Loving Lucius (Werescape) Read online

  A light. Flaring from perhaps a stick. Growing stronger. Brighter. Gilding Tacitus' face with amber light.

  He squatted, extending the flame to some type of holder, and left it there to burn. He slid a glowing amber Wolf gaze toward us. "In your bedrolls before you lose the light."

  I wasn't going to miss the chance to sleep, lying down with a bedroll. Violet and I retrieved our sleeping bags before Sherry bothered to stand. Within moments, we'd tossed out the rolled-up quilted material and yanked off our boots.

  The only person who struggled with her bedding was Sherry.

  Tacitus snorted and scowled as the sputtering flame waned. But the dying light revealed he left Sherry tucked into her sleeping bag to claim his own bed.

  Darkness devoured the space.

  "Elise?" Violet whispered where she stretched out with her side against my back.

  She might as well have yelled. "What?"

  "Don't they have lanterns out here?"

  "Sh. Go to sleep."

  "This place seems so--"

  "Crude," Sherry groaned.

  Her rude declaration echoed off the metal walls.

  "Shut up, Sherry," I groaned.

  Silence consumed the darkness.

  "Everything's going to be okay, Elise," Violet whispered.

  "Yes, it is, little one. Now go to sleep," the darkness said.

  Rather, Lucius.

  His comforting voice bounced around the murky void.

  Driving away the world outside. Yes. Finally, thank goodness, finally, I feel safe. If only for a moment.

  ****

  With his infrared vision, my Wolf watched the orange heat radiating off the females.

  Where they slept. The little one throwing her arm across the eldest's chest. Tacitus' golden stare showed he also drew from his Wolf's abilities to study things around us. Speaking would be risky given any one of the sisters might be listening. So I nodded at my childhood friend.

  He smacked his head.

  Jokingly, because he made no sound. Most likely in reference to Red's actions. She was a handful. But Tacitus enjoyed challenges. His Wolf had probably already chosen that one. Oh, the self-inflicted torture. Now, Elise is far more agreeable. Pleasing to the eye. But who wants a mate he can't trust? And now I have to rationalize taking her on to the compound. How would Tacitus react if these females are found to be spies?

  Tacitus leaned back, stretching out on his bedding, and threw an arm over his eyes.

  Probably to force his Wolf to stop surveying the garage.

  Violet smacked her lips in her sleep

  Protect, Wolf snarled and focused on his new interest.

  Like I wouldn't guard the little one. The beast worried needlessly and really needed to stop commanding me to protect these females. I am. Besides, Violet isn't what one would expect reared as a spoiled warlord's prized daughter. And the way she reassured her older sister showed she thought of others. Unlike Red. I glanced back at Tacitus who hadn't moved.

  Easy for him to sleep. But things always went more smoothly when someone was on watch at night. And Wolf had no intention of resting.

  Nothing happened for hours until a loud yelp threw Red into a sitting position.

  Violet's body jackknifed as well, sitting, reaching for Elise who had shoved onto an elbow, scanning what was absolute darkness to me when Wolf wasn't in my eyes.

  "Sherry, wake up," Elise called.

  Red turned to the voice. "I'm awake," she condescended.

  "Was it the aliens?" Violet demanded Red's direction.

  Elise clamped a palm over Violet's mouth, her heartbeat suddenly thrashing like a fish out of water.

  "Nightmares are nightmares," Sherry groaned and turned her back to her sisters.

  Maybe nightmares are. But bad dreams are stemmed in something anchored in reality. Something happened. And that's the second mention of aliens by the little one. The second time Elise panicked at the mention of extraterrestrials. She's hiding something.

  "Try to think of other things, Sherry. Just close your eyes." Elise settled back down on her bedding, never removing her hand from Violet's mouth. "We all need to sleep." She slowly withdrew her hand to her chest.

  Cautiously. As if to hide her actions.

  Violet stood beside her eldest sister, both colorful heated blurbs lying across the room.

  As if both are in on the deceit. What are they hiding? We'd discuss this at dawn.

  ****

  Wolf let me sleep for half the night. Solid uninterrupted sleep that kept a warrior's wits about him. At least, until the sisters confessed. Which would be right after their bedrolls were tied to their saddles.

  Elise helped Violet and skirted her red mare to check on Sherry.

  Always the helpful eldest sibling. Like my brother who'd gotten himself killed trying to fight off a Shifter larger than Tacitus. A Shifter attacking Hadrian. Live and learn. I'd teach Elise that skill before long. Before she committed suicide helping Mouthy Red.

  They finished packing, Elise joining Violet on the horse's left side, and pointed at the little one to mount.

  Time to get to the bottom of things. "Wait."

  The women shot me curious stares.

  With innocence in their gray eyes. But I'm not about to fall under a spell cast by beauty. "We need to talk first." I waved everyone to come close.

  Although, Marcus wouldn't be present because he guarded the weed-infested road outside. I'd fill him in later. I stepped close to the huddle of females.

  "It's confession time." I eyed all those shades of gray eyes.

  All at some hue in the range of the color of gray. Crazy. Like I'd never seen those color eyes before. Pale blue I'd seen. Or deep blue that clothing seemed to cause to appear gray. Yes. Not true gray.

  Elise's head tilted slightly.

  I'd ease her curiosity. Whether she appreciated the question or not. "Twice I've heard Violet mention the aliens. I want to know why."

  Elise wagged her head. "She's young and suspects they're following us." Her heartbeat tattled at how she struggled with the answer.

  Lied.

  Violet's mask twisted into a scowl.

  As if she felt she'd been made to look the fool. I'd let her answer. "What about that, Violet? Is that why you mention the extraterrestrials?"

  Elise clamped her fingers around the younger girl's shoulder.

  "No. I--"

  Must have pinched hard to cut off the little one's words. I slid my gaze to the pale gray eyes of the dark-haired woman. "What are you hiding from us?"

  Her brow knotted, and she wagged her head slightly.

  Denying my accusation. She'd tell us the truth. I pulled Wolf into my eyes and ears.

  Her pinched features stretched with awareness.

  Her heartbeat rattling out a staccato. "You know I can measure your response, Elise. That I can sense a change in your heartbeat. So, tell me the truth. Tell us what we're getting into escorting you across country. And keep in mind that I don't want to endanger my relatives by taking you to my clan's outpost. So, think long and hard about how you can cause yourself problems by withholding information from us."

  Her perfectly-sketched mouth opened and closed in silence.

  Violet leaned her head back to look at the taller two women. Neither sister bothered glancing the little one's direction. Violet rolled her charcoal gray eyes back down to meet my gaze and blinked.

  Contemplatively. Thinking. Perhaps something the other two didn't want her to do. I'd work on Violet while appealing to the older sisters. "I said we'd protect you. Don't lead us into a trap." What the aliens are notorious for doing with Normals. Trapping Shifters. Usually those who were mated. Mates caught together were hot commodities on Earth. But these females couldn't possibly think we're valuable without our mates. They have to be waiting for us to lead them to our homes. Our mates. If they wanted anything at all.

  "We're healers," Violet blurted.

  Elise's face drained of color and h
er eyes slowly closed.

  Sherry smacked Violet's shoulder.

  Violet twisted to face them. "Father always said the only way people can work together is to trust each other. These men are here to help us."

  "You little fool," Red growled.

  Maybe not. "Healers as in herbs and teas? The aliens are after you because you know which plants to collect and how to use them?"

  Sherry slammed a hand over Violet's mouth. "Enough. If you don't want to help us, fine. Leave. But no more questions."

  Interesting response. "I'm in charge. You will answer my questions until I'm happy with the answers." I slid my gaze to Violet. "Let her go."

  Sherry's hand didn't budge.

  I glared up at the determined tick in her jaw. "Do as I say."

  She stared for another heartbeat before her hand slipped away and fell to her side.

  I'd work on the little one. "Now, Violet, help me trust you."

  Violet's mouth curled into a smile. "We don't need herbs to heal."

  Sherry sighed loudly.

  Not loud enough to make the discussion end. "Can you explain?"

  "Just touch. We heal through touch."

  Elise couldn't even bring herself to open her eyes.

  "Well, that's just perfect, Violet," Red growled and paced away from us toward the shadows along the far wall. "Now, we've got to worry about the fucking aliens and strange Shifters."

  Elise whipped her nose toward her angry sister. "Blame our spineless father who kicked us out of his home. Violet isn't responsible."

  So true. Children didn't know any better.

  Red's focus jerked to the left, beyond the horses. She pointed a finger. "Stay away from me."

  Tacitus. Slowly walking by the view I had of his combat boots and bloused camouflage pants beneath the mares' bellies.

  Fine then. He could have the mouthy female. Keep her out of my hair.

  Everyone watched as he leisurely stepped along then halted.

  A wide mass. Blocking her view of us. Probably of Violet. I turned back to Elise.

  She studied me. "What are you going to do to us, Lucius?"

  Why would Elise doubt Shifters who protected females--the most valuable commodity on the planet? I rose to tower over her pounding heart and Violet's stare.

  This one, Elise, had nothing to fear of warriors who would die to possess the chance to immortalize themselves through her gift of bearing their children. They'd protect her against the aliens. But the aliens want these females. These healers who heal by touch. Why? My sire will want to know more, to learn more about the females' connection to the aliens. "You're going to my sire's outpost. Nothing's changed. But now we know the aliens are after you. Maybe not your sire. But he doesn't matter anymore. Let's go. We'd be foolish to waste time."

  ****

  That's all the Shifters would do in reacting to our psychic powers of healing? To believe Lucius' curiosity was satisfied and all would proceed as he initially planned would be unwise. But I must play along. At least, until I know Violet's safe. Then I can decide how to proceed. I helped Violet climb into the saddle and took my seat behind her slender form.

  Tacitus followed Sherry to the other mare with a clipping stare.

  Obviously determined to see her silent and mounted by his focus. At least, these Guardians hadn't hogtied us and thrown us over a saddle. Strange, because they knew about our gifts, and Normals didn't handle the information well. Like the first time Sherry touched someone. Father refused to allow us to go anywhere unescorted. By Shifters afterward. Yes. Our Guardians. But, they were Shifters specially chosen individually by Father. Shifters held in high esteem. Gone now. All of them killed when the extraterrestrials used their extermination beam to eradicate all organic material from New Boston.

  Lucius yanked his gelding around and swept us all with his gaze.

  An unnerving sort of look that caught me, paused, shooting deep into my soul, squeezing my heart into silence, then moving on to whoever rode to my left. Commanding. Powerful. Frighteningly real. Accusatory. The appealing square line to his jaw stole my breath away though. Knocked my heart into a freefall that bottomed out low in my belly. Talk about an expression that made me want to be as far from him as possible or lying beneath him. No man had ever made me think such a contradiction before.

  Why? Because of his strength?

  "We ride fast. Hard. If there's a problem, let me know."

  How can there be a problem when Lucius took care of things? What I'd give for him to look at me. Over here. Focus this way again.

  I'm losing my mind. How can a person act beyond the fear of letting go and allowing a man to notice her when the woman had my deadly alien gift that marked her as non-human. When just one touch is all it would take to accidentally reveal she isn't normal?

  Because notice leads to touch. My enemy. The path to my demise. The only thing I can't have. Father knew--forbade any encounters I'd have with males. He saved me and my sisters. I think. What's life to a woman without the touch of a man? A life hidden beneath a thick long-sleeved shirt, sweating in the heat of the summer for fear of a touch. Alone. Miserable. Contemplating touch from a male who couldn't possibly reciprocate the interest…

  Chapter Three

  Between galloping and walking the horses, the Shifters guided us to a lake by noon. It's hard to believe anything dangerous other than wild animals lurked out here among the peaceful trees and blue sky mirrored in the water's mercurial surface. But our Guardians would have laughed if I spoke my thoughts. So, I led Violet to a boulder beside the glimmering water and sat down with a tin of crackers and venison jerky.

  Violet studied the lapping song of the lake and chewed on some salty meat.

  Good. She didn't notice Tacitus led Sherry off to sit behind bushes at my back. Why is Sherry in isolation? After the commanding way Lucius looked earlier when seated upon his gelding, I'd be crazy to question the purpose behind keeping Sherry from having another irrational outburst around us. Lucius obviously kept her away from Violet to keep everything under control. He probably wanted to lure more information out of my little sister. Damning information. That seemed a more likely plan of a leader like him.

  The warrior walked back and forth between the shore and the horses.

  Mindlessly parading his exceptional body before me with a small bag of food in hand. Oh, those long legs. Legs that could comfort a woman the way I'd been told a protective lover cared for his female. What would a man like Lucius do with a woman as naïve about men as I am though? I'd never permitted a man to touch me beyond accepting help from the Guardians Father had paid to protect me. And those were older mated warriors. But touching them hadn't mattered. Now, I could stare at Lucius' narrow waist. At his perky ass. As long as he wasn't paying attention. And finally feel free to enjoy the view. Maybe even guilty.

  He isn't interested in me though. But looking can't hurt beyond self-inflicted torment. I could handle that private disgrace. And Lucius is too preoccupied to take note of my interest.

  "What's your name?" Violet asked.

  Lord. I'm staring at a man instead of monitoring Violet's friendly nature. I shook off the trance Lucius lured me into and found Violet speaking with Marcus.

  Now, he's almost as handsome as Lucius with brown expressive eyebrows that moved while he spoke to Violet. Nobody could miss how his was a good soul. One that took the time to speak carefully and answer her childish questions.

  "I'm here with my brothers." Marcus pointed over his shoulder at Hadrian and Lucius.

  "I never had any brothers." Violet smiled.

  Violet talked far too much. But nobody knew what Father told me. That the aliens only fathered psychic female hybrids through mating Normal females and artificial insemination. Although, the three of us aren't Father's children, he'd defend us to the death as if we were his flesh and blood. Langston loved us that much even though each of Mother's pregnancies had been changed with artificial insemination by the alien doctors from the sp
aceships. What a terrifying reality. A secret I had vowed to take to my grave because Father told no one else.

  Lucius descended at Marcus' side and locked a stoic gaze upon me. "How much longer can you and your sisters ride fast?"

  The motion jarred Violet to the point I feared she'd topple off the saddle she currently sat upon like a stool. She probably couldn't ride the rest of the day. I can force myself to. But not her. Pointing out she was young and weak would only hurt her feelings though. But Lucius had to hear my concerns. I stared into his assessing stare. "May I speak with you alone?"