Page 6 of Kin of the Wolf (Magnetic Magic #3)

6

Without any clothes on, the December air was cold. Worse, a car whizzing past honked before I opened the Roadtrek’s door—fortunately, we hadn’t locked up—and slipped into the passenger seat.

I was thinking about hunting in the back for something to cover myself with when Duncan opened the driver-side door and hopped in. He dropped his magnet, now detached from the shopping cart, onto the cup holders, then handed me my jacket before turning the key in the ignition.

“We need to skedaddle. Those were the owners of the shop, and they called the police. I tried to convince them you were my dog—sorry about the indignity of that—but they didn’t believe it. There was a mirror that looked into that aisle, and the man saw you change.” Duncan glanced at me, held up a finger, then ducked into the back, returning with the blanket I’d tied around his naked body that morning. “I thought this might come in handy later.”

“Thanks.” After checking my jacket to make sure my phone and keys were still in the pocket, I draped the blanket over myself. “And thanks for not gawking at my naked body. ”

“My lady, I would never do such a thing.”

“Noble.”

“A short glance is all I need to sear such memories into my mind to treasure later.” Duncan smirked at me before putting the van into reverse.

“I retract my adjective,” I stated, though I might have secretly been pleased he wanted to remember my nudity and might treasure it. By now, I knew he was attracted to me, but reminders and admissions were pleasing to hear. Even if I wouldn’t admit it aloud.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have bragged about my memory capabilities.” Duncan pointed to the parking lot as we passed the store, the criminals long gone but the two downed motorcycles remaining. “I think those guys were supposed to pick the others up after the robbery. I heard one talking about wanting them to hurry up.”

“I wonder if they’re related to the motorcycle riders who vandalized our parking lot the day we first met.”

Those guys had smashed windows and dented vehicles, not stolen anything, but that was probably only because we’d been there to stop them.

“I don’t know,” Duncan said. “Are gangs rampant in the area?”

“They didn’t used to be. This was always a safe suburb within easy commuting distance of Seattle. I never worried about my boys playing outside when they were growing up.” I shook my head, lamenting the decline and not wanting to admit it might have gotten worse than I’d realized.

At a red light, Duncan gave me a long look.

“What? You’re not going to say I should have brought your sword, are you?”

He snorted softly. “No. You did fine without it. I’ll admit I didn’t expect you to change in the middle of the store.”

“It happened of its own accord when they started shooting at me. ”

“Understandable. But…”

“The owner got a good look?” I wondered if there’d been a security camera and would be footage. In the face of that, the police might have to reevaluate their belief in werewolves. And if they were able to identify me, they might also connect me to the deaths at the apartment complex.

“Yes,” Duncan said. “His wife did too.”

I groaned and dropped my head into my lap. Would I have to abandon my job and flee the country? Join Duncan in itinerant treasure-hunting around the world? I didn’t long for that. I might want a mission, but I didn’t want to travel the world while the law sought me out. I wanted to buy my fourplex and have a comfortable retirement one day. I liked stability, not chaos.

“I don’t know if you noticed,” Duncan said, “but the wife had a hint of magic in her blood.”

“I didn’t notice, no. I was busy being indignant about being called Fluffy.”

“ That’s what distressed you most?” he asked dryly.

“No. I’m most worried about the possible repercussions of being seen. All I was trying to do was defend myself.”

“You also stopped a robbery and possibly saved their lives. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I bit a guy in the nuts.”

Duncan gaped at me, then dropped a protective—or empathetic—hand over his lap.

“That’s assault. A crime . Like killing people.” Was there a frantic note in my voice? Maybe I was more than worried about repercussions. “Even if it’s all in self-defense, this isn’t the Old West. Vigilante justice isn’t allowed in Seattle.”

“It should be. Whether you meant to be or not, you were a hero.” Duncan reached over and rested a hand on my shoulder. “That’s why I was giving you that long look. ”

“Admiration for my ball-biting?” I took a deep breath, willing the panic knotted in my chest to loosen and go away.

“Dear God, no. That’s savage. I might possibly be terrified of you now that I know your battle tactics.”

“Hilarious.”

Releasing my shoulder, Duncan turned the van onto the road leading to the apartment complex. I eyed the parking lot as it came into view, half-expecting to spot police cars waiting for me.

“What I was getting at,” Duncan said, “is that you stopped a crime. Again . You’ve protected your apartment complex numerous times now, and you just proved that petty thieves are no match for a werewolf. Now that you’re not taking that potion, you could become…” He tilted his palm upward.

“A vigilante?”

“I was thinking superhero. We could arrange that blanket like a cape and make you a mask.”

“My dignity doesn’t find that any more appealing than being called Fluffy.”

“It’s a noble mission,” he offered. “You did mention you were looking for one. And you’ve commented more than once that crime has increased in this area.”

“Werewolves aren’t superheroes. Superheroes don’t bite people in the genitals.”

“I’m not well-versed enough in comic literature to know if that’s true or not.”

“Thanks to having raised two sons, I am. It doesn’t happen.” I let out a soft breath of relief when we pulled into the lot and it was devoid of police cars. At least for the moment.

“Well, no pressure. I’m only offering it up as a potential solution for your spiritual angst.”

“My angst is fine. Figuring out the secrets of the wolf case is enough of a mission for me right now.” I didn’t hate the idea of trying to do something about the crime in the area, but… if my ma gic turned me into a wolf every time someone held up a convenience store or stole a car stereo, someone would figure out my identity before long. Unfortunately, the ship might have already sailed on that.

“I suppose that’s also a noble goal.” Did Duncan sound a little wistful?

“You want me to become some furry undercover crime fighter?”

He parked next to my truck. “I’m imagining you in a cape and mask.”

The way he smirked over at me made me ask, “In your imagination, am I wearing only a cape and mask?”

His smirk broadened. “Possibly.”

I squinted at him.

He lifted his hands from the wheel. “You can’t blame me when you’re modeling your nakedness at this very moment.”

I wrapped the blanket around myself and knotted it so I could dash to my apartment. “A minute ago, you were horrified about where my wolf bites landed, and now you’re fantasizing about my nudity. Does that strike you as odd?”

“Not at all. I’m male. We can be terrified of and aroused by a woman at the same time.”

“I don’t know why I spend time with you.”

“You like my flirting and that I call you my lady .” Duncan nodded with self-assurance.

I caught myself smiling. He wasn’t wrong. What I really appreciated was that he kept coming to my assistance. Given all the trouble finding me lately, I needed that. Hell, I probably needed a full-time bodyguard. Or ten.

I reached for the door handle, but he lifted his hand and cleared his throat.

“More seriously, I have an offer. I wasn’t sure if I should make it since… Well, I know you don’t trust me fully when it comes to that ca se, but I do have the magic detector and some other tools that are helpful with paranormal investigations.” Duncan tilted his head toward the back of the van. “I know you’ve had someone with druidic blood and knowledge studying it, but if you want me to take a look with my equipment, we might be able to learn something more.” He shrugged, as if to say he didn’t mind either way if I accepted the offer.

I hesitated, debating my answer. Did I trust him around the case now? I believed he was no longer working for my ex-husband, and I was starting to trust him with my life. Daily. That robbery might not have gone as well for me if he hadn’t shown up and stopped the motorcyclists. Further, he was the reason I’d found the lavender farm and the stolen artifacts.

“I suppose I shouldn’t pass up that offer,” I finally said. “The case’s mysteries have thus far eluded me.”

“Okay. Come on by with it later if you want. I can’t promise anything, but my tools are top notch.”

“Oh I know. I saw the shopping cart you pulled up.” I waved at the magnet.

“A feat that I’m positive impressed you.”

“So much so that I’ll be fantasizing about you in a blanket and a mask tonight.”

“I wouldn’t be offended in the least by that.”

My phone rang. I withdrew it warily, not sure whether to expect the police, my belligerent cousin, or some new plague on my life. My son Austin’s name popped up.

“Oh!”

I held up a finger to Duncan, tightened the blanket around myself, and hopped out of the van to answer.

Since my youngest son had been doing his Air Force training across the country, I hadn’t seen him in months, and he’d only called a few times during that time. Because, he’d promised me, his phone use was restricted, not because he didn’t love his mother and care about keeping her updated. It had sounded like a partial truth, but I’d reluctantly accepted that my boys didn’t need their mom as much anymore. At least Austin had had more time to process his lack of a college fund, and he wasn’t, as far as I knew, holding a grudge, not like Cameron.

“Hey, Austin,” I answered, striving to sound casual instead of like a parent starved for updates. “How’s Mississippi?”

He was doing his training at Keesler Air Force Base there.

“Hi, Mom. It’s okay. Not as humid now.”

“How’s it going?” I wondered what had prompted the rare call. “You haven’t fallen out of an airplane or anything, have you?”

“I’m training to be a cyber-operations technician, Mom.” His voice was dry, the eye roll assumed.

“They cyber-operate in planes sometimes, don’t they?”

“Not yet. I’m fine. We’ve got leave for Christmas. I told Andrew and Chul I’d see them over the holidays. We might even play a gig.”

“That’s great. I’ll pretend you want to see your mother too, not just jam with your high-school friends.”

“Of course I want to see you.” The tone promised another eye roll. “I need a place to stay.”

“I knew your love and faithful devotion would bring you back to me.”

“Ugh, don’t say things like that. I’m right outside the mess hall. Someone might hear.”

I reined in further snark and said a non-embarrassing, “I’m sorry. When can I expect you?”

“My plane comes in on the twentieth. Andrew said he’d pick me up at SeaTac.”

“That’s good of him. I’ll get a few groceries.”

“Cool, thanks. See you then.” He hung up.

I returned my phone to my pocket, delighted that at least one of the boys would come home for the holidays, but that meant I needed to do a few things. “Get the tree out of storage, visit Costco, and…” I gazed around the parking lot and especially into the woods. “Make sure my damn cousins leave me alone for Christmas and that no crime invades my territory.”

I scowled, my delight at the prospect of seeing my son tainted by my new fear that the world was on the verge of figuring out I was a werewolf. For the boys’ entire lives, I’d taken a potion that sublimated my lupine magic and had striven to be a normal and entirely human mother. They had no idea about my secret.

A flutter of anxiety taunted my stomach as I worried whether that would change during Austin’s visit.