Things That Go Hump In The Night (68 page)

“Wonderful!” Lark jumped toward the main entrance. “Let’s go to the pools!”

Lia followed as Lark led her west of the den, across a wide meadow. They seemed to be following a narrow track in the grass. Dove and Cricket walked slightly behind them, like a silent honor guard.

“That was brilliant what you did to Kane, by the way,” Lark said. “I had no idea anyone but Ronan could keep him in line.”

Lia grimaced. “I wouldn’t exactly call it that. He tossed me in a room and barred the door.”

“Yeah, but you threw fire at him. Brilliant. Of course, he’s probably secretly pleased, since it gives him an excuse not to wear a shirt.”

“Not that we mind,” Dove said. At least, she thought it was Dove.

Cricket laughed. “I think there have been times when we’d all have liked to throw fire at Kane. It’s healthy for him to be outmatched every once in a while.”

“I’m not sure it was worth it, though,” Lia said. “He seemed pretty angry.”

Lark rolled her eyes. “Kane’s usually pretty angry. Maybe it’s an Alpha thing? But then, how do you explain Ronan?”

They continued through the meadow, until it gave way to forest. Lark, Dove, and Cricket kept up an easy conversation about the arrival of spring weather. It was probably for Lia’s benefit, but she enjoyed the simplicity, and the fact that there was no mention of Alphas or fate.

She was starting to be able to tell them apart more easily. Despite Lark’s carefree manner, she seemed to have a quiet sense of command. Dove had gray eyes, and the palest skin. Cricket laughed easily. She also had no body fat whatsoever, and if she weren’t so nice, Lia would be jealous.

“Almost there,” Lark said.

A gentle breeze rustled through the trees. Branches bobbed, showing off their forming buds. A bluebird stopped to chirp at them, cocking its head as they passed.

Lia heard water babbling over rock as Lark led her over mossy stones. They were slick enough that Lia slipped twice, Dove catching her one time and Cricket the next. But all fear of cracking her head open on the rocks was lost when she saw the pools.

A waterfall had carved descending basins from the rock. They spilled into one another, water swirling lazily before tumbling out again.

She turned to Lark, openmouthed. “That’s where you bathe?”

Lark grinned. “Where the girls bathe, anyway. We stole the prettier spot from the boys.”

“They did give it to us when we asked,” Dove added.

“Dove! The story isn’t as fun that way.” In one smooth motion, Lark pulled her shirt off and threw it on the ground. “You don’t mind if we join you, do you, Lia?”

“Of course she doesn’t.” Dove had already stripped. “Last one in’s a rotten carcass!” Sprinting, she dove into one of the pools. Cricket jumped in behind her, pulling her knees to her chest.

Lark organized their clothes before turning back to the pools. “You’re coming in, aren’t you, Lia?”

“Yeah. All the blood and dirt, remember? Just give me a second.”

“Take all the time you need. The water’ll still be there.” Lark chose to enter the water with a belly flop, drenching a shrieking Dove.

Lia sat for a moment, trying to breathe. Bathing in the coven hadn’t been so… communal. You took your bucket of water and went into the forest. While the pools seemed much more pleasant, she wasn’t sure she was ready to bare herself in front of these beautiful shifters. Surely they’d see that she didn’t compare. Would they stare at her? Giggle, and whisper behind their hands?

She put her thumbs under her waistband, but she couldn’t bear to pull her pants down. Then they would see. How there was no gap between her thighs, how her calves weren’t defined like theirs. Lia glanced toward the trees. If she left, would they notice? Could she find a bucket somewhere?

“Lia!” Lark called. “The water’s fine! And no one’s going to steal your clothes, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“A deer tried to eat Cricket’s pants once,” Dove said. “It didn’t end well for him.”

It didn’t look like there was any way out. She might as well get this over with. And since they’d seen her throw sparks at Kane, maybe they’d go easy on her. Lia shucked her clothes and stood on the rocks, waiting for the howls of laughter.

They stared at her.

“Come on, then.” Lark flicked the water, splashing her. “You have to actually get in the pool to get clean, you know.”

“I know.” Lia waded in. The water was cool, but bearable. She could feel her face burning.

“What’s wrong?” Cricket asked. “Your face has gone red.”

“Cricket! It’s not polite to ask questions like that.” Lark shook water droplets from her hair. “But Lia, why has your face gone red? Are you hurt?”

Lia sank into the water, letting it rise to her chin. The surface rippled, distorting her lower body. She felt safer that way, hidden from their judgment and scorn.

Her eyes prickled with tears. “Are you guys making fun of me?”

“We’re sorry,” Lark said, “it’s just that our faces don’t turn red. Not unless we paint them with clay. And we only do that if we’re about to go into battle.”

“Are you going into battle, Lia?” Cricket asked. “We can help you if you are.”

Maybe she was going into battle. Exhaling, she steeled herself.

“You didn’t notice anything… strange about me?” Lia closed her eyes. “I’m not like you.”

“We know,” Dove said. “You’re a witch. Were a witch, anyway.”

“No, I don’t look like you. I’m not…” Lia moved her hands, outlining an invisible woman.

“Oh,” Lark said, “you mean you don’t have a hunter’s body?” Lark lifted an arm from the water, tracing its length with one finger. “I don’t either, believe me. I can’t run for miles like Cricket and Dove can. No stamina. No endurance. It’s pathetic, really. Fox and Dash are forever making fun of me. It’s not easy, being mated to the fastest runners in the pack when you can be outstripped by wandering bumblebees.”

“Even I’m not as good as Cricket,” Dove said. “I can chase our quarry for miles, but she’s the one who can get that last burst of speed and go in for the kill.”

“Yeah,” Cricket said, “but I still need you to help me bring it down. Remember that boar two weeks ago? I couldn’t have snapped its neck without you.”

“Heartwarming,” Lia said. She couldn’t help but smile.

“Don’t worry if you can’t run as fast as us, or jump as high,” Lark said. “You’re going to be mated to the Alphas. You’ll have us to do the hunting for you.”

Feeling considerably better, Lia soaked her hair in the cool water.

“Wait,” Lark said. “Use this.” Taking a deep breath, she went under, kicking her way to the bottom of the pool. She stayed down there a good two minutes, though Lia couldn’t tell what she was doing.

Lark finally popped up, her hands filled with mud. “River mud,” she panted. “For your hair and your skin. It’s incredible.”

Skeptically, Lia took a glob of mud. The witches had always washed with bars of tallow. Magda demanded cleanliness, and Lia could only imagine how the crone would shriek if she could see Lia with mud in her hair.

Well, Magda wasn’t here, was she? Closing her eyes, Lia slapped the mud onto her head. She worked it into her scalp, coating her head in muck.

“Get your face, too,” Lark said. “I know it sounds weird, but mud will be good for your cut.”

Lia spread the mud on her skin until every inch of her above the waterline was covered with the stuff. She had never been dirtier in her life. It was marvelous.

“Now rinse,” Lark said. “Easily the most important part.”

Lia plunged into the pool, wiping mud from her face and hair. At last she emerged, her skin tingling in the crisp air.

Lark sighed, looking wistful.

“What is it?” Lia asked.

“I miss the blood down your face. It was a good look for you.”

Lia splashed her.

“Hey!” Lark rubbed her eyes. “You’re not even the Alpha female yet and you’re already getting all high and mighty. I’ll hate to see what happens when you actually have power.”

“Sorry,” Lia said. “I might not be, though.”

“Not be what?”

Lark had gotten very serious all of a sudden. Lia scratched her arm. “Be… the Alpha female?”

“What do you mean?” Lark’s voice was hushed.

“It’s just… things might not work out for me here. I might leave.”

“Leave? You can’t leave. What about the prophecy?”

“Oh.” Lia sunk into the water. “You don’t believe that, do you?”

Lark looked at the other two nervously. “It’s all we have to believe.”

“What do you mean?”

Taking a breath, Lark ran her hands over her hair. “All right. I don’t think I should be the one explaining this, but I’ll try. The Alphas co-lead at the moment, right?”

Lia wished she hadn’t said anything at all about leaving, but she nodded.

“They think they can both remain Alphas, but we’re not so sure.”

“Ronan isn’t so sure, either,” Lia said. She didn’t want Lark to think he had lied to her.

“At least he’s not stupid. They’re fine for now—a pack usually has two Alphas, it’s not strange. But most can’t handle three. Shifters have tried before, because who wouldn’t want two mates? I have two mates, but it’s different. Alphas don’t share power well. If one of them isn’t killed, he’ll be driven out.”

“That’s not all,” Dove said. “One of our neighboring packs, the Shadow pack, suspects what Kane and Ronan are trying to do. They have a treaty with us, but it’s with Kane and Ronan as Alphas and fighters. If they hear that one of them has been killed, and one injured, they’ll strike.”

Lark growled. “The Alphas are fooling themselves if they think they can both have you, Lia. They’ll rip each other apart in the process, and maybe you as well.” She clapped her hands over her mouth. “Oops. I shouldn’t have said that.”

Lia’s stomach turned. She hadn’t thought that one of the shifters might turn on her in the heat of things. By the Third Hell, she was still having trouble wrapping her mind around the thought that they wanted to mate with her in the first place.

Cricket slapped the water. “But you’re forgetting the prophecy. It says a failed witch will lead us. If there’s one person who can hold the pack together, it’s Lia.”

That was a rather big
if
, and Lia wasn’t sure she wanted that dubious honor. Also, at the moment, she wasn’t sure she would mind Ronan ripping Kane to shreds. Of course, it could end up being the other way around.

“So, Lia,” Dove said, “you think you can handle two Alphas?”

Cricket crossed her arms. “Della does. That’s good enough for me.”

“If Lia’s going to stay,” Lark said, giving her a side-eye, “we should teach her about the pack.”

“Ooh, let’s!” Cricket clapped her hands.

“You’ve already heard about Fox and Dash,” Lark said, “the best men in the pack besides the Alphas.”

Dove frowned. “What about our Huck?”

“It’s short for Huckleberry,” Cricket told Lia. “But don’t call him that. Only we get to call him that.”

“Orion’s good, too,” Dove said, “even if he is the size of a bear.”

“Don’t forget Briar,” Cricket said. “He can be fun.”

Lark scraped mud under her fingernails. “The only downside of them is the company they keep.”

“Could be worse,” Dove said. “At least neither of them is mated to Sequoia.”

Lark turned to Lia. “We’d warn you about Sequoia if you hadn’t already met her. I’m sure you don’t need a warning at this point.”

“Is she always like that?” Lia asked.

“No. Worse.” Lark sighed. “Anyway, the boys. First there are the soldiers—”

“They hunt, too,” Cricket said.

“I’m trying to keep it simple. So, the soldiers. If things get bloody, Flint, Duke, and Orion will take care of it.”

“Hopefully,” Dove said.

“Yes, hopefully. But they have every time so far. Next there are the hunters, Fox, Dash, and Huck.”

Dove sighed longingly.

Lark smacked her. “You’ll see him in half an hour, give me a break. The hunters keep us fed, but they can hunt shifters from other packs if they step out of line. Finally, there are the guards, Briar, Cage, and Grey. They stay behind and protect the den if there’s any trouble.”

“Don’t forget Gaunt,” Cricket said.

“Gaunt’s seen too many winters to be much use anymore.”

“He’s still part of the pack,” Cricket said stubbornly.

Lark bowed her head. “You’re right. I shouldn’t forget Gaunt. He and Della held the pack together, in the early days.”

“Enough about Gaunt,” Dove said. “Tell Lia about the girls.”

“Can you tell me later?” Lia put her head in her hands. “I can barely remember the names you just told me. Fox, Cage, Green…”

“You mean Grey?”

“See? They’re all running together.”

“Yeah,” Lark said. “We can tell you about them later.” She puffed out her chest. “You already know the most important ones.”