The Werewolf Dates The Deputy - Kristen Painter Page 0,49
else? And all while you were bound to stay within a hundred feet of them?”
His jaw tightened as he took in her words.
She didn’t give him a chance to answer with more macho, I-can-handle-it nonsense. “I’ll tell you what kind of life that would be. The worst kind. One that was a daily misery.”
He swallowed but said nothing.
“We’re not doing that, Titus.” She shook her head slowly while looking deep into his eyes. “Because we’re in this together.”
A few breaths went by without him saying anything. “You really want to do that?”
With her hands still on his face, she leaned in and brushed her lips across his. “I really do.”
“Okay.” He took her hands, kissed her palms, then looked at Alice. “Whatever you can do for us, do it. But please, there has to be a way to fix this. You said time, knowledge, and power. How can we give you more of those?”
Alice took a deep breath. “I have the power. The time cannot be changed. But the knowledge…that might be something you can help with.”
They turned toward her and in unison said, “How?”
“If you can find the witch or sorcerer who crafted this spell, that could give me some insight as to how to break it.”
Jenna tipped her head. “Don’t you have any magical way of finding that out?”
“I do, but it would take longer than we have. I doubt I’d have my result until after the full moon.”
“Understood.” Jenna looked at Titus. “I know you have the inspector coming, but I really need to dig into this investigation if we have any chance of figuring this out in time.”
He nodded. “We’ll make it work. This takes precedence.”
“In the meantime,” Alice said, “I will have every available witch in the coven working on this.”
“Thank you.” Jenna smiled. “Are you sure there isn’t anything else we can do to help?”
Alice thought for a moment. “There is one thing, but I don’t think you’re going to like it.”
“Anything,” Titus said.
She looked at him with a curious glint in her eye. “Stop fighting the spell. One of the elements I found in it was a strengthening agent, which means the more you fight it, the harder it works.”
A thousand things went through Jenna’s head. All of them to do with Titus. “Are you telling us to give in to…what we’ve been feeling?”
Alice nodded, the corners of her mouth turning up in a cheeky smile. “Would that be so bad? You’re both young, attractive individuals. Both consenting. I’m not telling you to go on a murdering spree through town here. Just stop fighting the attraction. All that does is strengthen the spell. You may find that if you give in a little, things mellow out.”
Jenna looked at Titus, and he looked at her. She shrugged. “I’m game if you are.”
He slipped his hand in hers. “It’s worth a shot.”
Having that much contact with him sent a ripple of pleasure through her, and for a moment, she wanted to push back at that pleasure in an attempt to keep the spell at bay. But that wasn’t what they were supposed to do.
Instead, she allowed herself to feel the satisfaction of his touch and gave his hand a little squeeze in return. “You’ll let us know the minute you figure anything out?”
Alice nodded. “I will.” She started pulling books and bowls and ingredients from the shelves.
Titus tugged Jenna toward the door. “We’ll see ourselves out. Thank you again.”
Alice mumbled something as she stared up at one spot on her bookcase.
They left and went straight to the truck, where he finally let go of her hand. He started the engine, and they left the estate, headed for town.
“You’re really okay with this?” he asked. “You’re not going to hurt my feelings if you change your mind and want to be free.”
She sat back a little, studying his profile and seeing traces of his wolf here and there. “Would you do that to me?”
He glanced over. “No.”
“Then there you go.” She smiled and looked out the window. “We’re in this together, Merrow. And that’s it.”
His phone chimed with an incoming text at the same time hers did. She pulled it out of her pocket. “It’s from Alice. She says she forgot to tell us there is one other way to break the spell.”
“What’s that?”
“If the creator dies.”
“That’s kind of harsh,” Titus said. The outcome at Alice’s had been both disappointing and encouraging. He might be stuck in this spell, but he wasn’t alone. Jenna’s refusal to