Vixen (The Fox and Hound Book 1)

by Catherine Labadie

  “You’ve got guts, Sierra, but it’s really not in your

  best interests to continue this fiasco. Hayley, their relationship wouldn’t be anyone’s problem in an ideal world, but here…have you ever heard of a half-breed-human couple before, presuming the ginger here doesn’t want his secret going public? Have you ever heard of—” Hayley slaps a hand over his mouth before he can spill the rest; he’s already said too much, and we can’t count on the other dinner conversations to grant our dialogue privacy.

  “The ginger here,” Duncan interjects, surprising me by doing so and by the faint chill in his voice, “doesn’t care if the word gets out and causes trouble. I’ll be there for her and protect her when it’s needed. Like Hayley said, it’s not anyone else’s business, and I’d rather go through the muck than just give up on…what Sierra and I have for public reasons.” He’s staring Eisen down, not with narrowed eyes, but with determination and something like annoyance in his voice. Eisen, surprised, closes his mouth against arguing more and studies Duncan, a hard look on his face.

  “Let’s go get the bowls for dessert!” Hayley chirps nervously, breaking the tension in the air. Grabbing my arm, she practically drags me out of my chair; I think

  about summoning Duncan as I go, but he and Eisen continue to size each other up.

  “Whew!” Hayley exclaims once we escape the tense bubble by sojourning in the kitchen. “At least you got one that can defend you from your brothers.”

  “I’d say that’s a strange concept, but we both know you’re right,” I admit, checking my reflection in the patio window to make sure I still look presentable.

  “Of course I’m right,” Hayley snorts as she

  reverently lifts the bowl of pudding out of the fridge and sets it on the island; I help by gathering the appropriate number of bowls from a cabinet near the stainless steel sink. “Honestly, you know I am very fond of Eisen, but he can be such an ass sometimes!”

  “We knew he was going to be an ass about me dating anybody,” I reason as I line the bowls up on the counter for Hayley to fill; she huffs as she opens a drawer to pull out a large wooden serving spoon. “It’s no surprise that he’s an ass about this issue either.”

  “That’s no excuse!” Hayley scoops hefty servings of creamy banana pudding into each bowl, scowling at the dessert. She’s always been fierce on my behalf, and I’m grateful for her support now.

  “I miss the reasonable Eisen, you know?” I say as I grab several spoons out of a different drawer. “The one who’d always be willing to listen and wait and see before jumping to conclusions or letting bias cloud his judgment.”

  “He’s still a young, hot-blooded male, so I suppose we shouldn’t expect a lot of decent behavior from him when it comes to his little sister. Nevertheless, I’ll be sure to send him a SMARTnote later detailing his rudeness to our dinner guest.”

  “You do that,” I smile when her long fluffy tail bristles in indignation as she slides the depleted dessert back into the fridge. Undoubtedly, she will message Eisen before the day is done.

  “At least you have Duncan to protect you…not that you need protecting, of course, since you are a strong woman and the equal of any man,” Hayley sighs. “The only guy who’s been interested in me was

  that Jansen dumbass who turned out to be a drama queen with masculinity issues. He could give my psycho cousin Jenifer a run for her money…the two of them could take her prescription meds and go mess up other people’s lives.”

  “Yeah…at least I have Duncan,” I say, wondering if he and Eisen have stopped glaring at each other by now as I ask about Hayley’s semi-existent love life and help her escort the bowls of pudding to the dining room table.

  28

  Our drive back to the house is quiet, mostly because all our stomachs are completely stuffed from Bernette’s delicious dinner and dessert. My fingers tap against the fabric of my seat as anxiety over coming clean to my brothers fills my mind. Post dinner, Hayley and I enjoyed a good amount of conversation as we slouched on the sofas in her furnished basement like the teenagers we are, and I admit that I’ve missed talking to someone who knows me so well. Duncan joined us once everyone else at the table had interviewed him—Wade found out he plays a champion game on SMARTspace, so they discussed that for a long time—and I felt…comfortable. I was relaxed around people who weren’t judging me or

  wanting to use me to do something for them.

  My brothers were surprisingly kind—Eisen especially so, since I guess he and Duncan have decided to be civil—by letting me sit in the back with Duncan, although that could be residual mental dullness from the food coma we’re all suffering. I hold Duncan’s hand, strangely peaceful in spite of what’s ahead. He has that calming effect on me, and I hope he’s not too keyed up. They probably won’t, but he could possibly

  think that my brothers might attack him once they know the whole story. I wish we could talk, but not while my brothers would listen in immediately, all three pairs of fox ears swiveling to catch the slightest murmur.

  After the long, quiet journey, we arrive home in fairly good time, and groans about being so full get passed around by all the men as we pile out of the van; Wade in particular ate so much banana pudding that Bernette won’t have more than two spoonfuls left. Duncan squeezes my hand as we head inside before letting go.

  Here we go, I think grimly, uselessly trying to string together a magic combination of non-chaos-causing words.

  We loiter in the kitchen for awhile, standing around in the shadows cast by the outdated, plain chandelier hanging above the table. Duncan and I lean back against the sink, our arms crossed in a subconscious mirrored position; Wade has thrown himself into a chair, and Harold takes a seat with more dignity. Eisen, glowering slightly, angles himself with the door frame, leaning against it. He catches my eye and nods significantly towards our brothers.

  “What time did you say your dad would pick you up?” Harold asks after we exchange more small talk involving casual questions about Duncan’s life. He says it kindly, but I can tell he wants my boyfriend to go home so we can all sleep.

  “Actually,” I say, seizing the opportunity. “He’s going to drive home himself.”

  “Sure he is,” Wade laughs mirthlessly. “That would be great, I’m sure, but until you’re twenty you should

  accept your fate as backseat baggage.”

  “That’s true,” Duncan says, casual as if we’re still talking about his family or school. “If I was a half-breed, of course I wouldn’t drive until it was legal.” His tone is courteous, like he’s quietly letting Wade know he made a social faux pas. Meanwhile, I inspect the linoleum tiles of the floor, deciding I need to sweep again soon…but I feel prickles on my skin as my family registers the content of Duncan’s words.

  “If…you were half-breed?” Wade asks.

  “What do you mean?” Harold’s voice is suddenly stern, since his lawyer sense lets him know that Duncan’s apologetic face isn’t amused.

  “Show them,” I say quietly, not daring to look up from the floor; I’m going to have to do battle shortly, so

  maybe my unhelpfulness now can be excused as mere preparation.

  Duncan obliges: his irises lighten to green again, and the animal alertness I’ve grown used to over the evening fades from his posture. Whatever weird trick he uses to turn off his half-breed senses switches off his warm, wood-spice canine scent; a less pure, all human whiff of Duncan glides through the room.

  The effect on my brothers is instantaneous: Wade leaps out of his chair with a profanity, clearly freaked, and Harold rises to his feet with anger in his dark eyes, although he keeps his fists clenched at his sides. I’m proud of him for keeping himself from flying off the handle as he surely wants to, but my eyes go to Eisen next. My look pleads for him to be on our side in spite of my wish for a poker face, but his expression is fathomless; I can tell he had hoped I was somehow

  wrong, but now without a doubt he believes me. I resist th
e need to step in front of Duncan to protect him from whatever they might do.

  “He’s human,” I explain before anyone else can speak, “And he’s half-breed. I know it’s crazy, but it’s real, and it’s also not his fault. We all knew this day would come…the vaccine had to stop working or something…”

  We didn’t expect this development, that’s for sure, and Wade calls me on it.

  “Seriously? ‘We all knew this day would come?’ What is wrong with you, Sierra?”

  “Nothing is wrong with me!” I take Duncan’s hand, perhaps a little aggressively, and hold it tight as I speak. “It shouldn’t matter what he is, right? Humans and half-breeds are supposed to be equal!”

  “In an ideal world, sure, but not in a day and age where you’ll get lynched just for going outside if anyone finds out you enjoy…fraternizing with a human boy!” Wade shouts, his ears almost flat on his head and his furry features transformed into a furious, frantic expression. “That is, if he’s not dragged into a lab never to see the light of day again!”

  “Do you think I would endanger her that way?” Duncan demands, obviously no longer calm even if he’s not as near to hysteria as Wade. “People think I’m still human. We’re keeping this under wraps for now.”

  This wasn’t the best thing to say, but Duncan’s protective aura makes me feel a tiny bit better…until I really look around the room and see my brothers’ pulled back ears and their arched, combative tails.

  Are they afraid? For me, yes, but are they scared of

  me too? I wonder sadly. Scared that I’m insane for fighting for something with too much baggage?

  “They think you’re still human, hm?” Wade growls, hardly able to get out the words around the snarl lodged in his throat. “Fat lot of good that does her! You might get off with your kind assuming you have a fetish, but Sierra? Do you even know how people treat half-breeds who sleep with humans?”

  “Wade Hampton Maurell!” I’m angry now, my voice rising as I stalk towards him, abandoning Duncan’s comforting hand over mine. “That is the biggest load of crap I’ve ever heard come out of your mouth! You know no one has ever heard of another half-breed and human couple! Besides, where did your 'push for equality' attitude go, out the window with the rest of your brain?” Eisen chortles and I whirl on him, glaring.

  “What’s funny, Eisen? Is it perhaps your complete and utter uselessness that you’re snickering at?” I need to avoid losing control, but the feelings I have for Duncan and my own self-respect interfere with my determination to make this scene go my way by being mature. My hands shake and I indulge in a slow,

  calming exhale.

  “YOU KNEW?” Wade roars, turning on Eisen faster than I expected. “You knew and you decided to keep something this stupid a secret?”

  Eisen is still cool somehow, the calmest one in the room besides Duncan. “Sierra told me earlier. I was as disbelieving as you, but I knew she wouldn’t lie about something like this…besides, if it was one of her pranks, it’s not one she could carry out to satisfaction.”

  “Why the hell didn’t you tell us before we let him in the damn door?” Wade’s hands are clenched into fists now, and I can see he’s losing it.

  “She said she’d tell you tonight…if she hadn’t, I’d have told you myself at the soonest opportunity,” Eisen shrugs, inspecting his nails like he hasn’t a care in the world.

  “Thanks for your secrecy,” I snarl, stung.

  “You never swore me to it, S,” Eisen sighs long-sufferingly before striding forward and throwing himself into the chair Wade vacated. “As it is, I’m a generous soul, so I decided to wait and see what would transpire of our sister’s unwise dalliance. I wanted to meet the knave she was willing to risk so much for,” Eisen speaks arrogantly, like he’s a scholar settling down to advance his academic proposal before a school board; I am instantly annoyed. “So far, aside from the obvious physicality factors, I—”

  “Enough,” Harold speaks for the first time since this whole episode began; our heads snap around to observe him, comically in sync. “Not a single person here is in the mood for your games, Eisen, so why don’t you stop showing off and get to the point?” His tone is

  dangerous, and I repress a shudder. Harold could rule out of favor with my wishes, and this possibility suddenly feels very real. Even Eisen looks properly cowed.

  “Basically,” he begins again as he shakes back a few stray strands of hair out of his eyes, “I regret to say that aside from what he is and what my sister is, I don’t see any problems with Duncan. I believe he values her…but if he’s truly half-breed, it’s not like that’s much his choice anyway.” His vote of confidence catches

  me off guard, and my ears swivel up to listen for the ensuing laughter, for Eisen to confess he was joking, there’s no chance in hell I should be with Duncan.

  He doesn’t, though, and when I dare raise my eyes to look at Harold’s face, he’s nodding and rubbing his now stubble-rough chin with his hand. Lawyer face, I think, wishing I could tell Duncan that this is what my eldest brother looks like when he’s working. But maybe that wouldn’t be reassuring…

  “Not my choice?” Duncan asks, his eyes lingering briefly on me before he meets Eisen’s speculative gaze. “How is not my choice?”

  “Half-breeds mate young, younger than humans,” my golden brother explains. “I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but it’s not in our nature to date around or fool around unless a certain…connection takes place. Having not felt this bond with anyone, I can’t describe it fully.”

  “Are you saying that I’m not…I’m not in control of how I feel about Sierra?” Duncan’s face is flushed, and I don’t know if it’s from embarrassment that he may have overestimated his feelings, or if he’s upset that whatever value he’s placed on me is under scrutiny.

  “You’re in control,” Harold assures him, speaking academically. “The human part very rarely lets the half-breed nature rule unchallenged. That is to say, your instincts play a huge part in all of this. The animal DNA enhances your feelings, no matter whether it’s biological factors or matching personality types that would coordinate well together over an extended time period. Still…if you felt distaste or repulsion for Sierra’s company, your animal nature would eventually follow

  your human wishes and naturally decrease the attraction. As it is…I think you feel more deeply than you seem.”

  “That…makes sense,” Duncan is embarrassed now, as any guy might be when having a conversation about his emotions with another guy, but he doesn’t deny the truth of Harold’s theory. My heart swoops into my stomach as I realize that theory applies to me as well. You feel more deeply than you seem…

  “You both aren’t seriously considering this, are you?” Wade questions in a furious voice, interrupting the softening of my heart. “This is the stupidest idea known to man, and you’re both condoning it?!”

  “It’s my decision Wade,” I say, weary instead of angry; I want to hug Duncan, bury my face in his chest so I can re-memorize his scent, but I refrain. “Of course, I value your input, but—”

  “—thanks, but no thanks,” Eisen cuts in sarcastically. “‘It’s not you, it’s me’ kind of deal…bad luck, brother. Little sister won’t obey.”

  “Shut up,” Wade snarls at him viciously. “This is more than some silly crush, Eisen, and you need to quit being an ass and realize that Sierra might ruin her life with this—”

  “Would you like me to stop you from seeing Emilee, Wade?” Harold cuts in smoothly, inserting his wiry frame in the middle of an argument like a skilled parent. Wade looks shocked, then wounded like Harold struck him.

  “Like you could…but how is that relevant?” he asks gruffly, his tail angling down with his ears in a sign of retreat.

  “It’s the same thing as what you’re asking Sierra to do, essentially—no, don’t give me that look, just listen,” Harold explains, closing the distance between him and Wade and placing a calming hand on his shoulder. �
�I’ve been a half-breed lawyer for a long time, Wade, and do you know what I’ve seen? I’ve seen humans mistreat half-breeds, and mistreat them cruelly, but I’ve also covered cases where half-breeds attacked or maligned humans with no cause at all. The problem with our world is that we—our two races—do not see each other as equals. If you and Emilee feel the…connection Sierra and Duncan do, would it be fair for me to deny either one of you a chance at happiness?”

  “No,” Wade says grudgingly, one of his ears twitching with irritation.

  “Now you reached the point I got to earlier today,” Eisen boasts, looking over at me with a barely strained smile. “I was as angry as you…and as intolerant…but it wouldn’t be right to stop something like this just because of race.”

  “Exactly,” Harold smiles like he won a case, which I suppose he did.

  “Besides, aren’t there so many other ways we can give her grief about dating?” Eisen saunters up beside me and slides his arm around my shoulders possessively, although I can tell he’s joking…a little. “She’s still very young, and it’s too early to be thinking about a serious relationship, obviously…plus there’s the rights of passage Duncan will have to go through to be considered worthy, and he could easily fail!”

  “Hey!” I exclaim, embarrassed as Eisen ruffles my

  hair with his hand. “That’s not fair either!”

  “Children,” Harold sighs indulgently. “We are still in the middle of a very serious conversation, so if you want this settled before midnight—”

  “I thought it was settled?” I ask as I firmly shove Eisen away and step closer to Duncan. “You three decided it wouldn’t be fair to keep Duncan and me apart just because he’s half-breed as well as human.”

  “Maybe not fair,” Wade interjects, his tone unaffected by the brief spell of humor. “But perhaps necessary.”

  “Even if you don’t care about race, the rest of the world does, and if rumor of this gets out and enough people believe it, both of you could be in a lot of danger,” Harold explains; his voice is gentle, but the content of his words is still worrisome.