by Maddie Foxx
Raphael just stood there as she made her retreat in search of the children. Her vampire instincts told her they were about two hundred yards from her. As she advanced toward them, she heard a man swear under his breath.
“Where is your mama?” a man asked.
“Stop, you’re h-hurting me!” Melody shouted.
By the time Tessa was on them, the man had disappeared in the trees. Tessa ran to her side and went down on one knee, asking, “Are you okay?”
“Yes. I should have shifted and tore that man’s face apart with my beak.”
“What happened?” Maxwell shouted as he joined them.
“It was Jason Traxler. He wanted to know where my mama is—like I’d know. I haven’t seen her since my dad took me here to live.”
“Let’s go back to the cabin. It’s not safe if that man is lurking around. Your dad and Maxwell’s uncle needs to know about Jason being on Silver Creek land.”
Tessa took both Melody’s and Maxwell’s hands and brought them back inside. “Jason Traxler was just outside,” Tessa announced.
“What?” Raphael said.
“He grabbed my arm,” Melody said. “He’s looking for Mama.”
Seth took his daughter into his arms. “Are you okay, Pumpkin?”
“Yes, but it hurt real bad.”
“Where were you when this happened, Maxwell?” Raphael asked disapprovingly.
“It’s not his fault. That man has no right to be here. Perhaps you should look for him before he causes more problems,” Tessa said.
“I wasn’t that far away from Melody,” Maxwell said with clenched fists. He then ran into a room and slammed the door.
“Great, this is all I need. Maxwell mad at me again.”
“I can understand your anger, but you’re misplacing it right now,” Tessa stated. “Are you going to look for Jason or am I?”
“Why haven’t you already?” Tessa gave Raphael a dirty look and he quickly apologized. “I’m sorry. Of course you were more concerned with bringing the children back.”
“Yes, and I only came upon Maxwell and Melody. By the time I got there, he was gone.”
Raphael and Seth were out the door in an instant. Palina pushed a button on the wall and a siren went off. Tessa put her hands over her ears. “What the hell?”
“It’s supposed to alert the other werewolves.”
A pounding went past the cabin and Tessa opened the door to see ten wolves. Raphael was giving out orders to find Jason Traxler. “I want him alive.” She then watched Raphael shed his skin with a mighty howl and transform into wolf-form. It was an unsettling sight, and not for the meek.
Tessa knocked on Maxwell’s door and he opened it. She quickly scanned the small room, which only held a bed and dresser. On the wall, he had a picture of a woman holding a baby.
“That’s my mother,” he said. “I found it in my father’s things after he died.”
“She’s beautiful. It’s no wonder you are quite the handsome young man.”
“I just wish somebody would tell me why she really left. There has to be a story behind it.”
“Would that be enough for you, or is there more involved here?”
“Is it so wrong to want to find my mother? She’s the only family I have.”
“You have plenty of family here. Your uncle cares about you, and how about Palina?”
Maxwell frowned as he sat on the bed. “He’s okay, I suppose. But I really need a mother. My uncle is so hard on me.”
“He’s just trying to teach you how to be a man who will someday be alpha.”
“I guess, but I need a mother. One who would read me bedtime stories.”
Tessa sat next to him and gazed into his eyes. “I could read you a story if you like.”
He eyes lit up. “Would you, really?”
“Sure.”
Maxwell took out a book and Tessa smiled as she accepted it. “Little Red Riding Hood?”
“Yes. I like how cunning the wolf is, but in this version the girl is eaten by the wolf,” he said with a wicked grin.
What else would a werewolf want to have read to him? “I suppose you have a different version of the Three Little Pigs, too.”
“How did you know? You should read the version of The Three Bears, too. Goldilocks doesn’t come out of that okay.”
Tessa laughed and couldn’t quit for a few minutes. “Can Melody listen to the story, too?”
“If you insist.”
“It’s totally up to you, Maxwell. It’s your book.”
“How about next time you can read to her?”
“Don’t you get along with Melody?”
“She’s okay, I guess, but girls really get on my nerves sometimes.”
Tessa could agree with that. She opened the book and read to Maxwell who crawled under the covers, a smile on his face. By the time she was done, he was fast asleep. She crept out of the room and Palina was in a rocking chair. The dining room had been all cleaned up, so she asked, “Do you need help with the dishes?”
“No, already done. How did it go in there?”
“Good. I read him a story and he fell asleep. He probably should have brushed his teeth before bed.”
“I’ll make sure he does in the morning. Melody was kind of upset. Could you run over to Shadow Creek and check on her mother?”
“Yes, but I don’t have a car here.”
“You can take the truck, but be sure to be back before dawn.”
“I sure will since I need to be in bed by then.”
Palina gave Tessa the keys and she took off in the truck, heading to Shadow Creek. She had her own sense of foreboding and just knew that Carrie couldn’t possibly be safely home for Jason to be at Silver Creek. He should know that his presence wasn’t allowed there. If that man harmed Melody, Tessa would take action.
CHAPTER EIGHT
When Tessa drove into Shadow Creek, her headlights hit Brendan and Chase, who were talking to Angus.
She hopped out and headed straight for them. “Sorry to bother you so soon after I left, but Jason Traxler showed up over at Silver Creek and shook Melody up. He grabbed her arm and asked her where her mama is. Could we check to see if Carrie’s okay? Palina asked me to.”
“Sure thing,” Brendan said.
Angus and Chase hopped in the back of the truck while Brendan rode in the cab with Tessa, who drove down a pathway as she was instructed where Carrie lived. There was no car parked next to the cabin, or signs that anyone was there. They made way for the door anyway and as Brendan was about to knock, it moved open on its own.
“Stand back, Tessa,” Brendan demanded.
“I don’t think so.”
Tessa slowly walked in, and Brendan called out, “Carrie, are you here?”
A shape moved close to them—it was Carrie’s daughter, Ariel, wrapped in a blanket.
“Are you okay?” Tessa asked, shocked.
“Yes, I just shifted back to human form is all. I’ve been searching for that mother of mine after Jason and Earl showed up here looking for her earlier.”
“And they didn’t try to harm you?” Angus asked in his deep voice.
“Nope. I nearly stabbed that bastard the last time he tried to muscle through the door.”
“Did he believe you that she wasn’t here?” Tessa asked.
“I let him take a look. Otherwise, I thought he might just never leave.”
“Do you know where your mother is?”
“Nope. Carrie doesn’t report back to me. I had hoped she’d have gotten away from Jason by now, but no such luck. I hope that wherever she is, she stays there for her own safety.”
Brendan thanked Ariel, insisting she stay closer to the main house. “Tessa just vacated a cabin where you can stay,” Brendan said. “I won’t take no for an answer. I won’t have that man coming back here. He’s already gone over to Silver Creek, asking Melody where she was.”
“Melody? How would she know? She hasn’t even seen Mom since she left.�
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“Jason sure seems to be out of control this time,” Brendan stated. “I’m sure Raphael and the werewolves are searching for him as we speak.”
Tessa drove back to the main house, dropping Brendan, Chase, Ariel, and Angus off then zooming back to Silver Creek. When she arrived, Raphael and Seth were chatting on the porch. They stood when she parked and got out.
“I went to check on Carrie, but she’s not home. Ariel was there, though, and Brendan made sure she went to stay at my old cabin so she’d be safe. She saw Jason today, too. He wasn’t quite as pushy with her, but who knows? He might just come back there.”
“We tracked him and his friend, but couldn’t find him. His truck was parked on the east side of the property judging by the tire tracks. He drove through a fence to exit our property.”
“So is that it, then?”
“Yes. Not much else we can do, but I’ll post a guard at the entrance again in case he tries to come back. We’ll have to take turns patrolling the ranch, but I have a feeling he won’t be back here,” Raphael said.
“He’s not our problem,” Seth added. “But if he ever comes back here again, we’ll handle it.”
“Handle it how? Call in the sheriff?” Tessa asked.
Raphael arched a brow. “How else did you figure?”
“You know, exterminate the varmint.”
“He’s not an animal, he’s a human. And you just can’t go around killing humans without having the law at your door.”
“It’s been done before.”
“That was different. They killed an alpha,” Raphael reasoned with her.
“Fine, but I won’t feel good until Carrie is found safe.”
“It’s her doing since she continues to be involved with that man. She knows the risks,” Seth practically spat.
“Are you saying she deserves to be beaten by that man?”
Seth looked hurt by her question. “Of course not. She’s been warned. We’ve all told her. Damn, Brendan and Chase told her, too. She sacrificed her own daughter to be with him.”
Tessa knew he was right, but it still didn’t sit well with her. She wanted to kill that bastard; it was the only way he’d ever be stopped. If he continued the way he was, there was no telling who else might be in danger.
“I’m going back to my cabin. I read Maxwell a story, by the way. He really would do better if he had a mother figure, and I’m not talking about Palina. You should really find a mate, Raphael.”
“Are you volunteering for the job?” Raphael asked with a smile.
“No. I can’t give you the things a mate should, like children and someone who can be up and about during the day.”
“I told you I don’t care about having children. I saw how you handled Maxwell and stuck up for him when you thought I went too far with the boy.”
“You should be careful how you treat him. He’s in a fragile state right now.”
“Yes, but boys need to be tough, and a werewolf even more so,” Raphael countered.
“I know, but I have a soft spot for the boy. I can understand how he feels. He wants to find his mother. You really need to figure out why she really left and if it’s in any way possible for him to find her, for Maxwell’s sake.”
“And if she wants to take him from Silver Creek?”
“Are you saying you’d rather be selfish enough to keep him here if he has the chance at real happiness?”
“Not saying that at all. Geez, woman, I’d just be worried about him. How could any human possibly raise a werewolf away from the pack?”
“I don’t know. I just worry about the boy.”
“Just spend time with him like I asked you to. It might be all he really needs.”
“Can you take me back to my cabin, or should I walk?”
“We will,” both men said. Tessa got on the back of Seth’s ATV and he tore off back to the cabin. When they arrived, she hopped off and unlocked the door. As she turned, Raphael was right next to her while Seth was waiting on his ATV, revving the engine.
“What now?”
“Can I come inside?” Raphael asked suggestively.
Tessa was taken aback. Exactly what kind of ‘come inside’ is he referring to? “I don’t think so, not tonight. I have things on my mind.”
Raphael moved toward her in a way that was more like stalking his prey. All she could think about was how she wanted to feel his mouth not just on her lips, but her entire body. Of course, she refrained from saying that. He pushed her back against the door, molding his hard body against her much softer one. He gazed down at her hungrily, tracing her face with his fingers. She shifted her hips slightly so she wouldn’t feel his erection against her leg. It would be her undoing. Even with only that much contact, her body responded with a throbbing sensation in her lower body. She was breathing heavily and his lips curved into a smile. He still hadn’t kissed her!
“Are you planning to kiss me, or…” she breathed into his mouth.
“How can I just kiss you when I want to do so much more?” He compromised by kissing her on the forehead then moved away. “Another time, perhaps.”
Every nerve ending in her body screamed for him to come back and lay his hands and mouth and whatever other part of his body on her that he wanted. She needed to feel him, desperately, but she was the one who kept insisting she wasn’t ready. Was that still the case? She was still a little confused about Seth. She had thought he was also interested in her, but he really hadn’t even tried to make a move on her, or said anything out of turn. It had only been Raphael—not that she was complaining. She couldn’t help but wonder what secrets Seth might be hiding from her, and possibly even Raphael.
She whirled and went into her cabin, slamming the door behind her as she was shaking from head to foot. Why wouldn’t Raphael kiss her? She had to admit the night was eventful overall and it was probably for the best, but however would she get to sleep after that encounter? It was then that she noticed the windows had heavy burgundy drapes on them. Raphael sure thought of everything. Tessa shimmied out of her clothing and carefully placed them on the end of the bed, slipping between the cotton sheets, which felt like Heaven to her. She loved the coolness, but as it brushed against her nipples, they hardened and she put her hands where she wished Raphael would put his. But she then rolled on her side, tucking the pillow under her head. After plenty of flip-flops later, she finally managed to drift off to a heavy sleep.
* * *
“I thought you were planning to give Tessa some space?” Seth asked Raphael.
“I am.”
Seth just shook his head. “It didn’t look like it. I thought you were planning to do her against the door.”
“That would be interesting. Look – there’s no need to be jealous, Seth. What’s going on with you lately, anyway? I thought we planned to be with her together.”
“I’m not so sure. I mean, she’s not about to make up her mind anytime soon.”
“Women do change their minds, you know.”
“Why is everything always just sex with you?”
Raphael felt his temper rising now. “What are you saying? I haven’t even been with a female since I’ve been back, werewolf or otherwise.” He gripped the beam of the porch and added, “I’m not sure where you’re coming from lately. I’m the one who should be on edge.”
“For what, exactly? It seems like things are going just like you want them to, like always.”
“For one thing, Maxwell doesn’t exactly like me, in case you haven’t noticed. And now, he seems to have a fixation about his mother.”
“What are you worried about?”
“That if he finds her, she might take him from Silver Creek. She’d have every legal right to do just that.”
“What he needs is a mother figure. I think if he had one he’d settle down. Tessa didn’t mean to bring it up. She was just curious.”
“I’m not blaming her. It’s just opened up a can of worms.”
The door opened and Pal
ina said, “Get in here, Seth. Melody is past upset about her mother. She needs you.”
Seth went to Melody’s room and she was crying. “Oh, Daddy. What if that bad man finds Mama? I’m afraid he might hurt her real bad this time.”
“She wasn’t home. Tessa went over to Shadow Creek to check. Ariel is staying closer to the main house now, too. I’m sure it’s Brendan and Chase’s top priority to find her. They won’t allow anything bad to happen to her.”
Melody blew her nose on a tissue. “Promise me you’ll go over there in the morning to ask if she showed back up.”
“Just as soon as I take you to school, I will. Now, get ready for bed.”
“I already have my pajamas on,” she pointed out.
“I can see that. Are your teeth brushed yet?”
“Yes, Palina told me to get ready for bed while you were outside. Did Tessa get back home okay?”
“Yes, she’s fine.”
“Good. I like her. She’s pretty for a vampire.”
“Oh, and what did you think one looked like?”
“I don’t know, old and ugly like those black and white movies Palina watched with us a few times. She made us promise not to tell. Please, don’t be mad.”
He tucked Melody in, kissing her on the forehead. “How could I ever be mad at you?”
Seth joined Raphael and Palina at the table. He was handed a cup of jasmine tea, and he sipped it slowly. When he set it down, he asked, “So, what is the story about Maxwell’s mother?”
“Shhh, not so loud,” she said. She checked Maxwell’s door and tiptoed back. “You both need to forget all about that woman.”
“So, she’s still alive?” Raphael asked. “If that’s true, why haven’t you contacted her? Maxwell needs her.”
“He doesn’t even know her. She left Silver Creek when Maxwell was only a baby.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
Raphael wasn’t buying that for a minute. “Yes, you do. Spill it.”
Palina stood up at that. “I’m your grandmother, boy, and you’d do better to show me some respect.”
“I am, but as alpha I need to know what I’m up against.”
“If only that vampire hadn’t asked Maxwell that question. She’s the one who stirred this up.”
