The Shadows of Christmas Past

by Christine Feehan

  She'd let the dogs out of the big cage so that they could stretch their legs, and so that everyone could get a better look at the elegant greyhound. She had no trouble keeping them quietly well behaved. Being able to communicate with the animals was also calming for herself after spending several hours in the company of people.

  She just wasn't used to humans anymore. Being around the locals she'd known all her life was hard enough, and Harrison Blethyin was downright disconcerting. Being with the dogs and cats, and having the slight distance of the table between her and others, soothed her.

  She had found a home for one tabby kitten, and a brown-and-black puppy of dubious ancestry. She'd urged children to write down a suggestion for a name for the greyhound and put their slips of paper in the fishbowl on the table. She was going to draw one of the folded pieces soon and award the winner of the Name the Greyhound contest a prize.

  The greyhound was sitting on her haunches, her huge eyes gazing upward. She looked something like the image of an ancient Egyptian statue of Anubis with velvety furled ears.

  Taffy was lying next to the black dog, and he had eyes only for her. His tongue was lolling out, and he was drooling, which wasn't something he did very often. Never dignified, right now he was downright ridiculous.

  "Yep," she said. "It must be love."

  "He's totally smitten."

  Marj jumped in surprise and realized that Harry was now standing beside her. And it was at Harry that the greyhound's worshipful gaze was directed.

  Marj could feel the waves of emotion the animal directed at the man. The feelings weren't complex, but strong, and hard to put into words—gratitude? Love? Something that wasn't quite fear, but close—wary respect?

  "I think Taffy might have competition for her affections," she said. "Are you thinking of taking her home?"

  And I think she recognizes you, but front where?

  Harry laughed. "Oh, no, not me."

  For a moment, Marj wasn't sure which of her questions he was answering. There were more important questions that she wanted to ask him, too.

  "Have a seat," she offered.

  He'd already pulled up another of the folding chairs and set it very close to hers. He settled his big form onto the seat, then leaned close to her.

  "All right," he said, affable, but hard-eyed. "What exactly do you want from me?"

  Anger bubbled through her. She had the temper that went along with her red hair, and she fought not to let it get the best of her now. She couldn't afford to snarl at this man, to tell him he was arrogant and far too sure of himself.

  A lost animal needed help, and it was up to her to provide it.

  So she whispered when she wanted to shout. "I'm looking for a wolf, Mr. Blethyin."

  "You've found one," he whispered back.

  She sighed and looked around to make sure they were not overheard. "I did find a wolf—but I lost it."

  He lifted one dark, heavy eyebrow. "Lost?"

  "It escaped," she corrected. "And I'm afraid it's not going to survive out there on its own."

  Harry wanted to take Marj's hand and tell her, There, there, the wolf's just fine. Actually, he wanted to take her hand, then take the rest of her. Her concern for his were-self touched him, and it turned him on.

  "What makes you think your wolf won't survive?"

  "He doesn't have thumbs. Which means he can't shoot back when ranchers shoot at him. He probably doesn't have a license to carry a gun, either."

  Oh, I wouldn't bet on that.

  She blinked. "What?"

  "Wolves don't carry concealed weapons," he said. "Claws, fangs, and muscles have served them well for thousands of years."

  "They're endangered now," she reminded him. "They don't exist well in the same areas that people live."

  "That's right," he agreed. "And you're telling me you have a wolf loose in the environs of Kennedyville?"

  She nodded and gave him a very anxious look. "Please don't tell anyone."

  "And you haven't informed the local authorities?"

  She gave him a faint smile. "Of course I have."

  "Meaning—that you are the local authority." She nodded. "And why are you asking for my help?"

  He was half-tempted to tell her that to find her big black wolf, all he had to do was look in a mirror. This was scary, because being tempted to reveal anything to a human was far more than was safe or sane for his kind. Such honesty was only possible when a were took a human mate, which rarely happened these days.

  At least, it wasn't supposed to happen these days. He believed one of the reasons the teenagers had gone missing was because someone in the group had trespassed that unwritten taboo.

  "I want to hire you to find the missing wolf for several reasons," she answered, once again looking around furtively.

  "We're alone," he said. He moved closer to her, reveling in her warmth and scent. "Your boyfriend is glaring at us, but he's stuck dancing with that little old lady." Somebody had brought in a boom box, and instead of Christmas music, some of the townspeople were dancing to an OutKast CD. "Life is truly strange," he murmured.

  "And Pat's a long way from being my boyfriend," Marj answered.

  "I know."

  He took her hand and experienced that electric contact between them once more. He managed to pull away from her just in time—before taking the kiss he desperately wanted.

  Harry cleared his throat and forced his mind back to business. "You have other reasons for wanting to hire me?"

  Blushing, she got back to business. "You're a professional investigator, and you said you've done volunteer work at a wolf sanctuary." She touched his arm. "Will you help?"

  That jolt went through him again, but Harry had himself under control. "For a price."

  "Of course I'll pay you."

  "That's not what I meant. I want to make a bargain with you."

  Her suspicion soared. The emotion was strong enough to attract the attention of her dog. Harry gave Taffy a hard look, and the dog grunted and put his head back down.

  "I should explain why I'm visiting the Fennicks," Harry told Marj. "We are distantly related, and that's why they called me when their son ran away from home."

  "Phil ran away from home?"

  "Three months ago."

  "But—I saw him—back in October."

  "So you said. For helping you with the wolf, I want your help finding him."

  It was a one-sided bargain, but who said a werewolf had to play fair protecting his kind from humans? If he didn't find those kids soon, humans were going to catch on to what they were. They were too young, stupid, and idealistic not to give themselves away.

  "How can I help you?" Marj asked.

  People were heading their way. "I'll let you know," Harry said.

  Feeling wary and puzzled, Marj put on a smile as Alice shepherded all the kids up to her table.

  "Time for the name drawing!" she announced.

  Marj put on a wide smile. "Sure."

  Harry brought the greyhound forward. It jumped up on the table for him, while Taffy followed and bumped his big head into the back of Harry's legs. Marj stuck her hand into the fishbowl and brought out one of the folded scraps of paper.

  "Dennis Cooper wins the prize!" she announced. "And our greyhound princess's new name is—Noel."

  chapter 6

  « ^ »

  "Noel's a good name," Marj told the greyhound, which was lounging on the green-and-black plaid dog bed in one corner of her huge kitchen, Taffy lying nearby on the tiled floor.

  She poured herself a fresh mug of hot chocolate and sat at the table, her thoughts returning to earlier in the evening. "But I don't know why Dennis's mom wouldn't let me give him a kitten as a prize."

  They settled on ten dollars for naming the dog, instead.

  There'd been a scattering of applause, then everybody began to quickly pack up to go home. Alice looked very unhappy, disappointed that her effort in bringing the community together had been a lukewarm affa
ir, at best.

  Before Marj could say anything to comfort her friend Harry took her by the arm, and said, "I'll help you with the critters."

  Marj was riveted by his gaze, which concentrated intently on her. She was drawn to his large, very masculine presence. Her throat tightened, heat pulsed through her, and she licked her lips. She found herself staring at his mouth and wanting very much to be kissed.

  Stunned, she pulled herself together enough to say, "Sure. Thanks."

  She moved in a daze as she put the kittens and puppies back in crates and took them out to her truck. Harry followed her out to the rapidly emptying parking lot, carrying the larger cage. Noel and Taffy trotted along behind them and hopped into the back of the cab.

  Then it was just the two of them, and Harry moved very close to her as she stood by the truck door, her keys dangling in her hand. Their breath frosted the winter-night air.

  He put his hand up to cup her cheek and ran his thumb across her bottom lip. The touch seared her, burning away any trace of cold. Their gazes locked. Her knees went weak, she dropped the keys, and his other hand settled on her hip.

  Harry started to pull her closer.

  And the Fennicks walked up behind them. Annette gasped, which drew Harry's attention. He glared, and Terry cleared his throat.

  "We have to go now," Terry said.

  Harry growled, then walked away with the Fennicks without saying a word.

  It took Marj a few seconds to get herself together. When she did, she wondered why the Fennicks had looked so disapproving. Maybe because Harry was supposed to be looking for their son? No doubt they wanted him to keep his mind strictly on business.

  They were right, she told herself an hour later in her kitchen. Harrison Blethyin did need to keep his mind on business first.

  "Too bad."

  Not only had she looked forward to being kissed, Marj also wanted to talk more with Harry. But he'd been swept off by the Fennicks before she had a chance to get a cell phone number. And the Fennicks didn't have a telephone. She and Harry needed to discuss when he'd look for the wolf, and how. Even more importantly, she was worried about Phil Fennick. Of course she wanted to help. Why had the Fennicks kept the news about their son quiet?

  Well, they were very private people, and they had called in professional help. But Phil was only sixteen, seventeen at most. Didn't the authorities have to be notified about a runaway minor?

  She knew a lot more about animals than she did about people. Maybe, sometimes, that wasn't such a good thing.

  A disturbing hint of longing and loneliness threaded through her. Not only did she want to see the handsome, confident stranger again, she desperately wanted to. There was something challenging about him—and, oh my, he was so very sexy.

  "Sexy, which can be defined as trouble. What do you guys think? Do I want that tall, dark, and dangerous kind of trouble?"

  Oh, yes, her body responded.

  Marj wasn't exactly alone in the room, so technically she wasn't talking to herself. Besides the newly christened Noel, Taffy lay on the white tiled floor munching on a chew toy, and the puppies and kittens slept in boxes in opposite corners. There was a relaxed buzz of animal contentment, but right now the emotional background noise didn't soothe Marj's restive mood.

  She felt suddenly weary, and a glance at the digital dock on the microwave showed her it was later than she thought.

  Late or not, she had chores to do before she could get to bed. She was glad that she didn't have any sick animals in the clinic, so she only had to check the kennel building. The animals had been fed hours ago, but she always made sure they had plenty of water. And she always took the time for some petting and to communicate with her rescued animals.

  She grabbed a worn old pea coat off a hook by the back door, and went out into the December night. Stars burned brightly overhead, and the cold, dry air was crisp and tangy in her lungs. Though the outside lights weren't on, the long, low kennel building next to the barn was easy to make out in the silvery moonlight. She could have found it simply by following the emotional charge surrounding the place though. All the animals inside were waiting for her evening visit.

  There was a soft and sentimentally sloppy part of her that was always tempted to move all of her rescued animals inside, to let them have the run of her home. But that way lay disaster. Then she'd be tempted to make every abused, lost, unwanted dog, cat, llama, ferret, and whatever else landed on her doorstep into a personal pet. The goal was to find homes for the rescued animals, not to turn into an eccentric old lady with dozens of "babies" underfoot. To adopt them herself would be to deny a lot of fine animals homes with people who needed to love them and to be loved by them.

  So, Taffy was her only official pet. She shouldn't have let Noel inside—especially since the racer was undoubtedly used to living in a kennel—but Taffy had insisted.

  Not that he was spoiled, or anything. And he wasn't the one dealing with housebreaking his newfound love.

  Sometimes it was not such a gift to be able to talk to animals.

  She was almost to the kennel door when all the dogs inside began to bark. And not the scattered barks of welcome that always accompanied her visits; they were baying a warning, and she heeded it.

  She ran for the switch inside that would turn on all the floodlights. Coyotes came around at night sometimes, and if the light didn't scare them off, she had a rifle stored in the building.

  Just as Marj reached the light switch inside the door, and the night turned bright, a heavy body plowed into her. She went down hard on the concrete stoop. Pain shot through her hip and her head, and the breath was knocked out of her.

  "Where is it?" a voice asked from inside the kennel. "Is it in here?"

  The man who'd tackled her dragged Marj to her feet on the stoop. Her ears were ringing, and she was dizzy. The dogs were barking wildly, and their concentrated excitement hit her even harder than the blow on the head had.

  Her attacker held her close to him, her arms forced behind her back. "I don't see it," he replied.

  "She'll know," the other one said. "The animal couldn't be anywhere but here."

  "Move." Her attacker pushed her toward the interior of the building.

  Just then, the dogs stopped barking.

  There was a moment of tense, expectant silence.

  Then a deep snarl rumbled outside.

  Marj's captor twisted around, taking her with him. And a huge, dark body came rushing through the doorway. She caught a glimpse of fangs. And eyes. Ferocious eyes that glowed bright blue neon.

  There was a shout. Someone screamed.

  And the wolf leapt.

  Soft fur brushed her cheek as the wolf jumped at the man behind her. The hands gripping her let go. Marj stumbled forward and fell, her head hitting the concrete again. She was vaguely aware of a struggle behind her, and a pair of boots flashed by close to her face as the world faded to darkness.

  "Taffy, you're a hero."

  The dog thumped his tail on the kitchen tiles when Harry spoke to him. Harry patted the chocolate Lab's head, watching out the open back door as the sheriff drove away with the two prisoners.

  The last couple of hours had been nothing if not interesting, and Harry felt a certain satisfaction at the way things had gone.

  He'd been sneaking around Marj's ranch for perfectly innocent reasons when the ruckus started. After he'd dropped the Fennicks off at their place, he'd gathered several sets of clothing and taken them to leave at various out-of-the-way places on Marj's property. The one disadvantage in shifting from human to animal shape was that nakedness was required. Oh, one could go were while fully dressed, but then you'd have to claw your way out of the restrictive cloth. That was uncomfortable, took precious time that could prove dangerous, and ruined the clothes in the process. Better to strip down and have clothes waiting in a convenient spot when it was time to become human again. To maximize one's options, more than one spot was best.

  He'd been upwind of th
e kennel on the farthest side of the property when the dogs began to bark, and his reaction had been stronger and more visceral than he'd ever experienced before. He had instinctively responded to threat of danger to the woman by morphing and racing to the rescue in wereform.

  And she'd seen him!

  As had her attackers. Once he'd secured the men and made sure Marj was safe, he went to work on them. He called the sheriff, as well. By the time she arrived, bringing the local nurse practitioner with her, Harry had used his kind's hypnotic gift to convince the intruders they hadn't seen a huge black wolf. They believed that the animal that rushed out of the night to protect Marj was her brown Labrador retriever, that's what they'd told the sheriff. At no point in the evening had anyone mentioned anything about any wolf.

  Thus, Taffy was the hero. People were far more likely to accept a logical explanation.

  The men had also admitted they'd broken into the kennel, and attacked Marj, to find a racing greyhound they'd stolen that had escaped from their van. Having gotten their confessions to several crimes, the sheriff packed them into the back of her SUV and drove away. Harry hadn't used his hypnotic talent to coerce the truth out of the men. The pair were none too bright and had babbled their story freely, each trying to implicate the other more deeply than himself.

  The nurse, who turned out to be Marj's friend Alice, was still in Marj's bedroom.

  Harry dosed the back door and headed toward the bedroom to see how Marj was doing. Alice met him in the hallway that led to the front of the house and put a finger over her lips, to tell him to be quiet. Then she took his arm, and escorted him back to the kitchen. Harry disliked being led around by anyone, but for the moment he curbed his alpha urge to do exactly what he wanted to do.

  Once they were in the kitchen, Alice asked, "What on earth are you doing here, Mr. Blethyin?"

  He'd realized at the high school that Alice was one of the community leaders, and he figured what she knew, the town knew. It wouldn't hurt to circulate a story about his and Marj's connection that had nothing to do with wolves, or werewolves.

  But first, Harry asked, "How is Marj? Will she be all right?"