“Alas, there wasn’t an animal carcass available in the fridge. Maybe next time I can serve you a whole hog on a spit.”
“Those are pretty good,” Wyatt remarked. “I had some in Hawaii a million moons ago.”
I turned my attention to Viktor. “I’m staying on this case. I think it’s worth our time.”
Wyatt stood up. “Well, it sounds to me like you don’t know anything.”
Christian pointed a knife at him. “Did anyone ask your opinion?”
Wyatt put his hat on. “I wasn’t talking to her. I should have known a spook-free house was too good to be true. Usually one or two wander in, but they always leave with one of you when I ignore them. This one won’t keep his mouth shut.” Wyatt made a talking motion with his hand, aimed behind him. “I’m not for hire. You’re going to have to find yourself another Gravewalker to settle your affairs, buddy boy.” Wyatt pushed in his chair. “Singing doesn’t bother me. That’s what earphones are for.”
I used to think Wyatt was divorced from reality, but now I was beginning to see the reason behind his recreational drug habit. Back when I’d first arrived at Keystone, there were apparently a lot of specters in the mansion. After they cleared out, Wyatt seemed calmer—maybe because he was getting more sleep. Whoever was haunting him was probably one of the bears we’d taken out or maybe the wolves who ran Niko and Blue off the road. In any case, they were Wyatt’s problem now.
“What’ll happen to that girl’s pack?” I asked. “Are you going to do anything?”
Viktor’s grey eyes narrowed. “I was not certain what we were dealing with until just now. I know these animals. I have seen many like them in my time. They keep just enough women to breed children but not so many as would rise up against them. Men like these find each other and form packs with evil intentions.”
I wondered how many jails cells were available. “Are you going to turn them over to the Council?”
He lifted his glass and swirled the wine. “Nyet. Wyatt, get as much information on these packmates as you can. I am certain that all have violated the law or were kicked out of other packs for nefarious reasons. Gather evidence to prove a conspiracy. I cannot take action unless I know this is what it looks like.”
“I’m on it,” he said, strutting out of the room. “Let me get those cookies first.”
Gem gripped the back of her chair. “What can I do?”
“Work with Wyatt. Some of these Shifters may be old and in one of your historical books.”
“And me?” Shepherd asked.
Viktor stood. “Polish your weapons.”
After taking Marelle back to Kira’s room, Blue changed into her red dress and walked to the back of the mansion. She didn’t feel like flying tonight—too much was on her mind. She breathed in the night air, the most wonderful scent in the world. After a short walk, she reached the part of the grass that sloped down and gave her the best view on a moonlit night. The mansion was a dark shadow looming behind her, the blue circular clock window in Claude’s room visible because he had all his candles lit. When she found a nice spot at the crest of the hill, she took a seat in the grass, her knees drawn up and her eyes on the stars.
Matteo appeared out of nowhere and sat to her left. “That dress is becoming on you.”
“How did you know I was out here?”
“Your scent calls to me.”
She snorted. “And what do I smell like?”
“Everyone has a different scent to a Chitah. Yours is like a spice. Cinnamon or something close to that.” He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, which Blue found a little creepy. Claude had never mentioned her personal scent, but maybe that was because it would be inappropriate.
“Are you cold, female? I have a coat in my tent.”
“Did you wash it in the pond?”
Matteo chuckled. “You forget I’m a man of the wild. The woods are my home. Are they not yours?”
“They were.”
He flicked his gaze down. “How is your leg?”
“Like new.”
“I’ve always envied Shifters for their gift of healing. Chitahs heal—just slower.”
“I work with a Chitah. He’s pretty tough.”
“Should I worry if he’s put his tongue on your wounds?”
She smiled. “Claude has put his tongue on almost everyone. You Chitahs are strange.”
“It’s a gift that comes in handy when healing superficial scrapes. Mothers can heal their young so they don’t grow up with scars.”
Blue looked away.
“My apologies.”
“Shifters admire scars. Just not so much on women,” she muttered.
A lightning bug flashed in front of her.
When Matteo didn’t say anything in return, Blue stole a glance at him. He had a strong profile. His nose had a slight bump, and his convex forehead gave him an intense stare. But those lips—she couldn’t help but remember how soft they were, even with that ridiculous excuse for a beard. Matteo looked like a nomad—a warrior without a home. “When is the last time someone cut your hair?”
He gave her an amused look. “Is it not to your liking?”
“I think how a man grooms himself says a lot about him. You look like you lost interest decades ago.”
“Perhaps I did. When you live alone, there’s no need for grooming.”
“It makes me think you don’t have a high opinion of yourself.”
“That doesn’t change my opinion of you.”
She admired the universe above. “Maybe it says more about where you are in your life. What was that look you gave me?”
“What look?”
“When I came home bleeding. I know that look. Want to tell me about it?”
He wrung his hands. “I lost my kindred spirit.”
Blue understood that most Chitahs who lost a kindred spirit to death never recovered from the traumatic loss. Even the rejected ones suffered, just not nearly as much. A kindred spirit was their perfect match—the one they were born to love.
“I’m sorry” was all she could say.
“I gave up everything, and I still failed her.”
“How?”
Matteo cleared his throat. “I was once a bounty hunter, and I made a lot of enemies. Sarah changed everything. How we met isn’t a romantic story. She was the daughter of one of the men I hunted. She proved his innocence, and it changed how I felt about my job. She made a new man out of me and talked me into building that cabin. Then she gave me a daughter, and my life was complete. I thought we’d be safe in the woods.”
Blue knew where this story was going. “But someone found you.”
“Yes. And I wasn’t there. I’d gone to negotiate a trade—we were low on meat, and I needed more traps. When I returned…” Matteo’s voice cracked, and he shielded his face. It seemed like a decade passed before he put his hands down and finished. “I should have been there to protect them. I can’t even remember what I said to her before I left. I can’t remember if I kissed her or told her that she was my world. And our baby—”
Matteo’s upper and lower fangs punched out, giving him the appearance of a wild cat.