prob.”
“I promise I’ll call as soon as I’ve settled in. We can grab a drink the next time you have a night off.” Gabriela gave her a quick hug before sliding off the stool. Barely glancing in Ethan’s direction, even though she could feel his eyes on her, she skirted past him and was out the door in seconds. Thankful for the fresh air, she sucked in a deep breath. With his blue-black hair, Ethan resembled his brother so much it was difficult to even look at him.
Her flat boots were quiet against the sidewalk. So were the man’s behind her, but she could scent him, anyway. Out of all the shifter breeds, she could smell wolves the strongest. Probably because of that whole cats and dogs thing.
“Gabriela.” Ethan fell in step with her. He was about four years younger so she didn’t know him as well as she’d known Owen, but he had that same confident swagger now that he’d grown up.
She gave him a quick glance. “That would be my name.”
“What are you doing here?” He sounded genuinely confused.
She hadn’t been gone that long. Okay, well four—actually almost five—years was stretching it. “Uh, my family lives here.”
“I know that. But what…are you here because of the attacks?” Now his voice hardened and when she looked at him again, those blue eyes of his were stony and angry.
She had no idea what he was talking about and she didn’t plan to waste time chatting with him. The last few months at work had been hell. Some dear friends had died and right now she didn’t need any crappy reminders from her past literally staring her in the face and acting all hostile. Remaining silent, she pressed the key fob to the truck she’d rented. As she reached the driver-side door, she turned to look over her shoulder and tell Ethan to get lost.
That’s when she noticed the weapon in his hand. Maybe it was the lack of sleep the past few days, but she blinked once as she stared at the barrel of the gun pointed right at her.
“Step back,” he said quietly, his voice a sharpened blade.
“Are you seriously pointing a gun at me?” she asked, staring at the SIG, surprised her voice didn’t shake. Considering the “retrieval” work she did for the CIA, she dealt with all sorts of guns, but to have one held on her by a semiacquaintance in the middle of her small hometown....She shook her head, certain that this was a mistake. “What—”
“I don’t know why you’re here but if you think you can help your family cover up the attacks, think again,” he growled softly.
“Uh, attacks?” Gabriela hadn’t shifted in days and her reflexes were dulled. Not to mention she was in the beginning stages of heat and was extremely edgy. Something she definitely didn’t want to think about right now. For a moment she contemplated trying to take the weapon from him, but he read her expression.
Ethan shook his head and slid into her front seat, keeping his weapon trained on her. “I’m moving over to the passenger seat and you’re getting in the driver’s seat. Try anything stupid and I’ll pump you full of silver.”
She paused, trying to determine if she could shift to her feline form quick enough to escape. It was possible. He might clip her with a bullet, but she doubted he’d want to make a huge scene in the middle of downtown. Then again, he’d pulled a freaking gun on her. This was way too disturbing and she couldn’t get a read on what he was thinking or if he was even serious. Sure, she and Owen hadn’t parted on the best terms, but there had never been any hostility between her family and his pack. Ethan’s actions were…crazy.
When she spotted two men and Sharon—all humans—walking down the sidewalk, she realized she didn’t have a choice but to go with Ethan.
Most humans didn’t know about the existence of her kind. Her entire family went to great lengths to keep not only their shifter abilities a secret but the fact that jaguars roamed this area. If she decided to turn
“I promise I’ll call as soon as I’ve settled in. We can grab a drink the next time you have a night off.” Gabriela gave her a quick hug before sliding off the stool. Barely glancing in Ethan’s direction, even though she could feel his eyes on her, she skirted past him and was out the door in seconds. Thankful for the fresh air, she sucked in a deep breath. With his blue-black hair, Ethan resembled his brother so much it was difficult to even look at him.
Her flat boots were quiet against the sidewalk. So were the man’s behind her, but she could scent him, anyway. Out of all the shifter breeds, she could smell wolves the strongest. Probably because of that whole cats and dogs thing.
“Gabriela.” Ethan fell in step with her. He was about four years younger so she didn’t know him as well as she’d known Owen, but he had that same confident swagger now that he’d grown up.
She gave him a quick glance. “That would be my name.”
“What are you doing here?” He sounded genuinely confused.
She hadn’t been gone that long. Okay, well four—actually almost five—years was stretching it. “Uh, my family lives here.”
“I know that. But what…are you here because of the attacks?” Now his voice hardened and when she looked at him again, those blue eyes of his were stony and angry.
She had no idea what he was talking about and she didn’t plan to waste time chatting with him. The last few months at work had been hell. Some dear friends had died and right now she didn’t need any crappy reminders from her past literally staring her in the face and acting all hostile. Remaining silent, she pressed the key fob to the truck she’d rented. As she reached the driver-side door, she turned to look over her shoulder and tell Ethan to get lost.
That’s when she noticed the weapon in his hand. Maybe it was the lack of sleep the past few days, but she blinked once as she stared at the barrel of the gun pointed right at her.
“Step back,” he said quietly, his voice a sharpened blade.
“Are you seriously pointing a gun at me?” she asked, staring at the SIG, surprised her voice didn’t shake. Considering the “retrieval” work she did for the CIA, she dealt with all sorts of guns, but to have one held on her by a semiacquaintance in the middle of her small hometown....She shook her head, certain that this was a mistake. “What—”
“I don’t know why you’re here but if you think you can help your family cover up the attacks, think again,” he growled softly.
“Uh, attacks?” Gabriela hadn’t shifted in days and her reflexes were dulled. Not to mention she was in the beginning stages of heat and was extremely edgy. Something she definitely didn’t want to think about right now. For a moment she contemplated trying to take the weapon from him, but he read her expression.
Ethan shook his head and slid into her front seat, keeping his weapon trained on her. “I’m moving over to the passenger seat and you’re getting in the driver’s seat. Try anything stupid and I’ll pump you full of silver.”
She paused, trying to determine if she could shift to her feline form quick enough to escape. It was possible. He might clip her with a bullet, but she doubted he’d want to make a huge scene in the middle of downtown. Then again, he’d pulled a freaking gun on her. This was way too disturbing and she couldn’t get a read on what he was thinking or if he was even serious. Sure, she and Owen hadn’t parted on the best terms, but there had never been any hostility between her family and his pack. Ethan’s actions were…crazy.
When she spotted two men and Sharon—all humans—walking down the sidewalk, she realized she didn’t have a choice but to go with Ethan.
Most humans didn’t know about the existence of her kind. Her entire family went to great lengths to keep not only their shifter abilities a secret but the fact that jaguars roamed this area. If she decided to turn
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