His Wolf (Wolf of My Heart) (16 page)

Wordy much?
"Sex?"

He gave me a look. "You seem to have a one-track mind."

"I'm a girl who knows what she wants."

"A trait I normally appreciate. Right now, however, it's making my life difficult."

"So quit fighting me already."

"Maybe I will."

Finally! We met halfway. He hoisted me up so that my arms and legs were wrapped around him, which resulted in a staggering step that nearly took us down. But he somehow stayed on his feet. Just when our kisses got good and juicy, Erik's phone began ringing. He immediately released me and began looking for his cell. I scooped it up from the table and thrust it at him.

"Hello?" Pause. "She's right here." He handed it back.

"Hello?"

"It's Levi Crane. I understand you have a laptop for me."

"Yes. Mr.
DeLuca
thought we should meet somewhere so I can give it to you in person."

"I'm in Springfield. Where are you?"

"Just outside of Branson, but I've been thinking of driving to Lake Village, which is near there, to see my dad, so if you want to get together, say, tomorrow, I could."

"Perfect."

We set the time and place--the parking lot of Bass Pro Shop at 11:00 a.m.--and he rang off. I shared our plans with Erik. "You did say you'd go with me to see my dad."

"Yes, I did, and yes, I will."

I thought he seemed pleased by my decision and the fact that I'd included him.

Though I was ready to pick up where we'd left off when the call came in, the distraction had pretty much killed the mood. So I settled for some lazy kisses on the couch before bed, which wasn't really settling at all.

****

The drive from Erik's cabin to Branson on Thursday took a little longer than we expected because it had snowed during the night. Since the fastest way to get to Springfield from that point on was the main highway, we went with that route and found that the roads had been cleared and the bridges salted.

The terrain quickly changed from wooded hills to bare cliffs that bordered the divided four
lane
. It looked as if a giant had notched an area
of  boulder
just big enough for the road, revealing the colored strata within. Erik told me he'd taken many a photo along this picturesque route.

I glanced into his backseat where a big box containing samples of his stationery sat. Unbuckling for a moment, I leaned over the front seat and got out a couple of items so I could check them out. The note cards were made of heavy-weight cream colored paper he told me he bought online and printed up himself. I'd seen the expensive printer he used, so I wasn't surprised the cards looked so professional. The photos he'd taken were gorgeous. Turning one over, I saw his logo and the words Escapes by Erik.

He'd confessed last night that he'd been trying to get the nerve to talk to the Bass Pro powers-that-be in hopes of the retail sporting goods chain selling his work. Since I'd been in the store many times, I knew they stocked much more than hunting supplies. They had
nice clothing, shoes, gourmet food items, and even toys, so wilderness note cards and stationery weren't that much of a stretch. I'd told him that there wouldn't be a better time than today to do it.

We got there right after opening time and found hardly any frozen stuff on the parking lot. Springfield hadn't had near the amount of snowfall that the hills adjacent to Branson had. Erik quickly located a manager, who directed him to the person in charge of buying. Their discussion was eye opening to say the least. I'd had no idea that vendors had to be insured and couldn't help but wonder if they really thought someone who got a paper cut off one of my boyfriend's note cards would sue him. I decided we lived in a very strange world. Yeah.
Me, the werewolf.

Erik took some information from the guy and left samples for their consideration. Supposedly he'd be contacted in a couple of days. I crossed my fingers for him. We spent the hour exploring the place, which was massive. Finally 11:00 rolled around, thank goodness. I'd seen more than enough sporting goods, though Erik seemed to enjoy himself. I did buy my dad a wildlife desk calendar and a St. Louis Cardinal's T-shirt to cover the birthday and Christmas I'd missed.

Knowing Levi Crane drove a white Honda, Erik and I put up our packages and got the laptop before scanning the massive parking lot for him. Sure enough, someone was waving at us from a couple of rows away. I had to get closer to be sure it was Crane, which meant my full-moon senses were already on the wane. I saw he had a young man and woman with him.

Crane wore khaki pants, a sweatshirt, and Docs--quite a change from the last time we'd met. He'd been strictly
business
then. His smile was warm and friendly as he introduced his companions.

"Bronte, this is my sister
Tehya
Crane and her guy
Rhyan
Knox. We're on a semi-
vacation,
I guess you could call it. Meeting halfway to have Christmas a little late since I'm living in DC and they're in Colorado."

As I shook the hands offered to me, my nose sort of tickled. Oh my God. Were they…? Yes!
Weres
.
Levi's sister and her boyfriend were shifters. A million questions popped into my head, but I actually thought of one possibility that pretty much answered them all.
Tehya
clearly had Native American roots--ebony hair and eyes, gorgeous cheekbones,
perpetual tan.
Rhyan
looked as though he might, too. That meant they had ancestors as mystical as mine. No wonder Crane, a lawyer who was definitely not
canis
lupus
, had such an interest in our fates. He obviously adored his little sis.

While we talked, I saw both
Tehya
and
Rhyan
sneaking glances at Erik. They had clearly picked up on his distinct
Were
scent. I started to just clear the air and explain what had gone down, especially when Levi began asking questions about Wednesday's early morning visit from The Arm. But then he told us what happened when the
Corteggio
went to pick up Red, Buzz Cut, and Blondie, which put that right out of my head.

Apparently the three had shifted and chewed their way out of Erik's ropes, and were long gone before the law got there. That scared me half to death. Why on earth hadn't someone called to tell me?

Crane assured us the
Corteggio
still had everything under control and would soon have the
Weres
in custody and a reason to arrest them--attempted kidnapping. I hoped he was right. Before we parted ways, I pulled him to the side and asked if it would be okay to tell my dad what had happened to me.

"Your situation is tricky," Levi said. "On the one hand, I don't feel comfortable asking you to lie to your dad; on the other, I must caution that the more humans you tell, the better the chances of accidentally exposing us."

"My dad teaches world literature and is full-on nuts about myths and legends, most of which he believes have roots in reality. As far as he's concerned, King Arthur, Robin Hood and even Dracula were living, breathing men. So if anyone could handle a preternatural revelation, it would be him, I guess. What I don't know is how he'll feel about his only daughter being a victim of it. I can see him worrying himself sick about me, and I don't want that to happen."

"Then I suggest you play it by ear."

I nodded agreement and shortly afterward we went our separate ways.

****

Erik and I got to my house in Lake Village just after noon. I'd planned it that way since my dad was a schedule freak and had always eaten his lunch at home. The house looked just the same, of course. Tan brick with some rock accents. I saw the porch furniture I'd picked out, myself, and the table that usually had a potted fern sitting on it in the summer.
A sunny day sort of feeling came over me even though it definitely wasn't one. I guessed it had something to do with finally being home again after so long away.

Dad's car was in the drive, as was a black sedan that probably belonged to his new wife. My old one wasn't anywhere I could see though it could've been parked in the garage. Erik pulled up behind them and killed the engine. Clearly sensing how nervous I was, he leaned over the console and gave me a quick kiss. I gave him one back, but still anxiously checked my reflection in the visor mirror.

Hair combed? Check.
Make-up intact?
Check.
Food between my teeth?
No. With hands that shook, I smoothed what I could see of my
MSU
T-shirt. Steeling myself, I got the gift bag and then climbed out of the Jeep and led the way to the front porch. I rang the bell before I lost my nerve.

A young woman answered the door. My first thought? If this is Megan, Dad fell for one of his students. She looked that young with her long blond hair and that slender body. Her clothes--tattered jeans and an off-the-shoulder sweater only reinforced that idea. But then I remembered the marriage announcement in the newspaper, which said they both taught at
MSU
.

"Hi," she said, smiling at us. "May I help you?"

Deep breath, Bronte.
"Is Sean home?"

Her big blue eyes widened ever so slightly. I could imagine what she was thinking: Why would one of her husband's students
be
calling him by his first name?

"Yes, he is. Come in." She opened the door wide and ushered us into the foyer. "Sean? You have company."

I heard the scrape of his chair on the tile floor in the kitchen. A second later, he appeared. My heart turned a somersault at the sight of his familiar blue eyes and salt-and-pepper hair. He smiled politely as he joined us, but without recognition. Guess his dead daughter was not someone he'd expected to drop by. Or had my looks changed in the past months? I suddenly remembered I'd had short hair when I was kidnapped. I'd also weighed more and been a year younger.  So I no longer matched the photos of me that were just all over the place, even the latest ones.

"Dad?"
My voice sounded
so
tiny and uncertain as I set down the bag.

But it was loud enough. He gasped and took a staggering step back, his hand on his chest. His face drained of color. "Bronte."

And then I was in his arms. I wasn't sure who'd moved.
Both of us, maybe.
As Dad lifted me up close, I hugged him back with all my might, cherishing the familiar smell of his aftershave and the feel of his rock-solid body. The moment I'd thought would never come again had somehow arrived. My joy completely overwhelmed me.

"Where have you been, baby girl?
Where in the hell have you been?
"

Chapter Twelve

Baby girl.
I'd forgotten about him calling me that. Those words had sometimes irked me in the past, but I knew they never would again. "I'll tell you everything, but first I have to introduce someone and so do you."

Dad set me on my feet. I included Megan in my smile and grabbed Erik's wrist to pull him closer. "This is Erik Thorne. He's saved my life twice now. Erik, this is my dad, Sean
Hannigan
."

Dad released me and hugged Erik, probably catching him off guard. Erik patted him on the back rather awkwardly a couple of times and then made his escape, his face as pink as my father's now was.

"And you must be Megan," I offered her my hand.

She took it and added a hug, softly whispering, "Welcome home. You've been missed."