Malsum Pass

by Forrest, Kimberly

  He was tall, probably six foot two or three. His dark brown hair was a bit long on top, thick locks that were tossed a bit from the wind. His dark brows just slightly arched over piercing dark eyes. His nose was straight; his lips were set in a slight frown with the bottom one slightly fuller than the top. Unlike so many of the men she had so far seen in town, including her grandfather, who were sporting full beards, this man had only a scruff of probably two days growth on his strong, angled jaw.

  Her eyes worked downward. He had broad shoulders; nicely tanned, well-muscled arms were shown off in a light gray T-shirt, a narrow waist, slim hips and long jean clad legs down to dark work boots.

  “Ma’am?” He said, arching a brow.

  Right, right, he asked you something. What was it? Think, Tara! “Um, hi.” Oh, that’s just terrific. Now Mr. Gorgeous thinks you’re a complete idiot.

  “Are you lost?” He repeated.

  “No, I’m Tara.” Oh my God! I did not just say that! Please kill me now!

  He let out a little huff of a chuckle. “Ma’am, this is private property. You hiked quite a ways if you’re staying at the camp ground, but I’d be glad to walk you back.”

  Tara mentally slapped herself. “Oh, no, I’m staying right down there.” She said, pointing down toward the house. “I just climbed up here to see the view.”

  His frown deepened. “That’s the Mason place. I didn’t know L.J. was considering putting up renters.”

  “He’s not,” Tara said with a smile. “I’m his granddaughter.”

  A look of complete shock came over his beautiful face a moment before the frown returned. And then the oddest thing happened. He took a slightly menacing step toward her, centered his gaze on her face, and his dark gray eyes seemed to change; the pupils contracted and the iris seemed to turn golden. But something was obviously wrong with her own eyes. She felt a sensation almost like a muscle spasm behind her eyes and everything came into sharp, slightly yellow toned focus. She ducked her head and rubbed her eyes, blinking a few times until it cleared.

  He stepped even closer, fully invading her personal space. “Are you okay?” He asked. Despite his words of concern, his voice was gruff, almost a growl that made him seem angry.

  Tara laughed. “That was weird. I’ve never had a muscle spasm of the eyeballs before.”

  Mr. Gorgeous didn’t share the joke. He simply grabbed her arm and started steering her toward an area of the ledges that wasn’t quite so steep. “I need to speak to L.J.” he said before pulling her this way and that, with the clamp of his fingers still around her upper arm to ‘help’ her climb down.

  Well, he may be gorgeous, but the man was turning out to be a first class asshole she thought as she hustled to keep up with his long legs and not fall on her face.

  Chapter Five

  Riley Cooper was fuming as he pulled and almost dragged the little redhead behind him toward L.J.’s place. When he first saw her, she had her back to him, her attention on the view in front of her. The long braid of vibrant red hair went down a narrow back and slim waist to end just slightly above the most gorgeous heart-shaped ass encased in faded denim.

  Then she’d turned to reveal an oval face with a creamy complexion, big brown eyes, her eyebrows and lashes slightly darker than her hair, a small straight nose and full pouty lips. He had to catch his breath. He felt like he’d been kicked in the stomach.

  He had pegged her as a camper from Evergreen Campground and RV Park that was about seven miles west. It wouldn’t be the first time it had happened. Obviously a novice hiker considering it was too close to sundown to be this far out and only wearing running shoes instead of sturdy boots. Timber rattlers were known to nest in these rock ledges. He had been fully prepared to offer his services to escort her back, find out how long she’d be in the area, and maybe finagle a date. Instead, the little redhead claimed to be L.J.’s granddaughter. With that hair she would have been better served to claim a relation to the Pierces.

  He didn’t know what had possessed him to shift his eyes; maybe he had wanted to prove she was lying or maybe it was some long dormant instinct flaring to life. It was a big no-no, but he’d done it anyway, and didn’t she just shock the hell right out of him when her eyes shifted too. Now the question was – why did someone well past the age of transition seem to have no clue what she was?

  Addie was just coming out onto the deck when he pulled – what had she said her name was? Tara, that’s right – up the steps.

  “Hi, Coop! I see you’ve met Tara. Good! I was just about to call her for dinner, so now both of you can get better acquainted. She’s L.J.’s granddaughter and she’s going to be staying here.” Addie looked from Riley’s face to his hand still clamped on Tara’s arm. “I think she can manage to find the dining room on her own Coop, but you two go wash up and then take a seat. Supper’s on the table.”

  Tara jerked her arm out of his hold and then stomped into the house. He watched her lovely backside disappear before turning his attention back to Addie. “She’s really L.J.’s granddaughter?” He asked.

  “Marisol’s only child,” Addie said in hushed tones. “Apparently, Tara didn’t know anything about us until after Marisol was killed; she found some letters that her mom had kept hidden from her, and didn’t she just get right in her car and drive out here to see him. L.J. has been grieving for so many years and now he’s over the moon tickled. He’s hoping she’s going to want to stay, so let’s not give her any reason to leave.” Addie shot him a pointed look. “Now get in there and wash up for supper.”

  “I need to speak to L.J.” He said, crossing his arms over his chest.

  “And I’m sure L.J. will be more than happy to speak with you,” and then pointedly “after supper.” And with that, Addie went in through the back door leaving Riley no choice but to follow.

  Dinner was a tossed green salad, spaghetti, and garlic bread that Riley dutifully shoveled into his mouth. It was probably delicious and judging by the others expressions it was, but he didn’t taste a single bite; he was too intent on the mystery that was Tara. A tiny voice kept repeating in his head: She’s like you. You can take her, you can keep her. Make her yours. So he continued to watch her, clenching his fist under the table as she ate, sharing stories of her childhood with much laughter and then listening with great interest as L.J. and Addie shared funny anecdotes about people in town that she was soon to meet. Apparently Addie was set on planning a barbecue.

  “We’ll just need to decide what we want to serve.” Addie said, waving her fork around. “We can have everyone bring a dish, so there’ll be plenty, but do we want to do hamburgers and hotdogs or should we go full out with a pig roast?”

  “With the appetites the men in this town have, I think we should just do it all.” L.J. answered. “Problem solved.” Then he looked at Riley. “You’ve been awfully quiet, Coop. What do you think?”

  “Just do it all.” Riley said, before filling his mouth with food to avoid talking.

  Tara dabbed her mouth with her napkin. “This was wonderful, Addie, thank you.”

  Addie blushed, looking pleased at the praise to her cooking. “My homemade sauce is much better, this was just the quick version that I’ve perfected over the years. Shall I dish you up another helping, honey?”

  Tara declined. “Oh, I couldn’t possibly eat another bite.”

  “Oh nonsense, honey, I picked up one of Lucy’s pies. She may be a nosy little busy body but she makes the best blueberry pies.” With that, Addie bustled out of the dining room and returned a minute later with the aforementioned pie and a carton of ice cream.

  Riley suppressed a growl. He wasn’t exactly a patient man and keeping his mouth full so that he didn’t outright demand answers was beginning to fray his temper as well as irritate his overly full stomach.

  “Well,” L.J. stood up, “I think I’m going to go outside and indulge my bad habit,” he said with a smile and a wink for Tara. Then he glanced at Riley, “Care to join me, Coop?”r />
  Riley could have kissed the man and quickly stood up to follow.

  “We won’t be long, ladies.” L.J. added as they headed for the door.

  He waited until they were out on the back deck and L.J. had lit his cigar. “I didn’t know you had a granddaughter.” He led off.

  L.J. released a cloud of smoke into the air. “No one did. When Marisol ran off all those years ago, I had no idea why, though I knew it had to be something serious. When I questioned her friends, one of them finally told me she was pregnant. She wouldn’t tell me who the father was, though I had a pretty good idea. I hired a private investigator to at least let me know she was all right. It took him almost a year to find her. I wrote to her often through the years, but she never answered or had any intention of coming back.”

  Riley nodded. “She’s a Pierce isn’t she?”

  L.J. snarled “She’s a Mason!”

  “Easy, L.J., I just meant that her father is Vahl, yes?” Riley said, putting his hands up palms facing out to calm the sudden outburst of temper. L.J. just nodded.

  “When we were up on the cliff, I shift my eyes. I’m not even sure why I did it.” He said shaking his head. “She took one look and her eyes shift too.” He saw L.J.’s wide-eyed expression of amazement and continued. “The thing is she seemed confused by it, like it had never happened before. Now we’re not talking about a prepubescent girl here, L.J., but a woman full grown. How has she not transitioned?”

  L.J. answered, but he seemed to be talking more to himself. “Her eyes changed while she’s on the medication? Amazing! Do you realize how strong she must be? She’s a possible alpha.”

  Riley was trying very hard to leash his temper, but his voice still came out as a growl. “What medication?”

  L.J. sighed. “When Tara was thirteen, Marisol finally reached out to me. Tara was showing the first symptoms of transition and Mari was worried Tara wouldn’t survive. You’re too young to remember, but most of the children born with half non-shifter blood didn’t survive the transition. That’s why the council frowns on our people involving themselves with non-shifters despite our dwindling numbers. My Marisol never even started to transition so she was deemed fully non-shifter and impure despite my blood lines.” L.J. growled. “I figure that’s one of the reasons she ran away without telling Vahl she was pregnant. Vahl’s father never would have accepted the pairing of his son with an impure non-shifter.”

  Riley waited for L.J. to take another puff of his cigar and release the smoke. “So Marisol called you. Why didn’t you tell her to bring Tara here? I mean, Marisol would have known that with your and Vahl’s blood lines Tara was more shifter than not and probably would have transitioned fine.”

  “You don’t think I tried?” L.J. let out a humorless chuckle. “Marisol was adamant that she would not subject Tara to the possible ridicule from the council – Marisol had had a belly full of it growing up – and if I didn’t help her I could go to hell. In all of my letters I assured her that I would be there for her, no matter what, and the first and only god damn time she asked me for something, I sure as hell wasn’t going to break my word. So I gave her the number of a doctor in Maine who I knew was a shifter and specialized in hormone therapy; specifically hormone suppression. It only works if it’s given when they first start to transition and they have to take it for the rest of their lives.”

  “And if Tara stops taking it?” Riley asked, though he already knew the answer.

  “My guess is if she can already shift her eyes even on the medicine then she’ll transition fully.” L.J. said with a nod.

  “We need to find those pills and get rid of them.” Riley growled, heading for the back door, fully set to search through Tara’s things.

  L.J. grabbed him by the arm. “That should be Tara’s choice.”

  “Like her mother gave her a choice when she forced chemicals into her system to suppress her nature?” Riley snapped.

  “Marisol did that to protect her. She was scared.”

  “Was she? Was she protecting her daughter or was she protecting herself knowing that she’d have to move back to pack lands for her daughter and face Vahl and the council?” L.J. winced. “I didn’t know your daughter, L.J. and maybe I’m being overly critical, but she’s denied her daughter her family, her heritage, her very nature. It’s not right. Does Tara even know what she’s taking and why?”

  “I doubt it.” L.J. sighed, nodded, and snubbed out the cigar. “You’re right, but I’m not going to dump this on her tonight. She just lost her mother and just found me; I’d prefer to give her some time to ease into life here. I’m really hoping she’ll want to stay and hitting her with this might have her packing her bags and heading out of here first thing.”

  “If she’s an alpha female, the council won’t let her leave. Our females are too few, she’s necessary to our survival.”

  L.J. arched a brow and whistled low. “Spoken like an elder. I thought you joining the council and bringing in some young blood would soften the rigid stance of absolutes. I guess I was wrong.”

  Riley blew out his breath slowly. “I’m sorry. You weren’t wrong. But you and I are just two votes in twelve.”

  Riley hesitated a moment and then continued. “Have you told Vahl, yet?”

  “I doubt I’ll have to. Tara stopped in at the diner today and you know how Lucy is, I’m sure she guessed exactly who Tara’s father is, but I’ll stop in to see him first thing tomorrow.”

  “How much of a tantrum do you think Sherry will have?” Riley asked with a chuckle, but then he quickly sobered. “You know with Tara being from a former lover of Vahl’s, we may have a real problem with Sherry. She may just try to take her out despite the preservation laws. She’s a walking reminder of Sherry’s failures.”

  “She’ll have to get through me.” L.J. snarled.

  “And me,” Riley slapped his hand on L.J.’s back.

  They shared a few moments of silence before Riley said, “I’m feeling a bit edgy tonight; I think I need to go for a run.”

  L.J. nodded. “Go ahead; I’ll make your excuses to the women. Just stay clear of here, no use scaring Tara with your hairy ass.”

  Riley chuckled, waved and then vaulted over the deck railing to hit the ground running. He needed to clear his head and make a plan. His future mate may not know it, but she needed his help.

  Chapter Six

  Tara was up early the next morning, despite her late bed time. He who in her mind will henceforth be known as the arrogant ass left without even bothering to clean up his place at the table. While that was annoying, she had been able to breathe easier once his large, too handsome for words, presence was gone. The man seemed to be able to reduce her brains to pudding with a look. Her grandparents had helped her pack up the leftovers, clean up the table and counters, and load the dishwasher before they had left with the promise that they’d see her tomorrow.

  She’d called Matty soon after to fill him in on everything that had happened so far, including the strange reaction of the townspeople who had stared at her and ending with a description of the house. She also told him that she definitely planned to stay here for a while to get to know her new family, but she was also going to give serious thought to moving here permanently. Matty told her that he had never liked her living in New York and if she wasn’t going to come home to Virginia Beach, he would be happy knowing she was living in a small town where crime was less of a concern. When she got off the phone she had explored the house a bit more, and in one of the smaller bedrooms painted in feminine tones, she had found a small door that led to an attic. Curious, Tara had opened the door, ducked her head and headed up the steep, narrow stairs. She pulled the small chain on the bare bulb to light the area.

  It had smelled like a typical attic with hot insulation, dust, and mildew. There was a box of old Barbie dolls, with all the clothes and accessories, a toy stroller with an old baby doll and a bunch of Care Bears. Tara smiled and touched all of the items almost reverently kno
wing that they had once belonged to her mother. A blue hard shell suitcase was filled to overflowing with clothes, all of them obviously eighties fashion that made Tara laugh. In another box were some books like Sweet Valley High and Nancy Drew mysteries as well as a pink diary with a heart shaped lock, the key to which she found in an old music box.

  Tara flipped through some of the pages. Obviously her mother had not been a devout diarist considering the many years this one journal contained. One particular entry caught her eye and Tara noted the date and did the math in her head. Her mother was about eleven when she wrote it.

  The talk was all over school today that a girl had died. She’s only two years older than me. Nicole asked if I was scared I’d die too since I’m just like that girl. I told her I was too tough to die, but inside I’m scared. I don’t want to die. I overheard Mr. Pierce in the diner today say “good riddance to bad blood” right in front of the girl’s parents! I hate that man! I wish he would die!

  Tara wondered how her mother was just like that girl and what she had died from, but there was nothing more that referenced that entry. Most of them were about some friends, music, and clothes. There were a few about some people who were mean to her or said mean things about her and quite a few entries that included her mother’s hate for the aforementioned Mr. Pierce who Tara assumed was her grandfather. On several pages, especially near the back, Marisol had doodled extensively. Some rainbows, sun and moon, and some peace signs but mostly hearts with the initials MM+TP or she had written out her name as Marisol Pierce and Mrs. Tarvahl Pierce which made Tara smile sadly.

  She had put everything back in order, shut off the light and went back downstairs. Her mother had not been well liked in this town – at least in Marisol’s own opinion; add unrequited love into the mix and she had a very good reason to leave it all behind and not want to dredge up old painful memories. But she was not her mother, and she fully planned to give this town a chance.