Hot Blooded (Wolf Springs Chronicles) - By Nancy Holder Page 0,112

change?” Katelyn asked. “Should we pack weapons?”

“That’s a good question,” Mr. Fenner replied. “Ordinary bullets don’t kill us.” He turned to Justin. “We’ll be out in the bayou, away from the humans. What do you think?”

“Swords. Decapitation works,” Arial said quickly, before Justin had a chance to respond.

Regan rolled her eyes. “You’ll get the Hellhound after us yet, sissy, if humans start finding heads floating in the water.”

Cordelia had explained to Katelyn that the Hellhound was thought to keep watch over all werewolves to ensure that they didn’t violate the code by which all werewolves lived — to shield their existence from humans, and never to attack humans. To obey pack hierarchy and maintain loyalty. Werewolves who broke these edicts could suffer the worst penalty — death, and not a pleasant one.

Justin turned to Katelyn. “Guns make noise. The most important rule is to keep all the packs safe from discovery, not just ours. That’s a universal law. Humans can never know of our existence.”

“Even when we’re slaughtering rival werewolves,” Regan said.

Heat rushed across Katelyn’s face. That rule had nearly gotten Cordelia killed. Katelyn had had no idea what she’d been asking — demanding — of Cordelia when she had forced Cordelia into telling her what was happening to her. By rights, Cordelia should have gone to her father and told him about the new girl. But Cordelia had been afraid of what Mr. Fenner would do. Because he was the alpha, yes, but also because he was suffering from dementia. Cordelia had risked her life to protect Katelyn — and now they were going to war with the pack that had taken her in.

“That’s why we’re going to the swamp,” Mr. Fenner said. “No humans around. Us against them.”

“I like the sound of that,” Arial said.

Katelyn studied her, trying to reconcile her bloodthirsty aggression with her runway fashion-model appearance. What it must be like to have spent your entire life in and around the tiny town of Wolf Springs without anyone realizing that a pack of werewolves lurked in their midst. If a werewolf was mauling the victims — and it certainly looked that way to Katelyn — then he — or she — should be put to death for two reasons: taking human life and risking discovery.

It had to be Mr. Fenner. And once that was confirmed?

Except that the wolf that attacked me wasn’t Mr. Fenner.

She stirred, realizing the others were looking at her. Al and Doug, the husbands, hadn’t said a single word.

“We haven’t fought another pack in centuries, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t ready to fight,” Mr. Fenner said. “Justin hasn’t had time to bring you up to that level, but the Fenners have been getting ready for this war for a long time.” He spoke in the strange, almost happy tone he used on occasion. “And I wish we could wait it out until you and Jus could shift.”

“Don’t forget that I can shift, Daddy,” Regan said, preening.

“How can I forget that, little gal, when you remind me every chance you get?” he asked her, clearly amused.

When Katelyn had been bitten, she’d suspected Regan. But either Regan had been a consummate actress when demanding to know who had bitten Katelyn, or she hadn’t been Katelyn’s attacker. Katelyn decided she’d been hasty in assuming Regan was innocent.

“Kat, take the rest of the day to look for the mine. If you find more bullets and weapons, this will go a lot faster.”

He gave her a strange, almost pleading look. “You do that for me, darlin’, I might be disposed to grant you a favor.”

Cordelia. She knew that was what he meant. Her heart began to pound, and he gave her another long look.

“I will.” She got to her feet. “Starting now. See you.” She heard how rude she sounded but she didn’t back down.

Mr. Fenner chuckled and nodded at her as if impressed with her forthrightness. “Justin will go with you,” he said.

“On it.” Justin stood.

He and Katelyn headed for the front door, Katelyn wondering if this was the wisest thing to do. Lucy had agreed to stand down, but what was the point of throwing Justin and her together even more?

“Be careful of the Hellhound,” Regan called after them.

“And the Hellbitch,” Arial added, and the two sisters started laughing.

21

Katelyn and Justin had no luck finding the mine and he barely got her home before her grandfather showed up, telling her that Trick’s parents had arrived from wherever they’d been and picked Trick up from the