Dark Heart Wolf - Haley Weir Page 0,54
their teeth as well as their weapons. Ethan Tate pouted mockingly. "That any way to greet an old friend, Samuel? After all, I'm here to settle our past grievances, and I hear that you've killed some of my children."
"Your children? You infected innocent people with your wickedness. Puttin' them down is showin' mercy. Better dead than a slave to the hunger you give them."
"Is it?" Ethan stood up with fluid grace that looked out of place on the outlaw. "I’m giving their lives purpose. They serve a god, and they will be part of a new race to rule this world when all of you humans and shifters are gone.”
“And the Draoi? Will he let you rule?”
Ethan’s jaw clenched. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Of course you do,” Sam taunted. “He’s more powerful than you, and he’s lookin’ for someone to possess. Word around here is he’s sizin’ me up to be his vessel.”
“He can’t. Not now, not with the child.”
“Child?”
Sam saw that Ethan hadn’t meant to let that slip. He used it to his advantage, lowering his gun as he took a step closer to the entity. “You don’t want the Draoi to rise, do you? No, you thought you could hire on witches and outlaws to do your dirty work so that you could establish dominance before he awakened. Then the Skadegamutc crawled out of her grave and—”
Ethan left as quickly as he appeared.
Boone glanced over at Sam. “Glad I ain’t the only one that feels the need to flee a room when you get to talkin’.”
~*~
Silver Fox Ranch
Mary Ann saw Itsá and Gabriel approach and ran for the door. Beth was a bit quicker and threw herself into the arms of Itsá’s younger brother. Gabriel closed his eyes blissfully and held Beth as though she were the most precious thing ever to walk the Earth. Mary Ann found it both sweet and sad, for a wagon rolled into the stables with Sam at the reins. She waved to her fiancé but felt an overwhelming sense of dread come over her. “Where’s Jesse?”
“He ain’t...he ain’t doin’ too good.” Sam jumped from the bench seat, and Mary Ann saw that he was covered in blood. She gently touched every inch of his body to make sure the blood wasn’t his. When she found no wounds, Mary Ann ran to the back of the wagon. She gasped in shock as Boone and Wesley carried Jesse down from the wagon bed.
Mary Ann went to fetch Abigail and made herself useful by looking after the baby. Beth and Gabriel caught on to what was happening. The younger woman could say or do whatever she wanted, but Mary Ann saw the heartbroken look on her face when she saw Jesse lying on a makeshift carrier. Abigail washed her hands and met them in her office. Ruth was at her side, washing up to assist in case Jesse needed an operation.
Sam moved to stand beside Mary Ann. He kissed the top of her head, and she pulled him aside. Mary Ann handed him his nephew before she began cleaning away Jesse’s blood from his face and neck. The sleeping infant was oblivious to the chaos around him. “I know you’re healin’ quicker nowadays, Sam, but is everythin’ all right?”
“We killed a few of the wendigo and Ethan let a few things slip when we saw him. I can’t really get into it right now, Mary. We’ll talk about it later.” His smile failed to reach his eyes, and Mary Ann wished she could do more to help him.
Hours went by before Boone and the others returned. Ruth had offered to sit with Jesse while he healed, so Abigail came inside and took the baby back. “I don’t think the bites will do much. It gave me quite a scare, I’ll admit it. However, the reason he is not healing as quickly as he used to is because of a toxin in his system. I do not know what it is yet, but I think it comes from the wendigo claws. I should know more in the morning. It doesn’t seem lethal.”
Everyone released a collective sigh.
After Abigail put the baby to sleep, there was a meeting in the study. Boone filled Mary Ann, Beth, and Charlotte in on what had happened in Cheyenne. The idea of being trapped in an explosion made Mary Ann feel a bit sick. Actually, she had been feeling very sick lately. As Beth informed them what they had found in