Dark Forest (Secret Blood, Book 1) (6 page)

“What are you doing?” he demanded.

“This is awesome stuff for a story.” Excitement sparked through her. “I’ll let any council person know who needs to approve of it first of course, but truth is always better than fiction.”

Aiden rubbed at the back of his neck. “Let me talk to the Council before you write anything serious. I know there are a few writers they let use small tidbits of truth to spice up their fiction.”

“No problem.” She started a file on supernatural facts. “But there is other information I need. How long do werewolves live?”

“Um…” He shifted position in the seat, and then winced. “Hundred and fifty-ish to two hundred years.”

Panic. She wanted to start panicking. “I don’t live that long.”

“No,” he said. “But if we mate—with a bite—your lifespan will match mine.”

“Where will you bite me?” she asked because it was the logical next question, and getting information usually kept her from being neurotic about every little thing.

“Wherever you want. We usually do the throat,” he said in a subdued tone. “It’s the most visible for those like me.”

“Do I need to bite you?”

He snorted and then laughed. “No…not unless you want to.”

Her eyes rolled, but she ignored the comment. “What else happens to me? If I live longer, is there anything else?” She forced herself to breathe while she waited for the answer.

“It depends on the couple,” he said after a moment. “I’ll be able to find you anywhere. Some develop a telepathic link, but most can
feel
each other. I am not sure how else to explain it. It’s like you could be at Grams’ house, and if you get upset with her, I’d know it, even if I’m in Hong Kong.”

“Does it work the other way?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Aiden said. “There is a lot of information you need to learn before we even think about having any kind of—”

“Mating,” Rose interrupted. She didn’t need to know everything, just how her life was going to be altered because she decided to marry a werewolf. “You said you want children. Is it even possible?”

He dragged a hand down his face before slowly nodding. “Yes. My grandmother was human. The current belief is wider genetic diversity, but not many of our kind willingly submit to any kind of scientific testing, and the High Council isn’t at the point of demanding it yet.”

“Holy crap.” Rose shifted on the seat, leaning in close to him with her tablet on her lap ready for a massive amount of notes. The changes to her life were nothing compared to the intrigue of this secret world living right beneath humanity’s nose. “What happens if the High Council demands it?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “It can’t hurt to know more about ourselves, but any records make the risk of exposure higher.”

Rose added to her notes. “I’m going to need to stop at Jamie’s computer shop for a new flash drive. I back up everything, but I don’t think using a public server for this information is the best idea.”

“Good idea,” he said in a soft rumble.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

She snorted. “Right. Sorry, pal, as a woman, I know
nothing
means
something
, so you might as well spill it.”

“Your life is in danger, and you’re thinking about your next story?”

The incredulousness of his voice was cute. She looked at him in profile. The damn man was too beautiful for her own good. “Yes. Writing is my stress relief, and it pays the bills. How awesome is that?”

He slowed down as they got into town. “I can spend days in my workshop without coming out for air. I guess…we’re the same in that department.”

Rose leaned forward. “Sheriff Jones is at the gas station.”

Aiden pulled in and parked the truck. “You’re coming with me. You have no idea how fast a shifter can move if he’s motivated enough.”

She stuffed her tablet back into her large purse, and jumped out of the truck. Aiden was right next to her a heartbeat later. His hand wrapped around hers, and in the other one, he held the box.

“What’s in that?” Rose asked.

Aiden’s response was a growl as they walked toward where the sheriff was fueling his police SUV.

Davis Baker stepped in front of them. “You know you’re not supposed to be dating anyone.”

Aiden bristled. “Sorry. I didn’t realize I needed your permission to live my life.”

“Kiera’s still missing, and I think you need to tell this town what you did with her.”

Davis puffed up. He was a beefy guy, on the overweight side, but he worked a farm for his living. Under his layer of fat was solid muscle.

Rose laced her fingers with Aiden’s. “I could say the same about you. With all that acreage, you have plenty of places to hide a body. You have motive, too. Didn’t Hank steal Kiera from you?”

“Watch your mouth, woman,” Davis said. “This is between me and him.”

Jones rushed over to them. “Davis, you need to simmer down. Aiden has a verifiable alibi for the night Hank was killed and Kiera went missing. I think you need to go on and fill up your tank before getting out of here.”

“We all know he killed his brother,” Davis objected.

“If there was any kind of evidence supporting it, it would have turned up by now,” Jones said. “And if it was Aiden, we’d have more dead bodies between then and now.”

Davis glared at Aiden for a long minute before he turned on the sheriff. “Did you find her yet? Have you found anything yet?”

“We’re working on it,” Jones assured. “You don’t need to go around harassing people. Go on, get out of here.”

It took another moment before Davis grudgingly stalked back to his truck.

Rose let out a breath. “Thank you.”

“Not a problem,” Jones said. “What brings the two of you here? I saw Aiden filling up his truck this morning.”

“We need to talk,” Aiden said in his soft rumble.

“What about?” Jones directed them out of earshot of the other gas station patrons.

Aiden worked his jaw. “I know who killed Hank, and I have the scent. It hasn’t rained all week. I should be able to track where you can find Kiera.”

“Can I prove who did it with your evidence, in a court of law?” Jones stared toward the convenience store. “I don’t want you getting mixed up in this.”

“No.” Aiden’s hand tightened around Rose’s hand. “I need to take care of this one.”

Jones stared into the store for a moment longer before he gave a slow nod. “I understand. What do you need me to do?”

Aiden handed the box to the sheriff. “Take a look at that when you are in your vehicle. Make provisions for Rose’s safety while I am out, and then just let me do what I do.”

“Aw, hell,” Jones muttered under his breath. “Who is it?”

“Julian Hathaway from the logging company,” Aiden said.

“All right.” He clutched the box. “Is there any way to make this less mysterious in the eyes of the town?”

Aiden snorted. “No.”

Rose didn’t like the look on Aiden’s face when they both exited their vehicles in his driveway. “Are you going to be all right?”

He dropped his head back and let out a huff. “I think when this is over, you should leave.”

Hurt dug in. “What? But why?”

He turned his gaze on her. It wasn’t the usual soft expression he had when he looked at her, but something harder, something dangerous. His eyes glowed with it. “I should have never dragged you into this. I should have left you alone. I should have let you—”

“Whoa.” She took a step closer. “What has gotten into you?”

He growled, and then slammed the truck door shut. “I just made plans with the sheriff to kill a man tonight. I can in no way be good for you.”

She marched to the door. “You’re right, I have no idea how to wrap my head around this, but he did something to scare you, and damn it, Aiden, you won’t tell me what it is!” She stopped at the locked door. “I am going to need keys if I am going to live here.”

“You’re moving back in with Grams just as soon as Julian is dead.” He unlocked the door and let her in. “You don’t need this shit in your life!”

“I think I get to decide what I can and cannot deal with in my life.” She dropped her purse onto the coffee table and turned to face him. “You can’t play with my emotions like this. It’s not fair! You cannot say you want me, and then shove me out the door.”

He slammed the door, and snarled. “I wasn’t thinking, goddamn it! I want you, Rose, I want you so fucking bad it hurts, but I plan to and will execute a man tonight.”

She knew it, and didn’t think it was any different than what a police officer did to a known killer. He might not have a human badge, but he was protecting the town, its people, and any other place the logging company would send Julian to next. The police would shoot to kill if there was no peaceful way of stopping a man like Julian. It couldn’t be much different, even if Aiden used a different set of weapons to achieve the outcome. Maybe she was rationalizing, and maybe she wasn’t. All she knew was Aiden’s plan meant sacrificing what he wanted for what he thought was best for her, and while he was well within his right to send her packing, it didn’t mean she wasn’t going to fight him to keep working on what they had. “You’re going to execute a murderer tonight who is also not human.” She corrected him. “You said yourself we humans can’t stop him and your own Councils would demand you did it. Why would you force me to abandon you when you have no other choice?”

His lip curled.

“No,” she snapped before he could say anything. “He will eventually kill me if you don’t. You can’t be with me for every second of every day for the rest of my life, especially not if you’re going to kick me out of your life! He will kill me!”

In the next second he was in the semi-shift state. He growled low. “Do not put that image into my head.”

She scooted toward the hallway leading to the bedroom. He was a man. There had to be a way to convince him to drop this stupid martyrdom. “Why the hell not? Maybe I should take my chances with Julian. He seems to think I am his mate, too. Maybe he’s willing to keep me.”

“Rose,” Aiden snarled, and stalked toward her.

She kept leading him back to the bedroom. “What? It’s the truth, and I get to choose, right? Why can’t I choose the one who will keep me?”

Aiden lunged forward, but he didn’t collide with her. No part of his body touched her as he loomed over her. “You do not know what you’re saying. Julian is marked for death. He will be killed. By me or by some other shifter.”

“Exactly.” She was playing with something she didn’t understand, but she was sure she knew Aiden, no matter what he was. “There are four other women in this town with blonde hair and green eyes, and basically the same build as me. How many of them would die without you keeping them safe?”

“Stop.” His growl was low, and dangerous. “You’re killing me, Rose. You’ll thrive better in a human world.”

She stepped into the doorway. “Maybe, but I want to be in your world. In your life, with you.”

The air sparked between them. His eyes glowed. He stepped forward, brushing his body against hers. His hands skimmed down her sides to rest on her hips. He lowered his head, and his mouth devoured hers, his tongue hot and sweeping inside her. She moved backward, making him follow her. Her knees hit the back of the bed. His head pushed hers back to allow him access to her throat. Fangs scraped against sensitive flesh.

“I’m no good for you,” he rasped against her ear. “Werewolves are violent.”

He nipped her skin, and a shiver rippled through her.

“I’ll consume you, Rose. There’ll be nothing left.”

Molten heat sliced through her, settling between her thighs where the heat became damp. Her hips pressed into him, and her hands curled around his massive shoulders. “You won’t hurt me.”

One sharp claw hooked into the fabric of her shirt and tore down her front. The shredding of material reverberated through her. The coolness of the air in his room caressed bare skin. His hands slid over her. The pointed spike of his canine trailed down the center of her throat. He shoved the ruined garment and unzipped red hoodie off her shoulders. His mouth lowered to the thin lace material between her breasts holding her bra together. A fang caught and tugged. “I’ll devour you.”

The bra fell away, leaving her exposed. His lips skimmed over the ultra-sensitive peaks as his callused hand ran down her sides. His mouth moved down the flat of her belly as he dropped to his knees, stopping at the band of her shorts before tugging them off. Claws hooked at the waistband of her panties, silk ripped, and she was naked save for her shoes. He lifted one foot at a time, taking his time to sample each ankle and tease the arch of each foot once they were bare.

With mouth, hands, and the heat of his skin, Aiden sent her body into a whirl of wicked need. The stubble growth on his cheek grazed her leg as he moved upward. He stopped when his face was level with her sex, and he inhaled deeply. “So hot, Rose. So tempting.”

He continued the sensual assault. The tips of his claws touching, tantalizing, but never hurting as they moved over her skin. His mouth, fangs, and tongue left a blaze of molten heat wherever they touched. Her body trembled, and a low whimper escaped her.

“Ah, Rose, you’re shaking.”

“Yes.” She could barely talk, barely breathe from the sensations rioting through her body.

One hand pressed into her back, and he bent her over backward. The back of her head brushed against the comforter covering the large bed. He lowered her onto the bed and used his knee to spread her legs apart before he stepped back.

She started to scoot up farther onto the bed.

“Don’t move.” His tone thick, harsh, commanding. “I want to look at you. Wet and ready for penetration. So beautiful, Rose. I want to see you.”

*

Aiden had no idea what the hell he was doing. He’d started out wanting to intimidate her, needing her to see what he really was, but it turned into something completely different. She was gorgeous laid out on his bed, open and willing. Her body shook with desire and anticipation.

He was ever aware of how much damage he could do while in this heightened state. Maybe this was an exercise in who had the power. Of who was in control. It wasn’t him. No matter how far he took this, she had the power to make him stop, verbally or through scent. She could end their play, and he’d have no choice but to submit to her will, and with a degree of wonder, he realized he’d gladly do it.