Hunted – 48

“It’s ready,” Skye said as she joined them a few minutes later. She looked down at Logan with a shake of her head. “Are you planning on remaining on your ass all night?”

“Not if it has anything to say about it,” he replied with a laugh. He stood and rubbed his butt ruefully. “Brice, you need to carpet the hall.”

Brice snorted. “I happen to like hardwood floors. I wasn’t planning on anyone sitting on them.”

Faolán, they realized then, seemed to have disappeared.

“Now where did he go?” Brice asked. He sniffed the air before turning to go back to the closet and the panic room. He could tell Faolán was there somewhere, but couldn’t pinpoint his location.

Logan joined him, standing in the doorway to the panic room. He sniffed as well then shifted into his wolf form and tried again. This time he found Faolán, who was lying flat out on the top of the highest shelf along one wall.

Faolán slid to the edge and jumped down. “It’s a good enough hiding place except for one thing, Brice will never be able to get from there to the keypad in time to lock Maximus into the room.”

Logan shifted back and as soon as he was clothed he studied the situation. “Can the door be left partially open or does it have to be one or the other?”

Brice stepped into the panic room. “It’s supposed to be open or shut, no in between, but what if we put something here,” he pointed to the door’s track when the others joined him, “to keep it from opening all the way.”

“What are you thinking, Logan?” Faolán asked.

“If it can be rigged to open just enough for a man to get through and no more, and if it can be made to close automatically once someone is inside, then we may have a solution.”

“I should have remembered, damn it. It will close on its own if I set it up for that,” Brice told them. “It’s a fail-safe in case there’s a home invasion and someone’s after me.”

“Which is exactly what’s going to be happening, if everything works the way we’re planning,” Logan pointed out. “So you could hide where Faolán was and just wait it out. How does it work? An electric eye?”

“Yes. Going in breaks the connection, from the way it was explained to me and that causes it to close.”

“All right. Then we’re good and can set this up as soon as Morgan gets the room painted.”

Faolán nodded. “Let’s pray there’s enough silver in the nitrate that he won’t be able to teleport out in either form without seriously damaging himself.”

“You could always test it for us,” Brice said with a smirk.

Faolán glared at him then chuckled. “Thanks. I think I’ll pass on being a test dummy.”

Skye looked at Faolán in question then. “Can I ask what you did with the body, or do I even want to know?”

“You probably don’t, but I’ll tell you anyway. It’s at the bottom of Lake Michigan, where hopefully it’ll stay long enough for the fish to do their job on it. Not the best of burials but safer for us.”

Skye shuddered as she glanced at the floor where it had been found, then frowned. “No blood.”

“Because he’d been dead a while I suspect,” Faolán replied tightly. “Maximus wouldn’t have taken the chance of killing him here. Especially since he probably had his own kind of fun with him first.”

“Right now, I’m beginning to wonder if I really want to move in here after all,” Brice said morosely.

Faolán glanced at him in commiseration. “I can’t say I blame you. But once this is over you might change your mind. It really is a pretty fantastic house, all told.”

“We’ll see. For now I’m ready to get out of here.”

Logan nodded. “Unless you need us for something more I’ll take Skye home.”

“Go ahead. I’ll call you when I know Morgan’s finished painting.”

Logan slipped an arm around Skye’s waist and they vanished.

“I’m presuming you can make your way back to my place on your own,” Brice said to Faolán.

“I can. I think I’ll go for a run first though. I need it.”

“There’s a good place for that…well…you probably have somewhere in mind so…” Brice shrugged. “I’ll see you when you get back.”

“Actually.” Faolán ran a hand through his hair. “I was just going to see if I could find a near-by park that was large enough.”

“The zoo’s close by, but somehow, well if it were me I’m not sure I’d want to run there. At least not in wolf form. I do know a good place that Logan and I use sometimes, if you’re interested.”

“I’m interested.”

Hunted – 47

The paint cans stood on a folded tarp in the center of the panic room, a small, unmarked box beside them. With Logan’s help Skye opened the cans and then suggested the two shifters wait outside while she played mixologist.

They left her there and went back into the hall. Brice paced, his forehead creased in a deep frown, while Logan sat with his back against the wall, elbows on his knees as he watched his friend.

“Have any brainstorms on how to draw him back here?” Logan asked.

“One. I start moving in here. That should catch his attention and since he’s obviously been here, he can teleport in. He can’t get into my condo unless I let him, which for damned good and sure I’m not going to.”

Logan thought about that and shook his head. “Play it in reverse. He’s bound to be skulking around in the neighborhood of the condo. Leave your curtains open so he can get a good view inside.

“Why the hell would I want him in the condo? So far it’s probably the only safe haven I have.”

“Because if he comes after you there, you can flash here and have time to make him think you’ve made it into the panic room. If he attacks here, he’ll be right on your tail and know you didn’t really go inside.”

“He’s right, Brice,” Faolán said as he appeared beside them. “He has to think he’s got you trapped in there and come in after you. That means you’ll have to land in the storage room, slide the wall back and then get hidden before he lands there. He’ll know you’re there by your scent, but not exactly where you are until it’s too late.”

“At least that’s the theory.” Brice sighed deeply.

Faolán shot him a look of annoyance. “You don’t trust us to help keep you alive?”

“Yes, I trust you, damn it,” Brice replied, rounding on him.

“Then act like it,” Faolán ground out through clenched teeth.

“What do you want? That I should kiss your ass to show you how thankful I am to have you standing by me?”

“It would be better than my feeling that you think I’m just here to make your life miserable.”

Brice seemed surprised at Faolán’s reply. “I don’t think that at all.”

“Then quit acting like you do.”

Logan watched with the feeling he was a spectator at a mating ritual, even though he knew the two men would kill him if he said that out loud.

Brice blew out a few short breaths. “I honestly didn’t mean to make you feel that way. I’m uptight and edgy and I hardly know you, and yet you seem to be taking over and trying to run things.”

“No I’m not. I just…I know Maximus, or more I know what he’s like now. You haven’t seen him in what, sixty years give or take? From what you’ve said and what I know, he’s ten times worse than he was then.” After taking a deep breath Faolán said, “You’re scared, I’m scared, so we’re sniping at each other. How about we call a truce until this is over?”

“All right.” Brice held out his hand. Faolán looked at it for a moment then shook it firmly.

Hunted – 46

As soon as they landed in Brice’s new house, he released his grip on Faolán’s shoulder and realized, somewhat shocked, that he wished he didn’t have to. But that was neither here nor there at the moment.

Logan and Skye arrived seconds later. Logan immediately looked around and commented, “Damn, they work fast.” The ground floor, from what he could see of it, was to all intents and purposes almost finished.

Brice nodded. “I’ll probably be able to move in by the end of the month if I want to, according to Morgan. There are still bits and pieces that need to be done but overall it’s close to completion.”

Faolán wandered around silently to check out the living and dining rooms. He returned a few minutes later to say shortly, “Not too bad.”

Logan caught Skye’s grin and nodded. He suspected, from the look on his face, that Faolán was more impressed than he was willing to let on.    

“The panic room’s on the second floor,” Brice told them. He started up one of the sweeping staircases with the others right behind him. As he reached to hall he stopped, then swore vehemently.

“What?” Faolán asked. “Oh hell.”

“Oh hell is right,” Logan agreed as he stared down at the body that lay, quite obviously posed, in the center of the wide hall. “Guess Maximus knows about this place.”

Skye gasped but didn’t look away. “He… Can we castrate him before we kill him, like he did this poor man?”

“Works for me,” Logan growled. “From the look on what’s left of his face, it happened before Maximus finally killed him.”

Brice stiffened his back and said with determination, “That does it! I need to stop him before he harms someone else.”  

“We need to,” Faolán replied. He put a hand firmly on Brice’s shoulder. “We both owe it to ourselves, and to all those he’s hurt and destroyed, to end this a soon as possible.”

“What about..?” Skye pointed to the body.

“I’ll take care of him. I know, well I knew him,” There was pain in Faolán’s quiet words as he knelt beside Maximus’s victim. Seconds later he and the body were gone.

“A pack member,” Brice said softly. “Not one I knew but…” He shook his head then stared angrily off down the hall. “This stops now you bastard,” he called out.

Skye hugged him for a moment. “Then we’d better get to work.”

After he drew in a deep, ragged breath Brice nodded. “The room’s down there. The paint and nitrate should be inside, if Morgan did as I asked.”

“That’s one good thing then, because hopefully it means Maximus didn’t see them,” Logan said.

“Hopefully.” Brice strode down the hall and stopped in front of a door. It opened to reveal what to all intents and purposes was a small storage room lined on both sides with shelves. The back wall was empty. There was a double light switch by the door. Brice pressed one side and half of it popped open to reveal a keypad. He typed in the code and the back wall moved sideways. Behind it was the panic room.

Hunted – 45

Brice watched with some amusement when Skye and Logan separated and she turned bright red in embarrassment. It was the first time today that he’d actually had something to smile about. He and Faolán had prowled around each other like two wolves who wanted to fight but had to ascertain the strength of the enemy first. Only he didn’t want to fight or argue. He just couldn’t think of a way to defuse the situation.

It hadn’t helped that he and the show’s director had had words about how the man expected him to play a scene. Now that Brice knew he was a shifter with all it entailed, he suddenly found some of the things he was expected to do as the werewolf galling. Especially since Faolán had been there, albeit off on the sidelines, with a look of disdain on his face as he’d watched the filming of the scene.

Now, once she regained her composure, Skye asked, “So what’s the plan?”

“I want to see the house,” Faolán replied. “Why we didn’t just meet there rather than here…” He shot a disgusted look at Brice.

“We have to come up with a way to get Maximus to come after me at the house, and not somewhere else,” Brice said as he ignored Faolán’s comment. “I did call Morgan about the panic room, and ordered the paint and the silver nitrate early this morning. Both companies promised to have the stuff delivered there by the end of the today, which hopefully means Skye can mix them tonight.”

“Another reason we should be there, not here,” Faolán muttered.

Brice stared daggers at him for a moment. “We will be. Sorry if it offended you that I didn’t set that up with them last night before they left.”

Logan glanced between the two men. “Whoa, what’s going on here?”

Faolán opened his mouth to reply then snapped it closed again. Brice wasn’t so circumspect. “He seems to have an issue with my life style,” he said acerbically.

“Not true. Only with the fact that you brag about it. How you live your life is none of my business.”

“Men, honestly,” Skye grumbled. “Brice, why would you be bragging to him about…whatever in the first place?

“I wasn’t,” Brice said defensively. “I was just trying to explain something and the more I did the worse it sounded.”

Faolán spat out, “No shit. The Lothario here seems to think every man, and woman, finds him irresistible.”

“That is not what I said to you.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Stop, both of you, now!” Skye’s lips quirked up in amusement as she said, “Just kiss and make up.”  

Brice looked at her in shock. “What? I so don’t think that’s happening. For starters he’d probably cold-cock me. I’d be willing to bet on it, actually.”

“Why?”

“After what Maximus did to him? The last thing he’d want would be some gay man trying…anything.”

Faolán looked puzzled. “You say that as if I’m straight.”

“Aren’t you? I thought from what you said that… I mean surely the ones Maximus forced himself on weren’t…there can’t be that many…”

Faolán almost smiled as he replied, “Do you really think you were the only gay male born into the pack? Yes, Maximus thought his victims were straight. He liked the idea of using and abusing them. Of being able to bend them to his will. It made him feel all the more powerful. Sometimes…” Faolán shrugged, “he chose wrong. Not that it made it any better in my case, or yours.”

“Well…hell.”

Logan couldn’t help it. He laughed at the look on Brice’s face. “Now that that’s cleared up,” he said, “can we get back to the business at hand? You two can work things out between you later.”

“There’s nothing to work out. He’s still a conceited…actor,” Faolán growled.

“And you’re a self-righteous...”

“Yes?” Faolán cocked an eyebrow.

“Shifter,” Brice said quickly. “And Logan’s right, we should get down to business.”

Hunted – 44

“Don’t shoot me, but you look like death warmed over,” Logan said early the next evening when Skye came home from work.

“Gee thanks. Just what a girl likes to hear,” she grumbled. Then she smiled a bit. “Actually I feel that way too.”

“You don’t have to come with me tonight. I’m sure we can handle things ourselves.”

“Things like?”

“Like whatever needs to be done. Brice called to say Faolán wanted to check out the house, so we could plan exactly how we’re going to get Maximus where we want him without his being suspicious.”

“And that, Logan, I have no intention of missing. Give me ten minutes.” She took off upstairs two steps at a time.

Logan watched her appreciatively before he went into the kitchen to get some water. “Damn, I forgot to tell her,” he muttered as he drank. He washed the glass when he’d finished and went back into the hallway.

True to her word Skye was back in ten minutes, dressed in jeans and a comfortable shirt. “Ready?” she asked.

“Almost. I forgot to tell you, I got a job. I start next week.”

“Logan, that’s fantastic!” She stepped forward and hugged him.

He smiled when she looked up at him then…”Damn,” he whispered, his eyes exploring her face while he put his arms around her.

“Mmm, yeah,” she replied just as softly. She lifted one hand to touch his cheek.

“I…”

She didn’t bother to ask what. Instead she brushed her lips lightly over his and smiled against them when he returned the kiss tentatively.

“Okay you two break it up before I start blushing,” Kief said from the top of the stairs. “Since when have you two been…exploring the possibilities?” he asked as he came down to the hall.

“Since about five seconds ago?” Skye replied, keeping one arm around Logan so he wouldn’t pull away.

“Well far be it from me to stop you now.” He headed to the kitchen after giving Skye a brotherly pat on the head.

“Well that was a mood killer,” Skye said with a small chuckle. “So I ask again, ready to go?”

“In a second.” Logan put a finger under her chin to tilt her head up a bit and kissed her properly. By the time they broke apart, because she returned it in kind, they were standing in the middle of Brice’s living room.

Hunted – 43

With a shake of his head, Faolán settled on the arm of the sofa. “I’m not totally ignorant about it, of course. But I’ve never held a job, never had a chance to find my niche so to speak. I guess I could be a laborer. I’m strong enough and I don’t mind hard work.”

“You’re too smart to settle for something like that.”

“And you base that assessment on what?”

“Listening to you talk and respond. Hell I bet you could do anything you put your mind to if you…put your mind to it.” Brice chuckled. “Okay that was sort of repetitive.”

Faolán smiled. “It was, but I get the point. And I suppose, to change the subject, we both should get some sleep if we’re going to be alert and awake tomorrow, or,” he glanced at his watch, “later today.”

“True. Come on, I’ll show you the guest room.” Brice glanced around then said, “No luggage?”

“I travel light. The only things I brought with me are sitting in a locker at the bus station, but I’ll be fine as long as you’ve got the basics, toothpaste and brush, soap, you know.”

“I suspect I can come up with those,” Brice told him with a light laugh. “I’ve even got sleep pants if you need them.”

Faolán cocked an eyebrow as he stood to follow Brice. “People actually use those?”

“Well I don’t, but I’ve had…well, you know. Damn every time I open my mouth I sound more and more like a scumbag.”

“No, you sound conceited actually,” Faolán told him. “Like you’re irresistible, or think you are.”

“Damn.” Brice ran a hand through his hair. “You know, I don’t—not really. It’s all an act. A way to justify the fact that I seem to be somebody important in other people’s eyes, when I know for a fact I’m nothing but an overpaid actor.”

Faolán studied him for a moment. “Truth?”

“Yes, well mostly.” Brice started towards the hall that led to the bedrooms. “I know I’m no slouch in the looks department, but honestly I’m not egotistical around friends. I hope anyway.” His smile was self-deprecating when he glanced back at Faolán.

“Since I haven’t actually known you for more than a few hours, I couldn’t say. You do seem to take a lot of pride in your conquests, though.”

“I… Oh never mind. I don’t know why I’m trying to defend myself to you. This is your room,” Brice thrust the door open. “Necessities are in the bath room.”  

“Thanks.” Faolán walked past him, waited until he’d moved out of the way, and then shut the door.

Some pictures from my son's wedding - in no particular order.

 The ocean

 A pathway in the resort

 The catamaran where the pre-wedding party was held on Friday

 The bride and groom. So happy.

 At the reception

 More scenery. It was so beautiful there.

 So in love. 

And the cake

LRC nominee for............

Author of the Year for 2015 and Best Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Book

Needless to say, I'm stoked, and totally in shock. LOL 

Hunted – 42

As soon as Logan and Skye left, Brice began to clean up the kitchen, a chore that mainly involved putting dirty coffee cups in the dishwasher. Faolán watched him with amusement then commented, “I didn’t realize you were a homebody.”  

Brice chuckled to hide his nervousness. Nervousness he couldn’t quite understand. “Someone has to do it and I don’t have a daily maid so…”

“I thought actors had lots of…people I guess.”

“I like to keep a bit of privacy when I can, despite how it seems from all the tabloid stories.”

“Because no one knows you’re gay except…well I presume you’ve had male lovers.”

“I have and I’m very careful when I take one. They know from the beginning that if they threaten me with exposure, I’ll see to it they’ll reap the rewards of that, and not in a pleasant way. If they keep their mouths closed, well…” He paused, surprised that he felt ashamed.

“Gifts, money, maybe a word in the right ears if they’re trying to break into television?”

“Yes. That makes me seem like a right bastard doesn’t it?”

“Sort of, yes, but it’s what you have to do to keep your reputation safe. Just like you make certain your peccadilloes with women hit the tabloids. Not the kind of life I’d like but to each his own I suppose.”

Brice closed the dishwasher before he asked, “What are you going to do with your life, now that you’re on the run? Or more, I guess, once we’ve dealt with Maximus—if we can.”

“You don’t sound quite certain we will.”

“I’m not, if you want the honest truth. As everyone keeps saying, he’s more than powerful, and from what I remember that’s the absolute truth. Right now I’m scared shitless.”

“Cliché, but there’s nothing wrong with being afraid, as long as you don’t let it overwhelm you. Fear does give you an edge, in that it heightens your senses.”

“So they say.” Brice shrugged then headed out of the kitchen to the living room, where he stopped to look at Faolán, who was right behind him. “You never did answer my question.”

Faolán frowned a bit. “I’m not quite certain there’s anything I’m qualified to do.”

“Surely you’ve gone to school.”

“High school, yes. After that I was forced to remain with the pack by Maximus.”

“Whew. So you never got your feet wet in the real world until just recently?”

Hunted – 41

“What do you think?” Logan asked the group half an hour later, after he’d clarified his idea in his own head to some degree.

“I don’t know. It might work, if we can figure out how to keep him from just teleporting out.”

Logan nodded at Faolán’s comment. “That is going to be the fly in the ointment." He chuckled. "If I were stinking rich we could coat it in silver.”

“An idea, but not a doable one, unfortunately,” Brice said. “Even I don’t have the kind of dough to handle that.”

Skye looked between them. “Does it have to be pure silver?”

“What are you thinking, Skye?”

“Silver nitrate. It’s cheap enough, relatively speaking, and if you mixed it in paint…”

Faolán pursed his lips in thought. “That just might work.”

“Is construction on the room finished, Brice?” Logan asked.

“Yes.”

“Then all you have to do is convince Morgan to paint the interior with paint you provide, without his thinking you’ve gone totally around the bend.”

“He won’t think that, I hope. I’ve been a nice, easy client to work for according to him. So if I decide I want the panic room to have some color in it, instead of bare steel walls, he’ll do it for me without raising an eyebrow too high.”

“That being the case someone…” Logan looked at Skye.

“As the only human here, I get the honors of picking up enough silver nitrate and then mixing it into the paint. I can handle…” She yawned prodigiously. “Sorry, all. Guess the hour’s getting to me.”

“Then let’s get you home.” Logan turned to Brice. “We can meet here again tomorrow night, or are you busy with the show now?”

“I’ve got two more free nights before we start the exterior filming. I should be back here by six at the latest tomorrow.”

“Okay, then let’s say we meet at seven, for Skye’s sake?”

“My sake?”

“Yes. It’ll give you time to change clothes,” Logan told her, smiling.

“Well, yeah, that would be good.”

Logan put an arm around Skye’s waist. “Say good night, Skye.”

“Good night Skye,” she said with a grin just before the two of them vanished.

Hunted – 40

“We’re not going to let that happen, Brice,” Skye said firmly. “It’s three against one, plus my brain-power. He’ll be an unhappy camper when he does show up in person.”

“Like the three of you are going to be around twenty-four/seven to stop him,” Brice muttered.

“I’ll be here, and wherever else you go,” Faolán told him.

Brice looked at him in surprise. “You’re serious?”

Faolán shrugged. “Sure. It’s not like I’ve got anything pressing I have to do. I could be…a personal security guard maybe? In case anyone asks.”

“Wouldn’t that raise some questions?” Skye asked.

Brice shook his head ruefully. “Not with my reputation. Most people will probably be surprised I haven’t had one long before this, once they think about it.”

Skye chuckled. “That’s quite true. Especially if what I’ve read in the scandal sheets is even a quarter right.”

“Okay, so we have a reason for Faolán to be around,” Logan said. “Now how do we, or what do we do to force this, what’s his name, Maximus, to make his move?”

“Just my being with Brice might be enough.” When Logan looked at him in question Faolán said, “He’s got no love for me either. His ego would almost require that he deal with the both of us together, just to prove that he’s alpha enough to do so.”

“Is there any chance he’s got others with him as back-up?” Skye asked.

Faolán gave a sharp shake of his head. “I doubt it. Again, his ego wouldn’t let him ask for help.”

“Besides, he’d have to explain why he wanted to deal with me after all these years,” Brice added. “If I were still hanging around the pack’s territory trying to make trouble, it would be one thing. But I’m not and I haven’t been anywhere close to there since I ran.”

Skye looked puzzled. “Why don’t you just go back and tell the others what he’s doing and why, Brice?”

“First off, they’d kill him before he got a chance to open his mouth,” Faolán told her. “Maximus has demonized him to the point that even the mention of his name will raise everyone’s hackles, literally.”

“Because he’s gay. That’s unbelievable.” Skye’s voice was filled with disgust.

“Pack mentality, dear girl,” Logan replied. “Procreation is one of the prime objectives, in order to keep the pack alive and viable. A gay male is looked on as less than dirt because he can’t or won’t mate with a female.”

“This Maximus has, from what you said.”

“Well he’s not really gay. I’m not even sure he’s bi. I think he just likes the fact that he’s got the power to make a lesser pack male bow to his will—and in his eyes fucking them and abusing them it the ultimate power play.”

“Why the hell hasn’t someone had the guts to tell the pack what he’s up to?” Skye growled.

“He’s the alpha, Skye.”

“And so?”

“To be, and remain, the alpha he’s had to fight anyone who challenges him for the position. He’s never lost or even come close to loosing. He’s that strong.”

“Damn,” she whispered. “And we’re going up against him?”

“You aren’t,” Logan said firmly. “And we aren’t either if we can figure out some way to stop him without a fight.”

“Call the humane society and ask for a live animal trap,” Brice said with a small grin. “They work for feral dogs.”

The others laughed, all except Logan who looked thoughtful.

Hunted – 39

Faolán watched with a bit of amusement while Brice went through the routine to make coffee with his fancy espresso machine. “Instant would have done just fine as far as I’m concerned,” he commented.

“That is not coffee,” Brice replied. “This is coffee, or it will be if it ever gets done brewing.” He glared at the machine then jumped, startled, when his phone rang.

“It won’t be Maximus,” Faolán pointed out when Brice seemed hesitant to answer. “He’s not going to call and announce he’s on his way over.”

With a tight smile Brice nodded and answered. When the call was over he said, “The friend I told you about is on his way.”

“Perfect. We might as well find out if he’s willing to be part of this.”

“He’s bringing someone else with him.”

“Someone who knows what’s going on?”

“She does now,” Brice replied a bit disquietedly. “Logan was just going to try to decide if she could be trusted not to tell her housemates about my being stalked. He took it a few steps further.”

Faolán cocked an eyebrow. “Let’s hope his instincts are correct then.”

Skye’s voice came from the living room. “Man, that was…freaky.”

“Your company has arrived I suspect,” Faolán muttered as he and Brice went to greet them.

When they entered the living room, Logan growled low in his throat and stepped defensively in front of Skye, his eyes locked on Faolán.

“It’s okay, he’s friend, not foe,” Brice quickly told him. “I should have warned you he was here.”

“Yeah, you should have,” Logan agreed as he relaxed, marginally.

“Faolán, this is Logan, and the young woman he’s protecting is Skye,” Brice said by way of introductions.

“Hi, Faolán.” Skye stepped from behind Logan, hand outstretched in greeting. “Are you a..?” She quickly amended her intended question to ask, “Umm, are you just visiting?”

Faolán shook her hand, amusement lighting his eyes. “Yes I’m just visiting, and as to your aborted question, yes I’m another shifter.”

Skye sighed. “I already blew it, didn’t I?”

“Not really.” Logan grinned at Brice as he said to Skye, “You could have been being polite and decided not to ask the question at the top of your mind—if he was Brice’s current lover.”

“I wouldn’t do that, I’m not that much of a jerk,” she grumbled. “Do I smell coffee?”

“You do. It’s ready, finally.” Brice headed back to the kitchen and the others followed. Once everyone had a cup, he leaned against the counter to look at them.

Logan cocked an eyebrow when Brice didn’t say anything. “Yes?”

“Nothing.”

Skye sighed and stood up. “I’ll go find something to do in the living room while the rest of you discuss…whatever.”

“Sit,” Brice told her. “Since you know everything anyway, you might as well have some input. I have a feeling you’ll be able, and probably quite willing, to point out flaws in any plan we might come up with.”

“Something we really ought to start thinking about,” Faolán put in quickly. “Maximus is no one to fool around with, even though from what you said, Brice, he seems to be making a game of this.”

“Well he’s only done one thing, so far.”

“So far being the operative words,” Logan pointed out. “Who knows how long he’s going to keep it up before he goes in for the kill.”

“And he will do that. He wants Brice in the worst way, and if I don’t miss my bet, he’s not going to outright kill him. He’ll do his best to get his hands on him first, and make him pay for what he considers an affront to his dignity, as it were.”

Brice shivered. He could just imagine what that would involve and it wouldn’t be pretty.

Hunted – 38

As Logan had predicted, the park was virtually empty. They found a small, grassy area surrounded by trees, with a picnic table in the center. At Logan’s request Skye sat while he stood in front of her and talked.

“When I said my family was killed that was the truth, but not the whole truth. Okay, let me backtrack a bit. How old do you think I am, from looking at me?”

“Twenty, twenty-one, by looks and also a sort of educated guess since you said you were close to graduating.”

“Actually, I’ve been alive for over forty years.”

Skye’s eyes widened, but she remained quiet.

“No response?” he asked with a small smile.

“Not until you’ve finished.”

“Thank you. I grew up out west, in a small town in Idaho. Until I reached puberty I aged just like any kid. Then the aging slowed down because I would shift forms. Shifting is regenerative.”

“So you’re saying you’re a were-wolf, like in Brice’s show.” There a trace, but only a trace, of disbelief in her voice.

Logan shook his head. “I’m one of the dual-natured—a shifter. My other nature happens to be that of a wolf.”

“Prove it, Logan.”

He did.

Skye backed away but didn’t get up and run. Instead she watched him closely, although not really fearfully. More like a scientist studying a new and different species. Finally she said, “Well you did say you were going to show me your assets.”

Logan pulled back his lips in a wolfish grin before he shifted back. He grinned a bit wider when her eyes moved down his body, and quickly clothed himself.

“And impressive assets they are,” Skye muttered.

“You’re taking this all rather calmly,” Logan said as he sat down beside her, glad when she didn’t move away.

“I suspect in a while I’ll be wondering what drugs you’d given me,” she told him seriously, and then laughed lightly. “Okay, I’ll admit that sure was not what I was expecting when I promised to keep your secret. On the other hand, it’s better than you confessing to me you’d slaughtered your family and buried them somewhere, or something like that.”

“No, the government did that.” Logan went on to explain. When he finished she shuddered with a murmured, ‘Damn’. “To put it mildly,” he agreed morosely.

“Okay, common sense to the contrary, obviously having seen it, I believe you’re a shifter, but what does this have to do with Brice and what’s going on with him?”

He gave her the short version, with her asking questions occasionally along the way.

“That truly sucks,” she said finally. “Poor man. So…” she looked quite seriously at him, “how are we going to stop this asshole stalker of his?”

Logan snorted at her language.

“Well he is.”

“And then some, and you, Skye, are not going to do anything. I only told you so you’d know why you can’t say anything to the guys. Not a word, about his being stalked.”

Rather than argue, which surprised him, she asked, “Then what are the two of you going to do?”

“We haven’t decided yet. Hell we haven’t even had a chance to talk about it.”

“Call him.”

“Skye, do you realize what time it is? You need to get home, you work tomorrow as you pointed out earlier.”

“Like he’s going to be sleeping with this hanging over his head. So call him.”