Hour of the Lion (The Wild Hunt Legacy #1) (32 page)

mirror. Major mistake. She looked like hell. The days of camping in the snow had taken a toll—

cold-chapped skin, gaunt cheeks, circles under her eyes. Add tangled wet hair and reddened eyes.

―Aren‘t you just a vision of loveliness, Sergeant?‖ she whispered.

Life truly sucked.

Leaving the steam-filled bathroom, she followed the sound of voices and stepped into the

living room. The room was all dark walnut and golden-toned fabrics. The fire in the glass-

fronted wood stove gave cheer and warmth despite the wind howling outside. Half-asleep, Jamie

snuggled into Calum‘s side on one of the matching cushy-looking couches; Alec sat on the other.

The men had damp hair and smelled of soap.

Although Vic hadn‘t made any noise, Alec looked up and patted the couch beside him.

With a sigh, she dropped down beside him.

Cupping her cheek in his hand, he ran a thumb under one reddened eye. ―You all right?‖

She shrugged and murmured an honest answer, knowing he‘d think she was kidding, ―After

I kill someone, I like to sit in the shower and cry.‖

―Of course. It‘s good to have traditions.‖ He tucked her into his side as easily as if she were

Jamie. The way he dwarfed her and the feel of his hard muscles against her were disconcertingly

comforting. He handed her the cup of tea steaming beside him. ―Drink. I dumped a ton of sugar

into it.‖

She took a sip and choked; he‘d also added an ample amount of brandy. It burned all the

way down, and she wheezed a little before she managed to speak. ―Thanks. I think.‖

His eyes glinted with amusement. ―My pleasure.‖

Before she could drink any more, she had to find out… ―How‘s Joe?‖

Calum‘s face tightened. ―He ripped open his stitches and has a concussion as well. He‘ll

spend the night in hospital while they sew him up. Again.‖

Vic shook her head. ―How did they know Jamie was a shifter?‖

―They didn‘t. Just that Alec and I are.‖ Calum‘s voice was mild. She‘d have thought him

indifferent if not for the blazing fury in his eyes. ―Old Irma Neilson has lived here all her life and is one of the few humans who know about us. Someone tortured her for information about

shifters—and our relatives.‖

Vic shuddered, thinking of the sadism Swane had shown. God, that poor woman. ―Is she

alive?‖

―Oh yes, but she‘ll stay in the hospital for a couple days.‖ Alec‘s mouth curled up. ―I talked

with her a few minutes ago, and her major concern was that fat poodle of hers. Good thing the

dog survived.‖

Calum rested his cheek on Jamie‘s head. ―They went after Jamie to use against me, but

didn‘t realize Joe was with her. Then this little cat gave them more than they‘d planned for.‖

―I didn‘t recognize the men. That means Swane and the suit are still out there,‖ Vic said.

―We‘re searching records. We need to take out the person who is doing the hiring.‖ Calum

looked so tired that Vic saw what he‘d look like as an old man—one of those coastal trees, the

trunk gnarled and gray, still standing defiantly against the wind.

And God, she wanted to be standing beside him then. She concentrated on sipping her tea,

pushing away the hopeless wishes.

Footsteps thudded on the stairs outside, and she set the cup down so quickly the liquid

sloshed over the sides.

Alec pulled her back against him and murmured into her hair, ―Relax. That‘s just Devin and

Jody. They were cleaning up Calum‘s place.‖

At the rap on the door, Alec raised his voice slightly, ―Come on in—it‘s not locked.‖

The man poked his head in, nodded to Alec, then looked at Calum. ―All done. We removed

the throw carpet, used special stuff on the...stains. Jody suggested we put down one of Rebecca‘s

hand-crocheted rugs so it wouldn‘t look so bare.‖

The woman shoved the guy aside long enough to add, ―The rug looks really good, Calum.

Better than what you had, actually. You should buy it from her.‖

―I will do that. And thank you both. I owe you.‖

Vic would have done a lot to have earned that fleeting smile of Calum‘s. Apparently the two

felt the same for they beamed back at him. Jody said, ―We‘ll bill you for the cleaning, but no

further debt is owed, Calum. The attack was targeted upon us all, even if it happened in your

home.‖

Devin gave a loose salute to Calum, and they retreated, pulling the door shut behind them.

―It‘s going to smell like cleansers over there, brawd. I think you and Jamie should bed down

here in the living room.‖ Alec tightened his arm around Vic and gave her his crooked smile.

―You know, I might have nightmares, so you‘d better stay with me, Vixen. Just in case.‖

* * *

She‘d let him tuck her into his bed as passively as if she‘d been Jamie, and it tore at Alec‘s

heart how exhausted she looked. She fell asleep instantly, but he was wide awake, the anger slow

to die within him.

Pulling a chair close to the bed, he studied her face in the flickering firelight. He‘d felt her

increased slenderness when she leaned against him on the couch, and now, he noticed the

hollows below her cheekbones. She‘d lost weight, and the dark circles under her eyes said she

hadn‘t been sleeping.

His jaw set. She wasn‘t the only one. In the evenings, he‘d missed the pleasure of hearing

about her day and sharing some of his. Most people, human or shifter, saw only the burden and

pain of being a cop. But somehow, this little female understood the satisfaction—the

fulfillment—that came from protecting others. She might be female, but she had a cahir‘s heart.

He‘d known he wanted her as a mate—he hadn‘t realized how much joy she‘d brought into his

life.

When she‘d said she‘d left the trail to avoid seeing him or Calum, she might as well have cut

his heart out. He leaned his elbows on his knees, trying to solve the puzzle. He was experienced

enough to know she cared for him, even without seeing how she watched him with that soft

expression and how she stood within his personal space, letting him into hers.

Why the worries about going feral? He studied her even breathing, the complete relaxation

that spoke of trust. Did his Vixen really think she had no connections to anyone, loved no one? If

anything, she cared too much. She was like an overcooked marshmallow, crusty on the outside,

all sweet and soft inside.

But she tried to hide how much she cared; didn‘t even believe she did. Something had made

her think she was safer alone. So she didn‘t share her past or her emotions. He smiled,

remembering how she‘d wanted to keep their lovemaking shallow as well. How she‘d failed.

It was time the little ex-human let the rest of her barriers down. Obviously it was up to him

and Calum to teach her.

Reaching out, he drew a finger across her stubborn jaw, determination settling inside him.

The gods had provided him and Calum another chance to win her—and they weren‘t going to

fail this time.

* * *

Vic heard the crackle of rifle fire, and a bullet hit the man beside her with a gut-wrenching

splat. He grunted, falling back, his blood spurting across the rubble. Dead. Her face was sticky with sweat and blood, her mouth dry from the sand. The sun beat down in the cloudless sky, the

heat like a weapon. She veered to avoid a pile of trash in the road; IEDs were everywhere. A

bomb exploded behind her, another in front of her, and she turned, confused. Where am I? She looked down, expecting her ragged Baghdad clothing—but Jesus fuck, she was naked! And

standing in the street.

A snarl cut through the gunfire, and a panther sprang out from between the buildings. An M-

16 chattered, and the small lion slammed into the pavement, blood making a red river down the

golden fur.

―Jamie!‖ She tried to run, but her legs wouldn‘t move. She jerked up. Sitting? She stared

into the darkness, her hands clutching at blankets. A bed. Where am I?

―Hey, hey, hey.‖ A man in the bed beside her.

Jesus, no. She struck out.

He caught her fist in a big hand. ―A nightmare, baby. You‘re having a nightmare.‖ His voice

was low and smooth. Oddly comforting. ―Shhh, Vixen, you‘re safe.‖

―Alec?‖

―None other.‖ Sitting beside her, he finger-combed her hair from her damp face. ―C‘mere,

cariad . I‘ll hold you till the boogie-men go away.‖ He lay back, pulling her down.

―Oh, God, that felt too real.‖ Her heart still pounded, but her muscles slowly relaxed as he

stroked her back. With a sigh, she laid her head in the hollow of his shoulder.

―There we go,‖ he murmured, his voice resonant under her ear. ―You want to talk it over or

let it fade?‖

―It‘ll fade,‖ she whispered. Her lips curved slightly as she recalled one part. ―You know,

I‘ve heard about it, but I‘ve never been naked in a dream before.‖

―Ah.‖ He grinned. ―I didn‘t realize humans had that one. It‘s a common shifter nightmare.‖

―Yeah?‖ With a start, she remembered how on the mountain, she‘d shifted from cat to

human and found herself bare-assed. ―Oh. I bet.‖ She snuggled closer, laid one knee over his

thigh, his warmth wonderful against her chilled skin. Skin? ―You stripped me! No wonder I

thought I was naked.‖

His laugh rumbled through his chest. ―You didn‘t even wake up.‖

―But—‖

―I stripped me too,‖ he pointed out virtuously. As if that would make a difference. His voice

lowered, took on heat. ―And, as it happens, I like you without clothes on.‖ His hand stroked her

shoulder, down to her waist, and warmth followed in its wake.

Well. Her heart rate had slowed, but now sped up for a much better reason than fear. What

nicer way to celebrate life than—

―Is everything all right?‖ Calum walked into the room, his gait as silent as always. He

studied her for a moment, and then glanced at Alec.

―Nightmare,‖ Alec said. ―Jamie?‖

―Brownies are on watch.‖

―Good deal.‖ Alec slid backward, pulling Vic with him until she‘d replaced him in the

center of the bed. ―You know, we were just discussing the fact that we‘re both naked. You‘re

overdressed, brawd.‖

What? Vic stared at Alec. ―But —‖

―I am indeed.‖ Calum‘s rare smile flashed, and then he shed his clothes. Tanned skin. Sleek,

hard muscles. He lifted the covers and slid into bed on her other side, sandwiching her between

him and Alec. She started to sit up.

Alec held her down. ―Vixen,‖ he said quietly. ―You‘ve made love with both of us

separately.‖

Shame silenced her for a moment. ―I-I‘m sorry. I shouldn‘t —‖

Calum snorted. He gripped her shoulder and rolled her onto her back between the two men.

Each was propped up on an elbow, looming over her helpless position. Dammit. Calum‘s hand

held her down, and she shoved at it.

His eyes narrowed; his voice deepened. ―Do not move.‖

Her fingers released involuntarily at the short command—and even more appalling, her

insides seemed to turn to liquid.

He smiled faintly. ―Very nice, cariad.‖ He gave Alec a disparaging glance. ―Clumsy bugger.

You made her feel guilty.‖

―Hell.‖ Alec took her hand and kissed her fingers. ―I didn‘t mean to do that, Vixen. We

wanted you to enjoy us separately—now we‘d like to enjoy you together.‖

Her heart stopped. Sure, she‘d gotten a clue when Calum dropped his clothing, but to say it

aloud— ―Are you serious?‖

―Cariad, did not Heather tell you about Daonain‘s customs?‖ Calum asked, his brows

together.

―Uh. Yes.‖ She tried to remember what Heather had said, but Alec ran his hand up her arm

and flattened his palm on her shoulder…just above her left breast. Her nipples tightened.

Calum stroked a finger down her cheek and over her lower lip. ―Your heart is pounding,

little cat. You‘ve flushed, and I can smell your arousal. Your human mind may say it‘s wrong,

but your shifter body wants us.‖

His eyes had turned to a molten gray that held her gaze captive as he cupped his big hand

over her breast. When his thumb circled the nipple, everything inside her burst into flame. The

corners of his eyes crinkled with satisfaction. He glanced at his brother.

―Vixen.‖ Alec cupped her chin, turning her face toward him, and his mouth closed over hers.

His kiss lured her in, teased her into responding, and filled her with warmth.

The mattress dipped as Calum sat up and cupped her breasts. His touch was firm as his

fingers rolled the nipples, the pressure increasing, then he pinched the tips. She jolted with the

sharp pain, and electricity seared straight to her groin. She choked back a moan.

Alec lifted his head, eyes hot with desire, yet dancing with amusement. ―I‘ve never met a

woman so reluctant to be pleased.‖

―That‘s not true.‖ She tried to sit up, and Calum‘s hand between her breasts flattened her

back on the bed.

―Oh, it‘s quite true,‖ Calum said. ―You enjoy sex, but you‘re afraid to give up control.

Seems we‘ve been through this before in the cave.‖ He lifted her face with a finger under her

chin, fixing her with that look again, the one that turned her muscles to jelly. ―We both know you

enjoy submitting to me, don‘t we?‖

A tremor ran down her spine. She managed a tiny nod.

―Victoria, do you have any objection to making love with us both?‖

Put up or shut up, Sergeant. But God, she wanted them—wanted them both. If that made her

a shifter slut, then so be it. ―No, sir.‖ The ‗sir‘ just slipped out, a reaction to him jumping into

officer mode.

A crease appeared in his cheek as he smiled, the amusement in his eyes showing he‘d heard