HOTSHOT BROTHERS: Coyote Shifters

by Hunt, Sabrina

  I’d ruined something. I’d lost some fleeting chance. And I couldn’t quite process it.

  This can’t be it, I thought, biting the inside of my cheek.

  But no, Rayner was gone.

  I’d thought he was no better than most of the guys I’d known. Men who’d seen a pretty redhead with a good figure and thought that was the end of it. Who saw my glasses as a prop or as a way to fulfill their fetish of a sexy librarian or a secretly naughty good girl. Who didn’t give a damn about the thoughts inside my head. Or me.

  I’d done Rayner the worst kind of injustice relegating him to those kind of people. It had destroyed him to think that I thought of him that way.

  I don’t! I wanted to scream. But it wouldn’t work. I knew it. The damage was done.

  In a moment like that, he’d been on the brink of letting me in and I’d pulled the door shut.

  Pressing my face into my folded arms atop my knees, I felt a dampness on my face and pretended it was nothing.

  You’re good at that, aren’t you? said an ugly voice. Better than Rayner even.

  That night I had no dreams.

  I woke up to Rayner’s jacket slipping off my shoulders and I gazed down at it, nonplussed. “Why would you do this?” I murmured out loud.

  “It was cold,” Rayner had said shortly.

  Flinching, I looked over to see him awake by the fire. Shadows lined his face and he wouldn’t meet my eyes. “We have to travel through the mountains today.”

  That had been the extent of our conversation for several hours. Of course, today, I was bursting with questions and apologies.

  But Rayner was wrapped up in himself, like a thunderhead wondering whether to flash lightning and wrestle with other clouds. So I kept quiet.

  Further, Nim did not like traveling underground and I couldn’t blame him. Several times we had to coax him along with treats or Rayner had to carry him. I also found myself slipping often and Rayner impatiently caught at me with one arm, hauling me back to my feet and ignoring my stammered thanks.

  No matter what, I vowed, I wouldn’t pick a fight with him. And I’d listen, really listen, and not jump to conclusions.

  Later, after a late lunch by an underground lake, I nodded off and was awoken with a slap of cold water to the face. Spluttering, I looked up to see an expressionless Rayner.

  “Let’s go,” he grunted.

  “Damn, I knew you were pissed. I didn’t realize that meant you were gonna be petty as hell.”

  He gave me a contemptuous look over his shoulder and said, “You should know.”

  A burst of pain exploded in my gut. That was a low blow, even for a furious Rayner. Somehow, I bit back a retort and plunged after him. Yet soon even Nim was lagging, never mind me, who was struggling to keep my eyes open.

  “We can stop here,” Rayner said, and I let out a sigh of relief.

  He set up a fire meticulously and while my back was turned, it sprang to life. I whirled around in surprise. “That was quick. How…?” His hands were empty.

  I stared at him, but all I got was a mulish look in return.

  In no time at all, we were both curling up for bed, Rayner with his back to me, and I sighed as I snuggled next to Nim. Almost immediately I fell asleep.

  I sat bolt upright, heart pounding and sweat rimming my brow. Gazing around, I saw nothing out of the ordinary. Nim was dreaming, his paws moving like he was lightly treading water and I let out a sigh. The fire was burning low and I glanced at Rayner, who was unmoving.

  It was probably just the stress or a bad dream. But as I went to lay back down, I couldn’t shake a feeling of urgency. A feeling of being needed and called out for.

  As my eyes closed, I thought I heard it.

  Paige.

  Again, I sat up, this time slowly, rubbing my face. What was wrong with me? Then I heard a low moan from my right and I got to my feet, moving over towards him.

  Rayner was twisting and turning, his eyes shut and his jaw clenched. Sweat beaded his brow and I lightly touched him. “Rayner? Can you hear me? Wake up, you’re having a bad dream.” Then I drew back. Were you supposed to wake people up?

  He seemed to be in agony though, the pain on his face and the jerkiness of his movements. Then I saw it – a bloodstain on his shirt over his heart. Fear made my head swim and I gripped his wrists. Even in sleep, he was strong and he tried to shake me off.

  Getting my voice back, I rasped, “Rayner. Rayner. Please. Wake up. You’re hurt.”

  “No,” he whispered, his voice raising the hair on my neck and bringing tears to my eyes. “Please, I’ll do anything. Let my brothers go. Take me.” Then his pulse flickered rapidly at his throat. “Don’t hurt her. Don’t hurt her.”

  “Rayner!” I said more loudly, and I noticed Nim had woken up. “Wake up!”

  “Paige.” I froze and let go of him. “Please, no, take me instead.”

  Panicking, I raised my hand without thinking and slapped him across the face. Rayner awoke with a gasp and I fell back. He shook his head and dug his fingers into his scalp.

  “Paige,” he said, eyes widening and then he saw me. His hand fell. “You’re… A dream.”

  “A really bad dream,” I murmured, wanting to reach out and comfort him. But instead, I drew back. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

  He rubbed his jaw ruefully. “I see. A little payback, Green?”

  “No,” I burst out. “No, I panicked.”

  “It’s fine. Thank you.” Rayner gave me a lopsided smile and it tugged at my heart.

  “You’re not fine, though,” I stammered, moving towards him. “You’re bleeding.”

  As I gestured, he glanced down and his entire body went rigid. Almost automatically, he pulled off his shirt and mopped at his chest. In the dying firelight, he’d never looked more like a god.

  I had the sensation I’d tumbled down some ancient well and landed in a place of stone, where I’d accidentally awoken some deity of fire.

  “Your tattoo,” I said, banishing those fantasies as he lowered the shirt. “Rayner, what does that mean?”

  A shuddering gasp escaped him. “A warning, maybe.” He sounded dazed. “It couldn’t be something else – I’d know, right?” His eyes found mine and I saw terror there. “They have to be okay.”

  I was about to ask who, but then I swallowed my question. I had a feeling he meant the Hotshots. Moving to his bag, I dug out the first-aid kit and turned back around.

  “Let’s clean you up first,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

  He was quiet as I cleaned his wound, not even flinching. Then I secured it with a large bandage. It had stopped bleeding, but there was a leftover wash of pink on his skin I couldn’t seem to get rid of. Setting everything aside, I let out a sigh of relief and then stood.

  Rayner caught my hand. “Paige. Thank you.” I glanced down to see him go to stand up, and then fall back on his knees. “If I was alone…”

  I squeezed his hand. “You’re not, though.”

  His arms flung out and wrapped around my waist as Rayner pressed his face into my stomach. I shivered at the touch and hesitantly touched his hair. When he didn’t pull away, I lightly ran my fingers through it.

  “I’m sorry,” Rayner said gruffly as he let me go, his arms falling heavily to his sides.

  “Don’t be,” I murmured, kneeling in front of him and looping my arms around his torso. I pressed my cheek into the center of his chest. “I’m here.”

  For a moment, he didn’t move and I thought he was going to push me away. Suddenly he dragged me down and I was curled up against him, his arms around me and fingers in my hair. We were lying side by side. Then, with one hand, he tossed a blanket over us.

  My cheek was pressed against his bare chest and I could hear the shallowness of his breathing. But as we lay there, not saying a word, it evened out and deepened.

  Just before he fell asleep, Rayner whispered, “Please, hold on for a bit longer. I need you.”

 
I nodded, desperately wanting to answer. I will, for as long as you need, whatever you need.

  I think I need you, too.

  Chapter 11

  A dream.

  A good dream, faded from my memory as soon as I opened my eyes. I could hear Nim sniffing and whimpering somewhere, a sign the dog was more than ready to be back in the fresh air. Usually that would incentivize me to move, but I remained still.

  Images were trying to piece themselves together in my mind but I kept them at bay. I was comfortable and feeling rested for once.

  But they broke through, images of fire and ash, the sky blackened and the mountains swallowed whole. A stabbing pain in my chest and the ache of loneliness.

  Ben, Wes, Cree, and Burr. Gone.

  My grip tightened.

  Everyone. Gone.

  Paige.

  Her scent wafted over me, strong and soothing. The tension eased out of me, but then my eyes flew open. Paige was asleep on my chest, her hair tickling my arm and stomach and one of her hands flat against my heart, as though protecting it.

  As though from a dream, I remembered the disjointed images from last night. The vortex of the nightmare, dragging me in, Paige calling for me.

  Waking up to her worried eyes, pale cheeks, and frantic words. You’re bleeding.

  The surreal sensation of seeing the tattoo bleed. Something I was sure had never happened before. A feeling of falling into a black hole and then being stopped by two slim hands.

  She’d held me, anchoring me to the light and I’d been unable to let go. Even now, I had one hand in her hair and the other across her lower back. We were tangled together in a way that suggested the untangling would be excruciating. Maybe impossible.

  All the pain had ebbed out of my body, leaving a ghost of an ache and I let out a sigh. I had no idea what the dream or the tattoo injury meant, but it made my stomach knot with unease. We had to get somewhere where I could get a signal and try to call home.

  They’re okay, I told myself. I’d know if they weren’t.

  I couldn’t think otherwise.

  “Rayner?” Paige had woken up and she propped herself up, looking at me with one hand still on my chest. Her hair fell forward and my breath caught. She was blinking in the dim light, cracks of sunlight were falling through a shaft high up in the wall, the fire long burned down. “How are you feeling? Should I build up the fire?”

  I shook my head and she pulled away, cold air rushing over where she’d been. “I’m okay.” I struggled for a moment. “We should get going. And Paige?” She’d stood up and was walking over to her bag and Nim, but looked back at me. “Thank you.”

  Her smile was sweet. “Of course.”

  An hour later, we’d emerged into a dew-gemmed morning and Nim went crazy, rolling in the grass and yipping as he bounced around. Even I couldn’t blame him – I felt like doing as much myself. It was a relief to be out of those interminable tunnels.

  As we walked, the night in the cave seemed to become more and more dreamlike. I almost felt like I could convince myself none of it happened if I was so inclined.

  Instead, I tried to cement every impression into my memory.

  What was Paige thinking or feeling, though? Her face remained serene and unreadable with every passing hour. It was driving me insane.

  The rest of the day proceeded uneventfully. Our conversation was quiet and comfortable. By the time we got into the small mountain town, it was late evening and most people were home for the night. I’d almost forgotten about it until I stumbled across it the other day.

  Nestled against a split mountain peak, it was a few miles from the edge of Aunt Sil’s land. Untouched and untroubled by the rest of the world, the residents were content to live their days with a small smattering of tourism and taking care of each other. In the past few years, it had become more popular as a pristine hiking locale, a good setting off spot for either climbing down into the valley or up Nasukoin Mountain. My brothers and I used to stop here to get breakfast in the diner years past, but we hadn’t been in a long time.

  A new, shiny mountain sporting goods store had popped up at the end of it, but most of the town was still filled with worn houses and little shops. Down the main street and up a side road, there was a rambling inn we were heading for. I’d spotted it the other day and it was close enough to the forest that we could slip out at a moment’s notice.

  “This town is so cute,” Paige remarked, shading her eyes and glancing around. “Oh, wow.”

  We’d turned the corner and come upon the inn. Warm light spilled from every window, the red eaves sloping to the ground and the mellow, dark brown color fading against the trees, making it seem as though it had grown out of the landscape. Old-fashioned lanterns were hung in the entryway and I saw Paige making a face as we walked in.

  I was about to ask her if something was wrong when a woman interrupted us. She was a squat, cheerful soul with an upswept bun of light hair and dancing eyes. “Good evening!”

  I walked forward, leaving Paige to examine the maps plastering the walls and smiled at the woman. “Good evening. Do you have rooms available?”

  Her smile became wider as she glanced between me and Paige. “I have one.”

  “One?” I started and she clapped her hands together. “Oh, that’s…”

  “Providential, I know. You’re very lucky – there’s a big hiking group who’s taken over town. I reckon this is the last one to be found anywhere.” She winked at me. “And I’ll give you a discount as a first time guest, how about that?”

  A pen was placed in my hand and I pulled out my wallet, not sure what else to do. In my head, a voice was hissing, Paige is going to kill you.

  “Now, I see you have a dog.” Her lips became prim. “He is allowed in the room, but only in the area where there is no carpet. And trust me, young man, I’ll know.”

  “Um, of course,” I said, glancing back at Nim, who was wagging his tail at a group of people walking out of the inn.

  “Alrighty, then. You’re all set.”

  “Thanks,” I said faintly.

  She proceeded to instruct me how to get to our room. It was tucked away on a top floor in the corner and I wrapped my hand around the key as I went back to Paige.

  “Everything all set?” she asked.

  I hesitated, then nodded. “C’mon.” Probably better to make a scene far away from everyone else. As we climbed the stairs, we passed several clumps of people, or rather couples, sitting together in rocking chairs or sharing window seats. I could sense Paige giving me funny looks but I did my best to ignore them, even as heat rose in my face.

  Really, Rayner? After everything you’ve been through, a romantic inn is throwing you for a loop? I tried to joke with myself, but I couldn’t stem the nerves clawing through me.

  “Here we are,” I said, unlocking the room and letting Paige in first.

  As I followed her in, my face tightened. Some enterprising employee had set a fire going and it threw light across the wood-paneled floors and sloping roof. Everything had a dappled, warm hue and suggested a cozy nest for two lovebirds. Oh, just shoot me.

  Paige began to laugh. “Is this a honeymoon suite? Jeez, Rayner, big spender.” She spun around, holding out her hand. “I’ll take the keys. Where are you? Next door?”

  I shook my head, staring at a spot on the wall. “This was all they had. I’ll um, sleep on the couch. It’s fine.”

  “What couch?” Paige asked, her voice straining with both hilarity and disbelief.

  I opened my mouth and then shut it. Paige was right. There was a small kitchen area, two loveseats in front of the fire, a window seat, and a door that led to the bedroom. She opened it and a huge bed met our eyes, with a door to the bathroom on the far wall.

  “Uh, I can sleep on the floor. I have that sleeping bag.” At that moment my phone rang and I glanced down at it. I’d turned it on when we first came into town and had been about to step out to make a call. “Finally!” I breathed and answered
, “Hazel? What’s going on?”

  “Ray! Where have you been?” Hazel’s British accent had never sounded sweeter to me and her voice was filled with equal relief. “We’ve been so worried about you! Honestly, who just up and vanishes like that? Couldn’t you call? We’ve been going mad, here!”

  “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to,” I said. “But you never showed at the meeting spot and I knew we had to get moving…”

  “We?” interrupted Willow. “So Paige is with you? Ha. I was right. Took this as opportunity to make a move, huh Romeo?”

  “No!” I barked. “Listen – how are they?” I asked, my fingers pressing at my bandage. I sensed Paige’s eyes on me and I stood up abruptly. “I can…”

  “I’ll take a shower,” Paige whispered. “And hose off Nim.”

  “We’re not supposed–” I started to say, but then the door shut. “Ah, never mind.”

  “So, things going well?” Willow asked smugly.

  I wanted to make a joke about her not needing to fill in for Burr, but instead, I grated out, “Are they okay? Did something happen last night?”

  There was a moment of silence, then Aunt Sil’s voice came down the line. “No, Rayner. Nothing. Your brothers are fine and still sleeping. Why, did something happen to you?”

  I sighed, wishing I hadn’t put myself in this situation. “No, it’s just been a few days…”

  “Rayner.” Aunt Sil’s voice was sharp.

  “Fine. The tattoo. It bled last night.”

  Another moment of silence, this time filled with tension. I heard footsteps and then Pea asked, “Was there pain? What else happened?”

  “A bad dream. One I barely remember,” I said, the lie easy on my tongue. “And yeah. Some.”

  “Pea?” Aunt Sil asked.

  “It could be the distance. Or the burden of it. How far away are you Rayner?”

  “On the other side of Nasukoin Mountain.”

  Sounds of dismay came from the phone and Aunt Sil murmured, “That far?”

  “Hey, listen, I had no choice but to take an intricate route. The mountains are crawling with Pale Eyes.” I paused and decided not to mention the cougars. “We’ll be along in a few days.”