Territory (13 page)

“What in the hell are you doing!” He boomed.

Kya didn’t respond. She stood on trembling legs with her eyes still tightly closed. She was afraid to move, talk, or even breathe.

“I’m picking you up.” Briggs informed her evenly. He bent slowly and scooped her up even more slowly.

Kya kept her eyes closed but pointed to the bathroom. Briggs walked evenly into the small bathroom and sat on the tub with Kya on his lap. He turned sideways to throw the toilette lid up.

“You know,” he began quietly “it’s going to hurt like hell if you get sick.”

Kya nodded slowly as she took in a long shaky breath. Briggs sat with Kya on his lap for several moments as she regained her composure. She drew in slow shaky breathes and exhaled them just as slowly. After a few minutes and satisfied that the nausea had passed, Kya slowly cracked her eyes.

Both Kya and Briggs looked up towards the door when they heard footsteps and giggling coming from the hall. Three little dark haired girls and one sandy-blonde headed boy raced into the bathroom. Kya guessed they ranged in age from four to eight.

Heat stained Kya’s cheeks as her mouth fell open. She found no words to offer a response, but was saved as Mama entered the bathroom.

“Alright, say goodbye kids, we gotta get going.”

Briggs turned and bent over kissing each child in turn. The kids then lined up in front of Kya. She looked from them to Briggs uncomfortably, not knowing what to do.

Briggs smiled down at the kids. His smile took Kya’s breath away. She’d never seen him genuinely happy before, and the expression softened his usually stern features as his honey eyes actually danced with the delight. “Kya’s still hurt really bad guys, so she can’t bend over.”

“That’s okay!” The smallest girl announced grabbing Kya’s hand and lifting it to her mouth. Her little wet lips kissed the back of Kya’s hand before the girl turned serious and looked up at Kya. “I wish if I could stay and help take care of you, but Gramma Connie really needs us.”

Tears welled in Kya’s eyes at the little girl’s sincere concern. “Oh, that’s okay sweetheart. I’ll be fine. You go have fun at your Gramma Connie’s.”

The three remaining children each took a turn kissing Kya’s hand before they raced out of the room.

“What’s going on at Aunty Connie’s?” Briggs asked Mama.

Mama stood in the doorway wearing a large purple coat with a black cashmere scarf wrapped around her neck as she shoved her little hands into brown leather gloves. “Well, I just thought it’d be a good time to take the kids over for a visit seeing how they’re parents won’t be back for a few more days. Besides, Kya doesn’t need a bunch of screaming mimi’s running around here making noise.” As Mama pulled on her last glove, she entered the bathroom and bent to kiss Kya’s forehead. “You get better now, and remember what I said. A quiet empty house is just a good a place as any to think about your future.” Mama winked at Kya before she turned and strode from the bathroom, demanding over her shoulder, “Son, walk me out.”

Briggs lifted Kya’s legs and shoved a pillow underneath before he grabbed the Pendleton that was lying at the foot of the bed and covered her. “Yeah. She’ll be gone a few days. Her sister, my Aunt Connie, lives in Great Falls. They don’t get to see each other as often as they’d like.”

“Did the boy say Gramma Can?”

Briggs smiled, “Yea, Mama’s name is Candace. The kids call her Gramma Can. I haven’t figured out if it’s actually short for Candace or because whenever their parents tell them ‘no’, Gramma says they can.”

Kya smiled, “Cute kids.”

Briggs stood and went to a dresser pulling out some clothes. “Yeah, the boy is my sister Cindy’s son. You haven’t met her yet, she’s hunting in Alaska with her husband Michael. The two oldest girls are Dell and Chloe’s, and the youngest girl is Stevie’s.”

“Wow! You’re family is very impressive.” A flash of remorse passed over Kya’s soft features, and wasn’t missed by Briggs as he watched Kya through the reflection in the mirror over the bureau.

Briggs set the clothes he’d been holding down on top of the dresser and grabbed the chair that sat against the wall, dragging it noisily across the room and setting it next to Kya’s bed before he sat. The wicker seat creaked under his weight.

Kya looked back at him, startled to see him so serious. “I-I. Umm, well…I never knew my mother and my dad died when I was a teenager. I’ve been pretty much on my own since then. It’s kind of a long story.” Kya tried to end her story there, but opted to continue when Briggs’ scowl deepened.

“I got a job waiting tables and got my own apartment, and things were alright for a while. Then one day Reiner started coming to the restaurant. He really creeped me out. Whenever he came in, he’d always ask to sit in my section. I didn’t know the guy. I’d certainly never done anything to encourage his attention. But, he kept coming.

One night he came in and I asked my friend to switch me sections so I wouldn’t have to wait on him. When she went to take his order, he threw his glass of water across the restaurant and stormed out. I hoped he got the hint and wouldn’t come back. That night when I got off work I was walking home.” Kya gnawed on her bottom lip staring vacantly over Briggs’ head. “I had to pass through this park to get to my apartment. I was attacked. It was Reiner. He beat me near to death then drug me to Theron’s den. Theron changed me that night. I tried to fight them off, but they were too many...too strong. They locked me in the basement. I prayed I’d bleed to death, but I didn’t. I became…one of you. I never returned to work or saw my apartment again. They kept me locked up for the most part. Before I escaped I’d been with Theron’s pack for four years.”

Briggs’ jaw muscle clenched as he fought to control his anger. “How is it you can stay human during the full moon?”

“That was a very long and painful trick to learn.” Kya leaned back and ran both hands through her hair, wincing at the pain the extension caused in her stomach. “Every month for four years I tried. I practiced and prayed and hoped one day it would work. It’s how I escaped from them.

A farmer and his sons found me surrounded by them. The farmer thought I’d been attacked by the wolves. Three members of Theron’s pack died that night. When the farmer took me back to his house, I stole his truck and left Colorado. I thought if I could just get far enough away they’d leave me alone, forget about me. Apparently Montana wasn’t far enough.”

Briggs leaned back rubbing a large hand over his face, “Why Montana? Why come here?”

Kya looked up at the ceiling. “Josephine. My only friend. She was the waitress that traded me shifts that night in the restaurant. When I escaped Theron, I stopped at the college in Riverton and Googled her. Imagine my relief when I discovered that she was in Montana. I called her and she invited me to stay with her. I couldn’t help myself. I desperately needed a friend. I told her everything. What happened to me, what I’d become. I thought she’d call the police or at least try to have me committed. But she believed me. She said she knew of a shifter named Dell Blackbird that could help me. I’d had my fill of shifters, so I told her I’d go with her to meet Dell, but I secretly packed my bags. I was going to leave that night while Josephine slept, but she outsmarted me.

She knew I had no intentions of meeting with Dell. We shared a bottle of wine that she laced with…something, and I woke up chained to a tree in the middle of the damn National Park. Some friend.” Kya closed her eyes, rubbing at her throbbing temples as she whispered, “You know the rest.”

Briggs stood, the chair screeching on the hardwood floor as it was pushed back. “Josephine
is
your friend Kya. She did what needed to be done to keep you safe.”

Kya’s eyes snapped open and she frowned up at Briggs. “Easy for you to say. You’re not the one lying here with your guts sewn together.”

“You wouldn’t be in this condition if you’d have stayed put.”

Kya glared indignantly up at Briggs, “Stayed put? I went to Colorado to save you and your pack. I didn’t ask any of you to go defending my honor. I told you to leave it alone.”

“Leave it alone?” Briggs ground out. “Why? So you could spend the rest of your life living in fear and looking over your shoulder?”

Kya looked up at Briggs incredulously, her hands balled into tight fists, “Job? How in the hell is defending me
your
job?”

Kya felt disappointment settle in her belly like a stone. She bit back tears then grew angry when she glanced up and saw Briggs watching her from the mirror. “Well, I don’t either! As soon as I can shift, I’m gone. Then you won’t have to worry about
it
or
me
anymore.” Kya turned her head to the side trying to avoid his probing eyes.

Chapter
17

Kya stewed for hours, unable to sleep, or even relax.

What does that mean…’What if I can’t let you go?’ Oh, by the way I don’t want a mate. Jesus! Make up your fucking mind. I can’t handle this. I’ve got to get out of here. I’m gonna eat and rest and will myself better because if I have to spend another week with that man I’m going to find a gun and shoot myself.
Kya sighed heavily.
I don’t know why I’m so surprised. I knew he wouldn’t want me.
Kya slowly forced herself into a sitting position as realization dawned.
Is that it? Am I actually disappointed that he doesn’t want me? What would I do if he did? Would I stay…could I stay?
Kya fell back on the bed, throwing her hands up.
God, I don’t know!

The silence in the house seemed endless. Just when Kya realized she was famished, Briggs returned to her room. He carried in a TV tray and set it next to her bed before he left wordlessly.

Great! Now he’s not even talking to me.
Kya’s belly growled hungrily, but her nerves were too fraught to eat. She eyed the tray next to her. What appeared to be a steaming bowl of cream of chicken soup and a grilled cheese on wheat were centered on the tray just next to a glass of hot tea.
I could really use a beer.
Kya groaned inwardly as she slowly rolled to her side, turning her back on the hot meal.

A few hours later, Kya turned from the window she stood staring out as a soft knock came from the door. She turned towards Briggs as he slowly opened the door, and poked his head into the room.

“I wasn’t hungry.” Kya answered simply without turning around. She jumped as a loud crash sounded behind her. She turned to find that Briggs had sent the tray flying across the room. Creamy soup and cold brown tea slid down the wall next to the bathroom door. The hard grilled cheese sat at the base of the wall surrounded by shards of glass from the broken dishes.