rude?” she asked, placing
her hands on her hips.
“Definitely,” Ava said, unperturbed, folding her arms across
her chest. “And if Emory hadn’t interrupted Diskant and me to make sure you
were okay when he heard you shuffling around in here, I wouldn’t have
considered it.”
Mary looked at Ava— really looked at her. Her short
blonde and pink hair was a mess, the strands sticking out in multiple
directions. Her jeans were zipped but not buttoned and her sweater was inside
out. Since Ava had a fair complexion, Mary could see whisker burn around her
swollen lips and the vivid red love bite on her neck.
Oh God.
Emory had interrupted Ava and Diskant while they were having
sex.
She’d never been so embarrassed, not even when her mother
had decided it was time to talk about the birds and the bees when she turned
fourteen. Mary wished the ground would open up and swallow her.
Ava’s countenance changed from frustrated to understanding.
“Don’t worry about it. Diskant is the Alpha and Omega of New York. It’s not the
first or the last time that we’ve been interrupted. In fact…” Ava grinned and
snickered. “It’s nice being the one to put a stop to the action for a change.
He needs a taste of what it’s like to be left hanging. If you know what I
mean.”
Mortification swept through her, making Mary wish she could
shrivel up and die. She and Ava were not going to discuss or share their
sexcapades. During college a few girls in her classes would brag about their
sex lives without a shred of modesty or decency. She’d always listened in, awed
and slightly repulsed that they took something that was supposed to be intimate
between two people and dumbed it down for the masses.
“Oh girl.” Ava’s smile remained intact but she did give Mary
a knowing look that made her uncomfortable. “You’re going to have to get over
that. Shyness has no meaning to shifters. You’re about to be surrounded by
people who think intimacy is something that should be proudly open for
display.”
“Stop doing that.” Mary lowered her head and pinched the
bridge of her nose. It was bad enough that Ava knew she was embarrassed. “I
don’t like the thought of you in my head.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to. It’s just…” Ava sighed. “I know
that you’re thinking about running, so it’s not as easy as turning my ability
off. I have to look out for the best interests of the pack. Contrary to what
you might think, you’re not a danger to us unless you run. Shepherds were a
threat before you came here and they’ll always be a threat. Your absence won’t
change that. Believe me when I say you’re safer here than you could possibly be
anywhere else. You’re Emory’s mate, and by pack law you’re our responsibility.
We take care of our own.”
Their responsibility ? “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means we’re not as different as you think. Not too long
ago I was standing in your shoes. I ran, but it didn’t do any good. Once you
belong to one of them, that’s it. They won’t stop looking until they find you.”
Comprehension dawned and Mary found herself really
inspecting Ava. The woman was so much smaller than any shifter she’d ever seen.
So fragile.
“You’re human ,” she stated dumbly, finding the fact
hard to grasp.
“For the most part,” Ava replied, her response vague.
“Nuh-uh,” Mary said, meeting Ava’s gaze. “If you expect me
to believe anything you say, you’re going to have to stop reading my mind and
tell me the truth, even if you think I don’t want to hear it. I’ve heard enough
lies from people to last me a lifetime. Honesty would be a refreshing change.”
“If I agree to that, you’re going to have to be honest with
me too.”
“Done.” Right now, there wasn’t a whole lot Mary could
control. She’d take what she was given. If Ava wanted to talk, they’d talk.
Ava walked to the bed, plopped down on the mattress and
motioned toward the area across
her hands on her hips.
“Definitely,” Ava said, unperturbed, folding her arms across
her chest. “And if Emory hadn’t interrupted Diskant and me to make sure you
were okay when he heard you shuffling around in here, I wouldn’t have
considered it.”
Mary looked at Ava— really looked at her. Her short
blonde and pink hair was a mess, the strands sticking out in multiple
directions. Her jeans were zipped but not buttoned and her sweater was inside
out. Since Ava had a fair complexion, Mary could see whisker burn around her
swollen lips and the vivid red love bite on her neck.
Oh God.
Emory had interrupted Ava and Diskant while they were having
sex.
She’d never been so embarrassed, not even when her mother
had decided it was time to talk about the birds and the bees when she turned
fourteen. Mary wished the ground would open up and swallow her.
Ava’s countenance changed from frustrated to understanding.
“Don’t worry about it. Diskant is the Alpha and Omega of New York. It’s not the
first or the last time that we’ve been interrupted. In fact…” Ava grinned and
snickered. “It’s nice being the one to put a stop to the action for a change.
He needs a taste of what it’s like to be left hanging. If you know what I
mean.”
Mortification swept through her, making Mary wish she could
shrivel up and die. She and Ava were not going to discuss or share their
sexcapades. During college a few girls in her classes would brag about their
sex lives without a shred of modesty or decency. She’d always listened in, awed
and slightly repulsed that they took something that was supposed to be intimate
between two people and dumbed it down for the masses.
“Oh girl.” Ava’s smile remained intact but she did give Mary
a knowing look that made her uncomfortable. “You’re going to have to get over
that. Shyness has no meaning to shifters. You’re about to be surrounded by
people who think intimacy is something that should be proudly open for
display.”
“Stop doing that.” Mary lowered her head and pinched the
bridge of her nose. It was bad enough that Ava knew she was embarrassed. “I
don’t like the thought of you in my head.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to. It’s just…” Ava sighed. “I know
that you’re thinking about running, so it’s not as easy as turning my ability
off. I have to look out for the best interests of the pack. Contrary to what
you might think, you’re not a danger to us unless you run. Shepherds were a
threat before you came here and they’ll always be a threat. Your absence won’t
change that. Believe me when I say you’re safer here than you could possibly be
anywhere else. You’re Emory’s mate, and by pack law you’re our responsibility.
We take care of our own.”
Their responsibility ? “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means we’re not as different as you think. Not too long
ago I was standing in your shoes. I ran, but it didn’t do any good. Once you
belong to one of them, that’s it. They won’t stop looking until they find you.”
Comprehension dawned and Mary found herself really
inspecting Ava. The woman was so much smaller than any shifter she’d ever seen.
So fragile.
“You’re human ,” she stated dumbly, finding the fact
hard to grasp.
“For the most part,” Ava replied, her response vague.
“Nuh-uh,” Mary said, meeting Ava’s gaze. “If you expect me
to believe anything you say, you’re going to have to stop reading my mind and
tell me the truth, even if you think I don’t want to hear it. I’ve heard enough
lies from people to last me a lifetime. Honesty would be a refreshing change.”
“If I agree to that, you’re going to have to be honest with
me too.”
“Done.” Right now, there wasn’t a whole lot Mary could
control. She’d take what she was given. If Ava wanted to talk, they’d talk.
Ava walked to the bed, plopped down on the mattress and
motioned toward the area across
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