Underneath a Dark Moon (Twisted Dark #3)

Chapter Seven: Change of Plans

The car ride was quiet, the little female refused to look at me, her face bright red. I ended up smirking every time I glanced over at her. Her reaction amused both me and my instinct. The shy ones always gave the best reactions and it looked like she was no different. The small stutters, the blushing that traveled across cheek bones to kiss ears and caress necks. There was something about females blushing that made my pulse pound hard, perhaps it was the innocence of it but there was nothing I found more becoming on a female than a blush. Be it embarrassed or from passion, it didn't matter to me, their skin just needed to darken slightly for me to want them.

The car stopped and I got out, grabbing my bag from the trunk. I turned and stared at the rather rundown motel as the car drove off. I wanted to curl my lip up at the sight of it. This was definitely not the type of accommodations I would have put my female up in. I didn't know what the fucker was playing at but I didn't like it. I didn't like not knowing what potential enemies were doing or planning, especially when I was involved. Not to mention I wasn't about to put a female at risk like that.

"This is a shit hole." I spat the words out as I glowered at the peeling facade and the scent of old oil and mold. The little witchling jumped beside me, as if not expecting me to speak at all. I glanced over at her right as she looked up at me. Her brown eyes were wide and the colour seemed to dance in the light of the setting sun. "Your King should learn to spend some cash." I gestured to the motel as I sneered. "I'll prolly get fleas." I narrowed my eyes right before the little female gave an unexpected giggle. "What?" I looked down at her and her face paled before she swallowed.

"Fleas like dogs... you are a werewolf... and so fleas would like you too..." She stuttered it out, her face moving between pale and bright red as her voice trailed off and when I realized what she said I threw my head back and laughed hard.

Fleas and werewolves.

I had to admit it was uproariously funny. My sides started to hurt as the laughter died down. I hadn't laughed that long in a while, I had needed it. I wiped at my eyes, grinning down at her. She gave a small eep and stared at me with uncertainty before a shy, tiny smile crossed her mouth. She had a sense of humor and that was well needed. I didn't know how well her shyness would keep me entertained just by itself and who knew? Perhaps she would get used to me and my quips wouldn't affect her anymore. The sense of humor would definitely help.

Pretty little female

Take her

My instinct dug into my bones but I shook it off just as quickly. I needed to get my thoughts together and focused because a tracker without a task was one that was continually hounded by their instinct. If I didn't keep focused I just might find myself making good on what I said in the car. I wasn't going to complain about it because I knew the little witchling would be glorious but it was best not to shit where one would later eat.

I nodded at the witch, reaching over and touching her elbow gently as to not startle her. "Let's find our room, witchling, and see if we will need to get me a flea collar."

She gave a small giggle at that, surprising me slightly before she lifted her hand. "The key says... I'm not sure." She glanced up at me and I reached over and took the key from her.

I adjusted my duffle bag in my hand as I looked at the tag on the key. The number had worn off and someone had written it back on rather poorly in permanent marker. The number fourteen rested crookedly and messily on the dirty looking red plastic tag and I gave a heavy sigh of irritation. "Room fourteen." I knew there was keeping a low profile but there was also something to be said about safety.

I worked out of temporary apartments on the outskirts of slums. Fake names as well. Motels meant a paper trail that I couldn't remove. Especially because the King of the fucking Covens had arranged it. For all I knew he could have used my full name and that was all I needed. My uncle catching me on his radar and trying to drag me back to the compounds.

I reached the door we needed, disliking how it was on the ground level next to the only burnt out parking lot light, before I shoved the key into the lock and tried to turn it. It stuck and I barred my teeth and jiggled it slightly but it refused to budge. "Are you shitting me?" My mood was tanking hard and I had the want to kick the door in and be done with it. I was not happy with this entire situation, it reeked potential betrayal and backstabbing. I hated working anywhere close to the magick users but gold was gold and this amount would set me up for a while. I jiggled it once more but the key refused to work. I had to resist the urge to rip the entire door knob off of the door.

"Can I try?" Her voice was small and hesitant and I slowly turned to look at her. Her face was bright red and she looked half a second from bolting from me but she was still asking. I shrugged and moved away from the door, gesturing for her to take a turn. "Can I borrow... can I borrow your knife?" Her voice was nearly a whisper and I frowned as I looked at her. She looked uncomfortable but she was meeting my gaze all the same, that becoming red flush spreading across her cheekbones.

I pulled the large knife from its sheath and flipped it in my hand, holding it handle out towards her. She said a soft thank you that I could barely hear before she shifted slightly and brushed her hands over the peeling blue paint, pressing the door in a few spots as she muttered underneath her breath. I watched her intently, curious as to what on earth she was doing. She paused before she leaned against the door and with one smooth move, tucked the point of the knife into the door right above the door knob and slammed it with her palm as she slammed her body against the peeling paint. The door popped open with a screech of unused hinges that made me grimace.

However I was impressed, the little witchling was resourceful. I moved towards the opened room as she coughed, waving her hand in front of her face at the dust that was flying around. "This is a shit hole." I stated it bluntly once more as I looked at the rundown room. I looked like it had been a drug den, there was graffiti on the wall and there were numerous questionable stains on the floor and I felt my instinct scrape across my bones as I noticed the dirty needles that were strewn across the side tables and the tv stand. "Fucking bullshit." I kicked at a bed, sending it crashing into the other bed. There was no way I was going to stay in here, let alone let a female stay in this mess.

"Come with me." I ground the words out as I stalked out of the door and away from the building. If that pompous and arrogant male thought we were going to stay there he was sorely mistaken. I was supposed to find and kill a weremale and retrieve a werefemale, as well as protect his chosen mate but there was no way I could do both in that fucking building. I would be forced to constantly fend off druggies, pimps, and gang bangers that would think she is a fine little trick they could use.

"Hey!" Her voice was a little breathless as I heard her run to catch up to me. "We have to stay were Mer-"

"I'm not staying there witchling and neither are you. You wanna wake up to a druggie crawling into your bed or a pimp yanking you out of it by your hair to force you to turn tricks?" I glowered at her and she was looking at her feet but I could see her shudder underneath my words. "I didn't think so." I shook my head as we walked down the seedy looking street and towards the brighter part of the city. We would get another motel this time with a detached unit and without the drug paraphernalia. I curled my lip up at that, a rumbling brewing in my chest.

What the fuck was that arrogant asshole playing at?