by C. T. Adams
The only thing he could figure is that Cara wanted to test him to see what sort of pack leader he’d be. No Alpha would allow his people to go hungry. It just wasn’t done. Surely she would know of the problem through the pack mind-link. Josef knew what any of his pack was thinking or worried about at any time. He might even be watching Adam this very minute. So if Cara hadn’t done anything yet, either Paco and Rosa were being punished—which didn’t seem likely, or it was a test of his resourcefulness.
No problem. He was up to the challenge.
He could see the lights from the house in the distance and figured he hadn’t been gone long enough to be noticed. The timing had been the critical part. He couldn’t just announce he was going for meat—that would be insulting to the hosts. So he’d waited until someone was back in the bathroom before announcing he had to go, too, and would just wander outside. He’d stripped, shifted, and scented a nearby deer before the screen had finished slamming. Oddly, many of the deer were wearing ear tags, as though in some sort of experiment. So, he’d avoided those and searched for one without. The whitetail buck he located wasn’t very old, but was heavily muscled. The antlers were uneven, larger on one side than the other, but that wouldn’t affect the taste, which was amazingly sweet. He certainly couldn’t fault the quality or quantity of game here. His pack members would be thrilled if hunting was as good every moon as tonight. As a bonus, this should be enough meat to not only feed the crowd tonight, but also to put a little extra in their freezer.
Always make sure you leave your people better than you found them. He never could find any fault in his mother’s logic, so he continued to live by the words.
Cara and the other women were still in the kitchen when he dragged the deer the last few feet to the back door. Now, how best to get her attention? He could simply go around, get dressed and walk through the house… but then the others would smell the deer blood. He could call out for her to open the door, but someone other than her might do it instead. No, this would probably be best handled with magic.
He hadn’t done this in a very long time—but maybe that was the point. He closed his eyes and concentrated, pressed outward with his magic, finding the tiny air cracks around the closed door. While he could send his magic through solid objects, it sure was easier without barriers. An awareness came over him, stronger even than the sense of his own pack. He could feel the presence of three wolves in the room. One aura glowed and pulsed right at the edge of his magic, brighter than the others. He reached forward just a little more and touched it, and found himself pulled inside smoothly, with the ease of slipping his hands into well-worn driving gloves. New intensity flowed back along the thread of magic, making him shiver in the darkness. His eyelids began to heat from the surge of energy and he didn’t dare open his eyes for fear the glowing would attract attention from the window.
In his mind, he could see Cara raise her head and suck in a sharp breath. One of the other women—Sherry, Sharon, something like that—looked at her quizzically. “Something wrong, Cara?”
He could see the other two women at the table through Cara’s eyes, and wondered if this was how Josef viewed the world. It was a strange, but intoxicating feeling to be attached this way… very much how his first hunt was while Josef was out of town that night—the night when he didn’t listen to the others and chose a new hunting ground. It was the night the pack was seen.
He heard Cara’s voice, but it echoed inside his head, as though he were the one speaking. “I… I thought I heard something. But I’m sure it’s nothing.” She shivered and tried to brush away the magic, rubbing her skin as though she’d walked through a spider web.
No! Damn it, he wasn’t doing this right, apparently. He pushed forward harder, ignoring the strangeness of the sensation, and allowed more of his magic to attach to hers. She started violently and nearly dumped over a large pottery bowl filled with some sort of sticky batter. Again, the other women looked at her strangely but continued working. This time, he added a thought—I need to see you outside, Cara, pushed along the stream of magic. He didn’t know if she would hear it, though, so he enveloped her with his magic, pulling backward toward the door gently.
He felt her nostrils flare and her skin heat from the connection. She pushed back her chair with shaking hands. “Didn’t you feel that?” The two other women looked at each other and then looked around carefully before shrugging.
“I didn’t feel anything. Did you, Penny?”
The other woman shrugged a second time, but Cara was already on her feet. “I’m going outside for a second. Tell Rosa I’ll be right back.”
Finally! But just to be safe, he kept light pressure on the thread, reeling her toward him even as she walked the short distance to the door. It wasn’t until she was outside and off the porch, standing in the darkness that he finally released her. Suddenly, not being connected felt strange, but that was normal. He’d felt disoriented for the better part of a day after disconnecting from his own pack after the hunt.
She found him in the darkness of the trees with her nose and was walking his way with a worried scent.
“What’s going on out here, Adam? Why are you in wolf form? Has something happened?” Her voice was a harsh whisper laced with the adrenaline rush of a radio call of shots fired.
He stepped aside, revealing the downed deer. “I just wanted to report mission accomplished without the whole house knowing. I presume this was what you wanted me to do, right?” The look on her face and the intense scent of confusion that rose from her told him he’d been way off base. “So, from your dropped jaw, I’m guessing this wasn’t a test?”
“A test? Gee… wow. I really don’t have any idea what you’re talking about. I mean, it’s a gorgeous deer, but—”
He sighed and sat down. “Okay, how about you run around and grab my clothes off the front porch and I’ll explain my dim-witted logic here after I dress.”
It wasn’t until she sprinted around the front of the house nearly too fast for his eyes to follow that he heard it, a low, soft swooshing… like wings riding the air currents overhead. He would normally dismiss the sound as an owl or other night predator, if it wasn’t for the fact that the shadowy wings that soared through the dimly lit patch of grass were as wide as the porch. His stomach lurched as the air rushing past smelled distinctly like… Sazi. Specifically, like the owl who’d nearly killed him this afternoon.
Was the house being watched? He hadn’t smelled anything when he was hunting, but then he’d been concentrating on the game. Cara’s aura suddenly touched his and he realized it was because she’d caught the scent, too. When she was cranked up, her magic was formidable.
“Should we follow it?” Her voice was low and angry, apparently wanting a second crack at the bird. He realized he did, as well. He glanced up at where she was scanning the sky, just as he was. He shook his head. While his eyes were exceptionally good in the dark, Will had told him back at the motel there wound up being three birds before they’d chased them away.
“Not tonight. I don’t even think it knew we were here. But if it did, then we can’t afford to leave the others alone to hunt down one. They’ve already proven they think independently and can strategize. Still, I’m betting they’re staying close by, since this house is only a few miles from where we found Ziri—as the owl flies. No, I think we need to stay alert, but not alarm anyone. I’ll talk with Lucas in the morning and see if we can tell your pack about this. Extra eyes might really help, and we need them to be on their guard, in case Ziri wasn’t the only target.”
He watched her clench and unclench her fists and then let out an exasperated breath. “You’re right, of course. But I hate to leave my family alone, knowing there’s danger. Paco’s a good fighter, but these things are way out of his league. Maybe I should stay here a few days. I’ve got some vacation time—”
He touched her hand with his nose and she looked down with worried, angry eyes. “There’s always something, Cara. The world is fu
ll of danger. If you stay here with your sister, what happens to the rest of the pack? And what happens to the humans in town? There’s no evidence that the birds have targeted anyone other than those in the van. Ziri didn’t know why the men in the van were attacked, or why they came back for her. She didn’t even know the men, they were just coyotes, driving her north to a supposed job in California so she could help support her family. Lucas knows she’s hiding something, so he’s still working with her—but it might have nothing to do with the birds. Maybe it was a personal grudge that has nothing to do with us or even Ziri. We just don’t know enough to change our habits yet.” He paused, seeing that her anger was dissipating, even though the worry remained. Then he raised one front foot and lightly touched her hand. “I know you’re worried. I would be, too, in your place. But for the moment, I think we just need to be our normal selves—if we stay visible and vigilant, we’re doing all we can.”
She nodded and a small smile was followed by a burst of cinnamon and citrus. “I keep forgetting you’re one, too—a cop. It’s nice to know someone who understands the frustration. But, you’re right. There’s nothing we can do tonight without more information.” She shook off the tension like shedding rain from her fur. “Let’s get you cleaned up and I’ll have Paco start the grill.” She turned and walked toward the back door but paused and looked over her shoulder. “And then you can tell me whatever possessed you to go out hunting tonight.”
Chapter 13
“SO YOU REALLY haven’t bound your pack to you? I’ve never heard of that.” Adam scraped his fork around the small blue plate to pick up the last bits of fruit and crumbles with obvious enthusiasm. “This is amazing cobbler, by the way. I haven’t had peaches in years. What brand is it?”
She laughed lightly and added his plate to hers as she stood up before taking them over to the sink. “No store-bought in this house. But I admit the peaches are frozen. I bought a bushel over in Fredericksburg last summer ’cause I’m a sucker for cobbler. Or, when I’m feeling ambitious, warm peaches and pecans in caramel syrup—sort of like a Bananas Foster, over homemade ice cream. They’re one of my weaknesses, and they really grow sweet ones here.”
She returned to her chair, which was close enough to Adam’s that their knees brushed, and pulled the county map back to the center of the kitchen table so they could both see it. A small yawn overtook her, even though it wasn’t that late. They’d left Rosa’s house around nine, after a terrific barbeque—nearly equal to summer fiestas on the moon. The pack had been really impressed by Adam’s willingness and, she had to admit, his ability to bring down a deer that large by himself, when it was still days to the moon. But his reasoning for doing it—well, that had been a little… strange.
She shook her head lightly as she pulled pen and paper back to her after wiping a few stray crumbs from the polished wood. “I guess I haven’t heard of a pack leader binding his members, either. That just smacks of Big Brother too much for me. Why would it be necessary? Down here, we all want the same thing—to make the pack happy and strong. Does your Josef not trust the members to further the interests of the pack?”
He furrowed his brow and didn’t answer for a moment, so she let him think while she looked again at the map. Little foil stick-on stars were scattered over the surface, marking the homes of her pack members. They were mostly clustered in small groups around the edges of Santa Helena, with one or two in town. But there was one star miles away, in Houston, and another near the border of Mexico. They were part of the overall pack, but seldom hunted with the group. As alphas who could control their change on the moon, they had that option.
While there were plenty of homes available for the newcomers to live in, the trick was not to make their presence too obvious to the locals. That new subdivision was pretty big, so a couple could probably go there—
“I guess I don’t have an answer for that.” The words were accompanied by a frustrated shrug. “It’s all we’ve ever known. The pack in Chicago does the same as Minnesota, and so does Alaska. But I’m certainly willing to consider other options for down here… when in Rome, and all that. I’ll talk to the people we pick when I head back north.”
“Well, the ones that are going to do best down here will be independent thinkers anyway. The people here, humans and Sazi alike, are pretty tough. There’s lots of agriculture—raising goats and cattle, plus seed crops like millet and thistle, so you have a lot of farmer and rancher families in the area. Of course, there are service businesses here, too, but I don’t know what new ones would survive. There’s not a lot of cross business between counties. You might look around town tomorrow and see if you have any ideas. I know the chamber of commerce and economic development committee are actively looking for new business moves—offering incentives and grants. That might benefit us.”
“Well, the one thing I noticed you don’t have here is a discount department store. Maybe a Target?”
She snorted abruptly. “Hell, we’d love to get a Wal-Mart or K-Mart or, sure… a Target down here. But they’ve all turned us down. We’re not large enough, population-wise, for their rules.”
Adam’s smile held a touch of mischief. “Yeah, but before… you didn’t have one of the vice presidents of the whole company in your pocket. Minnesota is the home base of the Target chain, and our second female, Cherise, is one of the VPs in new development. She might be able to… bend a few rules. In fact, I can pretty much guarantee it. It’s why she was installed in the position. The local stores are considered pack businesses for hiring our members.”
The thought of that stopped her cold. That could solve the entire problem! It was a new business that would certainly be welcome and provide jobs to locals. Bringing in a home management “team” was pretty common, and while there might be a few grumbles, nobody would really fuss about a sudden increase in outsiders from the same state. “Yeah, you definitely need to put that on your must do list when you get back. That’s… urn, just wow!” She looked back at the map and hopelessness was replaced by elation. One random idea could actually make this whole thing work! Something moved against the sensitive hairs on her cheek when her jaw dropped and she smelled that a bit of cobbler was stuck to the skin. She reached out her tongue to flick it away, but it was too far, so she raised her hand.
It stopped in midair, her wrist held in a firm grip by Adam. His touch nearly burned every time their skin met, and she couldn’t help but gasp at the intensely warm sensation that flowed up her arm. His gaze had gone dark and serious and she couldn’t seem to pull her eyes away. “Don’t.”
That one word brought shivers, and the sudden pounding of her heart increased when he leaned closer. It was the scene in front of Rosa’s all over again. She waited, transfixed, as his aura surged over the top of hers, teasing her skin and raising goose bumps. By the time his lips touched her cheek, she couldn’t seem to breathe. His tongue flicked lightly, removing the crumbs, and the scent of pine trees and sweet musk filled her nose, turning her mind to putty. She found herself turning slightly to meet his mouth and it was waiting, frozen in place, when she did.
His grip on her wrist tightened just a bit as his lips brushed hers, and paper rustled from his other hand reaching forward to ease behind her neck. She’d expected the kiss to start slow, but it didn’t. There was near desperation in the way his jaw worked against hers, his tongue circling and exploring as he pulled her head tight against his. Beard stubble tickled her chin as he twisted his head slightly.
He tasted of peaches and sugar but, underneath that, was fur and fresh deer. She realized she’d never actually kissed another Sazi… at least a wolf. There’s been that one cat in Wolven academy, and while he was an excellent kisser, among other things, it had been casual—this wasn’t. Her hands started moving of their own accord, pulling away from his grasp to explore his neck, his hair, while he turned his tongue into a hot wire from her mouth to her stomach. Damn, he was a good kisser!
She lost track of time as his mouth wor
ked over hers before moving to suck on her lower lip hard enough to make her groan. He went to her jawline next, tiny little feather kisses accompanied by magic and tickling, sandpaper rough hairs that flowed shivers across her skin. By the time he’d reached her neck and ear, he’d pushed back his chair and lifted her over to straddle him. She could feel the swell in his pants through her own thin jeans and a sudden spasm down low pulled a sharp hiss from her.
“Damn, you smell good.” His words came out a husky, growling whisper and his hands tightened on her waist.
“So do you.” The growl was apparently contagious because it was in her voice, too. And she wasn’t lying… he did smell incredible. His musk was increasing and she couldn’t help but roll her tongue against his neck. The sharp, sweet taste caused shivers to turn into a pulse that swelled her skin and turned the air around her to fire.
Things started to happen too quickly to follow—his hands under her shirt, unhooking her bra, while she tugged his shirt out of his jeans. The shirts disappeared in a few seconds, nearly breaking the chain of her necklace, and suddenly there was skin against skin, while his mouth moved from one breast to the other. He nipped and sucked at her nipples, grinding those coarse hairs against her sensitive skin, while she cried out, dug fingers into his shoulders and pushed herself down to rub his erection against her. She growled and lowered her head to his neck, biting sharply into the skin. She rubbed her hands along his chest, her healing magic finding each closing wound and smoothing dimpled scars into smooth, perfect skin once more.
Another growl rose from her, and he answered with one of his own. But this one was different and his magic pushed inside her violently… pulled at her wolf and called to the moon. He started to snuffle against her neck and then ran his tongue slowly up, from shoulder to ear. The reminder was abrupt. A sudden panic filled her mind even as her body soared higher, encouraging his hands and tongue. He said she smelled good!
