Wild for Milly [Werewolves of Forever, Texas 9] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Jane Jamison

  “Aw, hell.” Jackson tossed the older woman an apologetic glance. “Sorry. But if anything’s worth cussing about, it’s this.”

  Miss Clara took the lead again. “I don’t like to interfere with vampires and their business. As long as they keep out of my way, I say live and let live. But when they start killing off cattle that belong to werewolves, then I know that’s only the beginning.”

  “What do you mean?” Milly squeezed Matthew’s hand, fearful of what she would hear.

  “Small animals like rabbits are the first things they use. Then they move on to bigger animals like calves. But once they’ve done a few of those, they’re going to want something even bigger and more exciting.” Miss Clara’s eyes took on a hard gleam. “Like werewolves.”

  “Werewolves?” Milly had never heard of vampires killing werewolves except in rare circumstances where a conflict had broken out between the werewolf clans and the vampires. But she’d never heard of the ritualistic killing of werewolves.

  “That’s right. I haven’t heard of vampires doing any sacrificial killings since back when I was a young slip of a girl. It’s like this. They start with small animals and the like, learning how to do the ritual. But when they move on to werewolves, they’re doing it for a specific reason. The belief is that once they kill a werewolf in the way of the old sacrificial rites and drink the werewolf’s blood, then they’re able to take the strength of the werewolf and make themselves even stronger.”

  “But that doesn’t make any sense.” Milly couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Vampires are already strong. Why would they want a werewolf’s strength?”

  “An adult vampire wouldn’t because it wouldn’t do him any good. But when some idiot of a full-grown vampire decides to make young vampires, especially teenage vampires, then those young vamps get it into their head that they can become stronger than all the rest with the help of a werewolf sacrifice.”

  “Is it true? Does it make them stronger?”

  Miss Clara scoffed. “Of course not. But try telling that to some young vamp all pumped up on the idea.”

  “Oh, hell. I had no clue it could get that bad.” Milly hugged herself, trying to stave off the chill that iced through her.

  Miss Clara nodded her head like a wise old sage. “It most definitely can and it will. I think that’s what’s going on here, and we need to stop it before they decide to take a werewolf.”

  Chapter Eight

  Jacob drove Matthew and Milly back to the rental house. When they got there, Dan was waiting for them on the porch.

  Without discussing it, they recognized that they both wanted to talk to him. After putting the uneaten picnic meal into the refrigerator, Matthew grabbed three glasses and joined Milly and Dan. He took the third rocking chair, and getting a glimpse into his possible future with his mates, he filled their glasses then poured himself a liberal amount. They took a drink, each savoring the time before the difficult discussion began.

  And yet the start of their conversation was a long time coming. As if on unspoken agreement, they waited, taking small sips from their glasses and watching the fading light as the sun set. They stayed that way for a few hours, saying little more than to talk about the weather.

  Matthew knew why he hadn’t spoken. To do so would mean addressing the choice that loomed over his and Dan’s head. Did they stick it out longer and see if Riley would come around? Or did they give up and leave, letting their dream of mating Milly die?

  He had no doubt Riley had lied when she’d blamed Milly for her getting wet. But to accuse her of lying when he had no evidence other than Milly’s word, making Milly say again that she hadn’t done it, meant making a choice he didn’t want to make. He didn’t want to pit them against each other again.

  But darkness meant the night was drawing to a close, and they had to discuss what they’d learned from Miss Clara. He cleared his throat and finally broke the uneasy silence.

  “Did Milly fill you in while I was putting the picnic things away?” He didn’t need to ask the question because he could see the worry in Dan’s face. But someone had to start.

  “Some of it. I can’t believe something like ritual sacrifice is happening in a place like Forever.”

  “Bad things happen everywhere,” answered Milly.

  Matthew ached to touch her. Hell, he’d ached every night that he’d had to stay in his bedroom with Dan in one twin bed and him in the other. Although he could still remember the sex they’d shared with Milly, could even at times feel it again, that night seemed long ago. Too long ago for his way of thinking.

  “I have a confession.”

  Matthew took a sip. “Don’t tell me. You really did push Riley into the stream?”

  His grin gave him away as Milly’s jaw dropped. But she was quick to slap him on the arm for teasing her.

  “You know I didn’t, right?”

  “Of course we do.” Dan let his rocker come to a stop. “I knew it by looking at her face and yours. I just didn’t know what to do about it.”

  “Miss Clara said she needs a good spanking.” Milly was quick to follow that. “But I don’t condone physical punishment, and she’s too old for that anyway. Still, if there was ever a kid that could change my mind, it’s Riley.”

  “She’s spirited like her mom was.” The memory of his late sister, her long dark hair and huge smile that he saw so often in Riley, struck him dead center in his gut. Cindy would’ve known what to do.

  “Yeah, but her mom wouldn’t think she’s acting right. You know that, right, bro?”

  Matthew couldn’t disagree. “I know. But I still don’t know what to do about it. This parenting thing is hard as hell.”

  “Obviously the shopping trip isn’t happening tomorrow.”

  Matthew tried to lighten the mood again. “Aw, shoot. Couldn’t you still go? Just keep her away from water.”

  “You are hilarious.”

  But he enjoyed the smile his joke had brought to her face.

  “She never did write that apology letter,” added Dan. “We suck at consistent parenting, bro.”

  “You’ll get no argument here.”

  “Back to my confession.” Milly downed her drink.

  Shit. She has something bad to tell us.

  “What is it, Milly? Just spit it out.”

  “I’m not sure, and I don’t have any evidence, but”—she took in a long, slow breath—“I think Riley snuck out of the house a few days back. Problem is, I’m willing to bet it wasn’t the first time.”

  “Holy hell, why didn’t you tell us?”

  “I know I should have, but at the time, I didn’t want to give her another reason to hate me.”

  “She doesn’t hate you.” He felt more than saw Milly’s incredulousness. “Okay, maybe she thinks she does, but it’s not you really. It’s more the idea of anyone taking us away that she hates.”

  “I know, and I’m trying to be sensitive about it. But if she’s sneaking out to meet up with that young teen vampire, Kurt Shillings, then she might be getting into more trouble than we think. I can’t be sure because I was too busy trying to get away, but I think he could’ve been one of the vampires we ran into that first night.”

  Matthew ground his teeth together. He always tried to see the bright side of life, but it was getting harder by the minute. “Damn it. I was thinking the same thing and hoping I was wrong. But since I didn’t think she’d seen him lately, I didn’t push it.”

  Dan took Milly’s hand, sending a flash of jealousy into Matthew. He wanted to share her with his brother, but it had been so long since he’d touched her the way he wanted. To see anyone, even his brother, touch her hit home too hard. He forced his mind back to the real problem facing them.

  “Turning young people into vampires is just plain low-down dirty. Then to let them get into animal ritual sacrifices? That’s taking it to the lowest level.” Matthew ground his teeth together again, this time to keep his fangs from breaking through.

 
“If only we knew who turned them.”

  Milly offered up her glass for a refill. “We may never know. It could be that someone turned one of them, and then that new vampire decided he wanted his friends to join him. He could’ve turned the rest of them.”

  Matthew gave her a refill then did the same for Dan. “But who told them about the sacrifice shit?”

  Milly shook her head. “I’m just guessing, but again, we may never know. They could’ve gotten that off the Internet.”

  “Damn. You’re probably right. I shudder to think of all the nonsense that’s out there. And being teens, it would sound thrilling instead of stupid and dangerous.” Matthew studied the red liquid as he swirled it around in his glass. “It’s even worse if they don’t have any love lost for werewolves.”

  “So you think she could be meeting up with this Kurt the Vamp kid?” Matthew heard the growl in Dan’s tone and knew his inner wolf was clawing at the surface. Matthew was having a difficult time keeping his wolf in check.

  “Yeah. I think she is.”

  Matthew pushed out of his chair and sent it rocking. “Then we need to talk to her about it. She has to know what she could be getting into. Hanging out with a young vampire we don’t know is bad enough, but hanging out with one that might be involved in this crap? No way.”

  “What are you going to do, bro?”

  “I’m going to get Riley and haul her ass back out here. We’re going to talk some sense into that girl’s head about both the vampire and Milly.”

  “Maybe you should take one problem at a time.” Milly took his hand, urging him to take it easy with her words and the plea in her eyes.

  “Don’t worry.” He bent low and placed a kiss in the middle of her palm.

  He left his wine glass resting on the porch railing then went into the house and down the hallway. Knocking on her bedroom door, he waited a moment then knocked again.

  “Riley, we need to talk to you. Out front on the porch.”

  “What about?”

  Damn, how I hate it when she won’t even open the door to talk.

  “Just get out there, pronto.” He strode away, knowing she’d hear his footsteps and have no way of arguing. Milly and Dan looked up as he shoved through the front door and onto the porch.

  He crossed his arms and waited, leaning against the porch railing. Riley soon appeared, dressed in dry clothes.

  “What is it?”

  “We need to talk to you about this young vampire you’ve been seeing.”

  Riley’s face drained of color until she turned her attention to Milly. “I knew you’d tattle on me.”

  “She didn’t tattle soon enough as far as we’re concerned.” Dan motioned for Riley to take a seat. “Now listen up to what your Uncle Matthew has to say.”

  Way to toss me the ball. And the responsibility.

  Matthew sized up his niece. She’d already gone into defensive mode, but it didn’t matter. She had to know.

  “That young vampire, Kurt Shillings, may be into some bad stuff.”

  She frowned, the lines in her forehead marring her youthful face. “What kind of bad stuff? And who says?” She jerked a thumb at Milly. “Her?”

  “Her and a couple of other people, too. We think he might be involved in ritual sacrifices involving slaughtering calves. Do you know anything about that?”

  “Eew, gross. Of course not. And I don’t believe he has anything to do with it, either. He’s really nice. And sweet. You’d like him if you’d give him a chance.”

  “Like you’re giving Milly a chance?” Dan held up his hands, warding off Matthew’s warning look.

  He was fighting a losing battle. She didn’t want to believe him, but he had to try. He had to make the responsible decision. “We have to keep you safe, kiddo. So here’s the thing. We want you to stay away from him. And no more sneaking out of the house.”

  “But that’s not fair! I had a vampire friend at home. Why can’t I have one here?”

  “Is that all Kurt is? A friend? Because I don’t see him around here. I don’t see you inviting him over like you did your other friends back in Bakersfield.”

  “Of course not. I’m not inviting anyone here with her around.” Riley crossed her arms and tucked her chin down, puffing out her lower lip in a perfect pout. “This is so unfair.”

  “Unfair or not, it’s the way it’s going to be. At least until all this sacrifice business is over.”

  When Riley lifted her gaze to his, he saw the amber filling her eyes. That and the fact that Milly thought she might have used fangs to tear up her clothing made him think Riley had already gone through the transformation. Why hadn’t she told them? Was it a teen thing? Or a female thing to keep it a secret? There was so much he didn’t know about raising a kid.

  “This is all her fault. You believe everything she says. Don’t you get it? She hates me and wants to make my life miserable.”

  “No, I don’t, Riley.”

  He gave a slight shake of his head, warning Milly to stay quiet. Riley wouldn’t listen to anything she said anyway. “She doesn’t, and you know it. Uncle Dan and I are here for you and always will be. We’re a family.”

  “Then prove it.”

  He knew better than to accept Riley’s challenge, but before he could stop himself, he’d already done so. “How?”

  “If I mean so much to you, if you’re going to keep your promise to stay with me, then let’s leave tomorrow.”

  “Riley, be reasonable. You haven’t given Milly a chance.”

  “Yes, I have, and I don’t want to stay around her anymore. If you want to keep me from seeing Kurt, then leave tomorrow morning and take me home.” She raced inside, giving him no time to respond.

  “Hold up, Matthew.”

  Matthew stopped at Dan’s urging just as he grabbed the door handle. “We have to make her see reason.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. But it’s not going to happen while she’s upset. Let it go for the night.”

  “Dan’s right. Let her calm down first.”

  Milly’s whispered plea tore at his heart. She gave him a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes then stood and walked toward the yard. She’d only made it a couple of feet before he stopped her.

  “We’re not leaving you.”

  She wouldn’t look at him, and that, more than her words, ate at him. “You may have to.”

  Wrenching out of his hold, she hurried down the steps.

  “Shit, Dan. Do something.”

  “Damn straight I will. Screw letting her calm down. You stay with Milly. I’m getting to the bottom of this right now.”

  The door closed behind Dan as Matthew held onto the porch post and wondered if he’d ever get through to his niece. Of all the things he’d imagined that might keep them from their mate, he never guessed Riley would be that reason.

  Milly stopped in the middle of the yard as though she’d forgotten where she was going. Her shoulders shook as she turned her sobs free.

  * * * *

  They’re going to leave.

  Milly’s head told her it was true even though her heart refused to believe it. She couldn’t decide what to do. She didn’t want to go back inside the house for fear of raging at Riley. But her feet wouldn’t take her away, either.

  I’ll go back to my home in town. Then I won’t have to see them leave.

  Yet every time she tried to take a step toward her car, she found her legs wouldn’t carry her. Closing her eyes, she willed herself to move.

  She’d taken the first step and was about to take another when Dan’s voice brought her up short.

  “She’s gone.”

  Milly spun around to find Dan barreling around the side of the house. “Riley’s gone?” She raced after him along with Matthew.

  Dan stared at the footprints in the ground outside Riley’s bedroom window. “Yeah. She must’ve slipped out while we were talking.”

  “But where would she go?”

  Milly could see that Matthew k
new the answer to that just as she did. “Where else? To meet up with Kurt.”

  Dan cursed and headed back to the front of the house. “Like hell she is.”

  “Where are you going?” She ran after him, taking him by the arm and spinning him around to face her.

  “To Jackson Carr. I’m going to borrow some horses and start looking for her.” He broke her hold and hopped into the van. “Are you coming, bro?”

  “Yeah.” Matthew held out his arm, keeping her from following. “No. You stay here in case she comes back.”

  “But—”

  “Please.” He took her by both arms and made her look at him. “Please, let us handle this.” The scar at his throat seemed to be whiter than usual.

  He didn’t want her to come because he didn’t think Riley would answer if she was with them. If anything proved that they’d made their choice, that did.

  “Okay. But ask Jackson to give Deacon Slater a call.” If any vampire had a line on the young teen vampires, it would be Forever’s resident vampire.

  “Who?”

  They didn’t have time for her to explain. “Just ask Jackson. Now get going.”

  He turned her loose, not pausing long enough to kiss her good-bye. He didn’t even tell her good-bye. Instead, he climbed into the passenger side as Dan started backing out of the driveway.

  She waved as the van headed down the road, but didn’t get a response. After watching it disappear into the darkness, she whirled around and ran back to the side of the house.

  “I’ll be damned if I’ll sit around and wait.” Getting horses would help cover more ground faster, but it would also delay the time getting started.

  She shifted just enough to bring out her werewolf sensitive sight. She knelt over the footprints and studied them. Riley hadn’t made any attempt to cover her tracks, and it was easy to see them in the soft ground under the window.

  * * * *

  The soft ground around the house gave way to the hard, packed land of the pasture. Milly followed the tracks, sometimes losing them, only to pick them up a few feet away. It was a slow process, but it was the best she could do. She could pick up the girl’s scent in her wolf form, but she wasn’t sure her canine mind would understand the necessity of finding Riley. More importantly, she didn’t trust her wolf to have the desire to track the girl. Her wolf would rely more on instinct than on human emotion, and right now, it might consider Riley a threat. Instead, she let the change take her just enough to smell a faint trace of the girl’s aroma, but keep her human eyesight and brain working.