Diamond Dust (25 page)

“Tell me we’ll be okay,” Caroline whispered.

“We’re going to be great. And you’ll be brilliant, as usual.”

The compliment slid up and tied her in a big bow. “Pretty words.”

“That I mean. You are very talented, Caroline. Smart, insightful. My bear says you kick ass, by the way. I told him to watch it, or the ass you’ll be kicking will be his.”

So many urges shot through her. She wanted to smile at his attempts to bolster her nerves. Wanted to appreciate his honesty and his out-spoken bear. She wanted reassurances the lust racing through her was normal.

Then again, simply looking him over explained that one far too easily.

It was the note of caring in his voice that made her the most afraid. It seemed he was trying so hard to listen and understand her human side, not taking for granted the influence her chutzpah had granted her in the shifter world over the years.

He was unlocking secrets others who’d known her for years had never suspected she had. Not even her family.

Being stripped bare of all protective layers was a frightening thing. Far more frightening than knowing she was the only one in the area who couldn’t turn furry and sprout claws and razor-sharp teeth.

A lady waved at her from near the change-room door and Caroline sighed. “Time for fun and games.”

Tyler jerked a thumb over his shoulder, pointing out the male partner headed his way. “At least you get to soak and relax while you play. I’m in a damn suit and tie.”

She leaned in and offered her lips, and he kissed her. Slightly more tongue was involved than was probably considered polite in public, but as if she cared.

She headed to greet her guests. Women joined her on poolside before slipping into the naturally heated waters and sighing happily. Little clusters gathered, ladies talking contentedly as Tyler kept the menfolk occupied and away from the water. The low wall between the pool and picnic tables created two separate oases. There was enough distance between the spaces that at least the illusion of privacy was provided.

Caroline waded through the chest-deep water to where Lillie was waving. She settled onto the seat beside the redhead who leaned back on the low concrete lip behind her.

“I love the idea of a fun activity for us ladies. You’re a wonderful person, Caroline. I like you.”

Caroline laughed. “I like you as well. But don’t get too excited, it’s not as if the guys aren’t just around the corner.”

Lillie played with the water surface, allowing trickles to run off her fingers into the pool. “It’s as good as a win in my books. I can’t imagine holding an event under these circumstances without some kind of backup. Sorry about the dinner at my place. Once conclave is over, you’ll have to come over for a proper meal.”

“It wasn’t your fault, but thank you. We’d like that.” Automatically including Tyler in her response felt right. And weird.

Lillie sat up and looked around, her voice going lower. “So, while it’s relatively quiet, I want to ask you something.”

“Go ahead.”

Her new friend wiggled her nose. “This might sound strange, but I already know my husband won’t win conclave, so I’m trying to figure out who is best to support. Tyler appears the way to go.”

Caroline wasn’t sure there was a question in there. “He seems pretty amazing to me.”

Lillie leaned her mouth next to Caroline’s ear. “Does he hurt you?”

Caroline sputtered. “Hello?”

Lillie slid a finger over one of the bruises on Caroline’s neck, her gaze meeting Caroline’s with an unspoken query.

“Oh, sweetie.” Damn it for bad timing in enjoying some rough sex. Caroline took a deep breath and reminded herself she was talking to a shifter. “I can honestly say there isn’t a mark on me that I didn’t want him to put there. He’s got a few love bites as well.”

Her face must have been beet red, but Lillie nodded. “Good, that’s what I thought, but I had to be sure. So, how can we convince Lynn Nakusp she wants her husband hanging out with Tyler and not that jackass, Todd Ainsworth? Because while I love Jim to pieces, if he ever lays a hand on me—other than in fun—I swear I will slip his balls into a blender on high speed. While they’re still attached.”

Nice imagery.

Caroline peeked over Lillie’s shoulder, searching out a glimpse of Tyler. She caught sight of his head and shoulders, his back to her as he strolled the far corners of the observation area. “I haven’t known Tyler long, but I trust him completely. He’s a good man. I mean, good bear.”

Lillie laughed. “I know what you meant, and I agree. I saw the smile on your face while you were talking to him earlier. You can’t keep your eyes off him, either.”

Oops? “Really?”

Her friend nodded. “Nothing wrong with that. I can’t get enough of my Sugarbear either. But your human/bear comment is a big part of the problem we face. I’m a smart woman.” She gestured around the pool at the others gathered together, enjoying the afternoon sunshine. “We all are. We’ve got jobs and responsibilities in the human world that carry power and influence. It’s the damn bear side that makes things difficult at times, especially when someone like Todd takes control.”

“He doesn’t respect your abilities, does he? I noticed that the other night at your party.”

Lillie growled in disgust. “He steamrolls over the human side and reduces our accomplishments to nothing more than we own a vagina. It’s not fair. It’s no use being a strong individual when at best you’re tied to clichés and limitations or at worst, abused. Amanda Ainsworth is proof of that.”

Oh hell. Lillie’s tirade confirmed what Caroline had feared the most. “She’s in danger?”

Lillie gave her
the look
.

Damn. Caroline glanced around the pool. “She’s not here yet, is she?”

A snort of disbelief rose from Lillie. “Chances of her showing up are slim to none. He’d never allow her to be somewhere without him monitoring her every move.”

Caroline didn’t get it. There was something major missing from her considerations.

“If you see the problem clearly, and I had it pretty much called after less than an hour at that first party, why would it be difficult to convince Lynn and the other ladies their only hope is having someone like Tyler elected in the first place?” Caroline made a face. “And I just clued in how stupid and chauvinistic that sounds as well. Why are only the guys getting elected to head conclave?”

“No, you’re mistaken.” Lillie shook her head as she pressed a hand to her chest. “It’s not the guy, I mean, we say that, but really it’s the
clan
being elected. If Halcyon won, Jim and I would both have the right to guide changes in the other clans’ structure.
If
he let me. Which”—she rolled her eyes—“right there proves that if Ainsworth is elected, no way would Amanda have any clout. It would be all power-hungry-jerk in charge calling the shots.”

“Which is why Tyler wasn’t as good a representative as a bachelor, right?”

Lillie nodded slowly. “He’s a fair man, from what I know of his business practices, but do I want him suggesting changes in my life? I have no reason to trust him. You, on the other hand, I trust.”

Never had Caroline imagined her little outing to shed such light on the potential outcomes of conclave. “Thank you for that. It means a lot to me, Lillie.”

The redhead nodded, a smile dancing on her lips. “I’m not just going on womanly instinct. I did a search on you. There’s quite a file built up when you know where to look.”

Caroline laughed. “What do you do in this outside job of yours? Computer hacker?”

Lillie grinned. “Secret service. I’d tell you more, but then I’d have to kill you.”

Caroline pulled Lillie toward one of the small groups. “Help me chat for a while. Let’s persuade the group they all desperately need to go home and convince their men to vote for Tyler.”

“Deal.”

It was not Tyler’s idea of a good time. Not by any stretch of the imagination.

He lifted the glass in his hand, though, and concentrated on listening to one of the older bears who he respected. The man knew his father, and sharing stories about life in the north made it easier to pass the time.

The entire gathering was an enormous stockpile of coals ready to be fanned into flames. Feminine voices and laughter carried on the air, the gentlemen around him glancing restlessly toward the pool every time it happened, as if itching to go and join their women.

He didn’t blame them. He had the same damn reaction every time Caroline’s bright laugh hit him. Even from a distance it was like shooting one-hundred-eighty-proof liquor.

Still, looking on the bright side, Ainsworth hadn’t shown up, and the couple of clans that had offered support for Clan Harrison were working their magic on the others. The lone resisters seemed to be Lucerne, but they didn’t stand much chance of impacting the events other than causing violence.

Another car pulled into the parking lot, and Tyler stepped to the side to watch with interest as the limo driver hurried around to open the door for Amanda Ainsworth.

She glanced toward the pool building, her long coat trailing to the ground as the driver, not Todd, escorted her forward.

Strange.

Tyler made his way toward the front of the deck. By the time he got to a place where he could observe clearly, Caroline had slipped from the water in response to a low-toned feminine request sneaking through the change-room door.

Her lithe form should have been a distraction, but the whispered conversation taking place just inside the doorway was more important than his longing to lick the water droplets from Caroline’s skin.

Not being able to hear exactly what was going on was making him crazy.

“Ainsworth didn’t show, but Amanda did?” Jim Halcyon was at Tyler’s side, tilting his head toward the trees. “We’d better stay alert. I didn’t expect him to come—Ainsworth hates the water with a passion—but you can be sure if anything happens to her, you’ll never hear the end of it.”

“We know exactly who he’d blame.”

Jim nodded. “Somehow, it would be your fault. Especially after this afternoon—your appeal is rising fast. It would only take a small nudge to push the entire shooting match into your favour.”

That’s when Caroline and Amanda strolled from the change room, Caroline in her barely there swimsuit, Amanda covered from neck to toe in a colourful beach robe. The two women made their way around the pool edge.

Caroline called out reassurances to some of the ladies in the water. Tyler moved as close as possible to where Caroline had spoken to him earlier. “Do you need my help?”

Caroline’s cheeks were flushed. “Tell her how I got the marks on my skin.”

She twisted a hip to showcase a spot where finger-shaped bruises marred her flesh. He could clearly picture gripping her, riding her hard from behind as they went wild the previous day.

Only the passion faded as Tyler glanced at Amanda, his stomach plummeting. In being free with Caroline had he destroyed his case and lost all opportunity to make things better for the bears in the long run?

Attempting to explain the marks on Caroline in less-than-graphic words wasn’t going to work—he was damned no matter what.

The fire in Caroline’s eyes caught his attention as he considered what to say. One of her first taunts returned. What he was known for—honesty. She thought the truth would help.

“Caroline and I were playing. Sexual games.” He undid his shirt collar and pulled it aside to display one of the more explicit scratches she’d left on him. “We both got overexcited.”

Amanda stared at his chest. “You’re not in the habit of beating women?”

Caroline slipped her arm through Amanda’s. “I told you he’s not.”

The group of men in attendance had crowded forward, and Tyler motioned for them to step back. “You can watch just as well from across the courtyard. Give the ladies some privacy.”

“I’ve been offered sanctuary by your girlfriend,” Amanda piped up. “Do you agree to protect me?”

Oh, Caroline, what have you done?
The men forgotten, Tyler moved forward, his gaze meeting Caroline’s. He’d trusted her and her instincts to now; he would to the end. “If you require sanctuary, my clan is yours.”

“Takhini wolves also offer protection,” Caroline spoke loud and clear, obviously to the gathering of men behind him. “And if there’s any of the lot of you who think you can mistreat your women, I offer them sanctuary as well, even if I have to personally find them beds and jobs.”

One of the clan leaders pushed forward. “See here. This isn’t right, going around Ainsworth like this. He should at least be able to stand up for himself.” The man shook his finger at Amanda who cowered against Caroline’s side. “Asking for sanctuary without reason.”

Caroline was between the bear’s pointing finger and Amanda at the same moment Tyler stepped to the man’s side and laid a restraining hand on his shoulder.

“He forbid her to come,” Caroline snapped.

The clan leader nodded righteously. “Then we need to ask him to join us. Allow him to be a part of this.”

“You bastard.”

Caroline would have hauled back a fist and swung if Amanda hadn’t stopped her. The woman patted Caroline’s arm reassuringly before stepping into the open. “He didn’t want me to come because there’s no swimsuit that can cover this…”