19. Raul

19

RAUL

M y night with Monica flew by. Hours and hours of sex, broken up by a little chatting and cuddling while we both recharged before going at it again. It was a blast. We had been given the opportunity to be with each other, and we made every minute count. I couldn't have wished for a better first night with her.

Alas, the unfinished business with my pack was bound to interfere. Shifters started their day early. By six o'clock, the whole town would be up and going about their daily chores. That meant that she had to be gone earlier.

I hated that I couldn't wake up with her beside me. Her body wouldn't be able to warm up the sheets that had been cold for months. Regardless of my feelings, there was no choice, and I did the right thing. I drove her to her place and waited for her to get ready and leave for work. I knew the chances of her being targeted at the crack of dawn were minimal, but I wasn't going to risk it.

I was in a great mood, especially for a Monday. I never liked that particular day. The beginning of the week was difficult for me and my brothers. A lot of times Ray would still be hungover, leaving Sammy and me to do most of the work. This time, I was the one who couldn't do much.

It wasn't due to intoxication. It was sheer exhaustion. Even double doses of caffeine, my usual remedy, didn't work. Predictably, Sam and Ray wanted to know the reason behind my tiredness. I didn't mind revealing it to Sam. After all, he was the one who had seen me and Monica out in our front yard the night before.

Ray? Not so much. I loved my kid brother. He was one, loud bastard, but he was still my brother. Telling him that I had spent the night with a human would only invite crude, off-color jokes and a serious amount of ridiculous innuendos.

In order to get them both off my back, I decided to do the next best thing. I suggested going out for drinks at Kayleigh's , our favorite bar. Run by humans, it appealed less to our kind. Most shifters preferred Joe's , which was in the heart of Dawson. In there, the crowd of shifters could be as loud and rowdy as they liked. But my brothers and I were sick and tired of their demeanor and attitudes. We had lost interest in that place a long time ago. They readily agreed. It's not like we were getting much done in the way of work anyway.

Light fixtures on Kayleigh's walls shed their dim light across the barroom. Over the bar, a bigger row of flood lights illuminated rows upon rows of bottles, along with Sarah, the barmaid. In the left corner on that wall hung a large poster of the one and only Jimi Hendrix, his eyes shut as he sang into the microphone.

"I have got to get me one of those," Ray said as the three of us took seats at the bar.

"This is getting old, kid," Sam protested. "I mean, you say that every time we walk in here, and guess what. You still haven't bought a Jimi Hendrix poster."

"I will, first thing in the morning," he said as he gestured to get Sarah's attention.

"Hey, boys," she greeted us with a friendly smile. "What can I get you?"

"Double Jack for me. Ice water for the ladies," Ray told her, grinning from ear to ear.

"I'm going to bite your fucking ear off," I growled, giving him a hard glare. "Three double Jack's, Sarah. Please."

"What's the matter with you, big brother?" Ray wondered, his grin staying on. "I thought you'd be in a better mood. You got some nookie last night."

"How…?"

"Oh, come on!" He chuckled, banging his palm into my shoulder blade. "It was like it was written on your forehead this morning in a brilliant neon sign. You were all smiles. Somehow, nothing bothered you, not even our rusty power screwdriver. You know, the one you always say you want to throw out the fucking window."

"Okay," I admitted reluctantly, looking from him to Sam. "You got me. I did spend the night with a lady. Okay? Let's leave it at that."

"It was your doctor, wasn't it?" Sam posed the question, lowering his voice. "The one I saw you with in our front yard."

"Hey Sam, when you already know the answer to something, don't ask," I said, annoyance sending my voice down an octave.

"Sweet," Ray commented, a cunning smile spreading across his face. "My big brother is bang--"

"Don't say it," I grumbled, cutting him off and tossing a ferocious, sideways glare at him.

"Fine. I won't," he said, his smile vaporizing. "Can I just be happy for you?"

"For what?"

He rolled his eyes and sighed heavily as if I was the weight he was forced to bear in his life.

"For taking over your life, man," he said. "For having the guts to break the one rule that could get you into the worst trouble possible. Here's to you," he proposed a toast, raising his glass.

"To Raul," Sam followed his example.

Heat rushed onto my cheeks, and I couldn't look either of them in the eye. They were making light of it, but they knew as well as I did how dangerous what I had done was. How dangerous it was for them. Yet they were toasting me for it.

"Thanks, boys," I said and clinked my glass against theirs. "This means a lot."

As I gulped down the whiskey, I heard the hinges of the door creaking behind me. Two smells rushed into the bar, sapping away any chance of having some fun with my brothers. I had known those scents forever. The whole town of Dawson knew who they belonged to. Brad Grayson and Kenny Fairfield, my Alpha and his first lieutenant.

"Well, well, well…" Brad spoke in mock cheer. "Look what we have here. It's the Crawford boys. All of them."

"Evening," I murmured, a shot of adrenaline storming through my veins.

"Hey…" The Alpha sniffed the air, strolling closer to me. "Kenny, can you smell that?"

"Pussy," Kenny replied with a leering grin on his face. "Human pussy."

"Right," Brad smirked as he came to a halt directly behind me. "It looks like Mr. Crawford fucked up. And he fucked up big."

"Get out," I groaned, squeezing the glass in my palm. "Get the fuck out."

"Relax," he urged, assuming a more serious tone. "I'm not here to fight you. We've got bigger fish to fry than your rule-breaking ass. Kenny, do the honors."

"Gladly." He nodded, leaning onto the counter. "A fisherman named Eli Johnson over in Sherman Creek was attacked a couple of weeks ago. It happened while he tried to dock his boat. No witnesses. The Sheriff's office called it an animal attack. On March 6 th , the same thing happened to a tourist by the name of Sarah Landsvi in Louisville. Again, the Sheriff's office called it an animal attack. Those humans had two things in common." He held up his hand and extended one finger. "One? Two sets of puncture wounds in their neck." He added a second finger. "Two? They both died of exsanguination."

"Bloodsuckers," Brad said, pointing out the obvious. "Goddamn bloodsuckers. You know which town is next?"

"Shandaken," I said, almost growling as I thought of one of those bastards coming anywhere near Monica.

"That's right," he said with a nod. "I don't give a fuck about those humans over there, but you know damn well who those bloodsuckers will attack first."

"Us," Sammy interjected his opinion. "They'll try to take us out, so they can feed on the humans at their leisure."

"That's it! Right there!" Brad pointed at him, his voice dripping with false admiration. "That's why I always liked you, Sam. You're the smart one in the family."

"So, you need me to help fight off that vampire clan," I concluded. "And after that? What's next?"

"We'll settle our score, the wolf way," he declared, his intense gaze meeting mine. "I'll show you the meaning of pain. That's if you survive. Have fun, Crawford. Use the little time you have left to enjoy yourself."

At that, he smirked yet again, before turning away and walking back out of the bar. My brothers and I stared after him and Kenny until they were out of the bar and the door swung shut behind them.

"Can I go outside and rip his fucking head off?" Ray asked, tapping his fingers on the mouth of his glass.

"That wouldn't be such a bad idea," I maintained, bringing my gaze to his face. "But this fight is not yours to deal with. Besides, we have to see if that story Kenny just spat off checks out."

"It sounds real to me," Sam shared his opinion. "He gave details, like names and places. He was being specific. If he was bullshitting us, he would have given us some random descriptions. He would have left names out."

"That's just a theory," I argued, downing the rest of my drink. "We need to mobilize, people."

"I agree, but, um…" Sam faltered, scratching his jaw. "I smell a rat here. A big one."

"I'm all ears," I said, focusing my attention on him.

"Raul, we're part of a big, strong pack," he said, looking me in the eye. "You're one of our best warriors. We all know that, but when was the last time Brad put the good of Dawson ahead of his own whims?"

I averted my gaze from him, thinking of the long years of Brad's reign. He wasn't a caring Alpha. In truth, he was far from a considerate leader, or a leader who thought of what was best for his people.

He had been harsh to individuals for almost no reason. Once, he had taken his old Buick to Shane Kirsten's workshop, to fit it with a better stereo. Shane did put a brand new stereo into that old piece of junk, but the 3,000 Watts it generated were too much for the rear windshield. Despite Shane's warnings, Brad insisted on that specific kit. When the windshield shattered, he demanded a replacement or a refund. Poor Shane had had to replace it at his own expense.

"Never," I answered, staring into the void. "He's always been ‘me, me, me.'"

"So, why now?" Sammy posed the million-dollar question. "What's different this time?"

"A clan of vampires?" Ray ventured a guess. "Guys, we've heard our folks' stories about those sons of bitches. They're our natural enemies. They'll stop at nothing to get what they want. Maybe Brad's afraid of them."

"Or he's counting on them to take me out," I said what both of my brothers were thinking but avoiding saying. "Answer me this. If those bloodsuckers wanted to attack Dawson, wouldn't Helena warn us about it? Because, when she showed me the future in her orb, she didn't mention anything about vampires. All I saw, was a pack determined to tear me to shreds."

"That's a good idea. Let's go find her." Sam's said, which sounded like the correct course of action.

I left two twenty-dollar notes on the counter, my own words echoing in my mind. Brad's story was neat. If it had come from someone trustworthy, I would have believed it without question. However, there were things that didn't add up, like his sudden demonstration of care for his people. That and Helena's prediction, which I trusted a hell of a lot more than him. Which was saying something in itself, putting my trust in a witch for any reason. Something I never would have thought possible. But perhaps the witch could shed some light on this. Right now, it seemed like she was the only one who could.