Page 37 of Triumph of the Wolf
“Well, I don’t know if Abrams has a vehicle. We destroyed Radomir’s SUV, and he was presumably the moneyed half of that partnership.” Duncan finished his sandwich, licked his fingers a few times, and eyed the remaining bacon.
“Go ahead. I had a few pieces before coming out.”
Besides, if he’d been chasing the kid all over town last night, he would be hungry.
“You’re a delightful woman.” Duncan popped a piece in his mouth, then also took one of the biscuits. “Still warm. Excellent. Even werewolves enjoy peanut butter.”
“Who doesn’t?” I opened the chocolate bar and laid a couple of pieces on the table for his dessert.
“Nothing like washing a meal down with cancer-fighting properties.” He placed a square onto his tongue to melt.
“It’s always a good idea. Like brushing your teeth.”
“No doubt.” Despite his teasing, Duncan took the rest of the chocolate bar with him to the driver’s seat. “I’ve half-expected one of those black vans to return and toss the female werewolf out onto the lawn.”
“Izzy,” I corrected.
“Yes. By now, Abrams must know that his henchmen got the wrong wolf.”
“I hope he’s not planning to run science experiments on her.” I frowned as Duncan drove us out of the parking lot. “Even if I don’t like her, she doesn’t deserve that.”
“What we read in Abrams’s journal suggested he had moved on from believing werewolf blood would be useful for him, and he was focusing on the magical artifacts.” Duncan looked at me. “Are you bringing the case as well?”
“I have it.” I patted my purse where it lay nestled in a towel inside. “I did question whether I should or not. What do you think?”
“Depends on if you believe it’s safer with you or under the floor in your apartment.”
“It might be safer there, but I was thinking more about how the medallions, and every other magical artifact in the area, get extra excited when the lid is open. We might learn more if that happens, but I’m also not sure Iwantthe medallions to be more excited and potent than usual when we’re in the cave.” I looked somberly at him. “As much as I’d enjoy getting horizontal with you, I’d rather it not be because their magic is coercing us to do so.”
“If the medallions had gotten their way in your mother’s cabin, I believe we would have ended upvertical. My thoughts, or urges, I suppose, believed the log wall looked like a fine place to…” He glanced at me, turning his palm apologetically upward. And were his cheeks a touch pink?
“Had the medallionsgotten their way, I wouldn’t have minded.” I doubted I would have minded the wall—or anywhere else—with Duncan, magic regardless, but… “I’d just like things to be our idea if they’re going to go in that direction. Inanydirection.”
“I agree that free will is appealing. Especially given recent circumstances when I haven’t always had it.” Duncan waved toward his forehead, though the medallion, after it decided he was worthy of wearing it, had healed him of that lifelong scar.
“Yes. And I don’t want my pack’s medallions, or mymother’splans, taking that from you. From either of us.”
“But we’re going to the cave anyway.” Duncan smirked at me, not looking like he minded that much.
“To fulfill my mother’s… request.” I didn’t make thatdying request,but the term came to mind, a fresh lump forming in my throat. “Besides, it’s possible her vision was about more than us having sex. She mentioned something that could help ourpeople. Our people who are currently being schemed against by resort developers.”
“Not as fearsome of foes as potion-enhanced thugs with silver bullets.” As he finished off the chocolate bar, Duncan navigated onto the freeway and picked up speed.
“No, but who knows what complicated and obscure legal methods they might know about to try to take the family land. I’m sure Mom and the pack would prefer that all humans forget that their territory exists.”
“For the sake of your family, I’ll hope that bringing the two medallions together in that cavecansuggest some solutions.” Duncan gazed pensively at me before brake lights on a car ahead made him focus on traffic. “If the medallions only have a singular focus, I hope… Well, I give you permission ahead of time to do whatever you need to do in order to wrap my package.”
For a confused moment, I thought of the delivery-truck driver from the night before. No, notthatkind of package.
“I’m a little concerned,” he continued, “that the magical compulsion will make… Erm, let’s just say that package wrapping wasn’t on my mind when we were almost, ah, overcome with ardor in your mother’s cabin.”
“Gotcha. Yeah, it wasn’t on my mind either.”
“It’s hard to be a responsible adult when magic wants to turn you into a sex fiend.”
“I haven’t noticed that werewolf magic is ever that concerned about responsibility.” I lifted my purse, tapping the side by the case again. “As long as there are no nefarious types about, we’ll leave this in the van when we visit the cave. We could even leave it with my mother. She didn’t mention that she thoughtitshould visit with us. The medallions were her only concern.”
“Yes, the true heirlooms that belong to your pack.”
