by Ann Gimpel
“The rest of us?” Les sent.
“No. I need fingers to break in. Stand ready, Bron. I may need you human for a quick jolt of healing energy. Goddess only knows what we’ll find here.”
The window latch rattled, sounding loud to Les’ sensitive ears. Jed pulled it open and jimmied his body inside. A sharp intake of breath and then, “Holy Christ!”
Karl shot past Les and leaped into the blackness beyond the window; Les followed. The first thing that hit him once he passed wards that were obviously entwined with the house walls, was the smell. Shit, vomit, rotten food. Three of the native shifters they’d hunted for so long sat in their own filth in cages so small they were hunched forward. Les looked closer and recognized Julaika’s mates and her brother. They were still alive, barely.
Horror filled him, and fury. Les pushed both aside. Emotions were an indulgence. Now wasn’t the time for them.
He made a grab for his human form and started on one of the locks as soon as he had fingers. He spun the padlock, listening intently for its tumblers. In moments, one cage was open and he started on another while Jed and Karl, back in human form as well, dragged the comatose shifter out and onto his feet. The man groaned piteously while they helped him shuffle across the dirt-floored basement and boosted him up and through the open window.
Jed called for Bron. “Got it, boss. I’ll take it from here. How many more?”
“Two.”
They’d just helped the third Native shifter outside when lights flashed on in the basement. Les and Karl spun, hands raised to call power.
“Goddammit,” Jed swore as he joined them. “I was hoping we wouldn’t have to do this.” He sent magic spinning toward the bulbs suspended from the ceiling; both shattered, giving them the advantage of darkness once again.
Heavy footsteps sounded on the stairs. Les listened intently. Only one man. He hoped it was McCollum. He wanted the bastard to pay for kidnapping Noreen—and for what Hunters had done to the Native shifters. “Wolves?”
“What else?” Karl’s war whoop rang in his mind as he shifted.
As one, they rushed toward the stairwell with Jed right behind them. A shotgun blast nearly deafened him. Les had had enough. The combination of Noreen’s hell plus the caged shifters raged through him. He lunged up the stairs, fastened his jaws around the man’s ankle and pulled hard. The Hunter tumbled to the bottom.
Karl leaped on him, followed by Jed and Les. “Quick kill,” Jed shouted. “And then we’re gone.”
Karl sank his teeth into a carotid on one side, Les took the jugular on the other. Jed demolished the femoral arteries. Blood geysered everywhere. “Enough.” Jed raced for the open window. Les only paused long enough to take in the Hunter’s uniformed body, tossing in death throes. McCollum was stamped on one pocket.
Yes! We got him. I can’t wait to tell Noreen. Les cleared the window sill in a single leap and followed his pack into the night. They hadn’t gone far. The three Native men were in terrible shape. Bron knelt over them in human form, chanting.
“Got to get them back to the reservation.” Jed pivoted in a circle, still in wolf form. “Which way is it?”
“Couple of miles,” Les said.
“Too far. They’ll never make it,” Terin muttered.
“I’m amazed that shotgun didn’t bring half the neighborhood running,” Karl said.
“They probably couldn’t hear it.” Les’ tail swished from side to side. “Just like the place was warded to keep smell in. It likely muted sound, too, or our pack mates’ screams might have alerted someone.”
“Good point.” Jed paced from one Native shifter to the next, nosing, licking, whining encouragement. “We didn’t get this far only to fail.”
Bron looked up from the painfully thin Native shifters. “I’m trying.”
“Just keep ’em alive,” Jed snapped. “I have another idea. It’s a risk, but our existence is at stake. We have to get out of here before someone finds that body.”
“It was McCollum,” Les snarled.
Jed rounded on him. “I’m glad he’s dead—for your sake, but killing a law officer carries stiff penalties.”
For a few minutes, everyone helped Bron with his spells. The healer was obviously tiring faster than the Native shifters were stabilizing. Headlights pierced the darkness. Jed bounded toward them, morphing to human midstride.
Les called him back. When that didn’t work, he loped after Jed, thinking their clan leader had lost his mind. And then he recognized the car and saw Alice behind the wheel. So that was the risk Jed had alluded to. Brilliant! He must have raised Alice and told her to bring the car around for transport. Human in an instant, Les raced to the feeble shifters. Working in teams, they ferried the sick men to the back seat of Alice’s car. As soon as they were done, Jed reached through the window and squeezed his mate’s shoulder. “Get going. Roll up the window. Don’t stop for anyone. If they’re standing in front of you, drive over them.”
“But aren’t you coming?” She clutched his hand.
Reflected in moonlight, Jed’s blue eyes looked flat and hard. “No. Got to help the others. There are two more. Once you’ve dropped these off, wait for my call. I’m guessing our other brothers won’t be in any better shape.”
Chapter 14
Noreen worked side-by-side with Sara and two other Native women boiling water, cleaning abscessed skin, and bathing the emaciated shifters. She’d been reduced to tears of relief when Alice had reassured her that she’d laid eyes on Les and Karl and both were all right, but that had been hours ago. Sometime during the long night, Sara had treated her bruises with a poultice of leaves. It had reduced the swelling, but her neck and jaw were still sore.
Dawn lightened the windows of the sweat lodge where they’d taken the men. Rain drummed heavily on its tin roof. Shortly after they’d gotten to the lodge the previous afternoon, the skies had opened. At least it meant the fires burning to the west were likely on their way to being extinguished, and her mates’ cabin was safe.
The buffalo hides covering the door rustled; bells sewn into them tinkled discordantly. So many people had come and gone, Noreen didn’t even look up from the man she worked over. A volley of Cree, as discordant as the bells, blasted her, followed by a high-pitched shriek.
“Oh, for the love of Pete.” Noreen pushed to her feet, turned, and ran right into Julaika. Tears streamed down the old woman’s face as she threw her body over the man Noreen had been working on. In between hugging and kissing him, the old medicine woman stood so she could embrace Noreen.
“Thank you. By our peoples’ god, Kice Manito, I thank you.” She beamed through her tears. “Even after I knew what you were, I hesitated before I offered to help you, but the Atayohkanak, er, spirits told me I was wrong to withhold my aid.” Her gaze wandered to a man who was struggling to sit.
Noreen intuited it had to be her other mate. “Go.” She gave Julaika a little push. “We’ll have time to talk once you’ve been reunited.” Speaking of which…Noreen straightened her back and rotated both shoulder blades. She’d been hunched over one man or another for far too long. The Native women seemed to have everything under control. When she looked for Alice, she found the other woman dozing in a corner, head propped on her hand.
Noreen was just looking for a spot she could settle and close her eyes for a few moments when the bell-laden buffalo hides chimed again. Maybe it would be better if she found a secluded spot outside the sweat lodge. Sleep seemed unlikely, given all the commotion. With that in mind, Noreen stumbled toward the door, so weary her bones ached.
Jed burst into the room, followed by Bron and Terin. Alice was on her feet in an instant; she hurtled toward her mates. Jed’s arms closed around her, so did Bron’s and Terin’s.
Les. Karl. Where are they? For one awful moment, she imagined something hideous had happened. They must have had a battle royale on their hands to be gone for so long. She detoured around Jed and Alice, intent on pushing her way outside. She ha
d to see if her mates were all right. Where were the other injured shifters? Hadn’t they been able to extricate them?
“Careful,” Les’ voice sounded from the other side of the hides. He appeared seconds later carrying one end of a litter. Karl had the other end. She wanted to throw herself into their arms, but it would have to wait. Both men grinned at her. She grinned back just before she dissolved into tears.
Sara let out a whoop and launched herself at the man on the litter, driving it to the ground. She hugged her mate, strung kisses down his face, and crooned to him in Cree. Noreen felt happy for her. In the brief time since they’d met, she’d developed respect for the taciturn Native woman.
And then Les’ and Karl’s arms were around her. “You’re safe,” she snuffled through her tears. “Safe. I couldn’t let myself think about losing you.”
“Yes, and we saved both of Sara’s mates.” Karl sounded proud of his pack. She didn’t blame him. They’d entered the gates of hell and emerged victorious.
“Aw, we’re pretty tough to get shut of. You were never in any danger of losing us. I’m filthy and I stink, but I’m going to kiss you anyway.” Les closed his mouth over hers. She wound her arms around him and held on for dear life. Karl put his arms around both of them, and she turned her head so she could kiss him.
“Your face.” Karl drew back and traced a finger over her bruised jaw.
“And her neck.” Les touched it gingerly. “Jesus! That animal hit you?”
She bit her lip and nodded. “It’s all right. He could have done worse.”
Les growled low in his throat and drew her to him. Karl tightened his hold on her too. Noreen basked in her mates’ love and caring. What amazing men. The horror from McCollum would recede, but she’d have Les and Karl by her side forever.
“We need to leave before it gets much lighter,” Les said.
“Where are we going?”
“The reason Jed didn’t roust Alice out again,” Karl added, “was we picked up both the Chrysler and the truck once we were done freeing Sara’s men. Both vehicles are outside.”
Noreen drew away from them and placed her hands on her hips. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“We have to put some distance between us and Red Deer,” Les explained. “We killed McCollum—”
“I’m glad,” she cut in. “Delighted.” And then what it meant sank in and fear knifed her in the gut, turning her insides to mush. She clutched both their arms. “Oh my God, we do need to leave. He was a cop.”
Karl nodded. “Yes, and we killed two more civilians. Hunters, but still respected community members.”
“Of course no one knows it was us,” Les clarified, “because there were no witnesses, but we still need to go.”
“Ah, crap!” She looked from one of her mates to the other. “We can’t leave until the courthouse opens. I need my passport.”
“Not to worry, darling, we have everything,” Karl hooked an arm through hers. “We picked it up yesterday along with ours.” A warm glow started in her belly and warmed her all the way to the top of her head. Being taken care of was a novel experience, but Noreen was certain she could get used to it.
“We’re leaving the truck here for our Native friends,” Les said and gave her a little push beneath the buffalo hides.
She walked out into the damp dawn and stared at the shiny, dove-colored Chrysler sitting just behind Alice’s Ford. It glistened with raindrops. “That’s the new car?” She pointed.
“That’s it, sweetheart.” Karl grabbed her hand. “Do you like it?”
“I love it.” She turned and glanced back at the sweat lodge. Jed, Alice, Bron, Terin, and the other shifters were just leaving. Noreen thought about Julaika and Sara. She owed them a lot. “Do I have time to say good-bye?”
Les and Karl exchanged glances. “Make it fast. We’ll get the engine going.”
The women must have divined her intent because they met her just inside the doorway. “You’ve got to leave. Hurry.” Sara made shooing motions with both hands.
“Thank both of you so much.” Noreen kissed them. “I’ll visit—”
Julaika shook her head. “Not a good idea, but we are sisters under the skin even if we never see each other again. Sara is right. Go.”
“You can be across the border before the sun sets.” Sara squeezed Noreen’s hand. “Once you’re in the States, you’ll be safer.”
“Thank you again. For everything. “Noreen spun and sprinted through the rain for the Chrysler. Les was behind the wheel, and Karl held the door for her. She dove into the front seat, ecstatic to be between her mates again. Karl slammed the door, and they headed south.
“We’ll take back roads until we clear Red Deer,” Les said.
“Maybe once we’re south of Calgary, we can get a motel and clean up,” Karl added.
“Way south of Calgary,” Noreen said. “I haven’t been gone all that long. The cult is probably still after me.”
“We’ll let Jed know when we stop for fuel,” Les said. “He should be right behind us once we hit the main highway.”
“I thought Bron and Terin were going to stay in Canada.” Noreen leaned into Les and then into Karl. Les had been right when he said they were filthy, but it felt so good to have them by her side again, she didn’t care.
“After last night, Jed rethought his plans. Better to have everyone safe.” Karl arranged an arm behind her back and pulled her against him.
As he often did, Les picked up the conversation for his pack mate. “Our kin who helped last night will spread the word in Canada. Everyone who can make it will meet up next month at the full moon.”
“In the States?” Noreen quirked a brow.
Les nodded. “There’s a secret meeting place in the High Sierra, not too far from where Jed, Bron, and Terin met Alice for the first time.”
* * * *
It was closing on dinnertime when they pulled into Browning, Montana, the bustling center of a huge Blackfoot Indian reservation. Rain had dogged them for most of the journey, but it finally stopped. The three hundred twenty-five miles had taken all day because the roads hadn’t been all that smooth, and they’d stopped frequently so Les and Karl could switch drivers. They’d also stopped at a farmer’s market on the outskirts of Calgary to stock up on edibles. Both men were exhausted; one dozed, leaning against Noreen, while the other drove. She’d offered to drive, but her mates had demurred, telling her she needed practice somewhere other than a highway where the other cars traveled as fast as fifty miles an hour and whooshed past slower vehicles with uncomfortably narrow margins.
She’d worried herself nearly sick about the border crossing, but it turned out to be trivial. Once the customs agent had discovered Jed and Terin worked for Paramount Studios, he’d engaged them in a spirited dialogue about movies and simply waved Noreen, Les, and Karl through after cursory glances at their passports.
“Where are we going to stop?” Noreen asked. She was still tired, too, but had managed some sleep along with whichever of her mates wasn’t behind the wheel.
“Not much farther.” Les smiled encouragingly at her. “According to Jed, there’s a deserted hunting camp just south of town. Guess there used to be a small motel and eatery, but they’re closed.”
“What? Are we going to break in?” Noreen repositioned herself. She felt sticky and wanted a shower and a hot meal and her mates in her bed.
“No, silly.” Les poked her side. “Jed knows the tribal leaders here. He was going to stop and get the keys.”
“Yeah, we only break the law if there’s not any other choice,” Karl said archly and cranked the wheel hard left. “I’m pretty sure this has to be it. We left the bulk of the town half a mile back, and it’s the first side road I’ve seen.”
Les craned his neck and peered out the windshield. “There’s the sign.” He pointed at painted boards nearly overgrown by blackberry bushes. “I’ll be glad to get out of the car for a while.” He drove into a clearing with seve
ral cabins and brought the car to a stop.
“It’s a whole lot farther than this to California.” Noreen crawled out after Les. Karl slid from behind the wheel.
“True.” Karl sucked in a breath and stood on his tiptoes to stretch. “But we don’t have to hurry.”
“It probably would have been fewer miles overall if we’d angled west and come out at Bonner’s Ferry, Idaho,” Les said. “But we wanted the fastest route out of Canada.” He cocked his head to one side. “I hear the other car. Great!”
Alice’s Ford rolled to a halt next to the Chrysler. No longer at the wheel, Jed jumped out the passenger door, keys dangling from one hand. He eyed Les and Karl and smacked his lips lasciviously. “How much is it worth to you to have me open a cabin? I know you’re champing at the bit to get that new mate of yours in bed.”
Alice trotted to his side and punched him in the arm. “Stop it!” her voice rang with mock severity. “How would you have felt if someone had done that when all of us were newly mated?”
“It’s okay.” Karl spread his arms expansively. “We know he’s teasing. Any cabin will do, just hurry, would you?”
A warm smile lit Jed’s face; he turned and strode to the furthermost cabin. Unlocking the door, he pushed it open with a flourish. “It’s the honeymoon suite,” he announced. “The only one with running water and a stove to heat it.”
“We’ll take it.” Les took one of Noreen’s hands and Karl the other. Together, they walked up the steps.
Jed hugged each of them. He made an intensely male sound deep in his throat. “We have several long days on the road ahead of us. Plus all of you need to stop at the first big town long enough to buy new clothes. Be sure to get some sleep.” Breaking into gales of laughter, he ran down the steps and herded Alice and his lieutenants toward a cabin on the far side of the clearing.
Noreen let go of her mates and moved inside. Constructed of good-sized logs, the cabin was surprisingly cozy. Chairs and a table sat near one wall not far from a sink and pump handle. A pot-bellied stove squatted in the middle of the room; wooden chairs and a sofa with moth-eaten cushions were arranged around it. She walked to a door at the rear of the structure and opened it to find a small room with a double bed that took up nearly all the floor space. She patted the coverlet; dust flew everywhere, but when she peeled it back, the sheets looked clean enough. Just looking at the bed made her thighs twitch. She rubbed them together, her swollen labia contracted, and she almost came.