Hot, Hard & Howling - OpenDrive

Mari Freeman
Nell stood and headed toward the door, still enjoying the feel of the rush of being
frightened. “Let’s see, Miss Psychic, it’s almost four a.m., we’re holding something I’m
sure the Council would love to get their hands on…” She looked over her shoulder and
nodded at the box in warning. Sonja took her cue and slid it off the table, tucking it
under her chair before Nell opened the door.
“And, we had a huge fight earlier. Care to guess?” she finished, swinging the door
wide open. Trent stood there with his hands jammed in his pockets, as if it would make
him look less imposing. “No one called you.”
He started to walk in. Nell blocked his way. “I’m not here to talk to you. Not yet
anyway.” He didn’t make eye contact.
Nell thought that rather cowardly and chose to point it out. “Are you going to
lower your head every time you’re around me from now on?” It was a sign of
submission in the pack, and she knew it.
He met her accusing gaze. “No. I’ve had a very bad night, Nell, and I’m trying to
keep it from getting worse by arguing with you now.”
So…wild swing-set sex with her was a bad night for him? Ouch. Why did she let
him hurt her so much?
He tilted his head. “Why are you covered in butterflies?”
She headed back to the table and her sisters, putting her back to him so she could
hide the hurt she knew was showing in her eyes. “They, unlike others, are attracted to
me, Prime. You can leave now.”
“I need to talk to Mi-ma.” He took several steps toward the table.
Mi-ma stood and reached for Nell. “Trenton Nicholas. You have some nerve. I don’t
know what’s happened here—yet. But I can tell you did something stupid.”
Nell let her grandmother embrace her. Coming back home had been a mistake.
Coming back for him had been a bigger mistake. What had she been thinking?
Eight years. That’s what she’d been thinking. Eight years should have been enough
time for a young, headstrong Werewolf to mature. Instead, he had gotten more
stubborn and more self-centered. She wished she weren’t so stubborn. Then she
wouldn’t have set him up by tempting him in the park. Then she wouldn’t know what
his lips felt like as they peppered kisses on her neck. She now knew the thrill of his
barely harnessed animal nature.
Over Mi-ma’s shoulder, Nell saw Trina’s face fall. Her youngest sister took a step
back, stumbling over her chair. Nell turned to see Trent dangling a beaded chain
between his fingers.
He looked past Nell to Trina. “You know what this is?”
Trina gathered herself. “Where did you get it?”
“It was in a motel room with the remnants of a very nasty ritual spell.” He tucked it
back in his pocket as if to shield them from its power. “There were human bones and a
46