Loving Lucius (Werescape) (11 page)

Everyone from the trail sat here but Lucius.

Augustus' wife Drea sat beside him. Young in the shadow of his graying façade. She couldn't be more than thirty. But Shifters always kept a mate, even after losing one, apparently to continue increasing the Guardian population on Earth if not the human population in general. Creating Guardians seemed the only way humans could protect themselves from the aliens.

"What of these attacks on warlords that my boys reported?" Augustus slid his gaze between Sherry and I from beyond everyone's dishes, serving bowls containing food, and metal camping coffee cups.

If I didn't answer, there's no telling what Sherry might offer in response. "For some reason, the extraterrestrials are wiping out the New cities. Father said it was an attack on the warlords. But we ran so quickly from what he perceived as danger that there was little talk between the cities."

The door creaked.

Then the floorboards creaked.

Ominously. Or a crusty snipe at my news. No one believes a word I utter.

A few seconds later Lucius skirted the long wooden table, looked at each person, and bowed slightly. "Good evening." He descended onto the end of the opposite bench.

I wasn't expecting a gentleman's greeting from him. Maybe a sneer my direction. I couldn't bring myself to watch him to see if he decided I deserved one later.

"Glad you could join us, Lucius," his sire said.

Fortunately, Lucius sat far enough down the table for me to conveniently avoid ignoring any glares he might send my direction. Just what I needed--a true enemy in this place I must call home. If only I could convince him I wasn't working against him. That we both sported alien DNA. We're alike. But Violet might be cast out of the outpost's gate in the revelation that entailed. What if she is forced into prostitution? I'd have to live with the blame. And even if I did tell him, he'd undoubtedly grimace at my ancestry as if I were the ultimate abomination. Time to forget about him--about wondering what touching him was like.

"Your sire must be worried about you," Drea suddenly said.

"I don't care," Sherry snarled.

Tacitus shot her a sharp look.

One akin to a warning. Of which my sister took heed, stuffing a bite of moist venison between her lips. Good thing Tacitus managed to tame her temper. Maybe Sherry would fit in? Be accepted. I really dare not reveal our secret now, or I'd ruin both of my sister's futures.

Something sank inside me a little.

Truth is a vile concoction to swallow. Painful. Well, Father always said the truth hurt. My experience could attest to that fact in more than one way within the past few days.

"And Violet?" Drea called out to where she sat between Sherry and I.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Tomorrow, I will introduce you to others your age. Would you like that?"

Violet almost exploded with joy, nodding wildly.

Not good. I couldn't monitor her behavior or what she decided to discuss when she wasn't with me. But what choice do I have?

"She's extremely friendly," Sherry added.

Too friendly for our own good.

Drea beamed an equally sociable smile at us. "I always thought it better to be friendly than reclusive."

Strange she would make that point. Did she poke at me and my reserved, rather, defensive behavior? Or at Sherry's unpleasant manner?

Drea shoved up from the table. "I'm sorry. I'm needed at a friend's. Her baby is due any day. It's her first. And I promised to be with her."

"Of course," Sherry forced an enthusiastic reply.

Although uncharacteristic of her, I was glad someone said something so I only had to smile and nod my understanding.

"And if you need any help, we're healers," Violet smiled while blurting.

Why did that always come up at the wrong moment? Violet needed a good shaking.

Augustus and Drea looked at each other in wonder, then at us.

"It completely slipped my mind." Lucius' voice rang out from where he sat out of my sight.

"Oh?" Augustus perked up a smidge.

"I can explain later." Lucius' voice dropped a notch.

Just enough to show he struggled with something. Maybe he hoped to convince his sire to speak in private. Odd. He wasn't interested in privacy earlier at lunch when he attacked me.

"Fine then. We'll speak in the morning." Augustus patted his mate's arm. "Go sit with Fiona. I'll come after you later."

Marcus shoved up from the table next. "Coffee?" he waited for Sherry to reply.

"Yes," she gasped.

I wouldn't mind a cup either. But I didn't want to encourage his attention right now. Not until I know what I want. Later. I scooted a lump of meat around the gravy on my camping tin with the tines of my fork and avoided the favoritism in his scrutiny.

"She'll have some too. Elise loves coffee."

Curse my other sister as well. Everyone would know how many teeth I had, the times I'd been kissed, and my favorite music by morning. I smiled at Marcus just a moment and nodded. "Thank you, please." With this type of torture, the room better cough up some sugar.

"Bring the little one the honey," Augustus said.

They are planning on winning my sisters over with luxury goods. Deeper. So deep I'd be shoved into the pit my secret trapped me inside. And someone around here would happily cap off the exit. Burying me, the alien, alive.

Movement bustled around me.

"Put some of this honey on some cornbread, Violet. It's my favorite," Augustus encouraged her.

I guess I should think of his attention toward a ten-year old as kindness instead of acting accusatory like Sherry. The clan leader was quite kind in his demeanor toward us.

A hand gently placed an aluminum cup of coffee beside my plate.

Marcus' hand. "Thank you," I said without making eye contact with him.

A glass jar clicked next to the cup.

Filled with white granules. Sugar. Out here in The Wild? "Thank you."

Marcus poured coffee into cups, slowly circling the table.

Passing up coffee and sugar would have been a horrible mistake. The delicious smell alone could charm a cobra like in children's stories. I stirred in a spoonful of sugar and tried to act preoccupied.

Violet gobbled down the cornbread. Everyone sipped on coffee and chatted about their hopes for a wet summer to help the compound's garden be more productive. The subject switched to collecting wild foods. Acorns, wild rice, wild asparagus, berries to dry, and cattail pollen. What does one do with cattail pollen?

Sherry spent most of her time eyeing Tacitus who seemed content to listen to others while reflecting Sherry's glances.

The Shifter was anything but a mirror. Thoughts meant for Sherry radiated through his bored-yet-focused expression and messages communicated to my sister whenever she required a scolding. What could I expect from their alliance? Sherry leaking details about aliens and Violet's intelligence? Sex would be far worse. Sex always resulted in children. Hybrid offspring carrying alien DNA combined from both parties in the match… Just what would that child do to the human genome?

"Elise and Sherry, what did you do back in New Boston aside from healing?" August inquired.

Politely. But he had to be fishing for information. I would. Yet, there's no reason to lie. I met his curious gaze. "A warlord's daughters are educated to marry political or economic contacts. I spent all my years until I was twenty-one being tutored by the best teachers Langston could afford. So did Sherry." When she could be tied to a chair.

Sherry burst into laughter. "Don't lie. I rarely learned a thing. Elise is the smart one. I was the daughter who climbed out windows and scaled sides of buildings to go on adventures."

"What kind?" Violet piped.

Now I'd have to worry about Violet sneaking out. "Sherry," I whispered a chastisement. "Don't hiss at me." She scowled at me then looked at Violet. "You don't want to sneak out here. You don't know anything about how to take care of yourself. Back home, it's different. But not here."

Violet slumped forward toward her empty plate and fork. "It doesn't matter where you go. Kids still have to sit in a chair and be quiet."

Was life really that different now? We certainly can't just come and go as we pleased. Everything simply pointed more and more toward us being imprisoned.

"Well, it's getting late. And I need to speak with Elise," Augustus announced.

What?

My heart flopped.

"So, you boys come back and clean off this table in about an hour." Augustus stretched his arms over his head.

Okay. I can handle another round of interrogation. And he is mated. Off the market. Mated male Shifters cared nothing about sex with other women. This meeting has to be related to Lucius' fears.

The room cleared, leaving me staring at the big clan head.

He rose, waving me toward the large flames in the stone hearth. "Come over here, Elise." He grabbed a large wooden chair and scooted it across the wooden floor to rest near another identical chair by the fire. "Sit with me by the fire where you can see my face." He settled into a chair's ladder back, leaning into the crook of one arm. "I always like to discuss things with people when I can see their faces." He winked.

Adorably. If not terrifying, the large man was seductive. Strange. Like he is a combination of Lucius and Marcus. I claimed a seat as instructed.

"See, you can see if I'm angry, shocked, or terrified." He crossed his ankles, propped an elbow on the chair's armrest, and sighed. "What happened between you and Lucius on the trail?" His voice remained calm, low, reassuring and friendly.

But he went for my throat. I had nothing to hide but the one thing. And I will conceal it. "He decided I was hiding something from all of you. Something that he needed to know."

"What about the way he treated you?"

What an odd question given I'm the potential enemy. Easily answered. Lucius had been extremely careful with me. "He always handled himself well around me."

Augustus' strong happy mask twisted a bit. "But Marcus says Lucius frightened you. And that he knew he did, but chose not to stop." The clan leader's voice never elevated or hurried.

Doing anything to cause Lucius trouble isn't going to win me or my sisters any favors here. I looked down at my hands in my lap. "Maybe that's Marcus's interpretation."

"Look at me, Elise. I need to see your face."

He hadn't moved. Just kept casually leaning back in his chair.

"Why would Marcus think something wrong in Lucius's actions toward you when you didn't?"

Would it be insane to say Marcus is jealous? Ludicrous. But that would be my answer if I could speak honestly. "I don't know."

"You're an extremely beautiful woman. Do you think Marcus and Lucius were fighting over you?"

Absurd. Lucius isn't interested. "Why would Lucius terrify me if he wanted to win me over?"

"Good answer," he said with a wink. "Now that you're thinking right, let's talk about why Lucius felt you were hiding something that could jeopardize his clan."

This torment about what I shouldn't have to say would never end. I nodded. "He said I seemed alarmed when there was mention of aliens. That my heartbeat gave me away."

He nodded slightly. "Much confusion can come from using one's Wolf senses." He exhaled slowly, in deep thought before eyeing me again. "Was there reason for him to have his Wolf in his ears?"

What? "I don't know what you mean."

"Were his eyes glowing? He has heightened senses then."

"I can't remember." But would it matter? I was on trial. Not Lucius.