by Sage Domini
My father paused. “I can assume that they know. About Gideon and Artemis. But I doubt they would travel here just to deal with an errant huntress.”
“Then what the hell do they want?” Cade asked.
“That,” said Max, “is what I don’t know.” He offered the bow to me once more and I took it, casting a sideways glance at Gideon. He nodded soberly. Whatever the case, we were all stronger with two armed hunters.
My father handed me a pile of arrows. “Artemis,” he said. “Can you hit target if you have to?”
“I can,” I assured him.
At first it seemed as if the wait would be anticlimactic. Our tiny army stood at the ready, joined even by Claire. Only Tatum remained in the house, holding the baby and occasionally peering at us in gaping terror from the window.
I stood at the mouth of the narrow dirt road, my werewolf mate on one side, my hunter father on the other.
“Should we head into town?” I asked, but Max shook his head.
“No, they’ll come to us.”
Sure enough, just as the sunlight began to dapple and fade while the moon commenced its slow rise, we saw the headlights. It seemed odd to me that the feared Western Council of Hunters would arrive in a silver hybrid car, but there they were.
I heard several spontaneous growls as the werewolves sensed the hunters’ approach. My breath caught and out of the corner of my eye I saw movement at the rim of the woods. There, in a fearsome mute line, stood dozens of werewolves. Their sizes and colorations were various. They were uniformly tensed, waiting for the slightest sign of conflict.
Max raised his bow and I did the same, drawing back and feeling oddly clear headed. I’d never thought there was real violence within me, but I knew I would not hesitate to release an arrow into the heart of whatever threat lurked in those shadows.
A slim cloaked figure exited a small silver car and glided over to us. “Disarm.” Max recognized her voice a split second before I did. I registered his gasp just as she peeled back her hood.
“Mom,” I whispered at the same instant Max said, incredulously, “Rachel.”
She looked at me sadly and I realized it had been nearly six months since we had stood face to face. She had grown thinner, her features sharper. Gideon’s arm went around me and my mother glared at him. “How could you let this happen?” she asked Max.
“Hello to you too, sweet wife.”
“Wife,” her eyes narrowed. “I was never your wife. It was an arrangement.”
Max drooped, wounded. “It was more than that.”
She faced away. “It doesn’t matter now. I came for my daughter.”
“Your daughter is a woman grown. And she’s made her choice.”
She sniffed with distaste. “I won’t allow it.”
That did it for me. I threw down the bow and shouted in my mother’s face. “Who the hell do you think you are waltzing in here with your cloak and your criticism? You lied to me my entire life. I was an abused ruin as recently as a few days ago. So you can just get fold yourself back into that there Prius and take the I-10 West.” Gideon pulled me closer. His firm touch calmed me down.
“Rachel,” boomed a warning voice, “we aren’t here to fight. Least of all for your adult daughter.”
My mother shrank back into the folds of her cloak. Max was incredulous. “How’d you rank as Council?”
She closed her eyes. “I’m not on the Council, Max. They sought me out because of my connection with Luna Junction.” She cocked her head and looked around archly, her voice rising. “Haven’t you all been paying attention to what’s going on out there?”
The man with the loud voice stepped forward. He was very tall and very dark skinned. “It started in the northeast. Upstate New York as best we can tell. It began as a well organized movement of blood wolves.” He paused. “They’ve been biting. Intentionally and with design. The bitten have been packing together and wreaking havoc.”
“How bad?” Cade Landon asked.
“There are far too many of them to track.” The hunter sighed. “For five generations we’ve watched the wolves of Luna Junction, ever since your families settled here. We know you live peacefully and do no harm. And so we seek something of a coalition. With you and with similar communities.” He paused again, striving to choose his words carefully. “If we cannot halt the spread and violence of the bitten…”
“Then we’re all fucked,” Michael finished sardonically.
“Yes,” said the hunter gravely. “It would be blood wolves against bitten, with humans serving as the collateral damage in the middle. As for the hunters…” His dark eyes stared directly at me. “We’re apparently not immune. The Southern Council has been eliminated.”
Max gasped. “Sweet Jesus.”
“Unconfirmed, but they have not been in communication for a week.”
Max addressed the dark hunter. “Acton, what is it you need?”
Michael interrupted with a sneer. “Let the fools fend for themselves in a world of wolves.”
“No,” said Gideon, stepping forward. His voice was strong and even, the confident voice of a leader. “You all know who I am. As there is a union between my huntress mate and I, so it exists between the hunters and the wolves of Luna Junction.” He stared down the Council. “You have my word as blood wolf.”
Michael laughed. “Step down, little cub. You don’t speak for the rest of us.”
“I think he does,” called Cade Landon. “And Michael, I’d sit still if I were you or we’ll be voting in a new sheriff by moon fall.”
The other members of the Council had long since emerged, watching silently. One of them snickered softly. Michael threw a murderous look in their direction but didn’t utter so much as a growl.
Acton stared thoughtfully at the two of us standing side by side. Me, with my bow still firmly in hand, Gideon with his wildly torn clothing, his powerful form rigid as the moon rose higher, calling him to nature. “This,” the hunter mused, “is the first promise that a great alliance is possible.” He held his empty hands out. “I regret not having any wisdom to offer you. We have entered a strange and dangerous era.” He gazed out at the silent line of wolves. “The packs will search you out, I’m afraid. It’s already happening.”
“Luna Junction will be a refuge,” Gideon declared. “For blood wolves and hunters alike.”
It was a bold pronouncement. I heard a commotion among the wolves and Michael spat in the dirt. But all four of the Landon men stepped forward and stood firmly behind my mate. And with them, from the shadows, the wolf who was Abe Casteel. It was a silent confirmation, one that would not likely be challenged.
The Council chief called Acton nodded. “And so it will be,” he said and turned abruptly, heading back to the car, apparently considering the matter settled. My mother was the only one of the cloaked figures who did not follow right away.
“Acie,” she pleaded. “Come with me.”
“You know I won’t. And Mom, Acie is a child’s name. Learn to call me Artemis.”
Rachel Jaeger wore the look of utter defeat. I felt a pang as she trudged away, wondering why it always had to be like that with her. With or against, no room for compromise. She did not glance at her husband as she returned to the car.
“Goodbye,” I whispered softly. When Gideon’s strong arms circled around me I inhaled the musky scent of him and felt whole.
We watched the Prius drive away. As the headlights faded I stared up into the colossal face of the full moon. Several of the wolves took up a mournful howl which reverberated in my bones.
“Michael,” said Gideon, “It has to be this way.”
Michael looked away and stalked in to the clearing where he promptly tore off his clothes. He crouched as rose as a full wolf, bounding away without a backwards glance.
Tatum emerged from the house and handed the fussing baby to her mother. She clutched at Cade as he smoothed her hair and whispered endearments. Then she suddenly backed up and jerked her hea
d toward the woods with a smile. “Go ahead,” she said. “I know you want to.”
Cade kissed her gently and spoke loudly to all present. “Run only in groups,” he said. “Mind what the hunters told us.” He was somber. “It may be the last carefree full moon for a while.”
I turned away, blushing, as Cade Landon abruptly removed his pants. I heard Zane’s laughter. “Aww, she’s shy!”
“Shut up,” said Tatum. “And don’t leave your dirty laundry here for me to pick up.”
My father cleared his throat, clearly embarrassed by all the casual disrobing which had begun. Tatum brightened at him. “You’ll get used to it!”
Max seemed uncertain. “Just the same, think I’m going to head over to the store, try to get a hold of some of my contacts around the southwest to see what else I can find out.”
“Daddy,” I said. “Thank you.”
Max nodded and then grinned ruefully at Gideon. “You’re better than I thought you were,” he said and left without another word.
Gideon folded me back to his chest. I listened to the virile thud of his heart for a moment, knowing it was selfish to deny him this night. “I’ll be waiting when you get back,” I said.
He ran a hand over my cheek. “I know you would be.” His hand wandered lower, grazing my breasts and I shuddered. “But I can’t wait.”
As the wolves of Luna Junction shifted and howled all around us, Gideon Casteel carried me into the woods. The trees offered a canopied darkness from the eye of the moon. He undressed me slowly, letting his fingers trail sensuously over every curve of my flesh. By the time he spread me apart with his large thumbs, I was slick and open, ready for him. The violence of our strange world and forebodings of future dangers were forgotten as I whispered “Gideon” in desire, in love, in the soul rending want which demanded to be satisfied. My best friend, my lover, my werewolf mate, answered with a plundering thrust which shook the world. And filled me like no man ever could.
When we were both temporarily spent we lay still, listening to distant rustle of wolves in the woods. “Tomorrow,” he said, “I’ll make you a dandelion crown.”
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