Bewitched Werewolf

Episode Six

That comment made me frown. But I’d heard about my effect on people before, so I was willing to let it go.

Eww. No I don’t. I was just trying to say goodbye in a polite

“Hold up. You can’t leave yet. Can’t you do a locator spell or something?

It was my turn to give him a ‘confused face.’ “You lost her already?”

He growled at me and I took a step back. It was kind of hot, but mostly it just reminded me that this guy wasn’t as human as he looked.

Definitely outside my comfort zone.

“No. I couldn’t find her last night. She left the party before I could find her.

“What about your superpower?” I tapped the side of my nose.

There were two hundred people in that room. Believe me, it was hard to smell anything. And that was probably for the best. Chanel no. 5 and salmon don’t mix.

I wanted to say eww again. “Eww. Then how did you know she was there?

He leaned back against his desk, legs crossed at the ankles. “I felt it.”

For a moment, it seemed like he was just talking to me. I found myself walking closer, stopping a foot away from his crossed ankles, close enough to smell his cologne. It smelled really nice. Hey, why do you wear cologne? I thought you didn’t like smells?

I’m used to it. I didn’t notice it. And she’s here now.

“Really?” I looked around, expecting some tall leggy blond with red nails like claws to jump out from behind the door or something.

“Not in here, out there”. He made a waving motion. “In the office.”

Well then, why are you here? Go get her. Atta boy. Fetch.”

He looked at me with cold patience. “Do you know how many people there are in this building?”

“No. I don’t work here, I have no idea, I said reasonably.

“Three hundred.”

You’re right. That is a lot.

I have no idea how to narrow it down. But I have to find her. I can’t risk her leaving.

His gaze slid away from mine and I felt like there was something he wanted to say but was trying not to.

“I can’t locate her. I would need something that belonged to her. We’d have to know who she was first. But here is a thought. What if you pulled the fire alarm, like as a test, and as people filed out the door you’d know when she left the building. We could watch through the surveillance cameras.

He looked at me in shock. “That’s a great idea!”

Do you know how often people tell me that? And they always look just as surprised. It’s really irritating.

He gave me a small smile, and we headed down to the first floor security office. The security officer was named Jasper, and he had a gut the size of a basketball. He also worked with a gal named Stella. But, boy, was she misnamed? She was the female version of Jasper.

And I was pretty sure they batted for the same team.

They made an announcement that they were going to test the fire alarm and have everyone gather at the very edge of the parking lot, about five hundred yards away.

Hopefully, it will be far enough. We watched them file out of the building. Ivor and I were staring at the screen, a few feet apart, arms crossed, leaning in as though that would make the image clearer. As the minutes ticked by, my shoulders started to ache with tension and I forced myself to relax. Finally, everyone was out of the building and in shock that nothing had happened.

“Well?” I asked, desperately curious.

She’s still here. I didn’t feel any change, she hadn’t disappeared or gotten closer or anything.

I had a horrible urge to giggle. So either she’s out there, and we missed her, she’s in the bathroom with stomach poisoning and hasn’t left yet. Or it’s Stella.

Stella didn’t know what we were talking about, but she gave us an evil glare. I bet she had a mean softball arm.

Ivor looked at me, giving me a quick once over, his voice soft and intense. “Those are the only options you came up with?”

Gulp.

“You better go outside,” he said in a low tone.

“Stella is coming too!” I said.

“Fine. No offense Stella, I’m sure you’re a lovely woman, but I suspect you’d be just as surprised to find I was your mate as I would be.

She grunted and left, hitching up her pants as the door closed. Jasper chuckled and talked about being in a pickle or stuck in a sandwich or something. I was frankly so shocked my ears were ringing a little and I didn’t catch it.

“It’s not me.”

“Go outside so we know for sure.”

There is absolutely no reason to. It isn’t me.”

He growled again. “What makes you so sure?”

“Well, I hate doggy-style for one.”

Jasper high-tailed it out the door, and oddly, it made the room seem smaller. Ivor was looming over me. He took a step closer, and I backed up, hitting the security system controls.

Then you haven’t done it right. Go outside. His voice was so seductive my n*****s turned to stone.

My throat was dry.

I went.

I walked outside, and with every step, I heard an echo in my brain, a little mantra, ‘I’m not his mate’, ‘I’m not his mate’ and every fifth or sixth step would be overlaid with his comment about not doing it right.

Jesus.”

Ten minutes later, we were told to go back in. Ivor was nowhere in sight. What did that mean? I went back to the office, imagining that everyone’s eyes were on me.

Totally imagining it. For a brief moment I wondered what it might be like to be Ivor’s mate. The one person in all the world that was meant for him. My eyes got a little teary-eyed, and I blamed it on the fluorescent lights. He was hot, charming, a leader, funny, hot, sure he turned furry every now and again. But once a month there was no picnic either.

But I just couldn’t fathom that it was true.

Ivor’s door was slightly ajar, so I knocked and heard him tell me to come in. I peeked my head around the door, and he was standing next to a little winebar.

“Brandy? Scotch? He asked me in a flat voice.

Oh, f**k.

“Is it to celebrate my lack of matey-ness?”

“Nope.” He swallowed his back in one huge gulp. I wasn’t offended, I’d drink too if I found out I was my mate.