Werewolf Me (17 page)

“Then let me go and you can bugger off and do what you want.”

Absolon lifted his sword from inside the car and pointed it at her.

“What? Trying to scare me?” Despite her tough words Truro was terrified of the glimpse of cold, hard steel she saw. She knew the story behind that weapon. Bess had told her. “I heard you were crap using that against William and that he cut your balls off.”

“Punch her,” Absolon ordered.

“With pleasure.” Tavernier slammed a fist into her jaw.

The sudden pain made Truro groan. She fell into the boot like a sack of potatoes.

“Why the hell would anyone want a woman like this? She’s too much damn work.” Tavernier slammed the trunk shut.

“The Irishman wants her. Being the loyal lover that he is, he will risk his life for hers.”

When Truro awoke, she knew two things. Her face hurt like hell and she was stuffed in the trunk of a moving car. “And, I have something in my back.” She struggled to move a wrench out from under her. Then Truro frantically searched for a way out of the trunk. Most new cars had an escape lever. This one didn’t. “Crap. Fucking typical. Bad guys always have rubbish cars in the movies.” Truro grabbed hold of the wrench. “At least I have a weapon.” She knew it was Absolon who had taken her and it didn’t require a genius intellect to work out why. Murphy was his target. From what she had learned about the clan, if one member was hurt the rest felt the pain. “Bloody soulful types and their inconvenient emotions.”

The other thing Truro now knew was that Joan was clearly deemed of no use to Absolon. “Bummer, I would have liked to see her go ballistic.” The car stopped suddenly. “Go along with them or kick ass?” Smart money was to play along. “Yeah, but that would be no fun.” Truro wanted to dong the henchman in the head for punching her. “Fucking little prick,” she muttered to herself as she heard footsteps crunch on what sounded like gravel outside.

The trunk lid lifted. Truro lashed out with the wrench and connected with solid flesh. The yell of pain made her smile. “Fuck with me? I think not.”

“God, you’re annoying.” Absolon grabbed at the wrench and struggled with her.

For an older man he was surprisingly strong. Neither of them paid any attention to the man writhing in pain on the ground. Eventually Truro’s hold slipped and the wrench was taken from her. “Bastard.”

“Bitch.” Absolon spat back, throwing the wrench to the ground. He removed his sword from the car.

“What’s your point?” She focused on the sword. It had her complete attention. That he wanted to kill her was undoubted. Truro just had to work out how to stay alive. This was not just about her. This was about the survival of the man she loved and his clan.

“Get up, Tavernier.”

His henchman staggered to his feet and jerked Truro up and out of the trunk.

Absolon looked at her in disgust. “Make any sudden moves and I will kill you. Either way it will kill your man and the clan. I did want to have some fun torturing you first but I’m just as happy to kill you now.” Absolon twirled the sword lightly before her.

Truro decided, for the moment, she would be good. She looked around. They were at Bess’ house. “What’s the plan, hopalong?” A sound she once thought lonely caught in her ears. The wolves.

“You’re obnoxious.”

“And you’re ugly. No wonder Bess threw you over for William.” Truro knew the whole story now.

“Shut up and get inside.”

Truro had no intention of entangling Bess into this. Absolon had struck just when he knew their men would not be around.

But Bess came into it on her own. “Come any farther and I will shoot what is left of your balls off, Absolon.” Bess appeared, rifle cocked and aimed straight at Absolon. “Let her go.”

Truro wanted to applaud but the sword-wielding man at her side made her think better of it.

Joan appeared at beside Bess, dagger in hand and anger in her eyes. “Did you know, Absolon, that my family anger is not only directed at werewolves but also at pricks who think they can ruin other people’s lives?”

“Neither of you can succeed in killing me.”

Bess never lowered the rifle. “How do you figure that?”

“Because I will kill your friend here and that will destroy your clan.” Absolon nodded in arrogant glee. “Yes, I don’t need you, Ms. Scott. I know that the power of the clan revolves around the strongest male. Weaken him and you destroy clan. Both are dependent on the other.”

Bess and Joan exchanged looks. Truro could see that were worried. She wasn’t about to let this creep cower them through fear. “This asshole won’t kill me.”

Absolon’s laughter was harsh. “How do you figure that?” He pulled her tight against his side, his free hand claw-like around her wrist.

“Because the clan is not here to witness it. That means there’s no fun for you in that.” Truro knew she sounded more confident than she felt. But she also knew a skilful bluff was just as useful as muscle power. She could feel the wolves were nearby. They had thwarted this bastard before. Truro was sure they could do it gain. How? She wasn’t actually sure.
I just have to have faith.
”Don’t you want revenge?” The sudden howling of wolves caught in the night air.
Murphy.
Truro smiled.
This faith thing could work out for me
.

Tavernier looked at the two women with the gun. “Let’s just get out of here. This has been a nightmare from the start when we killed that man.”

“You killed Rodney?” It wasn’t so much she cared he was dead, it was more that these people thought so little of a human life that made her angry.

“Who’s Rodney?” Joan asked in confusion.

“Dumb assed ex-boyfriend.”

Joan nodded. “Ah, I see.”

“Are you the other man who got attacked?” Truro could see fresh blood oozing on his bandages. “Did your mate here do that?” She tried to pull away from Absolon but he held fast to her arm.

The close howling of wolves made them all stop and listen.

Bess was the first to speak. “You killed and maimed just to create havoc with the wolves?”

“It worked.” Absolon didn’t look the slightest bit apologetic. “The townspeople were frightened and acted accordingly.”

The wolves sounded closer than before. Truro felt relieved.
Yay! The cavalry. Who knew I would think that about wolves?

Joan toyed with the dagger in her hand. “The wolves were not scared enough to scatter.”

Bess nodded in agreement. “The wolves come for you now.”

That was enough for Tavernier. “I’m getting the hell out of here.” He ran blindly into the bush in a mad rush.

To Truro, it wasn’t the smartest move to make running toward that which you feared. But hysterical people were rarely rational and she had other things to think about.
Like how the fuck am I going to get free without getting sliced and diced or anyone getting hurt?
Absolon had picked the best time to attack. Their men could not change back to human form until daylight. Could a wolf beat a man with a sword and a heart full of revenge?

“Coward!” Absolon roared after him.

“Tsk, tsk, good henchman are hard to find, hopalong. Maybe the slashing and hacking thing turned him off you somewhat.” Truro smiled an overly sweet smile at her captor.

Absolon pointed the tip of the sword at her throat. “I swear if you do not shut up—” He halted as the call of wolves was closer than before.

Truro could hear what sounded like dozens of paws thrumming on the ground. “Scared?”

“Never.” Absolon stood his ground. “They are just in time to see me kill you.”

Bushes rustled and the first wolves appeared. “Wow.” Truro had never seen a real life wolf.
They’re beautiful. Hmmm, which one is Murphy?

Joan handed her knife to Bess. “Let’s end this now.”

“Are you sure?” Bess’ eyes were keen on Joan.

“Yes.”

Truro wasn’t. If Joan was indeed a destroyer of werewolves then attacking them now left fewer good guys on their side. “Lara—”

Bess cut off her words. “She knows what she’s doing, Tru.”

“Holy crap,” Truro murmured in awe as more wolves appeared en masse as if to fight whatever battle they had to in order to keep their clan safe. Truro suddenly understood the connection they had to each other. They came when one of their own was in danger.
I am part of this clan. I get it now
. She looked at Joan. The dark woman was shaking with rage, fists bunched and eyes furious. The man at her side was not the scariest person at that moment. One of the wolves stepped forward.
Uh-oh, this is going to be bad
.
They should be fighting Absolon, not each other.

Bess kept the gun trained on Absolon, who in turn looked pleased as the wolf bared its teeth and the woman came at it. They circled each other as other wolves looked on. “Excellent. This is even better than I planned. I’ll watch this first then kill you.”

This was going to work out in Absolon’s favor and Truro could not have that, yet no matter how much Truro struggled she could not free herself. To be honest, she was not sure what she would do even if she did. Which one of these wolves was Murphy? What should she do? Before she had time to think Joan nodded at the wolf and ran at Absolon. The wolf followed. That was the last thing Truro expected.

“Bloody hell.” Truro hit the ground hard in a flurry of fists and paws and bodies. Truro’s arm was jerked from Absolon’s hold and his sword went flying through the air. She tried to struggle out from underneath but it was hard going.

“Come to me, Truro,” Bess urged her.

“I’m trying.” Suddenly two wolves approached her. “I’m one of you. I come in peace. Please don’t hurt me.” Before Truro knew what was happening, the wolves pulled at her clothes and started dragging her out from the melee she was embroiled in. As she scrambled to her feet and ran to Bess, she watched the man, woman and wolf fighting. It was then Truro knew what she had to do. “Give me the dagger, Bess.”

“Truro—”

“It’s okay. I know what I’m doing—sorta.” The cold steel of the hilt met her hand. Truro took a deep breath and raced back into the fight. It was hard to work out who was whom but eventually she sank the dagger into Absolon’s shoulder. He screamed in pain and a strange angry red light shot out from the wound. What started as a simple puncture began to spread down his arm, flesh bulging grotesquely under his clothes as if poison was tearing through his veins.

“Wow, this dagger has serious bad ju-ju.” Truro watched for a moment before pulling herself together and pressing the flat side of the knife against Joan’s arm. The woman started shaking. Truro held the blade there until the shaking subsided and her hands let go of the wolf. It was then that she realized that neither Joan nor the wolf were seriously fighting each other.
Well, duh.

Absolon continued screaming as the red wound spread and started to open up similar wounds all over his body. Truro pulled Joan up and away from him.

“Thank you.” Joan accepted the dagger back.

“Oh, no, thank you. That’s some power in that knife, Lara.”

“I have never used it for anything but apples.”

“Apples? Seriously?” Truro was intrigued.
I wonder what her cranky-assed ancestor would think about that?

“Yeah, and occasionally to peel an orange.” Joan looked down at Absolon in distaste.

Truro knew he was dying. No man could look so bloody, festering and torn and live. “I feel no remorse for stabbing him.”

Bess came to them. “He is evil and has to die.”

“Now you will all be free.” Truro smiled at the thought Bess nodded her head and dropped the rifle to the ground. “As will you.” The wolves and the three woman watched as the man died. “It will be light soon and our men will be back.”

Truro looked at the wolves. “Who is exactly whom here? You all look the same to me. Okay, that’s rude—what I mean is—”

“It’s okay to be confused.” Bess laughed.

“Thank God.” Truro had a feeling the werewolves of Ludlum were going to keep her guessing for years.

“You were amazing, petal.”

“Just now in the shower?” She lay naked in Murphy’s arms, enjoying the warm, solid heat of his body.

“No—yes—but specifically with Absolon.”

“He pissed me off.” Truro had acted according to that.

Murphy laughed and hugged her closer. “Remind me never to do that.” Hi kissed her nose. “I’m proud of you. I love you.”

“Oh, wolf man.”
How did I ever live without him?

“What?” His lips moved down to nuzzle her neck.

“You make it so hard for me.”

He rolled on top of Truro in response. “I thought you liked that.”

She instinctively opened her legs and felt his semi-erect cock on her thigh. “Again?”
I could do it again.

“Soon—any objections?”

“No.” That was exactly what she wanted so how could Truro complain?
Life is good
. That was an ideology she never thought she would apply to herself. “So about Gil and Lara.” Truro still couldn’t see her as a “Joan”. “Do you think they would have killed each other if the fight had lasted longer?”

“No, because soul mates cannot kill the other.”

“About the soul mate thing—”

Murphy’s eyes locked on her. “Yes?”

“I’m not saying I’m going to make this easy for you,” Truro began, her hands on his chest, her fingers tracing the tattoo.

“I never expected you would.”

“And I know I’m going to want to travel.” Some habits were hard to break. Maybe, one day, Truro would settle down.
But not yet. Not until I’m ready.

“I have a plan already worked out for that,” Murphy said, reversing their positions so Truro was lying full length on him. “While sticking together in a clan is important, we can function without each other.”

“Really?”
He would do that for her?

“Yeah really. Now where would you like to go?”

Truro kissed him passionately. She was so overcome with her feelings for him. No one had given her as much freedom or love as Murphy had. Soul mates.
Hmmm, there may be something in that
. “I’d go anywhere with you, wolf man.”

Murphy stroked her back. “’Still scared of the future, petal?”