His features never wavered. “No, ma’am. It’s just with the storm last night. Thought you could use a hand. That’s all.”
She had her comeback on the tip of her tongue but couldn’t get it out. His face held such honest concern, she faltered. “Well, it was the first storm we’ve been through since…since…” she stammered slightly. “Since we left Pennsylvania, for sure. But I can take care of myself just fine.” She nodded in affirmation and tossed her head for effect. “Your kindness is appreciated, but you’re free to go now.” Had she just dismissed him like one would a servant? She was probably carrying the game past the limit.
He flicked a glance of disbelief at her before pouring himself another cup of coffee. A thin swirl of steam curled up and around his eyes like smoke from a voodoo incantation candle. The lieutenant was grinning yet his jaw worked.
Mentally shaking herself, Sonja dodged his hand when he moved to grip her forearm. An intense sexual draw sparked between them and she found she needed to move away from the source of her uneasiness. Sonja turned to find him watching her.
“Are you still here?” She asked curtly. Out of the corner of her eye, the preacher hung on every word spoken between them.
“I’ll go when I’m ready.” No inflection in those words for certain.
His answer came with such plain candor, Sonja found she could only stare. Alone, she’d remind him how arrogant and intrusive he’d been.
“How do you feel this morning?” His vibrant blue eyes bore into her. She flicked a glance down at her clothing to make sure she hadn’t missed a button. He eyed her as if she didn’t have on a stitch.
Stop staring at me to get people talking, her mind pleaded. Again, her words came clipped and stern. “I rested well, you?” Inwardly, Sonja relished in the heat of his stare. A gentleman shouldn’t look at a lady so.
The preacher moved away, probably to relieve himself.
Ty stepped to her, gripping her arm. “To holy hell with what people say. I haven’t seen you in five days and I’ll look my fill. It’s the only damn thing I’m allowed to do these days. I asked you how you feel.” His growl was deep and wolfish.
Sonja flinched. “I’m fine. Thank you.”
“Your food is getting cold.” He inclined his dark head and a muscle worked along his jaw. “Would you like me to warm it for you?”
“Warm it up?” Sonja spoke the words before she could stop it. “I… no, that won’t be necessary.” She eased back down near her plate. “Don’t you have work to do?” There was petulance in her voice. It was time to quit playing parts for the curious minds of others but she couldn’t help herself. “How was your scouting trip?”
“It went well.” No further explanation was forthcoming.
Sonja dropped her eyes to the food on her plate. He’d expertly scrambled the small eggs and the salt meat was crisp and brown. “I suppose I’m a special case. Your assistance is appreciated, Mr. Loflin.” Her mouth set over the last words. The trail boss had made a point of voicing his dislikes about her when they’d requested he take the train to St. Louis. Lone women weren’t allowed to travel with them. The only reason he’d made an exception was due to the size of the deposit she’d put down. She’d handed over Ty’s medallion and her silver cross with the promise she would exchange it for cash when they arrived in Texas.
“After last night’s storm, I considered helping out if I could. Seeing as your campfire was wet, I cleared the debris and started you a new one. No one will find fault with me trying to be a Good Samaritan, Nymph,” he said for her ears only.
“You decided.” Sonja couldn’t help the cool eyes she used to study him. “Is it part of your job to access a person’s situation and simply take action?”
“Yes, it is, Mrs. Brooks.” The calm in his eyes more frightening than if he’d shouted at her.
“It would seem you have been inquiring about me, sir. I don’t appreciate being the object of idle gossip.” She made sure her nose came up a fraction.
“On the trail, a person’s living conditions are public knowledge, Mrs. Brooks. I’m sure you’re aware of that fact.” Sarcasm dripped from his mouth with the retort. Without so much as an inflection, he studied her. Those chiseled features firm and unyielding.
Sonja’s mingled frustration was at a boiling point. She’d had about all she could stand. She sat her plate down and stood.
“Not hungry?”
“No, I’m not,” Sonja lied. “And, furthermore, I would appreciate your departure now.” She hoped the finality in her words got through his thick-headed brain this time.
“As you wish.” His wry smile coupled with those devastating blue eyes spoke for him. “I’ll be nearby if you decide you need help hooking up the team this morning.” With two fingers to the brim of his hat, he turned smoothly and sauntered off in the direction of the cook wagon.
Watching him go, Sonja realized he’d given up so easily. Why that irritated her, she couldn’t say. She fisted her fingers in the folds of her skirt and recalled how good his butt felt in her hands.
Chapter 6
Responsibilities
With Tyler still on her mind, Sonja engaged Briann’s help with the team. The sisters, as different as night and day remained fiercely loyal to each other. Sonja’s golden curls, a direct opposite to Briann’s dark auburn mane and her statue slight to Briann’s curves, the two sisters favored little, but they shared similar personalities.
“Have you seen General Stewart this morning?” Sonja tried to keep the accusation out of her words but failed. She only wanted what was best for her sister. Falling in love with a shifter or a vampire didn’t make for a happily-ever-after match.
“I saw him before sunrise this morning. Why?”
“Oh, I wondered how he was doing is all.”
Briann’s eyes flickered warily at her sister. “The General is fine or as well as can be expected.” She busied herself with slipping the bit and bridle on one of the mules.
“Does he chaff with the responsibility of watching over us?” Sonja’s heart did go out to the Major General. Stewart was an honorable and decent man in life an after his creation. He shouldn’t have been turned.
“Your thoughts give away your opinion of Jeb’s plight, sister. He will do what he has to do to protect us.”
Briann read her thoughts. Her sister’s empathic skills weren’t something she spoke of freely. Sonja, Ty and now General Stewart knew of her skills. For Briann to have shared her secret with Stewart pricked Sonja’s ire some. Her sister must be in love.
Feeling the barb, Sonja changed the subject to one more easily handled by them without squabbling. “Ty came back last night during the storm.” Smiling at the mere mention of his name, she glanced awkwardly at Briann. Talking about her relationship with the lieutenant was still hard.
“Yes, I know. I heard you both outside at daylight.”
“Oh.” Sonja’s color rose. “I didn’t mean to wake you. Sorry.”
“Not to worry. I understand your excitement in seeing him.” She shifted to the next mule with a bridle in her hand. “Here, put this one on Daisy.”
Sonja took the bridle and started to slip it over the mule’s head. The mule named Daisy saw her opportunity. With a low bray, the animal planted her feet and refused to budge.
Brought out of her head, Sonja glared at the mule. “You’re not going to start this again. I have a team to hitch, and you’re going to obey me or else.” With tiny-gloved hands, Sonja tugged on the lead rope. Ty’s instructions from the last time he’d helped hitch the team came back to her. “Don’t hold the line like that, you’ll lose a finger.”She anchored herself deeper in the rain-softened earth and slung her head. The low growl she emitted startled the mule. The animal froze in place and stepped away in fright as if he’d come across a wild animal.
Sonja winced in pain and cried out. The rope, looped over her small hand, pinched her fingers before she could finish the notion. “Woo, stop it! Woo!” The pain took the
rest of her words as the mule tugged on the rope and drug Sonja forward.
Strong, nimble hands came around her and releasing the tension on her fingers before Sonja’s tears spilled over.
Covering her from behind, the hands took the pressure off her fingers and the deep voice stilled the mule’s protests with one word, which was unintelligible to Sonja.
“Are you all right?” Briann hovered close, examining her sister’s hand.
In pain, Sonja couldn’t move. “I’m fine.” A shadow fell over her as she surveyed her hand. She caught the scent of sandalwood and soap, leather and male heat as Ty’s presence wrapped around her like a glove. Of course, he meant to berate her for her stupidity.
“Let me see, Sonja.”
Pain mingled with temper managed to unsettle her completely. He examined her injury with a tight grip on his control. An oath in Choctaw and he released the pressure on her fingers.
Using all her power to slip from his hold, Sonja trembled as she backed away from his heat.
“I told you about that grip of yours the last time this happened.” Shot with irritation, Ty fired the words at her as if an errant child stood in her place.
Sonja blinked and held tight to her aching fingers.
“Give me your hand.”
She flinched. Looking into his eyes, she relaxed fractionally. His command didn’t hold the temper she'd grown accustom to since his change, nor did his eyes bore into her like molten points of heat. His words, clipped, brooked no argument, and surprisingly held concern. Before she could think, Sonja handed him her hand. Perhaps the wolf in him was learning some control.
Snatching the glove off, he examined the flesh, which was already bluing. The top layer of her skin appeared peeled back and tiny drops of blood started to ooze to the skin’s surface. Ty took her fingers and closed his mouth over them. Sucking gently, he eased the pain with his tongue as it massaged the digits.
Sonja couldn’t stop her quick intake of breath or the way her stomach clenched with the feel of his mouth and tongue massaging her fingers. Her core heated and her blood warmed despite her best effort to the contrary.
Removing her fingers, he studied her hand. “Better?”
She didn’t make a sound. The sensation, which his tongue invoked, still simmered slow and hot in her depths. A tiny coil of pleasure moved inside. She tugged at his hold and found her hand wouldn’t budge. “Yes…” The word slipped out in the form of a plea.
He stared intently. “Do you have any suave?”
“I’ll get it.” Briann headed for the wagon.
Again, as if struck dumb, Sonja only stared. Those nearby saw everything. She needed to move away to a presentable distance. They could ill afford their cover blown. Still she stood rooted to the spot.
“Mrs. Brooks?” He persisted by giving her hand a gentle shake.
“Uh… yes, I think so.” Sonja stared up into his face. His intense blue eyes held the world for her. “We need to separate,” she whispered. “People are starting to gather.”
“Sonja, where’s the suave and I’ll get it.” His tone sounded polite but undeterred.
“I… I think Briann went to get the suave.” She wasn’t about to let him in the wagon. The tongues would never cease waging. Sonja turned and stumbled only once as she headed for the wagon.
Inside, as Briann got out the suave, Sonja stared at her hand. The cooling sensation Ty’s saliva caused on her fingers was easing the pain. The man had put her fingers in his mouth and sucked them in front of God and the train. The blood filled her cheeks when she considered the queer things that action did to her stomach, not to mention the moistness between her legs. She was no stranger to her reaction around him. Having to control such a reaction was something altogether foreign, though. Soon, she reminded herself, soon they would be far away from the vampires and near the Mississippi.
Outside the team brayed as he expertly hooked them to her wagon. She shoved the contact with him to the back of her mind as she shoved the wooden storage box back under her small cot.
“Here, let me wrap your hand. You can’t afford the chance of infection.”
Her words sounded like those of a mother and Sonja couldn’t help the smile across her flushed face. “Yes, sister dear.”
The slight jostles and vibrations meant the lieutenant was taking things in hand once more. It pricked her ire before she heard another voice.
***
“What are you saying?” Ty didn’t try and hide his frustration with the wagon master’s latest directive. His temper began to emerge. Complications would abound with such an order. The blood rushed to his ears, a sure sign he was in jeopardy of turning, something which could not happen. Not wanting to die before he got the matter straightened out, Ty worked on focusing as the Guardian had taught him. The god-like Lycan did share certain valuable tactics with Ty to control his temper born change from occurring. If he could remain calm until he got the mess straightened out. Ty stepped toward Smoltz.
“Just what I said. You’re gonna have to escort Mrs. Brooks to Texas. We’re low on healthy men to drive the teams and you’re gonna have to help out. Simple as that.”
“Earl, look. I’m a scout, not a babysitter. This isn’t my job. I didn’t agree to drive anybody’s team to Texas!” Slapping his Stetson against his thigh, Ty glared at the man with the white handlebar mustache and leather vest.
Smoltz didn’t budge. His bushy eyebrows formed a single line across his weather beaten face. Despite his short stature, he stared right back at Ty.
“I didn’t ask you, did I? Seems to me, I’m still the ramrod of this outfit. If you don’t like the way I run things, you can always head out on your own.”
There was a pregnant pause as both men glared at each other. Neither wanted to give an inch.
“If you don’t mind, I’ve got a wagon train to move.” Smoltz gave Ty one good clear look at his faded blue eyes and wheeled on his boot heel.
Authority rang in every word the man uttered, but Ty couldn’t leave it be. “Wait a minute.” Reaching out, Ty did the unthinkable and gripped the Earl’s arm.
To his credit, the wagon master didn’t yank free. He simply glared coolly at the persistent hand attached to his upper arm.
Letting go, Ty raised both hands in surrender. “Look, Earl, you can’t be serious. This is some kind of joke, right?” Ty took a step back. “I get it.” Spreading his hands wide in a plea for understanding, he started to laugh, a shaky brittleness to his tone. “Yeah, this is a joke at my expense, right?” Ty waited a beat. “The boys are behind this, right? Where is Connors? I know he’s the ringleader behind this one, for sure. Always stirring up something, that one.” Ty shook his head.
Earl said nothing.
Unable to stop, Ty pressed on. “’Cause you know I sure as hell ain’t escorting’ a helpless female to Texas. I told you when I hired you, I was going as far as Texas and that was all.” His hand cut the air between the two men in an Indian gesture meaning ‘No’. With his infamous Loflin temper about to explode, Ty struggled hard to corral the beast. Trying to defuse his anger, he shifted to a different tactic. “You were pullin’ my leg, right?”
Smoltz didn’t say a word.
“She doesn’t need my help with making the trip. Why don’t you ask her?”The surge of the werewolf came on without delay. Steady, Boyo’. Needn't give away everything right here.
“She’s a paying customer,” Smoltz shot back.
Ty’s eyes burned with the temper rising unbidden in his temples. The pain of his skin growing taught began to nudge at his consciousness. “Yeah, right.” When Earl tipped his hat and smiled at a point over Ty’s shoulder, it sent the hackles on his back up. Werewolf’s hair pierced his flesh and sprang along the back of his neck.
“Ma’am.”
***
Turning slowly, Ty came face to face with Sonja. His eyes blazed blue ice but he couldn’t stop them. Wishing the whole thing a joke at his expense, Ty tracked Sonja’s
eyes from Smoltz face to his.
“Mr. Smoltz, what’s the meaning of this?”Her tone was cool, her back straight and her head tilted slightly. She was magnificent.
“Well, ma’am, I’ve assigned your…ugh, Lieutenant Loflin, to take care you. Mr. Loflin’s gonna drive the team for you and watch out for your family’s safety.” Nodding his head in the direction of her wagon, Smoltz tried to pacify all concerned. “He’s gonna make sure your sister, her kids, and you are protected the rest of the way.” Satisfied with his explanation, Smoltz folded his hands over his paunch and rocked back on his booted heels.
Sonja glared hard between the two men. The tawny color of her eyes fired. She turned from them, least Smoltz witness her temper. Ty suspected Smoltz surmised Sonja needed help and from the look on her face, he wagered he was right. She had to know, though, if they protested, Smoltz would surely reveal their secret before casting them out there, where life had teeth. Using his fledgling telepathic abilities, Ty tried to calm Sonja. “Easy, what you say, Nymph.”
Glancing again at Sonja, and recognizing the sparks heating in those hypnotic eyes, Ty paused. Maybe she wanted him to refuse.
Sonja thinned her lips into a tight line. “What makes you think I’ll be agreeable to such an arrangement, Mr. Smoltz?”
She wrapped her good hand around her injured one only minutes before in what Ty could only think of as a defensive move.
“Well, beggin’ your pardon, ma’am, but you’re not as equipped as you need be to travel like this. It’s prudent to have Lieutenant Loflin accompany you.” He shoved his beefy hands into his pockets and peered at her over his bulging nose as if she’d gone daft.
Waking Up Dead (The Western Werewolf Legend #1) Page 9