Part 7 (1/2)
”Pretty much.” Something flashed in his blue eyes and he quickly looked away.
”Can you control your s.h.i.+fting?” She told herself to guard the things going on inside her head more carefully.
”Yes.”
”Are you thinking about s.h.i.+fting right now?”
”Yes.”
”Wanna jump off a bridge?”
”Ye-” His gaze jumped back to hers.
She smiled. ”Just checking to see if you were listening. How about we grab a burger and fries when this over?”
He tiptoed closer. Her senses not too shabby either, she could feel the heat radiating off him, smell his masculine scent magnified by the intensity of the situation. She saw beyond the whites of his eyes to something that made her feel like she'd swallowed the tiny white, twinkling lights found in trees during the holidays. For a split second, she thought he might lean in and kiss her. She wanted him to lean in and kiss her.
Instead, his warm breath tickled her ear and he whispered, ”Let's focus on getting out of here alive.”
Blinking away the pleasant sensations circulating through her body, she silently cursed her trembling knees back into kickboxing mentality.
”No problem,” she said, her tone serious and tough.
What an idiot she was. He had no interest in her whatsoever. He'd flirted with her some, yes, but that was because he thought she might know something about Trey. Now that he knew she didn't, as soon as he could ditch her at her car, she'd never see him again.
Until she started investigating him, that was. And then it would be all about the job. She'd decide on a course of action and without his knowledge, get her hands on information to prove he wasn't as nice as he appeared. P.I.E.'s clients always had good reasons for hiring the company, so this time shouldn't be any different.
Even though it felt different.
She pushed herself away from the shelving, forcing him back. ”What's the plan?”
”The plan is you're going to get out of here, and I'm going to deal with the Banoth. If you go back the way we came in and-”
”Oh no-”
”Oh yes-”
”Oh h.e.l.l no.” She put her hand over his mouth as he was about to speak. ”I am not running away from this thing. It tried to take a bite out of my backside. Sorry, but I'm staying, and I'm going to make that SOB pay for its actions. So you can just tell me how we kill it, and the sooner we get the deed done, the sooner you'll be rid of me.”
He grabbed her wrist and pushed her hand from his mouth with a firm, yet gentle hold. His jaw clenched, his eyes narrowed. A low growl escaped his pursed lips. ”I don't have time to argue with you.”
”That's right. So how do we kill it?”
”You're no ordinary private investigator.” He placed her arm at her side and released his grip. His steely gaze said he was trying to intimidate her, get her to tell truths she didn't share.
”Maybe I'll fill you in sometime, but not right now. I think tall, dark and hairy is coming to get us.”
As if on cue, the shelving unit beside them toppled over, boxes falling to the floor with a thunderous crash. Banoths obviously weren't keen enough to hit their target unless it stood right in front of them.
”Run!” Hugh yelled, shoving her away from the jagged pieces of clay pot littering the floor.
”Would you quit saying that? I know.”
They took off again, Tess leading them through a maze of aisles. After tearing around a corner, she halted abruptly when she noticed the s.h.a.ggy savage waiting for them at the other end.
For a creature that had to weigh at least five hundred pounds, it sure traveled quietly. And if she wasn't mistaken, its thick botoxed lips were pursed in a smile that said ”come and get me, baby.”
Not sure what to do, she looked over her shoulder for help from Hugh. He wasn't there. Great. She turned her head back to her enemy and plastered her sweetest closed-mouth smile back at him. They glared at each other for what seemed like an eternity before she wondered if he understood English and she could talk her way out of this.
”Hi. I'm Tess. And you are?”
The beast snorted and sc.r.a.ped one of its feet like it was getting ready to charge.
”Okay, so talking is out of the question.” Instead, she might have to play matador. The super-sized Cousin It looked ready for a bullfight. Steam even came out of the area she a.s.sumed housed nostrils. It was hard to tell underneath all the hair.
”You colorblind?” she called out, referring to the color of her dress. Red, blue, she supposed on the color wheel they might be pretty close to each other. She'd never paid much attention during art cla.s.ses.
Another gruff sound answered her. Where the h.e.l.l was Hugh? He wouldn't leave her here alone with this monster, would he? Sneak out on his own and go find Trey, happy to have her occupied. No. He wouldn't dare. Would he?
Trying discreetly to dart her eyes to the left and right, she searched for something to help her out. Once again she mentally reprimanded herself for going out alone at night without her purse. At the very least, she should have strapped a knife to her thigh. But nooo. She'd been too anxious to follow Trey. Who was really Hugh. Who was a Night Runner. And terribly hard to forget. Even now, under the present danger.
She found nothing to aid her in the overwhelming desire to shove something sharp into the Banoth's chest, so decided there was only one course of action to take. She was a pro at it by now.
Run.
This time, knowing better than to turn her back on a stinkball-throwing giant hairball, she hoped its depth perception was off, and he wouldn't notice her taking cautious steps backward. Holding her breath, she inched away from the Banoth. As soon as she reached the end of the aisle, she made a sideways beeline for safety.
Hugh wasn't going to find Trey tonight. In fact, he doubted the information Dane had received was accurate at all. The more likely explanation included a setup to capture and kill Dane and himself. With the three top Night Runners out of the picture, the pack would be vulnerable to a takeover. Or worse.
Someone had orchestrated this whole thing, Hugh was sure of it. And whoever that someone was went to a lot of trouble and expense. Sending a Banoth to take care of business meant the stakes were high, the job top priority.
Right now, his priority was Tess. He'd ditched her to s.h.i.+ft so that he could better protect her. It killed him to think he'd gotten her into this mess. Sharp pains jabbed his stomach at the thought of harm coming to her. Anger bubbled up inside him. He'd rip out the Banoth's throat if the creature got too close to her.
In a matter of hours, she'd gotten under his skin. He knew because hot vapors rushed through his body whenever they touched.
He'd traveled beside her just now, his shadow under her feet, without her knowledge so he could figure her out. Her tough and fearless personality wasn't for show. Her smart mouth not all talk. He knew she'd deliver every bit as good as she got. Watching her speak to the Banoth had made him ridiculously hard. She turned him on with her unwavering confidence, despite their predicament.
Pots suddenly crashed to the floor, and he bit the side of his mouth. In his haste to follow Tess as she ran from the Banoth, he knocked over a stack of ceramics. She turned on her heels and landed a right hook to his jaw.
”Ow,” he said, rubbing a hand over the painful spot. ”What was that for?”
”Oh, sorry. I didn't know what was behind me.” Her eyes widened as she took in his appearance. ”So I decided to act without thinking.”
”You do that a lot?”
”All the time.”
”Duck!” he yelled, dropping to his knees.
She obliged as another putrid smelling ball of slime sloshed past their heads. ”Can't you do something about this thing?”