Damned and Cursed (Book 2): Witch's Kurse (55 page)

"Like the man said.
 
They probably cooked this up in a lab while you were humping a tree.
 
I hate technology."

"Funny.
 
I didn't hear you complaining while I was humping
you
."

He smiled.
 
"Okay, so our element of surprise is gone, as well as your ability to track."

She noted his choice of words.
 
"What do you mean?
 
Our
?"

"I'm not going home just yet."

"Jack, I'm not asking for your help."

"I didn't exactly give you a choice in the matter."

Marie didn't know what to believe.
 
Jack was difficult to read.
 
Was he helping her for his own reasons?
 
She knew he wasn't exactly a knight in shining armor.
 
In the end, it didn't matter.
 
She would accept his help.

"Thank you."

He said nothing in return, continuing to examine the men.

"Anyway," she said.
 
"You're wrong about tracking.
 
Get those clothes off of them, and I can smell them.
 
It might take a while, but I'll find them."

"Or," Jack said, gesturing to the man he choked.
 
"We question this mortal here.
 
I left him alive.
 
See?"
 
He tapped his temple.
 
"I thought ahead."

"Screw off."

"I love it when you talk dirty.
 
Don't worry.
 
Spend enough time with me, and I'll get you trained."

"Funny.
 
So…"
 
Marie glanced around the bedroom.
 
To call it a mess would have been an understatement.
 
"We've got two dead humans, and one unconscious one.
 
What do you want to do now?"

He grabbed a bag of clothes from the corner and tossed it at her.

"You can start by getting dressed.
 
I've got some calls to make, a cleaning crew to get here as fast as they can.
 
Then we take your friend there to the roof for a little talk.
 
Just so you know, I'm keeping track of all this.
 
Do you know how much you owe me?"

She lifted the corner of her mouth.
 
"I'll make it up to you."

"Damn right you will."

She was halfway to the bathroom when he stopped her.

"Marie," he said, and gestured to the humans.
 
"I'm impressed.
 
You made that look easy."

"It
was
easy."

Marie stepped into the bathroom and shut the door behind her.
 
After shrugging out of the robe she browsed through the items in the shopping bag.
 
Jack obviously had help, as the selection wasn't bad.
 
Several pair of black jeans and a turquoise blouse that might have been a little tight.
 
She smiled at the thought of him picking a tight shirt on purpose.

She was halfway dressed when her reflection in the mirror made her pause.
 
She noticed the streak of blood on her face from when she killed the two hunters, and their predicament began to catch up with her.
 
Trying to remain calm was useless.
 
Her hands shook as she gripped the sink.

Jack opened the bathroom door.
 
He was shoving his phone away.
 
She was so distracted she didn't even hear his conversation.

"Damnit!" Marie said.
 
She was still only halfway dressed, and covered her breasts.
 
"Don't you ever knock?"

He ignored her.
 
"What's the holdup?
 
What's the problem?"

"Shit, Jack.
 
We have to get out of here."

"I thought you said you killed people before?" Jack asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I have.
 
In the woods, or someplace deserted.
 
Never in a hotel room surrounded by a hundred humans."

He stepped forward and grabbed her shoulders, surprising her.

"Relax.
 
I know people.
 
I've got a cleaning crew two hours away, and they're on the way right now."

She squeezed his hands before pulling away and turning.
 
Jack stayed in the bathroom as she tried on several of the bras he bought, none of them fitting right.
 
She had to forgo it as she slipped her arms into the blouse.

Jack smirked as he enjoyed her figure.
 
Marie rolled her eyes and put a hand on her hip.

"How many times have you done this?"

"Which part?"

"Kill people.
 
You have cleaning crews that work for you?"

He shrugged.
 
"Oh, just every now and then.
 
Come on.
 
Help me get moving."

It took nearly an hour to move the man to the roof.
 
Jack took another sheet from the laundry bin in the hall.
 
The stairwell to the roof wasn't far from the room, but they had to wait until there wasn't a human in sight.
 
Still, it was a risk.
 
Jack didn't seem bothered at all as he carried the man over his shoulder.
 
Marie brought up the rear.
 
She carried the silver shackles and knife in a pillowcase so she didn't get burned.

Jack pushed open the door to the roof.
 
Marie could feel the chill in the air as the wind smacked her face.
 
He carried the man to the center and dropped him near a collection of pipes and ducts.
 
The harsh drop roused the man, and he was just opening his eyes as Jack handcuffed him to a nearby pipe.

Just seeing the man, living and breathing, nearly drove Marie over the edge.
 
She wanted nothing more than to change into the monster they believed her to be and rip out his throat.

"Wake up," Jack said, slapping him repeatedly.
 
"Nap time's over."

Marie didn't even realize she was edging toward the human until Jack held out his arm to block her path.
 
He looked at her sternly, and she backed up to compose herself.

"Keep that bitch away from me," the man said, pulling against the cuffs.
 
"Where are my friends?"

"Dead."

His face twitched.
 
He scowled at both Jack and Marie, but kept his stare focused on her.

"We
will
kill you," he said.
 
"It might not be today.
 
It might not be in this shitty town.
 
But you and your entire pack…you're dead.
 
Nothing you do to me will change that."

"Hey, now," Jack said.
 
"Get your eyes off my pal over there.
 
I'm the one you need to worry about."

"And you," he said, returning his attention to Jack.
 
"You have no idea what you're up against."

"I could say the same for you.
 
What's your name?"

The man said nothing.
 
Jack shook his head and smiled as he turned to Marie.

"They just love to hold onto their name."

Marie nodded.
 
She'd beaten names out of humans before.
 
"Like it's some kind of trophy or something."

Jack approached her and took the silver knife from the pillowcase.
 
Marie leaned away from the dangerous metal.
 
He squatted next to the man and pressed the knife to his index finger.

"Taylor!" the man shouted.
 
"The name's Taylor."

"There.
 
Easy, right?
 
We're off to a good start."

"Fuck you."

"I'd like to meet the crew that hurt my pal, and broke into my hotel room.
 
Where are they?"

"Your pal.
 
Don't you mean your canine fuck buddy?"

Jack ran the blade down Taylor's arm, leaving a canyon in his flesh.
 
Even Marie flinched at the suddenness of the attack.
 
Taylor cried out, but no one could hear him.
 
He pulled against the handcuffs so hard his arm turned red.

"Where are you set up?" Jack asked.

"I won't tell you," Taylor said.
 
"You can cut me up all you want.
 
Torture me, whatever.
 
I won't betray my brothers."

"You'll be telling me things I don't even want to know by the time I get done with you."

Jack pressed the blade to his cheek.

"No," Marie said, interrupting.
 
"Let me."

He looked up at her curiously, with a tiny hint of a smile.
 
Backing up, he gestured to Taylor with a wave of his hand.

"Have at it.
 
Be my guest," he said.
 
"You want the knife?"

"No.
 
Keep that thing away from me."

"Oh, what are you gonna do, little mutt?" Taylor said.
 
"You gonna cock your leg and piss on me?"

Marie pulled her shirt off and let it drop next to her.
 
She kicked the sneakers from her feet.

"Hey.
 
Interrogation and a show," Jack said.
 
"Two of my favorite things.
 
It's going to be a good day."

Taylor laughed.
 
"Wolf tits.
 
Yeah.
 
That will really make me talk."

She inched the jeans down her legs and stepped out of them.

"I'm sure you've killed a lot of wolves.
 
Well, I want my jaws to be the last thing you see.
 
Right before I eat your eyes."

Taylor's eyes lit up.
 
"What?"

"I'm going to eat you.
 
Piece by piece."

Everyone was silent.
 
Even Jack lowered his head to hide a look of disgust.

"Damn," he muttered.

"I know I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, but when we wolves change, the taste buds change, too.
 
Everything
tastes delicious, especially humans.
 
The best part's the liver, with the heart coming in a close second.
 
You're a big boy.
 
It'll take a while."
 
She looked at Jack.
 
"But we've got time, right?"

He held up his hands.
 
"Hey, don't rush on my account.
 
Bon appétit."

Marie's legs broke as she embraced the change.

"Whoa.
 
Wait.
 
Just wait a minute."
 
Taylor looked at Jack, panic in his eyes.
 
"Hey, come on.
 
You're not gonna let this happen, are you?"

She lay on her side as her body changed.
 
Scents and sounds grew stronger.
 
She couldn't smell Taylor through the chemical on his clothes, but she smelled fear in the air.

"Don't look at me," Jack said.
 
"Have you ever stepped in front of a hungry werewolf?"

Marie stood up on four legs.
 
The scent of chocolate touched her nose, and she looked up at Jack as her tail involuntarily wagged.
 
Taylor was nearly hyperventilating at the thought of being eaten alive.
 
Marie ran her nose up his leg.
 
He tried to fight and kick.
 
That ended quickly when she dug her paw into his calf, her claws hitting muscle.
 
He pushed at her jaw with his hand.
 
She caught his wrist and sank her teeth into his flesh.

"Crane Road!" Taylor shouted.
 
"The office complex at the end of Crane Road!
 
You can't miss the place, it's the only business space on the block.
 
It sits right on the woods, perfect for hunting you pups."

She released her hold on his arm and backed up.
 
The change back to human was especially painful.
 
Too many changes close together.
 
She endured it as her human form came back to her.
 
Taylor was quietly calming down, taking deep breaths.
 
Jack regarded her as she dressed once again, not saying a word.

Marie didn't want to lean on Jack, but her knees shook as she tried to put on her sneakers.
 
He caught her before she fell.
 
She held his shoulder and smiled gratefully, staring at a single spot on the roof until the dizziness passed.

"I'm not sure whether I'm turned on, or absolutely disgusted," he said.
 
"And that bothers me."

She laughed quietly.
 
"I've never eaten a person in my life.
 
Come on, that's just gross."

"You played him.
 
You played
me
.
 
Holy shit, you had me convinced you were going to snack on him like a cracker."

She winked at him, and the smile on his face was genuine.

"I'll go with turned on.
 
Wow.
 
My pants are jumping because of Rin-Tin-Tin."

"Down, boy," she said, putting a hand on his chest.
 
"Do we still need him?"

"Nope."

Before Marie could say another word, Jack slashed Taylor's throat.
 
Blood spilled, soaking his clothes, and his head rolled forward.
 
Marie felt nothing.
 
She knew Taylor possibly had people that would miss him, that cared about him.
 
She just played a part in destroying a few lives.
 
But the truth was simple.