Croc's Return (12 page)

“What did you see, bug?” She bounced him in her arms, a familiar motion begun when he was just little and needed soothing from a tummy ache or a new tooth.

“The dinosaur found me. It wants to eat me!”

“It was just a bad dream, bug. Dinosaurs don’t exist.”

The right words for a situation like this, and yet she couldn’t deny something had happened. Someone or something had opened that window and left behind a smell that unpleasantly lingered.

Caleb stuck his head and part of his upper body out the window, which she realized, on top of being open, was missing its screen. Could Luke sense the fear in her because he clung tighter, his body seized in terror? He obviously believed something had tried to get in and, more worrisome, given Caleb’s actions, he did too.

Who, though, would come after her son?

The same thing that scared the twins and did something to Melanie.
Was something dangerous hiding in the bayou? It wouldn’t be the first time.

“What’s going on, Caleb?” she asked in a voice that sounded too high-pitched, but she couldn’t help it. She held her son’s head cradled to her as she bounced him on her hip.

Turning from the window, Caleb met her gaze. His big shoulders rolled in a shrug. “I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I don’t like it. Something tried to get in here.”

At his words, Luke whimpered and buried his head deeper into her shoulder.

A growl rumbled, and Renny couldn’t help but take a step back as Caleb’s eyes glinted feral green, his inner beast rising for a moment.

She couldn’t help but be frightened—and fascinated. While she knew Caleb was a shifter, she’d never actually gotten to see his other side, almost as if he was ashamed of it.

Or frightened.

Others had no problem letting their beast out to stretch. It wasn’t unusual to see them sometimes roaming at night, although Daryl’s black panther was hard to truly see.

However, Caleb didn’t revel in his otherness like others did. He kept it tucked away, except during times of intense emotion. Then, and only then, did he sometimes slip enough for the croc to rise.

A brief glimpse was all she got before Caleb slammed the door closed and his eyes turned normal again, but his body still bristled.

“You can’t stay here.” Flatly said.

She didn’t disagree, but there was one problem with his assessment. “I have nowhere else to go.” Not entirely true. She could probably crash at Melanie’s place, but given the twins’ fright that afternoon, did she dare dump her own troubles and fear on them?

Determination straightened Caleb’s spine, and his eyes glinted, almost as if he prepared for battle.

Which means I probably won’t like his suggestion.

“You have somewhere to go where I can keep you safe. My place.”

He was right. She didn’t like it at all.

But when it came to the safety of her son, she didn’t have a choice.

It surprised Caleb that Renny didn’t protest much when he told her she was coming with him back to his place. More actually his mother’s home, but he didn’t think Ma would protest, not when he knew she was dying to meet her grandson.

“Give me a minute to grab some things,” was what she murmured instead. Even more amazing, when he held out his arms to take his son, Luke dove at him, arms and legs winding as far as they could go around his body.

It took Renny but a few minutes to pack a bag while Luke lay nestled against Caleb’s chest, the trust his son had in him almost enough to bring a grown man to tears.

A quick scratch of his groin took care of that urge.

Loving his family was all well and good, but he couldn’t let debilitating emotions cloud his senses.
I need to be alert and ready because danger lurks.

Something threatened his family, and he had to protect them.

Funny how in less than one day, he’d gone from wondering if he’d ever fit in, from promising to stay away from Renny, to almost sleeping with her, instantly bonding with his son, and now pledging to take care of them both.

Guess I’m sticking around.

And he’d kill anyone who tried to make him leave again.

Bite them good.

Slam that door shut. He didn’t need help from that part of himself.

When it came time to leave the apartment, Caleb had to hand Luke to his mother since he wanted his hands free just in case whatever tried to come in had lingered. However, his son refused to be carried.

“I’m not a baby,” Luke announced with a jut of his lower lip.

“Of course you’re not,” Caleb said when he saw the hurt look on Renny’s face. “But do me a favor, would you, big guy? Can you hold onto your mother’s hand? She looks kind of scared. It’s your job to keep her safe until we get to the car.”

Slim chest swelling in pride, in pajamas sporting—groan—smiling alligators, Luke gripped his mother’s hand.

With Caleb leading the way, emerging on the outside landing and checking for signs of danger, they descended the steps to the sidewalk and quickly moved to the car.

Nothing marred the serenity of the evening. Not even a breeze. And forget the hum of crickets.

There was nothing but the noise they made as their feet hit the sidewalk.

Caleb didn’t trust the quiet one bit. “Get in the car,” he ordered.

As Renny opened the rear passenger door, Caleb scanned the shadows. There were too many, and forget sifting scents. Whatever tried to climb through the window had left a lingering stench that permeated the air in all directions.

What the fuck is it?

The answer tickled on the edge of his senses, a part of him taunting him with the feeling of familiarity, but at the same time, there was an alien quality to the scent, a sensation of wrongness that made his skin prickle and the croc in his head snap its teeth.

Bite the enemy.

Stop with all the biting. Behave.

The last thing Caleb needed was to lose control of his beast in front of Luke and Renny. He would frighten them for sure. But even worse, what if he couldn’t control the reptile he shared a body with? What if
it
happened again?

Once he’d seen Renny and Luke safely into their seats, Caleb made his way to the driver’s spot that Renny had left for him.

Sliding behind the wheel, he stared at the push button lock on the door. “You don’t even have automatic locks?”

With a spark in her eyes, Renny slammed her hand down on her lock and was immediately copied by Luke. “Is that auto enough for you?”

Yeah, things would have to change around here, starting with the standard of living. Damned if Caleb was going to have his child growing up wanting for shit like he had.

Don’t mistake him. His mom had done her best, but one working parent of two busy boys—who went through pants and shoes like no one’s business—meant her paychecks had to stretch, and they went without a lot.

But not my kid.

His kid would have the best of everything, even if he had to swallow his pride to get a job. A job, he’d worry about that in the morning. First, he had to get everyone to safety.

The drive to his mom’s place was done in silence, the radio in her car not managing more than the occasional spurts of music in between static. He didn’t have the breath to sigh anymore when she offered an apologetic, “Antenna snapped off.”

It didn’t take long to get to his place, but it was long enough for one tired little guy to almost fall asleep.

Renny didn’t protest when Caleb was the one to scoop their son from the backseat and carry him into the house.

Oddly, Princess, the rabid squirrel that seemed to think the house was her fortress, didn’t erupt into a cacophony of barking. First time since he’d arrived, and Caleb was thankful for it. He swore the dog took sadistic pleasure in lying in wait just out of sight so she could dart at him with sharp barks and a flash of teeth meant to suck a man’s balls into his stomach.

A quick glance to his left, across the kitchen, showed his mother’s bedroom door was closed and no light showed in the seams. Years of early work shifts meant Ma went to bed by nine p.m. However, Constantine was still up, his furry rat nestled in his lap, one beady eyed trained on Caleb. She didn’t bark, but Caleb saw the glint in her gaze and the lift of her lip that said,
I’m watching you.

His brother raised a brow in his direction, probably wondering at the sleepy child Caleb held and the fact that Renny entered at his heels.

It only took a silent shake of Caleb’s head to stem the questions he could see brimming in Constantine’s eyes.

As Caleb went down the hall to his room, he only paused a moment to point out the open door that led into the bathroom. Given the secretive nature of his relationship with Renny before, they’d never really hung out at his place. They’d spent most of their moments in the bayou, the soft moss their fragrant bower, the cloud-dappled sky their cover.

Entering his room, which had remained surprisingly untouched during his absence, Caleb pulled back the neatly tucked cover—some military training didn’t fade so easily—and lay Luke on the sheet.

Renny came alongside him and pulled up the thick blanket before placing a soft kiss on Luke’s forehead, but when she would have left, Luke made a sound.

“Don’t be scared, bug, Mommy’s not going anywhere.” Without a glance or word at Caleb, Renny slid into the other side of the bed and snuggled their child close.

Was it weird to want to climb in, too?

He would have liked to wrap his arms around them both and reassure them he would keep them safe.

I won’t let you down again.

Perhaps she sensed this newest vow, a vow he could keep to his death. Whatever the reason, when Renny peeked at him, he was glad of the silence because he wasn’t sure he could have spoken in that moment. In her eyes he saw trust.

After all I did…she trusts me to protect them.

Before he could embarrass himself and beg to climb in bed with them—and probably collapse the damned frame—Caleb left, shutting the door softly behind him.

For a moment, he stood in the hall, head bowed, simply trying to breathe. The panic, held at bay the entire time, rushed over him in a wave. Sucking in gasping breaths, he sank to his haunches, dizzy, while his legs lacked the strength to hold him.

How can I keep them safe?

He couldn’t even keep himself safe.

I can’t let them down.

Not again.

Never again.

So man the fuck up!

Stop the fucking pity party and take charge.
He wasn’t a coward. He wasn’t a weakling.

Taking deep breaths, he pushed the panic back. He forced strength into his limbs and stood. He took the steps needed to get away from the door that separated him from the two most important things in his world and practically staggered into the living room.

“I need a beer.” But he wouldn’t have one. Not when he needed his senses clear.

“I would have said more like a head check,” Constantine remarked from his spot on the couch. “Is it me, or did you just bring a kid and his mother over for a sleepover?”

“I did.” A sleepover he wasn’t quite invited to.

“I’m a little confused, though. How are you supposed to bang Renny with a kid around?”

Caleb wasn’t even aware he’d moved, and he also didn’t care just how big his little brother was. He hauled him by the shirt off the couch and snarled, “Don’t you fucking disrespect her.”

“I think I’ve got a long ways to go before I catch up to your act,
big brother,
” Constantine said with a sneer. “Do you even know the meaning of respect?”

“I know enough to tell you that I won’t have you bad-mouthing Renny.”

“Don’t worry. I wasn’t planning to say shit about her. But you on the other hand…I will mock you anytime I like. Especially when I have a problem with your screwing up Renny and the boy’s life again.”

“Who says I’m going to screw them?”

“You did once before. I hear it’s easier the second time.”

Easier? Was Constantine nuts? “Nothing about leaving here and her was ever easy. I regretted it every fucking day.”

“And yet you still went. Stayed away for years, not giving a damn about anyone else. Now you come back and you say these pretty words about staying and making up for shit. Can you blame me if I don’t believe you?”

“No. I guess you’ll have to give me time to prove myself.”

“Problem with time is you get a chance to hurt Renny and her boy again.”

“What I do with them is none of your business.”

“I disagree. This is my house, and I’ve got a right to know what the hell is going on. That is my nephew down that hall.” Constantine stabbed a finger in that direction. “And I’ll be damned if I’m going to sit back and let you fuck with him. He doesn’t deserve that, and neither does she.”

“First of all, how many fucking times do I have to say I’m sorry?” It wasn’t easy keeping his voice low and under control, but Caleb tried. The walls of his house weren’t thick, and while the air conditioners in the windows provided a quelling hum, he didn’t need Renny and his son being disturbed by his still prickly relationship with his brother. “I fucked up. Okay? I fucked up large, and I know it’s going to take a lot of apologizing and shit to make people forgive me for it. But I’m trying, dammit.”

“By dragging Renny and her boy out in the middle of the night?” his brother asked with incredulity.

“You would have done the same. Twice now, something’s come after my son.” Caleb quickly brought his brother up to speed. By the time he’d told him about the incident at the picnic, the grocery store, and the latest mishap at Renny’s place, Constantine had a pensive look.

“It’s happening again.”

Well, that wasn’t what Caleb expected to hear. “What’s happening again? What the hell are you talking about?”

Constantine met his gaze. “I keep forgetting you didn’t keep up with the local news. Or at least the shifter news from our town. It first started a few years back.”

“Hold on to that train of thought.” Caleb held up a hand. “Don’t tell me yet. Let’s go outside and you can explain what you mean while I check the perimeter of the property.”

Because while they’d driven several miles out of town, that thing, whatever it was stalking his child, had obviously no problem traveling or tracking.