exchange with an eyebrow cocked, as if she were mentally storing all the information for later. “It’s not important now. What do we do?”
Astrid turned to face Scarlett, demonstrating in spite of her attitude that she considered the null the leader in this situation. “I told you, I can just go in there and drag her out by force.”
“And I told you ,” Scarlett countered, “it’s too risky. Aside from the fact that the shed is both rickety and police evidence, you’d probably have to hurt her, and she’s been hurt enough.” The compassion in Scarlett’s voice surprised Jesse a little, although it probably shouldn’t have. They had both been there when Remus was killed. He’d seen the way Lizzy had limped toward Scarlett—terrified, bleeding, and cringing.
For a second the werewolf seemed as if she would snap back a retort, but instead her tightly bunched shoulders slumped and she nodded her agreement. She mumbled something about a walk and stalked away, moving toward the edge of the parking lot. As she left, Jesse caught sight of her expression. She looked … haunted.
Confused, Jesse glanced at Lex, but her face was soldier-blank. He returned his focus to Scarlett, because somewhere in his heart he still considered her his partner. “I don’t get it,” he said quietly. “Lizzy seemed okay when we left her with Will. What’s going on?”
“She’s been losing it, bit by bit,” Scarlett said, sounding tired. “Will thinks it’s because the alpha magic hasn’t adjusted. She still sees Remus as her alpha, and her alpha is dead. At the same time, Remus attacked and violated her, and the human part of her can’t forget that. Will is kind to her, of course, but the trauma ….” She spread her hands helplessly. “Sometimes she makes progress and seems almost normal, for a werewolf, but then she backslides. And she keeps coming back here, like it’s a homing beacon.”
“What do you usually do?”
“Normally I just stand here and make sure she doesn’t hurt anyone until Will can get here and talk her out,” she replied. “But he’s up in Napa today talking to wine distributors.”
“Can’t you just go in and get her?” Scarlett was a null. If she got close enough to Lizzy, the werewolf would become human again.
She winced. “As a last resort, yes. But we tried that before, the third time she got away, and it wrecked her. She came out, but they had to pull her away from me. By force.” It always seemed to come back to force with the werewolves. “If we wait long enough, she might just tire herself out, but we’re running out of time. I checked the school’s schedule, and there’s a PTA meeting here in”—she checked her watch—“ninety minutes. They’ll start setting up soon.”
“So what’s the plan?”
“Do you think you could try talking to her?” Scarlett asked hopefully. “She usually doesn’t like men, but you were there when we … found her. She might trust you.”
He glanced at Lex, who had been listening to the whole exchange with that same guarded, impassive expression. She met his eyes but didn’t comment. “All right,” he said. “I’ll try.”
Scarlett nodded. “I’ll be close. Remember, she may look human, but if she tries to scratch or bite you, get the hell out of there. Are you armed?”
Jesse shook his head. His guns were locked up back home.
“Okay,” she said. “Well, if you think she’s gonna bite you, scream. You’d make a terrible werewolf.”
It was only then that he realized the risk he was taking. When they’d worked the Remus case, Scarlett had explained that in theory, a single bite or scratch from a werewolf could change a human. It almost always took a serious mauling, though, and everything he knew about Lizzy Thompkins suggested that she was too passive for an attack. He’d risk it.
Lex, who had been quiet for this whole exchange, abruptly stepped forward. “I’m coming with you,” she declared.
Jesse raised
Astrid turned to face Scarlett, demonstrating in spite of her attitude that she considered the null the leader in this situation. “I told you, I can just go in there and drag her out by force.”
“And I told you ,” Scarlett countered, “it’s too risky. Aside from the fact that the shed is both rickety and police evidence, you’d probably have to hurt her, and she’s been hurt enough.” The compassion in Scarlett’s voice surprised Jesse a little, although it probably shouldn’t have. They had both been there when Remus was killed. He’d seen the way Lizzy had limped toward Scarlett—terrified, bleeding, and cringing.
For a second the werewolf seemed as if she would snap back a retort, but instead her tightly bunched shoulders slumped and she nodded her agreement. She mumbled something about a walk and stalked away, moving toward the edge of the parking lot. As she left, Jesse caught sight of her expression. She looked … haunted.
Confused, Jesse glanced at Lex, but her face was soldier-blank. He returned his focus to Scarlett, because somewhere in his heart he still considered her his partner. “I don’t get it,” he said quietly. “Lizzy seemed okay when we left her with Will. What’s going on?”
“She’s been losing it, bit by bit,” Scarlett said, sounding tired. “Will thinks it’s because the alpha magic hasn’t adjusted. She still sees Remus as her alpha, and her alpha is dead. At the same time, Remus attacked and violated her, and the human part of her can’t forget that. Will is kind to her, of course, but the trauma ….” She spread her hands helplessly. “Sometimes she makes progress and seems almost normal, for a werewolf, but then she backslides. And she keeps coming back here, like it’s a homing beacon.”
“What do you usually do?”
“Normally I just stand here and make sure she doesn’t hurt anyone until Will can get here and talk her out,” she replied. “But he’s up in Napa today talking to wine distributors.”
“Can’t you just go in and get her?” Scarlett was a null. If she got close enough to Lizzy, the werewolf would become human again.
She winced. “As a last resort, yes. But we tried that before, the third time she got away, and it wrecked her. She came out, but they had to pull her away from me. By force.” It always seemed to come back to force with the werewolves. “If we wait long enough, she might just tire herself out, but we’re running out of time. I checked the school’s schedule, and there’s a PTA meeting here in”—she checked her watch—“ninety minutes. They’ll start setting up soon.”
“So what’s the plan?”
“Do you think you could try talking to her?” Scarlett asked hopefully. “She usually doesn’t like men, but you were there when we … found her. She might trust you.”
He glanced at Lex, who had been listening to the whole exchange with that same guarded, impassive expression. She met his eyes but didn’t comment. “All right,” he said. “I’ll try.”
Scarlett nodded. “I’ll be close. Remember, she may look human, but if she tries to scratch or bite you, get the hell out of there. Are you armed?”
Jesse shook his head. His guns were locked up back home.
“Okay,” she said. “Well, if you think she’s gonna bite you, scream. You’d make a terrible werewolf.”
It was only then that he realized the risk he was taking. When they’d worked the Remus case, Scarlett had explained that in theory, a single bite or scratch from a werewolf could change a human. It almost always took a serious mauling, though, and everything he knew about Lizzy Thompkins suggested that she was too passive for an attack. He’d risk it.
Lex, who had been quiet for this whole exchange, abruptly stepped forward. “I’m coming with you,” she declared.
Jesse raised
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