“You wait.” Gimped pumped his dirty fingers at Ty. “I’ll fetch Sturgeon.” As if Ty was supposed to know whom he referred to, the smuggler wheeled, his cheap suit flailing out in a swirl of soiled finery. “Don’t move.” He pumped his hand behind him as he scurried off like a rabbit late for a race.
Murmurs, faint voices, footsteps and bawdy laughter floated back up the tunnel on the other side of the makeshift storefront. The fellow must have indeed gone to get the proprietor of this overpriced stockpile of hard to come by acquisitions.
“Well now, you want ammunition, do ya?” The big, burly man stood in the weak light of the lantern with his thumbs shoved in the front pockets of his vest, which covered the massive belly he carried. His hair was a dark mass of matted, greasy strings under a boiler hat of smut brown. His chops and chin hair hadn’t been tended in sometime. His grin was fierce as he ran a surmising gaze over Ty. “I speck you’ll be needn’ enough to get the job done. What ar’ ya offering?” The expression on the one called Sturgeon’s face registered wary discontent at having been disturbed by anybody at the late hour. “Speak up, as I don’t ‘ave all night to squander with ya, Rebel.”
Ty’s gaze filtered up at the mention of his war affiliation. How’d he know of his rank in the army? Warning bells sounded in his head. Sturgeon had obviously done some checking. What else did the man know about him or any of the others? “I have what you asked for.” He laid the gold on the table. United States made gold eagles stared back at the bargainers. “Four thousand for forty boxes was the deal.”
The war had prices skyrocketing on all sides. Paper money was weak currency. A man with gold could buy anything he wanted. Sturgeon’s dull gray eyes lit with the presentation of the money. “Willie.” Sturgeon turned to the boney thief standing huddled behind him. Willie actually jerked.
“Sir.”
The one called ‘Willie’ might pee his pants.
“Get Grison. The two of you lazy asses start hauling these down to the water.” Willie started back stepping as he bobbed his shaggy head in comprehension. As Sturgeon’s subordinate disappeared, the burly boss turned back to Ty. “You understand you’ll need a boat, right?”
“Right.” Ty kept his eyes on the leader of the little band of smugglers. “You got more where this came from?”
“Might.” Sturgeon’s brow cocked. “This transaction ain’t finished yet.”
Ty nodded. “I’ll meet you tomorrow night under the hill at midnight. Agreed?”
Sturgeon nodded. “Agreed.”
As Ty turned to leave, the boss chuckled knowingly. “You’ll need a light to find your way back, yea?”
“Yea, I guess so.” Ty reached for the torch Sturgeon passed him.
“Damn Yankees think they own everything. See your ass tomorrow night. Don’t be late.” On that final observation, the smuggler boss turned, agilely lumbering off into the darkness, his heavy footfalls echoing long after he’d disappeared.
Ty’s breathing relaxed a fraction. Perhaps he’d remain a free man another day. The shackles were closing in though.
***
Sonja held her breath. Ty walked past her position in the dank tunnel. If he’d spotted her she’d have had a devil of a time explaining why she was there. Thank the gods, he was down wind of her, or he’d have scented her out. What resounded in her brain was, Why was he there buying ammunitions from smugglers? You didn’t use guns to kill vampires. Her heart pounded in her ears to the point she could barely think. At least he wasn’t trifling with Claudine. No, her mate was slipping out, most likely planning an attack without her. A sharp pain rippled through her heart, making her weak at the knees. The blow was almost physical. Not since the discovery of her vampire husband, had Sonja suffered such an ache in her chest. Betrayal reared a hideous head before smirking at her stupidity. Ty meant to what? Remind her that her place was behind him? Or, he was in charge of all decision making? Sonja clinched her fists. The urge to scream came on violently. She wanted desperately to confront him on the spot. “No, I won’t take a chance on being overheard. In this horrid tunnel, the sound would echo forever,” she whispered to the rats lurking in the darkest corners. “But, I’ll find out what he’s up to and when I do, Tyler Loflin will rue the day he tried to hide vampire dealings from me.” Grinding one fist into the other, Sonja pursed her mouth, growling low into the darkness. Small mice squealed, scurrying away to safety.
Hurrying to return before he missed her, she shifted, the anger riding low in her gut providing the catalyst necessary. Ignoring the discomfort of a temper-born shift, Sonja raced back the way she’d come, sticking closely to the shadows in the dark alleys until she could slip into a storage shed in back of the hotel. There, as quietly as a werewolf could perform the task, she shifted back into her human body. She donned the heavy nightgown and robe she’d left there before following her mate. Details in a well-orchestrated plan were vital. Had she not found out Ty was waging war against the leaches without her help, she’d have been more inclined to congratulate her cunning on a job well done. As it was, she climbed the back stairs to the hotel, the ones the chambermaids used, to return to her own bed.
In the gloom of the hallway sat a figure of a long, lanky fellow in a chair positioned near one of the doors. Sonja cursed for forgetting when Briann and the boys slumbered, General Stewart guarded their slumber, she froze.
How she had missed such a point on her list of things to remain vigilant for, she hadn’t a clue. Her victory celebration would have to wait. No sooner than her feet reached the boards of the floor at the end of the hall did Jeb seek her out.
“You’re up late. What’s wrong?” Rising, the general stretched his tall frame as she approached.
“Nothing’s wrong.” Trying for normalcy, Sonja shrugged. “I went down in search of something - some warm milk.” Nodding in agreement with the idea, she hurried on. “Not able to sleep.” It wasn’t a complete lie as Briann had made the suggestion to help her sister rest. Meeting his eyes was a feat she struggled to perform. “Everything okay here?”
He eyed her over his cheroot. The swirl of smoke hanging suspended about his dark head. “Everything’s fine here. Did you get your milk?”
Darkly handsome features cut a chiseled silhouette in the meager light of a lone lamp perched atop a stand. Such good looks on a man were uncommon. Sonja fought the sudden urge to wring her hands, instead shoving them into the pockets of her robe. “Yes, yes, I got my milk.” Smiling quickly, she glanced down at the floor. “Am I the only person you’ve seen tonight, General?” Her voice broke over the last words. Her attempt at appearing conversational fell fairly short of the mark. Had he seen Ty leave as well?
Jeb cocked a brow in her direction before blowing more smoke to his side of the hall. “Yes, I’ve been out here all night. Haven’t seen a soul, not even you, my dear.” He eyed her speculatively. “You must have really enjoyed your milk.”
A flush of color rose in Sonja’s cheeks. Mentally ticking off excuses she could add to the lie, she took her right hand out of her pocket and rubbed her left forearm. “Yes, it was very good with the pie I found in the icebox.” With a short giggle, she was sure he didn’t believe a word she’d said. Her brow beaded with perspiration. Her gut quivered with tension.
“A late night snack is a treat I’ve long ago forgotten how to enjoy. Still, I do relish a good cigar every once in a while.” Taking the cheroot in his hand, Jeb flicked ashes in a nearby spittoon. “Tell Ty I’d like to talk with him tomorrow. We have some things to go over before we cross the river. With the spring thaws up river, we don’t need to dally long. Before you know it, we’ll have missed our chance.” His eyes cut to hers.
Nerve endings sprang up. She licked her lips wishing now she had that glass of milk. A bead of sweat trickled down her backbone. “I’ll tell him, General. He’ll rise at his usual time, I should think.”
“Good! Please, Mrs. Brooks, call me Jeb. I’m retired now from the army. I’d appreciate it if
you did.”
Her grip on her arm tightened. The corners of her vision started to blur. A creeping panic she’d been drained again by an undetected vampire surged to the forefront of her mind. They’d been more vigilant since the discovery of Robert. Blinking, she tried to focus again on the general.
“Sonja?” Jeb stepped toward her, his chair scrapping the wood floor. “Are you alright?”
“I’m, I’m…fine…” There was a rush of footsteps before the lights went out.
***
“Where did you say she’d been?” Ty couldn’t help the pitch to his voice. His nerves were fraught with more than tonight’s meeting. When Jeb had knocked on their bedroom door, he’d been about to go out looking for his head strong woman. She certainly could heap on the worry when she set her mind to it, he mused.
“She came up the back stairs. Said she’d been getting a glass of warm milk.”
“Warm milk? I didn’t even know she liked the stuff.” Incredulous laced with nerves to the point of exasperated, Ty moved from the bed to answer the door.
Hortence came bustling in without a word for either of the men. Heading straight for the bed, she opened one of Sonja’s eyelids, then the other. She checked the clock on the mantel of the room’s small fireplace as she held Sonja’s wrist. “You say she fainted?”
Without looking up, the old witch eased back the covers, motioning for both men to leave. “I need to examine her. “Please give us some privacy.”
Being used to the old woman’s crabby nature, Ty opened the door. Jeb went through before Ty closed it firmly behind him. “Old battle axe,” he murmured under his breath.
“She’s doing what she thinks is best.” Jeb smiled companionably as he pulled out his smokes. Handing one of his slim cigars to Ty, the general struck a sulfur match to the tip. Drawing long and deep on the tobacco, he blew a slow stream of smoke into the night air.
“She’s doing what the hell she pleases. Furthermore, she’s become a big pain in my ass, that’s what she’s doing.” Ty huffed out a breath. “Stubborn old mule!” One brow cocked in irritation as he shared a squinted eye with the door. “She thinks she’s in charge of us all.” He kicked at the spittoon sitting in the hall. “Always got to have the last word.”
“I know she gets under your skin, son. The fact is, without her spells, I’d not have been able to elude Robert’s coven for very long at all. You, yourself said they’d be out for revenge after we eliminated their king. Or, have you forgotten that one tiny point?”
Ty drew hard on the cigar, letting the smoke fill his throat. Slowly he blew out a breath. Ashes landed in the brass bucket beside him. With a shake of his head, he admitted, “No, I haven’t forgotten, General. It’s Hortence - she’s always around. She’ll slip up on you in a heartbeat. If she’s not careful, one day, I may put a bullet through her.” The show of frustration played out on his face. “Damn it, what’s taking so long?” he asked heatedly. “She should’ve been out here by now.” He took a step toward the bedroom door. “I’m not waiting another minute. I don’t care what she said. I’m going to find out what’s going on.”
The general snagged Ty’s arm before he could do more. “Easy, Ty. The old witch will let us know when she’s finished. Here, have a drink.” Jeb pulled a silver flask from the inside pocket of his jacket. A mischievous grin played on his mouth. “A man takes certain things with him in case of emergencies.” Giving the flask a tip in Ty’s direction, he added, “I’d say this constituted one of those emergencies.” Inclining his dark head, Jeb studied the flask thoughtfully. “The potency of good bourbon hits you hard before going down smooth. Washes away the ache of what ails you. Least that’s what my pappy always said.”
Ty glanced sideways at the general. “Is that so?” He swallowed as he remembered all the general had dealt with being reborn a vampire.
“Do you remember much before the change? I mean, Hortence said, time would haze the edges of your human memories.”
Jeb glanced down at the empty lobby, pausing in contemplative silence. “I thought the horrors of war were the worst I could take home with me from this war. Having no home to go back to is by far the hardest thing I’ve ever encountered.”
He brushed the dark hair back with his long, agile fingers. The wink of a diamond caught in the light of an oil lamp on the hallway wall. This was no ordinary farmer, who’d joined because the crops were down and he’d have no way of surviving without the paltry wages the Army of the Confederacy paid their enlisted men. No, this was a blue-blood aristocrat from New Orleans, whose pedigree included graduation from West Point with honors. The general held numerous medals for his military skill and bravery. The vampires must have reveled in turning him. Bringing one of the South’s most illustrious leaders to his knees must have been a boon in their eyes. “You’re wrong, General. You have a home. You always will.” Ty laid a hand on Jeb’s shoulder. Their eyes met. The recognition of what Ty implied hit Jeb squarely.
With a short release of breath, Jeb nodded as his lips thinned over the meaning of Ty’s words. “I appreciate that, Lieutenant. I do.” He glanced off into middle distance before coming back to Ty’s face. “When I think of confronting my wife and children with what those bastards did to me, I want to die all over again. There is no humanity in them, Ty. Each and every one deserves the most horrific death I can devise.” He reached up, gripping Ty’s hand. Though his grip was strong, his fingers trembled with emotion. “Promise me, I’ll get the chance.”
All the doubt, all the wariness Ty had harbored regarding the general, melted away. “You have my word, General. You have my solemn word.” Easing back, Ty gave the general’s shoulder a supportive squeeze. “I hate to add to your concerns, but I came across an old friend from Texas at the dance the other night. She mentioned some wanted posters about town, which included Robert Brooks along with my face as well. I had Smitty snag one. There’s a reward out for me - $1000 in gold.” He blew out a breath, kicking out at the spittoon. “Damn Union vampires won’t quit until I’m dead. We’re gonna have to move sooner than planned or none of us will make it across the damn river alive!”
The door to the room opened. Hortence appeared. “You can see her now.” She wagged a finger at Ty. “Be warned. You upset her - you’ll have to deal with me. Understood?”
Ty brushed by Hortence as he tossed his smoke aside. Anger burned in his veins. Between the bounty on his head and the safety of his woman, Ty was riding low on patience. “Understood? Oh, I forgot. You’re in charge, right, old woman?” His reference to Sonja under the witch’s tutelage gave him an avenue to focus his frustration on. Deeper still, he prayed his woman was all right.
The lamp beside the bed sent out an eerie glow. The drapes drawn against the dawn seeping in cast the room in shadows. Sonja rested against the pillows plumped at her back. The massive headboard she propped against loomed like an avenging angel over her face. Her hair splayed around her giving her the image of a pure vision.
Ty stepped closer. “Sonja?” His mouth had gone cottony. His heart kept up a rapid thumping in his chest. “What happened?” Settling near her on the edge of the bed, he brushed a curl from her forehead. Staring at the most beautiful woman he was certain he’d ever seen, he asked, “Are you alright?”
She gazed at him with the strangest mix of emotions on her face he’d ever seen. She’d been crying. It was obvious she didn’t have a clue as to where to start. Gathering her hands, he bent to kiss the knuckles of both. “Tell me what’s wrong, so I can help you.”
Her mouth trembled once before her lips firmed. “I’m fine, really.”
She lied. Her mind worked hard to keep him out. Meant to sooth, he tried the tactic he used on frightened horses. “Easy, Nymph. Don’t go borrowing trouble. Everything’s gonna be all right. You’ll see.” The friction between them since the night of the dance reared its ugly head.
Sonja nodded fractionally.
Hell, he’d do better getting the answers from Horten
ce or see her hung up by her toes. Sonja was in no shape to discuss anything without slipping her mental stability. Come hell or high water, he was going to find out. “Is there anything you need?”
Sonja tried smiling. Reached up to slip a finger down his face, she blinked back a tear. “You’re so good to me. I don’t deserve you, Lieutenant.”
Perplexed by the statement, Ty said nothing. Sometimes the best thing to do was keep your mouth shut and practice a little patient. “I want you to rest. You’ve been worrying over things you can’t control. Remember, we’re all here to watch out for the bad guys. You should get some sleep.” He started to leave.
Her hand shot out, gripping his forearm tight.
He frowned down at the panic in her face.
“Ty, I want you to remember I love you.”
His heart stopped for a split second. There was a buzzing in his ears. “Don’t have to remember, Nymph.” He patted his chest. “I carry you with me, right here.” He got a warm smile out of her. Trouble was, he couldn’t fathom what had brought on this bout of melodrama. She was hiding something – something important. Reminding himself, some things didn’t require an immediate answer, he gave her hand a pat. The raw fear still rode in those brandy eyes. Damn! Rising, he left in search of Hortence. The old woman and he were about to go around.
***
“What do you mean, there’s nothing wrong with her? You’re talking in riddles again, old woman.” His voice went up an octave as he growled into the craggy face of the witch. Time used to be, he’d have let her prattle. Not today! “I want answers! I want them now!”
Wolfen Secrets (The Western Werewolf Legend #3) Page 10