Hank tossed me a bottle of water and we all sat down at the kitchen table.
“Out with it,” Hank told Junior. “Oh, and we have some prints to run on Puck Flame.”
“It’s the self tanner,” Junior said.
“I’m sorry, what?” I asked.
“The self tanner. I went to the agency to make sure Tina #1 wasn’t dead, which unfortunately she wasn’t, and I bought some of the stinky self tanner.” He stared at us like we should understand what he meant.
“What are you talking about?” Hank demanded.
“Oh right, I get ahead of myself,” Junior muttered. “The self tanner eliminates scent. It’s why we couldn’t track the girls who were abducted. It’s a compound with a combination of chemicals I don’t know.”
“That’s impossible,” Hank said.
“I thought so too, but I can’t identify them.”
“Junior, there is no way you are unable to identify a compound,” Hank argued. Junior shrugged and stared at the table.
“Color me confused, but why in the heck would you think Junior could discern a chemical compound? No offense, Junior,” I said.
“None taken,” he muttered.
“Do you wanna tell her?” Hank asked his brother.
“Nope.”
“Then I will,” he threatened.
“You promised,” Junior whined.
“Junior, Essie is my mate and soon to be my wife. She…”
“Wait. When did you ask me to marry you?” I demanded. “Did I miss something? Did you put a ring on my finger?”
“No.” Hank smacked his forehead and blew out an exasperated breath. “It’s common sense that we’ll get married. We live amongst humans and they’ll expect it before I knock you up.”
“Oh My God!” I screamed. “You just lost some major panty privileges. You need to ask me to marry you on your freakin’ knees and I want a big ring that’s not cubic zirconia. It needs to be romantic and it needs to be a surprise. Do you understand me?”
“Um…yes,” he said as he bit back a grin. “I understand.”
“She’s gonna be one hell of an alpha partner.” Junior laughed and stood to leave.
“Sit,” Hank snapped. “You think I’d forget what we were talking about because I got my balls handed to me?”
“I was hoping so,” he mumbled.
“You tell her or I will.”
Junior sat silently and gave his brother the stink eye.
“Somebody tell me,” I insisted as I stood up. “Also, Mr. Wolfboy, we are not having kids any time soon.”
“Got it.” He grinned and slapped my ass. Why the hell his Neanderthal behavior was a turn on was a mystery to me.
“My brother holds a masters in biochemical engineering, speaks four languages fluently and has a doctorate in engineering.”
I was stunned to silence. My voice literally wouldn’t work.
“This is exactly why I don’t want anyone knowing this,” Junior ground out angrily. “My stud factor drops dramatically when chicks find out I’m a nerd.”
“You’re brilliant?” I asked, still in shock.
“He’s off the charts for MENSA,” Hank added as Junior shot him a death glare.
“Are you freakin’ kidding me?” I yelled. “Junior, that is the hottest thing I’ve ever heard. Someone who looks like you with brains? Oh my god, the chicks will be begging you to mate with them. In fact, I hope you’re using condoms because once this gets out the entire Pack of single gals plus all the Weres in the surrounding states are going to try to trap your butt into marriage.”
“Really?” he asked doubtfully.
Hank was looking a little put out at my excitement over his brother and I giggled. “Don’t worry, baby,” I cooed. “You have all the attributes I need.”
“You think this will help me get more babes?” Junior mulled this new information over.
For as brilliant as he apparently was, he was still a lazy, skirt-chasing good ‘ole boy.
“Yes, you will get more babes,” Hank added dryly. “Enough about that — get back to why you can’t figure the chemical compound out.”
“It flummoxed me. I recognize some of it, but it seems to mutate genetically. It’s quite brilliant and whoever is making it is loaded.”
“Do you think the Council is behind this?” I asked.
“Doubtful,” Hank answered. “Why would they be kidnapping their own? And what would they be doing with them?”
“Only one way to find out,” I muttered and pulled the offending bottle from my purse.
“I was wondering if you had any panties in your purse?” Junior asked as he laughed heartily at his own joke.
“That’s funny,” I shot back. “I was wondering if I could use your nuts for target practice.”
He shut up fast.
“I don’t like this, Essie,” Hank said tersely. “Not one bit.”
“Don’t, Hank,” I warned. “I love you, but that doesn’t change what I do or who I am.”
He sat silently and fumed.
“Oh, two of those agency humans called and want a meeting with Hank at ten tomorrow,” Junior told us. “They want to meet in the sheriff’s office.”
“That’s when I’m supposed to be at the agency. Which ones want the meeting?” I asked.