Dark Wolf (Spirit Wild) - By Kate Douglas Page 0,5
I’d say it’s a pleasure, but we both know differently.” She smiled, showing a lot of teeth, and held out her hand. He stared at it a moment. Lily didn’t waver. Reluctantly, he shook hands.
The frisson of awareness left her wanting to wash her hands. There was something wrong about Xenakis. Something she couldn’t place. Oddly enough, it wasn’t her Chanku sense that left her skin crawling.
No. It was her magic, something as much a part of her as her Chanku heritage. Her innate power recoiled almost violently at the man’s brief touch.
Lily surreptitiously wiped her palm against her slim skirt. She noticed that Jill wasn’t the least bit welcoming. “Was there something you wanted, Aldo? Ms. Cheval and I are enjoying a private lunch while we discuss business.”
She placed her emphasis firmly on private.
“No.” He stepped back and nodded. “I merely saw a beautiful woman sitting here and took a chance to say hello.” He kept his gaze planted firmly on Jill and blatantly ignored Lily.
Lily remained standing, purposefully invading his space until the waitress arrived with their meals. Aldo stepped out of her way and then left without another word. Lily turned, sat, and raised her eyebrow again as she glanced at Jill.
Jill shook her head. The moment the waitress was gone, she took a sip of her wine. “I do not like that man. Something about him . . .”
Lily nodded. “Makes your skin crawl?”
“Exactly. Why? He’s handsome enough. Well mannered.”
“Rich and powerful.” Lily laughed. “I bet he’s asked you out.”
“He did, and like a fool, I accepted. I couldn’t wait for the evening to end.”
“Did he make a pass?”
Jill shook her head. “Nothing so obvious, but he makes me very uncomfortable. Just a feeling I wasn’t safe with him.”
Lily took a bite of her blood-rare hamburger and swallowed. “You sure you’re not Chanku? You’ve always got good intuition.”
“No. Not a drop. I was tested. Took the nutrients for two weeks. Not even a hint of the need to howl.” She shrugged and turned her attention to her salad.
Lily used her French fry as a pointer. “I’m sorry. I think you could have given the guys in my pack a run for their money.”
Jill sipped her wine. “I still can. I just have to do it on two legs.”
They both laughed, but at the same time, the fact she’d tried the nutrients meant Jill had hoped she was Chanku. Lily was sorry for her, for the fact that her friend had wanted something badly enough to go for it, yet failed.
It was something Jill had to accept she could never have. Lily wondered what that would be like, to want something that was totally impossible, something forever out of reach.
They concentrated on their food for a bit. Then Jill set her fork down. “You know, Lily. I think the world of you, and I really love your folks. You’re good people. All of you, your mom and dad especially. They give generously whenever there’s a need, and they’ve done a lot for this city, even though they don’t live here. I don’t want to see these killings hurt any of you, but if we can’t find the killer, I don’t know how we’re going to keep the anger under control. I worry about your safety.”
Lily glanced toward the crowd of reporters waiting at the front door. The questions they’d thrown at her as she walked into the restaurant had been pointed and ugly. In their minds, shapeshifters were committing rapes and murders, and she was just as guilty as the ones actually doing the deed.
The sudden jackhammer inside her head had her gasping.
“Lily? Are you all right?”
Jill reached across the table and took her hand.
Lily pressed fingers to her skull. “Just a minute.”
Her father’s voice filled her mind.
There’s been another killing, Lily. A woman’s body was found about ten minutes ago in Golden Gate Park, not far from the garden your mother designed many years ago. If you’re in a public place, you might want to find somewhere private to finish your lunch with the mayor.
“Shit.” Lily took one more quick bite of her burger and tossed back the last of her wine, taking a moment to consider the consequences of her father’s words. She focused on Jill, one of the few people aware that the Chanku were telepathic. “My father just contacted me. There’s been another murder. The body was found about . . .”
The mayor’s cell phone rang. She answered the call, but her gaze