Page 31 of The Mating Need
Troy glared at the wizard, as if angry at him aswell.
Tristan smiled at Jenny. A big smile as if he knew something. He glanced down at the knife she clenched and his smilewidened.
“Interesting.”
She tired of everyone calling herinteresting.
“Please put the knife down, Jenny. I intend you no harm,” the wizard said. “I came here to formally meetyou.”
Troy put a hand over hers, forced her to set down theknife.
She narrowed her gaze. “Well, we’ve met. Buhbye.”
He chuckled again as others gasped. Tristan floated over to the table’s edge like a genie on a carpet she’d read about. He stood and dusted off his trousers, then looked atTroy.
“Troy Gilbert,” the wizard said. “I rememberyou.”
“Yeah, can’t say it’s a pleasure. What do you want withJenny?”
The male beside her tensed as if readying for a fight. Whoa. Knowing this wizard had power and probably could flick a finger at her friend and turn him into ash, Jenny placed a hand overTroy’s.
“Easy, big fellow. I’mokay.”
“Yes, she is fine, Troy. I intend her noharm.”
Jenny shot Troy a questioning look, but he glared at the wizard. Tristan picked up a salt shaker, absently spun it around in his palm. It twirled like a top, though he did nothing obvious to make itmove.
“Interesting how I can make this material object do whatever I please. I can move it with my mind…or…”
The wizard sent the shaker sailing into the air and flicked a finger. The shaker exploded, but instead of showering salt and glass over the diners, it simplyvanished.
Just like what she had done with the diseased crystal. Jenny’s stomachtightened.
“Have you ever seen such a display of power?” Tristan directed the question not at Jenny, butSamantha.
The Lupine shrugged. “Maybe. I dunno, Tristan. You’re such a showoff. Why don’t you make a dirty diaper disappear? Now that would impressme.”
Now it was Jenny’s turn to gasp. How could Samantha act on such familiar terms with the wizard? Troy seemed to loathe him and others fear him, but Samantha did not. Nor did Darius, whonodded.
“Changing diapers on our son takes real talent. Try that,” the betadrawled.
“Or get us more salt.” Aiden stood and went to the wizard. “Instead of these parlortricks.”
The alpha jerked his head toward the woods and the wizard joined Aiden. As the pair walked off, she allowed herself a sigh of purerelief.
Troy finally relaxed. He rubbed his cheek against the top of her head. “Stick close to me. I don’t trust thatone.”
Me either.But she sensed the wizard did not bear her ill will. Unlike Troy’s hostility towardTristan.
“You,” she stabbed his chest. “Me. Need totalk.”
Troy’s gaze narrowed as he stared after the wizard. “We will. Eventually. For now, know this. There is no way in hell I’m letting you stay alone tonight. Not with that son of a bitch lurking aroundhere.”
Her heart pounded. Mild-mannered Troy bordered now on shifting into a feral wolf, his mouth drawing back to display fangs. He drew away from her and raked nails over the pretty flowered tablecloth, gouging the wood beneath. Not nails.Claws.
Darius sighed. “We just had this table fixed, Troy. Can’t you go scratch up a tree? Plenty of themaround.”
With a low snarl, her friend managed to get himself under control, retracting his claws. His fangs vanished. But he still remainedtense.
