But I’m a cop, I have the tools. And the wolves are helping me so much as well.”

“Thank you for understanding. Doesn’t make it right, but…well I’m glad you understand. Please do get in contact with the local folks and reach out when and if you need anything. We’ll do everything we can.” She gave Michelle the name and number of the contact before she hung up.

She stared out over the parking lot and tried to get herself under control again. A kindness shouldn’t make her cry, for God’s sake.

“How can I help you?” Josh spoke quietly from where he’d perched to keep an eye on her while she made the call.

She shook her head. “You can’t. I’m fine. I just need a moment.”

He clearly wanted to, but he stayed where he was, which she appreciated more than she could say.

She took a deep breath and tucked her phone into a pocket. “Let’s go back inside. I think the contact Lark just gave me is Damon’s mate.”

He reached out and brushed his thumb over her cheek. “I hate that you’re upset. I know you have reason to be. It’s not that. I just want to make it better.”

She smiled a little and meant it. “That’s enough, really.”

They went back in, and while she finished her breakfast, she found out the contact was indeed Damon’s wife, Gina.

“She said she got a message to call Owen this morning before I left for work. Must have been Lark. You’ll like her. Gina, I mean.” Damon ducked his head on a very sweet smile.

She didn’t know a whole lot about the mate thing. Only that wolves mated for life and had some sort of genetic tie that happened during sex. They seemed protective, but she wasn’t entirely sure if it was that all wolves were protective or if it was specific to mates or what.

“If you’d like the help, I’d like to come out to the scene with you,” Pam offered as they walked out to the car after they’d finished eating.