Wild Country (The World of the Others #2)- Anne Bishop Page 0,35

quietly. “It is their custom for the males to dress that way.”

Virgil studied the clothing carefully. Other males might try to disguise themselves by wearing that kind of clothing, but he didn’t think any other male would be able to reproduce their particular scent.

The males looked at Nicolai as he came out of the station with a mailbag. Nicolai pointed to Virgil and Tolya.

Hesitation. A flash of fear when they noticed Kane and understood what he was. But they came forward, removing their hats.

“Good afternoon, gentlemen.” The male Virgil considered the dominant one among them nodded to Jesse Walker. “Ma’am.”

“What brings you to Bennett?” Tolya asked, giving the men a smile that showed a hint of fang.

Another hesitation. It was one thing to be told the terra indigene were in control of a town; it was another thing to look that truth in the eyes and hope it didn’t eat you.

The man looked at Jesse Walker, then must have realized she wasn’t the one he needed to convince, because he focused on Tolya. “My sister married a man who lives on Great Island. Have you heard of that place?”

“It’s near Talulah Falls—and Lakeside.”

“Yes.” His relief was almost a taste in the air. “My sister sent a message that there was work here.”

“Did your sister tell you this is a mixed community and what that means?”

“It means we must accept the customs of those who are not like us,” another man said. He stood apart from the others just enough to make Virgil think he might be the same kind of human but he hadn’t come from the same pack as the other four.

Kane growled—and Virgil agreed. It wasn’t what the man had said but the way he’d said it. Virgil didn’t smell anything wrong about the man, but …

he said to Tolya.

“Don’t fuss,” Jesse whispered. “I have a feeling he won’t be here long.”

Kane said.

Tolya said.

“Collect your baggage and put it in the van that’s waiting in the parking lot,” Virgil said. “Then walk down to the Bird Cage Saloon. We’ll meet you there to sort out the paperwork.” Not that he would do any sorting. He was the sheriff. He got to bite wrongdoers. Tolya had to deal with paperwork because he was the town’s leader.

The thought of being able to give that one Simple Life male a hard bite or two cheered him up, so he smiled, showing his teeth.

The one with the stick up his tail had opened his mouth—probably to yap about going to the saloon—but one look at Virgil’s smile and he hurried away to fetch his luggage.

The next group was a family pack made up of an adult female, a younger adult female, a boy, and …

Virgil cocked his head to one side, trying to figure out the third female. She didn’t look like the others. She was short and blocky and her face wasn’t shaped like any human he’d ever seen. She had to be a juvenile, but that didn’t feel right.

She gave Kane the sweetest smile and hurried toward the Wolf.

“Doggy!”

“Becky, no,” the dominant female said sharply, grabbing for the girl and missing.

Virgil leaned toward the girl, just enough to draw her attention from Kane. “Not a dog. A Wolf.”

She stared at Virgil. “Wollllff.” Her hand suddenly rose and came down, as if she was going to clobber Kane. Then she stopped the movement and said, “Gentle, gentle.”

Kane said as she petted his head.

Sometimes Wolf pups were born with a skippy brain that made it hard for them to learn how to hunt—made it hard for them to survive. If they managed to reach adulthood, many of them outgrew the skippiness but most didn’t live that long in the wild country.

“She doesn’t mean any harm,” the dominant female said. “She’s a good girl and a good worker.”

“Will her brain get better?” Virgil asked.

The female’s mouth tightened and she looked like she’d been driven out of more than one pack because of the girl. “No. She’ll always be this way.”

Huh. Virgil glanced at Tolya.

“Your name?” Tolya asked.

“Hannah Gott. I’m Simple Life.” She gestured to the long dress and white apron. All three females wore white caps over their hair, although the skippy’s hat had food stains on