Violet (The Silver Series Book 4) (15 page)

I followed his finger and almost screamed
this time.

A man in dark clothes and with a shaved head
had a knife to Kaynan's throat. Kaynan struggled, but stopped when
the blade touched his neck. The man's teeth showed white as he said
something softly in my brother's ear. Kaynan's lips curled back in
a snarl, but he didn't answer. The man slowly slid the knife across
my brother's throat.

A shadow detached from the curtain next to
them. Jet drove a knife into the man's low back and caught away his
arm at the same time, freeing Kaynan. Kaynan turned, dropped to one
knee, and knifed the man in the stomach with the wristband blade I
hadn't realized he still held. Jet finished the man with a slash
across his throat. The attacker fell to the floor and the scent of
thick, hot blood tainted the air.

“
That was a little close,”
Kaynan said, his chest heaving. He glanced at the corner of the
room and I saw several men bound and gagged; most of them looked
unconscious.

I pulled away from Jaze and ran to Kaynan's
side. Blood trickled down his neck, but the knife wound was
shallow. He grinned at me. “Think I'd get killed that easy after
all we've been through?”

I hugged him and cursed him at the same
time. “Be more careful. You're lucky Jet was there.”

He gave me a small smile. “I knew he was
there or I wouldn't have gotten into that position.”

I rolled my eyes but hugged him again, glad
he was alright. “Don't scare me like that again.”

“
I'm just glad she didn't
shoot you,” Jaze said from behind me.

“
Would've served him
right,” I shot back, but I couldn't help smiling in relief when
Jaze handed the gun to Jet. He gave it to Kaynan and began to go
through the pockets of the men on the floor.

Mouse came from the kitchen, a knick in his
cheek and his hair tousled. “We aren't going to get anywhere with
these guys.”

“
Why not?” Kaynan
asked.

Mouse kept his eyes on the body near the
window. “They're hit men, hired guns. Threatening them won't get us
any closer to stopping this.”

Kaynan's face tightened. He stalked over to
the corner and took the gag out of one man's mouth. “Is that right?
You're mercenaries?”

“
For the right price,” the
man answered. He grimaced. “But they didn't give us an accurate
description of what to expect when we got here.”

“
You thought you were
facing an older couple, a defenseless, easy target?” Jaze
asked.

The man nodded, but Jaze didn't look
convinced. “Then why did they send so many of you?”

The man seemed taken back. He stared at the
men around him, his eyebrows lowered. “I didn't think about it,” he
concluded quietly.

Jet stood over the man, a knife in his
hands. “If we let them go, whoever's after us will know they
failed.”

Mouse cleared his throat quietly. “If they
don't know already, they will soon. More deaths won't solve
anything.”

“
It'd make me feel better,”
Kaynan said hotly. He glared at the man beneath Jet.

Jet lifted an eyebrow. “Really?”

Kaynan touched the knife wound on his neck
and pulled away his fingers to look at the blood, but despite the
anger in his eyes, he sighed. “No. Killing doesn't solve anything.”
Relief blossomed in my chest and I gave him a small smile.

Jet nodded as though Kaynan had met his
expectations. He made the man they had spoken to rise and ordered
the others up with him. When one protested, he growled something
softly that I didn't catch, but the look in his eyes left no doubt
as to the threat. The men stood and he linked a curtain cord
through the rope around their wrists, then pushed them down the
hall and out the back door in a disorderly line. They carried the
man who had been killed under the window, and it was a relief to
see them leave the house.

My mind was numb, playing over and over
again the sound of the gunshot and the image of Kaynan with a knife
at his throat. Several spots of blood from the mercenaries tainted
the carpet and the memories I had of our peaceful living room.

When Jet returned a few minutes later, Jaze
gave him a careful look. “What did you do with them?”

Jet met his eyes with a slight gleam of cold
humor. “I didn't kill them.” He tossed something to me. I caught it
and saw that it was the permanent marker Mom always kept in the
kitchen by the sink to write dates on the tupperware with leftovers
so she would know if they had gone bad. “I called Rosco’s boys and
left a message on the bald man's head so they would know they were
dealing with hired murderers.”

At my stare, he shrugged and said in a
softer voice, “I've killed more than my share, but never
defenseless humans. There's a special place for men like that.” He
turned away and concluded in a barely audible tone, “Maybe we all
end up in the same place anyway.” Jaze touched his arm, but Jet
ignored him and disappeared into the kitchen, his expression dark
and eyes haunted.

Jaze sighed and turned back. At my
questioning look, he said quietly, “Rosco’s the Alpha of the
biggest pack in this area. He and the Hunters have worked with us
before to resolve a few concerns. He’ll handle this discretely so
the police don’t come knocking on your parents’ door.”

Kaynan leaned against the wall and let out a
loud breath, his eyes on the blood-stained carpet. “That was a bit
more than I expected.”

“
But not more than they
expected,” Jaze mused aloud. At my look, he nodded toward the door.
“The hit men might not have known what they were facing, but the
government men knew we would be here. They're anticipating our
moves.”

“
So what do we do now?”
Kaynan asked.

Jaze frowned. “Go back to my place and keep
your parents in hiding. They know they failed and they'll need to
regroup, which'll give us some time to plan our next move.” His
gaze tightened. “But I don't like leaving the girls
unprotected.”

“
They have Brock,” Mouse
pointed out with an unexpected chuckle.

“
At least the fridge will
be safe,” Jaze replied.

“
Only because it's empty,”
Mouse shot back with a smile. Everyone laughed.

Kaynan sighed. “I'll call Mom and Dad and
tell them to get comfortable.”

“
Thank goodness for the
Rasmussens,” I said. A memory surfaced and I smiled.

“
What?” Kaynan
asked.

I fought back a laugh. “I just remembered
the time you kissed Samantha in the orange grove. They sure hated
you!”

“
I was ten,” Kaynan
protested. “I didn't know any better!”

As we turned to the task of cleaning the
house and preparing for the flight home, I felt a bit lighter but
unsure about the future. Uncertainty made my skin shudder and I
longed to return to the forest with Rafe.

***

I could only stare when Rafe pulled up in
Jaze's SUV. He met my gaze solemnly for a moment, then broke out in
a grin. Brock sat up in the front seat and waved. They both got out
and I threw myself at Rafe, remembering only at the last minute
that he might not be completely healed. I slowed down and stuck out
my hand instead.

“
What's this?” he asked
with a laugh. He pulled me close, gave me a tight hug, then kissed
me as though he couldn't help himself.

I kissed him back with all the missing and
longing I had experienced in the few days apart. Kaynan grunted,
“Really? Right in front of me like that?”

I laughed. “You're just jealous Grace isn't
here. She's probably home cooking lasagna with Mrs. Carso just for
you.”

Kaynan smiled at the thought and left to get
our bags from luggage claim.

“
You drove?” I asked,
unable to hide my shock.

“
I lived my whole life in a
forest. You think I'm ready to be behind a wheel?” Rafe asked. I
shook my head and he laughed. “Brock had me switch him seats about
two minutes before you got here. I drove maybe five
feet.”

Brock grinned at me from Rafe's elbow. “Got
you for a second though, right?”

“
Letting an unlicensed
werewolf drive the vehicle Jet's Dad bought us? Maybe not the
smartest move you've made,” Jaze said in a tone that made us all
pause.

Brock started to sputter, then Jaze broke
out in a grin and slapped his friend on the shoulder. “Just teasing
you. Lighten up a little.” He held out his hand. “But Mouse is
driving home. I'm not putting my life in your hands in a car after
the cow incident.”

Brock grinned with red cheeks and tossed him
the keys while Rafe stared between them. “What cow incident? I just
drove with him.”

Jaze shrugged, his eyes bright. “You
would've healed.”

Rafe rubbed his stomach. “I'm not so
sure.”

The two went to help Kaynan while Rafe
waited with me by the SUV. I touched his arm. “How's your
stomach?”

He shrugged, but his face was still pale
compared to the wild werewolf before the cougar. “Healing quickly,
according to Roger and Charles.”

“
But not quickly enough?” I
pressed, concerned at the forced lightness of his tone.

He ran a hand through his hair to push it
back from his face. “I miss the forest.”

He said it softly, but there was a depth of
longing that echoed in my heart.

“
I miss it, too,” I
admitted.

He stared at me, his eyes searching mine.
“Really?”

I nodded. “I'm tired of walls and small
spaces. I need the trees.”

He smiled and leaned against the side of the
gray SUV. “Leave when we get home?”

“
As soon as we can without
offending anyone,” I agreed. I felt lighter with the knowledge that
we would be back in the forest again where things were simpler and
phasing wasn't a death sentence. The control it took for me to keep
from phasing during our trip made me worn and exhausted and had
brought back the insomnia. I longed for dreams and dark nights in a
cave lightened only by starlight and fire that danced on the
walls.

Chapter 12

“
Call me if you need
anything at all,” Kaynan made me promise at the gas station. “And
check that cell phone. It's supposed to have amazing reception, but
you know how they are.”

I patted the pocket it rested in. “I will; I
promise.”

“
I'll be back in a week.
Don't forget. Things aren't over and I want to make sure you're
safe.”

“
I know.” He had said the
same thing for the past two days since we returned from Oregon. It
was clear he didn't like the idea of me returning with Rafe, but I
had also let him know that I was in charge of my own life. He might
not like it, but I needed to be away from walls and Rafe was the
only one who could give that to me.

“
Take care of her,” Kaynan
told Rafe. A hint of threat carried in his undertone. He locked
eyes with Rafe and they stared at each other for a
minute.

A smile touched Rafe's lips when he finally
looked away. “I'll take care of her; don't worry.”

“
You better,” Kaynan
growled.

“
Kaynan!” I rebuked
him.

My brother dropped his eyes to the ground.
“Sorry. I just worry after last time and all that went on at Mom
and Dad's. I don't want you to get hurt.”

I put a hand on his cheek. “I'll be fine,
more than fine. Don't worry.” I lifted my voice. “Bye, Grace!”

She waved at me from the SUV, her smile
sweet. On impulse, I ran to her and gave her a hug through the
window. “Take care of my crazy brother,” I said.

“
Definitely,” she agreed.
She tipped her head in Kaynan's direction. “Come on, Kay. Let them
go.”

Kaynan sighed, gave me one last hug, then
climbed back into the driver's seat. We watched him pull out of the
parking lot, then hiked up the rise to the forest.

When we were safely inside the shelter of
the trees, I took a deep breath and let myself fully enjoy being
away from the city. The shade was cooler, the earthen scents
richer, and animals and bugs made the forest alive with vibrant
sounds, scents, and motion that brought my senses alive. My pace
quickened without thought and Rafe smiled beside me.

“
Good to be back?” he
asked.

“
So good. I sleep so much
better in the forest.”

“
I sleep so much better
knowing you're safe.” He put an arm around my shoulders and we
walked together through the green-leafed bushes and newly sprouted
saplings that erased all traces of a path.

We walked for about an hour before I
couldn't contain the urge to phase any longer. I glanced at Rafe,
wondering if he had healed enough to phase with me.

“
I'm way ahead of you,” he
said with a grin. He pulled his shirt off and barely waited for me
to step behind a tree to finish undressing. I pulled off my shirt
and shorts, skimpy clothes considering it was early October and the
air had a definite bite to it at the higher altitude. The shiver
that ran through me turned into a strong shudder. I tied my clothes
quickly, knotted everything into a small pack like Rafe had taught
me with the cell phone nestled safely inside, then slipped the
loops of the rope over my shoulders just before the phase
hit.

It felt so good to be in wolf form again. My
black and cream fur, so different from the solid blacks, whites,
and grays of Jaze's pack, settled thickly on my shoulders and down
my back in a warm winter coat. I shook to arrange my bundle of
clothes more comfortably, then trotted out from behind the tree.
Rafe stood waiting, his dark gray winter coat thick and warm
looking. I gave him a wolfish grin, then took off through the
trees. He barked and ran to catch me.