instantly wary. “What did you have in mind?”
Oh, I knew it had to do with the genetics research. I knew he had found some matches for me. The bitches continuously talked about the extraction of semen that they had to submit themselves to--after I’d been with them. They didn’t like that.
But, I didn’t realize this until later, they were all human-born garou, chosen for variety’s sake, to appeal to my natural man. Actually getting pregnant by me wouldn’t have been a positive in the werewolf book of generations. I explained that, didn’t I?
I think that was the first time I ever saw indecision in Hood. Oh, I think it killed him to do what he did. I think it went against all his own morals. But it proved, more than anything, how much he believed in what he was doing.
In short, he sacrificed the one thing precious to him. I have no doubt that he felt like he’d put his most beloved on the chopping block, and held her head down for the axe to fall.
Not Giselle. He didn’t have half the affection for her. I’ve already said that. At least--he never showed it if he did. Though, now that I think about it...maybe by lining me up with Giselle in the first place, Hood showed that nothing he cared about, or no one, would get in the way of his ultimate purpose.
I think I told you that Hood has never fallen in love, as far as I know. Right? I’m rethinking that. I mean, that doesn’t mean Hood doesn’t love anything.
He beat around the bush. Wringing his hands a little, he said, “You’re one good-looking son of a bitch, you know that?”
I laughed. “Trying to butter me up?” I held my hands in the air. “Sorry, you had your chance. You’re not gonna find me butt up, with you on my back ever again. At least, not without a fight.”
That made him laugh. We both looked away, blushing. It was funny as shit.
He said, “Yeah, well...we do what we have to do.” The air between us changed--just for a second--remembering back made us tense. But, we both knew that, and on dwelling on it, wasn’t what we were sitting there for. His words echoed in my head. “We do what we have to do.”
He was right. I could tell that was why he was talking to me like he was. He felt that it was time to move on. He was doing what he had to do.
And, by God, I was ready, too.
“Just lay it out there. All I can do is say sure, or kill me now. Right?”
Hood smiled at me. I felt genuine affection. Perhaps it was the fact that his DNA, in some degree, ran through my veins.
He rubbed his face a few times, then finally said, “You were selected for breeding purposes. You know that.”
I chuckled. “Well, I would have had to be dumb fucking blind not to see that.” After all, I’d been fucking from the moment I walked into Lobos. Except for those blank days. And I’d just come off some of those. Woke up rested, hungry--for more than food.
“I’ve run the database and found a list of matches.”
“Something about the list bothers you?”
Did I mention that he’d already told me that he wanted me to mate up, and get a female pregnant? He’d mentioned that more than once. The bitches had told me that was the plan. And Giselle had been damn near wistfully sad over the fact that she wasn’t lined up for that job.
Hood skewered me with his gaze then, and said quietly, “I want you to take my sister.” He didn’t blink. He didn’t move. He just waited for my reaction.
I wanted to laugh it off with, “You really want me to be part of the family?”
But I sensed that an attempt at levity, or anything flip, could make him strike me down--he was that edgy.
I weighed my options. Okay. I could turn him down. He would either kill me on the spot, or offer me another bitch. Either way, I wouldn’t be on the top of his pal list.
I
Oh, I knew it had to do with the genetics research. I knew he had found some matches for me. The bitches continuously talked about the extraction of semen that they had to submit themselves to--after I’d been with them. They didn’t like that.
But, I didn’t realize this until later, they were all human-born garou, chosen for variety’s sake, to appeal to my natural man. Actually getting pregnant by me wouldn’t have been a positive in the werewolf book of generations. I explained that, didn’t I?
I think that was the first time I ever saw indecision in Hood. Oh, I think it killed him to do what he did. I think it went against all his own morals. But it proved, more than anything, how much he believed in what he was doing.
In short, he sacrificed the one thing precious to him. I have no doubt that he felt like he’d put his most beloved on the chopping block, and held her head down for the axe to fall.
Not Giselle. He didn’t have half the affection for her. I’ve already said that. At least--he never showed it if he did. Though, now that I think about it...maybe by lining me up with Giselle in the first place, Hood showed that nothing he cared about, or no one, would get in the way of his ultimate purpose.
I think I told you that Hood has never fallen in love, as far as I know. Right? I’m rethinking that. I mean, that doesn’t mean Hood doesn’t love anything.
He beat around the bush. Wringing his hands a little, he said, “You’re one good-looking son of a bitch, you know that?”
I laughed. “Trying to butter me up?” I held my hands in the air. “Sorry, you had your chance. You’re not gonna find me butt up, with you on my back ever again. At least, not without a fight.”
That made him laugh. We both looked away, blushing. It was funny as shit.
He said, “Yeah, well...we do what we have to do.” The air between us changed--just for a second--remembering back made us tense. But, we both knew that, and on dwelling on it, wasn’t what we were sitting there for. His words echoed in my head. “We do what we have to do.”
He was right. I could tell that was why he was talking to me like he was. He felt that it was time to move on. He was doing what he had to do.
And, by God, I was ready, too.
“Just lay it out there. All I can do is say sure, or kill me now. Right?”
Hood smiled at me. I felt genuine affection. Perhaps it was the fact that his DNA, in some degree, ran through my veins.
He rubbed his face a few times, then finally said, “You were selected for breeding purposes. You know that.”
I chuckled. “Well, I would have had to be dumb fucking blind not to see that.” After all, I’d been fucking from the moment I walked into Lobos. Except for those blank days. And I’d just come off some of those. Woke up rested, hungry--for more than food.
“I’ve run the database and found a list of matches.”
“Something about the list bothers you?”
Did I mention that he’d already told me that he wanted me to mate up, and get a female pregnant? He’d mentioned that more than once. The bitches had told me that was the plan. And Giselle had been damn near wistfully sad over the fact that she wasn’t lined up for that job.
Hood skewered me with his gaze then, and said quietly, “I want you to take my sister.” He didn’t blink. He didn’t move. He just waited for my reaction.
I wanted to laugh it off with, “You really want me to be part of the family?”
But I sensed that an attempt at levity, or anything flip, could make him strike me down--he was that edgy.
I weighed my options. Okay. I could turn him down. He would either kill me on the spot, or offer me another bitch. Either way, I wouldn’t be on the top of his pal list.
I
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