Laurie’s Wolves(46)
“I can feel your abilities growing stronger with each passing day. I have the uncanny ability to read people when I touch them. It’s not always clear, but I can tell if they are evil or basically good. Makes me wish I hadn’t touched people quite often.”
“That’s exactly what happened. This man made me jump out of my skin. He reeked of bad news.”
“What’s his name?”
“Pete something. He’s a shifter. He said he’d been friends with Corbin since birth.”
“Pete Sandhouse. I know him. He’s been at the sheriff’s office for over ten years. I’ve known him as long as Corbin, though not well. I don’t believe I’ve ever touched him.”
“Well, don’t. Unless you like to feel the darkness of a person’s soul.”
“Sorry, hon. I know that’s shocking, especially since I didn’t warn you it might happen.”
“Should I touch him again?” Laurie cringed at the idea. “To see if I can get more information?”
“No. Won’t do any good. Don’t put yourself through it. I almost never get anything specific. Just a feeling. Which you already have. No need to torture yourself. I've even vomited on occasion.”
“Shit.”
“I’ll come over first thing tomorrow morning. We can talk. Or better yet, meet me at Mimi’s. Let’s see what we can hash out between the three of us. You’ve hardly spent any time at all with Grandma. It’s time we rectify that. She’ll rock your world. The woman can pack a punch for such a small frame.”
“Okay. I doubt we’ll stay here tonight. Both the front and back windows are smashed. I’ll meet you at Mimi’s in the morning.”
“Perfect. And Laurie?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m so sorry. I know your world is upside down. It must seem like a mess right now, but trust me, you’ll get used to all this. Eventually it will be second nature.”
Laurie didn’t comment. She let the connection sever and gripped the counter harder with both hands, wondering how she was going to live through this ordeal. Melinda was right. Her world was upside down. She hadn’t asked for this. Any of it. And she was growing increasingly convinced it was her that was causing the shit storm. If she left town… Maybe people’s lives would go back to normal…
“Babe?” She flinched when Corbin set his hand on her lower back. “You were a mile away.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be. What happened?”
She turned and found they were alone. “The deputies left?”
“Yes. There wasn’t much else to do tonight. They’ll come back tomorrow and look into things further.”
Zach came into the kitchen from the back room wearing his shoes and holding his coat.
“We’re going to go back to your place, aren’t we?”
“Yep.” He grabbed her coat from the back of the couch and brought it to her.
She shrugged into it and turned toward Corbin who leaned against the counter now, his legs crossed at the ankles.
She shook her head. “You’re not staying here.”
He grinned. “I’ll be fine.”
“No.” She grabbed his hand. “We can’t let them win. If we separate, I’ll lose my last brain cell, and I’m holding on by a thread.”
Corbin pulled her hand up to rub it against his cheek. “Babe, no one is winning. But I don’t have windows. I can’t leave the apartment. And it’s not safe for you here.”
Why didn’t she believe him? It seemed the enemy was indeed winning. In fact, it seemed the enemy was everywhere—both towns, both shifters and humans.
“Stop looking at me like that. It’s just for the rest of the night. A few hours really. I can handle myself. I’m a deputy, remember? And a badass wolf when I need to be.”
She scowled. “You can’t exactly shift and go all American Werewolf in London on me.”
Corbin laughed. “Not a chance. Don’t worry. I can hold my temper. I’ve got a lot of practice as a deputy.”
She grabbed both his biceps and lifted onto her tiptoes to kiss him soundly. “You’ll let us know if anything else happens.”
“Of course.”
She wouldn’t be able to sleep, no matter what Corbin said, but she didn’t need to say that out loud. It would only stress him more. “Be safe.”
Zach opened the front door as she headed his direction. He nodded at Corbin. “Keep us informed.”
“I will.”
∙•∙
Zach held the steering wheel stiffly as he began the forty-minute drive back to his condo. It was three in the morning. His mind raced with the possibilities.