Page 6 of Bad Medicine

“Fuck him,” I muttered, as Ibraided my long hair. But I couldn’t quite meet my own stare in the mirror as Isaid it.

Lucas was more than I couldhandle, and I absolutely knew it.

Chapter Four

When I came out of the shower,I knew Jared was in my kitchen before I even left my bedroom. I felt him, for asecond, with every fiber of my being. My wolf awakened, stretching and purring,and the mark he’d given me began to tingle and throb, somewhat painful,completely pleasurable.

When I walked into the kitchen,Jared, Rick, and two cops I didn’t recognize stood in the corner talking. Lucysat at the table with Ash asleep at her feet but got up when she saw me. “I’ve keptyour food semi warm in the oven,” she told me, opening the oven door. “Sit downand eat.”

“Thanks, Luce. Where’s Joe?”

“Out front patrolling theminiscule yard,” she said, snorting. “I’m sure he’s hoping a threat will arriveso he can fight something. I called the office and told Max you were going tobe late.”

“I’m sure he wasn’t surprised,”I murmured.

Jared leaned against thecountertop with his ankles crossed, his hands in his pockets. And though hedidn’t move, I felt the caress of his fierce wolf stare. I saw anger in hiseyes, and frustration that there was no physical enemy to kill. Unlike me, hecouldn’t fight a spirit.

Finally, he held out his hand.“Come here.”

I thought about ignoring hiscommand or at least arguing, but in the end I simply went to him. The two copsand Rick fell into silence, watching with interest as Jared, his faceexpressionless, tilted my chin up to view the side of my bruised neck, then ranhis hands over my body to check for injuries.

It angered me a little that Iwanted so badly to melt against him and let him carry me to bed. I wasn’t crazyabout wanting anyone as much as I wanted the alpha—it was too close to need. Ididn’t want to need him. What would it do to me if something happened to him?

If hedied, for instance?

His nostrils flared and henarrowed his eyes in response to the sudden fear that flooded me, but Iswallowed hard and shook my head. “I have a vivid imagination,” I murmured.

His body relaxed and his sharpstare softened. His eyes were light blue surrounded by a darker blue, and whenhe got quietly and coldly enraged, the blue changed to a vivid gray. His wolf’seyes.

He was absolutely beautiful.

“You’re okay,” he said.

“Yes.” I was healing and Ihadn’t even had to shift to do it. I glanced toward the two cops, and my gazecollided with Rick’s. His stare dropped to my lips, and immediately, bloodrushed to heat my face.

He cleared his throat. “This isCarl James and Van Harris. They got the call when the neighbors reported adisturbance.”

“Glad you’re okay, ma’am,” Carlsaid. “If you think of anything other than what you told Detective Moreno, giveus a call.”

I wondered what Rick had toldthem.

“Was it vampires?” The othercop—Van—seemed a little frantic, his eyes slightly wide, his hand continuouslybrushing his holstered gun. “I know they’re trying to cover up the fact thatvampires attacked the city, but I was there. I saw them.” He wiped his brow.

“Dude,” Carl said, frowning.“It’s still daylight anyway.”

Van glanced at the window, andhis throat jumped as he swallowed. “Yeah,” he said. “But not for long.”

He looked at me, and there wassomething in his face that made me just a little uncomfortable. Though heseemed anxious, nervous, and downright scared, none of that showed in his eyes.Before I could dwell on it, Rick pushed himself between the cops and me. “Let’sgo,” he told them.

“Tell me what happened,” Jaredsaid, once Rick and the cops were gone.

“Please.” Lucy glared at Jared.“Let her eat. She just fought a really bad ghost angel. She needs herbreakfast.”

I pulled away from him and satdown at the table, mollifying Lucy. Also, I was starving. I’d used up a ton ofenergy fighting Lucas and then healing myself. “I can talk as I eat,” I said.“Jared, you want some breakfast?”

“No.” He pulled out a chair andsat beside me. “Moreno said there was an angel.” There was only a littleskepticism in his tone.

“Yeah,” I said. “And I neverwould have imagined that angels were these primal, savage…soldiers.Their world has to be a scary place.”