by Dena Christy
“She’s sleeping, and I’d like it to stay that way, so if you could keep your voice down I’d appreciate it.”
“Is she okay?” Nick asked as he grabbed a beer and sat in the chair next to Eric’s.
Rowan hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should tell his brothers what had happened. If it was just Eric, he would without reservation, but he knew Nick and Lee were friendly, and didn’t quite know how to tell him that his coworker might be up to his neck in the situation with Kate. Still, he thought as he grabbed his own beer, his brother deserved to know what kind of company he was keeping at work.
“Something happened today, and it spooked her pretty bad. She finally managed to fall asleep,” Rowan said as he sat across from his two brothers, and set his beer in front of him on the table.
“Well, are you going to spit it out?” Eric demanded impatiently. Subtlety was not his twin’s strong suit, and neither was patience.
“She went out with Lee for lunch today, and she saw David O’Connell in the parking lot of the restaurant they went to.”
“Son of a bitch,” Eric exclaimed, before turning to Nick. “I knew we should have looked harder for that fucker when we were chasing him out at your place.”
“We tried as hard as we could. Like I told you at the time it was better to get back to the house and make sure our women were okay,” Nick said to Eric, before turning to Rowan with a frown. “Wait a minute. She was out with Lee? The Lee that works with me?”
“Yes, that Lee. She thought he would have some information about her sister, who she hasn’t seen since she was a little kid. But that’s not the main story here. Lee spoke to O’Connell in the parking lot, and according to Kate it looked like they were on friendly terms.”
Rowan looked at his brother Nick, but the tiny flare of surprise in his eyes was the only thing that indicated he understood what Rowan was implying.
“Man, the Order needs to get it’s shit together,” Eric said as he took another swig of his beer. “First Alex, then that nurse and now Lee. God, Cadric’s staff is jumping ship left and right.”
“Shut up,” Nick growled at his brother as he set his beer aside and stood. “We don’t know for sure that Lee’s done anything wrong, and I’m not going to condemn him until I hear his side. Did he do or say anything to Kate to make her think he was going to hurt her?”
“No, and that’s the only reason he’s alive right now. As it is she’s terrified, and if it turns out he is a part of this, then the Order better deal with it or I will.”
“Trust me, if he is part of this, there won’t be much left once the Order is finished. And if he’s not involved, then I’d find it troubling that O’Connell managed to find her, again, even though she no longer has the tracking device.”
Rowan had been so caught up in his suspicions over Lee, that he hadn’t considered the alternative. That David O’Connell was watching Kate closely and tailing her. Rowan ground his back teeth as he stood, knocking down his chair.
“Ro, you need to calm down,” Nick said mildly.
“Calm down. This asshole is stalking my woman, and I’m supposed to be calm? If you’d seen how terrorized she was when she came home you wouldn’t say that. What if it was Hadria, who’d been held against her will? And one of the assholes who did it followed her, and came at her in the woods with his fangs bared. Are you trying to tell me that you’d be calm if she came home to you, and came apart in your arms because she was so frightened? Would you take it in stride knowing that she’s not completely safe because that asshole’s still out there?”
Nick was silent for a moment. “I see your point.”
“So what do you suggest we do about it?” Eric said, his voice grim. “Rowan, whatever you want to do, I’m behind you.”
Rowan thought for a moment, and then he came upon an idea. “Do you remember what that prick smelled like?”
“In my wolf form it’s possible, but Rowan how are we supposed to find his scent in the first place? It’s been several hours since he was in the parking lot, and other scents would have mingled with it, making it hard to pick it up,” Eric said reasonably.
“I’m not suggesting we go back to the restaurant. If he’s following Kate, it stands to reason that he has a starting point.”
“And that point would begin in this neighborhood or close to it at least,” Eric said as he nodded his head. “Let’s do this.”
“I really hate to ruin your good time, fellas, but you can’t seriously be suggesting you go after this guy yourselves tonight?” Nick was the only voice of reason in the room, and Rowan wondered if he hated being the killjoy.
“You ever get tired of having that stick up your ass?” Eric asked bluntly as he headed for the door.
“What exactly do you two think you’re going to do? Leave here, find this guy and kill him? He is the biggest clue the Order has in all this, and if you kill him, Cadric is going to lose his shit on both of you. You both know that as far as he’s concerned the Order is everything, Christ he was more than willing to throw me under the bus with Hadria when it suited him. He will end the pair of you if you interfere in this.”
Rowan could see Nick had a point, and while he respected it, he needed to do something. To feel like he was doing something other than sit on his ass in the house. As far as he was concerned Kate was his woman, and he needed to protect her.
“If we find him, we won’t kill him. I just want to know where he is. I need to do this Nick. She’s my woman, and I just can’t sit by while he terrorizes her,” Rowan said as he looked at his older brother. “I swear on her life that I won’t touch him. I won’t even go near him.”
“Okay,” Nick said reluctantly. “But if you’re going to take him with you as a wolf, you are going to have to make him look a little less intimidating.”
“Already thought of that,” Rowan said as he went to the front hall closet. He rummaged through it until he found a large dog collar and leash, from when his buddy Matt had asked him to dog sit his St. Bernard for him a year and a half ago. When Eric saw it he started shaking his head vehemently.
“No,” he stated firmly. “No, I’m not wearing a collar and a leash.”
“Eric, this is a quiet residential neighborhood, and people don’t react well to wolves wondering through here. If you are on a leash and anyone sees you, they’ll think you’re a wolf, giant breed hybrid.”
“Why can’t Nick do it, he smelled him too,” Eric exclaimed.
“Actually you were a lot closer to him than I was, since you run faster than me. Besides someone needs to stay here with Kate. Stop being such a pussy,” Nick said and Eric curled his lip at him.
“Please Eric, it won’t be for very long, and we will be the only ones who know. I need to find him, man, and I need you to help me do it. I need you brother,” Rowan said as he put his hand on his twin’s arm. Eric rolled his eyes, sighed and began unbuttoning his shirt.
“You swear to God that you won’t breathe a word about this to anyone?” Eric said fiercely before he shrugged off his shirt.
“Who would we tell,” Nick asked dryly. “The only ones who would get any amusement out of seeing you in a dog collar is us anyway.”
Eric shifted on one foot then the other as he discarded his boots. They thunked onto the floor, as if emphasizing his displeasure at what they’d asked of him. He shucked his pants, and dropped onto the floor to change into his wolf form. Once his transformation was complete, he stood quietly while Rowan fastened the collar around his neck. As he attached the leash, he saw Nick’s lips twitching out of the corner of his eye. He looked over at his older brother, raising an eyebrow at him.
“Do you need a poo bag?” Nick asked before he started laughing. Rowan barely managed to keep a hold of Eric as he lunged at his older brother with his jaws snapping. Nick held up his hands in surrender. “Ok ok, I’m done joking. Seriously though, what do you want me to tell Kate if she wakes up?”
“Tell her the truth, that Eric and I
went out for a stroll.”
Rowan opened the door, and let his brother walk out ahead of him. He was careful to keep the leash as slack as possible, since it was only for show, and he didn’t want to pull on his brothers neck. He watched Eric test the wind with his nose, before cocking his head to the side. He stepped down the walk, still testing the air. Rowan knew when his brother had picked up the scent he wanted, because he turned left and made a bee line down the sidewalk. Rowan had to walk quickly to keep up with him, and the few people who were out at this time of night gave them a wide berth, their wary eyes fixed on Eric. Rowan caught up to him, and whispered to him.
“This isn’t a race you know. The last thing I need is someone calling animal control and telling them that there is a man out on the streets with the biggest dog they’ve ever seen, who is unable to control him.” Rowan tried to pull in some of the slack, so at least the people they met weren’t giving him the side eye, but his brother made it difficult. He had a scent in his nose, and he didn’t seem to care what Rowan said, so he took a different tack. “If you go to the pound, the first thing they are going to do is neuter you.” Eric stopped dead in his tracks and looked at him. “So unless you want to get the snip, I suggest you slow the fuck down and try to look like a dog.”
His brother settled after that and did his best to look like a domesticated animal, rather than the apex predator he was. They walked for about twenty minutes, until they were out of Rowan’s neighborhood, and into another one. Eric stopped in front of a white and blue house that looked identical to most of the other houses on the street.
“Is he in there?” Rowan asked, and Eric moved his head up and down. Eric started to pull forward to the door, but Rowan stopped him. As tempted as he was to go in there and take care of the David O’Connell problem once and for all, he didn’t. He’d promised Nick, and he’d let his older brother down enough in the past few months to want to do it willingly now. “Come on, let’s go back. We’ll tell the Order where he is, and they can take care of him. I need to get back before Kate wakes up.”
Eric turned around smartly and led the way back to Rowan’s house. When they got back inside, Rowan took off the collar, and his brother turned back into his human form.
“Don’t ever threaten to neuter me again,” Eric said as he violently shoved his legs into his jeans and pulled them up.
“I only told you what they would do to you at the pound if someone called the dog catcher on you.”
“Well there are some things you don’t joke about, and cutting off a man’s balls are one of them. You owe me big time, bro. I need a beer.”
Rowan put the leash away and went into the kitchen, where Eric leaned against the counter nursing a beer, and Nick sat at the table playing solitaire.
“You two were gone a long time. Did you find him?” Nick asked as he gathered up the cards and put them into a neat pile.
“We did, he’s in the next neighborhood over. I’ll give you the address to give to the Order.”
Nick seemed surprised by Rowan’s answer. “You’ll let the Order handle this?”
“Yeah. I won’t lie and say I wasn’t tempted to go in that house, but if he is the only link the Order has to the bastards who are responsible for the Dark Wolf formula, and for holding Kate, then it’s better if your people take care of him. Killing him would only keep her safe for the moment, and frankly I don’t want to come to our bed with his blood on my hands. Besides I promised her I’d let the Order handle it.”
Rowan went to the junk drawer and got out a piece of paper and a pen, and scribbled down the address of the house for his brother. He handed it to Nick.
“Thanks I’ll give this to them tomorrow,” Nick said. “Eric we should head out.”
Eric finished off the rest of his beer, and Rowan couldn’t resist needling his brother one last time.
“Hey Eric, you sure you don’t want some Milk Bones for the road,” Rowan asked before taking a quick step back as his brother lunged at him. Nick caught a hold of him and spun him towards the door.
“You can get back at him later,” he said as he handed Eric his jacket. “Good night, Rowan.”
After his brothers left Rowan took a few minutes to put the empty beer bottles back in the case, then shut off the kitchen lights. He made his way to the bedroom, where he could see Kate was still sleeping. He shrugged out of his clothes, turned back the covers and climbed in beside her. She stirred fretfully for a moment, but when he put his arms around her, she murmured his name and snuggled close to him. A smiled curved his mouth as he pressed a kiss on top of her head before falling asleep, holding her in his arms.
Chapter 12
Dany Cavanaugh watched Rowan Johnson lead what looked like a large dog away from David’s house. Dany suspected it was Eric at the end of the leash. What has David done now, to lead those two to the house he’s renting. He watched the slight twitching of the curtain, and he knew David was aware of the brothers’ nocturnal visit too. He knew it wouldn’t be long before his cell phone rang, and as if on cue, David’s ring tone shattered the silence of the car.
“I think I fucked up sir. You have to pull me out. Rowan was just here, and he had one of his brothers with him in wolf form. Eric I think, just based on the look of him.”
“I’m actually in Kingston, so I’ll be there in a few minutes.” Dany hung up the phone, and sat staring straight ahead until he felt a sufficient amount of time had passed. He then started the car, drove around the block before coming around to pull into David’s driveway. He killed the lights, and turned off the engine.
Patting the breast pocket of his suit, he got out of the car and made his way to the door. He didn’t bother with the bell, since he was positive that David was watching out for him. The younger wolf opened the door, and Dany walked in like he owned the place.
“So David, what have you done?” Dany could see the sweat break out on David’s forehead, and in that moment Dany knew that he’d chosen the wrong wolf for the job.
“I followed her, like you asked me to. I tried to keep back, but I was stretching my legs when I was waiting for her and Lee to leave the restaurant, and—”
“Did you say she was with Lee?” Hope blossomed in his chest at David’s words. At least it seemed that one part of his plans were coming together. He knew his son wouldn’t be able to resist Kate, who looked so much like that other woman. Dany frowned when he thought about her. He’d offered her money to get out of his sons life, and couldn’t for the life of him understand why she hadn’t taken it. She’d left Lee because she didn’t want to cause a rift, but Dany had to make sure she never came back. That’s why he’d sent David after her.
“Yeah, she was out with Lee. They came out sooner than I thought, and I didn’t have enough time to get back into my car before Lee saw me.”
“Lee saw you?” Dany asked, his voice cold. “How did he react?”
“What do you mean?” David stared at him dumbly, and Dany felt absolutely no regret in terminating his employment once this conversation was over.
“Yes, how did he react. Was he surprised, suspicious? And frankly how did she react? Did it appear that she knew you?”
“Lee seemed surprised, but happy to see me. I told him I was in town to do some sailing on the lake. I don’t think she saw me though, since she was already in the car when Lee noticed me.”
“Really, and why exactly is it that Rowan just happened to be walking to this house, with one of his brothers in wolf form? Just out for a midnight stroll perhaps?” Dany’s voice was mild. David shifted nervously and avoided his eyes. “Or do you think that perhaps you got sloppy, and maybe they saw the same guy skulking around the neighborhood, who just happened to be in the same parking lot where Kate was having lunch. And perhaps they could follow you here because you foolishly stalked her in the woods and at least one of the brothers picked up your scent. I don’t understand why they didn’t come in here and kill you.”
“Sir,” David pleaded. �
�I’m sorry. Give me another chance, I swear I’ll do a lot better.”
David’s eyes remained down cast, and while Dany appreciated the show of deference, it was David’s downfall for he didn’t see the silver stiletto secreted in Dany’s hand. The weight of the hilt calmed him, and it didn’t take much effort to slip the blade into David’s heart. The werewolf looked up at him, his mouth gaping as he tried to speak, but couldn’t. It was as if someone had stolen his voice. Dany pulled the stiletto out and drove it home for a second time. David fell to his knees, and Dany struck the final blow, straight across David’s jugular.
David’s body fell to the side, and Dany pulled his handkerchief from his top pocket, and wiped the blade with it, before returning it to its sheath. He noticed the blood staining his suit, and made a sound of disgust. It was an Armani and one of his favorites. He didn’t suppose there was any point in trying to get it clean, he’d just have to replace it.
He walked out of the house, opened the trunk of his car and pulled out a tarp. All that was left was to finish taking care of David and he knew just what to do with him.
* * *
Rowan pulled up in front of the mall, and looked over at Kate.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” he asked for what was possibly the fifth time in the past three minutes.
“No, Samara, Hadria and I are shopping, and having lunch. I will be fine. It’s a crowded mall, and I have two members of the Order with me. I’ll be perfectly safe.” Kate leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “I can’t let him win.”
Rowan nodded before pulling her in close and kissing her fully on the mouth. “Just be careful.”
“I will,” she said as she turned to look out the window. Hadria and Samara were waving at them, and Rowan lifted his hand as Kate got out of the truck. He watched all three women enter the mall, and put his truck into drive.
