Fangs for the Memories

by Julia Talbot

  “That’s perfect. You’re a prince.” Walking right out into the forest would make it way easier to catch the wolf.

  “I’ve been feeding him about ten yards from your front door.”

  “My smart kitty friend.” He beamed. “I get to feed him tonight?”

  “You do. We have some roast in there—cooked for you, raw for him.”

  “Excellent.” He bounced like Carter normally would. This was a new, exciting adventure. Tom couldn’t wait.

  “Do you want to get settled, or do you want to come into the main house, honey?”

  “Can I get started? I’ll come up for supper tomorrow since it’s getting dark so early, so I can visit with everyone.”

  “Of course. I’m off tomorrow evening, so we can visit for a while. There’s milk, beer, coffee, of course.”

  “Peanut butter cookies?” he asked, hopeful.

  “Obvi.”

  “I could hug you again. But you’re driving.”

  “Right?” Carter chortled.

  He was the luckiest werewolf on record. Carter drove him up to the farthest cabin, the one he’d come to know so well.

  Hopping out, he took his suitcase when Carter handed it over, and took the one-armed hug Carter gave him.

  “Sleep well, honey. I’ll see you tomorrow night. You know you can call.”

  “I know. I adore you.” He itched to strip down and shift.

  He wanted to meet the wolf. So bad. Why not? Tom took his bag inside, but instead of shifting, he turned on the heat, then bundled up. He’d just remembered he was supposed to be feeding the wolf tonight.

  Tom walked out the back of the cabin where the little deck looked into the woods. He moved into the trees, the meat smelling coppery and wonderful. This was the most important thing. Taking care of….

  His nose wrinkled.

  Poor wolf. That wasn’t disease. But it was hunger and desperation and maybe a wound or two.

  And… humanity. Whoa.

  “You’re one of us.” The words fell out of his lips. If the wolf was in earshot, would he understand? There was something very wrong. “You’re in no danger from us.”

  God, he needed to speak to Carter.

  But he needed to feed the shifter before he scared him off. Keep him coming back. Okay. Feed. Then call.

  He dropped the dish on the ground and retrieved the metal pan from the day before. “I mean it. If you can understand, you’re safe here.”

  He saw the wolf out of the corner of his eye, farther up into the trees but an obvious silhouette. So skinny, and the coat was in bad shape too.

  Tom vocalized softly. Oh, poor baby. He hated that fear, the waves of pain.

  “I know you can hear me. I’m your friend, wolf. I want to be your advocate. Eat, and if you want to sleep in my cabin, I’ll leave the back door open a crack. Please, it’s too cold out here for you, as weak as you are.”

  The wolf stared at him, eyes glowing in the darkness, the light a clear beam.

  “I mean it. You can come in. I won’t try to keep you there.” He made a mental note to add that to his list of things to talk to Carter about. He’d pay the extra power bill. Maybe he’d build a fire. Jami never did that. Vamps and fire….

  He loved one, though. Loved the way the flames danced.

  “Come on when you’re ready,” Tom said softly. “I have more roast, but it’s cooked.” He would share.

  He held the wolf’s gaze because he couldn’t afford not to. This was law. It wasn’t in him to deny that. The wolf held his eyes for longer than he’d imagined, but eventually it dropped its gaze. It had to.

  Tom was the healthier, bigger wolf, even in human form. In wolf form, well, he was intimidating. Now he could turn back and go inside, trekking across the deck and into the cabin to find his coffee. The fire was laid, so he clicked the lighter to set the kindling and paper going.

  His mind was on that skinny wolf, though. One of ours. One of us. Lost, but one of us.

  A plan. Tom had to make a plan, but so much would depend on whether the shifter came inside tonight. How skittish was he?

  He grabbed his phone and dialed Carter, who answered immediately. “What do you need, man?”

  “He’s a shifter, Carter. He’s one of us.”

  Chapter Three

  WOLF stared, frozen to the spot.

  That one was new. That one was… new.

  Goddess, he wanted that meat.

  He waited to make sure the other was gone, back in the cabin, and once the smoke stained the air, he began to creep forward. In the dark, once the smoke came, the humans stayed indoors.

  He shook his head, clearing snow off his ears so he could hear it if someone was sneaking up to capture him. They did that. Trapped his kind. Tried to domesticate them.

  Tried to take their balls.

  He whimpered softly before heading straight for the food and eating in harsh gulps. So good, and energy flooded him once more, his body warm for glorious moments.

  Warm.

  He could go in there. Sleep, just for tonight. If he stayed right by the door….

  No.

  No, that was how they caught you. Food and shelter and then you were in a cage.

  Wolf shook his coat out, his feet slipping a little. No, he had a den. The food he would take, but there was no going inside. He backed up until the cabin was almost out of sight before he ran.

  It scared him how much he wanted that warm house.

  Then again, everything was frightening right now.

  He slowed after he neared his den, his heartbeat still tripping too fast. In case anyone had followed him, he circled around, sniffing the air to make sure he was alone. His den was his safe place, not a man’s house.

  He marked the area, his territory, warning off the others. This was his place and he would defend it. He had all his teeth, and he was desperate. No one should ever underestimate that. He dug into his den, which was a depression where erosion had worn away the earth around the roots of a tree. He’d dug it out and filled it with tree needles and bits of cloth from the trash.

  He pushed in, deep enough that no one could see him, and he curled up, grooming the ice from his paws carefully. He’d survived one infection, just barely; there would be no more.

  Wolf finally laid his head down, tail over his nose to keep him breathing warmer air all night.

  He closed his eyes, then closed his heart to the man who had fed him. Wolf didn’t need men to help him survive. Oh, he would take that food, but the rest?

  No. He’d left that behind.

  TOM had been pretty disappointed to find the wolf hadn’t come in during the night. There weren’t even footprints on the deck.

  He’d made himself breakfast, ordered lunch, and now he was going to have supper with Carter, since dark came before supper at this time of the year.

  They had to have a powwow. He wanted that wolf in where it was safe.

  He headed over to the main house, which was always so cheerful inside. Tanner was basically a well-adjusted bear, and it showed. Thank goodness Fallon was not the decorator.

  Vamps could be so gloomy. Fallon was all modern and sleek. It was a little depressing.

  He loved the whole rustic thing, the warmth, the cushions.

  “Hey, you! How was your night?”

  “He never came in. I feel so guilty for not just going and getting him, but he’s deep in his wolf.” He gave Carter a hug.

  “I remember that, kinda. It’s real distant, but my cat and human aren’t tied too tight.”

  “I think mine are more than some because I was bitten, not born.” He had no idea if that was true, because no one had ever done a study or anything. His gut just told him.

  “Possibly, yes. I don’t know, but I’m glad you heard him.”

  “Yeah. I’m glad you called me. So what smells so good?”

  “Pork chops and applesauce. Tanner had a craving.”

  “Smells amazing.” He licked his lips, smacking them.<
br />
  “Yeah. There are fried potatoes too. It’ll be a feast.”

  He chuckled. “You can eat regular food?”

  Carter shook his head. “Not that. I can handle rare meat, usually. That’s why Tanner’s so excited you’re here.”

  “Ah.” He nodded sagely. When Carter and Fallon had mated, they’d taken on some of each other’s characteristics. It had been tough going. “Any other guests?”

  “Not until tomorrow. Then we have a pair of ermine shifters.”

  “Wow. I promise not to eat them.”

  “Yeah, that would be… awkward. At best.”

  “Now, if they venture out, though, the other wolf….”

  “Nope. You can be on guard in the day, and I can do it at night.” Carter scowled deeply at him, as if reinforcing the idea that he was going to help, come what may. “He can’t battle me, not even close.”

  “No. No, he’s not sick so much as worn out, but….” Tom sighed. “I want to earn his trust.”

  “Hopefully he’ll be willing. I hate thinking he’s out there hurting.”

  “Me too.” He clapped Carter on the back. “You have a night off. Is that weird?”

  “Totally. I’m going to completely get laid once Fal’s word count is done, though.”

  He laughed, delighted. They walked into the kitchen, where Tanner was singing some kind of sea shanty. At the top of his lungs.

  The huge bear beamed at him, dark eyes dancing. “Mr. Tom! Welcome home!”

  “Hey, Tanner!” He took the bear hug Tanner offered, breathing deep. Tanner always smelled like woodsmoke and flannel, with a hint of earthy bear scent. He gave the best hugs, wrapping around him like a… well, a bear.

  “So, rumor is you made contact with our intruder. He’s a shifter?”

  “I’m sure of it. He’s sunk deep. Clearly there’s been some kind of trauma. But he’s one of us.”

  “Thank the moon no one hunted him.”

  “That we know of.” Carter sighed. “We need to bring him in as soon as possible, find out what his story is.”

  “I’m on it. If we have to, we’ll trap him, but I don’t think we’ll have to.” Tom smiled sadly. “I could sense his fear but also his need to be in a pack.”

  “You just tell us what you need, Tom. We’re fairly well equipped after Carter’s debacle.”

  “Hey!” Carter was smiling, though, not grumpy. “It was kind of a debacle, huh?”

  “It was awful,” Tanner muttered, but Tom thought they’d managed. Tanner did have to worry about multiple guests, though, and Fallon was his best friend. It had to be distressing.

  “I say we try to make this one more… seamless,” Tom suggested.

  “Works for me. We could drug his food.” Carter’s eyes twinkled.

  “Carter.” He gave Carter a mock growl, which made everyone laugh. “I’ll figure it out. I need his trust.”

  “It would be easier if they had wolfnip.”

  Oh yes. That had been how Fallon had tempted Carter in.

  “I think meat and warmth will do it. At some point he’s lived with people. I just know it.” He wasn’t sure how, and it didn’t matter. He would shift and see if they couldn’t communicate.

  Right now? Pork chops. “Smells so good, Tanner.”

  “Yeah. I’ve been waiting for an excuse to make them.”

  “Wait no longer!” His stomach growled even louder than he had.

  Tanner dished up, and they all sat. It was weird, Carter not having a plate too. He had a coffee mug as big as his head, and Tom grinned. At least the smell of the food didn’t make Carter sick. He’d met a vampire in Dallas who got violently ill at the scent of cooked meat. Which was a toughie in Dallas….

  It fascinated him, how Tanner spoke to Carter like a partner now, not like a manager. Tanner seemed happier, and Carter’s joy shone from him like a beacon.

  Tom basked in it awhile. The pork chops were perfect, just medium, still juicy but crisp on the outside.

  “Hey, Tom!” Jami grinned over when he bustled into the kitchen, the night auditor as pale and classy as ever. “Long time no see.”

  “Hey! Good to see you. You did a great job setting up my cabin. Thank you.” Jami was a pretty Zen guy; Tom liked him.

  “Of course. If you need anything, holler. Anything at all.”

  “I totally will.” Tom grinned when Jami gave him a little one-armed hug on the way by. Damn, it was good to be family.

  He leaned back once he was done with seconds, patting his belly. “Oh, that was good.”

  “Wasn’t it?” Tanner had had fourths. Maybe fifths.

  “Yep. Thank you so much.”

  “There are two pork chops for your wolf,” Tanner murmured.

  “Thank you. Soon I’ll know his true name, I hope.”

  “I hope so too. I don’t want him hurt, but he could put a real crimp on business.” Tanner spread his hands and shrugged.

  “I know. Ermine.”

  Yummy.

  He realized he was licking his lips when the other two stared at him. “Sorry.”

  Carter chuffed happily, bright eyes laughing at him.

  “Yeah. I’ll avoid them too.” He winked, because eating a guest would be bad.

  Especially for Tanner.

  “I knew it was a problem, accepting guests that weren’t predators….”

  “I thought the yeti was a vegetarian….”

  “Yeah, but are you going to eat him?” Tanner waggled his eyebrows.

  “Yeah, no. He’s… fuzzy.”

  “And cold.”

  “And stacked like a brick shit house.” Tanner hooted when he said it.

  “Well, go for it, Tanner,” Carter said.

  “Nah. He’s wide-awake in the winter, sleeps all summer. Opposites.”

  “Shame, I bet he’s hung like a… a—”

  “Yeti?” Tom offered.

  “Right.” Carter slapped his leg. “Of course, I knew a wee fox shifter once who was hung like a moose.”

  “No shit?” That surprised him.

  “No shit. They are disproportionately large.”

  “Huh.” Tanner said it meditatively, stroking his chin. “Apple pie?”

  “Bears and foxes are… not a simple connection,” Tom pointed out.

  “Nope. But apple pie is. Ice cream?”

  “I’m gonna explode.” Tom cleared plates.

  “Uh-huh. Want?”

  “I do. Please.” He never could resist ice cream.

  “I’ll dish up and then go up.” Carter’s eyes were distant, like he was hearing a call.

  “Can we have a beer tomorrow?” Tom asked. He understood.

  “We can have two.” Carter kissed his cheek, the caress electric.

  “Thank you, kitty.”

  Tanner was watching them fondly.

  He swore, if Carter hadn’t been mated….

  Tom and Tanner both sighed when Carter left. The pie was still warm. Oh, heaven.

  Better than sex. No question.

  He hummed, licking ice cream off his spoon. “Pretty worried, huh?”

  “He seems desperate. Desperate equals dangerous.”

  “True. He seems determined to stay somewhere remote, but hunger is powerful.”

  “Yes. Carter feeds him.”

  “I know. Thank you for the pork chops.”

  “I bought too many,” Tanner said. “I forget still that we have fewer meat eaters.”

  “Our new friend will be ravenous, once he remembers how to change.”

  “He’s not now?” Tanner looked a little disbelieving.

  “No, now he’s cautious. Scared. Hurting, some.”

  “Well, you know I’m a sap. If I can help, I will.” Tanner licked his plate.

  “Give me a day or two to lure him in. If I can’t, we’ll trap him.”

  “Fair enough. I’ll be out in the main room, reading, if you want to join me.” Tanner put the plates in the sink after rising like a mountain. The guy was such a be
ar.

  “Let me run out and see if he’s waiting for me.” He stopped. “Food, I mean.”

  “No, I get it. Go.” Tanner waved at him, smile never dimming.

  “I’ll be back.”

  He grabbed the pork chops from the kitchen and headed out, the scent of the wolf strong tonight.

  Someone was waiting for his food.

  He went through the cabin to light the fire. Then he headed right out back.

  Tom stood on the back porch, eyes searching the woods.

  There. Eyeshine. He hummed, walking slowly out to the trees.

  Meat meat meat.

  Whoa.

  Fucking whoa.

  Tom stumbled back a step, blinking hard. He could hear that plain as day. How could that be?

  Shaking off his surprise, he moved forward again. “I do have meat.”

  He had to be… what? Reading pheromones?

  “I have pork chops. They’re good.”

  The wolf moved out from the shadow of the tree he was hiding behind but didn’t come closer.

  “There’s warmth in the cabin. I know you’re scared, but there’s safety, food, heat.”

  The wolf backed up a step.

  No! He held out the meat. “Wait. Wait, I’ll leave it. You need to eat.”

  He put the meat down, then stepped back, encouraged when the wolf stepped forward. Tom didn’t go all the way to his cabin, encouraging the wolf to eat while he stood there.

  The wolf watched him, stared at him, then trusted him enough to bend to the pork. Oh. Oh, good deal.

  Those powerful jaws snapped the meat up in just a few bites.

  “Please.” He said it softly. “Come in where it’s warm. I won’t trap you or hurt you.”

  I can’t. The wolf bowed for him, panting hard.

  “Yes you can.” He backed up a step, elation lighting him up when the wolf followed. “You’re so cold. So tired. I swear, there’s more food, fresh water.”

  A wave of longing hit him, and he knew the wolf had been mostly drinking snow as he melted it with his own body heat.

  “I know, right? I was in that shape a few winters ago. I needed a safe place to heal.”

  Those ears flicked back and forth, the nose working hard as the wolf scented him.

  “I can help. I can. No one here wants to harm you.” He thought the idea as hard as he could.