Commando Cowboys Entice Their Beauty [Wyoming Warriors 6] (12 page)

Tension held the viewers still in their seats. Payton hit the center. Averil walked casually by him and as soon as the judges were out of the way she swung her rifle up and shot.

There wasn’t a new hole. They’d both hit center.

Mitch took the mike. “Ladies and gentlemen, we have a tie. After one hour and many shots, neither of our contestants failed to hit the bull’s eye.” Everyone clapped and shouted.

Daren and Garth handed Payton and Averil a trophy.

“It’s late. Are you ready to go home?” Raoul asked.

“I see my father. I want to talk with him. I think I’ll stay at his house tonight. We’ll probably talk until the early morning hours.”

Raoul and Aleron looked worried. Their scent swirled around her, making her body hot and hungry, but she had to have time away from them. She needed her father’s advice.

“I’ll call you in the morning and you can take me to the ranch house. Hopefully tomorrow I can start to work on finding the enemies.” From the looks on their faces this comment didn’t make them feel better.

Reluctantly, they walked with her to where her dad, mom, and the rest of the family waited to congratulate Payton. Her father turned to greet them.

“I thought I’d come home for the night. If that’s all right?” she asked her parents.

“Of course. We’d love to have you,” her mom said. Mom looked questioningly at Jewel and the two men standing close behind her.

“Raoul and Aleron will pick me up in the morning.”

Taking her hint, Raoul and Aleron said good night and left.

“They looked worried,” her mother said as they walked to her dad’s car.

“They’ll be all right. I needed some space from them.”

“You’re such a loner.” Mom shook her head. “I don’t understand why.”

Jewel looked across at her dad. Maybe after their talk she could tell her mother what they’d hidden from her. She’d be hurt, but hopefully she’d forgive Jewel and Dad.

* * * *

Jewel’s mom went in to put on coffee. “I know you two will talk into the night and need the caffeine. After it’s made, I’m going to bed. See you in the morning.”

“She’s going to be upset when we tell her,” Jewel said.

“I’ll talk with her and explain. I should have trusted her. She’s a good, loving woman. I made a bad decision.” Her dad sat on the swing and lit his pipe. He patted the seat beside him. “Sit and tell me what’s worrying you.”

“It’s been a difficult day telling so many people. They’ve all been great about it, but I feel so exposed.”

“A natural reaction. I imagine it was like peeling off a layer of skin and making yourself vulnerable.”

“Exactly. I couldn’t say it any better.” They swung silently for a few minutes. Her dad put his arm around her, and she cuddled against his side. The aroma of his tobacco took her back to other nights when he’d comforted her for one reason or another. Finally, Jewel straightened. “There’s something else bothering me.” She told him about Raoul’s story.

“Are you worried for your safety? According to what you said, Raoul’s great-grandparents are the threesome where one husband killed the other one and their wife.”

“Yes, his and Garth’s great-grandparents were the two who died. But I don’t know if Garth has told Rae.”

“Possibly not. I don’t think Raoul would have told you except you are a descendent of one of the other woman shifters.”

“You didn’t know?” she asked her father.

“No. It wouldn’t have made any difference to me. I loved your mother totally and unconditionally.” He puffed his pipe and glanced at Jewel. “I sense the questions in your mind. If you are seriously considering that either or both of them may be the men you want to marry, then the only question you need to answer is, do I love them as they are, unconditionally, and totally?”

“I know it’s awfully quick for me to be thinking of marriage, but I am. In all my years, I’ve never met anyone else who made me consider making a commitment. Of course I was hiding my secret then, but both Raoul and Aleron have accepted the real me.”

Her father took a puff on his pipe. “For us, when the right person comes along it’s like an immediate reaction in our body. The other person’s scent, their looks, everything about them grabs you. Many of our people know about Justin.” Her dad chuckled. “He tried his best to not love the woman he and his brother finally married. He didn’t believe he was compatible with her. In the end he couldn’t deny what his body was telling him, and he, and Ethan, and their wife, Morgan, are very happy.”

“You don’t think there’s any risk to me physically? Well, I know there isn’t, but still I never thought of a shifter going rogue.”

“It apparently hasn’t happened before or since. Life is a risk. Do I think they’d ever hurt you?” He wrinkled his forehead. “I believe they’d die before they’d hurt you or let anyone else. But that’s my instinct. Again, it’s up to you and how you feel in here.” He put his hand over his heart.

Her father grinned at her. “And remember you’re a shape-shifter. Maybe they fear you may go rogue. But seriously, I think it says a lot for Raoul that he told you this story about his family. I expect, for some reason, the story made a greater impact on him then it did on his brother. He would have been a little younger and maybe under that tough exterior he shows to the world he’s really more sensitive.”

“Dad.” She hugged him. “You have the best way of bringing me back to reality. I wasn’t too worried. I just needed to talk it through out loud with you. I’ll get us a cup of coffee.”

“No, let’s get some sleep. We both have difficult jobs to face tomorrow. I have to admit my mistake to my wife, and you have to find our enemy.”

“I’ll turn off the coffeepot, then.” Jewel kissed her father’s cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

But just as they went to go in the house, Payton came home. “I’ll stay out here, Dad. Payton needs to hear my secret from me.”

Her father waved and went on in. She and Payton sat on the top step as they’d often done in the past.

“You have a secret?” he asked.

“You’re going to be upset and wonder why I didn’t tell you. But no one knew but Dad and me. He thought it was best for my safety.”

Payton surprised her and took what she told him well. “A shape-shifter?” He chuckled. “Mary is going to be so jealous. She’ll go crazy knowing you have the best skill of all.”

“I don’t know about that. You won a trophy tonight.”

He held up the gold statue. “But I couldn’t beat a woman.”

“Don’t tell me you’re going to act like most men and look down on her because of her gender.”

“Nope. But I plan to marry her, and I’d like to have beat her on one shot.”

“Marry her? Does she know?”

“Not yet. Cody and I met her in California. She’s the woman who talked to the sheriff to help clear Cassie. She hid the fact she was part of the third tribe.” He shook his head. “Can you believe that tiny woman with the fiery red hair can shoot that good?”

Jewel saw the proud look on her brother’s face. He’d been teasing. It didn’t bother him a bit that she’d tied with him.

“I have to go to bed.” Jewel stood. “Let me know the date for the wedding.”

“Rumor has it you’ll beat us to the altar.”

She waved good night and didn’t comment. In her room, she quickly undressed and fell into bed and into sleep.

In her dreams a silver fox and a golden eagle hovered around her. They kept the evil, poised in the dark corner ready to strike, far away from her. It seemed she’d only been asleep a few minutes when she heard heavy footsteps in the hall and Aleron’s voice at the door.

“Can I come in?”

Her head felt fuzzy from lack of sleep. “I’ll shower and join you in the kitchen. I need coffee.”

“I’ll get you a cup.”

“Then I’d better hurry,” she mumbled. Jewel heard Aleron walk off. She jumped into the cold shower hoping to wake up more. When she walked back into the bedroom with a towel wrapped around her, Aleron sat on a chair by the wall. He held a cup of coffee out to her. She saw his cup on the side table.

“Thanks, I need this.”

“What time did you get to bed?”

“I told Payton my story when he came home. I think it was around three o’clock or thereabouts. I want to get dressed.” Her face flushed.

“Darlin’, are you embarrassed? I’ve seen every spot of your delectable body. Don’t be bashful. I love looking at you.”

“You’re right. But I’m still not used to a man seeing me naked.” She kept her towel around her as she walked to her closet, where she’d left a few of her clothes. She took out a pair of white cotton slacks and a yellow top. Then she searched in her drawers for underwear.

“Close your eyes,” she ordered.

“All right, if you insist.”

He did as she asked and she dressed quickly. “All right, you can look now.”

“I have to ask a question. How do you feel about Raoul and me since what he told you yesterday?”

“Where is Raoul?”

“He went to see Garth. They’re going to talk and then shift and run. He’s worried.”

She put her arms around Aleron and leaned into his strength. “So much happened yesterday. I needed to clear my head. I’d shared my secret with so many people all at once. It was both frightening and a relief to get it out in the open at last. Then I asked Raoul to tell me the story about the women shape-shifters.”

“Did it scare you off?”

“I didn’t know what I felt. It was much sadder than I’d expected, and Raoul was obviously emotionally touched. He shared it was his great-grandfather and great-grandmother who died.”

“He’s linked to her through his wolf. But how do you feel this morning?” Aleron persisted.

“As my father pointed out, I’m a shape-shifter. Are you afraid I might go rogue?” She bent over, laughing at his stunned expression. “But I might if I catch either of you looking at another woman,” she teased.

He held her tightly in his arms. “There’s not a chance. You’re etched on our brains and in our hearts. You couldn’t lose us if you tried.” Aleron sat on the side of her bed and pulled her onto his lap.

He gave her a lopsided smile. “Your parents are waiting for us to have breakfast with them, but I want just a minute to kiss your delectable lips.” He kissed her gently and when she opened her mouth his tongue caressed the inside, tasting, touching, and tangling with her tongue.

“Hmm, better than my first cup of coffee in the morning.” He ran his fingers through her hair. “I know it’s quick, but I have no doubt you’re the woman for Raoul and me. Still, you need to feel the same or it won’t work.” He helped her off his lap and stood. “Guess we’d better go see the parents.”

Jewel blushed at the thought of seeing her parents right now. She felt sure her face was still flushed from Aleron kissing her. She’d say they were talking about some concerns. Which they did, but her parents might wonder why it took this long. Heck, she wasn’t seventeen anymore.
Right, as though that will make it any easier.
Aleron held the door open for her, and they headed to the kitchen,

* * * *

Her mom sat at the table sipping a cup of coffee, and her dad stood nearby with a worried expression.

“Sit,” her mother said. “Your father told me about your secret this morning.” She swallowed, and Jewel saw her blink tears out of her eyes. “I can’t believe that in all these years neither of you trusted me enough to share this.” Her lips pressed together.

Jewel sat beside her and took her hand. “I’m sorry. We were so paranoid about the secret, and by the time you all married it was already engrained in me not to tell anyone. I’m pretty certain Dad felt the same way. I know you’d never deliberately tell anyone, but sometimes words might slip out. One word might be enough to make the wrong person suspicious. That’s why we didn’t tell any of the family.” She squeezed her mother’s hand. “You know how close Payton and I have always been. I told him late last night when he came home.”

Her heart hurt seeing how they’d hurt her mother. She might not have been her biological mother, but in all other ways she’d raised her, loved her, and taken care of her.

“We’re both sorry, honey,” her father added. “We made a grave error and hope you can forgive us.”

“It won’t be today.” Her mother stood and went to the stove. She’d fried bacon, and now she began to cook pancakes. No one said anything else.

Aleron sat in the seat next to Jewel and took her hand. His touch helped warm the chill from her body. When they all sat down to eat, her mother looked around the table. “If you hide anything else from me, I’ll leave. I can’t live in a house with no trust.” After that they ate in silence.

Guilt and frustration made Jewel’s body tense. Looking at it from her mother’s perspective, they had been very wrong to keep her in the dark. Jewel had been too young to realize the complications that might occur later because of her dad and her making this particular decision. But over the years one of them should have realized her mother needed and deserved to be told. Jewel and her dad were equally guilty and her parents’ marriage might be in jeopardy because of Jewel. For a second she hated herself and her life. Why hadn’t she been born like her brothers and sisters? She’d have had a normal life on the ranch and probably already been married and have children of her own.