Page 51 of The Mating Need
“We’re done here, Mr. Perry. I’ll see youout.”
Not waiting for either Aiden or Dale to speak, Troy had a firm grip on the professor’s arm and was hustling him out the door like a burly nightclub bouncer tossing out an unrulydrunk.
Jenny suppressed a slight laugh. Troy never did tolerate condescending remarks directed herway.
My knight in shining wolffur.
When Troy returned, he took a deep breath. “If my actions were out of line, I apologize,” he told Aiden. “But you instructed me to deal with threats and Perry is a clear one. The longer he stayed, the more he’d have the opportunity to spy on theranch.”
Aiden nodded. “You did your job, Troy. I only invited him here to find out what his game’s allabout.”
“Now we know.” Dale stretched out his long legs. “But Beth thinks he’s harmless, althougheccentric.”
“Do you believe his line about werewolves?” Darius askedAiden.
“Huge risk for a Skin professor with a reputation to protect to start spouting he believes in the supernatural. We have only Carson’s side of things, and maybe Carson was trying to smear Perry’s rep. Still, let’s takeprecautions.”
Troy leaned against the wall and folded his arms. “Where would he get the idea of the existence ofwerewolves?”
“Seems he saw what looked like a human turn into a wolf when he flew his father’s helicopter overhead,” Aiden drawled. “That’s what Professor Carson toldBeth.”
Jenny stiffened, hoping they could not hear her rapidheartbeat.
“I don’t know what Lupine is foolish enough to shift in the open and endanger all of us,” Daleadded.
Ah, that would beme.
Aiden waved a hand. “That’s not important now. What is important is that Perry wants on this land and on the off chance he wants to see for himself if werewolves do exist, we have to be more careful. He may be legitimate and want to savewolves.”
Jenny wasn’t so sure. There was something else Perry wanted, something that had nothing to do with his disguise as aSkin.
If she shared with the others what she’d seen, they’d think her a freak. Maybe even fearher.
Kick herout.
What about Troy? She’d lose him as well. He fit into this pack like a pair of comfortable boots. Unlikeher.
“I don’t think you’re seeing the real danger hepresents.”
All the males turned to her. Jenny bracedherself.
“What do you see, Jenny?” Troyasked.
She refused to meet his gaze. Instead she stared into the fire. “There’s something beneath the surface there, more than an ordinary Skin. Something…magick.”
Aiden frowned. “I’m a good reader of Skins, and Lupines. I didn’t senseanything.”
“Me either,” Dariusechoed.
“There are rumors about Perry around campus, but they don’t amount to much,” Daleadded.
Terrific. They didn’t believe her. I’m doomed to be like Cassandra, able to predict a grim future, but no one trusts mywords.
Troy studied her intently. “What kind of magick,Jenny?”
Trust him to know she spoke the truth. He’d seen some of her odd powers. The others hadnot.
“He’s evil,” she blurted out. He possesses darkmagick.”
