something to do with Jules’ location.
Deep breaths. You can do this. Jessica unbuckled the belt and then placed it on the bed.
The message was still present in the stones, wavering a little now.
Jules must not reveal himself right now. He has enemies who are dangerous and doesn’t want to endanger you. He wants you to find him and he will protect you.
Suspicion filled her.
What’s he done to warrant such enemies? No sooner had she formed the question in her mind than the belt provided an answer.
He is a powerful Lupine who longs to connect with the sister who has been denied to him since his birth. All powerful Lupines have enemies.
True.
Then why didn’t he simply give me his address? She wondered.
Jules is forced to move often to protect himself and his people. By the time you arrived he would have been gone.
This was all fascinating, but annoying, like trying to figure out a riddle. Jessica adored riddles, but this was her brother and she needed to find him! Fine. Give me a geographic location then, if you are such a powerful belt.
The stones went cold and clear again. Disgusted, she poked at the belt. “Some help you are.”
Jessica frowned. Maybe it could help with other questions. Why has Alexa changed? She isn’t the same friend I had before she got mated.
The stones remained clear. Evidently, the belt had selective hearing.
Jessica gave up, rolled it, and tucked it back into the drawer. She changed out of her clothing into faded jeans and a turtleneck, opened up her laptop to read through emails, but her mind kept wandering.
After a few minutes, she shut down the laptop, picked up the battered paperback she’d brought with her and began to read. It wasn’t a romance novel, but a science fiction book she’d borrowed from her younger foster brother.
An hour later, she got hungry. Jessica set down the book and went into the kitchen. No one was around. The ingredients for chocolate chip cookies were in the fridge. Dejected, she stared at them.
Fine. If Alexa was too busy to bake with her like they had in the old days, she could bake by herself. Soon she had mixed all the ingredients and set the first batch of cookies into the oven. Jessica set the timer, returned to her room and picked up the book. Soon, she became absorbed in the story and sighed with pleasure. Time to read at last! Such luxury.
A few minutes later, a knock came at her door. Jessica opened it.
Raphael stood outside, his hands jammed into the pockets of his elegant gray trousers. Like Alexa’s family, he had dressed for dinner. The powder blue silk shirt outlined his sleek, athletic body and the gray sports jacket he wore was well-tailored. Though she’d never been able to afford any of her own, Jessica appreciated fine clothing.
“You left the table early. Was not dinner to your liking?”
Shrugging, she stared past him. “I wasn’t that hungry and besides, I could stand to skip a few meals. If I finished that chicken, it would have gone straight to my hips.”
He gave her a thorough and quite admiring once-over. “Your hips are perfect, as is the rest of you.”
Wow. She’d merely said that as a jest to deflect his question, but the compliment warmed her. “You have quite a silver tongue, wolf. Say that to all the females?”
Raphael blinked. “When it is the truth, I do.”
“You sure know how to romance a girl.”
“Would you like some flowers and champagne to go with the truth? Would it make it easier to digest, or would you reject it like you did the steak?”
She locked gazes with him. He had a sarcasm she liked, but it had been a long, disturbing day. “What do you want?”
“I came to check on you. You seemed too quiet at dinner and I wanted to ensure you were not ill or upset.”
His consideration warmed her. “That’s very kind of you to care.”
“You are a guest, and a female, and I would not wish anything harmful to happen to you.”
“Are you always that concerned about
Deep breaths. You can do this. Jessica unbuckled the belt and then placed it on the bed.
The message was still present in the stones, wavering a little now.
Jules must not reveal himself right now. He has enemies who are dangerous and doesn’t want to endanger you. He wants you to find him and he will protect you.
Suspicion filled her.
What’s he done to warrant such enemies? No sooner had she formed the question in her mind than the belt provided an answer.
He is a powerful Lupine who longs to connect with the sister who has been denied to him since his birth. All powerful Lupines have enemies.
True.
Then why didn’t he simply give me his address? She wondered.
Jules is forced to move often to protect himself and his people. By the time you arrived he would have been gone.
This was all fascinating, but annoying, like trying to figure out a riddle. Jessica adored riddles, but this was her brother and she needed to find him! Fine. Give me a geographic location then, if you are such a powerful belt.
The stones went cold and clear again. Disgusted, she poked at the belt. “Some help you are.”
Jessica frowned. Maybe it could help with other questions. Why has Alexa changed? She isn’t the same friend I had before she got mated.
The stones remained clear. Evidently, the belt had selective hearing.
Jessica gave up, rolled it, and tucked it back into the drawer. She changed out of her clothing into faded jeans and a turtleneck, opened up her laptop to read through emails, but her mind kept wandering.
After a few minutes, she shut down the laptop, picked up the battered paperback she’d brought with her and began to read. It wasn’t a romance novel, but a science fiction book she’d borrowed from her younger foster brother.
An hour later, she got hungry. Jessica set down the book and went into the kitchen. No one was around. The ingredients for chocolate chip cookies were in the fridge. Dejected, she stared at them.
Fine. If Alexa was too busy to bake with her like they had in the old days, she could bake by herself. Soon she had mixed all the ingredients and set the first batch of cookies into the oven. Jessica set the timer, returned to her room and picked up the book. Soon, she became absorbed in the story and sighed with pleasure. Time to read at last! Such luxury.
A few minutes later, a knock came at her door. Jessica opened it.
Raphael stood outside, his hands jammed into the pockets of his elegant gray trousers. Like Alexa’s family, he had dressed for dinner. The powder blue silk shirt outlined his sleek, athletic body and the gray sports jacket he wore was well-tailored. Though she’d never been able to afford any of her own, Jessica appreciated fine clothing.
“You left the table early. Was not dinner to your liking?”
Shrugging, she stared past him. “I wasn’t that hungry and besides, I could stand to skip a few meals. If I finished that chicken, it would have gone straight to my hips.”
He gave her a thorough and quite admiring once-over. “Your hips are perfect, as is the rest of you.”
Wow. She’d merely said that as a jest to deflect his question, but the compliment warmed her. “You have quite a silver tongue, wolf. Say that to all the females?”
Raphael blinked. “When it is the truth, I do.”
“You sure know how to romance a girl.”
“Would you like some flowers and champagne to go with the truth? Would it make it easier to digest, or would you reject it like you did the steak?”
She locked gazes with him. He had a sarcasm she liked, but it had been a long, disturbing day. “What do you want?”
“I came to check on you. You seemed too quiet at dinner and I wanted to ensure you were not ill or upset.”
His consideration warmed her. “That’s very kind of you to care.”
“You are a guest, and a female, and I would not wish anything harmful to happen to you.”
“Are you always that concerned about
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