grabbed my elbow as he shook, drawing me close for a half hug. He sniffed.
I knew what he was doing. He’d smelled Amber, nice and fresh, and was simply double-checking the info before responding. He’s nothing, if not thorough.
When he let go of me, I felt his gaze bore into me. I remembered Frank’s comments about looking him in the eye. I didn’t have a choice. I stared him back, but it was tough. I felt more ‘seen through’ in those few seconds than all the rest of my life put together.
He didn’t waste any time. He said, “You saw the report?”
“Yeah. Right before you called.”
I sniffed the air, too. Hood had the scent of every bitch within a hundred miles on him. His back was straight, and the whole Wolverine/X-men thing he had was going on big time. I glanced down at his hands, and was half-surprised to see them--almost effeminate in their human form. I knew he had some slashing claws. They were legend. He’d gutted more--
Doesn’t matter.
He gestured. “Why don’t we sit.” It wasn’t a question. More like an order.
Frank dropped immediately into a chair. I got the impression he’d have rolled over belly up too, if Hood had suggested it.
Giselle slipped, fluidly, onto the closest surface, the corner cushion of the sofa. Amber followed suit, moving to the spot next to her. That left a chair and the end of the couch open.
There was a dilemma. Sit by the bitch that I’d probably end up dead over, where Hood could stare between us with his laser gaze--or take the chair across from her, and force him to sit close enough where he couldn’t ignore her fragrance.
I took the chair. I figured it was closest to the door. I had a fighting chance there.
Everyone else watched Hood.
I, personally, hated to glance up at him from that sitting position. The minute I took a seat, I gave him control--not that he hadn’t had it before--but that was when I became ‘less than.’ Licking my lips, I thought about the politics of staying alive, and being second best, and renewed my vow--if I got out of there alive, I’d find Bark and give him back his damn job, no matter what it took. I didn’t want to deal with Hood regularly. How on earth had Bark done it? Especially with his preferences running--okay, I’ll say it--Bark had a thing for bastet whores.
That was one step above unnaturals, wasn’t it? To tell the truth, I didn’t know any more. Thank Gaia no one could read my thoughts.
Hood took his sweet time looking us over before he made his way to the open spot on the sofa. For a minute, there, I didn’t think he was going to sit. I thought he was going to stand over us until one of us began to babble.
Frank, of course, was the one to crack first. He said, “Mark and I are going to Missouri when we’re done here. We’re going to check into things.”
“I have people down there already.”
Hood’s announcement wasn’t really a surprise. It didn’t matter that Missouri was a backwater. Lobos had people virtually everywhere.
Amber said, “I already told them that I’d be going with them.”
I sat forward, rubbing my hands together. I wanted to get it straight up with Hood. Suspense kills, ya know. “I’d rather she didn’t, if that’s all right with you. I see no reason for a...what are you? Pharmacist? To go with us.”
At that, Hood appeared to relax. He chuckled even, and leaned back, crossing his legs, spreading an arm out over the back of the overstuffed leather sofa. In one smooth move, he drew her up against him, sniffing her hair, dropping a kiss to the top of her head, saying, “Amber’s much more than a pharmacist, Mark.”
Giselle’s fingers curled up. I don’t think she realized it, but she pulled the edge of her skirt up as she did it. It drew my attention. I knew how she felt. The muscles
I knew what he was doing. He’d smelled Amber, nice and fresh, and was simply double-checking the info before responding. He’s nothing, if not thorough.
When he let go of me, I felt his gaze bore into me. I remembered Frank’s comments about looking him in the eye. I didn’t have a choice. I stared him back, but it was tough. I felt more ‘seen through’ in those few seconds than all the rest of my life put together.
He didn’t waste any time. He said, “You saw the report?”
“Yeah. Right before you called.”
I sniffed the air, too. Hood had the scent of every bitch within a hundred miles on him. His back was straight, and the whole Wolverine/X-men thing he had was going on big time. I glanced down at his hands, and was half-surprised to see them--almost effeminate in their human form. I knew he had some slashing claws. They were legend. He’d gutted more--
Doesn’t matter.
He gestured. “Why don’t we sit.” It wasn’t a question. More like an order.
Frank dropped immediately into a chair. I got the impression he’d have rolled over belly up too, if Hood had suggested it.
Giselle slipped, fluidly, onto the closest surface, the corner cushion of the sofa. Amber followed suit, moving to the spot next to her. That left a chair and the end of the couch open.
There was a dilemma. Sit by the bitch that I’d probably end up dead over, where Hood could stare between us with his laser gaze--or take the chair across from her, and force him to sit close enough where he couldn’t ignore her fragrance.
I took the chair. I figured it was closest to the door. I had a fighting chance there.
Everyone else watched Hood.
I, personally, hated to glance up at him from that sitting position. The minute I took a seat, I gave him control--not that he hadn’t had it before--but that was when I became ‘less than.’ Licking my lips, I thought about the politics of staying alive, and being second best, and renewed my vow--if I got out of there alive, I’d find Bark and give him back his damn job, no matter what it took. I didn’t want to deal with Hood regularly. How on earth had Bark done it? Especially with his preferences running--okay, I’ll say it--Bark had a thing for bastet whores.
That was one step above unnaturals, wasn’t it? To tell the truth, I didn’t know any more. Thank Gaia no one could read my thoughts.
Hood took his sweet time looking us over before he made his way to the open spot on the sofa. For a minute, there, I didn’t think he was going to sit. I thought he was going to stand over us until one of us began to babble.
Frank, of course, was the one to crack first. He said, “Mark and I are going to Missouri when we’re done here. We’re going to check into things.”
“I have people down there already.”
Hood’s announcement wasn’t really a surprise. It didn’t matter that Missouri was a backwater. Lobos had people virtually everywhere.
Amber said, “I already told them that I’d be going with them.”
I sat forward, rubbing my hands together. I wanted to get it straight up with Hood. Suspense kills, ya know. “I’d rather she didn’t, if that’s all right with you. I see no reason for a...what are you? Pharmacist? To go with us.”
At that, Hood appeared to relax. He chuckled even, and leaned back, crossing his legs, spreading an arm out over the back of the overstuffed leather sofa. In one smooth move, he drew her up against him, sniffing her hair, dropping a kiss to the top of her head, saying, “Amber’s much more than a pharmacist, Mark.”
Giselle’s fingers curled up. I don’t think she realized it, but she pulled the edge of her skirt up as she did it. It drew my attention. I knew how she felt. The muscles
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