Hot Blooded

“He’s coming with us,” I assured him.

“You must be joking.” Danny laughed, his face incredulous. “Surely we’ll be trekking where no human can follow. He’s bound to end up killed or worse. Not that there’s actually anything worse than dead, but it could definitely hurt more.”

I shrugged. “Then he’ll die. But I’m not killing him right here in cold blood.”

Danny’s expression switched to a sardonic grin in an instant. “Whatever you say. You’re the boss.”

I took a sharp breath. “You have to be careful, Danny,” I scolded. “Why do you always tread so close to the hairy edge? Someday your mouth is going to spin you into trouble and no amount of sweet talking is going to get you out.” Referring to me like that so boldly could cause waves where none should be, especially when the real boss was still in the building.

He didn’t pretend to misunderstand. “It’s an addiction, naturally. What fun is the world when everything is so safe and tidy? Everything in its proper place?”

He had a point.

I moved toward the door. “Take Ray to his house and pack a bag. If his house is under any surveillance, regroup. Meet me back at my apartment when you’re done. We’ll be out at full dark; the vamps will be there shortly after. Be ready.”

As I left, I heard Danny say to Ray. “No need to look so glum, Detective Hart. The vampires won’t kill you instantly. They like to play with their prey first. That means you and I will have a lot more happy fun time together. Won’t that be smashing?”

I headed back into the main offices of Hannon & Michaels, the P.I. firm I shared with my partner,

Nick Michaels. Nick was a werefox who’d been raised on the Compound with me, my father having taken him in as a child. Because of the fact that male werewolves didn’t play well with one another,

we’d been inseparable ever since.

Marcy, our fearless secretary and resident spell caster, stood from her desk as I walked in, reading me accurately with her sharp, intelligent eyes. Marcy was a sassy, curvy, redheaded witch whom I

secretly adored. She hated overt emotional interactions, so I tended to heap it on whenever possible.

“What’s up?” she asked. “Cop chat didn’t go well? You look a little haggard.”

“I feel haggard. Do we have any food left?”

“Nope, you and your compadres scarfed everything down an hour ago, and there were at least twenty takeout bags in the lunchroom. What is it with you guys? Who can possibly keep up with all these constant hunger demands? It’s unnatural.”

“What can I say? Wolves like to eat.” I chuckled to myself, even though eating massive amounts of food in order to feed my new, faster metabolism was becoming a serious adjustment.

My stomach grumbled to punctuate my point.

“Like to eat?” Marcy said. “Your eyes roll back in your head every time food comes through that door. It’s like watching a puppy dig into its breakfast bowl.”

I couldn’t exactly argue. Food tasted amazing with my new, enhanced senses, and just imagining a cheeseburger could induce orgasmic thoughts.

Marcy read my face accurately. “I can order you more food, Godzilla, but it’ll take a few minutes to get here.”

“Never mind. I’m heading home in about two minutes anyway. Is my dad still here?”

“Yep, he’s in your office making some calls.”

“Did they get rid of the imp?”

“The greasy unconscious guy?”

“That’s the one.”

“Gone. A couple of big fellas took him away. You guys don’t screw around in the breeding department. The boys who hauled him out of here were huge.”

“What about Nick?”

“He’s out on a call, but he said he’d swing by your apartment before you left. You’re supposed to wait for him before you leave town. His orders.”

“Is he still pissed he’s not going?”

“Pissed wouldn’t be the description I’d use.” Marcy tapped a perfectly manicured nail on the table.

“Try brokenhearted or severely devastated.”

“He can’t come.”

“I know.”

“Someone needs to stay here.”

“Because I’m clearly inept at running things.”

I arched a brow. “What if he gets hurt?” Nick was like a brother to me, but he wasn’t as strong as a wolf. In our world, your animal matched your strength. A fox would be at a serious disadvantage against a powerful goddess. I wasn’t willing to take the risk. Plus, someone had to stay behind to keep the business running. I had no idea how long I’d be gone—or if I’d even be coming back.

“He’s a big boy. He can take being left behind,” Marcy declared as she sat down and started shuffling papers, avoiding me and the emotional conversation we both knew was next. “He’ll get over it. Eventually.”

I walked over and braced my knuckles on her smooth wooden desk. “You’re a frustrating witch,

you know that?”

“I know.” She wouldn’t meet my eyes as she continued to stack her notes.

“You’re going to cry like a baby when I don’t come back.”

“You’re coming back,” she said, finally tilting her head up to meet my gaze. Her eyes were clear,

but I could sense her emotion.

“How can you be so sure? You have no idea what’s in store for me. Selene could rip my skin to shreds with her bullwhip, or she could shred my heart with her metal Wolverine claws.” Sounded like something the sadistic bitch would have. “There are a million ways she could kill me, and you know it. We’re just sidestepping the main issue—this might be our last tender goodbye forever.” I didn’t want to admit it, but I was a little nervous I wouldn’t see her—or anyone—again. All jokes aside, I

was betting on me, but I had no idea how things were going to turn out in the end.

“Let me tell you something.” She motioned me to lean over further with a curl of her finger, and I

obliged. Very softly, right next to my ear, she said, “I know you’re going to survive, because I’m witchy and I know a thing or two about the future. And guess what?”

“What?” I whispered.

“Chicken butt.”

4

I crept down my apartment hallway like a burglar.

I hadn’t had the balls to confess to my neighbor, and unlikely new pal, Juanita, I was leaving again for an undisclosed amount of time. She was an extremely intelligent woman and at some point she was going to start questioning me and my new revolving posse of extra-large men, and begin to reevaluate the misplaced loyalty she’d somehow invested in me. Plus, I’d already inadvertently put her in harm’s way when I’d asked her to keep an eye on my place, and I wasn’t planning on doing it again.

Keeping her at arm’s length was the safest for everyone.

My wolf snapped her jaws at me, urging me to move faster. I’m going. It’s just easier if we don’t have to deal with the neighbors. This is what humans call finesse. See me finessing my way through the hallway instead of barreling down it like you’d prefer? My way makes us invisible; your way brings people out to investigate. She bit the air in front of her.

My wolf was past agitation and on to full frustration. Her number one priority was reaching

Rourke. Nothing else mattered to her. But my human obligations made it impossible to drop everything and