Changing Times (15 page)

Maggie leapt to her feet, cursing loudly. Carly glanced
toward the fight to see Slade stumble. Tony was on him in an instant. The smell
of blood was in the air as the combatants came back into view. Slade slipped as
Tony hurled himself snarling with razor claws extended. A sharp yelp pierced
the air as Tony caught him in the side and sent him flying a few yards away.

Wishing she could look away but too worried about Tony,
Carly flashbacked to the first time she met Tony. He’d been so weak from one
silver bullet ripping into him. What had Maggie given Slade? The yowl of fury
and pain yanked Carly’s focus back to the fighters. A flap of fur and flesh
hung from Tony’s shoulder and blood dripped from Slade’s muzzle. The big cat
sprang at the wolf, who scrambled to avoid the blow, but Tony latched on to
Slade’s neck and shook him.

Suddenly another wolf joined the fight. This one attacked
Tony, driving him off Slade. Carly could tell that Tony was injured and she
pulled against the bonds holding her down. Maggie cursed under her breath that
the “fool hadn’t waited long enough”.

Several shouts of surprise came from among the watchers as
the new fighter left Tony on the ground, attacking Slade instead. Slade tried
to fight off this new attack but from the cries of dismay, Carly could tell he
was losing. Maggie paced restlessly.

Carly’s eyes focused on the panther dragging himself away
from the two fighting wolves. Maggie turned toward Carly with glittering eyes.
She started toward her with the knife again and suddenly Nolan was there,
putting himself between Maggie and Carly. Maggie leapt for him but Nolan
struggled with the larger, heavier woman.

Carly continued to yank at the ropes holding her down so she
could get to Tony. He lay almost motionless as the two wolves continued to
fight.

Carly suddenly realized that the men who had come out of the
house were leaving. They were running away and fading into the woods. Only a
few men remained and they stood passively watching the two other wolves
fighting in the circle.

Two men came out of the woods carrying rifles as Micah
limped toward the circle, grabbing Tony by the scruff of his neck. He slowly
dragged Tony away from the combatants in the circle. The smaller wolf turned as
though to attack Micah.

Slade pulled him back into the circle by one hind leg,
unexpectedly coming to Micah’s aid against the other wolf. Derik’s shout drew
Carly’s attention back to Nolan and Maggie. There was the distinct sound of a
bone breaking and Nolan fell, cradling one arm.

Maggie snarled at him then picked up her knife again, this
time aiming for Nolan. A white wolf hit her mid-chest. Carly hoped it was Derik
trying to protect his fallen lover. Nolan cried out again as Maggie brought the
knife up, slashing it across the white wolf’s throat. Blood poured as he fell
to the ground. Carly heard her own voice shouting “No!” as Nolan dragged
himself toward the white wolf.

Still wielding the bloody knife, Maggie ran toward the fight
in the center of the circle. Maggie slashed the larger wolf across the side
before she dropped the knife to change into animal form. Her clothing ripped to
shreds as she shook violently. Carly could see that Slade was obviously
weakening and the challenger was relentless. Maggie jumped as though to attack
from the other side but Slade caught her in midair.

His enormous jaws locked around her neck and there was an
ominous crack as Maggie fell hard to the ground.

The challenger changed to human form in shock. Carly watched
in horror as Slade literally ripped his face off before dropping to the ground
himself. She recognized him from that night at her house and realized Cutter
was dead before he even hit the ground. No one could survive an injury like
that one.

Micah continued to drag Tony toward Carly as one of the
other were-cats finally used a swipe of his paw to cut the ropes holding her
down. Carly yanked her feet free and got up as fast as she could. She closed
the distance between herself and Micah at a dead run. With tears in her eyes,
Carly looked up at Micah.

“Maggie said she’d poisoned Slade. Oh God, Micah, are you
okay? How’s Tony?” Not waiting for an answer, Carly dropped to her knees to run
her hands over Tony’s inert form. She looked up to see Micah walking back
toward Slade.

Micah glanced at Maggie’s body and Cutter’s lifeless form,
then stood over a panting, bleeding Slade. He waited until Slade looked up at
him. Slade’s breathing sounded labored and harsh. Micah couldn’t believe Cutter
and Maggie had turned on Slade. He figured Slade would be having a hard time
processing that one as well.

They’d been working against him from the inside all this
time. Slade had nothing now, even the pack had deserted him. Micah detected
Maggie’s hand in that move. Slade lifted his head slightly as Micah stood over
him with no pity.

“You lose,” he whispered to Slade, turning his energy on
him. Slade’s howl turned into a scream of pain as Micah forced him to shift
back to human form.

“That was for Shelly,” Micah said quietly as he walked away
from Slade. He’d heard Carly’s explanation of the poisoning so he didn’t expect
Slade to last much longer. The rest of the Turn Skins had disappeared, leaving Cutter
and Maggie’s bodies behind with the dying Slade.

Micah knelt beside Nolan, pulling the other man against his
chest as Nolan vented his anger and grief in carrying howls. Derik had given
his life to protect Nolan and Carly. Micah glanced around, seeing that most of
the others were all right. They’d only lost one soul, but that loss would haunt
all of them for a very long time. Swiping a hand over his face, denying that
any moisture there could be tears, Micah tugged Nolan closer.

* * * * *

Tony woke with his head cradled in Carly’s lap. She crooned
softly as she stroked his head and neck. He lifted his head slightly and
changed. Aches bloomed everywhere as his body took stock of his injuries.

Broken ribs, gashes and slashes, even a cut across his
forehead steadily dripping blood into his eyes. Tony knew none of these injuries
were life-threatening. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on his pain. He saw Nolan
with Derik’s lifeless form in his lap and one of Micah’s massive arms wrapped
around Nolan’s shoulders.

Glancing toward the circle, he saw Cutter, or what was left
of him, in the clearing with Maggie lying beside him. Slade still gasped for
air in the clearing, clawing his way out of the circle.

Tony pulled himself to his feet slowly to make his way over
to Micah. Carly stayed where she was, obviously numb with shock at everything
that had happened. From her perspective it had to have been so savage, so
fierce. When he glanced back, Carly dropped her face into her hands.

He could see the tears falling between her fingers, could
hear her sobs. She’d been so damn brave, fighting even though she had to be
scared.

Tony and Micah spoke quietly as the rest of their friends
gathered around Nolan and Derik. Nolan was finally pulled away from Derik so
that one of the other shifters could lift Derik’s body into his arms. Another
shifter put his arm around Nolan to pull him away from the scene. As one, Tony
and Micah turned toward the clearing to decide what to do with the dead.

“Shit.” Tony’s exclamation drew the attention of everyone.
Slade no longer lay in the grass. He’d disappeared. And so had Maggie, somehow.

Micah cursed under his breath then called one of the
shifters over to him. They started scouting around, looking for Slade and
Maggie. Taking a deep breath, Tony picked up his jeans, pulling them on slowly.

He knew putting off facing Carly was wrong. He’d probably
lost her for good. How could she love him when he’d put her in so much danger?
How could she love him when she had seen how savage his world could be? He
needed to get the inevitable over with so he could deal with the pain of losing
her. At least he would know she lived.

Tony turned to see Carly kneeling on the ground with her
hands on her knees and her head down. Walking slowly over to her, he knelt in
front of her. When he reached out to touch her, Carly flinched. Tony pulled his
hand back with a sigh before speaking softly.

“Carly? You’re safe now. Come on, I’ll take you home.” He
didn’t wait for her to say anything as he just pulled her to her feet. “I know
saying I’m sorry is ridiculous, but I am sorry. I’m sorry I got you into this.”

“Tony, it wasn’t you.” Carly put her hands on either side of
his face to force him to meet her eyes. “It was them. They forced you into
this. When you first got here, the way you looked at me, did you mean that or
was it for show?”

Tony’s eyes went over her face slowly, savoring her
features, lingering on her mouth then her eyes. “I meant it. I went back to the
condo to tell you I love you. I wanted you to know how much you mean to me.
Carly, I am so—”

She cut him off before he could finish his thought. “Don’t.
Don’t tell me you’re sorry. I know you’re sorry. So am I. I’m sorry Derik is
dead and I’m sorry that Nolan is in such anguish but, Tony, I am not sorry I
made love with you and I’m not sorry that I’m in love with you.”

Tony met her eyes again, almost afraid to believe what he
was hearing. He searched her blue eyes. Seeing the truth swimming there behind
her tears, he pulled her into his arms.

Hugging her fiercely, he covered her mouth with his. Carly
molded her body against his to return his embrace. They came up for air when
they remembered where they were.

Carly stroked her hand through Tony’s hair then over his
chest. There were still scratches visible on his chest and neck. The doctor in
her automatically wondered if his wrist was really broken. Tony grinned as he
took a step back. He tossed her a wink then slowly pulled his jeans off.

She watched as he changed rapidly into feline form. Just as quickly
he went back to human. When he got to his feet again, the scratches had faded.
Even his wrist looked fine.

“Something about the change,” he said with a wry grin as he
pulled his jeans back on. Carly laughed, throwing her arms around him.

“I can’t wait to figure you out.” She laughed as she met his
eyes but the serious look on his face had the laugh dying in her throat.

“You’re my true mate, Dr. Carly Chambers. I pledge my life
to you. I will protect you, keep you from harm and love you until I die. I will
accept any children born of our union with joy and will raise them to the best
of my ability. Anything and everything I have is yours from now until the day
you die.”

“Tony, are you asking me to marry you?” Carly held her
breath as she waited for his answer.

Tony laughed as he pulled her into his arms. “No, I’m
telling you that in the eyes of the shifters we are already married. If you
want a human ceremony, we can have one of those as well. You’re mine, Carly
Chambers, mine until the day one or both of us dies.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Carly answered with a
smile as she pulled his head down to hers for another lingering kiss.

* * * * *

Micah watched them from the edge of the woods. He would let
them have this moment of unrestrained happiness before he told them that no one
could locate either Maggie or Slade.

It appeared they had gone in different directions but there
was no guarantee that this wasn’t planned as well—Slade toward New Orleans,
Maggie to the west.

Let Tony and Carly celebrate for now
.
There will
be time enough for revenge
. Micah knew Slade and Maggie both had to be
found.

Micah turned to walk back to where he’d left his truck. He
had a funeral to plan and a child to find a home for. Shelly had given her life
for his when she hit Jack with the rock to knock him out so that Micah could
escape. The drugs Maggie had pumped into her body killed her before Micah could
get her to safety.

Even forcing the change on Shelly hadn’t helped. Micah knew
that Nolan would need help with Derik’s funeral as well. His steps slowed as he
bowed his head briefly, asking for strength to get through the next several
months.

Tony sighed as Carly slipped into bed beside him. He rolled
just enough so that the faint light coming through the open curtains struck the
gold band on his left hand. Carly ran her hand through his hair, pushing it out
of her way, then kissed the side of his neck.

“How was work?” His warm sleepy voice reached her even as
she snuggled up against his back.

“Fine, go back to sleep.” Carly smiled, knowing that wasn’t
going to happen. Sure enough, Tony chuckled as he rolled over to face her.

“Later.” Tony lifted her left hand and kissed her palm,
slowly licking his way around the gold band she wore that was a twin to his. “I
heard from Micah today.” He kissed her palm then gently bit her wrist. Carly
felt her pulse jump under his mouth.

“Oh? Where is he?”

“Back at his resort, he sends his love.” Tony had worked his
way up to her elbow with gentle bites soothed by equally gentle kisses.

Carly laughed as she grabbed a handful of his hair and
pulled his head up to hers. “Stop that, you know it tickles.”

The glow from Tony’s eyes was enough to brighten the room.
He purred deep in his throat as he moved down her body. She felt his tongue
swipe across her breast and dug her fingers into his scalp, just the way he
liked.

Their established pattern hadn’t varied since their wedding
day. Carly still worked her crazy midnight shift, coming home just before dawn.
Tony would wake when she got into bed and they would make love then fall asleep
together until it was time for him to get up and go to work.

So many changes had occurred over the past few months.
They’d met one another’s families and for the most part, everyone got along
even though Carly wasn’t about to tell her family the whole truth. The wedding
had been a simple justice of the peace with her folks and Wolf and Nolan
standing with them. She’d moved into Tony’s home and put the condo on the
market. She was still working on figuring out some of the metabolic changes
that occurred in Tony when he shifted and they both thoroughly enjoyed her
research.

Tony stared into her eyes as he kissed her again. He moved
closer, feeling her satisfied sigh as his hands moved over her soft skin. Carly
was well and truly his now. He grinned as he moved his mouth back up to her
neck. Tony remembered his first taste of Carly and was more thankful than ever
that it hadn’t been his last.

Carly wiggled under him then they began to move together to
greet the morning.