Read Online Dire Wants by Stephanie Tyler - Free Book Online Page A

all.
    Maybe a better question for Stray would be,
What are you?
    “Stay here. I’m going to get you dry clothes and then we’ll talk.” When he left the room, she peeled off her wet shoes and socks, but kept the blanket draped over her shoulders, and padded around the living room. Her skin was clammy and she’d welcome the chance to change, but where was she?
    They hadn’t driven for much longer than twenty minutes. Then again, he could’ve been driving in circles—she’d been too distracted to notice.
    The one time she really did need to break into someone’s mind and she couldn’t do it. What were the chances of that happening?
    She turned to see him standing behind her. How such a big man moved so silently was beyond her, but he did.
    He held out folded clothing to her. “I know they’ll be big, but they’re dry.”
    A T-shirt that was more than huge, a flannel shirt that was equally so and sweats she’d need to roll up several times at both the waist and the legs. She took them gratefully and followed to where he pointed at the large bathroom down the hall. She wanted to strip, dry off, change quickly. Instead, she sat on the edge of the tub and put her face against the flannel that, although clean, still smelled like Stray, and when she inhaled, the brand on her back flared . . . with pleasure.
    Weird.
    Yeah, like the rest of the night had been so normal.
    * * *
    Stray scented Vice—and weretrappers’ blood—before he heard the house unarm and rearm with the wolf’s entry. In seconds, he saw the Dire round the hallway and step into the kitchen. He dropped whatever he’d been holding, followed in short order by his leather jacket.
    The cold rain had washed Vice semi-clean, save for the mud he tracked all through the house. “Dude, now, that’s what I call a good night. Is she here? The witch?” Vice asked as he took off the heavy black boots he’d worn for the ass kicking. Stray pointed to the bathroom. “What, did you chain her up?”
    Stray sighed. “She’s changing. I saw her push Shimmin and one of his men—with her mind. She threw them ten feet.”
    Killing Shimmin wasn’t an option. Thanks to a witch’s spell, Shimmin’s blood was poison to Weres. And although Shimmin’s blood wasn’t deadly to Dires, it might have been able to incapacitate Stray long enough for him to be taken prisoner. Although it had killed Stray to leave the man behind, he had the most important piece of the puzzle safe and sound.
    “Did they see you?”
    “I don’t think so, but I can’t be sure.”
    “And they were both gone by the time I got there,” Vice confirmed. “I’m sure by now he’s gone to her apartment and figured it out partially. I didn’t leave any traces of them or us, but hell, some Weres can scent me. If Shimmin brought a trained dog to the apartment . . .”
    Vice trailed off and Stray figured all they could do was wait and see Shimmin’s next move.
    “Doesn’t much matter—we have the most important thing.” Stray glanced toward the bathroom door. The windows were all alarmed, and while he wasn’t worried about her leaving without him noticing, he knew escape was definitely on her mind and he had to do something to change it. “She’s reeling.”
    “Don’t see how she couldn’t be.” Vice shrugged out of the rest of his wet clothes and strode to the fridge naked.
    “Dude, you need to leave in case she comes out here—she’s already on edge.”
    Vice looked nonchalant as he chugged chocolate milk. “Killing weretrappers makes me hungry. You gonna tell her she’s a witch now?”
    “Can’t think of a better time. It’s going to be the only explanation she’ll buy. She’s far from stupid.”
    “She’s hot, too.” Vice took a step back. “What? I saw a picture of her in her apartment. And I’m stating a fact. Down, wolf.”
    Stray hated the way his wolf reacted, but there was no denying it wasn’t only the wolf. No, his other form was protective of her as