Westmore Wolves Series: Shapesifter Collection Bks 1-5 Read online

  “Fuck, woman!” He glared at her, teeth bared, swallowing the string of curses that threatened to push past his lips. Did she have no idea what had almost happened? Looking into her outraged eyes, he seriously doubted it.

  “Serves you right. Sneaking up on a woman in the middle of the night. Who are you and what do you want?” Her eyes were wide and she backed up a few steps, fumbling with her key ring for what looked like pepper spray.

  “You don’t have to…”

  “I don’t have to what? Scream? Spray you in the eyeballs with this?” She waggled it at him and he shook his head. Her teeth were bared and her eyes held a curious light inside of them.

  “No.” He opened his mouth to speak but she uncapped the spray and pointed it at him.

  Shit. This was not going as planned. Not at all. He was a Night Wing, for God’s sake. Not some pup that was wet behind the ears. Often mistaken for a dark angel, his kind were feared for what they were as often as what they were not. Where most of his gargoyle brethren had leather wings, his were made of stone-laced feathers, silent on the air and a shield in battle.

  Would that he could use them against the woman in front of him now.

  “Stay back, asshole. Now…I’m not going to repeat myself.” She was fierce, standing him down, and a little piece of his armor cracked. Then she shot forward and stomped on his foot again.

  “Your brother…” Thorne grunted as another stab of pain shot through his foot. Jesus, had she broken it? He’d never live it down. The female retraced her steps, a frown marring her pretty face.

  “What about my brother?” She reached into her back pocket and pulled out her phone. Stabbing at the screen, she dialed with visibly shaking fingers. “He did this, didn’t he?”

  “No…stop.” Shit. He didn’t want to make her afraid. Thorne started forward, knuckling down against the pain and skidded to a halt.

  “Carrick. Did you send another one of your goons after me?” Her amber eyes glowed in the darkness and he could definitely see the family resemblance. The second was right. She was stubborn. And judging from the way his foot was pulsing in pain, he should have taken the suggestion to wear a cup more seriously.

  Double fuck.

  “Hang up the phone.”

  She ignored him, her lips compressing into a thin line of anger.

  “You what?” She alternated a glower at the phone and at him, her eyes narrowing into slits. “I don’t believe this. You…oh yes. We’ll talk about this when I get home.”

  Jess. The woman’s name was Jess. He had to remember that.

  Jess removed the phone from her ear and shoved it back in her pocket. She lifted her chin and jerked her face toward the lit up building down the street.

  “Do you want a coffee?”

  God help him, but the woman was speaking in tongues.

  “What?”

  “Coffee. A beverage usually served hot. It is the gateway to many good things. Like scones. Or cinnamon rolls. Or even grilled cheese. Come on.” She started down the sidewalk leaving him to follow like an imbecile.

  Well, fuck.

  Thorne’s beast reared up in interest as the female took off and he shoved down the urge to tear after her. They had mentioned in passing she was strong, but gods. He started up the walk, wincing as his foot throbbed in time with her footsteps on the pavement. With each step he couldn’t help but notice the hypnotic sway of her hips and the luscious swell of her ass and the uncomfortable pressure as his jeans were suddenly way too tight.

  Thorne tested the air once more as he followed her, but the unwelcome presence was gone. He only hoped it stayed that way. One thing was for certain: something was afoot and he was going to have his hands full keeping this woman safe.

  ***

  Carrick was going to die. Slowly and, if Jess had anything to say about it, with the biggest spoon she could find. She pushed the door to Hot Whips open and found Mel behind the counter, talking with a strangely familiar man with messy hair dressed all in black. At her approach, he gave her a distracted smile and went back to his table, leaving Mel to wait on her.

  The café was brightly decorated with lit trees laden with glass ball ornaments, and holiday music piped through the seating area. Funky and full of life, this place had really become something since Sage had taken over. Jess just hoped she could do the same with her idiot of a brother.

  The pastry case was laden with all manner of goodies. Gingerbread men winked up from their trays and a pile of Sage’s prized cinnamon scones rested on a large platter on the top shelf of the unrefrigerated side. Tonight, she noticed a tray of ugly sweater holiday cookies, a scrumptious selection of mini Yule logs, and some crinkled chocolate cookies that made her mouth water.

  Goddess, but she wanted a whole box to take with her when she went home.

  In the cold side, she spied Sage’s new chicken salad with dill and a blend of Greek noodle salad with cucumbers, olives and feta. Tempting. But what she really craved was something greasy and utterly bad for her. Then she could deal with the stud muffin behind her.

  Jess could feel him standing behind her like he was too big for the space around him, and she had to suppress a shudder. The man was hot, she’d give him that. And he got double points for not spontaneously combusting.

  “Hey, girl. How was the adoption drive?”

  “Good. They all got homes tonight.” Jess smiled, happy with the sense of accomplishment.

  The scent of something delicious baking soothed her rattled nerves and she shoved down the urge to recite every cookie known to man and reached for a packaged brownie with green and white frosting setting on the counter.

  “I’ll take this. Oh, and give me two of the cinnamon scones and one each of the cookies and a small Yule log to go.”

  Mel grabbed a box and started loading it. “Stressful day, dear?”

  “Smart ass. And yes. It has been.” Jess stuck her tongue out, grateful that Mel was on shift tonight. She missed her friend’s snarky humor and the way she could diffuse even the most difficult day with one of her lattes and a smile. Having a bestie who was a demon with mad barista skills had its perks.

  “I figured as much. You just missed the firemen.” The new calendar sat on the counter, a shiny ring of tinsel wrapped around it like an obscene suggestion.

  “Did you get one yet?” Mel’s red lips slid into a smile.

  “Maybe next time.”

  “What? You don’t like dragons with strategically placed fire hoses?”

  A snort from the hottie behind her made Jess smile. “You know, as a matter of fact I do. Ring me up.” She nabbed a beefcake calendar off the stack and slid it over toward her box of goodies.

  “At this rate you’re going to need a bag, chicklet.”

  “Sugar and spice and everything nice.” Jess laughed imagining the disgust on the man’s face behind her. Let him stew. She didn’t want him here to begin with, and if she wanted a smexy calendar then she would get one.

  “That’s not what you’re made of, girl.” A decidedly evil cackle escaped Mel’s lips.

  “Yeah, yeah. Be good or I’ll tell Sage you’re spelling the lattes again.”

  “Now that’s just mean.” Mel typed something into the register and rolled her eyes. “How’s things at the manor?”

  “Ugh. Leave off, Mel. I need sustenance.” Reaching for a menu, Jess made a face.

  The demon grinned, her eyes sparking fire as she took in the tall, dark drink of water standing behind her. She hadn’t even waited to see if he’d follow. Of course he would. Her brother was probably paying him a shitload of money not to let her out of his sight.

  She normally didn’t notice what flunky her brother got to follow her around. To be fair, the one three weeks ago had lasted…oh, a day. Finding him in her room snooping through her lingerie drawer was the last straw. He had been a phoenix. Good thing, too. What went down in flames usually rose again. But damn those ash marks on her carpet were messy.

  It hadn’
t been her fault. The idiot had spontaneously combusted when she caught him sniffing her panties. She told Carrick not to bother getting her a babysitter after that, but it appeared he hadn’t listened. And she was pretty sure this one had been staring at her ass the entire time since she stomped him in the parking lot.

  “Who’s the hottie?”

  “Ah. Mel, meet Carrick’s newest acquisition and my own personal stalker.”

  “Hey there.” Mel nodded, appraising him with a knowing look. “You have a name?”

  “Thorne.”

  Mmm. She probably should have asked him that. Oh well.

  “What’s your poison then, Thorne? Eggnog latte?”

  “Ahhh. No. Thank you. I’ll just have coffee. Black.” Her stalker held up his hands with a plaintive gesture.

  “Fine. Black coffee for Mr. Tall, Dark, and Leather and I’ll have a peppermint mocha. You want something to eat?”

  Thorne scowled. “I buy my own food, woman.”

  She considered him in detail for the first time. Tall and imposing, he did manage to fill out the black tee shirt he wore under the black duster very nicely. Black leather boots and well-worn jeans completed the vision. His aristocratic face reminded her of someone who was used to giving orders and not taking them, but the plump soft lips made her wonder what it would be like to kiss him. And that hair. She could run her fingers through it all night long…

  Warmth pooled low in her stomach and her mouth went dry. Dammit. This was where her brother found his mate. That did not mean she was going to succumb to his hotness under the spell of low blood sugar and peppermint mochas.

  Shit.

  Snap out of it, wolf girl.

  “Not tonight, buddy. What do you want? It’s the least I can do for stomping your foot.”

  Thorne sighed and stared up at the menu. “Fine. I’ll take three cheeseburgers and a side of fries.”

  Three?

  Jess blinked and a smile edged at her lips. “Hungry much?”

  He gave her a filthy glare and she smiled that much brighter. Oh, this one was going to be fun. And she was going to shove every second of it up Carrick’s nose when she got home. She knew why he did it. The damned Yule Gathering. He would be too busy to keep an eye on her, and now with everything that had happened, he’d resorted to yet another mercenary babysitter. Well, they both had another thing coming because she was not going to just roll over and take it.

  Mel scribbled on an order pad and chuckled. “Damn, Hoss, you eat like a gargoyle.” She made a show of peering around him to check for wings. “Yep. I thought so.”

  Jess coughed, holding up her hand before the giggle bubbling up could surface. Oh my God. She was about to eat dinner with her new hottie gargoyle babysitter. Who she just stomped on. Twice. Oh boy.

  Jess squinted but she couldn’t make out his wings. Some of his breed were able to glamor their wings invisible. She guessed he was much the same.

  She couldn’t wait to tell Sage this one. Jess knew she was abnormally strong for a female wolf, but she’d always attributed that to her shortcomings. Sort of like a blind person hearing things better than anyone else. And he was a gargoyle…She stared down at his boots. If she made him limp through those, well hell. She really did owe him dinner.

  But she was going to smile about it the whole time.

  Let the games begin.

  Point one, Jess. Mr. Tall and Dark, a big fat honking zero.

  She should have asked him his name. Maybe. But calling him Tall and Dark was sort of fitting. And he might not last long enough for it to even matter. At least Mel had saved her the embarrassment.

  He bristled at the demon’s attention and took a step forward. “Tell me, girl. What manner of being are you? Are you perhaps a relation to a mountain troll?”

  Mel burst into good hearted laughter, the red glow in her eyes sparking with her amusement. “None of your business, flyboy. Go find a table and I’ll have them start your order.”

  “Make that four cheeseburgers and another fry, Mel. And thanks.” Jess shook her head and led the way to the seating area. She found a booth near the window but stopped when he pointed to one next to the back wall.

  Jess played along, sliding into the booth across from him. She slid the calendar and her box of goodies on the seat for later.

  “So how did you get hooked up with this mess?”

  Thorne shrugged. “Your brother was hiring. I thought it was an operation to put an end to the hybrids plaguing your community. Instead I find myself babysitting.”

  “That must be such a bummer for you.” Jess glanced up when one of the waitresses brought over their beverages and placed them on the table.

  “Thanks.”

  “Would you like cream, sir?” She backed away from him, fear sliding across her face as if she could see something Jess couldn’t. He was a gargoyle, for God’s sake, not the devil.

  “It’s fine, Trudi. Go on. He won’t bite. And if he does, you can spray him down with that vat of coffee. Okay?”

  “O…kay.” The waitress scurried back behind the counter and nervously started wiping the surface.

  “She’s afraid of me.”

  “Well, Captain Obvious, you hit that one on the head.”

  He frowned into his coffee and took a drink, swallowing half in a couple of gulps, and then set the mug down on the table.

  “Fear is not something I wish to inspire. Not in any woman.” Thorne met her eyes. “Especially not in you.”

  She was almost moved. Almost. There were a lot of things she was afraid of in this world, but the sexy man across the table from her wasn’t on the list.

  “Don’t worry. You don’t.”

  His lips thinned even further and he nodded at the waitress when she brought over his platter of burgers.

  “Thank you,” he told her gruffly.

  The young woman scurried away before he could finish lifting his now empty cup off the table to ask her for a refill. Trudi returned, sat Jess’s plate down with an unceremonious thunk, and was gone before she could blink.

  “Wow. That really is some trick you have with the ladies.”

  “Mmmm.” Thorne muttered a non-committal response as he tore into a burger.

  Jess picked up one of the fries and dipped in ranch dressing. She bit down, letting the crunchy potato and creamy dressing slide over her tongue. Blissfully happy, she smiled. Now that was heaven.

  A few more fries and a bite of cheeseburger later found him staring at her.

  “What?”

  “You don’t eat like a girl.”

  Jess wrinkled her nose. “How the hell am I supposed to eat?”

  His steely eyes considered her. “Most women I know eat one or two bites then feign being done. You don’t.”

  “I’m not most women.” Her stomach growled and she picked up a fry and shoved it between her lips with a saucy grin.

  “I can see that.” He paused. “Why does your brother think you need protection?” He scrutinized her and she could swear he was holding back telling her something. A nervous prickle slithered down her arms and her gaze shot to the darkness outside.

  It was nothing. Irrational fear. So why did she clue in on his eyes flickering toward the windows as if he were watching for something? Unless he’d seen something she hadn’t before he’d grabbed her. She swallowed and, for a moment, she was glad of his company.

  It galled her, pure and simple. Maybe she just needed to go home. It had been a long day and she just needed to sleep.

  Jess sighed. “My brother means well, I think. We've had some trouble around here, that's for sure.”

  “I heard something about a dragon?” Thorne took another bite and reached for his coffee, then slumped. It was empty.

  “Hang on a minute.” Jess slid from the booth and sidled up to the counter. Mel met her eyes and approached.

  “Hey. The burgers okay?”

  “Absolutely. Just need some coffee and Trudi over there seems to be terrified of my…ug
h, date.”

  A snicker erupted from the demon’s mouth. “You know what he is, right?”

  “What? He’s just a gargoyle. Same as the rest. Thanks for pointing that out, by the way. We just met outside and didn’t get around to introductions. Anyway, Carrick has a stable full of them now, and apparently he hired this one on for two weeks.”

  Mel leveled a glare at Jess, all humor fading from her expression. “That’s no ordinary gargoyle you’ve got there. He’s a Night Wing.”

  “Like that means anything.” Jess picked at the counter and sighed.

  “Listen and learn, wolf princess.”

  “I should ask how you know but I already know the answer.”

  “Don’t ask, don’t tell, remember?” Mel slid a couple of scones into a bag and handed them to Trudi, who was now helping another customer.

  Yeah. Being a demon had to be all that…knowing secret things about everyone had to have its perks. Lord knew she was the last one to know anything and it constantly pissed her off.

  “Right. But man…I wish I had your powers sometimes.”

  Maybe then she could figure out what exactly Justin and done to her. Living with the knowledge that she might be a threat to those she loved was beginning to wear on her.

  “No you don’t, wolf princess.” Mel gave her a poignant smile. “Not in a million years. But I will tell you this. If Carrick brought this guy on, he must be really concerned. And after what I’ve heard from the boys at the fire house, he has good reason. Any more of those assholes running around and this could be a very un-merry Christmas.”

  “I know.”

  “Do you?” Mel cocked her head and met her gaze. “I’m worried. Just be careful, okay?”

  “Yeah. I hear you. But for now, can I please have the carafe of coffee for the guy since Trudi’s back hiding behind the kitchen door?”

  “Chicken shit. But hey…her kind has to be.” Mel reached for the carafe and slid it across the counter and tossed the scones in Jess’s direction.