Wild Country (The World of the Others #2)- Anne Bishop Page 0,191
hurry. If there’s any indication that we’ll lose this fight, you all pile in their car and get as far away from Bennett as you can.”
“And go where?”
Only one place they could go. “Into the hills. Drive as far in as you can, then go on foot. Tell whatever stops you that Maddie is a sweet blood and you need to get her to Jackson Wolfgard’s settlement in Sweetwater.” Before Barb could protest, Jana said, “Maddie can’t stay here. The Blackstone Clan and some of the other men who have come into town in the past couple of days are dangerous. Can you imagine what they would do with, and to, a blood prophet, even one as young as Maddie?”
Barb swallowed hard. “I’ll do my best.”
“Your best will be great.” Jana made sure she had everything she needed before she headed out the door.
Don’t want to be late to my first gunfight.
But she wondered if Maddie’s pointing finger had already revealed the outcome of that fight.
* * *
* * *
After listening to Tolya’s recap of his “agreement” with Parlan Blackstone and then the description of the Hope pup’s drawing, Virgil eyed his human deputy. Jana smelled a bit musky, which was actually pleasant, but the pale face and sour-sweat smell that was also on her skin made him wonder if she was ill.
“So we’re all going to meet the Blackstone Clan and their allies?” Jana asked. “A show of strength, a couple of snarls, and they raise their hands and surrender because they promised to do that?”
Some other message passed between the wolverine and Tolya. Virgil growled softly at being excluded. She was his deputy and shouldn’t have secrets. Not from him.
“Not all of us,” Tolya replied after a moment. “Nicolai will remain at the train station. Stazia will guard the bank, Anya will stay at the hotel, and Isobel will keep watch on the other side of the square. So will Joshua Painter. The delegation meeting the Blackstones will consist of Yuri, Virgil, and me.”
“Where I am positioned?” Jana growled.
“You’re going to be available if someone calls for help,” Virgil replied. “Make sure the police howler is parked away from the square so the enemy doesn’t see you drive away.”
“You’re excluding me?” Jana stared at him. “Why? Because I’m human?” She looked at Tolya. “Three of you are going to stand up against … how many?”
“Four of us,” Saul Panthergard growled.
Virgil wondered who had told Saul about the meeting, then decided it didn’t matter. They needed all the big predators living in Bennett.
“Fine,” the wolverine snapped. “Four. Against how many?”
“Numbers don’t matter,” Tolya said. “Human weapons can’t be used, and Blackstone already agreed to yield.”
“And when something goes wrong?” she persisted.
“Then we’ll kill as many humans as we can,” Virgil replied.
“Before you die.”
“Yes.”
She looked upset about something he’d already accepted.
“You’re not being excluded,” Tolya said. “You’re the next line of defense. So are Anya, Stazia, Isobel, and John. Kane will protect the Maddie pup, but he’ll need help if she has to run away and hide.”
“I already took care of that,” Jana said. “Barb will help Evan and Kenneth take the kids to safety.”
They didn’t have time for the wolverine to keep arguing, so Virgil stepped on her foot and growled, “When we hunt, I decide your position, and I’ve told you what I decided.”
“They’re going to cheat.” Her hands balled into fists.
“So are we.”
Virgil met Tolya’s eyes. The Sanguinati understood perfectly why he didn’t want the human deputy around to see the fight. In their Wolf form, the Wolfgard were big. In their true terra indigene form, they were even bigger—and could not be seen by human eyes. They could be shot—and killed—in their true form, but they would kill a lot more of the enemy before that happened.
Virgil looked at Saul. “You sure about being in the fight?”
Saul gave Virgil a feline stare. “Joshua woke up early this morning, dreaming of metal, jagged-toothed traps disguised as rabbits. The boy and I will fight.”
“I’m still hoping Parlan Blackstone has as much influence on the other outlaws as he believes and can convince them to back away from this fight and leave town,” Tolya said. “But no matter what happens, the outlaw humans won’t take the town.” He smiled at Jana. “Our last defense will see to that.”
“Me?” She sounded squeaky.
“No,” Virgil said. “The Harvester is our last defense. There are good reasons why Plague Rider is another name for Scythe’s form of terra indigene.”