by Grant, Donna
In the evenings, he listened as she spoke of the people and animals she visited and told him stories about the residents while she cooked. After the meal, they played chess or read. Though she had a television, Elise rarely turned it on. And with the hundreds of books on the bookshelf lining the far wall, he understood why.
Not once had she demanded to know his full name or poked into his past—even after she’d told him her story. She asked nothing of him.
But maybe it was time she understood just what she had unintentionally gotten herself into.
“Delphine came to power after murdering the priestess she was studying under,” Kane began. “I remember hearing my parents discuss her at night in their bedroom when they thought we were asleep. They were worried. Very worried. I began paying attention after that and listening for Delphine’s name.
“She garnered status within the Voodoo community seemingly overnight. And with that, her powers grew. Other factions began to come to my parents, wanting them to do something about Delphine. But everyone waited too long.”
Elise frowned. “Meaning?”
“My guess is that Delphine either learned that my parents were plotting to take her down, or she realized that removing Mom and Dad would make the others bow down to her.” Kane lifted one shoulder in a shrug, immediately regretting it as it pulled several sets of stitches. “She blew up the restaurant my parents were eating at, but that didn’t kill them. One of her followers put a knife in their hearts.”
Elise’s hand reached out and touched his that held the blanket. “You said they died, but you didn’t say how.”
“It doesn’t really matter. Delphine was the cause of it. She stood there and watched them die. Then she caused the Alpha of the Moonstone Pack and his wife to go insane, making it necessary for the other weres in the pack to kill their Alphas. The pack disbanded and ran in fear after that. My brothers and I were young, and though we knew our role, we hadn’t really gotten involved yet. Solomon, my eldest brother, sat us down and told us everything. Court was so young, he doesn’t remember much of it, and we sheltered him as best we could. But I remember every horrible minute of it.”
Her hand squeezed his before falling away.
He missed her touch more than he expected. How could someone he knew so little about affect him so deeply? “Solomon and Myles went out to the leaders of the other factions while I stayed with Court. I believe it was that action that saved us. We intended to continue protecting the city. The others feared Delphine, but they didn’t want her leading them.”
“They joined you, then?” Elise asked.
“Not really. They alerted us to anything they discovered about Delphine, which helped us stay alive. We learned our place quickly and put measures in place to prevent Delphine—or any of the others—from entering our home. That safety allowed us to grow into who we are now.”
“Werewolves.”
He laughed softly. “With some pretty cool fighting skills.”
She grinned at his words. “Obviously, all of you reached adulthood.”
“That we did. We couldn’t have done it alone. But that doesn’t mean Delphine hasn’t inflicted her share of horrors.”
Elise took his hand and turned him to the sofa. “You shouldn’t push yourself too hard.”
“I have to. I can’t stay here forever.”
Her green eyes jerked to his. “I know, but if you want to get healthy, you need to let your body heal.”
He allowed her to lead him to the couch since she was touching him again. Even when she was poking at his injuries, he found her soft hands soothing. Just her touch was enough to ease him.
Once on the couch, he lay back as she sat in the chair. She licked her lips and clasped her hands together. “Why do you think Delphine is here? I thought her place was in New Orleans.”
“It was, and is. She has numerous followers there, along with a large section of the city. Delphine wasn’t just after my family, she also targeted my cousins. For reasons we don’t know yet, Delphine went after Riley, who was staying with me. In a battle several months ago where we teamed up with the witches and the Moonstone Pack, Delphine took Riley.”
Elise’s eyes bulged at the news. “Took her? Please tell me Riley didn’t die.”
“Delphine wiped her memories and made Riley believe Delphine was her friend. A friend of the Chiassons, who was once a detective in the city, helped locate Riley and get her memories back. But the fallout was another battle.”
“The building that collapsed,” Elise said as she sat back. “That was you?”
“It was, yes. Riley and Marshall got out in time. I knew Delphine would try something, so I followed her into the building. I intended to kill her, but things didn’t quite go as planned. The building began to crumble. I got out, but I know she did, as well.”
Elise tilted her head to the side as she pursed her lips. “Are you telling me you’ve been hunting her ever since and you’ve not told your family you’re alive?”
He glanced at the floor. “Like I told you, it’s better that I go after her alone.”
“Obviously not, if she was the cause of your attack.”
Kane frowned at her words. “Delphine isn’t someone who works with others. She uses them. I can’t imagine how she got the werewolves to work for her.”
A terrible feeling churned his gut.
“What?” Elise asked as she scooted to the edge of the chair. “What are you thinking?”
Kane ran a hand down his chest. “Some months ago, I managed to piss Delphine off. While it was a Voodoo priestess who cursed my family long ago, Delphine decided to punish me by sending me after someone close to my cousins. I couldn’t control myself. With Delphine’s hex, if I killed, I’d remain in wolf form forever, forgetting who I was.”
“But that didn’t happen,” she said with a grin.
“My cousins stopped me. Barely. And Myles and Court caught Delphine. They had their jaws at her throat and demanded she lift the curse. They should’ve killed her when they had the chance.”
Elise shook her head, her curls swaying. “They wanted to save you.”
“And look what that has done. She’s targeted our friends, gone after those my brothers care about, and kidnapped Riley.”
“Don’t you think all of that has made you stronger? That it allowed you to see Delphine and her motives, her moves?”
Kane sighed loudly, the weariness of the hunt settling into his bones. “I feel as if she leads us on a merry chase while pulling our strings. All we can do is react to whatever she shoves at us.”
“And if something happens to you? Will your brothers know? How will they find out that it was Delphine, or learn what you’ve discovered these last weeks?”
Elise had a point. A good one.
“If I hadn’t caused Delphine to curse me, none of this would have happened.”
Elise snorted and leaned back, her spine curving as she rested her arms across her stomach. “Seriously? You said that Delphine was after your family. What makes you think any of this would be different? You believe you’re the cause, but did you ever think that perhaps she led you right into her trap so she could curse you?”
Damn. Kane had to admit that he hadn’t given that line of thinking any consideration.
“That’s what I thought,” Elise said. She blew out a breath. “Obviously, I know nothing about your world, but I can tell that family is important to you—and your brothers. How would you feel if one of them did what you’re doing?”
“I’d rip them a new one,” he declared.
She grinned. “That’s what I thought.”
“It doesn’t change my mind.”
She pushed up from the chair and came to stand beside him. “You’re healing well. I know it won’t be long before you leave. I think what you’re doing is admirable, but foolish. What you’re putting your family through isn’t right.”
He held her gaze, wishing like hell that he’d met her under different circumstan
ces. He liked her voice, her smile...everything about her. And the longer he was around her, the more the attraction grew.
If he didn’t leave soon, he might do something really stupid like take her to bed. That’d be the worst thing he could do since it would send Delphine straight for Elise. And Elise had suffered enough.
Resigned, she said, “You’re going to need some clothes. I’ll see what I can do tomorrow.”
He reached out a hand to stop her as she walked away, but he missed her—and she didn’t see him.
6
Elise had come to enjoy living alone. The first few days Kane was there left her...perplexed, unsure of how to deal with him. But things got easier.
Comfortable.
Elise stared at the ceiling of her bedroom, thinking over their conversation. She’d gotten bits and pieces of his past, but the picture he painted was crystal clear.
Kane and his brothers knew very little peace. They prepared for—and expected—strife because that was their daily life.
On several occasions, she’d found him staring off into space, his mind a million miles away. She wondered what he was thinking about. Or who. The one thing Kane hadn’t alluded to was a lover. He’d mentioned his brothers’ women several times, but had said he had no one.
But was there someone he longed for? Wished for?
Elise hadn’t considered taking a lover, not since her accident. She wouldn’t feel comfortable with anyone seeing her scars. Hell, she didn’t like to see them.
But Kane made her think of tangled limbs, sweaty skin, and sighs of pleasure. He made her yearn for something she had forgotten—passion.
Despite her best intentions, Elise didn’t sleep the rest of the night. She tossed and turned for hours until she finally rose at five. After a quick shower, she dressed. When she walked into the living room, she found Mr. Darcy once more curled up on Kane’s chest as he slept.
She gave the cat a scratch behind the ears, but she didn’t touch Kane. Funny how she had seen him naked to mend his wounds, but now she was hesitant to put her hands on him. Mostly because when she did touch his rock-hard body and looked her fill at him, she pictured him naked.
Elise turned on her heel and did some inventory work with her medications until the sun came up. Then she grabbed her purse and keys and walked to the 1990s truck she’d bought.
She drove into town to the thrift shop. Norma, as usual, was already there and gladly let Elise inside. After Elise had checked on Norma’s six cats that kept the small shopping center free of rodents, she then searched for some clothes for Kane. She wasn’t sure of his size, so she bought a couple of different jeans and shirts. With Norma’s help, she found some boots that might fit him.
“Do you have a male companion?” Norma asked hopefully, her gray eyes filled with excitement.
Elise paid for her purchases and looped her fingers in the handles of the bags. “Helping out a friend, is all.”
Norma’s face fell. She ran her hand over her graying brown hair pulled back in a braid. “Though I never found me someone to marry, I did have relations. It’s a good release for the soul.”
“Norma,” Elise said in mock surprise. “You’ve been holding back on me.”
The woman grinned mischievously. “Oh, the stories I have, my dear.”
“I’d love to hear them.”
“You need to make stories of your own.”
Elise wasn’t comfortable talking about her sex life—or lack thereof. She decided to change the subject. “Have you seen anything weird the past couple of months?”
“Weird?” Norma asked with a frown. “How?”
Elise shrugged, searching for the right words. “Anything unusual? What about howls?”
“Like wolves?”
“Yes,” she said eagerly. “Have you heard them?”
Norma shook her head and moved the medallion of St. Christopher back and forth on the chain about her neck. “I haven’t, but come to think of it, Ted over near you said he’s heard what sounded like howls. But that can’t be. We don’t have wolves here.”
“We have coyotes, bobcats, and such. Why not wolves?”
Norma held her gaze for a long silent moment. “I take it you’ve heard the wolves?”
“I have.” There was no use lying. And besides, Elise hated being deceitful with anyone—especially her friends.
Norma came from behind the counter. “Is your male friend staying with you?”
“For now. He’ll be gone soon.”
“Hmm. Maybe he’ll remain a little longer?”
It was something in the way Norma spoke, but for a second, Elise thought the woman knew much more than she let on. “We’ll see. Thanks for these,” she said, holding up the bags before walking out.
Elise made one more stop at the local donut shop and picked up an assortment of pastries, as well as some kolaches before heading back.
At the house, she put the truck in park and grabbed the box and bags before getting out of the vehicle. She was halfway to the door when a snarl stopped her in her tracks. Elise looked up to find a wolf between her and the back porch.
Her heart slammed against her chest so hard, she could feel it. Her fingers went numb, and the packages and keys slipped from her grasp.
The wolf bared its teeth and crouched low. Time slowed as Elise glanced about for a place she could get to before the animal pounced, but there was nothing that offered safety other than her truck. And she wouldn’t reach it in time.
The fur on the wolf’s back stood on end, and right before it launched itself at her, a black blur crossed her field of vision.
As soon as she saw the wolves fighting, she rushed to the porch and into the house, slamming the door behind her. She leaned against it, her limbs shaking at her close encounter.
But the longer she stood there and listened to the fighting, the more she realized that others might join in to attack Kane, and he wasn’t ready for that.
Elise ran for her shotgun and opened the door to find herself staring into the yellow eyes of a wolf. She fired the gun at the animal. The wolf howled in protest, blood running from its shoulder before it scurried off.
Elise ran to the edge of the porch and fired her gun again to get the attention of the wolf fighting Kane. The two broke apart, and the attacker turned his gaze to glare at her before it too loped off. For long seconds, neither she nor Kane moved as they waited to see if any others would attack.
Finally, she lowered her gun and found herself looking into Kane’s werewolf eyes. They were bright yellow as he watched her.
She shook her head at him. “You’re bleeding again.”
He turned away from her and picked up the packages with his teeth before bringing them to her. She accepted them, grabbed the box with the pastries, and they returned to the house together.
Kane went straight into her vet area while she put away their breakfast. By the time she made her way to him, he’d shifted into his human form and had covered his lower half with a blanket as he sat on the table.
“I should’ve looked for them,” she said as she stood before him.
He moved a curl out of her eyes and shook his head. “It wouldn’t have mattered. I knew they’d try something sooner or later. I’ve been waiting for them since I heard you drive off.”
“Thank you.” She lifted the bags of clothes. “I got you a few things. Hopefully, something will fit. I’ll take back whatever doesn’t work. But first, let’s get you cleaned up.”
“I busted some stitches.”
She walked around him and lifted the blanket to see his left leg. “You busted all of them.”
“Great,” he stated dryly.
She lifted a vial. “Something for the pain?”
Kane shook his head of golden hair she constantly had the urge to run her fingers through. “No.”
Elise set about cleaning him up again. “Whatever healing your body did has been undone.”
“I wasn’t going to let them hurt you,” he
replied.
His voice was low, edged with...something. Anger, maybe? The heat of his skin made her hyper-aware of his nakedness—and just how gorgeous his body was. “There were only two of them. If they had wanted to do anything to me, more would’ve come.”
There was a slight pause before he said, “I know.”
She stopped in the process of wiping the blood off on his chest to look up at him. “You know?”
His blue eyes met hers. “They wanted to see how badly I was injured.”
“Oh.” She hadn’t even thought of that.
Kane’s long fingers wrapped around her arms, and he straightened her. “I’ve not only shown them that I’m not on death’s door, but that I will protect you. That means they’ll try and use you to get to me.”
“Not if I don’t leave.”
He smiled sadly. “If only it was that simple. They’ve been watching the house. They know you’re a vet. They’ll make sure you have no choice but to leave to see to an animal, and that’s when they’ll make their move.”
“Can’t you remind this pack that you’re allies?”
“Again, if only it were that easy,” he said and dropped his hands. “I’ve got a bad feeling that these weres aren’t part of the pack. I think they’re new werewolves, people that Delphine cursed—or rewarded.”
Elise gaped as she realized his implication. “She turned some of her followers?”
“It makes sense.”
“Dear God.”
He snorted softly. “It’s a mess, to be sure.”
She wanted to urge him to seek out his brothers again, but she knew it’d be futile. He’d made up his mind on the matter, and there was no talking him out of it.
“Have you considered finding the Moonstone Pack?” she asked. She laid a hand on his chiseled abs and cleared away the broken stitches.
He winced slightly when she cleaned out the wound. “I’ve considered it, but they’ll only go to my brothers.”
“It’s folly to do this on your own. You’ve no idea how many Delphine has turned.”
