Their quiet entry disturbed several mice in the dark corner of the kitchen. He couldn’t complain about the inconvenience. Since witnessing his partner’s death, life had schooled him in the futility of railing against fate. Megan will have them eating from her hand by noon.
The one-room lodge would protect them from the elements and grant precious time to sort out the current situation. Along the southern wall, a large fireplace would suffice for cooking and heat while several shelves and a large table defined the rest of the kitchen area. Oil lamps with glass shades held years of dust but would provide light.
On the northern wall, a large double bed with an iron framework headboard dominated the space while the small bedside table held two drawers and another lamp. As if an afterthought, a moderate-sized wood-framed couch added seating that faced a large window. “The bedspread probably houses more wildlife than the surrounding acreage.”
“I’ll wash and hang it on some branches. If we’re gonna be here a bit, we might need it.”
“All right. After that, you can put the sleeping bag on the mattress and get a nap. My brothers will be here by midafternoon. I’ll go back and fetch the rest of our stuff from the SUV.”
“We’ll go together. It’ll take less trips and I’m not staying here by myself.”
Her expression epitomized stubbornness, not fear, yet he didn’t want to leave her alone. After the fiasco at ClickChip, he wanted to lock her to his side. It wasn’t worth mentioning that Leyna would stay vigilant. The vet may have taught her canine a few tricks but without opposable thumbs, the dog wouldn’t be shooting a pistol.
Two more hours of hiking the verdant paths failed to dim the aftermath of their kiss. The taste of her lips lingered to keep him in a state of semi-arousal. He wasn’t a man who needed anyone. Women were attracted to him. A week recuperating in the hospital and several more on a warm, tropical island had brought him to the realization that, A, his life would never be the same, and B, he no longer wanted the old ways. He tread in unchartered waters with no land in sight and no life raft to keep him afloat.
By the time they’d retrieved their provisions, Megan’s weariness materialized in drooping shoulders and uncharacteristic clumsiness. “C’mon, we both need some sleep.” Innate manners dictated he surrender the bed and sleep on the wood-plank floor.
Dust swirled in mini tornados when Megan yanked the colorful quilt off the bed. “I’ll clean it later,” mumbled as she tossed it in the vicinity of the kitchen table.
The old mattress held the visual indent formed by snuggled sleepers. Lucas flipped it over and settled Megan’s bag in the center before grabbing a blanket and tossing it on the floor. He had little hope of sleep.
“Get real, Lucas. We’re not twelve. We can both sleep on the bed. The floor’s too cold and too hard.”
“Thanks. I wasn’t looking forward to my leg stiffening.” Unfortunately, sleeping in close proximity would keep his third leg as hard as a rock.
“Once the nights turn colder, we’ll probably have to cuddle to conserve body heat. That fireplace looks great but won’t suffice through bitter cold.” Her tone danced around the edges of flirtation yet inserted the logic of an analytical mind. “Nice that you have a large sleeping bag.”
“Hold on. I want the side by the table.” The frown he received slid into understanding after he removed his shoulder rig.
“Suits me.” Removing her jacket to use as a pillow revealed the soft curves of a well-shaped body.
He missed the boy shorts and tank top.
Once each was settled, a review of the current situation kept his mind from straying to the soft curves beside him. As if knowing her place, Leyna nestled between them and faced the door.
From Luc’s meager knowledge of canine habits, he figured the dog’s fluent adaptation to new surroundings stemmed from daily travel at her companion’s side.
In less than ten minutes, both Megan and Leyna’s soft snores filled the small space. Despite the weight of exhaustion bearing down, Luc’s mind whirled with different scenarios. Two weeks ago, he’d pondered how to avoid his family on Thanksgiving, just around the corner. Now his thoughts revolved around keeping Megan alive and the rest of his family safe.
Leyna’s low whine jerked Luc awake. Instinct urged him to reach for his semi-automatic. The Glock’s molded grip fit comfortably in hand as he sat up. Nothing appeared out of place, but he’d learned to trust his instincts.
“Hmm, what time is it?” Megan’s sleep-filled words reflected the early hour. “She probably needs to go outside.” The brrr of the zipper’s teeth unlocking preceded her flipping back the top cover of her bag.
“Sit tight. I need to go out anyway. I’ll take her.” What he didn’t want to say included the need for activity to work the discomfort from his thigh. Walking on level, even ground helped. Hiking up steep mountains, not so much.
“Okay, thanks. But don’t let her chase deer or squirrels.”
Leyna waited by the door while her mom snuggled back into bed. A wide doggy grin accompanied the soft sweep of her feathery tail on dusty floorboards.
Can dogs smirk? Wonder and amusement mingled with curiosity in reviewing the dog’s behavior.
Enlivened by bright sunlight, the shepherd bounded out the door with head high and tail wagging. “Leyna, come. Stay within sight. If anything happens to you, I’ll be on Megan’s shit list forever.” Anyone who hosts a dog Halloween party where the four-footed guests bob for weenies is more into dogs than humans. If the cabin were sized to house no more than two creatures, Lucas would be the one outside. Megan’s bond with the animal equaled that of Lexi and her dog, Hoover.
A quick scan of the tree line revealed nothing out of place. Birdsong lightened his mood while squirrels scampering around a nearby oak drenched the scene with a sense of normalcy he soaked up during his contemplative walk.
The small respite in time, if expanded, could heal the most damaged of psyches. It contained the perception of equanimity he’d searched for yet failed to grasp since his partner’s death. In his heart, he conceded that Megan’s presence, as much as nature’s balm, soothed his soul. Begrudgingly, if he were completely honest, even the hound from hell played her part well, instinctively knowing the man entering her mom’s life was no threat.
Leyna dutifully sniffed at the perimeter’s edge, marking her territory among the tangles of briars. At the far corner, where a deer trail led to the river, she turned when Lucas added his own scent. Though no expert in reading a dog’s body language, Luc understood the grumbled whine. “Sorry, girl. I’m here to stay. Get used to it.”
A slow stride back to the front equaled time to stretch out his leg. The physical therapist had warned him about stiffness becoming a permanent fixture of life if he didn’t do the exercises during the healing process.
Megan stood at the door, tussled hair swirling about her shoulders in the light breeze. “My turn.”
“Take Leyna and don’t go far.”
“Yes, Dad.” The smile playing about her lips softened the words.
The sun’s position marked the time as early afternoon. Since they weren’t expecting his family for a few hours, they’d get more sleep if the dip in the mattress didn’t force Megan’s body to roll against him.
Worn boards creaked under his shifting weight while he waited. The few minutes when she ducked out of sight sharpened his anxiety. Everything they’d experienced so far held the earmarks of a well-organized machine. If not for a traitor within CSV Pharmaceutical’s ranks, Megan and the McAllisters might have all acquired chips in their brains. Damn science fiction shit.
“Leyna loves hiking and has to sniff every leaf and hollow. I had to give her a few extra minutes.”
“Yeah, Caden’s dogs are like that, too.” Luc checked the burner phone. “No text messages, but I didn’t expect to get reception up here. The guys won’t arrive for a few more hours, so we can get some more sleep.”
“Sounds good to me. I don’t know h
ow you worked late nights the way you did. I sure couldn’t.”
Luc shrugged and inhaled the woodsy scent with her passing. “You get used to it, like anything else.”
Inside, a simple task of cleaning her hands with a wipe advertised an innate grace he couldn’t deny. She didn’t belong in the seedy world where he lived. Where I used to live.
“And now that you’re retiring?” Uncertainty etched her brow as if she’d crossed a line.
“Now—now I take my time and figure out something else. Caden’s expanding his PI business and wants me to help. I was gonna take a few weeks and think about it.” If not for the current mess, he’d be home, knee-deep in empty take-out cartons and dirty dishes. But without Megan.
Settling in her sleeping bag lacked the formality present earlier. Megan’s matter-of-fact attitude eased the tension despite his underlying sexual frustration. The familiarity reminded him of the type of serenity his parents enjoyed.
“I don’t remember a time when I was this tired. Even in vet school during exams, I managed to get enough sleep.”
Luc settled in his makeshift bag, but the slant of the mattress tugged his body to angle against Megan. He resisted, holding himself rigid. Earlier, he’d tried to sleep closer to the edge, which led to a backache that gave way to continued failure and frustration. “You’re different from any woman I’ve ever met.”
“Because I string more than two words together in a sentence?”
“That and you didn’t view my job as cool—just dangerous.” Women of his past wanted details depicting treacherous situations and risky takedowns. Megan approached the topic with an, ‘Oh, God. You could’ve been killed,’ point of view. Different mindsets solidified the disparity between shallow exploitation of one’s body and caring for one’s soul.
She sighed, the ensuing silence a warning of the coming lecture or admonition one would give a child. “Go to sleep, Luc. A, you’ll need it. B, you’re thinking too hard.”
“You develop telepathy this morning during our hike?” If that had happened, she’d currently be hoofing it back to the vehicle.
“No. Keeping your body tight is preventing me from getting comfy.” To emphasize her words, she squirmed until settling in a new position, spooning against his side.
Shaking his head, he simply rolled, following the path designed by the mattress until she nestled tight. Two thick layers of down-filled ripstop nylon separated their bodies, yet he absorbed her heat like a starved man.
“Thanks.”
“Welcome.” This time, he didn’t mind when Leyna curled against the back of his legs. It added a sense of normalcy he’d never expected to experience. Unfortunately, it would end all too soon when his subconscious conjured images of his dead partner’s gasping breaths and man-eating mini-machines munching on the soft tissues of his brain.
Chapter Seventeen
Leyna’s snarling intermixed with raucous barking sent Lucas surging out of bed and reaching for his gun. Years of undercover work removed sleep-induced cobwebs with several blinks.
The dog bounded toward the door with one leap then frantically scratched at the old planks in a bid for freedom. Hackles raised from head to tail and lips pushed forward, vibrating with the intensity of her growl. The combination promised there’d be no play crouch to follow, regardless of what stood outside.
“That’s not a normal reaction to deer. There’s something out there she doesn’t like.” Megan’s dark eyes accentuated the pallor of her skin. “Hold on. We’ll let her out, so we know which direction to search. She’ll break off on command.”
“No, you’re staying put. Keep your dart gun handy. Furface and I will check this out.” Luc stuffed his feet in well-worn boots and donned his jacket. A quick glance at the cache of weapons they’d brought waffled his decision of offering Megan something stronger than her dart gun. In the end, she wouldn’t be comfortable with killing a wild animal.
As soon as the door opened, Leyna bolted out. Her nails scrabbled for purchase in her turn north. Lucas had just stepped over the threshold when the dog’s third bounding stride prepared her for a soaring leap over the porch railing.
Equally enraged rumbles answered the dog’s challenge from the woods where thick underbrush concealed the snarling menace. Discordant replies sketched more than one incensed creature invading the turf.
Luc vaulted over the railing as two wolves darted from the tree line on a course for the cabin. In the lead, a brown and silver ball of fury bared his teeth to expose a deadly bite. Behind him, a black wolf stumbled over uneven ground, regaining its footing before seething hatred narrowed its eyes and wrinkled its nose.
“Shit. Leyna, no!” Several heartbeats existed between Luc’s jarred landing and bringing his gun to bear. Pain shot up his thigh. He’d get one shot before the animals engaged in a fight to the death. The first shot hit the lead wolf center chest. A high-pitched yelp failed to repeat, cut off in the animal’s rolling head-over-heels before coming to a full stop. Dead.
The shepherd sprang for her opponent’s throat, determined to gain the upper hand. Despite the dog’s lower prey drive, protective instinct forced her to fight; her bite, hold, and shake, an indication of deadly intent.
Her enemy’s jaws locked onto Leyna’s shoulder as their bodies writhed in the struggle. Despite the wolf’s larger size and experience in the wild, the shepherd maintained her clamp on her opponent. Foamy slobber slung from the twisting, tortuous bodies indicated their conviction and determination.
Leyna’s tortured yelp preceded the black wolf’s yanking its prey forward and off balance. Luc used the split second to aim, before the beast could latch onto Leyna’s throat.
“No. You might hit Leyna.” The pssst of Megan’s dart gun signaled her entrance into the fray.
The wolf’s startled pause gave Leyna time to roll to her feet. White hair dappled with red streaks flashed in the sunlight as she shook herself.
“The dart won’t take full effect for a few minutes, but don’t kill it.”
“What the hell? A wild animal attacks your dog and you don’t want to put it down?”
In the next instant, Leyna body-slammed her opponent then snapped her jaws on the wolf’s neck.
“No, Leyna. No!” Megan raced headlong toward the animals, tucking her gun in her waistband. “This isn’t normal behavior. We need it alive.”
Luc’s hobble-step race couldn’t overtake Megan’s strides. Curses of drug dealers and tech geniuses filled his mind.
The shepherd had her opponent immobilized, yet no blood spurted from an open wound. The wolf crouched in submission with ears and tail tucked.
Seconds stretched out as Luc approached in fascinated horror. Bloody fur signaled the dog’s near defeat, yet she’d listened and obeyed Megan’s order to hold and not kill.
“What the fuck are you planning?” Luc watched Megan approach the wolf from behind. “Gonna teach it proper etiquette?”
“I’ll grab his hind legs and lift up. By backing away and curving in a slight circle, it won’t be able to bite me. Take off your jacket and we’ll use it to secure its head until she’s unconscious.”
“Jesus. You’re crazy!” Though he’d rather have Megan at the hind end than near the mouth, he’d prefer to shoot the damn animal and avoid the risk to either of them.
“Don’t touch Leyna. She’s never been in a fight before and might be unpredictable.”
“Ya think?” Luc didn’t note the cooler air in removing his jacket until noticing Megan’s twin trailing exhalations. Her breath sawed in and out, like a deep-water diver preparing to go under. With speed worthy of a croc wrangler, she grabbed the wolf’s hind legs, lifted, and hauled it backward, wheelbarrow style. “Leave it, Leyna.”
Leyna released her quarry but followed the intruder’s path, remaining face-to-face.
The wolf’s reaction of curving its body to bite couldn’t withstand Megan’s movement in the opposite direction, a lazy circle that prevented a connection.
“This is taking effect sooner than expected. He’s losing proprioception. Wait ’til we pass you again to make your move.”
Watching the wolf being manhandled by the slight woman heated Luc from the inside out. “You’re worried about his ability to sire pups?” Ignoring her medical jargon, he timed his approach for when the struggling pair made another pass.
“Jeez, Luc. The bottom line is, its losing a sense of position and placement of its paws.” Megan huffed with the exertion of her efforts. “When you put the jacket over its head, slide your hands from back to front until you can clamp its jaws shut. It doesn’t look like he’s got much fight left in him, but these buggers can surprise you. If you lose your grip, back away and start over. Got it?”
“Yes, Mom.” Repeating her earlier sarcasm didn’t dislodge the knot in his throat.
Empty, low-pitched threats continued, interspersed with whines and a yelp. On the next pass, it staggered as its legs crossed over trying to remain upright.
When the jacket covered its head, the creature renewed the struggle but lost balance when Luc used his weight to force it down. With its hind legs in Megan’s grasp and Luc’s weight on its shoulder, the double-team effort rendered the wolf harmless.
Minutes passed as Luc caught his breath and they waited for the wolf’s breathing to stabilize. Never in his wildest imagination could he have foreseen himself wrangling wild wolves.
When assured the drug had taken effect, he stood and surveyed their surroundings. “I suspect if there were any more nasty surprises, we’d know it by now.”
“I suppose so. I need to treat my girl, and you need to secure this one.” She nodded to the wolf.
“Great. We’re both losing our minds. Are you going to offer to teach this creature the error of its ways?”
“Just watch them while I get my med kit. I want to see if I can find out what induced the animals to attack.” Megan’s clinical persona manifested in a sure and soft touch after Leyna limped to her side. “You’re such a brave girl, protecting your mom against marauders. Who needs an alarm system when they have a Leyna?”
McAllister Justice Series Box Set Volume Two Page 14