Deadlands Hunt Read online

  "Cute pups," Curtis observed, shoving clean socks into one saddlebag.

  "Yeah," Chase agreed. "She's cute."

  Behind him, Curtis grinned.

  *

  Brian regarded the shawl he'd purchased for Amethyst with a touch of distaste. Cotton lace instead of silk, but the thing would have to do. At least the deep green color was one of her favorites. It would remind her that he cared enough to pay attention to such things.

  "Is that for Amy?" Peter asked, busy packing his saddlebags with the items Bran had recommended.

  "No, I thought I'd look pretty in it," Brian snapped, tossing the offending garment onto his bed. "Yes, it's for Amy." He wasn't pleased with Peter, who'd returned looking entirely too comfortable in the Weren's company for his peace of mind.

  "I'm sure she'll like it." Peter finished packing by adding his leather personal kit to the top of one bag. "There. We should probably go down."

  Snatching up the shawl, Brian followed him out into the hallway then paused. "You go ahead. I'd like to speak with Amy privately."

  "All right, old man." Peter nodded and left. Only a few impatient moments of waiting were endured before the two ladies exited their room. After glancing from the waiting Brian to Amethyst, Sally went on. The red head merely looked at him.

  "I'm sorry, Amy. I've gotten you something." Brian offered her the shawl, which she accepted with the barest of glances.

  "Thank you, Brian. It's lovely." Her blue eyes narrowed slightly. "I do hope there won't be a repeat."

  "No, Amy." He hid the flash of anger caused by her failure to apologize in return. She should apologize for slapping him in front of them all, but it was obvious she wasn't about to do so.

  "Excellent. Shall we go down?" Brian offered his arm. To his relief, she took it.

  *

  Their appearance, together and in apparent accord, wasn’t unnoticed when they began descending. Kyle leaned towards Bran, breathing in his ear. "Damn. They've made up."

  The younger shape shifter batted at him, ear twitching. "I wish you wouldn't do that. It tickles."

  Chase and Curtis had also seen the twosome. Curtis scowled faintly before schooling his expression into something less disgusted. Chase merely blinked a single time before turning his attention back to Peter. The human had earned Bran's enthusiastic approval, and they were all inclined favorably towards him for his easygoing acceptance.

  "Oh, we all grew up together," Peter was saying. "Amy's family lives next door to my own, you see. Well, now it is just her, the poor dear. She must be lonely there, rattling about."

  "Hush," Sally warned him. "Here they come."

  Peter obediently hushed, a smile appearing. Brian seated Amethyst with a possessive air while she beamed a smile around the table. "Good evening. Were the horses satisfactory?"

  "Yeah. You've got a good eye for horseflesh," Bran responded, having learned from Peter that she'd personally selected each animal.

  "Excellent." Amethyst noticed the other diners were surreptitiously glancing at their group. Having grown accustomed to the aura of deadly competence the Weren exuded, she now thought those others were quite silly.

  Plates arrived at their table and she watched Kyle while he studied his. After a few seconds, he glanced at Bran's, then across at Brian's before noticing her gaze. Amethyst smiled and winked. The Weren grinned broadly and began eating.

  Feeling pleased the maid had remembered her request to leave potatoes off Kyle's plate, Amethyst took a bite of her own. She realized Chase was staring at her. Raising an eyebrow, she stared back until he tilted his head a touch, a rueful smile appearing. She'd outmaneuvered him.

  Brian hid a frown. Amethyst was behaving as though she was comfortable with the beast men, and he didn't like it - not at all. The fact each topped him by a good five inches wasn't helping. Back home, he'd cut a dashing figure in their group, or so he'd always been assured. Here, he looked like he'd yet to finish growing in comparison to the Werens' powerful builds.

  "Our host has agreed to store our trunks until our return," Amethyst remarked. "So that's been settled."

  "We're not taking them?" Sally asked, surprised.

  "No, dear. That's what the saddlebags are for. I'll help you pack yours before we retire," Amethyst promised.

  "Oh, that's all right then." She smiled placidly at Curtis, who was looking at her. "Amy's quite organized about such matters."

  Brian kept his dinner conversation limited to Amethyst and his eyes skimming past the others to avoid seeing the amusement in Kyle and Bran's expressions each time they looked at him. Which they did often, usually nudging each other before doing so.

  Once the meal was finished, Brian immediately rose, intending to avail himself of some time alone with his companions. "How about a brandy before bed?"

  "Only one this time," Amethyst sternly agreed. To his dismay, she smiled at Chase. "Do join us, please."

  Chase nodded in agreement, since that would allow the after dinner drinkers to do their drinking as usual. As the group rose from the table, Bran asked in a whisper, "What's brandy?"

  Kyle shrugged, following the others. "Guess we'll find out, huh?"

  Once in the drawing room, the two women pressed glasses on everyone before settling. Sally sat in a chair, with Peter perched on the arm of it. Amethyst briefly hesitated, seeing that Brian had claimed the settee. She then chose to perch on the arm of the couch, next to where Chase sat.

  She didn't notice the dull red flush of Brian's face, but Curtis did and delivered a vulpine smile at the human that made him drop his face towards his glass. Conversation was limited to some trail rules being firmly laid out. To Brian, it seemed the Werens' leader was taking too much delight in pointing out that he was in charge.

  They were told to listen to the Weren, but most importantly, to Chase. Glancing at Peter and Sally, he found neither particularly fussed about the orders. Amethyst's expression was tranquil while she delicately sipped brandy.

  Fuming silently, Brian tossed off the last of his as soon as the shape shifter had finished. "All right, I suppose. I'm off to bed."

  "We should all probably retire," Amethyst decreed, rising. "Come on, Sally. Sleep well, gentlemen."

  As nighttime courtesies were exchanged, Chase wondered if she'd again seek the privacy of the drawing room later to mourn her sister.

  Four

  Choking off a cry, Amethyst woke and immediately looked at the other bed to see if she had disturbed Sally. In the almost complete darkness, the other woman was merely a lump under the bedclothes. Relieved, Amethyst slipped quietly from bed to reach for her dressing gown. Shrugging into it, she crept out of the room and made the left turn towards the drawing room.

  This time, she paused on the threshold before entering, to make certain the room was unoccupied. Seeing no one present, Amethyst walked to the window and looked down into the yard between the inn and stables. The grief at not having dissuaded Pearl from leaving overwhelmed her.

  Down the hall, Chase stared at the ceiling and debated going to check on her. It seemed wrong for her to suffer in silence, instead of sharing with her companions. The Weren assumed it was some obscure human social rule that made her do so.

  Straining his ears, he listened in an effort to learn whether she was crying again, but heard nothing. Deciding that she might want someone to talk to, Chase quietly rose. This time, he pulled on jeans and a shirt, though the shirt was unbuttoned.

  Curtis' eyes opened as Chase slipped out of the room; the Weren pursed his lips before a grin escaped. His pack leader might have said he wasn't interested in the little red head, but his actions were telling a different story.

  Padding silently down the hallway, Chase paused at the door of the drawing room to peer inside. Spotting her standing before the window again, the Weren almost turned back since she wasn't crying. Just before he moved, she raised a hand and wiped at her cheek, dashing away a tear. That decided him. Entering quietly, he spoke in a whisper. "Amethyst?
"

  She startled, half turning, then relaxed. "Did I wake you? You must be a light sleeper, Chase."

  Feeling a little more confident, the Weren crossed the room. "Sleeping light is a natural trait. Are you all right?"

  Amethyst turned back to the window, both touched and vaguely embarrassed by his concern. To her surprise, she answered honestly, instead of with the polite lies expected. "I'm not sure."

  "I know we don't really know each other well, but if you want to talk..." Chase left the offer dangling in the air between them, watching her brush away another tear. After a silent moment passed, he muttered, "Or I can go. Didn't mean to bother you."

  "Oh, you're not! It's just that, well, it's considered terribly impolite to burden others with some things. At least unpleasant things."

  The explanation made the sting of rejection he'd felt disappear. "Not among Weren. We share, good or bad."

  "Do you?" She glanced at him. Another tear slipped out and Chase raised a hand to gently thumb it away before it slid down her cheek.

  "It's natural for us." Her skin felt soft under his calloused thumb. "Those who don't, tend to lose control of themselves after a while. And that's not a good thing."

  Reminded of what he was, Amethyst nodded. "I suppose it wouldn't be, at that."

  Cautiously, the Weren offered his opinion. "I don't think it's a good thing for anyone to dam things up, Amethyst."

  "I suppose you're right. I have been feeling a bit," she hesitated. "Out of sorts lately."

  Out of sorts. Chase mentally snorted in amusement. The woman had lost her last remaining relative, was willing to risk her own life in order to learn the truth. ‘Out of sorts’ seemed a mild way of expressing everything she had to be feeling. "Do you want to talk about it?"

  "I'm not entirely sure I can." Amethyst looked back out the window. "I'm not certain I know how to explain it. I'd probably make a terrible muddle of the attempt."

  For some reason, it became intensely important to him that she make the attempt. "That'd be all right. You don't have to make sense, Amethyst."

  Gazing down at the yard, she hesitated before blurting out, "It's my fault that Pearl left."

  Chase hadn't expected that. "Why?"

  "I should've seen...I didn't understand how Pearl felt. I didn't try hard enough to change her mind about leaving." Biting her lip, Amethyst paused.

  More quietly, she began again. "You see, I'm the younger, so I was a bit more spoiled than she was. I never knew, until she mentioned she was going to marry Devon, that Pearl felt…oh, I don't know, inferior to me? That sounds arrogant to say aloud. I was surprised when she told me, you see, and she had this spiteful look while saying that there were men who weren't interested in pretty faces."

  Amethyst looked up. "I wasn't surprised because of the difference in our looks, but because she hadn't said anything to me about his proposal before then."

  Seeing her bottom lip tremble and eyes beginning to flood, Chase eased closer to offer a hug. He was surprised when she stepped into the embrace. It was enough to cause the dam to burst. Amethyst began incoherently sobbing out words.

  Whining faintly, the Weren gently cuddled her, head bowing as he lifted one hand to stroke her hair. She cried for a while, but he caught enough of what she said to gain a better understanding of things.

  Neither was sure how much time passed before Amethyst's sobs trailed off. She sniffled quietly against his shirt while Chase continued to stroke her hair. The Weren didn't say anything, since he didn't know what to say.

  Amethyst was feeling strangely better after unburdening herself without being chastised for unseemly behavior. It was soothing, his hand ceaselessly stroking down her hair while she leaned against him. Everything was actually fine until she noticed there was warm skin under one hand resting upon his chest and became embarrassed.

  "I seem to have soaked your shirt," she mumbled, pulling away. Chase let his hand slide over her silky hair one last time before dropping his arms and stepping back. "I'm sorry."

  “Don’t worry, it’ll dry." Tilting his head, he tried to see her face. "Do you feel a little better now?"

  "Actually, yes," Amethyst admitted, feeling a bit shy and peeking from under her lashes. "Thank you. You're very kind, Chase."

  "You're welcome." The Weren felt ridiculous, taking thanks for doing what was natural and trying to comfort her. Deciding she looked tired, he suggested, "Maybe you should try to sleep again?"

  "That's a good idea," the red head agreed. "We will be rising quite early after all."

  "Yeah." Chase licked the corner of his lips before saying, "If you ever need to talk, just let me know. I'm willing to listen, Amethyst."

  She met his eyes and quietly replied, "Thank you for that."

  A moment later, she'd risen on her toes to deliver a soft kiss to his cheek and was hurriedly exiting the room, tossing a 'good night' over one shoulder. Chase gave her a minute before following, barely aware of his fingers touching the spot her lips had.

  *

  The maid yawned while traversing the hallway, knocking on doors to awaken the sleepers within well before dawn.

  "Amy, there's no light," Sally complained. "People don't really rise before the sun, do they?"

  "We're awake." Amethyst found matches by feel and struck one to light the candle on the wash table. "Come on, get up! We've our new things to figure out."

  "Ooh, yes, now I remember." Sally bounced out of her bed with a smile of excitement.

  Next door, Peter stretched, yawned, and self-consciously smoothed the spiky mass of his hair down. It sprang back up when he lowered his hand. "I say, it's still night out there."

  "Rrrr." Brian buried his head under his pillow.

  Farther down the hallway, Kyle opened his eyes in time to see water descending to douse his face. A flurry of sputtering action resulted. In the next room, Chase thumped the wall with an open palm. "Quiet in there."

  Everything went silent. Satisfied, the Weren stretched, sat up, and stretched again. "Up, Curtis."

  "I'm up."

  Chase glanced over and observed, "You're not moving."

  "Eyelids," the other assured him.

  "You can't ride with your eyelids. Up, man."

  Curtis obediently sat up and stretched. "There. Up."

  "Don't make me come over there, smartass," Chase warned, throwing the quilt off to rise, hand already reaching for his jeans. Mimicking his actions promptly, Curtis had the final word.

  "Wouldn't dream of it."

  *

  "Well," Amethyst doubtfully remarked as they stared at each other. "I suppose we look a bit silly."

  "I feel rather silly," the blond agreed. "I hope no one says anything. I shall be mortified."

  Doors opened and shut outside; footsteps and greetings producing a low rumble of noise as the men of their party headed downstairs. Amethyst drew in a deep breath and squared her shoulders after the sounds faded. "Right, then. We should join them."

  "Must we?" Sally looked horrified by the idea.

  "Of course. Let's take our coats and packs. Did you lock your trunk?" the red head asked, folding her new duster over one arm before bending to pick up her saddlebags.

  "Yes, I oooh," Sally squeaked. "I'm not sure you should do that, Amy."

  "Do what?" Amethyst straightened, settling the leather bags over her forearm.

  Sally waved a hand. "That. You shouldn't do that. I mean, oh, watch!"

  Turning, she bent to pick up her saddlebags and duster. Glancing over her shoulder, Sally turned bright pink when Amethyst's eyes met hers after rising from the unfamiliar view.

  "Oh, my," Amethyst murmured, also blushing. "Well, I...that is to say, I...we'll just pretend we're not aware of that, shall we?"

  They stared at each other for a long moment. Amethyst nodded firmly, stomach beginning to flutter with rising nervousness. "That's exactly what we shall do. Let's go, Sally dear."

  "I don't know if I can..." the words trailed off into
a soft moan as Amethyst grabbed her hand and Sally found herself dragged out of the room.

  *

  Downstairs, breakfast was already on the table. Bran finally asked, "What's taking them so long?"

  "Probably primping," Brian snorted, nose buried in his coffee." Ladies spend an inordinate amount of time primping."

  "I wish they'd hurry up," Kyle groused while staring at the platters of food. No one had made a move to start serving themselves, the Weren following Peter's lead in politely waiting.