Hoosier Werewolf 2: Who Let The Wolf Out Read online

  Hoosier Werewolf 2: Who Let The Wolf Out

  Kate Steele

  All rights reserved.

  Copyright ©2007 Kate Steele

  Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  ISBN: 978-1-59596-516-5

  Formats Available:

  HTML, Adobe PDF,

  MobiPocket, Microsoft Reader

  Publisher:

  Changeling Press LLC

  PO Box 1046

  Martinsburg, WV 25402-1046

  www.ChangelingPress.com

  Editor: Connie Alberts

  Cover Artist: Reneé George

  This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

  Prologue

  Ethan Parks, standing at a bar, waiting for a drink should be a contradiction in terms. Or the beginning of a really strange joke. Dustin aimed a quirky smile at his brother.

  “What?” Ethan asked, tilting his head in inquiry.

  “Nothing really. I’m still getting used to seeing you this way,” Dustin answered with a sweep of his hand, taking in his brother’s new look.

  Ethan had gone from quintessential nerd to classic cool. Gone were the dress or casual slacks, business or polo shirts. Now he wore jeans and tees or fashionable button down shirts that showed off the new definition of muscle that accented his slim body. With the new look had come greater self-confidence, something that was further boosted by Ethan’s lover, Crewe.

  Dustin couldn’t be happier for him. His brother Ethan was a sweet, gentle soul who’d endured a lot of teasing and angst during his formative years and beyond. Despite their elder brother Nick’s and his own efforts, they were never able to completely shelter Ethan from those who were determined to hurt him. They’d done the best they could, but Ethan had become quiet and withdrawn. Cruelty and those who wielded it always seemed to find an opening. Boys like the one Ethan had been, gawky and skinny, always seemed to garner contempt from their peers. As though they didn’t have enough to contend with.

  It amazed Dustin to see his brother now. So happy, so in love. Dustin let his gaze wander across the room to Ethan’s lover, Crewe Jackson. Crewe was a good man and a determined one. He’d swept Ethan off his feet and radically changed his life with tender care and patient, loving attention. It was clear to see he loved Ethan, especially when he gave his brother those sizzling looks that were so hot Dustin feared the paint would start peeling from the walls.

  It was those looks that made him think of his own situation. Though he was seeing someone, Jerry Knowles, on a fairly regular basis, there was something missing. Jerry was nice, attentive when they were together and the sex was decent even hot at times but… and that’s where the problem was. The proverbial “but.” When the thought of your relationship was qualified by a “but,” all was not as it should be, Dustin mused.

  And then there was Chad Sutter. Dustin was aware of the stares that Chad had been bestowing upon him. It was impossible to ignore the waves of heat they generated. They swept relentlessly down his spine, tightened his sphincter and lodged in his cock. It was all he could do not to sprout wood and spontaneously combust. They were the kind of looks that when sent his way, if he dared meet them, challenged the paint peeling ability of Crewe’s blistering regard for Ethan.

  It was beyond disconcerting. Chad was more than handsome but he seemed to be such a calm, solid person. The kind of guy who was clever, quiet and competent. The kind of guy you’d never think of in terms of scorching hot sex. And yet when Dustin looked in his slate-gray eyes, sometimes there was something so wild, so incredibly primitive and fierce, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to run or throw himself at Chad’s feet. He had the oddest notion that the choice wouldn’t matter. The results would be the same either way. Those who ran from predators were eaten just as surely as those caught standing still.

  The thought made him shudder, not with apprehension but with anticipation. Was it that glimmering bit of feral heat Chad directed his way that made Dustin liken him to a predator? God knew the man walked with the grace of an animal well versed in stalking its prey. He certainly had the sleek, athletic body of a hunter. Still there was something deceptive about Chad’s appearance. He projected this tranquil and serene aura while inside something wicked lived.

  “Dustin?”

  Dustin jumped. “What?” He refocused his eyes on Ethan.

  “Whoa. Where did you go? You were looking a little wigged out there.”

  “I was thinking about the way Chad sometimes looks at me.”

  “Like he wants to eat you up?”

  “That’s exactly what I mean. I see Crewe give you those same looks.”

  “I know.”

  The dreamy sound of Ethan’s voice made Dustin grin. “You love it. Hell, I guess I can’t blame you, but did you ever think there was something strange about those two? There’s an odd connection there. They’re not related but I’ve heard them call each other, brother.”

  “That’s easily explained. They were in the same college fraternity,” Ethan answered.

  “Hmm, I suppose that could be it. It just seems like more.”

  Both brothers turned their gazes on the two men who sat at a table across the room.

  * * *

  “Dustin has a boyfriend.”

  Chad Sutter turned away from the dance floor where a crowd of happy, horny and sweaty people were shaking it to the music. He turned to face the speaker. Crewe Jackson, his closest friend, was giving him a very neutral, casual look. Other than his fingers drumming on the table Chad gave nothing away.

  “Says who?”

  “Dustin. He was telling Ethan about this guy he’s been seeing for the last couple of months.”

  “Serious?”

  Crewe shrugged. “Can’t say. He didn’t go into that much detail but apparently they see each other quite a bit. They’ve exchanged apartment keys. What’s that tell you?”

  Chad continued to drum his fingers on the table. The idea of someone touching Dustin made his temperature rise. Since he’d discovered Dustin was his mate several weeks ago, Chad had begun making plans to claim him. The thought that Dustin might actually be lost to him was unbearable. Tendrils of anger and frustration began to weave their way through his insides. He growled when Crewe touched him.

  “Down, man. This isn’t the time or place to let the wolf out.”

  Chad growled again, the sound low, rough and raw. He could barely speak. “Someone is trying to claim my mate. He’s mine.”

  Shocked at the intense feelings that churned within him, Chad struggled to calm himself. Crewe was right. This wasn’t the time or place to let the wolf take control. Chad was proud of his ability to stay calm under pressure. In the courtroom his cool demeanor while under fire was legendary. Funny how this one human had the power to bring out the wolf in him. The wolf was all about passion, primitive emotions and needs. The wolf was the fire inside the man.

  He took a deep, calming breath, a breath that brought him a whiff of Dustin’s fascinating scent. Ethan and Dustin were returning from the bar, drinks in hand. That bracing scent marched in, opening places inside him that had been closed off while stirring needs Chad had never felt before. He set his sights o
n Dustin, giving the young man a look that was ablaze with desire. A wave of satisfaction swept through him at the faint flush of Dustin’s cheeks, the thickening behind his zipper and the unmistakable musky tang of his arousal. No way was Chad losing him. Dustin’s supposed boyfriend didn’t know it, but he’d acquired some very determined competition.

  Chapter One

  Chad sat at his desk going over the legal briefs from his last case before handing them over to be filed. He was meticulous about making sure every ‘T’ was crossed and every ‘I’ dotted. So far, the morning had been nothing but routine. With little to distract him, he’d had a bit of trouble keeping his mind off Crewe’s late night revelation about Dustin’s involvement with another man. The thought still rankled and Chad found his fingers tapping on the desk in agitation. Grimacing, he balled them into a fist.

  He closed the folder before him and was in the act of putting it into his out basket when the phone rang. Picking it up, he answered with a curt, “Yes?”

  “Call for you on line two, Mr. Sutter. It’s Crewe Jackson.”

  “Thank you, Patricia,” Chad replied, striving to soften his tone. He hit the button for line two. “Crewe? What’s up?”

  “Are you sitting down? ’Cause you’re not going to like this.”

  “What?”

  “Dustin’s been arrested.”

  “What! What the hell for?”

  “Dealing drugs.”

  “You’ve got to be shitting me.”

  “I wish I was. Ethan’s frantic. Can you take Dustin’s case?”

  “Hell yes, I’ll take his case. Where is he now?”

  “City jail.”

  “I’ll get right on it. He’ll be out as soon as I can arrange bail.”

  Chad hung up the phone, quickly clearing his desk and grabbing his coat. Stopping long enough at his assistant’s desk to clear his appointments, he rushed out of the office building that housed his practice and that of several other lawyers. He fished his keys out of his pocket and using his remote, unlocked the car and started the engine. Opening the car door he flung his coat inside, slid behind the wheel and mused that like a cowboy of old, he was riding to the rescue. With a self-deprecating snort, he could only be glad that in this case, it was horsepower and not horse flesh that carried him.

  * * *

  Dustin sat on a hard, unpadded bench with his head in his hands. The fact that he was in jail still made his head swim. How could the police have possibly found ecstasy in his apartment? And so much of it, over two-thousand pills! It was a nightmare he kept hoping to wake up from but the wood under his butt, the concrete under his feet and the iron bars that locked him in were all too real.

  Real too had been the handcuffs the police had slapped on his wrists and the trip to the station in the backseat of a police car. He’d been photographed, fingerprinted and given the opportunity to make a phone call. Thank God Crewe and Ethan had been home. Crewe promised to call Chad and wasn’t that just the most pleasant thought Almost as welcome as the thought of what Nick would say. Oh fuck. Dustin wasn’t sure which of the two men he least wanted to face.

  At the sound of the door opening that led to the holding cells, Dustin looked up, his eyes widening in astonishment. A police officer was escorting what appeared to be a tall and rather bulky, blonde woman in a flaming red dress. They stopped in front of his cell. “Got some company for you,” the officer snickered.

  “I thought there were separate cells for women,” Dustin commented, appalled at the idea of women being forced to share cells with men.

  “This ain’t no lady.”

  Looking again, Dustin now understood the policeman’s mirth. This was indeed no lady. Closer inspection revealed the woman was a man in drag. It was all he could do not to sigh out loud in resignation. Being gay and hanging out in various clubs, Dustin had met his share of transvestites. Some were perfectly nice and as normal as anyone else could claim to be but others had a tendency to be a little over the top. Please let this be a regular guy in a dress and not a hysterical drama queen. The officer opened the cell, waved in the new prisoner and relocked the door. He walked away chortling to himself.

  Dustin scowled at the man’s retreating back. “Whatever happened to simple courtesy?” he muttered.

  “Don’t mind him. He’s a horse’s ass. Hello, sugar. What are you in for?”

  Shifting his gaze to his new cellmate, Dustin found himself being openly ogled. He debated his options then shrugged. “Dealing drugs.”

  “Oh, naughty, naughty. You’re a bad boy. I could tell just by looking at you. I happen to like bad boys, especially ones that look as yummy as you. This jail time gig is looking up. How about we get acquainted before the rest of the gang shows up? My name’s Wanda. What’s yours?”

  Wanda proceeded to join Dustin on his bench, crowding close and going so far as to press a hand to his thigh. Dustin raised an eyebrow, lifted Wanda’s hand away and scooted a bit, putting some space between them. “Wanda, I’m all for being friendly but um, you’re not my type. And did you say rest of the gang?”

  “Oh sure, sugar. The whole club got busted. This guy in the audience kept up with the catcalls and one of the girls finally jumped him. The whole crowd went nuts. Any minute now this place is gonna be packed with the gang from Transitions.”

  “Transitions?”

  “It’s a new club, sugar. Very hot. You don’t get out much, do you?” Wanda batted “her” eyelashes in a way Dustin supposed she thought was sexy. “You stick with me, bad boy. I’ll broaden your horizons so wide you’ll never have to say, ‘now I’ve seen everything.’ You’ll have seen it, touched it, tasted it and done it. It’ll be an experience you’ll never forget.”

  Oh, God. Dustin just managed not to roll his eyes.

  “I’ll just bet it would but I’m not interested. I’m seeing someone,” Dustin hinted. Rising to his feet, he walked to the front of the cell, glancing back as he went. Wanda rose as well, following with an exaggerated sway of her hips.

  At that moment, the door at the front of the holding cell area opened and began disgorging a parade of police officers and prisoners. The newly minted inmates were an eclectic mix of transvestites like Wanda, to guys dressed in simple jeans and tees. Dustin’s cell door was opened and men in dresses fluttered in. The cacophony produced by this flock of painted and glittering jailbirds was nearly deafening.

  Dustin stood back and stared in dismay until a hand slid over his ass. He jumped and whipped around, coming face to face with one of his new cellmates, a slim man in a lime green, satin sheath wearing a brunette wig styled in a sleek pageboy.

  “What do we have here?” the new arrival asked in a smooth, cultured voice. The man wore coral lipstick, heavy foundation and false lashes so thick Dustin could only wonder how he was able to lift his lids.

  Wanda shoved herself between Dustin and his new found admirer. “Back off, Betty. I saw him first.”

  “Oh, but look at those muscles. There’s more than enough of him to go around.” The man Wanda addressed as Betty reached around and squeezed Dustin’s bicep.

  “Hands off, floozy. He’s mine.”

  Drawn by Wanda and Betty’s fledgling argument, the rest of the “ladies” formed a circle to watch the fun unfold. Dustin desperately wanted to disappear. The last thing he wanted was to be the cause of a cross-dressers cat fight. The fates, it seemed, decided to give him a break. His luck took a definite turn for the better in the form of the police officer who appeared at the door to his cell.

  “Parks, Dustin! Front and center. Your bail’s been posted.”

  Heaving a deep sigh of relief, Dustin squirmed through the crowd and made his way to the front. The officer opened the cell, let him out and secured the door behind him. About to follow in the policeman’s wake, a hand reached through the bars and grabbed his forearm.

  Turning back, Dustin found Wanda smiling at him. “I would have rocked your world, sugar.”

  Dustin grinned. His relief
and being sprung from jail made him nearly giddy. “My world’s rocky enough at the moment, but thanks.” He leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to Wanda’s cheek before walking away to a chorus of sentimental ahhhs.

  Out once again in the police station proper, Dustin sobered as he was lead to a counter where he signed for the return of his personal items. He put the money he’d had on him back in his wallet and stuck it in his pocket then slid his wrist watch in place on his arm. That done, he headed for the front door and found Chad seated in a chair in the waiting area. Chad, dressed in a finely cut business suit, wore what Dustin had come to realize was his usual calm expression. There was no sign of the sensual man who’d sent him looks so hot they all but blistered his skin. This Chad was buttoned down and all business.

  I wish I felt as calm as he looks. Dustin’s heart was pounding, the stress and anxiety he’d tried hard to hold in check, choosing now to break their bonds. Chad rose to meet him and the two of them shook hands. Dustin was sure his grip was a little too hard and that he held the contact just a little too long, but he didn’t give a damn. He’d never been so happy to see anyone in his life. Apparently Chad understood and didn’t mind the contact.

  He increased it by giving Dustin a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Are you all right?”

  Dustin nodded and expelled a deep breath. “Yeah. I can’t tell you how glad I am to see a friendly face. I take it Ethan or Crewe called you?”

  “Crewe did.”

  “So you know what they arrested me for.”

  “Felony possession with intent to distribute. Yes, I know.”

  “I still can’t believe it,” Dustin said, the stark reality of it hitting him again when a police officer walked in the front door with a prisoner in handcuffs. “Can we please get out of here?” A surge of desperate need to be away from this place struck so hard, he had to rein in the impulse to slam through the front doors and run as fast and as far away as possible.

  “Of course. My car’s this way.”