Hour of the Lion (The Wild Hunt Legacy #1) (31 page)

her body. My cub. Mine to protect. Nothing will hurt my Jamie.

Suddenly, the lions blurred. Calum. Alec. The men rose to their feet.

―I do not know you,‖ Calum said, his voice so controlled, she could barely hear the

underlying violence, but his pupils were completely black, and the air around him seemed to

ripple. ―That is my daughter who I love. I would care for her if you permit.‖

With his husky voice, his careful words, her anger drained away. Her paw dropped, and she

forced herself a few steps away from Jamie.

Calum ran forward and fell to his knees beside his daughter.

Feeling herself sway, Vic shook her head. This being a furry-thing was majorly bizarre. And

how the hell was she supposed to shift into a people-thing again? Had any of those bozos

mentioned the way to get back? God, would she stay stuck like this for… She spotted it, up in

the corner of her mind. The door.

She hurled herself through. Whoa, major dizziness. Blinking, she saw bare arms buried

elbow-deep in the snow. Her arms. ―Fucking-A.‖

When she looked up, Alec was staring down at her, his green eyes almost glowing. ―Vixen?

You shifted?‖

Beside Jamie, Calum raised his head. ―Victoria. I caught your scent, but didn‘t believe it.‖

With an effort, Vic pushed to her feet. Her legs wobbled like half-melted Jell-O as she

dropped down beside Calum. The little panther‘s eyes were open, but glazed, and it was panting.

―Oh, God, is she okay? They shot her—a tranq, I think.‖

Calum ran his fingers through Jamie‘s fur and yanked out a feathered dart. ―Just one?‖

―Yeah, their last. They were scared she‘d wake up before they got her caged.‖ Vic couldn‘t

keep her hand from stroking the snow-dampened fur, needing to feel the warmth underneath and

the comforting beat of the child‘s heart. She was growling under her breath—as was Calum. She

jerked her chin at the rock lying beside the dead man. ―He planned to bash her—‖ She choked,

couldn‘t even say the words as the horror washed over her again. The absolute wrongness of the

act.

Alec‘s gaze touched on the bad guy, followed her leaping trail back to where it disappeared

over the edge of the ridge. ―You were below, weren‘t you,‖ he stated. ―That‘s why you shifted?‖

―Yeah. Too far away.‖ She shivered at how close she‘d come to being too late, and then

shivered again at the bite of snow and wind on her bare skin.

At the sound of voices coming up the trail, Vic rose, placing herself in front of Jamie. The

door flickered in her vision, reminding her she had other options. Alec stepped beside her, his

shoulder brushing hers.

But the people that appeared through the swirling snow weren‘t more thugs. The grocery

store owner, Baty, trotted in the front, carrying a pistol. Behind him, Kevin Murphy lugged a

double-barrel shotgun, his brother, a deer rifle. After that came Kori and Angie, and they had,

halleluiah, blankets.

Baty stepped over the dead man‘s body as if it was a log on the trail and halted in front of

Calum. ―Cosantir, what do you require?‖

* * *

Calum kept one hand on his daughter, unable to stop touching her, reassuring himself she

was alive. Across from Jamie, Alec did the same. Bless the clan members who had arrived. He

and his brawd could stay beside Jamie and still discharge their duties.

He glanced at the corpse behind him. The claw marks on the slashed throat were too

obvious. The same on the man he and Alec had savaged and killed. Deaths from mountain lion

attacks always made the news. The bodies must not be found. ―Go through the wallets and get

their information, then replace everything. Don‘t leave fingerprints, just in case.‖

Baty held up his gloved hand. ―I‘ll take care of that.‖ He knelt beside the dead body, calling

to the women, ―Kori, do you have a pen and paper?‖

As Kori bustled forward, Angie spread a blanket over Calum‘s shoulders, then did the same

with Victoria and Alex.

Victoria wrapped herself in it, shivering so hard her teeth chattered. Calum put his free arm

around her and pulled her against his warmth.

―Cosantir.‖ A man of few words, Kevin waited for orders.

Calum glanced at Alec. ―Suggestions, cahir?‖

―Cold water might preserve them too well. Best let the forest animals clean up the mess.‖

Calum nodded, then said to the Murphy brothers, ―Wrap them in plastic to prevent a blood

trail. Drop them from the steepest cliff into Dead Mule Canyon.‖

Cody gave a short nod. ―I know the one you mean.‖

Alec added, ―Take as much of the bloody snow with the bodies as you can manage. No need

to leave extra evidence behind.‖

Kevin glanced at the gory mess around Victoria‘s victim and grimaced. ―Gee thanks, Alec.‖

―Got your information,‖ Albert Baty said, returning to stand beside Calum. ―What next?‖

―Thank you, Albert. I think Victoria abandoned her clothing and probably a pack, down

below.‖ Calum nodded at the tracks leading over the steep cliff.

Baty‘s eyes widened. He bobbed his head at Victoria. ―Nice job of climbing, missy. I‘ll get

your stuff for you, don‘cha worry.‖

She smiled her thanks.

―Thank you, Albert.‖ As the little shopkeeper bustled away, Calum bent over Jamie. Her

eyes focused on him, and she was breathing normally. He stroked the fur on her neck. ―Jamie. It

would be best if you trawsfur. Do you remember how?‖

Her muscles tightened under his hand, but he felt no tingle of magic. His mouth went dry. If

she couldn‘t find the way back… He looked at Alec, unable to speak.

―Parents, so quick to panic.‖ Alec stepped to where Jamie could see him. ―Look at me, baby,

not that ugly thing you call a daddy.‖

Jamie‘s gaze shifted.

―You‘re safe, sweetie. All the bad guys are gone. Find the door, and let‘s go home.‖ He

waited.

Jamie‘s muscles didn‘t loosen, and she was panting again. Fear whipped at Calum‘s control.

The first few trawsfurs needed to be calm and quiet so the youngster wouldn‘t panic. A bad

experience while an animal could make a child subconsciously avoid the vulnerable human

form…and be unable to find the portal.

Although his brother‘s hand fisted, Alec‘s laugh was normal. ―Guess you want us to carry

you, eh? Now, isn‘t that just like a teenager?‖

Calum bent to pick up his daughter, letting go of Victoria. Instead of rising, she elbowed

him out of the way and took his place. She cupped Jamie‘s muzzle. ―Hey.‖

Jamie‘s eyes fixed on Victoria‘s.

―You‘re scared,‖ Victoria said. ―Well, hell, that shows you‘re not stupid.‖

Calum growled. ―Victoria, that—‖

―Shut up, this is girl talk,‖ Victoria snapped. She bent closer to Jamie and whispered, ―Those

guys were scary and big, and they had you trapped. I know the feeling.‖

Calum frowned at Alec, but his brother motioned for him to wait.

―Thing is,‖ Victoria continued, ―you can let your fear keep you from doing anything else in

your life—yeah, I‘ve seen that happen—or you can have the guts to move on. Isn‘t easy. Nope,

it‘s hard as hell. But you know, if you shove the fear over to one side, you‘ll be able to see that

fucking door.‖

She made a face. ―An‘ looks like we have some studying to do on being furry things. God

knows, I‘d rather there were two of us doing it, so get your ass in gear and shift.‖

Before Calum could yell at her for the language, he felt the sparkle of magic under his

fingers, and his little girl suddenly appeared. ―Oh, thank Herne,‖ he choked, his gaze blurred

with tears. He managed to remain still long enough for Alec to wrap a blanket around her before

he yanked her into his arms.

―Daddy, I was really scared,‖ she whispered into his neck.

―Me, too.‖

Calum never stopped giving orders, all the way down the damned mountain, and Vic

decided he was far past captain‘s rank. Colonel Calum. Yeah. Really, the man had a knack.

It was slow going, walking down in the heavy snow. Still, she hadn‘t been about to trawsfur

into kitty form, not after seeing Calum‘s face when Jamie didn‘t shift right away. The men

hadn‘t mentioned there might be a little problem—like getting stuck forever with whiskers and a

tail.

They finally arrived at the Wild Hunt, and Calum carried his daughter up the back steps. He

started toward his side of the house, but Alec cleared his throat and jerked his head at his own

door. Calum paused, then complied.

Serving as rear-guard, Vic nudged Alec and raised her eyebrows.

―I haven‘t seen it, but according to Bonnie, a fair amount of blood got spilled,‖ he said

quietly. ―Thorson was babysitting Jamie here.‖

Oh God, not Joe. Even as Vic‘s breath hitched, her fingers curved as if remembering the

feeling of flesh tearing beneath her claws. Damn them. ―Is he all right?‖

―Don‘t know yet.‖ Alec kissed her cheek and nudged her through the door.

―Let‘s get you some hot tea, more blankets,‖ Calum said to Jamie, heading for a couch.

Vic frowned at the blood smeared on the kid‘s face and clotted in her hair. ―No, Calum.‖

―What?‖ He stopped in the center of the room.

―A hot soapy shower first. Then tea and blankets.‖ Already knowing the answer, Vic said,

―Right, kid?‖

Jamie looked at her blood-streaked hands, and a tremor shook her body. ―I want to wash,‖

she said, her voice weak, but determined.

―Ah.‖ Calum‘s gaze followed his daughter‘s and his pupils darkened, although he remained

as calm as usual. ―Shower it is.‖

Not being slow on the uptake, Alec was already in the bathroom, adjusting the water

temperature. ―Maybe a bath—‖

Vic shook her head. Blood looked really ugly in bathwater; didn‘t these guys know

anything? ―Who stays with you, Jamie? Calum or me?‖

As Calum set Jamie on her feet, she reached for Vic. Her little hands felt like ice cubes.

―You, Vicki. Please?‖

―No problem. Pop on in.‖ Vic jerked her head for the men to depart.

As they left, Jamie got in the shower. A squeak, ―Jeez, it‘s hot!‖ And then the sounds of

washing.

Vic moved to where she could see the smoked glass of the door. The kid remained upright,

not going face first in a faint. Good enough.

After a minute, she stepped out of the bathroom, knowing Calum would be right there. The

man gave new meaning to overprotective parent, but just watching him baby his daughter made

Vic feel all squishy inside. Go figure.

―What happened? Is she—‖

Vic rolled her eyes. ―She‘s fine. She might be better if she had some clothes to wear?‖

Beside Calum, Alec gave a snort of laughter and nudged his brother. ―Thinking real clear,

aren‘t we, brawd? I‘ll run over to your place. Jeans or robe?‖

―Robe,‖ Calum said at the same time Vic said, ―Jeans.‖

She continued, ignoring Calum‘s frown, ―Treat her like a victim, and that‘s how she‘ll see

herself. She‘s not sick, and she did damned well against two big men. She‘s a fighter, Calum.‖

Calum nodded reluctantly.

―Jeans, it is,‖ Alec said.

Vic checked on Jamie. ―‗Bout done?‖

―Almost. I need to rinse the shampoo out.‖

Alec had handed in clothes by the time Jamie emerged, all pink from the heat. As Vic helped

her dress, she checked over the damage. Bruises on elbows and knees, and a nasty one on her

face that roused Vic‘s anger again. A few long scratches and scrapes from banging into branches.

Her feet were abraded, but no frostbite. Shifters were hardy critters.

―You look good, kid.‖ She got a smile that made her eyes burn. Dammit. After a breath, she

followed Jamie out of the bathroom.

Alec stopped her and pushed another set of clothing into her arms. ―These looked about your

size. Have a nice shower, cariad.‖

The rush of gratitude was amazing. Jamie wasn‘t the only one covered in blood. And Vic‘s

hands had begun to shake. ―Thank you. Really.‖

He kissed her lightly, and the warmth in his eyes turned her all squishy for the second time.

Oh, she was definitely losing it. ―We‘ll talk after you‘re clean and warm,‖ he said. ―Calum is

making tea.‖

She knew she was in pitiful condition when tea sounded better than coffee.

After turning the shower back on, she tossed the blanket to the floor and stepped into the

steamy blue-tiled enclosure. She ducked her head under the hot pelting water.

Shampoo and soap stood on a tiled-in corner shelf, and she vigorously scrubbed the dirt and

sweat and blood from her hair and body. But as the pink-tinted water swirled down the drain, her

stomach clenched. By the time she finished, her hands were shaking so hard she couldn‘t close

the flip top on the shampoo bottle. Adrenaline overload and aftermath—her mind said even as

her legs gave out. Kneeling on the floor of the shower, arms wrapped around herself, she shook

uncontrollably. And cried.

She‘d killed a man. Cut his life short in a horrible way. God, she could still hear the ghastly

choking sound he‘d made as he died. Because of her, he‘d never grow old, never have a chance

to mend his ways, never return to the people who loved him—maybe a mother, children, wife,

friends. Whether he deserved it or not, his voice would no longer be heard anywhere again, and

she had done that.

No matter how many times she killed, it never grew easier.

The water had cooled by the time Vic stopped crying, but at least her shaking had slowed.

Only a fine tremor remained as she toweled herself off. She wiped the condensation off the