by Maddy Barone
The gas station’s roof might once have been red. It sported large windows, broken long ago, and a sign tall enough to be seen from the missing bridge on the interstate. Mel couldn’t see what the sign said. Age leeched all color from it, but it probably proclaimed cars could stop there to buy gas. She imagined cars from the Times Before rolling along roads clear of grass and underbrush, puffing out flatulence behind them like her horse frequently did.
Mike ignored her comment. “See anyone?” he asked Snake.
Snake, his eyes watching the wolf prowling below, shook his head. “Not yet. We’ll stay put until Stone comes back.”
Mel lay quietly beside Snake, trying to ignore the itch of sweat creeping between her breasts and the crinkle of dried grass against her shirt. His bare shoulder pressed against hers, and all she could think of was kissing him this morning. How far would she have gone with him if Mike hadn’t interrupted? Farther than she ever meant to, she was sure. His mouth and hands made her feel good. No, better than good. Relaxed? No, definitely not relaxed. Warm. Daring. Curious. He made her…She fumbled for the right word and settled on want. He made her want more. And that was both scary and pleasing. She cast a sidelong glance at him, her gaze gliding along the curve of his taut shoulder, the muscles in his back she stroked this morning, and she wondered when they would be alone again to explore each other a little more.
Stone’s wolf loped away from the gas station, going in the opposite direction to continue his search for anyone else in the area. Mel hated waiting, but she occupied herself with memories of the morning. When Stone appeared an hour later, Snake tossed his breechcloth and moccasins at him. Mel looked away while he changed from wolf to man. Watching Snake change was one thing. He was her husband, after all, but seeing Stone naked didn’t seem quite right.
“Nobody’s around for at least two miles,” Stone reported.
“Okay, good,” Snake said. “We’ll stick to the plan. Mike will ride down and leave the money. Mel and I will ride back north to wait at the cabin we passed a few miles ago. Mike can catch up with us there. Stone’s wolf will hang around here, and when the man comes, he’ll howl to let us know to come so we can get some answers.”
Mel slid a thumb over the grip of her pistol. “We’ll get answers.”
“Yeah, we will,” Snake agreed. “Ready to go, Mike? Got the money?”
Mike slapped a hand to the side of his waist. “Yep. I’ve been sleeping in this danged money belt.”
They walked back to the horses, and Mike mounted up, loosening his rifle in its saddle sheath to be sure it could be pulled easily in case of trouble. He leaned down in the saddle to shake Stone’s hand and then Snake’s. “Thanks,” he said soberly. “For everything.” His soberness exploded into a brother’s mocking grin. “Melissa Ann, see if you can keep your hands off your husband for the next half-hour.”
While she sputtered, he tapped his boot heel into his horse’s side and started toward the gas station. By the time she had her voice back, Stone had dropped his breechcloth and changed. As the wolf trotted off, she jerked her eyebrows into a challenging frown and glared at her husband. Snake, holding his cousin’s discarded clothing in his hand, lifted an eyebrow at her.
“Don’t worry, mate. What I want to do to you will take a lot longer than half an hour, and believe me, I don’t want your brother walking in on us in the middle of it. He would completely ruin the mood.”
Mel’s laugh was carefree. She mounted while Snake stuffed Stone’s things in his saddlebag and marveled at how easy it was to laugh with her husband. She didn’t laugh all that often, but she’d laughed more in the last twenty-four hours than in the last year. It felt good to laugh.
They rode in silence to the place Mike would meet them. The cabin was really only a shelter. The roof was pretty solid, but the roughly hewn boards that made up the walls were widely spaced. Mel didn’t mind. The gaps let air circulate in the single room, keeping it slightly cooler than it was outdoors. After taking care of the horses, she and Snake sat side by side on the dirt floor and leaned their back against the inside wall where the breeze could pass over them. They sat cross-legged, close enough for their knees to almost touch.
“This is far enough away from the gas station?” she asked. “The man won’t suspect we’re still around?”
“I doubt it. Stone didn’t find anyone close-by. If the man’s watching, he’ll see Mike ride in with the money and ride out again.”
“He might have other men with him. We don’t know how many have had Mama for all these years.”
“He might. They won’t know Stone is watching, though. If anyone sees Stone, they’ll just think he’s a wild wolf.”
That eased a little of her anxiety. “Right. No one will know Stone is actually a man.” Her smile bloomed. “We’ll have Mama back in no time.”
Snake shifted his bare back against the rough wood wall. “It might be a few days before the man even comes to get the money,” he cautioned.
“I know. But we’re farther along now than we were.” Mama. She could hardly contain her excitement. “It’s all because of you and Stone. Thank you!”
He curled his hand around hers. “You’re welcome. I told you once I would do anything I could to make you happy. I meant it.”
She remembered. The morning after he killed the Fosses, when she was still scared of him and in shock from what he did, he told her in a desperate voice he would do anything for her. She didn’t believe him then, not really, but she did now. She gave his hand a squeeze. “I said I’d be your wife, or your mate, or anything else you wanted if you would help me get my mother back. I meant what I said too.”
She felt his lips brush over her hair. “I’ll take you anyway I can get you, but I hope someday you’ll feel something more than just gratitude.”
Well, hell. She already felt something more than gratitude. But how could she say that? She remained silent for long minutes, staring at the knee of her jeans where a worn spot threatened to become a hole. Her mother would have patched it by now. She didn’t allow her family to look raggedy, even in their work clothes.
“Are you thinking about your mom?”
“Yeah.”
“Tell me more about her.”
Mel scooted a couple of inches closer to him so she could lean her shoulder against his arm. “Mama is beautiful. All of us kids take after our dad. We’re okay looking, but not beautiful like Mama.”
Snake jerked his head around to stare at her. “You think you’re not beautiful?”
She flapped a dismissive hand at his incredulity. “Some people say I’m pretty—”
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
“Thanks. Mama was so beautiful men rode a hundred miles to dance with her when there was a party in town. Even after she had four kids, she was still the most beautiful woman for a hundred miles.”
“You don’t love her because she’s beautiful, though, do you?”
“No, I love her because she’s my mother. I never knew how much until after she was stolen.”
“You love her so much you would do anything to get her back. Not every daughter would be willing to let her brothers sell her to be a Bride Fight prize.”
“We had to have the money to pay for Mama. It was worth it.” Mel blinked tears back. “It could have turned out bad, but you saved me. And now everything is going to be fine.”
“Yeah.”
They lapsed into comfortable silence, just leaning against each other. She closed her eyes, remembering her father and mother together at the kitchen table. She recalled frequent silences between them. When she was a kid, she couldn’t understand why they didn’t talk to each other more. Now, finding comfort in Snake’s quiet presence, she understood. Dad wasn’t the type to hug and kiss his wife in public. Mama called Dad Mr. Dirk, and he called her Mrs. Dirk. It was a private game of loving teasing.
She glanced over at Snake. “Do you want me to call you Mr. Wolfe?”
&nbs
p; “What? No.”
“Oh. Just wondered. Dad called Mama Mrs. Dirk.”
“Probably wanted to remind people she was his wife.”
“Yeah.” That could be part of it, Mel thought. “Anyway, Uncle Martin—You remember him? Dad’s brother? He’s the one who married us.”
Snake played with a lock of her hair that had fallen out of the braid. “I remember. Marrying you is my very favorite memory. So far.”
Mel could almost feel his stare travel over her body and swallowed hard. “Well, Uncle Martin said Dad was nutty about Mama. He was so in love he didn’t wait until she was sixteen to marry her.”
“Your mom was fifteen when they got married?”
Mel heard a subtle note of disapproval in his voice. “Yeah. She was almost sixteen when Marc was born. Uncle Martin said things were different back then. Her mom and dad were both dead, and she needed to be safe. That’s why Dad married her so young.”
“Hmm. I guess if it were you in that situation, I’d want to marry you right away too. Don’t think I could keep my hands off you until you were eighteen.” The easy humor died, replaced by cold steel. “But if we ever have a daughter, no man is touching her until she’s grown up.”
“What if something happens, and she’s left alone?”
“The Clan and the Pack will take care of her. Mel, you want kids?”
“Sure. Some day.”
“How did you like what we did this morning?”
Heat began a slow burn between her thighs. She folded her arms over her chest and shifted away from him, wondering what reaction he was expecting. “I liked it just fine,” she finally admitted. “I didn’t know if I would, but I did. That doesn’t mean,” she hurried to add, “that I’m ready for anything more than that yet.”
“Ah, Mel,” he groaned. “You’re killing me. I can smell your want for me right now.”
She jerked her legs straight and pressed her knees together. “Damn your sense of smell! Do you have any idea how embarrassing that is?”
“Embarrassing? I like it. And you don’t need to have a wolf’s sense of smell to know how much I want you.” He waved at his lap. “You can see it for yourself.”
Half against her will, her gaze followed his wave to the front of his breechcloth. “Um, I see what you mean.” Her would-be prim tone dissolved into snorting laughter. “Poor Snake. That can’t be comfortable.”
“More comfortable than it would be in jeans,” he replied without rancor. “And I can stand it, because I know someday we’ll make love. You still need some time, and that’s okay. I don’t want to rush you into something that important. Come here. Lean on me.”
She did, settling her head on his shoulder. “You’re a good man, Snake.” Better than she believed a husband forced on her could be. “I guess Mike will be here soon.”
“Yeah. Then we start another wait, for Stone to signal the man has come.”
* * * *
It was early afternoon the next day when Snake heard Stone’s howl. “There’s the signal. Mount up!” he said.
Mel hurried to pack up what little they unloaded earlier, relief planting a fierce grin on her face. Last night she and Mike settled into the same bickering they indulged in when they were kids, and even in the middle of her irritation, she knew it was stupid. She slept chastely beside her husband, all too aware of Mike only a few yards away. The morning crept by so slowly she wanted to scream. So now, being able to actually do something was a relief.
It took them almost two hours to reach the gas station, and they didn’t see anyone there, so Snake slipped off his horse. “Stone must be tailing the man. I’m going to let my wolf out so I can cast around for their scent. I’ll yip when I want you to follow me.”
Mel forced herself to stay in the saddle, but she couldn’t keep her restless hands from checking the rifle in its sheath under her knee, or from stroking the butt of her pistol. Alfie. The thought got a little smile out of her.
Mike was doing the same. He scowled at her. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing.” She reconsidered. “Well, just remembering something Snake did the other ni—”
Red swept up his cheeks, dull under his dark tan. “Shut up! There’s some things a brother doesn’t need to know.”
Mel smirked at him. “Okay. Doesn’t matter anyway. Soon I’ll be able to tell those things to Mama.”
An answering smile bloomed on Mike’s face, a soft, happy smile. “Yeah.”
A yip sounded from behind the gas station. “Let’s go,” said Mel.
“Keep your eyes open,” Mike suggested, grabbing his rifle, face back in its hard lines. “That man might see us on his back trail and take a shot.”
Mel nodded and pulled her weapon free to hold over her thighs. They rode for the entire afternoon, leading the spare horse, sometimes losing sight of Snake. They often stopped while he scouted ahead, and occasionally they had to back track to find the trail. They saw no one else, though they passed a few abandoned farms or ranches. It was past suppertime when they saw two wolves running toward them. Snake and Stone flowed into their man shapes, grabbed their breechcloths and moccasins from the spare horse’s saddlebag, and put them on.
“He’s about a half mile north,” Stone said quickly. “There’s a rundown house and a barn that looks abandoned. He went into the barn.”
“Stopping for the night?” Mike wondered. “There’s still an hour of daylight left.”
Snake shrugged. “Could be. Mel, I want you to keep quiet. Let Mike do the talking. There’s a chance this guy won’t know you’re a woman.” His expression said he doubted it. “As long as you don’t talk, he might not guess. Promise me you’ll keep quiet.”
Mel nodded, and made sure all her hair was stuffed up under her hat and dug her leather vest out of the saddlebag. She put it on, settling it to help hide the curve of her bust. “I know I didn’t need to come on this trip, and if you hadn’t given your okay, Marc would have kept me home. Thank you. I’m really glad I got to come along. I promise to keep my mouth shut.”
She loved seeing her husband smile. “Okay,” he said. “Come on.”
With Snake riding behind Mel and Stone on the spare horse, they quickly covered the distance. Mel thought the house, like so many others they’d passed, did look abandoned. The paint had long ago peeled off the sides of the house. But the glass windows were intact. Strange. They were usually the first thing salvagers took from abandoned buildings.
“Dismount here,” Snake whispered at the edge of what would have been the yard. “Stone is going in first. Mike, once you’re inside the barn, you go right. Mel, you go left. Set yourselves into crossfire position, so if you need to shoot, you won’t hit each other. I’ll come in last and guard the door. Be careful. He’s armed.”
Excitement and anticipation bubbled in her guts and tightened her hands on her rifle. Now she would get the answers she’d wanted since she’d been left both fatherless and motherless as a young teen. She walked as silently as she could behind Mike through the open barn door.
The man apparently wasn’t worried about being followed. He stood with his back to the door, whistling as he groomed his unsaddled horse. Mel noticed the barn was surprisingly well stocked, with another horse in a stall, but she forgot anything but the man when Stone glided behind him and lifted the pistol from the man’s belt and then yanked him a few yards away from the horse.
“What the hell?” the man squawked, stumbling and whirling around.
Mel stared. He was old! Well, not that old, really, but maybe fifty-five or so. He reached for Stone but stopped when Mike lifted his rifle to aim at the man’s belly. Mel, opposite Mike, did the same with steady hands and hatred in her heart. This man, this weak-chinned stubble-faced excuse for a man, would give them answers. She kept her eyes on him, her nervous twitches gone calm and cold.
“Ask your questions,” Snake said quietly behind her. She shot a quick glance over her shoulder and saw his position let him watch both the a
ction in the barn and see if anyone was coming from outside.
Stone passed the filched pistol to Mike and stood just out of reach of the man. Mike shoved the pistol into the back of his belt and glared at the man with cold, flat eyes, looking a lot like their dad right then. “Where’s my mother, you son of a bitch?”
The man had a long skinny throat with a prominent Adam’s apple that bobbed a long ways up and a long ways down when he swallowed. “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”
Stone’s voice was soft. “Lie.”
The man whirled on Stone, anger glowing on his thin face, but stopped when Mike raised his rifle a few more inches. “We won’t get answers if you’re dead,” Mike said flatly, “but I figure you can talk just fine without a finger or two.”
The man raised his hands and backed up. “Now, look,” he began. “I’ve never seen you before in my life.”
“Lie,” said Stone.
Mel looked at the man more closely. When would he have seen Mike? Maybe he wasn’t quite fifty-five, she decided. More like fifty. His body was tall and bony with long arms and legs. His gray hair might have been blond once. His fair skin was burned dark by the sun, heavily lined by age and trouble. His nose was prominent, his chin receding. Not a handsome face, but distinctive. She tried to remember ever meeting him but came up empty.
“Stuff it,” Mike barked. “Here’s what we’re going to do. I’m gonna ask you questions, and you’ll answer. And don’t bother lying. Let’s start at the beginning, and I’ll make the questions real easy for you. Did you steal my mother?”
“No.”
Stone blinked. “Truth.”
Mike’s jaw hardened as he clenched his teeth. “Did you send word to my family that as long as we sent you money twice a year you wouldn’t hurt my mother?”
That prominent Adam’s apple bobbed up and down again. “No.”
“Lie.”
Mel felt air ease out of her lungs. For a split second, she’d been afraid they had the wrong man. So this man wasn’t responsible for stealing her mother, but he was part of the gang who had. He was the one to write the letter.
