by GA Hauser
Roman continued to read, flipping the page.
"What am I supposed to do? Huh? I have to tell our supervisors. I swear, Burk, you're a pain in the ass!"
"Me?" Roman looked up at him. "Oh, so sorry, Dean, to be inconvenient to your boring life."
"Is Butch? Huh? Did you turn him as well as Charlie?"
"No. Now shut up and let me read." Roman refocused on the reports.
"My life's not boring," Phil muttered.
Roman tried to keep his concentration.
"These ritual killings," Phil asked, "Are they from your kind? Do you know?"
"My kind?" Roman met Phil's eyes. "My kind?" he asked loudly. Roman noticed Phil's gaze dart to Roman's shoulder holster, lying where he had left it, near the sofa where Roman was now sitting.
"You turn wolf on me and I will shoot you." Phil pointed in warning.
"Don't piss me off then." Roman finished reading the reports and tossed the paperwork on the coffee table. "Are you going to help me, or do I have to do this on my own?"
"What can I do?" Phil sat beside him, interlacing his fingers on his lap.
Roman took a huge leap of faith and confided in his ex-ATF partner. "Someone located me and Charlie in Nevada."
"Someone." Phil appeared deadly serious.
"Or some thing."
"What are we talking about?"
"I wish I knew." Roman ran his hand over his hair and took a deep breath. "He showed up last Friday."
"What's its name?"
"I don't know. He's not human."
Phil cracked a smile, then as if he thought about it, his smirk fell. "What is he?"
"He said he's an 'Alpha', like in wolf. And he is. Phil, he changes into an enormous white timber wolf."
Phil opened his mouth in surprise but didn't reply.
Roman added, "And in human form, he's a big fucker, wears black, carries a fucking broadsword."
"A sword?"
Nodding, Roman said, "He looks like he's from another time period. When he speaks, his voice is out of sync. And yes, it's literally as fucked up as it sounds." Roman pointed to his cracked lip. "He attacked me and Charlie right before you showed up. I got this battling him off."
"Why didn't you shoot him? A sword? Totally justified."
"I can't shoot him. He shifts from wolf to man and passes through walls."
Suddenly Phil gave Roman a look of skepticism. "You had me until that last line. And that's only because I've seen you and Charlie as wolves. And you as a fucking crow."
Roman held up his hand to stop the sarcasm he knew was coming. "Are you in or out?"
"I'll ask again. What do you need me to do?"
Roman thought about how to respond. Then he sank in the sofa cushions and said, "Christ. I don't know." He covered his face in his hands and rubbed his eyes in exhaustion.
A touch to his shoulder brought Roman back from his thoughts. Phil was gazing at him in sympathy. "We'll hunt the fuckers down. I'll call Nick. Get him to give me resources."
Roman felt a lump in his throat. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet. I have no idea how to hunt an alpha ghost from a different century." Phil stood and checked his mobile phone. "My office is close by, my apartment is closer. I can be here in ten minutes if you need me."
Roman walked him to the door. "I wish I had a panic button to summon you. My paws are too big to dial."
Phil laughed and shook his head. "You stupid asshole. Who told you to walk into that fucking room back at the deserted factory?"
"You did." Roman cupped the nape of Phil's neck affectionately, shaking him.
"Don't you dare kiss me." Phil leaned away.
"Why? Tempted?"
"No!" Phil nudged him back. "And if you bite me, I will shoot you. I don't want what you and Charlie have. Believe me."
"I won't bite you." Roman tried to keep his sense of humor. "Tomorrow morning Charlie and I are going to check out the spot where the killings are taking place."
Phil nodded. "I read the report. Same area as two years back."
"Yes."
"You want me here?"
"I want an army, but having you will help."
"You find out who is doing this, and I will get you an army."
Roman felt his emotions tug. Friends like Phil were hard to come by. He cupped Phil's cheeks and pecked his lips.
"Roman…" Phil warned. "No bromance shit. Ya got it?"
"Got it." Roman laughed and walked Phil to his car, feeling the icy air instantly.
"Keep a cool head." Phil used his key fob to unlock his SUV, an ATF vehicle with exempt license plates and a dashboard red and blue light. "I know what happens when you get mad. You're worse than the Hulk."
Roman gave Phil a playful punch in the arm. "See ya in the morning."
"Try and sleep. We'll fix this." After sitting behind the wheel, Phil started the engine, and drove off.
Roman stepped back and waved, heading to the ranch house. He glanced at the tail lights fading away, driving down the lane behind the sparkling white lights around the trees. He noticed a shadow lurking. His smile dropped and he entered the house quickly, seeing everyone seated in the dining room around the table.
"'bout time!" JP yelled, holding up a glass of wine, possibly drunk.
"Roman." Vernon stood. "Come on. We saved some food for ya."
Roman smelled the meat and his mouth watered. He sat at the table beside Charlie and everyone passed him a platter at once. Roman laughed and said, "Love you guys," as he took a slice of the meat.
"Back at ya." Butch winked.
Roman caught Sherlane's suspicious gaze and didn't react, helping himself to the food as everyone laughed and seemed to be enjoying themselves, the wine, and the beer.
He felt Charlie's hand on his thigh and looked at him.
"You all right?" Charlie asked.
"I'm fine." Roman handed off the platter of meat and took the potatoes as Goat enjoyed a second helping. "I'll fill you in later."
Charlie nodded and put his arm on the back of Roman's chair, affectionately brushing against him.
Roman began eating and moaned. "Oh, Connie. So good."
Butch laughed. "Don't lick the plate!"
JP roared with laughter and Roman gave Butch a reproving eye. "I may." He smiled and tried to pretend this was a normal family gathering. But he knew…it was anything but.
Chapter 12
Charlie was full, tired, and needed to lie down. After the meal they had all relocated to the living room, where Connie had set out the desserts and coffee.
Roman had eaten a large amount of the roast beef, and appeared calm and social, but Charlie knew his man. Roman was keeping a lid on his fury, his frustration, and tight-lipped on the information they had.
Butch, holding a bottle of beer, was standing beside the enormous sparkling evergreen tree, as Sherlane did her best to entice him into a romance. JP and Goat had Roman locked in a conversation. If Charlie tried he could listen to it, but he chose not to. He yawned and checked the time. It was only nine.
"You tired, Charlie?" Connie touched his sleeve, always maternal over her boys.
"I am. And that meal has put me into a food coma." He smiled sweetly at her.
She looked at the group in the living room and said, "Tell me honest, Charlie."
Charlie's smile faded.
"Harley senses it. You two still change. Am I right?"
Looking into her brown eyes, her hair cut short, going gray, a pleasant roundness to her cheeks and form, Charlie didn't know what to say. "I think he can still sense it. That's all."
Connie appeared to not believe him.
"What do you want me to say, Connie?"
"The truth."
Charlie glanced back to see where Vernon was in the room. He was sitting in his recliner, dozing. Roman, however, had zeroed in on his and Connie's conversation.
He didn't need to read minds to get what Roman was communicating. Charlie said to Connie, "Everyth
in' will be jus' fine. Don't you worry."
She gave him a look of impatience in return, as if he had answered her suspicions correctly, and walked away, picking up empty coffee cups, and clearing the dessert plates.
Charlie approached Roman. When JP and Goat realized they had lost Roman's attention, they stopped chatting and stared at Charlie.
"I'm beat, Roman. I'm headed to rest." Charlie reached for his hat.
Butch walked closer. "Yeah, uh, I was thinkin'…"
Charlie wondered how everyone would react to what Butch was about to say.
"I…I'd really be more comfy on the sofa in Charlie and Roman's cabin."
"What?" JP laughed as he said the word, then his expression changed to surprise.
Goat asked, "You'd rather sleep on a couch than a queen sized bed?"
Butch added, "JP snores somethin' awful. And I'm fine on the couch." He put his cowboy hat on his head.
Charlie glanced back at Sherlane and Suzie, who although they were helping Connie clear the dessert plates, stopped to listen.
JP tilted his head suspiciously. "Uh huh." He crossed his arms.
"You didn't even ask Charlie and Roman if they mind." Goat misread Butch's obvious intentions. Charlie could see it went over his head. It didn't go over anyone else's.
"We don't." Roman waved to the group. "Thanks for the meal, Connie. It was wonderful."
"Breakfast at eight a.m. if ya want it." She stacked empty plates.
"We do." Charlie put on his jacket, seeing Butch do the same. "Where's yer coat?" he asked Roman.
"Left it." Roman opened the door and stepped outside. It was snowing and large clumpy snowflakes fell soundlessly.
Charlie said to JP as he was leaving, "Don't make a big deal out of it."
JP held up his hands as if he wouldn't touch the topic.
Butch left next, walking quickly down the path, Charlie assumed, anxious to get his belongings and change cabins.
Before Charlie left, Sherlane called to him softly.
Charlie inhaled deeply and paused as Butch and Roman vanished from his sight. Sherlane stepped close to Charlie. "Is he gay?"
Charlie didn't want to come out for Butch. But Butch nearly did already. "I think you need ask him that." He touched the brim of his hat to gesture goodnight, and left, feeling the snowflakes brush his cheeks.
Out of the corner of his eye he noticed a shadow, darker than the blackness of night. Charlie felt it, more than he could see it, and he smelled wolf.
He didn't look, didn't slow down. The door to his cabin was ajar and Roman was already sitting on the couch, reading paperwork.
Charlie took off his hat and coat and said, "Butch didn't make that move very subtle."
"He wants us." Roman tossed the paper on the coffee table and looked at Charlie. "And we need him."
"Sherlane asked me if he was gay." Charlie left the door unlocked but closed it.
"And you said?"
"I told her to ask him…" Charlie looked back at the door. "It's out there, Roman."
"I know. I feel the fucker. I have no idea what to do to stop it from coming in."
"I wish we had sage, garlic, somethin'." Charlie looked up when the door opened and Butch carried his backpack inside. "You do know ya let 'em all know yer gay," Charlie said.
"I know." Butch closed the door, locking it. "Somethin's out there."
Roman appeared shocked. "You feel it now too?"
"Yeah. Ya want me to go out there with a gun? I know where Vernon keeps his shotguns." Butch dropped his pack by the sofa, then Charlie noticed his gaze dart to Roman's pistol, which was in its holster near Roman.
"No. How many times do we have to tell you, Butch? You can't shoot that thing." Roman went back to reading the paperwork.
Charlie looked at the couch. "Let me see if I can get ya some bedding."
"Huh?" Butch took off his hat. "I'm not really sleepin' on the sofa, Charlie."
Roman chuckled and slouched on the cushions.
Charlie was about to argue, then gave up. "I need my rest. This Alpha is stalkin' us and I am useless exhausted."
"That's why ya need me." Butch looked out of the front window, moving the drapes.
"Fine." Charlie headed to the bedroom and began undressing. He didn't know how they were going to battle this force, but maybe Butch was right, and the more manpower, the better.
~
Roman looked at Butch. He was staring back at him.
"It's only a queen bed." Roman stacked the paperwork on the table. "I think you should sleep here."
Butch inched closer and touched Roman's hair with just his index finger. "You have no idea how attracted I am to you."
Roman did. He could sense it; feel it, smell it, and see Butch's stiff cock under his jeans. "Sherlane and Suzie will know. If they don't already."
Butch shrugged, brushing Roman's hair back softly, combing it with his fingers.
"You understand I belong to Charlie."
"I know." Butch nodded.
Roman stood, and when he did Butch moved closer. Roman was few inches taller than Butch, but they were nearly nose to nose.
Butch cupped the back of Roman's neck. "I always wonder what it would feel like to have you inside me."
Roman felt a flash of fire and his teeth began to ache. He ran his tongue over his canines inside his mouth.
Butch lowered his voice to a whisper. "I've touched myself there. I know it's nice."
The urges in Roman began to intensify. Sex and food. Sex and food. The animal in him had two agendas- that was it.
"Look at you," Butch inhaled a hiss of a breath between his teeth. "A more masculine fella I have never seen."
Roman's skin began to prickle with warning at the coming change. He stepped back and lowered his gaze. "You are welcome to be in the room when Charlie and I—"
Butch pulled Roman closer, connecting to his body. "What if I want you one on one?"
"You can't." Roman felt an icy chill and his hearing sharpened. He stopped paying attention to Butch and began listening. Something had entered the room but he couldn't see it.
"But—" Butch whipped around and looked at the front door, rubbing his arms as if he were cold.
"You feel it?" Roman was stunned.
Butch instinctively picked up Roman's handgun from the table.
Before he pulled it from its holster, Roman snatched it from him. "You can't shoot it. I will not say that again."
"Why'd ya bring the damn thing!"
Both he and Butch spun around when Charlie appeared in the hall, naked, bleeding from his chest from three long scratches. Looking pale and dizzy, Charlie fell to his knees.
"Oh God!" Butch raced towards him and Roman instantly went wild at the sight. He yelled in rage and pain and held his stomach.
"Roman!" Butch called to him, holding Charlie on his lap. "No! Don't! I need you!"
But Roman couldn't do a thing to prevent it. He hit the wood floor with a thud and when he opened his eyes, a white wolf was standing inside the room, showing its long fangs.
~
"Charlie!" Butch held onto him and shook him.
Low growling came from behind him. Butch froze and had to force himself to look when he was nearly paralyzed from terror.
As if he were in a bizarre dream, two wolves, one black as night and the other white as snow, were facing off in the living room of the cabin.
Charlie moved slowly, as if recovering from whatever had happened to him, touching his chest and seeing the beaded blood.
"Charlie…" Butch whispered and gulped down a dry throat, "Lie still."
The black wolf had all its back hairs standing on edge and started to foam at the mouth. The white wolf began to stalk him.
Butch put his finger to his lips to indicate for Charlie to be silent. Charlie didn't respond, but met Butch's eyes. Slowly Butch crawled to the table where Roman's gun was lying.
Charlie reached out and gripped Butch's arm. When Butch felt it
, he looked back. Charlie shook his head, no.
Butch wanted to shoot at it, to try and kill it. But he heeded Charlie's warning. Instead, Butch grabbed one of the fireplace irons and stood tall, hitting the wolf as if he meant to turn it into road kill.
The big animal wheeled around and opened its large jaws at him. Butch was knocked back into the wall and choked as he lost his wind. The moment Butch was incapacitated, the battle was on between the two wolves.
"No!" Butch could see the bigger white wolf was going to destroy Roman. He lunged for the handgun, removed it from the holster and began shooting.
The black wolf recoiled and bolted while the white one showed its teeth, not affected by the act. The bullets hadn't done a thing but make holes in the wall.
"She-it!" Butch inched backwards as he was now the target of the beast.
As he was stalked, Butch stared into its amber eyes, and it was as if they were flames, not irises.
A commotion was at the door and it flew open. Both JP and Goat were there, wearing coats over their pajamas and holding shotguns.
The white wolf vanished.
JP held the gun at eye level. "What is it, Butch? What are you shooting at? Is it Roman turned wolf?"
Butch held up his hand. "No! It was me shootin' at nothin'! Don't shoot anythin'!"
"JP!" Charlie shouted.
When JP and Goat noticed him crouched on the floor, they raced towards him, kneeling down to see if he was all right.
Butch, still holding the hot firearm, tiptoed to the kitchen. He found Roman curled in the fetal position, naked and shivering.
"Oh God, why!" Butch set the gun on the counter and cradled Roman into his arms, rocking him.
Goat poked his head around the corner of the room. "My God, Butch. Should I call 911?"
Tears filling his eyes, Butch didn't know.
Goat approached them, setting the shotgun down on the floor and checking Roman's condition.
"I'm okay." Roman slowly sat up, seeming to get his strength back.
"What happened?" Goat asked. "Did you and Charlie have a fight?"
"No." Roman made an attempt to get to his feet. Both Butch and Goat helped him up. "Charlie?" Roman called as he tried to make his way to him.
Charlie was seated on the sofa, wearing his jeans, and JP was sitting beside him.
