BOX SET: Shifter 4-Pack Vol 2 (Wolf Shifter, Dragon Shifter, Mafia, Billionaire, BBW, Alpha) (Werewolf Weredragon Paranormal Fantasy Romance Collection)

by Candace Ayers

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Martin said. “You don’t sit down and talk with someone who, on your first meeting, kills two of your own people!”

  “I’m just saying,” Jessica continued, “is that maybe to them, the time for diplomacy has already passed, too. Dunstan’s admitted to killing one of them.”

  Martin bit his lips.

  “Any civil group of people,” Amber said, “would not have done what they did. If anyone does decide to go and talk to them, they better be as armed as your father is right now.”

  “I agree. Let’s not forget…,” Martin stopped and looked up at the ceiling— something was occurring to him. “Spratling,” he said slowly. “Let’s not forget the tale of Spratling.” He seemed lost in thought trying to finish his own sentence.

  Amber and Jessica looked at each other, alarmed.

  “What’s with you?” Jessica asked.

  “How many of us…,” Martin said and trailed off again. “How many of us do you girls think are in Bowland Mountains now? What if Spratling and his father didn’t die? What if Rick Backus got it wrong. What if they all became like Dunstan!”

  The air was quiet while Jessica and Amber processed what he said.

  “No, surely we would know,” Jessica said. “Surely one of them would have come back and said, ‘Hey, I’m alright. I’m just, you know, part wolf now.’”

  Martin deflated, he had thought he was on to something.

  “No, he’s right,” Amber said. “If Dunstan is alive, than others might be, too. Surely someone, at some point in time from Bruton survived. But you’re right, too, Jessica. Why is Dunstan the only one who’s stayed?”

  “Maybe he’s not,” Martin said. “Dunstan didn’t exactly tell us what he is. Maybe they are in hiding.”

  “Or maybe,” Jessica said, “They’ve only told their wives or husbands.”

  “Do either of you know anything about Old Abbie?” Amber asked. “She knows a lot that she’s not telling us. I don’t exactly know her story, I’m embarrassed to say.”

  Both of them shook their heads.

  “Well, it’s time I headed off,” Amber said. “Jessica, like we talked, I need you to come to me if you get any sign of Dunstan.”

  “Will do,” Jessica said. “Where are you off to?”

  “Town Square or the like. I’m going to try and pick up where everyone stands.”

  “I’ll come with you, too,” Jessica said. “I haven’t seen William since last night.”

  Amber looked at Martin. “Sure, sure,” he said, anticipating her question. “I’ll find you if I hear or see anything.”

  “Thank you,” Amber said. “And thank you for last night. It means a lot to me what you did. I’ll never forget it.” She leaned down and gave him a hug.

  When she stood back up, he was blushing and looking at the table nervously. She didn’t say anything about it, and neither did Jessica.

  “Good luck,” he managed to say as they left.

  CHAPTER 11

  The crowd in Town Square had dispersed since earlier in the day, but people were still walking around and mumbling. To take extra precautions, the mayor had outfitted numerous men to patrol the perimeters of Bruton. Old Abbie was nowhere in sight. Generally she liked to sit on one of the many benches in town and observe the day, but she wasn’t doing that today.

  William saw them and ran up to them. Jessica promptly hugged him, and Amber thanked him again for his help.

  “He deserves more than he’s getting,” William said. “I tried to talk sense into them, but no one would hear of it.”

  “What’s going on besides the patrols?” Amber asked.

  “They want to send someone to talk to them and apologize for anything Dunstan may have done. What did he do, by the way? Do we know?”

  “It’s what you’re probably thinking. He’s been hunting them,” Amber said.

  “Them? Meaning more than one? How many are we talking? Why he’s not running this town is beyond me,” William said. “I can’t believe everyone’s reaction.”

  “Who’s going on the peace mission?” Jessica asked.

  “It’s not decided. They were big on the idea of a peace treaty, but when it came time to volunteer no one raised his hand. And I do mean no one.”

  Amber couldn’t help but notice how in charge William seemed. He was exuding confidence. For an overweight guy, who had never really talked to anyone, he was surprising her. She definitely had the wrong impression of him.

  She scolded herself for ever thinking ill of him at first. Did she not remember her youth? Did she not remember the Amber, there’s not one fatter? song everyone sang into her face? How vile it was and how out of step it was with her?

  She didn’t know how to make it up to him considering she had never voiced any of her negative feelings towards him, but she was going to figure it out.

  “Did Old Abbie say anything at the meeting today?”

  “Meeting? Is that what we’re calling it?” William joked. “No, she didn’t, but she was there. And now that you mention it, she did seem about to say something on a few occasions, but she never spoke up.”

  “Do you know where she is?” Amber asked. “Where she went afterwards?”

  “I’m pretty sure I saw her walking back down Andover Street. Why? What does she got to do with this?”

  Amber looked at Jessica, and Jessica said, “I’ll fill him in. You go on. If I need you, will you be at the pub tonight?”

  Amber inhaled and thought about that. “I don’t know if I can deal with my parents right now, but I guess I should. It seems to be where everything is decided these days. If I’m going to make a difference, I should probably go.”

  “Although you’ll probably be harassed into answering what you noticed about Dunstan lately,” Jessica said.

  Amber shrugged. “Nothing new,” she said.

  Amber left them, and saw Jessica motion for William to have a seat on one of the benches. She was about to fill him in. Amber trusted him to not overreact, but all the same, she would have done it in a more private location.

  Old Abbie’s house was located at the very end of Andover Street on a cul de sac that was actually located towards the northern end of Bruton. In the center of the cul de sac was a well kept garden that would soon be buzzing with spring life.

  Amber scanned all of the benches but didn’t see her.

  Tentatively she walked to her house and knocked on the door.

  She gave her time to answer, but the house remained quiet.

  She knocked once more and waited. Still no noises to suggest Abbie was home.

  She turned to leave and jerked when she heard Abbie open her front door.

  “Amber,” she said. “Here for more answers. Come in before anyone sees you.”

  *

  “Amber, Bruton’s new truth seeker,” Old Abbie said and smiled as she plopped down into a rocking chair. “What is your first question?”

  Amber didn’t hesitate, and asked, “Is there a demon inside of Dunstan?”

  Old Abbie closed her eyes and nodded slowly. “Yes. Yes there is.”

  Amber swallowed. She had hoped for a soothing, grandmotherly “No, of course not, dear.”

  Abbie waited for the next question.

  “Will it consume him? Will he become evil?” Amber continued.

  Abbie inhaled deeply and pondered how to answer. She exhaled and said, “I don’ think so. If he were to turn evil, he would have done so by now.”

  “So why some and not others?” Amber asked.

  Abbie scrunched up her face and said, “Well, my dear, the answer to that is… See, et has to do with how Dunstan became what ‘e did.”

  “Why is that?” Amber asked.

  “Well, most people who are injured by those with the demon have hoped that they might be able to simply avoid the wolves detection. Sneak by, go unnoticed. And when that didn’t happen, well, they became somethin’ different compared to Dunstan.”

  “I don’t understan
d. What makes Dunstan different?”

  “Everything,” Abbie said. “I believe that when someone, such as Dunstan, willingly sets out to fight the demon, that it was ‘is mental state, as much as ‘is prowess that had an effect on the entity within...the one ye or I would call a demon.” Abbie scrunched up her face and tapped her cane on the floor a few times, visibly thinking. “Well, let me answer your question by approaching it another way. Dunstan is not evil now because ‘e wasn’t evil then.” Abbie stared hard into Amber’s eyes and continued, “Dunstan did not become evil because ‘e made a choice to willfully attack the wolf beforehand for the betterment of ‘is community. It was that decision, what was in ‘is heart when ‘e attacked, that helped ‘im keep ‘is humanity. Dunstan was good so he’s still good now. The demon inside respects ‘im because it saw ‘im make a sacrifice. He put aside ‘is fears to confront it. An’ so the demon has allowed ‘im space to be who ‘e is. With others it doesn’t care. It lives vicariously through them and does whatever its heart desires— as a child would in a waking-dream.

  “But say he was attacked by the wolf,” Abbie continued. “Survived, but never intended to challenge it. We would have on our hands a different person— one who answered to another calling.”

  Amber digested Abbie’s words, and asked, “How do you know all of this? You know so much. This goes beyond you simply being wise, or,” she hesitated, “... old.”

  Old Abbie cackled and closed her eyes in delight. “I’m not quite as wise as you, young Amber! You’ve bested me already, and you’re only eighteen. Bruton will always be alright with you around.” She laughed some more and pounded her cane on the floor. “Yes, you’re quite right. I know more than this town because I have more information. It’s as simple as that.”

  “How do you know what you know?”

  “Because you and I are very much alike. We both fell in love with a boy where the size of ‘is fist was only outmatched by the size of ‘is heart.”

  Abbie smiled at Amber and waited for her to figure it out.

  She continued. “It was really only a hypothesis to us until Dunstan came along. A tale told me by my grandmother of great beasts- El Kahn who protect us while we sleep. Until ‘e crawled up that hill— half alive, half dead— even though it had been years and years of watching and observing, I had never seen another until ‘im.”

  “Another?” Amber asked.

  “Spratling didn’t die the night ‘e went to fight the wolves. He promptly killed the three who attacked him, but not without sustaining injuries ‘imself. What we heard in town wasn’t his final death woes, rather what we heard was the demon bonding with ‘im— and the mental and physical anguish that followed within ‘im as the two merged.”

  “You were Cletus’s…,”

  “Girlfriend, lover. He didn’t officially court me because ‘is family was bleeding money every day Avondale Road was off limits. I didn’t care. He thought I did, but I would have married him and lived in a mud hut somewhere happy as a well fed cat purrin’ in the sun.”

  “So he’s alive? Spratling is still alive?”

  “Of course he is. If the demon could have its way he’d live forever, but ‘e is starting to look old. Beginning to gray, and complains about ‘is knees when it rains. I like to pick on ‘im about it. Not everyone can age as well as me.”

  “Why isn’t he helping us? We need his help right now. The wolves might come back any minute, they might—”

  “He made it his mission to try and control the wolves,” Abbie broke in. “He was the reason things were so calm for so many years— seventy, if I’m not mistaken. But things changed. Someone else arrived. Another alpha. Someone aware, someone who challenged a wolf willingly and won. But whoever it was, or is, does not have a pure heart. Stronger because of the demon, but not better off. Now, just like every other tyrant in this world, he’s trying to take whatever he can see and call it ‘is own. I suspect ‘e was no different before ‘e fought the wolf.

  “This other wolf came in and fought my Cletus, an’ came very close to killin’ ‘im. Luckily ‘e was able to escape, but the wolves who were obeying ‘im now answer to the new alpha. It’s only been until recently that he’s been able to walk again.”

  “When did this happen? When did the new alpha come in?” Amber asked.

  “Just a few days prior to when Dunstan chose to fight the wolf. We lost our warrior, but gained another. The gods are watching out for us, no doubt about that.”

  Amber’s brain was flying a thousand miles per hour in all directions. “Why the emotional turmoil when they’re merging with the demon?”

  “I don’t know. Like everything I’ve told you, it’s just a hypothesis. But Cletus and I believe that the demon would have its host become stronger, and that that person won’t get stronger until ‘e ‘as confronted the demons already within. The darkness, the guilt, the sadness— all of these things must leave if a person is to truly be reborn anew.”

  “And whatever’s left after the purge will be stronger?” Amber clarified.

  Abbie nodded.

  “But Dunstan still seems the same as he ever was. He was always good. People just didn’t realize it— not that they have now. He would have done the same thing he did last night when he was twelve.”

  “I don’t doubt it,” Abbie said. “When a light is as bright as his, it’s hard to tell when it increases. But he did take that apprenticeship with Dylan Hobbs. To me that says he wanted to be amongst the people. That’s a step towards the light.”

  “And he has been patrolling,” Amber said. “I’m guessing since Cletus fell? Fighting for us everyday. That’s a lot of responsibility for one man.”

  “Indeed it is,” Abbie agreed.

  Amber teared up. If the town hurts him I’ll kill them all, she thought. He can be the light and I’ll be the dark. He deserves so much, but has gotten nothing in return from them.

  “Why can’t we just tell everyone what’s going on?” she asked.

  “Amber, if Father Clarence heard the speech I just gave to you, he’d burn me at the stake. If we tell the people Dunstan is possessed, that he’s like the monsters, we have no hope whatsoever of helping him. And you know he wouldn’t fight back if they struck him. Only if ‘e thought you were in danger would ‘e do so.”

  “What do we do?”

  “We bide our time. They’re thinking about sending someone up to meet with the wolves. Worst idea they could ever come up with, but I’ve got an idea.”

  “Is Cletus OK to fight?” Amber asked.

  Abbie hesitated.

  “You’re damn right I am,” a gruff, middle-aged man said behind her.

  CHAPTER 12

  Her father glared at her as she walked into Starlight Tavern.

  “Where’ve ye’ been?” he asked. “I could have used ye’ three hours ago.”

  The pub was already packed with people. Amber had to squeeze past them to get behind the counter.

  She decided to tell the truth. “Old Abbie,” she said. “Trying to understand things.”

  Her father approved. “Did she learn ye’ then? Old Abbie don’ spare any feelins when et comes to the truth, does she now? Hope ye learned somethin’.”

  “Learned a lot,” Amber said, biting her tongue.

  “Good. Yer mother’s workin’ the kitchen. If ye want, you can avoid this lot tonight and help us in the back. They look a little wild tonight.”

  “No, I want to hear what they have to say,” Amber said, again deciding to tell the truth.

  “Don’ be surprised if ye’r brought into the middle of et. Get my attention any way ye can if they get too rough. We may have spat at one ‘nother this mornin, but I’ll still throw any man out that’s disrespectin’ ye.”

  He nodded to her and went back out into the crowd, carrying a serving tray full of drinks. It wasn’t long before she heard two men talking. She listened as best she could while she took orders.

  “I’m worried about tonight,” Danie
l Bailey said in the corner, sitting in front of his pal Josh Harding. Those two always drank together— been friends their entire lives. “They attacked us at night. Been quiet all day. If they were to attack again, don’cha think they’d do et at night?”

  “The mayor’s got volunteers walkin’ round and round,” Josh Harding said. “I’m gonna volunteer tomorrow night. Do my part.”

  “Where’s Dunstan? Weren’t they lookin’ for ‘im?” Daniel Bailey said.

  “That’s the rumor,” Josh Harding said. “But no one’s seem ‘im since he was carried to Sadler’s. She says he just got up and left during the middle of the night. But I saw him right after, the attack, I mean. There’s no way that ‘appened. Boy was cut open like a fish. Blood a runnin’ everywhere. How does a man get up and walk away from that? Tell me. How’s et ‘appen? There’s more to the story than she’s lettin’ on.”

  “If he’s dead, wouldn’t’ve Sadler told us?”

  “Yeah, she would’ve,” Josh Harding said. “No reason not to. And there’s no way that man walked out there on ‘is own. Someone helped ‘im out. Sadler’s a right smart ‘ole lady. She knew he was in danger from us an’ got ‘em out. I’d bet me whole house she did. If ee’s alive, ee’s got sum answerin’ to do. Sadler, too. Why she care about someone who got our own killed?”

  “Who do you think helped ‘im out?” Daniel Bailey said.

  Josh Harding replied, “I’m far from the smartest man in town, but et’s reasonable to ask the date he had just last night, don’t ye reckon? Amber, right over there, was his date last night, or didn’t ye know? I’m surprised anyone’d have that pile of filth on her arm, but, it goes to show ye, the world is full of surprises. Sometimes ye don’ ‘ave to be filthy on the outside to be filthy on the inside.”

  Josh hailed her over under the pretense of ordering more food and drink. Though Amber was helping other customers, she heard every word they said. She knew her face was flushed with anger, but walked over smiling.

  “What you boys need?” she asked as cheerfully as she could.