Diablo Lake: Protected

by Lauren Dane

  “Which is sort of your jam, right?” Katie Faith asked. “You’re the empathic nurturer.”

  “I’m not a contract negotiator, for heaven’s sake!” But she was good at figuring out what people needed and then finding ways to deliver.

  Katie Faith’s mom interrupted, “Dwayne won’t listen to reason. He won’t listen at all. How can we fix it around him? I like Mac, I always have and I’m not the only person in town glad to see him back. But he’s not even Prime.”

  Which meant he’d have to challenge his father or his brother, maybe even both. Dwayne must have known that when he called Mac home. If not, he certainly had to know it by now. And what the hell kind of father did that to his son? He’d stacked the deck against Mac in so many ways and yet in the end, Mac would have to overcome all that and take over to drag the Pembrys out of this trouble.

  It made her sick and suddenly she loathed Dwayne more than she ever had. Worse, she had lost all trust and confidence that he could run the town to the benefit of all the citizens.

  “Dwayne needs to go. He’s a lousy mayor and he’s holding the rest of us hostage.”

  The room went silent as they all looked to Aimee, smiling.

  “I agree. And I’ve taken the liberty of going over the town bylaws. We can challenge him and call for an election to be held within thirty days.” Miz Rose pushed a sheet of paper her way. “The relevant information is there.”

  “Me? What?”

  Miz Rose gave her a look. “You’re going to run for mayor and beat the snot out of Dwayne Pembry, silly.”

  “I’ll run your campaign!” Katie Faith told her. Even as Aimee shook her head Katie Faith continued speaking. “Before you start to argue, just stop. You can do this. Didn’t we just say this was your jam?”

  “In fact, I think you’d be amazing at it.” Aimee’s mom reached over to squeeze her hand. “You’ve always been a leader. Quiet determination, but the most determined person I’ve ever known. We need to heal after we get this town back on track. You were born for this.”

  “I’d be lying if I denied I hadn’t thought about it. But the fact is, I have a full-time job already. How can I fit it all in? I don’t want to ask the people here in Diablo Lake to get rid of one do-nothing and go replacing him with someone just as bad.”

  Miz Rose waved that away. “I’m old enough to remember other mayors. Dwayne has everything funneled through him because he’s got control issues. But you wouldn’t have to run it that way. The job isn’t meant to be a full-time position. Most everyone else has worked a day job while holding the mayor’s office too.”

  Aimee chewed her lip a moment. “If I delegated to representatives of the different packs and the cats, as well as the witches in the Consort, we could have a much better, more representative form of government. And then the load is redistributed to a larger group, which is more democratic and less overall work. I hope.”

  Her mother grinned. “You have been thinking about this.”

  “Told you. It makes me really mad, you know? Mad that Dwayne acts like he’s owed that job. And one he pretty much sucks at. The roads aren’t being repaired. The signal as you enter town has been broken for months now. Witches already healed the tree that’d been dying in the town-square park, but we had to do it on our own, without permission because he farted around so long playing games. The school needs the funding for another teacher and he won’t even have a damned committee meeting scheduled to deal with it.” Aimee curled her lip a moment.

  “There’s so much antagonism and drama that we can’t even have a city council meeting anymore without having to reschedule for another day. And he’s doing nothing to fix any of this. It’s like he’s frozen in headlights or something. Whatever it is, I’m just totally sick of it. I don’t want to be mayor forever. But I think we need a break from Dwayne. To cleanse the town’s palate before a new leader takes over.”

  “This is the part where I play devil’s advocate even though I think you’ll be a great mayor, okay?” Katie Faith asked. At Aimee’s nod, she continued, “He’s going to see this as an attack against Pembry.”

  “Maybe.” Aimee shook her head with a snort. “Most likely he will even though it isn’t. I can’t control his feelings. Not that I won’t be careful. I’m not stupid. My aim is to approach this in a way that’s best for everyone when I can.”

  “How’s Mac going to feel about this?” Katie Faith went on.

  She kept her wince back, but the pressure of her mother’s deepening attention landed on her. “I hope he won’t take it as an insult because that’s not what it is. But I can’t control his feelings either.”

  She really liked him. A lot. And she didn’t want to hurt him. She could only hope he’d see what she was doing for what it was. Regardless, she was going forward because she truly felt it was what was best for everyone.

  “He should understand politics. Jace did and he’s all superbossy wolf with most everything else. I bet Mac will think it’s hot that you’re doing this. Gonna get his werewolf DNA all riled up.”

  “I think not having this discussion right now would be best for me,” she told her best friend.

  It then dawned on Katie Faith that Aimee’s momma was sitting right there and perhaps werewolf hotness wasn’t a topic for that time.

  She mouthed, “Oops.”

  “Moving on. So, we’ll challenge Dwayne tonight and I’m the one who’ll run for the mayor’s office. Is everyone sure about this? We haven’t polled the entire Consort about this.”

  “We already discussed this before the last city council meeting. The Consort is in agreement through representatives who all spoke for the witches in this town. You’re well liked. Trusted. Better than that, you’re respected.” Miz Rose smiled. “You’ve taken care of a lot of people in Diablo Lake or their kin so they know you, or feel like they do. Your mother is right, you’d be amazing at being mayor.”

  Aimee rapped her knuckles on the tabletop. “All right then. Let’s go make trouble for the man.”

  “Hold up, sweetheart,” her mom called out, linking arms with her. “I’ll ride in with you. Makes no sense for me to drive as well. Your dad will meet us there and I can come home with him after.”

  “And so I can tell you my story,” she said as they got into the car.

  “Well, naturally.”

  Despite being embarrassed, she found herself feeling unburdened as she related the situation with Bob to her mother. It also helped that her attention had to be on the road and then finding a good parking space as she told it.

  Once she’d parked and turned the car off, she turned, allowing herself to face her mom. “He made me the other woman. I’m just so disgusted with myself. Humiliated that I made such a mistake.”

  There was no harsh judgment on her mother’s face. Not for Aimee anyway. The fierce lines on her features were in defense of her child, not against her behavior. “You didn’t do anything bad here so stop being disgusted with anyone but him. He’s in the wrong. He lied to everyone here and now he’s trying to push it off on you.” She made a disgusted sound.

  “I’m a witch! I should have known he was hiding something. I can tell with everyone else. Maybe I didn’t want to see it. I dated him for a few years on and off. I never thought he was the one or anything. We had fun. It wasn’t serious. He had kids and a wife that whole time and it never even occurred to me.” Aimee banded her arms over her stomach. Not being able to rely on her magical gifts had really left her off balance.

  “Some people are good liars. They’re good liars because they’re deluding themselves too. That’s why you missed it. Also, darling, who on earth does that? He had his own apartment for his dalliances. He lied to everyone including you.”

  “He never seemed like a sociopath! He opened my door. His job is helping disabled poor people. He really did seem to care a
bout that.”

  “Hitler loved dogs.” Her mother rolled her eyes. “So he’s not entirely evil. Big whoop. He had no reason to tell you at this point except to make himself feel better. It’s like he walked back over to you, punched you in the gut and then walked away again.”

  Aimee nodded emphatically. “I wasn’t sad when we broke it off. And I didn’t miss him. But this left me feeling so used. He made me into something I wouldn’t have chosen to be. And he did it without my consent.”

  Her mom pulled Aimee into a fierce hug. “I want to head down there and beat the pee-whining shit out of that man. This is not on you.” She gave Aimee’s shoulders a little shake as she pulled away, just to underline that point. “You were raised better. You’re not who he tried to make you into.”

  She hadn’t realized just how much she’d needed to hear a pep talk like that until her mom gave it to her.

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “I love you. Now. The next thing we have to discuss is Mac. You’ll bring him to dinner this Sunday.”

  Not a suggestion or a request.

  She could have argued that it was too soon to have him over to her parents’. But that would have been a lie. Her mother knew it and she knew it. So she accepted that, like a lot of other ways, Diablo Lake courting was often different than it was elsewhere.

  “If he’s still talking to me after I announce in front of God and everyone that I’m out to steal his daddy’s job.”

  Her mom snorted and then opened her door. “If the boy’s that weak, leave him be. But I doubt he is or you’d have been bored. Come on then, Ms.Mayor. Let’s get moving.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Aimee was glad they arrived early because not ten minutes after they got seated, the room had swollen with people until it was near to bursting. It looked like half the town turned out.

  Miz Rose had a seat on the City Council and looked over to them with a nod from her place at the big table on a dais at the front of the room.

  “Is it weird I’m excited? Like we’re on a caper,” Katie Faith said quietly.

  “Yes, it’s weird. But you’re weird. I’m sorry to have to inform you of this. I know it might come as a shock.”

  Katie Faith socked her in the thigh so hard she knew she’d have a knot there later.

  “You’re going to give me the church giggles and then Jace is going to frown at me.”

  “How can you tell the difference? He frowns all the time.” Aimee looked over at her friend’s husband as he came in, his grandmother on his arm. “Anyway, if you’re giggling and trying not to, you’ll be too busy to get up to any real trouble.”

  “You have a low opinion of me,” Katie Faith sniffed around a snicker.

  “Hush. I’ve got to look leader...uh...leaderish. Or whatever. You know, in charge and stuff.”

  “Leadertastic?”

  “Leadermaster.”

  “Leadermistress?”

  “No. That’s dumb.”

  Katie Faith’s suppressed laughter had given in to shaking as she tried to hold it back. Of course this silliness made Aimee less nervous and a lot more amused.

  Nadine, sitting on the other side of her daughter, handed Katie Faith a hard candy of some sort along with a look that told her to get herself together.

  “Eat your butterscotch and hush,” Aimee murmured and grunted as her friend’s elbow dug into her ribs.

  Mac walked through the double doors and she had to pause to appreciate all the man brought to the table. His gaze had that implacable thing the wolves tended to give off when they were on duty. Tough. On full alert and ready for anything that might come.

  He wore a suit. But he wore it like a warrior. Damn.

  His gaze flicked over the people in the room until he found her. A smile marked his fantastic—and talented—mouth.

  She waved. If any other females saw that connection, good. Mac was a virile male in his prime and he looked so gorgeous it made her warm all over.

  He leaned over to speak to Huston, who also turned to face her with a grin. Huston was another one of the Pembrys she’d always liked.

  She waved at him too, though less cheekily.

  Mac and Huston began to weave their way through the crowd as Dwayne came in with Darrell at his side. The energy changed then as Mac’s attention hardened. He changed course, moving to his father instead.

  “I feel bad that I’m not going to tell him before we do this. I don’t want him to feel ambushed,” she said to her mom.

  “This is his world, sugar bear. He’s going to understand and know you need to do what you’re supposed to. If he’s right for you, he’ll not only understand it, but he’ll respect it. If he doesn’t? Well, then he’s a fool just like his daddy. Better to know that up front before you invest one day more of yourself in him.”

  “You’re good at this stuff.” She rested her head on her mom’s shoulder for a moment.

  “You’re not hard to love. You make good choices.” She glared at Aimee. “Don’t even try to take ownership of that matter we discussed in the car.”

  Busted.

  Dwayne sat and rapped a gavel. “Before we get started tonight I’m going to warn everyone here to be civil or you’ll be ejected. I will not allow any more disruptions.”

  But he’d been the one to start the last fight!

  At first, the room went dead silent as pretty much everyone thought that very thing. Then Aimee stood, strode to the microphone and spoke.

  “I’d like to be placed on the agenda.”

  “We’re busy.” He had the audacity to sneer her way. The witches began to whisper, their energy sharp and angry.

  “According to town bylaws, any citizen can approach the council at the beginning of the session and request to be added to the agenda.” Aimee wasn’t going to let him rile her up and lose focus.

  “That may well be. But as we couldn’t get our business done two days ago, we have a very full schedule.”

  “I’m looking at the official agenda.” Aimee held up the piece of paper Miz Rose had given her earlier. “You even have citizen commentary as an item. It’s already there.”

  He tried to argue with her. She watched him look for ways to maneuver around her.

  “As we don’t need the mayor’s approval to add an item to the city council agenda, I’ve added you.” Miz Rose had her own gavel but the way she rapped it sent out a peal of sound along with magic that seemed to put a period on that subject.

  Before an argument could break out over it, Aimee turned and went back to her seat.

  And as she sat and listened to a report about potholes and another about repairs needing to be made to the bridge leading back out to the main road from town, she was convinced she was doing what was necessary.

  When Miz Rose called her name, she stood and headed to the microphone again. Mac watched her and she smiled his way, hoping like hell that he wasn’t going to be angry or upset over what she was about to do.

  “State your name, Family and whether you’re a resident of Diablo Lake,” the council secretary told her.

  “I’m Aimee Benton, a witch, born of witches and a lifelong resident of Diablo Lake. Under article four of the Diablo Lake charter and section three of the council rules, I call for a mayoral election to be held within thirty days.”

  * * *

  Mac had been watching the curve of her backside, thinking about the state of her underthings when she up and challenged his father for the mayor’s office.

  He’d been sitting in a knot of wolves and it said a lot about the state of pack unity and the health of the town in general that there was only a very small outcry—his mother, brother and a few of his dad’s cronies and confidantes. The rest of Pembry either smiled or remained silent.

  “Did she wa
rn you about this?” Huston asked in an undertone.

  “Nope.”

  “Huh.”

  “Yeah.” Mac wasn’t sure how to feel about that. He didn’t feel used. But he wondered why she hadn’t mentioned it the night before.

  One thing he knew for sure was that his father had asked for exactly this. How he reacted would seal his fate.

  Darrell stood, growling and before Mac blinked, Jace was up at Aimee’s side. Which agitated Mac’s wolf because he was the one who should be defending her.

  She turned to Jace, speaking quietly. Mac had to force himself to remain seated as the exchange happened and then decided fuck that. His wolf wasn’t much for staying still at that moment. So he quickly moved to Darrell, shoving him back into his chair.

  “You, shut it and get yourself under control. Now,” he ordered his brother.

  “I don’t take orders from you.” Darrell’s dumb mouth made the words and Mac wanted to punch him so much he allowed himself to fist his hands a few times.

  Mac got his face close enough to Darrell that his brother actually flinched. “You will or I swear by all that is holy I will beat your ass right here in front of every living soul in this town. You know I can. You might even know I want to. So go ahead on.”

  Darrell broke eye contact. Once that was resolved, Mac returned to his seat to watch this battle of wills between his father and Aimee.

  “Miss Benton, you have no authority to do any such thing,” Dwayne said in such a condescending manner Mac knew immediately how that would go over.

  And his sexy little witch didn’t disappoint when she simply stared at his father and said, “I’m sure you wish it was so. Me? I’m just disappointed the mayor doesn’t know the rules of the town he’s taken an oath to run. Read the relevant sections I noted. I’ll wait.”

  “You complain about how things are going and then you add fuel to the fire. That’s not very responsible of you, young lady.”

  She smiled brightly for a moment, totally surprising and then confusing his father. As she’d intended.