by Eve Langlais
But her head fell against him instead. She rested her cheek near the pulse point at his neck, her breaths steady on his bare skin. Every inch of her was cold and he fought the building desire to carry her to his bed and warm her properly.
“Have you ever been sick before?” she asked, ending the silence.
“Never.”
“You’re lucky.”
“I was born this way.” As were all his younger siblings. Living in northwestern Canadian had been harder, but his pack had been safe compared to those who lived in the south in the cities.
“My brother Ty had always been the sick one,” she said. “He has diabetes. One would think that would make him sympathetic to others who cared for him, but he’s always been an asshole.”
He couldn’t resist smiling, trying as covertly as he could to move the arm under her legs to cover them. “I have a sister like that, too. She has enough baggage to start a luggage store.”
“As the oldest one, I used to be the strong one everyone depended on. I’ve never broken a single bone in my body. All those missions and the most I’ve dealt with was a chest cold.” She snorted. “Karma’s an evil, vile bitch with a crooked toe.”
“Now, that I agree with. As the eldest I was expected to take care of the others and clean up their messes.” He sighed. “My kind has made too many mistakes. The packs were supposed to reveal our existence under peace, but a few mongrels have rampaged and now we’re hunted like animals.” His hand was closer to her stomach now. Bare skin would be perfect, but she’d never let him get that close. Mere inches separated his hand from where he needed to be. Wanted to be.
“You’re so warm,” she breathed.
The rise and fall of her chest drew his gaze. The T–shirt she put on covered her body but still revealed the curve of her breasts. Her nipples jutted out and his imagination went wild, feeding him images of his mouth licking at her sweet skin. She’d cry out each time his tongue circled the peak. He inhaled deeply, trying to resist the wolf that stirred within him. The feral part that wanted to take this strong female and bond with her. She had endless drive–only an alpha female would possess such a thing. But she was also a hunter.
Keep your pecker in your pants, pal. “Rest now.”
Her breathing slowed a bit. His fingers inched over her hip. Travelled underneath the T–shirt she wore to her stomach. He stifled a growl when her bottom brushed against his groin. Almost there. The heavy cloth of long johns blocked his access, but he was close enough. Hold your breath. Don’t move. His fingers spread out wide and he closed his eyes, focusing on the growing tension in his head. The tightened bow that when released would feed healing magic into her body. A part of him would become a part of her. Healing others took concentration, but he couldn’t help but relax as she softened in his arms. With the right person, the pleasure bounced right back at him. A moan escaped her mouth and a shiver pulsed through him.
Suddenly Cynthia’s hand that held his left hand let go and clutched the one on her stomach.
“I’m grateful and all, but I’m not interested in what you’re selling me, Kaden.” She was breathless, but now a harder edge lined the words. She’d just wanted him to comfort her and nothing more.
“I’m not selling anything.” He could shove her hand away with ease but didn’t.
“I don’t want what you’re offering.”
His jaw twitched. “You don’t want to live?”
“Oh, I want to live.” She grew more animated by the minute. “And once I finish my chemotherapy, I’ll be fine.”
His eyebrows rose. She needed to work on her lies. “You’re not doing well.” What should have come out was: You’re dying, but she didn’t need to hear that. She needed to hear someone say they were willing to do anything to make sure she survived. “And whether you like me or not, I’m compelled to heal those who are hurt. Have you ever thought about how your brother feels and what he might be willing to sacrifice to save you? I’ve seen the families suffering firsthand back in the cities where I used to work. Have you seen the desperation a father has to heal his child? That a husband has for his wife?”
She visibly swallowed. Then, moving faster than he’d expected, she tried to remove his hand from her stomach. “I don’t care,” she bit out. “I don’t trust any of your kind and I don’t need you to fix me.”
He didn’t fight her, even when she tried to head–butt him. The swipe to his head missed and she hit the couch instead. When she did get close enough to strike him, he snatched her forearm in mid–swing.
“Enough!” he thundered. His whole body tensed, the wolf writhing under his skin hungry for a fight. There was no way she could stay here with him. “If that’s what you want, I won’t touch you ever again.”
She didn’t move in his lap, merely staring back at him with as much ferocity as he threw at her. The moment he let go of her arm, she scrambled off his lap and sat in the darkness of a far corner.
Chapter Five
The moment his ass fell asleep, Cyn was gonna reduce the werewolf population in the area by one. If she didn’t fall asleep first. But he didn’t go to sleep; matter of fact, he scooped bowl after bowl of ice, clearing a path until a spear of light penetrated the room through the front door. So much time had passed and now the setting sun was the last of the light they had. Which most likely meant they’d spend the night with only the fire for heat and light.
He never looked her way the whole time. Scoop after scoop, trip after trip, he got rid of enough snow to reveal the outside. The cold air swept in and even the blanket around her shoulders didn’t keep her warm.
As to how long she’d stay mad at him, forever seemed like a great option. Forever in a dark corner didn’t fill her belly or make the ache go away, though. With each passing minute, she felt closer to nausea, closer to the moment she woke up in Kaden’s bed.
But wasn’t that what you wanted? she thought. Hadn’t she told him she didn’t want his help? In essence, that she’d sooner die than let a werewolf heal her? All her training, all the words her mother had taught her about werewolves fought against what she’d experienced for the last twenty–four hours.
“They have a driving need to dominate and deceive, Cyn. Don’t fall for their smooth words and tricks,” her mother used to say.
She hadn’t been harmed, though. Her gaze flicked to the couch. Not more than a few hours ago they’d been sitting there with her on his lap. And damn it all to hell, but he’d made her feel good.
While Kaden was in the kitchen, a shadow passed over the opening. She tried to back toward the wall, immediately realizing there was no place to go. Was someone out there? Not one, but two more shadows passed by.
“You’re scaring her. Back up,” Kaden called out.
Her head whipped to the kitchen. Scared? Pfft! She wasn’t on her deathbed yet.
“Are you all right, Kaden?” a woman’s voice asked.
“Still alive and kicking.” He sounded bored.
“For half a second, I was concerned that bitch would hurt you.”
Bitch? Cyn sucked in a deep breath.
“Watch your mouth, Naomi!” Kaden marched into the living room and walked right past her.
“What?” the woman said. “You told me she’s a hunter. You can’t throw one of those crazies without getting cut in the process.”
The frantic digging cleared a wider opening until Kaden was able to crawl outside. She peered with curiosity as he spoke to whoever was outside. She strained to hear, but couldn’t catch what was said.
She slowly stood, making her way toward the opening. Only to have to crawl back inside as a new person made their way in.
“Who are you?” Cyn whispered. “Are you Naomi?”
This woman had to be another werewolf. There was something about the dark–haired woman’s stance, the smooth way she angled herself through the hole and slid inside. Her features were familiar. Cyn had seen that perfect nose and cleft chin before. The same black hair and green e
yes. Was the woman related to Kaden?
The werewolf didn’t answer her question. Instead, she focused on Cyn.
Not far behind the person who had to be Naomi, someone else appeared. A tall man. “I told you not to rush in here,” he barked.
Who are all these people? The man took in Cyn. Not with curiosity–his eyebrows were lowered and his cold black eyes stared her down as though he’d determined every possible way to dissect her. His skin was light brown, while the stubble on his face had hints of red and brown. His stance was stiff, yet self–assured. Men like him had ‘hired killer’ written all over their faces.
Kaden came inside last. The chill from the outside followed him.
Since the others weren’t feeling too chatty, she kept her mouth shut.
“How bad is it out there, Sinister?” Kaden asked as he shrugged on his coat.
“Shitty,” the man mumbled. His eyes never left hers.
“Any estimate on how much time it will take to bring back the power?”
“Nope.” Evidently, he was a man of many words.
Everyone clamored outside. With only the blanket, Cyn shivered against the wind. The avalanche had cleared so many trees, leaving a streak of bare land from above. Without all the trees in the way, she was surprised to see more cabins uphill. At least seven of them. All this time the trees had hidden them.
Kaden stared up the hill and cursed. “This isn’t good. We’re exposed now.”
“To who?” Cyn asked.
“To anyone who has the means to find hidden packs,” Naomi snapped. “People like you.”
Cyn knew very well what kind of people Naomi was talking about. Freelancers. Not all werewolf hunters had clans. The freelancers picked away at the werewolves who fled the cities and exterminated them for rewards from the larger clans. If the landslide had occurred less than a day ago, there was no telling when a freelancer might find this hidden set of buildings.
From the ground, Sinister picked up a Mossberg sniper rifle. A beauty. The tall man eyed her as if he practically dared her to dive for it.
Kaden placed his coat over her shoulders, but she declined the offer. “Go back inside,” he said. “I have work to do and you’re in no condition to stand out here.”
He did have a point there. Reluctantly, she returned to the cabin through the opening in the snow. She was surprised to see Naomi following her. Did Kaden think she needed company? A nurse wasn’t necessary at this point.
The inside was colder now, even with the dying fire. Darkness was spread like a cowl over everything. She made her way to the couch and sat.
Naomi continued to stand there.
“My brother will be busy for a while, hunter.” Her feline smile spread wide. “He never should’ve left you alone with me.”
Chapter Six
“This doesn’t look too good, Windham,” Sinister mumbled to Kaden.
Kaden waited at the entrance to the generator shed. The only part the avalanche hadn’t caved in. Tension filled him to the point where he gripped the door tight enough to bend the metal. The snow had brought down trees, which in turn had decimated the generator shed’s roof and the far wall.
No power meant no heat or electricity. Any food could be moved outside or to the cellar, but the medical supplies that required refrigeration–not freezing–were another story. Especially if Cynthia needed them. And at the rate she was going, any minute now that hunter would hit him over the head with a medical emergency.
He tried to push thoughts of the hunter aside. “How bad is ‘doesn’t look too good’?”
“We need to clean the carburetor and the spark plugs. Clear out the snow and patch the walls. If I ditch guard duty for a few days, it’ll take me at least seventy–two hours.”
“Shit.” At least wood was plentiful for the fireplaces.
“Yep.”
There wasn’t enough time in the day for what had to be done. He’d come to depend on Naomi for a few things. If his sister hadn’t been so bitter after she returned to him a few months ago, the situation wouldn’t be so complicated. Hayley was a part of that problem. Memories of that woman dampened his day even further.
Sinister glanced up. “Is the hunter better?”
“Not really.” He wished he could say yes. Cynthia made things harder than they had to be. “How’s your shoulder?”
“A mosquito bite. Your sister didn’t hurt me.”
Kaden chortled. He wouldn’t call a stab wound to the shoulder a mere mosquito bite, but Sinister wasn’t like most human men. A few months ago, when Naomi had shown up on his doorstep, she’d found Sinister at his cabin instead of him. When he returned from his two–day fishing trip, he’d found Sinister chopping wood–and bleeding–while his sister cooked dinner.
As hard as he tried to pry what had happened out of the two, his sister had refused to divulge the details.
A beeper attached to Sinister’s hip went off. Only twice since he’d moved here had he heard the perimeter alarm go off. Shit.
“Looks like a freelancer has come to play,” Kaden said. Uncertainty flickered through him. Fear was something he rarely entertained unless he feared for the life of those close to him.
Sinister cocked a grin and pulled a .45 from the depths of his coat. “What about Naomi and the hunter?”
“They’ll be fine. Naomi will take good care of her.”
***
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Cyn bit out.
“Something happened to him after Hayley left,” Naomi said, her voice calm and cold. The werewolf strolled away from the only light source in the room, the way out through the partially covered door. The darkness in the corner swallowed her. “He’s gotten all soft, thinking he could protect the pack if he sent us away until he found a safer place.”
Who the hell is Hayley and what does that have to do with me?
Cyn shrugged to keep a straight face, but warning bells rang loud through her skull. She had a werewolf in the middle of a power play. Poor lighting conditions. And only one way out of the house. “That sounds like a personal problem between you and your brother. What do I have to do with any of this?”
“You’re not strong enough to be his mate,” Naomi said from the corner. Cyn couldn’t see her anymore. “Our pack is weakened right now and if you just…died…there would be one less weak link among our ranks.”
Was this the sister Kaden had been talking about who had issues? She didn’t know the details going on between Zach and Kaden. Time to set things straight. “I don’t know what you might be thinking, but I have no interest in staying here. The way I see it, we should join forces and beat up Kaden. After that we hunt down my knuckle–headed brother who helped him.”
“I don’t care how much he likes you. My idea is better,” Naomi growled. Her head emerged from the shadows, revealing her bright yellow eyes.
At a time like this, Cyn couldn’t do any stupid shit. Walking in here without knowing her environment was a deadly game, but what she did know was the layout of the room before the lights went out.
Naomi pounced and Cyn sidestepped out of the way. Using Naomi’s momentum, Cyn tossed her across the room onto the kitchen table. The sounds of broken glass and splintered wood bounced off the walls. Naomi was far faster, maybe even a bit stronger, but she didn’t see the bag full of Christmas joy before it hit hard across her face.
Cyn cringed at the sound of ornaments breaking. She stepped back, ready to swing again, but Naomi threw a hard jab and connected with her face. The punch to Cyn’s cheek rocked her hard and sent her sprawling into the nearest wall. The hardwood wasn’t forgiving. Damn, she was rusty. That was what sitting around did to you.
She got to her feet as fast as she could and threw up her hands to protect her face. Naomi’s blows glanced her forearms, but they still hurt like hell. There was no finesse in the way the young woman fought; maybe it was the lack of formal combat training. Punches were thrown in abandon without technique or precision.
Cyn took a second to catch her breath. Not bad for a chick who’d staggered to bed every day last week.
Don’t get cocky, her dad used to say. Keep reassessing your battleground and your target. They’re most likely pissed and ready to rip out your throat after you kick them down.
“You’re not good enough for him,” Naomi spat.
“And you’re one to judge?”
“You’re weak. I can smell death all over you.”
Cyn chuckled. “You must be referring to all the werewolves I’ve killed. You wanna be next?” She had no plans to kill Naomi, but if push came to shove she’d have no qualms about knocking her out.
Instead of letting Naomi recover, Cyn charged at her, running across the room. They crashed into the Christmas tree and ended up on the floor. The one place Cyn didn’t want to be. In the dark rolling around on the hardwood with a werewolf. One deep scratch to her back and a bite to her shoulder sent Cyn into a rage. She rolled on top of Naomi’s back and secured her hands around the woman’s neck. With a last–ditch tug upwards, she forced Naomi to arch her back as a grimace was torn from the woman’s throat.
“You bitch!” she groaned.
Naomi twisted and jerked to get out of the camel clutch, but Cyn had executed this move far too many times to make mistakes. Naomi twitched and then passed out. Cyn immediately released her and staggered to stand. A quick check of Naomi’s pulse revealed a steady heartbeat.
“I think I was good enough…for now.” She walked away from Naomi, her legs wobbling a bit. The adrenaline in her body would fade away soon, leaving her vulnerable. She rubbed the throbbing sore spot on her cheek. How had she gotten into this shit?