Wolf Fever (7 page)

She quickly spoke instead. “I accept. Come pick me up for a date at six o'clock. Promptly.”

She'd show him he wasn't as much in control of the situation as he might think.

Then she winked, pulled free, and stalked off toward the house without a backward glance, her blood sizzling with arousal and irritation.

She harrumphed under her breath. All the idiotic romantic notions she had been harboring for Ryan McKinley… and all he really wanted was for her to confess she wasn't psychic?

She doubted Ryan would take her on a date, and she doubted even more that Darien would allow it. But if the date did come to pass, she would get out of the gathering of bachelor males tonight, and she'd give Ryan McKinley a piece of her mind.

Ryan stared after Carol as she stalked toward the house, sparing Jake and Tom a smile before disappearing inside. What the hell had just happened?

Did she think that if she kissed him, he'd forget why he'd come here to see her? Hell, if she had, he hated to admit that for a moment, it had worked. Never had a woman taken him by surprise like that. Never had one heated his blood to volcanic proportions with the way her body had pressed against his, her tongue
slipping into his mouth and dancing in an erotic way with his.

The spark of electricity between them couldn't be denied. So what had gotten into him to kiss her back? Convention. If he was interested in a woman, he let her know it. But he sure as hell hadn't planned to go down that path. Not that she wasn't intriguing as hell, but she sure wouldn't be interested in someone like him who didn't believe in her special “abilities.”

Would she tell him the truth tonight on a
date
?

Or would they get themselves into even hotter water if he spent any more time alone with her? He hadn't even
been
alone with her.

He breathed in the air and still smelled her sweet feminine scent, a mixture of jasmine and the fresh grass that she'd been lying in after Mervin knocked her flat on her back. He could still feel the way her body had pressed against him, her breasts and her thighs, soft and curvaceous and sensuous. If he didn't keep his distance from her, he
would
forget what he'd come here for. Was that her ploy? Sidetrack him with a siren's lure and keep her secrets to herself? The vixen.

All he wanted was to close the file on the murder case in Silver Town permanently. So why didn't that thought appeal to him? He should have been satisfied to return home and get on with his own business.

Tom and Jake glowered at him and then headed into the house. Ryan was beginning to think that this case wouldn't be cleared up easily, particularly if she employed her feminine wiles to tangle with him. Yet a deeper primal urge growled to be released, and he wasn't sure he wanted to keep it leashed—even though
Carol was newly turned and probably didn't understand what she was getting herself into.

“What did Ryan McKinley want?” Lelandi asked Carol, as she fixed a double cheeseburger for herself in the kitchen, where the aroma of seasoned burgers and cheesecake and lemon meringue pie filled the air.

Everyone else had already taken their food outside or into the dining area or sunroom, and laughter and conversation drifted through the house like the cool breeze through the open kitchen window.

Carol dished a hamburger onto a bun and topped it with a slice of pickle and tomato. Although she was fuming inside, she smiled at Lelandi.

“He wanted a date. Isn't that nice?”

Lelandi fumbled with her plate and nearly dropped it. “You can't be serious. Darien will never allow it.”

Silva, who Carol swore overheard conversations better than any werewolf alive, sauntered into the kitchen. “My, my… sounds like McKinley is harboring a death wish—or he's one determined wolf. I heard he kissed you like there was no tomorrow.”

Heard? Or had she seen something out one of the windows?

Silva chuckled. “Yep. The bachelors are ready for a showdown.”

Eyes wide, Lelandi asked, “He kissed you and then asked for a date?” She shook her head. “He's got nerve.” But her tone of voice reflected a trace of approval, and Carol noted a shadow of a smile in Lelandi's expression.

Carol almost laughed to think she had been the one to suggest the date, and that if she hadn't pushed Ryan into proving something to the other guys, he would never have kissed her. How could he not believe her about her psychic abilities after all that had happened? Even Darien's people believed her.

In fact, she thought a couple of his people were a little afraid of her because of it. What if someone did something that he or she shouldn't, and then Carol envisioned it and shared their misdeeds with Darien? At least, that's what she thought might bother some of them. Beyond that, she really didn't think Ryan would come tonight.

Lelandi smiled and lifted her burger. “You know when Darien told Ryan he didn't want him interfering in the investigation, Ryan stubbornly refused to take no for an answer.” She shrugged. “I doubt he will this time, either.”

Carol didn't know that Ryan had been told he couldn't help with the investigation, just that Darien hadn't liked the idea. But she couldn't believe this issue of whether or not she was psychic was such a big deal that he'd butt heads with Darien over it.

“So what's the gathering all about?” she asked, figuring that was what she'd have to prepare herself for next. Forget Ryan and his agenda.

“You won't be alone with a bunch of men, Carol, if that's what you're worried about. I'll be there with Darien, presiding over the party. Silva will be there and Sam, too, serving refreshments. Two other women are coming from another wolf community. They like what we have here—where wolves run the town and not humans. One's a librarian who wants to start a library in
town. And the other is a masseuse. I think she's going to be a real hit.”

All of a sudden, Carol didn't feel so important. Not that she wanted to mate with someone for life whom she wasn't interested in… but to compete with a masseuse? Carol probably had the librarian beat. She shook her head at herself. This was still barbaric. And she wasn't going along with it.

Lelandi was rattling off a list of names of married couples who were going to attend, but Carol watched the way she rubbed her fingers over her stomach every once in a while, and Carol's mouth dropped open. “You're pregnant?”

Her gaze riveting from her cheeseburger to Carol, Lelandi's lips parted for a second, and then she smiled. “Four and a half months.”

Silva immediately put her hand on Lelandi's belly. “Well, I'll be. Just how long were you going to hide this little secret from us, sugar?”

“At least until after the games today. If I'd mentioned it before then, Darien wouldn't have let me play. You know how he is.”

That's why he was being so careful with her on the playing field and why Lelandi had been napping more lately. He had to have realized Lelandi was pregnant. Carol grinned.

“Wow, this is really a reason to celebrate. Triplets. Just like I had envisioned.”

“Do you know what sex they are?” Silva asked Carol.

Three boys, but Carol looked at Lelandi to see if she wanted to know.

Lelandi shook her head. “No. If you know, don't tell me. And I don't want to mention that I'm expecting tonight. This is your coming out. Not the other ladies' either. They've already been introduced to their wolf packs to court. And neither cared for their prospects. So that's why they're here.” She took another bite of her burger.

“They were born
lupus garous
, weren't they?” Carol asked, hoping that at least one of them was newly turned like she was.

“Yes. And, they don't get along. So I'm hoping one will stay and the other will look elsewhere. I've already interviewed them, and both seem pleasant enough by themselves. But there's some hostility between them, having to do with families, I think.”

Silva grabbed a plate with chips and a burger. “So what if a couple of the guys want the women, and they both end up staying here?”

“We'll have problems. Darien has already counseled the men and said that if matches are made, one of the couples will most likely have to move on. But finding a mate is so important that the men are willing.”

Carol gave a short laugh. “Especially with a chance at a masseuse.”

“I don't know, Carol. You're more of a known quantity, one of our own, and no one would have to leave the pack,” Lelandi said.

“Hmm, nothing else, then?”

Lelandi smiled. “I sure didn't put that right, did I? The guys have been talking about you. They shut up when I'm around, but they're intrigued.”

“Same here.” Silva waved a potato chip. “As soon as I hear your name mentioned at the tavern, I check on the
table next to them, but the guys see me coming and end the conversation. So, yep, they're interested.”

“Sure are. For five months, they've been bugging Darien—or his brothers so they would relay the information to Darien—to let them date you,” Lelandi said.

“And you've been the one to keep them from dating me.” Carol felt relieved in a way. At least she was glad that they had not been avoiding her because they thought her too different.

Her green eyes flashing with humor, Lelandi laughed. “Not all my doing. Darien wanted you to adjust to being one of us, and he wants you to shape-shift first. We never thought anyone who was newly turned could prevent the shift for this long, though.”

For the first time, Carol was glad for her psychic abilities, if that was what was keeping her from shifting. She just hoped she could put it off forever, or that her visions of Doc being unable to shift back to human form were a mistake. That the worry about him was something benign.

But the event tonight was what she had to deal with now. She hoped that Ryan would come for her, that Darien would allow it, and she'd be able to skip the whole affair—even if it meant dealing with Ryan's inquisition.

N
ORTH HAD AVOIDED BEING ANYWHERE NEAR THE TWO
women, both gray wolves from another pack and both newly sick from the bioengineered plague that Miller had concocted for them. The lure of money had worked. So from a distance, North observed the way Marilee and Becky looked. Sexy, he thought. Like sending the Trojan horse as a gift to Troy during the Trojan War, the women would attend the gathering and infect as many of Darien's damn people, and Darien himself, as they could. Payback was hell.

The only drawback was if Carol got sick. She was the one he wanted. A red, turned by his own cousin. She would be his, and being a nurse, she could counter the effects of the sickness, if Miller was lying about his intentions.

The women entered the house, and he briefly saw Lelandi smile and motion for them to follow her. Carol could also take care of Lelandi, in the event she got sick. It wasn't Lelandi's fault she'd left their red pack. Damn their previous pack leader and his brutish ways.

North took a deep breath and slunk into the woods. The
package
had arrived.

His next mission was grabbing Carol before it was too late.

Normally, Ryan would dress casually on a fact-finding mission—in jeans and turtleneck or T-shirt, depending on the weather. So why the hell was he dressing up for this “affair?” He scoffed at himself for making such a big deal of this as he peered into the bathroom mirror of his room at the bed and breakfast. He ran his hand over the five-o'clock shadow that gave him more of a wolfish look and considered whether to shave again or not.

Hell, the first date he ever had, he took the girl to a swimming hole. It was an impromptu situation, and neither cared about what they were wearing—or not wearing as the night wore on. Of course, she'd been human and his and her hormones had been running high. Over the years, he'd been just as spontaneous. He'd take a liking to a human girl, make it known and, if she was of like mind, have a one-night stand.

But with Carol, he knew deep down it wasn't the same. That she needed a mate. That one-night stands were out, and although he kept telling himself he had nothing to prove, damn if he couldn't shake loose of the need to show up the other males, if she was even interested in anyone else.

He pulled on his sports jacket, hoping to convince Darien that he needed to speak to Carol pronto so he could quit interfering in Darien's pack business and return home. At least that's what he told himself.

As soon as he reached the cozy sitting area for guests at the inn, Bertha Hastings greeted him with a smile and twinkle in her eye. “Your sister, Rosalind, called. Asked if you were all right because you wouldn't answer your cell phone. I told her you were watching the games earlier and were going to the gathering tonight.

“She asked if you were seeing Carol. Since I hadn't been at the earlier event, I couldn't say. I did mention you were taking Carol on a date tonight. Your sister was real quiet after that, and then she quickly thanked me and said good-bye. But I must say you're looking really spiffy. Enjoy the gathering.”

“Thanks. I'll be asking Carol a few questions and be on my way.” And have a word with Rosalind again. Hell, by the time he was finished with his business here, Rosalind would have everyone thinking he was chasing after Carol and soon would be mating her.

“Only one question is worth asking.” Bertha grinned even broader and made her way to the kitchen. “If you young folk want something to snack on later, bring her here after your date. Plenty of food for everyone.”

“Thanks.” It wouldn't be necessary. As soon as he spoke with Carol, he was returning ASAP to Green Valley and the business he should have been conducting.

Shoulders straight, he stalked outside to his truck and took a deep breath of the chilly night air. He was ready to try to persuade Darien to allow him to see Carol one last time. And to end this obsession he had to set the record straight with Carol.

When Carol came down from her bedroom before the gathering, men and women were already settling in the sunroom. She was wearing jeans, boots, and a soft pink cardigan, trying to look cool and casual instead of more nervous than she'd like to admit.

She'd been planning to go to the kitchen for a glass of wine to soothe her nerves when Ryan walked in the
front door with Sam and Silva. Carol's heart skipped a beat.

Ryan was wearing a steel blue sports coat and a pinstriped blue and silver shirt. He had left three of the buttons open from the collar down, giving the appearance he was ready to unfasten the others in a hurry in the call of duty. She couldn't decide if that meant shape-shifting or sex, but he definitely looked ready for either.

Jeans gave his look more of a dressy casual, which she totally approved of, but then her gaze riveted to his face to see his expression. A shadow of a beard graced his angular face, roughening it a bit and making him appear more like an outdoorsman than someone who sat around an office all day.

He was studying her face, just like a wary investigator would, and observing her reaction to his being here. Instead of smiling, he raised a brow as if to say he was here at her request.
Let's get this over with.
She couldn't believe it. But promptly at six, here he was. Maybe Lelandi was right. When Ryan got something in his mind to do, he wouldn't be stopped. Wouldn't he be surprised if he stayed around long enough to discover she truly was psychic!

That could take a really long time, considering that her visions were so unpredictable and that he probably was quite stubborn about refusing to believe in the paranormal.

She let out her breath. She assumed Darien would be pissed that Ryan was here. Jake also, because he'd made all the arrangements for the gathering. And because this was her
coming-out
.

Darien and his brothers stalked into the foyer to meet Ryan, all of them looking stern and with firm resolve.
“Your
date
will have to wait until after the gathering. Where do you plan to take Carol?” Darien asked.

Her heart thumped harder. Darien was allowing it?

But her second thought was that this was so much like when she was sixteen, going on her first real date with a boy and her dad had read him the riot act first!
No riding in vans, on motorcycles, or visiting homes when parents aren't there.
That was the only time her father had acted really alpha. She'd always suspected her mother had counseled him first as to what to say.

Carol was twenty-six now, for heaven's sake, and beyond needing fatherly lectures before a date!

Ryan smiled a little. “The movies.”

Darien's response was terse. “We don't have a movie theater here.”

Ryan had to have known that.
Cad.
Yet she loved his sense of humor and the way he challenged Darien. Darien's brothers supported him in just about every situation that arose. None of his people disagreed with Darien. She enjoyed seeing someone who would test him in a lighthearted way.

“We'll grab takeout and return to my room at the inn to watch something on TV then.” Ryan gave Carol an elusive smile and winked.

Pure macho man and a lady-killer all rolled up in that one faint smile and sexy wink that promised a night of pure heated pleasure. After the way they'd kissed with an audience, being alone in his room didn't sound like a safe bet at all. She was certain Darien wouldn't think so, either.

Every inch of her skin flushed with warmth, and if she hadn't known any better, she might have worried that the shift was coming. But the heat that signaled the
impending transformation went much deeper, Lelandi had explained to her, as if it settled into the marrow of the bones and melted them. And she supposed it did since the bones reshaped into a wolf's skeletal form or back again into a human's. What she was experiencing now was more of a surface heat, triggered by pure embarrassment.

Darien shook his head at Ryan's suggestion of taking a meal to his room and watching TV there. Darien tried to conceal the expression, but Carol had lived with him long enough to recognize he was fighting a smile. He admired alpha males, and she could tell that while it stuck in his craw that Ryan was an outsider intruding on his pack business, the gray was a challenge. And Darien enjoyed the game when someone had the audacity to oppose him in a non-threatening way from time to time. She wondered if Ryan reminded him of himself.

In good humor, Ryan folded his arms. “All right. What do you suggest?”

“The tavern. Have a couple of drinks. They're serving roast beef sandwiches tonight. You can enjoy the music. Best place in town for a date.”

Also crowded with tons of pack members ready to observe their every move.

“All right. Agreeable, Carol?” Ryan asked, with one raised brow.

“Sure, after the gathering,” she grumbled. So much for getting out of
that
affair, although she appreciated that Ryan had asked if she was okay with the setup and hadn't just made the decision without her say.

“You'll bring her home by midnight,” Darien added. Then he gave Jake and Tom a look.

Which meant they'd be Darien's eyes and ears at the tavern, along with everyone else's there.

Darien motioned to the sunroom. “Shall we?”

Carol wished she could have skipped the gathering altogether, dealt with Ryan, and settled this matter in private without delay. But as usual, Darien would have his way.

Lelandi came out of the kitchen and wrapped her arm around Carol's waist. “I should have told you earlier that the pack gathering is a throwback from ancient times and that even some humans adopted the notion after they learned our people were doing this. Although they hadn't a clue what we were. It then became fashionable in England and other locales to present women to society as acceptable to marry.”

“
Werewolves
started the trend?”

Lelandi smiled. “Yes. Only we stick to our traditions longer than most.”

Carol envisioned the women's long gowns and other more restrictive articles of clothing and wondered how in the world they could have removed all those garments if the urge to turn hit them. Living back then would surely have been a disaster for her. For one, she'd have been considered a witch if she'd revealed her paranormal secrets. And a werewolf on top of that? She would have been bonfire kindling for sure.

She glanced back to see where Ryan was, but he'd vanished. Had Darien or his brothers kicked him out of the house until he could return to pick her up for their date? She shouldn't have been disappointed that he was gone, considering the reason he wanted to see her further.

Still, she believed she'd prefer his company to that of the beta males in Darien's pack. She sighed and asked Lelandi, “Are drinks being served?”

Lelandi only smiled and guided her into the sunroom.

The room was bathed in warm lights, with the spring floral decorations giving off the sweetest scent of jasmine and roses. As soon as she walked in, Carol saw the two women from the other pack. Both were stunning, and Carol shriveled a little, feeling plain and unnoticeable. Yet something about the women gave her pause. She was awful about remembering names, but faces, especially as striking as those of the two women, stood out in her mind. She hadn't met these women, except maybe in passing. But where had she seen them before?

“Becky's the black-haired one, the librarian, over there by the leather sofa. And Marilee's the brunette, the masseuse, next to the fireplace,” Lelandi whispered to Carol.

Both women looked to see who the new arrival was. Frowning, they didn't appear pleased, but Carol wondered why they were bothered. Becky was a black-haired and black-eyed beauty, her thick curls cascading over her shoulders. She was sophisticated and sultry looking, particularly wearing a shocking-pink sweater that dipped low at the bodice. Not at all how Carol pictured a librarian looking. The ones at the college where she went? Business suits, glasses, and buns. This babe didn't look like she read anything literary. Maybe she liked historical romances, too.