“What was the reason for this camping trip, Mr. Conners?”
“My daughter has always been blind, and it’s one of the things she’s read about, but never been able to do. Her whole life has been spent in a type of protective cocoon, and she feels like she’s missed out on life. She begged me to let her experience a little of what the other girls talked about, so I agreed to stop and camp for a couple of days when I brought her home from school. Her grandfather passed away recently,” he sobbed, “and I thought it would be a good time to tell her, when she’s relaxed. I was bringing her home to stay. She wasn’t going to have to return to that awful school.”
“No, he’s lying,” Laynee cried. David and Eric each grabbed one of her hands as the sound of her father’s interview went on.
“Was there anyone else traveling with you?”
“No, I wanted it to be a father-daughter bonding time. I just wanted to spend time alone with my little angel and to let her experience life like other, normal girls do.”
Laynee pulled her hands away. “Turn it off, please.” A second later there was silence. She cleared her throat. “He didn’t have Jeremy with him when he picked me up at the school. We drove for about twenty minutes and then stopped and picked him up. When I complained about him coming on our trip, Father said he’d brought him along to do all the work so we could spend more time together.”
“Laynee,” Remus asked, “what’s the last thing you remember?”
“Father took me out of the car and sat me down by a tree. I could hear water nearby, so I had to be close to a river or pond of some kind. The air was cooling off, and the breeze was strong enough to ruffle the hairs on my head. I could smell pine and rotting wood.”
“Wow!” Maddie patted her shoulder. “That’s a really good memory you have.”
“That’s the first thing I teach new students. Their other senses will develop more fully when they lose their sight. Since I’ve always been blind, I’ve had years to focus on my other senses.”
“Do you remember drinking or eating anything?” Eric asked.
“Yes. Father stopped for gas and got me an orange soda. It was my favorite when I was a child, and I didn’t have the heart to tell him I haven’t drunk them in years. It was a long drive from Portland and I was thirsty, so I drank it anyway.”
Eric picked up her hand. “What happened then?”
She thought for a minute. “I got really sleepy. I knew he was picking me up to take me home, and I hadn’t slept much the night before.” She pulled her hand away and rubbed her palms over her jean-covered thighs. “When we stopped, he left me in the car. He said he’d come get me after they got the tents up and a fire started. I remember feeling sick at my stomach.” She shook her head. “I asked Father to help me, and he said for me to just relax and everything would be okay.”
“Laynee.” Eric picked her hand back up and held it tightly between his own. “They put some kind of drugs in your drink. That’s why you were so drowsy and why you felt sick.”
She bit back a sob. “Maybe it was just an accident.”
Eric briefly pressed her hand to his lips. “Honey, they threw raw meat around on the ground behind the tree where they left you. I heard that Jeremy fellow ask if your father thought the bears had gotten to you yet.”
“No,” she cried, yanking her hands away and covering her face. “It can’t be true.”
* * * *
It nearly killed Eric to see his mate experience such pain. He moved closer and drew her fully into his arms. David quickly knelt between her knees and slipped his arms around her waist. They’d take away her pain if they could. For a few minutes, the only sound in the room was her quiet crying. When she slowed to an occasional hiccup, Remus stood.
“Laynee, I’ve sent my best investigator to find out why this happened. Nobody does this on the spur of the moment. Your father had to have some kind of reason for what he’s done, and I, for one, want to know what that reason is. I think you’d be safer if you stayed away from him until we have all the facts. You can stay here, in the guest house, for as long as you like. Nobody knows you’re here, so you’d be safe. It’s got more than one bed, and the boys could stay there with you for protection if you want.”
Laynee lifted her head from Eric’s shoulder. “You’d do that for me, Remus? What if you get in trouble for having me here?”
Remus laughed. “You let us worry about trouble. This is my mountain, and I make the rules here. The boys brought back the can of soda that was drugged, and it’s being tested now. I can handle any trouble that comes our way. We just want you safe until you have all the facts, and then you can decide what you want to do.”
She wiped her hand across her eyes, stood, and held out her hand. She smiled when Remus’s big hand closed around hers. “Thank you, Remus. I appreciate your kindness. I’ll stay here until you find out what’s going on, and then I’ll decide what to do.”
Remus took a deep breath and smiled. “Excellent! Boys, why don’t you take our guest back to the house? I can have someone bring over a selection of foods for you. I don’t think any of you are up to socializing with all the folks that are here. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything.”
Laynee bit her lip. “What happens if someone comes looking for me?”
Remus laughed. “There’re only two roads up the mountain, Laynee. Both are guarded at all times. Nobody can get up here without our knowledge. I promise, you’ll be safe.”
“Why would you need your roads guarded all the time?”
David took her arm. “The family’s really private, and Remus believes in protecting everyone. There are a lot of women and children that live up here, and he’s just really careful.”
Laynee’s brow furrowed, even though she nodded. “Okay, well, I thank you for everything. I’m ready to go back. I think I’d like to lie down.”
“Come on, honey.” Eric let her take his arm and headed for the door. Just as he started to open it, it slammed back against the wall, and Lyssa came barreling through with Victor right behind her.
Laynee’s hands flew up to grab Lyssa’s arms when the women crashed into each other. “Oh, I’m so very sorry.”
Lyssa growled. “Watch where you’re going.” Her gaze flew to Eric. “Why don’t you keep your little pet on a leash?”
Laynee gasped and jerked her hands back.
Victor scowled and gripped Lyssa’s arm so tight his knuckles turned white.
“Lyssa!” Remus roared. “Silence.”
Victor yanked her away from the door. “We’re sorry, guys. It won’t happen again.”
Eric nodded and placed his hand at the small of Laynee’s back, urging her to go forward. He and David led her through the house and out the back door.
Laynee stopped. “That woman, your cousin Lyssa.”
“Yeah, what about her?” David asked.
“She’s very unhappy.”
Eric frowned. “What makes you say that?”
Laynee shrugged. “I can’t explain it. My teachers always said I had some sixth sense that allowed me to read auras. It doesn’t work all the time, or on everybody. Sometimes I think my own emotions get in the way when I try to read someone. Like the two of you. It’s almost like you guys have dual personalities that are equally predominant.” She sighed. “I can’t tell you why, but I know that something in her life is keeping her very unhappy.”
* * * *
Victor dragged Lyssa through the house and out the front door. He glanced around to make sure they were alone and then shook her slightly before letting her go. “Damn it, Lyssa. Do you have to cause so much trouble? Why the hell do you have to be so—”
“So what?” She growled. “Why do I have to be so much like my mother?”
Victor crossed his arms over his chest. “I didn’t say that.”
She snorted. “No, but that’s what you’re thinking.” She laughed harshly. “That’s what everyone in this pack thinks.” She moved to the side of the
porch and stared out at all the parked cars. “Do you know how old I was before I finally found out what she’d done to make people keep asking me that question?”
Victor sighed. “No, how old?”
“Sixteen.” She turned around and glared at him. “Every day of my life, for sixteen years, somebody said, ‘Why do you have to be so much like your mother?’” She harrumphed. “Why didn’t Alpha Remus kill her for challenging the Alpha Femm?”
“It was Mom’s decision, Lyssa. She never wanted your mother hurt. She just wanted her to accept their mating.”
Lyssa glanced up with watery eyes. “So her punishment was to mate with my father.”
Victor frowned. “Now, wait a minute. That’s not exactly what I understand happened.” Victor winced because that was exactly what happened. Maddie won the challenge, and it was decided that Nanita be forced to mate with Zebron. He was a fine, upstanding member of the pack that was hopelessly in love with the she-wolf. Remus had said he believed a good mating would settle Nanita down. When they’d told the story, Remus and Maddie had said Nanita had been happy in her mating.
“Do you realize what that means?” asked Lyssa.
Victor shook his head.
“I’m the result of my mother’s punishment.”
Before Victor would say anything, Lyssa turned and ran off toward the woods. “Lyssa, come back.” She kept running, and he didn’t have the heart to go after her. She was terribly spoiled, and he wondered if she wasn’t using this as an excuse for a little sympathy. He’d certainly never seen any sign that Nanita and Zebron were unhappy. They’d stayed together and had two pups.
“Are you hiding from the pack?”
Victor turned to see his twin leaning against the side of the house. “Maybe. What are you hiding from, Eloise?”
She growled and moved closer. “I’m trying to stay clear of that moron from the National Council.”
Victor’s brows rose. “Are you talking about Zander?”
Eloise nodded. “Yes, the man’s a terror. No matter what I say, he has the opposing opinion. I’m about ready to shift and bite his ankles.”
Victor chuckled and threw his arm around her shoulders. “Okay, come on, little ankle biter. Let’s go back to my place.”
She looked up and grinned. “Is your freezer stocked?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Peanut butter marshmallow?”
Victor suppressed a gag. “Yeah, I got your favorite.”
Eloise squealed and raised up to plant a kiss on his cheek. “You’re the best brother ever.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward his car. “Let’s go. I can hear that ice cream calling my name.”
* * * *
Laynee leaned back on the couch and ran her fingers over the textured material.
“Would you like anything to drink, Laynee?” Eric asked.
She laid her hand over her stomach and groaned. “No, dinner filled me up. I couldn’t hold another ounce.” She laughed. “I’m not even sure what all was on the plate you gave me. Although it was all really good.”
“There was fried chicken, pork chops, meatballs.” David thought for a moment. “Sausage balls.”
Laynee laughed. “I’ve never had so much meat in my life. I can practically hear my arteries clogging as we speak. Do you always eat like that?”
“No,” Eric said. “Of course not. Remember it was pot luck. I guess the women didn’t compare notes to see what everyone else was bringing.” He cleared his throat. “To be honest, we do eat a lot of meat. We’re not too heavy into green veggies.”
“Well, I’m gonna have to watch myself while I’m here. I need my veggies, or I don’t feel good.”
David sat down and took her hand. “We’ll get you whatever you need. We want you to be happy here.”
Eric stood up. “I’m gonna step out so I can call Carl and let him know we’re gonna be delayed.”
“Who’s Carl?”
“Carl works for me and David. He’s qualified to take out tours in our absence.”
“You don’t have to stick around because of me. I don’t wanna be the reason you lose business.”
David squeezed her hand. “You’re not. We don’t have but two trips scheduled for this coming week, and he’s perfectly qualified to handle them both. Be sure you tell him not to schedule anything until we give the go-ahead. He can spend his free time getting the equipment in top-notch shape. He could even do an inventory if he has time.”
“Right, I’ll let him know.” A few seconds later the door opened and closed.
David leaned close. “Alone at last,” he whispered.
She giggled and then sighed.
“You’re thinking about your father, aren’t you?” he asked.
“Well, duh. It’s hard to imagine that he’s trying to actually kill me.”
“You don’t seem all that upset, more angry I think.”
She pulled her hand away and stood up. She walked a couple of steps away before she remembered she wasn’t at home and might be in danger of tripping over furniture with her next step. She turned and faced the couch. “I am more angry than anything. I wasn’t close to my father. After my mother died, he took me to the Perkins Institute and just left. He didn’t visit ten times in the sixteen years I was there. And worse, when my grandfather wanted me to come and live with him, my father refused.”
“Did he give a reason?”
“His attorney told me that he considered my grandfather too old to deal with having a young child in his home, especially a blind child. I was all of eight at the time.” She sighed. “It hurts to know that grandfather is gone. He visited me several times a year up until five years ago, after he had a stroke. He wasn’t able to make the trip after that, so we had to settle for long phone calls. They were the highlight of my week.”
“Do you think your father could have had anything to do with his death?”
“I don’t see how. They didn’t get along. Grandfather was my mother’s father. As far as I know, they were never under the same roof after my mother died. He was an elderly man who’d already had one stroke. He probably died a natural death. I just wish I could have talked to him one more time.”
“Why was your father taking you home?”
She shrugged. “He said sixteen years was long enough to be there, and it was time I came home and took my place as the hostess of his house. Sounded strange to me, but I was happy that he wanted me to come live with him. I enjoyed being a teacher this last year, but it’s a lonely life. There could be no fraternization between teacher and students, and all the other teachers were women in their midfifties.”
“You don’t have to be lonely now. You have me and Eric. Why don’t you come back and sit next to me?”
Slowly, she made her way back to the couch and sat down, close, with their thighs touching. The heat from his skin burned through her jeans. “Can I touch you, to see what you look like?”
“Of course. What do I need to do?”
She smiled. “Nothing, just sit still.”
“Okay.”
Slowly she raised her hands and touched the sides of his head. She moved them up until silky strands of his hair covered her fingers. Carefully, she traced his hairline and then down the sides of his face, memorizing the angular shape. The sensitive pads of her fingers moved over his cheeks and up to his eyebrows, smoothing over them softly. She let one finger trace the shape of his nose and then bit her lip while she mapped the skin of his cheek and neck. She frowned and moved her hands up where she let her thumbs trace the shape of his mouth. His lips were full and tilted up in a smile.
“What’s the frown for? Don’t you like the way I look?”
“You’re very handsome, but it’s kind of strange.”
“What’s strange about me?”
“You’re practically perfect.”
David barked out a laugh. “Never been accused of being perfect before. What are you talking about?”
“Your skin, it’s per
fect. It’s all silky smooth. It’s like you don’t have any flaws. I can’t feel any scars or skin imperfections, not even a notch in your nose where you might have broken it back in school. It’s pretty rare for someone to get to be your age and have skin this soft.” She cupped his cheek and moved her fingers back and forth. “What’s even stranger, I couldn’t find any flaws in Eric’s face either. You guys must have had a pretty dull childhood never to have had any injuries.”
“Our whole family has always healed pretty fast. I’m guessing it’s something in our genes.” She jumped when his fingers skimmed over the side of her face. “I can see that you had a few mishaps when you were younger.” His finger trailed across a line above her right eye. “What happened here?”
“That happened when I was about six years old. I took a fall down the porch steps, and my head got up close and personal with the bricks around the flower bed at the school.”
The same callused finger traced down her nose. “This is just a tiny bit out of alignment. How’d you break your nose?”
“I was twelve and came face-to-face with a football at the park. My instructors took us for an outing and a bunch of guys were playing a friendly game of touch football.” She shrugged. “I guess they forgot to tell me they were passing.”
David laughed and let his arms slide around her waist. He pulled her close and then raised his hand to her mouth, caressing the fullness of her lips. He leaned in so close she could feel his breath against her face. “I’m gonna kiss you. If you don’t want it, you’d better pull away now.”
Instead of pulling away, Laynee leaned closer until her lips touched his. She shivered when he pressed featherlight kisses against her lips, coaxing her to open. When she did, he flicked his tongue against hers and then delved into her mouth, rubbing it sensuously, possessively, along the tender inner skin. His arms came up and wrapped around her as he drew her bottom lip between his teeth. She was so lost in the sensations, she didn’t know Eric had come back in the room until she felt the couch shift behind her. Before she could pull from David’s kiss, Eric’s arms snaked around her waist, his lips settling against her neck.
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