Read A Sheep In Wolf's Clothing (Welsh Wolves) Online
Authors: Tielle St. Clare
“I’m sorry? Why—?”
Why would you want to know that?
She gave an innocent shrug of her shoulder. “They might have heard something. I’d love to talk to them. Sometimes owners of hybrids hear things that they won’t share with others.”
Yeah, there was something not right about this woman. And now that he thought of it, he hadn’t put his address or his name in the online ad. Just his phone number. How had she found out where he lived?
“They picked him up. I don’t have an address.”
Not really a lie. He wasn’t much of an actor, but he hoped he kept his suspicion off his face. “Why don’t you leave me your information?”
He tried to add a little bit of a leer to his stare, to let her know he was interested—he wasn’t—and that her flirtation had worked—it hadn’t. “I get a lot of stray animals dropped off here. Or unruly animals,” he added when he saw her hesitation. Something about what Dex had said, the way he’d expected Fido to be aggressive or a loner. “As the only vet in the area, when someone finds an animal they don’t recognize or that scares them, they call me.”
“Hmm.” Her lips pursed as she considered his offer. “That’s probably a good idea.” She reached into her tiny purse and pulled out a business card.
Diana Shepherd
He laughed.
“What?” The word came out hard and chilled.
“It’s just funny that you’re a Shepherd and you’re looking for a wolf.”
She smiled, but the humor didn’t reach her eyes. “That’s me. Out gathering my lost sheep.”
The reference made the hairs on Kieve’s neck stand up. He slipped the card in his back pocket.
“I’ll call you if I hear anything about another wolf.”
“Thank you.” She offered him her hand and for some reason, he didn’t want to touch her.
He held his hands back and up. “Sorry, I’ve got dog all over me.”
She giggled and her eyes held a secret smile. “That’s never bothered me before.” But she dropped her hand. “Call me.” She flashed him another look that was supposed to seduce him but just made his blood run cold.
She walked off to her car, her ass swinging back and forth. With a wave, she drove off, disappearing down the road. Every instinct he had told him to run inside and call the Red Dragon, warn them.
About what? A woman looking for her lost dog?
Not a dog, a wolf-hybrid. Until Fido, Kieve had never seen one in his career. Now, there were two missing in the space of a few days? Something wasn’t right.
He glanced down, suddenly remembering the puppy.
The golden fluff ball who loved everyone crouched under the branch of a tree, watching. His little tail drooped down.
Kieve crouched and patted his leg. “Come here, boy. She’s gone.”
Letting out a whine, the puppy scampered out of his hiding place, running to Kieve’s hands. The little guy jumped in his arms and whimpered.
That did it. Golden retrievers loved everyone. If the puppy didn’t like her, there was something wrong about that woman.
Glancing over his shoulder to make sure she was really gone, he carried the puppy back into the house. He considered calling the Red Dragon. It wouldn’t take much to find the number.
Or he could go there. Maybe get another chance to see the sexy bartender who’d invaded his dreams, blending with the vivid dream lover until Kieve could no longer tell them apart.
It was as if Reese had been in his dreams, in his bed. Kieve’s cock swelled and he groaned.
Calling the bar was definitely safer.
Going there was more fun.
Hell, he’d been playing it safe for a while now, keeping to himself. Except for his dream lover, he hadn’t been with anyone in months. Not sure how the locals would accept a gay vet, he’d kept his orientation on the down low.
But no one at the Red Dragon seemed to have a problem with Dex—and they didn’t come much gayer than Dex.
Kieve put the puppy down, but the dog stayed by his side, the little butt once again wiggling away. The sight made Kieve smile.
“Okay, boy, well, I think I’ll go have a chat with Fido’s owners. Let them know some strange woman was asking about their dog.”
It would really just be a quick visit. He’d go in, find Dex, tell him about the woman. Simple as that.
Still, that didn’t mean Kieve had to look like a slob. He took a shower and ran a comb through his hair. It was getting a bit long in the back, curling up at the ends. He tried to flatten out the curls, preferring straight hair. Black with grey streaks, pulled back in a ponytail.
Except, when Kieve pictured Reese, it was with his hair down, long, hanging around his face. In the fantasy, he usually had Kieve’s cock in his mouth as well, that pretty hair hanging down and brushing the tops of Kieve’s thighs as he sucked.
Kieve shook his head, trying to jar the image out of his mind, but once Reese invaded his thoughts, the man usually took up residence for a while.
“It’s probably his night off,” he told his reflection as he ran a razor over his chin. He didn’t have much stubble but might as well tidy it up a bit. It would save him having to shave in the morning.
Using that as his excuse, he slapped on some aftershave and put the puppy in his kennel. He really needed to come up with a name for the little guy, but nothing seemed to fit.
Deciding to leave it for later, he grabbed his keys and hopped into his truck, heading down the road to the Red Dragon.
The place looked crowded, but then again it was a Friday night. Kieve parked in a far corner of the lot and headed in. A row of bikes lined the front, reminding him of his first impression of the place. Maybe tonight wasn’t a good night.
I’m not staying, he reminded himself.
I’m just going in, talking to Dex and getting the hell out of here.
He stepped inside the main doors and looked around. The big grouchy guy, Micah, was behind the bar and the spiral of tension released in Kieve’s chest. The sexy bartender wasn’t even working.
Along with the sigh came a hit of disappointment, which he decided to ignore. It was better this way, because really...did he need any more fantasies?
The bar was packed and Micah and the woman worked furiously mixing drinks and really didn’t look like they wanted to be disturbed. As the woman picked up her tray, Kieve touched her arm.
“You want to lose a finger, buddy?” she snarled, then gave herself a shake. “Oh, sorry about that.”
“No worries. Actually, I’m just looking for Dex.”
She blinked and stared at him, confusion wrinkling her brow. She glanced down as if noticing he’d put on clean jeans and an ironed shirt.
“Dex? Not Reese?”
Kieve shook his head.
“Uhm, okay but I have to warn you, Maddock is already in a mood. He might try and rip your head off.”
“Maddock?” He really didn’t see what the other man had to do with anything. All he wanted was—
“Maddock?” the woman called. “Where’s Dex?”
Even through the noise of the room, Maddock seemed to hear her. He straightened from where he’d been taking an order, his eyes squinted tight at the edges. Fury radiated from the man’s body.
“Who wants to know?” He turned the focus of his stare to Kieve. He picked up his tray and crossed the few feet to the bar. “You’re looking for Dex?” Aggression hummed beneath the man’s question and some strange part of Kieve wanted to whimper “no” and run for the door.
But that was stupid. He just wanted to talk to Dex.
Kieve swallowed to clear the tightness around his throat before he gave his one word reply. “Yes.”
Maddock stared for a moment longer then nodded. “Wait here.”
Kieve didn’t move. He wasn’t exactly scared of Maddock, but something about him just screamed “caution: volatile personality ahead.”
“You want a drink?” the woman asked.
“What? Oh, no.”
“I’m Rhian.”
“Kieve.”
“I know. I’ve heard about you.”
Muffled voices rose from down the hallway, then silence. The noise of the bar continued in the background, but Kieve’s curiosity kept his attention trained on the sounds in the hall.
“What’s going on back there?” he asked.
Rhian waved his question away. “I’m sure it’s nothing. You sure you don’t want a drink?”
“Sure. Why not?” He couldn’t make out the words, but there was definitely a shouting match going on. Then noises stopped. He sipped the shot of whiskey that Rhian obviously decided he would drink and waited.
Rhian left to take orders, leaving Kieve with Micah, the grim bartender who looked like he’d happily snap your neck if you ordered a drink he didn’t like. Micah nodded to Kieve but didn’t speak.
Long moments later—strangely long, Kieve thought—Maddock appeared. The aggression seemed to have faded from his body, but he didn’t look pleased. His lips were white at the edges and he moved a little stiffly.
“Uh, I guess, Dex isn’t here right now.”
Micah’s head snapped up. “What? He was just back there.”
“Well, he’s gone now.”
“Where the hell did he go?” Micah demanded.
“Home.”
“Why?”
“How the fuck should I know?”
“Because he’s your ma—” He glanced at Kieve. “Uh, boyfriend.”
“And I can’t control him any more than you can.”
“Fucking perfect. Busiest night of the week and two nights before the full moon and he leaves? Asshole.”
“I’ll explain later,” Maddock snarled and turned back to Kieve. “Anyway, he’s not here. He’s at the house. I called him and he said you should come on by.”
He handed Kieve a piece of paper.
“Here are the directions.” He paused and took a deep breath. “Just go on in. He said he’d be in the kitchen and probably wouldn’t hear the doorbell.”
Kieve took the paper and looked at the written instructions. Everything about this was weird. He’d just been trying to help out, but why did he suddenly feel like he was being led on a scavenger hunt?
“It’s not that big of a deal. Maybe I could call him.”
“No. Like I said, he won’t hear the doorbell or the phone. Just go on in.”
Kieve pulled his eyes away from Maddock and saw Micah and Rhian standing behind the bar, staring at him. Micah still looked confused and pissed. Rhian had a weak smile on her face, like she wanted to encourage him but didn’t think he had much of a chance.
A chance at what?
He didn’t know. This whole thing was strange. This place was strange and these people weren’t normal. Maybe he should just forget it.
He put the slip of paper in his back pocket and walked out, still not sure what he was going to do. Hell, he should just go home, but damn it, he was already halfway there and it wasn’t like Dex was a serial killer waiting for him with an axe.
At least, he didn’t think so.
Great. Now that’s going to stick in my mind.
Sighing, he turned his truck toward the main road and followed the directions. They lived a bit in the back of beyond, with only one other house nearby.
The house was dark when he pulled into the driveway, but Maddock had said Dex would be in the kitchen, which was probably at the back of the house.
In the kitchen. Where they kept big, sharp knives.
A shiver skittered down Kieve’s spine, but he shook it off.
Dex is not a serial killer.
Kieve went up the front porch stairs. The house looked really dead.
No, not dead. Quiet. Empty, is a better word.
Rolling his shoulders back, trying to convince himself that he didn’t really feel a tingling at the base of his spine like he was being watched, he opened the front door.
“Dex?” he called out softly. A light at the end of the hallway illuminated the tile floor of a kitchen. Okay, at least he knew where—
A strong hand reached out and grabbed him by the shirt, yanking him hard out of the doorway. He spun until his back landed against the wall.
“Why are you here?” the low, frightening voice demanded.
Chapter Seven
Kieve’s head hit the wall behind him, snapping against a picture frame and jabbing him in the neck. But he ignored the pain, more focused on the body locking him against the wall. The weak light allowed him to at least see who it was.
“What are you doing here?” The sexy blind bartender leaned into him. “And what do you want with Dex?”
Kieve blinked and stared down at him. “Uh—”
“He’s taken,” Reese growled.
“I know. I wasn’t—”
Reese leaned in and took a long deep breath. He closed his eyes as if savoring the scent.
“Fuck, you smell good.”
“Thanks?”
Reese shook his head as if he was trying to clear something from his brain. He eased back, not quite stepping away, leaving mere inches between their bodies.
“What are you doing here?”
“I need to talk to Dex.”
“He’s at the Red Dragon.”
“I went there. They sent me here.”
Reese huffed out a sigh. “Bastards.”
More confused than ever. “I don’t understand.”
“They—or more likely Dex—sent you here, knowing I would be here.”
“O-kay.”
Reese chuckled though it sounded too grim to be a real laugh. “Dex is playing matchmaker.”
“Oh. Oh!” Kieve’s cheeks warmed up and he was glad Reese couldn’t actually see him. Dex was playing matchmaker and obviously Reese wasn’t interested. How embarrassing. So, Kieve forced out a soft laugh of his own. “What did he expect? That I’d walk in and you’d throw me onto the ground and fuck me blind?” He flinched. Damn, he’d used “blind” to the blind man.
But a light in those blank eyes flared. “That’s exactly what he thought,” Reese said, the words a low growl that turned the tingle in his spine to a full-on flutter. Reese leaned in and again took a long breath, like a starving man catching the first scent of his final meal. Reese’s nose brushed against Kieve’s neck. The faint caress was enough to send a jolt down Kieve’s spine.
“Fuck,” Reese muttered.
Kieve’s cock got hard just listening to the man speak.
“Why did you come back?”
“I—” But Kieve couldn’t remember why he’d returned. The harsh beauty of the man’s face, those sightless blue eyes captivated him.