To Have A Human (9 page)

“Did you secure the house like I told you to?” Aden asked the shifters.

“Yes, sir,” they said simultaneously.

“The windows are triggered,” Denton said.

“The garden has traps,” Harris added.

“And I re-calibrated the security cameras,” Eaton spoke up.

“Good. My being here won’t do anything but draw more attention to you. I’m going to go, but I’ll still be keeping an eye on you. You know how to contact me if there are any further problems. You guys can always go to the cabin if you need to get away. I’ve added a little money to your account, Care, I noticed it was getting a bit low,” his father said.

“Thanks, Dad.” Some people might think Aden Gale was a strange parent who taught his son dangerous things, but Carey knew his father only wanted to prepare him for a world where Carey wouldn’t be the biggest, baddest thing around. Aden’s goal was for Carey to at least be the last man standing. Aden’s motto was
even the toughest guy will fall if you shoot him in the balls.

His father gave Carey a manly clap on the shoulder before showing himself out. As soon as the door closed behind him, his roommates started talking.

“Your dad freaks me out,” Eaton confessed.

Carey laughed as the other two shifters nodded their agreement.

“You didn’t have to come home early,” Denton said. “You knew your dad was looking out for us. Why leave your kitty friend?”

Humiliation burned through Carey as he remembered Broden’s attitude. He’d been halfway to falling for the guy when he learned how Broden really felt about humans. Carey felt like an idiot.

“Because when Dad came over with his news, Broden told me he doesn’t think I can handle myself because I’m human,” Carey confessed.

“Oooh no.”

“Idiot!”

“Crap!”

Carey nodded. “I’m apparently quite unable to take care of myself and need my big manly shifter to look out for me.”

“Well, to give him credit he’s probably not used to humans like you. I mean if he’s only dealt with shifters in the past, he might not realize that some people, some humans are more than capable of taking care of themselves,” Eaton offered.

“Always the peacekeeper,” Carey patted Eaton on the leg.

“No, he has a point,” Harris agreed. “You are exceptional. Not every human can take down shifters. I don’t think you should give up on your cat man yet.”

Carey let out a long sigh. “Is it wrong that I’m looking for reasons to break up with him?”

“Why?” Denton asked. “If he’s that much of an asshole, I can take care of him for you.”

Carey pulled down his shirt to show the mark. “He marked me.”

“Ooh,” Eaton leaned over to check it out closer. “He’s bitey. I thought you smelled weird but I thought it was because you spend the day with all those other shifters.”

Carey shoved Eaton away. “He thinks I’m his mate.”

Denton frowned. “Cat shifters don’t
think
they have mates, you’re either a mate or not. If Broden says you’re his, he’s never going to let you go.”

“Unless we kill him!” Eaton said cheerily. “That would end the whole thing.”

“No killing!” Carey snapped. “I don’t want him dead.”

The thought of Broden being harmed made Carey’s heart beat faster in a panicky rhythm.

“You really like him,” Harris said with the wonder of a child discovering a new toy.

“Yes. I really like the idiot,” Carey grudgingly admitted.

“Carey’s in loooveee,” Denton sang.

“Shut up,” Carey threw a chicken wing at him.

Denton snagged the food out of the air and bit into it.

Looking around the large room made him smile. The house was an old Victorian with all the original details. With over seven thousand square feet of space, it was too big and too much upkeep. However, it was filled with memories of his childhood and growing up with his shifter friends. When Carey looked around the house, he saw a home filled with memories. The long banister he used to slide down, the ballroom where his grandmother taught him to waltz and the enormous kitchen where she tried but failed to teach him how to cook.

His grandmother had invited his friends into her home and lavished them with all the love they could ever need. She’d even added a freshwater pond for Denton to swim in when he needed a good soak. They’d all mourned deeply when she died five years ago.

“What are you thinking about?” Eaton asked.

“Memories. I’ve had some great ones in this house.”

“Have you thought about who you’re going to leave it to when you die?” Eaton asked.

“Poaching out my house?” Carey asked. Shifters lived much longer than humans and it made sense to him that his friends would worry about their home.

“No,” Eaton denied. “I was just wondering. You don’t have any siblings. You probably aren’t going to have kids unless you adopt. And since you’re denying your kitty, I have doubts you’re going to have any children soon.”

“I have the house divided between the three of you,” Carey said calmly.

“No shit?” Denton asked.

“You’re my closest friends, who else would I leave my house to?”

Harris growled. “You’re going to mate with that damn cat and live a god damned long life. You understand?”

“What are you talking about?” Carey frowned at his friend.

“If you officially mate with the cat, it will extend your life as long as his,” Denton explained. “I thought you knew that about shifters. You know everything else about us.”

“Since none of you have mates or have even started looking, the ins and outs of shifter love have escaped me. I can’t believe you want me to accept him just so I can live longer.” A ruthless idea to come from the usually dreamy bear.

Harris rolled his eyes. “No, you should accept him because you’re his mate and the only one he’ll ever have. The fact that mating with him will extend your life is just a bonus.”

Carey sighed. “I can’t decide right now when I’m under a death threat. Once the wolf gang is dealt with I’ll make a decision about Broden.”

“I think it’s time for us to go back to the cabin. Make them come to us.”

“Gee, I hope no one follows us…” Denton said. The sound of a bone snapping beneath strong jaws filled the air.

They laughed over their food as they made plans.

Chapter Six

Broden paced back and forth in his office, waiting for an update. At least Denton called him to tell him they were going out of town.

“He’ll be fine. We’ve got men following him,” Isaac soothed.

“I need to go out there. I don’t like leaving him unprotected.” Broden felt twitchy without Carey in his sight. Especially since he knew the Greben pack wanted Carey’s blood or maybe his skills, Broden wasn’t sure about that yet.

“Doesn’t he have three shifters with them, one of them a bear?” Isaac lifted an eyebrow at him.

“That won’t help them if Greben brings the entire pack,” Broden fumed.

“I did some calls and six of Greben’s boys headed out of town. I think your man can handle that many,” Isaac said.

“I’m not going to chance it,” Broden snarled.

“Why don’t you give him the opportunity to prove himself? You said his father looked like a dangerous man. Maybe he taught Carey a thing or two. We can keep an eye on the main pack from here. If they so much as twitch a paw out of place, we’ll hunt them down. If you go too early, you could lose Carey forever. No one wants to be considered weak by their mate,” Isaac said.

Broden collapsed on his couch. “You’re right. Telling him I thought he was a fragile human started the fight in the first place. No reason to compound my stupidity.”

“Exactly,” Isaac approved. “Why don’t you go home and get some sleep? I’ll call you if anything happens. You’re not going to get anything done today.”

Broden couldn’t argue with that reasoning. He’d been there for several hours and had nothing to show for it. “Fine, but call me if you hear anything. Understand?”

“Absolutely,” Isaac promised.

The busy traffic home had Broden cursing most of the way. Entering his condo and upset about Carey and the Greben pack, Broden didn’t pay attention to the odd smell until it was too late.

“Oh good, and I thought this was going to be a hard capture,” a silky voice said.

A sharp pain pierced Broden’s neck as the scent of wolves filled his nostrils. Damn, he’d turned into one of those too-stupid-to-live heroines. All he needed to finish the look was a pair of four-inch heels and a dark forest to stumble blindly through.

He definitely owed Carey an apology. Longing for his mate, Broden tumbled into darkness.

* * * *

“Who wants s’mores?” Eaton asked brightly.

Three hands went up.

“Cool. I’ll get the stuff.” Eaton scurried off to the small kitchenette.

“You should call him,” Harris said.

Carey scowled at his friend. “Why? So he can explain my inferiority in excruciating detail?”

“I think you’re making too much over that,” Denton scolded. “He’s just a little kitty who doesn’t understand his ball of yarn bites.”

“That was bad,” Carey scolded his friend.

“Come on, call him before he gets his fur all ruffled,” Harris teased.

“You guys are never going to stop bugging me until I call him, are you?”

“Nope,” Denton exclaimed.

“Fine.” Carey pulled out his cell phone and dialed Broden’s number.

The phone rang and rang before going to voice mail.

“He’s not answering. Huh,” Carey set his phone down. The lack of answer unsettled him a bit. Broden always answered his phone.

“Maybe he’s using the litter box,” Denton commented.

“I will end you all if you don’t stop with the cat jokes,” Carey threatened.

“Yes, Carey,” Denton and Harris said together.

Carey wasn’t fooled by their fake looks of contrition. He knew they’d start up again.

A howl filled the air, the sound quickly picked up by other wolves.

Eaton stomped back into the room. “I’m glad I didn’t started roasting marshmallows because I hate it when they get ruined.”

Another round of howls had Eaton tilting his head, not unlike his bird nature. “I hear six.”

Carey yanked back the rug and pulled at the iron ring embedded in the floor. Opening the hatch revealed a wooden ladder leading down below. The smell of cedar and dust filled his nose. His father had discovered the underground cellar after he’d bought the cabin. It had been little better than a hole. Together Carey and his father had added a better framework, cedar flooring and lots and lots of hooks for weapons. Pulling the cord lit up a lone light bulb.

Rows of guns and stacks of ammo filled the dugout basement. There was even a case full of knives and a few bows, but for now the collection of guns should do well enough to take out a wolf or two, or at least sting their asses. Carey grabbed his new favorite Glock, filled his pocket with ammo cartridges and was ready to go hunting.

Carey climbed back up the ladder, pleased with his collection.

“Ready, wimpy human?” Denton asked.

“I’ll try not to break a nail.” Carey snapped in his first cartridge.

There was a scratch at the door. Carey raised an eyebrow at Harris who shrugged.

“Should we let in the wolf at the door?” Eaton asked.

Carey shrugged. “Sure, why not if they want to make it easy for us. Wolves in a cabin are sort of like shooting fish in a barrel, not a lot of sport involved.”

Harris opened the door. “Hello.”

A muscled man wearing jeans, a T-shirt and a whole lot of attitude sauntered into the place like he owned it. “Which of you is Carey Gale?”

“I am.” Carey raised his hand in a pick-me gesture.

“I’ve come to give you the chance to work for John Greben. His last computer tech proved incompetent. You will, of course, be spared your life as payment,” the wolf in human form explained as if he were doing Carey a massive favor.

“I’m sorry, but what’s your name?” Carey asked.

“Frank Greben, John is my brother.” Frank’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m not going to be your computer bitch, so you can just go back to your master and tell him you failed,” Carey made a shooing motion with his hand.

“You think your little friends can help you? I can kill them with just a snap of my finger.” Frank sneered.

Carey shot his leg.

Frank screamed and clutched at his bloody wound. “I’ll kill you.”

Carey knocked the wolf over with a well-placed kick. “Here’s a little something you might not know. My father is in Special Forces. He’s taught me all kinds of things about skinning animals. Now you can get out here nicely and tell your pack leader to leave me the hell alone or I can hunt you down and kill you.”

The wolves howled.