Winter’s Wolf (26 page)

“Okay, time to wake up and face the truth.”

Matt’s heart tripped. “Which is what?”

“What did you see at Kubelik’s?”

He frowned. “Nothing.”

Winter stayed quiet.

Matt dragged his handcuffed arms up and covered his eyes. “Well, shit, I saw you turning into a fucking white wolf. And then the wolf ran out of the room. And then you came back.”

“Right.”

“What do you mean, right?”

“I turn into a wolf. So do some other people you know—like Lindsey and Jasper and Cole Harker.”

Heat pressed behind his eyes. “You don’t have to convince me I’m schizophrenic. I already know it’s true. So if you have some plot to persuade others I’m incompetent, you don’t have to work any harder.”

“Why would I want to do that?”

He shook his head. “I guess you’re in league with Freedman.”

“Uh, have you noticed that I’m in chains in a basement?”

“This is ridiculous.”

“How long have you suspected that there was something weird about wolves going on?”

Matt snorted.

“How long?”

“A couple of years.”

“Right.”

“But I thought maybe you trained wolves or had wolf fights or something, not—this! Zakowsky and the kid tried to convince me that some wolf wandered into a warehouse and saved them from the bad guys. Sure.”

“The wolf was Lindsey.”

“Well, shit.” He sat up and stared into the darkness.

“Werewolves are a different species. We’re able to have sex with humans, but we’re taught that such unions seldom if ever result in offspring. Lindsey is living proof that’s a lie. He’s half human.”

“Hang on, wait. You’re telling me that humans change into wolves like in some fucking movie?”

“No. We’re not human. Except for Lindsey. Well, and a couple others. But we do change into wolves. I suspect that’s where the ideas for the movies came from. Somebody saw or suspected our existence.”

“But wait—”

“Matt, I know it’s a lot to take in, but we haven’t got time for you to get used to the idea. We need to get the fuck out of here.”

“How does my knowing you’re a, uh, wolf help with that?”

“I’m going to shift.”

He stared hard into the blackness toward the disembodied voice. “Take them by surprise?”

“That won’t surprise them. They know I’m a wolf. Freedman’s a wolf too. So is Ollie, but not a very good one.”

“Sweet mother of crap.”

“But we are going to surprise them.”

“How?”

“Follow my voice and come over here.”

“It’s pitch black.”

“I’ll guide you.”

“Uh, you can see?”

“A little. Even wolves can’t see without any light, so there must be some coming from somewhere.”

Matt sat up. His head ached and his back hurt like fire. “I feel like I was beaten with a stick.”

“You might have been. Keep coming.”

“Easy for you to say.” He stood and stuck his hands out in the inky blackness. At least he’d feel whatever he ran into.

“I’m over here. Keep coming. Nothing between you and me. Keep coming.”

Matt felt his way, stepping forward on the concrete floor. Mostly it was that wonderful, sweet, wet puppy smell of Winter that drew him. He stopped. Of course, now the scent made sense. Wait. Did he believe this wolf crap?
Seriously, man, would you rather believe you’re nuts?
He stumbled on a rough patch of floor and caught himself.
Keep going. If you’re going to die, it’s better to be touching that silken skin. Step. Step.
Maybe he could work in a blowjob before they shot him.
Step.
Shit, he couldn’t die. Who would take care of his dad?

He moved one more foot forward, hit Winter’s sneaker, and flew straight into his body. Chains rattled as Matt plowed into the powerful torso.

“Whoa. I can’t catch you.”

Matt righted himself and sighed. There was a great truth. “I’m okay.”

“Then give me a kiss.”

“I don’t kiss hallucinations.”

“No, you kiss me.”

“Why would I want to?”

“I seem to recall some weird-ass FBI agent bursting single-handed into a nest of drug dealers to save my hallucinating ass.”

“Yeah. So?” Weird how he wanted to smile in the midst of this crappy situation.

“That strongly suggests—oh, I don’t know—that you love me.”

His heart skipped. “I don’t love hallucinations either.”

“That’s totally correct.”

“Jesus, Winter.” He ran his hands up the hard chest surrounded by chains and found Winter’s neck, then chin, then those silky lips. With a little moan, he pressed his mouth to Winter’s and tasted that hot, sweet tang he’d never be able to do without.

Winter sighed into his mouth and kissed him back. All hot and cool at the same time, just like the big guy.

Matt pulled back. “I’d rather die kissing you than live without you.”

“Let’s see if you can’t live kissing me.”

He sighed. “I’m open to it.”

“First, see if you can find the source of light. It’s also not too musty down here, so I’m guessing there could be air coming from somewhere.”

“I don’t see any light.”

“The wall’s behind me. Put a hand on it and follow it.”

Matt pressed his hands against Winter’s body and then followed its heat back to a cold concrete wall. “I found it.”

“Go left. I think there could be air coming from there.”

“I think you’re dreaming, but then this whole thing is one fucking nightmare.”

“Yeah, well, get used to it. It gets worse.”

Matt stopped. “What do you mean?”

“Keep going. We’ll talk after you’ve found the source.”

“Shit, Winter.” But he dragged his bound hands along the wall. Like Winter said, not really mildewy or wet. After what felt like yards, his hands hit the intersection of another wall. Wait. “I might have felt some air.”

“Go slow and feel around where you are.”

His hands moved deliberately. Rough, cool. “I think I feel a seam in the adjoining wall.”

“Could it be an opening?”

“Possibly.” He inserted his fingers into the seam. “The seam is deep, but it doesn’t move.”

“Keep trying.”

“It’s almost like a soundproofed door with squishy stuff around it.”

“That would explain the lack of light showing.”

Matt squeezed his hand deeper into the crack. A soft whooshing sound escaped.

“Promising. Do more of that.”

He shoved farther and pulled. Wow. The door—because it was a door—inched toward him with a sighing sound and a scrape. “It moved. Will they hear us upstairs?”

“It’s a thick door. I doubt it. Keep pulling.”

It took five more tries, but finally the door, padded with thick vinyl, it felt like, slid inward. A trickle of light and a breath of air flowed out. “It’s open.”

“What do you see?”

Matt peered inside what looked like a cell or a holding room. “Well, shit.”

“What?”

“I think this must be where they usually hold people. There are more chains on the wall and a tiny window about eight feet up. It looks like there’s heavy glass in it. All wavery, not clear. Probably right at ground level. No way a human can get out this window.”

“Why?”

“Too small. A child might do it, assuming there was some way to break the glass.”

“Come back in here.”

Hell, what’s the use? Might as well go kiss some more.
How odd to realize that he loved someone only to die the next day. That pretty much defined his luck.

M
ATT
LEFT
the door open so a tiny bit of moonlight shone into the basement. Now he could make out Winter, his handcuffed arms bound to his legs and his head held back with chains. He wanted to drop down and cry. “I can’t believe I got you into this. I’m so sorry.”

“I think it’s the other way around. I got you into it.”

“I’m the one trying to bring down the drug cartel.”

Winter’s white teeth gleamed in the faint light. “I guess we both know too much.”

Matt crossed the few steps between them and kissed Winter’s beautiful lips again. “I’m truly sorry. You’re so young. So perfect.”

“You think so, huh? Even though I’m a wolf?”

Matt shook his head and let his lips curve up. “I guess if anyone on earth was going to be some mystical, supernatural being, it would be you. I should have known no regular human could have that cock.”

Winter laughed, though it sounded strained since his head was held at such an odd angle. “Do you think a wolf could climb out that window?”

Matt’s heart accelerated. Hard to hope. “You turned into an awfully big wolf.”

“Yes, but wolves have narrow heads and very flexible bodies.”

“How would you break the glass?”

“I doubt it’s a problem. Werewolf power.”

He stepped back. “Oh God, that’s it. Do it, Winter. Change. Let me watch you do it one more time so I can believe it in my bones and know I’m not crazy. Then get out and run.”
How did my face get wet?
He swiped at his cheeks with his bound hands. “I hate to ask, but could you go to my dad first? Ask Rita to arrange for him to have a place to live and people to care for him. I have money in an account set aside for him. I’ll give you the password. And then get away from here and be free. I love thinking of you running through the snow, my white wolf.” He pressed his head against Winter’s broad chest.

“Matt, do you think I’d leave you?”

Matt grabbed Winter’s arm. “You have to. Please. I need to know that you’re safe and that my dad is too. Please. I don’t mind dying.”

“Wouldn’t you rather live and be with me and your dad?”

“Of course, but two out of three ain’t bad.” He smiled.

“Have you ever wondered why your father is crazy on the full moon?”

“Yes, all the time.”

“Your father’s heart is suffering because his body wants to fulfill its destiny—but it can’t.”

“You mean going to the forest?”

“I mean turning into the wolf he partly is.”

Matt couldn’t breathe. “You’re joking.”
You know he’s not.

“I’d never joke about something like that. Just like Lindsey, your dad’s a werewolf, but unlike Lindsey, he’s only about a quarter or less as best I can figure. He doesn’t have enough werewolf blood to shift on his own, but his brain and his werewolf hormones keep insisting that he has to.”

Matt’s head shook on its own. “Not possible.”

“Just like it’s not possible for me to turn into a white furry?”

Matt’s knees gave out and his butt hit the floor. “Sweet God.”

“Think about it, sweetheart. It all makes sense. If you accept that werewolves exist, that is. Isn’t it better to know your dad isn’t crazy and that there’s even a way to strengthen his heart?”

Matt’s head came up like lightning. “How?”

“My blood, or probably that of any powerful werewolf.”

“You mean all wolves aren’t like you?”

“No. I can do a lot of stuff most wolves can’t. The night your dad improved, I gave him a little of my blood.”

Matt fell back on the floor. “Sweet Jesus, I think I believe you.” Maybe he was nuts, but he’d believe anything that made his father better.

“Okay, but there’s one significant fact you’re ignoring.”

“Which is?”

“You’re part werewolf too.”

Matt stared at Winter, his eyes adjusted to the dim light. “But surely the small amount of blood my father has is so diluted in me as to be insignificant?”

“No. That’s why you think you inherited your father’s disease. You actually inherited his werewolf genes.”

The world tilted on its axis. “Sweet mother of Little Red Riding Hood.”

“So we’ve finally gotten around to my escape plan.”

He sat up. “Oh yeah. I guess we are still trapped in a basement.”
I’m a werewolf. This has to be a movie.

“My theory is that we can make your wolf rise.”

“What? Hell, it’s not even the full moon anymore.”

“The moon is waning, but it’s still powerful. The rest I’m counting on my blood to do.”

He swallowed. “Blood?”

“Yes. Sadly, I don’t have a convenient hypodermic like I used on Jason.”

“And that means—?”

“You’ll have to drink it.”

“Shit. What if I can’t do it?”

“You can.”

“What if it doesn’t work?”

“It will.”

“Are you sure?”

“No. But I think it will. I guess it could kill you.”

Matt looked up. “But then I’m going to die anyway.”

“It worked on your dad.”

“How much do I have to drink?”

“As much as it takes.”

“Your hands are bound and so are mine.”

“Hang on.” Winter’s face got still and focused.

Matt gasped. “Holy shit.” Both Winter’s hands turned into the paws of a wolf, and his T-shirt arms bagged around leaner forelegs. The paws slipped out of the handcuffs on silky fur. Matt felt electricity in the air, and the paws changed back to Winter’s hands.

Winter reached for Matt and pulled him in against his warm body, still wrapped in the chains. “I know it’s a lot. Thank you for suspending disbelief.”