The Way Home
Page 4
“And how exactly did that happen?” Houdini still wasn't sure why the pack would be in such a good mood with everything that was going on. They had as much to lose as everyone else.
“It happened on a technicality. See, whoever kills the Leader becomes the Leader. I was the one with Josiah when he died, he was suffering so. I couldn't let him die a slow lingering death from the wounds that Michael inflicted so I ended his pain as painlessly as possible. Michael tried to kill him, he didn't succeed. It makes me Leader. Of course, it wouldn't have gone down so easily if Michael were here but he's not and the pack wants a change.”
“You?” Houdini couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. It wasn't something that he'd ever expected to her. Actually, it was pretty genius and took away some of the power that they'd attributed to Michael. “Seriously?”
“Seriously,” she was grinning from ear to ear. “Hence this party. So, have fun. Grab something to drink. Relax, though you're both already looking very relaxed. Something's changed with you, hasn't it?”
“Are you fishing or asking because you know?” Houdini questioned. Adelaide's way of knowing most things before they happened used to freak him out. He'd gotten comfortable with it after a while, came to rely on her opinion on things but since she'd been back with them, she'd mentioned several times that she no longer saw the way she once had.
“I'm fishing, but you've both got a definite 'just got laid' vibe going on.” She giggled. “Oh, don't get huffy, Houdini. It's a good thing.”
Houdini chuckled. “Yeah. Yeah.” From the corner of his eye he saw someone coming towards them. It was Caroline Davis. Most people just called her Caro, and she'd been Adelaide's friend since the first day of school. “Hey, Caro.”
“Hey,” she smiled at them all. “Adelaide, Shepard and Lina are ready to speak to you.”
“What are you meeting with them for?” Houdini questioned.
“To put together a treaty, a truce to give us enough time to find out what the connection is between The Hunters and Center City. A way that you can all stay here, get back to your lives,” Adelaide explained, a serene smile on her face. Houdini realized he hadn't seen her this calm, this at peace, since she'd come racing up to the house in Wyoming. Maybe she'd found her peace in finding the pack.
“Those lives are over and gone.” Susan spoke up. “Even if we stay here, it'll never be the same. Too many bridges were burned.”
“But this is home, Susan, this is where you all belong. I can't promise anything of course, but I'm going to try. I'm going to make it work. I need to keep my family whole.” Adelaide looked like she wanted to say more, but she didn't. “I'll catch up with the two of you later.”
Houdini draped his arm over Susan's shoulder, watched as Adelaide walked away. “Well, that's the last thing that I expected.”
“Same here.” She leaned her head against him. “This all seems so surreal.”
“Yeah, I know that feeling. We can say screw the party, head upstairs. I'll grab us some food and beer and we can just have a night of the two of us.” Houdini thought not only would that be relaxing, but it would be a fantastic way to get her naked again, in a bed this time.
“That does sound lovely and tempting, so tempting.” Susan sighed heavily. “But if we don't stay, at least for a while, it'll look like we're snubbing the importance of the event for the pack. Since we're technically on enemy territory, we need to play nice. And I am happy for her.”
“I am, too,” Houdini shifted to stand in front of her, leaned his head against hers. “How long is a while? I could really use a shower. We could really use a shower.”
“A shower sounds amazing. We just need to stay an hour or so. Something tells me that Adelaide won't be offended if we sneak off after that. Besides, we should stick around at least long enough to hear about this meeting.”
“Yeah, this has got all the markings of a cluster fuck.” And it did. The Strays' didn't play well with others, unless they were being paid; the packs looked down on them unless they needed something done they weren't comfortable doing. “You see Deke or Vera?”
“They're probably inside,” Susan looked around. “Do you think that we should try talking to them again? I mean, now that they found Adelaide maybe things can go back to normal or at least the way that they were.”
“Let's give them some time,” Houdini suggested. For as long as he'd known Deacon, Deacon had wanted to be Leader. He wasn't sure if it was because it was what he truly wanted or because he felt it was what was expected of him in Finn's place. Finn had been the number one contender, for the president patch and Leader. His death had left a space that needed to be filled, and Deacon tried to do just that. “Deke might need some time to get used to the idea that his baby sister is Leader. It's a dangerous job.”
“It really is,” Caro spoke from behind them. “Deke and Vera went to Walmart to get more stuff for the party. The supplies here were a little meager.”
“We weren't planning for a few dozen guests.” Houdini had always liked Caro, she'd spent some time around the warehouse, and, if memory served, she'd hooked up with Fire quite a few times. “It's nice to see you. How have you been?”
“Oh, I've been great. Things in Center City have been just lovely, especially with Adelaide and Josiah gone. Really had some great times with Michael and his miscreants.” Her voice had a definite sarcastic quality to it, something that Houdini had never heard before.
Caro was a sweetie, the type of person who took in every stray animal they found and cooked full meals for families going through a rough time. She'd always been on the quiet side but quick with a smile and kind word.
“I bet it was rough,” Houdini released Susan's hand, reached out and placed his hand on Caro's shoulder. “It's going to get better from here on out.” He didn't miss the way that she flinched from his touch, and he wondered just what Michael had allowed to happen between the time that Adelaide left and the time that they returned.
“Do you really believe that?” She let out a laugh which had nothing to do with humor.
Houdini watched her walk away, wished that he had something to say to make it alright or that there was something he could do to make it right. One thing was for sure, they needed to figure out what The Grievers had done to the pack, especially the women. His stomach turned as he thought of the younger women, the ones who were barely out of their teens, and what might have happened to them.
“Well, that was bitchier than I've come to expect from Caro.”
“I figure you'd be bitchy too with whatever The Grievers did to the pack before they took off.” Houdini hadn't let himself think of it before, but things would have had to get a lot worse than the fires around town for them to take off. “Fuck.”
“It was worse than we thought,” Susan sighed. “I think that I do need to get a drink.”
“Yeah, come on.” Houdini took her hand in his, held tight. Most people they passed stopped to stare as they walked into the house. It took him a minute to realize that they probably didn't know he and Susan were mated, so them together was a shock.
There were more people all over the house, sitting on every single available surface. Pots were boiling on the stove; there were bottles lined up on the counter. Houdini grabbed one at random, poured two healthy measures into cups and handed one to Susan. She downed it in one gulp, held it back out for a refill.
Houdini filled the cup back up, took her hand again. “Let's find somewhere to sit.” They ended up back outside, this time in the front yard, where they sat on the grass underneath a large tree. “Yeah, this is super comfortable.” He watched Susan stretch her legs out.
“Did you see them all watching us inside? It was like they were all waiting for us to jump each other or something.”
“We could have, if you'd wanted. Hell, we can give them a little show right now.” Houdini offered. “Come here and sit on my lap.”
“Would you be serious? We can't just make out on the lawn.”
“You're probably right about that,” she rose to her feet, took the few steps over to where he was and then straddled him. Surprise rushed through him, but he wasn't going to complain. “Well, I guess that I do fit.”
“Yes, you do.” Houdini ran his hands over her back. “And you're chock full of surprises today. I love it.”
“Things just aren't easy for me, things like this.” She explained. “It's been a long time since I was in a relationship, a real relationship.”
“How long has it been?”
“Almost ten years.” She replied. “We were engaged but we never got married.” She waited. “You're not going to ask anything else?”
Houdini didn't ask, or expect, for her to elaborate even if he was damn curious. “You'll tell me if you want to.” He slipped his fingers beneath her tee shirt, stroked the soft skin that he found there.
“We were together for a while, since college. He was pre-law, so he understood how much time I had to put into my studies. Things were... nice between us, until they weren't.”
“I'm sorry.” Houdini didn't like the dark look in her eyes, the same lingering sadness that he'd been seeing on and off for a while.
“I'm not.” She said quickly. “He's the reason I don't let any human see me change.”
“Why?” Houdini hadn't expected her to say anything else, especially not something so big. He sat up straighter, let his hands rest on the curves of her hip bones.
“He didn't know that I was different. I was really careful to hide it from him. I didn't change every moon, I held out as long as I could. I went for six months without the change once. It was horrible, I felt like I was being torn to shreds when it finally happened.”
“He didn't take it well when you told him?”
She let out a bitter laugh. “That's an understatement, a severe understatement. It was the worst night of my life. I'd thought that showing him, like I showed Vera, would ease him into it. It didn't. It completely freaked him out. We argued, screamed and shouted. He said I was disgusting, a filthy disgusting creature, and he took off. It was the last time I ever saw him. It was the last time that anyone ever saw him. His parents had him declared dead about two years ago, after he'd been missing long enough.”
“Jesus Christ. What do you think happened to him?”
“I don't know. Sometimes I think that he just vanished, but I wonder...” she sighed. “I wonder if he killed himself because of what I showed him. I should have known better. He had such a small view of the world, how could he accept me for what I am?”
“He was stupid,” Houdini cupped her face with his hands. “And he didn't deserve you if he couldn't see that you being different doesn't change who you are. It's part of who you are.”
“The things he said to me,” she shut her eyes. “I heard them in my head for a long time after. Like it or not, I hold some responsibility for what happened to him. If I hadn't told him, I don't think he'd have dropped off the face of the earth.”
“Hey, the choices he makes are his. If he killed himself, it's on him. If he got himself into trouble and someone did it for him, it's on him. You didn't make him do anything, Susan. He made the choices.” Houdini spoke in as stern a voice as he could manage. He knew about blame, of the toll it could take to carry it around, and in that moment he knew she'd been thinking about her ex lately. It was the reason for the sadness in her eyes, and it pissed him off. He didn't give a shit if she thought about him. That was normal, natural. He was upset that she was taking it so hard, even after all the years that had passed.
“Thank you,” she opened her eyes, he could see the gleam of tears in them.
“You're welcome.” He slid his hands into her hair, ran his fingers through the length of it. “And while I'm not glad he was a douche, I am glad that he's not around anymore. I'm glad that I am.”
“I am too,” she admitted after a moment.
“You sure about not giving them a show? Because I'm feeling very much like it would be a really great show.”
“If earlier was any indication, it might be interesting.”
“Earlier was just a taste, a tease,” Houdini leaned in so that their faces were nearly touching. She kept her eyes on his, never looking away, and it was the hottest thing he'd ever seen. “Wait until we get a bed underneath us or a shower. I'm going to do things to you that are going to make you scream.”
“I'm not much of a screamer,” she shifted on his lap.
“Oh, we're going to change that. Trust me.”
“I do.” Her face went serious. “I really, really do.”
Houdini knew that her saying she trusted him meant as much as her saying she loved him. He couldn't stop himself from capturing her mouth with his, immediately going rock hard at the taste of her. He'd loved Willow, he always would, but he'd never felt the way that Susan made him feel. Her arms wrapped around his neck, gripped tight.
In a move he'd never be able to replicate, he managed to shift them so she was on her back, her legs around his waist. He half expected her to stop him; after all, they were out in public, but all she did was kiss him back, teeth nipping down on his lip. “We should go inside.” She whispered the words against his mouth.
“Smart girl,” he reluctantly stopped kissing her, sat back on his knees. Out of habit, he looked around and frowned at the sight of a new model pickup, huge and completely blacked out, parked across the street. It didn't belong to anyone in the neighborhood; he'd been keeping tabs on vehicles. It was possible it belonged to someone in the pack but not likely; it was a pretty high end vehicle. “Susan,” he glanced down at her. “Get up, really slowly. I think we've got company.”
“How many?” She sat up; didn't look over her shoulder, though. Houdini was proud of her for that, because he knew that she wanted to look.
“No clue, truck could seat four. Five if they pack 'em in tight enough.” He held out his hand, helped her to her feet. They just needed to get into the house, let everyone know what was going on, and it would be handled.
They wouldn't get that chance. The moment they were both on their feet the truck roared to life. The engine was loud, too loud, so it was likely modified in some way. Houdini noticed the after market body kit when it rumbled away from the curb.
“Well, that was weird.” Susan rubbed her hands over her arms. “You think it's someone Michael sent?”
“Can't see it being anyone else. We should get inside, tell the others what's going on.” He looked back at the street once more; the truck was long gone but the feeling of being watched lingered. He could feel it. He wanted out of the front yard, in the house where he'd have easy access to guns and other eyes and ears to keep a lookout.
Once inside, it was obvious that what he had to say was going to have to wait. Adelaide was in the center of the living room, Shepard and Lina on either side. “We were just about to call you in,” Adelaide smiled warmly at them. “We have good news. You are all a part of history as the pack and the Strays have entered into a treaty for the first time. A treaty that will allow us, working together, to find and decimate every last one of them.”
“They threaten the future. Humans should not possess such power over us. It begin with hunts and ends with slaves. They are not now, or will they ever, be our masters. We must join together for the good of our kind.” Shepard's voice carried through the room as if he were holding a microphone.
Houdini felt the tension. Some of the pack would want nothing to do with the Strays; after all they were outsiders for a reason, but he agreed that it was for the best that they work together. “I know some of you fear us, I can't say I blame you.” Lina cleared her throat. “You trusted your Leader, Josiah, in the end, even if
you didn't at first. I swear on my brother, you can trust us as well as you trust Adelaide.”
“I could simply order you all to comply, as Leader that is my right, but I will not. However, if you cannot find it in you to comply, you may leave. We will not run you out of town, but make no mistake, you will leave.” Adelaide's voice never wavered as she laid down the law. It was a shock to Houdini to realize that she meant every word; she normally had a very soft heart. She looked around the room, waiting to see if anyone would speak. “Very well, let's not let the fun of the night stop. Let's celebrate our unity.”
“Adelaide,” Houdini cleared his throat. “There's something I think that everyone needs to know. I wish it could wait but I don't think it can.”
“What's going on, Houdini?” Deacon spoke from the other side of the room.
“There was a truck parked across the street, about two houses down. It was a pickup, and I think last year's model. Black with dark tint.” Houdini knew all eyes were on him; he felt Susan grip his hand. “It had a modified body, I think I'd recognize the kit if I saw it again, and the engine had been tweaked. There were way too many horses under that hood. It took off once I noticed it.”
“We're going to need some volunteers for patrol. It would be wise to split off in pairs. We need to be vigilant, stay in contact.” Adelaide told them. “Let's not waste any time.”
“So much for us getting to bed anytime soon,” Houdini looked down at Susan. “You can stay here if you want, get some rest.” He could only hope that she'd take the offer. She was tired, he could see it. He also couldn't remember if she'd eaten anything since the toast she'd had at breakfast. He stopped short of asking her to stay, because he wasn't sure how she'd respond.
“I'm good to go. We need all the eyes we can get, right?”
“Right.” Houdini leaned in, kissed her lightly. “Go grab a sweater and a couple of Power Bars, it's getting chilly out. And yes, I realize you're warm-blooded but get the sweater anyway.” He watched her go, sighed, pressed his hands against his face and tried to remember if the truck had been there when they'd went outside. He hadn't noticed anything except for Susan.