Marked in Flesh

by Anne Bishop

  “Get inside, Meg,” Air said. “What is coming does not like humans. But you’ll be safe with our ponies.”

  “Thank you. Come on, Sam. Come on, Skippy. Let’s get inside.”

  She rushed into the barn, the two Wolves right behind her.

  Jester returned a minute later and scowled at her. “I know you’re human, but I would swear you have some Coyote blood. Only one of my kind could cause this much trouble so easily.”

  Before she could apologize or explain, Jester was conferring with Mist and fetching a harness that had baskets with flaps that kept mail dry in bad weather. As soon as the pony was fitted out, he trotted off, heading toward the Market Square.

  “That stall has fresh straw,” Jester said. “We can all curl up there and keep an eye on things.”

  “Okay. Jester . . .”

  The Coyote waved off her apology before she could say it. He glanced at Sam and Skippy, then at her. “Good thing Simon is going to be busy most of the day. I don’t imagine Blair will be able to get here either for at least a few hours.”

  Meg spread blankets over the straw, then sat down with Sam while Skippy explored the Pony Barn.

  “Did you run away too?” she asked Sam.

  Sam looked up at her. “Arroo.”

  She sighed. “We’re going to be in soooo much trouble.”

  “Roo.”

  As she put an arm around Sam, she realized all the prickles and buzzes beneath her skin had stopped.

  For now, at least, everyone around her was where they were supposed to be.

  • • •

  “Stay, Daddy. Please stay.”

  Monty hugged his daughter. “I can’t, Lizzy girl. The police have to help the people who might be in trouble during the storm.”

  “We’ll be fine.” Twyla put her hands on Lizzy’s shoulders. “We’re as ready as anyone can be, and we’ll be just fine.”

  “Have you told Simon Wolfgard he’s not in charge anymore?” Monty asked.

  “Huh.” Twyla smiled. “Eve Denby and I told him the women had things in hand to look after the people coming here for shelter, and he had the sense to go off and take care of his own business.”

  It felt a little forced, but Monty returned the smile. “Yes, ma’am. Message received.”

  Her smile faded. “We’ll be fine here, Crispin.”

  He touched Lizzy’s hair. “You mind Grandma Twyla, you hear?”

  “Yes, Daddy. I hear.”

  Being the newest members of the female pack, Twyla and Sierra were assigned the care of the children—a practical choice since three of the five were family. They were tucked in the efficiency apartment that would be turned into the school. It had drinking water and plumbing, was easily reached by the adults, both human and terra indigene, who would be looking after the Courtyard’s businesses, and had a television, a movie disc player, and a sufficient supply of movies to keep the youngsters occupied, not to mention the games, books, and changes of clothing. The kitchen was packed with food. Everything that could be done to protect the young had been done.

  As he hurried down the stairs and turned toward the back door of Howling Good Reads, where his team was meeting Burke to receive their orders, he wondered where Sam Wolfgard and Meg Corbyn were going to wait out the storm.

  Gods, Monty thought as lightning scarred a dark sky and the wind knocked him sideways a step. This area behind the stores was sheltered on all sides. If wind gusts were this bad here, what were they going to be like out in the open?

  As he fought with the wind for possession of the door and finally got it closed, he heard Kowalski’s voice coming from the stacks on his left.

  “Dad, I know what they’re saying on the radio. I’ve been listening to the freaking weather reports too. But I’m telling you, this is going to be a bad storm. Bad enough that the families of police officers are being offered shelter at the stations. You, Mom, and Tim can . . . Gods above and below! Those people are finished. Can’t you see that? Let me talk to Mom. Dad? Dad!”

  A defeated sigh and a soft, “Fuck.” Then Kowalski squeezed through the stacks of books and other supplies, blushing when he saw Monty.

  “Is your family going to take shelter at the station?” Monty asked quietly.

  Kowalski shook his head. “‘I lived through the storm of blah-di-blah-blah, and I’m not leaving.’ He still believes the HFL movement is going to ‘sort those creatures out.’ And I can’t tell him the real reason this storm is going to be so bad, can I?”

  “No, you can’t.” It wasn’t the storm itself that was going to devastate the city; it was what was coming in hidden by the storm.

  Burke had had a quiet word with Captain Zajac and Captain Wheatley, two patrol captains in other precincts who recognized that the terra indigene held the key to Lakeside’s survival. He’d told all the police stations that they should offer shelter for their officers’ families, but the men working out of the Chestnut Street station were the only ones who really took the warning seriously enough.

  “What about Ruth’s parents?” Monty asked. Looking at Kowalski’s bitter smile made his heart ache.

  “When she called them, her mother said, ‘My daughter is dead,’ and hung up.” Kowalski squared his shoulders. “But the MacDonalds are on their way to the Courtyard. So is Michael Debany’s family. They’re bringing the perishable foods from their fridge and any other supplies that might be useful.”

  Monty didn’t know if Merri Lee’s family lived in Lakeside, and he didn’t ask.

  The back door blew open and Michael Debany stumbled into the stock room.

  “Whoo! That’s a mean bitch out there!” Debany said, not seeing Simon Wolfgard coming in right behind him until he turned to close the door. “Ah . . . Sorry. That just slipped out. Is it anyone we know?”

  “No. And she is a mean bitch.” Simon closed the door, then looked at the three men. “You want to wait for Captain Burke in the front of the store? There’s more room. I don’t know who’s working at A Little Bite right now, but there might be coffee.”

  In other words, you’re in the way, Monty thought. “We’ll do that.”

  His mobile phone rang at the same time Simon’s rang, so he hurried toward the front of the store, stopping near the archway that connected HGR with A Little Bite. “Montgomery.”

  “Lieutenant,” Burke said. “Let someone there know that Commander Gresh is bringing his family to the Courtyard. I’ll be along shortly.”

  “Yes, sir.” Monty ended the call. Seeing Simon coming toward him, Monty started to speak. But Simon rushed past him, checked the coffee shop, then turned around and ran for the inside staircase that led to HGR’s second floor. Judging by the look on the Wolf’s face, Simon had his own problems right now.

  As Debany and Kowalski answered their mobile phones, the looks on their faces told him that Simon’s problem would be his too.

  • • •

  Ready to snarl and howl about idiot puppies, Simon rushed into the office, startling Vlad, who was monitoring e-mail and marking up a map to indicate the towns that were still out there.

  Blessed Thaisia! Why would Sam go running off just as a storm was about to hit? And why take Skippy with him?

  “Simon, what . . . ?” The phone rang. Vlad answered it. After a moment, he said, “Yes, I’ll tell him.”

  Vlad hung up the phone, but Simon didn’t give him time to say anything. “Sam ran away from the Wolfgard Complex. You’ll have to deal with the humans until I find him.” Assuming he would find the pup. He’d been trying to reach Sam through the terra indigene form of communication but hadn’t received any response. That was bad. Very bad.

  “Sam is fine,” Vlad said. “So is Skippy. So is Meg.”

  “Meg? But Meg is . . .” Not in A Little Bite, where he had expected to find her. His fangs lengthened to Wolf size. “Where are they?”

  “With the ponies and Jester in the Pony Barn. Jester thinks Meg was overwhelmed and too close to cutting, so she ran awa
y from the other humans.”

  “The pack’s nanny thinks that Sam ran off because he wanted to be with Meg during the storm.” Simon scratched behind one ear, then made an effort to shift the ear—and his teeth—back to human form. “She almost died the last time a storm hit Lakeside.”

  “I remember,” Vlad said softly. “But, Simon, except for staying with Grandfather Erebus, I can’t think of a safer place for the three of them to be than in the Pony Barn with the Elementals’ steeds.”

  Tense muscles began to relax, and he began thinking past finding Sam. “Did Meg pack anything?”

  “No. Mist is on his way to the Market Square. Jester doesn’t have enough food for the four of them—and certainly not enough human food. We can ask the female pack if Meg kept any spare clothes at the office.”

  He could sniff out any clothes that belonged to Meg. But if there weren’t any, the females would be better at guessing what to pick up from the Market Square stores. And Meg and the brainless Wolves would need something to do, especially if Sam shifted to human form. Which meant packing shirts and shorts for Sam too.

  As if I don’t have enough to do, Simon thought as he bounded down the stairs. Someone was going to get a sharp nip for the worry those three had caused—even if the worry hadn’t lasted more than a few minutes.

  Turning toward the stock room, he almost slammed into a human male he didn’t know. He bared his teeth and snarled a challenge before realizing there were two females with the male—one of an age to be the mate and the other a grown pup.

  “You must be Mr. Wolfgard,” the man said with a smile that wobbled. “Michael told us to come through the back door of the coffee shop, but there’s a pony blocking that door, and he didn’t seem inclined to get out of the way.”

  “Michael . . . ?”

  “Debany. I’m Michael’s dad. This is his mom and his sister.”

  Simon gave the younger female a quick but thorough look. This was the sister who wanted to work with animals—the sister who might be suitable to go to Bennett and work with Tolya.

  Wishing he hadn’t been quite so quick to snarl, he ran a tongue over his teeth before he tried a smile. “Sorry I snarled.” He wasn’t, but that seemed like the right thing to say.

  “You’ve got a lot on your mind,” Mr. Debany said.

  “You can come this way to reach A Little Bite.” He led them to the archway that connected the two stores and almost ran into Officer Debany.

  “Dad. Why did you . . . ?”

  “Mist is in the way,” Simon said, figuring he could distill an entire conversation with those few words. “Where are Ruthie and Merri Lee?”

  “They’re here. Any word from Meg? Karl and I were about to go out and help you look for her.”

  Touched that Meg would matter to them enough that they would leave their own pack, Simon felt easier about having Debany’s family in the Courtyard. “She’s with Jester at the Pony Barn. Sam and Skippy are with her. Mist is here to bring supplies.”

  Debany turned and raised his voice enough to be heard over a buzz of human voices. “Karl! Lieutenant! They found Meg. She’s okay.”

  Now Merri Lee and Ruthie rushed toward him. “She’s okay? You’re sure? Does she need anything?”

  “Change of clothes. Clothes for Sam. Books. Food for Meg. Boone Hawkgard will make up a package of meat for Sam and Skippy. Mist will deliver it.”

  They stared at him for a moment, blinking. Maybe thinking. Then they both rushed past him, calling out greetings to Debany’s family and leaving him feeling less sure of who was in charge. At some point, he was going to have to take the time to establish dominance.

  First he would see just how big a human pack he was dealing with now.

  he called to the Hawk who ran the butcher shop.

 

  The sky darkened. Wind tossed a fistful of hail against the coffee shop’s windows.

  Vlad walked into the shop leading Commander Gresh and what Simon assumed were the man’s mate and offspring. Behind them were Captain Burke and Agent O’Sullivan.

  And pushing past them came Merri Lee and Ruthie. They dodged everyone else crowded into the coffee shop, had a hurried discussion with Nadine Fallacaro, who was behind the counter, then headed for the back door, where Mist waited.

  “Arroo!” Even from a human throat, a Wolf howl silenced humans quite satisfactorily. “There is food here and at Meat-n-Greens. There are books in the library, and you can read anything in the store.” Simon gestured toward the archway to indicate Howling Good Reads. “Pups are staying in one of the efficiency apartments with Miss Twyla and the Sierra. They have books and movies and food up there. You humans need to pick a place where you’re going to wait out the storm and then stay there. When the storm arrives, we’ll be locking the doors because anything in the open is prey.”

  Silence.

  Burke stepped forward. “I appreciate you offering shelter to some of our families. Lieutenant Montgomery will remain here with his team to give you whatever assistance they can, and to respond to any calls in the area. I’m going back to the station. The rest of my men are there.”

  Simon looked into Burke’s eyes. The man knew—or knew enough—of what was coming with the storm.

  “Stay inside until it’s done,” Simon said. “That won’t guarantee your safety, but you’ll have no chance in the open.”

  You’re going to have to let some humans die if you want to survive and save the rest. That was the real message.

  Burke nodded. “I’d better be on my way.”

  Louis Gresh looked at his mate. “I’m going to the station too. You and the children will be safe here.”

  His mate didn’t look sure of that, but she nodded.

  “Elliot Wolfgard gave me permission to remain in the consulate and maintain contact with Governor Hannigan,” Greg O’Sullivan said. “He suggested that I pick up food and drink before the storm hits.”

  “Do that now,” Simon said.

  “People.” Burke’s voice boomed in the coffee shop. “While there is comfort in numbers, you need to consider what has been said. Two places are stocked with provisions and other supplies. You need to split up between them so that one place doesn’t run out of food while the other place has food spoiling.”

  The older Debany male looked around. “The captain has a good point. So where can we be the most use?”

  Simon stared at the humans who seemed to be waiting for him to issue instructions.

  Where can the humans be of use? He hadn’t anticipated any of them wanting to be useful, just wanting a safe place to shelter.

  “I’m working with Nadine here,” Merri Lee said. “Ruth and Eve Denby are dealing with the food at Meat-n-Greens.” She looked at Simon. “We filled the baskets and tied on a carry sack with things for Meg. Mist is on his way back to the Pony Barn.”

  “How long do you think the storm will last?” Kowalski asked.

  He looked at the humans crowded into the coffee shop. They were there because they, or their mates, understood the need to work with the terra indigene. They deserved honesty.

  “How long the storm lasts will depend on how much hatred Namid’s teeth and claws hold for the humans in Lakeside,” he replied. “A lot of human places in Thaisia will be gone when this is done. A lot of them are already gone.” He looked at Vlad, who nodded grimly. “Like fire that destroys in order to make room for new growth, the earth natives who are coming in with this storm come to destroy. Hopefully we’ll be among the survivors who will make something new.”

  “I’ll go with Captain Burke,” Nathan said from the archway leading into HGR. “They might leave the police station alone if one of the Wolfgard is there.”

  Simon asked.

  ce station before.>

  None of the humans spoke. Then Burke said, “Thank you. I hadn’t expected any of you to . . .” He stopped, then continued brusquely, “Lieutenant, with me a moment.”

  Burke walked out of the coffee shop, followed by Louis Gresh and Lieutenant Montgomery.

  The humans huddled together, the females talking with Nadine and Merri Lee, the males talking with the police, and the juveniles huddled together looking lost.

  Simon joined Vlad, who said, “You’re staying here?”

  He nodded. “John is at Meat-n-Greens to help with the humans. Blair is guarding the Utilities Complex. Henry is staying at his studio, so he’ll be nearby if there is any trouble. Jenni, Starr, and Jake are at Sparkles and Junk. Julia and Marie Hawkgard and Allison Owlgard are keeping watch in the Market Square Library.”

  Vlad looked around, frowning. “Has anyone seen Tess?”

  • • •

  “Wait for me at the car,” Burke told Louis Gresh and Nathan Wolfgard. Then he looked at Monty. “I want you and your team here. Could be some looting in the stores around this area, and there are bound to be some disturbances and requests for assistance. But wait for Wolfgard to give you the all clear before you venture out for anything. You understand me?”

  Monty studied his captain. “You know what’s going to happen?”

  “I saw something like it once. It’s bloody and terrible, and it gives a man a reason to do just about anything to stop it from happening again. And I do not want to bring any of my men to the morgue looking . . .” Burke stopped.

  “I should be at the station with you.”

  “Your team is working here, and it’s important that you stay with them.”

  Something else under the words. “You don’t expect to come through this.”

  Burke hesitated. “Our odds have greatly improved with Nathan Wolfgard being with us at the station. And I wouldn’t have told men to bring their families to a place I thought would be destroyed. But if something should happen and I’m no longer fit for duty, I want a ranking officer who the Others trust to be able to step up and take command.”

  “The station’s chief isn’t going to promote me over men who have been working here longer,” Monty protested.