Winter’s Wolf (29 page)

A woman stuck her head into the room. “Shall I serve tea, ma’am?”

“Yes, please. And include some beer for the gentlemen and lemonade for Jazz too, please.”

Dear Powers, they were about to be attacked by one hundred murderous wolves while they had fucking tea!

Casper leaned forward. “So, Jason, are you in the FBI like your son?”

“I was on the police force until I was retired due to a bad heart.”

“Sorry to hear that. My son’s husband is a police officer. You’ll have to meet him some time. You must be proud of Matt. He’s a fine agent.”

“Yes, I am.”

“How are you settling in, Winter?”

“It’s interesting, sir.”

“Different from Canada, I expect?”

“Yes, sir.”

The woman returned with a large serving cart, and Elizabeth went through the ritual of pouring tea and drinks for everyone. Lindsey clearly wanted to jump off the couch. Jazz would no doubt join him, and Damon flexed his hands in anxiety.

Winter accepted a cup of tea and some cookies. What in hell was he going to say?

When the maid left, Casper Vanessen sipped his tea, and all the others followed as if they’d been given permission. The liquid burned bitter and sweet, like this situation.

Casper looked up at Damon. “So, Damon, when are you planning to declare Lindsey your son and marry Elizabeth?”

Tea landed on the perfect Chinese rug. “Sir?”

“I think that’s the next logical step in this relationship, don’t you?”

“Like hell.” Lindsey leaped to his feet with clenched fists.

Casper looked at Lindsey with obvious affection. “My dear, you’ve had your chance at happiness and you grabbed it, for which I’m eternally delighted, but now it’s your mother’s turn. She’s obviously never found someone to replace the man who fathered you, and so I say she should have him.”

Elizabeth stared at him. “How long have you known?”

“All Lindsey’s life, dear. My son was a bad person. He could never have produced such a fine man—plus, I had his DNA checked when he was born.”

Her hand flew to her mouth. “Why?”

“We had a family illness that I believe my son inherited. I wanted to determine if Lindsey had received those same genetic defects. If he had, I wanted to be prepared to give him the best treatment. But, of course, he shared none of my son’s DNA.”

Lindsey hung his head. “So you’ve always known I was a bastard.”

“I’ve always known you were the son of my heart and the savior of our family. I’m honored to know the man who produced you.”

Lindsey shook his head and stared at the carpet, now stained with tea. “You don’t understand.”

“Understand what? That you’re an extraordinary creature unlike anything this family has ever seen? Something like your father and his other son? Like your brother, Jasper? Something like your friend Cole Harker, and I suspect like Matt Partridge?”

Lindsey looked up, his eyes wet. “You know.” It wasn’t a question.

Suddenly, the outline of the brown “dog” began to shimmer and tremble. Every particle of air in the room vibrated. Winter fell to the carpet and put his hands on the shivering fur. “Easy, darling. That’s good. Yes, I know it can hurt.”

“Ow.” Where there had been a brown wolf now lay a naked man. Matt looked up at Winter, his green eyes blazing. “You were going to stay in that damned basement and let them kill you! You knew your wolf might not make it out, but you let me escape. Damn, don’t you ever do that again!”

Winter grabbed Matt, laughing. “Are you kidding? I don’t have any more ears for you to bite off pulling me out.” He hugged Matt tight. “I guess you’re stuck with me.”

Elizabeth grabbed a throw from the back of the couch and knelt beside the undressed tableau. “Here, Matthew. This will keep you warm.”

Lindsey whispered, “Holy shit.”

W
INTER
LOOKED
up at the woman his father loved. “So you knew too?”

“Not exactly. Perhaps I still don’t know exactly, but having a son who so clearly hides a part of his life from you makes you curious—and investigative. And then add another son who’s just the same, and a son-in-law who won’t always meet my eyes.” She smiled at Lindsey and Jazz. “I’ve heard tales of the wolves in our woods. I knew that Agent Partridge was having trouble with Seth and Jazz’s story that some random wolf came out of nowhere and saved them. The uniting factor whenever I heard something odd was always a wolf. I found I gradually accepted the idea that somehow, strange as it might seem to me, my sons must be werewolves.” She laughed. “So you all are? Yes? And most particularly you, my dear Damon?”

He nodded. “Yes, I’m afraid I am.”

“I find I’m not afraid of the big bad wolf.” She grinned.

Casper leaned forward to Damon. “But something has occurred that gives us reason to fear, is that correct?”

“Yes, sir. The cardinal rule of werewolf existence is never tell a human.”

Elizabeth frowned. “What does that mean for Seth?”

Lindsey took his mother’s hand. “They made an exception for us, mostly because we’re mentors to Jazz, who was an orphaned werewolf—something that almost never happens. They let me marry Seth, which in wolf society is almost as good as blood. But now it seems there are those who object. Some of the wolf pack feel that Damon and I must have broken the cardinal rule in our relationship with you and Pop-Pop, which, while I wasn’t aware of it, I guess I did. They’re threatening us.”

Casper frowned. “In what way?”

Damon looked around the group. “The penalty for breaking the rule is death.”

“Hell you say.”

Winter wrapped Matt tightly in the throw and held him, but he kept shaking. Winter looked at Elizabeth and Casper. “We should get you all out of here. If the pack dissenters get really worked up, they’ll come here soon.”

Jazz crossed his arms. “Hide? Not likely.”

“You’re being reckless.” Elizabeth gave her son a smile to soften the rebuke.

Casper stood and walked to the window. “I’m actually in agreement with Jazz. This house is as much a barricade as anyplace we’ll find, and I have a number of firearms on the premises. Between Seth and Lindsey, I’m sure that number is at least doubled. I expect we can scare up a marksman or two among the assembled.” He grinned. The old man had guts to spare.

Lindsey nodded. “Seth will be here soon. I texted him. And we’ve got Matt. But surely it won’t come to shooting.”

Damon frowned. “If it does, Winter and I are both good shots. More than good, actually. And Jason was a cop.”

Jazz held up a finger. “I can shoot.”

“Over my dead body, young man.” Elizabeth didn’t smile this time.

“Oh, Mom, damn.”

“Watch your language. And as your brother said, surely it won’t come to shooting. After all, we’re your relatives.” Elizabeth curved her arm around the tall young wolf. “And you’re very valuable.” She kissed his forehead.

Crash!
A rock flew through one of the beautiful leaded-glass windows. Elizabeth jumped, and Damon grabbed her and pulled her to the floor. Winter curved his body over Matt, and Jason Partridge stepped up beside Casper Vanessen at the window, the two surveying the scene. Winter grabbed the rock from the middle of the rug. Someone had scrawled on it
Fag Human Lover
.

Lindsey shrugged as he held onto his brother. “They describe me so well.”

Another pane splintered as a larger rock bounced into the hall. Suddenly the smell of smoke drifted through the open window. Winter stood up. “Hell no. Come on, Lindsey, let’s show them what a couple of fags can do.” He pulled his gun from his jacket pocket.

Shouting came from the front of the house.

Casper smiled. “I expect the gardening staff is taking exception to their entertainment.”

Lindsey waved at Matt. “Grab some clothes from my room. End of the hall. You remember from the investigation?” Clutching the throw, Matt ran for the staircase. Lindsey pointed. “Pop-Pop, can you supply everyone with weapons, please?” Casper hurried out of the room.

Winter slapped Jazz on the shoulder. “It’s your job to keep every weapon loaded. Can you do it?”

“Yes, sir.”

Elizabeth stepped beside Jazz. “I’ll help him. I’m actually quite a good shot.”

“We’ll probably need you, ma’am.” He smiled. “Gentlemen, we have ourselves an alpha female.”

Matt ran back into the room wearing jeans and a lavender shirt. Winter laughed. “I can tell whose closet you’ve been dressing in.”

Lindsey put a hand on his hip. “Ta, darling, that old thing.”

Matt held up a semiautomatic pistol. “This is my most important accessory. Let’s go.”

Winter followed Matt toward the side door they’d come in. “Hold the door so I can check the situation. Cover me.”

Winter settled beside the door so he could see out as soon as it opened. Matt pulled the door back. Winter sighted the area. Nobody. Was it possible there were only a few of the dissenters here at the house?

Matt stepped into the open doorway, and a bullet grazed the wood. He leaped back. “Shit!”

Winter ducked around the door again to look.
Double shit.
At least twenty-five wolves moved toward them across the parklike setting in the side yard—most of them carrying torches. “Time we got serious.” He raised his voice. “We need more guns. These bastards have fire and look determined. Put some of us on every approach to the house.”

Suddenly Seth Zakowsky ran through the partially open door, and a bullet followed him. “Shit, I thought this was Connecticut, not Iraq. Should I call the cops?”

Lindsey ran to embrace his husband. “Not if we can avoid it. Wolf business.”

“Got it.” He pulled a weapon from the small of his back. “Where’s Cole?”

Lindsey frowned. “I didn’t call him. I don’t know where he stands when it appears the pack is throwing us all to the wolves.”

“They wouldn’t.”

Lindsey shrugged, but a load of pain shifted on his shoulders.

Matt yelled, “Let’s give them something to think about. Pick your targets. Aim to wound, not kill, if you can. All fire on three. Ready? One, two—”

Winter sighted at the lead guy with the torch.

“Three!”

At least six or seven weapons fired at once. The torch in the lead guy’s hand went flying, and he grabbed his wounded wrist. A wolf beside him fell to the ground, clutching his thigh as a result of Matt’s bullet. The approaching wolves looked more uncertain. Some simply dropped their torches and ran off. Most reconnoitered and kept coming.

Matt yelled, “Same scenario. On my count. One, two, three!” Several wolves fell, and a few more defected, but the main body of the assault was getting very close.

Winter leaned over to Matt. “We’re going to have to start killing them.”

Matt nodded grimly.

A voice came from behind Winter. “Let us try to stop them first.” Winter turned abruptly. Cole and Paris stood there with Lindsey and Jazz beside them.

Lindsey shrugged and tried to hide his grin. “They came to the back door looking for a war to fight.”

Winter extended his hand. “Aren’t you pissing off some alphas by being here?”

Cole shook hands. “Right is right. We would have lost our fucking war without Lindsey. No one threatens him, even my own family.” He looked out the window. “Let me get out there.”

Cole walked to the front door, opened it, and stepped out with a hand raised. All the rest of those inside the house crowded near the french doors to watch. The noise in the mob of dissenters rose and then quieted. Winter had heard that speaking in public wasn’t Cole’s strong suit. “Uh, m-may I ask why you’re here?”

The nasty wolf who had introduced himself as Patrick at the meeting took a few steps forward. “It’s a matter of werewolf law. The cardinal rule has been broken, and we want the proper action to be taken.”

“You want it to be taken? Then go to the alphas and submit a complaint.”

“Those bleeding hearts won’t listen.”

Cole frowned. “So you don’t want proper action to be t-taken. You want some kind of vigilante justice.”

The male sneered. “You’re just like the alphas, Cole. You set up that illegal marriage to begin with just because those two were a couple of queers—like you.”

Cole didn’t react. “No, since Seth had played a m-major role in saving and mentoring Jazz, a powerful member of our pack who had been lost to us, he was granted special dispensation, and he’s showed no sign of trespassing on that confidence.”

Somebody yelled, “Fuck off. Give humans an inch, they’ll take a mile.”

Another voice rose. “Burn ’em all!”

Cole stepped forward. “You’re the ones breaking the law of the pack.”

“Fag!”

“Get out of the way, fairy.”

Enough of this shit.
Winter opened the French door and stepped out. “Would you like another fag to deal with?” He raised his arm and shifted it to white fur. Cole caught on quick, and did the same in silver. Paris stepped out to Cole’s other side and raised his panther’s paw.

If the group had been blasé about seeing the wolf parts shifting, the panther got them wide-eyed.