Tall, Dark and Furry (The Elementals Book 1)

by Meredith Allen Conner

Mac pushed his fears down. His body tightened, eager for a fight. He could handle fighting. He loved fighting. He’d find a way to convince Sela she wanted to be with him. Just another battle he would win.

  He could not have it any other way.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Mac opened the door. He stood back to let Livie walk into the room. Sela followed and Mac came in behind her. He curved his arm around Sela’s waist, resting his hand on her hip.

  The heavy weight and warmth seeped through her clothes. She leaned into him, enjoying his solid presence.

  Damn, I’m glad we’re out of that truck.

  The last two and a half days had been brutal. They drove all the way back, knowing that a small contingent of the MIBs followed them. Cam wanted to give the clan plenty of time to prepare in case the fight started as soon as they arrived.

  Sela knew the men were anxious to fight, but she was just happy to be out of that truck.

  Livie halted before the king sized bed, her mouth hung open.

  “Wait till you see his bathrooms, Liv.” Sela laughed. “They’ll really amaze you.”

  Livie snapped her mouth shut. She looked around, but didn’t touch anything. Sela watched her reach out as if she wanted to feel the bedspread, clench her fist and bring it back to her side.

  She didn’t blame her.

  Mac’s home overwhelmed her at first too. Of course, she got over that right away. She just hoped that Livie could as well. Sela did not want her to feel uncomfortable. They had so much catching up to do. It seemed like a fairytale to her. If Sela could convince Livie to stay, they could even have a normal sister relationship.

  Normal for sisters with Elemental powers living among werewolf protectors.

  Sela gave a mental shrug. Worked for her.

  “Come on, Liv,” Sela nodded towards the bed. “Give it a whirl.”

  Livie clenched her fist so tight, Sela could see white all across her knuckles.

  She took a step back from the bed. “No. I’m sure it’s fine.”

  “If you don’t like the room, I have others Livie,” Mac’s voice rumbled above her. Sela canted her head to look at him. Mac maintained a neutral expression, but his eyes softened.

  Sigh. I should tell him soon how much I love him.

  She waited, still no panic. That was twice now that she’d thought about loving Mac. Three times. And still no panic.

  Yeah, for me.

  Livie stiffened. “No. No, this is fine.” Her thin shoulders shook slightly.

  Sela slipped out of Mac’s hold and turned him to the door. “Go on. I’ll show Livie around.” Livie would not want Mac to see her falling apart. “We still have lots of catching up to do.” I’m going to make her promise to stay here. “And Cam wants to go over the battle plan with you.” She’ll settle in once you’re gone. I hope.

  Mac frowned at her. Sela smiled at him. “You can fill us in on the details after I get something for us to eat.” Don’t even think of pulling the little-women-stay-home routine.

  Something flashed too quickly through Mac’s eyes for Sela to get a good read on it. It almost looked like fear, but that didn’t make sense.

  Mac smoothed out his expression. Hmm, have to find out what that was all about.

  Mac bent and kissed her. His warm lips lingered on hers until she rose up on her tiptoes. He slid his tongue over the seam of her lips. Sela welcomed him inside.

  He growled. His tongue invaded her mouth, searching, exploring and conquering. His grip firmed on her waist.

  “Um, do you two want this room?” Livie asked.

  Mac lifted his head. His harsh breaths beat at her face and mingled with hers.

  Sheesh, this could become embarrassing. They completely forgot about everyone and everything else each time they kissed. Sela grinned at Mac. Eh, who cared?

  Mac rubbed his thumb over her smile. He pressed another kiss to her lips, quick and hard. He nodded at Livie over Sela’s head. “Let me know if you need anything.”

  He turned back to Sela. “I’ll find you after I’m done. Don’t leave the house. All right?” He waited.

  Please that he asked, in his own way, Sela smiled. She couldn’t stop smiling. She had one of her sisters with her and had fallen in love.

  Four times and counting.

  “Don’t worry. We won’t go anywhere.”

  Mac stared down at her. Finally, he nodded and left the room.

  Sela stared at the closed door. Her smile disappeared. Something was definitely bothering Mac. She didn’t know what worried him. He’d been somewhat preoccupied since the episode in the truck, the almost-turning-almost-biting-his-Wolven episode.

  Cam hadn’t appeared upset, so Sela didn’t think it had to do with breaching werewolf etiquette. Plus, she couldn’t see Mac getting worked up over breaking polite rules. Losing control? Definitely. Forgetting to lift his pinky at teatime? Never.

  But something had caused him to lose his control. Sela hadn’t known Mac for long, but she knew control was important to him.

  She’d get to the bottom of that one soon.

  Sela turned back to Livie. Livie still shook. Sela didn’t know how to approach her. They might be sisters, but after so much time apart . . . they didn’t know each other anymore.

  Damn the MIBs. She couldn’t say it enough.

  Sela took a few halting steps forward. She reached out, her hand hovering over Livie’s shoulder.

  “Liv? You okay?”

  Livie swiveled quickly to face Sela. Caught off guard, Sela didn’t have time to move her hand. It hung there in the air between them. Livie stared at Sela’s hand for a moment.

  Cautiously, she reached out, almost touching then she grabbed Sela’s hand and held tight.

  They both shuddered.

  Give them a bad guy to fight and the sisters leapt without looking. Face their emotions? Sela sighed. She’d rather find someone else to do that.

  “Ever wonder Livie, if we made the right decision to split up?” Sela squeezed Livie’s hand.

  “All the time,” Livie grimaced.

  “Really?” It shocked her. She’d spent so much time focused on how to stay alive, it had never occurred to her to doubt their decision. Until now.

  Damn, and I thought I was the sensitive one.

  “I hate running and living on the streets.” The vehemence in Livie’s voice stunned Sela. Livie tugged on Sela’s hand and shrugged. “I know we decided it was for the best, that we would have a better chance staying alive . . .” Livie sighed. “Maybe it was for the best. I don’t know, Seals. I just know I can’t keep living like I am.”

  Sela pulled her close and wrapped her arms around Livie.

  “You don’t have to anymore, Livie. We can live here. Together.”

  Livie pulled back. “Together, huh?” She raised her eyebrows at Sela. “I kinda got the impression that you and Mac were together.”

  Sela flushed. “You know what I mean, Liv. You can live here too.” Sela flung her hands out, indicating the room and everything beyond.

  “I’m not so sure, Sela.” Before Sela could protest, Livie wrinkled her nose and continued. “Mac’s house is a little over the top for me.”

  They both looked around at the right-out-of-a-home-decorator’s-book bedroom. After having nothing, Mac’s house suited Sela. She liked the over-the-top furnishings and large house. Despite the screaming wealth, Sela felt at home. Big, over-the-top and right in your face, it had Mac stamped all over it.

  “Okay, then, we’ll find you a house nearby.”

  “There are other houses around here?” Livie asked, peering out the window into the woods as if she could see another house through the dense trees.

  Sela started to nod. She paused. There were other houses around, weren’t there? Yes, Cam lived nearby and so did Roc. Plus, Mac mentioned his clan several times.

  She made a note to have Mac show her around. So far, she was only familiar with the road that ended at Mac’s home.

  “Ma
c can build one if there isn’t one.” Sela stated.

  Livie snickered. “No problems spending his money, huh, Seals?”

  Sela shrugged, none what-so-ever.

  “So, you’ll stay?” she asked, searching Livie’s face.

  “A chance to live a normal life and be with my sister?” She nudged Sela. “And kill the bad guys once and for all?” She smiled coldly, eyes narrowed as if already envisioning the bloodshed. Livie shook her head and refocused on Sela, cautiously. Livie inhaled slowly, held her breath and then let it out in a quick rush. “I’m in.”

  Wow, I could really get used to this hope thing.

  “After we totally eliminate the Order of the Elements – with lots and lots of pain involved, for them - we need to find Rea.”

  Sela nodded. “We’ll find her, Livie. Then we can all be together.”

  “One big happy family, huh?” Livie questioned, doubt in her voice.

  Sela laughed. “Kind of crazy, I know. But then again, did you ever think werewolves existed?”

  Livie laughed too. “Good point.” She arched her brows at Sela. “So, you like the furry thing?”

  Sela shrugged her shoulders and grinned, “Tall, dark and furry.” She laughed. Never in my wildest - truly wild - dreams did I ever think I’d fall for a werewolf. “Picture a nice big furry blanket, Liv.”

  “With teeth?” Livie asked pointedly.

  Sela rubbed her hand over her still sensitive neck. She wrinkled her nose. “I kind of like it.” She murmured.

  Livie’s mouth dropped. “You like it?”

  “I’m his mate and he’s mine.” Sela frowned, struggling to put it into words that Livie would understand. “I belong to him and he belongs to me. We’re together.” She rubbed at the mark on her neck. “This is just his way of saying that. I like it.” She admitted.

  “Together.” Livie sighed. “That is nice.”

  Before either of them could get too emotional, Sela grabbed Livie’s hand and dragged her over to the bathroom.

  “Come on, Liv. You’ve got to check out the bathroom.” Sela pushed open the door. The pool – bathtub – in this bathroom wasn’t quite as big as the one in Mac’s, but it could still easily fit at least five people.

  Livie gaped at the massive tub, the huge glassed shower and dual sinks. Gray granite counter tops held various toiletries. Dark blue towels were folded and stacked neatly on the ledge near the tub.

  “Cheeze-its, Seals, how much money does Mac have?” Livie wandered further into the bathroom, turning in a circle to get the full view.

  Sela shrugged. “A lot.”

  Livie’s stomach growled, she grimaced and patted her belly.

  “Why don’t you take advantage of all this and I’ll go find something to eat?” Sela suggested.

  Livie grinned. “I think I’ll do just that.”

  Sela walked out into the hall and shut the door. She leaned back against it and exhaled quickly, a short, shuddering blast of air. Livie had agreed to stay.

  She repeated it again and again. Livie had agreed to stay. Holy Hannah. She sniffled. Horrified, Sela looked down the hall. No witnesses. The perma-grin eased back onto her face.

  She had Mac and Livie. Now all she had to do was kill all the bad guys, find Rea and life would be pretty darn perfect. Fur, fangs and all.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “It’s the only way to do this, Mac.” Cam leaned over the area map laid out on the large table. Cam’s dining table had turned into their headquarters.

  Cam traced the road into town with his thick finger. He halted at a junction on the map and grunted, looking up he shrugged at Mac. “If we don’t include them in the plan, Sela and Livie will get involved somehow.”

  Mac’s stomach tightened. He gripped the back of a chair and glared at the map. He’d been fighting this battle for the last nine days. For reasons none of them understood, the MIBs had not attacked as soon as they arrived home. Reports continued to come in, they knew they planned to attack soon, possibly the next day, but why they waited so long continued to bug Mac.

  Cam thumped him on the shoulder. “I don’t like it either, but at least this way we can control where the women are.” Cam straightened and walked over to a small bar. He pulled out three bottles of Wolf’s Brew, opened one and tossed the other two to Mac and Roc. “Once the fight begins, we need to know where Sela and Livie are located. We can protect them if we know where they are Mac.”

  Mac opened his bottle and took a long pull. Damn it all to hell. Cam was right. Mac knew it. He knew it and hated it.

  His worst fear realized. Sela would be in on the fight.

  If Sela and Livie stayed at his house and they missed something, the women would be on their own and unprotected. It would take just one of the bastards with a dart gun to knock them out. However, if the sisters went with them, Mac and his clansmen could protect them.

  Mac took another drink. He would be right next to her, he reminded himself. He’d make certain she stayed behind him. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her.

  Shit. Sela would be in the middle of a full on battle, anything could happen.

  Glass shattered. Mac looked down, grunted and pulled several pieces of glass out of his hand. A couple drops of blood fell before the bleeding stopped and the cut began to heal.

  “There isn’t another option, Mac,” Cam walked over to the bar and pulled out another bottle of Brew. He tossed it to Mac muttering, “Keep this one in one piece okay?”

  “Damn it all, Cam!” Mac growled.

  Roc set his bottle on the table with a loud thunk. “He’s right, Mac and you know it.” Mac glared at him. “I’ll be in the woods with more of our warriors. We’ll make certain these guys don’t try some sort of sneak attack.” Roc reminded him. “This is the only way. We can lure these bastards right where we want them and keep Sela and Livie protected, but only if they’re with you.”

  Right smack dab in the middle of everything.

  “It sucks,” Roc leaned over the map. He visually retraced their plan and shrugged. “We’d be just as pissed if she was our mate.” He looked at Mac. “It’s the only way, buddy.”

  “Damn it all.” Mac clenched his fist. Hell, between Sela and his friends, he’d been reduced to cursing and howling “mate” all the time. Maybe in another century or so he’d regain the ability to have a conversation.

  Mac stalked around the table, eying the map from every possible angle. He couldn’t see another way.

  Located in the southeastern section of Idaho, their town sat in a valley surrounded on all sides by large mountain ranges. One road came up and over the lowest spot on the mountains. That one road provided the only entrance and exit to the town.

  The mountains in the western part of the United States tended to be like everything else in the West – large, rugged, sparsely populated and dangerous to the unfamiliar. This valley had been the perfect place for their clan to live.

  A person would be incredibly foolish to try to enter the town any other way than the one road. A special ops group could do it, but anyone else would be exhausted by the time they reached the town. From what Cam learned, the Order of the Elements couldn’t play patty cake with a special ops group.

  They relied on true fanatics to fill their ranks, average Joes who were just a little off in the noggin and wanted something to believe in, something to give a purpose to all those voices in their heads. Mac frowned. No women in the Order of the Elements.

  Why only men?

  Whatever. He didn’t really care. The only thing he cared about was keeping Sela safe. Maybe . . .

  “I want your word that you’ll have Sela with you, Mac.” Cam looked Mac in the eyes.

  Hell, knowing someone for a few centuries could be a damned nuisance. Mac dismissed the idea of relocating Sela. He didn’t have enough time and, damn it all, Cam and Roc were right. They could protect Sela and Livie better in a fight than risking the women being discovered alone.

  “Hell.” He
all but spit the word out. He considered the merits of throwing his bottle against the wall, but he could use a drink and it wouldn’t change a thing.

  Mac looked at Cam. “You have my word. Sela and Livie will be there.” He eyed the map. “Let’s go over it one more time.”

  Always the Wolven, Cam took the safety of his clan very seriously, he nodded and pointed to the road at the peak of the mountain. “They’ll need to enter here.”

  “The fairy said they planned to be here tomorrow.” Roc leaned against the table. He tapped the junction on the outskirts of town. “We can take them here. They won’t be expecting it.” Roc snorted. “The top guys in the group seem to be intelligent, but the rest of their group is more obsessive than anything.”

  Roc shrugged. “I can’t get anything on the top guys but according to the fairy, the others love to brag about their plans. They know the women are here and think they can just walk in and grab them.”

  Mac’s chest vibrated with his growl.

  “Still no word on how big the group is?” Cam asked.

  Roc shook his head, “They’re set up like a Hydra, lots of heads moving in different directions. The body is well hidden and if you cut off one head another grows in its place.”

  Mac and Cam looked at each other. They both looked at Roc.

  Cam said, “Damn, Roc I had no idea you were such a poet.”

  “You need to lay off those women’s magazines.” Mac said.

  Roc scowled at them. “It’s a damned accurate description and I read about the Hydra in a book, not one of my magazines.” Twin flags of red, appeared on his cheeks. Mac refrained from snickering. Roc hated to be teased about his women’s magazines.

  Cam’s lips twitched. Coughing into his hand, he continued, “They’ll be on their guard. They might not be the most intelligent, but two of their groups have disappeared. They’ll be more on guard now, probably have more gun power, but still nothing we can’t handle.”

  Mac stalked over to the window and frowned. Evening approached, dark clouds obscured the night sky, but even without the clouds, Mac knew the coming night would be very dark.

  “You don’t think they know that we’re at our weakest under a new moon, do you?” he asked over his shoulder.