Watch Me, page 9
Maybe she should go see him. After all, her bag was still there, and her cellphone was in it, and she needed–
“Earth to Tiffy!”
She looked at Zalin. “What?”
“The eggs are burning.”
“What?” She looked down at the blackened remains of the eggs. “Shit!”
Lucia shook her head and pulled the pan off the stove. “I’ll do it. Between you two, we’ll end up starving. One poisons the eggs, the other cremates them. Sheesh.”
Tiffy turned away, tears gathering again. “I’m sorry I’m useless.”
“You are not useless.” Zalin hugged her. “Don’t let the bastard get to you.”
She nodded, just to get him to back off.
“Well, as much as I’d like to taste the spectacular breakfast Lucia will make, I’m afraid I’ll have to grab a sandwich and run. Stuff to do, wolves to beat up.” He kissed Lucia and headed out of the door.
Tiffy sat back down and drew circles on the grainy wood of the table.
“I went to see him.”
She stopped and looked at her sister. “You went to see who?”
“Your Keric.”
Tiffy could only stare at her. “Why?”
“I wanted to know why he hurt you so badly.” Lucia whisked the eggs and poured them into a fresh pan. “I don’t believe it was deliberate, regardless of what you and Zalin think. If it had been, he wouldn’t be so miserable.”
“He’s miserable? Good.” Part of her wanted him to be. Part of her wanted him to feel so horrible, he’d go away forever. And another part of her hurt because he was miserable.
“He hurts. He’s been drinking all night, his eyes are red and I’m not sure if it’s from too much beer, no sleep, or...something else.”
“What...what did he say?”
“Nothing much. Snarled at me, most of the time. But one thing he said made sense to me. He asked me what I would do if you disappeared. I’d go to any lengths to find you, just like he did for his brother.”
Tiffy snorted in disgust. “I guess the end does justify the means, after all.”
“Sometimes.” Lucia leaned against the counter. “He said all he wanted was to find out what happened to his brother. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“Well, then he should have asked.”
“He did. They didn’t tell him. He said he found out after they beat him up.” She sighed. “It must have been pretty bad. Apparently they dumped him into a ravine and left him there to die.”
The scars. She’d wondered where he’d got them. “They beat him?”
“Yes.”
He hadn’t just left. A Lycan didn’t scar easily, they healed fast, so for Keric to end up with the scars he had it would have been a lot worse than just bad. She doubted he’d lied about being left for dead. It would take at least as much for scars to be permanent. “He never said what caused the scars.”
“And why would he? It’s got to be a serious dent in his pride, and on top of it, would you have believed him if he told you?” She shoveled eggs onto two plates. “I can understand if you don’t want to see him again. What I don’t get is both of you being miserable because the other isn’t there.”
Destined mates. Maybe he was right. They might be, but it didn’t change anything. He’d still used her to get back at the pack, mate or not. She couldn’t forgive him for it.
“Tiffy?” Lucia put a plate in front of her and sat down. “Anything you want to tell me?”
“He said...we might be mates. It’s bullshit, just another way to trick me.” Except the thought of never seeing him again hurt so much, she wanted to run to his cabin to make sure he was still there.
“Well, you’re not mated. I’d like to believe you’d have told us if you’d married him.”
Tiffy blinked. Of course, Lucia had no idea. She hadn’t grown up among the pack. “No, it doesn’t have anything to do with being married. It’s like...like soulmates. Can’t live without each other. Mom and Dad were destined mates. They just didn’t find each other before Mom married Graham and had you.”
Lucia’s mouth stood open, her fork raised half way to her mouth.
“It’s true.”
Worry lit her sister’s eyes. “There might be some kind of soulmate for Zalin out there?”
“Sis, it’s very rare. I mean, win the lottery jackpot kind of rare. It’s bullshit. Mom and Dad being destined is one thing, but me finding a destined mate as well, come on.” Tiffy rolled her eyes. “Chances of that happening are more like going to the moon kind of rare.”
“It still worries me.” She sighed. “So he thinks you’re...fated, or something?”
“No, he thinks he can sucker me with his lies.” Tiffy pushed her plate away. She’d never let it happen again. He could drop dead for all she cared. Only the thought of Keric dead hurt so much, it made tears sting her eyes. God, she was a mess, and the more Lucia needled her about him the worse it got. “I don’t want to talk about this. Or him.”
“Okay. Let’s drop the subject.”
Glad to be off the hook, Tiffy dragged the plate back and began to eat.
Lucia’s cellphone beeped and she checked the message. “Well, in case you’re interested. He’s leaving. He texted me to say your bag is at the rental office, waiting for you.”
Tiffy didn’t know how to feel. She wanted to be happy he was gone, but couldn’t. Instead, more tears threatened, and she got up. “I’m...glad...he’s...gone.”
Lucia rolled her eyes and came around the table to hug her. “Come here. It’s okay to cry.”
Chapter 10
Keric took one last look around the cabin to see if he’d missed anything. It was all clear. The only thing left to do was to drop Tiffy’s bag off at the rental office. He’d found her cellphone in it and Lucia’s number, so he’d texted her to grab the stuff.
His shoulders sagged. He didn’t want to leave. It felt as if he’d lost part of his soul, and he couldn’t bear the thought of never seeing Tiffy again. She hated him now. It wasn’t as if he could patch things up between them. There was no point in hanging around, hoping she’d change her mind.
Keric picked up the small carryall and locked the door behind him. Time to put an end to this chapter of his life, and move on.
Twelve miles out of town the engine in his battered Camaro started to sputter, and only careful persistence coaxed the car along until he spotted a repair shop. He pulled into the lot, just as the engine gave up, and ended up pushing it the rest of the way.
He’d been around enough engines to know the fuel pump had gone and wasn’t too surprised when the mechanic confirmed it. A few phone calls later the guy had sourced the parts and promised to send someone to get them.
Satisfied the car would be fixed, but knowing it would take a few hours, Keric headed to a nearby convenience store to stock up for the trip to Wyoming. Killing time in such a small place wasn’t easy, but the mechanic had recommended the local diner and promised to find him there when he was done.
An hour after dropping the car off at the garage, he decided to grab some food so he wouldn’t have to stop once he got going again. The diner wasn’t busy. He counted no more than six people. It was a small place, with blue faux leather benches and Formica tabletops lining the windows, and a few barstools in front of the cluttered counter. At least the seats weren’t red and there was no antique soda fountain at the end of the counter. Nothing to remind him of his first encounter with Tiffy.
No one paid any attention to him, and he claimed one of the booths. The last thing he wanted right now was to be stuck, sitting, with nothing to do but think. It couldn’t be helped.
“...damn cool, Earl. How many can you bag?”
Keric watched two men enter, dressed in hunting gear, and dismissed them.
“Just one. But I already got my eye on one, so I’m saving the tag for now.”
Great, was it deer-hunting season already? He’d never bothered to pay attention to any seasons. He’d always hunted when he was hungry, season or not.
The two men went to the booth behind him and Keric groaned silently. Hunting talk. He despised hunting just to kill something.
“I ought to get myself a tag too. Never bagged a wolf before.”
Wolf? The only wolves around here were Lycans. If these guys hunted those wolves, they’d end up dead. Shooting a Lycan with a regular bullet had about as much effect as throwing darts at a rhino. All they’d do was make it angry, and then they’d have to run for their lives. A high-powered rifle and some serious ammo might kill a Lycan, but even if they managed to drop one, he didn’t rate their chances at outrunning a pissed-off pack out for revenge.
“Hard to get one, Tom. I applied last year and got nowhere, so I put my name in right away for this year, and got one a week ago.”
Keric listened to them, trying to appear as if he were reading the paper, to find out which wolf this guy had in mind. Not that he really cared about Zalin’s pack, but neither did he want an innocent wolf gunned down. Unfortunately the guy didn’t elaborate.
They kept talking about hunting wolves and Keric got up. “Excuse me, I couldn’t help overhearing. You’re hunting wolves?”
The older, Earl, looked at him with beady eyes. “Yeah, so?”
“Never hunted a wolf before, just wondered what it’s like.” Keric forced a grin on his face. “Mind if I join you?”
“Sure.” Tom, the other one, moved along in his seat. “Earl knows a bunch about hunting predators. He’s bagged a few mountain lions, and even a bear once.”
“Cool, I didn’t even know there were wolves in these parts.” Keric moved his coffee and paper to the other booth. “Got a few deer and a bighorn, but never a wolf.”
Earl grinned broadly. “Yeah, there’s wolves round here. Saw a bunch a few weeks ago, and just last night, I saw the one I want.”
“Oh, you’re after a specific one?” Keric shrugged. “I can’t tell them apart, most of the time.”
“You’d know this one. Silvery white. Gorgeous pelt.” He sighed. “It’ll look great on my wall.”
Keric forgot to breathe. The only white wolf he knew was Tiffy. “Really.”
“Yeah. We’re going into the woods tonight. You can come along, if you want, but the white one is mine, even if you have a tag.”
That wolf was his, and if this bastard harmed even one hair on her, Keric would rip him to shreds. “Wish I could.”
“Ah, gotta be somewhere, do ya?” Tom grinned. “Your loss, pal.”
“Yeah.” He shrugged. “Well, it was good meeting you. I better check how the mechanic is coming along with my car. Damned thing blew up on me, barely made it here.”
“Tough luck. Hope it’s okay.” Tom nodded. “If you’re stuck, drop back in and come along.”
“Will do.” He got up and headed to the counter to pay for his coffee. The mechanic had better be done now, because he needed to get back before those two hunters were on their way to kill Tiffy. The way his luck was running, they’d succeed.
* * * *
Thomas stood, his arms crossed, and stared at Keric. “Well, well. You didn’t get enough last time? Came back for more?”
“Look, asshole. Get Zalin. Or Lucia. It’s important.” Keric had no illusion that Thomas would let him through the gate. The guy was as stupid as he was big. He might have led his own pack some day, Thomas certainly had the strength and build for it, but he lacked the brains. It was hard to imagine him in a fight for dominance. He managed to look groomed and clean even in fatigues, not even his brown hair dared be out of place. Still, he knew Thomas could fight dirty. He had the scars to prove it. What Thomas lacked in brain power, he more than made up for in malice. Those muddy brown eyes were full of hatred, directed squarely at Keric, and he knew he’d get nowhere with him. Where the hell was Barad? He’d tried calling him, but had only got his voicemail.
“Important. Sure.” Thomas stepped closer to the car. “Get lost, freak.”
Why the hell hadn’t he taken down Lucia’s number? He had a feeling she’d be the only one who’d listen to him. “There are hunters coming in to hunt wolves. Tell Zalin they are after Tiffy.”
“Of course there are. There’s no hunting allowed around here. It’s private property.”
As if Earl and Tom would care. He was getting nowhere, and he doubted Thomas would pass on the message. He’d have to keep trying Barad and hope he got through to him.
Keric turned the car around and drove back to town, unsure of what to do. His best bet was to check if anyone had collected Tiffy’s belongings, so he went to the rental office.
The bag was gone, collected by Zalin by the sounds of it. Keric figured the guy might still be in town and parked up to watch the road leading to the compound, but hour after hour passed, and there was no sign of any Lycan he might recognize. Dusk was settling and still there was no answer on Barad’s phone. Had he lost it?
In desperation, Keric drove back to the rental office and booked his cabin once more. If her pack was too stubborn and stupid to heed a warning, then he’d protect Tiffy himself. He dumped his gear in the bedroom, turned around and went straight into the dense woods.
Once out of sight, he ditched his clothes and shifted, lifting his nose into the cool, damp air. He paid little attention to the sounds around him, identifying an owl and a fleeing fox without interest. They weren’t who he was after. The scent of rotting leaves, bark and moss was welcome, but the scent he needed to find wasn’t there.
He padded along the trail of a deer, keeping his nose to the uneven ground, taking care not to rustle the fallen leaves or snap any branches. Eventually he stopped by the log where he’d met Tiffy. Catching a whiff of her made him scan for her, until he found the shirt he’d lent her that night. Her scent clung to the fabric and he carefully dragged it to a bush, unwilling to give up the precious cotton. He’d come back for it later. Having the shirt with her scent as a reminder meant he could keep a piece of her with him.
Once more he searched for the hunters, focusing on Earl’s body odor. At last he found the trail, which led straight to the hunter’s makeshift stand on the edge of a small clearing. His task was made even easier when the two idiots started to howl. For now he’d wait and watch. He’d know about an approaching wolf long before they would, and he knew Tiffy’s scent by heart.
By morning there were two very frustrated and tired hunters, and Keric breathed a sigh of relief when they broke cover. He needed some sleep himself.
* * * *
Tiffy sat on the sofa, a bowl of popcorn in her lap, slouch socks on her feet, and watched a soap. It didn’t matter how boring and contrived it was. Anything was better than thinking about Keric. She flicked channels, and went back to the soap again. She was starting to get into some of them, recognizing characters after watching soaps for three days straight. At least they kept her mind off things, and it annoyed Zalin when he came in to check on her.
“Can’t you take her shopping, or something?”
Uh-oh. Tiffy glanced at the kitchen door. She hoped she hadn’t got Lucia into trouble.
“Leave her alone, Zal. She’s not ready yet.”
No, she really wasn’t. She didn’t want to go out and “enjoy herself” as Zalin had suggested. She hadn’t been to work, either. Luckily Don Roberts was pack, and Zalin had fed him some bullcrap about her being sick. Tiffy knew she ought to get off her tush and stop stuffing her face with popcorn, but she didn’t care what the world thought.
Keric was gone. He’d left without saying goodbye. Not that she’d have made it easy for him to do so, but he hadn’t even tried. So much for being mates, and being miserable. Like hell. He hadn’t been able to get out of town fast enough.
The door opened and Zalin yanked her off the sofa. “I have errands to run, and you’re coming with me. Get dressed.”
“No.” She didn’t want to go out, was it really so hard for him to understand?
“Yes.” Zalin shoved her toward the stairs. “Dress!”
Hell no. She wasn’t going anywhere with him. The moment Zalin turned his back, she shifted and bolted through the back door flap. Tiffy heard him curse and ran toward Becca’s place, hoping Zalin wouldn’t give chase and drag her back. It wasn’t far and she snaked through the side roads at a leisurely lope, yipping at neighbors who waved at her as she went by.
By the time she got to Becca’s two bedroom house, she realized it was Friday, and Becca was at work. Fine. Now she was out, the light wind pushing drizzle into her fur, she’d stretch her legs. The short dash to Becca’s had invigorated her. God, she missed running.
For a few minutes she sat on the lawn, sniffed the air and a renewed sense of vigor made her jump up and race toward the woods, giving a short bark when she passed Zalin, who stood by his SUV. He laughed and shook his head.
In the woods she paused, quivering with excitement, rooting out rabbits and pheasants for fun. The drizzle stopped and the sun came out, warming her. She chased prey for a short while, letting it escape, before finding another victim. A ferret, probably someone’s escaped pet, as it had a collar, gave her the slip and the hunt was on. For some reason the creature didn’t bolt down a hole, or climb a tree, making it more fun to find and chase it.
Tiffy was so intent on her prey, she didn’t hear anyone approach until he was on top of her. A heavy male wolf threw her to the ground and for a moment she went limp with shock, catching Keric’s scent. Her heart raced with elation and fear. He was here. He was back? Again?
She felt him shift, and instead of his wolf body, a hand pinned her neck to the ground. Tiffy struggled against him, tried to bite, but couldn’t reach.
“Don’t. Tiff, I need you to shift. Please.”
His voice was rough with emotion, and despite the hold he had on her, his hands were gentle. As wolf, she could fight him. There was no way she’d shift and make herself vulnerable.
“Please. I need to talk to you.”
His body pressed down on hers, heavy and familiar. He moved his fingers in her fur, stroking, even while he held her down. Once more she snapped at him and made a renewed effort to throw him off, but he lay on top of her and she lacked leverage.
