Howling For You

[Doe]

Grant Parish, Lousiana wasn't exactly the type of county to make the news. That is, until someone who was actually someone was up there and found himself dead in a run down mechanic's office. It hadn't made the news yet. In fact, it had just happened and would shake up the rural town for sure.

This wasn't Emma's first murder scene but it was certainly the bloodiest. She could smell the sharp, metallic tang from half a mile away, carried by the breeze and into the open window of the patrol car. Sirens disturbed the peace and quiet of the forest, and the two cars pulled to a halt that threw up dust. Simmons was out first, always the eager good old boy, always hungry to make his father, the old police chief, proud.

Emma followed behind more slowly, pushing open the door Simmons had let close behind him. On her heels were Jackson and Tyler. Emma was the only female and she longed to lose that title. She saw the body first, legs sticking out behind the counter. Her gaze drifted up to the man and she froze. His scent was warm, rich, musky, filling her nose and creating a draw so powerful it took will power to stay where she was.

He wasn't human, that much was true. But she'd never had such a reaction to another supernatural, let alone a male. He radiated power and strength, a dominance that her inner dog was automatically submissive to. The click of cuffs snapped her back to reality. Simmons, securing the werewolf. Of course, no one knew he was a werewolf save for Emma.

She started to breath through her mouth, otherwise her head would swim. "All this blood and you're claiming you're innocent?" Emma asked, watching as Simmons started to haul the man out into the waiting room. And yet...her nose separated out the scents. The werewolf, the victim, the blood. Something else. Thick and heavy, vaguely smelly like wet dog. Maybe he had been telling the truth.

 

[Tellural]

James caught her gaze almost immediately, his posture changing drastically. While he’d lived here for a good long while he had yet to come across another supernatural. That had been the charm of this place and the main reason he’d picked it to settle down again. Get out of the city and away from the trouble he’d had with others of his kind. It was starting to look like he might never be able to run far enough though.

As the remaining officers entered the room he inhaled deeply, eyes flashing golden as her scent filled his lungs. Even tainted by the blood and grime and the three men that accompanied her it called to him in a way that no one else’s scent had, in a way that he hadn’t even thought possible. Having to physically hold his ground James only broke eye contact with the woman when the cuffs that were being placed over his wrists pinched too tight. His eyebrows furrowed and he had to reel in the bestial urge to growl at the human who was currently cuffing him. Instead, settling with narrowing his eyes and glaring.

At the sound of her voice, James’ head snapped back up to look at her again, having to keep his gaze on a spot over her shoulder so that he could keep his focus. She was distracting in a way that he would have thoroughly enjoyed had this not been the way for them to meet. “Not claiming. I didn’t do this.” James replied, voice low but more than loud enough for all of those in the room to hear him. He started walking when prompted, skin prickling where the man grabbed his arm to drag him along.

As he passed by Emma on the way into the waiting room he let his voice drop lower, almost too quiet to be heard. He wasn’t worried about her having trouble understanding him through. “Look at the body. You’ll see.”

A rough tug pulled him further back from her and he glared at the cop on his arm. “I was on my way home. Heard something so I stuck my head inside to take a look then you and yours showed up and started throwing accusations. I don’t even know who this man is.” He continued as the officer pulled him out of the room.