“Where’d you learn Spanish?” I asked, changing the subject. My fingers were tracing across the tattoo on his chest. Some silvery animal paw print. It shone like molten silver against his lightly tanned skin.
“Gam grew up speaking Spanish, along with French and English. She was a Spanish teacher and wanted me to be bilingual. Sewing and Spanish. That was my life as a kid.”
“Mhmm. And what’s with this tattoo? What animal is this?”
Cree captured my hand and kissed my palm. “No way. I get to ask some questions now.”
“Ugh, fine,” I muttered, still eyeing the tat. Not a bear… Maybe a wolf?
“What’s your middle name? I couldn’t help but notice everything you own is always Sky Hess or Sky A. Hess.” He was grinning like he already knew I didn’t want to talk about it.
“Bastard,” I said. “You had to ask that.” I paused and he raised his eyebrows. “Fine. It’s Asteria,” I said reluctantly. “You already know how my parents are huge hippies and everything. Well, they wanted to name me something that honored the great cosmos or whatever. So, they chose Sky and Asteria. Asteria was the Titan goddess of the stars.”
“Goddess of the stars,” Cree’s thumb traced my cheekbone. “Fits you.”
“Well, it’s not me,” I said hastily. “It’s Asteria. And actually, I think she was technically the goddess of falling stars and seers who had visions during the night, but–”
Cree interrupted me with a kiss, his hand cupping the back of my neck. It was an intense and deliberate one, making my head and heart spin.
“Goddess,” he whispered as he pulled back. “That explains why you taste so damn good.”
My heart seemed to tremble in my chest and I couldn’t take it, so I sat up, gathering the sheet around me. “Thank you,” I said, even though it seemed horribly inadequate. “Um, are you hungry or anything?”
Cree sat up as well and leaned in. “Sure,” he said, the word brushing across my lips. “Starving.” His lips captured mine, his tongue dominating mine and his arms wrapped around me.
I was tangled up in him, straddling his lap and wrapping my arms around his neck. As our bodies came together again, I was filled with a sense of how right this was. How familiar.
His heart beating against mine was triggering a vague impression of a memory, but I couldn’t focus on it, as thoughts spun away.
Time seemed to have gotten lazy on us, leaving us behind.
I was glad to be left there.
A little while later, we continued in the shower. Then I was sitting on the kitchen counter, wearing cut-off shorts and one of Cree’s soft t-shirts, swinging my legs while he wielded a skillet.
“Grilled cheese at midnight,” I said. “We have some crazy adventures.”
“That we do,” he agreed, flipping it over and looking at me. “I like you in my t-shirt.”
“Oh yeah?” I’d been braiding my hair into a single French braid and now I’d finished. “Well, I like this t-shirt. I think I’m keeping it.”
“It’s yours,” Cree said magnanimously.
I hugged my stomach. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as generous as you.”
“Nah, I just don’t like that t-shirt. Hey!” He said as I kicked him. “Um…” He made a face. “Should we talk about the elephant in the room?”
I glanced at his tattoo. It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him that I’d remembered all of five minutes ago that Rayner had a similar one in the same exact place.
“Your brother?” Cree asked and I jumped.
“Way to kill the mood!” I yelled as he walked over, trying to placate me. “No, hell no.”
“I was only–”
I put a hand over his mouth and glared at him. “Cree. Tonight is about you and me. That’s it. Exclusive party. Table for two. We can worry about that tomorrow. Let’s enjoy now.”
As I lowered my hand, he smiled and placed his hands on my thighs. “Whatever you say.”
I looped my arms around his neck. “You know what?”
“What?” Cree asked, getting that hazy, dark look in his eyes.
“Sandwich is burning.”
“Oh shit!” he exclaimed, running over as smoke began to pour from the skillet.
My eyes went wide. “Oh, no, Cree – the smoke detectors are really–” A shrill alarm interrupted me. “Sensitive.”
Which is how Cree and I ended up running around, choking and laughing, throwing windows open and turning on fans – and not eating grilled cheese sandwiches – at midnight.
And I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Chapter 15
I woke up to Sky bouncing on the bed next to me and hitting me with a pillow. “Up, lazybones. It’s past eleven. I’m not wasting the day.”
The storms had cleared away and I looked out her windows to bright, clear blue skies. The temperature had jumped up as well. But I barely had time to process that as Sky hustled me out of bed and threw clothes at my head. If I’d thought Sky was eager to show off Seattle before, now she was unstoppable. We headed straight to the art museum, my breakfast consisting of two packs of pop-tarts and a banana.
However, it was so nice out, we headed for the outdoor part first, an area called Olympic Park with sculptures stretching up to the sky. The water was to our left as we wandered along, joining the crowds and gazing at the intricate art. Sky was chatting about the pieces and I smiled down at her. We walked with our arms around each other. I was still in awe of that.
Never mind what had happened last night.
Suddenly I tensed all over. My instincts were jangling in alarm, my breath shortening as adrenaline pumped through my veins. Without realizing it, I stopped and gripped Sky closer, carefully looking over the crowd.
“Cree,” Sky laid a hand on my forearm, “is something wrong?”
“I’m not sure,” I muttered, turning and glancing at the water.
Everything seemed ordinary. In a way, that was almost more ominous. Walking a little further from her, I sniffed the air and my jaw clenched, but I couldn’t pinpoint it. I was not used to having so many people around when things like this happened. It was disorienting.
Or maybe I was distracted by my blondee.
She appeared next to me, her gaze bright and alert. “Did you see something? Someone acting suspiciously?”
“I thought I did,” I said. “Maybe it’s the crowd.” I gave her a rueful smile. “Not used to the big city, bein’ a country boy,” I teased.
“I never called you a hick,” Sky protested.
“It’s okay,” I said. “I’m fine. It’s nothing.”
We walked away, but I couldn’t help glancing over my shoulder. For a brief second, as I’d smiled down at Sky, I’d felt a cold glare fixed on the back of my head.
And then it was gone.
Walking through the rest of the outside exhibition, we were quiet, my ears attuned to the slightest note that jarred out of the city’s harmony. Then Sky led us down to the walkway along the water and stopped, staring down at the ground. That woke me up.
“Hey, I’m sorry,” I started to say awkwardly.
“No, it’s not you,” Sky looked away from me, her hair blowing across her face. “It’s just – I realized something.” Her shoulders tensed. “I thought it was all kind of a joke. That Rayner was overreacting. But it’s serious, isn’t it? Whatever you two are involved in, I mean.”
I let out a long sigh and she looked back at me. “You could say that.”
“Here I am, so focused on myself… On my brother. It didn’t even occur to me – you’re both such big, strong guys, after all. But are you in danger, Cree?” Her eyes were fearful. “Is Rayner?”
“Sky,” I said, laughing and taking her face in my hands. “We can take care of ourselves.”
She sucked in a sharp breath, her fingers digging into my arms. “Didn’t answer my question. Or maybe you did.” Closing her eyes, Sky’s face pinched. “Is there anything I can do?”
&nb
sp; “No,” I said, louder and harsher than I meant to. “No, Sky. It’s…”
“A secret,” Sky supplied. “For now.” She bit her lip. “It’s not something where you’ll get hurt or anything, right? I mean, I saw your scars, but I figured that was just from firefighting.”
My thigh tingled where I’d been grazed by a bullet and my almost healed shoulder seemed to burn. All the fights and times I’d been injured flashed into my mind.
I didn’t know how to answer her. I wanted to tell her the truth, but I also didn’t want to burden her with it. I didn’t want her to have to live with that fear.
Maybe that’s why Rayner didn’t tell her…
Smiling, I shook my head. “No way.”
The lie was effortless and Sky’s face relaxed. “Oh, okay.”
“Come on, I’m starvin’ woman,” I said. “Where are we going now?”
“Oh, Six Seven. It’s a bit of a walk,” she said.
Kissing the side of her head, I tried to ignore the acid burning on my tongue from that lie. And in the back of my head, that nasty voice woke up, whispering the same words over and over like a dark riddle.
And the mountains will burn. And the mountains will burn. And the mountains will burn.
Over lunch, I had a hard time focusing on the conversation. I kept seeing flashes of movement out of the corner of my eye and hearing tiny whispers of alarm. I was sure Sky thought I was losing my mind, but she hung in there with me.
We’d just paid our check and were walking outside where there was a commotion and people swarmed towards the door. Smoke and fire hit my nose in one single blast.
“Fire!” People were yelling, screaming and pointing. A block away, smoke was rising in the distance. I went to go run towards it when Sky caught me.
“What do you think you’re doing? There are other firefighters here. City ones.”
I glanced at it. There was something supernatural about that blaze, I could feel it in my bones. “Listen, last night you told me Rayner asked you to listen to me. That’s what I’m asking now.” I searched her face as I gripped her shoulders. “Run the other way and don’t look back. Go.”
“Cree, no, what are you thinking?” she cried out. “Stop!”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine. Go,” I said and wrenched myself away before the look in her eyes convinced me to keep holding on.
“Cree!” I heard her shout from behind me.
I ran all out, flying through the crowd, slipping easily through it like a fish darting through rocks in a river. Once I was out of sight of anyone, I ducked down an alley and grabbed a fire escape. Climbing nimbly up it, I got to the top, only to see it didn’t go all the way to the roof.
Closing my eyes, I focused the shifter in me and it rushed over me, hiding me to any unfriendly eyes. But I didn’t shift – not yet.
Crouching down, I launched myself off the top platform and onto the roof, not even stopping as I raced across it. Below me, there was a circle of fire burning at the entrance of an alley. Three dark figures were approaching a cowering, tiny one at the opposite end.
I surveyed the distance and then jumped, landing between them. Immediately the tiny creature, a nibinabe, a water-dweller who looked young and terrified, latched onto the back of my leg. My face softened at its shaking form and then I glared up at the approaching figures.
The two figures on either end were Pale Eyes and I felt my lip curl. The Crooked Man was up to something in the city. I knew it. But where was he hiding? Magnolia Bluff?
Then my eyes landed on the figure in the middle. It was squatting on the ground, surveying from under a dark hood and then it stood, towering a good two feet over me.
“What is this? A coyote shifter pup in the middle of a city?” I saw a flash of teeth. “Get out of the way before you join the nibinabe child as my lunch.”
I stepped back, uncertain of what I was looking at. “Dude, you got an overactive pituitary gland or something? Either way, you should try out for the Supersonics.”
The creature chuckled and pushed back its hood. I gaped and the nibinabe buried its face in my leg. Horror and revulsion were rising in me, choking my throat.
wendigo, whispered a voice in my mind.
At first, I’d thought werewolf, but a wendigo wasn’t much better.
His face was sunken in and eyes bloodshot. Sharp teeth and a wolf nose protruded from the bottom of his face, his whole body a strange mishmash of beast and man. Sharp claws popped out and he took a step forward. Dried blood covered his bare chest. Where there was skin, it was blackened and bitten down by the teeth of frostbite.
wendigos were demons of the north and snow. What the hell was it doing in Seattle?
“You must be Cree. The irritating one.” He paused. “I was once of your people. They called me Mingan, or Gray Wolf.” He chuckled. “See how aptly they named me, shifter?”
One of the Pale Eyes was loading a gun and the other was pulling out two long blades.
“Sounds a bit like Megan,” I said. “Maybe they should have named you that. Maybe you can ask the Skinwalker to give you a new name.” I chuckled. “Didn’t realize he brought back a souvenir from Alaska. So are you his new pet or are you guys trying to do a Seattle buddy comedy? Skinless in Seattle. Kind of has a ring to it.”
“I am no pet, boy. I am Gashak. Self-named.” It snarled and swiped at me, but I’d already leaped back and put the nibinabe on my shoulder. It was cold and wet and smelled of fish, but it had big silver eyes and an adorable little face under all those scales.
“Hang tight,” I whispered. “You know I’m here to protect you.”
Surveying my options, it didn’t look good. The wendigo, who I figured had a nasty temper from the stories Big Bear had told me about them, was taking deep breaths and smiling.
“Nowhere to run, Coyote. Can’t risk exposure.”
“Shouldn’t you also be concerned?” I asked.
“Ah, that’s the thing. Except in the twilight, during the day, I am but a gray ghost to these city dwellers. The Skinwalker worked his dark magic in that way.”
“That’s why you waited until nighttime to murder that poor man, wasn’t it?” I clenched my fists as cold fury pounded through me. I’d smelled the blood on Gashak. “His name was Otis Huxley, and you will pay for what you did to him.”
“Ah, yes, the professor. But alas, I didn’t kill him.” Gashak smiled cruelly. “I ate him.”
The nibinabe squeaked in my ear and I moved backward. Wes would kill me for this plan, but he wasn’t here. Burr would laugh and Ben would sigh, rolling up his sleeves, ready to heal whatever I broke. And Rayner would tell me to come up with a better one, but he’d taken off.
It would have to do.
Dodging left, I leaned down and picked up a hubcap, then leaped onto the dumpster in front of me. Gashak was running towards me on all fours, snarling, and I hurled the hubcap at him. It hit him square between the eyes and he slumped to the side, dazed. Then I leaped onto the next dumpster, narrowly missing a bullet from the Pale Eye’s gun, while the other one ran at me.
Taking a deep breath, I ran hard, my feet scraping the wall as I tilted sideways and launched myself through the flames, tucking the nibinabe into the center of my chest as I rolled through it. Coughing, I stumbled to my feet and looked around.
I’d expected fire trucks, cops, but it was deserted; however, I could hear sirens in the distance. Still coughing, I held the nibinabe up in front of my eyes.
“Let’s get you home,” I said, walking towards the water. The wendigo and the Pale Eyes hadn’t come after me. From what I could tell, they weren’t pursuing me. A wave of relief went through me.
We were just about to the railing when I heard a familiar pair of feet running towards me and I whirled around, holding the nibinabe behind my back.
“Cree!” Sky was panting as she stopped and put a hand over her heart. “Oh my God, you idiot. What the hell do you think you were doing?”
“Yo
u shouldn’t be here,” I said sharply, dragging fear pounding in my temples. Sniffing the air, I tried to see if the wendigo was still here, but the smoke was overwhelming me.
The nibinabe jabbed my back and I winced, then looked over my shoulder. In the water, a grateful mother nibinabe had appeared and gestured. I felt the creature snuggle against me and then jump from my hands.
“What was that? Did you just throw something in the water?” Sky pushed past me and peered in. “What the hell is going on? You look like a barbecue.”
I shook my head, but then I started coughing again. Usually smoke didn’t bother me, but I wasn’t in my shifted form and I’d also dived straight through the flames. My throat burned as my eyes swam and then Sky gasped.
“Cree, you’re burned.”
“We have to get out of here before the cops come,” I croaked.
For a second, I thought Sky was going to hit me, but then she nodded, lips tight and slung an arm around my waist. “Alright. Let’s go then.”
Chapter 16
“Are you mad at me?” Cree asked quietly as I handed him another glass of water. His arm was freshly bandaged, his wounds cleaned, but he still smelled of fire and smoke. It made my stomach clench. “I understand if you are. Wasn’t exactly how I wanted to spend the afternoon…”
For the second time, I’d come across Cree beaten up without a good explanation. Now he was shirtless and I was patching him up. Again. The first time, at least it had been somewhat feasible, although I seriously doubted that now.
Because today made no sense.
“Who runs face first into a fire?” I demanded as I stood up.
“A firefighter?” His smile was wry and I glared at him. “Aw, come on, I’m kidding.”
Shaking my head, I walked away. “Cree. I think you need to tell me what is going on.”
“I can’t,” he sighed.
With a growl, I marched back over and pointed at his arm. “You have a burn on your arm, Cree. Do you know how serious that is? How easily they get infected?”
HOTSHOT BROTHERS: Coyote Shifters Page 62