by Karen Lynch
“Good. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go back to Sara.”
One of the younger wolves spoke up. “You can stand guard out here. No need of you being in the house.”
Before I could reply, Judith said, “This is my home, and I decide who enters it. The warrior is welcome. If you have a problem with that, you can take it up with me.”
No one argued with her, and the pack left. Judith and I talked for a few minutes and exchanged phone numbers in case Maxwell or I needed to contact each other. Soon after, she retired for the night and I went back to my spot near the living room window.
A few times, Sara tossed fitfully and murmured in her sleep, but she settled down when I went to her and gently touched her face. She might not know about the bond, but even in sleep my touch soothed her.
It was in the hours before dawn when she finally stirred. Her sleepy voice broke the silence in the room. “Nikolas?”
“Go back to sleep,” I said softly.
Quiet settled over the room, and I thought she’d fallen asleep again. I turned back to the window.
“Don’t go,” she pleaded in a hoarse whisper.
Those two whispered words affected me as nothing ever had. My chest grew warm, and I swallowed past the strange tightness in my throat.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I promised. Ever.
Chapter 7
Sara was sleeping peacefully when I walked outside at dawn. I was reluctant to leave her, but she was safe here with the pack. It was clear they cared for her, and Judith had assured me last night they would protect her as if she was one of their own. The two large men stationed outside when we left were proof of that.
Chris was waiting when I quietly closed the door behind me. We didn’t speak as we pushed our bikes down the driveway to the road. Sara had had a rough night, and neither of us wanted to disturb her sleep. It wasn’t until we were a quarter of a mile from the house that we started the bikes and drove into town.
We found a small diner that was open for breakfast, and I sank heavily into a booth with a low groan. Physically, I was good. I’d pulled all-nighters more times than I could remember. My head was another matter.
In all my years as a warrior, nothing had ever gotten to me as much as last night had, and I felt wrung out. Seeing Sara in that mangled truck and knowing how close I had come to losing her had awakened emotions I’d never thought I could feel. Even now, the anger threatened to resurface every time I thought of her standing in the rain in her torn and bloody clothes.
“Two coffees,” Chris said, dragging me from my thoughts. I looked up to see a waitress walking away from our table.
Chris gave me a wry smile. “You remember the big quake in nineteen-oh-six?”
“How could I forget?” Chris and I had worked tirelessly for three days with a dozen other warriors, combing through the ruins of San Francisco for survivors and dispatching vampires who’d sought to take advantage of the disaster. Three days without food or sleep, but we’d rescued hundreds of people from the rubble.
“We looked like hell when that was over. That’s what you remind me of now.”
“I feel like hell.”
He stared at me long and hard. “You almost lost it last night.”
I nodded wearily. “I know.”
His fingers tapped on the table. “You know it’s only going to get worse. The next time you might not be able to control the rage.”
“I will. I have to.” The last thing I wanted was to frighten her.
“Maybe you should tell her the truth, so she’ll know what’s going on with you next time.”
I opened my mouth to argue, and he held up a hand.
“I watched the two of you last night at the party and after the attack. She might resent you for what you represent, but she trusts you. She asked for you when I went to tend to her injuries. She has to sense there is something between you, even if she doesn’t know what it is.”
“No, she’s not ready for that.” It warmed me to know Sara had asked for me, but it was too soon to tell her everything. She needed time to get to know me, and preferably in a situation where she didn’t fear for her life.
He shook his head. “It’s your call.”
The waitress brought our coffees, and I took a drink of the strong black brew. “I have to tell Tristan about the crocotta.”
Chris made a face. “Good luck getting him to stay in Idaho after this. And once he gets here and learns about you and Sara…”
I set my cup down and rubbed my jaw. “I’ll just have to be persuasive.”
He laughed softly. “Like I said, good luck with that. When are you going to call him?”
“In a few hours. If I wake him up, he’s going to think it’s an emergency, and there’ll be no talking to him.”
“Good idea.” He sipped his coffee. “I assume you’re going to stay here, for today at least.”
“Yes.” There was no way I could leave her so soon after the attack.
“I’ll head back to Portland then and see what Erik is up to. I called him last night and told him about the attack. He couldn’t believe it when I told him there were six crocotta.”
I scowled at the memory of all the crocotta bodies in the road. “I think I’ve seen a pack that big only once before.”
He gave me a grim look. “Whether it’s Eli or someone else behind this, they’re not messing around.”
“I know.”
“If it gets too dangerous and she won’t leave, we might not have any choice but to make her go.” He stared intently at me. “Are you prepared to do that if it comes to it?”
“She might hate me for it, but her safety comes first.”
“Then we’ll have to make sure it doesn’t come to that.” Chris pushed his cup away and got out of the booth. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I paid the bill and left the diner several minutes later. I’d seen a small hotel near the waterfront, so I decided to get a room where I could shower and recharge for a few hours before I called Tristan.
Chris knew Tristan well. After I told Tristan about the crocotta attack, it took me well over an hour to convince him to stay at Westhorne. He thought being her grandfather, he could somehow convince Sara to leave everything she knew behind. It wasn’t easy, having to remind him that most of Sara’s dislike for the Mohiri stemmed from her resentment toward her mother. She would not welcome Madeline’s sire, even if he was nothing like his daughter. And if she was able to get past that, she would not leave her uncle.
It was almost noon when I ended the call with Tristan. My first thought was of Sara and how she was doing today. It would take her a day or two to fully recover from her injuries, and I wished I had thought to leave some gunna paste with her in case she needed it for pain.
Remembering I had Judith’s number, I called her to check on Sara.
“She’s doing great. She’s in no pain and healing incredibly fast. I doubt she’ll have any scars at all in a day or two.”
I released the breath I was holding. “Is she still there?”
“You just missed her. She left with Roland. I believe he’s giving her driving lessons.”
“Driving lessons?” The thought of her doing something so normal after last night made me smile at her resilience. “Is she okay to drive?”
Judith laughed. “I hope so. That’s my only car.”
I was smiling when I hung up, relieved Sara was recovering well from last night. I spent the rest of the day combing the town and surrounding woods for any signs of trouble. I doubted there would be more crocotta, but I was taking no chances where Sara was concerned.
Several times I ran into pack members in wolf and human forms, but we acknowledged each other without any conflict. It was clear from their expressions that they were not happy about my presence in town, but their Alpha must have ordered them to stand down.
Later that night, I walked from my hotel to the waterfront to keep watch for a few hours and to reassure my Mori and myself that sh
e was okay.
I’d expected her to be asleep, but light shone from the third floor of the building where I believed her bedroom to be, having seen her in the windows up there on several occasions. A few minutes later, the third floor lights went out and the curtains moved in one of the windows.
My eyesight sharpened, and I saw her outline clearly as she looked down at the waterfront. I couldn’t see her expression, and I wondered if she was afraid to sleep, expecting another monster to come out of the darkness. Facing that many crocotta would give some warriors bad dreams.
Every other time I’d kept watch, I’d made sure to stay out of sight, but tonight I wanted her to go to sleep knowing she had nothing to fear. I stepped into the circle of light from the street light so she could see me clearly.
For a long moment, she looked at me without moving. Then, the curtain fell back into place and she disappeared.
I stayed in the light for another minute before I melted back into the shadows.
* * *
I left New Hastings the next morning with the intention of returning that night, but the escalating situation in Portland demanded my presence in the city. On Sunday night, the body of a young woman was found in a dumpster near the university. Her ravaged throat told us our vampire problem had grown.
Maxwell must have gotten word of it because suddenly Portland was crawling with werewolves. There were a few clashes when our warriors encountered some of the younger wolves who didn’t like our presence in Portland. I had to go out and diffuse several of the conflicts.
On Tuesday, Maxwell called and asked to meet at a small pub in Portland owned by one of his pack members. I met him there alone since Chris was in New Hastings, and I received more than one glare when I walked up to the bar and ordered a beer.
Maxwell arrived as the bartender was pouring my beer. He ordered one for himself and we sat at a booth in the back.
“My wolves don’t like having your people in our territory, and frankly neither do I,” he said. “But we’re all hunters here, and we have the same enemy. So we need to learn to work together to deal with this situation.”
I took a drink of my beer. “I agree. What do you propose?”
Surprise showed in his eyes. “I’m going to send six wolves to Portland every night. You tell me where you’ll be working, and I’ll focus on another part of the city. We’ll cover more ground that way and stay out of each other’s hair.”
“Sounds good.” I sat back in my chair. “I believe the vampire named Eli is behind this. He’s dangerous and slippery, and I need to know if one of your wolves takes him down.”
Maxwell nodded gravely. “I’ll have them take pictures of their kills, although I can’t guarantee there will be much left to identify.”
We talked for another hour about how we could work together to avoid future problems between our people. Maxwell was overly protective of his territory, as any good Alpha would be, but he was rational and smart enough to acknowledge the Mohiri were a strong ally against the threat to this city. I respected that in a leader.
That night, there was a second vampire attack near the university, but it was thwarted by two werewolves who killed the vampire. True to his word, Maxwell had his wolves send us a photo of the dead vampire. There was just enough left of his face to know he wasn’t Eli.
That same night, Erik and I took out three young vampires we had cornered behind a night club. They couldn’t have been more than a few weeks old. When they said they didn’t know who Eli was, they were almost too terrified to speak, let alone lie to us.
We were killing vampires, but there was no sign of Eli, and it frustrated the hell out of me. My instincts told me the bastard was still here and he was up to something. I’d seen vampires obsess over a prey before, but why would he risk his life by staying around here with so many hunters in the city? I wouldn’t be happy until I put a blade through his demon heart.
I was in a black mood when I finally left Portland late Wednesday afternoon to ride to New Hastings. I didn’t realize how worked up I was until I got closer to the small town and the tension began to leave my body. It still stunned me how strong the bond had grown in just a few weeks, and how I could miss someone after only three days apart.
It troubled me as well. As a warrior I didn’t have many weaknesses, but Sara made me vulnerable in ways I’d never thought possible. My feelings for her and my need to keep her safe were things an enemy could exploit. Chris had been right the other night when he said I needed to think like a warrior and not like a mate when it came to protecting her. Emotions in battle made you sloppy and distracted, and that could get you killed.
I thought my imagination was playing tricks on me when I sensed Sara on the outskirts of town. Then I rounded a bend in the road and saw a lone figure riding a bicycle past the city limit sign. What the hell was she doing out here alone, especially after the attack a few nights ago? Where was Chris? And the werewolves who had sworn to watch over her?
I let off the gas and kept pace behind her for the three miles to her building on the waterfront. She knew I was there, but she didn’t look behind her once, and she didn’t change her speed. I wasn’t sure if that was because she trusted me or because she believed she was safe in broad daylight.
I saw her shoulders tense when we reached the waterfront, and I knew she was going to try to slip inside before I could confront her. Keeping her in sight, I rode ahead and parked my bike in front of her building. I was standing by the corner, trying to rein in my anger when she rode up. Seeing her soothed my Mori and me, but that didn’t diminish my fear at her disregard for her own safety.
I didn’t give her a chance to speak as I moved toward her. “Did you not learn anything the other night? Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
“Of course not,” she retorted, though fear flashed in her eyes as she dismounted and walked her bike toward the building.
“No?” I hated my hard tone, but I was too wound up after the last few days to soften it. “Do you want to tell me where you had to sneak off to that was so important?”
“No.” She shifted from one foot to the other. She was hiding something.
“There is nothing but woods for miles south of town. What were you doing out there?” And where the hell was Chris? How could he let her go off on her own like that?
Her brows drew together. “How did you find me anyway? Did you put one of those trackers on my bike, too?”
“No, but maybe I should.”
Her eyes darkened with indignation. “No, you should not! I’m not helpless, you know, and I don’t need you guys following me around twenty-four seven. I took care of myself pretty well before you came along.”
A part of me understood her anger and frustration. I wouldn’t be happy if someone entered my life and tried to restrict my freedom in any way. A larger part of me was infuriated that she refused to see reason, and my words came out mocking. “Yes, I can see how well you do on your own. I’m amazed you lived this long.”
She drew back. “I’m sorry I’m such a trial to you, but no one is asking you to stick around here. You can go back to doing your warrior thing – hunting vampires or whatever you do – and forget all about me.”
I could sense she was hurt by my words, but all I could think of was keeping her safe. When she tried to march past me, I blocked her, grabbing her bike so she couldn’t move. I leaned down, and her scent surrounded me. “If I was a vampire, you’d be dead – or worse.”
Her body stiffened, and I heard her sharp intake of breath. As she lifted her eyes to mine, her warm breath caressed my throat. For several seconds, I forgot everything but those soft lips inches from mine.
She averted her gaze. “Does it even matter?”
I blinked as her words pierced the spell she’d cast over me. “What?”
“You said that day on the wharf that you can’t save every orphan. What difference does one more make?”
The suggestion that her life meant so little, that
she was nothing more than a job to me, made my chest tighten. If she only knew how precious her life was to me. How did I make her understand that I only cared about her welfare and happiness?
She pulled away from me. “Do you mind letting go of my bike? Nate will be home soon, and it’s my turn to make dinner.”
“Khristu!” My grip tightened on the handlebars until I thought the metal would bend. How could someone make me want to shake them and kiss them at the same time? “Do you not understand the danger you’re in? I know you want to believe you’re safe here surrounded by your werewolf friends, but someone went to great lengths sending that pack of crocotta to find you. If it is that vampire, he won’t give up.”
This time she couldn’t hide the fear that crossed her face, and guilt stabbed me for making her afraid again.
I laid my hand over her smaller one. “If you are honest with yourself, you’ll admit I’m right. I can protect you if you’ll let me.”
I felt her tremble, saw the uncertainty in her eyes, along with some other emotion I couldn’t read. Just when I thought she was going to admit I was right, she pulled away.
“I really need to go inside now,” she said quietly.
I stepped back to let her pass and followed her as she wheeled the bike around the building to the back door. I watched her fumble for her key. “You can run away from me, but you can’t run from the truth. The werewolves can’t protect you forever, and eventually, you’ll have to leave New Hastings. What will you do then?”
She froze for several seconds, and I knew my words had hit home. There was a slight tremor in her voice when she spoke again.
“When that happens it’ll be my problem, not yours.” Opening the door, she shoved the bike inside. “I don’t want you following me around anymore.”
My hands clenched at my sides. “And I don’t want you to keep putting yourself in danger. Seems like neither of us will get what we want.”
The door closed between us. I went back to my bike, pulling out my phone as I walked. I dialed Chris’s number, and he answered on the third ring. From the rumbling in the background he was on his bike.