by Susan Bliler
Hayes let her push him aside and actually smiled at her words as she passed. Fiery lil’ human!
He followed her out of the house and out to her truck. He even let her climb into the driver’s seat. He didn’t miss the satisfied grin that curled her lips when he opened the passenger side door and took a seat beside her.
Her truck wasn’t new, but the motor sounded strong and it started on the first try, which told him she’d taken good care of it.
She maneuvered the truck onto the road and they bounced down the mountain in relative silence for the first few miles before curiosity got the best of him.
“Who’s the other cross for out by the hill, Em?”
Her expressionless face morphed into one of anger, but not before he caught a flash of pain.
“Not gonna talk about it.”
“With me, or at all?”
“With you.”
And he had to respect that. He’d been a first rate asshole since he’d met her and now here he was asking for her secrets when he wasn’t even willing to share his own. “You know, ammo won’t work him.”
“It’s not for him.”
He canted his head and studied her. She was beautiful like this, eyes all determined, jaw set, lips pressed together like she was itching for a fight.
After a few beats of silence she glanced at him. “Out of curiosity, what would work on him? Wood? Is that shit in the movies true?”
“Hell no!” Hayes frowned hard. “And don’t be sharpening no stick and trying to get into staking distance of this asshole. You can’t beat him, Emma. Don’t try! You stay as far from them as possible, you understand?”
“So what in the hell do I do when he comes for me?”
“You don’t do anything. I’ll be there.”
“But if you’re not…”
He cut her off, “One of us will be there!”
“Yeah! But if you’re not!”
“One of us should be there, Em!” Hayes bit out a little too angrily and that got Emma all fired up.
“Yeah! I get that you guys think you can save me, but I’m asking, what if something happens and I’m alone with him. How do I protect myself? How do I kill him?”
Hayes pulled his arm from where it’d been resting along the back of the bench seat. It ate at his guts to put the words to voice, but they needed saying. “You don’t. If he comes and I’m not there, Emma, you don’t fight.”
Her head jerked as her shocked gaze tore to his. “What? Are…are you saying…?”
“I’m saying don’t fight!” But the words came out guttural because his wolf was snapping at him to shut the fuck up. “If he gets to you and none of us are there, you gotta…,” he swallowed hard to ease the thickness in his throat. “You gotta just…” He couldn’t even get the words out.
“Let him have me,” Emma breathed in dismay, eyes back on the road. “You’re telling me to just let him do what he wants. Aren’t you?”
Chapter 12
Jaw working something fierce, Hayes just glared at the road.
“So that’s the plan. You either save me or I’m his!”
“That’s not the fucking plan!” he gritted out.
“Well it sure as shit sounds like it.”
Emma was furious now, he could feel it vibrating through the cab of the truck, could scent it, and fuck it all because even the scent of her rage was enticing to him. It smelled like those spicy cinnamon bears he liked to sneak into the movie theater. Fuck! “It’s not letting him have you, Em. It’s buying time. He won’t kill you. You just have to let him take what he wants.” And even just saying those words tore at him. He didn’t want anyone, vamp or man taking anything from her, but this was about her safety and if the occasion arose where she was alone, she’d need to stall.
“No! Fuck no!”
“Just until one of us can get to you.”
“And if he wants sex? Am I just supposed to let him have that too?”
Hayes actually felt ill at the idea and a raw visceral need to keep that from happening pulsed through him so fiercely that it flooded his ears and made it hard to hear her next words.
“He wants to make me a concubine, and I’m done letting him take or do anything to me against my will.”
He looked over at her.
“Know this, and tell your pack, Hayes. If he comes for me again I am fighting him! Death or not, I’m fighting that fucking vampire!”
Something in him swelled with pride at her determined words. In equal measure something inside him shuddered at the thought of her lying under that vamp drained and lifeless, and that’s exactly what would happen if she fought. Hayes looked straight ahead and struggled to remind himself that she wasn’t his to protect, she wasn’t his to defend. “Let’s just hope it never gets to that.” But he planned on making sure it didn’t.
“Hope!” she blew out quietly in a tone that said she had no stock in the word.
When they pulled into the town, he was confident enough that the vampire wouldn’t seek her out in broad daylight. Like he’d told Vance, the fuckers liked to sleep during the day. He exited the truck and had intentions of hurrying around to Emma’s door, but she was already out and striding around her side of the vehicle.
“I’m getting ammo first then I’ll be at the grocery store. You?”
He wanted to accompany her, but he had some things to handle first. “I’ll meet you at the store in,” he looked at his watch. “Twenty minutes?”
She nodded. “Sure.”
When they split up he made one quick stop at the silversmiths then went to the bar. The place was owned by a friend of the pack, a friend who had his pulse on the town and the shifters housed within and around the area.
Hayes took a seat at the bar and nodded at Cooper as he came out from the back cooler.
“Hayes,” Cooper jerked his chin in greeting. “Whiskey and a beer?”
Hayes nodded, “Yeah.”
The bar was empty except for one older guy in a corner booth who was hunched forward over his half empty glass of beer. The old timer was a vet and was in the bar every time the pack was there.
“So,” Cooper slid a frothy draft beer toward Hayes before pulling a shot glass from beneath the bar and filling it with dark whiskey. “What brings you in alone and in the middle of the day?”
Hayes accepted the whiskey and slammed it back. He took a drink of his beer as a chaser and then laid a twenty dollar bill on the table and pointed at Cooper. “Someone’s interested in land opposite side of our valley. You heard anything?”
“Someone?” Cooper’s brow hiked. “What kind of someone we talking ‘bout.”
“The pale kind.”
That had Cooper’s brow’s hiking even further as his eyes rounded. “You’re shitting!” He braced his arms on the bar and leaned forward. “Haven’t heard a damn thing, but it’d make sense.”
“Why?”
Cooper took up a bar towel and started wiping down the surface under where he picked up Hayes’ empty shot glass. “That lone wolf that lives here in town, the one who likes my waitress, Suzanne, he’s been making a big deal about her not working night shifts. Asked me to change her schedule and he escorts her to and from work. He’s been worked up. You may wanna check with him.”
Hayes nodded and stood.
“Let me get your change,” Cooper snagged up the twenty, but Hayes held up a hand and shook his head.
“If you got any other females working for you, keep an eye on ‘em. Shouldn’t last long.”
Cooper grinned knowingly. “Good. Don’t need that kind of trouble round here.”
Hayes left the bar and eyed the grocery store, debating on going to see Ross alone or gathering Emma and taking her with him.
“HEY!”
He turned at the voice and was surprised to see Ross storming toward him with a scowl on his face.
“We got a problem!”
Hayes squared up, not sure what Ross was going on about. The lone wolf was typi
cally reclusive, only coming into town to get supplies or have drinks at the bar. When he stopped in front of Hayes, he looked pissed. He looked from side to side ensuring their relative privacy. “There are vampires in town! Why?”
Hayes shook his head. “They aren’t friends of ours.”
“They scared Suzanne when she got off shift at the bar. They had her cornered in the alley. If I hadn’t left just after she did, who knows what would have happened!”
“Yeah,” Hayes relaxed his posture a little. “They’ve been messing with a woman on the opposite side of our valley.” He was inclined to stay tight lipped about just how far they’d gone with Emma, but if Ross had a hard on for Suzanne, then he deserved to know just how serious these fucks were. “They attacked her and nearly drained her. They wanted her to stay alive in hopes of making her a source and a concubine.” He stared at Ross pointedly. “Keep your female close, Ross. They’re here with bad intentions.”
Ross’ expression darkened. “She’s…she’s not my female.”
“The fuck she’s not,” Hayes snorted. “I can smell her all over you.”
“HAYES!”
Both men’s heads jerked round to see Emma standing on the curb of the grocery store with a large paper beg propped on her hip. “You coming?”
Ross’ gaze slid to Hayes and he grinned. “Heard you didn’t like humans.”
“She’s not mine. I’m just protecting her.”
Ross’s grin only widened. “Uh-huh.”
“Any other information?” Hayes growled.
“One’s called Edric. He’s the one in charge. There were only two, but fuckers are like roaches. Who knows how many are coming.” Ross looked up at the sky. “Wish it’d fucking snow and chase ‘em off.”
“They’re eyeing land.”
That had Ross’ startled gaze jerking to Hayes.
“Yeah. I know! Keep your eyes peeled and your ears open. You hear anything, you let us know, yeah?”
Ross nodded, his eyes going back to Emma. “That her? The woman they attacked?”
Something in Hayes hated the way Ross was staring at Emma.
“Easy,” Ross held up his hands. “Not interested, just asking.”
It took Hayes a moment to realize he was growling at his fellow shifter. He stifled it and blinked several times to try and calm his wolf. “Sorry,” he muttered. “Just on edge.”
“Understandable,” Ross nodded. “You think if they drink from other females they’ll just take what they need?”
“No. They only left Emma alive because she’s…” God, how did he say it. “They like the was she tastes, and even then she wouldn’t have made it if our healer hadn’t been there. They have no control.”
Ross didn’t appear to like the answer but he nodded his thanks and turned.
“Don’t forget to keep your woman close,” Hayes yelled after him.
“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Ross threw up a two fingered wave and walked down the street.
Chapter 13
Hayes trotted to where Emma waited on the curb. Wordlessly, he took the grocery bag from her arms and carried it to the truck, peeking inside. “What’d you get?”
“A few supplies to fix the chicken coop that got destroyed,” she responded as she followed. “And groceries.”
He snorted. “That doesn’t constitute groceries.” The bag held a small box of nails, a tube of wood glue, a carton of milk, a small block of cheese, and a head of lettuce. He set the bag in the back of the truck and turned back to the store, “Come on.”
“Where we going?”
“Need a few provisions myself.”
Emma followed him into the store and he snagged a cart making quick work of zigzagging up and down the aisles. At the checkout, he placed all the groceries on the belt as Emma stared gape mouthed at all the food. She hadn’t seen so much food stacked in a cart since…well, ever! “Who in the hell are you feeding? The Army?”
Hayes looked from her to the groceries and grinned.
“Hey, Emma.”
She turned as the store manager approached and spoke in a hushed tone. “I’m glad you came back, I have a quick question. The twenty dollars you just added to your account brings you up to one-fifty. Any chance you can get your account settled before your next visit?”
Hayes looked over and saw Emma peek at him as her cheeks singed. “Yeah, Tom. I was just waiting for the snow. Soon, I promise.”
The guy nodded all smiles and handshakes. “Great, great. Looking forward to seeing you again. Thank you!”
Emma turned back to watch Hayes and he realized he’d stilled in his task so he started working again. “What’s that about?”
“Nothing,” she murmured squeezing past him to get through the line. “I’ll go heat up the truck.”
He watched her go and considered asking the clerk if she knew what was going on but opted against it. If Emma wanted him to know, she’d tell him.
When he got seven bags of groceries loaded into the bag truck, Hayes climbed into the cab and Emma pulled out of the parking lot and pointed her truck toward home. It was a quiet ride and finally he had to know. “What’s the deal with your account at the store? Do they do that for everyone?”
She shook her head and he swore he saw her cheeks flush again. “No. It’s an arrangement we have.”
That had him bristling. He thought about their exchange. Can you settle up your balance? The store manager was about Emma’s age and Hayes assumed he was okay looking for a human male. That had him glaring out the window as he asked with a growl, “What kind of arrangement?”
She shot him an are-you-fucking-kidding-me look. “Seriously?” She punched his shoulder, “Jesus, Hayes! I’m worried about a vampire compelling me into sex, but you think I’m okay selling my body for milk and cheese?”
“I didn’t,” he was shaking his head.
“You didn’t have to, a-hole. You’re tone said enough. And no! I’m not exchanging sex for groceries. I hunt and trade deer or elk to Tom. He gives me cash credit per pound of meat. He’s been itching for some game in his store, but hunting’s been shit with no snow.”
He was a little stunned by the amount of relief her words brought. “Oh.”
“Yeah!” She shot him a scathing look. “Oh!”
When they came to the fork in the road that led to either her side of the mountain or his, she turned off toward his compound.
“Whoa! Where you going.”
She slowed to a stop. “Taking you home.”
“What? Why?”
She looked in the back of the truck. “Hello? Your groceries!”
Hayes glanced in the bed of the truck. “Let’s go to your place first.”
Eyeing him suspiciously, Emma didn’t move. “I only have few things. They’ll hold. You have way more stuff. Something might spoil.”
Grunting Hayes dragged his gaze from hers to stare out the window. “It’s a five minute drive, woman.” He slapped the dashboard. “Back her up.”
Whatever! Emma put the truck and reverse and backed up to the fork before taking the road that led to her house. She wondered if Hayes had plans of showing her around his compound when she took him home, it’d make sense why he wanted to unload her haul first.
Short minutes later, she pulled her truck to a stop in front of her cabin. Hayes was out of the cab before she even shifted into park. In a blur, he was at her door pulling it open for her. It reminded her of Dean, who’d always gone out of his way to open her door. He’d been romantic like that, always insisting to carry the grocery bags and pull out her chair too. Sure it was small stuff, but it was the stuff that she remembered and missed the most. Not a day went by that he didn’t do some small gesture to let her know he cherished her, whether it was saving the last piece of cake for her or the way he stopped to kiss her whenever he passed by. He’d been a damn fine man and his absence left her feeling hollow. “Thank you,” she mumbled as mixed emotions left her feeling disjointed.
Making her way toward the back of the truck, Hayes stopped her with, “You wanna unlock the door?” He was already dropping the tail gate and she turned to hurry to the door so she could come back and grab her groceries. The keys jangled in the lock as it clicked and she shoved the door open turning to grab her few bags, but Hayes was already headed toward her.
“Hey!” she frowned. “Only the one is mine, remember?”
Hayes ignored her and walked in through the front door setting the bags on her table before rushing out to grab the rest.
“Hayes!” Emma propped her hands on her hips. “That stuff’s not mine.”
He grinned as he passed by a second time. “Peace offering for telling you that you smelled bad.”
She turned and followed him inside. “A, you said I didn’t smell bad,” she was back to sniffing at her armpits again. “And B, I don’t need your charity.”
“Not charity, Em. Peace offering.”
But it felt like charity to her and she wanted to screech at him to haul the groceries back out to her truck, but she didn’t want to cause a big scene either. She fumed and watched him with narrowed eyes, trying to decide how she wanted to handle this when she realized he was already unpacking the bags, humming as he put stuff in the completely wrong cupboards.
Snapped out of her indecision, she stalked to the cupboard that held her stack of several plates and pulled out the jar of peanut butter he’d shoved into it. “This isn’t even a food cupboard.” She moved to the cupboard next to the stove and put the peanut butter there. “And you don’t have to give me a peace offering. You already apologized.”
Grinning like an idiot, he hummed louder as he shoved more groceries into stupid places, even opening the fridge and lifting his brows in a quick jerk as she crammed a roll of paper towels inside.
“Hayes,” she growled, but now there was a laugh tainting her words. She pulled the paper towels out and put them into the empty dispenser that hung beneath one of the cupboards before turning and barking a laugh as he ripped open a twelve pack of toilette paper and sent rolls bouncing all over the kitchen floor. “Hayes!” she shrieked with a laugh. “Stop! Just,” she held out her hand as she bent and picked up several rolls. “Isn’t there something you can do while I put things away?”
