Target (24 page)

"Kid, this has me worried. Do you think the Elemaiya know exactly what you can do?" Winkler's forehead was creased in a frown.

"I hope they don't know anything except about the bat. That's all Dad will allow, except with Marcus, Marco, Marco's mother and Micah and Greta Rocklin. Well, Nathan, too. And Cori knows. That's it. The rest of them think I'm a wimpy shapeshifter."

"Three years ago," Winkler sighed, "I hoped we'd gotten the leak, after you pegged Paul Harris. Now I'm worried that someone else might have taken over his spot, or was working independently as a spy. It bothers me that somebody seemed to know Wynn would be traveling to Amarillo to visit relatives. And somehow, their mutant creature was headed right for Cloud Chief when he killed that human boy." Winkler stood and raked fingers through his hair.

"You think somebody told him where to look?" Ashe was frowning now. "That he didn't just track us down?"

"Ashe, when you're in this business, you have to look at all possibilities. Honestly, I was keeping an eye on Ben Billings, but he's taken himself out of the game. So, if there is a leak, then it wasn't Ben. Or if he was involved, then he's conveniently out of the way."

"Mr. Winkler, that wasn't Principal Billings. Well, it was him, but he wouldn't do something like that. What if somebody placed compulsion? Forced him to do that? I don't think Dad or Nathan would even consider it. But what about another vampire?"

"Ashe, you read these pages," Winkler held up the copy he had. "The Elemaiya—some of them, anyway—can do that too. But I can't figure out why somebody would tell him to make a challenge."

"Yeah. This is so confusing," Ashe sighed. "And now he's dead. Is this the way it feels?" Ashe studied Winkler's face. "You have someone you consider an enemy, and when he dies under unusual circumstances, it's—just weird."

"Weird is a good word. Mixed emotions best describes how I feel. Billings was old school. He remembered too well the race war between vampires and werewolves. Back then, we were trained to track and kill, Ashe. Weldon and Wlodek knew both races were headed toward extinction. They hammered out a peace agreement. So far, it has held. There are a few on both sides who don't like it, but most of us see the sense in it. We both hold to our own laws, and both races have a law against killing humans. Mostly it's to keep the races hidden. If my sources are correct, the vampires don't place compulsion for unethical reasons. Your father and Nathan are trying to protect you. I know that's a little hard to accept right now, because you have talents that most people only dream about."

"Next time, you rescue the girl, hand her over to your best friend while somebody else takes the credit and see how that feels," Ashe snapped.

"Ah. I think I'm beginning to see." Winkler huffed out a breath. "Ashe, I'm sorry about that, but I don't see any way out of it now. We all want life to be fair, and it so seldom is."

"What does not destroy me makes me stronger? Is that what you're trying to say?"

"Spoken like a true dead philosopher," Winkler grinned.

"Mr. Winkler, I've been thinking about the vampires who got permission from the Council to have children. I wonder if it's given permission recently. The big drawback in having a vampire father is that I never get to see him during the day. Mom and I go shopping alone most of the time. If Dad goes, it's late at night. If anything happens during the day, he doesn't know until he wakes. Like Principal Billings' challenge. It frustrates him, it frustrates me and it frustrates Mom. She won't ever say it, but there have been times—like when I got shot—that she really needed him and he was asleep."

"Ashe, Tony told me last night that the Council has shut down the experiment with vampire children. That's what it was—an experiment. And those reasons were cited. Children are a huge responsibility, and I can only imagine that the vampires have had a terrible time dealing with kids who could walk in the sun. Mates, too. The Council hasn't given permission for twelve years. I think you were among the last to be born. And Nathan having two children is almost unheard of."

"Yeah. I think you're right. What did you want me to work on today?"

"Actually, I'd like some files cleaned out in my computer system. I'll hand my desk over to you and let you take care of a few things. I have a list of files here that I want deleted." Winkler lifted another paper and waved it at Ashe before setting it on his desk and moving away. "I have some errands to run in Corpus today, so if you need anything, ask Trajan."

"All right." Ashe traded places with Winkler, watching as the werewolf walked out of his office before settling in to delete files.

* * *

"I got flowers?" Dori stared at the pink roses Mr. Dawkins dropped off. He'd been manning the guard kiosk located outside the gate and signed for the delivery. Lavonna had shown them to Dori the moment she got home from working in the groves. "Who are they from?" Dori sniffed a delicate pink bloom.

"Read the card," Lavonna smiled. Dori lifted the tiny envelope from the bouquet and opened it.

"It says
Happy Monday—Ashe
. They're from Ashe. This is so cool! Wynn didn't get flowers!" Dori was hugging the card to her chest and bouncing on her toes with excitement.

"I'm not surprised Ashe sent flowers," Lavonna laughed.

"So we found out who the Lothario was?" Cori walked in from the deck.

"Here, read for yourself," Dori passed over the card and sniffed another pink rose. "They smell so good."

The doorbell rang. Cori went to answer, finding Wynn on the porch. "Come on in, Dori's having a fit about the flowers Ashe sent."

"Dori got flowers?" Wynn was in the kitchen quickly, cooing over the pink roses and reading the card. "He sent you flowers 'cause it's Monday?" Wynn sighed. "That's so romantic."

"Do you think I should call?" Dori looked at her mother.

"It's polite, to let him know you got them," Lavonna said. Dori pulled her cell phone from a pocket in her jeans and dialed Ashe's number. He picked up right away.

"Ashe, I got the flowers. They smell so good. I love them."

* * *

"Somebody sent somebody flowers," Marco teased. He, Ashe, Wayne and Wynter were dressed for a run on the beach before dinner. Ashe was standing on the deck dressed in shorts, running shoes and an old T-shirt when Dori called.

"Did you like the color? I saw your pink bikini and earrings and thought you might like pink," Ashe said, coloring a little. Marco stood nearby, listening to the conversation and smirking.

"I love pink, Ashe. These are the first flowers I've ever gotten. Thank you."

"Great. I'm glad you like them," Ashe was now fending off Marco, who was grinning and trying to flip Ashe's ear. "Dori, I have to go. Marco wants to get a run in before dinner. I'll talk to you later, all right?" Dori agreed and hung up. "Dude, I can depants you the next time you're kissing Cori in front of the entire universe," Ashe threatened Marco.

"You think you can? You have to catch me first," Marco grinned and took off, running down the steps to the deck and then out to the beach, Ashe hot on his heels. Wayne and Wynter struggled to keep up. Ashe was keeping up with Marco easily. Running was easier for him now, and the weight lifting with Trajan was showing some results. "Man, now I have to give Cori flowers, just to keep her happy," Marco grumped good-naturedly as they ran.

"Hey, slow down, some of us are out of shape," Wayne jogged up beside Ashe. Wynter was still running gamely behind.

"Trajan can fix that," Marco grinned. He slowed down anyway.

"I'll be in the weight room in the morning, I promise," Wayne sounded out of breath.

"Hey, slow down a little more," Wynter called out. Ashe slowed his stride and soon he was running alongside Wynter, who was very pretty, with black hair and nearly black eyes. Ashe thought the twins favored their father quite a bit.

"So, one more year in college, huh?" Ashe asked conversationally.

"Yeah. One more year of marketing and business. Dad has a PR firm, but he wants me to keep an eye on things for him. I think he's got somebody in mind for me, too, but I keep telling him that I won't marry anybody unless I like them."

"You haven't met him yet? That sounds odd." Ashe watched Wynter as she concentrated on her running, long black hair tied in a ponytail and swinging as she ran.

"It's not odd. He had somebody picked out for Aunt Whitney, too. Only she eloped with Sam Sheridan. I hear there was quite a bit of growling and snarling over that."

"I don't think Winkler would be happy if somebody foiled his plans," Ashe grinned.

"You have no idea," Wynter rolled her eyes in exasperation. "So I promised my dad I'd at least meet the guy and then tell him exactly what I thought of his choice."

"I got grounded the last time I talked back to my dad," Ashe muttered.

"I was seventeen when I told Dad that. I was grounded for a week." Wynter smiled.

"What about your grandparents? Are these your mother's folks or your dad's?"

"Mom's mother and her second husband. Davis is no relation, but he's the best grandfather. Dad's parents are both dead."

"That's too bad. I don't have any grandparents. I always wondered what it would be like to have some." As soon as Ashe made the statement, he remembered the email he'd gotten from the one claiming to be his grandfather. He wondered still whether he should believe what he'd received or if, as the message had indicated, he shouldn't trust it at all. Shaking himself a little, Ashe came back to the present. "I didn't see Trace when we came in last night."

"He didn't come in. Trace was visiting his friend Eric," Wynter said. "Eric came down for the weekend, so they rented a condo down the beach."

Ashe blinked for a few moments. "Trace is gay?"

"Yes. Does that bother you?"

"Does Eric treat him well?"

"Yes. He's werewolf, too. They're a small minority, but they do exist."

"As long as Eric cares about Trace, I have no problem with that. Trace is a good guy." Ashe nodded determinedly.

"Is it just Trace you don't have a problem with?" Wynter asked.

"Nope. People are people. They love other people. What difference does it make? Dad told me a few years back, when he explained about the birds and the bees, that everybody deserves love and respect. He says there are gay vampires and shapeshifters. He didn't know about the wolves, but he figured there had to be some."

"I might like to meet your dad sometime," Wynter said. "I've only met a few vampires—Anthony Hancock, now Anthony Rockland. Dalroy and Rhett."

"Yeah? Well, you'd probably like Nathan Anderson, too. He's more laid back than my dad, I think. If something makes my dad angry, he's angry right away. Nathan thinks about it for a little while before making a decision. Probably a good thing, since he's Cori and Dori's dad."

* * *

"So, Wynter let the cat out of the bag," Trace sat next to Ashe on the sofa after dinner.

"Is it supposed to make me feel different about you?" Ashe blinked at the taller werewolf.

"I hope not." Trace grinned and ruffled Ashe's hair.

"Did you have a hard time in school because of it?" Ashe asked.

"You have no idea," Trace nodded. "And then to find out I was werewolf on top of that? Trajan and my parents kept me from going crazy."

"Are your parents still alive?"

"Yeah. Still live between Waco and Fort Worth. Still grow peaches, pears and pecan trees, plus a few other things. I followed Jason around as soon as I could walk, I think. He's like my second dad."

"Discussing the joys of youth?" Tony Hancock walked in. Ashe stared at him for a moment before everything shifted. Just as before, when he'd seen Winkler and the woman, the air around Ashe seemed to shift and shimmer. He saw Tony with a blond man nearly the same height. The blond man appeared to be teaching Tony something, gesturing with his hands while they both sat in a study decorated in French period furniture. The desk was ornately carved and gilded. Louis XIV came to Ashe's mind as he stared at the image before him.

"Ashe—Ashe? Buddy, where are you?" Trace was shaking Ashe as he came back to the present.

"Wow." Ashe held his head in confusion.

"What happened? Did you have another vision?" Winkler was in the room quickly and kneeling next to Ashe.

"I saw Tony and a blond man. I think the blond man was telling Tony something." Ashe looked past Winkler at Tony Hancock. "I saw you in a room filled with French furniture. The blond man was sitting at a gilded, antique desk. I think it was Louis XIV or something."

"You saw that?" Tony had a cell phone in his hand faster than Ashe could follow the movement.

"Who was it?" Ashe asked as Tony dialed a number. Ashe heard it ringing. Someone picked up immediately.

"Honored One, Ashe Evans just had a vision of me—and René—in the past. He described René's study accurately."

"Has the boy had any other visions?" Ashe recognized that voice. Wlodek, Head of the Vampire Council, had come to Cloud Chief three years earlier to attend Old Harold's funeral. Ashe hadn't known who it was until the ancient vampire had driven away with his vampire chauffeur.