Kat swallowed a lump of suddenly tasteless bacon. "So the lack of intimacy might very well mean — "
"He's already given his heart, and all that is left is sex." Gwen reached across the table and squeezed Kat's hand. "But don't take that as gospel. Not until you've asked Ethan."
"He doesn't have a girlfriend or wife. I did check that before I got involved." She grimaced slightly. "I'm not a home-wrecker."
Although it sounded as if it didn't really matter if she was, especially if werewolves considered sex and love to be two entirely different things. Though she wasn't sure she would ever understand the differences, it really didn't matter. She wasn't a werewolf. Wouldn't ever be anything more than a means of release.
Which was kind of sad, given the level of intimacy and understanding they'd reached during their lovemaking last night.
"What's in his past?" Gwen asked.
She shrugged. "Something, I'm sure. He certainly views women in a somewhat harsh light, and he certainly doesn't trust us."
"Us? As in you and me, or women in general?"
Kat grinned. "Both."
"Someone's hurt him in the past."
"Obviously." The question was, had he given his heart to that someone?
And why did she even care? It wasn't as if there could ever be anything more between them than there now was. Because of their jobs. Because his instinctive hate for his werewolf half would undoubtedly extend to shifters like herself. And because he hated kids and, above all else, she wanted them.
Gwen patted her hand again. "Just enjoy your time with him. Werewolves can give you that, if nothing else."
Maybe, but she was getting a little tired of being nothing more than a good time. She wanted something else. But she wasn't going to find that with Ethan. Wasn't likely to find it with anyone in the near future, either.
She finished the rest of her meal, then picked up her coffee and leaned back in the chair. "What's on the agenda for today?"
"I think you should fly around those hills this morning and have a look around. Those zombies didn't spring from nowhere. They must have a nest up there somewhere."
She nodded. "This soul sucker has vampires, werewolves and zombies at its beck and call. That's a little unusual, isn't it? I mean, both vamps and werewolves are fairly strong-willed. I can't imagine them being yoked to the beck and call of another for long."
"That might depend on how old this thing is. And what exactly it can do."
"Well, it can obviously raise the dead."
"And if it's ancient, it might have a lot of dead it can raise, so be very careful out there."
"You tried to scry yet this morning?"
Gwen sighed. "Yes. Couldn't see a damn thing. I get the feeling they're waiting to see what we do next before they decide their next move."
"Which would mean they consider us a threat."
"This thing is not stupid."
"I never thought it was. Anything else?"
"Just be careful when you're up there. This thing knows you're a shifter, so it might have set traps."
She nodded and pushed away from the table. "I'll bring back lunch."
"Do that. And get yourself another box of condoms while you're at it. You must have used most of his supply last night."
Heat touched her cheeks again. She might have grown up in a sexually liberated household, but her grandmother still had the power to embarrass her. Though after thirty years, she really should be used to it. "I thought you said you were deaf?"
"Not that deaf." Gwen's eyes twinkled. "You'd better get going, before your wolf begins to stir."