Loving Lucius (Werescape) (30 page)

Drea smiled graciously. "And in a few weeks, the foraging season will begin. I'll take you out with the women."

Why isn't that phrased as an invitation? They have to think I know nothing. How embarrassing. At least, Drea had the sense to say she'd teach me. One way or the other. "Thank you. I know nothing about foraging either."

"Oh," she smiled and waved a dismissive palm, "it's simple. There are so many things to eat in the forest, and nearby on the prairie, that you will appreciate knowing. In case anything happens."

What could happen? "You say that like all could change in a heartbeat."

She nodded and studied the ground as if she didn't want me to see her eyes. "It can."

That's when I heard her tone. Felt her sorrow. This was about losing her family. "I'm sorry. I hadn't made the connection. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge with me. I've been so worried about Lucius leaving today that I don't know where my mind went."

She forced a smile beneath her glistening eyes. "It's alright. Sometimes I feel like we're all children. Learning. Never learning enough. At least I can do something for you. But, Josie is so withdrawn." She sighed and diverted her gaze to the next row of taller plants with long broad leaves.

Maybe having her talk about her sister would help. "Hasn't she always been like this?"

Drea nodded. "She's obstinate." She met me gaze, almost laughing. "And when she decided she loved Hostillian, Gods help us all." Her face stretched with humor. "She decided when she was eight years old that a thirteen year old Shifter was the only mate for her." She smacked her forehead and scanned the garden. "My sire almost choked when he learned of the madness. Josie didn't just go and inform Hostillian. She started competing with all the boys his age or younger. Mastering everything they did with tools and weapons. This only made Hostillian more hostile."

She grew very still, facing me with her arms snaked across her chest as if in deep thought. "Augustus thinks the Shifter was just intimidated by her. She'd confront any male who told her to do women's work. Argue for her right to learn. And Hostillian has always been the largest Shifter in these parts. Larger than Tacitus. He operates on silence as his best weapon for intimidating others into behaving. Augustus said Josie just scared Hostillian away."

How sad. "And now she refuses to mate?" Poor thing. She's as lonely as I was.

My heart sank again.

Deeper and deeper. Bouncing into the mysterious well of tears inside us all. Splashing them up toward my eyes. I gulped down the burning sensation and met Drea's gaze. "I feel for her. Trapped in a corner she'd placed herself. Where is Hostillian?"

"He's running our crop site."

Crops? "I don't understand."

"We have community fields two days ride from here. Hostillian has seven Shifters out at the site to help him maintain the crops and guard it from Normals as well as nuisance animals."

So many Shifters? How many are there altogether? Even more so, what crops? "How interesting. What crops are grown?"

"Corn if we have the heirloom variety seed in the spring. Mostly wheat though. And soybeans. There are two crop areas. Another capable Shifter male runs the other site. Augustus almost sent Lucius to manage it though."

If he had, would I have even met Lucius? Maybe Tacitus would have been the warrior leading the group that crossed Langston's path. Maybe he'd have marked me right there in front of Langston.

My gut twisted.

Not good. But I have my Lucius now. And I can't ask for anything other than him to return safely to me. I loved him. Or loved him as much as I could love any man. But what about Josie? "What about your sister?"

Drea looked over her shoulder as if worried someone might have approached without our notice then stepped to my side, leaning closely like she showed me something while looking at her palm. "Augustus is going to send her to deliver a message to Hostillian after he has his test results."

Perfect. Or not. "What do you think will happen?"

Drea chuckled softly and stepped away, studying the overturned dark soil. "We can only guess. Either World War III or a truce and a marking. But only Lucius, you, and I know anything about Josie's love of Hostillian and Augustus' plan. My mate would teach me a lesson for speaking a word of what his cousin--my sire--told him in secrecy. Please, speak of this to no one. Or Josie will learn of Augustus' meddling and take off."

"She'd just leave?" Josie can't. She's strong. I need to be as strong as her.

"She can't fight Augustus. He's alpha. She'd just leave," Drea said matter-of-factly.

And with nowhere to go, Josie's journey wouldn't be easy. "You can trust me," I whispered. The last thing I wanted was for anything else to happen to Josie. She deserved some peace and happiness. And thank goodness Augustus wanted that for her. This is a good place to live within a caring family.

****

The ride back to The Wire took a lot of patience, just so I could show my sire I could follow orders when driven by the Mating Fever. Nothing could have been safer than leaving my mate below ground in our quarters. But she'd be outside soon enough. I'd asked Drea to keep her busy. Gardening. Elise knows nothing about gardening. The lesson should eat up a good part of the day. And her worry.

Paint caught his hoof on something.

Dragging. Catching his shifting weight. We're almost to the house. Almost to the place I'd have to return to time and time again to send messages across country. To relive those few Gods-be-damned minutes I tormented my mate. Why did a lifetime of reminders seem like justice served?

Maybe I should tell her.

Someday.

After a few children kept her so busy she'd just laugh and return to her chores. Because I don't want to stir up that fire again. She needs to feel safe. I like offering the protection. That's the way of things now. But what about the Elder gathering? I'm about to send the message and set the annual meeting's wheels into motion. How would Elise react when I tell her I have to go? Alone as Augustus decreed.

Okay, she will most likely be pregnant. A pregnant mate can't ride halfway across the US Territories unless the circumstances are dire. But the journey would be with motors most of the way once I reached The Black Hills. We'd all load into tanks or onto motorcycles to follow Interstate 90, picking up a few Elders along the way. Besides, many Shifters took their mates. Mates who don't have babies or aren't pregnant. I can do that. See to it Elise wasn't pregnant. Preventing Wolf from having her when she ovulated would be extremely difficult though. But if Augustus can't smell pregnancy on Elise, he won't be able to tell her she can't go. He's too soft when it comes to females. And after Elise's traumatic introduction not long ago, he probably can't refuse her.

Get ready, Wolf
.
You and I are going to be at each other's throats before long
.

****

Lucius walked through our door after supper ended, smiling.

Violet and I just watched him.

"You two are waiting there, together, lined up like two guilty females," Lucius teased, pulling the door shut at his heels.

"We're just glad you're home," Violet blurted.

His golden eyebrow arched. "Silly females." He winked at her. "I'm sent to The Wire almost every other week since my sire witnessed how easily I could squirm my tail up that pole. I've only encountered a Normal twice during that time. It's been almost fifteen years and only Normals afoot twice." He dragged a chair over to where we sat and settled into the metal seat to pull at the heel of a dusty combat boot. "I did see a brown bear. He thought I smelled." His eyebrows arched Violet's direction as if shocked. "Do I smell?"

"Like a Shifter." Violet giggled. "He was just afraid of you."

"Me?" Lucius scoffed like he couldn't believe her and placed the boot on the floor beside him. His blue gaze slid to mine, softening. "Did Drea teach you about gardening today?"

Oh, a mischievous little spark danced in his eyes. "So, you're behind that."

"Kept you busy." He set the other boot down with its mate, and began unbuttoning his long-sleeve camo shirt. "And you kept her busy."

Yes we did. And Lucius had enough sense to make it happen. My loving Lucius. I couldn't have asked for a better mate. And to think Augustus almost sent my man the other direction. What madness this fate thing is. I couldn't hide the small smug smile growing on my lips.

"That's what I like," he said.

What? I waited for the declaration.

"My girls smiling when I come home." He winked at each of us.

He must be happy now. Although, he hasn't said he is. Not really. Just shoots off winks like they're another aspect of breathing. A sign of happiness hopefully. Hopefully he's happy with touching. Touching is incredibly medicinal. Healing. Expressive. Yes. He communicates so well with both touch and winks.

****

My sire was happy to inform us at supper two days later that Josie's blood work returned clean. Nothing. Whatever the culprit had been apparently required Shifter DNA to move in. If the two affected clans weren't mingling with any other outposts, the fever would probably never bother another soul. If we're lucky, the microbe is one dead bug. Because the sleeping Violet across the room and my mate at my side in bed gave me a partial sense of completion. Maybe not absolute completion because Violet would hear her sister and I having sex. Well, we'd have to wait until she returned to school in the morning for that noisy melding of souls. But I can't complain about having a few needy females around requiring my help. It's kind of nice.

The candlelight fluttered behind my back on the top of the narrow bookcase on my side of the bed.

"So, do you think it's safe for you to travel?" Elise whispered where she stretched her delicate curves along the length of my body where we laid beneath the soft blanket with me, her arm snaked beneath mine where she massaged my shoulder with one comforting hand.

Always concerned. Did she fear I'd die and the mating bond would be broken? That she'd have to set out on her own again? Not the way Wolf intended to keep his mate around. I wriggled my fingers into her cool hair, where her mid-back began pinching into her slim nonexistent waist, and raked my fingers through the slick silk down to the base of her back. Down to where her lick-able hips curved outward.

The side of her small body barely rubbed my forearm. Yes. So slim. Delicate. Frail.

Protect
, Wolf snarled.

Oh, I don't need to be told to do that. And she doesn't need to worry. "I'm as safe as you when I travel. Except," I tickled a fingertip along the meandering line of her hip and the bumpy side of her ribcage, "I have built-in weaponry. You," I chuckled and traced up her arm to the line of her jaw, "just have me."

Her pale gaze studied me in the muted glow of the candle.

Would she argue?

"I don't want anything to happen to you," she whispered.

"Neither do I," Violet blurted in the darkness from her bed across the room.

Females. And the little one is eavesdropping. "Alright, both of you. It's time to sleep." I rolled onto my back, away from temptation.

Elise wiggled across the gap between our bodies until pressing her warm curves into my side and propped her head upon my upper arm.

Watching me in the faint glow of the candlelight.

Her eyes glinted.

Like she wanted to say more. The little fool. Worrying undoubtedly. About what? Had she heard about my trip to the meet with the Elders? If so, I'm not about to set off on a month-long trip without her. Besides, Augustus wouldn't tell anyone about his plans for me to attend the gathering. Nobody would have told Elise to set off her fears. She had to be worrying about things only females thought about. Something like love and happiness. Maybe that's the force behind her steady contemplative stare. Maybe she worries I don't love her.

Again. The silly female. I can set her straight. Teach her to stop wasting her time fretting over my inner beast's drive. I leaned over, thrusting my fingers behind her hair to circle her shell of an ear, and pressed my lips against the stiff curve of cartilage inside my palm. "I love you. Sleep now."