"Precisely."
"Do you turn into a ravening monster during the full moon?"
Harry curbed his indignation. "Not my style," he told her. "But the legends have a basis in reality. People who are bitten by weres do change physiologically. What's normal for someone born as a were manifests more like a disease—at least initially—with someone who's been bitten. While a natural-born werewolf can change almost anytime, without pain or difficulty, a bitten develops a monthly cycle that forces the change. The process is not only painful, but it makes them crazy. The animal self takes control, and it's vicious, hurting, and terrified. Eventually, most bittens will get control of their minds and bodies and blend in to normal shapeshifter society. If they're protected and cared for from the first, the transition is an easier process."
"So, you're saying that the stories of werewolves as monsters are strictly about people who've been bitten and gone on a rampage?"
"There are good and bad people in every society. I will say that most of the legends of violence come from the bittens. We're trying to kill the legends, which is why the council has encouraged closing off our society to outsiders. There's been a long moratorium on taking human mates. Biting has been forbidden." He shook his head. "It's helped keep our secrets, but it's been hell on our gene pool. Some of the younger people are getting rebellious about it. Which brings me to why I'm looking for the runaways."
Good Lord, what had he just said? It was all very right to tell Marj some basic stuff. But he had no right to give away information about anyone else. Confiding in her came way too naturally.
Marj heard Harry's mental OOPS loud and clear. She believed he was searching for something, and he claimed it was runaways. Runaway what? Werefolk? If that were true—
The realization came to her with a start. "Phil Fennick's a werewolf!"
"Werefox." Harry gave a deep sigh. "I've already told you too much, but I do want your help to get the case closed safely, and soon. The kids I'm looking for are a pretty mixed bag of radical hippie kits, kittens, and cubs."
"Radical hippies? Uh, the sixties were over about thirty years ago. Hippies have grandchildren now."
Her parents had actually met at some rock concert back in the sixties, and they'd traveled around the country in a VW Beetle. She'd seen photos of them in long hair, bell-bottoms, and fringed vests. They had ended up as very successful lawyers, then retired young to raise the only child they had late, out in the dean, open, independent West And they'd raised her to be independent, to respect the environment, to celebrate rather than to fear the differences among people, to follow her love of animals wherever it led her. They'd certainly encouraged her to develop her psychic gift and never to fear it.
Marj supposed that qualified them as clinging to their original hippie ideals. And how she missed them! It was a pity that they'd never lived to see grandchildren. Not that she was likely to produce any, in any case. Because the one man she was insanely attracted to had turned out to be werewolf. And Harry had already told her that werewolves didn't take human mates.
One-night stands, as she already knew. Brief liaisons. But not lifetime partners.
Damn.
"You know the generation problems humans went through back then?" Harry asked, drawing her out of her reverie.
She pulled her attention back to the present, because moment to moment was all she was going to experience with Harrison Blethyin. "Yes."
"That kind of upheaval is what's going on among my people now. I have to find the kids before they do something stupid—like out themselves. Or freeze to death up in the mountains."
"Freeze to death? Can't they stay in animal form and survive in the wild?"
He threw back his head and laughed. "Modern kids? I don't think so. I meant what I said about their being lured out of hiding for Christmas presents and parties. Everything I told you about my methods of finding them is true." He tapped his long, elegant nose. "This is not much good in trying to track down my own kind."
They sat across from each other in silence as Marj absorbed everything he'd told her. She couldn't help but believe that he was essentially telling her the truth. But she was still confused and suspicious.
"What about Noel?" she asked. "What about the men who stole her? Why did they shoot you? What have you got to do with them?"
"Not a damn thing" he answered. "I was just out for a run that night. The same way you were just coming home from a party." He hopped down from his perch on the shelf, stretched, and yawned, then held his hand out toward her. "Look at it this way: without those jokers, we never would have met. It's late. Let's go to bed."
Marj considered how easy he was about continuing to fit into her life. What should she do? Tell him to go? Where, back to the Fennicks? To the motel in town? It was too late for him to go banging on either door.
"There are four bedrooms in the house besides mine," she said, getting to her feet. "Go pick one while I lock the rifle back in the kennel."
chapter 11
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Harry woke up the next morning feeling resentful at being exiled from Marj's bed, no matter how comfortable the one he'd chosen was. He'd slept in a second-floor bedroom at the back of the house, directly over Marj's first-floor bedroom.
At least she hadn't made him sleep in the kennel. Or brought the rifle into her room with her. She wasn't afraid of him, and that was heartening. He'd tried to bolster her trust by keeping away from her, when he wanted to do anything but. He'd been aware of her nearby while he tried to get to sleep, like any male could feel his mate, and it had been difficult to stay all platonic and safe.
Alpha called to alpha, dammit! And that woman called to him, even while she slept. When he finally got to sleep, she called to him in his dreams. He hoped she hadn't slept any better than he had.
The dogs were waiting outside the bedroom when he opened the door. Taffy's tail thumped enthusiastically on the floor as Harry appeared. Noel stepped forward and butted her soft head against his thigh.
Harry paused to give them a friendly pat and scritch. Then he suddenly recalled some things Marj had done and said about her own relationship to animals. His curiosity piqued, he settled down on the worn hallway carpet, the dogs surrounded him. He continued stroking Taffy and Noel while he connected with them on a deeper level, asking their opinions of Marjorie Piper.
"You really are Dr. Doolittle."
"You've been talking to the animals—about how I talk to the animals," Marj answered.
She was standing by the sink with a mug of coffee cradled in her hands. She hadn't heard him enter the kitchen, but she'd felt his presence, had anticipated his arrival more with each step he took. She was looking out the kitchen window at a faint dusting of snow covering the landscape below. She loved the view down across the valley. The jagged peaks of the San Jago Mountains rose in the distance, densely covered in pine and aspen below the snowline.
It was a beautiful, sunny winter morning, yet her usual pleasure in the view was tinged with loneliness. The world was so very wide and empty to her today.
Then Harry spoke, and her heart sang.
He put his arms around her waist and pulled her back against him. For a moment she lost all awareness of everything but his warmth, his size, his presence. The world stopped being lonely, or empty, and she leaned back against him. She closed her eyes on a heartfelt, contented sigh.
"You listened in on our conversation upstairs?"
"Not exactly. I felt a kind of buzzing excitement coming from Taffy's direction. It's hard to explain."
"I know. Do you know how wonderful your talent is? How special it makes you?"
His words went to her heart, but she answered, "I know how weird it makes me to other people."
"Not to me. That smells good."
She didn't mind when he reached up and took the coffee from her hands. It was her second cup, anyway. And she wasn't weird to him. That was worth far more than a cup of coffee.
She couldn't, and
wouldn't, let the moment last. But she let it go on for a while. He smelled good, and he felt good, very male. She felt very protected. She told herself that enjoying this sensation was detrimental to her independence, but didn't try to deny the arousal that built second by second, with sweet, steadily growing heat.
"I'm making your bones melt, aren't I?" he asked after a few minutes.
She tilted her head back to get a look at his face, but mostly got was a view of his strong, square jaw. "You are so very sure of your effect on women, aren't you?"
He set the empty mug on the counter and turned her to face him. "Yeah."
"Animal magnetism?"
"I'm just a hot guy."
"Yes," she agreed.
He grinned, and for the first time, she noticed he had dimples. He was so attractive that it hurt, which was why she decided that the moment was at an end, even as he bent his head to kiss her.
When she moved sideways, he straightened and let her go.
"I made oatmeal," she said. "Do you eat oatmeal? Or are you strictly a carnivore?"
"Oatmeal's fine. I don't do the Atkins thing." When she reached into an overhead cabinet for a bowl, he stepped up behind her. "Let me get that."
She sat at the table while Harry served his own breakfast. After setting his bowl down at the table, he went back to the counter and brought mugs of coffee back for both of them.
When their hands touched as she took the mug, he said, "You know I'm going to kiss you eventually, don't you?"
"Eat your breakfast." She glanced at the cushions in the corner, where Taffy and Noel were now lying side by side. "Or I'll feed it to the dogs."
"Okay," he said, and pulled her up and out of her chair.
The next thing Marj knew, they were holding each other tightly, and their mouths were pressed hungrily together.
The kitchen, her worries, all the world went away. All that existed was where they touched, and where they touched they blended in a flash of shared desire.
Marj had no idea how long they'd been kissing before she became aware of Taffy barking.
The dog's excitement finally got through to her, his emotions translating to Here! Here! Someone's here!
Just as this registered, a loud knock sounded on the back door.
Harry spun away from her, and swore.
Marj leaned her hands on the kitchen table to steady herself. Her body raged with need, her head spun—and the knock sounded again. She pulled herself together enough to psychically tell Taffy to shut up. Then she crossed the kitchen and flung open the door.
A pretty, nervous-looking girl stood on the back porch. "Dr. Piper?" she asked.
Marj stared at her. "Yes?"
"I'm Heather Adams. You had an appointment to see me this morning. About the vet tech job?"
Marj had completely forgotten about the job interview. She forced a smile now. "Of course. My office is just across the—"
"Come in, Heather," Harry said, stepping up behind her. He put a hand on Marj's shoulder. "I think Heather would be more comfortable talking to you in the living room." He maneuvered Marj away from the doorway and ushered the young woman inside. "Here. Let me take your coat."
Marj didn't think the young woman noticed him holding the fleece jacket close to his face and taking several deep breaths before he hung it on the coatrack. Marj was briefly surprised, then she remembered who he really was and what he was here for. He was barking up the wrong tree, though, if he thought a job applicant would be one of his runaways.
Then she almost laughed at the look he gave her, realizing that he'd caught her barking up the wrong tree thought.
Living room, he thought at her. Christmas tree. Warmth. Coziness. Longing for home.
"Come on into the living room," she said to Heather. She smiled at Harry. "Why don't you bring us some tea and cookies?"
"That went well," Harry said, after Marj returned from showing Heather around the property. When Marj gave him a slightly annoyed look, he gave her a reassuring smile.
"Lucy, you got some 'splaining to do," she replied.
He heard the girl's car start and drive away, and fought down the hunter's urge to start the pursuit immediately.
He held his hands up in mock confusion. "What?"
"Why were you in the living room while I was talking to Heather?"
"I finished decorating the tree," he answered. "It needed to be done. Besides, did you see how wistfully she looked at it? That girl is going to go back to her boyfriend and tell him she wants a real Christmas."
"That girl isn't a werewolf—a werefolk."
"Oh, and how can you tell?"
"Because the dogs barked. I've noticed that animals stay quiet when you're around. Heather's one of the people who e-mailed me about the job."
"You're an observant woman, Dr. Piper," he said proudly. "But do you think werefolk don't use e-mail?"
"Not if they're hiding out in the mountains."
"We live in a wireless society, Marjorie. Modern kids might want to live free and furry, but they're going to have their laptops and PDAs with them. Or maybe she saw your ad pinned on the bulletin board at Murphy's store when she came in for supplies and used the Internet connection in the motel lobby to apply. I didn't expect them to let their one human member come into town."
"She seemed quite independent to me," Marj said. "I don't think anyone lets her do anything."
"We werefolk males are always attracted to strong women."
"Why wouldn't they want Heather to come into town? And are you really sure she's involved with your runaways?"
He chuckled. "There's werecougar scent all over that girl. You know what cats are like when it comes to claiming what's theirs. Like this." He drew her close to him and rubbed his cheek against her throat and shoulder.
She leaned into his touch. "Keep that up, and I'm going to start purring."
"We'd be more than purring," Harry said, and reluctantly made himself step back. He did stroke her face with the back of his hand one more time, enjoying the way they so easily aroused each other. "I have to go."
He felt her wanting to reach for him. But she also understood that he had a duty to perform and a need to hunt.
"Where?" she asked. "Following Heather? I thought you said you couldn't—"
"She's human. I can follow any human scent, and she's leaving me a trail that will lead straight to her boyfriend and all the others. Gotta go." he said.
He gave her a swift kiss, and was out the door.
It was only after he was miles away from Marj's place that it occurred to him that she hadn't asked him if he would be back, and he hadn't told her that he would be.
He hoped that wasn't a big mistake.
chapter 12
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"How does he think he's going to get those kids home?" Marj said as she rubbed the ears of Bailey, the bloodhound/beagle mix. They were long ears on his short body, and helped make him look silly, and funny, and cute. She couldn't understand why she hadn't been able to place him in a home yet—though she'd miss him when he was gone.
She was going to miss Harry when he was gone, too. She missed him already.
That was one of the reasons she was in the kennel, giving the animals some TLC. She had affection to give, and these lost, unwanted animals were quick to appreciate it. A more practical reason for spending time holding, petting, and playing with them was to socialize them, of course.
But she wasn't feeling practical right now. She was upset, and being with the dogs and cats was comforting. She'd taken them out of the pens one by one for exercise and play. She was sitting on the concrete floor in the center of the kennel, with the excellent tracker Bailey on her lap.
Marj had been worrying and wondering about Harry's dilemma since he left a couple hours ago. It was all very well and good for him to track the kids down to their lair, or commune, but then what?
Not that it was any of her business, she supposed. She had her own worries, her own responsibilities.
But—
What was Harry going to do when he found those kids? Talk them down out of the mountains? Handcuff—or possibly leash—them? And what would being rounded up like that do after they were carted off home? Why, make them want to run away again, of course.
"You can catch more flies with honey, can't you?" she asked Bailey, who was more interested in her continuing to scratch his belly than in inane questions from a human. "I bet those teenagers would rather have honey than lectures."
An idea occurred to her, and she turned the dog back onto his feet. "Bailey, old boy," she said, thinking what she wanted at his doggie brain as she spoke. "Remember how you helped me find Harry's things before? You know his scent. He can't track werewolves, but you can. You and I are going to find Harry."
But first she was going to go to Murphy's store to do a little shopping.
"Hi, there "Marj said.
Still in wolf form, Harry had heard her and the dog coming, but he'd kept his gaze on the shack, tent, and SUV occupying the hollow below this stand of trees. He was very glad that to be upwind of the hollow, especially when he became aware of the approaching human and dog.
Since he couldn't do anything but growl or howl at her in his current form, Harry closed his eyes and willed himself back into his human shape. He could have used telepathy, but it was so much more satisfying to vent annoyance vocally.
He turned his glance briefly to her when she came up beside him, and whispered, "What are you doing here?"
She had a large pack hoisted on her back and was carrying a canvas bag. "Brought you some stuff, including some clothes," she said, looking over his naked form.
It was cold up here, with an icy wind already cutting into his naked skin. His feet sank uncomfortably into snow-covered pine needles. Marj was wearing a heavy parka, heavy boots, and gloves. She was obviously comfortable in the winter climate.
The Shadows of Christmas Past Page 28
