He arched his eyebrow as Mab came from the kitchen. "Why not?"
I tapped my finger close to my eye. "I'm still in training wheels with this night vision stuff, so that's a definite 'no' unless you can pull a flashlight out of your torn jeans."
"I have one," Mab spoke up. She pulled a long cylinder from beneath the counter and placed it in front of me with a wink. "I think you'll find it helpful."
My mouth dropped open as I picked up the object. It was my flashlight, the one I'd dropped in the snow my first night in town. I jerked my head up. "Where'd you-" Her back disappeared around the corner and into the kitchen. I slid off my stool. "Hey, wait a-" A hand caught my shoulder. I looked behind me at Orion.
He smiled and shook his head. "Don't bother. If she doesn't want to answer any questions then you won't find her."
I shrugged out of his hold and glared down at the flashlight. "But how'd she get this? I dropped it in the middle of the street."
Orion plucked the flashlight from my hands and held it above my head. "I don't know what Mab's up to, but I know we can talk about it on that walk home."
I pursed my lips. "A good reporter doesn't leave a story unfinished."
He swept me into his arms and carried me to the door. "A good reporter also needs her beauty sleep."
"A good reporter knows how to walk a beat!" I snapped.
He chuckled. "We'll just your rhythm is off right now."
"You say that, I say nay!" I quipped.
We strode out the door and down the street. The late hour meant the town was deserted. A chill breeze swept over us. I shivered and wrapped my arms around myself.
"Cold?" Orion asked me.
I snorted. "I'm half naked in the middle of autumn in the middle of the night. Yeah, I'm cold."
He grinned. "And a little angry."
I glared at him. "You'd be angry, too, if you were chased by half the county of a place you couldn't escape."
He sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I think I'd be pretty mad, too. Still, there are perks."
I arched an eyebrow. "Name one."
He chuckled. "I'll show you when we get home. It'll solve your cold problem, too."
I rolled my eyes. "Werewolf. Were-bear. They're all still men."
He leaned down and pressed a teasing kiss against my lips. A warm rush of heat swept over me as his whispered words came to my ears. "You know you like it."
I couldn't deny it. My red cheeks were proof enough. I wrapped my arms around him and pressed our lips together. The searing heat of lust sank deep into my body. The long walk felt like a few moments. Maybe they were. One moment we were downtown, and the next thing I remember I was being carried into his bedroom.
Our steamy kisses quickly progressed to blind groping. Our throbbing bodies pulsed with our deep, sensual need Our torn clothes were cast aside and our sweat-soaked bodies were allowed to rub against each other. My moans filled the air. His grunts echoed my calls.
His hands were all over me, exploring me as no other man had done. His lips massaged the tips of my breasts. I groaned and arched into his firm, clinging touch. My body was aflame with lust, and every touch of him against my flesh stoked the fire hotter and deeper.
"Oh god," I groaned.
He lifted his head. His yellow eyes stared at me with the hungry look of a carnal predator. I felt my muscles tighten and stretch as the beast inside me threatened to break loose. My breath came out in quick, shallow pants that made my breasts rise and fall.
"Mine," he growled.
I grasped the sheets and licked my dry lips. My body ached for him. It demanded sweet, sensual satisfaction that only this feral beast could provide. "Yours. All of me."
He spread my legs apart and pushed his thick manhood deep into my hot, wet core. I groaned as he stretched my walls and slid against my trembling womanhood. His thrusts were long and hard. I grabbed his shoulders and rocked my hips in time with his rhythm.
I sank into the bliss he created inside of me. Every thrust, every push was a heaven of shivering pleasure. I gasped and panted. He continued on, stroking me with his thick, throbbing member as I sank deeper into wonderful, sensual delights.
My body twitched and strained. My fingers lengthened into claws and dug into his flesh. Every part of me begged to be released, to be granted the pleasure every touch of him promised.
My groans deepened in tone as I felt his muscles beneath my fingers change. They stretched and shifted. His thrusts grew faster. His member throbbed and thickened. I gasped and whimpered. He grunted. It was a deep, guttural grunt.
The beast inside me answered the call. Carnal desire overtook conscious thought. I felt myself slipping away as fur sprouted from my body. My sweat-soaked muscles tensed and expanded. My hips rocked faster. I barely recognized my own deep voice.
"Faster. Fuck me faster," I growled.
He snarled and wrapped his arms tightly around me. I was pinned between his thick, muscular body and the bed. The bed rocked back and forth as he pushed harder and faster. Every thrust stroked my trembling nerves. My body was swept into a sea of hot pleasure.
I arched my back and groaned. "Yes. Oh god, yes. Take me. Take me faster."
He abandoned rhythm for pure fornication. His thrusts were fast and quick. I couldn't keep up, but I could feel. What I felt was a deep, insatiable hunger for my mate. My body was consumed by my need for his warmth, for his touch, for him. His thick, sweat-soaked body was a drug that brought me pleasure beyond anything I could imagine.
My body trembled beneath such an onslaught of delicious lust. My cries of pleasure filled the air as I clung onto him.
I nipped at his ears and whispered sweet words to him. "Yes. That's it. More. Oh god, so much more."
His thrusts were hard and shallow now. My body tensed as orgasm teased my senses. I leaned my head back and let loose a long, deep howl as pleasure after blissful pleasure washed over me. My mate joined me in the howl, and in a few moments we both collapsed onto the sheets.
Orion shifted onto his side and pulled me against him. He threw the covers over both of us and wrapped his arms around me.
I buried my face into his warm chest and tried to catch my breath. "Is there. . .every a. . .dull moment around here?" I choked out.
He chuckled. It was a deep, guttural sound. "I hope not."
24
A hard stomping noise awoke me. My eyes creaked open at the same time the door to the room swung open. I sat up and glared at Orion who stood in the doorway. The light from behind the curtains told me it was past noon.
Orion raised his hands above his head. "I bring news, oh studious reporter!"
I winced and clapped my hands over my ears. "I should shoot the messenger."
He grinned and stepped over to the bed. "You won't after I tell you the verdict of the Council."
I paused in rubbing my eyeball and arched an eyebrow. "Come again?"
He plopped down beside me. "Things work fast around here. Everyone's trial happened in front of the Council."
I frowned. "And? What happened?"
He shrugged. "The chief is on unpaid leave and is up for reelection soon, so the voters will decide his fate. As for the deputies who helped Darnell, they're out of jobs."
"And Darnell?" I asked him.
"She'll get time off for rescuing Jazz and you from Jerry, but we won't have to worry about her for a while," he assured me. "Her brother decided he wanted to increase the population count."
I slammed my fists on the bed and snarled. "Damn it. I really would have liked to have seen her in an orange jumpsuit." My narrowed eyes flickered to him. "Why the hell didn't you tell me it was happening?"
He held up his hands. "You needed your beauty sleep, and besides, it was closed for you. Citizens only."
I snorted. "I thought I was made an honorary citizen when the mayor made me bite into that apple."
Orion dropped his hands and pursed his lips. His eyes studied me. "Not exactly. I put in a good word for you with
the Council, and for all your help they've decided to give you a choice."
I arched an eyebrow. "What choice?"
He sighed. "You can either remain here, or you can leave."
I straightened and blinked at him. "Leave? As in get into my car and race out of here?"
He gazed into my eyes as he nodded. "Yes."
My smile nearly cracked my face in two. I pumped a fist into the air. "Yes! Freedom of the press is alive and-" I stopped when I noticed Orion's downcast face.
He noticed my noticing and slapped a smile on his face. "You'd have to be careful, of course. No Hulking out when you got angry or anything like that, or its back to Apple Hollow detention for you."
I tucked my arms behind my head and fell back so I bounced atop the mattress. The white ceiling stared back at me as I recalled the last couple of harrowing days. A sigh escaped my lips. "I think I'll stay."
Orion sat up and blinked at me. "Come again?"
I snorted. "Isn't that my line?"
He shook his head. "Not when you say something stupid like I do."
I returned my attention to the plain ceiling and shrugged. "Maybe I kind of like it here. It's like a reporter's paradise. Lots of trouble and little competition."
Orion set his arms on either side of me and leaned over so our faces nearly touched. His eyes searched my face. "You're serious? You'll stay?"
I leaned up and pecked a kiss on his lips. "What do you think?"
A grin slid onto his lips. "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship."
I tilted my head to one side and smiled. "You think so?"
He winked at me. "We make a pretty good team. Like a sweet-and-sour dish."
I snorted. "Does that mean I can start calling you Sour?"
He grinned and shook his head. "Nope."
I shrugged. "Had to give it a chance."
He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on my lips. His whispered words floated over me. "Stick around a while. You'll have plenty more chances."
And oh boy, was he right. On both counts.
A note from Mac
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Continue the adventure
Now that you've finished the book, feel free to check out my website for the rest of the exciting series. Here's also a little sneak-peek at the next book:
* * *
Second Sight:
I was surrounded by ghosts and black cats. Cobwebs hung from the lampposts and tombstones stood around every corner. The sounds of cackling and screams echoed over the long street. Skeletons and scarecrows sat in lawn chairs beside doorways and glared at cars and people alike. Everyone on the street seemed oblivious to these terrors as they strolled down the sidewalks, some with children and some without.
I had my own kid to deal with. And speaking of that, something even more terrifying wrapped their arms around me and pressed me against their chest.
"If you don't finish your shopping soon I'm going to have to kidnap you back to my place," Orion warned me.
I wiggled in his grip. "Will you let go? I just need one more thing for my costume, okay?"
We stood outside one of the shops on the main street of Apple Hollow. The businesses were decked out in decor that honored the yearly festival of harvest and spooks, Halloween. In my hand was a plastic bag. In Orion's hands were a half dozen other bags, and me.
He opened his arms and dropped me back onto the sidewalk. "This better not take as long as the other clothes."
I turned to face him and grinned. "You know you liked watching me show off those skimpy black skirts."
An amused smile slipped onto his handsome face. "Yeah, but it's made things really hard for me ever since."
I stepped backward away from him. "Then just be a good were-boy and wait here while I go get the last thing I need."
I spun around and hurried down the sidewalk. There was just the finishing touch left to get, and my costume would be complete. I walked up to a corner store devoid of Halloween decorations. The name Leto Drug hung above the door. I walked up to the counter that stood at the back of the store. Behind the wide window was a mess of shelves with a wide assortment of prescriptions pill bottles.
A man over eighty in a long white coat greeted me. His thinning hair was parted down the middle and there was a bright smile on my face. "Good morning, Miss Lyal. What can I do for you?"
I froze my smile on my face. It was still unnerving having people know me and I having no idea who they are. Fortunately, his name-tag read 'Mike Leto.'
"I was wondering if you had eye patches for sale," I told him.
He smiled and nodded. "Yes, we do. They're over there." He leaned over the counter and pointed at a wall to my left. "Just over there. The kids already bought the smaller ones, though."
"Good thing I'm bigger," I commented as I walked up to the wall.
The bell over the door rang. I looked at the entrance and saw a short old woman shuffle into the store. She wore a flowered white dress with a white sash around her waist. In her firm hands was a purse. She shuffled over to the counter and smiled at Leto. "Good morning, Mike."
He returned the smile and nodded. "Good morning, Bertha. What can I do for you?"
"Just the usual, and a small pumpkin candle," she replied.
Leto frowned, but grabbed a small yellow candle from a nearby shelf. "You sure you want to do that?"
Bertha's face and she pursed her lips. "Very much so." She glanced my way. Her eyes looked tired. She bowed her head.
I waved and returned to my patch perusing, but not without keeping one eye on the woman.
"So how's the good reverend dealing with this All Hallow's Eve?" Leto asked her as he packed her candle and prescription into a small white bag.
She sighed. "The usual fashion, but I won't give away the surprise."
Leto laughed as he slid the bag over the counter to her. "Dang. I was hoping to warn my great-nieces."
The old woman took her bag and handed the pharmacist some cash. "Not this year." She turned and shuffled to the door.
"See you later," he called.
She didn't turn back as she left the store. I continued my perusing. To the right of the medicinal shelving was one of miscellaneous toys, including a blowgun and popgun. Most of the inventory was out-of-stock for the coming 'trick' part of Halloween.
I found two eye patches and walked up to the counter. Leto rang up the bill. "So going as a pirate for the big town bash, eh?"
I grinned as I handed him some cash. "Not exactly."
He smiled as he gave me my change. "I see. Wanting to keep it a secret, eh? Well, how about a trade?" He leaned his elbows on the counter and nodded at the shelving where I just stood. "I noticed you were admiring the blowguns. I don't look like much now, but I used to be quite the marksman in my youth. I could hit a target that was barely in my sight." He tapped his temple. "And you know how good a sight a werewolf has, I bet."
"I'm starting to," I admitted.
He nodded at my bag. "So now that I've told you my secret, what's your costume?"
I smiled and shook my head. "Thanks for the secret, but I'm keeping mine."
He frowned as I slipped outside. The darkening sky warned me night was only an hour away. That would make it the eve of Halloween, or one day until the rave Orion told me the town threw every October 31st.
I met my mate almost where I'd left him. He sat on a nearby bench with the bags around him. His head was lolled back and his tongue hung out. A folded piece of paper sat on his chest. I grabbed the paper and unfolded the parts to read the cont
ents aloud.
"I've lost the will to live. Please have me cremated." I rolled my eyes and folded the paper. "Seriously?"
Orion raised his head and grinned. "A few more minutes and I might have seriously considered suicide."
I tossed the paper onto him and picked up a few of the bags. "Then let's go home before you make a spectacle of yourself."
We left the shopping district and strolled up the residential streets. The lawns and porches were covered in wooden tombstones and floating sheets of ghosts. Jack-o-lanterns sat on the porch railings and the slight autumn breeze rocked the porch swings in which sat scarecrows and zombie mannequins. Cobwebs hung in the trees and bushes, and orange solar lights lit up the walking paths.
"Everyone sure does go all out for this, don't they?" I commented.
Orion smiled and nodded. "Yeah, even more than Christmas, but you can't really blame us."
I snorted. "Yeah, it's like Halloween every day of the year for everyone here."
We reached Orion's house. A veritable cemetery covered his lawn and a large spider hung from its thread off the porch. We paused at the mailbox and Orion pulled out the small stack.
He flipped through the envelopes. "Junk. Junk. Junk."
I looked up at the clear evening sky. "Even out here there's no escaping the junk mail."
He nodded as he continued his chanting. "Junk. Junk. J-" He paused and held up a vanilla-colored envelope. A frown slipped onto his lips. "Are you expecting any letters?"
I shook my head. "No. The only one who knows I'm here is my mom, and she prefers email. Why?"
He held the envelope out to me. "Because this is for you."
I frowned and took the envelope. There was my name scrawled on the back in black ink. The handwriting was a cursive style with wide, looping strokes. There was no return address, or even a stamp. I opened the top and pulled out two small, black rectangular slips of thick paper. The color of the paper was faded and some of the corners were bent.
Orion arched an eyebrow. "Tickets to Madam Bentley's seance?"
I looked over the white lettering on the front. The words confirmed Orion's comment. I raised my eyes to look at him. "How'd you know?"
He nodded at the tickets. "People around here tend to avoid using black in their correspondences, but not Madam Bentley. It's her calling card."
My eyes flickered up to Orion. "Let me guess. This woman isn't a fake."