Winter's Dawn (32 page)

“Kiss me, Max.” Susie tilted her head back to look at him. “Are we far enough away that you can kiss me,
really kiss me
, like he kisses me? I need to be kissed and I want it to be you.”

Max cupped her face in both hands and leaned down to obey her command. He groaned at the way her lips parted to him. Unable to resist the invitation he pushed his tongue into her mouth as a dark, decadent hunger rolled over him. It had nothing to do with the full moon or hormones. He finally understood what Susie meant.

He didn’t need the call to feel it.

Chapter Eighteen

Max didn’t sleep well. He never did, especially with such a sharp reminder of Susie’s quickly fading puppyhood. It would be a miracle if she made it past this winter without going into heat and fooling around naked with her certainly wasn’t helping the cause. Damn the human influence of her friends. Every time Max played those forbidden puppy games normal wolves would have never considered when Susie wasn’t full-grown, he swore it would be the last indulgence. He made himself a liar on a regular basis and last night had been one of the most dangerous temptations to date.

He woke up from his usual nightmare at three in the morning and decided to set up his things in the small office Susie had for him in her townhome. He ignored the sounds of John being sick in one of the upstairs bathrooms and let Adam sleep as he organized his papers.

At six-thirty he woke Adam by changing forms and wrestling with him to get him alert. Max really hoped John had passed out after his early morning nausea, because explaining one normal size red wolf may have been acceptable. Explaining an enormous artic wolf would have been difficult, especially when he was fighting in Susie’s living room with Adam. Though they fought playfully, it would look different to John as they jumped and bit each other. Max loved Adam. He would never hurt him, not really, but they were both powerful males and when they played it looked deadly.

Adam was awake, barely, and had finally changed forms to search for a strong cup of coffee. He used to drink tea, but had switched to coffee some years ago. He was more Americanized than he realized.

Max was on the phone with the Italian president, using the time change to his advantage, when Adam walked in with a freshly brewed cup of coffee in his hand. He had complained about having to make it himself, but it seemed he managed. No one but Max understood why Susie lived without a full-time staff. She liked living free from others. Max would too if he had the opportunity.

Winter
did
hold dominance over solitude.

“Excuse me,” Max said in Italian, before he looked to Adam and switched to English. “Go hunting for me, will you? All she has is beef and I loathe beef, especially when it’s days old.”

“Where am I supposed to hunt?” Adam raised his eyebrows expectantly. “We’re in the city.”

“There must be other options, rabbit or something,” Max whined. “I’m hungry, Adam.”

“I am hung over and you want me to kill rabbit for you?” Adam gave him a look of repulsion as he sat down in the leather chair on the other side of the desk. “I love you, Maxwell, but I can’t do it. I will throw up all over your breakfast. I can’t stomach the taste of rabbit on a good day.”

“Shit. What am I going to do for food for three weeks? I can’t eat cooked meat.” He shuddered at the thought of ruining perfectly good meat by cooking it. “I can’t do it, especially beef and pork. That’s all they eat.”

“Chicken,” Adam suggested as he took a sip of coffee. “Chicken is good raw. I like chicken.”

“I hate chicken. I’d starve to death first. Duck is okay if it’s fresh.”

“Alphas are a pain in the arse,” Adam snorted. “Ducks fly south. You are going to have to settle for beef, Your majesty.”

Max shook his head. “No way. If I have to eat that weeks old beef I will kill John. I need something freshly killed. Chicken is better than beef.”

“You better hang up and get hunting then.” Adam chuckled. “Because I can’t hunt for you, especially for rabbit.”

“I want moose,” Max said thoughtfully. “Moose sounds good.”

“Good luck with that.”

“Shit,” Max swore again as he frowned at Adam, realizing he was not going to hunt for him. “Benedetto, I have to go. I’m hungry.”

The Italian president laughed. “Alphas don’t hunt.”

“In Boston they do,” Max grumbled. “My cousin, whom I take very good care of, will not hunt for me and I need something to eat.”

Adam rolled his eyes and took another sip of coffee. “My neck is still aching. You bit the fuck out of me. That is not good care.”

“Did you say fuck?” Max asked in surprise.

Werewolves rarely swore and Max had never heard one say something so vulgar. That was a bad habit he picked up from humans. Susie had also to an extent, but Max was unique in that he really ran with it. He enjoyed their colloquialisms. It reminded him of a time and dream long dead. With the exception of John, Max rarely associated with humans outside the palace and he missed the culture.

“I’m blending,” Adam reminded him. “I’m acting human and manly in case
it
wakes up.”

“
It
.“ Max laughed. “You’re a funny wolf, Adam.”

Adam took another sip of coffee. “Yes, I know,”

“Okay, back to your work, Benedetto.” Max hung up. “I guess I’m going hunting.”

“May the Sun God bless you on the hunt.” Adam raised his cup properly. “May he make you quick and powerful and may your take be plentiful.”

“Thank you for the formal hunting blessing.” Max gave him a bemused smile. “I’ve never had one before.”

“You’ve never gone hunting before,” Adam reminded him. “Have fun.”

Max nodded. “Maybe I will. Killing animals is probably a better idea than killing Susie’s boyfriend.”

“If you say it like that—” Adam raised his eyebrows. “I could be convinced to hunt for you.”

“Drink your coffee.”

Max went to the corner and searched through his luggage he had yet to unpack. He wasn’t accustomed to doing mundane things like unpack his own bags while traveling. He pulled out a spare pair of tennis shoes, which he rarely wore. These days he lived in business suits. Wearing jeans and a simple t-shirt was a real treat for him.

Max leaned down to work on putting on his socks and shoes. “Hunting could be fun.”

“It’s lots of fun,” Adam promised him and then took another sip of coffee. “Tell me, Maxwell, how am I going to give my beautiful Danielle the puppies she wants if Susie is toying with that human?”

“Susie’s not in heat. I couldn’t give her babies even if I wanted too.”

“She’s nearly eighteen.”

“Thank you for the daily reminder.” Max glared at Adam. “I wasn’t certain. The clock isn’t constantly ticking in my mind and others don’t bring it up endlessly. I had forgotten her puppyhood could end this season.”

Adam looked unaffected by Max’s dark glare and said knowingly, “You’re using sarcasm.”

“Yes.” Max finished tying his shoes and stood. “Susie should not be forced into having puppies at eighteen. Even you must understand that.”

“I think that’s for the Gods to decide,” Adam said thoughtfully. “And going against nature by pushing away your mate is wrong. What is it about you that you must always fight nature? These are battles that can never be won and you hurt yourself in the process of losing.”

Max snorted. “My, doesn’t the morning sun bring out your profound thinking?”

“I’m male. The Sun is my guardian.” Adam looked out Max’s open window, blinking past the sunlight and raised his cup again. “And I thank the Gods for the blessings they have bestowed on me.”

“I think you are the most religious wolf I know,” Max said, though not to mock him. Adam’s dedication was admirable.

“Speaking of, you need to bring an offering home from your first kill,” Adam told him seriously. “It would be a huge insult not to.”

Max groaned. “Those offerings never appealed to me.”

“You must, Maxwell. You should make offerings for every kill, but especially your first.”

“How do you propose I do that?” Max held up his hands and looked around the office. “This is Susie’s house, not mine. I have no altar here.”

Adam paled. “Are we on sacred ground? Is this residence wholly female?”

“This is Susie’s residence,” Max confirmed. “She has an altar here, but I do not. I am never here enough for it be necessary.”

Adam got up and dashed out of the house despite being barefoot. Max followed him into the backyard, watching as Adam fell to him knees in the snow.

“Go away,” Adam growled. “I will be cursed if I hear you speak to him.”

“This is not happening,” Max said in disbelief. “Adam, this is a house, not a temple.”

“A house with an altar to the moon with no sun altar to balance it.” Adam looked towards the sun. Though he could not speak directly to the Sun God, he could worship beneath him. His gaze was pleading, as though searching for forgiveness before he turned back to Max. “Her house is a temple for the Goddess if her altar is alone. No male should be in it, not even that puppy! She is queen, Maxwell, that makes it sacred.”

“Wow.” Max shook his head. “I’ll leave you to work on getting the curse on our heads lifted.”

“If only I could.” Adam’s eyes grew wider in realization. “That is why the rogues are gathering. You have been disrespecting the Moon Goddess.”

“Okay,” Max said dryly and walked inside.

He closed the door and glanced to the stairway just as Susie came down, buttoning her winter coat as she walked. She hefted her large school bag on her shoulder and gave him a smile. She looked bright eyed and beautiful enough to have Max temporarily forgetting Adam’s meltdown in the backyard.

“Is Adam ready?” She jumped off the bottom stair and waved him over. Max went to her obediently. He leaned down to press his lips softly against hers as she whispered, “You look nice in casual wear.”

“Thank you.” Max pulled away and turned towards the door to the backyard. “Adam is having a moment. He thinks we’ve cursed ourselves.”

“What?”

“Apparently, I’m on sacred ground.” Max pointed to the floor. “Because there is no male altar in this house.”

“Oh, he is so superstitious.” Susie gave a dismissive wave of her hand. “I keep my altar room locked. Tell him it’s fine.”

“He’s probably overreacting.”

“He is.”

Max nodded, knowing she was right. “I’m going hunting. Will you be fine?”

“Rogue hunting?”

“No, game hunting—I’m starving.”

Susie frowned. “Do you know how to hunt for game?”

“Hello, yes.” Max laughed. “I’m sure I can manage.”

“Then Gods’ blessings on you.” Susie grinned. “May your take be plentiful.”

Max returned her smile and then went to the back door. He opened it and leaned against the frame, finding Adam still on his knees. “Sorry to interrupt, but seeing as this concerns your queen, I think they will forgive you.”

Adam turned to him, eyes wide. “Yes?”

“I’m going hunting. Guard her, Adam. If she needs to go to school, you go with her.”

“I will guard her with my life,” Adam said solemnly. “You are both blessed by the Gods. The most prized gift to our people and I will do all in my power to ensure your safety.”

“A ‘yes’ would have worked.”

“Yes, Maxwell, I will guard her.” Adam glanced up at the sun thoughtfully before he looked to Max again. “It has occurred to me that I should not have spoken so harshly to you in his presence. I apologize.”

“Apology accepted,” Max said and then closed the door. He turned back to Susie with a grin. “He is much nicer when he’s religious.”

“How am I supposed to tell him when I’m ready to go?” Susie asked in annoyance. “If he is making a little male altar in my backyard I can’t go out there, which I appreciate. Let him know that. I was tired of that backyard.”

Max laughed. “It’s a temporary altar, just while he’s here. That’s why he’s doing it outdoors.”