Gathering her into his arms, he murmured, “I think now
you
must be reading
my
mind.”
She woke to the sound of someone pounding on the bedroom door. Bleary-eyed, she pulled on her robe and shuffled to the door. “Brett! What are you doing here so early?”
“There’s a delegation downstairs from the Rinaldi compound.”
Kay glanced at the clock on her bedside table. Six
A.M.
She didn’t have to ask what the members of the Green Mountain Pack wanted, although she was a little surprised they had arrived at such an early hour. “How big a delegation?”
“There’s four of them, including Rudolfo.”
“Where are they now?”
“Waiting on the patio. I wasn’t sure if I should invite them in.”
“Tell them I’ll be down as soon as I’m dressed.”
“Right.”
“Call Tyler and ask him to round up one or two others. Tell him to keep out of sight, but to be ready, just in case the Rinaldi delegation has come to do more than talk.”
With a nod, Brett went to do as bidden.
Kay stared after him a moment; then, closing the door, she rested her forehead on the wood. It seemed odd to be giving orders. What had she gotten herself into?
Twenty minutes later, she took several deep breaths, then went downstairs. She paused at the back door.
Rudolfo and three other men sat at one of the round, glass-topped tables. Someone had served them coffee.
The men all rose when Kay stepped out onto the patio.
“Good morning, gentlemen,” she said.
Rudolfo inclined his head. “Mrs. Rinaldi.”
The sound of her married name slammed into Kay like a fist. In the short time she had been married, only Victor had called her that. “Please, be seated,” she said, and took the last chair.
Rudolfo remained standing. “You’re probably wondering why we’ve come at such an early hour… .”
“I know why you’re here,” Kay said.
Rudolfo’s expression hardened as he waited for her to go on. He was a younger, more handsome version of his brother.
“I intended to call on you later today,” she said.
“Indeed?” He resumed his seat.
She didn’t miss the skepticism in his voice. “With my father’s untimely death, it was necessary for our pack to sustain a new Alpha. My aunt Greta was the natural choice, being the only other Alpha in our pack.”
Rudolfo leaned forward. “Go on.”
“Victor threatened to kill my aunt if I didn’t put his name forward as Alpha. As you know, my father loved Victor so we were both surprised when the pack refused him. Victor challenged my aunt.” Kay took a deep breath, willing her voice not to betray her. “My aunt was defeated. It’s no secret that I was forced to marry Victor. It was bad enough that he was my husband. I refused to accept him as my Alpha. And I challenged him.”
“You? How is that possible?”
“I don’t know. I’m not sure exactly what happened after that, or how it happened, but the next thing I knew, I had shifted… .”
“You’re lying!” Rudolfo exclaimed. “Such a thing is impossible.”
Kay met his gaze without flinching. “It’s the truth.”
Rudolfo shook his head. “It’s impossible.”
“I fought Victor and I killed him.”
“Where is my nephew?”
“I had his body cremated, of course.”
“Of course.” Rudolfo leaned back in his chair, his elbows resting on the arms, hands folded, fingers entwined. “And where,” he asked softly, “is my brother?”
Chapter 38
Kay went still as all four men focused their attention on her.
“My brother,” Rudolfo repeated. “Where is he?”
“Dead.” There was no point in lying, or delaying the truth. Better to get it out in the open now and face the consequences, though she would have preferred to have Gideon there beside her. “I intended to bring him home later this morning.”
“Who killed him?”
“He attacked me from behind while I was visiting my mother’s grave,” Kay said, her voice devoid of expression. “My …” She paused, wondering what to call Gideon. Friend? Acquaintance?
Husband
would never do. “A friend who was with me came to my defense.”
Rudolfo’s steely gaze bored into hers. “Why should I believe you?”
“Why should I lie?” Kay replied, her gaze meeting his. It was an effort to keep her expression impassive. She didn’t know what would happen if he didn’t believe her. Would he challenge her to a fight? Attack her here and now? Declare war on the Shadow Pack?
She slid a quick glance at the other three men. The one on Rudolfo’s left was slight of build, with sallow skin and pale gray eyes. She was certain she had never seen him before. She recognized the man on Rudolfo’s right, although she couldn’t remember his name, only that he was one of Victor’s cousins. Both men stared at her malevolently. The third man was the youngest of the four. There was no doubt that he was related to Rudolfo. A son, perhaps.
Kay looked up, relieved, when Brett rounded a corner of the house, followed by Tyler Red Elk, Jared Broken Lance, Steven One Horn, and Joe Yellow Bear. Her backup had arrived.
“You all know my uncle, Brett Crayton.”
Rudolfo nodded curtly. “Of course.”
“Gentlemen.” Brett stood behind Kay’s chair. The other members of the pack spread out behind him.
Rudolfo stood. “If you’ll be good enough to tell me where my brother’s body is, I’ll take it home.”
When Kay started to rise, Brett placed his hands on her shoulders. “I’ll take care of this, Alpha.”
Brett moved toward the patio doors, gesturing for Rudolfo and the other three members of his pack to come with him.
Kay frowned. Where was Brett taking them? Curious, she dismissed Tyler and the others, then went into the house.
She followed the sound of voices to the meeting room. Careful to stay out of sight, she peered around the door frame. Someone had covered a long table with a white sheet and laid Diego’s body on it. They had washed his face, combed his hair, and covered him with a blanket, as if he were a member of their own pack.
With her curiosity satisfied, Kay quickly returned to the patio.
Brett returned a few minutes later. “Well, they’re gone.”
Kay nodded. “That was quick thinking, bringing the body in from the barn.”
“It was Greta’s idea. She thought it might take some of the heat off if we treated their dead with respect. I think it worked.” Brett sank down in one of the chairs. “There’s no way to be sure, of course. They could still issue a challenge, but I don’t think they will. I get the feeling Rudolfo believed you.” Brett paused a moment before asking, “Did it really happen the way you said?”
“Yes. Diego attacked me from behind and Gideon killed him.”
Brett nodded, then slapped his hands on his thighs. “Okay, then. I’m going up to see if Greta needs anything.”
“Tell her I’ll be along in a little while.”
“Will do,” he said, grinning. “She’s just milking this, you know. The break and the bites have already healed.”
“Well, she deserves a little pampering. It was a brave thing she did, accepting Victor’s challenge.”
“No braver than what you did.” Folding his arms on the tabletop, Brett leaned forward. “How did you do it?”
“I have no idea. I don’t even know if I can shift like that again. For all I know, it was a one-time thing.”
Rising, Brett gazed down at her. “Your father would have been proud of you.”
Kay blinked against the hot rush of tears his words elicited. “Thank you.”
Brett winked at her, then went into the house.
Kay sighed, wishing she could stay in Gideon’s embrace forever. He had appeared in her bedroom as soon as the sun went down. She had gone into his arms without a word. When he was making love to her, all her fears and worries melted away. But now, lying spent beside him, all her doubts bubbled back to the surface.
She looked at him when he tugged lightly on her hair.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked.
“About what?”
“About how you changed when the moon wasn’t full. You’re worried you won’t be able to do it again, aren’t you?”
She nodded.
“Have you tried?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I guess I’m afraid to find out.” If she couldn’t shift at will, she would have to give up being Alpha.
“Why don’t you try it now?” he suggested.
She was going to have to do it sooner or later; might as well be now, when nothing was at stake. Throwing off the covers, she stood beside the bed and summoned her wolf. The change came as quickly and easily as it had the night before.
Gideon grinned at her and she wagged her tail.
Returning to her human form, she slipped back under the covers and snuggled up against his side again. “Why do you think I’m able to do it now?”
“Well,” Gideon drawled, lightly stroking her arm, “I think it might have something to do with the fact that you’ve got a little prime vampire blood running through your veins.”
“You’re kidding!”
“Nope. I’m dead serious, if you’ll pardon the pun.”
“But why would it … ?” She stopped in midsentence. There was definitely power in Gideon’s blood. She had seen it at work on Verah. She had felt the power of it herself. “Will it work on the rest of the pack?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Why?”
“Brett doesn’t think Rudolfo will seek vengeance for Diego’s death, but I disagree. I saw the look in his eyes when I told him his brother was dead.”
“Why would he come after your pack? I’m the one who killed Diego.”
“You’re forgetting about Victor. It was his right to challenge Greta. I violated our laws when I interfered.”
“In what way?”
“Victor made a legitimate challenge. It’s against pack law for anyone to interfere until that challenge has been decided. I should have waited until my aunt was dead, and then challenged him. But I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t stand there and watch him kill her. I don’t know how it happened, but the next thing I knew, I’d shifted.”
“And beat the crap out of him,” Gideon said, his voice laced with pride.
“I’ve never killed anyone before,” she said quietly. “It was a terrible feeling, and yet I’d do it again to save Greta.”
“You’ll make a hell of an Alpha,” Gideon said, giving her shoulders a squeeze. “I’m glad you’re on my side.”
“Me, too.” She was silent a moment, then said, “Would you be willing to give Brett some of your blood, to see if it works on him, too?”
“Sure,” he said with a grin. “Do you think he’d be willing to give me some of his in return?”
As expected, Brett wasn’t crazy about the idea of ingesting vampire blood when Kay suggested it to him the following morning at breakfast.
Greta, who had recovered fully from her fight with Victor, looked thoughtful. “You know, if it works on Brett …”
“Hey, I never said I was willing to try it!”
“But you will, since your Alpha expects it,” Greta said calmly. “So, if it works on Brett, then what? Are you thinking of trying it on the whole pack?”
“I don’t know,” Kay replied. “I haven’t thought that far ahead. Let’s see how this works out first. I’m going to call a meeting this evening. I want everyone to be on their guard. I don’t want anyone leaving the compound alone. And I want everyone inside after dark.”
“Kiya, don’t you think that’s a little extreme?” Brett asked. “I mean, do you seriously believe Rinaldi’s going to jeopardize the peace between our packs by challenging you? You defeated Victor in a fair fight. Gideon killed Diego to save your life. There are really no grounds for revenge.”
“Better safe than sorry,” Kay replied. She drained her coffee cup and thanked Greta for breakfast. She paused on her way out of the kitchen. “Brett, meet me in the barn at sundown and we’ll see what effect Gideon’s blood has on you. Oh, there’s one more thing. He wants a little of your blood in return,” she added, and left before Brett could object.
The meeting didn’t take long. Kay explained her reasons for the increased precautions, and when the meeting was over, she gestured for Brett to accompany her.
Gideon was waiting for them inside the barn. He pushed away from the upright he’d been leaning against when they opened the door. Just seeing him made Kay’s heart skip a beat. Dressed in ubiquitous black, he looked rugged and handsome as hell. It was amazing to think that he was hers, that she would be alone with him later, free to hold him and touch him to her heart’s content.
As if reading her thoughts, which she had no doubt he was, Gideon winked at her.
Brett eyed Gideon warily, like a rabbit confronted by a hawk, then cleared his throat. “So, how does this work?”
“Like this.” Gideon rolled up the left sleeve of his T-shirt, bit into his wrist, then held out his arm.
Brett glanced at Kay, then shook his head. “I don’t think I can… .”
Kay folded her arms across her chest. “Do it, Brett.”
Brett nodded. It wasn’t his niece asking, it was his Alpha, commanding obedience. Grimacing, he took hold of Gideon’s arm and lowered his head.
Gideon looked up, meeting Kay’s gaze, his expression impassive as the werewolf drank.
Do you want to be next?
She licked her lips as Gideon’s voice whispered through her mind.
As the scent of blood rose in the air, the horses began to stir restlessly, pacing their stalls, snorting and tossing their heads.
Kay went to stand next to Barika’s stall. “Easy, girl,” she said, stroking the mare’s head. “It’s okay.”
The horses quieted at the sound of her voice.
After about forty seconds, Gideon said, “That’s enough,” and withdrew his arm.
Brett lifted his head. Yanking a handkerchief from his back pocket, he wiped his mouth. “Now what?”
“Turnabout is fair play,” Gideon said.
Brett looked at Kay. “Don’t make me do this.”
“Just do it.”
Brett glared at Gideon. “Go on then!” he said, thrusting out his right arm. “Get it over with.”
Gideon licked the wound in his wrist, sealing it, then rolled his shirtsleeve down. “Forget it.”
“What?” Brett’s eyes widened in surprise. “But, I thought … ?”