Desires of a Full Moon (22 page)

“For helping find me. After I was rescued and interviewed, one of the Arkansas Guardians said that it was you who found the tube of lipstick I left on the ground. You made Damon and Jayden go back to the gas station hoping someone would recognize me and my possible kidnapper. Thank God that clerk did.”

Ava shrugged. “I figured maybe a woman might find a clue that a man might overlook. It was smart using the name of your lipstick to give us a clue about your kidnapper.”

“I was just lucky. I mean how many female Weres actually use the color Lethal Red and have it on them?”

“I never found out how David Jenkins managed to kidnap you.” Ava’s voice was soft yet probing. Haley had never talked about that night. Her parents certainly never wanted to know the sordid details. But these Arkansas Weres were better than her family. They knew how to treat one another. It was a family she was quickly becoming part of.

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want.”

Haley gave Ava a smile. “Actually, I would probably feel better if I did talk about it.”

Haley settled back into the chair and stared up into the sky. “I was on my way to see my boyfriend. I had gone home to get some more clothes and was going back to LSU. Even though it was late, I didn’t mind the drive. I’d driven it thousands of times. I stopped at the gas station to get gas. I had to go inside because the credit card machine wasn’t working. Thankfully, I had cash.”

“The clerk said that David Jenkins tried to ask you for money and you said no.” Ava cocked her head.

“I did. I knew what he was, that he was a Red Were because I could smell that stench they carry. I didn’t want him anywhere near me. I kept thinking to myself how my boyfriend was going to really be pissed if he caught the scent of another Were on me. Especially a red wolf.”

“Was he the jealous type?”

“No, he was the ‘all I care about is appearance’ type.” Haley shook her head. “Anyway, when Jenkins left without paying for his gas I remembered just feeling relieved that he was gone. I saw how he was looking at me and it was really creeping me out.” Haley wrapped her arms around herself, shivering at the memory.

“I got back in my car and made sure I locked all the doors. Once I was on the road it didn’t take me but a few miles before my power steering when out in my car. I pulled over, and got out, someone would drive by and help. That’s when Jenkins pulled his truck in behind me. It was later I discovered that Jenkins had cut my lines that affected the power steering.

“He grabbed me and threw me to the ground. I managed to kick him in the nuts and get away, but he recovered and pounced on me, shoving me to the ground again. I remember landing on my stomach and the air being knocked out of me. There was no traffic that night. I remember praying for just one car, just one to come by. I thought if at least one car came driving by he might get scared and let me go.

“He grabbed me by my ankles and dragged me back to his truck. That’s when I remembered the lipstick in my pocket. Lethal Red. I managed to stick it in the ground upright, hoping someone would find it.” Haley turned and looked at Ava. “And you did. So I owe you a very big thank you.”

“No, Jayden is who you need to thank.” Ava shook her head. “We had no idea he had found you. He’s the hero.”

Haley looked back at the sky and nodded. “Yes. He is my hero. More than he’ll ever know.”

#

“Why are you in such a bad mood?” Damon glanced at Jayden as he poured himself a cup of coffee. “And why in the hell does Barrett have this old ass coffeemaker?” Damon snarled, as the percolator didn’t stop when he picked up the carafe and it spilled onto the countertop.

“Barrett’s a tightwad and I’m not in a bad mood.” Jayden glared. Okay maybe he was in a bad mood, but he couldn’t help it.

“He’s got blue balls because Granny caught him and Haley in bed together last night.” Braxton took out the orange juice from the refrigerator and took a drink straight from the carton. “And I’m guessing from his sour mood she busted him before anything got to feeling good, if you know what I mean.”

“Fuck off.” Jayden glared at Braxton before leveling one at Damon.

Damon held up his hands and smirked. “Don’t look at me. I already have. Twice this morning.”

Jayden rubbed his hand down his face, irritated and frustrated. Very, very frustrated.

“I hear Granny’s got this toy for men. It’s like an artificial vagina. Maybe she brought it and you can use it.” Damon lips turned up ever so slightly.

Braxton stopped chugging and looked over at Damon. “For real? Who the hell would want that?”

“I guess someone with blue balls.” Damon snorted.

Jayden growled.

“What’s going on?” Barrett walked through the kitchen and headed straight for the coffee pot.

“A couple of things.” Damon glanced at Jayden’s crotch.

Jayden flipped him the bird.

“We were wondering why you have a coffeepot that was a hand-me-down from Jesus. And we were talking about artificial vaginas that Granny is peddling and how Jayden needs one.” Braxton reached to a plate on the island and snatched one of the donuts that Ava had brought back from the bakery early that morning.

Barrett turned and stared at all three of them in disgust. “I have no interest in talking about why Jayden is requiring an artificial vagina. And the coffee pot still works so why replace it? Now having said that I’m going to the RV where I am going to try to forget we ever had this conversation.” Barrett swiped two donuts off the plate.

“And don’t eat all the fucking donuts.” He called out over his shoulder.

#

“Here’s what I got.” Barrett leaned back in his chair in the Behemoth looking at his Guardians in front of him. It was almost evening and he’d been at the computer and checking into his contacts all damn day trying like hell to close the net around this stalker.

Damon crossed his arms over his massive chest while Braxton leaned against the counter where one of the computer monitors was set up. Zane propped his hands on his hips while shooting an occasional glare at Jayden. Ignoring Zane, Jayden sat nearby resting his elbows on his knees while he waited for Barrett to speak. Lucien was out, patrolling the street as a late night jogger.

“Haley’s and the university’s Facebook hack was traced back to a building in a small town near Shreveport Louisiana.”

“So it could be someone Haley knows, like her ex-boyfriend.” Braxton crossed his tattooed arms.

“No. It’s not him.” Barrett shook his head. “I sent someone in to check it out. That building is empty and there is no name on the deed. It is a foreclosed property. Bank owned. We think that whoever it is goes in late at night with a laptop and that’s how he managed to hack her computer.”

Jayden glanced out the window. “It’s getting dark now. We should have someone waiting there.”

Barrett nodded in frustration. When would they start trusting him? He’d been here too damn long for this to still happen.

“I already sent Jaxon. He’s there now.”

Jayden nodded.

“What about CODIS? We get a hit from them yet?” Damon crossed his arms and leaned his hip against the counter in front of one of the four computers on the Behemoth.

“Not yet. But I got a feeling we’re getting close.” Barrett looked at all his men. “And when this thing goes down I don’t want any trouble.”

“What do you mean?” Damon frowned.

“I mean I want this to go smooth.” Barrett held Jayden’s gaze. “It seems like lately we’ve had anything but smooth.”

“I think we do smooth takedowns all the time. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Damon shook his head.

“I’m talking about how when we were going in after Jayden you instigated a whole bar fight in the strip club while dressed as Spartacus.”

Braxton laughed.

Barrett turned his gaze on him. Braxton quickly sobered.

“Braxton, you damn near shattered the Thorn Crown Chapel in Eureka Springs.”Jayden snorted.

Barrett looked at him. “And you, I don’t even want to think what the hell you’re going to do.” Barrett stood. He suddenly needed a drink. Something with a very strong alcohol content.

“Zane, go relieve Lucien.” Barrett met his Guardian’s gaze.

Zane nodded once and silently left the RV.

“Braxton, keep an eye on the computer in case we get a hit on CODIS. I’m going inside for a while.”

#

Braxton snorted.

Damon cut his eyes at him. “What’s so funny?”

“I was just thinking about you in that Spartacus costume. Where’d you get that thing anyway?”

“It’s his. Granny let me borrow it.” Damon stuck his thumb at Jayden.

“Yeah, and I want it back. Do you know how much that damn thing cost?” Jayden swiveled in his captain chair.

Damon rubbed the back of his neck and looked away.

Jayden narrowed his eyes. “You do still have it, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Can I have it back?” Jayden arched his brow.

“Come on, brother. Ava really likes that costume.” Damon grimaced.

“What?”

“Ava really likes that costume.”

“Dude, she making you wears that thing in bed?” Braxton sobered.

Damon shifted his weight uncomfortably. “Not all the time.”

Jayden looked at Braxton and they broke out laughing at Damon’s pained expression.

“Does she make you play the gladiator slave and she’s the princess?” Jayden arched his brow.

Damon froze.

“Son of a bitch. She is. You’re completely serious.” Jayden couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. Maybe he could convince Haley to dress up in a naughty schoolgirl outfit.

Jayden jerked his head in Braxton’s direction. “Are you and Kate into dressing up?”

“Not yet.” Braxton sounded way too interested in going down that trail. “I wonder where the closest costume store is in Eureka Springs.”

“You can order online.”

They both looked at Damon.

“You make her wear that Little Red Riding Hood costume from the strip club?

“Sometimes.” A smile played at the corners of Damon’s mouth.

“That was one hell of an outfit.” Braxton nodded in appreciation.

Damon growled. “You two assholes better forget what she looked like in that outfit or I’ll rip both your eyes out.”

Jayden held up his hands. “Easy, Damon. Braxton is mated and I’m…”

“Yeah, what are you and Haley?” Braxton, the nosey bastard, had turned the conversation back on Jayden.

“I don’t know. Besides, we were talking about Damon’s costume not my relationship.”

“Oh, so it is a relationship.” Damon smirked.

“You going to mate her?” Braxton asked.

“What kind of costumes are you boys talking about?” Granny peeked her gray head inside the RV. The old woman was like a damn cat. Despite her age she could sneak up on someone before you knew she was there. Everyone suddenly found some busy work that needed their undivided attention.

The door slammed shut and everyone looked up. Barrett stood there with his coffee cup halfway to his lip. He frowned.

“What are you ladies talking about or do I not want to know?” Barrett scowled.

“We were talking about if Jayden was going to mate Haley,” Damon offered.

Jayden glared at the Were.

“I thought you were talking about costumes for sex.” Granny shrugged. “That seems to be what the ladies were asking me about. They even wanted to see a catalogue.”

Damon blinked. “You have costumes?”

“Fuck my life.” Barrett threw open the door of the RV and headed back into the house.

#

Twilight was quickly melting into night. Haley stared at Jayden, listening quietly while he filled her in on how they tracked the account that had hacked her Facebook account to Louisiana. For some reason she never really expected her stalker to be from her home state and possibly someone she knew.

It just didn’t feel right.

“But the building doesn’t have someone’s name on the lease?”Jayden shook his head. “It’s a foreclosure. So it’s owned by the bank. Barrett is running checks on all the employees of the bank to see if anything comes up.”

She nodded once and glanced away. “I don’t know, Jayden. I guess I never really suspected that someone I actually know could be doing this.”

“Stalkers usually know their victims. He could be someone that you turned down for a date one time or someone you might have gone to high school with that had a fascination with you.”

“I didn’t really date in high school.” Her gut clenched as her childhood memories rose up. “My parents were more concerned about me keeping my grades up and getting into LSU.” She tried to recall anyone asking her out but couldn’t come up with anyone.

“Maybe it was someone who had a crush on you that you never noticed. Stalkers are usually the last person you expect.” Jayden reached for her hand. His thumb made tiny circles in her palm.

She got shivers of a different kind this time.

Only Jayden could make her forget her worries with just one touch.

She grinned.

“What?” A slow smile played at the corners of his lips.

She stepped into his embrace and ran her hands up his muscled arms to his strong shoulders. “I was just thinking that even with all this drama going on I still want to jump you right here.”His eyebrows shot up. “Really?” He tightened his grip on her shoulders. “Out here on the deck?”

She looked behind her and then back at him. “Up against the wall in that dark corner, just in case someone walks out here.”

“I like the sound of that.” Jayden leaned in and growled.

“And then maybe—” Haley froze and cocked her head.

“What is it?” Jayden looked around for some hidden danger.

“That was weird. I thought I heard my mother’s voice.” She looked at Jayden. “But that can’t be. Barrett said it would be at least tomorrow before they arrived in Fayetteville. We were going to meet in town since they didn’t know the address of the house.”

“Let’s go see.” Jayden headed inside with her following closely behind.

Jayden came to a stop, forcing Haley to run into his back just as they came around the kitchen.

“I demand to see my daughter.” The familiar voice of her mother echoed through the kitchen.