Hyena Moon (19 page)

"You okay?" Lenore's voice came from right beside him. He jerked up, pulling his hands from his hair and smoothing them down his cargo shorts.

He nodded, not up for saying anything. He saw Finn crossing the street and he directed Lenore over to her cousin. "I'm good."

Lenore searched his face, her eyes shadowed. She looked like she didn't believe him. "Did something happen? Did you see more hyenas?"

The worry that tinted her words made him smile sadly. Lenore wasn't built for this. She wasn't built for
him
. He was way too messed up for someone like her. He didn't even know his own mind about anything. The one thing that he did know was that he liked her, and right now he didn't want to do anything to screw that up. He boxed away any thoughts he had of phoning his mother. He could decide on that later, when Lenore wasn't a factor.

"No, just thinking about stuff." He tucked his hands into his pockets.

She eyed him dubiously. "Stuff?" When he didn't respond, she blew a stray hair from her face in what may have been frustration. "Okay, stuff." She put a hand on his forearm, stopping him from going further. "You sure you're good? We can go back to the house if you aren't feeling up for this."

Rafe stared at the delicate hand that rested on his arm. It was so small, so utterly breakable. Like she was. The touch of her hand did things to him: made his insides knot up, his heart clench, his attention focus on her like a laser beam. He put his hand over hers gently, as if he handled her too roughly he would hurt her.

He felt grateful when she twined her fingers in his. "Lead on, my captain."

His reward was another of those brilliant smiles. For another of those, he would happily window shop for however long she wanted.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Mebis smiled a hangman's smile at her over the rim of his cup. "You've got an admirer," he sing-songed, eyes shifting to the side in indication of the front window.

Kess had no idea what the werejackal was talking about. She frowned at him, and then cut her eyes to the side. She caught a glimpse of a dark haired figure sitting outside the front window. She tilted her head to get a better angle without alerting the watcher that he was now being watched. It was Rafe and it looked like he was staring at her table.

"The werehyena could use a lesson in stealth," Mebis observed drily. Then he met her eyes, intense as always. It sent a shiver down her spine, but whether it was fear or something else, she didn't know. "What are you going to do about him?"

Kess had no idea. She and Mebis had been talking about werehyena pack numbers and planning out strategies that she could bring back to her clan. His help was proving invaluable. The last thing she'd expected was for Rafe to find her here. She remembered Lenore mentioning she planned to do some shopping today and had enlisted Rafe and Finn to accompany her, but the girl had never made mention of where they were going.

She rubbed her temples. Mebis spoke. "He can't hear us, if that's any consolation to you." The werejackal leaned back in his chair, casting another look at the window as he did so. "And unless he's an accomplished lip reader, I think your plans are safe."

"He's seen me with you. There's the chance that he recognizes you from the night that Samara tried to take over." Kess resisted the impulse to look directly at the window herself. It would be better if Rafe didn't know they'd seen him. It gave her leverage, and the element of surprise.

Mebis nodded, looking pleased with her. "So again I'll ask: what are you going to do about him?"

"I don't know." Movement caught her eye and she shifted her gaze so she could see the window. Someone was talking to Rafe. Kess saw that it was Lenore and relaxed slightly. He hadn't followed her on his own; it was probably just a coincidence that he had found her at all. She hadn't told anyone where she was going or with whom she was meeting. "I need more proof than just a possibly accidental encounter."

He opened his mouth to speak, then seemed to think better of it. Kess watched as he stirred his coffee, waiting for his next words. Finally he sighed. "Very well. It is, as always, your decision." He made it sound as if he didn't agree with it, and for all she knew, he didn't.

"It is my decision." Kess paused, catching and holding his gaze with her own. "And I will investigate this so that I can make the right one."

Mebis changed the subject. "Samara still threatens. Have you met with your people?"

Kess was reasonably sure that Mebis knew she had, but it was nice that he pretended otherwise. "Yes."

"What do they propose?"

"We'll have to fight her." Kess tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear. "I'd rather we go through a challenge and she and I can just duke it out between the two of us, but she's not going to agree to a fair fight. She's counting on superior numbers to overwhelm us."

"So you can't wait until she's ready. You have to strike unexpectedly."

"Surprise attack? On her territory?" Kess was doubtful. Her clan would look like the aggressors then, possibly opening themselves up to retaliation from another pack. She didn't want that. "We don't have the numbers."

"Or the home field advantage."

Kess shook her head. "I'm not worried about that. My clan used to go out to that area to hunt and train before things got so tense. We know the area."

Mebis' raised his eyebrows, surprised. "I stand corrected. It doesn't do to underestimate you, does it?" His tone was admiring. It made Kess both happy and nervous. She didn't think there was anything she could say or do to impress the werejackal.

"So it comes down to a numbers game. Timing is going to be key. Are there any allies you can bring to bear? What about your boyfriend's pack?"

"No," Kess said. "They aren't a part of this—it isn't their fight. I don't want them drawn into it. Besides, I'm pretty sure the Alpha would say no way, even if I wanted to ask for the help."

"Pity. A few wolves would be useful in the proper place." Mebis tapped the table absently while he figured.

"We've got to factor in the moon too. We don't want to attack when the hyenas are strongest." Kess couldn't believe she was planning battle strategy with a Keeper of Divine Order.

"True, true." He stopped his musing and fixed her with a keen eye. "You and your cats are going to need to make your plans, and make them soon. Samara won't wait another moon cycle." Kess nodded in agreement. "Contact me after you've met with your people. You'll need my help."

"I'll call a meeting in the next few days."

"Excellent. Only…"

"Only what?" She didn't like the seriousness of his voice.

"You must decide what to do about the werehyena, Kess, and you must do it soon. Otherwise, the decision may be taken from you." Whether he meant this as a threat or merely as an observation, Kess wasn't sure.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Rafe stared at his phone. He'd been arguing with himself about whether or not to call his house ever since he got the damn thing. He'd punched in the number countless times and had cleared it from the screen just as many. After the run-in at Vizcaya, he didn't think it a coincidence that he seemed to be seeing hyenas everywhere. First the mall, then that night in the Everglades, and now when it was just him and Lenore. Every time he caught a glimpse of one of their lovely faces, he was reminded of home, and of what his mother might have left him here to do.

It had been easier to entertain the idea of being a spy before Lenore arrived. He hadn't felt bad about it then--it was a way to get home. Now he felt as though he had two sets of loyalties. Especially now that he thought he might have information--however small it was--that could be useful to his pack.

So today he entered his mother's number and hit send.

He heard the tinny ring. One. Two. Three. On the fourth ring, someone picked up on the other end.

It was Teresa. "Yeah?"

He found he couldn't say anything, didn't even know how to put what he was feeling into words. Hearing her voice, as much as he sometimes hated her made him ache with a longing he couldn't begin to express. He sat on his bed, phone held tight against his ear and shuddered.

"Hello?" There was a long pause. "Rafe? Is that you?"

He still couldn't get any words out. What could he say, really? That he missed her? He hadn't, not exactly. That he wanted to come home? Sometimes he did. That he wanted to know why his mother didn't love him like she ought to? He was afraid he already knew the answer to that question.

Teresa continued. "If it is you, baby brother, I've got a message for Kess that you can deliver since you're her new little bitch boy. Tell her we're coming for her. Tell her we'll rip her apart and eat the flesh off her bones. And that goes for her wolves too."

Rafe pressed the phone against his forehead, his black hair falling forward to hide his face. There was a lump in his throat; it felt like he had swallowed a rock. Even if he had wanted to respond to Teresa, he wouldn't have been able to.

She kept going. "You want to know what's going to happen to you, little brother? I've got something special planned...."

Rafe hit End. He slid down until his back was against the base of the arm chair. He pulled his knees up, trying to draw himself up as small as he could. He didn't know what to do with everything he felt. He just knew he didn't want to feel it anymore. How was being left behind by his mother suddenly his fault? How could anyone think he was a traitor? What the hell were Teresa and his mother telling everyone?

"Hey Rafe, let's go!" Lenore's voice sounded from outside the door. He heard her footsteps as she came into the room. "Rafe?"

"Not now," he managed to get out past the boulder lodged in his chest.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Her voice was concerned, but Rafe refused to look at her.

"Just go away!"

"Hey," Lenore said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. Just talk to me."

"It's NOT okay," Rafe shouted, shoving her hand away. "It's never going to be okay!" He stood up, trying to get some space between them. He felt rage boiling up: at Samara, at Teresa, at Kess, at himself, but mostly at Lenore, for having the kind of perfect life he'd never had.

"You have no idea what it's been like for me! You come from a perfect family where nothing bad ever happens to you, where you're loved and wanted. You see this?" He pulled his hair back from his face, pointing at the triple scars that ran down the right side of his face and neck. "My mother gave me this because I opened my mouth at the wrong time. I was thirteen!"

Lenore had gone pale, shrinking away from the rage and hate in his voice. He wanted to stop shouting at her, but now that he'd started, he couldn't seem to make himself shut up. "So tell me, how can you possibly understand? When has your father or mother ever done anything horrible to you? When has Cormac? When have you EVER had to struggle for anything, you spoiled little brat!"

Rafe thought she would run away then, had expected her too. What he hadn't expected was her to draw herself up and shout right back at him. "You're right, Rafe. I haven't had anything terrible happen to me--I've been pretty lucky and I know it. But that's not my fault. And it's not my fault that you got born into a crappy family that doesn't know how to treat you. And guess what, it's not YOUR fault either!

"But if calling me a spoiled brat makes you somehow feel better about yourself, go right ahead." She put her hands on hips and glared at him. "I'm waiting."

Rafe stared at her, as if he'd never seen her before. The anger was draining out of him and he sagged against the wall, suddenly exhausted. He didn't understand why she bothered with him; why anyone did. He wasn't worth it.

She walked back over to him. He slid down the wall, his head in his hands. Lenore sat down in front of him, and took his hands in hers. "Rafe, I have no idea what you're feeling or what you're going through. I don't have that kind of experience. But I do know that family doesn't treat each other like this. It's wrong what your mother did to you."

Rafe flinched away when she raised a hand to his face, pushing aside the black strands of hair that hid his scars. Lightly, with a feather touch, she traced each one carefully, as though afraid she would do more hurt. He closed his eyes tight, not wanting to remember any of it, but the memories came anyway.

He'd been thirteen. His sister, Teresa, was fifteen and already significantly bigger and stronger than he was. He'd been given a skateboard for his last birthday, the only thing he'd wanted. He'd asked for it over several months, in the hopes that his mother would buy him something he actually wanted for his birthday rather than whatever was on sale. This time, she had.

He'd gotten home from school later than usual, planning on going to the public ramps for a little while to practice. But Teresa had gotten home earlier, and Rafe found her on the sidewalk, zipping back and forth in front of their house on his skateboard. She hadn't asked if she could borrow it.

He dropped his backpack on the ground. "Hey Ter, I need my board."

"Well, I'm using it." Her voice was high-pitched and snotty.

"Come on, Ter. I'm meeting the guys in a few minutes." He walked closer, planning on blocking her way.

She stopped rolling and eyed him critically. "You can have it when I'm done."

"It's my board. I want it now!" He knew he should just let her have it, that she'd give it back when she got bored. If he acted like he didn't care about it, she'd lose interest in it all the sooner. But he did care and he wasn't good at faking otherwise. That was the problem.

She smiled at him, poisonous. "You want it, Rafe? Come and take it from me."

He should have just walked away. But he was tired of just letting Teresa take whatever she wanted from him. Mom already preferred her over him, already loved her more. Did she have to take the one thing he really liked and enjoyed too? This time he wasn't just going to let her have it without a fight.