Quarantine (8 page)

“You’re right. It does.” My body quivered with anger now. “God, I’m so stupid.” Tears welled in my eyes as my fury built, and I refused to release it any other way. “I thought you wanted me. I thought you cared about me.” I said this directly to Dean, who flinched at the words.

“We do—” Nate started, but I cut him off.

“I’m just a little old lady who needed three strapping young men to kill a psychopath, right?”

“That’s enough!” roared Dean. He got to his feet and advanced on me.

I backed away, but Jasen caught me, pinning my hands behind my back and holding me still so I couldn’t run.

“I care about you so much it makes me sick. Do you think I wanted to fall for you? All this time, I thought you were playing us. I’m sorry if you think we took advantage of you, but we thought you were doing the same to us. We all underestimated each other. But don’t act like you’re guiltless in all of this. You lied to us. You thought we were all just innocent little boys, and you kept your mouth shut about your condition until there were no other options. Your beast could have broken free at any time, Jo. You showed up here so physically hungry that anything could have set you off. If we’d been just normal people and your emotions forced you to change, you’d have killed us all. But you didn’t say anything, did you?”

“No,” I whispered. “No, I didn’t. But don’t think it wasn’t tearing me apart. Don’t act like I didn’t think everything you just said every single time I looked at you guys. I knew I was playing with fire. But I didn’t know what else to do.”

“Look,” Nate said as he stepped between Dean and me. “It’s the night before the full moon. Can we perhaps tone this down before someone goes overboard and shifts? We’re all running hot right now. We don’t need to make things worse for ourselves. We need to eat, and we need to calm the fuck down. All right?”

Dean nodded, and I agreed. Jasen released my hands after pulling me backward into his chest and placing a wet kiss against my neck. I couldn’t help smiling at the gesture, and when Dean’s gaze caught mine again, his eyes were softer, more mellow than they had been in hours.

“Fabulous!” Nate clapped his hands. “Who wants meat?”

* * * *

Nate prepared the steaks I’d seen in the fridge earlier. As we ate, I told them the story about Kevin and my husband and what I’d been doing the last six months, and they told me about how they’d all been turned.

“We were camping, and a Were-Wolf attacked us all. Honestly, we were lucky none of us was killed. But he didn’t seem to want us to die, he just wanted us to turn,” Jasen said around a mouthful of food.

“What did you mean when you said this was the Were capitol of Michigan?” I asked Nate.

“Well, we all grew up together, but it wasn’t here. My uncle, the one who left this bar to me and my sister, lived here so I knew all about it. Tabitha moved out here after Uncle Walt died then Dean and I came after we graduated high school. Jasen dropped out and followed us a year later. That’s why he’s still in college. Dean told Jasen he’d pay if Jasen went back and got his GED.”

“Yeah, the bastard decided he wants to try law school,” Dean said, shaking his head.

“Hey,” Jasen said with a shrug. “Go big or stay home.”

Dean rolled his eyes, and I laughed. The more time I spent with them the more I realized they were like a family. They worked well together. I hoped I didn’t fuck any of that up.

“So anyway,” Nate said. “I don’t know if the founders of the town planned it this way or not, but we attract a lot of Weres. I think it’s the fact that we’re out in the boonies. Not a lot of civilians to accidentally hurt. The word gets around, and people move here looking to settle down somewhere safe.”

“That’s nice,” I said with a sigh. “I wish…” I trailed off, preferring not to bother finishing that sentence.

I was glad to know that when I shifted they would be there with me. But when the quarantine lifted I knew I had to get out there. I couldn’t let Kevin find them. I wouldn’t risk their safety any more than I already had.

“You could stay,” Dean said, staring down at his plate.

“I couldn’t,” I said sadly. “He’ll come for me, and I can’t let him find me.”

“We can protect you here.” Jasen took my hand in his. “This is a whole town of animals to keep you safe.”

“It’s not their place to do that. It’s not your place, either. This is my fight.”

“But you’re not fighting,” Nate said softly. “You’re running.”

“That’s her choice,” Dean said with a sideways glance at the bartender. “We aren’t going to pressure you, Jo. But if you do leave, I hope you’ll come back through and see us sometimes.”

“Why does it feel like you’re saying goodbye already?” I asked suspiciously. “Last time, I checked we’re going to be here for a few more days.”

“Yes, but as we plan to spend tonight fucking your brains out and tomorrow eating everything in sight, then shifting when the sun goes down, there may not be a lot of time for heartwarming farewells,” Jasen said with a shrug.

I realized suddenly that I loved these men. Nate and Jasen had quickly become like my best friends. I’d never had much experience with friendship before. Even in college, I’d been a loner, keeping to myself as much as possible. Since spending the last six months on the run, anyone I might have had close to a friend had lost touch. But these guys had filled a gap for me that I hadn’t even realized was there.

And then there was Dean. I looked over at him, studying his strong jaw, his broad shoulders, his large hands that were clasped on the table in front of him. I loved him, too, but the ache in my heart at the thought of leaving told me that there might be something more than friendship behind my feelings. He’d claimed he cared about me, that he had fallen for me. Did he mean that or was it all spit out in the heat of the moment?

Maybe it had something to do with the Were part of me. Did animals form bonds more quickly than humans? It was far too soon for me to have such warm and, pardon the pun, fuzzy feelings for these guys.

“This is stupid,” I said, clapping a hand over my mouth as I realized I’d spoken aloud.

“What’s that sweetness?” Nate asked, winking at me as if he knew my thoughts.

“How can they keep us here when we tested negative for Anthrax?” I was trying to cover my ass and hoped they’d buy it.

“I don’t know,” Jasen said, shaking his head in disgust. “But obviously, they’ve discovered the lycanthropy in our blood. Hey Doc, do you think they know what it means?”

“I’m not sure,” Dean said with a sigh. “Even if they do, they can’t keep us in here forever. The government has regulations they have to follow when it comes to Weres.”

“Really?” I asked in surprise. “The government knows about us?”

“Sure. They’ve managed to keep it quiet. Like aliens, it’s safer if Jon Q Public thinks we’re a myth.”

“Aliens are real?” Nate stared at Dean, shock plain on his face. “How the hell do you know that?”

“I don’t, you idiot,” Dean said, slapping Nate upside his head. “I was kidding. My point is that if they don’t let us out of here by Monday, I’m making a phone call.”

“To who?” Jasen asked incredulously. “Oh, please tell me you have the President on speed dial. I have so much I want to say to that man.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “I have the card from that FBI agent who came through last year. The one who was working with the forestry service to get Jericho Falls protected from outsiders. I keep it in my wallet.”

“Then why haven’t you called to get us out of here?” I asked, frustrated that he’d had a get-out-of-jail-free card this whole time and had chosen not to use it.

“Well one, we couldn’t leave until everyone was sure that the Anthrax thing wasn’t real. And now, I think we’re safer in here. As long as we’re quarantined, that bastard who attacked you can’t get in.”

“Leaving me here just gives him more time to track me down!” I jumped to my feet and glared down at him. “I could have been miles from here by now.”

“Jo, think about it. Who would have called in a fake threat to the CDC? Don’t you think this was just a plot to keep you here? I think he already knows exactly where you are. He’s using them to trap you.”

“If he knows where I am, why hasn’t he just come and grabbed me?”

“Well, from what you’ve told me about him, I think he’s stronger in his animal form. I think he wants to wait until the full moon when he’s more of a threat.”

“Speaking of threats,” I said, looking around at the men as the realization of what would happen Friday night washed over me. “What’s going to happen to those innocent CDC people when the full moon breaks and the residents of the town go furry? Will they be safe out there?”

“Why wouldn’t they be safe?” Jasen asked, his tone defensive.

“She’s just a baby, Jasen.” Nate laid his hand over the younger man’s in a calming gesture. “Remember what it was like for the first year? She still can’t control herself.”

“Sorry,” Jasen said to me with a half smile. “I guess I didn’t realize what you’ve been going through lately. As time goes on, you’ll be able to keep a better sense of yourself. It should get better with every shift.”

“Really?” Relief washed over me at his words. “You mean I won’t always rip apart livestock when I change?”

“No.” Dean reached over and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “It helps if you load up on protein for the few days before the full moon.”

“I did finally figure that one out. But there were some pretty scary mornings after the first few moon cycles.” I shuddered as I remembered the feel of raw animal meat in my mouth, blood and dirt under my nails, and the fear of not knowing for sure where I’d been or what exactly I’d done in my cougar form.

Now, that I really thought about it I supposed Jasen was right. The shifts had been different the last couple times. I was more myself for some of it, more aware of what was happening. It hadn’t lasted the whole night, but there were definite moments of clarity when the beast let me use my own brain again.

“It had to be hard going through all of that alone. I think sometimes we forget how lucky we are to have each other,” Nate said, looking around at his friends.

“Speak for yourself,” Jasen replied in a hurt tone. “I never forget how fortunate I am.”

Nate leaned over to kiss his lover. It made me smile to see the tenderness between them.

“Are you sure you want to leave all of this?” Dean whispered in my ear. “You could stay here if you want. We can keep you safe. If you’d let us, we could make you happy.”

“You’ve made me happy,” I said, blinking back tears of regret. “Happier than I’ve ever been. But I can’t stay here.”

Dean nodded, his eyes almost as sad as I felt. I wanted to stay. More than anything I wanted to spend the rest of my life waking up next to his hard body. And maybe, sometimes, we could all fall asleep together, piled into a soft bed to keep warm on winter nights.

I lost the fight and began to sob, my shoulders shaking as tears rolled down my cheeks. Dean slid to the floor and wrapped his arms around me. I lowered my head to his shoulder and let all of the stress and sadness I’d swallowed for months flow from my body. More arms and hands came to comfort me as Jasen and Nate joined my pity party.

Chapter Seven

Our clothes disappeared in a rush of hands as we realized none of us were going to feel better until we were touching as much of each other as we could. We were back on our makeshift bed, but the frenzied need we’d felt for the past two days had morphed into something even more meaningful.

My tears were kissed away by Nate as Jasen and Dean each pressed their lips against the rest of my body. I lay on the floor and closed my eyes, trying to memorize the feel of each of their hands and their mouths. I knew that only the memories of the last few days would go with me when I left Jericho Falls, and I wanted to make sure they were as vivid as possible. I never wanted to forget a single moment that these men had given me.

“Look at me,” Dean’s voice was inches from my face. I opened my eyes to see him looking at me, a serious look etched on his strong features. “You said you were ours, that you were mine. Did you mean it?”

“I’ve given the three of you more than I’ve ever given anyone,” I whispered. “You know I can’t stay though.”

“We all understand you have to leave.” He nodded gravely. “But did you mean it?”

“I meant it,” I said softly. “I’m yours.”

He kissed me, his tongue wrestling against mine as he lay his body on top of me. His erection pressing against my abdomen, and my pussy flooded with need for him. Nate and Jasen had moved over, and I broke the kiss to look for them. They were spread out next to us, Jasen straddling Nate’s hips, their mouths pressed together tightly.

Dean urged me on to my side so I was facing them. He moved behind me, spooning me against his chest, his cock pressed between us, resting on my ass.

“Do you like watching them?” he whispered against my ear. “Does it turn you on to watch two men touch each other like that?”

I nodded, not taking my eyes from the sight in front of me.