Page 32 of Wolves Always Bite

Ilicked my bottom lip, because every bookI’dever read said that was the thing to do.Iwanted his eyes on my lips.Iwanted him to think about kissing my lips.

Somuch for not coming across as a slutty human desperate for werewolfD.Apparently,Ihad terrible impulse control.Iwas equally terrible at playing coy.Butit was betterAdriansaw me for whoIreally was.And, right now,IguessedIwas a slutty human desperate for werewolfD.OnlyAdrian’sDthough, just to be clear.

DuranDuran’s“HungryLikeaWolf” filled my head.Perfect.

Adrian’seyes flashed again, and he inhaled deeply.Ohyeah.Hewas on board with my plan.Excellent.

Beforehe could throw the truck in gear and whisk me away to a hotel room whereIhoped sexy naked fun would happen,Vancame out of the police station and walked straight toward us.Adrianrolled down his side window, which had miraculously survived everything, asVanapproached.

"Thereare a couple of places to stay in town,"Vansaid without preamble. "I'drecommend either theWillowLakeInnor theTarbeckMotel."

Sincemy phone was already in my hand,Isearched for their websites.Adrianglanced over to see whatIwas doing.

“Ididn’t think you’d have internet out here.”Adriansounded surprised.

“Wemay be a small town but that doesn’t mean we’re stuck in the 1950s.”

Adrianchuckled and leaned back in his seat.Iscrolled through the websites, both of which needed an overhaul.Theymay have internet out here, but they clearly didn’t depend on it for business.

“Neitherone stands out.”

"Supes?"AdrianaskedVan.

“Well,”Vansaid, as he rubbed the back of his neck, “theWillowLakeInnis where those boxes were stolen from."

Adrianhuffed like he wasn’t impressed.Honestly,Iwasn’t so keen on that option either.Beingaround a careless supernatural entity sounded dangerous.Ididn’t say this often, becauseIwas normally an unapologetically perky person, butIdidn’t have the energy to deal with any more surprises today.

"Ithas some nice views ofWillowLake.Itused to be an old pack house."

"Packhouse.Asin werewolf pack?"Iwas even less keen now.Nooffense toAdrian, but if those brutes in the woods from this morning were in a wolf pack,I’dprefer to skip that.

"Tarbeckis owned by a minotaur."

Adrianglanced at me. “Howabout we check out theTarbeck, hey?”

Itwas like he could read my mind.Imay have only just found out about magic, butIdoubtedI’dget any sleep staying in a place where magical artifacts weren’t properly cared for and protected.Particularlyif that attitude made the place a target for those crazy wolvesI’dseen this morning.Nope.No, thanks.Icould pass on that.

Besides,Ididn’t want to miss the chance to meet a minotaur.

“Teaguewould be mad if we stayed at the other place anyway,”Isaid, remembering how pissed the witch had become when he’d heard about how the boxes had been stolen.

“Yeah.You’reprobably right about that.”Adrianchuckled.

“Jakeisn’t a bad guy, honestly.”Vansighed and gave us directions to the motel, then he rapped his knuckles on the door. “IfIstill see this thing on the road tomorrow,I’lltow it to the compound and thenI’llfine your ass,” he warned.

“Yeah, yeah,”Adrianmuttered as he put the truck in reverse.

Nextup: alone time with a sexy werewolf.Icouldn’t wait.

ChapterTen

JEREMY

TheTarbeckwasn’t far from the station, but then in a town this size most things were close.Eitherway, it didn’t take long to find it.Thesquat two story building appeared freshly painted and, more importantly, clean.Ithad an exterior sidewalk leading to the brightly colored doors in every color in the rainbow on the ground floor and an open balcony type walkway to access the equally colorful doors on the upper level.Oneach railing hung planters with luscious mounds of pink petunias and white geraniums.

Itwasn't whatI’dexpected whenI’dheard the proprietor was a minotaur.Wasthat species-ist?Wasthat a word?Regardless, it was definitely stereotyping, andIwas disappointed in myself.Ineeded to do better.

Thereception area was as colorful and clean as the exterior.Ieyed the clerk—Levi, according to his name tag—who booked us in and decided he had to be the minotaur.Ilet my gaze drop down his body to see if he had hooves for feet, but the counter blocked my view.Hehad a square-shaped face, from his wide forehead to his prominent jaw.Hisnostrils seemed very conspicuous, although that might be because he was a giant compared to me andIhad to peer up at him from an awkward angle.