Silva got up from her chair, sauntered over to Sam, and ran her hands over his sweater-covered chest. While Trevor was watching from the hall, she kissed Sam on the lips. “I missed you, too.”
“You know, Silva, you’d think you were afraid of letting our relationship go too far, the way you get me worked up in public, and cool it when we’re in private.” His hands cupped her face like she was a precious porcelain doll, then he kissed her lips, gently at first, then building up the momentum until her hands pressed against his back, encouraging him to go further.
Lelandi smiled. Trevor looked disgusted and closed the door.
Sam broke the kiss, his breathing labored, and so was Silva’s. “Next time, we’ll get a room,” he promised with a caddish wink.
“Who says I’d be your mate?” Silva’s lips curved up a hint, her eyes sparkling.
He chuckled darkly, released her, and motioned to the door. “I’ll be right outside while you visit Carol.” He gave Lelandi a warning look, then stiffly walked out of the room and shut the door.
“As to your question, Silva, yes, I see glimpses of the future,” Carol said, smiling. “You won’t be getting a room.”
Silva frowned. “Meaning?”
“You two were some of the… pack members I saw in the woods that night.”
Lelandi laughed. “Good, that means Trevor’s out of the picture.”
“That one’s dangerous,” Carol warned.
“What do you mean?” Lelandi asked. “Do you see his complicity in all this?”
“Can’t you hear the threat in his voice? I wouldn’t trust him one iota.” Carol sipped some water. “Has he ever been treated as a suspect?”
“No.” But Carol’s comment made Lelandi think of Chester’s words. What if it was someone Darien trusted? Someone close to him. “I doubt Darien would suspect him of wrongdoing.”
“Was he ever noticeably absent when you needed help?” Carol set the empty cup on the table.
Lelandi refilled it. “When Darien fought Bruin’s brother. But my brother had tied him up at the jail cell to free my cousin, Ural. So Trevor was truly all tied up.”
“What about when you were shot? Was he with any of the search parties? Also, what about the shooter who killed the gunman? Was Trevor’s gun checked?”
“Trevor was taking care of mudslide victims on the highway. And… uhm, I was the shooter,” Silva explained.
Carol gave her a puzzled look.
“Long story,” Lelandi said. “Silva can tell you about it later. But Chester McKinley discovered another bullet and casing. He thought your bullet fell short, Silva.”
Silva’s jaw dropped. “You’re kidding.”
“He gave it to the sheriff to check out.”
Carol frowned. “I don’t remember reading about any mudslides on the highway in the Silver Town Express. The shooting was important and would make the headlines, but if anyone was injured in the mudslide, it would have been mentioned. What about when that maniac took you hostage? Was Trevor looking for you with the rest of the pack?” Carol asked.
“He was helping the sheriff watch my old pack at Hastings Bed and Breakfast,” Lelandi said. Although he’d had perfectly good excuses every time, the feeling there was more to the story made her skin tingle.
“I don’t know. I wouldn’t trust him.”
“Thanks for the warning, Carol. Believe me, I don’t.”
Silva didn’t say anything for several seconds, then she abruptly stood. “Will you two be all right? I’ll ask Nurse Grey when Carol can be released.”
“Sure.” Lelandi exchanged a look with Carol.
Silva gave one of her faked smiles, attempting to hide her anxiety and hurried out of the room. “Be right back, Sam.” She closed the door, and her boots clicked down the hall.
“Something’s wrong, don’t you think?” Carol asked.
“Yeah. Like Silva suddenly became suspicious of something.”
“Considering Trevor, right?”
Lelandi took a deep breath. “Since she’s had such a crush on him, I think so. She constantly kept tabs on him, until she switched her affections to the one who really counted.”
“Sam,” Carol said, dreamily. “She couldn’t do wrong by him. I have another question though.”
Lelandi figured she’d never hear the end of them, although she couldn’t blame her. She hadn’t even given Carol the spiel concerning the semi-immortal part. And she figured Carol wasn’t a virgin. But Lelandi had to warn Carol that she couldn’t have casual sexual relations with a lupus garou. That if one acted interested in her—and with shortages in most packs she’d have lots of interest—if she responded in the same way toward a male, she could be mated and it would be a done deal, for life. But this wasn’t the time or place to talk about it.
“The bullets that killed Doc Oliver and Ritka were silver, weren’t they?” Carol asked.
“Yes.”
“But how are werewolves able to work in the silver mine? I mean, they do, don’t they? Wouldn’t it kill them?”
“No. It’s only deadly if it strikes the heart or brain and isn’t removed immediately. Silver doesn’t bother us otherwise.”
“I’m sure you’re going to get tired of all my questions.”
“Carol, this is such a big change for you. Feel free to ask me anytime. Darien will want you to stay with a pack member until you adjust. The moon’s out and whenever it is, the pull to shapeshift can be strong. But since you’ve been only recently changed and are still injured, you might not experience it for a while.”
“Oh, I have to shapeshift then even if I don’t—”
“We’re here to see our daughter, Carol Wood,” a woman said beyond the hospital room door, sounding brusque and noticeably upset.
Lelandi patted Carol’s shoulder. “Will you be all right?”
Tears misting her eyes, Carol nodded. “Darien gave me a cover story.”
He would. Although Lelandi trusted Carol not to tell her parents what she’d become, she had to stay with them in the room until they left. But she was dying to see what Silva was up to. And she wanted in the worst way to question Angelina.
Sam opened the door and allowed Carol’s parents to enter. Their eyes widened when they saw Lelandi with Carol.
“Nurse Grey said you couldn’t be seen at first, and we thought you were really bad off. She told us we can’t visit for long.” Carol’s mother grasped her hand, her blonde hair as golden as her daughter’s, her eyes as blue. Her father towered over them, but didn’t say a word, his rail-thin body bent with weariness, his dark eyes worried.
“You’ll be all right, dear?” her mother asked.
Carol managed a small, tearful smile. “I’m fine, Mom.
I’ll be out of here soon.” She motioned to Lelandi. “This is Lelandi. I’m sorry I don’t know your last name.”
“Silver,” Lelandi said.
Carol’s mouth gaped. “You married Darien?”
Her mother and father looked as shocked.
“When things aren’t so hectic, I’m sure he’ll make the announcement.” Lelandi hated that part of fitting in with human society. Their kind didn’t do the wedding bit. Their mating meant more than any kind of ceremony could mean. They stayed with their spouse until one died. Or at least that’s the way they normally lived their lives.
Finally finding her voice, Carol said, “Oh, sure, I knew it would happen sooner than later. I’m so very happy for you. This is my mother, Lori, and my father, Christopher Wood.”
“My pleasure,” Lelandi said.
“I don’t understand. Aren’t you the one who was shot a few days ago?” Mrs. Wood took a ragged breath.
“Kidnappings, more shootings. And all of it revolves around you.” Running her hand over Carol’s hair, she said, “Nurse Grey told us a wild wolf bit Carol and it’s been destroyed. But why’s Deputy Sheriff Trevor Osgood guarding her room? And Sam? What in the world is going on?”
Carol paled even further.
Lelandi realized living with a pack that didn’t associate with humans had its advantages. “They’re here because of me,” she lied.
Mrs. Wood’s eyes narrowed. “Then you shouldn’t be here. If danger follows you wherever you go, I want you out of here. Now.”
Mr. Wood cleared his throat. His wife looked sharply at him. “Honey, if Carol wants Mrs. Silver’s company, then don’t you think she should have her friendship? Mr. Silver does run the town, and Carol hasn’t made any friends since she returned home.”
Mrs. Wood looked like she could strangle him with her glare.
“Dad’s right. Lelandi made friends with me as soon as I met her.” Carol gave her a warm smile.
Lelandi wondered how Carol had ever gotten that notion, but she was glad to be her friend now.
“She’s even convinced Darien I should work at the hospital. You know how much I’ve wanted to.”
Great. Put me on the spot, why don’t you, Carol?
“I couldn’t have asked for a better friend,” Carol said.
“We’re so much alike. I can’t even say how much so.”
Nurse Grey walked into the room. “I’m sorry, but I’ll have to ask everyone to leave so I can change Miss Wood’s bandages. She’ll be released tomorrow afternoon.”
“Then… then it’s not as bad as we expected?” Mrs. Wood asked.
Nurse Grey checked Carol’s vital signs. “She’ll be fine, but she needs to rest.”
“Come back and see me soon,” Carol said to Lelandi, her expression mournful.
Lelandi gave her a cheerful smile. “I’ll be back later. Behave yourself until then.”
“As long as you take Trevor with you.”