He flicked on the indicator and turned into the driveway that led around the lake to his house. “My mother can go to hell, as far as I’m concerned. I have no idea what she was thinking—”
“Oh, I think we both know precisely what she was thinking.”
“Wanting you out of my life is no excuse for inviting back the woman I’ve already rejected.”
He might have rejected her, but he hadn’t entirely gotten over her. “She’s your alpha and your mother. A rather deadly combination.”
“That still doesn’t excuse her behavior.”
He pulled up in front of his house and turned off the headlights. Thunder cracked overhead, and the already heavy rain became an absolute torrent. Even though the door was only ten feet away, we were absolutely soaked before we got inside.
I stripped off my coat and slung it over the hook. “I think a nice hot shower is called for.”
“Oh,” he said, scooping me up into his arms. “I can think of a far better way to warm up.”
I laughed. “You wouldn’t be using sex to avoid any more discussions about a certain wolf, would you?”
“Discussions about that wolf are likely to kill my libido, not increase it. There’s only one woman I want to think about and lose myself in right now, and she’s right here in my arms.”
“So that would be a yes, then.”
“You can take that comment any way you please.”
“And you, dear wolf, can take me any way you please.”
He laughed, low and sexy, and a delicious heat stirred through my body. “Be sure that I will. Multiple times.”
“Multiples are always good.”
He laughed again, then raced up the stairs and got down to the serious business of lovemaking.
The wind rattled the windows, and the rain pelted against the tin roof, creating a deafening chorus of sound.
And yet, that wasn’t what had woken me.
I frowned and flipped the sheet away from my face. Aiden stirred lightly at the movement; his arm slipped around my waist and pulled me just a little bit closer. I smiled, even as I wondered if he was subconsciously holding on to something he knew was already slipping away.
I ignored the stab of pain and reached for my phone to check the time. It was just after four, which meant we’d only been asleep for a couple of hours. Aiden had very definitely followed through with his “multiples” promise.
With a very contented smile, I scanned the shadows clinging to the room. There was nothing out of place, and nothing to hear other than the cacophony of the storm, and yet … unease stirred.
Something was out there in the deeper darkness of the night.
Something foul.
I pulled away from Aiden’s grip and climbed out of bed.
“Is something wrong?” he immediately asked.
“Maybe. I don’t know.” I walked across to the huge wall of glass and stared out into the storm. Though the windows were double glazed, a chill caressed my skin. I suspected its cause wasn’t the cold that still seeped through the glass but rather the stirring of something unnatural. Something I could feel rather than see.
“That generally means yes.” The bed squeaked lightly as he rose and padded across the room. He stopped behind me, his big body radiating heat, warming my spine and chasing away some of the cold. “Is it our killer?”
“I don’t really know.”
“But you think it’s headed this way?”
I hesitated and reached out with my psi senses. They briefly snagged a sliver of darkness but were quickly spun away—whether by the wind or magic, I couldn’t say, because the sensation was simply too far away.
“I can’t tell.” I crossed my arms and lightly rubbed them. “But given the specter has come after me before, it might be wise to get Monty out here.”
“Why?” Aiden asked, surprise evident. “He surely won’t be able to do anything more than you.”
“Actually, in this case, he can. He gained an insight into our spirit’s magic when we went after her yesterday morning and was working on using that to form a tracking spell. If she is out there, we might be able to find her.”
“It would seem I missed a fair bit when I was sitting in the hospital.”
“Your brother is more important than a hunt for a murderer, Aiden.”
“Yes, but—”
“You’re an alpha wolf and head ranger, and you hate not being on top of all things.”
He laughed softly. “That is bitingly true. You want me to ring Monty?”
“Yes, though he isn’t going to be happy about the hour.”
“Tough. He’s the reservation witch, not you.” Aiden walked back to the bed to grab his phone and then made the call.
It almost rang out before Monty answered, and his voice held a decidedly grumpy note. “Do you know what fucking time it is?”
“Well, yes, because I’m at the other end of the phone making the call,” Aiden said dryly. “Do you want to get your ass out of bed and over to my place as soon as possible?”
“Has there been another murder?” Monty’s tone showed a whole lot more interest.
“No, but Liz has a sense of darkness stirring and—”
“She’s very rarely wrong about these things.” There was a scuff of movement followed by a muttered curse. The latter had come from Belle, though the vague stirrings along the mental lines suggested she remained more asleep than awake. “How far away is it?”
“Far enough that I can’t sense whether it’s actually our skeleton spirit or something else,” I said, raising my voice to ensure he could hear me.
“I’ll be there in twenty,” Monty said. “In the meantime, activate your muting spell, Liz. It’ll stop this thing from sensing your presence if she is using your link to the wild magic to track you.”
Something I should have thought about doing earlier. “She might not be here for me, Monty. It might be just a coincidence.”
“It might, but it’s not a risk we dare take. And please don’t go after her until I get there. Belle won’t be happy if something happens to you on my watch.”
No, Belle silently muttered, she definitely won’t. So look after each other, please.
Rest assured, I won’t let anything happen to your man.
Well, good, because I’ve only just started playing with him, and I’m far from finished yet.
I think it’s safe to say he will never be finished with you.
Will you just give it a rest?
Not until you admit the inevitable.
Never.
Not even when you’re wearing white and walking down the aisle?
Even then.
I chuckled softly and walked back to Aiden. “I might grab a shower while we’re waiting for Monty to arrive. I don’t suppose you want to make the coffee?”
He snagged my fingers and drew me close. “I might even stretch my culinary skills to making some toast. I didn’t have any dinner and I’ve expended a fair bit of energy since then.”
“And I appreciated your effort. Multiple times.”
I rose on my toes and kissed him, long and leisurely. Desire rose, a thick and heady scent that made my pulse race and body ache.