The confusion deepened. "You'll come with us. You're a Cain."
"No," I said slowly. "I mean, biologically, I am, but . . ." I wanted to say I already had a family, but my gut warned me it might not be in my best interests to bring that up. I shrugged. "I don't know you."
"You will. You'll come and live with us. We'll take care of you. You'll stay with me." He moved closer. "Don't worry, Derek. We're going to make this real easy. You can even go to school."
"College?"
He gave the same confused look as when I'd asked for water. "No. High school. Cain boys are home-schooled, because we move around a lot. But we know an education is important to you, so I'll make sure you go to a real school as often as you can. You don't need to worry about college. You won't need that. You're already smart." He smiled. "Don't need a piece of paper to prove it."
I wanted to say, "Are you sure we're related? Really sure?" but again, it didn't seem wise. I remembered what else those werewolves said about the Cains.
Three things every Cain has in common. Big as a house. Ugly as a mud fence. Dumb as a brick.
I didn't much appreciate the second part, but I knew I wouldn't be trying out for a modeling job anytime soon. As for the last, I knew that was wrong. At least for me. But if "not too bright" was the hallmark of a Cain, and these guys were Cains . . .
I evaluated the situation as I pretended to consider Theo's words. I was trapped in a windowless bedroom. Guarded by one werewolf who could take me out and another who probably had a syringe of sedative in his back pocket. Then there was a third one--bigger than Carter and younger than Theo--who'd be back any moment.
I wasn't getting out of here by brute force.
I reached for the Coke, twisted off the top and gulped it. Then I looked at Theo. "You said burgers?"
He smiled and relaxed. "Yep. Burgers, fries, even onion rings if Nate can find them. We'll keep you well fed, son. You don't need to worry about that."
I finished the bottle, set it aside and stared at it, again feigning deep contemplation.
"It would be nice to be with my own kind," I said finally.
"Course it would."
"Mr. Bae is a nice guy and all, but . . . he's not a werewolf."
"Course he isn't."
"He doesn't really understand me, you know?"
Theo smiled. "Course he doesn't. He can't. Not his fault. I'm sure he tried. But he's not a werewolf."
I nodded. Then I scratched my head and made a face. "You think I could go have a shower before those burgers show up?"
Theo chuckled. "Is that what you want, Derek? A shower? Or are you hoping there's a window you can climb out?"
"Huh? No. I just wanted--"
He leaned forward. "You're a smart boy. I've been warned about that. I might not have much of an education, but I know a few things about us. About werewolves. We need family. We need a pack. You've got that. You've got a daddy and a brother and now you've got yourself a real cute girlfriend, and you're going to do your damnedest to get back to them. So if you want that shower, I'll take you, but you'd barely get your head out of the tiny window. Even if you did, there's no one around to call for help."
He pushed to his feet. "It's gonna take time for you to come around. I know that. And you're not going to be too happy with me for a while. Soon you'll see that I did the right thing and you'll thank me for it. But for now, I'm keeping a real close eye on you, Derek. So--" He met my gaze. "Do you still want that shower?"
I looked at Carter, snickering behind Theo, and I slumped back.
Nine
When the food arrived, I ate. It seemed the right response, one that might convince Theo I was prepared to deal with this maturely and reasonably. Nate joined us for the meal. He seemed okay. Bigger and, yeah, uglier than Carter. Not as bright as Theo. In other words, when it came to being a Cain, he didn't get a pass on any of the three criteria. But he was nice to me, which was more than I could say for Carter.
While the rest of the family could only change into wolves, Carter got a bonus shape-shifting ability: He was also an ass. As Theo tried to regale me with the wonderful life I'd have as a Cain, Carter kept finding ways to take jabs. About my looks. About my skin. About my size. Even about my intelligence--if I asked a question about werewolf life, it only proved that I wasn't as smart as I thought I was. And if I was dating Chloe, it was only because she was scared of the Edison Group and wanted protection, because really, what other reason would she have for dating me? An ass, like I said. Finally, Theo snarled and sent him away, and that only pissed Carter off more, as he mouthed behind Theo's back that we'd settle this later.
Settle what? I hadn't done anything to him. Yet somehow, I had. I just didn't know what.
After Theo finished his spiel, I began mine. Earlier, I'd been reluctant to tell him how attached I was to my family. Now, I realized that was exactly what I needed to do. Whatever misguided ideas he had about me, he clearly understood the value of family. So the goal was to explain the situation in a way he'd understand.
I said that I totally understood his position. I appreciated that he'd come looking for me. But I already had a family. I had a father and a brother, and I had a girlfriend, and I wanted to stay with them. I'd like to keep in touch with him. I just didn't need--or want--a new family.
It was a rational, respectful response. Dad would have been proud of me. Theo didn't care. He wasn't angry or insulted--he just let me talk and then ignored everything I said. I was a kid; I wasn't old enough to make decisions like this. So he'd make them for me.
I argued. I got mad. I got sarcastic. I didn't mean to, but it was like beating my head against a brick wall, trying to make him understand. Still Theo didn't get angry with me. He just put me on a time-out, like a misbehaving puppy.
He left and Nate left, and I sat there. As I did, I tried to figure out how I'd escape. The answer seemed obvious--let them take me back to wherever they came from and then run away at the first opportunity. They couldn't watch me forever. But where would I go when I ran? Once Dad realized I'd been kidnapped, he'd come looking for me, but he wasn't a werewolf--he couldn't track me. After a couple of days, he'd pack up the others and move. He had to; he couldn't risk having whoever took me go after Simon or Chloe or Tori. He had to protect them.
How would I find them? I wasn't even sure I could return--Theo was bright enough to know I'd head to where he found me. And if I got back before Dad moved the others? Theo and Nate and Carter would be right on my heels, and they'd probably have called in others to help. I'd be putting my family at risk. I'd never do that.
But I'd never go with them either. I couldn't. Even the thought of it made my heart thump so hard I couldn't breathe.
Maybe I could--
Something click-clicked to my left. I looked over to see a pencil rolling under the door. I stared, as if expecting it to explode. Of course it didn't. I slid off the bed and padded over to pick it up.
Just an ordinary pencil. How did--?
A faint noise sounded outside the door. Then a piece of paper sailed underneath and across the floor.
"What the--?"
The pencil was plucked from my fingers so fast I didn't even notice until I saw it levitating and looked down at my empty hand. I walked over to the paper and bent as the pencil began scribbling across it.
You look OK. Are you OK?
"Liz?" A stupid question. Liz was the only poltergeist I knew. But if she was here that meant . . . "Chloe?" My heart started thudding again. "Where's Chloe. Did they--?"
She's outside.
I took a deep breath. "Good. Okay. My dad's there, too?"
I watched the paper. Nothing happened.
"Liz? My dad is with her, right? She called him, didn't she?"
Couldn't.
"What do you mean she couldn't? She has her cell--" No, she didn't. We hadn't taken our phones into the forest. If Chloe had managed to follow me straight from there . . .
I swore. "Tell her to get to a
pay phone. Call collect. Get my dad and--"
No time. They're packing the van.
"Then you ride with me. You can find out where we go and return, and Chloe--"
We're getting you out.
"What? No. Absolutely not. Tell Chloe--"
Girls rule :)
I scowled, imagining her laugh. "That's not funny, Liz. You tell Chloe that this is too dangerous. I absolutely forbid--" I swallowed the demand and tried again. "I'm asking her not to do this."
The paper and pencil rose and moved toward the bed. Liz folded the paper and threw it under the bed.
"Hey!" I said. "We're not done here. You have to--"
The door opened and I stopped short as Theo walked in. He looked around.
"I thought I heard you talking," he said.
I cleared my throat. "I was, uh, calling for someone. I need to use the bathroom."
He smiled. "Good timing. I was just going to suggest that. We have a long drive ahead of us and we're almost ready to go." He turned and called for Nate to take me.
We were in a house. It had some furniture, but not much. Maybe a rental? I couldn't tell. I only know that I had apparently been in a basement bedroom, in the middle of the house, which is why it didn't have a window. Same went for the bathroom he took me to. Window-free. Even that wasn't good enough for Nate, who left the door open and stood with his back to me. I didn't really have to go, so I just stood there.
"Shy bladder?" Nate said with a laugh.
"Kinda. Could I get a minute? I'm not going anywhere."
"Sorry. Orders are orders. I'm not supposed to let you out of my sight. At least I'm turning my back."
Great. I wasn't sure what I'd do if he did leave me alone, but I would have liked the chance.
"You'll get used to it," Nate went on. "Not a lot of privacy in a werewolf pack. That's what we are--the Cains. Our own pack. You'll like it."
"Uh-huh."
A chuckle. "You don't sound so sure. Can't blame you. This must all be real confusing. But you will like it. Most of us are spread all over the place, but that's kind of nice, traveling all the time, meeting up with cousins and uncles and nephews, hanging out, hunting. You like to hunt?"
"Never tried it."
"Well, you will. Soon. I'll tell Theo to set one up for you. It's like a family reunion. Everyone gets together, parties, goes for a hunt."
"Deer?"
"Usually. We went elk hunting last year. Moose a few years ago. Course, the best hunts are the other ones."
"Other ones?"
"You know."
I stopped and looked over my shoulder. "You mean . . .?"
He grinned. "Two-legged deer."
My gorge rose. "You-- You hunt--?"
"Oh, not like that. We don't just pick some random person. If you do that, the Pack comes after you. We need to be careful. Find someone no one will miss. Someone that deserves it. And we don't eat them or anything. Just kill them."
I stared at him, certain I was hearing wrong.
He walked over and clapped me on the back. "Don't knock it till you've tried it. And you won't try it for a while. Theo won't allow it until you're older. Now, zip up and come on."
Ten
I took my time washing my hands.
Where was Chloe? What did she have in mind? Liz telling me that Chloe was planning a rescue wasn't really useful--now I could make some move like stalling and screw up her plans.
Damn it, Liz.
"You scrubbing for surgery?" Nate said.
"Sorry, I--"
Something hit the floor with a crack. Nate turned and looked down to see his cell phone. He patted his back pockets, as if to be sure his wasn't where it should be. Then he swore and reached down. The phone slid across the floor.
"What the hell?" he muttered.
It slid faster, scraping and bumping along.
"Carter!" Nate growled. "This is not the time for pranks."
As he took off after the phone, I looked out the bathroom door to see the device rise a foot off the ground, then fall with a crack.
Nate swore and picked up speed, loping down the hall, muttering. "If you break it, Carter, you're buying me a new one."
The phone jumped again, and shot into the room where they'd held me. Nate followed it. The door slammed shut. There was an outside lock and I ran for it. Then I heard a click as Liz turned the bolt. I raced the other way, praying it was the right way.
Behind me, Nate pounded on the door. The hinges squealed. They wouldn't hold long, not against a full-grown werewolf. I ran faster.
The hall ended in what looked like a TV room, though just a few pieces of furniture remained, as if someone had begun clearing it out. On the other side were the stairs heading up. I started for them. As I did, I heard voices at the top. Theo and Carter. Coming down.
I looked around. There were a few windows. Typical small basement windows, which meant there was no way in hell I was squeezing out one. I ran for the couch--the only piece of furniture big enough for me to hide behind.
Even as I dove, I knew it wasn't going to work. The sofa was clear across the room. Too far to run for the stairs once they passed. And they'd know it was the only place I could--
As I dropped behind the sofa, something caught my ankle. I looked down to see Chloe hiding behind a table--as best anyone, even her size, could hide behind a table. When she tried to tug me down, I shook my head. Then I realized the spot she was squeezed in was too small even for her. Her legs were inside some kind of hole.
There was a cubby in the wall. A crawlspace for extra storage. Seeing it, I remembered the last crawlspace we'd been in, complete with buried bodies that she'd accidentally resurrected. I hesitated, but her fingers gripped my pantleg as she retreated into the cubby. I dropped down and backed in.
Once I got past the opening, the storage space was bigger than I expected. Not huge--but large enough for me to crouch in.
I'd barely gotten the hatch shut when I heard heavy footfalls on the steps and a crash from the back hall.
Nate came running. "Did you catch him?"
"What?" It was Theo.
Nate explained what happened. Unfortunately, he stayed in the TV room while he talked, leaving us no chance to escape.
I twisted to look at Chloe. "You shouldn't have--"
"Too late."
I glowered at her. She glowered back. I could have laughed at that. Or kissed her. Which was completely the wrong reaction, but I couldn't help it. I looked at her, crouched in that storage space, her face lit by a penlight, dirt smudged on her cheek, doing her best to glower at me, and I wanted to reach over and kiss her. Really kiss her. Feel the heat of her lips and pull her against me and drink in her smell and--
"Derek?"
I blinked.
"Are you okay?" she whispered.
I nodded. "But you shouldn't have--"
She leaned over and pressed her lips to mine and I forgot what I was going to say. It didn't last more than a second, though, before she pulled back and whispered in my ear, "Are they still there? I can't hear them."
I turned to listen. "Nate's looking for me. Theo's staying by the stairs. I don't hear Carter."
I realized the names would mean nothing to her. But there was no time to explain and she didn't ask.
"You should have called my dad," I said.
"I did."
"What?" I was too loud and she clapped her hand to my mouth.
"I'm not stupid. I called collect from a pay phone. But Liz couldn't find the address of this place. It's just a house in the country. It's for sale, though, so I gave him all the information from the sign."
"Oh."
"Did you really think--?" She sighed and shook her head. "He's coming, but we didn't have time to wait. When I got back, they were already packing a van." She looked at the door again. "What are they doing now?"
I strained to listen. Their voices had moved away and it took a moment for me to realize they were heading upstairs. Nate had che
cked the basement and reported it was empty. They figured I'd slipped past and made a run for it. If it was me, I would have followed my trail and seen where I went. I guess they'd do that after, when they couldn't find me.
When I turned to tell Chloe they were gone, she was looking off to the side.
"Liz says they're going outside to look for you," she whispered.
I didn't say I'd already heard that--I just nodded. We waited. A screen door squeaked shut upstairs. Then Liz came back to say they were all outside. I eased open the hatch door. We crawled out.
I made my way to the stairs, straining to listen for any sound above. None came. I whispered for Chloe to hang a few steps behind me as we went up. She agreed.
There was a side door at the top of the stairs. The interior door was open; the storm door was closed. I listened carefully as I slid toward it.
"Liz says it's clear," Chloe whispered, so low I almost didn't hear her.
I stopped on the landing and peered out the door. As I reached for the handle, Chloe touched my arm.
"Wait," she whispered. "Let Liz check again."
It seemed to take forever for Liz to come back and I rocked on the balls of my feet, staring out at the forest less than a hundred feet away. We just had to cross that stretch. I didn't hear anyone. We should just--
"The keys are in the van," Chloe said.
I turned to her.
"Liz says they're close by, but the van is open and the keys are in the ignition. That's our best bet."
I hesitated and looked out again at the forest.
"I know you'd prefer the woods. But I bet they would, too."
She was right. My instinct said to run for the forest, but I had no advantage over them there. In fact, if one of them could Change fast enough, I'd be at a disadvantage. Plus I had Chloe to think about.
"I'll drive," I said.
She managed a smile. "That's what I was hoping, 'cause I can't." She pushed open the door. "Something tells me it would be a good skill to have, though."
"I'll teach you." I motioned her back and leaned out the door.
"Liz says it's fine. She can see both--"
Chloe let out a yelp and wheeled. As she did, I caught Carter's scent. I turned to see him swinging out of a doorway right behind Chloe. I lunged for her and she lunged for me, but it was too late--he had her by the shirt. One yank and she flew off her feet. Before I could move, he had her pulled back against him, arm around her throat.