Terry Spear’s Wolf Bundle (57 page)

“Darien is determined to keep me safe, but I want to find out who was blackmailing my sister and who killed her.”

“You’re not one of them, are you?” Carol asked again, her expression hopeful.

“No, of course not. I’m not from here and—”

“I’ve seen things that no one should ever witness. Unnatural things.”

Oh, god, no, no, Carol, don’t say it.

Carol glanced back at the door, then turned to Lelandi. “They’re part of some cult. When the moon appears, they strip off their clothes, then cover themselves in animal skins and run around in the woods howling.”

Lelandi barely breathed. “You’ve seen Darien and the others do this?”

“Well, no, not for real.”

“Are they like nightmares?”

“You can say that again. It’s always dark and difficult to make out what’s happening because the cool night air mixes with the sun-warmed earth, creating a screen of fog. Some of the men and women have sex in the wilderness like they’re a bunch of wild animals. You know, the men mounting the women from behind.”

“In animal skins?”

“Yeah.” Carol looked at her curiously. “You wouldn’t do that, would you?”

“Sounds a little kinky. Although I recall you saying you wished you could tell someone you’d never meet again about a sexual fantasy of yours.”

“That’s definitely not one of them.” Carol shook her head a little too vigorously.

“I’m certain Darien and his family and friends aren’t a part of a cult. He’s too busy running the factory and silver mine.”

“You’re probably right. But some of the people living here are in it. You have to believe me.”

“Are your psychic powers ever wrong?”

“Sometimes I have difficulty sorting out what everything means. I saw an injured girl and felt the pain in her leg, saw her washed in a blanket of white mist. I guessed later it was the girl you rescued in the woods during the blizzard before Joe kidnapped you. But I couldn’t see where she was, who she was, what happened to her, who was with her. The visions are not all that clear most of the time.”

“Like a nightmare? Where the dreams are mixed up and run together with the oddest images?”

“Maybe,” Carol said, but she sounded like she didn’t think so, that she figured Lelandi didn’t believe
her. “I…I felt bad when Joe took you hostage. I hadn’t seen that happen. I don’t know why I can see some things and not others.”

“What do you see now? Anything in my future?”

“A man threatens to take you back home. He’s a redhead, not as tall as Darien, but heavy-set. And he has a savage streak.”

Lelandi’s heart fluttered. “Crassus.”

Carol stood and began to pace. “But there’s someone else. A man. I can’t see who, but I sense he holds a lot of anger, directed at your sister, then at you. You’re not only the embodiment of Larissa, but you’re trying to find her killer—him. He’s frustrated because he hasn’t been able to get to you. But he’s someone Darien trusts.”

Chill bumps erupted on Lelandi’s arms. “You don’t know who he is?”

“No.”

“Do you know how he plans to kill me?”

“I don’t know.” Carol tried to smile. “I really admire you. No matter what, you stand up for yourself. I wish I could be more like that.”

“I think you are, Carol.”

“Yeah, and I still don’t have a job at the hospital. But you never give in. If I see anything else, I’ll…I’ll let you know.”

Lelandi stood and took Carol’s hand, but Carol gave her a warm hug back. “Somehow we’ve been thrown together…maybe because our sisters both died and were so depressed. I don’t know. But I…I have to help you if I can.”

“Thank you, Carol. Maybe with your abilities, you can.” But how in the hell could Lelandi help Carol? If
anyone learned she might be seeing
lupus garous
mating in the woods on moon-filled nights, the powers-that-be would eliminate her.

“I’ve got to get home,” Carol said. “I really did forget to feed Puss this morning. He’ll be roaring by the time I return.”

“I’ll walk you to the front door. If you learn anything more…”

“I’ll call you.”

Lelandi shook her head.

Carol ran her hand over her arm. “I’ll drop by. They’ll be listening in on your phone conversations, won’t they?”

Lelandi snorted. “Probably. They think everyone’s suspect.”

“Rightly so. First, that guy shot you, then Joe took you hostage, then…why were you in the blizzard with the girl who’d been injured?”

Lelandi smiled. “Searching for evidence about my sister. I escaped the house.” Her smile faded. “But it won’t happen again.”

“I can see why not. You could have died out there.” Carol opened the door to the sunroom, and they headed to the living room.

The men stood. Darien’s face looked dark and his brothers and the others—Chester, Sam, Uncle Sheridan—all looked as concerned. Had one of them listened in on Carol’s conversation with Lelandi through a vent or some damned thing?

“Can I have a word with you, Miss Wood?” Darien motioned to the sunroom.

Carol looked like she was ready to have heart failure.

Lelandi’s whole body chilled with fear, and she felt sick to her stomach.

Jake said to Lelandi, “I need to talk to you. Do you mind?”

Torn, she didn’t know what to do. She wanted to protect Carol from her mate when she should have been totally loyal to him and to the pack, to all
lupus garous,
first and foremost. Darien gave her a look like she better do what was expected of her.

That’s when Lelandi snapped.

“Sure, but I want to see what Darien has to say to Carol first.” She gave the men all her sweetest smile, faked to high heaven.

“Fine.” Darien didn’t sound like it was fine with him.

The three of them walked into the sunroom. Carol looked pale and as uncomfortable as if Darien and his family had just pronounced she was a witch and at any moment the inquisition would burn her at the stake. Lelandi didn’t feel much better.

None of the men looked happy with either Lelandi or Carol. But Lelandi didn’t care. If Carol hadn’t wanted to help her, the woman wouldn’t be in this untenable situation now.

Darien waited for them to sit and then gave his full attention to Carol as if Lelandi wasn’t there. “I’m concerned about Lelandi’s health,” he said smoothly.

Carol glanced at Lelandi, her look one of disbelief. Lelandi was sure she appeared as astonished. What the hell was he up to?

“We’re afraid someone plans to kill her, and that’s why she’s constantly under guard. She wants to learn who blackmailed her sister and murdered her. But I
can’t let her run around town on her own. You know what’s happened to her already. In that light and because you’re unhappy with your job prospect as a nurse at the school, I’m offering you a job as Lelandi’s personal nurse. If anything should happen to her, your medical knowledge could save her life. Your salary would be commensurate with what you would earn at the hospital, but you would only need keep Lelandi company when she wishes it.”

“But I have a cat and…”

“Jake will see to the cat’s care. Doc Mitchell will board him until you’re ready to return home.”

Lelandi felt cornered into making a decision. But she was certain if she didn’t agree, Carol’s life would hang in the balance. “Until you can catch the bastard who murdered my sister, I think it’s a perfect solution, Darien. Of course, if you agree to it, Carol.”

Carol didn’t appear comfortable with agreeing to the conditions of her new employment. “Would I be free to go and—”

“No.” Darien’s face remained stern, determined. He would have his way, one way or another.

“If I don’t?”

He shrugged. “You’re free to go. It’s up to you. I would hope that you’d consider my terms favorably for Lelandi’s sake though. If you don’t stay here around the clock, however, there’s no sense in you being here. Who knows when the killer will strike again?”

“Can I go home and get some clothes?”

“Tom will take you.”

“All right.” Carol offered a smile, but the warmth didn’t reach her eyes. “I’ll do this for Lelandi. And hope
to god I can make a difference if need be.” She rose from the couch.

“Good.” Darien motioned to the door and when he opened it, he said, “Tom, take Miss Wood to her place to get some clothes. Jake, you can take her cat to Doc Mitchell’s for boarding until we get this situation cleared up with Lelandi.”

Carol still looked like she thought they were going to burn her at the stake.

“I’ll see you in a little bit,” Lelandi promised. “I haven’t baked anything in eons with my sister. Maybe we can whip up something.”

“An apple pie?”

Darien looked somewhat mollified with Lelandi’s response. “Run her by the grocery store and get whatever ingredients they need.”

Carol’s expression brightened and she had more of a spring to her step when she left the house with Darien’s brothers. But as soon as the door shut, Darien gave Lelandi a look like she’d overstepped her bounds. He took her hand and led her up the stairs without saying a word and although everyone watched them, no one said anything either. She was in trouble now.

She had no good reason for getting on Darien’s bad side either. If Carol knew they were
lupus garous,
she put them all at risk. Lelandi had no business covering for her.

When they reached the bedroom, Darien released her and shut the door. She felt small and unworthy under his steely gaze. She didn’t say anything, not sure how to respond, and he finally blew out his breath. “What the hell was that all about?”

“She wanted to warn me I was in danger. We all know that. So what’s the big deal?”

“Lelandi.” Darien ran his hands up and down her arms. “She’s dangerous. How long have you known she has psychic abilities?”

“I’ve only met her once before.”

“And she told you then?”

Tears filled her eyes. “I…I don’t want her killed.”

He held her tight and kissed her forehead. “We have to do what’s right for the pack. In days gone by, we could have someone institutionalized if they’d seen one of us turn wolf. But we can’t do that anymore. If she does have visions that involve you and whoever this maniac is, I want her here. And I want to know about it immediately. We’ll put her talent to good use and take it from there.”

“And when she’s not of any more use…?”

“I’m sure we can work something out.”

Lelandi didn’t think he would. The pack took priority.
Lupus garou
took priority. One human woman was of little consequence.

“Do you believe she sees us as humans wearing animal skins, howling at the moon?”

“She says it’s dark. And it would be for her. We can see at night. She wouldn’t be able to.”

“And there’s a fog. Yet, she seems to see a hell of a lot despite it being nighttime while the cultists run around in a fog.”

“What are you implying?” Lelandi asked.

“I’m implying that she sees us as wolves, not as humans wearing furs. She was testing your reaction, seeing how you responded to the news.”

“Because she’s afraid I’d think she was crazy?”

He kissed her cheek. “Or, because you’re one of us, and she wanted to see if you’d betray this.”

“Does she think I am?” Lelandi asked.

“What do you believe?”

“At first, I don’t believe she thought I was. Then something made her reconsider. In the end, I felt she wasn’t sure. Maybe she trusted me. Until you said she had to stay here.”

“For your safety
and
hers. If anyone found out she might be able to identify whoever murdered Larissa, Carol would be a dead woman.” Darien paused for a minute, letting the seriousness of the situation sink in.

“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that.”

“If any of the
lupus garous
of the pack discovered she might be able to tell the world about us, one of them might not wait for me to make a decision concerning her disposition.”

“I understand fully.”

He hugged her tightly, wanting to keep her safe from all the evils of the world, but already he was worrying about Carol and her abilities to see the
lupus garous
as they were, and what he would have to do if things got out of hand. He knew if he didn’t handle the matter right, he’d end up driving a wedge between himself and his mate.

A
FTER
SETTLING
IN
, L
ELANDI
AND
C
AROL
MADE
TWO
APPLE
pies, while Tom and Jake took Darien aside to speak to him privately in his office. He figured there had been more trouble with their new live-in guest.

“Carol tried to sneak a gun into her bag, but I told her you and your men were the only ones who would be armed. She didn’t like it, but finally gave in,” Tom said.

“She’s going to be a problem. But maybe she can use these abilities of hers to warn us before whoever murdered Larissa strikes at Lelandi again,” Darien said.

A rapping at the door sounded.

“Yes?” Darien asked gruffly.

Lelandi opened the door, her face strained.

“Where’s Carol?” Darien asked, already leaving the office. He was sure the woman would attempt to flee if given the opportunity. She didn’t appear to be the fighting sort.

Lelandi grabbed his arm. “Darien, Silva’s here helping her with the pies. But Carol had a…premonition. A group of men are coming to see you. They’re angry, but they’re not the real problem. Another group is planning on slipping into a bedroom to steal me away. She doesn’t see what happens afterward, just that we’ve got trouble coming soon.”

Darien’s phone rang and Tom grabbed it off the desk. “Yeah?” He looked up at Darien, his expression
darkened. “Uncle Sheridan says he couldn’t keep the reds at Hastings B&B. They’re on their way here.”

When everyone glanced at Lelandi, she lifted a shoulder. “Carol sees things sometimes. I guess she really does have psychic abilities.”

He was having a hard time believing it, but already adrenaline was coursing through his veins, getting him ready for a fight. “Tom, tell Uncle Sheridan I want him and both his deputies here.” Darien took Lelandi’s hand and kissed it, hoping not to show how anxious he was about her. “I want you and Silva in the bedroom.”

“And Carol?”

Jake said, “She can’t be allowed to see what happens when we have to fight. She’ll be traumatized.”

Everyone headed out of Darien’s office.

Carol would be more than traumatized.
Tension filled every muscle in Lelandi’s body. She wasn’t worried that the grays would beat the reds. Well, maybe a little. Bruin and his brothers could be pretty underhanded and brutal. But she was worried about Carol and Silva, too.

“Uncle Sheridan’s getting his deputies and a few others to guard the place,” Tom said. “Do you want me to watch Carol?”

“You’ll be with Jake. Are you ready to play the alpha leader again?”

Jake gave him an evil smile.

“What about Carol?” Lelandi asked, her blood growing cold.

“Ask her. I’m sure she knows what’s going to happen already.” He led Lelandi toward the kitchen. “Have both Silva and Carol go with you to the bedroom. You’ll
watch something on television, pretend like nothing is out of the ordinary.”

Uncle Sheridan barged into the house with Peter and Chester McKinley.

“Where’s Trevor?” Darien asked, his tone annoyed.

“He’s on his way.”

“I want to help even though I’m not one of your pack, if you’ll let me,” Chester said.

Darien glanced out the front window. Several gray wolves were positioning themselves around the estate. “All right. You stay with Jake and Tom.”

Darien amazed Lelandi at every turn. Normally, a pack leader wouldn’t want interference from a wolf he didn’t trust and know well when a serious crisis was at hand.

He kissed Lelandi’s cheek. “Go, move the women upstairs.”

“Hope the pies are done.” She hurried off to the kitchen, praying Darien knew what he was doing concerning Carol and that no one would hurt her in the impending fracas.

“The reds arrived in the drive,” Tom warned.

“Carol, Silva, how far along are the pies?” Lelandi asked, her pulse pounding.

Silva gave her a knowing look. “We brought them out to cool.”

“Super. Why don’t we go up to one of the bedrooms and watch some TV?” She motioned toward the living room.

“Sure, sugar. Sounds like a great idea.”

Carol offered a wary smile. “Love to until the pies are ready to eat. We need to make sure we get some before the guys scarf them up.”

“You’re right about that.” Lelandi waited for Silva and Carol to leave first. She tried to keep the panic from her voice, but she was sure both women noticed.

On the way to the stairs, they headed toward the men gathered in the living room.

Darien grabbed Jake’s shoulder. “Are you sure you can handle this?”

Jake’s face lit up with a sinister cast. “You bet, Darien. They won’t know what hit them.”

“All right. Uncle Sheridan?”

“All set. Go protect the little lady. You know they’ll pull something sneaky to take her out of here.”

“Chester?”

“I’m with you. Thanks for trusting in me.”

“Sam?”

Sam patted Tom on the shoulder. “We’ll take care of Jake in case anything gets out of hand.”

“Where’s Trevor?” Silva asked.

“Late. I’m sure he has a damned good excuse though,” Darien said, his words sarcastic.

Lelandi thought Silva had given up on that worthless Trevor. What now? “Is Jake going to be all right?”

“Jake will be fine. Every time I have to leave town, he takes over.” Darien looked at Peter. “Ready?”

“Yes, sir.”

A knock sounded at the front door and Darien took Lelandi’s hand and rushed her up the stairs with Silva and Carol following, and Peter bringing up the rear. “You were supposed to be upstairs already,” Darien scolded.

But as soon as Darien and Lelandi reached the landing, he shoved her against the wall, and she smelled
the reds’ scents, too. “They’re here,” he whispered. “Must have slipped in before my guards were in place on the property.”

Carol’s eyes looked like they were going to pop out of her head. Silva and Lelandi breathed in deeply and listened, trying to sense where the reds were located.

Darien nodded to Peter and they both began stripping out of their clothes.

“Where do you want us to go?” Lelandi asked Darien, knowing he planned to shapeshift and soon couldn’t tell her anything.

“Where do you need to go?” Darien deferred to Carol.

She looked too stunned to answer.

Lelandi shook her hand. “Carol. Where do you see that we need to be?”

“We’re in a big blue bedroom with a sitting area.”

“Darien’s bedroom.” Lelandi led Carol down the hall with Silva trailing behind.

“A security monitor is in the room. Hit the green switch for the living room. We should be able to hear the conversation,” Silva said.

Carol glanced back at Darien—both he and Peter were now naked. Lelandi pulled her into the bedroom so she wouldn’t see them shapeshift. No smell of the reds in here. They must have broken into Jake’s or…or maybe the guest bedroom, thinking she was still staying there.

In their wolf pelts, Darien and Peter loped after them and Carol cried out.

“Good pet wolves,” Lelandi said, patting Darien on the head.

Carol hadn’t seen the men transform, but she did see their clothes lying on the floor in the hallway, and Darien and Peter had vanished.
She knew.

Lelandi closed the door and Peter sat next to it, his ears perked up, listening.

Silva motioned to one of the two chairs. “I’ll put something on. Like comedies?”

Carol nodded heartily, but her attention was glued to Lelandi who flipped on the monitor switch, then took a seat on the bed. Darien jumped up on the mattress and nuzzled her hand with his nose.

She scratched his head and smiled. “Want me to rub your belly, too?”

Peter and Silva glanced back at them.

A wolf that would bear his belly to another showed his complete trust in the other, but Darien pushed his nose into her crotch and sniffed. Smiling, Lelandi shoved his head away. Silva chuckled and turned on the television.

Peter observed Darien and Lelandi for a minute more, then when Darien laid his head on her lap, Peter concentrated on the door.

“I’m Bruin Stillwater,” the red pack leader said to Jake downstairs.

Even hearing Bruin’s dark voice sent chills streaking down Lelandi’s spine. Carol watched the monitor with rapt attention. Silva turned the TV lower.

“I’m the pack leader of Wildhaven.”

“Darien Silver of Silver Town. I understand you already know Larissa died,” Jake said, his tone conciliatory with a hint of gruffness.

“One of your people murdered her, you mean,” Bruin corrected.

“We don’t have conclusive evidence either way. It’s possible even a red murdered her for mating a gray when she was mated to your brother already. Which of these gentlemen is your brother, Crassus?”

“I’m Crassus.”

Lelandi’s skin crawled. Whispering, she said, “That’s not his voice.”

“Then he intends on coming for you,” Silva said.

“Crassus,” Carol whispered. “The one I saw in the vision.”

Lelandi had figured the bastard would come for her. Afraid someone else would fail. And, too, she assumed he wanted to show her how she couldn’t escape him. He’d find so much more satisfaction in returning her home if he did so himself.

“As I’ve already relayed to you through the sheriff, Lelandi belongs to the pack. Now that her sister is confirmed dead, Crassus will mate her. Has in fact—
in absentia
—as is our right.”

“When was this done?” Jake asked.

“You question my honor?”

“I mated her as soon as she arrived here,” Jake lied. “You see, we were dream mated. For months we’d made love in our dream states, and she came into her first wolf heat when we met. So you see, we’re soul mates. And we won’t be separated.”

Lelandi glanced at Darien. He had told Jake about her wolf heat? If he’d been in his human form, she would have slugged him.

“You stole Crassus’s mate from him. You will give Lelandi back or else…”

The sound of growling came from the hallway. Carol jumped from the chair she was sitting on. Lelandi and
Silva rose. “They can’t open the door,” Lelandi said under her breath. Then she belatedly realized they hadn’t locked it and dashed for it.

The door slammed open, throwing her against the wall. She recognized the two reds right away. Carruthers and Connors, the black-haired twin cops from Wildhaven, the two
lupus garou
that had guarded her back home before she escaped, looking smug, their lips curled up slightly, their amber eyes revealed a small sense of delight in bringing her the news. “You’re coming with us. Bruin says.”

Then all hell broke loose. Darien lunged for Carruthers and Peter went for Connors. But three red wolves dashed into the room. Carol screamed. Silva grabbed for a lamp while Lelandi searched in Darien’s sock drawer. He hadn’t put her gun back here. Damn it. Why didn’t he tell her where it was? Too late. She and Silva could shapeshift, but Lelandi wasn’t any match for a male, gray or red. She was sure Silva wouldn’t be either. She seized the other bedside table lamp.

“Get into the bathroom and stay there!” Lelandi shouted at Carol.

But Darien had one of the wolves by the throat, pinning Carol into a corner.

Then Crassus stalked into the room like he owned the place, his strawberry blond hair unbound, his dark eyes challenging her. For an instant, she felt an inkling of terror. He could snap her neck in two and end her life easily. But even worse, he could claim her for his own if he could kill Darien.

Lelandi moved in Carol’s direction, her lamp readied, her eyes challenging him back. Cowering before the son
of a bitch was not an option. But her heated blood ran cold now. He was bigger, stronger, and meaner than she could ever be. He wouldn’t hesitate to take her.

Like most of the reds in his pack, he wasn’t tall, but he was bulky, like a football player in his prime and was always itching for a fight. His older brother, Bruin, was the only one stronger, more deadly.

The sound of fighting was going on downstairs, and she hoped Jake and the rest would win against Bruin and his men. More than six reds had come into town.

As if he had no worries, Crassus folded his arms, and his lips rose in a gloating sneer. “Your father wouldn’t give you to me. I suspected it had to do with your temper. Would have made our mating much more—challenging. Or it might have been because you hadn’t come into a wolf’s heat yet, and he was afraid you wouldn’t be worth having.” His eyes as cold as ash, he added, “But Larissa is dead and you will now be mine.”

His words cut through her like an icy blade, but she tried to act nonchalant and waved a hand at Darien who was tackling another wolf. “Meet my mate. You’re already too late, Crassus. Live with it.”

He reached out to touch Lelandi’s hair, but she slapped his hand away. He laughed from the gut, sinister, cruelly. But before she could react, he grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against the wall. A streak of pain slid down her spine, and she dropped the lamp. “You hoped Bruin would give you to another pack member—another subchief, even though your father insisted, but Bruin wouldn’t. Not unless I told him I didn’t want you. You can’t have a gray. You’re mated
to me, albeit
in absentia.
But we’ll get to the good part after we rid ourselves of the grays.”

She struggled to twist free, his meaty hand tightening on her throat. Her vision darkened, she gasped for air, then Darien chomped down on Crassus’s arm.

Darien’s focus had to remain on the wolves in the room first, more deadly with their powerful bites, more of a threat than any of those in their human forms. But as soon as Crassus grabbed Lelandi’s throat, Darien had to get rid of the wolf he was fighting, then he aimed for the bastard. No contest existed between a wolf and a human, and he’d hoped the beast would have changed so he could take care of him wolf to wolf.

As soon as Darien bit Crassus’s arm, he screamed and released Lelandi. He ripped off his shirt, though his swarthy face exuded pain, and he struggled with the effort, his arm dripping with blood.

The twin cops who had entered the room initially, quickly turned wolf to deal with Peter now that the other reds were dead. Darien bit one of them while he waited for Crassus to change.