Emerald Eyes (29 page)

“She’ll probably roll over in her grave, but I’ll get the case off the top shelf in the bedroom closet and melt you down some ammo tonight.”

“But we’re open until midnight, Alex. That’s going to be really late.”

“We’re usually not that busy on Thursday nights. I’ll have Fannie and Grace come in so I can quit a little early. Was supposed to be just Grace, but Fannie owes me. Let her off a couple of nights last month for her special dates with her boyfriend that was home from the military.”

“Okay…But you’d best call her now. Just in case she has other plans.”

“I’m on it right now,” he said, pulling his cell phone out of hip pocket and walking around to the other side of the bar.

Debra Jean sat drinking her beer, waiting while Alex made the call. When he was finished, he came back around with his beer and sat down beside her. “Sure you don’t want to use my thirty-eight?”

“No. I don’t trust myself with revolvers. Afraid I’d shoot myself.”

He sniggered lightly. “Okay, babe. With the silver, yours will probably do.”

They drank their beers and talked for almost an hour before they decided it was time to get some supper before they opened at seven.

Chuck’s tent had been moved even further away from the village, just on the outskirts of the reservation but on the least populated side. The Indian’s had left a couple of young bucks in the area for the werewolf to hunt when he transitioned. Chuck stood at the top of a hill looking down at the bucks. “One of these days,” he mused, “your people are going to run out of animals for me to hunt.”

Joe stood beside him and laid a hand on his shoulder. “What is this –
your people
? You are now my grandson-in-law and soon to be father of my grandchild. You are family. We are your people now.”

“You’re right. I apologize. Thanks for setting me straight.”

“Not about to let you forget, son.” The old man smiled warmly.

Chuck stared out at the sun setting behind the mountains. The sky had an orange-pink cast. “Beautiful! Just wish I could come here and enjoy the natural beauty of things without having to know that I will soon be a crazed, supernatural wolf running wild and ready to kill anything in my path.”

“We all have our crosses to bear, my son. Yours being a werewolf. Mine is having lost my wife when she was only thirty, after delivering our youngest child, Cinnamon. Johnny was only two. Neither he nor his sister ever got to know their mother. Hence, their cross. I have never been able to love another woman. Not well enough to marry again. Lucky for them my mother was around until they were grown.”

Chuck gazed over at his friend. “You never told me that. I know you told me she died, but you never said how. And I guess I never asked.”

“It is okay, Chuck. It is not something I like to think of often. I merely wanted to point out to you that we all have our troubles. Some worse than others. Still, we have them just the same.”

“Guess I do have my pity trips.”

Joe gave him a friendly slap on the shoulder. “That you do, my son. However, considering what you go through every month, you’re entitled to it once in a while. Just don’t let it rule your life.”

“Guess that’s what I’ve been doing, isn’t it?” He eyed his friend inquiringly.

Joe answered with a slight nod, “Afraid so. Just don’t keep it bottled up. That is part of your problem. Burying it all inside builds up the anger and resentment and it comes out in the wolf, raging to kill and destroy.”

“You are one wise Indian, Joe.”

“Good thing I’m chief,” he replied, grinning infectiously.

“Yeah…Guess so.” Chuck smiled too.

“Well, I will leave you now, son. But I will be back in the morning to check on you.”

“Okay…Just got to get through these three nights. Then, hopefully, your medicine man can help me.”

“We will think positive!” With a wave of his hand, Joe walked off to his truck.

Devin wanted to cook Madison a dinner of T-bone steak and baked potatoes with a tossed salad. He had her sit and watch while he skillfully prepared their meal.

“You do everything with such expertise and care,” she commented, observing him with admiration.

He smiled out of the corner of his left eye, as he was turned sideways to her from the stove. “I have been honing my talents for many years, my sweet. Had to have grown fairly good at pretty much anything I do.”

“Not just good, Devin. Great!” She grinned broadly then. “Especially…at making love. Only great doesn’t suffice for that. Profoundly awesome is more suitable.”

He turned his face to her then. “Are you hinting for another round?”

She grinned wickedly. “Maybe.”

“…After dinner, my sweet? I’d love to comply with your wishes, but I have put a lot of love in this meal for you, as well.”

“I know you have. After dinner is good.
Anytime
is good.”

He took up the steaks and sat them on the island, and then picked up the salad bowls, placing one in front of her. He kissed her cheek. “You are
so
naughty! But it is one of the things I love about you. The naughtier, the better. And, you, my sweet, are deliciously naughty.”

Little lights danced in her eyes. “Glad you like. I’ll be as
naughty
as you want anytime.”

“Now you’re getting me all…as you young folks say these days…bothered. Let’s eat while I can still focus, okay?”

“Okay. I’ll behave.” She went to jump up to help him, but he told her to sit back down. He wanted to do it. So she let him.

When they were halfway through their meal, he stopped eating momentarily, observing her quizzically. “Would you like to go to the club tonight, Madison?”

She looked up from her plate, surprised. “You mean Alex’s?”

“Where else would I mean?”

She shrugged. “Sure! I’m just a little surprised. We haven’t been in a while. Thought we were going to have some wild, kinky sex and then go hunting.”

“Oh…we can most certainly do that too. But, afterwards, would you like to go visit with your friend and have a few drinks? Maybe have a dance or two with me?”

“You are just too good to me.”

“Never say that, Madison. I waited centuries for a mate like you. Nothing is too good for you. Nothing!” he raised an eyebrow in emphasis.

“You are so spoiling me.”

“And I intend to keep doing so.”

“What can I do for you in return?”

“Just be my mate. That’s all I want, my love…You and me together forever!”

She smiled brightly. “Gawd! I hope so!”

He chuckled and they continued with their meal.

Later, just as they were readying to go hunting, Madison noticed the letter from her mother sitting on the coffee table. She still hadn’t read it. “Shit! I am so terrible.” She snatched it up and tore it open, reading a few lines and then gasped, “No!”

Devin, slipping into his leather jacket, furrowed his brow. “What, Madison?”

“My mother’s coming!” She looked at him, eyes wide. “Tomorrow! Her plane lands around four. She says she’s already scheduled a rental! Shi-it! My mother’s coming!”

He sniggered slightly. “Guess you should read your mail more often, sweetheart.”

“How can you take this so lightly? I don’t want her here. She can’t stay with us!”

“Of course she can. She can stay in the guest room. Or your cabin. Whichever she prefers.”

“You don’t know my mother, Devin. She won’t understand me living here with you. She will be full of questions. And she’ll want answers.”

He calmly stepped up to her and put his arms around her waist. “My sweet, we will answer them. She may not like what she hears, but she can’t hurt us. She can’t hurt you! And, in case you’re worried, we won’t hurt her. Are you worried?”

She wrinkled up the bridge of her nose. “Sort of.”

He kissed her lightly and said, “Now I am sure you have the willpower not to feed on your own mother. We will stay sated while she is here, just to be on the safe side.”

“You’re sure you don’t mind?”

“Madison,” he said, gently taking the letter from her hand and placing it back in the envelope and tossing it on the coffee table. “I don’t mind! I knew you had a living mother when we got together. I do think these things through.”

“I’m glad you do. Apparently, I don’t.”

“That’s because you haven’t lived the first one hundred years yet. When you’ve been around a little longer, you will think of everything…I assure you.”

“You’re freakin’ awesome.”

“Of course I am.” He kissed her fully then, and just as she responded, he pulled away from her, emphasizing with his eyes. “We need to feed!”

“Okay.”

He took her hand and they shimmered out.

It was a relatively slow Thursday, but business was okay. Usually, with no band, the club was only about half full. Around ten, Debra Jean glanced up from her martini and saw Madison and Devin walking in the door. “Alex!”

“What, babe?” he asked as he wiped down the bar in front of her.

“Look!”

“I see them, Debra Jean. Not the first time they’ve been in here, you know.”

“But it’s the first time since she changed into a….vampire,” she whispered.

“And she saved your butt, didn’t she?”

“Yes! She did!” She waved for the vampire couple to come on over and sit. “Plenty of room here.” Then to Alex, “It’s just going to be a little awkward now. However, I suppose I’ll get used to it.”

“I guess we can get used to anything if given enough time.”

Madison and Devin stepped up. He let Madison take the seat next to her friend, and he took the one next to that.

Alex offered over his hand to Devin, who accepted. “I just want to thank you two for…well…you know,” he said, warily eyeing a couple walking by.

Devin nodded politely and withdrew his hand. “Yes. We were glad to help.”

“Help…hell! Madison saved my life!”

“Debra Jean!” Alex said, indicating with his eyes towards the couple that was still standing a little close.

She held up her palms. “Sorry.”

“I’m just glad you’re okay,” Madison stated, and then turned to Alex. “Can I have one of those awesome Margaritas?”

“Make that two,” Devin added.

“Coming right up! And don’t even try to pay for your drinks tonight. Not after what you did.”

Devin simply smiled and then looked at Madison proudly. She shared his smile. It was more than good to be able to help ones friends.

Someone dropped coins in the antique juke box and a country western ballad began playing. Devin asked Madison to dance and she eagerly accepted. He gracefully led her to the dance floor where there were only two other couples.

Debra Jean looked up at Alex. “Dance with me! You’re not busy right now.”

He glanced around. “Hell! Why not?” he came around and grabbed her hand and led her to the dance floor too.

Just as the song was about to end, Devin decided to put some more coins in and told Madison to select first. She said she’d never heard of most of them. He laughed lightly and said that was because they were oldies, but he knew every one of them. So he made a few suggestions and she picked a couple from them. They returned to the dance floor then, but Alex had to wait on customers and Debra Jean went back to her seat.

“Just look at them,” Debra Jean said when Alex walked up to bring her a fresh drink. “They are so obviously in love! The way he looks at her. Gawd!”

He laid a hand on hers. “Yes! Just like us!”

She jerked her head around, a little surprised but happy at what he said. “Yes! We are!”

He winked and walked off to wait on a customer who was asking for a refill.

The wolf wasted no time in killing and eating his fill of the two bucks he’d come across. Soon as he was finished, he took off running without having a care as to what direction. He just wanted to run, run, and run. Something was different. He could feel it.

The heaviness that had grown so familiar for so long wasn’t so heavy anymore. He felt lighter inside. Almost happy. What had changed? He couldn’t remember. Something was different though. A human female’s lovely face came to mind. She had black hair and eyes, a soft voice. He was on the verge of knowing who she was, but then it slipped away. Another face came to his mind. This one was a blonde female. When he thought of her, he felt heavier again. He pushed the image out of his mind and increased his pace, running like the wind, howling as he went.

He veered off to the right around a clump of trees. There was another animal scent in the air, something vaguely familiar, but he wasn’t completely sure what, but whatever it was, he wanted to kill it. He tore off at lightning speed in pursuit of his doomed prey. As he reached the animal, he slowed his pace. It was a large black bear standing on its hind legs, instinctively ready for attack.

He charged in with fury and was instantly hurtled through the air and slammed up against a tree. This only briefly stunned him. He had fought bears before, but it had been a long time ago. He charged in again and the battle was on. The bear fought bravely and nearly had the best of him a few times, but he finally got the upper hand and the bear fell, but it wasn’t dead. The wolf had had enough though, and another scent was in the air – the scent of man! He left the wounded bear and tore off. A minute later he flashed into the campsite of a young couple who had no time to react before he ripped them to shreds and left their mangled body parts strewn all over the campsite.

A few hours later, Chuck came to, not far from his tent. Naked now, as always after transitioning, he made his way through the rugged terrain until he came to the more level area where his tent was set. Now freezing from a cool front that had blown in during the night, he rushed inside and quickly dressed. He was just getting out his iron skillet when Tickling Feather appeared carrying a basket.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he objected, though he was glad to see her, giving her a quick kiss as she leaned in to greet him.

“Grandfather was detained. Something came up. He will be along later. I know you have food that I packed yesterday, but I wanted to bring you some fresh breakfast.” She folded back the cloth covering the hot plate of pan bread, eggs and bacon. “It’s still warm.”