Jake (Immortals of New Orleans #8)(16)

"Hey bro, no worries. I'll round up someone to help me clean up this mess. You go back to the event," Dimitri suggested.

"Get on it. See if you can find any identification on these two. Jake, tomorrow you've got some explaining to do. And I want to talk to the vampire." Logan plowed his fingers through his tousled hair and glanced down to his chest. "I left my clothes in the hallway." 

"Naked is the new black." Dimitri smiled. "At least you'll be wearin' a smile."

"You know I love you, D, but now's not the time." Jake stepped toward him, still holding Kai. "Help me here with her. I've gotta text the limo."

He released a hand to retrieve his cell while his friend supported Kai. Jake quickly sent a message to the driver, calling his car.

Tonight had been a total clusterfuck, and although Kai had been wounded, the injury appeared superficial. He gave a nod to Dimitri before he pressed through the exit doors. His wolf growled, a knot forming in his stomach, as he mulled over the possibility that something had gone awry with his pack. His pack. Although he'd left San Diego, the responsibility for his wolves had not left his mind. Alpha, his wolf whispered, reminding him of his destiny.





Jake glanced down to Kai, who lay sleeping in his bed. Although his lips still burned from her kiss, his mind wandered to the incidents over the past two nights. A beautiful stranger arrived on his doorstep, attacked him with some freaky power, then she showed up with badass Quintus at a party, and he ended up bringing her to his home? At the party, she refused to disclose her identity, but had no issue asking for his help. What the hell am I doing? It wasn't a good idea to bring her home, he knew. If she'd been any other woman, he'd have turned her ass over to Logan in two seconds and walked away. Something about her … he couldn't put his finger on it. If he hadn't known any better, he'd have suspected his connection to her was wolf. No other creature could draw his attention this way.

The situation with Anzober Wolves nagged at him. If what Logan was telling him was true, that he had lost contact with the Alpha, there was a good chance Alexander was dead. When he'd been in San Diego, Jake had interrogated every last wolf, assuring that no one had ties to the former Alpha who'd attempted to kill Dimitri's mate, Gillian. Alexander was strong, a good man. Jake had done what he'd thought was best for the pack, his pack. My pack? Anzober Wolves. Jesus. Acadian Wolves had always been his pack, but now his thoughts were clouded with ownership of the others he'd left in San Diego.

A moan from Kai's lips drew his attention, and once again he focused on the female who'd brought trouble to his doorstep. She lay sleeping, hadn't woken since the incident in the courtyard, but her heartbeat remained strong and steady. Although still uncertain what species she was, Jake suspected whatever had attacked them may have poisoned her. If she didn't rouse by morning, he planned to call a doctor.

Jake gently sat on the mattress next to her, and slid the pumps off her feet, taking note of her crimson-painted toes. He considered removing her tattered dress but decided against it as quickly as the thought entered his mind. There was no way he was going to take her clothes off, and risk being accused of something inappropriate.

Frustrated, he shoved to his feet and went to the bathroom, running warm water over a washcloth. When he returned, he sat with a sigh and glanced to her injured leg, which peeked through the slit of her gown. The two-inch slice that ran up her calf appeared to have stopped bleeding, and had already crusted over, healing. As he washed her wound, specks of gold flaked away, revealing her creamy pale skin. In all his years, Jake had never seen a creature bleed gold.

A myriad of questions raced through his mind, but it'd have to wait until morning. When she woke, he'd interrogate her, and if his golden girl refused to tell him the truth, he'd call on Luca Macquarie's wife, Samantha to help. As much as he loathed the idea of going to a witch for help, she was one of the only people who might have an idea as to Kai's species.



       
         
       
        

Jake brushed his fingertips over her leg, amazed at the power that hummed beneath his touch. In the short time they'd been together, their connection had grown exponentially. He'd never felt the sensation in any other being he'd encountered in his lifetime. Recalling how she'd frozen him when injured, he reasoned she'd be able to stun more than one wolf at once. But at the party, she'd claimed she hadn't known many supernaturals, that it frightened her. Given her abilities, it made no sense.