Beauty and the Brute [Werescape III] (26 page)

Insults? I'm to be admonished for reacting like a mated Shifter?

"Can we leave, Brutus? Just go away. Far from here?” Beauty begged into my fur.

Why did she suddenly want to go? I had to shift back enough to speak through a human muzzle.

She turned her face to where I could see the fear etched into her perfect features.

Titus would pay for this. Now or later.

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Gripping Brutus’ bare chest while he rode the gray horse back to camp in nothing but his human skin didn't make me feel anything but safe. Again. With my Shifter. But how would he react once he heard Titus’ story about my being a hybrid? A full-blown half breed? Not just a little genetic tweak the Shifters all carried.

My heart sank.

Brutus dropped a palm to my wrist and petted my arm.

Always the alert and attentive mate. What would he do to me? Hate me for what I was? How I

tricked him? Certainly he had to sense my joy in being with him. In carrying our child.

He patted my arm again then cradled one of my hands in his.

I sank into his back. That big strong wall of muscle.

My gaze fell on Titus who rode almost a full horse length beside us. The other Shifters walked in a protective pack like dogs on patrol. Werewolves, all of them. What was going on? Dark

Cloud was so calm. So tolerant. I turned away from the view on that side of our horse and studied the forest above the werewolves guarding our other side.

And before I knew it, we were sliding from the saddle before our lodge.

"Come with me while I dress,” Brutus said, tugging me along with an arm around my waist.

Alone. Maybe this was good.

"Meet with us in the meeting lodge,” Dark Cloud called after us.

"Alright,” Brutus shouted.

He shoved me through the door flap into murky darkness.

Just the right ambiance for making my heart thrash wildly.

He searched through the darkness.

Probably with his Wolf vision.

He turned to me, eyes glowing like yellow embers. “What is wrong, Beauty? Titus can't do anything to you now. He's lost every leg he has to stand on. You're back with Wolf and I.

Among the Black Hills Shifters. Nobody will protect a female more than these men."

Unfortunately, Titus carried an enormous bomb. Whether I was or wasn't a hybrid didn't matter. The wilderness was about to explode.

My heart wouldn't let up on its frantic warning.

He rushed toward me like a dark phantom.

As if he knew my secret. I choked back a lung and pressed my heart inside my chest with a palm.

He grabbed me gently by the shoulders. “What is it, Lorelei?” His tone begged a confession.

Why not here instead of before all those Shifters? If he would react with uncontrolled anger, at least it would be done in private. I gulped down a bulky lump of dread and searched for the words. In his shadow-cloaked face around his golden eyes that could see what I could never see.

His palms snatched my cheeks, turning my gaze to his.

I couldn't look away from the fire. His very life force.

Slowly, his thumbs began rubbing my cheeks.

Cool air kissed my skin.

Tears. He smeared tears I couldn't even feel well and fall.

"Is it the baby? Or something they did to you? Tell me,” he whispered.

If I had to tell him either of those things, it would be easier. “No.” I choked down my unruly heart and inhaled, sniffling in the process.

The weak woman. No. I wasn't going back there. No digressing. I'd just tell him. Return the respect for my mate that he had shown me. “Titus says I'm half alien."

The thumbs stilled on my cheeks.

And now it would happen.

We stood there in the shadows, for six mind-numbing heartbeats until I could no longer stand the silence. “I didn't know, or I would have told you. Back when you saved my life when the aliens exterminated New Pittsburgh. I was so afraid of you then that it would have driven you so far away. From me."

His hands fell away.

To my waist. Those strong hands of his snaked beneath my arms and pulled me against his warm hard body.

"It's alright, Beauty. I just couldn't decide how Titus came into play with his hybrid story."

His hands gently rubbed my back.

Like I was a fragile treasure. Lovingly. I sighed and wrapped my arms around him. “I love you,

Brutus."

He leaned down, kissed my shoulder and pressed those soft lips against my cheek. “It's alright.” He took his time planting a kiss on my ear and forehead. “Don't worry. Once I learn what is happening, I'll take us away from here."

Well, I could relay everything I'd learned. I shoved my head backward and stared into his golden eyes. “Titus said I'm an alien breeder."

His palm landed on the top of my head and petted backward, down my back. “That's why they wanted you,” he stated matter-of-factly.

I nodded.

Hell, he could see in this darkness. “And that he and I share the same mother."

"What? You're his sister?"

I nodded again. “And Yale took great satisfaction in telling me before Titus's arrival that I was entrusted to his care by the aliens. That he killed my parents. Oh, and, Titus arrived to shoot both Yale and Glover."

"Glover's dead too?"

"Yes. I don't understand what's happening. But this is all about Titus and I being hybrids."

Brutus’ hot mouth landed squarely over mine, sucking, kissing, claiming his territory, before he backed away. “Let me get some pants on and go see what Dark Cloud says. He apparently knows something by the way he reacted when I found you. I need to know. So I don't ruin some Shifter strategy."

"Like one where The Elders, whoever they are, would send Titus to protect me?"

Brutus grew quiet and conspiratorial. “What else do you know, Little Sassy?"

Thank God he was joking again. “That's all Titus mentioned. Is he talking about Dark Cloud and the other elders here?"

"No. The Shifters have annual meetings where clan heads congregate in secrecy. Plotting.

Planning. We only know what we need to know. Now,” he patted my bottom. “Step aside so I

can find some pants and speak to Dark Cloud."

Dark Cloud had taken me to his lodge to avoid a scene when I insisted he meet with me alone.

He'd undoubtedly lie about anything all Shifters other than clan heads weren't supposed to hear. So, I stared him down. “She says Titus mentioned The Elders and his duty. That she's his sister. And they're both hybrids. Half alien, Dark Cloud."

The older warrior nodded thoughtfully. “I see you have many questions."

"Are you playing games with me? She's my mate, carrying my child. I want to know what you know."

"As any mate would.” He nodded again. “But many things I know are for The Elders's ears only. So you must accept that I make the decision to welcome Titus here. After all, he has lost his mate and children in protecting your mate. He deserves respect and a place to call home."

Something told me not to blurt out like hell. Maybe it was the calm cadence to Dark Cloud's words or merely him noting his status. And how he reigned supreme here in the Black Hills community. But Beauty was safe. The baby was safe. Wolf was quiet. Dark Cloud had to be right. “Alright. But I think we'll move on."

"Why?” His assessing stare only begged I explain.

Rather, stay on here. “Titus makes me nervous."

"He saved your mate's life. And if I know the man for what he is, he's the only reason she escaped New Pittsburgh."

Maybe so. “I always wondered how she got away from him that night."

Dark Cloud barely nodded. “Now you understand, Warrior Who Wanders No More."

"Is it a boy or a girl?” I begged of my husband who crouched over the child he just caught in the dancing firelight of our lodge.

Brutus hoisted the bloodied baby up high, its tiny body slightly cocked one direction so the umbilical cord dropped away from the newborn's nub of a penis. “Our son.” Brutus grinned.

A ridiculously big grin like he held the trophy for all his hard work from back when we first mated. Sex. He was all about sex. “Go on. Tell everyone so the women can finish with the childbirth.” As if he had a clue what had to be done. But he'd insisted anyway. At least, to be the one to greet his child.

Rita rushed forward from where she waited near the wall and took the child from Brutus, clearing its airways.

"What are you doing?” Brutus droned.

Rita shot him a cutting glare. “Saving your son's life before you suffocate him. Now, go tell the others about your son. Please!"

Brutus rolled his eyes, shot me a wink, and departed.

A cold biting wind wound through the lodge, kicking the hearth's flames with a vengeance.

Oh to rest. And soon I'd be able to sleep. Thirteen hours of labor could kill a woman.

Rita locked a gaze on me that could have nailed me to the wall. “That one's a brute. I feel for you."

"Yes, he is.” But he's my brute. “And given enough time, he just might grow on you the way he grew on me."

Rita snorted.

Besides the only way a woman could survive AEI was to mate with the biggest baddest Shifter she could find. They don't get any tougher or huggable than Brutus. And that's just what I

wanted to do, curl up with my cuddly killer Shifter. And we'd rest more easily after having a son. The aliens wouldn't want any unmated sons.

"Now that the baby has arrived, will you be staying?” Dark Cloud asked where he gripped stuck his hands beneath the fur coat he wore.

The bitter wind played with the silken hairs of his coat's wolf hide.

The malicious winter wind played with everything out here. But Titus stayed on. Was the epitome of perfect Shifter behavior. And even had sat with me through many sleepless nights speaking of delivering two of his three children. How the child would come. What to expect.

Wolf no longer bothered climbing into my eyes and ears to look and listen when Titus was near. No. I had no reason to leave because of Titus. Besides, Beauty wanted to stay with all the women and children. She said the village felt welcoming and secure. “Yes. She wants to stay. I don't want to hurt her. She's been hurt enough."

Dark Cloud nodded thoughtfully and studied the snow blanketing the forest as far as one could see. “Yes. Everything has been taken from her. Now she has a home.” His gaze snapped back to mine. “A place where she fits in as Warrior Who Wanders No More."

Fine. I wasn't going to admit it though. “I'd like to go see my son now."

"Think of a name, Warrior Who Wanders No More. When you do, we will introduce him to the village."

A Gods-be-damned name was going to take longer than a human gestational period. I nodded and strode back to my lodge.

The village women were walking away in the snow.

All but Rita. But I could irritate her enough to leave. I shoved the hide door covering aside and stepped into the stillness of the lodge.

Beauty laid buried in hides and furs on the ground.

Hugging a small bundle.

Her eyes flicked to me. “Come see.” She smiled.

I stretched out beside her in a heartbeat.

Her fingers pulled back the fur from the crown of his head. “He's got your hair.” She smiled even bigger.

He did. I hadn't noticed it before. Probably because of all the blood. “And he smells like me."

Her warm palm flew to my cheek and she rubbed my face. “You're cold."

Not really. Just my face's exposed skin. “What do you want to do about it?” I shot her a wink.

"Stop, Brutus!” She giggled and rubbed the pad of her thumb across my lower lip. “We need a name."

Not that argument again. Just like Mandolin. We'd never settle on a name my son could grow into.

She raised her head, straining to press those soft plump lips against mine.

Wolf scrambled to toss his bone at me.

Down, dog.

Those lips vanished.

Pulled back enough so she could look me in the eye. “I want to name him Brutus after you."

Why in the hell didn't she tell me that seven months ago? “Was your plan to torture me for more than half a year then decide on something simple like naming our son after his sire?"

"No.” She smiled and blinked calmly. “It just came to me when I saw how much he looks like you. And then thought about how you'd teach him to be like you. And then realized it wouldn't be the same if he finally mated and some lucky woman didn't mate a Brutus.” Her smile split into a broad toothy grin. “Every woman needs to have a Brute toss her over his shoulder so she can grab his ass every once in a while."

"No getting sassy, Little Sassy."

"But, Brutus, that's what makes living with you so much fun."

Not when Wolf's bone threatened to explode. And she was so damned beautiful holding our baby. “In a few weeks, I'll make certain you know how much I didn't need to hear that when you couldn't do anything to help me deal with the consequences."

"I'll be waiting for my punishment, you big brute.” She snaked her arm around my neck and pulled me down for a kiss.