I shifted away from her, fighting to quell my burgeoning desire.I needed to fight her draw, her appeal.
But dressed as she was, like a figment of my darkest dreams, such a feat was going to be quite difficult.
But Mercy deserved my full attention, and my life depended on hers.Not the sinful angel beside me.
“Come, angel.First we dine.”
* * *
El Paso Grillewas the closest restaurant to the hotel.Without a phone, or any real semblance of where we were in the New York countryside, it was imperative we remained close to our quarters, if only because we needed to be close to Mercy.
Who’d been taken by werewolves into the woods because of me...Woods I’d garnered from simple snooping that led to a private complex on the other side of the property.I would have bet my soul if I had one that that was the land of the werewolves.
There was also the issue of Mercy’s visions.I hadn’t disclosed to Valory my suspicion that we would be linked—since we’d both traveled into the crevices of her mind—and as the sands of the hourglass spilled, I knew it was only a matter of time until our lost soul went through another vision.
And perhaps it will make finding her much easier.
Chili pepper string lights hung above us, casting their reddish orange glow on Valory like faint flames.She sat across from me, her shoulders tight, hands locked in her lap as she stared at the chips and salsa between us.
“What happened earlier,” I said, leaning back in my booth seat, “absolutely can not happen again.”
Valory sighed, as the waiter dropped off our goblets.
“Thank you,” she said, batting her eyelashes at him as she tugged the goblet toward her, sucking down the frozen peach slush rather seductively.
A strange sense of jealousy overcame me as I watched him grin before saying his welcome before toddling off toward the kitchen.
I pulled my own drink closer, relishing in the cool ice against my tongue, hoping it would still the heat building in my body.
Perhaps it was the salsa, or the events of today in general.
Or perhaps it had something to do with the angel in front of me who was hollowing her cheeks as she sucked down her drink so fast I worried she may get a brain freeze.
“I know,” she said, finally letting up.
I noted the bright orange color had stained her lips just a bit, but it was not an unwelcome color on her.I crossed my legs, shifting my stance if only to keep moving.If I sat too still, I’d be tempted to stare, and if I stared at her breasts, I’d soon enough be reminded of the things I could not have.
And I hated not being able to have what I wanted.
“While you were busy writing a dissertation in the damn dressing room, I discovered that on the other side of those woods lies a small town.A small town that likely houses our Mercy.”
Valory licked her lips, but the orange dye had not diminished.
“So what, you think we’re just going to walk up and knock on their door?Little wolf, little wolf, let us in?”she said, crossing her legs and arms, the motion drawing attention to her cleavage.I reached for the stale basket of chips, the saltiness stinging my tongue.
“Something like that,” I said, licking the remains of salt from the corner of my mouth.
Valory rolled her eyes.
“What?I don’t suspect you have a better plan?”I bit.
Valory flashed her bright blue eyes at me.
“Well, storming the castle full of big bad wolves doesn’t exactly sound like asaneoption to me considering they wiped usbothout the first time...”
I gestured for her to continue, genuinely intrigued to see if she could indeed suggestsomethingand be useful.
“By all means, Angel, do regale me with your intricate plans.”
