Rescue in the Smokies (Durham Wolves) Read online

  “Now what?” Jaxon looked to Sergius for answers.

  Oh, it was his turn to speak?

  “We adjust.” What else? “It could happen to either of you two holier-than-thou asses too, ya know. You jerks aren’t immune.”

  “I know. I know. It’s just so…sudden.” Jaxon smiled now and then shook his head. “Sorry, bro. I know this isn’t what you need right now. I’m happy for you, really I am. Just takes some getting used to. She’s a gem. I can tell by looking.”

  “That she is. Keep your hands to yourselves.” He gave them both a stern look.

  Both men raised their hands in an innocent stance and backed off a step.

  “Have you told her anything yet? What does she know?” Micah kicked at the dirt beneath his boot.

  “Nothing. Listen, we have a bigger problem than my finding a mate and her being uninformed about it. Juliana’s a seasoned hiker. Avid. She doesn’t get lost.”

  Jaxon came closer. “What happened then?”

  “Keeton McKinney happened. Bastard’s up to something. Lured her off the path with some mind game. Convinced her to take a ‘shortcut’ and then led her on a wild chase around the woods in the dark of night.”

  “And left her alive?” Micah stepped into the close circle.

  “Exactly. That’s why I’m saying we have a problem. I don’t know what that asshole is up to, but I’ve no doubt we’ll be seeing him. And my main concern is going to be keeping Juliana safe.”

  “Of course. You know we’re on it. No fucking vamp is going to mess with any woman of ours.” Serg almost chuckled at the sudden change of tune in Micah’s puffed-out stance. The man had done a one-eighty in about two minutes flat.

  “Whatever it takes,” added Jaxon. “So, when are you going to claim her? She’ll be safer after. Take her off the market so to speak.”

  “It wasn’t fair to claim her without her knowledge of who and what we are. She needed sleep more than anything.”

  “With McKinney on the loose I wouldn’t wait much longer. You need the added connection to her.” Micah placed a palm on Serg’s shoulder.

  “I know, I know.”

  Micah stepped back. “So, we should be expecting company and prepare to react accordingly. What the hell do you suppose McKinney has in his fucked-up mind?”

  “Not even going to venture a guess. But I’m quite sure he has his sights on my mate. I’ve never known him to play with his food before. Not his style. Guess I should be eternally grateful though, whatever it was that made him hesitate.”

  The distinct sound of gravel crunching under tires interrupted the men. Serg headed for the front of the house, his brothers right behind him.

  No matter how many times someone drove out this way, it never failed to raise the hairs on the back of all three of their necks.

  The patrol car wasn’t altogether unexpected this time and actually felt like a relief. Maybe James had new info that would help him and his brothers figure out what to do next.

  The sheriff climbed out of the car. “Evening, boys.” He was forever calling them boys. Serg figured he sort of saw them as youngsters since he himself was almost fifty.

  “Anything new?” Serg stopped a few feet away and stared into the sheriff’s face for any clue as to his mood.

  “Not much. The rest of the search team found nothing while looking for Juliana. Not a trace of her or McKinney.”

  “Come inside.” Serg nodded toward the house. It was growing dark. “I’ll make coffee.”

  Juliana hadn’t been asleep for long, but he figured she was out for the night. Exhausted. When she hadn’t come out of the room after her bath, he’d eased back into the bedroom and found her snuggled under his covers, dead to the world. His cock had stirred—well, to be fair, it hadn’t ever been un-stirred since this morning—but it had jumped to attention at the sight of his mate right where she belonged, completely at home in his personal space. Her sweet, pale cheek lay against his pillow, her gorgeous red curls spread like a fan around her.

  His bed. His sheets. His pillow. All tucked in and around his woman.

  He’d nearly groaned and had to take his cock in hand and squeeze the fellow into submission…

  Now, he was acutely aware of Juliana’s presence in the bedroom, but marginally more under control.

  Serg startled from his thoughts when the screen door shut behind him.

  “I’ll make coffee.” Micah headed for the kitchen area, everyone following on his heels.

  As they gathered around the island, Serg started the questioning. “What’d you find?” There was no way James had come all the way out here to tell them nothing. And by the look on the sheriff’s face, they weren’t going to like it.

  “The SAR team didn’t find anything, like I said. But you know I couldn’t leave it at that. There’s something fishy about this situation and I don’t like it. How does a well-trained hiker get so turned around?” He shook his head and looked down, seemingly fascinated by the pattern in the black and brown swirls of the marble countertop.

  Micah, holding two mugs in each hand, set the coffee on the island and pushed one in front of each man.

  “So?”

  James lifted his head and stared Sergius right in the eye. “This isn’t some lost hiker to you, is it?” When Serg didn’t move a muscle he continued, “I’ve known you for several years now. Never once have I seen a woman out here. Hell, I’ve never seen you, any of you three, in town with a woman. Honestly, I thought…” He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter what I thought. The point is… What is the point?”

  James ran a hand over this close-cropped hair and looked at the ceiling. “She means something to you.” He pointedly looked at Sergius and then at the other two brothers. “You aren’t like humans, are you? I mean your—your…whatever…dating…stuff.”

  Now Sergius laughed. “No. We aren’t.”

  “You don’t date. Not like humans anyway, do you?”

  “No.”

  “But when the right one comes along…”

  “Yep. Pretty much. Nail on the head, sheriff.”

  James cleared his throat. “Thought as much. At least something like that.”

  “James? What is it?” Serg wasn’t sure he wanted to hear whatever the sheriff had to say anymore. Unease crept up his neck.

  “That bastard McKinney, he did quite a bit of damage last night, or maybe early this morning. Had himself a bear. A fucking bear.”

  The uneasy sensation on Serg’s spine went through the roof at the sound of James’s words combined with—

  “Who’s McKinney?” The soft almost hesitant syllables uttered from the mouth of his mate.

  Juliana shook, her body trembling uncontrollably at the entrance to the kitchen area. What was going on?

  What were they talking about? Sure, she was tired, groggy, but what did the sheriff say about bears and humans?

  Considering the strange, nonsensical conversation she’d heard, she had to wonder what she might have missed before padding down the hallway toward the sound of voices in the kitchen.

  She had no idea what had woken her in the first place; she’d simply bolted upright several minutes ago from a deep sleep with goose bumps crawling up her spine as though she was being watched. No one had been in the room, but her gaze had darted toward the window when she’d heard a soft noise. Nothing. The curtains drifted in the slight breeze from the open pane, but that was it. Rubbing her hands up her suddenly chilled arms, she shuffled over to the window to peer out. Could someone have been staring in at her? Or was she being paranoid?

  Assuming Serg and his brothers were the only ones in the house, she’d pulled on shorts and a tank top and ventured out to the main living area.

  Before she could open her mouth and interrupt, she’d found herself around the corner listening to the harsh tones of the sheriff rambling on about the strange dating habits—nonexistent dating habits, it seemed—of Sergius and his brothers.

  Curiosity getting its firm
grip on her shoulders, she froze in the hallway, eavesdropping on the four men as they discussed…she had no idea what.

  When the conversation turned to a madman in the woods, her mouth had taken over her brain and she’d blurted out the question before she had the chance to rein herself in.

  “Who’s McKinney?” she repeated, standing firm in her spot, arms crossed.

  “We think he’s the man who lured you into the woods yesterday.” The sheriff was the only man in the room with the balls to speak. Why was that?

  “Lured? You mean you believe he intentionally misdirected me? Why would someone do that? And what does he have to do with a bear?” A thousand questions swam through her mind, but she’d start with those two. The nine hundred ninety-eight other questions swirled around issues of how the man she’d almost fucked earlier in the day wasn’t exactly human. She’d get to those later.

  Sheriff Hardin, having lost his ability to speak, and apparently his balls, opened and closed his mouth several times before turning to Sergius.

  “Baby…” Sergius began.

  Baby? He had the audacity to call her baby right now?

  “Yes, buttercup?” Two could play the game of who could out sweet-talk the other.

  Micah and Jaxon covered their faces to hide the chuckles.

  Serg gazed at her firmly for about three seconds before he cracked a half smile. “You aren’t the kind of woman to be coddled, are you…shnuckems?”

  “Hardly.” She pulled her arms from under her breasts and placed her palms on her hips.

  With the exception of Sergius, everyone had looked away. The floor and the ceiling suddenly became the most fascinating features of the room.

  “Not the way you probably planned on coming out, but hey, it’ll work.”

  “Shut up, Jaxon.”

  “You’re gay?” Well that would explain the sheriff’s rambling about the three of them not going out with women. It did not, however, explain the hot, sexy romp she remembered from the cave.

  Laughter filled the room.

  “Hardly.” Serg repeated her word with his own special mocking tone. “Let’s all go in the living room and sit down. I’ve a lot to explain.”

  At that point she thought she should hightail it out of town and leave the answers behind. Whatever these four men were going to tell her, she was quite sure she wasn’t going to like.

  Chapter Eleven

  Serg’s brothers and the sheriff sat in uncanny silence in the living room, watching as Sergius took a spot on the sofa with his reluctant mate.

  Her pheromones, which were now mixing with his own scent all over her body from using his soaps and sleeping in his bed, permeated the room. He needed to have a brisk chat with his little head to rein the fellow in until he could have his turn claiming her.

  “Who’s McKinney?” she repeated for the third time.

  James cleared his throat and wiggled uncomfortably in his chair. He turned to Sergius and then held his gaze, his face asking a million questions at once. Serg nodded at him. Now was as good a time as ever. Might as well get it over with.

  “He’s our local vamp. Well, when he’s in town, that is.”

  “Your what?”

  “Vampire.” Serg waited for her to glance his way. “He’s a blood-sucking asshole.”

  “Oh, I see.” She nodded, but he didn’t think she “saw” anything. That would be too simple. “So, he’s like a money shark or something? Stealing from people? What does that have to do with a bear?” Her quizzical expression made the sheriff suck in a breath.

  James interjected again. “No… He’s a vampire, not the metaphorical kind, the real deal you hear about in novels. And he drained a full-grown bear yesterday and left the carcass in the woods after he met you.”

  Juliana stared at the sheriff through narrow eyes and said nothing. No emotion showed on her face. In fact, the entire room engaged in a collective breath holding.

  “Are you people crazy? Do you guys believe this shit too?” She glanced from one brother to another, her eyes widening as she took in their expressions. “You all want me to believe vampires are real beings that haunt the forest and suck the blood of…lost hikers?”

  “Among other things, yes.” Serg didn’t reach for her hand, although he did scoot closer to her on the couch.

  “Other things? What? Ghosts? Goblins? Werewolves? I can’t believe this.” She jumped up and began to pace, pressing her fingers to her temples.

  “Well, I’ve no knowledge of ghosts and goblins, but I can certainly attest to the existence of werewolves,” James muttered.

  “Oh, good. Let’s throw a few more mythical creatures in the mix. And I suppose now you’re going to tell me you are in fact a vampire and these boys are werewolves.” Her chuckle was uneasy.

  “I’m definitely not a vamp, no,” James stated.

  “Oh, thank God for that. You had me worried for a minute.” She scrambled around as if looking for something. “I need to go. You have everything you need from me, right?” She looked at James and then moved toward the hall. “I’ll just grab my stuff. Can you take me back to town? I’ll find someplace to stay tonight and get a car in the morning.”

  “Juliana—” Sergius stood.

  “No. No. It’s okay. You don’t owe me any explanations. You’ve messed with my mind enough for one day. Let’s call it all good and I’ll get out of your way. Whatever it is you three do out here in the middle of nowhere, you can get back to it and—”

  He reached her side in two seconds and took her hands. “Come back. Sit. Listen… Please?”

  Her green eyes gazed into his, asking questions she didn’t want answers to.

  “I want you to understand what we’re talking about and give me a chance. Please.”

  “No, really. I’ll just go. I’m tired. Delirious, apparently.”

  “Juliana, I—”

  “Serg.” Jaxon leaped up, Micah following.

  Sergius tipped his head back and took a long, deep inhale. Keeton McKinney. Didn’t take him long.

  “He’s here, isn’t he?” James moved toward the door, drawing his gun and grasping it with both hands.

  “Who? What’s going on?”

  There wasn’t time to explain. She was about to get a first-hand view of who he was up close and personal.

  “I’m sorry, Juliana. This isn’t how I wanted you to find out.” He reached down to pull off his boots, letting go of all contact with her skin. “I’d hoped to have more time. But here’s the abbreviated version. The man following you yesterday is Keeton McKinney. He’s a vampire. Don’t know why he didn’t kill you. It’s not like him. My brothers and I are shifters, wolves. That’s why we can track missing people so easily. That’s how I found you.”

  She stared at him in a daze, frightened by all the hustling around her. Fear etched on her face, draining her of all color.

  “We’re going to shift now. Track this bloodsucker. And try to put a stop to whatever he wants of you. Damn vamp has some balls coming around here.” Sergius pulled his shirt over his head and looked back at his mate.

  She was paler than she’d been a moment ago. “He’s after me? Why?”

  “I don’t know. Never seen him act like this before.” He leaned down and kissed her gently on the forehead and then hovered inches from her. “Stay with James. We’ll be back as soon as possible.”

  She couldn’t process it all. The whirl of chaos around her made her head spin.

  Holy shit. I’ve fallen into the fucking Twilight Zone.

  One minute she was listening to a strange tale of vampires and werewolves; the next minute she found herself scrambling to become a part of the plush sofa while the sheriff stood next to the front door, holding a revolver.

  And if she’d thought it couldn’t get any freakier, the three brothers started to undress. Right there before her, they stripped off their shirts. Her eyes widened. Damn. They were ripped. As they moved to unfasten their pants, her breath froze in her lungs.
<
br />   Too bad they were certifiably nuts.

  She zoned her gaze in on Sergius. Lord, rippling muscles were everywhere—everywhere. Even his ass was as tight as a board. Smooth, tanned skin covered the expanse of his chest, a light sprinkling of hair tapering down to his—oh my God. The man was hung like a beast. Thank goodness he had insisted on not fucking her in the cave this morning. She’d felt his cock, but without seeing it she hadn’t realized that girth would stretch her beyond comparison.

  She licked her lips at the thought of just that. What’s the matter with you, Jules? How can you even think of sex at a time like this?

  She glanced away to clear her head, but that proved futile considering the room was filled with men all in the same state of nudity, all sporting similar physiques a woman would swoon over. This is just…wrong.

  And then, holy shit. The stuff of legends jumped off the pages of any werewolf novel she’d ever read and became reality right in front of her eyes.

  Sergius and his brothers paused inside the front door where the sheriff stood guard, peeking occasionally out the window. In seemingly slow motion they transformed into three of the largest wolves Juliana had ever seen.

  Bones popped and snapped as they fell onto all fours. Hair instantly grew to cover their bodies with a deep rich coffee-colored fur. It was over in moments.

  Juliana blinked and then wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. They were still there. Oh…my…God. Her hands shook even though she gripped the sofa as tight as possible.

  The wolf standing in the place where Sergius had been turned his head toward her and bowed gracefully toward the ground. He was majestic. Regal. His eyes seemed to plead with her to trust him, a pitiful puppy-dog look.

  Hardin opened the front door and the animals bounded out of the house into the darkness. With a soft click, the sheriff pushed the door closed and then locked it.

  He didn’t look back at her as he spoke, but kept his eyes trained through a slit between the curtain and the window. “Don’t worry, Juliana. They never lose. Everything will be fine.”