Chapter 18

“Itold you, I feel fine.” Lena glared at her over the rim of her mug. Dark circles hung below her eyes today, her skin sallow in the morning sun shining through the kitchen window. The charming sister Ruby had had back for the past week was gone again. This sister, the sullen, exhausted one, the one she didn’t know, was back.

Ruby sat across from her sipping from her own cup, still thinking about what Lena had said last night and what it might mean. Rafe was outside, sniffing around the perimeter in human form, checking to make sure all was safe. A chill ran down Ruby’s spine at the thought of what he might find, or worse—what he might do if he found something.

But what scared her the most was watching her sister waste away before her eyes.

Rafe had said she was a seer, but what did that even mean? What were they supposed to do now? Whatever this thing was, it seemed to be eating her from the inside out.

Lena gave her a weak smile. “What are you thinking about? Your face has gone all scrunchy.”

Ruby blew out a laugh. She still hadn’t told Lena the truth about Rafe, about his theory about her episodes. “Nothing. Just thinking about running some errands today.”

“Sounds good.” Lena stood and shuffled to the sink to rinse her plate. “I think I’ll read in bed for a bit.”

Ruby nodded and watched her go. Reading in bed meant she’d be asleep in a matter of minutes. Many times Ruby had found her sister sound asleep with a book open on her chest. Ruby sighed.

Lena had once been so vibrant, so loved by all who met her. But one by one, her old friends had abandoned her, either bored or afraid of her affliction. It happened slowly, a slow atrophying of her old life. Lena was too tired to go out, afraid of having an episode in public. At first she would just go blank. She would sit and stare. It happened one night in the middle of a crowded club, another time in the middle of an old friend’s baby shower. She stopped getting invited to parties after that.

A few friends lingered. They would pay her little visits, keeping their voices low like Lena was sick, like Lena was dying. After a while Ruby stopped letting them in. She hated their whispers, their sympathetic smiles.

But maybe Lena wasn’t sick at all. Ruby clung to Rafe’s words from the night before. Maybe Lena had a gift. Maybe she just needed to figure out how to use it.

“You okay?” Rafe’s voice startled her out of her musings. She hadn’t heard the back door open or his light footsteps into the kitchen.

“Yeah. Just worried about Lena.”

Rafe nodded, pouring himself some coffee and lowering himself gingerly into the chair across from her.

“So what’s the plan for today?” she asked.

Rafe’s eyes widened a fraction of an inch as he studied her. “The plan for what?”

“Who are we interrogating?”

Rafe choked a little on his coffee. “We?”

Ruby nodded. “Yes. We. I can’t sit around here all day waiting for you to get back. I need to help.” She swallowed the thick emotion that had bubbled up in her throat. “We need to do something for Lena. She’s getting worse and if her condition is somehow linked to this whole wolf attack thing then I need to help.”

She folded her arms across her chest, waiting for him to argue, but he nodded, finishing off his coffee in a final swig.

“I’ll call my brother.”

“For what?”

Rafe’s fingers drummed on the table top. “I don’t think the wolves are after Lena.” He swallowed hard. “They’ve only gone after you, but I still don’t think it’s a good idea to leave her here alone.” He stopped drumming and pulled his phone from his pocket. “Theo can come stay with her.”

“He’ll do that?”

Rafe shrugged. “He owes me.” He prowled from the room to make his phone call. All Ruby could make out were some gruff sounds, an occasional growl, and few “fuck you’s” before Rafe came back and told her Theo would be there within the hour. Nothing about his grim face said he was looking forward to the visit.

* * *

Ruby had just finished getting dressed when there was a knock on the front door. She hurried quietly down the hall past Lena’s bedroom. The fact that Lena had been too tired to protest the fact that “Rafe’s brother was in town and would be hanging out at the house for a few hours” only made Ruby’s anxiety grow. Rafe still hadn’t told her where they were going today, but at least she was doing something to help her sister.

“I’m not a goddamn babysitter.” The voice that spoke was smooth like honey even though the words were sharp. “You saved my life once; you don’t get to call in unlimited favors.”

Ruby found Rafe face-to-face with a beautiful stranger in her living room. They both looked up when she hit the last step.

The man’s full lips slipped into a slow smile. His skin had a golden tan and his eyes were like tropical waters. A shock of black curls covered the top of his head and despite the harsh line of a scar down the side of his face, he was very pretty. Ruby couldn’t help the matching smile that crossed her own lips.

“Oh, I see now,” the man crooned.

“Don’t say another fucking word,” Rafe warned, a low growl in this throat.

“I’m Ruby.” She held out a hand and the man took it in his.

“Theo,” he purred.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Rafe grumbled. “Ruby, this is my asshole brother. He’ll hang out here for the afternoon.”

“Thank you so much,” she said and realized he was still holding her hand. She tugged it away and he smiled wider. “My sister is upstairs resting, but she knows you’re here.”

Theo nodded. “At your service, Ruby.”

She could feel the anger rolling off Rafe like it was a physical entity in the room. That whole “if looks could kill” saying had never made more sense to her.

“Now it’s ‘at your service’? A minute ago you weren’t a babysitter.”

Theo shrugged, drawing attention to his toned shoulders and chest. He wasn’t as tall as Rafe or as wide, but he was covered in long, lean muscle. Damn, werewolf genes were no joke.

“Ruby convinced me.” His grin was downright wicked now and Ruby felt the heat rush to her face. Rafe vibrated next to her.

“Cut it out, Theo. You’re going to make his head explode.”

Ruby blinked. A small, redheaded woman emerged from her kitchen clutching Ruby’s favorite mug.

“You brought Phoebe?” Rafe asked, anger still creasing his face.

Theo shrugged again. “She wanted to meet the seer.”

“Nice to see you too, Rafe.” Phoebe practically floated into the room and landed beside Rafe. Her head only reached his shoulder but she stood on her toes to place a peck on his cheek. Rafe continued to glower but Ruby noticed the softening in his stance.

“Hey, Fee. It’s nice to see you away from your grove.”

The woman smiled up at him. “I am allowed to leave it every now and then.” Her hair was short and coppery, her skin a creamy peach. A swarm of freckles covered her face and shoulders and ran down her arms. She was thoroughly speckled.

“What grove?”

The trio turned their attention back to Ruby, who braced herself for whatever insane bit of news she was about to receive next.

“Phoebe is a dryad. A forest nymph,” Rafe explained. Phoebe smiled at her.

“Right. Of course.” And there it was. A nymph. Of course she was. There were now two werewolves and a forest deity in her living room. Ruby reached back into her memory of Greek and Celtic mythology but all she could remember was that dryads were considered forest spirits, often found in sacred groves. She was dying to ask if Phoebe could make a tree grow in the middle of the living room, but that somehow seemed inappropriate at the moment.

Theo had dropped the flirty charmer act as soon as Phoebe came into the room and now shifted closer to her. Ruby didn’t miss how he watched her, the blatant need in his eyes. She glanced at Rafe, eyebrows raised, but he just shook his head in annoyance.

“So is this the seer?” Phoebe asked.

“Oh … no, I’m just Ruby. Uh, human.”

Phoebe tilted her head, studying Ruby with interest. “Hm … are you sure?”

Sure about what? Being human? Ruby nodded stupidly, her brain refusing to piece together Phoebe’s question. Of course she was human. Lena was the one having visions, not her. One maybe prophetic dream and a bit of a nutty aunt did not mean this little quirk ran in the family. Did it? Ruby opened her mouth to ask more questions of the dryad, but Rafe cut her off.

“We have to go,” Rafe practically barked. “We’ll be back by sunset.”

“He makes it sound so cryptic. My shift starts at eight, that’s all,” Ruby said, dropping the subject for now. Helping Lena was the most important thing; that was Ruby’s focus. Or it should be anyway.

Phoebe grinned. “It’s a family trait. These boys have a flair for the dramatic.”

“Hey.” The brothers spoke in unison, causing both women to laugh.

Rafe grumbled and grabbed her hand. “Let’s go.” He tugged her toward the door, but she glanced back to see Theo move closer to Phoebe. He ran a single finger up from her wrist to her elbow. Ruby watched the other woman shiver but then move away.

Ruby had a million questions she was sure Rafe would not want to answer. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to try.

* * *

“You and your brother don’t look much alike.”

Theo’s truck bounced over a pothole as Rafe glanced at Ruby from the driver’s seat. He was distracted, hoping that his old friend would be able to give them some answers.

“He’s the pretty one.” His comment came out embarrassingly bitter.

He could feel Ruby’s gaze on him, but he kept his eyes on the road.

“I think you’re pretty,” she said and he could hear the smile in it. She was teasing him.

He huffed. “We have different mothers. He looks like his.” Rafe did not mention that he looked like his father. He’d never liked those comparisons, no need to bring it up now.

“What’s the deal with him and Phoebe?” She shifted in her seat and he dared another glance. She faced the road now, one leg tucked up underneath her, her thighs peeking out from her skirt. He wondered how many of those black skirts she owned. His fingers twitched on the steering wheel with the need to slide a hand up one of them.

He cleared his throat. “It’s a long story.”

“Tell me.”

Rafe sighed. He did not pretend to understand the inner workings of either of his brothers, but he could give her the basic facts. “They’ve been friends for years. I suspect he loves her.” He shrugged. “I assumed when we left the pack they would get together. My father never would have allowed it, mating with a nymph. He didn’t tolerate half-breeds.” Rafe swallowed hard. His father’s hateful words felt slimy in his mouth.

“Your father sounds like a real dick.”

A startled laugh puffed from his lips. “Yeah, he was.”

“So they’re not together?” Ruby shifted again, facing him once more.

“No. Theo fucks whoever he wants and still calls Phoebe a friend.” An uncomfortable thought slithered into his gut. “Why? You interested?”

Ruby laughed. “Why? Are you jealous?”

Rafe ground his back teeth together. “No. But you should know he’s an asshole.”

“But is he an asshole who’s good in bed?”

Rafe nearly drove the truck off the damn road. His hands were clenched so tight around the steering wheel his knuckles had gone completely white. The idea of his brother fucking Ruby was enough to make him want to…

Ruby’s hand slid onto his thigh and his thoughts skidded to a halt. “I’m just kidding.” She gave a little squeeze and his cock jumped at the proximity. “Stop looking so murder-y,” she added with a laugh.

He tried to let out a breath, but his lungs were tight and hot. “This is just my face,” he said.

She leaned across the center console and brushed her lips against his cheek. “I like your face,” she whispered before sitting back down.

He could still feel the heat of her mouth when they pulled into the parking lot. He secretly hoped her lipstick had left a mark.