And he moves slower to the left than the right, she agreed.
Adam left her. As he walked across the white mat, he left little traces of blood wherever his foot hit. Blood was better than yellow pus, right?
Good job, he murmured when he came up to me. Thank you. I couldnt tell if you could hear me or not.
Warren yielded Adam his place between Jesse and me, moving around Jesse so he could still help her if he was needed. Sam moved around to my side and lay down on the cement with a sigh.
See if you congratulate me when shes lying dead, I said, very quietly. Id have told him about her ribs, but I was afraid that the wrong person would hear, and Paul would find out. Henry knew, of course . . . but somehow I didnt think he would tell Paul that hed broken Mary Jos ribs. Paul wouldnt understandand Henry was smart enough to know that.
Mary Jo adopted Adams horse stance and faced Paul, whose back was to her.
Challenge given and accepted, Darryl said. Fight to the death with the winner having the option to accept a yield.
Agreed, said Mary Jo.
Yes, said Paul.
Mary Jo was faster, and she was a better-trained fighter. But when she hit, she didnt hit as hard. If Paul had been nearer to her size instead of four inches over six feet, shed have had a good chance. But he had over a foot of height, which translated into reach. Id remembered from his fight with Warren that he was surprisingly fast for such big man.
Eventually, he landed a fist on her shoulder that put her down like shed been hammered.
Yield, he said.
She stuck her feet between his and knocked them apart. Then she rolled like a monkey between his spread legs, elbowing him in the kidneys as she rose behind him. A second kick behind the knee almost had him on the ground, but he recovered.
Yield like hell, she gritted, when she was a few body lengths from him.
Quit being easy on her, said Darryl heavily. This is a fight to the death, Paul. She will kill you if she can. If you accepted her challenge, you have to give her the respect of fighting her honestly.
Right, said Adam.
Paul snarled soundlessly, and stepped back to the edge of the ring, raising both arms to a high block position, his feet perpendicular to each other, hands loosely fisted, deliberately inviting a strike to the torso.
Trouble with baiting a trap like that was that if Mary Jo handled it right, she might be able to turn it into a very big mistake. I grabbed hold of Adams arm and tried not to dig in my fingernails. He was tense beside me, muttering, Watch out, watch out. Hes faster than he looks.
Mary Jo went slowly left, then right, and Paul turned easily to face her. She shifted her weight to the rightbut with a blur of speed, she broke left and moved to the attack, dropping into a long, low lunge that looked almost like something a fencer might use, her fist blurring as hip and shoulder rotated into line, driving it forward like a lance. It was a perfect strike, delivered with superhuman speed.
Paul rotated smoothly as her fist flashed through empty air, just grazing his stomach. He brought both fists down like hammers on her unprotected back, driving her flat to the ground with a sound like distant thunder. Next to me Adam grunted, as if he felt the impact of Pauls fists himself.
Mary Jo was obviously dazed. She lay on her stomach, blinking myopically. Her mouth and throat worked like a fishs out of water. Then she drew in a long, shuddering breath and her eyes focused. If her ribs had been hurt before, she must be in agony after the blow shed just taken.
Any sane person would know the fight was over, and beg to yield, but she was slowly struggling to get her elbows under her and lift her body from the mat. Pauls mouth twisted in a mirthless smile as he watched her efforts.
Stay down, he told her. Stay down. Yield, damn it. I dont want to hurt you anymore.
Shed gotten to her elbows and was pulling her knees up when he did a flashy skip-step and brought the edge of his foot down on the back of her thigh, driving her flat to the mats again. A short scream tore from her throat, but she jerked her knees underneath her and popped to her feet.
Her guard was too low, her right elbow pressed tightly against her injured ribs. Below her elbow, a small stain of bright red blood was slowly spreading. Every wolf in the room could smell it, and so could I. I was afraid that one of those damaged ribs had punctured a lung. Her left leg wasnt working quite right, and she took a simple stance with most of her weight on the ball of her right foot. She stood at the very edge of the ring, which eliminated her ability to retreat but also meant Paul couldnt circle behind her.
Paul advanced slowly, carefully, a predator stalking wounded prey. But I saw him frowning at Mary Jos ribs. He was trying to figure out how shed hurt them.
He moved left and right, forcing her to use the injured leg, his head tilted. He must have heard the same thing I couldthe faint burble of a collapsing lung. Her mouth was open as she tried to get more oxygen.
Paul struck with a powerful front kick with no trace of finesse, but power to spare. Mary Jo snapped both arms down and slowed the blow, which had been aimed at her injured leg, but it still flung her stumbling backward off the mats.
She kept her balance, barely, but the leg was obviously almost useless. A ragged sea of hands pushed her, not ungently, back into the ring where Paul was waiting for her.
Its okay, Adam said. Its okay. Yield, Mary Jo.
Mary Jo looked beaten, but as she entered the ring, her injured leg suddenly shot up, toes pointed like a prima ballerinas. Her kick was as simple as Pauls had been. Straight up, angling between his thighs.
He tried to block, but it was already too late. There was a muffled impact, and Pauls breath exploded outward. He backed up rapidly, bent forward with fists crossed over his groin, every muscle in his torso tensed in sudden pain. Mary Jo followed, though I could tell that it hurt, and took advantage of his dropped guard to hit him with a hammer fist to the back of the head.
A perfect nerve strike, I thought. Good for you, Mary Jo.
If he hadnt been a werewolf, hed have been seeing lights and hearing bells for weeks. His eyes were wolf-pale, and his arms moved strangely as bones began to shift beneath the skin. Paul shook his head, trying to shake off the effects of the strike. If shed been in better shape, she could have finished him.
But Mary Jo was too slow. He straightened and pulled his hands back to guard position with obvious effort. Then he came at her slowly, implacably, simply walking to close the distance. Her right fist shot toward his throat, but he blocked it with his right hand, then pushed her elbow with his left, turning her body, then smashed a knee into her injured ribs, hard. She went to the mats, facedown and coughing blood. Paul followed her to the mats, landing astride her shoulders. He grabbed one of her legs and began to bend it back, bowing her back into a tight arch. There were faint popping sounds, and Mary Jo scrabbled at the mat frantically, her control shattered and the wolf fighting for survival.
Goddamn it, he said. Yield. Dont make me kill you.
For some reason at that moment I looked at Henry. The bastard was watching without any emotion on his face at all.
Yield, Adam roared. Mary Jo. Yield.
Mary Jo hit the mat with her right hand, twice.
She yields, Paul said, looking at Darryl.
Paul wins, said Darryl. Do you accept her yield?
Yes, yes.
It is over, declared Darryl.
Paul jumped off of her and rolled her over. Medic, he said, sounding frantic. Medic.
A few heads turned to Sam. He stayed where he was, but he all but vibrated with the need to help. He closed his eyes and finally turned his back to the scene. It was Warren who pulled up Mary Jos T-shirt, and Adam who grabbed the first-aid kit.
I grabbed Jesse, and we both stayed back. Within a few seconds I couldnt see what was happening for all the people who crowded closer.
Got to pull the rib out of her lung, said Adam tightly. Then, Just toss the broken bits. Theyll regrow. Medicine among werewolves is, in many ways, much simplerif more brutalthan for humans. Hold her down, Paul. The more she struggles, the more this is going to hurt. Then in a much softer voice, Adam crooned, Just bear with us a bit, baby. Well get you so you can breathe better in just a second.
I didnt hit her in the ribs, Paul said.
Henry knocked her across the kitchen, said Auriele. Here. Dont get that Vaseline all over. Just a little around the wound to seal the Teflon pad, but youve got to tape three sides of the pad, andthat will work better if you arent taping to Vaseline-covered skin.
There was a wave of relieved silence as whatever theyd managed to do seemed to work and Mary Jo could breathe again. People backed away, giving her space since she was out of immediate danger.
The dojo came equipped with a stretchera very basic piece of equipment, just a metal frame with canvas stretched around it and a pair of grips on each end. Alec and Auriele picked Mary Jo up on it and carried her into the house. A human would be down for a long time with a punctured lung. With a few pounds of raw meat, Mary Jos lung would probably be fine in a few hours, if not sooner. The ribs would take longer, but she would be back to normal in a few days, a week at most. No worries about infections or secondary infections while missing pieces of rib or lung regrow.
Henry hadnt moved from his place. I noticed that he was getting looks from the rest of the pack. And when they started to move back off the mats in preparation for the final battle, there was a space around Henryand there hadnt been before.
As a couple of wolves swabbed up the mess, Paul retreated to his corner of the mat and Adam to his.
I kept my eye on Paul. That nerve strike of Mary Jos . . .
At first I thought hed just shrugged it off; his walk to his end of the mats had been pretty steady. But before Mary Jos blood was completely cleaned off the mat, Paul shook his head slowly and raised a hand to rub at his ear, avoiding the spot where hed been struck. He blinked rapidly and seemed to be having trouble focusing.
Then Paul blew out a long, even breath and found his center. His body stilled, and his breathing became deep and regular. He stood like a statue, bare chest coated with a light sheen of sweat. There was no fat on the man, and he looked like a cross between a Calvin Klein ad and an Army recruitment poster.
After the wet spots on the mats were perfunctorily dried, Darryl stepped back into the center.
Paul, do you still want to continue with your challenge?
He looked at Henry. You hit Mary Jo?
Was he still a little off balance? I couldnt tell.
It was an accident, Henry said. Mercy said . . . He looked at me. You know, something as fragile as you are should learn to keep your mouth shut, then other people wouldnt have to take the fall for you.
People with as much to lose as you have, I said, should control their tempers better. As an insult it lacked . . . substance. But it was more important to get a quick reply out than it was to be clever. I looked at Paul. Mary Jo stepped between me and Henry.
And you still let her fight? Paul asked me incredulously. You didnt think that might be dangerous?
A fight to the death is dangerous, I told him. She knew about her ribs. I knew you didnt want to kill her.
He stared at me. Glanced at Henry. To Darryl, he said, Yes. Lets get this over with.
Darryl gave him a half bow, stepped off the mat, and said, Gentlemen, you may begin.
It started slowly.
With most of the expanse of the dojo between them, Paul made some fancy salute that I didnt recognize; a graceful flutter of the hands and forearms combined with a half step forward, then back. He made a breathy, hissing noise that sounded alien and predatory.
Adam placed his fists together at his chest, then lowered them slowly and silently, flowing smoothly into an openhanded guard: a more common salute, simple and direct. It looked very similar to the salute my sensei had taught me. The scabs on his hands broke as he moved his fingers.
Paul advanced, a quick series of zigzag steps that let him glide across the mat while making it virtually impossible to predict where his next step would take him. His left arm was high, almost vertical, while his right maintained a low guard, hand positioned unconsciously near his groin.
Adam watched him, pivoting slightly to face him squarely as he crossed the mat. Had he seen what I had? That Paul was blinking as if he were trying to clear his vision.
Adam smiled just a little. For me? I decided that Id do better to try to keep out of his head if I could figure out howand let him concentrate on Paul.
Pauls foot flashed out in a low, scything kick to the knee, and Adams weight shifted as he raised his foot in response. As Adam completed the block, Pauls foot stopped short, then zipped up toward Adams right cheek in a modified roundhouse. Paul was strong enough to put some serious muscle behind the kick despite the short distance. Adam barely blocked in time, and the force of the kick made him stumble a half step. Paul danced back out of range.
Adam moved forward slowly, deliberately, a couple of bold steps, eyes on his quarry. Paul retreated, automatically giving ground to the Alpha. He caught himself and glared at Adam, who met his eyes and held them. With weres, a battle could be waged on multiple fronts.
To get away from Adams gaze, Paul threw another roundhouse with his left foot, but he was too far away to connect effectively. Stupid waste of energy, I thought, but at least the move let him break eye contact without actually losing the contest. He was using his legs more than his arms, and I wondered if he had hurt his hands in the fight with Mary Jo. If so, it wasnt enough to matter.
Paul used the momentum from the wasted kick to spin sharply and drive his right heel in a savage back kick aimed at Adams stomach. He might be a jerk, but Paul knew how to move, and he was blazingly fast.
Adam again managed to block the kick, but the block only muted the force. Adam let the kick fold him over and throw him back across the mat, springing back with it. Paul came in right behind, arms rising to the high-block position hed used on Mary Jo. Adam regained his balance just as Paul closed with him, and spun on his left foot and drove his right leg in a side kick. There was the crisp pop of fabric snapping as his leg flashed out to full extension, but it missed Paul by a handspan or more.
Pauls hands clenched, and both fists came down in an instant replay of the attack hed used on Mary Jo. Adam was bent at the waist, failed kick still extended, his back exposed to Pauls descending fists. And then he did one of those kung-fu movie moves, spinning horizontally. I wasnt the only one who gasped.
The kick hadnt missed; it was the start of something beautiful and dangerous. Adams left leg hit Pauls shoulder with such force that Pauls blow went wide, flailing at empty space, as he spun in midair before crashing to the mats.
Paul hit like a pine tree falling, and the sound of his arm breaking was loud enough for everyone to hear. Adam landed on his stomach, one leg trapped under Pauls body, which was perpendicular to Adams. Unlike Paul, Adams landing was deliberate and controlled. Before Paul could react, Adam twisted his body and drove the shin of his free leg into Pauls chest.
In karate movies, they break celery to mimic the sound of breaking bones. Trust me, my hearing is acute, and I know these things: Pauls ribs didnt sound anything like celery. A human might have died from that blow; he certainly would have needed CPR. Werewolves are tougher than that.
Pauls hand slammed the mat.
He yields, said Adam.
Adam wins, announced Darryl. Do you accept Pauls yield, Alpha?
I do, replied Adam.
This fight is over, said Darryl.
Adam leaned down to Paul. That edge you lost in your fight with Mary Jo is what allowed me to take the time to find something that would hurt youinstead of kill you. You can thank her for your life.
Paul moved his head, exposing his throat to Adam. I will, Alpha.
Adam smiled. Id give you a hand upbut wed better have Warren look at your ribs first. One punctured lung is enough.
Id been keeping an eye on Henry throughout the fight. I glanced at him just as he stepped onto the mat.
Alpha, he called. I chal
He never got the whole word outbecause I drew my foster fathers SIG and shot him in the throat before he could.
For a split second everyone stared at him, as if they couldnt figure out where all that blood had come from.
Stop the bleeding, I said. Though I made no move to do it myself. The rat could die for all I cared. That was a lead bullet. Hell be fine. Though he wouldnt be talkingor challenging Adamfor a while. When hes stable, put him in the holding cell, where he cant do any more harm.
Adam looked at me. Trust you to bring a gun to a fistfight, he said with every evidence of admiration. Then he looked at his pack. Our pack. What she said, he told them.
Chapter 12
WHEN THE PACK ESCORTED ADAM IN A TRIUMPHANT procession into the house, I hung back with Jesse and Samboth of whom looked pretty wrung out.
Paul had left the dojo the same way Mary Jo had, in the stretcherand he should be resting beside her in one of the downstairs bedrooms that were considered pack property rather than Adams. Any member of the pack could and did claim one for sleeping or reading or whatever they needed. With Adam in the house, neither Paul nor Mary Jo would have a problem with control while they healedtheir wolves knew their Alpha was in residence to keep them safe.
There were some awful things about being a werewolf. Lots of them. But there were some okay parts, tooand some that were nice. One of those was knowing that as long as the Alpha was around, you had a safe place to be.
Henry hadnt died from the blood loss, so far as I knew, and had probably already healed. A bullet is a small thing, and the hole it cuts is clean if it doesnt hit anything hard on the way throughlike bone. Hed be up before either Mary Jo or Paul. Of course, what happened to him after that was in question. I suppose it would be Adams decision.
Warren hung back until everyone else except for me, Sam, and Jesse were gone. And then he shut the door.
Adam will miss you in about five minutes, he told me. And in six minutes youre going to need to get him upstairs and in bed without letting the whole pack know that in ten minutes that man is going to be unconscious on the floor.
I know, I told him.
The big cowboy smiled tiredly, though, like me, all hed done was watch the challenge. That was a nice bit of fighting. I suspect he could have taken Paul without Mary Jo stepping in.
I nodded. But now Paul is back in the pack again, happier than before. And I dont think that could have happened without Mary Jo.
I hate this part, said Jesse shakily.
The part where everyone is safe, and you want to find a quiet corner and bawl like a newborn? Warren glanced at me. I reckon its better than when people arent safebut its not my favorite, either. He wrapped his arm around Adams daughters shoulder and she snuggled into him.
There you go, he said. You go ahead and cry, baby. Aint no one going to say you dont have the right. Get it over with and cry some for mecause if Kyle catches me crying, hes gonna think I turned into one of those sissy boys.
Jesse laughed, but left her head where it was.
Warren looked at me. You go on. You got someone elses shoulder to cry on. You tell him I got Jesses back. And, Samuel, you stay with me, too. We dont need any more drama, and I doubt that Adam is up to showing his weakness to someone who could be his rival until the adrenaline eases a bit.
Sam stretched, yawned, and lay down.
Thanks, Warren, I said.
He smiled and tipped the front of his imaginary cowboy hat. Shucks, maam, Im only doin my job. Darryls gonna feed the masses again, and Im riding herd on the stragglers.
Jesse pulled back and wiped her eyes, a smile on her face. Have I ever told you that youre my favorite cowboy?
Of course I am, he said smugly.
Youre the only cowboy she knows, I informed him.
He glanced at his watch. You got about two minutes left.
Mercy? Jesse asked, catching my arm before I could go. What about Gabriel?
Well find him, Warren said, before I could respond. He smiled at me. I have good hearing, and the house was plenty quiet enough last night to hear a phone call in the kitchen. He bent down so he could look Jesse in the eye. Running around when we dont know anything wont help him. Zees looking into it, and waiting for him is our best option at the moment.
If Zee couldnt help us, hed have told us by now, I said, looking only at Jesse. I wasnt talking to Warren; I was talking to Jesse. No oath breaking here. Well get Gabriel out of this.
Maybe well sic Sylvia on them, said Warren.
You heard? Of course he had. News travels fast in the pack.
Heard what? Jesse was coming back online, I thought. Warrens hug had been exactly what she needed.
Sylvia threatened to set the police on me if I darkened their doorstep again. Gabriel isnt working for me anymore. I frowned. I hadnt thought about it, but it might affect Jesse, too. I dont know if youre considered one of the prohibited peoplebut since she got mad because I didnt warn her that Sam was a werewolf before Maia adopted him as her new pony, I expect that werewolves of any kind are going to be a hot button for a little while. Once we get him home, you need to talk it over with Gabriel.
She nodded. If we get him home, Ill be happy to fight with Sylvia about my right to hang out with Gabriel.
Good for you, said Warren.
She stepped back from him and almost fell over Sam. Hey, she said to him. How come you let Warren and Dad take care of Mary Jo?
Hes not himself, I said. It wouldnt have been a good idea.
Sam gave me a look full of guilt and turned his head away.
I thought about that guilty look all the way in the house and into the living room where the pack was scattered all over the furniture and the floor. There were more wolveslatecomers receiving the blow-by-blow account of the fight. And I hadnt seen Adams pack this relaxed since . . . ever. I hadnt hung out with the werewolves much until this last yearand it hadnt been a peaceful one for the pack.
Honey caught me on my way to get Adam, who was sitting on one end of the leather couch. I hadnt noticed her in the garageand I would have because Honey doesnt go unnoticed, partly because she is very dominant and partly because she is very beautifulso she must have been one of the latecomers.
Mary Jo was recognized as more dominant than Alec? she asked. She didnt sound happy, which was odd. Because her mate, Peter, was a submissive wolf, Honey was considered the lowest member of the pack except for Mary Jo, though by personality and fighting power she was actually closer to the top. Maybe the idea that they might rank her where she belonged offended her idea of what a lady should be. Maybe she worried it would cause trouble in the pack, or between her and her mate. Maybe she was afraid that she was going to get targeted in the dominance fights. Whatever it was, her trouble ranked way down in my priorities at the momentAdam was listing to the right. In a few moments, someone else was bound to notice.
Yes, I said, sliding by her and stepping over someone who was lying on their side on the floor. Dont ask me what it means long-term; I dont think anyone knows. Adam?
He looked up, and I wondered if Warren should have knocked a minute off his countdown to the crash; he looked that bad.
You should come with me. We need to call the Marrok. Invoking the Marroks name should make it unlikely that anyone would follow us. I ensured that by adding, Hes not going to be happy about being left out of this. The sooner he hears, the better.
There was a twinkle in Adams eyes, though he kept the rest of his face stoic. Better be in my bedroom, if Im going to get chewed on. Give me a hand up, would you? Paul gave me a few good ones.
He held up one of his poor, sore hands, and I took it without wincing for the pain that closing his hand over mine must have given him. It was a show to reassure the pack he was as strong as ever. The twinkle left his eyes though his mouth turned up in a smile as he stood up easily, without pulling on my hand at all.
When we got to the moron who was sitting in the only path to the stairway, Adam caught my waist and lifted me over before stepping over the man himself.
Scott? Adam said as we headed upstairs.
Yeah?
Unless someone shoots you, skins you, and throws the results on the floor, I dont want to see you lying in the walkway again.
Yessir!
When we reached the top of the stairway, his hand was heavy on my shoulder, and he leaned harder on me all the way to the bedroom.
Someoneand I was betting it was Darrylhad left three huge roast beef sandwiches, a cup of hot coffee, and a glass of ice water on the table by the side of the bed. Medea was sleeping on the pillow in the middle of the bed. She looked up at us and, when I didnt make any move to oust her, closed her eyes and went back to sleep.
Crumbs on the sheets, muttered Adam, watching the sandwiches intently as I pushed him down on the bed.
Bet there are clean sheets in this mausoleum somewhere, I told him. We can find them tonight and remake the bed. Presto, no more crumbs. I took half a sandwich and held it up to his face. Eat.
He smiled and bit my finger with a playfulness Id have thought beyond him, as beat as he was.
Eat, I said sternly. Food, then sleep. Rescue I bit my lip. Adam was a wolf. I couldnt talk to him about Gabriel, no matter how wrong that felt. Food, then sleep. Everything else can wait.
But it was too late. Hed never let that word go by without a challenge. He accepted the sandwich from me, took a bite, and swallowed it. Rescue?
I cant talk about it. Talk to Jesse or Darryl.
Mercy?
His voice wrapped around my head like a bracing winter wind, fresh and sweet to my taste. Here was a way I could communicate without speechif I could just figure out how. I stared at him intently.
Finally, he smiled. You cant talk about it. You promised . . . someone. I got that much. I keep a notebook in my briefcase in the closet. Why dont you get that and spend some time writing a letter to me about whatever it is you cant say.
I kissed his nose. Youve been hanging out with the fae again, havent you? Wolves are usually a little better about keeping the spirit as well as the letter of the law.
Good thing you arent a werewolf, then. His voice was gravelly with fatigue and smoke damage.
You really think so? I asked. When I was growing up, Id wanted to be a werewolf so I could really belong to the Marroks pack. Id always wondered whether, if I had been a werewolf instead of a coyote, my foster father would have reconsidered his decision to follow his mate in death. But when Adam said he was glad I wasnt a werewolf, it sounded like he meant it.
I wouldnt change a hair on your head, he told me. Now, go get the notebook and write it all down before I die of curiosity.
I will if you eat.
He obligingly took another bite, so I rummaged through his closet until I found the briefcase. He scooted over, making Medea protest until he scooped her into his lap so I could sit on the edge of the bed. While I sat beside him and wrote down everything I could think of, he finished all but half a sandwich (Yours, he said. Eat.) and fell asleep while I was still writing.
I finished. Adam?
He didnt move, but I noticed that his hands were looking better. His pack was behind him againfor the moment at least. Or maybe it was just the way his magic chose to work this time. People who try too hard to explain how magic works end up in funny farms.
I added Sweet Dreams at the bottom of the last page and left the notebook beside him. I slipped out of the bedroom and closed the door. I hadnt taken two steps before my phone rang. It was Zee.
Get somewhere you wont be overheard, he said.
I stepped through the open door of Jesses roomwhich was emptyshut the door, and turned on the music again. Adam was sleeping like the dead; it might last five minutes or several hours. No one else would hear anything.
Okay.
I know you cant talk to me about the woman who took our Gabriel, Zee said. So youll just have to hear me out.