Make Me Howl Read Free

her?”
    All but laughing, Bella turned away from the wolf to focus on him. “Why’s that? Do you think one of your brothers might be interested?”
    Surprised by her question, he frowned. “One of my brothers?”
    “Well, yeah. I know you wouldn’t have time for a woman. You’re too busy with your research to actually spend time with a female. A human one, at least.”
    He shook his head at her teasing. “I went to your party last night.”
    “For how long? Fifteen minutes? Thirty?” Folding her arms, she chuckled. “And that’s probably the longest you’ve spent in a social setting in months.”
    “Hey, my work is essential. Wiping out that gene is way more important than spending time at local watering holes, sniffing for a mate.”
    “If you say so. But there are millions of singles out there who wouldn’t agree with you.” She pursed her lips. “You never did tell me exactly what you were doing in your research.”
    He glanced away for a moment as he thought about how much he should tell her. “I’m trying to isolate the Syzygia Gene. It’s relatively obscure, so most geneticists haven’t heard of it. Humans coming into contact with an animal affected by it usually understand the need for its destruction.”
    When Bella nodded, he forced a grin. “That and five dollars will get you a good cup of espresso.”
    “I could use one right now.” Bella yawned then waved at the wolf. “So what are you going to do with her?”
    “If she stays calm while she’s in there, we’ll release her somewhere off the property.” He gazed at the wolf, trying to get a handle on what it was that roiled in his gut. After a moment, he gave up with a shrug. “We don’t have the right to keep her locked up for very long. There’s something about her that’s different from our Safari Land wolves, and I’d hate to see her lose that.”
    ****
    Cool air stirred my hair, tickling the back of my neck and down my spine as I slowly drifted toward consciousness. I was a bit light-headed, and my eyes were all but glued shut. And the really bad part, my mouth tasted as if it were full of downtown Dallas dirty cotton.
    The morning was fragrant with a light scent. Wildflowers? Unable to imagine where I was, I rolled over then stretched the kinks out of my arms.
    Another breeze wafted over me, swirling over my naked breasts, down my belly and along my thighs.
    “Jazzy?”
    Hearing Bella whisper my name, I was tempted to pretend I was still sleeping. “Um?”
    “Jazzy, look at me.”
    After working a moment, I was able to open my eyes. I tried to look at Bella, but her face kept going in and out of focus behind the bars.
    Bars?
    Abruptly I sat up, my head swimming at the sudden motion. “Bella?” I practically coughed the word, my throat hurt so.
    Her gaze was filled with concern. I hated that look, as if as the moments-older twin, she was responsible for me. “Are you okay?”
    “No, I’m not okay.” I paused to control the bristle prickling down my spine. Then I whispered between my clamped jaws, not bothering to use telepathy since there was no one around. “What am I doing here? Naked? ”
    She reached through the bars to brush back my hair, now at its longest length, so she could touch my shoulder.
    I jerked away. “Answer me. Where am I? Who put me here, and where are my clothes? ”
    As her anger flamed to match mine, she narrowed her eyes. Not a good sign. “You’re in the isolation cage here at Safari Land. And I don’t know where your clothes are.”
    “ Who put me here and why haven’t you gotten me out?” I would have shouted, but my throat hurt too much. That should have been a clue, but I couldn’t begin to imagine it.
    “Tony locked you up until the zoo officials could decide what to do with you.” She lost all her anger, then looked to her right and left. “And you aren’t out because this is quarantine. Doc has the only key.”
    Although I’ll never admit it to Bella or any of the rest of