The Covert Wolf Read Online Free PDF Page B

forest, leather and pure male invaded her senses. He was overwhelming from a distance, but this close…her hand trembled in his.
    Retreating back into formality, she pulled her hand away. He frowned, his gaze whipping around the room.
    “I smell something…dark.” Parker’s nostrils flared. He pounded on the wall and the men came into the room.
    “Shay, did you do a full scan of the suite for bugs?” Parker demanded.
    “Clean.” The Mage rapped his knuckles on the table.
    “You didn’t scan her.”
    All three men stared at her. Her blood pressure dropped. Sienna couldn’t move. Parker took the cylindrical scanner and swept it over her body. It gave a sharp, tinny beep and lit up red as it hovered over her shirt collar.
    “Hellfire,” Shaymore muttered.
    Something was crawling on her neck on furry, tiny legs.
    “Stay absolutely still,” Parker said softly, setting down the wand.
    “Hitchhiker demon worm. Careful,” the lieutenant commander warned.
    She wanted to bolt, but forced herself to stay still. Sienna reached up to pluck it off.
    “Don’t.” Parker crept toward her, his gaze intent on the creature. “Your move will trigger its defenses.”
    “Get it off me,” she whispered.
    “Easy now. Close your eyes and mouth. It accesses your body through your orifices.”
    She felt it approach her cheek, linger near her mouth, then move downward over her neck. Sweat broke out on her forehead. Her heart pounded like thunder in the silent room.
    Then suddenly the crawling sensation was gone. Something pressed against her chest like two hands doing compressions.
    Sienna looked down. Latched to her blouse was a worm the size of her palm. It opened its mouth to reveal rows of pointed teeth. Yellow foam dripped from the yawning jaws.
    Matt tackled her hard, toppling her to the floor. The move threw the creature off her body. He seized the worm, which released a high-pitched squeal. A hard yank and the SEAL twisted off its head. Gray goo splattered.
    Breathing hard, more scared than she wanted to admit, she sat up. He squatted beside her, patting her down, his brow furrowed. The lieutenant used the wand again and frowned.
    “Need to do a physical check.” Then he gave an apologetic glance. “I’m sorry, but I have to make sure nothing else is on your clothing. May I?”
    At her nod, he slid his hands over her body, gentle but thorough. Heat flushed her at the intimate examination. A lock of hair fell over his forehead and she felt a sudden compulsion to brush it back, feel the soft silk between her fingers.
    The lieutenant ran his fingers lightly over her breasts, his jaw tight, his gaze impartial. A man with a touch like that would be amazing in bed…. Sienna put her hands to her burning cheeks.
    “You okay?”
    She gave a breathless laugh. “Fine. Considering a worm almost ate into my Donna Karan suit. My only good suit.”
    A small smile touched his mouth, erasing his weary look, and it made him appear younger and more approachable.
    “Did you have any contact with anyone today, other than us? Anything unusual? Demon hitcher worms are transmitted through touch.”
    “This is New York. I probably bumped into hundreds of people.”
    “Must have been recent. They can’t survive more than a few hours, which is why they’re rarely used by demons.” His expression tightened. “Blood. The subway, the suit who followed you. He cut you. You had blood on your collar.”
    Sienna thought about it. “The man on the subway. He cut me with a knife. I changed shirts after I got to my hotel. How could he have infected me with the worm?”
    “The worm was on the knife. They begin as microscopic organisms, hiding on hard surfaces and then blend with whatever clothing a victim wears so they can hide.” Matt touched her healed wound. “He wasn’t trying to molest you. He was planting the worm. You’ve been followed and targeted, and traced. You okay?”
    The deep tone of his rough voice slid over her raging