Well, that was that, then. If Lyssa was going to be silent but available backup for Melody, I almost felt sorry for anyone who caused a problem. Lioness versus wolf? Yeah, the only way the Vesper clan was winning that fight is if all of them joined in at the same time, and I suspected Lyssa could hold her own until reinforcements arrived. One on one, Lyssa would paint the lobby with Not-Rich-One’s blood and write her name in his guts if he refused to see reason.
Nothing left to do ‘in town,’ I headed home.
The Vesper clan made it out of Godwin County within the allotted time, or so Sheriff Clyde told me. Whether that was due to their own industriousness or the fact they had a rather impressive escort was not for me to say or speculate. Sheriff Clyde told me that—aside from himself and a deputy—Buddy Carrington and his posse, Burt—one of the town’s two tiger shifters, Grant’s lion pride, Sloane in her avian form, and several other raptors all followed the Vespers at a respectful distance until they crossed the county line.
Well, as long as they were gone, that was the important part.
Both Gabrielle and I tried engaging with Karleen about the situation, but beyond a whispered ‘thanks’ when I mentioned I didn’t kill her brother, she showed no interest in discussing the matter. In the end, I chose to let quiet dire wolves lie. There was no point in trying to make her talk about it, especially if my goal was to help her work through it.
19
Sunlight dappled Karleen’s coat as she ran full-out through the forest. The tree canopy hid a cloudless sky, and a light breeze rustled the branches and limbs around her as she ran. The forest’s panoply of scents delighted and intrigued her, and she fought the urge to pick up the trail of one of the many animals she smelled and hunt it. Just for sport. She wasn’t too hungry yet.
Her explorations around Precious had revealed a cliff overlooking a large meadow that served as a kind of buffer between the western and eastern ranges, and that cliff was her destination. The trees began to thin, and she slowed her run, lest she burst out of the forest and dive right off the cliff because she couldn’t stop. She learned that lesson very well, not too many years after leaving home; it was unwise to sprint full-out through terrain that one does not know.
As Karleen stepped onto the rocky shelf and the sun warmed her body, she scanned the meadow far below. A few animals—deer and such—roamed the field, but without attracting their attention, there was no way to know if they were shifters. And Karleen wasn’t in the mood to socialize.
I should have killed him for his offense, brother or no, her growly voice—as Wyatt called it—opined as she settled herself on the cliff.
Karleen chuffed, the wolf version of a resigned sigh. I suppose I should have, but what would that have done to the family?
The family should know better. If one is sharing a meal with a dragon, one should take steps not to piss off the dragon.
So I’m a dragon now? Karleen shot back, adding a mental snort.
No, but compared to the family, I might as well be. I do not think I would lose even if the entire family attacked me… and definitely not if Wyatt was there.
I guess that depends on how one defines ‘lose.’ I love my sister and my parents. I don’t want to fight them… or fight with them. Karleen chuffed another resigned sigh. It felt good to be part of the family again.
I still am a part of the family. My brother’s conduct is not my fault.
Karleen lifted her head from her paws and scanned the meadow once more. Nothing piqued her interest. Was Jack right, though? Is Wyatt too young for me?
The part of Karleen that had never been human sent her the impression of a growling wolf. There was nothing right about that poor example of life. Am I happy with Wyatt and Gabrielle?
Yeah… I really am. I wouldn’t trade what we have for anything.
It does not matter what anyone else thinks. Only what they do. And if someone is offensive or dishonorable, I should explain their error. With teeth and claws if necessary.
So, I should have handled the situation with Jack?
This time, the non-human part of her didn’t immediately respond, and Karleen had the impression of extensive thought.
No, I think I handled that particular matter exactly as it should have been. Yes, he and they are my family, but they were also guests of the Alpha. That escalated matters such that it was Wyatt’s place to handle it.
Karleen sent an impression of her agreement to the growly voice.
Good. Am I finished moping? A truck from a farm sat behind the diner as I left, and I smelled bison.
Karleen chuffed a laugh and let her tongue loll out the side of her muzzle in a canine grin. A couple bison steaks did sound nice…
I finished my last set of burpees and leaned against the wall. I hated burpees and always saved them for last on the days they popped into my exercise queue. Granted, my shifter metabolism went a long way to keeping me fit, but I’d discovered that exercising helped clear my mind and get me ready to face the day. A part of me felt like I should go to one of the bigger cities and join a gym, just to enjoy the looks on everyone’s faces as I bench-pressed five hundred pounds or something like that, but I also remembered the treadmills when Doc did his shifter assessment. I think he kept the most extreme U-shaped one as a souvenir. And then, there was Gabrielle’s warning that shifters could turn humans with saliva or sweat. From what she said, turning people with sweat didn’t happen very often, but it had happened.
Nah… probably ought to leave the human gyms alone.
I left the exercise room, headed for the shower in the master suite. Gabrielle sat at the small dinette tucked into a corner of the kitchen, and she froze—fork halfway to her mouth—and watched me until I went out of sight. I saw her take several deep breaths as I passed.
I wasn’t more than a few steps down the hall that led to the master suite when I heard Gabrielle shout after me, “Walking around the house like that will make a girl hungry for more than just breakfast!”
I couldn’t stop the grin that took over my face. I didn’t notice the expressions of raw desire from the women around town as much anymore, but when I did, it still felt a little weird. As far as Gabrielle and Karleen—and Lyssa—were concerned, though, I rather liked it.
“Well, don’t make threats if you won’t follow through with them,” I shouted back and kept right on walking.
She caught up with me just as I reached the shower.
* * *
We were toweling off from the extended shower when the doorbell rang. I threw on a robe and padded my way out front. The doorbell rang a second time just as I opened the door and revealed Lyssa standing on the stoop. The tightness of her eyes, the tension in her stance, and a thousand other little things told me in no uncertain terms that she wasn’t here for a social call.
“Hey, Lyssa,” I remarked. “Please, come in.”
She jerked a quick nod and stepped through the doorway as I stepped back to vacate the space. She stopped just far enough inside the door, her hands clutching her elbows with her arms crossed across her midriff.
“What’s wrong?”
“Is Gabrielle here?” She asked in an almost weak, defeated voice.
“Hey, Lyssa,” Gabrielle said as she entered the room in just a robe like me while still toweling off her hair. Then, I watched her eyes take in Lyssa’s posture, and she froze. For just a moment. The next moment, she pulled the lioness into a fierce hug, damp hair and all.
We stood like that in an almost-frozen tableau for uncounted minutes until Lyssa pulled away. She looked first to Gabrielle, then to me, and back again as she said, “I need the Huntress. Someone kidnapped my niece, and I think I know who it was.”
“Tell me,” Gabrielle said without missing a beat.
“My sister just trounced her… well, now-ex… husband in court. Aside from everything she didn’t want, she also walked away with full custody of her daughter. He didn’t even get visitation. I know; I know. But you don’t know the
guy. He’s… he put the truth in every bad story you’ve heard about lions. I think he stole Jessie while Cindy was occupied elsewhere. Cindy—of course—is melting down. Megan—our other sister—is there with her and called me.”
“Where is there?” Gabrielle asked.
Lyssa took a deep breath and shuddered as she exhaled. “Kansas. Hampstead, Kansas.”
I turned and went to the master suite, retrieving my phone. I sent a quick text to my sister as I walked back to the parlor. On the first chirp of its ring, I answered and put the call on speaker.
“Hi, sis,” I said. “You’re on speaker with me, Gabrielle, and Lyssa.”
“Hello, dear brother mine and ladies,” Vicki replied. “How can I help you today?”
“I’m sorry to keep treating you like my travel agent, sis,” I began, “but Lyssa’s niece has been taken. She thinks the abductor is the niece’s deadbeat dad who just majorly lost the divorce and custody court cases. They’re in Hampstead, Kansas.”
“From everything I’ve heard, the first forty-eight hours are the most important in an abduction case, shadowy organizations notwithstanding,” Vicki remarked. “How long ago was she taken?”
Lyssa lifted her head and spoke toward the phone. “No more than five hours. My sister Cindy isn’t too coherent right now, but my other sister—Megan—thinks it hasn’t been more than five hours. She’s there with Cindy.”
“Wyatt,” Vicki said, “I feel rather safe in assuming you’re not about to let Gabrielle and Lyssa go off to hunt this guy down, so assemble your hunting party. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes or less.”
The call ended, and I slipped the phone into one of the robe’s pockets.
Lyssa stared at me. “This isn’t your fight, Wyatt. Megan and I will be hiring Gabrielle with our own funds.”
Gabrielle pulled her into another tight hug. “Oh, Lyssa, did you really believe you could tell Wyatt what happened, and he’d just sit here while we go off to deal with it? You’re one of us now, and even if you weren’t, children are special to him.”
Before I gave any thought to the idea, I was moving. Four steps—maybe five—and I pulled both Gabrielle and Lyssa into my arms. I leaned in and gave Lyssa a quick kiss. I started to say something, but the moment didn’t feel right. I realized in that moment the lioness was now one of us, ‘us’ being my immediate family. I’d have to be sure she knew that… and soon. As much as I hated to break the moment, though, we had things to do.
“Come on, Gabrielle. We need to get dressed. Vicki will be here soon, and we still need our hunting party.”
Lyssa followed us to the master suite and sat on the bed as Gabrielle and I chose ‘working’ clothes.
“You know who would be better than wolves for tracking?” Lyssa asked while we dressed.
“Who?” Gabrielle’s voice wafted out of her closet.
“Bears,” the lioness replied. “They have even more scent receptors than wolves.”
Gabrielle chuckled. “Yeah… Buddy will just love hearing that, especially after he popped off to Vicki about how wolf shifters have the best noses.”
I watched Lyssa shrug. “Bears don’t usually make an issue of it, and besides, they’re not exactly lithe hunters.”
Nope. Not at all. Hank—our friendly neighborhood store proprietor—in his grizzly came close to making my Smilodon look small.
“Let’s stop by the general store and see if Hank or one of his bears would mind going with us,” I said as Gabrielle stepped out of the closet. Like me, she wore cargo pants and a more tactical-styled top. A knapsack hung from a strap over her left shoulder. “We’ll take Buddy and his posse for the extra muscle. Gabrielle, do you know what happened to Karleen? She wouldn’t like us leaving without at least giving her the option of going.”
A grimace flitted across Gabrielle’s expression. “She went for a run. Most wolves can travel up to thirty miles in a day, and since she’s a dire wolf, there’s no telling where she is.”
“Did she take her phone at least?”
Gabrielle pointed to the dresser behind me, and turning to look, I saw Karleen’s phone, keys, and purse. I fought the urge to sigh. I wanted to include Karleen—or at least give her the option of being included—but I wasn’t sure we had time to wait for her.
“Right, then,” I remarked. “Nothing for it. Let’s go talk to Hank.”
Lyssa stood as Gabrielle led us out of the master suite. Gabrielle said, “I’ve texted Gladys to prepare the usual hunters’ rations. I told her she should plan for us, Buddy’s posse, and possibly two bears. We may have to wait a couple minutes, but she’s working on it.”
Karleen knew how to access the house after a run, so we locked up on our way out.
* * *
The bell over the door jingled as we entered Hank’s general store. A number of people looked our way. Hank glanced up from where he assisted a young lady with different fabrics, and a young clerk handled customers ready to pay at the counter. The various scents wafting our way told me Hank was the only bear shifter in the room.
I hated line-jumpers. Hated them with a passion. But every minute we delayed was one more minute Cindy’s daughter remained abducted. Regardless of how little I liked it, the only choice was to interrupt Hank with his customer. So, I headed their way.
Both the young lady and Hank looked to me as I approached and said, “Pardon my interruption, please, but I need to speak with Hank for a few moments on a matter of some urgency.”
The young lady smiled and accepted the bolt of cloth from Hank as she replied, “Of course, Alpha Wyatt. I don’t mind waiting.”
Hank stepped my way, and we walked a short distance for the illusion of privacy. After all, any shifter in the store would hear a fly cough in the rafters… assuming flies actually coughed.
“What do you need, Alpha?” Hank asked.
“I’d like to borrow one or two of your bears for a hunting party. Lyssa’s niece in Kansas has been abducted. I’m going to round up Buddy and his posse for extra muscle, but I’d like to find the niece as soon as possible.”
Hank smiled. “Normally, I’d go myself, but Earl has been doing an excellent job showing that Paul Burkett how to be a bear. My vote is take both of them. Earl can be your main tracker, and Paul gets some real-world experience.”
I nodded my agreement. “Sounds good. Do you want to make the call?”
Hank shook his head. “Nah. You’re Alpha around here; you can handle it.” Then, he broke into huge grin. “Besides, I have a customer waiting.”
I chuckled and made a shooing gesture as I thanked him and turned back to my ladies. As I crossed the store back to them, I withdrew my phone from my hip pocket and accessed the local directory. Thank goodness, I could filter by breed. Godwin County apparently had fifteen shifters named ‘Earl,’ but only one of them lived in Precious and was a bear. I fired off a quick text message for Earl to grab Paul and meet me at the diner for a hunting mission with Gabrielle as we left the general store for our next destination.
* * *
The moment we entered the diner, my eyes locked onto Karleen. She sat at our favorite table with two large platters sitting empty in front of her. She looked rather pleased. As we approached, I thought I picked up hints of bison, and understanding dawned as I remembered Gladys received one of her meat shipments today.
“You should really try the bison,” Karleen said as we arrived at the table. “It’s a good batch this time.”
My mouth watered a bit at the thought. “I’d love to, but I’m not sure we have time.”
Karleen frowned and sat a little straighter. “What’s wrong?”
“Someone took Lyssa’s niece. She thinks her deadbeat brother-in-law did it and came to Gabrielle to hire the Huntress. I’m organizing a hunting party. Earl and the new guy, Paul Burkett, are on their way to meet us here. Vicki should be arriving any second, and I’m looking for Buddy and his posse.”
“Why are you looking for us, Alpha Wyatt?”
Buddy asked over my shoulder.
I turned and saw Buddy and his posse walking toward us from the door. Apparently, I’d been so focused on Karleen that I hadn’t noticed the diner’s door opening.
“I’d like you guys to come with me as extra muscle for a hunting party. Lyssa’s niece has been abducted. Earl and Paul Burkett should be meeting us here soon, so between you guys, those two, and Gabrielle, whoever has her shouldn’t keep her long.”
Buddy nodded. “Sounds good. We didn’t have anything planned for today anyway, beyond sighting in our rifles. Where are we going?”
“Kansas,” I answered. “Vicki should be here…” The imp in question appeared at my side. “…anytime.”
Vicki wore working clothes, much like Gabrielle’s, and carried her staff. Unlike the formal appearance before the state’s Supreme Court, this time, the staff looked like the gnarled and worn piece of wood—almost like a hand-carved tree branch—I’d seen during our hunt for the abducted children.
“Hello, brother mine,” Vicki almost purred. “Are we ready?”
“Waiting on two more, sis. Shouldn’t be long.”
About that time, Gladys and several of her helpers arrived with packs full of food. The diner’s owner said, “Here you go. Everything I’ve packed is warm right now, but it’ll reheat well if it comes to that.”
Vicki grinned. “No need for reheating. While we’re waiting for the last of us, I’ll amuse myself spelling those packs to keep their contents piping hot and fresh.”
Over the next few minutes, my sister whispered words in an ancient language over Gladys’s packs. She stood from completing the last one as Earl and Paul entered the diner.
“There they are,” I said. “Excellent timing.”
“So, we’re ready to hunt?” Vicki asked as she stood from crouching over the last pack, and I nodded. “Good. It has been too long.”
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