Weathering Rock

by Mae Clair

  Arianna blinked.

  She hadn’t expected linen napkins, much less a man who used one. When she glanced down at the plate, she realized it was delicate blush china. She’d been too distracted earlier in her conversation with Wyn to notice. She knew he was a doctor, financially solvent to live in an estate like Weathering Rock, but had expected the usual dishwasher-safe plates that comprised most kitchens.

  “Allow me.” Caleb took her plate, adding a few strips of bacon and a plump muffin from the final platter Wyn set on the table. Did they always eat so lavishly, or had the breakfast been geared around having an overnight guest? Either way, Caleb’s attentiveness charmed her.

  Wyn appeared amused by his brother’s courtly fawning.

  “Thank you.” She smiled politely as Caleb set the now-full plate in front of her. Feeling a bit uncomfortable having breakfast with two men she barely knew, she made an attempt at small talk, asking Wyn about his work and whether he had a practice in Sagehill.

  “Just outside of town.” He relayed the specifics. The group of doctors he’d affiliated with was small compared to some of the larger medical umbrellas attached to the local hospitals. She could picture the building that housed his practice, tucked off Juniper Drive, close to the public library and a small coffee shop. She’d driven by it numerous times. She and Lauren often met at the coffee shop, with Lauren’s specialty boutique, Pandora’s Box, a few blocks away on Limestone Avenue.

  “Excuse me.” Caleb interrupted her discussion with Wyn long enough to leave the table and pour a cup of coffee–no sugar, no cream. He had a scar on the side of his neck she hadn’t noticed before. Jagged, and shaped like a diamond, it was partially hidden by his collar. He caught her watching and grinned.

  She flushed. “Have you lived here long?” she asked Wyn, careful not to direct the question at Caleb.

  “Six years. My ancestors built this property in the 1800s. When it went up for sale, I couldn’t pass on the opportunity.”

  “It’s a beautiful home.” She paused to nibble a piece of bacon as Caleb returned to the table. ‘I’ couldn’t pass up the opportunity, Wyn had said. Not ‘we.’ Did that mean he and Caleb had not always lived together? She couldn’t imagine two grown men sharing space for long.

  She shifted her attention to Caleb. “Can I ask what you do for a living?

  “Retired military.” His answer was swift.

  Arianna stared, thinking him terribly young for retirement. “What branch?” she persisted, unable to quell her natural curiosity.

  “Infantry.”

  Wyn coughed into his hand as if disturbed by the answer. “Caleb.”

  She wasn’t sure why anyone so young would retire, although a military career in view of current world affairs might give anyone pause. As far as she could tell, Caleb was single with no attachments other than his brother. For a single man, the military could be an attractive option.

  Except for his headaches.

  It suddenly dawned on her why he’d retired. Last night, Wyn had mentioned Caleb’s ongoing problem with headaches. If last night’s episode was any indication, the Army had probably given him a medical discharge. Having blundered into the subject, she wasn’t certain how to bow out gracefully.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pried.”

  “It’s all right. My health wasn’t the issue.” Caleb drew a breath and grinned, making an effort to lighten the mood. “I manage to keep occupied. I have an avid interest in the Civil War and–”

  “Caleb.” Wyn gave a quick, clipped shake of his head, dropping his eyes when Arianna glanced in his direction. Something passed between the two she didn’t understand.

  “Arianna teaches history at the local middle school. American history. Civil War history.” Before he could say anything further, the soft chime of a doorbell echoed through the house. Wyn breathed a sigh of relief, giving her the impression he was thankful for the arrival of a visitor.

  “Caleb, the door.” He cast a meaningful glance toward the hallway.

  His brother hesitated. “Maybe you should–”

  “No. Caleb, the door.”

  The denial was flat and final, leaving Arianna with the uncomfortable feeling Wyn didn’t want to leave his brother alone with her. She was about to excuse herself, the diversion the perfect reason to bow out and be on her way, even if it meant calling Triple A.

  “Very well.” Caleb pushed back from the table and stood. “I’ll be back shortly. Arianna, I’d appreciate it if you’d stay a while longer.”

  She fiddled with her fork, her eyes riveted to the trim v-shape of his back as he left the kitchen. It was disheartening to think a man that fit could be incapacitated by something as trivial as a headache. Somewhere along the line, between discussing Caleb’s military background and what he’d done since retiring, she’d wandered into territory marked taboo.

  “I didn’t mean to pry,” she said to Wyn.

  “It’s not your fault. Things are complicated with Caleb. His health.”

  A cold fist squeezed her stomach. “Please tell me it’s nothing’s terminal.”

  “Nothing like that.” He shook his head. “Sometimes he’s too driven, and I wouldn’t want you to get the wrong impression. I’ll be honest–I’ve seen the way women react to him. That old-fashioned gentility goes a long way in today’s all-about-me world. I wouldn’t want you to fall into the same trap as others.”

  Others?

  She flushed, revising her opinion of Wyn. She’d initially thought him friendly and open, but now it seemed he was doing everything he could to warn her away from his brother. Was she that obvious, or did Wyn simply expect most women to fall under Caleb’s spell the moment they met him?

  Heat crept up her neck and she pushed back her chair. “It’s time for me to leave.”

  “I’m more curious how long you’ve been here,” someone said behind her.

  Startled, Arianna glanced to the doorway as Caleb re-entered the kitchen trailed by a tall, brown-haired man. “Luke!” The last person she expected to see on a Saturday morning in a stranger’s house was her ex-boyfriend, Lucas Drake. “What are you doing here?”

  “I could ask the same thing.”

  The disapproval in his voice made her hackles rise, and kicked on her defensive meter. His most exasperating trait had always been his bent for jealousy. She could imagine the thoughts going through his head at finding her having breakfast with two bachelors.

  “I spent the night.” She knew it would annoy him. It served him right for sounding so damn high-handed. “I was on my way back from Lauren’s and got stranded by the fog. Didn’t you see the flat tire on my car?”

  “You never heard of a spare?”

  “That was my fault,” Caleb came to her rescue. “I asked her to–”

  “It doesn’t matter.” Arianna didn’t owe Lucas Drake a damn thing. Let him think what he wanted. “What are you doing here, Luke?”

  “Official business.” Squaring his shoulders, he tucked his hands into the pockets of his pants. A plainclothes cop, he wore street clothes on duty, dressed now in a light summer jacket to conceal the bulk of his handgun.

  “Is something wrong?” Wyn asked.

  “As I told your brother at the front door, Dr. DeCardian, I’m Sergeant Drake of the Sagehill PD. I understand you’re the legal owner of Weathering Rock?”

  Wyn nodded, rounding the table to offer his hand. “Dr. Winston DeCardian. What’s the problem, Sergeant?”

  “It’s more of a warning. I’m making rounds of the area to alert homeowners there may be a rabid animal in the area. We want you to be aware of the danger when you’re outside. If you have children, keep them close and make sure they understand the importance of staying away from stray animals, even those that seem harmless. You know how kids can be with pets.”

  Concerned, Arianna left the table to join the others. She thought of the large animal silhouetted against the window last night. “What makes you think there’s a problem?” />
  “A patrol car found a deer carcass down the road.” Lucas jerked his head to indicate the direction. “Normally that’s not cause for alarm, but it was badly mauled.”

  “How bad is badly?” Wyn flicked his brother a disconcerted glance. Did a moment of silent communication pass between them?

  “Not like anything we’re used to seeing. The best guess is we’ve got a rabid dog, or a bear that wandered down from the mountains. Given it’s the second occurrence in less than a week, we want to make sure residents are aware of the danger.”

  “A bear?” The animal she’d seen hadn’t been bulky enough for a bear, but too large for a dog. “What about a wolf?”

  The question earned a sharp glance from Caleb.

  “There are no wolves in Pennsylvania, Ari,” Luke told her. “Coyotes, but it would take a pack of coyotes to do this kind of damage. Odds are it’s probably a large dog, but until we get a report from the Game Commission, we won’t know for sure. Right now our goal is to alert residents, especially those with kids.”

  “That’s kind of you, Officer,” Caleb said, sounding cordial and formal. “Since you’re here, perhaps you’d be good enough to follow Miss Hart home? It won’t take long to change her tire.”

  Miss?

  Arianna blinked, feeling like a schoolmarm passed to the care of the local sheriff. “Thanks, but Luke knows I’ll be fine.”

  “I don’t.” Caleb took her hand, looking into her eyes.

  She fought the urge to swoon like an idiot. Seconds passed and she found herself unable to speak, their hands locked together, her gaze riveted to the light blue crystal of his eyes.

  “Caleb,” Wyn said.

  Arianna came to her senses, politely withdrawing her hand. “I’ll be fine.”

  “At the very least, the sergeant can walk you to your car,” Caleb suggested.

  “That’s probably a good idea.” Lucas sounded annoyed.

  Too unsettled to protest, Arianna nodded. Outside, she popped the trunk, waiting while Wyn unloaded the spare tire and jack. Off to the side, Caleb and Luke exchanged a glance, a tense undercurrent to their silence. If she didn’t know better, she’d think they were sizing one another up. But there was nothing to indicate Caleb was interested in her.

  Except for that glance.

  And a touch that had gone on too long for polite contact.

  “Somebody slashed this,” Luke announced.

  “What?” She rounded the car to find him crouched beside the front tire. Now that she saw it in the daylight, she realized he was right.

  “Probably vandals,” Caleb said. “It must have happened last night after we went inside.”

  No way. She couldn’t believe a vandal had crept onto an estate the size of Weathering Rock late at night to randomly slash her tire. Which meant the only person with opportunity was Wyn. In the dark, he would have had time while she and Caleb were distracted by the ball lightning.

  But why?

  Because Caleb wanted him to.

  He’d snapped his brother’s name the moment the lightning had appeared. At the time she hadn’t understood, but now knew it had been a directive to Wyn. She recalled the pocketknife she’d seen on the table in the parlor when she left her contact information. Wyn would have had to grab it before leaving the house, which meant they’d never intended for her to drive away.

  “Lucas, you’re right. I think–”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Caleb said.

  Furious, she rounded on him. “Excuse me, but it does!”

  “It’s a flat, Arianna. It can be replaced. The important issue is you’re safe.”

  Lucas narrowed his eyes. “From what?”

  Caleb looked at him coolly. “The animal you mentioned, Sergeant. It must have been in the area last night. Under the circumstances, I think the flat on Arianna’s vehicle could be considered fortuitous.” Reaching for her hand, he twined his fingers with hers. When he spoke, his voice was for her ears only. “Don’t you think, Annie?”

  She tugged her hand free. “I need to get home. It’s already ten o’clock, and I have several errands to run–including stopping at the garage for a new tire.”

  The heavy sarcasm in her voice made him grimace.

  There was little discussion after that. Wyn changed the tire with Caleb’s assistance, even offering to pay for a new one. He gave a lame excuse about feeling responsible since the incident occurred on his property. Annoyed neither man would own up to what happened, Arianna curtly declined. She left, wanting to put as much distance between herself and Weathering Rock as possible.

  Something happened back there, she realized as she headed down the road. Before the tire, before the morning had been spoiled by anger. It would be a long time before she could get Caleb DeCardian out of her head.

  Chapter 4

  Wyn DeCardian slammed the front door.

  “You were out of line, Caleb!”

  “I don’t know what you mean.” He didn’t feel like arguing, too distracted by the news Lucas Drake had brought. A mauled deer was a blood-drenched message dumped under his nose by Seth Reilly. He’d sensed his rival’s presence on the wind long before Arianna had shown up last night. It was the reason he’d gone riding–to hunt the bitter and dangerous enemy who’d once been his closest fiend.

  You’ve got a storybook life, Seth had once told him, but that had changed three years ago when the Earth upended into the sky, hurtling Caleb and Seth 149 years into the future. It was a hard adjustment for a Union Colonel whose last concise memory was shortly after the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863.

  “Caleb, are you listening?”

  “Not now.” He headed for the kitchen. No reason to contemplate anything, including Seth, on an empty stomach.

  He needed coffee, strong coffee, something he could wrap his head around. He’d come to realize most everything else was watered down or tasteless in this future society, stripped of its natural flavor or replaced by something proclaiming to be “reduced,” “fat-free,” or “diet.” People had gotten soft, few of them engaging in any type of physical labor. Little wonder they needed a fitness regime and calorie-reduced imitation foods to keep them passably trim. He’d never even heard of a blasted calorie before awakening in the twenty-first century. At least breakfast was something he recognized.

  At the table he returned to eating, conscious of Wyn’s glare as he stalked to his side and stood glowering down on him. He’d told Arianna they were brothers but, in reality, Wyn was his great-great-great nephew.

  “I’m not one of your damn soldiers, Uncle. What happened to all that polite courtesy you were heaping on Arianna?”

  Uncle. Wyn only called him that when he was ticked.

  “If you were part of my regiment,” Caleb stressed, sitting back to look up at him, “I’d have you brought up on charges of insubordination.” He picked up a biscuit, slathering it with butter while his nephew stewed. “What is it that can’t wait?”

  “You were playing with Arianna.”

  Caleb arched a brow. “Playing?”

  “Toying, teasing, baiting, whatever the hell you want to call it. I know you can turn it off when you want.”

  “I’m not sure what you mean.”

  “Damn it, Caleb!” Wyn dragged back a chair and sat down. “Look, I know it’s hard for you to be trapped in this time. And your condition–”

  “That would be lycanthropy?” He had Seth to thank for that. Up until three years ago, Caleb had thought werewolves an archaic myth. Viewing what he’d become as an affliction or controllable illness made it easier to discuss, but no less shameful. “Aside from the headaches and those times when you have to lock me up, I’m managing it well.”

  “That’s not in debate. But being what you are gives you an edge. Heightened senses, superior strength, sexual stamina.”

  “There are advantages,” Caleb agreed with a grin. He was toying, but his nephew didn’t bite.

  “You’ve got chemistry on your side,” Wyn said. �
��Enhanced pheromones. I don’t understand how it works, but I know women have a hard time resisting you. It’s like an alpha male thing, and it’s all wrapped up with that antiquated gentility of yours. The combination is lethal–especially when you can turn the damn thing on and off at will.”

  Losing his taste for breakfast, Caleb shoved his plate aside. “I’m a beta wolf, Winston. Seth is the Alpha.”

  Wyn pointed a finger at him. “Don’t split hairs with me. You know damn well what I mean. I don’t give a shit if you can’t transform at will like that SOB who used to be your friend. And I don’t care what the full moon does to you. I’m talking about everyday persuasive power. You shouldn’t have used it on Arianna.”

  Caleb frowned, disturbed to have his integrity questioned. “I wouldn’t manipulate someone who did me a kindness.”

  Yes, he had the ability Wyn spoke of, but he also understood the responsibility that went hand-in-glove with that influence. Relationships were different in the twenty-first century. In his day, there was no such thing as casual sex. There’d been a handful of women he could call on, if and when he’d felt the need to satisfy his natural instincts. Prostitutes and camp followers trailed after regiments and brigades, and brothels were abundant in most of the larger towns.

  In the present world he’d had to adapt, knowing he couldn’t afford prying questions or emotional entanglements. Men still gathered in drinking establishments–now called bars, women too. He’d learned some of the females were eager to take him home for the night, as keen as he was for a few hours of pleasure.

  “Arianna’s reaction had nothing to do with me being a werewolf.”

  He stood, focused on more coffee. Given his problem with headaches, Wyn had told him to cut back, but coffee was one of the few indulgences he had left. Sex was a rarity, and he’d never developed a taste for tobacco or hard liquor.

  That brought him back to sex and the nagging knowledge he’d been without it for too long. He might have come from a morally stricter time, but he liked a willing and expressive partner in bed. Damn if Arianna Hart hadn’t awakened thoughts of what he’d been missing.

  Blessed with a waterfall of ebony hair, porcelain skin and glittering cat-green eyes, she carried herself with a poise lacking in many of the modern day females he’d met. Her clothes hadn’t been overly revealing, but her top and jeans were snug enough for him to appreciate her curves. Given the comment she’d made about an ex-boyfriend on the police force, he’d pieced together the man in question was Lucas Drake. He didn’t know Lucas, but had already pegged him as a rival.