Aric’s eyes were pleading when I finally focused on them. My lower lip started trembling as I lost control.
“They’re gone, aren’t they?”
“I … .” Aric didn’t have an answer for me. He kept me beneath him as he shifted his gaze to the police officer standing next to us. “What happened?”
“Who are you?” the officer asked.
“Aric Winters. This is Zoe Lake. This is her parents’ house.” Aric gripped my wrist and pulled me to a sitting position, refusing to let go in case I decided to unleash my fury on Barker Creek’s finest. “What happened here?”
The cop looked Aric up and down. “You’re Aric Winters? You’re James Winters’ son?”
“I am. Who are you?”
“Mike Tusken.” The cop put his hands on his hips. “I’m a police officer here in Barker Creek.”
“Thanks! We would never have figured that out on our own,” I spat, wrestling with Aric. “Where are my parents?”
“You need to tell me what happened here before there’s an … incident,” Aric said, grimacing as he strained to hold me in place. “Baby, stop that. I know you’re upset, and you have every right to be, but we need answers and I can’t get them if I’m playing WWE with you.”
My shoulders slumped at his words. I knew he was right.
Aric blew out a relieved sigh and brushed a quick kiss against my forehead. “Do not do anything crazy here, okay?”
I mutely nodded.
Aric climbed to his feet, pulling me along with him and wrapping me in a way that I was pressed against his chest and had no options should I decide to move. “That’s my girl,” he murmured into my hair.
Tusken watched the scene impassively. “At three minutes past eleven last evening we got a call from one of the neighbors,” he said. “The house was fully engulfed when we arrived. Neighbors reported seeing one … .” Tusken broke off to read the names from his notebook and I immediately wanted to kill him. “Theodore and Nancy Lake pulling into the garage about an hour before the fire. They’re believed to have perished in the blaze, although we haven’t found their bodies.”
My legs gave out and Aric had to support me to keep me upright. They were dead. I’d mouthed off to the wolf and spent the night bugging Aric about the ring. While I was having a good time planning my future, my past was burning alive.
“Oh … .” I was shaking.
“Zoe, we don’t know for sure that they were in there,” Aric said, tightening his grip on me. “Surely you’ve had dogs in there looking for bodies. If they haven’t found anything … .” Aric was grasping at straws.
“The fire was intense, Mr. Winters,” Tusken said. “Somebody used accelerants. We had cadaver dogs here for several hours once we deemed the dwelling safe to enter. We believe the bodies were completely burned. We don’t expect to find any remains.”
“Aric … .” I couldn’t breathe. My chest felt as if it was caving in and I was drowning.
Aric didn’t bother trying to hold me up any longer. Instead he hoisted me off the ground and sat down, nestling me in his lap as he pulled me close. “I’m so sorry, baby. I am so sorry.”
WE SAT like that for thirty minutes. I couldn’t move. My legs felt as though they didn’t work, and my head and heart were heavy. Aric didn’t put up a fight. Instead, he rubbed my back and held me, even though tears refused to come. I wanted to cry. I needed to cry. I was too angry, though.
I wanted to hurt the people who took my parents. I was going to doing that regardless. I was going to rip their still-beating hearts from their chests.
I knew I was to blame here, too, though. My parents were targets because I was a mouthy mess.
Tusken opted to leave us alone, and I had no idea where Paris wandered off to. She probably didn’t want to intrude on my grief. When Tusken returned, his face was grim.
“Mayor Teague would like to talk with you.”
Aric made a face. “I don’t want to talk to him.”
“I’m not sure that’s up for debate,” Tusken said.
He was a wolf. I could sense it. He was bitten, not born. That meant he was less powerful. I wasn’t even aware of the huge wolf population in Barker Creek until I left town for Covenant College. My parents kept me in the dark about my powers and birthright.
It looked as if that was coming back to haunt us even now.
“What does Teague want?” I asked, my voice hollow.
Aric glanced at me. I hadn’t spoken in a long time. He looked relieved, even as he shared my misery.
“He wants to discuss this situation with you,” Tusken said.
“What situation? My parents are dead. Does he want to dance on their graves?” It wouldn’t surprise me. The mayor hadn’t bothered to hide his dislike for me – and what I was – at our last meeting. He’d only taken a step back because he was terrified of Aric and James.
“I am not privy to the mayor’s reasons for wanting to see you,” Tusken said. “I only know your presence is required at City Hall.”
“Oh, well great,” I muttered. “I’ve been looking for someone to beat up.”
Aric shook his head in my direction before turning to Tusken. “If Teague wants to see us, he can find us here,” he said. “We won’t be here long. We’re getting rooms at the resort tonight. If he needs to discuss anything with us, he can do it here or he can get the hell out of our way.”
Tusken furrowed his brow, conflicted. Mayor Teague was the big man in Barker Creek, but Aric was the big man everywhere else. Tusken obviously didn’t realize that.
“I don’t want to see him,” I said. “He’s a pudgy moron, and he bugs me.”
Tusken’s eyebrows flew up as his eyes widened. “He’s our mayor!”
“He’s a jerkwad,” I said. “I don’t care what he wants. He has no power over me.”
Tusken turned his attention to Aric. “Sir, you must understand the pecking order here … .”
“I do,” Aric agreed. “I’m in front of the line. If Teague wants to talk to us, he can come to us. I’m not going out of my way for him.”
“But … .”
“Stop talking to me,” Aric ordered. “Zoe just lost her parents. I don’t give two figs about what you or Teague want. Shut your mouth and get out of my face.”
Tusken opened his mouth to argue further and then closed it. “I’ll relay your message to the mayor.”
“You do that.”
I watched him stalk back to his cruiser with weary eyes. “What do you think Teague wants?”
“I have no idea,” Aric said. “We’re not dealing with life on his timetable. I … I’m sorry, Zoe. I don’t know what else to say to you.”
“I know. There’s nothing you can say.”
“What do you want to do? Do you want to go to the resort or head home?”
“I … .” What did I want? That was an easy answer. I wanted revenge. “I don’t want to drive home and lock ourselves away there again. There are things here I have to deal with.”
“Like what?”
“Funerals.” I choked on the word as my voice shook. Even then the tears didn’t come.
“I’ll help you with that,” Aric said. “My father will help, too. You’re not alone in this, Zoe.”
“I know.” He tightened his arms around me and I melted into his warmth. “My mother would have been really happy to know we were eventually going to get engaged.”
“Oh, Zoe, I’m so sorry.” Aric buried his face in my neck.
We remained like that for another fifteen minutes, and then I let him pull me to my feet. He kept his arm around my shoulders as we started moving toward the Explorer. Paris stood next to it, her face streaked with tears. She looked uncertain about what to do. She would have to join the club.
We were halfway to the Explorer when a dark sedan cut us off from our destination. I knew who it was before Mayor Teague stepped out of the vehicle. He didn’t look happy.
His face was tracked with the telltale red
roadmap of years of robust drinking, and his eyes were murderous as they landed on us. “Aric Winters.”
“Mayor Teague.” Aric was unruffled. “What a great day for a reunion. If you’ll excuse us, we have to get going.”
“I came down here to talk to you even though protocol requires you come to me in situations like this,” Teague barked. “Don’t even think about leaving.”
Aric dropped his arm from my shoulders to my waist as he regarded the biggest man in the world’s smallest town. “I don’t have to do anything where you’re concerned,” he said. “I don’t have to announce my presence. I’m not conducting business on your turf. If you haven’t noticed, my girlfriend just found out her parents died in a fire. I have no time – or patience, for that matter – for you.”
“Don’t you mean they were murdered?” Teague asked.
Aric stilled. “Excuse me?”
“The house was practically firebombed,” Teague said. “There were eight different start points. Whoever did this used accelerants. Since the Lakes are probably dead, we know it wasn’t an insurance job. That leaves murder.”
“Thank you for that brilliant assessment,” I deadpanned.
Teague shifted his gaze to me. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“You don’t look sorry.”
“Your parents never caused me any trouble – other than birthing you, that is – so I’m not happy about their deaths, Ms. Lake,” Teague said. “What I am happy about is now that they’re gone I won’t have to see either of you ever again. Barker Creek is officially off limits now that you have no reason to visit.”
Aric growled, the sound low and threatening. “Don’t ever tell me what I can and can’t do,” he warned. “As for Zoe, I wouldn’t push her right now.”
“Why? Is she going to set me on fire?” Teague pressed. “I’ve heard that’s a particular talent of hers. Hell, for all we know she burned her parents alive. How about it, Zoe? Are you due for a nice inheritance?”
Aric reached for Teague with his free hand but I beat him to the punch. Literally. I pushed an angry thread of magic in his direction, catching him off guard and smacking him across the face with a furious red whip.
Teague reared back, surprised. “I … what was that?”
“That was the woman you do not want to mess with right now,” Aric said, casting me a sidelong appraising look. “That was nice control, despite the circumstances. I … .”
“If you congratulate me as if I’m a dog I’m going to be pissed.”
Aric turned his attention back to Teague. “We were at our home last evening. We have no reason to set any fires and we would never hurt Ted and Nancy. As for money, I’m sure you remember my father. I’m loaded. We don’t need money.”
“You have money,” Teague clarified, holding his cheek. “Ms. Lake doesn’t have any money, as far as I can tell.”
“Well, you don’t know your ass from a hole in the ground, so I’m guessing your knowledge of Zoe’s financial status is as empty as your head,” Aric snapped. “We’re getting married. She doesn’t need money. She has her own. She has mine. The money her parents possessed is miniscule in comparison.”
“Someone set this fire, Mr. Winters,” Teague said, his jaw tightening. “The Lakes weren’t known for having enemies. You and Zoe here are another story. Do you have any information that would lead us to a likely suspect?”
“No.”
“No?” Teague arched an eyebrow. “You don’t even want to think about that for a bit?”
“No,” Aric repeated. “We weren’t here. We didn’t see what happened. If we discover who did this … you can be assured that we won’t be calling you.” He tugged on my hand. “Come on, Zoe. You need something to eat, and then I’m putting you to bed.”
I followed him wordlessly.
“You’re still suspects in this murder, Mr. Winters,” Teague called to our backs. “We’re going to investigate this case until we solve it, and the perpetrators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
I slowed and turned, fixing Teague with a hateful glare. “That’s where you’re wrong,” I said. “I’m going to find out who did this. When I do, there won’t be anyone left standing to prosecute.”
Teague must have read something in my expression because he swallowed hard and took a step back. “I … this isn’t over.”
“You’re right,” I said. “It’s just beginning. You’re going to want to stay out of my way, because when I find who did this I’m not taking any prisoners.”
16
Sixteen
“Paris is locked in her room for the night, and I told her to order room service,” Aric said, double-checking the lock on the door and pulling the metal bar over it to secure us inside.
I was stretched out on the bed, opting to climb into one of Aric’s over-sized T-shirts instead of my own pajamas. I liked smelling him on me, and I needed the comfort tonight.
The television was on, and my eyes were trained on it. I had no idea what I was watching, though, and I didn’t care.
Aric tugged off his shirt and dropped his pants on the side of the bed before crawling onto the mattress and rolling beside me. He brushed my hair out of my face and studied me. “Will you please try to eat something?”
Once we checked into our room I excused myself for a long bath. Aric was at a loss, so he let me be. After my bath, he hovered, keeping his mouth shut and pretending he was doing nothing of the sort as he followed me from one end of the room to the other. This was the third time he’d suggested food.
“I’m not hungry,” I said. “You should eat.”
“I’m not hungry either. I don’t need anything.”
Aric was always hungry. “Please eat,” I said. “My stomach is upset. That doesn’t mean you have to go without. It’s not even seven yet. You can’t go through the whole night without food. You barely had breakfast, and we haven’t had a thing since. Just … eat.”
“I don’t need food, Zoe,” Aric said. “I’m okay.”
I rolled my eyes. “Can you guarantee your growling stomach won’t wake me in the middle of the night?”
Aric pursed his lips. We both knew the answer to that.
“How about we compromise?” I suggested. “Order a big dinner for yourself, and if anything looks good I’ll pick off your plate.”
“Because I’m desperate for you to eat, I’m going to agree to that,” Aric said. “I also don’t want to wake you up in the middle of the night. Once you go down, I want you down for eight hours.”
“That sounds a little dirty.”
Aric’s smile was rueful and I knew he only mustered it for my benefit. “I love you, baby. We’ll get through this.”
“I’m too numb to think about much right now, but I love you, too.”
Aric leaned over and softly kissed me. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to give me a hint as to something you would pick off my plate, would you?”
I shrugged. “Probably not.”
“I’ll get the whole menu.”
TWO hours later Aric was full and I managed to eat a breadstick. Aric wasn’t thrilled with the outcome, but he knew better than to argue. After pushing the tray back into the hallway and relocking the door, he turned off the lights and crawled into bed next to me.
I’ve never been a fan of sleeping in strange beds. I prefer the comfort of my own when at all possible. Somehow, on the night I lost my parents, it felt right not to be comfortable.
“We need to talk about a few things,” Aric said, slipping his arm under my waist and tugging me to the center of the mattress so he could snuggle beside me. “Do you know what your parents’ wishes were?”
“What do you mean?”
“We’re probably not going to have bodies, so there’s not a lot we can do about that, but do you want to get markers for them?”
It was an odd question to ponder. I thought I would have years – decades even – before facing that kind of decision. “They didn�
�t really have any friends. They spent all of their time together. I think I would be the only one visiting markers.”
“I kind of figured that,” Aric said, his breath warm against my cheek. “We could put up a memorial on our property if you want. We don’t need tombstones. I was thinking a bench with their names would be nice. We could plant a garden around it. Your mother loved flowers.”
My mother did love flowers. She could spend hours in the garden. The only thing I could do in a garden was glare at bees.
“That sounds nice. I think she’d like that.”
“We’re going to have to deal with the house, too,” Aric said, choosing his words carefully. I think he worried that he would overload me with details, so he treaded lightly. “We’re obviously not going to rebuild it. I know people through the lumber business who can take care of the teardown. I … there’s probably not anything inside that survived. You know that, right?”
“I know that everything they loved is gone,” I said.
“Not everything, Zoe,” Aric said, rubbing his nose against my cheek. “The thing they loved most is next to me in this bed. As long as you’re alive, part of them is, too.”
“I want to make someone pay,” I admitted. “I want … I’m angry.”
“I know you’re angry, baby,” Aric said. “I was so proud of you this afternoon, though. You could have lashed out and hurt Teague. Heck, you could have killed him if you wanted. You maintained control.”
“Teague is a jackoff, but he didn’t kill my parents,” I said. “I did that.”
Aric stilled, and I felt fury coming off of him.. “You are not to blame for this.”
“Who is to blame, Aric? I killed the wolves. I didn’t just kill them, I incinerated them. I snapped their spines. I … I taunted the wolf yesterday. They retaliated because of me.”
“I know you want to blame someone, and the easiest person is yourself right now, but I’m not going to listen to this,” Aric argued. “We made some mistakes. I should have found a way to track down your parents after the attack. I convinced myself they were safe. If you want to blame someone, blame me.”
Rising Covenant (Living Covenant Trilogy Book 1) Page 12
