Free Flirting Under a Full Moon by Ashlyn Chase Page A

slow circles. “I’m so sorry that happened, sweetheart. I owe you a real date.”
    “No, you owe me a real explanation.” She pulled away. “Why did my aunt say we were with Katie?”
    “Because we were. That’s how we wound up in that situation. I was hired to find your cousin, and you followed me.”
    She leaned back and looked up at him. “What happened to my camera?”
    “That was the tornado. Did you see the story on the news this morning?”
    “No, I didn’t.”
    “Maybe they have it online. Check it out.”
    “I’ll have to do that later. I have to get to work now.”
    “What time do you get off work? I’ll come by and take you camera shopping.”
    “I don’t think I’m up to it tonight, Nick. I’ll see you.” She started to walk away, but he caught her arm.
    “Don’t I get a kiss?”
    She stared at him as if she wasn’t sure she could trust him. He knew better than to push it. She might go back to the idea of being drugged and forced to do something against her will.
    Finally she tipped up her face for a kiss and he gave her a relieved peck on the lips.
    Whew. “I’ll call you tonight. What time do you go to bed?”
    She shrugged. “Depends.”
    “On what?”
    “On whether or not I get kidnapped, I guess.”
    ***
    “Nicholas Wolfensen?”
    Nick stopped walking and turned around, surprised to see Mr. Balog’s son.
    “Yeah?”
    “You have been summoned to appear before the Supernatural Council.”
    The back of his neck prickled. Nick had heard of it but wasn’t sure the Council really existed. No one he knew had ever met the mysterious society of elders—or whatever they were.
    “I was just heading home. Why don’t you give me a way to get in touch with them, and I’ll make an appointment.”
    “That’s not how it works. You’re to come with me right away.”
    What the hell? Nick stretched himself to his full six feet, three inches, at which point he towered over the young man. “And what if I don’t want to?”
    Young Balog pulled a pouch from his inner jacket pocket and opened it. He shook out some kind of powder and tossed it up in the air. It shimmered and spread, covering both of them. Before Nick knew what was happening, he was somewhere else—standing under some kind of glass bubble or dome.
    “Thank you, Balog,” said a stern-looking, middle-aged woman in a flowing white robe. “You may go now.”
    Adolf bowed and strode to an elevator. He punched the down button and waited. Nick gazed at his surroundings. All around the round room, people in white robes strolled and chatted with each other. The only one who seemed interested in him was the woman.
    “Wolfensen. Do you know who I am?”
    “No, I can’t say that I do.”
    “My name is Gaia, but you might know me by my other name, Mother Nature. I’d welcome you, but you’re not actually welcome. I don’t invite anyone here unless they’re doing my bidding or I’m pissed at them. Guess which situation you’re in.”
    “Uh…”
    “You’re a real conversationalist, aren’t you?”
    Nick scratched his chin. “Look. I’m not sure how I got here or why you want to speak with me, but I don’t want to assume anything either. Is this the Supernatural Council?”
    “And what if it wasn’t? You’d have just tipped off a mortal that such a thing exists—if I was mortal. That’s why you’re here, big mouth.”
    “I’ve never told anyone about the Council.”
    “And you won’t if you know what’s good for you. However, I understand you allowed yourself to be photographed during a shapeshifting occurrence.”
    “It was an accident. I didn’t allow —”
    “Silence,” she bellowed. The others in the room paused and listened. “There is no excuse for this kind of breach. Now, how far has this mess spread, and what do you intend to do about it?”
    “It’s been contained. My vampire friend glamoured the mortal.”
    “Anthony did this?”
    “Yes.” Nick hoped he wasn’t getting Anthony in