The three cult members lay on the floor, immobile and unconscious, their frozen expressions still contorted in expressions of pain.
Next to them lay Anabel, still out from the tranquilizer. Kane found her torn clothes and gently covered her nakedness. The others were cuffed and prodded until they groggily came to.
As soon as they were able to stand, they were led away. Sly went to find a medic to tend to Anabel, hopefully to neutralize the tranquilizer or at least monitor her until she was back to normal.
“Come on,” Kane told Lilly, gathering up her ruined sundress and taking her arm.
“Wait.” She pointed to a shopping bag on the floor. “That’s what they gave Anabel for helping them get me. I want to see what’s inside.”
He fetched it for her and they opened it together. Inside were neatly rubber-banded stacks of hundred-dollar bills. “There has to be several thousand dollars in here,” Lilly said. “She sold me out for cash?”
“I guess she needed money,” Kane answered, his heart aching at the bewildered and stunned shock darkening Lilly’s expression. “Come on, let me get you home so you can clean up and rest.”
Home. The last cabin on the lane at Wolf Hollow Motor Court Resort.
If Lilly noticed his slip of the tongue, she didn’t comment. Instead, she simply nodded, slipping her hand into his.
Later, after Lilly had showered and he’d taken her up to the main house to let his family see she was safe and vice versa, he watched as she and Kathy, Debi and Sharon put their heads together over some magazine and then traipsed into the kitchen to attempt to make whatever recipe they’d found. With their hair all worn in ponytails of differing hair colors, brunette and blond and redhead, they looked like a hair-color advertisement straight from the pages of some glossy magazine.
Kane’s brothers had taken Tom and the kids outside for a raucous game of tag football, leaving Kane alone with his parents.
“How’d she get away?” his mother asked, watching him closely, her light blue eyes worried. She fingered her braid as she caught him staring at the kitchen doorway through which Lilly had just gone.
He told her, not sure she’d believe the story.
“I’ve heard about that talent somewhere,” his father mused. “I can’t remember where, though. It sounds awfully familiar.”
“The legends mentioned it,” Kane’s mother said, her voice rising with excitement.
“Really?” Kane scratched his head. “I don’t remember ever hearing about anything like that. I remember learning about a Healer, but not any kind of singing skill.”
“I do.” Getting up, she pulled out her laptop and accessed the internet. “They call it being a Wolf Siren. Just one second. Here we are.” She handed the computer to him.
“A Wolf Siren.” he read out loud. “Every generation, a few selective females are born who can sing to determine which male is their mate. The sound of her voice beguiles and bewitches the wolf who is to be hers, but incapacitates any other male or female who hears her sing. In ancient times, these females were revered and became oracles, and their offspring were carefully monitored since it was likely one of their children would carry this gift.”
Both his parents were smiling and nodding. At first, he didn’t realize why, but then he understood.
“It only affected me.” He swallowed hard, his throat tight. “That means I’m her mate.”
“Yes, and once the mated pair acknowledge this fact to each other, the song no longer affects anyone in the same way.” To his shock, his mother winked.
On top of that, next his father playfully punched his arm. “You’re her mate. As if you didn’t know.”
Kane grimaced. He looked down, then at the kitchen doorway, before meeting their eyes. They’d all been through so much today, how could he be any less than honest now. “Yes. I know. I’ve known since the first moment I laid eyes on her.”
“Then why haven’t you talked to her?” his mother asked.
“I don’t think Lilly is ready to hear anything about that. She claims she doesn’t want a relationship. She has this idea that she wants to go off and be on her own.”
“What?” His mother sounded shocked. “That girl spent fifteen years in solitary confinement. If there’s ever been someone who needs to be with someone, she does.”
He shrugged, trying to appear casual, when in fact every word his mother said had hope flowing through his veins and energizing him.
“Doesn’t she realize how difficult it is to find one’s true mate?” his father groused, still smiling, still watching Kane closely. “To disregard such good fortune would be such a waste.”
“You need to tell her, son,” his mother put in. “At least give her the option. Have you ever mentioned how you feel?”
“No.” Kane swallowed. “I didn’t want her to feel she owed me anything, or that she had to be with me out of pity.”
At this, his mother snorted. “Lilly? That girl’s become a regular firecracker. She’s really gained a lot of self-confidence since she’s been here. Give her a chance.”
Give her a chance? As Kane stared at his mother, wondering if she’d lost her mind, or he had, he realized she was right. He’d never actually told Lilly how he felt, and the only discussion they’d ever had about a future relationship, he’d had a sense she was telling him what she thought he wanted to hear.
At the time, he’d told himself that was wishful thinking. Now, he realized he’d never given her a chance to choose.
If she truly wanted to be alone once she knew he loved her, well then he had no choice but to let her go.
“You’re right,” he slowly told his parents. “And I know exactly what I want to do and how I want to do it. I’ll need your help. But first, I want to test something.”
* * *
In the days after the remaining cultists from Sanctuary had been apprehended, Lilly felt a lightness to her spirit that she hadn’t felt since she’d been fifteen, before Jacob Gideon had caught her and Lucas shape-shifting and labeled them demons.
Kathy had taken her under her wing and Lilly suspected they might have become best friends if she’d been able to stick around Leaning Tree longer. Still, for the time she had left here, Lilly accepted the offer of friendship. Debi and Sharon, who seemed to defer to Kathy, appeared to welcome Lilly into their new circle of four.
Today they were cooking desserts. Since the Labor Day celebration had turned into a disaster, none of the law enforcement personnel or first responders had gotten to celebrate the final summer holiday. The women of the McGraw family, led by Kathy, had decided to remedy that. They planned to bake as many cakes, pies and desserts as possible, and then deliver them to those police officers and firefighters and EMTs.
Though Lilly had never baked a single thing in her life, Kathy had laughingly promised to teach her. “Watch and learn,” she said. Sharon and Debi echoed the sentiment. They’d banned the elder Mrs. McGraw from the kitchen, telling her to enjoy her rest, and planned to spend the next several hours baking.
Without the shadow of the cultists hanging over her, Lilly realized she was truly happy. Kane’s family had accepted her as one of their own and sometimes she caught herself wishing she could stay at Wolf Hollow forever. With him.
The thought caused her shivers. Kane had taught her so much, but more importantly, he’d shown her how to have faith in herself. She wondered if her irrational desire to be with him longer would invalidate all she’d learned.
Confused, she decided to take things day by day. Though Lilly had spoken to her brother, Lucas, about the cultists’ capture, she hadn’t yet told him of her tentative plans for the future. Of course she was going to have to stay somewhere until she could find a job. It might as well be with him and Blythe, but she needed to emphasize it would only be temporary. Again, even the thought of leaving Kane felt like ripping a hole in the center of her chest, where her heart was.
Kane hadn’t yet given her a date when they’d be leaving Lea
ning Tree, but the darkening shadows in his amazing eyes told her he, too, had this on his mind.
Later, after all the baked goods had been delivered to their grateful recipients, Kathy dropped Lilly off at her cabin. Kane waited out on the front porch, his guitar on his lap.
Struck by the homey feel of the scene, Lilly got out of the car and waved goodbye, watching as Kathy smiled and drove off.
Feeling inordinately self-conscious, Lilly walked over to Kane. In the waning light, he watched her come, his silver eyes blazing with summer lightning. Her heart turned over in her chest as she drank in his masculine beauty.
“Hey,” she said softly, stopping on the bottom step and looking up at him.
The slow smile he gave her made her feel warm all over. “Hey yourself. I’m playing around with a few songs. Remember that one we worked on together? I played the melody and you made up the lyrics.”
Heart skipping a beat, she nodded. “That’s when I sang and you...”
He nodded. “Yes. I want to try that again.”
Chapter 18
Lilly recoiled, exactly as Kane had known she would. “You can’t be serious,” she said. “I know you don’t remember what happened before, but—”
Setting his guitar down, he got up and crossed the distance to her. “You said you sang when you were captured and the sound of your voice incapacitated the cultists.”
Slowly, she nodded.
“Yet when you sang to me, you said I wanted to jump your bones. I need to know if that’s still the case.”
She frowned. “Why would anything have changed?”
Giving her a deliberately casual shrug, he took her hand. “Come on, try it.”
“Absolutely not.” She jerked her hand away, gave him a look as if she suspected he’d lost his mind, and hurried past him into the cabin.
Dropping back into the rocking chair, he realized he’d gone about this all wrong. Deep inside, he believed she loved him. Getting her to realize this wouldn’t be easy, but he thought he knew how he could go about it.
He had to go big or go home. With that in mind, he put down the guitar and walked a short way from the cabin. He needed to enlist help to pull off what he had in mind. He dug out his cell phone and called his mother.
Once the conversation was finished, he walked back inside. Lilly was still holed up in her room, avoiding him. Though every instinct inside of him wanted to go to her, take her in his arms and show her they belonged together, he forced himself to be patient.
Decision made, he turned and went back outside. He’d walk and clear his head, and then turn in early. Tomorrow would be another day.
* * *
The next morning when Lilly made her way into the kitchen, drawn by the mouthwatering smell of bacon frying, Kane smiled at her and handed her a cup of coffee. “Already made the way you like it,” he said.
Relieved that he wasn’t immediately going to rehash his crazy idea of having her sing, she accepted the mug and took a seat at the kitchen table.
“I’ve also made you breakfast,” he continued, his silver eyes gleaming.
“Thanks.” Should she be suspicious? No, this was Kane. He’d always been upfront with her. “So what’s up?”
“What do you mean?” He set a plate in front of her. Scrambled eggs, toast and three slices of perfectly crisp bacon.
“This.” She leaned over and inhaled the wonderful scents wafting from her plate. “Not that I don’t appreciate it, because I do. But...”
His smile seemed a bit sad. “This is one of our last mornings here together. I wanted to make it special.” He turned away, busying himself again with the stove and his own plate.
His words made her chest tighten. She let her gaze roam over the back of his head, his broad shoulders to his narrow waist, lingering on his amazing backside. Her entire body flushed as she remembered cupping her hands on his taut flesh when they’d made love.
Heart pounding, she forced herself to look away. Though her food had lost its appeal, she picked up her fork and dug in. She barely looked up as Kane carried his own plate over to the table and took the seat across from her.
“Do you like it?”
She nodded. “I do. Thank you very much.”
To prove he hadn’t wasted his efforts, she forced herself to clean her plate. When she looked up again, she realized Kane had done the same. He sat back, drinking his coffee and watching her. She shivered at the heat in his gaze.
“My mother wants to have a party,” he said. “A going-away type of thing. She and Kathy are already deep into planning it.”
Though Lilly could scarcely breathe, she took a deep breath and nodded. “That sounds lovely. When?”
“Tonight?”
Shocked, at first she couldn’t react. “Are we leaving so soon?”
A shadow crossed his face. “Yes.”
She knew she had to ask him when, even if she didn’t really want to know.
As if he understood her dilemma, he told her. “I figured we’d pull out midday tomorrow. I know your brother is eager to see you.”
“He is,” she answered automatically, while mentally reeling at the short notice. “I...I suppose I’d better pack.”
His hand covered hers. “No rush. You can do that in the morning. I want you to thoroughly enjoy today, so I’ve made plans. We’re finally going to take that day trip to Woodstock.”
Now, knowing her time at Wolf Hollow numbered hours, she shook her head. “That sounds lovely, but I’d rather spend time here, with your family.”
“Mom wants us out of the way so she can plan this party,” he told her. “She specifically asked me to find us both something to do away from here.”
That hurt. She knew it shouldn’t have and, while it made perfect sense, she’d rather have spent time with Kane and his family here, in the place she’d grown to love and would always miss.
But none of this was Kane’s fault. Slowly, she nodded. “I understand.”
“Good.” Sounding satisfied, he checked his watch. “Why don’t you get ready while I clean up in here? We’ll head out as soon as you’re ready.”
She fought hard not to allow herself to sink into depression at the thought of leaving. She bit her lip and then pushed to her feet. “I just need a few minutes,” she said.
Once she’d closed her bedroom door, she sank down on the edge of her bed and struggled not to cry. What on earth was wrong with her? She’d known this day was coming, longed for it, in fact. She’d thought she wanted to test her wings and learn to fly solo, but now she realized there was greater strength in learning to forge bonds with others.
Hell, who was she kidding? She wanted Kane. Not just for a day or a week or a month. But forever. Clearly, he didn’t feel the same.
Trying to locate the numbness she’d once used to cloak her heart, she went to her closet, grabbed an old T-shirt and a pair of khaki shorts. She brushed her hair into a tight ponytail, slipped her feet into her most comfortable flip-flops, and sighed. Once, she’d thought she couldn’t wait to get out of Wolf Hollow. Now, realizing how much these people and this place meant to her, she didn’t want to leave.
Squaring her shoulders, she told herself to suck it up and be strong. And then she opened the bedroom door and walked into the den where Kane waited, car keys in hand.
On the drive, she kept her gaze focused on the scenery, afraid if she talked too much, she might let slip how she really felt. Torn apart, hurting and wondering why she couldn’t seem to regain her equilibrium.
Kane appeared to have no such problems. One beautiful, long-fingered hand on the wheel, he drove with his usual self-assured confidence, making her love him more. It broke her heart that he acted as if this day was no different than any other, as if this wasn’t one of the last times they’d spend together before beginning the journey to reunite her with her brother.
As Lilly battled to keep her inner turmoil hidden, Kane sang along with the radio, cheerfully pointing out places of interest as
they drove past. She alternated between wanting to snarl at him and weep. Instead, she kept her head held high, feigning interest in the landscape, and wondering when she’d become such a fool.
Her inner wolf wanted out, and his apparently did, as well. Several times, as she tried to keep her inner beast leashed, she caught Kane struggling to do the same.
The town of Woodstock was crowded and quaint, as though locked in an earlier time. They ate pizza in an outdoor restaurant and wandered in and out of various shops.
She bought a lovely natural stone necklace and earring set, the deep blue and green colors reminding her of a mountain stream. She thought it would always remind her of this place, and this man. The thought brought her melancholy back, though she managed to push it away.
Several hours passed. Attentive and solicitous, Kane also appeared nervous, judging from the numerous glances she caught him sneaking at his watch. He appeared in no hurry to go back home, despite the upcoming party.
Finally, after reading a text message on his phone, he asked Lilly if she was ready to go.
Relieved, she nodded.
As they got in his car, she again fought the urge to kiss him. Once again, she concentrated on the scenery while Kane drove.
As they approached the turnoff to Wolf Hollow, Kane pulled over. “I need you to do me a favor.”
Crossing her arms, she waited.
“Mom has been decorating the backyard all day and she doesn’t want you to see it yet. She wants it to be a surprise.”
“I’ll cover my face with my hands,” she said.
He grimaced. “I promised her I’d tie this scarf over your eyes. Do you mind?”
Did she mind? Not really. What she minded was that there even was a necessity of a going-away party. If she was honest, she’d like to stay at Wolf Hollow, or at least in Leaning Tree, for the indefinite future. Maybe even...dare she think it? Maybe even forever.
“Fine,” she said, holding perfectly still while he tied a silken scarf over her eyes.
Once he had it secure, she waited for him to put the car back in Drive. Instead, he kissed her, his lips touching hers like a whisper. Shocked, at first she couldn’t respond, but then as he continued to sensually caress her with his mouth, she returned his kiss with reckless abandon. Surely now, he must understand how she felt about him. Surely now, he’d tell her he wasn’t going to leave her.
The Wolf Siren Page 25
