For the Good of All (Law of the Lycans Book 7) (5 page)

A one night stand with a witch
. His wolf furrowed its brow.
Is that wise? We’ve always avoided their kind.

Not avoided. The situation never arose, Stone corrected.

Hmph.
His wolf flopped down, its expression speaking volumes.

Stone let the creature be and spent the next hour watching Tina out of the corner of his eye, arguing the pros and cons of their upcoming night together. By the time she walked over to him at the end of her shift he’d decided for the hundredth time to tell her it was a mistake. He opened his mouth to say so but she looked up at him with an impish grin and he found himself standing and placing a guiding hand around her waist.

“Did you place a spell on me, witch? Slip something into my drink?” He growled the question at her.

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t tell me you believe in love potions.”

“I believe a smart man should never underestimate the capabilities of a woman.”

“Which means you think I’m so unattractive that you could never be drawn to me without magical coercion?”

“No.” He paused and gripped her by the shoulders, studying her from head to toe, not caring that they blocked the doorway. A kissable mouth. Average nose, average chin. Her breasts would fit very nicely in his hands, her waist wasn’t too small or too thick and her hips and butt gave a man something to hang on to. He shifted his gaze to her face. A faint flush stained her cheeks and her eyes reflected her uncertainty. His scrutiny had embarrassed her though he hadn’t meant it to do so.

Some females can be sensitive about their looks
, his wolf reminded him.
She will need reassurance now.

I don’t need advice from you on women, he scowled at the animal before nodding at the little witch. “You’re a cute little thing.”

“I know.” She covered her discomfort with a smirk but he saw the relief in her eyes. Someone had judged her once and found her wanting. He pushed the observation to the side. A one night stand was all he was signing up for. If she had baggage, someone else would have to help her deal with it. He was too old, too jaded for all the emotional stuff.

They were in the street now, standing near the edge of a pool of light formed by the streetlamps. The cool night air cleared his head after the stuffy, cloying atmosphere inside the club. He rubbed his neck with his hand, rethinking his decision. “Why?”

“Why am I cute?” She gave him a puzzled look.

“No. Why did you latch on to me tonight?”

“Like I told you earlier. You look interesting.”

“I don’t know that I believe you. I’m older than you.”

She sighed heavily and stepped away from him, shoving her hands in her coat pockets. “Do you have some sort of age hang-up?”

“No.”

“Then why can’t you accept what I told you?”

“Because you should be looking at men your own age.”

“Men my own age bore me.”

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-four.”

“This makes you look younger.” He reached out and gently flicked a stray purple lock. It really was a ridiculous colour.

“Stone?” She put her hand over his and awareness flared within him again.

Doubts and scruples be damned. It was for one night. He took her hand. “Where do you live?”

The walk to her apartment was short. She lived in an older home that had been subdivided into several units. Tina occupied the third floor and reached her unit by way of an open staircase attached to the outside of the building.

“Glad I’m not scared of heights,” he quipped as they climbed the last flight.

“It’s good exercise,” she replied. “The only time I don’t like it is in the winter.”

“Why not just fly up on your broom?”

She stopped and scowled at him over her shoulder. “If you don’t want me making comments about you baying at the moon, wolf man, you should stop right there.”

Wolf man?
His wolf’s eyes widened in shock.

He barely held back his snort. “Touchy?”

“No. Just tired of the stereotypes. You know, witches, brooms, crooked noses and warts.”

“Your nose is definitely not crooked and there’s no sign of warts from what I can see.”

“Thanks.” She made a face and finished the climb to her apartment door. As soon as she opened it, an orange cat appeared and slunk out. “Marmalade, get back here!”

Stone turned to watch the cat as it nimbly descended to the street. “Your cat doesn’t seem to be listening.”

“He’s not my cat.”

“He was inside your apartment.”

“I know. I’m just helping him out for a while.”

“Helping him out?”

“I like to help. He’s between homes so I let him crash here when he needs to.”

“Between homes?”

“He sort of comes and goes. Here for a week, gone for a month. I keep hoping he’ll stay long enough that I can get him to a vet and have him neutered.”

His wolf whimpered and eyed the witch warily.

“No wonder he keeps leaving,” Stone murmured, following her inside.

“Cats don’t care if they have their nuts or not. And a neutered cat is easier to find a home for.”

“Ah.” He looked around the room he found himself in.

Stone had never given much thought as to what a witch’s apartment might look like. If he’d been expecting a cauldron or a crystal ball, he’d be sorely disappointed. Tina’s apartment looked decidedly normal. Sofa, chair, television. He ticked off the contents finding nothing unusual.

“Not even a book of spells sitting out on the coffee table?” He finished surveying the room. “I’m completely disillusioned.”

“They’re all in the back room that I use as an office. Well, except for the one in my room. I’m
supposed
to be reading it but the plot sucks.”

He nodded and then shifted his focus to Tina. She’d kicked off her shoes—purple heels—and dropped her nametag in a small dish near the entrance.

“Do you want something to drink? More water? A soda? Something stronger?”

He could scent her nervousness. Curious. At the club she’d seemed confident but now... “You don’t do this often, do you?”

“This?”

“Take a strange man home.”

“You’re not that strange.” A nervous laugh accompanied the quip.

“Christina.” He deepened his voice, a warning growl skimming the word.

“Er...” She shifted her weight from one leg to the other.

“I’d better go.” He turned to leave and she caught him by the arm.

“No. Don’t leave. I...er...I don’t bring men home but I’m not a virgin. It’s just that usually I’ve known them for a while before we progress to...this.”

“And what makes me the exception?” He cocked his head to the side.

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I suppose I’m bored with how my life has been going.”

“A boredom remedy? Is that praise or an insult?”

“Praise. Definitely praise.” She took his hand and tugged gently. “Let’s sit and talk for a bit first.”

He allowed himself to be led to the sofa.

Talk.

Definitely not how his nights usually went. He sat down, the cushions sagging under his weight. Tina sat beside him and laced her fingers together on her lap looking for all the world like a prim and proper school marm who’d been doused with pots of paint.

“So, what do you do? I mean, what’s your line of work? Something in the military? Part of Lycan link?”

“Something like that.”

When he didn’t expand on his answer, she tried again. “Well, what about in your spare time? Do you watch movies or read or...”

He sighed. He didn’t do small talk. Snaking out his hand, he cupped the back of her neck and pulled her into a hot kiss. No gentle nibbles, no tentative pecks. If she wanted him, this is what he was.

She stiffened for a split second and then sank into his embrace, kissing him back, trailing her fingers over his chest to his shoulders. The kiss was hot, wet, hungry. It had been ages since he’d had sex but he hadn’t felt the need until now.

With his libido finally set free, desire raced through him hotter than the desert sun. He pulled Tina onto his lap so she straddled him. She felt fragile beneath his palms though in reality he supposed she might be considered slightly heavier than average.

He cupped her hips, then slid his hands up her back, easing the material of her shirt out of the way until he found bare skin. Soft, supple. He growled in approval and moved to nuzzle her neck, inhaling her scent.

“You’re not going to go all wolfy and bite me, are you?” She pulled away, her face flushed, her breathing heavy.

“No. At least not in that way.” He affected a leer.

“Good.”

“Ever been with a Lycan?”

She shook her head. “Ever been with a witch?”

“Nope.” He pressed on her back, bringing her closer so he could lick the soft hollow at the base of her neck.

“A night of firsts, it seems.”

Something in her tone made him pause.

Make sure she doesn’t expect too much
, his wolf reminded him.

He concurred. “You know this is just for tonight?”

“It’s okay. I’m not looking for a long-term relationship.” She tugged at his t-shirt and he obliged by removing it. “Tonight is good. Tomorrow will take care of itself.”

Chapter 2

Reno took a swig of his beer as he flipped through the report he’d been given a week ago by Captain Fielding. It outlined the most recent unrest in Central America caused by warring drug cartels, one led by Ramiro “The King” Reyes and the other by Emilio Mendoza, a man noted for his deep-seated superstitions. The two had been vying for control of transport routes for years but tensions had escalated to new heights ever since the removal of several major cartels in other countries. A vacuum in the balance of power had been created and, according to the newscasts, each man was eager to fill it.

“Interesting but not really a Lycan issue, is it?” His first reaction upon reading the report had been lack lustre to say the least. He’d handed the papers back to the man across the desk from him.

“I wouldn’t be wasting your time if it didn’t involve us.” Captain Fielding had promptly slid the papers back to him.

“What’s the angle?” He’d leaned back in his chair and folded his arms behind his head.

“Michael Duffy—that’s second on High Council Duffy—has a son over there. Paul and his family are in Cantala acting as unofficial diplomats and now they’re caught in the middle of it. The last report we had from him indicated that the fighting had intensified. There’s been no news from him or any member of his family since.”

“His family is there, you say?”

The captain had nodded. “His mate and two pups are with him. When the project began the risk was seen as negligible compared to the benefits. With the near extinction of the Mexican Lycans and their counterpart, the Mexican Grey wolf, it was deemed important to have some presence in that part of the world. Cantala was chosen since it had been the most stable country in the area, or at least it had been until this recent turn of events.

“So we’re presuming they’ve been captured rather than killed?”

Fielding had shrugged. “I have men working on confirming that. Duffy insists his son and family are still alive and we need to get them out.”

“The local shifters—”

“Are jaguars. Standoffish bunch. Even for cats they’re damned difficult to deal with.” Fielding had frowned as if recalling an unpleasant memory. “Our relationship with them is tentative at best. They weren’t that open to having a diplomat in the area to begin with. I doubt we can count on them for help.”

“So with no help coming from that quarter, Lycan Link wants us to go in and get our people out.”

“Yes and no. This is all off the record. The idea of diplomats in the area was never officially approved.”

“In other words, Duffy and a few of his cronies came up with the idea and implemented it before all the ramifications had been worked out.”

Fielding pursed his lips. “It’s not my job to question High Council.”

The captain had nicely tap danced around answering but he’d let it pass. “So you want me to infiltrate the area?” His interest had been piqued at the idea of going on a mission but duty to his mate and his pack had him frowning.

“Not you. You’re an Alpha now and not considered expendable.”

Dismissed even before he’d had the chance to decline. It hadn’t set well despite the truth behind the statement. “Then what do you want me to do?”

“Find someone who can do the job. Get in, free Duffy and his family, and get them out fast without drawing undo attention.”

“I’ll go through the files of all the Enforcers and see—”

“No. We can’t spare the manpower. And need I remind you this is unofficial?”

“Then...?”