Hunter s Moon - By Lori Handeland Page 0,59

take care of herself."

"Of course she can," Damien said easily, and released me.

I spun around with narrowed eyes. His words had sounded suspiciously patronizing. The red mark on his jaw made all the fight drain out of me. I wanted to touch him, to hold him. Behavior from days gone by when I'd been a nurturer and a caregiver. I was neither any longer, so I tucked my hands into my pockets and turned away.

Jessie tried to throw Will off her back but had no luck. "Get off me, Cadotte; you weigh a ton."

"You promise to play nice?"

"Hell, no."

"That's what I thought."

He got off her anyway.

Jessie bounced to her feet and sent me a glare. I raised my hands. "I surrender."

"Good. I don't want to give the two of them any more stiffies." She lowered her gaze to Damien's pants.

"Although he doesn't seem to need any help." Her eyes flicked to me. "What have you been up to?"

"Jess, mind your own business," Will said.

"She is my business."

"You wish."

Jessie ignored me. "Who the hell are you, Fitzgerald? Where did you come from?"

"Around."

"You're working for cash. That's illegal."

Damien held out his wrists. "Arrest me."

Jessie's lips tightened. "Maybe later."

He turned his attention to me. "You had her check me out?"

I shrugged. "Better safe than sorry."

"And what did you find?"

"Not one damn thing," Jessie interjected. "No one's that perfect. You've got secrets, Fitzgerald, and I want to know what they are."

"Get in line," he muttered.

The room went silent. Jessie glared at Damien. I glared at Jessie. Damien glared at me. Will was the only one who didn't seem upset. Anymore.

"So where did you study?" Will asked.

Damien blinked and turned to him. "Study what?"

"Self-defense."

"The school of hard knocks."

"You've never had formal training?" Will appeared shocked. "I've been doing tai chi for quite a few years.

You're as quick as anyone I've ever seen."

"Thanks."

Damien didn't elaborate. Another little secret to add to the pile. I couldn't throw stones. I wasn't going to tell him about my past, either.

"What are you two doing here?" I asked.

The last time I'd seen them they'd been fighting. Right about now they should be... making up.

"I had a call from Elwood," Jessie said.

For a minute I had no idea who she was talking about. Then I remembered Elwood was the deputy.

Jessie had given him the picture of Hector. If Elwood had called, then -

The blood drained from my face and I swayed.

"Leigh!" Damien caught me, but I shoved him away.

"I'm all right."

Jessie and Will were staring at me as if I'd sprouted two heads. "What's the matter with you?" she demanded. "We need to check out a new wolf kill. I can't have you puking in the bushes on the way."

"Wolf kill?" I said faintly.

"Yes. Elwood came across - " She broke off and glanced at Damien. "You mind?"

"Uh... no. Sure." He squeezed my shoulders. "I've got to get some sleep." He kissed my forehead and I resisted the urge to cling. "I'll see you later."

The sound of his footsteps clattering down the steps receded far too quickly. Why I suddenly associated Damien with safety I wasn't sure, but I needed to stop. The only person I could depend on was myself -

and maybe Edward.

"Elwood didn't recognize Hector?" I blurted.

"What?" Jessie had been scowling at the door. "Oh, that's why you went white. I haven't shown him the picture yet. I was going to when we reached the site."

Will sighed. "Sorry, Leigh. Jess gets focused on one thing, to the exclusion of all else. She didn't mean to scare you."

Obviously Jessie had told Will about Hector. Or at least as much as she knew.

"I can apologize for myself." Jessie glanced at me. "I wasn't thinking."

I shrugged. It wasn't her fault I was crippled by the thought of Hector Menendez anywhere near me.

"You think this guy could be the one we're looking for?" Will asked.

"I don't know."

"Who else could it be?" Jessie demanded. "Herman is Hector. He's a cannibalistic serial killer. Hector is the white wolf."

"I don't know if the white wolf I saw was Hector. I never got close enough to see this one's eyes.

Besides, I've seen white wolves before when they weren't really there." I frowned. "Just not lately."

"He's here," Jessie said.

"But - "

"No buts. He's here somewhere. We're going to find him and cut out the bastard's heart."

"She likes you," Will murmured. "I can tell." Jessie gave him a narrow-eyed glare before returning her attention to me. "You're not crazy, Leigh, not anymore." I wished I could be as certain