Blood Heat

by Maria Lima

  “We’ve got two bodies in the car, Keira,” Tucker reminded me. “Let’s take care of them first, but yes, I’d like to talk to the man.”

  “Jacob’s a member of the church. You can talk to him, too,” Lev offered.

  “I thought y’all weren’t churchgoers,” I said. “Mark said as much.”

  “We’re not,” Lev agreed. “How do you explain a wer child Changing or howling in the middle of a service because they’re tired or cranky? I have faith, I still want to believe, but I don’t see that going to a building and listening to some man preach at me is going to make me any more religious.”

  “Or woman,” Rhys said. “One of our former wives was a preacher.”

  Lev’s brow lowered as he turned to Rhys. “Our? I don’t understand.”

  “Ianto and I,” Rhys explained with a satisfied grin. “We share.”

  Luka’s eyes widened a bit. Lev nodded slowly as if digesting the data. “Okay, sure. I guess to each their own.”

  “Indeed,” Ianto said. “And that’s enough about that. Please go on, Lev. I’d like to hear about your Jacob and his belonging to the Church of the White Rock. You said he was religious, but that doesn’t necessarily mean belonging to a church.”

  “He’s young.” Lev shrugged as if this explained everything. “Sometimes, you feel like you have to be part of a group outside the pack. He’s pretty stable, so Mark didn’t see an issue with it.”

  “So he may know the symbolism of that logo?” I asked.

  “I suppose. At least, he’s pack and you won’t be raising any suspicions if you ask him.”

  “You have a point.” I smiled at Lev and he smiled back. A bump in the road jarred one of the trash bags in back, which started sliding. Ianto and Rhys both leaned over and hefted it back into position. Lev’s face crumpled as he watched them. How could this feel to him? Second in the pack, Mark’s right-hand guy, and he’s the one to find the bodies. My instinct was to comfort him, go to him as his liege and take over, take care, but I couldn’t fix this. He had as much right to his sorrow as I had to my own feelings of whatever they were right now. Mostly, I was confused. I’d buy hunters, poachers, someone who’d seen the wolves and planned an attack for pelts. Greed, I totally got. Hateful though it was, I understood the driving force behind it. That perhaps a church member was involved? Well, there’re a hell of a lot of Sunday Christians, especially in these small communities. Fornicate and fabricate your lies through Saturday, because on Sunday, here comes Jesus to bail your sinful ass right out.

  Bitter? Yeah, a lot. I hadn’t the experiences of my much older brothers, but I’d certainly seen and learned about enough hypocrisy in my less than four decades to have an instant distrust of organized religion. Too many of them seemed full of empty promises and easily purchased indulgences—just another way for the rich and powerful to get off easy.

  Lev, though, was absolutely entitled to his faith, as was Jacob. How the hell I was going to deal with the whole triangle o’Bea, I had no idea. Bea seemed utterly fascinated with Jacob, but for reasons that escaped me. Frankly yes, he was hot, gorgeous, and yummy, but connection due to religion wasn’t my cup of incense. Lev, on the other hand, seemed a perfect match for Bea, despite his being a werewolf. He was kind, considerate, even-tempered. Not drop-dead bloody gorgeous, but who cared? The one thing I needed to make sure of was that neither Lev nor Jacob was the instigator of these kills. Lev might be resentful, but jealousy created more monsters than wer did. It wouldn’t be the first time someone threw a wrench in the works because of a woman. In pack structure, because of his newness and his tertiary position, Jacob was lower than Lev, which could mean that if it came down to it, Lev got first dibs. Ridiculous in human terms, even in Kelly terms, but these people are also wolves and follow pack structure.

  Could this be what was going on? As unreal as it sounded, I couldn’t pass up the possibility.

  “I’ll go talk to Jacob about the logo,” Tucker said, interrupting my thoughts. “Maybe guy-to-guy he’ll give me more to go on.”

  “Good idea,” I agreed. “Tonight, though, I’d like to have some vampires out here, at the church property and on the wers’ property, patrolling and eavesdropping on anything that might be going on there after dark. They can keep out of sight and report back.”

  “Recon only?” Tucker asked.

  “For now,” I said. “Barring self-defense, that is. I want names, faces, license plates, anything that seems out of the ordinary.”

  “I’ll come out with Niko,” Tucker said. “Him, a couple of the security team. That should take care of things.”

  “Luka?”

  “Yes, Keira?” The boy had been staring out the window. Probably trying to keep his mind off what … who was in the plastic bags in the rear of the Rover. “I’d like you to do a little Internet research on wolf pelt markets this afternoon, just in case. And also on this church. Can you do that?”

  “You bet.”

  “Great, give me a call if you do find anything interesting.”

  “Should we attend tomorrow night’s social?” Rhys asked. “Wouldn’t be a bad idea to mingle with these folks.”

  “I think so,” I said. “Though I’m leaning toward going with either you or Ianto instead of Adam.”

  Rhys nodded. “Because we pass better.” He ran a hand through his short-cropped, dark hair, so different from Adam’s long black mane. Rhys could definitely pass, especially in light of the fact that this was a small-town church social. Adam would stand out like a Hummer at a Smart car convention—and probably piss the men off while attracting the women. Not a good idea at all. Play it low and keep it quiet was my motto for tonight.

  “Yes. Recon tonight with vampires outside. Tomorrow night we go inside and socialize. Maybe Dixxi should come along, too.”

  “Not a bad idea,” Ianto said. “Rhys and I, you and Dixxi. We can gather whatever intel there is to gather. Lev, is Dixxi free tomorrow night?”

  “As far as I know.”

  “Good, Dixxi can come and pretend she’s interested in the youth group on behalf of the boys.”

  “Good point, Ianto.” I checked the car’s clock. “C’mon, then, let’s get back to the ranch, and take care of our … cargo.”

  “I want to give them a proper burial,” Lev said.

  “We can do that. There’s an old cemetery on ranch property. Will that do?”

  He bowed his head a moment in thought. “Could we get a priest or a pastor?”

  “I’m afraid not, Lev,” I said gently. “I know you’d like to do this right, but we can’t bring in outsiders.”

  He sighed. “I know, I just …” He turned away from me. “Could we at least say a few words?”

  “We will,” Tucker assured him.

  “We’ll hold whatever ceremony you’d like, Lev,” I said. “I promise. Besides, Mark will want to be there, too. I’m sure we can find a place at the ranch cold enough to store the bodies until there’s time to do this properly.”

  Lev’s eyes brimmed over with tears as he turned back to face me. “Thank you,” he whispered.

  I nodded brusquely in the face of his emotion. This being a liege thing was becoming far too serious in too short a time.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  A LOUD BUZZING IN MY pocket sounded as I descended the stairs. I fumbled in my pocket, trying to shut it off. “Damn it,” I muttered under my breath. I pulled my phone out and flipped it open, just in time for the call to end. A number I didn’t recognize showed in the lit display.

  “What is it?” Adam mumbled from the bed.

  “Sorry, love,” I said. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”

  He switched on the bedside lamp. I blinked in the sudden light and smiled at him, all rumpled and sleepy, his hair spread across the pillow. “Who was it?”

  I crossed to the bedside, leaned over, and kissed his forehead. “Don’t know,” I said and tossed the phone on the nightstand as I scooted onto the bed. “Missed the call.”
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  He hooked an arm around my waist. “Care to fill me in on your day?” he murmured. “What time is it, anyway?”

  “Still early afternoon,” I said, closing my eyes as I snuggled into his embrace. As we lay there, comfortably cozy, I told him everything we’d found, and what the plan was for the evening. “Tucker and Ianto are taking care of the bodies,” I said. “We figured keeping them in the spare walk-in cooler over at the inn would work until we could give them a decent burial. It can be kept locked and is nowhere near the food prep area.”

  “Logical,” Adam replied. “Lev and Luka?”

  “Rhys is taking them back to town. Lev’s going to report in to Mark. Luka’s taking care of some research for me.”

  “Sounds good.” He scooted closer, dropping a kiss on my thigh. “Do you have to leave anytime soon?”

  I did some quick math. “I think I could spare about an hour.”

  He grinned back and pulled me in closer. “Good.”

  “HEY, KEIRA, sorry you’re not picking up. Anyway, I think I know where the pin’s from, also, found something really hinky on the wolf urine. You totally won’t believe this. I’m gonna check it out and call you guys back later, ‘kay? Text me if you get this before three.”

  Luka’s voice burbled out of my phone’s speaker. He’d been the mystery caller. I could feel guilty about ignoring it for a little fun time with Adam, but I didn’t. I’d been home far too short a time and had missed Adam for far too long to let myself fret over an hour’s worth of recreation. I’d give Luka a quick ring in a few minutes, but first, I took advantage of Adam showering and called Bea.

  I made arrangements to stop by her place on the way out to Joe’s. I had to talk to her about the possibility of genetic disorders, whether I wanted to or not. This wasn’t an option.

  I felt like I had this weird checklist of to-do items for the rest of the day. 1. Tell Bea that her pregnancy might result in a child who is not only part werewolf but could have or carry any of several genetic diseases. 2. Go talk to Joe the trash guy and figure out what the hell was up with him. 3. Have vampires stake out a church and figure out if anyone there is a murderer. 4. Figure out what to do about 1 and 3—or rather, determine where my responsibility ended.

  Adam came out of the bathroom, toweling his hair dry. “What is it?”

  “What’s what?”

  “You have that look on your face, the one that says you’re thinking deeply about something and don’t know what to do.”

  I sighed. “You know me that well, do you?”

  He sat on the bed next to me. “I do. Talk to me.”

  “How far do I take this?” I asked. “Bea’s situation? The wers’ situation? What’s my—our—responsibility as the co-rulers of this area? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining about having to deal with this stuff, I just want to know if it’s either my right or my duty or if I’m just stepping in where I don’t belong. I want to help. I’ve been specifically asked for help, but I also can’t deny that I’m not sure how far to take this.” Leaned into him, despite the fact he was still damp from the shower. “I’ve never been in charge of anything before. It’s just … weird.”

  Adam smiled, his brow creasing as he thought. “No, you’ve been the somewhat indulged youngest child and only daughter of seven children,” he said fondly. “Despite your earlier childhood, this is rather new to you.”

  “True, and my training months were great, but there’s only so much one can learn in such a short time.”

  He placed a kiss on the top of my head. “Much of this cannot be learned by training, love. There’s a great many aspects to ruling that are simply learned ‘on the job,’ so to speak.”

  I sat up and turned on the bed to face him. “O great ruling leader, then what’s your advice? You’ve been on this job for centuries. Advise me.”

  He chuckled and continued to dry his hair. “Talk to Bea, but call Dixxi and have her join you. She’s the expert on the genetics of the werewolves. You might want to have one of your brothers along, too. Tucker’s a good choice, Bea thinks of him as a friend. You’ll want the backup. I’ve no doubt Bea is strong enough to hear this, but she will be emotional … you’ll be there for her, but you need someone there for you.” He eyed me as if to see whether or not I felt insulted. At one point, time past, I would have, but Changing made a whole hell of a lot of difference.

  “Yes, good points, all. Am I going too far in telling her all this?”

  He shook his head. “No. You’re right, she needs as much information as possible. Until now, Bea had no knowledge of other species that could breed with humans, she only thought she was dealing with an accidental pregnancy. This is a great deal for her to handle, and knowing there’s a possibility of genetic issues is more, but she needs to know. Knowledge is power. You’re her friend, you’ve known her for years. It will be easier for her if she knows you’re in her corner.”

  “How about the other stuff?”

  “You have good instincts, Keira,” Adam reassured me. “Don’t doubt yourself. Help Marcus out. If you find nothing tonight, if Tucker and Niko find nothing on their stakeout, then perhaps it’s time to let the wer handle the rest of the investigation. I do, however, think that you’ve nailed it.”

  “Hunters from the church?”

  “More than probable,” he said and stood up and walked into the large closet. “It’s a tightly knit, close community. The pastor practically told you that hunting is one of the skills they teach their youngsters. I would not be surprised if this was a result of a group of men accidentally running across the wolves, then coming back to prove something, get pelts, something along those lines. You’ve made a good decision to have Niko and Tucker go camp out at the land,” he said, voice a little muffled. “I believe that they’ll find something more concrete.”

  “Why?”

  “Because those men who shot at us did so at night,” he said as he emerged attired in a lightweight pair of black linen trousers and a black silk button-down shirt—not as casually dressed as he’d been since my return.

  “Official business tonight?” I inquired, indicating the outfit.

  “More or less,” he said. “I thought I’d ring John, have him drop by for a quick debrief about the bodies. Get him to work with Marcus regarding a funeral ceremony. I figured they’d want this done in the daytime. Later, I’m meeting with a few of my staff, going over security preparations for the reception.”

  “Thanks, Adam,” I said. “I’m sure Marcus will appreciate your help.” I remembered what Rhys had said regarding the guest list. “Rhys told me someone named Eamonn was coming,” I said. “You know him?”

  He nodded. “From my father’s court,” he said. “I believe Father is sending him as a peace offering.”

  “Peace offering? You think he feels the need?”

  “I am still his first son and heir,” Adam replied. “Despite his current tolerance of my half brother and your fellow heir, Father has always been one to observe the formalities.”

  “Formalities being sending a representative.”

  “Exactly.”

  “I thought Lance and Jess were handling things,” I said, watching him as he slid his bare feet into a pair of Italian loafers.

  “They are handling most of the preparation, along with Rhys and Liz,” he answered. “Security, however, I will not leave to them alone.” He smiled at me. “Not that I think your brother and his almost-wife cannot handle it.” He came over and drew me in close, his green eyes shining as he gave me a long, deep kiss.

  “I want no problems and I wish to ensure that your safety is in the best hands possible,” he said as he pulled away.

  Dropping a light kiss on his lips, I smiled back at him. “Yours, I take it?”

  “Mine,” he growled and with that, lowered me back onto the bed.

  A much too short few moments later, he released me. “Now I believe you must away, love. Duty calls.”

  I muttered a few curses under m
y breath, most of which maligned the concept of duty and the lack of time. “Duty sucks, love,” I said as I, too, rose, straightening my clothes.

  Adam flashed his fangs at me. “Only sometimes.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  NOT TOO LONG afterward, Tucker and I drove up to Bea’s. Another car, a small fuel-efficient generic compact of some sort, was already in the drive.

  “Feels a little funny,” I said as we pulled in behind the other car.

  Tucker nodded. “Yeah, coming here to what used to be your house. You miss it?”

  I shook my head as I opened my door. “No, not at all. Home’s mostly a place where you feel you belong. This was just a place, because I had to have one. The Wild Moon’s home—with my family.”

  “Thought as much.” He tossed me the keys. I’d asked him to drive so I could think and sort out how to approach this discussion while we drove over.

  Before I could knock or ring the buzzer, Dixxi opened the door and handed me a glass of wine. “I’ve told her.”

  “What? You were supposed to wait for me.” I pushed past her to see Bea sitting hunched over in what used to be my comfy chair, where I ended up when I wanted to pout, think, or just play emo-chick.

  “Bea, chica,” I said as I hurried over. “You okay?”

  She turned a tearstained face up to me, her expression saying all the curse words she rarely thought, much less said. I crouched next to her and placed a comforting hand on her back. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I meant to be here, to tell you myself.”

  She nodded and sniffed. I handed her a tissue from the box on the side table. “I know. Dixxi said to wait, but I knew something was up and I just—” She blew her nose and hunched over again, sobbing.

  “I’m sorry, Keira,” Dixxi said. “She just kept insisting.”

  I nodded. “I know, I know, you got subjected to the sad puppy eyes combined with the Ruiz rant, no doubt. I’ve known her for thirty-plus years and I’m not immune. I don’t blame you for spilling the beans.” I kept patting Bea’s back, not really knowing what the hell else to do. I was horrible at this. Emotions? I don’t do them—or at least, not very well. When Marty was murdered, the most I felt was a vague surprise, then guilt because he’d died on my watch. Tea and sympathy weren’t in my repertoire at all. I could say the expected words, but they’d ring hollow and uncaring. Bea deserved better.