Psyche Honor (Psyche Moon) (13 page)

As dusk began to fade from the sky and stars peeked out of
the heavens, I spotted movement in the shadows. Billie was nearly home. I sent
a greeting and sensed her satisfaction.

She trotted towards the house, ducking low and wary of
observers.
You're clear. No one is looking your way.
I helped her out.
With that knowledge, she picked up her head and raced towards me, mouth wide
with glee.

I laughed as she approached, wondering if she would jump on
me again. Then I saw the blood on her shoulder, looking too much like the night
I almost lost her.
You're hurt. What happened?
I exclaimed.

It's just a scratch.
Skidding to a stop in front of
me, she grinned a wide wolf grin and shimmered into her human form.

“That's more than a scratch.” I stood and inspected her
shoulder, scowling.

“It's not even bleeding anymore. It was worth it,” she
smirked.

“Richard did this to you?” I responded anxiously. “What
happened?” Billie sat in one of the chairs and pulled me onto her lap. She
recounted her story as she ran her fingers through my hair. “Do you think it
helped?”

“Yeah, I think it did.”

“Your mood has improved if nothing else.” I sighed in
satisfaction and nestled in closer. Her breasts rested against my back, my head
on her uninjured shoulder.

She kissed the side of my neck and traced a line down my
chest with her finger.
How can you tell?
she murmured in my mind.

“Just a guess,” I replied, enjoying her hands and lips on
me. “How about we try out your hot tub?” I suggested.

You want me to clean the blood off.
She bit my neck
lightly in mock protest.

“Yes. It reminds me of you nearly dying on my couch. Plus
you smell like whatever you ate on the way home.” I wrinkled my nose. “Since I
don't want you to let go of me, water sounds like a good compromise.”

She chuckled low, and suddenly I found myself draped over
her shoulder, my head hanging halfway down her back. I had a great view of her
ass and took the opportunity to grab it.

“Oh, you're getting wet,” she exclaimed as she dumped me in
the hot tub, clothes and all. Shockingly warm water enveloped me. Coming to the
surface, I saw her standing in front of me, naked and fantastic. She hit a
button on a discretely placed panel and bubbles churned around me.

“Have I ever mentioned that you’re fun after you beat someone
up?” I cocked my head and placed a finger on my chin thoughtfully. “A
psychologist would have a field day with that. Have you considered getting
professional help?”

She answered with a side leap into the water beside me,
splashing me in the face. I squealed. She grabbed my pants and stripped them
off of me, upending me and then lifting me to the surface moments later.
Gripping my bare waist, she pulled me towards her. The last of my clothes stuck
to my skin, and I locked my legs around her waist.

Her eyes roamed freely over my body. “Your shirt’s a little
see-through when it’s wet,” she observed with satisfaction.

“You’ve got cream on your whiskers, love,” I teased.

“Did you just call me a cat?” She took my shoulders in both
hands and held me just over the water’s surface. Locking my legs tighter around
her waist, I screamed like a little girl, my hands flailing uselessly. Reaching
out a thread like I’d done before, I pinched her nose hard.

Taken completely by surprise, she dropped me into the water.
I came to the surface in time to see her holding her nose with a shocked
expression. She looked at me blankly then roared with laughter. “How do you do
that?”

I smiled and wrapped my arms around her neck. “I don’t know.
How do I do anything?”

“Not even Jason can take me by surprise like that.” She
gazed proudly into my eyes. “I’m so glad you’re on our side.”

“Well I doubt you’ve ever done this with Jason,” I teased,
pressing myself against her seductively.

“I’ve never even thought about it,” she said.

“Didn’t think so.” I reached out a thread and slid an
invisible hand down her ass and between her legs. She gasped in surprise, her
breasts heaving lusciously. My nipples perked, mimicking hers. “Want to see how
many of these I can manage at once?” I nibbled on her ear with my real mouth
and sent a second thread running down her back while rubbing her labia with the
first.

“Gods, Sadie,” she moaned and barely stayed on her feet.

“You always say ‘Gods’ in the plural, never just ‘God.’ It’s
cute,” I remarked.

“Richard’s influence,” she replied. Then she turned her
thoughts towards me entirely. She picked me up easily by the waist, and I
wrapped my legs around her. She went to her knees, and the water reached our
necks. Leaning back, she ducked her head briefly. Water dripped down her face,
and her hair stuck to her cheeks and neck. “Will you do something for me?” she
asked, kissing my nose.

“Anything,” I replied.

“Will you drop the illusion? I promise not to glare at the
bruises, but I don’t want to pretend with you. I want this to be real.”

One side of my mouth quirked, and I revealed the yellowing
bruises on my face and body. “I’ve been doing it so much lately, I didn’t even
realize.”

“Much better.” She kept her promise. She noticed them and
avoided touching me where it hurt, but she didn’t scowl like before.

My thin shirt stuck to my skin, the only fabric between us.
I plucked a curl off her cheek and smoothed her wet hair off her neck. Her
playful mood persisted, and she pinched my ass. “Hey!” I laughed, pinching hers
without reaching for it.

“Do we really have to go to work today?” I asked
Billie as she crawled out of bed. I stayed stubbornly under the sheets,
watching her stretch her arms above her head.

“I do. I’ve got to run damage control whether Richard shows
or not. I’m hoping not. Are you ready to go back?” She liked that I watched
her.

“Ready, yes. Willing, barely,” I replied with a frown. “That
job belongs in another world.”

“I remember feeling like that. The first few months after I
came here, they kept me away from Humans. Then Richard gave me a job at the
firm. The first time I walked in there as a Wolf, it was strange. It was like a
part of me didn’t believe that the regular world existed anymore. It helped
having a couple of Wolves in the office.”

“I have Gary. It’ll be the first time I’ve talked to him
since this started.”

She ducked into the bathroom.
Nervous?

The sound of water echoed from the shower, but I knew she
could still hear me. “Yes,” I said definitively. “But not about seeing Gary. I’m
not sure why I’m nervous.”

Everyone isn’t going to be looking at you like a Mage?
she suggested.

I considered it. “Yeah. And I’m not sure how that makes
sense.”

She chuckled out loud, and I could hear her muffled laughter
.
I don’t know how it makes sense. A lot of us have said the same thing.

“
Hmmph,” I grunted, annoyed that I didn’t understand
myself like I did others. “I just know it’s time. I have to dive in sometime,
and it may as well be today. If not for the extra income from catching Pearson,
I’d be in trouble with the rent next month. That money won’t last forever. At
least I can hide the bruises.”

They’re fading. They’ll be gone entirely soon.

“
I’ve never had bruises that lasted this long
before.”

I was in a nasty car accident once, pre-Wolf. I hit my
head on the dash, broke my nose and arm, scared my parents half to death. It
took several weeks for the bruises to completely fade. I’ve had worse injuries
since becoming Wolf. Thank the Gods I heal quickly now. Want me to leave the
shower running?

“
Sure.” I quit procrastinating and pulled the sheets
aside. She stepped out of the tub as I entered the bathroom, grabbing a towel
to dry herself off. I showered quickly, barely even noticing the hot water.

Billie, dressed in one of her many suits, sat on the bed
putting on her shoes when I exited the bathroom. She stood and kissed me
softly. “I need to get going. Have a great first day back at work.”

“Good luck with damage control,” I replied. She grimaced and
left.

In the parking lot at Lydd’s Warehouse where I worked as
shift manager, I paused for just a moment to collect myself. Nervousness didn’t
make sense to me. I’d worked this job for years. Nothing had changed, and it
should have felt like a return to reality. It didn’t. Triple checking the
barriers within my mind, I headed inside.

The office personnel welcomed me back, asking me if I felt
better. “Much better,” I replied easily without giving any detail. They filled
me in on my absence with their usual polite efficiency. I’d always stayed
distant from my coworkers, maintaining an aloof attitude at the warehouse.
They’d long since learned to give me privacy.

The crew gathered to collect their work orders for the day
as they punched in, heading to various corners of the warehouse without delay.
Few mentioned my absence. “Welcome back.” I looked up to see Gary smiling
warmly at me.

“Hi Gary.” My anxiety eased a bit. “It’s good to see you.”

“I’ve missed you around here,” he replied easily. I could
sense mixed opinions from the eavesdroppers. I treated everyone fairly, but not
everyone liked me.

“Thanks. How has it been going without me?” I asked out of
politeness but little interest.

He shrugged. “Pretty good.”

“One day is the same as the next around here.” I cast him an
amused look, and he enjoyed the private reference.

“That is very true. There’s enough excitement in the world.
I enjoy having forty hours each week that are always mundane and routine.”

I caught his meaning and chuckled. “Give me a week or two,
and I may start agreeing with you.”

As the other workers dispersed, he lowered his voice
slightly, protectively concerned. “Jazz told me what happened. How are you
doing?”

Dropping my pretense only slightly, unwilling to show my
other coworkers any emotion. They couldn’t hear us, so I answered. “I’m doing
okay. I’m healing up. Still tender but improving.”

His eyes roamed over my face with interest. “She told me
about your illusions. That’s a new one for me.”

My mouth twitched in an attempted grin. “I’ve been
surprising people left and right lately. Myself included.”

“Are the others giving you a hard time?” His paternal
concern touched me.

“Some are. Most of the Wolves are avoiding me. Mages aren’t
exactly popular around here.”

“No, they’re not. There’s a lot of bad history and bad blood
between the two races.”

 I nodded. “That became obvious very quickly. Not everyone
is treating me like the enemy. Amy and Kathryn, your wife, John – they’ve been
great. Your wife is awesome, by the way.”

“I think so too.” He nodded in absolute agreement. “Right
back at you.” His eyes sparkled. “Billie’s an impressive woman.”

“That’s an understatement.” I laughed aloud. “I could smack
you for not saying you know her.”

He shrugged. “I didn’t want to intrude. I better get to my
station. If you need anything, just say the word. At work or out there. You’re
Pack now.”

“Thank you. That means a lot. I’d like to have you and Jazz
over for dinner one of these nights, too.”

“Soon,” he agreed.

The day passed slowly, but I couldn’t complain. Gary’s
philosophy of enjoying the mundane had rubbed off on me, and I welcomed the
monotony of the job after all of the insanity in my life. Settling into my old
routine, I almost felt normal.

For a few hours, I barely thought about Mages and Wolves. I
even forgot about the people who wanted me dead until nearly lunch. A few
minutes before the clock released us for a half hour, I sensed a Wolf I didn’t
recognize in the vicinity. Intense hostility raised Goosebumps on my skin, and
my hands clenched involuntarily. This was not a good place to meet an unfriendly
Wolf.

I followed her progress through the warehouse office and met
her gaze evenly the moment she walked through the entryway. I wanted her to
know I saw her coming. I needed the upper hand. She didn’t seem to care. Taller
than average, she had a wiry and athletic build like all the female Wolves, but
curvier than most. Her brown hair hung halfway down her back. If I hadn’t been
on the defense, I’d have appreciated her figure. She met my gaze with icy grey
eyes and stalked unwaveringly towards me.

I didn’t bother standing. “Whatever you’re planning, this is
not the place for it,” I stated flatly before she’d come close enough for a
Human to hear. She continued undaunted, certain the public venue granted her
safety. A few of the men noticed her, drawing attention our way.

“So you’re the little Mage everyone’s talking about.” She
looked me up and down with disdain, an obvious attempt to ruffle my feathers. I
didn’t take the bait.

“Can I help you?” I responded placidly.

“You can get out of town today. You’re not welcome here.” She
cocked her head and placed a hand on her hip. The Wolf, accustomed to drawing
attention to her advantage, knew people were watching. Gary noticed her too and
started our way.

I kept my voice low and met her challenge squarely. “No. I’m
not going anywhere.”

“Leave or we will kill you.” Her eyes flashed.

“That’s not what Jason says,” I countered dogmatically.

“Not all of us agree with Jason’s decision,” her voice
rumbled.

Gary joined us in time to hear her pronouncement. He didn’t
like what he heard. “Are you challenging the Alpha?” he asked point blank.

She glared at him. “This is Wolf business, Gary. Stay out of
it.”

He disagreed. “This is Pack business. And you’re drawing a
lot of attention right now. Don’t do this here, Adrienne.”

“I don’t take orders from you.” She dismissed him.

“You’re drawing attention,” I reiterated firmly. “And
they’re going to be in earshot any moment. Gary’s right.”

She drew herself upright and flipped her hair ridiculously.
Alarmed, not trusting what she was about to say or do, I threw an illusion
around us.

I raised it in the nick of time. She punched my chest with
an outstretched finger and stood over me threateningly. “Leave town. Leave
Billie. Or I will kill you.” I held my ground, angry that she would come to my
workplace and risk exposing the entire pack by threatening me here. Gary
glanced around to see who overheard her rising voice. He watched, confused, as
two men looked at us with only mild curiosity and walked past.

“Adrienne, is it?” I kept my voice calm but cold, ignoring
her finger entirely. “I’m not going anywhere, and I’m certainly not leaving my
mate because you don’t like me. This is my home and you will not run me out. If
you want to challenge Jason, that’s on your head. You have no right risking
exposure to Humans like you’re doing right now. You are reckless and
irresponsible, and you will leave this warehouse and never come back. Don’t you
dare use me as an excuse to risk everyone’s safety.”

Gary backed me up, surprised and impressed that I stood up
to her. He folded his arms across his chest in a show of solidarity. “You’re
out of line, Adrienne.”

She ignored Gary and addressed me. “If you’re still in the
Treasure Valley this time tomorrow, I will kill you myself.”

I narrowed my eyes and held her eyes evenly, copying
Billie’s display of dominance. “You don’t have what it takes to kill me,
Adrienne. You can’t sneak up on me, and I can react before you get within ten
feet. I don’t need to lift a finger to fight back. I promised Jason I wouldn’t
harm anyone, but I will defend myself if I have to.”

She blanched at my threat then collected herself. Turning on
one heel, she stalked off without another word. Once the irascible Wolf left, I
leaned forward and took several deep breaths to stop myself from
hyperventilating. Gary put a hand on my shoulder in concern.

“This is getting out of hand,” I said.

He glanced around us to see who saw the show. “Let’s go
somewhere else. We got really lucky that no one was paying attention, but I’m
not willing to press our luck any further.”

“Illusion,” I said simply.

He drew back his hand and looked at me in alarm. “Oh.”

“It’s not coercion. I promise,” I replied.

He patted my shoulder apologetically. “I’m sorry I reacted
like that.”

“Thank you for backing me up with Adrienne,” I said
sincerely.

He shook his head. “Even if she was right about you, she was
out of line. She risked the pack coming here. I’ll call Jason.”

I nodded in agreement. “Someone is going to get hurt. We
can’t keep going like this. I’ll let Billie know what happened. She’s not going
to be happy.”

“No, and for good reason. Sadie, what will happen if she
comes here tomorrow and tries to kill you?” Apprehension hovered around the
question.

I put my head in my hands, not wanting to admit the truth
out loud. “I can stop her without killing her or collaring her. I know that
now. I didn’t before. But I’ll lose Jason’s protection and all hell will break
loose.”

“I’ll do what I can,” he promised. “What was the illusion?
What did they see and hear?”

“They saw the three of us talking normally and didn’t hear
what we were saying.”

“Convenient,” he admitted a little reluctantly, still uneasy
about my abilities. “It’s lunchtime. Let’s go eat and get some air.” I agreed.

Careful to conceal my distress, I called to Billie.
Are
you alone?

No. What’s going on?

I’m fine. I’m safe. But something happened, and you’re
not going to like it.

She responded instantly.
Give me a minute to get to my
office.
Gary and I grabbed our lunches and headed outside. I waited anxiously
for Billie’s reply.
Okay. I’m alone. What happened?
I replayed the
incident to her, leaving nothing out.

That fucking bitch! I’m going to tear her apart!
Gary
noticed my reaction. “Billie’s pissed,” I explained.

His mouth widened. “You’re talking to her now?”

“Yes.”
Easy love. Don’t do anything rash.

She threatened to kill you! I won’t let that go.

I don’t expect you to let it go, but calm down before you
do anything. Don’t make it worse.

I shared a concerned look with Gary. He’d known Billie
longer and anticipated her reaction. Deliberately Billie began to calm herself,
easing my anxiety too. I shared an encouraging nod with Gary who breathed a
little easier. We reached a private area, and he pulled his phone out
immediately.

I’m still going to tear her apart,
Billie informed me
after she settled down a bit.

Better you than me. I’ll have the entire Pack out for my
head if I’m forced to defend myself.

Love, Sadie. If a Wolf attacks you, can you really defend
yourself?

Yes.

You’re sure?

Absolutely sure.

How? I need to know the stakes.

I can do it without killing or collaring, but it will
require coercion. No lasting effects, I promise.

Okay.
She breathed slightly easier.
What will that
do to you?

I considered her question carefully before answering.
It
won’t be as bad as when I killed those boys.