by Jodi Vaughn
CHAPTER ONE
“I’ve got to be going, Granny.” Ava Renfro Trahan set the adult catalogue on the oak dining room table and glanced at the time on her cell phone. She and Catty Steele had dropped by Granny’s house for a cup of coffee and a quick visit.
“What’s your hurry, dear?” Granny frowned causing her wrinkles on her forehead to look a lot like a dried-up creek bed. Her mouth dropped into a pout. “I still haven’t shown you my new merchandise that just came in.”
Ava grinned. Granny’s merchandise would include crotch-less panties and edible bras. To the casual onlooker, Granny didn’t look like a werewolf peddling sex toys and paraphernalia. A lot of the civilian werewolves in Arkansas had snickered at the thought of someone as old as Granny selling sex toys. But it didn’t stop them from ordering, and according to Granny, business was booming.
“Damon has something special planned for tomorrow night and I’ve got to go shopping for a new dress.” She stood and raised her arms over her head and stretched.
“Tomorrow?” The old woman lifted her brow.
“Yes. It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow. You didn’t forget, did you?” She smiled. Since her own mother had died, Ava looked to Granny as a maternal figure. Loved her like a mother.
“Oh.” Granny cleared her throat and stood, lifting her chin. “Of course, Valentine’s Day. No, I didn’t forget.”
“I should be going too. I want to stop by that new boutique downtown.” Catty took one last sip of her coffee and stood. “Lucien is taking me to the movies and I want to look cute for him.” She blushed as her lips curled into a grin. She pushed her chair under the table and stepped back. Her foot caught on something and she stumbled backward.
“Watch out.” Granny grabbed Catty by the arm and steadied her. “I really need to find another place for that lamp so the cord isn’t out in the open.”
Catty gave Granny a hug and swiped a couple more cookies off the dining room table before following Ava out the door.
“Oh. I forgot to ask.” Ava looked back at Granny. “Since you’ll be home tomorrow would you mind coming over to our place and signing for a package? It’s supposed to arrive after six and we’ll be out on our date.”
Granny’s mouth formed a thin white line. “What makes you think I have time to come over and wait for your package? Why can’t you ask Haley?”
“Well, it’s Valentine’s Day. I’m sure Haley and Jayden are going out too,” Catty answered. “Anybody with a mate is going to be out on a date.”
“Yeah, and I figured you wouldn’t mind since you didn’t have anything else do to.” Ava spoke slowly. For some reason Granny seemed a bit put out. Had they imposed on Granny too much?
“Well, for your information I have a date tomorrow as well. So you’ll just have to find someone else to get your package.” She crossed her arms and lifted her chin in the air like a proud stallion. Ava almost expected Granny’s hair to be billowing like a white mane. But Granny’s tight white perm didn’t allow for any movement like that.
“A date? You have a date?” Ava’s jaw drifted toward the floor and the words spilled out before she could stop them.
Granny jerked her head around and glared. “Yes, missy, I have a date. You think just because I’m not young like you two I can’t get a date?” Her old gray eyes flashed and she looked between her and Catty.
Ava immediately regretted her choice of words.
“No, not at all, Granny. I just have never seen you go on a date before. I just figured…”
“Figured what? That I don’t know how to have a good time.” She wagged her finger in Ava’s face. “This old gal has a lot more miles left on her engine. Let me assure you.”
Catty snorted at the sexual innuendo.
Granny jerked her glare in her direction.
Catty sobered.
“Totally, Granny. I can see that.” Catty nodded and studied the ceiling. “You’ve still got game.”
“You two run along. I’ve got a lot to do before my date tomorrow night.” She hurried into the kitchen, leaving them at the front door.
Ava opened the door and Catty followed. The brisk wind nearly stole her breath as she made her way to the vehicle.
It was unusually cold for February and the dark clouds overhead looked like they were ready to burst any minute.
She unlocked the door to Damon’s Hummer and slid into the driver’s seat. She cut her eyes at Catty as her friend climbed in.
“Oh my god. Does Granny really have a date? Who do you think it is?” Ava racked her brain trying to think of a possible beau.
“I don’t know.” Catty shut her door and tapped her finger to her lip.
“Maybe it’s that central air and heat repairman. I saw him here the other day making sure the air conditioner was ready for summer.” Ava frowned.
“No way. Can’t be him.” Catty shook her head.“Why not?”
“I heard her say he’s too old and he has smelly breath.” Catty dug around in her
purse and pulled out a candy bar. She broke it in half and held half of it out to Ava.
Ava grinned and took the offered gift. Since meeting Lucien’s mate, who happened to be Zane’s sister, Ava really clicked with Catty. Their love of candy brought them together as fast friends. Not to mention she had a stubborn streak just like herself. That was something she could appreciate in a female.
“Well, that’s the only guy I’ve ever seen at her house.” Ava started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. She cut her eyes at Catty. “You don’t think she was making that up so we wouldn’t feel bad for her for being alone on Valentine’s Day?”
“I don’t think so.” Catty shook her head and her long blonde hair brushed across her shoulders. “I haven’t known Granny for very long, but I get the feeling that she doesn’t care what other people think. I mean come on, if you or I were that old and didn’t have a mate, we both know we’d be in by eight every night and having a date with some Rocky Road ice cream.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” Ava smiled and let go of the guilt she’d been hanging onto. “I’ve never heard her say a word about her mate or how he died. Jayden told me that he never met his grandfather, that he died years before he was even born.”
“I wonder why she never talks about him.” Catty cocked her head.
“I don’t know. It’s like a big secret. Damon said he asked her one time and she nearly took his head off.”
“Well, I say good for her for going on a date.” Catty shrugged. “I just hope I have enough energy to still be getting some action when I’m her age.”
Ava laughed. “Amen, sister. Amen.”
CHAPTER TWO
“Is that dating site, Tinder, for werewolves?” Granny squinted at the computer screen as she spoke into the phone. She needed an opinion and didn’t want to ask Ava or Catty for fear they’d find out what she was doing. So she called Kate who was miles away in Eureka Springs with her mate, Braxton.
If she was going on a date she was going to make sure it was with a werewolf. The last thing she wanted was to end up on a date with a human.
Humans, except for certain members of the US government, didn’t have a clue that werewolves existed. It was understood that werewolves kept a low profile and did not risk outing their species.
“Can I at least ask why you’re so interested?” Kate’s voice held an edge of amusement and she could picture the pretty blonde smirking on the other end of the phone.
“No, you cannot.” Granny pursed her lips and pulled the cell phone away from her ear and glared. She was tired of these youngsters treating her li
ke she was old. She was about to show them she was still young enough to have a little fun.
“Tinder is for humans. The dating site for werewolves is secret. I had a friend use it once and she gave me the website. It will take a second to pull it out of my documents. I’ll email you the web address.” She could hear Kate tapping away on her keyboard.
“That would be wonderful, dear. I suppose they keep it secret so humans wouldn’t stumble upon it.” She opened her email and waited.
“Okay, I’m emailing it to you now.”
A few seconds passed and a new email popped up.
“I’ve got it.” She smiled. One step closer to a Valentine’s date.
“Can I ask why you didn’t just ask Ava or Haley?” Kate asked.
“Because sometimes family is the worst to ask about personal things.” She huffed. She couldn’t tell Ava because then she would know Granny had lied about having a date. And she sure couldn’t tell her grandson Jayden’s mate, Haley. Why, that girl would run back to Jayden and there wouldn’t be any date at all. He’d cock block her.
No, some things were meant to stay on the down low.
“Wanna talk about it, Granny?” Kate’s voice went soft and gentle, making Granny smile despite her bad mood. Kate was a good girl. And Braxton was damn lucky to have her.
“No, honey. I got this.” She clicked on the website link. “Thanks for the 411.”
“Any time, Granny. Love you.”
“Love you too, honey.” Granny hit the end call button and plopped her glasses on her nose.
She pulled up the website and began putting in her information for her profile.
“Dang, they want a picture. Figures.” She set her glasses on her head and got up from the table. She scurried into the living room and scanned the pictures lining the walls.
Her gaze zeroed in on a picture that had been taken last Halloween when her group of friends had decided to do something nice for the people at the nursing home. They decided to dress up and go sing for the elderly. Her friends had dressed up like the Lion, Scarecrow and Tin Man while she went as Dorothy. She’d even slapped on a wig with a pigtail to look more the part. Apparently it worked because she’d been groped twice by two randy men in wheelchairs.
She decided next time she got the urge to be charitable she’d just give money.
She took the picture off the wall and squinted.
She wondered if she could get someone to come over and help her scan the photo into her computer. She’d managed to figure out email and Facebook with her grandson Jayden’s help. But other than that, technology was not her strong suit.
The knock at the front door made her jump and clutch the picture to her chest. She sucked in a breath and pressed her palm against her heart. She was as jumpy as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. She needed to get a grip.
She was a grown woman and could do whatever she wanted.
Clutching the picture, she made her way to the door.
She opened the door and was eye level with a massive male chest. She craned her neck up to look Arkansas’s Pack Master, Barrett Middleton, in the eye.
“Granny.” Barrett’s deep voice and steely-eyed gaze should have struck fear in her heart.
It didn’t. She had the passing thought that if he got bossy with her she could give him a good butt whipping if she wanted. He might be one of the handsomest males she’d ever laid eyes on, but she still didn’t take smack talk from anyone. Not even her Pack Master.
“Barrett, are you going to come inside or am I going to have to get a crick in my neck from staring up at you?” she groused and stepped to the side to allow him entrance.
A muscle in his cheek twitched. He wordlessly stepped inside her home and headed toward the living room where he took a seat on the couch.
“Would you like something to drink?” She eased onto her favorite chair and set her picture on the coffee table.
“You got any bourbon?” He scrubbed his hand across his face and leveled his gaze at her.
“I most certainly do not.” She lifted her chin. “I have sweet tea.”
And a cabinet full of wine, but he didn’t need to know that. And a bottle of Wild Turkey, but he’d probably turn his nose up at that.
“Thank you for the kind offer, but I won’t be staying that long.” He shifted his weight in his seat and sat forward, his elbows resting on his knees.
“Is something wrong? Did something happen to Jayden?” Her heart lurched.
“No, no, Jayden’s fine.” He leaned forward. “I’m here because I need you to be aware of a situation.”
She sat up straight in her seat, her instincts on high alert. This was highly unusual. Barrett never let her in on any kind of top-secret operation.
“What it is? Is our Pack under attack? Do we need to mobilize? Do we need to weapon up?”
“Sweet Jesus, Granny, no.” The twitch in his cheek was back and he grimaced.
“Language, young man.” She scowled.
“Sorry.” He growled.
“So what’s the situation?”
“The Tennessee Pack Master just informed me that they had an assailant escape. They suspect he is headed into Arkansas and he’s on his way to Missouri.”
“Assailant? So he’s a dangerous werewolf.” She could feel the adrenaline pump in her veins like gooey caramel candy.
“Yes.”
“What’s his crime?”
He looked at her hard and long and she began to wonder if he was going to divulge the information.
“Kidnapping and raping female werewolves. He was convicted of two counts, but there could be more.”
“Holy moly.” She leaned forward. “So what do you want me to do? Set up a perimeter? Stake out a place he’s suspected of going? Lead up a team of vigilantes?”
“Absolutely not!” he thundered and stood up.
She frowned.
“I’m warning you so you can start alerting all the civilian werewolves in the area. They need to keep passing the word along to be on the lookout and not go anywhere by themselves.”
“You want me to call people? Like a prayer chain?” She sat back, wide-eyed.
“Sure.” He shrugged.
“Where’s the fun in that?” She should have figured Barrett would be a stick in the mud. One of these days these Arkansas Guardians were going to realize what an asset she was to the Pack and stop treating her like an old woman.
“It’s important that the werewolf civilians know what’s going on. Think of it as part of your civic duty,” he deadpanned.
She crossed her arms and pressed her lips into a scowl.
He looked at the picture on the table and nodded. “You need help hanging that picture?”
“I …” Her frown dropped and she brightened. “I tell you what. If you help me scan this picture into my computer, I’ll call everyone I know and warn them.”
“What are you up to, Granny?” He narrowed his eyes. “You’re not planning on hunting this guy on your own, are you?”
“I will have you know that I don’t have time to hunt this wolf. I’m too busy with my own life. Believe it or not, my sex toy business is booming. You would be shocked how many orders I get every single day.”
“Actually I really don’t want to know.” He held up his hands in defense. He studied her face for a moment. “If I scan a picture into the computer will you promise to call and alert everyone? No tricks?”
“I can promise you that within three hours the whole state of Arkansas werewolves will know to be on the lookout. You just might catch this guy within a day.” She lifted her chin. “I’ve got too much going on to be worried about getting involved in Guardian business anyway.”
“Deal.” Barrett held out his hand. “Give me your picture and show me to your printer.”
CHAPTER THREE
“I know it’s Valentine’s Day. You don’t need to remind me.” Barrett leveled his gaze at his Guardians, Damon and Lucien, across his massive d
esk. He already knew the Weres had Valentine’s Day plans with their females, but the job of being a Guardian always came first.
It always did.
“Ava’s gonna fucking kill me,” Damon groused and sat back in his chair.
“Yeah, well, Catty might not let me into her bed for a whole month.” Lucien scrubbed his hand down his face and sighed.
“Nice to see my Guardians are all pussy whipped,” Barrett grumbled. It solidified his decision to never get mated. He didn’t need the distraction.
“Where are the rest of the Guardians?” Lucien frowned. “I know that Zane and Jayden are in town this week. Shouldn’t you be giving them the riot act too? I know they had plans with their females as well.”
“I already talked to them. I even called Braxton up in Eureka Springs to be on the lookout. He’s got bigger problems than you two. He and Kate have their Bed and Breakfast full of some human writers who won’t stop asking him sex questions.” Barrett shook his head. “Who the hell does that?”
“Writers do,” Damon stated. He glanced over at Lucien. “Count yourself lucky. Believe me, you’d much rather be here dealing with your mate and an escaped suspect than hanging with Braxton.” He cracked a smile. “I believe those are the same writers that scared your brother, Lorcan.”
“Scared Lorcan? I’m impressed.” Lucien nodded.
“Anyway.” Barrett wanted this conversation back on track. “I’ve got all my other Guardians on the lookout. So far the suspect, Robert Waldon, hasn’t been spotted. He could already be in Missouri, for all we know.”
“So you want us here around Little Rock?” Damon asked.
“Yes, you and Lucien cover Little Rock. The civilian werewolves have all been alerted, thanks to Granny.” He trusted the old woman to call everyone she knew and warn them about the escaped suspect. As soon as he’d scanned her picture into the computer she was on the phone and barking orders for everyone to spread the word and be careful and not travel alone.
Damon mumbled something under his breath.
“Before you two get your panties in a wad, I want you both to carry on as usual. I don’t want you to stand out, which means don’t cancel your plans for tomorrow night. If you want to take your females out for dinner or whatever couples do”—he waved his hand in the air— “do it, just as long as you keep your cellphones on and keep an eye out for any trouble.”