A Wolf's Savage Embrace (13 page)

Chapter
5

“Listen to me, you dense son of a bitch,” Harper ground out, her hazel eyes flashing dangerously with anger.
“I need to know where my
mother
is! Elaine Winslow!” Harper almost choked on the word.

Constance Bradford had been her mother, she thought angrily– not this woman who had decided to just dump her at their doorstep seventeen years ago – but, shit up a pole – she needed to find her!
She clutched the note from her mom in her hand tightly, as if it were her only link to the normalcy that her life had once been. To the happiness and comfort that had been home.

Luckily the bartender at
Masquerade
had been helpful – but Harper couldn’t help but worry as to why someone else had been asking about Thomas Kerns the night before, and a shiver ran up her spine. She had hopped the first bus to Chesnee and prayed that she got to him first. Who knew who was looking for her – or what they were capable of? Could they be the ones that had killed her parents?

Hot, angry tears filled her eyes, and she once again thought about the sight of her parents blood soaked bodies. The strange symbols carved into their flesh.
Harper shuddered and glared back at the man standing in front of her - his balls held prisoner in the strong grip of her other hand. She was not going to let this bunch of freaks rattle her. Her mom and dad had taught her better than that!

She gave him a sweet little smile when she noticed the beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead and the pained expression on his face.
“So, Thomas,” she purred, giving him a slight squeeze through his shorts, and he groaned in pain. “Where can I find Elaine Winslow?”

“Shit,” he moaned, his eyes beginning to water and his face turning red.
“Oh, my God! And here I thought your
sister
was a ball buster!”

Harpers hold on him disappeared as her mouth dropped open.
What the freaking hell did he just say? She shook her head and glared up at him, her mouth turning down in a tight frown. “Unless you want me to cut off your balls right now, and shove them down your slimy throat,” she sneered. “You had better tell me –and tell me fast - just what in the frig you just said?”

“Your sister,” Thomas grimaced, taking a quick step back from her, and placing his hands in front of his crotch protectively.
“You can’t tell me that no one ever told you about Kat. I mean, Jesus - you’re looking for your mother for God’s sake!” he said, obviously shocked by her surprise. “Yet, you don’t even know about your
sister?
Come on.
”

“Holy freaking shit,” she whispered, and heard Thomas’s huff of indignation.

“Damn. You know, for a little girl – you sure do have a mouth on you!”

In the next instant Thomas screamed out in agony as Harper’s heavy army boot connected with his shin. “What the fuck?” He screamed, and glared at her – wanting nothing more at that moment than to strangle the little twit!

He didn’t need this bullshit! He had left the Coven over a year ago. He was done with all their craziness – and so what if he kept tabs on some of the witches. It wasn’t as if getting paid for information was a crime or anything. At least, he didn’t think it was – or really
care
for that matter. Thomas’s number one priority always had been – and always
would
be Thomas.

“What do you mean, I have a sister?” She practically
growled
at him, and he couldn’t help but notice how mature she looked when she was angry. She resembled Katrina in so many ways – yet was all her own with her dark, gothic style. But the damn temper was sure the same.

“A sister – did I stutter, small fry?” He yelled back at her, rubbing his shin.
“Katrina Winslow. Geez - that hurt you little snot!” Sweet Jesus - Thomas thought with a grunt - is it any wonder why I
hate
kids!

Harpers eyes grew huge and she swallowed with difficulty as realization dawned on her like a physical blow.
She not only had a
mother
she knew nothing about – but a sister as well! Shit. Up. A. Pole!

Kat tried with everything that she had, not to watch Luke as they drove through the city – but as hard as she tried - her eyes kept drifting over to the gorgeous wolf in question.
He was staring straight ahead, his jaw clenched – and she knew that he was tense – but she had no desire at all to ease it. The man was infuriating!

Yes, he was
hella
sexy, and rocked her world with just his touch – but he was also the most hard-headed man that she had ever known. He was stubborn, and arrogant, and tender and…
damn
it! She had to stop this. She was pining over a man that she just couldn’t have!

She sighed and looked back out of the window, trying desperately to concentrate on the matters at hand.
They were heading for Thomas Kern’s bookstore, in the hopes of getting some information on Elaine and hopefully Harper as per Constance’s instructions – and she needed to focus.

Kat hadn’t seen Thomas in well over a year.
Not since he had left the Coven, for reasons unknown - and she found herself excited at the prospect of seeing him again. They had always had a good time together – laughing and talking easily. He had been a friend and confidante… and - he didn’t make her body vibrate like a certain wolf did – so she was looking forward to the much needed liquid sex break.

She needed some normalcy after the past few days – and she was sure that Tommy could provide that.
She found herself grinning slightly at the thought of seeing him again, and it was a nice change from the foreboding silence that was permeating the car at the moment - and driving her absolutely crazy.

Chancing another quick glance at the irritating wolf sitting beside her, she leaned over and cranked up the radio – filling the silent car with the blaring sounds of a local Rock station.
She gave him a sweet smile when his head snapped her way at the sudden onslaught of Bon Jovi – knowing that with his exceptional hearing it would seem ten times as loud to him – and her smile only widened.

She turned her face back towards the road as she began to belt out - ‘
You give love a bad name’
– her eyes twinkling devilishly. She knew she couldn’t carry a tune to save her life; but she found that she really enjoyed irritating the swoon-worthy ass sitting beside her – and at the moment, she needed a distraction. And getting under his skin just might be the ticket.

All that the silence in the car was accomplishing was to make her think – and she didn’t want to do that anymore.
Not right now. Too much had happened – and if she just sat there quietly, like a good little girl – she knew her mind would only drift back to the feel of Luke touching her – kissing her… So, instead, she sang even louder; inwardly cringing at the horrible sound of her own voice. Geez - she thought with a grin – she
really
did stink…and bad.

“Dear God.” Luke winced, as he turned down the radio and glared at her.
“What in the
Hell
is wrong with you? You sound like a damn cat caught in a blender. Are you having some kind of an attack or something?”

Kat burst out laughing – not caring in the least what he thought. She knew that she was awful; but she was finally enjoying herself a bit - and was not about to let this oaf ruin it for her.
“Too hard for you, wolf boy?” she asked innocently, reaching for the radio dial once again. “How about it if I find something a little more your speed - perhaps some Celine Dion or…Wayne Newton, perhaps?”

“No!” Luke barked out - his hand reaching out and grabbing hers to stop her.

As soon as he touched her; that current of awareness shot up his arm, and he swore- went straight to his heart, causing a sudden tightening in his chest. He knew that Kat felt it too by the way that she had stilled and stared at him – her mouth hanging open in surprise, her beautiful eyes wide and startled.

Luke dropped her hand instantly and cleared his throat, glancing back to the road.
“You keep that up, and I swear my ears will bleed,” he murmured, trying to ignore the sudden, overwhelming urge to pull the car over and take her right there on the side of the road. And suddenly his jeans became extremely uncomfortable, and he grimaced.

“You only
wish
you had my talent,” Kat threw back, folding her hands in her lap and fidgeting in her seat slightly.

“That’s about as far from talent as I have ever heard, sweetheart.”

“What the hell do you know, anyway?” Kat scoffed at him with a flick of her hand. “You howl at the moon for God’s sake.”

“Well, that may be – but at least I howl
in tune!”
He choked out, that grin twitching at the corners of his mouth and Kat felt her stomach flutter.

“Oh, bite me, Benji.” Kat grumbled under her breath, and Luke snorted with laughter.

“Wouldn’t I just absolutely love to?” He chuckled - his eyes gleaming wickedly and Kat felt her body heat, and her heart rate accelerate to warp speed. Good Lord!

They pulled up to Kern’s Korner bookstore twenty minutes later, and Luke leapt from the SUV and ran around to Kats side to open the door and help her out.
When she raised her eyebrow at his extended hand, his mouth settled into a frown as he bowed slightly and took a step back.

“You are certainly taking this no touching rule to heart, red.” He said; no humor in his voice what so ever.

If truth be told - he
needed
to touch her. Christ, it was a deep, gnawing need that seemed to grow with each moment that he spent with her. Being that close to her in the car; and not being able to reach over had practically driven him insane.

Kat jumped down from her seat and smiled up at him.
“Rules,” she replied flippantly, and strolled past him into the shop.

“Rules were made to be broken,” he mumbled to himself as he followed her inside, his eyes locked on the curve of her perfect ass.

When Kat walked through the doors of the bookshop, she found Thomas sitting on the edge of his desk, a bag of ice resting between his legs. He jumped up when he saw her, the ice hitting the floor with a thud and his eyes blazing.

“You!” he practically screeched - glaring at her.
“What the
Hell
Kat?”

“Hey, Tommy,” she replied, smiling at him warmly.

“Don’t you dare ‘
Hey Tommy
” me – you little bitch! Would you mind telling me right now just what in the…?” He stopped cold when he saw Luke step up directly behind Kat - his glare alone enough to knock the wind out of him. The man looked thoroughly pissed, and he knew in an instant that he was a Were. And worse yet – he was an Alpha; which meant that the man was dangerous when he or someone he cared about felt threatened – and from the vibes that he was getting – he cared about Kat. A lot. Oh,
Holy
shit – could his day get any worse? That last thing he needed at the moment was to have to deal with a protective Were – not with his nuts throbbing like they were.

Kat looked back at Luke when she noticed Thomas’s uncomfortable gaze, and her smile faded when she saw how angry he was. He was practically shaking with it, and she knew for certain that this was not going to be good.
“Easy there, Tonto,” she whispered to him, and Luke’s eyes swept down to hers, and she could see the fury in their amber depths – turning them almost black.