CoyoteWhispers (12 page)

Doc dropped to her knees next to them and patted her
sister’s cheek. “Come on, Kat, don’t faint on me. You’re tougher than that.”

Kat’s eyes fluttered. “Jesus Christ. Steve, don’t let them
see.”

Steve had no idea what she was talking about until he heard
Rowan’s cry of anguish. He turned and looked past Dale into Doc’s room. “Fuck.”

Quinn pulled Rowan into his arms and Brogan held El back
away from the door. Steve got to his feet and quickly closed the door. He
turned back to the group. “Take everyone downstairs. Doc and Dale stay here.”

“Why? What’s in there?” El’s voice wobbled.

“I don’t know and I don’t care at the moment. Let’s go down
and wait for them to join us.” Brogan steered her away down the hall.

Tatum and Dale helped Kat to her feet. She’d regained her
color and her eyes sparked with heat of the angry kind. Linking her arm with
Tatum, they followed the others. Quinn remained with a crying Rowan in his
arms. Steve looked at his friend and neither of them had to speak to know what
the other was thinking. Marcus would pay for this.

“We won’t be long,” Steve told him.

Quinn nodded and led Rowan away.

“What the hell is in that room, Steve?” Doc stood beside
him. “What could be bad enough for Kat to almost pass out and to send Rowan,
who has to be one of the toughest women I know, into a fit of tears?”

He turned to Dale. “One on either side of her?”

Dale nodded and together they bracketed Doc. Steve took a
deep breath and cupped her elbow in his palm before opening the door. She
surprised him, there was no gasp, no cry, nothing. Until the shaking started.
Small tremors that turned into bone-rattling vibrations in seconds.

“Is that what I think it is?” she whispered.

“Yeah, if you think that’s Rowan’s wedding dress covered in
blood.”

“Oh God.” She brought a trembling hand up to cover her
mouth. “Wait, that’s not just Rowan’s dress.”

Steve was unprepared for her to move so she got halfway
across the room before he caught up with her. “What do you mean?”

She stood beside the bed gazing down at the red and white
mess. Rowan’s dress lay draped over the footboard and now that he was closer he
could see what Doc was talking about. “El’s dress, but whose is the other one?”

“My mother’s.” She reached out a hand but Dale grabbed it
before she could touch anything.

“No, don’t touch.”

“Come on, we’ve seen enough. Let Dale do his job.”

“I’m calling the station. I need a couple of men over here.
Will you let them in and show them upstairs when they get here, Steve?” Dale
had his phone to his ear already.

“Sure.” Steve ushered Doc from the room.

“I know nothing Marcus has done makes sense but I can’t help
but wonder about the significance of the dresses. Regardless of his craziness
there always seems to be a subliminal message in everything he does,” Doc said.

“The message in Kat’s room is clear, he’s telling you he’ll
hurt her like the dolls. But I don’t have a clue what the message in your room
is. The one in your office is clear. Stop researching but why?”

“Stop researching?” She paused and looked at him. “I never
made that connection.”

“What did you think it was?”

“Just willful mischief.”

“No, it’s clear to me he’s trying to destroy the research
you’ve done so far, which means you’d either start again or give up.”

“I’d never give up. What I’m doing will help generations to
come.”

“What exactly are you doing?”

“I’m tracking skills and bloodlines. Trying to work out if
the coyote gene is thinned by breeding with humans or if there’s no change to
the DNA’s strength.”

“Found anything yet?”

“Yes, actually. The gene isn’t diluted at all. And those
that are turned may start with slightly less potent coyote traits but they grow
stronger over the years. Depending on how young the individual is when they’re
turned, they could end up just as strong as a pure-bred coyote shifter.”

“How would any of this affect Marcus?”

“I don’t know. It was his father that was anti half-bloods
and non-bloods but then the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

“I think you could be right there. Malcolm was insane and it
seems Marcus is following right in his footsteps.” He slung his arm around her
shoulders. “Come on, let’s go meet the cavalry.”

They’d reached the bottom step when a knock sounded on the
front door. Gordie let Steve answer it, more than happy to allow him to take
control for now. Suddenly exhausted, she leaned on the railing for the stairs.
She wasn’t touching any walls in the foyer. She nodded at the two deputies when
they came inside.

“The Sheriff wants us to photograph the downstairs damage
before going up, said you’d show us where, Mr. McKenna,” the older of the two
spoke.

“Here, and beside the back door through the kitchen. Someone
has marked territory. Yell when we can clean it up.”

“Okay, Mr. McKenna.”

Steve walked over to Gordie and pulled her into his arms.
The warmth radiating from his body helped remove the chill that had settled in
her bones since she’d seen her room. She didn’t want to remember those dresses
covered in blood but the image was burned onto her memory like the ink of a
tattoo. Gordie sighed and leaned into him.

“I’m not going to promise everything will be okay but I will
guarantee I’ll be standing beside you no matter what happens,” he murmured in
her ear, his lips brushing her skin, his breath warm and moist.

Gordie didn’t answer him, there didn’t seem to be anything
but thank you to say and that felt like too little. She wrapped her arms around
his waist and raising her head, stood on tippy toes. Her mouth met his in a
quick peck. “It seems like too little but thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me, Doc. You know I’d be here
regardless of our current relationship standing.” He grinned.

“What?”

“We’re together.”

“I know. So?”

“I’ve waited most of my life for this moment and with
everything going on it’s only just sunk in.” Steve lifted her off the floor and
spun around.

“Put me down.”

“No.” He stopped spinning and planted his mouth on hers.

This kiss was nothing like the chaste one she’d given him.
It was wet and hot. He thrust his tongue through her lips. She opened wider and
their tongues tangled, stroked and licked until she was breathless with want.
Gordie curled her legs around his hips and pressed her sex to his. Her pussy
clenched and moisture coated her panties. Steve groaned into her mouth and
bucked his hips.

“Ahem.”

She tore her mouth from his. Ragged breaths dragged over her
teeth and along her raw throat. Her eyes wide, Gordie stared at Steve. They’d
been seconds from taking the kiss to the next level and she’d totally forgotten
where they were. Who was with them. There was a house full of people and she
was moments away from stripping him bare.

“Sorry to interrupt, but could you show us where else down
here needs photographing, please?”

The young deputy ducked his head but not before Gordie
noticed the pink tinge on his cheeks. She looked at the other officer to find
him staring back with a knowing smile. Her own cheeks flushed with heat, more
than was already there from Steve’s carnal kisses.

“This way.” Steve turned and headed through the living room,
Gordie still in his arms.

“Put me down,” she whispered.

“No.” He kept walking.

They passed everyone sitting at her dining table, mugs of
coffee or tea in front of them. Gordie was glad to see her sister had played
hostess. Steve stepped into the kitchen and indicated the door to the mudroom.

“In there.”

Both men entered the small room but it soon became apparent
the space wasn’t large enough for the two of them. The older man came back into
the kitchen and pulled a notebook from his shirt pocket.

“Got a second to answer some questions?” he asked as he
licked the tip of a pen.

“The sheriff was with us when we came in,” Steve said.

“Yep. And I’ll ask him the same questions after I’m done
with you.”

Steve set Gordie on her feet. “Sure. Mind if we sit while
you ask?”

“In here or out there?” The Deputy nodded at the small table
and chairs in the far corner of the kitchen before lifting his chin to indicate
the dining room behind them.

“In here.” Gordie walked over and pulled out a chair.

“Did you see anyone when you got here?”

“No and the layer of snow on the front walk hadn’t been
disturbed either,” Steve answered.

“Okay, so in your own words talk me through what happened.”
He sat opposite them, scribbling in his notebook.

Gordie let Steve tell him. She could have done it but she
was tired and wasn’t sure she wouldn’t burst into tears if she had to say what
had been done to the upstairs rooms. Resting her head on Steve’s shoulder, she
closed her eyes and let the sound of his voice soothe her.

She must have dozed off because next thing she knew Steve
was lifting her into his arms and carrying her out of the kitchen. He headed
upstairs and she tensed. The thought of seeing all that carnage again terrified
her.

“It’s okay, Kat changed the sheets on your parents’ bed.
We’re just going to have a lie down.”

“But—”

“Dale and the deputies are downstairs talking to the others
and Kat, Rowan and El have already cleaned up the mess down there.” He walked
along the hall and she was relieved to see all the doors were shut tight.

“How long have I been asleep?”

“About thirty minutes but you need to rest and you need to
freshen up too. Kat is heading over to the café in a few minutes and everyone
else will leave when she does.” Steve nudged open the door to her mom and dad’s
room. “Dale said he’d be back later with some more equipment and until then we
can’t clean up here so I vote we take a nap while we can.”

He lowered her to the bed and Gordie was surrounded by the
smell of her mother. The bedding was fresh from the cupboard and the scent her
mom always sprinkled to stop the linen from smelling moldy permeated every
thread. She rubbed her cheek on the pillow and breathed deep. Steve tugged off
her borrowed shoes and dropped them to the floor before toeing off his and
climbing on the bed behind her.

Gordie snuggled into him, her back to his front, and
relaxed. His warmth and the comfort of his arm draped over her waist calmed her
in a way nothing in her life ever had. Even with the turmoil rolling around
them she felt safe, secure and most of all loved. She probably wouldn’t have
taken that final step without yesterday’s attack and for that she was thankful.
He pressed his lips to her neck and a shiver raced over her skin.

“Go to sleep.” His arm tightened around her, his hand
splayed across her stomach and those talented fingers stroked her flesh in
slow, easy circles.

“Mmm.” Her eyelids drooped. “This is nice. Don’t let go.”

He chuckled. “Don’t worry, I won’t. You’ll need a crowbar to
remove me from your life now, Doc.”

She smiled and drifted off with his heartbeat drumming
against her spine.

* * * * *

Steve stared at the ceiling above him. Doc had turned and
curled into his side about twenty minutes ago. He hadn’t slept, couldn’t with
all the thoughts going round and round in his mind. Then there was the buzz
bouncing from nerve ending to nerve ending currently making his coyote sit up.
His instincts were screaming the shit was going to hit the fan. The question
was what fan and what shit?

Doc stirred, mumbled something in her sleep and he pulled
her closer, held her tighter. He figured they wouldn’t be heading back up the
mountain today. They would need to clean up once Dale gave them the okay and
Steve didn’t see that happening before later today. Kat said she’d send some
food over from the café for their lunch and knowing her there’d be enough for
their dinner plus breakfast and lunch tomorrow.

He should get up. There’d be no sleep for him and besides,
he needed to use the bathroom. The sound of a truck pulling up out front made
up his mind. Gently as he could, he slipped his arm out from under Doc. She
snuggled into the bedding when he tucked it around her. Whatever she dreamed
about put a smile on her face and he leaned forward to lightly brush his lips
on hers.

Leaving her in that soft, warm bed was hard but he did. With
as little noise as possible he picked up his boots, left the room and pulled
the door closed behind him. He used the bathroom and had just stepped back into
the hall when someone banged on the front door. Taking the stairs two at a
time, he made it before whoever it was decided to make more of a racket than
they already had. Steve swung the door open to find Dale leaning against the
jamb.

“Hey.” Steve stepped aside to let him in. “You’re back
early.”

“I figured you’d want to get back up to your place before
dark.” Dale set down a heavy-looking black case and removed his jacket.

“No, I thought it might be best to stay in town tonight and
head back tomorrow.”

“Could be. There’s supposed to be more snow this evening but
not much. It’s the big storm due in on Christmas morning that’s got me
worried.” Dale looked at him. “You prepared to get snowed in for a few days up
on that mountain of yours?”

“Always.”

“Good. Let’s grab a coffee before I get started.” Dale
walked to the kitchen without further invitation.

“Sure, why not?” Steve followed in his socked feet.

“Gordie still sleeping?” Dale was already filling a mug with
the pot Kat had made earlier.

“Yes. That can’t taste good.” He nodded at the coffee in
Dale’s hand. “I’ll put another pot on.”

“This is fine. Anything is better than that sludge they try
to pass off as coffee at the station. I really need to do something about who
makes the coffee over there.”