Hour of the Lion

Chapter Ten

The next day, Vic pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it. No way. This was enough to make her believe Wells really was as psychic as some of his agents claimed.

“Sir.” She cleared her throat. “Did you just say you wanted me to fly to Washington D.C.?”

“If your hearing is that faulty, I’ll put you back on medical leave.”

Fuck, he sounded like he hadn’t had his coffee today-or for a week or so. “And once there?”

“Report to my office.”

A meet? Her stomach slid greasily to the floor. She might avoid the subject of shifters on the phone, but in person? Concealing information from Arthur Wells was as futile as hiding a sin from God. Or trying to lie to Calum.

“I was looking forward to returning to my assignment in Baghdad.” Weak, Vic, weak.

But his voice softened slightly, if that were possible for a voice sharper than a blade. “I realize that. However, I’m scheduled for China next week, and I want to see you in person before I leave. Five days, Sergeant. Can you manage?”

Trapped. “Have I ever not?”

“No, you always come through,” he said quietly and made it all worse by adding, “I’ve missed you, soldier. I’m pleased you’re coming back to us.”

She managed to hang up before she broke down and bawled like a baby. He was the nearest thing to a family she had. And she had concealed information he really should have.

But why the meet? Had he gotten a hint of what the guy in the suit was hunting-the shifters. Slumping lower in her chair, she moaned. How the fuck was she going to handle this?

In the afternoon, Jamie decided that cold weather needed something hot like Italian food. Calum had hesitated, wanting action. His instincts hammered at him to fight to protect the clan, but he had no opponent to attack. He’d sent shifters into the forest, searching for traps and poachers. Tynan and Alec were hunting through military and Seattle databases. Pacing around the house like an irritated cat would help nothing.

So he and Jamie walked into town to pick up the ingredients for lasagna. As they carried the groceries out of the store, he took a deep breath of the biting cold air and smiled at his daughter.

With her mother’s slender build and her nose and cheeks pink, she bounced along the sidewalk like one of Santa’s elves. “Did you see that gnome?” She pointed to the beady eyes peering from the sidewalk gutter. “He made a face at me!”

Calum suppressed a laugh and asked reasonably, “How can you tell?”

“Honestly, Daddy. I know they’re ugly, but he stuck his lips out and-” she demonstrated, and he did laugh.

“Ah, well, the cold makes them ill-tempered.”

“Yeah, even the pixies are grumpy. One threw an acorn at me yesterday, and I hadn’t done-hey, look, there’s Vicki!”

Through the bookstore’s display window, Victoria could be seen talking with Thorson. Before Calum could refuse, Jamie grabbed his hand and pulled him into Books.

Although Victoria didn’t smile, pleasure lit her eyes when Jamie gave her a happy hug. Over the past weeks, Calum had enjoyed watching the repressed little human deal with his daughter’s exuberant affection.

“I haven’t seen you forever!” his daughter complained and cast Calum a disgusted frown. “Daddy doesn’t want me in the bar when people start really drinking.”

“What a mean guy,” Victoria agreed, giving him a look that, if she were anyone else, he’d call uncertainty. Of course, only a couple of days before, Alec had almost sliced her throat. Then she’d come close to having her memory wiped by Calum. And he’d kissed her goodnight. That might be enough to unnerve even this self-confident female.

With a straight face, he asked, “Victoria, you appear tired. Have you been sleeping well?”

Thorson barked a laugh.

A wry smile curved her full lips. “Too many strange noises at night, I guess.”

Calum grinned. Bloody tough female there. One he wanted. By Herne, he felt like pulling her into his arms and taking possession. His cock hardened in agreement.

As if she could tell, her gaze heated…and then she edged away, even as he reminded himself that she was human. “Are you two here to get a book?” she asked Jamie.

“Can we, Daddy?” Jamie implored. “I’ve read all mine.”

“Jamie, I don’t know-”

Thorson grinned and interjected, “You want your daughter to be literate?”

“Reading is very important,” Victoria agreed solemnly.

Quite outnumbered. “Fine.”

Jamie handed him her grocery bag and disappeared into the stacks. “One book,” he called after her.

“Two books would be better.” Victoria pushed the two books she held across the counter to Thorson.

“Some people are cheapskates,” Thorson commented loudly.

“Thank you for the support. I’ll have you know, her paperbacks are pushing mine off the shelves, and I’m probably one of your best customers, you bugger.”

“Sounds like you’re a little off your feed.” Thorson picked up Victoria’s books and set them on his desk.

“Cranky,” Victoria agreed, talking to Thorson as if Calum wasn’t standing right next to her-standing close enough to breathe in her unique spicy fragrance, feel the heat from her body.

And cranky was a term for children who hadn’t had their naps. With a frown, he looked down. Their eyes caught…and held. Humor danced in her eyes and curved her lips, and he couldn’t suppress a laugh.

It was a rare female who could tease him out of a…cranky…mood. Even rarer to find one who made him harden and laugh at the same time. Why did a human have to be so attractive?

“Here.” Jamie crowded between Calum and Victoria and pushed her selection across the counter.

“Two?” Calum asked dryly.

“I don’t want anyone to call you a cheap-uh, something, so I thought I’d better get two books like Vicki said.” Jamie gave him such an innocent smile that no one could possibly doubt her sincerity. No one but a very experienced father.

“Hmmm. An extra book. That would mean an additional night of washing dishes, I believe?”

She wrinkled her nose at him. “Oh, okay.”

“I need to get going,” Victoria said, and although she smiled, her brown eyes looked so sad that Calum’s heart wrenched.

“Aren’t you getting any books today?” Thorson actually frowned at the little human.

“No. I just wanted to bring those back.”

“Wait.” Jamie grabbed her sleeve. “You want to come to dinner? We’re making lasagna.”

Calum stiffened. Was the God testing him, setting this female in his path at every turn? The time they spent working together and cleaning up after closing had been hard enough on his control. Even worse was when they’d share a beer afterwards, watching the fire die down while discussing politics and cultures and books. She shouldn’t attract him at all, and he certainly should not ever have kissed her. Yet, as Alec had said, Gatherings and danger brought out the animal in a shifter.

But to continue this foolishness?

He’d hesitated too long, and Victoria shook her head. “I… No, Jamie, I need to-” she paused, obviously at a loss for a good excuse.

He should have let it go, but the hurt in her eyes was like a knife in his chest. “We are experts at lasagna-making, and it would be a pity not to share our superb culinary skills with others. We’ll expect you at seven.”

She frowned at him. So unsure-something he rarely saw in this woman. But after looking at Jamie’s pleading eyes, she sighed. “Well, all right. I love lasagna.”

Fuck. Sitting at his office desk, Vidal crumpled up the paper he’d just signed and flung it at the wall. His signature had always been a fat scrawl. Now it was small, a pencil’s width, the letters all crammed together because his fingers wouldn’t loosen any more. And he’d lost his balance again this morning.

Fear crawled around inside him like a cockroach in his guts. His time was running out-the fucking Parkinson’s was winning. Diseased. Furiously, he swiped his arm over his desk, sending everything crashing to the floor.

He glared at the sound of a knock. “Yeah. What?”

Swane opened the door and walked in. His cold brown eyes flickered over the mess. “Got something.” He set some papers down on the desk.

Forcing his anger down, Vidal looked them over. “Medical reports?”

“Uh-huh. Military. For a Victoria Morgan who’s recovering from a knee injury.”

“Alive? Son of a fucking bitch, she survived!” His hopes leaped. Had she transformed? Was she a werecreature now? He looked through the pages and scowled. “The report don’t say nothing about bite marks.”

“The doc called’em: various healed scars. But see here”-Swane flipped to the back page-“The bitch wanted a copy, so she gave them her address.”

Vidal squinted to decipher the small type. “She’s living in Cold Creek?”

“Now doesn’t that put your shorts in a wad?”

Vidal shoved the papers away. “Get her. And find out if she’s changed into one of them.”

“Just like that, huh.” Swane snorted. “Go ask her, “Hey, Miss Morgan. Eating more red meat lately?”

“Cut the crap.” Vidal leaned back in his chair, trying to keep his excitement from exploding. “Just get her. But be careful. She’s seen your ugly face.”

“No problem. I got some merc buddies who need a few extra bucks. They can take point; I’ll do backup.”

Vidal frowned. More people in on the information. “I don’t -”

“They’ll never know what’s going on. They’ll just tranq her and toss her into the van-they won’t see her turn into a cougar. If she even can.”

Swane’s last remark hit Vidal hard. She must have been transformed. She had to have. “Good plan.” Vidal listened to the rain against the window. “When you spot her, grab her right then. No matter what. With her fucking background, she could disappear completely if anything sets her off.”

“Got it. You know, if she’s hanging out in Cold Creek, it’s cuz the kid clued her in. She knows something.” Swane’s smile didn’t reach his dead eyes. “Give me a day with her, and she’ll be happy to tell you every fucking detail.”

That night, Vic veered across the parking lot to the right of the Wild Hunt where a tall wooden fence enclosed the tavern’s side and back yards. As she opened the gate, a chill shook her like a cold hand stroking up her spine. The last time she’d gone through a wooden fence to a back yard, she’d been knocked out, tied up. And then had a mountain lion munch on her. Hopefully this evening would end better.

Or not. It’s not like she had an appetite. I hate goodbyes. Leaving a message would be far, far easier. But the kid wouldn’t understand. Vic remembered the times her father left for overseas stations without telling her. As she’d cried, whatever housekeeper he’d hired would give her his note. It had never helped.

So tonight, she’d tell Jamie goodbye in person. And hopefully, Calum wouldn’t get upset about losing a part-time barmaid.

A few steps past the gate, she stopped and stared. Wowsa. After the barren parking lot in front, she hadn’t been anticipating…this. The brick path down the side was overhung with lilacs. Roses climbed over the wooden archway at the entrance, and the late blooms lent sweetness to the air. In the backyard, a knee-high rocky waterfall splashed into an oval pond. Gold and red koi flashed just under the water’s surface hoping for a handout. Crumbs scattered beside a tall-backed bench showed someone liked to feed them.

Herbs filled the corners adding the scents of rosemary and oregano. Vic turned in a circle. What did this place look like in the summer? She felt a stab of envy. Must be nice to plant something and be around months later to see it blossom.

Still seemed as if a werecat should have a chicken house, not a garden. God, there was so much she didn’t know about them.

The path led to steps climbing to the second-floor landing. As she put her foot on the first step, her heart rate increased with her anticipation…of seeing Calum. Oh, man, coming here was stupid, stupid, stupid. Growling under her breath like some wacko released from a psych house, she stomped up the stairs. There were two doors, not one, as if even the damned entrances were saying, ‘choose one brother or the other’.

She pounded on the one with Calum’s name.

“She’s here!” Jamie’s voice rang out. The door was thrown open, and Vic got her second hug of the day. She’d had more hugs this season than in several years. Scary thought. “Hey, munchkin.” The feel of the kid’s skinny arms filled Vic with fondness…just fondness. Nothing more.

Vic pulled back, shoved her hands into her jeans pockets. “Nice garden you got here, kid.”

“Did you see the fish? The red one is Peter and the gold one with orange marks is Wendy. And there’s a big guy with black patches-he’s Hook.” Jamie put her hands in her pockets like Vic. “Of course, I named them when I was just a little girl.”

“Of course,” Vic agreed solemnly. As she smiled, she saw Calum watching from the door. The way his eyes softened when he looked at his daughter squeezed her heart. Then his gaze met hers. Heat seared her skin in a blast of fire. Oh, this was such a bad idea. “Hey,” Vic said weakly.

“Welcome to our home.” His lips curved as if he could see her worries. “Come in, Victoria. We’re eating lasagna tonight, not little humans.” As he disappeared into the kitchen, Jamie grabbed her hand and dragged Vic after her like a pull-toy.

Calum checked the oven, then turned. “What can I get you to drink?”

“Beer if you have it.” The heady smell of garlic filled the large kitchen, and her stomach rumbled.

As Jamie laughed, Calum smiled, poured Guinness into a mug, and handed it to Vic. “Don’t worry. As soon as the bread is browned, we’ll eat.”

“I didn’t realize I was hungry.”

Calum took a sip of his own drink, a dark wine. As he studied her over the top of the glass, his gaze felt like a hot sun against overly sensitive skin. “You should eat more,” he said. “You’re underweight.”

“That’s rude, Daddy. I think Vicki is perfect,” Jamie said loyally.

Laughing, Vic swung an arm over the kid’s shoulders and frowned. “Have you grown? Weren’t you shorter yesterday?”

“Scary, isn’t it,” Calum said in a dry voice. “She’ll have her first trawsfur soon and the thought terrifies me.”

Vic’s jaw dropped open. “Jamie will?”

“Daddy!” The girl turned to stare at Vic. “You told Vicki-”

“Ah, I forgot to tell you, dearling, Victoria knows about us.”

Calum grinned at his daughter’s bug-eyed look, and Victoria looked quite as startled as she stared at Jamie.

“You never thought of young shifters?” he asked.

“Um, no.” Victoria touched Jamie’s cheek so gently that his heart squeezed. “Will you turn into a cat? Like your dad? Is Alec a cougar too?”

Jamie giggled. “I’ll probably be a cougar. And Uncle Alec is too.”

“God, I bet you’ll be beautiful,” Victoria said, the wonder in her voice sending a pang through him. “So what happens the first time you change? Is it anything special?”

Jamie answered in such a serious tone that Calum was warned. “Well, sparks come out of our hands, and we make a big boom-”

Victoria’s eyes widened.

He snorted as his evil offspring burst into giggles.

Victoria blinked, then gave her throaty laugh. “Little monster, you had me. Way to go.” She turned to Calum. “I take it the first shift is nothing special?”

“Much like you’ve seen. The major difference is a youngster’s lack of control.” He tried not to think about the children unable to trawsfur back, the ones that went feral, or those so overwhelmed and terrified that they ran themselves to death. His Jamie was level-headed. Smart. She’d get through it fine.

Jaw clenched, he turned away under the guise of removing the garlic bread from the oven. He handed the basket to Jamie. “Let’s eat.”

As they sat at the round oak table, he saw Victoria glance at the fourth place-setting, and answered her unspoken question. “Alec usually gets off around-” Before he could finish, the back door opened and slammed shut.

His brother appeared in the kitchen doorway. “Damn, that smells good. Did you eat al-” When he caught sight of Victoria, his words sputtered to a close, and he stared.

Bugger it. Having her here, in their home, had been a mistake. He was asking for pain for himself…and Alec…and even Victoria. He shoved out a chair with his foot. “Alec. Sit and eat before the food gets cold.”

Alec took the seat beside Victoria. “I’m in shock. We usually only have one lovely lady at our table.”

Jamie giggled. “I invited her, Uncle Alec.”

“Good job, kiddo.” He served himself up huge helpings of salad and lasagna and added a piece of garlic bread. “Sorry I’m late. Had to ticket a couple of city boys for looking ugly in a ‘no-ugly’ zone.”

Victoria’s brows drew together. “Are you serious?”

“Weeell.” Alec leaned back in his chair. “If I don’t like the looks of someone, we just keep an eye on them, make sure they’re not here to cause trouble. If needed, we’ll give them a nudge to move along.”

Calum smothered a smile. Alec had perfected the good-old-boy, we-hate-outsiders sheriff routine when he’d lived in Texas.

“I keep forgetting you have a nasty side,” Victoria murmured, looking more impressed than not. She popped a bite of lasagna into her mouth, stilled, and then hummed, her lids half-closing. Lost in pleasure. Herne help me.

Calum’s breath turned ragged as did Alec’s. Their eyes met in perfect understanding. Want this female for us. But she was human. They both looked away.

“We”-Calum cleared his voice to remove the huskiness-”We encountered Victoria in the bookstore today.” He smiled at her. “I noticed Thorson looks less unhappy. Did you talk more with him?”

She nodded. “He asked me to tell”-she glanced at Jamie and amended-”to talk about old times. He seems so lonely. Not many people come into his store.”

“He misses Lachlan,” Jamie said. “I miss him too. He was always fun.”

“Does Joe have no one else?” Victoria asked.

Alec shook his head. “His sister died years ago, and she’d had only two children. Lachlan is her daughter’s child. When Lachlan’s mother and her lifemate-um, spouse-were killed in a car accident, Thorson gave him a home. Technically, he’s Lachlan’s grand-uncle.”

“No kids of his own?”

“None he knows about,” Alec said. “He enjoyed the fight too much and never took a lifemate.”

Victoria stirred her fork around in the remnants of her meal. She’d eaten heartily, Calum was pleased to see. “How old is he anyway?” she asked.

Jamie spoke before Calum could stop her, “He’s gonna turn a hundred in two years.”

Victoria choked, swallowed. “Very funny, you rat. You got me twice tonight. Really though, how old is he?” She studied Jamie’s face. “You weren’t joking.”

Jamie shook her head.

Copper-colored eyes settled on Calum’s face. “Another shifter thing?”

He nodded, hoping she wouldn’t take it any farther.

No grace was given. “So how old are you?” she asked.

There was a reason very few humans were allowed to know about Daonain; this was one. But he didn’t lie. “Alec and I are in our late fifties.”

“Damn.” She eyed him and Alec, her gaze like dancing sunlight. “You carry your age well, guys. How long do shifters live then?”

“Around a hundred-twenty or so.” Alec winked at her. “No immortality, I’m afraid.”

“There’s a relief. A hundred-I almost got my butt kicked by a centenarian? Some bouncer I am.” Her face sobered. “Speaking of being a bouncer, I’m giving you notice, Calum.”

“What’s that mean?” Jamie asked.

Calum forced himself to take a breath. “You’re leaving me-us-Cold Creek?”

Her lips curved ruefully. “Yeah. I’ve kept my promise to Lachlan. And my knee’s healed up, good as new, according to the doc, so I need to get back to a real job.”

Jamie pushed to her feet and threw her arms around Victoria. “I don’t want you to leave,” she wailed, giving voice to Calum’s feelings as well.

Victoria hugged Jamie, blinking hard. “I know. But my people need me a lot more than your dad needs a barmaid. I go where I’m needed.”

To Vic’s relief, the evening ended early. They’d shared some wine in the living room, but Jamie was moping, Calum was quiet, and Alec… God, the unhappiness in his eyes wrenched her heart.

We screwed once, she reminded herself, as she went into the kitchen to get her coat. Once. Hell, he’d held a knife to her throat-what kind of relationship was that? She picked up her coat. Besides, if he… She blinked. The dinner dishes were piled by the sink, the table wiped clean of all spills.

She turned in a circle, but the place stood empty. Nobody had done the clean-up; they’d been in the living room. Surely Calum didn’t have a maid. Not a crumb littered the floor, although she spotted a small bowl of milk and a tiny piece of frosted cake on a plate in one corner. Did werecats keep domestic cats?

“Do you really have to go now?” Jamie stood in the doorway.

“Yeah, I need to pack.” Like she had much of anything to worry about. Vic nodded toward the corner. “I didn’t know you had a cat.”

“Oh, we don’t. That’s for the-” Calum’s hand on Jamie’s shoulder stopped the girl.

As he turned Jamie back to the living room, Vic sighed. Another fucking secret.

“Alec will walk you home,” he said, his smile not reaching his eyes. Oh, hell, he couldn’t be unhappy too, could he? But she thought of the evenings they’d spent talking, arguing over politics and books, the late night chess games. Simple pleasures. His quiet companionship had filled a hole she hadn’t realized was there. Both he and Alec had made her realize how alone she usually was…and would be again.

Yeah, this was why people shouldn’t get attached to each other-because it hurt like hell to leave.

Alec waited by the front door, tossing his car keys up, and catching them.

She just looked at him. Wanting. Those large hands had stroked her body, that clever mouth had… Inhale, Vic. “Alec, I can get home by myself.” She shook her head at him. “I need a quiet walk, and you and quiet don’t go together at all.”

Jamie snickered.

Alec’s smile was tight as he ruffled the kid’s hair. “You are a nasty lass, little niece, and Vixen is a bad influence on you.”

His use of his special nickname made her chest tighten. Without speaking, Vic stepped past him and out, closing the door behind her. The chill wind whipped at her hair as she went down the steps. Night had fallen and the fountain was silent.