Three’s a Clan (4 page)

Chapter Five

Trevor

I had to let Rick go. He was brutally undersexed. That much testosterone in a werewolf was going to cause some damage, and I preferred it not be at my expense. Besides, there was something I needed to take care of. I’d let part of my deepest secret slip. By the way Shelly reacted, I couldn’t help but worry she’d caught it.

My Alpha knew I had turned him, but he didn’t know much about my life before then. We talked in general terms. He didn’t ask and I didn’t tell. The small leather pouch burned in my pocket. Like I always did when I needed my wits about me, I stroked the worn animal hide. A long time ago a woman had given it to me. I knew what was inside, and I knew someday I would take it out and let it go. But right now, I needed some of Lily’s courage. Because a secret I’d kept for nearly as long as I had existed might be in danger.

My target had slowed her pace. It was a swift jog to catch up. I kept a step behind and allowed her to sense me.

“I was under the impression our meeting was over, Beta.”

“I was under the impression we were keeping honest lines open.”

“You are one to talk of honesty.” Shelly stopped. We were on a path behind the school that got very little traffic, but we were still in the open. “There were rumors, not terribly long ago that reached vampire ears. It was said a wolf was trying to bring a woman into his Pack without changing her. Without claiming her. He wanted her to be protected, but not turned. The rumors were true, weren’t they?”

I took a deep breath. Automatically, I scented the air. No one around for miles. Closing in on three AM, and because the bars were still open and finals were weeks away, the campus was empty.

“If you are trying to accuse me of something, let’s do as you say and talk.”

She regarded me for a moment. “Rumor has it a pack Beta defected because he was not to keep a human mate. Years later, when Jake’s mother was found, she’d attacked what she thought was a werewolf killer. She told us the scent of wolf on the woman was so strong that she assumed her hand had taken a Pack member’s life. But Amber’s mother hadn’t killed a werewolf had she, Trevor? She had simply been sleeping with one.”

The air rushed out of me. The words hadn’t been spoken out loud. I had always wondered if my relationship with Lily had contributed to the attack. My scent had been not only involved, but the cause. A blade from neck to nuts would have been more pleasant than this.

Her small hand cupped my shoulder. “I have way too much information in my head. A part of you had to know I would put the pieces together soon enough. Maybe a part of you wanted me to? How is it even possible that you kept something so close to you from your Alpha?”

“He doesn’t discuss her. He knew there was another man. He knew that Lily wasn’t only his. He knew she wanted…” I shook the thought from my head. “It doesn’t matter. He knew enough to not want to know more. He doesn’t look for the information, so it won’t find him. I did my best by Lily. I did my best by my Alpha, and I will do my best by Amber. I might not have fathered that girl by blood, but I fathered her beast. I helped her grow. How long until they are home?”

“You know it’s not their home anymore, don’t you, Trevor?” It was the softest Shelly had ever spoken to anyone that I had heard.

It made me uncomfortable. I didn’t need pity.

It was true, two Alphas would never occupy the same territory, but I wanted to see them both. I might never have a family beyond the Pack, but I would damn sure keep tabs on those I cared about.

“They may not be Pack.” I straightened. “But they are still a part of me.”

“Does
they
mean Amber and Jake, or Amber and Alpha.” She looked at me. “You’re a lot more than your decisions in life, Trevor. You can’t have everything if you never ask for it.”

This was a bad idea, but at least it seemed she wasn’t going to run around shouting my secrets. “You need to get home, Shelly.” I shouldn’t have started this conversation. She had enough of her own problems to care about mine. “And I need to keep going and keep taking care of
all
those I care about.”

Ghosts started dancing in front of my eyes. The campus wasn’t there anymore. When I turned from Michelle Meyers, the years began to drain from the buildings and landscaping around me. The young well-groomed trees faded into dense maple and oak.

The leaves had been particularly heavy that fall. The rains had blessed us with a great crop. All around, people greeted you with feasts and treats. Neighbors laughed at the abundance. Children played in the fields and no one yelled to be careful of the crops. Lily had a talent with apples. She invited everyone over to pick her orchard. Pies and cider were laid out on her tables. Sweet tea to drink, and plenty of smiles for all who attended. She had a smile for me as well. But I enjoyed watching her cheeks warm for me when they didn’t for anyone else.

A lanky body draped across her apron and looked up with wild hair and begging eyes.

“Momma! Can I go with Adam? We are going to climb trees!”

Some of the surrounding women scoffed. Climbing trees was no activity for a young lady, they’d say. She should be in the kitchen learning her place, the others replied. But dear Lily ignored them all. Her smile broadened for her little girl. Young Amber was her reason for everything.

“Of course, baby girl. But I tell you, if you tear your dress, you will mend it on your own.”

The little girl smiled. She was missing a tooth, and her tongue pressed through the opening as if her face couldn’t contain her spirit.

“I can fix it! I’ve done it before. See?” Amber held up her dress, a little above what was considered decent. Lines of stitches peppered the fabric. “I love you, Mommy. Bye!”

Her feet dug divots in the ground as she and a few of the local boys took off for the rows of apple trees. Their laughter drowned out any condescending chatter, and my heart ached. I wanted children of my own, but I couldn’t have them with any of the women here. I was born into a different world. Werewolves didn’t have the warmth Lily had. No one I had ever met before held that kind of light.

A man entered the party. Fresh with sweat from the fields.

A part of me hated this human. He was the reason I didn’t try harder with Lily. Not because she didn’t have room in her heart to come with me, but because she was human. I would never ask her to give that up. She needed to shine as the mother she was. Even those who disagreed with her could not deny the love she showed to all around her. Turning her would change that. I couldn’t risk her soft heart with such a harsh transition.

And I watched that love flair with the arrival of her husband. Her human husband. As I had been doing for the past ten years, I faded into the background.

A gust of wind and the smell of alcohol-coated coeds tore me from the vision. I rubbed a thumb over the leather pouch in my pocket. I missed Lily, but I honored her. I served the man she loved. I protected the daughter she treasured. I didn’t have as many moments as they did with her, but what she’d given me was the strength to leave a Pack that didn’t understand humans. She’d given enough love to propel those who survived her to greatness.

If I was pushed, I would tell you that there was a revolution beginning. Understanding and equality had advanced more in the last hundred years than in any of the centuries before it put together. Humans weren’t the only ones who had to overcome prejudice. Amber and her father could lead the supernatural community forward. I just had to make sure they lived to do so.

Chapter Six

Shelly

Well, that explained a lot. Our Family had often wondered why the wolf who had changed Alpha and his daughter had become a Beta instead of their leader. He felt he owed them. Then again, Trevor wasn’t an Alpha. He had power. He just didn’t have the urge to use it like an Alpha would.

My brain brought up pictures of the woman he and Rick had shared. It was obvious from his story and the fact that Richard wasn’t aware of any of it, that they never shared her together. Back then…well, it isn’t surprising. Would they share a woman now? They didn’t mind sleeping with the same one, obviously.

Even though Amber’s mother was gone, they both still loved her.

And why the hell was I thinking about love? Ugh. Petty human emotion was creeping into me. I was spending too much time with wolves and witches.

Then I entered the mansion and it became clear to me why I was doing so.

An argument was going on over who was going to drink from a thin-framed man. The morsel’s shirt was opened. His neck lay reclined on the back of the sofa and his legs moved restlessly. The human had fair freckled skin and bright red hair. Steven seemed to be partial to marking up porcelain skin. Drinking from him was not all they were doing. The young man had an impressive erection straining through his tight jeans.

Steven and Matthew both enjoyed the taste and kiss of other men. They were a couple who had been together for one hundred and thirty-six years this December, but somehow I doubted it was love that kept them sharing partners. Both men, like most of our kind, were very attractive. Put that much sexy in front of a target—male or female—and the poor human stood no chance. The men were excellent at mind alteration, as well. I never had to clean up their mess. But a lovers’ spat was not what I wanted to witness. Particularly when it involved a ménage.

“Leave now.”

All three heads turned toward me. Although the human was enthralled, my command broke through that of my Family members’. The little redhead with twin sets of puncture wounds stood and wobbled out of the house like a zombie. He was a zombie with a hell of an ass in his skinny jeans, but I was still glad to have him gone.

“Shelly, we hadn’t even had a chance to play with him yet. You better have blood in that big ass purse of yours, or go get us our toy back.” Matthew pointed toward the doorway, but didn’t bother moving from his lover’s arms.

No one expected me to have any blood, so rather than appreciation, I got a pout when Matthew caught the bag I tossed his way.

I shrugged. “At least it’s fresh, boys.”

Steven started smiling. “You obviously had fun getting it. You reek of sex. It’s a shame that doesn’t come through in the blood. Does he taste good?”

I wouldn’t know. I had only werewolf on my brain. I took from the dimple boy, but I hadn’t enjoyed any myself.

“It’s blood. Drink it and be grateful.”

“Well gee, that sounds enticing.”

At least they left.

My phone beeped. Another message from the Matheo.

Did you acquire a new donor?

Crap. Well, I guess I could always go back out for more, but we were reaching the end of the party night and most usable humans were either asleep or passed out by this point. Some vampires hunted this way, but it left a poor taste in my mouth. So I had some honor. Who’d have known?

I did. But Steven and Matthew are drinking the spoils right now. I’ll procure more tomorrow.

Office hours were great. I allowed extra credit for those who did blood donation. They thought they were helping the greater good, and I got willing, albeit slightly misled donors. I gave them cookies.

I could feel his presence in the house. I knew he was nearby, but I was hoping we were still avoiding direct contact. The creak above me told me I was wrong. I stilled my body to prevent any reaction to him. I didn’t want him to know I wasn’t sure how this dance of ours would end.

“I wouldn’t count on your office hours being so plentiful this time, my dear.” The Matheo descended the overly dramatic double staircase and started toward the sofa I had cleared and occupied.

“Why is that, Father?” The term was a formality. The Matheo was a leader first. A caregiver came somewhere down the line after furniture polisher in his world of priorities. And we have a maid.

“You are to leave your post. I have more need of you here.”

His tone was odd. Even more so than his request. “Mid-term? Won’t that raise some eyebrows?”

“You bedded a student tonight, did you not? Step down for that reason.” His voice was dismissive, but nothing this man did was on a whim.

“He dropped the class. No longer an issue. I’d prefer to stay on. I am one of the last of us on campus. I don’t think we are ready for a move yet.” Not to mention getting out of the house to meet with a certain group of the furry persuasion would be much more difficult if I didn’t have access to campus.

“We have a situation that I would like to gain control over. I have come across a group of wolves. All who have recently given birth to a hybrid, or are pregnant by vampire lineage. I want to take them in.”

Well, knock me over with a blood bag. Maybe I had this whole thing wrong. “Didn’t you want to destroy some hybrids? Or are these the kind you want to keep? Are you bringing them here for slaughter? Because the cleaning bill alone would be more expensive than relocation.”

“These women need guidance. They need a place to stay. And they can benefit from our…assistance.”

His voice chewed on the last word. There was meaning there he wasn’t sharing.

“Okay. I guess, I will have the staff clear the east wing and prepare it for a couple guests.” The miasma was organizing the logistics already. “How many women?”

“Twenty. Plus children,” he said without hesitation.

“What? And we are taking them all in? What about the other pair of hybrids that you ran out of town? Is the witch hunt off then?”

Maybe we were wrong about how motivated the Matheo was to keep the harvesting ring going. Could it be that the blood and the army was just his twisted way of keeping us safe? Hell, maybe the Matheo had been softened by one of these women he was impregnating. If he took a mate, it could be enough to change his mind and just maybe I could get my brother home.

“There is no witch hunt, as you call it.” The Matheo wanted to make damn sure I understood what he was saying. As he put some of his power behind the words, they seared to the miasma instantly. “There is a very big difference between deserting your Family and what we can accomplish with these women.”

“Accomplish?” I should know better than to think people have good intentions. That little bubble of hope migrated to my stomach and exploded into nausea. I was grateful I hadn’t tried to consume food lately.

“They can be compelled.” He stated without emotion. “They can be controlled. By me. There will be no more interference from you, or those I have already taken control over will get a practice run. Daughter.”

He knew about my involvement in dissolving the harvesting ring. I still hadn’t seen Craig’s mother, but Mary told me she was here. I had a feeling she was one of the wolves under the Matheo’s control, wherever they were. I should have killed her when I had the chance.

“I can see your disapproval. You have never been good at hiding emotions from me when they are strong, but as this Family’s Protector you are in a position to—and
will
—assist your Matheo.” He tilted his head to the side and looked me up and down. He searched me as if he would find fear.

Fat chance. I had lived long enough. I was not afraid of death. But I could do without taking on my whole Family. I wasn’t afraid, but I did have some self-preservation instinct.

“What do you hope to accomplish with these women, with their children?” If I could get information, I might be able to find them.

The Matheo smiled. “Allies. Nothing more…at least not yet.”

“Fine. Allies. And why can’t your son be an ally as well?”

There was a saying about poking a cornered animal with a stick. I think poking your Matheo with questions was much more dangerous. “I have other lineage. I have people who are loyal, or controlled. Those who are neither…” The Matheo shrugged and left the room.

Those who were neither would die. Didn’t have to be a genius to solve that equation. My eyes zeroed in on a spot the Matheo’s shoes left on the carpet. Mental note to get the cleaners through here.

Then the scent caught me.

Blood. Witch blood. I knelt by the speck of red. Scraping a nail against the fibers, a bit of the stain flaked off. I looked over both shoulders and behind me before popping the fleck in my mouth.

This was some powerful stuff. Magic, struggle, pain and power. All that potency flowed in the blood that rubbed from the shiny loafers upon his feet. And this wasn’t harvested. For that much of the blood’s memory to retain it was fresh. Scraping off the last bit from the nap of the carpet, I confirmed my initial suspicion.

It was Kari’s blood.