“What about Tessa White? She’s there?”
“Yes, she was waiting for us when we arrived.”
“Can she heal her?” I held my breath after asking the question.
“Not exactly.” There was an odd catch in Tim’s throat and he cleared his voice before continuing. “Tessa can’t heal the injuries completely—witchcraft is more subtle than that—but she says she can aid the natural process and prevent Sheila’s hand from losing normal function.”
I fought against the wave of disappointment that passed through me. Finally, I said, “Well, that’s good, anyway.”
“Yes. It is.” He paused slightly before continuing. “It’s quite good. There are a lot of burn patients here and—from what I’ve seen…if Tessa can prevent some of the deep scarring and help the doctors, that will be—huge.”
I held the phone so tightly my hand hurt, so I forced my fingers to loosen. I rubbed my forehead. Tim continued to talk, explaining Sheila would be in the burn center for at least three weeks and he planned to stay in Portland. He called the council to explain what happened and they granted him leave; Eliza should expect a call of her own soon to discuss the situation.
“Here, why don’t you tell Eliza the details?” I said. “Um. Thanks for being there with her, Tim. We’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
“Thanks for—I know she’s your best friend. So thanks.”
“Yeah, she is. But she’s your…” I couldn’t find the right word. “Um, okay, see you tomorrow.”
I handed the phone to Eliza.
“Hi, Tim,” she said. “Listen, before you tell me whatever it is about the pack council, I need to tell you: we made contact with Tony Blythe and he’s on our side.”
Tim said something sharp on the other end of the phone, but Eliza lifted a hand and interrupted him.
“No, I’m sure. He’s not in league with the Eclipsers. He heard about what happened with Dave and the story drew him here to see Carson. Julie too, I suppose.” Eliza listened to Tim for a minute. “Yes, I do believe him. Okay, now tell me about the council.”
I glanced sidelong at Tony and watched him under my lashes as Eliza finished her conversation.
To my side, Newt said in a low voice, “What did Tim say about Sheila?”
“Oh, sorry.” I forgot he didn’t have the Weres’ preternatural hearing. “She’s stable and he thinks the doctors are very competent. Tessa White is there to help—she can’t heal Sheila completely, but at least she can help speed the natural healing and make sure Sheila can use her hand normally. Keep the scarring under control.”
Newt nodded, mouth tight. He stood up and bounced on the balls of his feet for a minute, then rolled his shoulders.
I let out a deep breath. I’d been hoping Tessa would waltz in, cast a spell, and heal Sheila’s injuries completely, as if they never happened. Most of me hadn’t even grasped the enormity of her burns. When I thought about Sheila’s arm, about the red and black flesh, about the pain lines on her face, the images seemed unreal. I was grateful witchcraft could help at all, I really was. I told myself that several times.
A yawn caught me unexpectedly and I blinked, eyes watering.
Eliza snapped the phone shut, reached over, and squeezed my arm. “Me, too. We should get some sleep if we’re driving up to Portland tomorrow. It’s, what, a five-hour drive?”
“Four and a half,” I agreed. “Well, maybe longer with Carson.”
Tony stood up, uncoiling lithely from the chair. “I will stand watch,” he said. “That is, if you trust me.”
I shared a glance with Eliza and Newt, who waited for me to give the verdict.
I nodded at Tony. “Thank you,” I said and felt rewarded by his mouth curving in a smile. I swallowed hard and looked away, after realizing I stared at his mouth.
“Then tomorrow, while you two,” he gestured at me and Eliza, “go to Portland to be with the Witch, I will help the Salamander with the hunt.”
Tony stopped short. “But do you think—that is—before standing watch, may I take a shower?”
****
I curled up in bed next to Carson who breathed deeply as if never damaged from the smoke. Even my human lungs felt easier today, I noticed, as I took a few experimental breaths of my own. Exhaustion overwhelmed me, but my mind wouldn’t stop whirling. I thought about Sheila and Tim at the burn center, wondered if Tim would get any sleep tonight, if he’d be able to stay with Sheila, if they’d called her mom. I hadn’t thought to ask.
The shower started across the hall. I listened to the white-noise hiss of the water and wondered if it had been five years since Tony took a shower. Five years as a wolf. Five years without human contact. The water ran a long time, while I stared at my dark room, gradually lightening as the waxing moon rose. The bathroom door opened, and I smelled the escaping humid air waft under my door along with the scent of soap. I listened to footsteps down the stairs and across the floor beneath me. I envisioned Tony’s bare feet. Finally, I slept.
Chapter Fifteen
Newt and I were in the middle of our bowls of cereal—me on my third cup of coffee—when Eliza strode into the kitchen.
“Listen,” she said, and turned on the radio sitting on the counter.
The local NPR station, Jefferson Public Radio.
“Approximately eighty acres west of Jacksonville near the Applegate river. Overnight, firefighters also responded to blazes south of Ashland near Highway 99, and in east Medford near Roxy Ann Peak. There’s no official word yet about the causes of the fires or the extent of the damages, but authorities suspect arson. Firefighters have been called in from Klamath and Josephine counties. None of the fires are near containment at this point. Firefighters are focusing efforts on protecting the Grey Gable subdivision in East Medford and property south of Ashland.”
Newt’s mouth opened in surprise. He started to speak, but I waved him to silence so we could hear the rest of the report.
“In Ashland, Belleview Elementary school is closed due to concerns over smoke and Highway 99 is closed at Tolman Creek Road. No other public school closings have been announced at this time. Motorists in Medford are urged to avoid east McAndrews road and other areas near Roxy Ann Peak. Earlier this morning, JPR’s Melody Lin spoke with Chief Ron LeGrand, head of the Medford fire department.”
Again, I held up a hand to indicate I wanted to hear the fire chief’s statement. He spoke in a loud voice, nearly shouting over commotion in the background. “We’ve got good men—and women—on the ground here and hope to have the fire well on the way to containment in the next few hours. This fire came up quicker than most and the hot spots have jumped around, but we have the best firefighters in southern Oregon and I have confidence in our ability to contain the blaze. I ask the public to help by staying well clear of this area and reporting any suspicious activity they may have witnessed in the last twenty-four hours.”
The anchor changed subjects, and I crossed to the radio and clicked it off. Carson banged on his high chair, but—for once—I ignored him.
“The Salamanders,” I said. Not a question.
“Must be.” Newt stood up. “Where’s Tony? I need to get out there and help.”
Eliza jerked her chin toward the stairs. “He’s sleeping on Sheila’s bed. I took the last shift early this morning.”
The sound of a helicopter overhead nearly drowned out her last words. I yanked open the back door and we all stared at the helicopter, with its huge bucket full of water hanging below. I craned my neck in the direction of the blaze and saw a brownish smudge in the air.
“Holy crap. All this, for what?”
“To flush us out? To force us to bargain with them?” said Eliza.
“Like ‘Surrender Dorothy?’ ” I asked. “Surrender Carson. Is that what they want? Because that’s not going to happen.”
Eliza looked back into the kitchen and I followed suit. The black wolf stood in the doorway to the living room. As I watched, he pulled on shadows and shifted t
o human form, a transformation that seemed quicker than last night.
He’d shaved, revealing a strong jawline. I jerked my gaze away from his mouth. Tony still wore the same ratty clothes, though they seemed considerably cleaner and I bet he used the washing machine sometime during the night. His dark brown hair, formerly tangled, was now clean and reached well below his shoulders. Strands curled around his face. He made an impatient face and reached up to pull his hair back.
“Did you sleep as a wolf?” Eliza’s sudden question caught me by surprise.
Tony’s eyebrows rose.
“Tony. Did you go to sleep as a wolf?” she asked again.
“No.”
“But you woke in wolf form?”
He looked at Eliza for a long minute. “I believe there are more urgent things to discuss.”
“Tony. Answer the question. Did you change back to wolf form while you slept? Unintentionally?”
The hairs on my arms prickled and I rubbed them before dropping my hands to my sides. I glanced between the two of them, both stretched to their full height. At six foot two or so Tony topped Eliza by a few inches. I wondered which was the stronger Were and if Tony was still considered part of Eliza’s pack—the pack where she ranked second in command.
A gust of wind kicked across the backyard through the open kitchen door. I smelled smoke and choked down a fight-flight twitch in my muscles. Tony’s hair whipped around his face and he frowned.
“Do you have a hair band or something?” he asked Eliza, whose ponytail hung sleekly behind her as usual.
“Tony.”
A muscle in his jaw twitched before he spoke with exaggerated patience. “Eliza, your warning is duly noted. I am not going to lose my human form and turn wolf for good. I will be careful. Thank you for your concern, but I’ve been on my own for five years and managed quite nicely. Now, if you can’t find me something to keep this hair out of my face, hand me a pair of scissors.” He jerked his head toward the door. “Clearly, we don’t have time to waste.”
Eliza held his gaze for another second, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a ponytail holder. He managed to tug his hair back somewhat neatly and used the elastic to secure it, except for some shorter bits that fell out to hang near his chin.
Newt watched the whole scene with an amused expression. When he caught my eye, he winked and murmured, “All Alphas and no one to boss around, huh?”
Both Weres turned to glare at him and he laughed out loud.
“What’s the situation?” Tony looked at me when he asked the question.
“The Salamanders started several wildfires—at least three: one in Jacksonville right near where,” I faltered for a minute and searched for words that wouldn’t inflame anyone, “near where we saw you yesterday, one just south of Ashland, one east of Medford.”
“Anyone killed?”
“No.” The question threw me for a momentary loop and I spoke my thoughts aloud. “I guess they’re just trying to warn us—that they could do more if they wanted. The report said there’d been no loss of property so far. Or lives.”
Tony nodded grimly. “Could be worse.”
I pushed my own curls behind my ears and had a crazy urge to do the same for Tony. Because those little bits probably bothered him.
“So…is it going to get worse? I mean, are they going to…” I ran out of words and made an ambiguous gesture.
“Yes,” said Newt, his voice flat and serious. “That’s why we need to stop them. Now.”
“Right.” Eliza nodded. “Julie, you and Carson have to travel up to Portland alone. I need to stay here and help tackle the Eclipsers. We’ll have more Salamanders as reinforcements tomorrow, right, Newt? The council’s sending a team of four Weres; I talked to them last night. Julie, tell Sheila—”
I cut Eliza off. “No. We’re staying, too. Sheila will be okay. Tim’s with her and so is Tessa White. I can’t do anything to help her. I can’t let you all stay here and fight our fight—me and Carson, our fight—without helping.”
Even if I wasn’t sure what kind of help I could be, I added silently to myself, feeling a bitter twist inside.
I couldn’t read Tony’s face. Not that he got a vote; I didn’t know why I looked at him, anyway.
Eliza sighed. “Okay, Julie. I knew you would say that. And I definitely know it’s not worth arguing with you.”
“Nobody changes Julie’s mind, once it’s set.” Newt grinned and I felt the warmth of his smile like a physical presence.
“All right then,” I said. “I’m going to call Tim back. You guys talk strategy.”
****
When I told Tim about the wildfires and our change in plans, I sensed his tension rise with tightness in his voice. He asked, “Should I come to help?”
His question revealed the torn loyalties he felt, because he asked for my opinion rather than making an executive decision. My response was firm.
“No. You stay with Sheila. She needs you. The council sent four Weres who’ll arrive tomorrow—or maybe later this afternoon—and Newt’s calling the Salamander master to get the other ’Manders here today if possible. There’s no reason you need to come.”
“Okay,” said Tim, relief clear in his voice.
I got a detailed update on Sheila’s condition, promised to call again in a couple of hours, and rejoined the others.
As I walked back into the kitchen, Newt played peek-a-boo with Carson, still in his highchair, and Eliza and Tony disagreed about something. I raised my eyebrows at the Salamander and indicated the Weres with a tilt of my head.
“Not sure what the all-powerful are arguing about,” he said with a quirk of the mouth. “Doesn’t matter to me, since I know what I’m doing today.”
All conversation stopped as both Eliza and Tony turned to him.
“Uh, what are you doing today?” I asked, since someone had to.
“I’ll start at the nearest fire and help contain it. Then I’ll move to the Medford fire, since that’s the closest to a population center. After that, the Applegate fire. If I see the other ’Manders, I’ll kill them.” His expression was implacable.
Tony studied him for a moment, then gave a sudden laugh. “Well, that’s as good a plan as any,” he said. “We’ll be your support team—and if we find the other Salamanders, you need to promise that you’ll share.” His slow smile looked very much the wolf and made my stomach jump.
“Okay,” said Eliza. She gestured to the kitchen table. “Fuel up, everyone. I’m calling the council to check in.”
Tony sat down and devoured three bowls of cereal as if he fought fires and Salamanders every day. I choked down some more cereal and finished my coffee. I thought about another cup, but decided my nerves jangled enough without adding extra caffeine to the picture. Newt stood at the back door and studied the brown haze of smoke on the horizon.
“I’d forgotten how much I like coffee,” Tony said, idly swirling a mug in his hand.
“I don’t think I could live as a wolf for five years if it meant no coffee,” I said.
Tony leaned back in his chair for a moment. “Being a wolf was…relaxing.” I couldn’t read his eyes, although his gaze was fixed on me. “Not to think. To just be. To follow the rhythm of life without worrying about the lyrics.”
I turned the phrase over in my mind.
“Where did you go when you were a wolf?” I asked.
“I ranged north, mostly. All the way up to Alaska, for a while. Canada. I was in Alberta when I heard about Dave.”
“In Alberta? They gossip about Greybull pack business in Alberta?” Eliza’s voice sounded sharp. “Great. Lily will love hearing that.”
Tony shrugged one shoulder. “Pretty big news, Eliza. A couple of Weres turning renegade and allying with the mafia? They probably heard about it in Europe.”
“Newt.” Tony turned to our Salamander, who still stared out the back door, though I bet he’d heard every word. “How did you get roped into this mission?”
“You have a sister?” Tony sounded surprised.
“Yes, a twin, actually.”
“Your parents are very lucky,” said Tony.
“Actually, they’re dead. But you’re right; we’re lucky.”
I looked from Newt to Tony, wondering what I missed.
Eliza said, “Salamanders usually have problems having kids, Julie. Viable offspring are rare, so having twins is especially lucky.” She cracked a smile. “Which is a good thing, because Salamander powers are dominant—inherited from just one parent—so if they were really fertile, we’d be swimming in them.”
Newt’s back stiffened. “It’s not much of a joke, watching people miscarry and babies die. Not funny at all.”
Immediately, the smile dropped from Eliza’s mouth. “I’m sorry, Newt. You’re right, of course. I meant no offense.”
“Apology accepted,” Newt said.
After a minute, he broke the awkward silence in the kitchen. “Anyway, to get back to Tony’s original question, the master likes to call on me for touchy situations because I’m likable, in case you hadn’t noticed. Even to Werewolves, right?” He grinned at us and raised his eyebrows, dispelling the remaining tension from Eliza’s remark.
Eliza snorted. Tony looked taken aback, but then said, “I think your powers are more important than your likability. You’ve a fair level of skill.”
“A ‘fair level’? Why, gee, thanks. Do I get a gold star?”
“Yes, yes, gold stars for everyone. Are we done with breakfast? Can we get started already?” I snapped.
Eliza turned worried eyes on me. “You okay, Julie?”
“Of course. I’m just ready to go. We’re wasting time.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay here?” Eliza held up a hand to stop me. “Julie, I’m just asking. It might be hard for you to be near the fires, that’s all.”
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