“How do you figure?”
“She wanted you to be happy so she told you the truth and she needed you to be safe so she sent you away. Sounds like love to me.”
“Maybe.” But he didn’t sound sure.
“Demon.” Her hand stilled on his head. “I don’t want you to feel any pressure or anything, but in case you need to know.” She paused taking a deep breath before plunging on. “I love you.” He stilled lifting his head to meet her eyes.
“Don’t say it unless you mean it.” His voice came out a tight growl in his throat.
“I mean it.” He swooped, taking her lips and stopping whatever else she might have said. She melted into him.
“Say it again.”
“I love you.”
He nuzzled into her neck and licked the bite he’d put there. His voice was a deep rumble. “Then enough of this for the foreseeable future horse shit. This is forever.” He grabbed his cock and led it to her wet pussy.
“That is so romantic Demon.” She said and lost her voice when he pushed his way into her aching channel.
He grunted what could have been an affirmative answer. Neither of them wanted to talk for a while.
“What do you mean you don’t want me to go?” When Clytie and Demon had finally left the bed she felt a connection with him that she had never had with any other. Now she stood in front of three strangers telling her everything she thought she knew was wrong.
“Damn it baby. This is for your own good.” Demons gravely voice was just this side of desperate.
“You don’t want me with you at your mother’s funeral and it’s for my own good?” Clytie crossed her arms and cocked her hip. “Why?”
“Why?”
“Why is it for my own good?”
“It just is.” He said his voice turning belligerent. “I don’t want you there. Do I have to have a reason?”
Mac shook his head and Ben winced. Looking at the way her eyes flared and her lips thinned Demon knew he would be lucky to escape with his balls. When she did speak, it was in a soft cold tone that sent shivers up the spine. So angry she dripped icicles from every word.
“You say it’s dangerous to go, but you won’t tell me why. Fine. It’s your mother’s funeral; you don’t want me with you. Fine. Hurtful but fine. Talk to me like I’m a dog begging for a treat. Not. Fine.” The last words were expressed with a definite bite. Without another word, she turned and left the room.
“God Damn it!” The panic Demon suffered watching Clytie’s back as she walked away was nearly as gut wrenching as the news about his mother.
Both Mac and Ben looked at him like he was the stupidest man alive and he suspected they were right. “Fuck!”
He caught up to Clytie in their bedroom. He took one look at her face and pulled her struggling into his chest. “I’m sorry baby. The thought of you at the mercy of my family makes me crazy.”
That stopped her struggles. Instead, she looked up at him with wet and confused green eyes. “What are you afraid of?” Whatever she saw in his eyes must have reassured her because she hugged him, her soft cheek tucked up against his fast beating heart. “Talk to me.”
“They’ll try to hurt you.”
“Your family?”
“Yes.”
She thought about that for a long time just staying soft in his arms. “Are you saying they will physically attack me?”
“I don’t know. But I won’t take the chance.”
She blew out a long breath. “All right. I can accept that. But Demon the next time just tell me the truth. The ‘me Tarzan, you Jane’ approach only works in the movies, and occasionally in bed. I won’t stay were I’m treated like anything less than a full partner.”
“Then you’ll be here when I get back?” His voice, edging on timid, sounded absurd coming from Demon.
“I’ll be here. Just make sure you come home in one piece.”
“I’ll be back in time for your show tomorrow.”
“Good. Because otherwise I might forget all the really good reasons I put up with you and find somebody else.” His growl was long and ended with a snap of teeth, which made her laugh. The laughter turned into a squeak when she found herself hauled over his shoulders.
“Tarzan huh? I think I can do better than that.”
“Demon.” She shrieked between laughs. “Put me down.” Instead, his hand found the curve of her delicious ass and squeezed making her body jackknife up with a gasp. She was bouncing on the bed before the door even closed.
“Do you suppose he would want us to remind him about the flight?” Ben asked from the hall where they had been watching the drama.
“Would you?” Mac asked dryly.
“I’ll call and let the others know we’re running late.”
Chapter 8
“Deliverance country. Lovely.” Ben looked around the graveyard deep in the Ozarks and felt the cat in him reacting to the unmistakable smell of hillbilly dog. “Why do I get the feeling we should have brought more guns.”
“Because we are currently surrounded by a good fifty shape shifting wolves who would like to eat us?”
“That might be it.”
Mac looked at Demon. “I can see why you don’t visit.”
Demon grunted, he had spoken little on the trip over. There were many things he would rather be doing, namely Clytie. Instead, he was here in his own personal hell. He didn’t want Clytie anywhere near his old pack, but he didn’t like her in another state. She needed to be where he could protect her.
“Relax.” Mac kept his eyes on the wolf shifters trying to stare them down from across the mound of fresh dirt. Only the Taboo of fighting at a graveside kept them on their side of the grave. “Eli and Logan are watching your little bird. No one can get to her. You’d be better off concentrating on your hick relatives. They don’t appear happy to see you.”
“On the other hand,” Ben said, smiling at the angry crowd salivating for blood across from them. “They look real happy to see us.” At his smirk, several wolves growled and showed an impressive lack of dental work and sharp teeth.
“Ben.” Mac warned in a bored voice aware the wolves across from them heard every word. “Don’t tease the animals.”
Before Ben could respond with something even more inflammatory the crowd of wolf shifters parted and Demon caught his first sight of the Alpha after fifteen years. Gregory Bidel, Alpha of the Bone Crusher Clan. He felt his hackles rise and his wolf instinct to fight nearly overwhelmed his control.
“You have no business here outcast. You or your pack of degenerates.”
“Even Outcasts are welcome at family funerals. It’s shifter law.”
The man who he’d once called father took a threatening step forward. “You have no family here.”
A little grayer, the Alpha hadn’t changes in 20 years, except to get harder and meaner in appearance. Demon realized he looked down on him now, by about a foot. For some reason he had pictured the Alpha a bigger man. Now Demon was both taller and broader across the shoulders, though the Alpha was thicker everywhere else. Looking from the rage filled grey eyes of the Alpha to the rest of the pack, about fifty in all with the females hidden towards the back with the few cubs, he was ambivalent. Ben was right; they looked like a pack of illiterate hillbillies. For years, he had wondered what it would be like to be this mans natural son, a welcome member of the pack. Now he could only be grateful to have escaped such a life.
“Where’s Clancy?” He should have been at his father’s side, but the Alpha stood alone, his pack keeping a respectful distance.
“That’s our business and none of yours.” One of the men closest to the Alpha spoke up, smirking a challenge across the sacred ground until the Alpha glared at him for speaking out of turn. He dropped his head immediately and bared his neck.
Glancing around Demon felt his wolfs unease, quite a few faces seemed to be missing, Clancy not least of all. He should have been here. Even if she was not his biological mother, he was a B
eta and an enforcer. When the Alphas mate dies, everyone goes to the funeral. Demon opened that door inside himself and stretched out with his wolf senses. No one here was powerful enough to be any of the upper echelon. Besides the Alpha, every powerful wolf of the Bone crusher clan was missing from the funeral.
He met the old Alphas eyes and every hair on his body stood up in warning. Both Ben and Mac on either side of him went to battle ready mode without moving an inch and his own eyes shifted to wolf gold.
Mac moved up a step, grabbing every ones attention. “Shifter law guarantees safe passage at funerals even for outcasts. You break that law and you sign your own death warrant.”
The Alpha sniffed as if catching something bad on the wind, his eyes insulting and dismissive. “Who the hell would care if I took out the trash? I can’t even tell what the hell you are.”
“Wolverine.” Macs voice held soft menace making many of the wolves shift about. Even Alpha wolves knew better than to mess with a wolverine shifter and none but one here was an Alpha. The minister who had been standing oh so quiet at the head of the grave appeared properly horrified.
With his face twisted in distaste, Gregory spit on the fresh grave. His eyes on Demon, he ignored the choking sound coming from the appalled minister. “Consorting with a wolverine and an outlaw cat. I heard about your fucked up clan of deviants and perverts but I didn’t really believe it. Even a bastard like you should have more pride. Not even a clan-less female will have you now.” He laughed a hard edge to it. “When I think of how often I had to hear about your fucking pedigree and here you are mixing with cats and whatever the hell else. Your grandfathers must be rolling in his grave.”
“Looking at what you’ve done to his pack I doubt he’s sparing much thought to who my friends are.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“Please gentleman!” The little man finally spoke up. “This is a funeral and if no one else is coming I would like to get on with the service.”
The old Alpha snapped his teeth with a growl but stepped back. Church officials were another thing protected by shifter law. The service commenced. Demon locked his jaw and kept his wolf senses open. While he listened to the sermon on everlasting life and the will of God, his eyes wandered over the assembled wolves. None of them would meet his eyes until he hit the golden eyes of an old Witch. Essie had been old when he was a child, now she seemed withered and dry except for the spark of fire peaking out of her wolf eyes. She studied him for a long minute, then bowed her head enough to show respect. He couldn’t hide his surprise. She had acknowledged him an Alpha. No one seemed to be paying attention but such a thing would get her beat or worse if Gregory heard of it.
He noticed a small hand clutched in her gnarled clasp. A small head peaked out from behind her. No older than 12 at most and obviously a girl. She had not yet grown into her features and her blue eyes were huge in her heart shaped face. She reminded him of a baby angel with all that gold skin and hair. She turned her head to glance back and he saw the raised scar across her neck that disappeared into her ratty t-shirt. She had been burned at some point in her young life and he had to wonder how far the scars went. She stood out from the other mourners in both color and circumstance. While every one else had come slicked back and in their Sunday best, she wore oversized cast offs. Then the service ended and he had other things to think about.
The Alpha threw them one last warning to get out of town before sunset and stomped off, followed by his cowed pack. The old witch gave him a nod before turning and following the others.
Ben smirked at the few stragglers who stayed behind to growl at them before heading off with teeth bared. The minister followed behind them. When it was the three of them Ben let out a breath and pulled out his cell phone.
“So, trap?” Mac asked as they turned to walk back to their rental.
“Trap.” Demon said coldly.
“Code Blue.” Ben said into the phone and hung up when he had confirmation. “Still think it’ll be the airport?” With a press of the keys, the car beeped and all the doors unlocked. He pulled open the trunk and threw his suit coat inside to be followed by two more. He passed out the guns, holsters, and extra clips. They all pulled on the holsters, loaded their weapons, and clicked the safeties. Mac took the wheel while Ben slammed the trunk and climbed into the back seat.
“Probably, but we have a shadow just in case they try to take the car.”
Demon didn’t bother to search, knowing he wouldn’t spot anyone watching them. Shawn was a hawk shifter. They wouldn’t notice him unless he wanted them to.
It was almost anticlimactic when they arrived at the landing strip without incident. They parked the car and Ben checked the phone. No alerts had been sent.
“Sniper?” Mac asked, seeing the landing strip around the plane remained clear. Demon shrugged, it was possible, but not in the Bone Crusher packs usual style. When a hawk circled and squawked they got out of the car and headed for the open hatch of the plane. A tall teenager waited for them inside.
At sixteen, he was already just over six feet and not yet finished growing into his shoulders. His sneakers were scuffed, his jeans faded at the knees and his gun holster strapped over a punisher t-shirt. Wiry with a lot of tawny hair he was a smaller version of his father.
“All clear.” He said, pushing the mane of hair that always seemed to be flying everywhere out of his face.
“No problems.” Mac said, “Tell Cleo to start the engines, as soon as Shawn’s in we’ll lock her down.”
“Affirmative.” The boy said heading for the cockpit.
“Ian?” Mac said halting him. “As soon as we’re airborne contact the car rental place and tell them to pick up the car. I’ll let your father know what’s going on.”
The teenager nodded before disappearing into the passageway to the cockpit. A hawk flew in as soon as the engine started and disappeared into the back of the plane. Ben pulled the hatch closed and secured it. His head shaking.
“What the hell is going on?”
“I don’t like this.” Demon said, his jaw clenched tight. He pulled on his seat belt nearly ripping it out of the seat in his agitation. “Where the fuck is Clancy if he isn’t waiting to ambush us?”
Shawn came in from the back wearing black jeans and pulling on a black t-shirt. At six feet, exactly he had a slim whipcord body and moved with precision. His piercing hazel eyes missed nothing. He had brown hair that fell to his shoulder and a beak of a nose. His voice, when he spoke, had a hard core of steel behind it. “Why would Lucas send the brat squad on a mission like this?”
“Cleo hears you calling them the brat squad and she’ll rip you a new one.” Mac said finding his seat and buckling himself in as they waiting for clearance to leave. “And I told you, when I asked about the plane Lucas requested we use Cleo and Ian on the job so they could get some experience in the field. Training will only take them so far.”
“I don’t like it. Lucas has no business sending children into dangerous situations”
Ben snorted. “Cleo’s 19 and Ian’s 16. That’s older than either of us were when we started this business.”
“That was different.” He said sitting down when the plane started to taxi and buckling in. “We didn’t have a choice.”
“Lucas is an outcast who took with him his two purebred lion cubs when he left. There isn’t a pride of Lions anywhere on Earth that wouldn’t kill for breeding stock like that. The fact he has not only survived but kept his kids says a lot about the fucking badass that he is.” Ben said. “But even he can’t be with them every second. They have to be able to protect themselves. They don’t have a choice either.”
Shawn clenched his jaws in obvious disapproval but he kept quiet. As soon as they were airborne, they all unhooked their seat belts and Demon pulled out his cell phone and dialed home. After a few rings, Eli answered.
“This is the new home of the lovely and sexy Clytie Jones and a few others that are unimport
ant. How can I help you?” Through the phone, Demon heard a laugh in the background that gave him an immediate hard on. He clenched his teeth.
“Eli.” Demon growled in warning. “Don’t get too comfortable with my woman.”
“Perish the thought.” He said into the phone and then to Clytie. “Darlin’ that is one sexy dress. You are a goddess in red.”
Demon was surprised he didn’t break teeth clenching his jaw so hard. Eli laughed at his warning growl.
“Clytie, sweets, love of my life, Demon wants to talk to you.”
There was a small fumble with the phone and then Clyties laugh was right there. A little of the tension he’d felt since leaving her side dispersed.
“Demon?” She asked her voice going soft. “Are you O.K?”
He opened his mouth but nothing wanted to come out. God he needed to touch her. She sighed out a long breath when he didn’t answer. “If it was anything but this show tonight I’d blow it off and we could wallow in each other all night.” She continued her voice a little sad. “If you don’t feel like coming tonight I understand. You can wait for me at home.”
“I’ll be there.” He said liking the way she said that. “We’ll go home together.” He would have said more but all the shifters on both sides were listening. “Just stick close to Eli until we get there…” His voice took on an edge. “But not too close, at least three feet away at all times.” She laughed, the sadness left behind as easy as that.
“You do know you’re ridiculous right? Eli has been nothing but a gentleman.”
A gentleman? Eli? Fuck. Tricky damn cat was up to something. He tried any moves on Clytie and he’d be searching for his spleen. “Baby, put Eli back on the phone.”
There was a short silence. “Why do I worry when you get that sweet tone in your voice?” Eli started laughing like an Ass in the background.
“I just need to talk business for a minute.” He said in his most persuasive voice. “Put Eli on and I’ll see you at the opening.”
“Business?” She said clearly suspicious. “Fine. But if you feel the need to once again threaten him with mutilation if he touches me, I’m going to be very upset.” Before he could say anything to that insight, she handed the phone to Eli.
Keeping Her kh-1 Page 8
