The two men clasped arms, slapping each other’s backs.
“Give me a break, Shawn. I just got home.”
Shawn’s bright green gaze had already slid past Kane, the laugh lines around his eyes deepening as he gazed at Lilly. “And you’ve already found the prettiest tourist in town, I see.” Grabbing her hand, he made a show of bending as he kissed the back of it.
Kane fought the urge to growl low in his throat. “Lilly’s no tourist. I brought her home with me. She and I are staying at Wolf Hollow. Together.”
Immediately, the other man’s entire demeanor changed. He released Lilly’s hand as though it were a live coal. “I’m sorry, McGraw. I didn’t know she was your—”
“It’s okay.” Kane cut him off before he could say mate. The last thing he needed was something else to frighten Lilly. She was as skittish as a newborn fawn that’d found itself alone in a wolf’s den. “We came to eat. I’ve been craving your corned beef and cabbage ever since I got here.”
At his words, Shawn’s worried expression smoothed out. “It’s your lucky day,” he drawled. “I just happen to have a bit left over from the lunch rush. I’m still cooking the one for tonight’s dinner crowd.”
“I’ll take it.” Kane climbed onto one of the bar stools, indicating that Lilly should do the same. “And a pint of Guinness.”
Shawn grinned. “Coming right up.” He looked at Lilly, this time the twinkle in his eyes a bit more constrained. “And what would you like, pretty lady?”
Swallowing, she squared her shoulders and lifted her gaze to meet his. “I’d like fish, if you have it. Rainbow Trout? And a glass of iced tea.”
“You got it.” Hurrying behind the bar, Shawn got Kane’s Guinness and hurried into the kitchen to place their orders and fetch Lilly’s tea.
Once he’d gone, Lilly turned and faced Kane, her blue gaze direct. “What was he about to call me?”
He pretended not to know what she meant. “When? I didn’t hear him say anything.”
Biting her lip, she shook her head. Shawn hurried back into the room, bearing her drink and a plate of something else.
“Fried pickles!” Shawn crowed, placing them on the bar. “On the house.”
Lilly wrinkled her nose.
“Try one,” Shawn urged. “I promise, they’re good.”
Lilly reached for the plate with the same tentative, two-fingered grip one might use for a bug. She snagged a fried pickle and brought it to her nose to check out the scent. Kane wondered if she realized this was a wolf thing since wolves used their sense of smell more than any other. He decided not to mention it. Instead, he watched as Lilly screwed up her courage and popped the fried pickle into her mouth.
Kane found himself captivated as she slowly chewed.
“It’s good,” she said, sounding shocked as a tentative smile hovered on the edge of her lush mouth.
“Told you!” Shawn grinned and high-fived Kane.
Lilly ate a couple more pickles before excusing herself to go to the bathroom.
The instant she disappeared around the corner, Shawn’s smile vanished. “Kane, you should know that Anabel Lee thinks you’ve come back for her.”
“Anabel Lee?” Kane nearly groaned. “Why would she think that? I haven’t seen or talked to her since before I left for college.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.” Shawn grimaced. “Her husband was killed in Afghanistan six months ago. Ever since then, she’s been lost. And now she seems to have fixated on you. She was in here just last night, talking about how you’d come back for her. She said now that you’re in town, she expects to have an announcement soon.”
Kane narrowed his eyes. “How’d she know I was back?”
“Probably the same way we all do. You know how it is. News travels fast in a small town. And Debi does like to talk.”
Debi was his brother Kris’s wife. She’d always enjoyed the gossip.
“Still, what the heck is the deal with Anabel?” Kane dragged his hand through his hair. “You mentioned a husband. Surely she’s had some sort of life in the eighteen years since high school.”
Shawn nodded. “From all appearances, she and David were happily married. They were together five years before his tank hit an IUD and killed him. They never had kids. She was pretty broken up about losing him. Folks say she never quite got right in the head.”
“I’m sorry for her loss, but I don’t understand what any of this has to do with me.”
“Who knows?” Turning away, Shawn grabbed a bar glass and began polishing it. “But for whatever reason, she’s apparently convinced herself that you’re her true mate. Maybe it’s her way of dealing with her grief, I don’t know. I can tell you, though, she’s not going to take too well to your showing up with another woman. This Lilly, she seems delicate.”
Both men glanced toward the bathroom.
“What’s your point?” Kane finally asked. “I don’t really care what Anabel thinks. While I feel bad that she lost her husband, hell, I don’t even know her anymore. But I do want to keep things as quiet as possible for Lilly.”
“My advice—let Anabel down gently. But in order to keep her away from you, you’re going to need to publicly claim Lilly as yours.” Shawn leaned in, his expression earnest. “Not only so word gets back to Anabel, but to keep all the single guys in town from beating a path to your doorstep.”
Stunned, Kane looked at his old friend. “I hardly think that’s necessary.”
“What’s necessary?” Lilly asked, her unexpected appearance nearly making Kane jump.
“Nothing,” Kane answered, shooting Shawn a quelling look. “What’s keeping our food?”
Taking the hint, the other man hurried off to check with the kitchen. A moment later, he returned, carrying two steaming plates.
Grateful, Kane smiled his thanks before leaning forward to breathe in the aromatic smell.
“This looks wonderful.” Lilly sounded appreciative as she did the same with her perfectly cooked rainbow trout.
Shawn flashed them a smile before discreetly stepping back to the other side of the bar so they could eat.
When they’d finished, Kane paid the check, telling Shawn he’d see him around. He then turned to Lilly, reached out and lightly touched her shoulder. “How about we take a stroll around the downtown square?”
Again, Lilly seemed to draw back inside herself. “Why?”
He helped her down from the bar stool. If he kept his hand on her skin a little longer than necessary, he told himself he had a valid reason.
“First off, to show you the town.” He slid his hand down her arm and took her hand. This time, she curled her fingers trustingly around his without hesitation. “Second, I want you to see other Shifters, so you can see how at home everyone is in their bodies.”
When she turned to look at him, her gaze had gone flat. “Trying to undo my conditioning?”
Surprised, he frowned. He could have hemmed and hawed, but he believed in honesty whenever possible. “Yes. You never know. It might help you.”
“Been there, done that. You forget, I was going to therapy while I was in Seattle. They took me to some church full of Shape-shifters.” She shuddered. “It was creepy. Reminded me of Sanctuary, even though they could change into wolves.”
Kane wanted to find that therapist and wring his or her neck for their stupidity. “I hope Lucas didn’t waste a lot of money on that shrink,” he said instead. “Sounds like an idiot.”
This at least coaxed a reluctant smile. She nodded. “He was. And yes, Lucas realized it. He switched me to a woman after that. She was a little better.”
They’d made it to the parking lot. He stopped, enjoying the feel of her hand in his and aware he should give her a choice. “Do you want to see the rest of downtown? Or would you rather go back to Wolf Hollow?”
She gave him a long considering look before slipping her sunglasses back over her eyes. “We can take a short walk.”
The flush of happiness he
felt seemed way out of place. Or did it? He’d been charged with protecting her. He’d always planned to help her become physically stronger. If he could do so for her internally, as well, so much the better. It was nothing more than that.
As they turned, he kept her hand tucked into his, unwilling to release her just yet. Hand in hand they strolled, and hounds help him but he took pleasure in the knowledge that they looked like any other couple, out for an afternoon walk around the town. He felt...content. Maybe even happy, at least the most he had in a long time. Intellectually, he knew he and Lilly would never have any sort of future together, and he wasn’t deceiving himself about that. He was her bodyguard, soon to be teacher, and his goal was to make her a stronger, more centered woman who could finally accept her dual nature as something good. Once the Protectors caught up with the last stragglers from Sanctuary, he hoped Lilly could go forward with confidence and the knowledge she had a right to a long, happy life.
Other people glanced at them, but took no real notice. It had been so long since Kane had been to Leaning Tree, he wasn’t surprised he didn’t see anyone he knew. Truth be told, he was actually glad. He didn’t want his afternoon with Lilly to be interrupted.
Lilly continued to look at everything with a sort of interested delight. She constantly studied various groups of people, a slight frown creasing her creamy skin. “So all of these people are Shifters?”
He grinned. “Most of them. Do you see the auras?”
Lowering her sunglasses, she turned in a slow three-hundred-and-sixty-degree turn. “Yes,” she said, her voice rising in excitement. “I do.”
“Good. And the ones who have no auras, those are most likely humans. Or—” he hesitated, and then decided he might as well go all in “—they might be vampires.”
After a startled second, she laughed. “Good one.”
“I’m serious.”
She shook her head, a smile still playing around her mouth. “Even if vampires did exist, it’s broad daylight. And sunny.”
“That’s a myth,” he began.
“Like vampires aren’t?”
Kane laughed out loud, enjoying the verbal sparring. “You have to think of it this way. If Shape-shifters—aka werewolves—are real, then why not vampires?”
Her expression stilled and grew serious. “You’re not kidding, are you?”
“Nope.”
Silence while she pondered this. He gave her time, aware how much broader her world had just become.
They continued walking, stopping in front of store windows, lingering a while at the stained-glass shop. Still holding hands, which astounded him. With anyone else, he would have considered this too long for the kind of relationship they had. They weren’t lovers, after all.
Lovers. The second the thought occurred to him, he had a mental image of her under him, naked and welcoming.
Damn. The flash of instant desire nearly had him pulling his hand away from hers. Nearly. He glanced at her, to see if he’d somehow communicated his need. Apparently not. With her fingers still intertwined with his, she appeared to be gazing across the square at the little curio shop, lost in her own thoughts.
“Vampires,” she mused. Relieved that she hadn’t noticed his insanity, he nodded.
“Yep.”
They reached the park with its paved walking trails and a freshly painted white gazebo, surrounded by vibrant blooming rose bushes.
“How pretty,” she said, smiling up at him.
“Yeah, it’s a popular spot for weddings and photographers.”
She nodded. “I imagine.” Then, as they started back the way they’d come, she took a deep breath and squeezed his hand once, causing him to look at her.
“What else is there?” she asked, sounding slightly breathless. “I mean how much of the stories are real? Werewolves, vampires... Are there fairies and elves and zombies, too?”
Somehow he managed to keep a straight face. “I’ve never seen or heard of such a thing as a zombie.”
“Really?” Peeking at him over her large sunglasses, she said, “Though I noticed you didn’t say anything about fairies or elves.”
He shrugged. “What can I say? The world is much more diverse than most people know.”
For whatever reason, learning this appeared to energize her rather than add to her fear. Amusement flickered in her eyes, her expression animated and more alive than he’d ever seen her.
“I think I’d like to investigate this further.”
He smiled back at her, aching with the need to kiss her. To distract himself, he glanced at his watch. “We should probably head back. I think you’ve had enough excitement for one day.”
Her smile faded, causing him a pang of regret. “Since you’re interested in learning, I’ll rustle up some books for you to read.”
True to his word, when they reached Wolf Hollow, he made a quick stop at his parents’ house, running inside and snagging a few of the many books on Shifter history. Handing them to her, he drove the rest of the way to their cabin, unable to keep from smiling at the way she excitedly started paging through them.
They spent the rest of the afternoon reading. Lilly curled up in the big armchair by the window, while Kane took the couch.
Though he tried, he couldn’t get lost in his story like he usually did. Lilly’s presence proved too distracting.
But Lilly didn’t seem to have any problem tuning him out. She dove into the books, beaming with an almost childish delight. Fascinated, he watched her, careful to appear engrossed in his own book whenever she looked up.
* * *
Lilly couldn’t believe the wealth of knowledge now at her fingertips. For the short time she’d been in high school fifteen years ago, she’d loved history. The fact that these books were an appealing combination of myth and truth made her that much more eager to read them.
Doing her best to ignore Kane’s continual perusal, she even managed to forget about that as she got lost in the words.
Deep into reading about vampires, a sound from outside had her lifting her head. Two big men, boisterous and happy. Their deep voices had a similar lilt and cadence. Kyle and Kris, Kane’s two brothers. She could hear them before they even reached the porch.
Lifting his head from the book he’d been reading, Kane cocked his head. He heard them, too. She hoped he’d intercept them outside. Instead, he carefully marked his page and closed the book, placing it on the coffee table.
“It’s about time they came for a visit,” he said, smiling broadly.
Though she nodded, she couldn’t help but consider taking her books and retreating into the bedroom. Once again she wished she could be stronger, confident. Not worrying about meeting men who, if they were anything like Kane, were kindhearted and honest. Good men.
The instant their boots clomped on the porch, Kane yanked open the door, not even waiting for the knock. “Hey,” he said, thumping one and then the other on the back. Since men seemed to do this all the time, she guessed it didn’t bother them, which was good. She would have thought it would hurt.
“Hey, yourself.” Kyle’s gaze, a darker gray than Kane’s, drifted to Lilly. “How are you?” he asked, politely holding out his hand for her to shake.
Swallowing, she squared her shoulders and stepped forward. There was nothing left for her to do but take it.
When she did, he pulled her in for a quick bear hug. “None of this handshaking stuff for me,” he said, laughing. ‘We’re all family here.”
The instant Kyle released her, Kris mimicked him. She couldn’t help but notice they both smelled the same, like pine trees and the outdoors.
Greetings finished, they turned in unison to look at Kane. “We’re going hunting after dark,” Kyle said. “We thought you might want to join us.”
For a second, Lilly thought she saw Kane’s face morph into that of a wolf. She blinked, and it was gone. Which meant she must have imagined it, since he hadn’t started shape-shifting or anything.
“I do,”
he said, and then glanced at Lilly. “I thought you could hang out with Sharon and Debi while we’re gone.”
“Kind of like a girls’ night in.” Kris beamed. “I have to tell you, our wives are so excited. They’ve rented some chick flick for you all to watch and Sharon’s making some of her famous margaritas.”
Put like that, there was no way she could refuse. Slowly she nodded, hoping her smile was enthusiastic enough.
“What about Tom?” Kane asked. Tom, Lilly remembered, was his sister Kathy’s husband. “Is he going with us? I know Kathy loves those girls’ nights.”
“Nope. They drove up to Albany for the weekend. Going baby furniture shopping or something.”
Kane nodded. “What about Dad?”
Kyle’s smile faded. “He’s not feeling well. Mom took him to the doctor this afternoon. They haven’t gotten back yet.”
“You sound worried.” Kane glanced from one brother to the other. “What’s wrong with him?”
“I don’t know. You know how Dad is. He keeps saying he’s fine. Mom said he was a bit dizzy.” Kris waved his large hand. “I’m sure Doctor Miller will get him all fixed up.”
Kane nodded, though he didn’t seem convinced.
“So you’re in?” Kris scratched his head.
“What time?”
“Debi will pick Lilly up at seven,” Kyle said. “They’ll be at my house. I figured us guys would hit the woods right at sundown.”
Lilly’s stomach clenched. She had to force herself to concentrate on breathing normally so she wouldn’t hyperventilate. She had three hours. Plenty of time to get ready.
“Sounds good.” After another round of back slapping, Kane’s brothers left.
Neither Lilly or Kane spoke as they stood, side by side, listening as the sound of the two men’s voices faded.
Finally, Kane cleared his throat. “Are you okay with this?”
Taking a deep breath, she nodded and tried again to smile. “It sounds like fun. As long as I don’t do anything...wrong.”
“You’ll be fine.” He cocked his head, his silver gaze darkening. “Just don’t let them play twenty questions with you.”
The Wolf Siren Page 9