Winter of the Wolf (21 page)

“Oh, fuck. Like Calum’s mate.” This was past bad, going into nightmare time. “Last fal was her first Gather. It overwhelmed her, and she’s a tough female.” He ran his fingers through his hair, remembering how he’d stepped back, let her settle.

“So’s our little wolf.” A slow smile grew on Shay’s face.

“She did a great job on reshaping Klaus’s nose.” Zeb felt a glow at the memory. Bree had a wicked punch.

“Yeah.”

“Guts or not, she’s liable to panic at the Gathering. We need to do something.”

“Us?” Zeb felt his own panic rise.

“She trusts us. We can touch her. Maybe we can get her past some of that fear.”

“I’ve been trying to keep my distance.” Except for this morning. Her breasts had rubbed against his chest; her mouth had been soft, sweet. Giving.

Even as Zeb’s cock hardened, his gut clenched. He wasn’t sure he’d survive if she returned to being afraid of him.

“We have, what?” Shay paused, calculating. “Only a week to get her past this.”

“Fuck.”

Chapter Sixteen

A knock on the door woke Bree, and with a groan, she sat up in bed and stared around.
Not my room
. As the memory of the previous evening returned, she chiled.
Klaus
hitting her, pain, falling down the hill, the men around
her
…

But Zeb had held her and carried her. Shay had stroked her hair, talked her out of the panic. Funny how his gaze and firm voice had held her as securely as Zeb’s arms had.

Another louder knock made her jump.

“Come in.”

Shay opened the door. “Breanne, Calum has…” His eyes warmed.

What
? “I—jeez.” She yanked the covers up to her chin and glared at him.

“A leannan, I’ve seen you without clothes before.” The sun lines at the corners of his eyes deepened. “But it’s always enjoyable.”

Heat crept up her face. “You knocked for a reason?”

“’Fraid so. Calum ordered our presence. Al three of us.

Preferably soon.”

Would she have time for a shower? Wait. Just why was she jumping out of bed because Calum said to anyway?

“Shay?”

He came in and sat on her bed, crowding into her space, which wasn’t like him at al. The blankets stymied her attempt to edge away.

The laughter in his eyes showed he knew exactly how nervous he made her. “Did you have a question?”

“Um.” Question? Oh, right. “Who is Calum? Everybody jumps when he says anything, and you guys cal him a Cosan-something. Why did he have to be the one to make me shift instead of you or Zeb?”

“I forget sometimes how little you know. Zeb and I aren’t very good teachers.”

She shrugged. “I keep forgetting to ask.” Because she’d been so entranced with turning into a wolfy.

“The mountain ranges are divided into territories. Each one has a guardian over it. A Cosantir.”

Cosantir
.“So Calum is kinda in charge. But—” Shay put his hand on her knee to stop her. Even through Shay put his hand on her knee to stop her. Even through the blanket, she felt the heat of his palm. Why did her skin seem to beg for more? More touch, more heat.

“Not
kinda
.” His thumb stroked back and forth. “A Cosantir is appointed by Herne—the God—and he gets powers to go with the job.”

Her mouth twisted. “Like Gerhard?”

“More. Gerhard’s power comes from the pack. A Cosantir’s powers come from Herne.” His eyes narrowed as he thought. “A Cosantir always knows what shifters are in his territory and where they are. He’s the only one who can force a trawsfur.”

Her skepticism took a step back. She’d definitely experienced that
I’ll-make-you-shift
talent.

“In his territory, he’s…what did my grandsir cal it? High, low, and middle justice? He can banish a shifter or kil one with a touch.

“Get real.” The Cosantir was starting to sound like a TV

evangelist. Miracles performed every night at seven o’clock.

Riiight
. “And God’s-gift to the earth spends his days tending bar?”

Shay grinned. “Actualy, he was a lawyer before Herne made him Cosantir, and from what Alec says, Calum was pretty pissed-off about being drafted.”

A
lawyer
? “I don’t think I’l ever understand this place.”

“You wil, Breanne, you wil.” He ran a finger over her

“You wil, Breanne, you wil.” He ran a finger over her bare shoulder, sending a shiver through her. “Go easy today.

Healers don’t fix minor damages. You’l be sore for a couple of days.”

No kidding. She felt like she’d falen off a mountain and hit every stone on the way down. Oh wait. She
had
. “I’l take it easy.”

“Good answer, little wolf. I enjoy being obeyed.” Shay leaned over and teasingly kissed her. Before she could pul away, he nibbled her lower lip and sent heat rushing through her. His firm lips demanded more, and hers softened under the swift assault.

He puled back and was off the bed before she could punch him. And she might have if her brain hadn’t turned to mush. “Shay,” she warned, tasting peppermint on her lips.

“Breanne.” His blue-gray eyes were as level as his voice.

“I enjoyed that—” He inhaled through his nose and gave her a wicked grin. “And so did you, lass.”

She stared as the door closed behind him. A week ago, she’d been exhilarated because she’d felt like a woman, because she’d responded to him and Zeb.
But I don’t want
any more changes. Not now
.

This heat and the need streaming through her body was definitely a change.

After a minute, she shook her head. Meeting. Must move.

Lacking clothes, she wrapped a quilt around herself and Lacking clothes, she wrapped a quilt around herself and headed for the bathroom at the end of the hal.

In front of the mirror, she dropped the blanket and got a glimpse of the cuts and bruises covering her body. Nausea churned her stomach, and she hastily stepped into the shower. As hot water poured over her, she washed, trying to erase the memory of being naked. Being touched. Klaus’s grip had felt like that of the monster.
I’m dirty. Ugly
. She could smel the helhound’s stench on her, and she scrubbed harder.

When the water turned pink, she realized what she was doing. Blood trickled from her cuts and scratches.
Stop,
Bree. Stop
. Tears burned her eyes as despair filed her.

She’d thought she was getting better. Despite the heat of the shower, she felt cold inside.

After forcing herself to shut off the water, she got out. The mirror displayed how many scrapes she’d reopened. What a mess. A colorful mess too. Although the healed cuts were a tender pink-red, dark red and purple bruises had blossomed over her arms and shoulders, ribs, back, and legs. She fingered her puffy cheek and winced at the soreness.

I don’t like this place
. Or any place with people like Klaus in it. He’d made a pleased sound when he’d hit her.

Sick jerk.

When the pack had been running and singing, she’d felt as if she belonged. But not any more. How soon could she if she belonged. But not any more. How soon could she leave?

She gingerly patted herself dry. Gerhard had said the Cosantir decided that. So today, she’d make Calum understand she’d be here another week at the most. She’d learn whatever she needed and avoid Klaus.

A week. That meant her time with Shay and Zeb was limited as wel. The empty feeling that swept through her was disconcerting. When had she grown so attached to them?

With a sigh, she wrapped the towel around herself. After pushing her wet hair back, she opened the bathroom door and ran right into Zeb. She squeaked.

His chuckle sounded like rocks grating together. He held out jeans, a sweater, and underwear. “From your cabin.”

“Thank you.” She smiled up at him, and her breathing stopped.

His eyes were molten darkness as his gaze slowly dropped from her face to her bare shoulders to where the towel barely covered her breasts. “You’re al pink, little female,” he murmured, handing her the clothing.

When her hands were ful, he stroked his calused fingers down her neck and across one shoulder. He turned his hand over to brush his knuckles over the tops of her breasts. His skin was so warm, and an answering heat pooled in her lower half.

“Do you need help getting dressed?” he asked. His index finger curved under the edge of the towel between her breasts.

Her mouth dropped open, then she fled back into the bathroom, slamming the door in his face. Her hands shook as she dressed in the jeans and cashmere sweater he’d brought.

She couldn’t get past how he’d looked at her. Touched her.

He didn’t make her feel dirty, but he’d woken a funny…

anxious…feeling deep in her stomach. Not scary though. Not quite.

A thump on the door made her jump. “Let’s go, female.” On the walk to the tavern, Bree listened to the men idly discuss which cabins needed more repairs, what the weather would be, who was patroling for helhounds.

Helhounds. Plural. She ignored the coldness in the pit of her stomach and firmed her voice. “Zeb, when I shot at the helhound, my bulets bounced off. What are those creatures made of anyway?”

“A kind of bony plating.”

Shay added, “A paleontologist said some dinosaurs had plating as good as body armor. Helhounds do too.” He patted his stomach. “A strip down their bely is the only place not armored.”

No wonder her blade had broken. She frowned at Zeb.

“When you were under it, you stabbed it with a knife. Why not use your pistol?”

“Good way to die,” Zeb said.

“Good way to die,” Zeb said.

Now there was an informative answer. She gave him a dirty look.

“Two reasons. First: the angle’s wrong to hit the heart,” Shay explained, taking pity on her. “Ripping downward with a knife wil slice through a big artery, but bulets can miss it, and you don’t have time to keep trying. If a helhound doesn’t die fast, it kils the cahir.”

She swalowed hard. Zeb could so easily have died. “The other reason?”

“Bulets usualy embed in the armor, but sometimes wil bounce off,” Shay said, a hint of humor in his eyes. “If you’re underneath and miss the strip, the bely plating means you’re liable to eat your own bulet.”

Jeez. “You two looked like an acrobat team. How many have you kiled?”

“With Shay? Around a dozen,” Zeb said absently.

The lack of air made her clutch his arm. “So many?”

“Some before we got together.” Shay tugged her hair.

“Zeb and I hunt them, remember? And looks like there’s stil one around Cold Creek.”

The blood drained from her head.

“Easy, little female.” Zeb put his arm over her shoulder and the heat of his body melted some of the chil. She concentrated on inhaling slowly, on feeling the warmth of Zeb against her, the hardness of his body, on watching Shay move against her, the hardness of his body, on watching Shay move ahead of them, al power and skil.

“Hey, have you seen the gnome under cabin seven?” Shay asked lightly.

She tried to smile at him, knowing he’d changed the subject for her. And Zeb, antisocial Zeb, kept her snuggled against his side the rest of the way.

At the tavern, Shay opened the door and motioned her inside. She stopped for a second to let her eyes adjust, after the brightness of the outside. The jukebox was turned down low, and the place was almost empty except for a couple of truckers at the bar.

Calum spotted them and nodded at a table near the front window. After she and the men had sat down, he arrived with a tray of drinks and handed them out.

Bree studied him over the rim of her diet cola. So, he was like the king in the area? Admittedly, the man seemed quite authoritative. But stil…

He met her look with a slight smile before turning to Shay and Zeb. “I heard about last night. I’m pleased Breanne wil stay with you.”

Shay nodded.

Calum looked at her. “I wanted to speak to you about your future.”

“Excelent idea.” She set her glass down. Gerhard had said the Cosantir wouldn’t let her leave. She’d just see about that.

the Cosantir wouldn’t let her leave. She’d just see about that.

Before she could speak, he continued, “New shifters, no matter their age, are taught by the old ones. Like you, Victoria became a shifter as an adult and lacked the knowledge we normaly gain in childhood. She’s at Elder Vilage now, getting lessons in Daonain history and customs.”

“Oh. I was wondering where she’d gone. I miss her.”

“As do I. Normaly, I’d send you to the vilage to get formaly recognized, if nothing else. But I cannot spare Shay or Zeb, and you’re not ready to be parted from your mentors. I’l get you there in a month or two.”

“A month or two?” She stared at him. Gerhard had been right? How long did they think she’d be here?

He nodded at Shay and Zeb. “I’d like the Elders to recognize you two as wel. Once the other cahirs are trained, one of you can travel up with Breanne, meet them, and return. Later, the other can go and bring her back. Then I can do a proper introduction to the clan here.” Bree pursed her lips. He was certainly free with planning her life. Too bad. She didn’t want to go to some vilage and meet new people. The ones here were bad enough. “Listen, Calum, I don’t want to go—”

“Breanne,” he interrupted. “This is a tradition and requirement for new shifters. Unfortunately, our Elders are just that—elderly—and they cannot travel to meet you. It would be a courtesy if you would accommodate them.” would be a courtesy if you would accommodate them.” Heck, saying no would make her sound inconsiderate to old people. “You’re sneakier than I thought.” His eyes glinted with amusement. “Thank you. Meantime, you have lessons to learn here.”

He was
not
going to run right over her, the big jerk. “You act as if I’m staying here, and I’m not. I need to get back to Seattle.” The restaurant wouldn’t hold her job forever.

“Your life is here for the foreseeable future. After your lessons are complete and you’ve achieved control, you may go wherever you wish.”