Without Reservations (21 page)

Keaton grinned, his eyes twinkling, and ate another bite of his burger.

Chay chuckled and unwrapped his own burger. He grabbed the ketchup and put some on the wrapper for his fries. He too had tried to cheat and make dinner, but he wasn’t going to point that out. “I’ll make you a deal. How about we both cook tomorrow?”

“We could do take out.”

Chay shrugged. “Yeah, I guess we could. But one of these days we are going to have to start cooking.”

“Nah, we should just hire a cook and be done with it.”

Wouldn’t that be the life? Chay drank some tea and watched Bit frown at his burger.

Pita barked, wanting another fry.

Chay rolled his eyes when Bit tossed Pita several. It was an ongoing argument. He told Bit over and over not to feed Pita from the table. The dog was going to think it was okay to beg when they ate. But he valued his life too much to correct Bit tonight.

“What do they want, Chay?”

He wished he knew. It was anyone’s guess as to what Bit’s family wanted. “Don’t know, Bit. Why don’t you call them and see?”

Keaton shook his head. “I don’t get it. I mean what makes them think they can just pop back into my life after turning their backs on me?”

“Maybe they’re sorry for the way they treated you. Maybe they’ve realized what a big mistake they made. What if they want to make amends?”

Bit looked up at him, his blue eyes troubled. “You think I should forgive them?”

“I don’t know, Bit. It’s not up to me. I’m not sure what I’d do in your position. I’d like to think I’d at least call and see what they wanted, but I didn’t go through what you did. I know I’m still hoping my mom will tell me she’s sorry, but she didn’t exactly abandon me. She just got pissed and yelled. She never actually disowned me or anything.”

Keaton nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. I should at least call and see what they want. But not now. I think I need to go for a run. You wanna shift and go with me, after we eat?”

“Sure, we can drive down to the rez. It’ll be good to get away for a few hours.” There was nothing quite like running in wolf form to help clear your head.

* * *

Returning from their nice hour-long run, they pulled up in the drive. The headlights of Chay’s truck illuminated Remi’s motorcycle parked close to the garage door. Keaton looked around but didn’t see Remi anywhere. “Okay, where is he? That
is
Remi’s bike, isn’t it?”

Chay frowned. “Yeah.” He put the truck in park. “He has a key to the back door—I forgot to ask for it back—maybe he’s inside.”

Keaton snorted and made a mental note to buy a lock for the back gate and a new lock for the back door. “What does he want?”

Chay shrugged. “Only one way to find out. Come on.”

As soon as Chay opened his door the coppery smell of blood hit them. Chay’s eyes widened. “Fuck.”

That pretty much summed it up. Keaton hoped it wasn’t Remi’s blood he detected. He may not like the guy, but he didn’t want him dead. Whoever the blood belonged too it would be a miracle if they were still alive. Keaton could tell by the strength of the scent that it was a large quantity of blood. He reached for his own door but Chay’s hand stopped him. He turned, peering into those deep brown eyes. Chay didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to. The look in Chay’s eyes said it all.
I’m scared. I love you. Be careful.

Which virtually mirrored Keaton’s feelings. He leaned forward, brushing his lips across Chay’s, and got out of the truck. He shut his door quietly, looked around and inhaled deeply. The shiver that trickled through him wasn’t due to the nip in the autumn air. The porch light cast shadows across the yard and the quiet made it that much more ominous. He smelled a wolf somewhere near the house. There was also a lingering scent of at least one other wolf, maybe more. It was hard to tell because the scent of blood overpowered everything else. Keaton shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket and shuddered again.

Just as Keaton realized the strongest wolf scent belonged to Jake, the man himself called out to them, “Keaton. Chay. Back here. Hurry!”

They rushed to the back fence. Keaton hesitated a brief second, wondering if somehow Jake was who’d been trying to kill him all along, then brushed the ridiculous idea aside.

Chay pushed open the six-foot tall wood privacy gate first. “What’s going on?”

It was dark, but Keaton had no problem seeing Jake. He was on the back patio, naked, covered in blood, with Remi cradled in his arms. “Come on! There’s no time. We have to get him inside. He’s dying.”

Chay’s steps stuttered when he spotted Remi.

Remi’s clothes and leather jacket were torn to shreds, he was bleeding badly. He was also unconscious and very pale. He’d obviously been attacked by a werewolf. Keaton took a deep breath, scenting the air, as Chay fumbled with the back door keys. He groaned. The smell of blood made it difficult to smell anything else. He wasn’t even positive if there was more than one wolf.

Chay shoved the door open for his friend and tried to take him from Jake. “What?”

Keaton sniffed again. “I think I smell Aubrey.” Was his brother trying to kill him?

Jake jerked Remi out of Chay’s reach and growled, surprising both Chay and Keaton.
What the fuck?

Chapter Eighteen

Keaton grabbed Chay’s arm and pulled him back out of the way. He held up a hand in an I’m-no-threat gesture to Jake.

Jake looked up at him and for the first time Keaton realized Jake’s eyes and teeth had changed to their canine equivalent.

Chay gasped.

Jake stood, supporting Remi’s weight easily. “Hurry up,” Jake growled as he carried Remi’s limp body past them.

Chay took off down the hall, turning on lights as he went.

Jake’s lupine eyes seemed haunted as he laid his burden on the couch. “Who is he?”

“Chay’s friend. His name is Remi.”

Jake nodded, brushing a strand of dark hair off Remi’s face.

Chay came running back into the room with his medical bag. “Jake, you’re gonna have to let me in here.”

Jake hesitated for a second then stepped aside.

“Jake, call Doc Baker. Bit, get over here and help me.” Chay leaned down over Remi, using his stethoscope on him. “Find something to prop his feet up, Bit.”

Keaton gathered all the pillows he could find and stuffed them under Remi’s feet. Pita barked his fool little head off from the laundry room where they’d left him.

Chay shook his head. He looked up at Keaton, tears in his eyes.

Keaton closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He didn’t like Remi, but he didn’t want the man to die either. The pain etched on Chay’s face at his friend’s fate brought tears to Keaton’s eyes as well. “Can we change him?” He was willing to do whatever was necessary to erase the hurt his brother had caused.

“It’s the only way he’s going to make it. He’s barely hanging on. I want to, but we aren’t supposed to change someone against their will.”

“Fuck that!” Jake pushed Chay out of the way, knocking him on his ass. He bit into his own arm, ripping the skin open. Blood poured out. It must have hurt like hell, but Jake never even winced. He bent over Remi, dripping blood into his open wounds.

Keaton and Chay blinked at each other. Keaton jumped up. “You heard the man.” He reached around Jake’s bare thigh and worked his fingers into the largest laceration on Remi’s chest. He pulled the cut apart, allowing Jake to get more blood in. The smell of Chay’s blood tickled his nose, making his eyes shift.

Chay’s bleeding arm came around the other side of Jake, hovering over another wound on Remi’s chest.

Keaton hurried to spread that gash too. He wasn’t sure if it would work or not. Werewolf blood would turn a non-wolf male into one, but Remi was pretty far gone. A werewolf’s blood could heal his human female mate without turning them into a wolf. Keaton wondered… It didn’t matter, they didn’t have time to chance it.

The combined strength of Jake and Chay’s blood sped up the process. Remi’s wounds were healing before their eyes, so it must be working.

The tear on Jake’s arm healed and Jake brought it back up to his mouth, intent on ripping it open again.

Chay grabbed his arm. “No. It’s working, there’s no need.”

Jake snarled, jerking his arm from Chay’s grip, and prepared to attack.

Keaton tensed, his hands shifting to claws. He moved between Chay and Jake, instinctively protecting his mate. He growled and felt his teeth sting his gums.

He pulled Keaton back with him, moving away from Jake.

Jake blinked, flinching like someone slapped him. He held his hands up. “I’m sorry.”

Keaton relaxed, letting his hands shift back to normal. His teeth receded and with the smell of Chay’s blood no longer fresh, his eyes changed as well. “I’m sorry too. You all right?”

Jake took a deep breath. “Yeah.” He ran his bloody hands down his face. He looked up. His eyes were still canine, but his teeth shrank back to human.

Chay cleared his throat. “Why don’t you go take a shower, Jake? I’ll go find you some of my sweats to wear.”

“I…” Jake glanced down at Remi, then at his own naked bloodstained body. “Yeah, okay. I’ll go clean up, then fill you both in on what happened. You think he’ll be okay?”

Chay nodded. “I think so. Keaton and I will clean him up while you’re in the shower. When he wakes up we are all going to have some explaining to do.”

Keaton snorted. “No shit. Somehow I never imagined myself explaining the existence of werewolves to Remi.”

Chay ushered Jake into the bathroom while Keaton peeled the remaining, mangled, bloody clothes from Remi’s body. It was a shame the man had a personality defect because he was gorgeous. He was damned near as handsome as Chay.

The shower started and Chay came back with some clothes. “Okay, Bit, I got a bucket of soapy water and a washcloth. How are his wounds healing?”

“Good. They’re closed. Still red and a little puffy, they’re starting to scab over. Damn, that works fast.”

Chay set the bucket down and pulled Keaton into his arms, kissing him soundly. “Yeah. I’ve never actually seen anyone changed. I had no idea it would work so quickly. How long do you think he’ll be out of it?”

“I don’t know. This is a first for me too. I’m so sorry, Chay.” Keaton caressed his mate’s cheek. “It was my brother. I’m sure of it. It’s just too big of a coincidence not to be.”

Chay nodded. “I think so too.” He hugged Keaton, holding him for several seconds. “We need to get Remi cleaned up.”

“Yeah.” They pulled apart and got to work. There would be plenty of time to talk later. They needed to know what Jake knew and what Remi remembered when he woke.

Chay rolled Remi on to his side. “Grab the rag and wash off his back.”

He got the rag, wrung it out and leaned over the unconscious man.

“Are there any scratches there?” Chay asked.

“Jesus Christ.” There were crisscrossing scars all up and down Remi’s back, like he’d been whipped.

“Guess they didn’t heal, huh?”

Keaton looked up at Chay as he ran the washcloth over Remi’s back and shook his head. “No.”

“I didn’t think they would, but I’ve never know anyone who was turned, so…” Chay shrugged.

“What the hell happened?” Keaton dipped the rag again, rinsing the blood out. He washed Remi’s buttocks and thighs, noticing similar scars, but not as many as on his back.

“Happened the summer we turned sixteen. He and our friend Billy were walking back from the movie theater and some guys jumped them. Remi ended up in the hospital in ICU. Billy died.”

Keaton gasped, caught off guard. That didn’t seem right. The scars were consistent with a whip or a belt. Why would someone… “Did they know the assailants?”

Chay gently laid Remi down, meeting Keaton’s gaze. “No. Remi never could identify them.”

“Chay these were done by a belt.” He picked up the shirt Chay had brought and worked it carefully over Remi’s head. He put Remi’s arms through and pulled the shirt down.

“Yeah. Simon, Bobby and I always figured it was Remi’s dad, but we never could get Remi to say so. And Remi’s dad didn’t have a reason to kill Billy. It wasn’t like it was a big secret that Remi’s dad was abusive. We all knew it. My dad even tried to get Remi away from his dad, but Remi never would cooperate when CPS questioned him. He didn’t want to leave his mom and Sterling.” Chay tossed Keaton the boxers he’d brought for Remi to wear.

“Sterling?” He helped Chay lift Remi to put boxer shorts on him.

“Remi’s younger brother. He was an infant when Remi was almost killed. He’s about thirteen now. Sterling’s a great kid.”

Keaton shook his head. He’d have never thought Remi the type to sacrifice himself for another, like he obviously had his younger sibling. He was about to ask where Sterling was now when Jake came into the living room.

Jake wore a pair of Chay’s sweats and a T-shirt. Damn, Jake was a big man. Chay’s sweats looked like tights on him. Jake sat in a chair across from the couch, his eyes normal. “He looks better.”

Keaton glanced down at Remi, now clothed. He did look better. His tanned skin wasn’t quite normal yet, but it was close. His breathing was regular.

Chay nodded. “Yeah. I need to call Doc Baker and dump this water out.” He took the bucket of water to the kitchen.

“You want something to drink?” Keaton asked.

Jake stared at Remi for several seconds then smiled sadly. “He’s my mate.”

Shit, shit, shit.
Keaton ran his hand down his face. “I was afraid of that.”

After finishing his phone call, Chay grabbed three beers and settled in the living room with Keaton and Jake. The three of them sat quietly drinking their beers and watching Remi.

Chay sniffed. “He smells like a wolf now.”

Keaton’s hand landed on his shoulder. “Yeah, I noticed that too.”

Jake signaled his agreement by dipping his head. “I’m not surprised. I’ve never heard of a case where a man was given blood and not been changed.”

“What happened, Jake?” Chay asked.

“When I followed Keaton home, I saw a car parked at the curb. I thought it looked suspicious, so I waited.”