Winter's Dawn (28 page)

Even being miserable and ill, Max had to admit being sick was almost like a vacation. He had more time to himself than he knew what to do with. He could combine all the days he had taken off for personal reasons over the last two years and never come close to equaling the amount he got for being sick.

A week later, he was still in bed, doing some work because he was bored, but mostly enjoying Susie’s company. She had missed an entire week of school to be with him while he recovered. Elvis played over the radio in the corner, singing about the troubles of being a
Hound Dog
, which had become Max’s theme song of late. He really ought to buy the album.

“They’re going to be shocked when you go back.” Max looked up from the folder in his hands to stare at Susie, who was lying next to him, reading a book of Italian poetry. “That’s why you won’t go to school.”

She smirked without looking up. “Yes, that’s it. Vanity has kept me by your side.”

Max moaned and reached out to touch her hair as he did every time he realized how short it was. It was above her shoulders now. He had to cut it that short to make it even. “I miss it,” he complained. “Your hair was so beautiful.”

“Gods, Max, get over it.” Susie gave a snort of laughter. “It’s quite in fashion now, I’ll have you know. I may even start having you rat it.”

“Over my dead body,” Max growled.

Susie finally looked up to frown at him. “I’ll ask you kindly not to joke about your dead body when you are still sick with silver poisoning.”

“Inappropriate,” he agreed. “But, the thought of knotting up your hair on purpose rubs my fur the wrong way.”

“It would look nice,” Susie argued as she glanced back down at the book in her lap. “I am such an square at school. No ratting and no one to take to the dances. I’m running out of excuses.”

“Have many boys asked?” Max raised his eyebrows curiously. “Do you get many offers?”

“Yes, I do,” she said smugly. “Don’t look so surprised.”

“I’m not surprised. You’re radiant.”

Susie laughed. “That one is getting a bit old.”

“But, it is true.” He smiled back at her. “I can offer others, if you like, beautiful, gorgeous, stunning…sexy.”

Susie rolled her eyes. “Go back to work before you get yourself in trouble.”

“You’re my mate,” Max said, ignoring his work. “I can say that you’re sexy. Do you want me to go with you to the dances?”

“That won’t appear odd at all.” Susie glanced up to give him a horrified look. “Taking you to dances would spell social doom. Taking my cousin is sad.”

“I’m not your cousin,” he told her. “I’m your mate and I’ll take you.”

She shook her head. “No, I’ll just go the winter social with Jessica.”

“She doesn’t have a date?” Max asked, laughing skeptically. “Dating is her favorite thing.”

“She turned down her offers because she knew I wasn’t going to have a date.” Susie cast him another long look. “She usually does.”

“That’s quite nice of her,” Max said, impressed with Jessica in a way he hadn’t been in a long time. “Are you disappointed she isn’t still working hard to further your education?”

“Gods, shut up.” Susie tossed her book aside to punch at his arm. “If you are well enough to tease me, you are well enough to go back to work.”

“Jessica, with her wealth of sexual knowledge.” He laughed and covered his face with his good hand when Susie started hitting him again. “And to think she wanted to date me. What a surprise she would have had.”

“She still wants to date you.” Susie giggled with him. “I really should enlighten her because I am sick of her pestering.”

“That’d be fun.” Max laughed harder. “Oh Gods, what a horrible thought. I could never date a human.”

“Really, Max?” Susie asked, pulling back in surprise. “You’ve never thought about it?”

“No. I never wanted to go to dances either. Why, do you want to date a human?”

“I’ve thought about it,” she admitted softly.

“Hmm.” Max fell against the pillows and folded his arms over his bare chest. “Who?”

“John was home from Harvard for the holiday.” Susie looked down at her hands. “I ran into him when Jessica and I went to the movies.”

“During the running?” Max asked, because he couldn’t remember her going to the movies recently.

“He asked me out.” She lifted her gaze to his, appearing concerned. “I said, yes.”

Max gaped, staring at her in shock. “You went out on a date with John?”

“I was mad at you,” Susie explained quickly. “And you told me to find a human to play—”

“I remember what I said.” Max glanced from her and rubbed his bottom lip with his thumb thoughtfully. “Did you?”

“Did I what?”

Max turned back to her. “Play puppy games with him.”

Susie was quiet, her gaze fearful before she nodded silently.

“We just kissed,” she whispered after a moment. “I didn’t want to tell you because I was afraid you’d hurt him, but I don’t want to keep secrets from you.”

“Wow,” Max said as he thought about that. He raised his eyebrows and studied her hair. “Is that why you offered your hair?”

“I shouldn’t have done something like that behind your back. That among other things required atonement,” Susie sighed. “It was a betrayal to you and I am sorry. I won’t go out with him again.”

“I think it would be hypocritical of me to be mad at you about that,” Max admitted honestly, even if the idea of Susie kissing John caused white hot anger to surge through him. “I do more than play puppy games on a regular basis.”

“What are you saying, Max?”

“I don’t know.” Max shrugged. “If you want to go out with him.” He closed closing his eyes and willed away the anger. “You should. John is a nice human and he can take you to dances.”

“Max, no—” Susie said quickly. “That is not fair. I’m not full-grown. I don’t need to date.”

“John can’t get you pregnant,” Max whispered, frowning thoughtfully. “It could be a solution, which is what I asked for when I gave the offering.”

“That is not a solution,” Susie snapped. “When I am full-grown we will have to be mated. We owe our people the spring and autumn pairs.”

“Why?”

“What’d you mean, why?” Susie asked, her eyes wide. “Because we’re mates and we are chosen by the Gods to restore the monarchy.”

“I asked for a solution and now they’re offering me one,” Max said, becoming more convinced as he spoke. “You’re going to Radcliffe next year. We could keep separate residences. A commute that long was impossible anyway.”

“What if I go into heat before college?” Susie raised her eyebrows expectantly.

“Then it would be the will of the Gods and I will honor it.” He frowned at her and then huffed in defeat. “Until then, you should see John if that is what you want.”

“Well.” Susie turned around and falling back against the pillows. “I’ll need to reflect on this. I will have to seek guidance from the Goddess.”

“As long as you don’t offer up any more of your hair,” He placed his good hand against his chest. “I can only bear so much.”

Susie laughed. “I will find another offering.”

Max leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. “I want you to be happy and healthy. That is all I desire out of this life.”

“Others will be displeased,” she whispered against his lips. “Doing this, avoiding becoming fully mated, goes against everything they believe.”

“Then let them be displeased,” Max told her as he tilted his head to kiss her cheek. “Because I rather like the idea of you living a lot of years as a human. I will run the government until the time is right, be it a hundred years from now. You can go to college and learn for as long as you’d like.”

“You never got that,” Susie argued as she reached up and caressed his hair, pushing it off his forehead.

“That’s why you should,” Max whispered. “One of us deserves happiness and I would rather it be you. You aren’t obligated to rule until you’re fully mated to me. We’ll prevent it for as long as possible.”

“What if I don’t want to be with a human like John on the full moon?” Susie asked, raising her eyebrows again. “What if I want only you?”

“Perhaps you are inclined to sweet games that humans play,” Max offered. “Your mother was quite happy with her human before she died.”

Susie was quiet before she pushed him away. “I am going to bathe and then I will ask for guidance.”

“I’ll help you bathe,” Max offered as he pushed the blankets off him. “We’ll think of a better offering than your hair.”

Susie laughed as she leaned over to feel his forehead. “You’re warm again. A cool bath would probably serve you well.”

“Then we’ll bathe together before you seek your answers.” Max rolled out of bed and held out his hand to Susie. “And I’ll enjoy you while I can.”

Chapter Sixteen

Late Fall 1961

“Maxwell?”

Max turned to his open office door in surprise. “Hi, Adam. What brings you to my end of the palace?”

“I had something to discuss with you,” he said as he walked into Max’s office. “Do you have a moment for me?”

Max nodded and gestured to the chair at the other side of his desk. “Of course. I always have time for you.”

Adam closed the door and sat down in the large leather chair. He tossed a folder in his hands on the desk. “Take a look at that.”

Max frowned and reached for the folder. “What is it?”

“Intelligence reports.”

“That sounds ominous.” Max opened the file and started reading through it. His frown grew deeper as he read. “Are you certain these are correct?”

“I am,” Adam said darkly. “I would not have brought them to you if I doubted the information.”

“Shit.” Max tossed the folder aside. “They know the queen is living alone.”

“You know we think the queen having a separate residence is a bad idea. You claim it is the will of the Gods, but now she is in danger. The rogues have finally figured out she is unprotected by her king.”

“She’s not unprotected.” Max let out a low wolf growl, feeling immensely insulted. “We haven’t had rogues at this end of the country for a while now and certainly not an uprising like your reports suggest.”

“My reports are correct, Maxwell. You need to consider them dire warning.”

“Who is responsible for the rogue problem?” Max snapped as he looked around his desk that was piled with paper work. “I have a million things to do and accomplishing them means I have to delegate. To whom have I delegated the job of insuring the rogue problem is kept to a minimum?”

“I know it’s my job,” Adam said defensively. “And I do it well, thank you. This is an extenuating circumstance. I believe they have gathered to attack the queen and I am discussing it with you because it is your job to keep her safe.”

“Are you insinuating I don’t do my job?” Max arched an eyebrow at Adam.

“You insulted me first,” Adam shot back vainly. “I don’t like my integrity to be questioned, especially by my king. I work hard for you and my people.”

Max took a deep breath and leaned against his desk.

“I apologize,” Adam huffed and then gestured to the door. “Tell Carl to get Susie on the phone.”

“Isn’t she still in class?”

Max shook his head. “Today is Wednesday. She had only Economic Policy this morning.”

“An appropriate class, I suppose,” Adam snorted as he stood.

“Yes, well, the queen classes were already filled.” Max picked up the reports again and started reading through them more thoroughly.

Max studied the reports while he waited. He looked up when Adam came back in.

“She’s on the phone for you.” Adam gestured to the phone on his desk.

“Thank you.” Max picked up the phone. “Is he there?”

“Yes.” Susie sounded bored. “We’re studying.”

“Then switch to Italian,” Max said, ignoring Adam’s dark look as he sat across from him.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Susie replied in Italian. “You know it’s similar to French and his French is passable.”