Hunting Season (The Gathering Book 1)

by Shelly Laurenston

  As Yager contemplated the chessboard like the Rosetta Stone, Neecy looked at the bedroom doorway and freedom. That’s when she saw it.

  Silently, Mike Molinski ran down the hallway, a wet towel in his hand. Tearing after him a few seconds later was a very wet and extremely naked Janelle.

  Yager’s hand rose over the chessboard, but he shook his head and lowered it again.

  Mike came tearing back, still swinging that towel over his head.

  Yager clucked his tongue against his teeth, but didn’t lift his head.

  Janelle leaped past the doorway. A few seconds later, she and Mike reappeared. She had Mike in a headlock, but he wasn’t giving up that towel. Both were still completely silent, even as Janelle repeatedly and brutally punched Molinski in the face.

  If Neecy couldn’t hear Yager’s geeky “thinking” sounds, she would have assumed she’d gone deaf.

  The struggling pair stumbled out of Neecy’s line of sight.

  “You’re trying to box me in, Dr. Lawrence.” Yager flashed her a gorgeous grin. “But I’m not falling for it.”

  His head dropped down and Janelle came back into sight. She held one end of the towel and desperately tried to yank it away from Mike, who had the other end. She dragged him across the hallway floor, but he still wouldn’t let it go. And Neecy knew that grin of his would set Janelle’s hair on fire.

  “Aha! I got it!” Yager made a move, but Neecy had completely lost interest now that Tye had suddenly appeared. He picked Mike up and disappeared with him. She knew what he did with him, though, as the muffled sounds of someone tossed down a flight of stairs made it into the bedroom.

  The towel in his hand, Tye walked up to a shivering, visibly raging Janelle. He held out the towel to her and she snatched it from him, storming off. Too much dignity to bother wrapping it around herself.

  Tye watched her walk away. Actually, that was a little tame. It was more like he absorbed every detail of Janelle’s dimpled ass walking back down the hallway. When one of the many bathroom doors slammed closed, Tye flashed Neecy a delicious grin. He shrugged, wiggled his eyebrows, and walked away.

  Yager leaned back, his palms flat on the mattress, his arms propping him up. “Checkmate, baby.”

  He looked so hurt when she burst out laughing and couldn’t stop.

  Yager gratefully took the cup of coffee Delia handed him and walked over to the glass doors leading from his kitchen to his backyard. Quietly he stood next to Tye.

  “She doing okay?” Tye finally asked.

  “Yeah. So far.”

  “Her mood getting any better?”

  “Hey, cut her some slack. I’d love to see how well you’d take an ax to the back.”

  “I don’t have a problem with it. I’m just not used to seeing Neecy Lawrence expressing an actual…”

  “Emotion?” Yager helpfully offered when Tye seemed at a loss.

  “Yeah. Exactly.”

  “She’s too exhausted and drained to have her usual walls up.”

  “Which you’re not minding one bit.”

  “Nope. Not really.”

  Delia came up behind Yager. “I’m making her a grilled cheese sandwich. I’m afraid if you bring her soup again, she’ll hurt you.”

  Watching Mike walk across the backyard, Yager said, “Soup is good for her.”

  “Okay, okay. I’ll give her both. Grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. Happy now?”

  “Very.”

  The trio stopped speaking as one of Neecy’s crows suddenly dive-bombed Mike.

  “Whoa!” Delia stepped closer as Mike swung his arms to get the bird away from him. “Yager, I thought you said Neecy was asleep.”

  “She is asleep. She was out cold when I came down here.”

  Two more crows dived at Mike, freaking the poor kid out. Then six more.

  “Then what the…”

  Tye sipped his coffee as Mike did his best to keep the birds away from him. “It’s not Neecy,” he offered casually. “It’s that meat and birdseed I put in his pockets.”

  Delia covered her mouth in surprise, but she couldn’t stifle the laughter.

  Yager shook his head. “Why?”

  They watched as Mike ran to the doors, trying to get in. But, apparently, Tye had locked them and seemed in no rush to unlock them.

  “He knows why.”

  Mike slammed his fist against the thick glass and pointed at Tye while the growing number of birds steadily attacked his coat and therefore him.

  “You motherfucker!”

  “See?” Tye took another sip of his coffee. “Told you he knows why.”

  Neecy stared out Yager’s bedroom window at the Crows and Ravens hanging around in his backyard. She didn’t even know anyone was in the room with her until she felt a small hand on her shoulder.

  She smiled down into Arri’s concerned face. “Hey, kid.”

  “You okay, Neece?” She knew Arri’d read her colors and already knew she wasn’t okay.

  Neecy shrugged with one shoulder. “I’m breathing.”

  “Is that good enough?”

  “Better than I had a right to hope.”

  “You’re worried about your wings.” It wasn’t a question.

  “It sounds so stupid when you say it out loud.”

  “Why? Those wings have been a part of you for years.”

  “Yeah. But it seems awfully petty to worry about my wings when I could easily be having this discussion in Valhalla with Odin.”

  “But you’re not. You’re here. And you’re still a Crow, Neecy. You’ll always be a Crow.”

  “Yeah. A maimed, useless Crow.”

  “Neece—”

  Before Arri could finish her thought, Yager walked into the room with a pile of books and DVDs for Neecy. He looked at both women and immediately frowned.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Neecy didn’t lie, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t let others lie for her. She glanced at Arri and immediately the girl said, “Oh, I’m just whining. Mike is being such a… a…”

  “Asshole?”

  “Schmuck?”

  “Fucker?”

  “Spastic colon?”

  Arri giggled but turned her face away. She was even shy about laughing.

  “Yeah. All of the above,” she practically whispered.

  Yager dropped his pile of stuff on the bed. “Well, I wouldn’t sweat it, Arri. I think he’ll be mellow for at least a few hours.”

  Neecy’s eyes narrowed. “Okay. What did you guys do to him?”

  Yager blinked innocently. “Baby, we didn’t do anything to Mike.”

  “You leave him alone, Wilhelm Yager.” Now both Arri and Yager stared at her. “What? I like Mike. He’s funny.”

  Disgusted, Arri walked out while Yager continued to stare at her.

  “What?” Neecy asked again.

  After four full days of bedrest, Neecy couldn’t take it anymore. She was bored beyond anything and tired of sitting or lying around. So, when Yager left the room to get her something to drink, she slipped out of bed and slowly made her way downstairs.

  As she carefully walked, her free hand against the wall to keep her steady, she marveled at the rest of Yager’s house. She’d felt like his apartment was luxurious even with all that manly steel. But his house was just astounding. Tasteful, comfortable, inviting. She could easily see herself spending time here.

  Dammit. She’d been afraid this would happen. Afraid she’d get comfortable. Afraid she’d let Yager in. And dammit, she had. He’d barely left her side for four days and he had yet to get cranky about it. She moved, he was up asking her what she needed. She sighed, he rubbed the back of her neck. She burped from all that damn soup, and he chuckled.

  His treatment of her should annoy the living hell out of her, but it didn’t. Actually, she liked it. A lot. It almost made her forget what she was really scared about.

  Neecy made it down the stairs without Yager catching her, but as she reached the last step Mike
stepped around the corner. He looked at her with one raised eyebrow. “What are you doing out of bed, young lady?”

  “Don’t you start, Molinski. I couldn’t take it anymore. So I’m making a break for it. And what happened to your face? Did something peck you?”

  “I’m not discussing it.” His adorable blue eyes strayed to her hand gripping the handrail. Yeah, getting to the living room wouldn’t be easy, but she was willing to take it one slow step at a time.

  Mike moved up close to her. “I swear, Lawrence. You spoiled chicks.”

  “Yeah. Catholic orphanages are known for the way they spoil their kids.”

  He smiled as he reached down, wrapped his arms around her waist, and lifted her up. He carefully avoided touching her major wounds and didn’t jostle her tied arm.

  “Well aren’t you gallant for a boy from the ‘hood,” she joked, relieved she wouldn’t have to make that walk to the living room.

  “Don’t make me drop you, sweetie.”

  The pair walked into the living room and right into Yager. He had her requested juice box in his hand and the deepest frown possible on his face. Glaring, he watched the two.

  Mike didn’t hesitate. “Take her.” He practically threw Neecy into Yager’s arms, then grabbed the juice box and walked away.

  “Don’t look at me like that. I couldn’t stand another second trapped in that room.”

  “Fine.”

  Yager walked her over to the couch and sat her down. Shoved the television remote into her hand and a book on the lives of computer hackers in her lap.

  “Happy now?”

  She smiled up at him, knowing it would annoy him. “Ecstatic.”

  With a grunt, he headed back to the kitchen. A minute later, he came back out and handed her another juice box. Then he stretched out on the couch, laid his head in her lap—after pushing the book out of his way—and went to sleep.

  Yager woke up when it was dark outside. His head was still in Neecy’s lap, but the Crows now filled the room. Not the birds—thankfully. The women. They spoke and laughed in whispers and he realized they were trying not to wake him up.

  Yawning, he turned on his back and looked up into Neecy’s battered but beautiful face.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey. Sleep okay?”

  “Yup. I had your sweet scent to keep me company.”

  “Awww,” all the Crows sighed out.

  “Shut up or I’m calling my birds,” Neecy barked.

  “Someone’s bitchy,” one of the Crows laughed, then the sound on the television went up as did The Gathering’s conversation. He glanced over and realized that yes, they were actually watching reruns of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

  Neecy’s free hand slid through his hair. He closed his eyes and sighed. Man, he could easily get used to this. She fit perfectly into his world—even injured and cranky as all hell—the same way she fit in his arms when asleep.

  Neecy was perfect. Perfect for him. And he wanted her healthy and well and living with him forever.

  “They’re getting ready to order some Chinese food. Want any?” she asked.

  “Yeah. I’m starving.”

  Janelle walked in from the backyard. “You put your hands on me again, Molinski, and you’ll be scratching those tiny balls with a claw.”

  Yager winced as Janelle stormed into the room, leaving the doors wide open. Goddamn Mike. Of course, one look at the big blonde girl’s face and Yager was sure she could handle herself quite nicely, but still, no touching without permission. Especially when it came to the Crows. “We’re going to need a credit card,” she announced to the room. “The Ravens ordered half the menu. You’d think they’d never eaten before.”

  “Didi’s got a card,” Katie offered as she lounged in one of his massage recliners. She had it going full blast and appeared to be enjoying herself.

  “Then where the hell is Didi?” When no one answered, “Didi!”

  Now Neecy winced. “Yo! Janelle! Could you act like ya got a little class?”

  “Could you—” Janelle mimicked back to Neecy, “—back the fuck off?”

  Neecy glanced at Yager, and he suddenly realized she was embarrassed. He didn’t know why, though. Especially when Mike ran backward into the room through the doors Janelle just came through. Yager could hear Tye yelling, “Go long, bro! Go long!” Then the football hit Mike in the chest. He caught it, but it flipped him over the couch, his head slamming against Yager’s two-thousand-dollar coffee table.

  “Fuck! Where’d this table come from?”

  Now he was embarrassed. Did Mike not have any sense at all? Stupid question. Of course he didn’t.

  Didi stormed into the room, the National Enquirer in her hand. “You know what I would love from y’all? If I could take a shit in peace just once in my goddamn life!”

  Neecy rubbed her eyes. “Oh, my God. This is spiraling,” she muttered low so only he could hear.

  Yager turned on his side, facing her, and whispered, “Now that you’re getting better, they’re getting comfortable.”

  “God, I’m sorry, Yager.”

  “About what?”

  She glanced around the room. They were all talking at once. A bunch of loud, noisy birds. “For them getting so fucking ‘comfortable’.”

  “There’s nothing to apologize for.” He motioned to Mike. “Really. There’s nothing.”

  Neecy looked over and they both watched as Mike—who recovered quite nicely from his dance with the coffee table and now stood by the couch—decided to rest his forearm on the top of Arri’s head. She had been standing quietly by him waiting to put in her food order, Yager guessed, based on the fact she held the menu in her hand. Painfully shy, she probably hated that Mike had just made her the center of attention.

  “Hey! Get off me!” She slapped at his hands.

  “Oh, come on. Like you’ve never been used as a stool before.”

  Gasping in indignation, Arri jumped away from him. “You… you…”

  “Say it, Arri,” Janelle urged.

  Apparently that was all the prompting little Arri needed. “You a-hole!”

  The room grew quiet. Everyone staring at Arri.

  “What?” she finally asked.

  Janelle sighed. “Katie.”

  Without relinquishing her chair, and therefore her massage, “Mike Molinski. You put your motherfuckin’ hands on me again and I’ll cut off your nipples and make them into a fashionable headband.”

  Janelle nodded. “That’s what you say.”

  Shaking her head, Arri stuttered, “I… I can’t say that.”

  “What’s the matter, princess?” Mike pushed, although Yager had no idea why. “You gonna cry—again?”

  Dark brown eyes turned on Mike like two lasers. Her eyes swept from his head to his feet and back again. Then she said the strangest thing. “Your colors are sad and lonely and desperate. And I hope you drown in them.”

  With that, she handed the menu to Tye, who’d just walked into the room. “Get me the shrimp lo mein.” Then she stormed out.

  Janelle shook her head. “Damn. That was some cold shit from our little Arri.”

  “What the hell did that even mean?”

  Katie smiled, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the massage. “It means get used to the idea of being a lonely, bitter old man one day, Molinski. Sort of like how you’re a lonely bitter young man right now.”

  Would it really kill her sisters to act like they didn’t just roll up from the local bar? As with most Crows, they’d made themselves at home in Yager’s gorgeous house. Normally, Neecy wouldn’t complain, but she didn’t like the idea of them taking advantage of Yager.

  He didn’t have to do this. Didn’t they realize that? He was letting them stay here out of the kindness of his giant geek heart. She wouldn’t let anyone abuse that. Even The Gathering.

  “You know,” Mike began casually. “We are starting to run out of food. Perhaps you lovely ladies could do a little grocery shopping while you’r
e out.”

  Yager settled his head more comfortably into Neecy’s lap as Janelle’s arms crossed in front of her chest. Uh-oh. Her “you’re pissing me off” stance. This couldn’t be good.

  “Why don’t you get the fuckin’ food?”

  “Aren’t you more comfortable getting the food… cooking the meals…” Mike smiled. “Washing the clothes?”

  It was like the kid had a death wish or something.

  “Why would I do that when clearly you’re much more comfortable being a whorish bitch than the rest of us?”

  Mike opened his mouth to say something, but Tye slapped him in the back of the head. “Stop it.” He walked over to the couch and climbed up so that his butt rested on the back of it, while his feet were on the seat. Yager didn’t seem remotely annoyed that his buddy’s enormous feet were resting on his expensive leather couch. “And you’re going. I’m sure the ladies could use a big strong Viking like yourself to tote that barge and lift that bale.”

  “Yeah, but—”

  “Go to the kitchen and see what we need,” Tye ordered.

  Looking like the kid she always thought he was, Mike headed toward the kitchen. Janelle smirked; about to say something that she knew would piss Mike off.

  “Cut it, Janelle,” Neecy warned.

  Janelle didn’t bother hiding her smile as she winked at Neecy. What a bonehead. I’m surrounded by boneheads.

  Tye held the menu between two big fingers. “So, what are we doing, exactly?”

  Janelle dropped to one knee and laced up her sneaker. “Getting dinner and I guess groceries now.”

  Staring straight at Janelle, Tye grinned. Neecy’d seen that same grin on Yager’s face more than once. Usually right before he put his tongue in her pussy.

  “In other words you’re asking me what I’d like to eat tonight?”

  Neecy glanced down at Yager, then they both turned away before they started laughing. As it was, Neecy still sort of snorted.

  “Yeah.” Janelle stood up, completely oblivious. “That’s why you have the menu.” Confusion on her face, she walked off into the kitchen. Tye looked at Neecy.

  She shrugged. “We’re not real good with subtle.”

  “I’m startin’ to see that.”

  Stomach-down on his bed, Yager hugged his pillow and wiped his tears with his thumb while Neecy laughed hysterically from under the covers.