ROMANCE: Mason (Bad Boy Alpha Male Stepbrother Romance Boxset) (New Adult Contemporary Stepbrother Romance Collection) (76 page)

“I don’t know.”  Brian said with his eyes pinned to Winnie.  She was staring through the windshield with an odd expression.  She motioned frantically and Chuck inched the truck forward, just enough so the car could get by.  Winnie jumped from the truck, and Brian saw that both women were staring at each other with nearly the same expression. 

The afternoon stilled as the car began its slow departure.  Winnie took a few stumbling steps as if to chase after it, but Chuck wrapped his arms around her firmly from behind and began speaking quietly to her. 

Brian looked at the car and saw the woman twisted in the front seat staring back at Winnie.  She shook her head and turned back around as the car picked up speed and vanished around the bend. 

Winnie spoke something to Chuck, turning in his arms and facing him.  Brian and Mika were speechless as Winnie’s face wet with tears.  Mika was the first to move.  She went to Winnie and laid a small hand on her shoulder. 

“Winnie?  What’s wrong?  Who was that?” 

Chuck looked down at Mika then at Brian helplessly.  Brian understood it wasn’t Chuck’s place to say who the woman was. 

Winnie wiped at her face and tilted her towards the sky.  Her lips quivered.  “She’s my sister.” 

Dalton held onto Autumn’s hand as she stepped out of the roller coaster car.  He didn’t want to laugh at the green tint to her face or the way her knees threatened to buckle.  When she had said she had never been on a roller coaster, he hadn’t actually believed her. 

“Now aren’t you glad we made it here before the park closed for the season?” 

Autumn shot him a dark look.  “Oh yeah, I’m just thrilled.” 

Dalton laughed.  “It was your first time.  You’ll get used to it.  Were you scared?”

“No, not scared.  It just made me queasy.” 

“Want to ride another?”  He asked, leading her to a nearby bench. 

“Yeah, just let me recover from the first.” 

Dalton smiled down at her.  So, she really wasn’t scared.  Good.  His cell phone began ringing and he was still smiling when he answered it.

“Mr. and Mrs. Dalton Brown!” 

Autumn looked up as his smile slowly faded.  “Who is it?”  She mouthed.  She didn’t like the way his eyes slid to her and stayed there.  She liked the way his eye color was deepening even less. 

“I understand.”  Dalton said quietly, plugging his other ear against the noise of the park.  “No, I’m glad you called.”  Another pause, with his eyes sliding off of her.  “No, I think we should.” 

The suspense was killing Autumn.  She knew something was wrong.  “Should what?”  She asked aloud, coming to her feet. 

“See you soon.”  Dalton said and ended the call.  He looked at her and licked his lips.  Autumn knew whatever it was, he was having a hard time just spitting it out. 

“Just say it.”  She said gruffly.

“It’s time to go home.  We’ll have to finish this another time.”

“Why?  What happened?”

Dalton looked at her sadly.  “We have another calling card from Daniel Blacksmith.” 

Dalton watched Autumn as much as he could while driving home.  She hadn’t asked a single question, she had simply nodded her head and gone back to the hotel with him to pack.  By the time they had gotten of I64 and transferred to I95, she had lapsed into complete silence.  He rubbed his thumb along the soft skin between her forefinger and thumb. 

“Babe, do you want to stop and get something to eat before we get home?”

“No.”

“How about a milkshake?”

She turned her head angrily towards him.  “Do you want a milkshake?”

“Not really.  I’m just trying to be nice.”

Autumn jerked her hand from his and pinched between her eyes.  “I know you are, Dalton, but dinner and a milkshake won’t fix this!”  She finished by dropping her hand and staring at him angrily. 

“You act like this is my fault.” 

“It isn’t!” 

“Well, you act like it.” 

“You want me to be all happy and all like ‘ooh yeah, let’s have a milkshake’, when you know that an absolute monster is after me!” 

Dalton pursed his lips and leaned into the door.  He drove with his fingertips and thumb, in a casual manner, but Autumn knew better.  She refused to act like this was all going to be fine.  Dalton needed her to for his own sake, she had picked up on that obvious vibe, but she wouldn’t pretend for him.  Marriage was all about honesty, right?  She eyed him warily.  His eyes darted across the road, to the rearview mirror, the side mirror, then to her.  Once completed he started the cycle again.  He was hiding something. 

“What else is going on?”

He whipped his head at her with a shocked expression. 

Bingo.  Autumn thought glumly. 

“Why would you ask that?”

Autumn crossed her arms and turned back to the passenger window.  The night streaked past her in a blur. 

“Never mind.  I guess I’ll just find out when we get there.” 

Dalton looked at her worriedly, but said no more. 

Daniel took the phone receiver that Bretton held out.  He was in the final preparations for his trip, but this call was vital before leaving. 

Bretton lowered his eyes and backed towards the door.  He would give his master privacy.  He wasn’t sure he liked these recent turn of events anyway. 

“Marcus, thank you for returning my call.” 

“I’m old and tired, Daniel, what do you need?”  Marcus’s voice carried over the phone line like rushing waters, and Daniel gritted his teeth against it.  Marcus was old, and perhaps he was tired, but he was still the most powerful vampire in North America, and what he really should have said was that he was busy.

“I have a technical question.  If a human is born of a vampire, how much would it take to turn her fully?” 

There was a deep silence.  “Is the still human aware?”

“No.”

“The mother was full human?” 

“She was at the time of conception.  The mother was a witch.”

Another deep silence.  “What have you done?”

Daniel rolled his eyes.  “Leanne and I had a child.  She snuck away and hid her from me.  I’ve recently found her, and wish to bring her home.”

“To turn her?”

“Yes.”

“Having a child with Leanne was foolish.” 

“Yes, but it happened.”

Marcus sighed on the other end and Daniel felt the fringes of his mind unraveling at the sound.  He knew he could sound demonic, but Marcus could make noises that sounded like angels weeping. 

“Vampire blood can lay dormant like certain types of retro virus.  You understand how modern doctors talk about if you’ve had chicken pox the shingles virus already lives in the body?”

“Yes.”

“This is the same way.  She already has the blood; even if it’s only a drop or one tiny genetic chromosome, it’s still in there.  For someone like her all she really needs is one firm bite.” 

Daniel smiled.  “Thank you, Marcus, as usual it’s been a pleasure.” 

“Sure it has.”  He replied and the rushing waters stopped as he hung up.

Dalton’s house and front yard were lit up like a Christmas tree, but the only person outside was Brian.  As the car headlights bounced into the yard, he stood and dangled a beer bottle from his fingertips. 

“Well.  Doesn’t he look cheerful?”  Autumn said tartly and got out of the car, slamming the door behind her.

Dalton sighed and followed her out, popping the trunk.  They took their bags in silence, and walked towards the house. 

“Hey.”  Brian said quietly. 

“Hey yourself.”  Autumn said.

“Are they all in there?”

Brian nodded.  “I told them you guys would be here tonight.” 

Autumn and Dalton entered the house, and all talking ceased.  Autumn went straight to her bedroom and set her bag down.  Dalton came in behind her and shut the door without cutting the light on.  She heard his bag hit the floor, and felt his hands run down her arms. 

“Autumn, we will get through whatever this is.” 

“How do you know?”  She strained to see his face, but could only make out the outline of his head. 

“Because we love each other, that’s why.  And because we have a strong pack behind us.” 

Dalton took her hand and kissed her lovingly on the forehead before leading her into the living room. 

Autumn looked at Winnie and frowned.  Her eyes were red rimmed and there was a tight set to her jaw.  She sat alone at the kitchen table, her hands folded tightly.  Chuck leaned against the kitchen counter behind her, his eyes and face troubled. 

“What’s wrong?”  Autumn asked, sliding into the chair beside her. 

“You’ll know soon enough.”  Winnie replied tiredly.  She glanced at Autumn briefly, her eyes raw with emotion. 

Autumn looked around the room.  “Where’s Serena?”

“She not feeling well.”  Mika said.  “We sent her to bed.” 

Autumn ran her hands along the top of her thighs.  “So, let me see the envelope.”

Brian walked past Chuck and took it from the top of the refrigerator.  He handed it to Autumn, and she flicked at the broken seal.  “Opened it, huh?”

“I did.”  Brian didn’t offer any apologies.  “I thought it best under the circumstances.” 

Autumn nodded.  “And so you should have.”  She pulled the thick stationary from within and unfolded it.  The characteristic DB was embossed at the top.  The flowing familiar script made her feel nauseous.  She didn’t know who else had seen it, so she read it aloud.

“My Dearest Autumn.  I wish I could congratulate you on your recent nuptials, but we both know it was truly a travesty.  You may not know it yet, but in time you will.  I have some interesting information which I would like to discuss with you.  You’ve been denied vital things in your life; held back from you mercilessly and I’m happy to tell you that I hold all the keys to answers of questions you may not even be aware that you had.  I would like to meet with you.  I will be arriving to your low country within a day of delivery of this letter.  I hope you will at least acquiesce my visit.  I’m sure you would be thrilled to see your “mother”.  With love, Daniel.” 

Autumn looked up and found Dalton’s eyes.  “He enclosed a phone number at the bottom.”  She handed the letter to him.  “So, he has my mother.”  She said flatly.  “And why would he put the word mother in quotations?”

“I don’t know.  Are we supposed to call him?”  He turned his attention to Brian.  “Who brought the letter?” 

“A woman.”  Brian’s eyes flicked nervously to Winnie, then back to Dalton.  “She was with a large dark skinned man, but he didn’t get out of the car.” 

Dalton looked to Winnie.  “What’s going on?”

Winnie looked at Dalton glaringly.  “You tell me, Dalton.  When you met Daniel Blacksmith for the first time, did you happen to see anyone who looked like me?” 

Dalton shrugged.  “Not really.  I mean the woman Tonya reminded me of you, but I didn’t think anything of it.  I only saw her briefly before she turned into a wolf.” 

Winnie considered this and seemed to relax slightly.  “I guess that’s about right.” 

Dalton looked around the room, his temper rising.  “Someone needs to tell me what’s going on right this damn minute!” 

“She’s my sister, Dalton.” 

“Who’s your sister?”

“The woman…you call her Tonya.”  Winnie looked up at him with tears welling in her proud eyes.  “I know her as Whitley.” 

Dalton covered his mouth, his eyes large.  “Are you…”

“Paternal twins.”  She finished for him. 

Dalton sat at the table with a thud, the letter still in his hand.  “How is this possible?  When did you see her last?” 

“I saw her for the last time when we were sixteen.” 

“How is she with Daniel Blacksmith?”  Dalton felt his blood boiling.  He narrowed his eyes.  “When I mentioned Daniel’s name…when I told you that he possibly would be coming after Autumn…did you know?”

Winnie didn’t say a word. 

“Did you know?”  He yelled, his fist coming down on the table.

Winnie twitched.  “I knew who he was.  I didn’t know for certain if my sister was with him or not.”

Dalton stared at her hotly, his eyebrows a perfect V over his eyes.  “I think you better explain all of this.” 

“My sister met Daniel Blacksmith by accident when my parents took us to Luray.  He was captivated…or something by her way.”

“Her way?”

Winnie tossed her hands in the air.  “Yes, her way!  The almost feline grace, and the way she always seems aloof and composed.”  She tugged at her hair and sighed bitterly.  “Her beauty.”

“You’re beautiful!”  Chuck said fiercely from behind her. 

Winnie smiled lightly.  “No, baby, I’m handsome at best.  Whitley is truly beautiful.”  She looked back to Dalton.  “Anyway, he wanted us to visit the Bull Mitch.  My parents were honored.  I didn’t care either way.  Daniel was able to get Whitley alone for a few minutes, but a few minutes was all it took to fill her head with all sorts of grandiose ideas.”