The Werewolf Whisperer (The Werewolf Whisperer Series Book 1) (30 page)

"Vern."
Bob tried to pacify his friend. "Go easy on her."

Tears
welled in Xochi's eyes, and she looked away.

I should've told him.

Vern
sunk back in his seat, deflated.

Xochi
clamped down on her shame. She didn't want to give Ames the satisfaction of
seeing her cry.

He'd like it. Just like Memo liked it.

She
placed her hand hesitantly atop Vern's. After a moment, he laced his fingers
through hers.

She
leaned in and whispered, "I don't need him or his information. I'll find
Miguel myself."

"Xochitl,
we have no choice." Vern's grip tightened. "You want Miguel?" The
look in his eyes gave away his mistrust of Ames.

"Yes."

"Then
this is how we do it." Vern cupped her face. "Mija, for Miguel."

Xochi
nodded and leaned down to pick up the chair, but Lefty beat her to it, setting
it upright.

She
sat down and took a deep breath. Exhaling, she looked directly at Ames.

"Mr.
Ames, listen to me very clearly. I will tell you what I know from the
neighborhood. But if I ever find out you screwed me or my family over, in any
way, I will hunt you down and kill you. You understand?"

Ames
just smiled smugly.

"Man,
I love this girl." Bob chuckled.

Out
of the corner of her eye, Xochitl saw Vern shake his head slightly at Bob as if
to say "not now."

"Memo."
She corrected herself. "Guillermo, that is, took the Afflicted from the
neighborhood, yes. He would get their families to consent because military
types were hauling them off in trucks. The people were scared. They didn't know
Memo was using them for his own end. He was slowly taking over not just the
neighborhood, but all of East Los Angeles." Xochitl paused. She remembered
the warehouse room. The smell of urine and vomit. The cage she'd been locked in
for days.

"Go
on," Ames said.

"All
I know is," she continued, "Memo's operation was growing until
Officer Lowell saved me and arrested him. And the Catchers are military run and
no one knows where they take the Weres." Xochitl sat back in her chair, exhausted.

She
watched Ames mull over her story.

"This
is what I have so far." Ames picked up the file and handed it to Vern.

Xochitl
sat up as Vern took the file and studied it for what felt like an eternity.

Vern's
brow furrowed.

What? You're killing me, Vern.

"Well,
damn it." Bob slammed his beer down, breaking the silence. "What the
hell's going on?

Vern
looked to Xochi then to Bob. "It seems there are former animal
shelters—"

"Pounds,"
Ames interjected.

"Yes,
'pounds.'" Vern shot Ames a cold look that sent shivers down Xochitl's
spine.

Miguel.

"These
facilities house anywhere from ten to fifty Werebeasts," Vern continued.

"They've
been retrofitted to handle larger animals," Ames added.

"They're
not animals, you dick. They're people." Xochitl stuck out her hand for the
file.

"We
have intel," Ames said, "that some facilities are not sanctioned by
the government and might be privately funded and operated."

"If
'we' is who I think 'we' is, then why didn't 'we' know about these privately
funded pounds?" Bob asked Ames.

"Because
'we' didn't even know about the government pounds or what the government was
doing with these people," Vern stated.

"Wait.
What?" Xochitl's head shot up. "How could you not know?"

Vern
zeroed in on Ames. "You're here gathering information. Seeing what to make
of the situation and how to best utilize it. You're using us."

"Colonel
Jones. You might want to think about what you say next," Ames said.

Xochitl
watched their exchange intently. She couldn't make out what was going on
between the two men, but she knew if Vern didn't do what Ames wanted, she'd
never see Miguel again.

"It
says here," Xochitl said, trying to get the group back on track, "that
my brother is in one of these places. But it doesn't say which one." She
handed the file back to Vern.

"No.
It doesn't." Ames eyed Vern. "Do we have a deal?"

Deal?

"Vern?"
Xochitl stared at her uncle.

"We
have a deal." Vern's focus never wavered from Ames. "Now, where is he?"

"He's
in a pound in Fontana." Ames pulled a piece of paper from inside his
jacket and handed it to Vern. "Here's the address."

Vern
glanced at the paper and passed it to Bob.

"I'll
send this to my guys." Bob pulled out his cell phone and began texting the
address.

Vern
gulped his beer.

"What
guys?" Xochi twisted hard on her rings.

They made plans without me? I hate that!

"I've
got a couple of my men in on the job. Thought we'd need some backup," Bob
replied.

"Appreciated."
Vern patted Xochi's hand.

"One
more thing." Ames held up a small case. "This the kid?" He
nodded to Lefty and handed it to Vern.

"Yes."
Vern tucked the case under his arm. "We're done here."

Vern
and Ames scooted their chairs away from the table and got up. Xochitl sat,
dumbfounded.

What
did I just miss?

Lefty
and Bob also looked confused. Neither man got up.

"Wait.
That's it?" Xochi asked. "He's just gonna leave?"

"We
got what we needed, Xochitl." Vern's tone told her he'd explain later.

"Fine,"
Xochitl mumbled.

I
wonder what Ames is getting out of this?

Outside of
Jasper's Xochitl, Lefty and Bob watched her uncle Vern and John Ames walk down
the road away from the bar. The men were discussing something she knew had to
do with her and Miguel. A myriad of questions swarmed in her mind.

This
doesn't feel right. What does Ames really want? What's the government up to?
What deal did Vern make with Ames?

"Fucking
spooks!" Bob spat out under his breath.

Xochi
stared bug-eyed at Bob.

"What?"
Bob asked. "No good assholes. Fucked us real good in Nam." He threw
an arm around Xochi, giving her a little squeeze. "Don't you worry, kiddo.
We got your six."

"Damn
right." Lefty grabbed Xochitl's hand, holding it tight.

Standing
there, between Bob and Lefty, Xochitl understood, for the first time, why her
papa had called the men in the Corps his brothers.

Chapter 23

ORACLE: Spotted
unidentified pack. Sniffing around.

OMEGA: take care of them

ORACLE:
Roger that.
Think they r scouts.
More coming.

Lucy dances with abandon. She twirls in
skirts made of the skins of deer. The hunt has been good. But then, calamity.
The loss. The fire. The devotional. Praise the sky and the earth. Sorrow in the
heart. She dances because she doesn't know how to cry. The flames of the pyre
lick high into the night. Ritual. They will bury him this night. The sadness
makes her stomp her feet harder, wave her hands higher. The drums beat like her
heart. The whole world mourns this night. Lilting chants flow through the
night. Cracks of lightning. Then they come with their terrible rage. The legs
buckle. A thousand knives cut the flesh. Pain is all.

*

Xochitl
shut off her phone and rested her head back on the couch. Vern's words jumbled
in her thoughts, giving her a headache, and she groaned.

Tau
whimpered and inched his head a little higher up on her lap. She stroked his
fur. After constantly shooing the twin puppies away, Xochitl had finally given
up. She'd been beaten, tortured and mauled, not to mention had her arm almost
broken by a Mohawk-helmeted pendejo wielding a pipe, but it was a pair of
six-month-old dogs that had broken her will.

"Well,
at least you're cute." She patted Tau on the head.

"You
need to tell her," Doc Howard said from down the hall. Xochi peeked over
the back of the couch.

"It's
not time." Hanna sounded irritated as she and Howard came into view of the
living room.

Tau
whined as Xochitl pushed the pups away and scooted off the couch. "Is Lucy
okay?"

"Oh,"
Hanna stopped short. "It's you."

"It's
me." Xochitl gave Hanna and Doc a little wave.

"Everything's
fine." Doc Howard smiled. "Fever broke. She should be up in another
day or two."

"Great."
Xochitl felt relieved by the news. Even though she and Hanna seemed to have
some sort of an unspoken détente, Xochitl couldn't help feeling like an
intruder in Hanna's presence.

"I
was just showing Steven out." Hanna held open the screen door as Doc
Howard nodded to Xochitl and walked out.

"Okay,
well, bye Doc," she called after the vet.

When
Dr. Steven Howard had first arrived at the ranch, Xochi had instantly liked the
generous, sweet-natured man. He'd lavished the family dogs, who'd clamored for
his attention, with affection, giving them their favorite lamb and cookie
treats. He had even brought Kai a red ball, which the boy had not stopped
kicking against the wall next to Lucy's bedroom window.

Kid better cut it out, or Hanna'll kick
him against the wall.

Through
the screen door, Xochitl watched Doc Howard and Hanna walk to his truck. The
vet was close to sixty and a little taller than Hanna, with greying brown
shoulder length hair that he wore in a tight ponytail at the nape of his neck,
and a thin mustache grazing the top of his upper lip. He wore a polo shirt and
khakis, and like Hanna, trotted around in cowboy boots.

Not my type, even if I were sixty. But
handsome.

The
doc had olive skin and high cheekbones.

Wonder if he's a mutt like me.

Howard
halted abruptly at his beat-up, metallic gold four-by-four and pointed
emphatically at Hanna. Clearly agitated, he rattled off several choice words,
though Xochitl — never really good at reading lips — only
understood the word "or."

Did he just give Hanna an ultimatum?
Shit, she looks pissed. Doc's sure got cojones.

Hanna
waved him off with an indignant flick of her wrist. Uncharacteristically, the
doc slammed his door, backed out and tore down the road — gravel flying
out from underneath his truck.

"What
was that all about?" Xochitl mumbled to herself.

Hanna
paced back and forth across the graveled lot. Against her better judgment,
Xochitl decided to get closer.

"What
are you not supposed to do, poke a sleeping lion? Bear? Rabid dog?" She shrugged,
opened the door and stepped outside.

Hanna
fished her phone out of her jeans and read a text. She slapped her thigh.

So bad news then.

Hanna
began texting feverishly.

You
promised Lucy you'd give Hanna a chance.

Xochitl
decided to make a quick escape.

"How
long have you been there?" Hanna growled. Xochitl froze by the door.

Stealth
is not your strong suit, Xoch.

Xochitl
smiled sheepishly and waved at Hanna.

At
the end of the porch, Xochi spotted her laptop sitting, where she'd left it, on
a table between two robin egg blue Adirondack chairs.

"Just
getting my laptop," she hollered back, pointing to the sitting area.

Xochitl
made a beeline to the chairs and grabbed her computer. She turned to leave but
was startled by Hanna who blocked her way and stared down at her. Xochitl felt
a little dizzy, as if her senses were being assaulted. She tried to shake off
the heebie-jeebies she always felt around Hanna.

Definitely
rabid dog.

"Lucy's
gonna be fine, right?" Xochitl asked.

At
the mention of Lucy's name, Hanna's eyes softened and her body relaxed. Xochitl
relaxed a bit too.

"Yes.
Steven knows what he's doing." Hanna crammed her cell back in her pocket. "Lucy'll
be up soon."

"Good...And
you're okay?" Xochitl tried to sound cheery yet concerned.

"Yes,
I'm fine." Hanna turned to walk back toward the front door. "Just
having a problem with a rescue facility up north. I'm gonna start dinner. Do me
a favor and see what your pet is up to."

Hanna
disappeared into the house before Xochitl could answer.

"Yeah, sure!" she called after
the strange and intimidating woman.

*

Lucy stands up to her chest in a river of
blood. The warmth of it oozes all around her. Small waves of crimson muck slop
up to her shoulders. This is his blood. Their blood. Witness. It isn't enough.
She is alone. The sky turns to stone. The flinty darkness invades her pores, makes
her stone. An island of stone in a sea of blood. Drink the wine. Eat cakes. Mother
said. Abomination. She bends the knees, going down, sinking down into the
clotting ocean. She closes her eyes and opens her mouth to scream. Tepid liquid
rushes down her throat, the taste like metal and coal. She swallows it down and
drinks deep, deep, deep until the earth turns to a brittle, dry ball, and the
sun shatters in the sky.

*

Laptop
in hand, Xochitl bounded down the front porch stairs and around the side of the
house where she knew Kai would be. Sure enough, the teen Were was kicking the
red ball against the siding. Ever since Hanna had banned "that filthy
Feral" from Lucy's bedroom, saying she needed rest not a "spastic dog"
bouncing off the walls, Kai had stationed himself underneath Lucy's window. It
was clear he couldn't bring himself to leave her side, but Kai seemed to know
better than to cross Hanna, and he made sure to keep his distance from her.
Xochitl didn't blame him, and she wished she could do the same.

The kid reminded Xochi of a jolly version
of her brother Miguel — lanky, energetic and handsome. It was undeniable
that Kai, now all cleaned up, was a good-looking boy. He had beautiful almond
shaped eyes that were a yellow-green naturally in the daylight but glowed gold
in the dark. His shoulder length jet black hair glistened in the sunlight, and
his skin, which at first had seemed pale, was now, after he'd fed and rested, a
rich golden brown.

*

Lucy
woke, her vision hazy and her head pounding. The sheets were warm and damp from
sweat. She tried to roll over but found she couldn't so much as wiggle. Someone
placed a cool hand on her forehead. Lucy blinked her eyes, and Hanna swam into
view. Like Mama, Hanna smiled gently, brushing Lucy's hair out of her face and
padding her arms with a soft washcloth. Lucy smelled faint rosemary and
lavender notes.

"Shhh,
my sweet," Hanna said. "It'll all be better soon. You're home."

Lucy
forced her lips to smile a little. Her lids felt so heavy she had to close them
— for only a second. When she opened her eyes again, Hanna was gone.

Lucy
woke alone in her room.

No, not alone.

She turned her head to see a pile of dogs
curled up on the rug next to her bed. She tapped the comforter weakly. Poppy
raised her little rust colored head, gave an enormous yawn and padded over
quietly. The thin dog stood like a miniature Greyhound. Poppy bumped her head
against the side of Lucy's bed, then placed her front paws on top of the
sheets, avoiding Lucy's arm by a hair. Lucy had spent all of her energy
beckoning her to come over, and now her arm was too weak to raise up again, her
hand too numb to pet Poppy's outstretched snout. Poppy snaked her head forward
and licked Lucy's elbow. Lucy smiled easily and drifted back to sleep.

*

As
Xochitl approached Kai, she was amazed by the control he had over the ball. The
deftness the boy displayed as he juggled the toy between his feet like a pro
soccer player was incredible.

He
could give Beckham a run for his money.

What
also surprised Xochitl was Kai's focus. Nothing seemed to matter to the kid but
the simple act of kicking the ball. It was peaceful, calming to Xochitl.
Perhaps to Lucy too, because the noise never woke her.

"¡Oye,
Hound Chow!" she called to Kai. The teen Were swiveled around, swatting
the ball between his feet. "You'd better stop or Hanna's gonna stick you
in the kennel."

Kai,
though not understanding the words, seemed to understand her meaning, and he
immediately abandoned his activity, opting to sit on his haunches beneath Lucy's
window.

"Don't
worry, kid," Xochitl said, standing in front of the boy. "Lucy's
fine. Doc said she'll be up in no time."

Kai
perked up at the news and gave Xochitl a wide smile.

She
patted him on the head. "Dinner's soon. I'll come get you when it's time."

As
she turned the corner, she saw Kai tossing the red ball in the air, playing
catch with himself.

She
made her way to the screened-in back porch leading into the kitchen and was met
by Brisco and Maggie, the chocolate labs, lying on the stoop.

"Hola,
perros." Xochitl scratched Maggie behind the ears. The dogs wagged their
tails in greeting. Unlike Tau and Thandi, these dogs were older and contented
to relax in the evening sun. Xochitl liked that about them.

She
crossed the porch, which acted as an outdoor living area complete with Rattan
sofa, two matching chairs and a beautiful coffee table made of whitewashed
reclaimed wood. Orange and blue pillows added pops of color, lending vibrancy
to the space.

One
thing's for sure, Hanna's got taste.

Xochitl
entered the kitchen through a pair of French doors. Hanna stood over a
six-burner stove, heating up oil in a large cast iron skillet. Another pot
steamed, filling the air with the wonderful aroma of chiles. The prevalent
smell of garlic and fresh paint made Xochitl wonder if the kitchen had been
remodeled recently.

"Need
some help?" She crossed to the kitchen island and set her laptop on the
quartz countertop.

"No,
that's okay," Hanna said. Always graceful, she flowed from one counter to
the other, dicing vegetables and slicing strips of steak on a stone cutting
board.

A cross between ninja and master chef.

The
clattering of paws on the hardwood floors echoed down the hall. Xochi braced
herself as Tau and Thandi barreled into the kitchen, rounded the island and
threw their paws onto her chest, knocking her into the counter.

"¡Ay,
perritos! Off!" Xochitl pushed them away, trying to regain her balance. "Sit."

The
puppies obeyed and sat staring up at her, their happy tails swooshing from side
to side.

Xochitl
took two cookies out of her pocket, pointed to the ground and commanded "Lie
down." The ridgebacks complied, and she held out one treat for each of
them.

"I'm
surprised," Hanna said, staring at her and the pups. "Lucy told me
you're not much of a dog person."

"Yeah,"
Xochi pulled out a bar stool from under the island and sat down. "Well, I'm
of the mind that people come first. But with these two, I don't think I have
much of a say."

"It's
like that when a dog picks you to be its person." Hanna chuckled. She slid
a wood chopping board topped with red and green peppers toward Xochi and handed
her a knife.

"So
I gather," she said, slicing into a crisp pepper.

"Then
why do you do it?" Hanna asked. "Is it because of your brother?"