Wild Hearts (10 page)

“Coffee?” Coal asked.

“I’ll definitely be needing it. Brought chow,” Len said, holding up a large paper bag. “Has your white accepted she’s a wolf yet?”

Coal repressed the urge to display his emotion behind a simple smile as he led Len into the kitchen. The man dropped the bag of breakfast foods on the small kitchen table and took a seat, keeping his attention anywhere but on the bathroom door.

“I think she’s coming around.” He grabbed four mugs from a cabinet and filled two with the freshly brewed coffee. Wiping the smile from his face as he turned to Len, he added, “She can’t dispute what she saw happen in front of her.”

“I’d say.” Len’s brows lifted as he nodded toward the bathroom door without looking. “Your boy there needs to learn to control himself. Be more like you.”

“That wouldn’t make for a good friendship. Two of me?”

“Brooding bastard. True, true. The town can only handle one Coal Demmering, and that’s stretching it.” His eyes narrowed on Coal. “Although, not sure if I sense much brooding in you today.”

Coal turned a chair around and straddled the seat, then placed the mugs on the table. He folded his arms over the top of the chair. Len shrugged and unloaded the Styrofoam containers from the paper bag. The mouthwatering aromas of bacon, eggs, and steak filled the kitchen but did little to cast aside the resounding unsettlement.

“What’s bothering you? Seems like you’ve got your tail in a bunch,” Coal said, reaching over to the closest container. He flicked open the lid, grabbed a sausage link, and took a bite. The savory, salty meat made his stomach rumble. “Wife up your ass again?”

“You disappoint me. You’ve got the positions backward.” Len chuckled despite the growing uncertainty flashing in his eyes. “Two wolves were slain last night about three miles from here. They’re part of the Jenson pack. Came in to lend us a hand keeping Smith’s granddaughter safe. A half dozen pack members went on a wild goose chase trying to follow the scent but only came to the lake, where it disappeared.”

Coal paused, teeth half tearing into another bite of sausage. He stared at Len as the man rapped his fingers on the top of an unopened box.

He severed the piece of meat, chewed, and swallowed, dropping the remainder in the box. Quenching his ravage hunger would have to wait.

“Did anyone recognize the scent?” Coal asked.

“No. Not a one.”

“Did they move down the lakefront and try to pick up the scent again? If it’s a wolf, it wouldn’t stay in the water long.”

“They said they couldn’t find anything.”

“That’s fucking impossible, Len. How can they lose a scent?”

“We’re wolves, which means we come with wolf-like abilities. Even wolves can lose scent trails if other scents overpower the one being traced.”

Coal arched a brow. He
never
lost a scent trail. But it was pointless for him to try to follow a scent after so many other wolves compromised the area. Besides, he and Jacy had another trail to follow once his friend finished fucking in the shower.

“Did you pick up the strange scent outside?” Len asked. He pushed the container away and looked at Coal. His blue eyes coated with deadly ice.

Reluctantly, Coal shook his head once.

“Really? Actually, there were two different scents, aside from yours and Shyla’s.” Len snickered. “I would’ve never suspected that woman to be the outdoors type.”

“Leave it, old man,” Coal growled, shoving back from the chair. Anger welled in his spirit, the wolf mewling to come out. The screen door cracked against the side of the cabin from the force he threw it open with. He jumped off the porch and stormed into the middle of the clearing.

Suppressing the restless side of him, he stood stone still, nose tipped toward the bleak, cloudy morning. The cold air lent a crispness that made it easier to distinguish the hundreds of different scents surrounding him. Immediately, he could smell the lingering musk from his mating with Shyla, and it made his cock hard. He couldn’t seem to get enough of her.

Pushing the obvious aside, he turned his head as a coaxing breeze filtered through the trees, bringing with it two entwined scents. Two scents he knew very little of, but knew well enough to realize just what might have occurred because he was too enamored by Shyla to detect it.

“Son of a bitch,” he spat. His fingers began to contort as his desire to transform and hunt the fools who tread this land mounted. He turned to the cabin and ran back inside, barely keeping the wolf contained.

Len looked up.

“I’m going to see if I can find them. When those two are done, bring them over to my place and tell them to stay there. If I’m not back by sundown, get her away from here. You understand?” Coal barked, stripping off his jeans. His body accepted the familiar transformation as his wolf came to the forefront. In a few blinks, he bounded back outside.

“Don’t let anything happen to our woman, Jacy. It’ll be your throat I tear open otherwise,”
he warned his friend just as he came upon the strong start of the enemies’ scent.

Chapter Nine

Jacy massaged shampoo into Shyla’s thick mane of hair, lathering the dense white foam until it practically consumed her dark strands. The hot water sprayed over his shoulders and down her back, glistening like tiny diamonds against her smooth flesh. Unlike his friend, he knew Shyla wouldn’t leave them. This was a sight he’d get to experience as much as he wanted, and hell would freeze before he got sick of it.

“Mmm, that feels good. You do this often?” Shyla murmured, leaning her head into his hands.

He chuckled, fingers working into her scalp. He watched goose bumps rise over her arms despite the heat of the water and the steam produced by it.

“I save these specialties for you. Figured after our active night, a little massage might be in the cards. You sore?” He pressed a light kiss to the soapy underside of her jaw. He slid his fingers out of her hair and down to her shoulders where he gently kneaded the tight muscles surrounding her neck.

“Keep doing what you’re doing, and the soreness will disappear.” Shyla’s body swayed with his deep, massaging strokes, narrow streams of white foam creeping down her back from her hair. “Have you and Coal shared other women?”

Jacy paused, her curiosity washing away his smile.

“It depends on the term. We’ve shared women. Separately.”

Jacy snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her into his body. He might have an overactive sex drive, but times like this outweighed the desires stirring in his gut. Shyla’s slender, solid form molded to him so perfectly, as if she were made for him. Her head leaned back on his shoulder, the spray of water working the shampoo from her hair. She looked up at him, a small smile on her swollen lips. Jacy graced her with a chaste kiss. He nuzzled his cheek to hers.

“You both don’t seem the type to be short of women at your sexual disposal,” she murmured.

“Maybe not, but none of it matters anymore.”

“Just because I’m a white wolf, you’re open to settle with one woman?”

“You being a white has a little to do with things. It brought us together.”

“Coal said both of you were appointed as my mates. How can two alpha males submit to one another and share a single woman?”

“Sugar, we’re perfectly capable of sharing. You experienced that just a short time ago,” Jacy reminded. He inhaled the sweet scent of rose soap from her skin and closed his eyes. “Although, I’ll admit Coal’s been hogging your mouth.”

“I think that’s fair considering how long you hogged me last night,” she said, her voice dipping. A sultry chuckle rumbled through her throat and made the blood pool in his cock. He kissed the soapy side of her neck.

“And I’ll continue to hog you as much as I can—”

“
Don’t let anything happen to our woman, Jacy. It’ll be your throat I tear open otherwise.”

Jacy lifted his head from the alluring temptation of her neck and loosened his arms from her waist. He stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel.

“Jacy? Where’re you going?” Shyla asked, poking her head from behind the shower curtain.

“What the hell are you rambling about now?”
he asked, following the telepathic link that flared to life. He dried in haste and tucked the towel around his waist.

“Doll, finish up, and meet me in the kitchen.” His gaze drifted over her once more. He licked his lips. “With some clothes on or a towel in the least.”

He slid out of the bathroom and followed the delicious aromas of breakfast foods and coffee into the kitchen. Len climbed to his feet from his place at the table. Jacy scanned the living room through the doorway behind Len, noting the peek of jeans hanging over a sofa pillow. When he didn’t see Coal, he leaned back into the living room.

“He’s gone,” Len said, answering the curiosity building in Jacy’s mind.

He turned to the man and quirked a brow. “Don’t tell me he can’t handle being around—”

“He’s following a scent trail left by two trespassing wolves last night. He left instructions for me to bring you and the white to his place,” Len said, his words backed by a fierce determination that reflected in the blues of his eyes.

Jacy bristled.

“Where’s Shyla?”

“Finishing up in the shower.” He barely connected with his friend before asking,
“
Coal, what the fuck is going on?”

“Don’t you concern yourself with me. Keep Shyla safe until I get back. Don’t try to be a stubborn ass either.”

Jacy detected the carnal air in the telepathic response. Coal was a wolf. He knew better than to distract his closest friend while tracing enemy trails.

“I’ll get her together, and we’ll leave right away,” Jacy said. Once Shyla was tucked safely in Coal’s home, he’d go after his friend.

No way in hell would he let Coal face the dangers alone.

* * * *

Shyla dragged her feet up to the front door of the extensive ranch-style home. Frustrated with Jacy’s vague explanation behind the urgency to leave, and awestricken by the immaculate condition of this new place, Shyla barely had time to react before Jacy resorted to picking her up and dropping her back to her feet once she cleared the front door.

“Will you tell me what’s going on now?” Shyla growled, adjusting the shawl around her shoulders. As much as she wanted to drink in the extremely contemporary décor and the clean-cut severity of the home, she kept her gaze trained on Jacy.

“Smith’s place isn’t safe. That’s what’s going on.”

“Where’s Coal?”

“Tracking two wolves that hunkered down outside your grandfather’s place last night.”

Shyla blinked. She swallowed. There had been two wolves hanging outside Gramps’s place? Had they watched her and Coal?

“Why are we here? Whose house is this?” she asked, the sharp edge in her voice melting away.

“Coal’s.”

Jacy ushered her deeper into the house as she observed Coal’s home. Spotless white walls and light pinewood floors flowed into each room. Sharp abstract paintings in black, gray, and red were hung with incredible precision. Cold metal sculptures stood tall as the hallway opened into a large, airy living room. Stark white carpeting filled this room, along with a black leather sofa, glass coffee table, and a large flat-screen television mounted to the wall. A white-brick fireplace opened just below the television.

“Wow. Not even my place is this clean,” Shyla said. She took a step on the carpet. Immediately, she pulled her shoe back and slid out of them. Jacy laughed. “Somehow, this place fits Coal perfectly.”

“Simple and yet complex. That’s my boy.” Jacy held no regards for the pristine carpeting and trekked across the room to one of the floor-to-ceiling windows that lined one full wall. He lifted the wooden slat of the blind and peeked out. “Coal wants you here. His home is impenetrable. He has every security precaution and alarm system known to man.”

“A bit paranoid?”

“No. It’s our business. We’re in security. Home security, personal bodyguard, those things. We’ve gotta make a living beyond the wild, sweetheart.” Jacy dropped the slat and turned to her. “He keeps the fridge and pantry stocked. He’s got every cable channel available.” Jacy pointed down a dark extension beyond the extremely contemporary kitchen with stainless steel appliances and black marble countertops. “Bedrooms and bathrooms are down there. If you feel the need to take a nap, make yourself comfortable. In fact, make yourself at home.”

“And you?” Shyla stepped over to one of the tall sculptures. There was nothing definitive about it other than that it looked like a scraggly steel tree with flat strips for branches.

“I’m going with Coal. You’re not to leave this place for any reason.”

Shyla looked back at him. He slid his cell phone from his jacket and handed it to her. She lifted a brow.

“Coal’s programmed on two. Len, three. If you can’t get in touch with either of them for any reason, you can call the numbers programmed up to eight. Everyone knows you’re here, and they’ll come right away.”

Shyla tucked the phone in her jean pocket. Her gaze followed Jacy as he stepped up to her and pulled her into the hot cavern of his body. She wrapped her arms around his waist and closed her eyes, inhaling the woodsy scent of his skin.

“I’m gonna lock you inside, Shyla. Don’t try to open any of the doors or windows. Everything is wired. You’ll be safe until we return.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“As long as it takes to find those who watched the house last night. They might lead us to Laela. She’s your greatest threat right now, and we’ve been trying to locate her for a few months, to no avail.”

Jacy leaned back, and Shyla tipped her face up to his. He kissed her, his hot mouth feeding her comfort as her legs weakened and the never-ending burn of desire licked at her lower belly. Her heart thudded against her chest. She didn’t want to be left alone.

Shyla ended the kiss. “Does Coal always run after danger without stopping to plan out a strategy?”

“Coal’s aggressive, but don’t mistake that for being careless. He plans as he goes. He doesn’t take shit from anyone, especially now that you’re involved.” He shrugged, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, and smiled. “He’s the best at what he does. He’s a fearless hunter. I’m his balance. He needs someone to pull the reins when he dives headfirst into fire.” He must have sensed her worry and added, “He’ll be fine. We’ll all be just fine.”

Shyla stepped away from the hallway, allowing Jacy to pass. She watched him, admiring his confident walk, not to mention the way his jeans formed to his muscled legs and perfect rear. His dark blond hair brushed the collar of his jacket, the dim lighting reflecting off the glossy strands. At the door, he looked back, sunglasses in hand, and smiled. The sharp contours of his beautiful face held no doubt or fear. His green eyes glinted with a dark, wild hunger.

Shyla moistened her lips. His feral wolf side switched on her sexual lust with little to hold it back. Her eyes lowered from his to the open top of his shirt, then snapped back up to his gaze. He laughed.

“All you want in a few hours. Promise.” He stepped out of the house and called back, “Don’t open anything.”

The door closed, and a series of clicks and beeps followed. Alone in a house that emanated masculine perfection and brought a yearning for Coal and Jacy, she rubbed her arms and headed down the adjacent hallway. Curiosity pulled her to the bedrooms. She wanted to see where Coal slept. She wanted to learn more about the brooding man who made her heart sputter and her mind roll, why he consumed her, even more than Jacy.

The first door opened to a guest room, simply furnished and decorated. The second door opened to a lavish bathroom with black area rugs and accessories on gleaming white surfaces. The third door led into another world.

This had to be Coal’s bedroom. With a California king-sized bed situated against the center of the far wall as the centerpiece, the room pulsed sexual prowess and masculinity. The walls were the same stark white. Cold metal sculptures adorned the wall around a black marble fireplace across from the foot of the bed. White taper candles filled the marble mantle. A black leather wingback chair was angled toward the fireplace with a round glass table beside it.

Shyla shrugged her shawl off her shoulders and moved over to the fireplace. She flipped a switch partially hidden by the sculpture. Smokeless flames burst to life next to her, sending her reeling back on a shriek. With her hand pressed to her chest to calm her pounding heart, she drew in a deep breath, settling her nerves.

“Coal, you’re one hell of a multidimensional masterpiece, aren’t you?” she asked the empty room. Sure her legs wouldn’t collapse beneath her, she moved to the bed and ran a hand over the cool black satin comforter. Dark red needlework created a sharp, jagged design along the hem that matched the black curtains pulled closed over the windows. It reminded her of tribal art.

Shyla leaned over the bed, and her hands sank into the heavenly mattress. She climbed into the bed and stretched out over the comforter, nuzzling her face into the ultra soft fabric. Coal’s spicy scent filled her lungs, her body, and her mind, making her ache. She closed her eyes with a moan, her arms and legs slowly gliding over the satin. Images of Coal making love to her stirred in her mind.

“God, what have you two done to me?” she whispered aloud.
I can’t imagine being without you.

A purr tickled the base of her throat, and she smiled. Maybe she’d have one more night with them before she left.

Memories would be her saving grace back home.