by Laura Hysell
“You saved me, Izzy. When you took the silver out of my wound. That vampire had meant for me to die a slow and painful death with those silver pieces,” she said.
I nodded, remembering her vicious wound. “You risked yourself to come save me,” I said. She and the other wolves had rescued me, but she had been badly wounded. “All I did was use some tweezers.”
She chuckled and shook her head. “You chose to stay with me. You risked a lot to help me out, and your friend died. He might not have if you’d left me behind.”
“Don’t even say that,” I insisted. “Henri would have caught up to me, and more people might have died. We can’t change the past, and I wasn’t about to leave you behind.”
“I appreciate that.”
The door opened, and I turned to smile at Killian. He wore a gray tank top that showed off his muscled biceps. His head was shaved, showing a recent gash that appeared to be healing slowly. It would leave a distinct scar. He gripped me suddenly in a hug, and just as quickly let go, before turning his attention to Vanessa at my side.
“Killian,” he said, holding a hand out to her.
She shook his hand and smiled back at him. “Vanessa. We met before, but I was a wolf at the time.”
“She was the wolf who had silver stuck in her,” I told him.
Killian nodded and eyed her up and down. “I remember. You make a beautiful wolf, and an even more beautiful woman.”
Vanessa smiled slightly and I raised my eyebrows. “Quit flirting, Killian,” I joked.
He chuckled and stepped out onto the small porch, closing the door behind him. “Your brother is in the lab. Interesting fellow,” he added.
I looked at him sharply, getting the sense he was treading carefully. “You don’t like him,” I surmised.
He shrugged and looked at me directly. “I just can’t figure out how you two are related. You’re completely different people. Same hair and eyes, but that’s about as far as the resemblance goes. Personality wise, you two are night and day.”
“Yeah, I know,” I mumbled.
“So, we can’t stay,” Vanessa said suddenly. “Izzy just wanted to stop and check up on you.”
Killian nodded and looked back at me. “I’m good. Lots of werewolves around here. Jed told me not to go far from here without an escort. He also said that you’re a werewolf now too. How’s that working out for you?”
“It’s interesting. I haven’t had a lot of time to get used to it yet, but so far it’s pretty cool. My senses are definitely heightened,” I said, taking a sniff in Killian’s direction. He smelled like gun powder, metal, and soap. “Do you have a gun on?”
He turned and held up the back of his tank top, showing me the gun sticking out of the top of the shorts he wore. Tattoos traced down across his back, all in black. “How’d you know?”
“I smelled it,” I replied.”
“Oh, that is cool. When can I become a werewolf?” he asked.
“What?” Vanessa asked sharply.
“Just asking,” he said, shrugging. “I keep seeing a lot of benefits, and not a lot of bad.”
Vanessa crossed her arms and stared at him. “This isn’t something people choose, and certainly not lightly.”
“Okay, that’s cool,” he said, shrugging as though he didn’t care, but there was a sharpness to his eyes. “Maybe you can teach me what it’s like to be a werewolf, so I have a better idea,” he suggested, stepping closer to Vanessa until they were toe to toe.
A smile tugged at her lips, but she shook her head and turned back toward me, not giving up an inch of room. Her attitude said that his closeness didn’t affect her. “We really had better get back to the house,” she said, finally stepping down from the porch and taking a few steps back toward the main house.
“I’m glad you’re doing well,” Killian said to me, but his eyes darted toward Vanessa. He stepped toward me and lowered his voice before he spoke, not realizing Vanessa could still hear every word he said. “Don’t forget about me when you go after Henri. I want in.”
“I know,” I said, patting his arm. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you in the loop.”
“I owe that fucker, for Raoul,” he added, a mixture of grief and anger playing across his face.
I couldn’t imagine what he was feeling. He’d been the one to pull the trigger, killing Raoul. “Raoul isn’t your fault, you know,” I said, touching his arm.
“I know. I know,” he said, nodding his head, but I could tell I had touched a nerve. “It’s the vampire’s fault.”
“Right.”
“Right,” he agreed, taking a deep breath. His eyes darted over my shoulder, and his demeanor changed as a smile lit up his face. “She’s single, right?”
“Vanessa?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. “She’s single. Why?”
He shrugged, his eyes taking her in. “She’s hot.”
I chuckled and glanced over at Vanessa, sure she was taking in every word. “She could kick your ass.”
He grinned and looked back at me. “Perfect,” he replied.
“I’d better go,” I said, taking a step away. “Stay out of trouble.”
He laughed as I walked back to Vanessa. We took the direct path back to the house instead of winding through the forested area that ran by the graveyard. After a few minutes, Vanessa spoke. “So, how well do you know Killian?” she asked.
“He was an MMA fighter,” I replied. “We sparred quite a bit, and somewhere along the way he became my friend.”
“Friend, huh. You trust him?”
I nodded immediately. “There are people who enter your life that you immediately connect with. He was one of those people. Like Jared, and like you,” I added, smiling at her.
“Well, if you put him in the same category as me and Jared, I suppose I can give him a shot,” she said, the smile on her face widening. “He is pretty cute.”
I shrugged. Killian was handsome, despite the visibly broken nose, but he was a little too wild in my opinion. Although, Vanessa was a little wild herself. I opened my mouth to comment more, but a man and woman dressed in shorts and tank tops walked into view. They glanced at us, then walked in our direction.
“Walt, Naomi,” Vanessa said as the two stepped closer. “This is Izzy.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said, shaking their hands.
“So, you’re the new wolf,” Naomi said, smiling widely. Her brown hair was cropped short. “I was so happy to hear you survived transformation. There are never enough women.”
I smiled and said, “I was glad to survive, too. Where are you from?” I asked, wondering at her strange accent.
“Oh, we’re from New York. It was quite the adventure coming to the west coast, although I haven’t seen the ocean here yet,” she replied, playfully shoving Walt.
“I promised Naomi I’d show her the ocean, but we haven’t had a chance,” Walt replied, wrapping an arm around Naomi’s waist. His hair was as short as hers and dark brown. His skin was tanned, but looked pale next to her dark skin.
“Well, I hope you get a chance soon.”
“I think we’ll go in a few days,” he replied, smiling up at Naomi who stood a few inches taller than him. “I can’t deprive my love for any longer.”
She smiled at him before turning back to me. “What a man,” she laughed.
“Will you be joining us for dinner?” Vanessa asked the pair.
“Of course,” Walt replied. “Someone has to keep those Nevada wolves in line.”
She nodded and tugged on my arm, pulling me back toward the house. “We’ll see you soon, then. We’d better get cleaned up.”
“It was nice meeting you,” I called to them as we hurried toward the house.
“They’re great,” Vanessa said after we were out of earshot.
“They seem really nice,” I responded.
Vanessa said, “Their Alpha, Parker, is one of Jed’s oldest friends. It was too far for him to come himself, but Walt is his second and he speaks for him.
They’re good people.”
“What about the Nevada wolves he mentioned?” I asked, keeping my voice low.
“They’re a very traditional Pack,” she replied softly. “They don’t think much of humans. Plus, they were the ones who brought a vampire-controlled wolf with them.”
“The one who was killed?” I asked.
She nodded. “Be careful around them. They are consumed with hunting vampires. Having one of their own controlled by a vampire was quite a blow to their egos. They’ve been on edge and even less trusting than before. Their Alpha pledged alliance though, so they are bound to honor his word, but it won’t stop them from attacking Mark if they think he’s still controlled by a vampire. Or you, for that matter.”
“Well that’s lovely,” I murmured as we walked up to the back door of the house.
“Don’t worry,” she whispered. “I’ve got your back.”
Dinner was still a few hours away, so we made ourselves sandwiches before heading upstairs to get cleaned up. My clothes had been moved to a new room downstairs, and I rifled through them looking for something suitable to wear to dinner. Vanessa suggested I stay in sweats, just in case, but I didn’t think it was the best dinner attire for meeting a bunch of werewolves from other Packs. I found a purple, short-sleeved dress in the bottom of a drawer and pulled it out before heading to the shower. I took my time getting cleaned up and ready, scouring the bathroom for makeup supplies. Vanessa would have plenty, but I didn’t want to bother her. I managed to find enough makeup to make myself look presentable. My hair had grown longer and now hit me mid-back. I did nothing to style my hair, letting it fall naturally. Never again would I dye my hair, I vowed, staring at my golden blonde hair. I stepped back and took in my reflection. The dress had a low back, but was otherwise plain, stopping a few inches above my knees.
After I was ready, I headed downstairs and looked for Vanessa. She was nowhere to be seen, but John was standing in the hallway, arms crossed over his leather-bound chest. He had positioned himself between the front living room and the second, smaller one, with a good view of the stairs and the front door. I walked toward him and stopped when a scent caught my nose. It was a scent familiar to me, and definitely wolf, but I didn’t know who it was. I only knew who it wasn’t. I sniffed loudly and moved to follow the scent when John grabbed my arm.
“Leave him be,” he said gruffly.
“Who?”
“Jared,” he replied.
My heart thudded at his words. I took in another deep breath, analyzing the scent. “That’s who I smell?” I asked.
He nodded his head and pointed toward the front door. “He just came back to change and grab some food. He’s not ready to see you.”
I swallowed the tears that threatened to well up. “He doesn’t want to see me?”
“Not yet, Izzy. Give him time.”
Time. I could do that. He deserved it. I sighed and walked toward the kitchen, even though part of me wanted nothing more than to run after Jared. He was in pain, and I knew it was my fault. Mark stepped out of the kitchen as though he had sensed me, and I felt my heart swell at the sight of him. I pushed away my thoughts of Jared and moved toward the man in front of me. “You okay?” he asked, pulling me into a tight hug.
I nodded and pressed my head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart. I didn’t say anything as I let him hold me, relishing the feeling. He kissed the top of my head and loosened his grip as Jed entered the room.
“Come eat, you two,” Jed said, motioning for us to follow him into the dining room. From the sounds coming that direction, several others were already helping themselves to dinner.
Even though I had just eaten sandwiches with Vanessa a few hours earlier, my stomach rumbled as soon as the smells of food hit me. I quickly loaded my plate in the kitchen and moved into the dining room with Mark, where we took seats at the end of the large table. Walt and Naomi sat across from us, and I only knew half the people in the room. Jed walked into the dining room and sat at the head of the table. There wasn’t enough room for everyone to sit, so many stood holding their plates. Mark wolfed down his food and stood up, leaving his seat for someone else. I moved to stand, but he placed a hand on my shoulder, keeping me in place. I relaxed back in my seat and continued to eat.
The room was quiet, with very little conversation. As everyone finished eating, Jed cleared his throat and stood. Silence descended on the room as everyone looked to the Alpha. “As everyone I’m sure knows by now, we have a new wolf. Please welcome Izzy,” he said as everyone turned toward me. Several people clapped and made a variety of comments to me, welcoming me to werewolf life. “I hope everyone will do their best to help her feel welcome.”
“Is she going to give us insight on the leech?” someone asked. I looked around for who had spoken, and spotted a man in a cowboy hat I didn’t recognize. “She was with that vamp, right?”
“Izzy and I will be having detailed conversations on the subject,” Jed replied. “I will relay any pertinent information.”
“Just you and her?” another man asked. He was tall, with thick black hair and deep brown eyes that stared in my direction. He and his companions had chosen to stand instead of sitting at the table.
“Izzy is my wolf, and a new wolf at that,” Jed replied, his voice taking on a slight edge. “No one will question her without my say so, and yes, at first, our conversations will be between just the two of us. As I stated before, I will pass on any relevant information.”
“We’re here to kill vampires, not sit around coddling a vamp-slut,” he retorted.
I started to stand, but Mark held me in my seat forcefully, his fingers tightening on my shoulder. The man who had spoken stared at me, waiting for me to react. Someone grabbed my left hand, followed by someone else on my right. I didn’t take my eyes off the man before me as my anger grew. Others moved in my peripheral vision, and I realized my Pack members were standing and moving forward to crowd around me.
“You forget yourself, Skip. You are in my home,” Jed said, his voice deep and threatening. “If you don’t like my rules, you can leave right now.”
Another man stepped forward. He had long dark hair, pulled back with a tie and deeply tanned skin. “Skip, you are out of line,” he said.
Skip turned to glare at the man who had spoken. After a moment, he nodded his head and took a step backward. “Yes, sir,” he responded. “I’ll be outside.” He turned and walked away, grabbing the arm of a woman and pulling her along with him on his way.
“Thank you, Jeremiah,” Jed said.
“We are in your home, and we respect your hospitality,” Jeremiah replied. “We don’t, however, consort with people who have drunk from vampires or allowed themselves to be bitten. That you allow this woman to join your Pack is… unthinkable. She should be disposed of as soon as you gain your information.”
“She is my wolf, and under my protection. You and your kin would do well to remember that,” Jed replied curtly.
The other man bowed his head before walking out of the room. I stared after him, then turned my head to see who held my hands. John was on my right side and surprisingly Lucas was on my left. They let go of my hands and everyone seemed to relax after Jeremiah left. Mark kneaded my shoulders, and I took a deep breath before relaxing back into his hands. “So, I guess they won’t be my new best friends,” I murmured.
Lucas laughed loudly, and my comment got a few chuckles and several smiles. “Damn Nevada Pack,” Walt said from across the table. “They’re nothing but trouble. Good fighters though.”
“They are good fighters,” Jed said. “And the Alpha of Nevada has pledged his cause to ours. They will fight with us.”
“They’re just assholes about it,” Lucas commented.
Jed looked at him but didn’t say anything. I got the feeling Jed agreed, but he wasn’t the type to voice his opinions to everyone. He was the one keeping the peace.
“I heard vampire sex is amazing. Is th
at true?” the man in the cowboy hat asked suddenly, turning to face me. My face grew warm as everyone looked at me. I stared at the man, not sure how to react, then his face suddenly split in a huge grin. “Oh, girl, I’m just messing with you. Lucas, you owe me twenty bucks.”
“Damn,” Lucas murmured, pulling open his wallet. “I didn’t think you’d actually say it.”
“It was an easy dare,” he replied.
Lucas passed a twenty-dollar bill to the man and shoved his wallet back in his pocket. Lucas was still grinning when Mark’s fist made contact with his face, sending him stumbling backward. He righted himself and turned to face Mark, his fists held up in front of his face. “Damn it, Mark,” Lucas said, slowly lowering his fists and pulling his wallet out again. He grabbed another twenty-dollar bill and tossed it across the table to the same man.
The man with the cowboy hat took the money and leaned back in his chair, chuckling. “Easy money,” he said.
“Any more bets we should know about?” Jed asked. “Lucas? David?”
Both men shook their heads, and David chuckled as he flashed his money. “Not currently,” he replied. “But there’s always tomorrow.”
“Not at my expense,” I said.
David righted his chair and nodded to me. “Sorry, ma’am, you are correct. Our joke was in poor taste, and it will not happen again.”
Jed cleared his throat loudly, ceasing any further conversation. “I think it’s time I had a chat with Izzy. We have many things to talk about, and this dinner isn’t going as planned anyway.”
At Jed’s obvious dismissal, everyone grabbed their plates and quickly exited the room. Mark moved behind me once more, his hands kneading my shoulders. John stood beside him. Jed looked at me, then at Mark behind me. A shiver went down my spine as Jed’s eyes turned green and I felt what must have been Pack magic fill the air. After a few seconds, the sensation went away.
Mark leaned over me and kissed me on the cheek. “Go with Jed,” he said. “I’ll see you later tonight.”
I nodded and stood as my Alpha led me from the room. We didn’t go far, as Jed took me down into the empty security room. He closed the door behind him, shutting out any outside noise. We couldn’t hear anything outside the room, and no one would be able to hear us. It was the perfect spot for a secure conversation. My heart thudded in sudden fear. What did Jed have to talk to me about that needed to be so secretive?
