Hot Blooded

run after him. Not to mention we had no idea where to start the search until the vamps arrived. Getting their help locating Colin Rourke, the werecat who happened to be my mate, was the no-no deal I’d struck with the Vamp Queen. I’d sworn an oath to her, against my father’s wishes, to return to New Orleans very soon, in exchange for vampire aid. The vamps in question had been out scouting since last evening, and after they awoke tonight, they were supposed to magically arrive on my doorstep. They were our quickest way to Selene, the Lunar Goddess, we were tracking, and I’d sacrificed a lot to make that deal.

It had been only thirty-six hours since we’d left the Queen, but it felt like an eternity.

We’re leaving soon. Hang tight. She growled, but finally settled down.

In the very brief time I’d spent with Rourke something had changed. His clear, pale eyes, ringed with the thinnest line of emerald, were still at the forefront of my mind. His scent was etched like an intricate pattern into every part of my soul in painful detail—the rich, dark cloves mixed with sweet molasses—almost as if I smelled him right now. The images of him fighting for me, protecting me,

kissing me, were overwhelming, and they played over and over in my mind like a broken movie projector.

I had to find him. When my thoughts drifted to Selene harming him in any way, my nails shot to sharp points before I could stop them. I wasn’t just going to kill her—I was going to annihilate her.

The anticipation that filled me was delicious. My wolf barked sharply in agreement, opening her jaws and twisting her head like she was about to snap a neck. You got that right. She doesn’t stand a chance against us. She gave a decisive bite. I know you’ve been patient and if it had been up to you, we would’ve left right away. But staying was the right choice. We have to wait for the vamps. Without them, we lose too much valuable time. You have to trust me on this.

The logistics of who was in control and how often was still an uncertainty between us. I’d slammed a barrier down in my mind after our first real fight for Dominion and it still held. But I’d found quickly that I could relinquish control to my wolf when I needed to, and when the crisis was averted,

she was back on the right side. In light of the scary-Prophecy-from-hell, my wolf and I were going to have to start working together as a team, learning to share both power and knowledge fluidly. I wasn’t going to survive this mess without her, and she didn’t stand a chance without me. There was a common place in the middle—it was the next natural step—but I wasn’t ready to merge us yet. She still had a lot to learn about the human decision-making processes. I had to be the boss in this world, and as of right now, she wasn’t buying it. If I switched control to her this minute, we’d be bounding out the nearest window after Rourke.

A sharp laugh punctuated the silence at the end of my hallway. I’d been lost in thought, but it brought me back quickly.

It was coming from my apartment and it was female.

There was a distinct, unmistakable ring to it. So much for sneaking under the radar. My wolf gave a yip of irritation.

I walked up to my door and pushed it open, resigned to my fate.

“Hola, Chica!” Juanita wooted as I walked in, waving at me from inside my open kitchen. “Look what I brought for you! I bring you deenar! Jour brother, Tyler—” She pointed at my brother, who was on the other side of the kitchen, sidled comfortably up to my breakfast bar on what looked like a borrowed stool. “He lets me in and says you are both leaving soon. Es jour grandmother sick again?”

That was the excuse we’d used last time I’d gone away unexpectedly.

I met my twin brother’s amused expression as he shoveled in a big spoonful of something that looked and smelled delicious. I tried to keep the impatience out of my voice. “Yes. Unfortunately she’s come down with something else. We got a call this morning and we’re going to have to make another trip to see… our beloved Gram.” I shut my door and walked across my empty apartment toward the pair. My entire living room was still free of furniture since my wolf had trashed it when we’d made our first change. “Juanita, you didn’t have to cook for us again. That was extremely nice of you, but we don’t want to keep putting you out.” She’d happily fed Danny while we were away. If this was going to become a thing, I was in trouble. Having her drop in on a regular basis would not be ideal for her health.

She clicked out of the kitchen and over to me in her high heels, reaching up to embrace me. I

hugged her back, because what else was I going to do? My eyes watered as her floral perfume snuck up my nose. But under all that manufactured smell, I took in her real scent and smiled in spite of myself. Eucalyptus and lime fit her perfectly. Fierce and sassy bundled together in one compact five-

foot package.

Before I could draw away, she planted a huge kiss on my cheek. I caught Tyler out of the corner of my eye, delight written all over his face. I smirked and mouthed just you wait. He shoveled another mouthful of food into his maw to cover up his laughter.

“Oh, es no problem to do the cooking,” she purred next to my ear. “I am happy to help you get back on jour feet. Jour life es complicated, no?” She gestured around my bare apartment. “It looks like bad luck has come to stay, but I weel help you. Es what I do best. Come; eat.”

“Um, okay,” I said as my stomach betrayed me like the traitor it was. “Thank you, Juanita. It does smell delicious.” The aroma was amazing, even though I had no time for company. If I was going to be completely honest, I never had time for company. I glanced out the window. It was still light out.

My stomach protested again. I could spare a few minutes to eat—as if I actually had a choice in the matter.

“Come on, Chica. Don’ be shy. The saliva, I see it drips down jour chin. The chicken es my specialty. No other compares. You must taste for jourself.” She was remarkably strong as she half ushered, half dragged me to the counter and the giant pan full of chicken legs, sausage, and shrimp all spread on a bed of aromatic rice. A blast of saffron sent my salivary glands into overdrive. Jesus. My stomach gave another long, low growl. “Sit and eat. You work too hard, never taking enough breaks.

You are losing too much weight lately. See, the men, dey like meat on the bone. It gives them someteen to grab on to.” She tossed her head back and laughed as she pulled out another stool. Both chairs were painted in bright colors and were obviously from her place. She’d brought furniture and food. This woman had successfully barreled her way into my life and it looked like she was here to stay. I found I wasn’t super against the idea, which was a little startling.

Tyler was coughing so hard at her last comment he had to rap on his own chest.

“Better be careful, bro.” I grinned as I sat down. “Chicken bones can be mighty dangerous if they go down the wrong tube.”

I picked up a plate without further prodding and dove in. After the first bite my eyes rolled back in their sockets. Dammit, why did Marcy always have to be right? Stinky witch. “Juanita, this is delicious,” I said between mouthfuls. “I mean, it’s really, really good.”

“Es no problem, Chica. When you get back, I cook for you again.”

I got lost in a few more heavenly bites, then glanced at the clock in my kitchen. My fork clanked down onto the plate. “Oh, goodness!” I said in what I hoped sounded like mock surprise. I felt bad kicking her out so quickly, but there was no other choice. I had to get moving. “I didn’t realize it was so late. Tyler.” I nodded my head toward Juanita. “If we don’t leave soon, we’ll miss the plane and

Gram will be alone tonight.” How did you go about getting rid of someone who just cooked you a wonderful meal without looking like a chump? You didn’t really.

My brother put his fork down and stood. “Yep, we better get a move on.” He walked over to Juanita and playfully hooked his arm around her waist and planted a kiss on her cheek, all while ushering her toward the door. “Juanita, that was a truly fantastic meal. I haven’t had anything home cooked in a long time. When we get back, we’ll be sure to return the favor. It’ll be our turn to bring something by your place.”

“Oh, you are too much!” she twittered, looking up at my brother in adoration. “But I weel still do the cooking. Next time, I weel bring a feast!”

“That sounds perfect, Juanita,” my brother told her with a genuine dimpled grin. “We’ll be sure to let you know when we get home. And can you do me a favor? If you see anything out of the ordinary coming from this apartment, I want you to call this number.” He handed her a card from his wallet.

“But—and I can’t stress this enough—please don’t try to act on your own. In fact, don’t even open your door.