Wolf's Hunger (Mafia Monsters #5) - Atlas Rose Page 0,36
murmured. “They are tearing through every building the Immortals own on our side of the city, and soon they’ll invade past the bridge.”
“They can damn well try,” Mojin growled. “They may just find they’ve bitten off way more than they can chew.”
“Listen to me.” She grabbed my arm, drawing me back to her. “I’ve been dating this guy, nothing serious, but he’s high up in the CCPD. He says Harlan’s sent out a call to arms to the highest level. He said things are going to get ugly, real ugly. He said that if there was any way this was going away…even part of it, would be when you come back.”
Come back. I swallowed hard at the words and looked at Mojin. The Fae shifted his eyes and that bottomless, soul-searching gaze met mine. One look said it all. My heart pounded and heat spread into my cheeks as that darkness shifted under my skin.
Not Immortal.
And now not even myself.
I never asked for this, hadn’t charged into the warehouse that night knowing my life would be forever changed. But still Mojin stared at me, pushing me to face the truth. If I had…knowing all of this, would I have changed a single thing?
“Let’s get everyone inside until we’re sure it’s safe.” Church glanced from the Unseelie to me.
“Maybe the smartest thing you’ve said yet, Wolf,” Walker muttered.
She followed him, as did Wry, leaving me and the Unseelie in that battle of stares. “Fuck you,” I growled.
He just lowered that cold focus to my chest. “If it’d been me who’d found you that night, you very well could have. Then again, I might’ve been the one fucking you, fucked you so well you’d never want to crawl from my bed. Fucked you so well you might even have forgotten who you were. No more special agent, no more daddy’s girl. Think about that the next time you wonder what would’ve happened if it hadn’t been Phantom to your rescue that night.”
“Carina?” Church called.
I wrenched my gaze from the Unseelie as the cold slither of truth snaked its way along my spine. I wanted to run, to stumble backwards and scramble to get away from him. But even though my knees shook, I forced myself to turn slowly and stride away, biting my lip until I tasted blood.
Church scowled at the sight, and lifted his gaze to the Fae. “Everything alright?” he asked as I passed.
Heat rushed to my face as I looked up at him. “I don’t know, Church. Is everything alright?”
He met my gaze, following my eyes as they drifted to his neck. Anger swelled inside me like a midnight storm. I was hurting in that moment, desperate and in pain, and it made me want to lash out. This was about more than just sex, this was about honesty and pretense. This was about acceptance and the pack. This was about shoving me back out into the cold, when seconds ago I’d been wrapped in the loving embrace of their warmth.
They all wanted me…except him.
He paled as I stared at the faint imprint of a hand around his throat. “You left,” I stated, and met his gaze. “Where did you go?”
He flinched as though I’d slapped him. His muscular chest rose with a breath, but there was no warning growl rumbling in the back of his throat, no baring of his teeth.
“You think I’m the enemy here.” I pushed the point. “Like I’m somehow here to take what’s yours. I don’t want to take anything from you, Church, I’m just trying to survive.”
“This is all you have to eat?” Walker queried behind me, and lifted a dusty bottle of bourbon. “No wonder all you do is fight and fuck.”
Church’s gaze seared into mine until a tremble tore through him. Something was happening here, some remnant of the truth was coming, spilling from his eyes and almost from his throat. His lips parted, the words right there on the tip of his tongue.
“Is anyone going to say anything? Or are we just going to stare at each other all fucking day?” Walker snarled, and strode toward me, the bottle in her hand. “You. Hold out your arm.”
Her command shattered our connection. Church looked away and took a step backwards. I felt the heat of Walker’s gaze, heard her voice in my head as I turned to her. The splash against my arm was instant, and a blaze of agony followed.