“Oh, and your truck is fine,” Lexi told him cheerfully. “All that steel and chrome never even bent when Lily…” eyes widened above the hand slapped around her face and over her mouth.
“My truck?” Eli said slowly.
“Point. Where are you guys?” Lily asked sharply. “We think someone is using us to distract you and the only logical thing they would do that for, is territory. Are you listening?"
"We’re at my parents’ house, Lily,” Lucas said quietly, his gaze shifting to his father.
“What happened to my truck?” Eli didn’t duck the palm that came up from Lucas to the back of his head. “Oww.”
“We were followed,” Scarlet said, eyes rolling.
“Followed? From here?” Jess shook his head. “Sorry…”
“Or we could go with the random it just so happened that thirty minutes out, a sedan with two guys in it decided, oh, look a pick-up truck with three gorgeous chicks in it…let’s see if we can run them off the road,” Lily tossed back flippantly, growling when she got glared at by both of them.
“Are they still behind you?” Lucas asked tensely.
“They’re in a ditch. Hence the slight dent to your bumper thing,” Lexi told him.
“And no, we did not stop to check on them, we…I…I have no earthly clue if they were human or whatever,” Lily slowed for the turn and was glad to see the lights of other cars on the road.
Scarlet looked at Lexi and accepted the light shrug. “We weren’t close enough to be able to tell, Lucas, sorry. We didn’t leave the truck and we’re almost at the Inn.”
“You don’t think this has anything to do with Lexi?” Eli asked tersely.
“Lily got a text claiming to be from Lexi, only it wasn’t,” Scarlet began, trying to organize her thoughts. “The pair bonding is recorded. To avoid overlaps, right?”
“That’s correct, Scarlet,” Alex said quietly in the distance.
“So it wouldn’t take much for someone to know about me. Someone interested in your territory would wonder why Lucas hadn’t mated yet, especially with a couple females eagerly tracking him. We think that whoever it is, took a big chance hoping you’d be distracted.”
“You think that’s what James is up to?” Eli asked after a lengthy pause, the low growl evident in his tone.
“Or someone is paying him to set up a distraction. I don’t know,” Scarlet burst out in frustration. “But Lexi is right. Cute as she is, he’s going to a great deal of trouble for one female. Something is just off, Lucas. Just off,” she breathed tiredly. “We’re home and I’m tired. I’ll call you in the morning. I have to go talk to people. Good night,” she closed the cell phone and pulled her pack to her lap as Lily guided the truck through the gates to the driveway.
“You go talk to who you need to talk to,” Lily unzipped her jacket and dropped the keys into her jeans pocket. “Lex and me will check things around the house. I don’t have to tell you to be careful, Scarlet.”
She nodded and handed her pack to Lexi before jogging off down the single street that led to the middle of the prosperous tourist town.
“Here,” Lexi handed Lily the packs and her jacket when she came around the truck and stood at her side. She quickly stripped and folded and handed things to Lily before shifting, a tan-golden shimmer before a very large cougar stood in her place.
Her front paws were black as well as the tip of her long tail and the tips of her ears. Her face was a mixture of colors with long whiskers, wide blue eyes and white along the sides of her face and leading to her thick neck.
Lily carried the packs and clothing with her to the front porch. If there was anything not right, either the wolf or cat would have smelled it, she was sure of that and found the key hanging off Scarlet’s pack and opened the front door. She left things sitting on the floor beside the wide front desk before taking one of the guns from inside her jacket and releasing the safety as she wandered through the large, old Inn that they had renovated for the bed and breakfast.
She had the back door unlocked and stood waiting on the porch, the crisp chill of fall surrounding her as she waited silently. She shouldn’t have been surprised that Jess was occupying her thoughts. A lot. She had to leave. She knew that. He was so very different than she’d ever allowed herself. He was so calm. So controlled. She sighed. At peace, she added wistfully.
She saw Scarlet come toward the house an hour later, both of them tugging their jackets around them as they went into the house, the door closing behind them.
“Talk about a fall chill,” Scarlet rubbed her palms together, glancing around. “Lex?”
“Out catting around,” Lily said with a chuckle.
“You know she hates when you say that,” Scarlet worked to make herself scowl.
“Yeah…I know,” Lily returned, visibly jumping the next minute.
A low, rumbling snarl filled the room seconds before Lexi rubbed herself against Lily’s legs like a two-hundred and fifty pound house cat.
“Jesus Christ, Lex! You know I hate when you do that to me!” Lily’s growl was a cross between both of her friends, eyes narrowed as Lexi shimmered and formed, her laughter light and happy.
“That’s what you get for saying I’m catting around,” Lexi said with a dismissing shrug, heading for the stack of clothing on the sofa. “So what’s the news?”
Scarlet leaned against the back of the sofa, arms crossed.
“Two males, wolves, came around asking questions. Looking for me. It seems they became more and more persistent until Will almost started a bar fight in his own bar,” Scarlet sighed. “Thankfully, Seth was there and sheriff-ed them into leaving before things got out of hand. They were a bit pissed because no one would give them answers as to where I was or how they could reach me. The car description is what we ran off the road tonight.”
“No one asked enough questions to know why…or they weren’t talking,” Lexi guessed, pulling the tee shirt over her head before starting on her shoes.
“They weren’t big on sharing information,” Scarlet agreed with a sigh. “We have people on the points, watching, but they left town and haven’t been back. But they also stopped at some of the smaller places between here and Devil Hills, same questions, but since the other towns don’t know me, they were left without information.”
“Until they stumbled into Devil Hills,” Lily guessed, glancing toward the back of the house. “You still have that bag I left with you?”
“Back of the closet, look behind the shoe boxes,” Scarlet said, watching both women look at her with raised brows. “What? I collected boxes and stacked them. Who’s going to look behind a bunch of girlie shoe boxes for anything?”
Lily shook her head and wandered down the hall, easily finding the long, heavy case she left with Scarlet. She quickly checked the contents before locking it and carrying it with her to the front room.
Chapter Seventeen
“We should go back,” Scarlet said, tilting her watch up and nodding. “It’s barely past seven. We’ll get there about ten-thirty.”
“They don’t need us for protection,” Lexi said quietly.
“It’s not about protection. It’s about solidarity,” Scarlet sighed and collected her pack and the keys. “I’ll take this drive. Do you think we’ll need that?”
“I’d rather not need it and have it,” Lily said simply, following her lead and collecting her pack. Lily and Lexi waited on the porch while Scarlet set the alarms and locks before they settled in the truck and turned the heater on as they headed back toward Devil Hills.
“Why do you think they were looking for me?”
“I wish I knew,” Lily reached up and pulled the band from her hair, fingers massaging as she stared into the night around them. “Maybe to ask questions. Maybe to try and use you as leverage. If there really is an attempt to take territory, which is still something I don’t grasp, but…idiot males…whoever it is, I’d bet they don’t even have their own territory running perfectly. Anyway…�
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“But they’d know she was pair bonded, and anyone with half a brain knows she hadn’t been in Devil Hills with Lucas,” Lexi stretched her legs out in front of her. “So what? Out of the kindness of their hearts they’re supposed to care what happens to her after all these years? Nothing personal, Scar…”
“She’s right,” Scarlet admitted.
“You might be pair bonded, but not mated,” Lily said quietly. “If he forced that, then he’d have your territory.”
“It isn’t my territory,” Scarlet said firmly.
“The hell it isn’t. Who did those people call when something wasn’t right? Like it or not, it is your territory,” Lily said forcefully, a low growl from her throat. “I’m sorry. This whole thing…they’re playing on a lot of luck to make it work. I’m sure if you were in trouble, they’d find a way to get that information to the Daniels’ pack and we both know they would do something because it was right, not because it benefited them in some way.”
“We don’t have the kind of…” Scarlet sighed heavily. “Morning Star isn’t like Devil Hills. We have two dozen shops and businesses that aren’t run by fighters. Okay, maybe we have a few that are or were at one time…but people go there to get away from that stuff. I’d never ask them to go back to something that drove them away.”
“And no one could take your territory without taking you because like it or not, they’d fight anyone else. And you wouldn’t have to ask, you know that. It might not be blatant or outright, but you know damn well they would, especially if you were being hurt in some way,” Lily looked at her friend. “I know it wasn’t a place you ever wanted to be, Scarlet, but it is and you are.”
“The good news is you have us,” Lexi tossed out cheerfully, reaching for the heater control and getting slapped. “Hey…cold here.”
“Use the blanket,” Lily reached behind her and tossed it toward Lexi. “Can’t breathe in here when it gets too warm.” She put her head back. “The bad news is idiots like that don’t know how to just run their own territory. They want to grab things that aren’t theirs in some power mad…”
“Breathe,” Scarlet told her, glancing at the dash phone. “We should let them know.”
“Yeah…maybe…” Lily looked around where they were. “Before we do, stop in to the drugstore in Three Corners. I need a few things.”
Lexi looked over and shrugged the blanket off with a nod. “Me, too. And a tall drink of something would be good.”
Scarlet was laughing with the others on their return from the store, each carrying a bag. And each had one thing in common.
“That is not food,” Scarlet said disdainfully as she climbed behind the wheel of the truck.
“It is to me,” Lily answered with a shrug, taking a long swallow of the frosty drink she’d bought. “My stomach is happy with liquids. Leave it alone.”
“You think that clerk thought we were weird?”
“’Cause we all bought boxes of condoms?” Lily shrugged again. “Don’t care. Not even sure they’ll be used. But…it’s like the rifle. Rather have it and not need it.”
“Why wouldn’t you use them?” Lexi looked over the relaxed Lily at Scarlet and got a shrug. “I thought you and Jess…”
“Don’t go there.”
“Lily, the man is nuts about you,” Scarlet guided them to the highway, checking her watch. “Ninety minutes to get back.”
“He’s nice…and doesn’t deserve to be hurt,” Lily took another long draw on the straw in the cup in her hand. “I don’t know.”
“Amelia was telling me she’d love it if there was a well-stocked nursery in town,” Lexi made sure she wasn’t looking when the glare came at her, carefully examining her fingernails in the dark. “Why does he scare you?”
“Only you would be…” Lily shook her head, the cup resting on her thigh and head back, eyes closed.
“Brave enough?” Lexi shrugged. “It’s a gift. He scares you ‘cause you like him.”
Lily didn’t have an answer and just stared into the night.
Scarlet tapped the in-dash phone and the number she’d programmed in that morning.
“Scarlet? Are you alright?” Lucas’s voice was sharp, his words out almost before the first ring had finished its tone. He wasn’t happy. He didn’t like her out on her own. He didn’t like the feeling of wanting to shred everything and anything at the moment, particularly the people intent on causing trouble. He also wasn’t fond of the looks his brothers shot him.
“Tone, Lucas,” Jess shook his head.
“We’re fine, Lucas,” Scarlet exhaled slowly. “We’re about an hour out. I talked to some people, found out what I wanted to know and made sure things were alright.”
“You’re returning tonight,” Eli’s voice came from a short distance, relief evident.
“Is everything alright?” Scarlet asked.
“Fine. We’ve been making calls and pulling in favors gathering information. James isn’t in it by himself,” Lucas told them tiredly.
“Does anyone ever offer an explanation as to why? Why are they after your territory?” Lily knew she sounded testy. Mostly because she was. It was bad enough idiot humans couldn’t manage themselves, but had to conquer to ‘improve’ the lot of the ones being conquered.
“You have people who follow rules and ones who don’t, Lily,” Jess said quietly, unsure why he felt her frustration so keenly.
“There are rules?”
“Of course there are rules,” Lexi said with a little frown at her. “We have a council and everything.”
“And there’s a reason the council isn’t involved? You never told me there was a council.” Lily sat up and glared from one to the other. “Then why don’t they do something about his behavior to you? Or anyone else?”
“Personal things are a little more tricky,” Eli said, clearly tense and clenching his teeth at the explanation. “Families are expected to handle those things.”
“In which case I’m going hunting,” Lily said flatly. “And I don’t want to hear nothing from any of you.”
“We’ll talk more when you get back,” Lucas said after a long silence. “I have people out and watching but be careful.”
“We’re alright. See you in a bit,” Scarlet ended the call and sighed. She knew better than to try and talk to Lily now. But she also felt the twinge of worry flooding her and Lexi.
“You can’t kill him, Lily,” Lexi however wasn’t nearly as contained. She waited but wasn’t surprised that her friend refused to comment. “Not while he’s human.”
Lily sighed. “Unfortunately, unless I’m nose to nose with them, I can’t tell them apart like you guys can.”
“You could if he was marked,” Lexi said with a crooked grin. “I saw a game place on our way out of town. They included a paint ball field and shop.”
“Neon pink would be interesting,” Scarlet said with a little chuckle.
“You honestly believe they’ll fight? I mean…”
“Claws and jaws,” Lily said quietly, the tone in her voice filled with sadness. “There’s never any other way, is there?”
“I don’t know how to battle brutality with anything less,” Scarlet said angrily. “I really wish there was another way.”
“I know and the instant anyone hurts someone else in that town, all bets are off.” Lily added without remorse, her palm over and taking Lexi’s. “And you will not run. They’re using you and we’re going to stop it.”
“No matter how hard you try and live a quiet, non-violent life…” Lexi closed her eyes and leaned her head against the window.
“You know…” Lily began with a wink at Scarlet.
“Don’t. Go. There.” Lexi said through her teeth.
“A pacifist cougar…” Lily chuckled when the elbow tried to come into her side, her breath catching in her throat when she realized they’d crossed onto Lucas’s property.
All three of the brothers stood on the porch, tall, handsome and anxious. She didn’t ne
ed extra sensory perception to know that. A glint of light struck Jess’s glasses and she sighed.
“You’re going to stay,” Lexi said softly, meeting the blue eyes with a little smile. “It’s not really so scary. A little unnerving…the intensity…it’s like they see a side of you that very few people take the time to know.”
“I know,” Lily said, swallowing and drawing in a deep breath as she gripped the long leather case from the back seat after Scarlet had slid from the truck. Lily watched as neither moved far from the truck. “Hmm…”
“What’s wrong?” Lexi whispered as she came slowly around the front of the truck, her fingers touching the small dent in the steel surrounding the grill.
“I’m guessing this stance is the – now that we’re relieved they’re safe, we can be pissed off that those poor, delicate females wandered off on their own,” Lily felt a sharp tingle when she caught Jess’s gaze.
He leaned against one of the poles, his leg stretched out along the rail. He grinned and winked at her, his arms crossed over his chest. He might have been worried, she realized but he wasn’t angry.
“Guess she’s too smart for us,” Jess commented, shrugging when both brothers glared at him.
“Oh…and Eli’s wondering how long he should be concerned for Lexi before he checks the front of the truck,” Lily chuckled and shrugged. “I was driving. Send me the bill and I’ll pay for it.”
Scarlet opened her pack and stepped toward Lucas, holding some large papers out to him. “Photos…most of the town has safety cameras and all the shops have them. I don’t know if they’ll help, but I brought you copies of them. And you can be as angry as you want. Those people depend on me.”
“And you couldn’t wait? Talk to us?”
“The people in this town need you and your family, Lucas. For the same reasons as I had to go to Morning Star and make sure things were alright. The sheriff has things under control because we had a plan in effect. We don’t want this…territory fighting crap,” Scarlet paced in front of the porch, hands up and pulling her hair back. “I honestly don’t know what I’d do if they really wanted Morning Star. We don’t have but maybe two hundred residents. We’re…a tourist town. Crafts and merchants.”
Devil Hills: #1 Scarlet, Lexi & Lily Page 14