“Well, I guess we’ll have to wait and see.” I extricated myself from Millie’s grip. “I’m heading to bed. See you in the morning.”
“Goodnight, Charlie.” Millie’s smile was kind. “I’ll talk to him. You’ll see. Everything will work out.”
“That would be a nice change of pace.”
I WENT THE UBER route again. I figured it was my best option. I headed to my room, changed into darker clothes, scheduled my ride on the app and then left through the back door. The driver picked me up in front of the hotel and we were off within two minutes. As far as I could tell, absolutely nobody saw us.
That was a good thing.
It took about ten minutes to reach the Winters house. I could tell they were home by the way the windows lit up. I tipped the driver extra, thanked him, and then scrambled toward the door. For some reason I couldn’t shake the odd thing Lisa Savage had said when she thought no one was listening in the hospital. The forest came alive and grabbed him. Why would she say that if she thought no one was listening? I simply couldn’t understand.
I knocked three times in rapid succession and uncomfortably looked over my shoulder as I watched the thick foliage to the left and right for signs of movement. Aric opened the door. He didn’t seem surprised to see me.
“We figured you’d show up.” He ushered me inside, making sure to lock the door before leading me to the kitchen. There we found Zoe making hot chocolate … and spraying whipped cream from a canister into her mouth.
“Hey, Charlie.” She also didn’t appear surprised to see me. “What’s up?”
“I came to talk to you about what happened with Ethan Savage. Have you heard?”
“We’ve heard.” Aric sidled closer to Zoe and tipped up her chin so he could kiss away the remnants of whipped cream from the corners of her mouth. “Save some of that for the kid. She’ll freak if she doesn’t have whipped cream for her hot chocolate.”
“I bought three canisters.”
“Good girl.” Aric’s grin was lazy as he leaned against the counter and folded his arms across his chest. “It’s good that he’s going to be okay.”
They were so calm. I couldn’t understand it. “Yes. He had a downright magical recovery.”
Zoe snorted. “Imagine that.”
“Especially since he was poisoned with Nightshade and shouldn’t have lived. He’s something of a medical miracle.”
Zoe straightened at the news, surprise evident. “What?”
“Oh, you didn’t know that part, did you?”
Zoe shook her head. “I assumed he was dehydrated, maybe had a head injury we didn’t see or something. He was poisoned?”
“According to the doctors. The amount of Nightshade in his system should’ve killed him. There are several guesses going around – including that the Nightshade was laced with a psychedelic – but he could very well be studied for weeks and months to come because of his miraculous recovery.”
Zoe shrugged. “Are you worried that’s going to somehow come back on me?”
“Aren’t you?”
“No.” Zoe calmly placed the canister on the counter. “Only three of us were here when it happened. There’s no way to trace it back to me. I know you won’t say anything.”
“Of course I won’t. It’s just … you saved him and the doctors are curious.”
“It will be okay, Charlie.” Aric awkwardly patted my shoulder. “It’s nice that you’re worried, but we’ve been through way worse than this. They won’t even question us because the possibility that Zoe somehow magically healed Ethan won’t ever cross their minds.”
“Really?” I couldn’t help being relieved. “I was so afraid this would come back to hurt you.”
“It won’t.” Zoe was nonchalant. “But I am curious. Do they know how he was poisoned?”
“Not that I’m aware of.” I ran her through everything we’d found out during the day. “So, I think it’s obvious that Lisa did something – or at least hired someone to do something – but now she’s in the wind.
“What’s really frustrating is that I think Ethan was a good guy who simply couldn’t stand up for himself,” I continued. “He refused to see Lisa for what she was. It’s frustrating, because Harley is great and I think they would’ve been happy. Ethan obviously couldn’t see past his pride to go after her.”
I was feeling morose when I grabbed the whipped cream canister and sprayed some in my mouth. “Men are stupid.”
Zoe pressed her lips together. The look she shot Aric wasn’t lost on me. She was amused … at my expense.
“It’s not funny,” I snapped.
“Oh, you’re so funny I want to adopt and keep you,” Zoe countered, chuckling as she hopped onto a stool and grabbed a cookie from the plate at the center of the counter. “Having boy trouble?”
I balked. “I’m an adult. I don’t have boy trouble.”
“I had boy trouble well into my late twenties. It’s not an age thing.”
Aric snorted. “You did not. Your boy trouble ended when you were twenty-two.”
“Really?” Zoe pinned him with a dark look. “Who took five years to propose? Who had me thinking that he didn’t want to marry me? Who kept my ring from me until after I absorbed a magic book and almost ended the world?”
I was dumbfounded. “You almost ended the world?”
“Only a little,” Zoe replied, her eyes never moving from Aric’s face. “I believe that would constitute boy trouble.”
“Oh, you’re not going to get away with blaming that on me,” Aric complained. “I didn’t ask you to marry me because I thought you’d say no. In fact, my father told me you’d say no. It’s his fault.”
“Yes, because your father always makes great decisions when it comes to things like that.” Zoe rolled her eyes. “That doesn’t change the fact that you didn’t ask me to marry you for five years.”
“I wanted to ask you the day you graduated,” Aric grumbled. “Dad said it was too soon, that I would be stealing your freedom. I wanted to punch him then and I still do today. Too bad he’s not around.”
Something about the way they bantered made me smile. “You guys are happy, aren’t you?”
“For the most part,” Zoe agreed. “I’d be happier if he’d kill the bees in the hive toward the back of our property, but marriage is about compromise and we’ve agreed to compromise on that particular point.”
“What she means is I put my foot down – which I rarely do – and forbid her from going after those bees,” Aric corrected. “She’s been trying to massacre bees since we moved into this house. It’s ridiculous.”
“You’re ridiculous,” Zoe shot back, her eyes softening when they landed on me. “You’re upset about Jack. What’s going on with him?”
“Nothing.” My voice turned chilly. “What makes you think something is going on with Jack?”
“Because I’ve seen you two together and you could start a fire with the heat,” Zoe said. “You’re over the full moon for one another.” Clearly she thought that was a joke because she offered up a lame chuckle. “Did he do something to upset you?”
“No.” I stared at my hands so I wouldn’t have to meet her gaze. “He’s being very practical.”
“Oh, that sounds good.” Aric chuckled as he reached for the same cookie Zoe was about to snag. “You’ve already had, like, ten of them. This one is mine.”
“Fine.” Zoe made a face. “See, Charlie. Compromise. I’m giving him the last cookie and not even complaining.”
“You’ve got another package of those cookies tucked away in your desk,” Aric shot back. “Don’t pretend to be a martyr.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Zoe waved off his comment. “Tell us about Jack.”
“He kissed me.”
“I know. I saw through the sentry. I told you that I was going to let him keep going to see how things progressed, but you guys saw the light, so it turned out to be a ruined moment.”
“We didn’t talk about the kiss until t
his afternoon,” I supplied. “I thought he was going to pretend it didn’t happen, but he decided we needed to talk.”
“And?”
“And he needs to think about it.” Just saying it made my stomach twist. “He doesn’t think co-workers should date. He needs time to think, but I already know how it’s going to end.”
“So do I.” Zoe was fully amused. “He’s going to think about it until he can’t stand it anymore, and then he’s going to kiss the crap out of you again. Don’t worry about it. Everything will work out.”
I didn’t understand how she could be so blasé. “You don’t know that. He could decide that he doesn’t want to try.”
“He won’t.” Aric smirked as his eyes drifted toward the sliding glass doors that led to the back of the house. “He likes you.”
“I don’t know that’s true,” I hedged.
“He does.” Aric’s grin widened. “Why else would he be hiding at the far end of the property and staring at the house?”
I was startled by the news and jerked my head to stare in that direction. All I saw when I looked through the window was darkness … and the hazy edges of the kitchen appliances as they reflected against the glass. “How can you possibly know that? It’s dark. You can’t see that far.”
“I see more than you think.” Aric’s shoulders tensed as he stalked toward the open door. “In fact … .”
“What is it?” Zoe was instantly alert and on her feet. She read her husband’s demeanor better than most and knew something had gone terribly wrong. “Is Jack doing something?”
“No, but something is about to get done to Jack.” Aric briefly met my gaze. “Stay in here with Zoe.”
He had to be kidding. “You can’t possibly think I’m just going to let something bad happen to Jack.”
“I think you’re going to stay here with Zoe while I handle Jack.” Aric was firm. “There’s more to this situation than you know. I don’t have time to explain it to you … I have to move. Zoe, protect the house.”
Zoe moved to my side and we hovered next to the door, the dimness outside proving too thick to see through.
“I can’t believe he just expects us to sit here and do nothing,” I complained.
“He knows what he’s doing.” Zoe’s expression was dark. “In fact … .” She broke off as the distinctive sound of a wolf howling filled the air, tilting her head as her hands tightened into fists at her sides. “That wasn’t Aric.”
“Wasn’t Aric?” I was beyond confused. “What are you talking about?”
“Stand back.” Zoe lifted her hands, her fingertips already glowing. “Things are about to shift in a way that you’re not going to like. I can’t fix that now, but just know … I was protecting my family.”
I had no idea what she meant, but it was too late to ask the obvious question. Zoe unleashed a torrent of sparkling color on the backyard. It was only then the true horror of what we faced smacked us both upside the head.
“Oh, well, that can’t be good,” I muttered, my heart hammering as I focused on each dim figure in turn.
“Nope.” Zoe grimaced. “Not at all. I’m so going to kick some ass.”
28
Twenty-Eight
Once the yard lit up – and I had trouble understanding exactly how Zoe pulled that off – I could make out the scene. It wasn’t pretty. Aric raced toward the far end of the property, his focus laser sharp. It was only after staring for several long moments that I could make out movement … and what I saw sent a chill down my spine.
Jack lay prone and unmoving on the lawn, his face pressed into the grass, his arms spread wide. He looked dead, which caused my heart to constrict. Even more terrifying – if that was even possible – were the two figures moving on either side of him.
“Are those … wolves?”
“Shifters.” Zoe was grim as she moved her eyes to the right and left, searching the trees for unseen enemies. “There’re only two of them. You don’t see more than that, do you?”
“I … no. What about Jack? You don’t think he’s dead?”
“I don’t know.” Zoe was calm as she tugged open the sliding glass door. “I’ll check. You stay here with Sami.”
That sounded like the last thing I wanted to do. “I have to go to Jack.”
Zoe opened her mouth to argue and then snapped it shut. “Of course you do. Come with me, but I need you to do what I say.”
She looked so angry, so terrible in her fury, that I could do nothing but swallow hard and nod.
“It’ll be okay,” Zoe reassured me. “I’ll protect you.”
I wasn’t worried about that. Okay, truth be told, the absolutely huge wolves stalking toward Aric frightened me beyond belief. I couldn’t turn away from Jack, though. “Let’s do it.”
“Good.” Zoe strolled through the door opening as if she didn’t have a care in the world, stopping only long enough to glance back inside and raise her voice. “Sami, you stay in this house!”
I hadn’t seen the youngest Winters family member since I’d arrived. I was shocked when Sami popped her head into the kitchen and glared at her mother.
“What’s going on?”
“What’s always going on?” Zoe didn’t turn shrill, which impressed me more than her cool determination. “There are wolves on the lawn. I don’t know who they are, but it’s clear they’re not here for hot chocolate.”
“What about Dad?” Sami flicked her eyes to the open door. “Where did he go?”
“To check on Jack.”
“That’s her boyfriend, right?” Sami jerked her head in my direction. “Is he good or evil?”
“He’s just a man.”
“He’s a good man,” I corrected.
“He’s a good man we don’t particularly like because he happens to be acting like a tool right now,” Zoe corrected, smoothing her shirt. “We’re going to fix that problem after we fix this one, so as far as you’re concerned he’s on our side.”
“That’s good.” Sami’s lips curved. “He’s too hot to be evil.”
“Yeah, I’m going to have to explain how looks have nothing to do with being good or evil at some point. For now, you stay in this house. There’s only two of them. I don’t care what you hear. Whatever happens, you are forbidden from rushing outside.”
Sami didn’t look happy at being cut out of the action. “I can help.”
“We don’t need you to help. We need you to stay in here and not get in the way. Don’t make me use magic to force you to stay in here. We both know that never ends well.”
Sami narrowed her eyes. “Don’t even think of doing that.”
“Then don’t make me do it.”
I had no idea what they were talking about, but I was at my limit. “We have to get to Jack.”
“We’re going.” Zoe cast one more look to Sami. “You stay in this house. That’s an order.”
“Fine.” Sami jutted out her lower lip. “I don’t like you very much right now.”
“You’ll survive. There’s whipped cream and hot chocolate in the kitchen.”
Sami brightened, her previous anger forgotten. “Yay!”
BY THE TIME WE made it down the back stairs and hit the lawn my heart was thundering so loudly I almost couldn’t hear the snarling animals as they circled Aric.
For his part, Aric kneeled next to Jack’s prone form to check for a pulse, never moving his eyes from the silver and white animals. He didn’t seem particularly perturbed – or even aggressive – but he clearly wasn’t happy we’d decided to join him.
“You should have stayed in the house, Zoe,” he growled. “I’ve got this under control.”
“Well, we decided to make it a double date,” Zoe drawled, eyeing the closest wolf with overt distaste. “Do you recognize these fools?”
“No.” Aric moved away from Jack so I could take his spot. “He’s alive, Charlie. He’s just out cold. I think they hit him over the head from behind. We’ll take care of him once we get rid of the
m.”
I wasn’t convinced. “He needs to go to a hospital. His brain could be bleeding or something.” I felt like crying.
Zoe grabbed my wrist to get my attention. “I’ll fix him. I promise. For now, we need to focus on what’s going on here. Quite frankly, it’s probably good that Jack is out for this part. Explaining what’s about to go down would be darned near impossible.”
She seemed sure of herself, but I couldn’t shake my worry. “He’s not moving.”
“He will.” Zoe turned her full attention on the nearest wolf. “As for you idiots, do you even know who you’re messing with?”
I had to give her credit. She wasn’t one to quake in fear of huge wolves that snarled in a manner that made me think they wanted to eat us for dinner.
The wolves didn’t speak – could they speak? – and instead circled us as they growled.
“They don’t look local,” Aric said as he glanced between the two animals. “In fact, I’ll bet they’re freelancers.”
It was as if he was speaking another language. “What are you talking about?”
“It’s a long story.” Zoe leaned over and stared the silver wolf in the eyes. “We can’t understand what you want if you don’t shift and speak. I have no problem killing you without an explanation, but it might be better for all of us – mostly because I hate having to hide bodies – if you just open your stupid mouths and tell us what you want. You might even be surprised and get what you’re looking for without spilling blood.”
I licked my lips and shook my head, my hand unconsciously moving over Jack’s soft hair. “Zoe … .”
“Shh.” Zoe held up a finger to silence me. “I’m in control here.”
“She likes being the boss,” Aric explained, glaring at the gray lobo. “These guys are definitely freelancers. Someone hired them to come after us. I don’t understand who’d be that stupid.”
“Not you,” a voice hissed from the bushes, causing Aric to snap his head in that direction. He instinctively stretched out his arms to cover Zoe and me as he stared into the gloom.
The Werewolf Whoops Page 25