grip.”
Cal whined again. Daniel reached back and petted him softly. The car slowed down to a full stop. Cal lifted his head. The small building in front of them really was a cabin, unlike Lisbeth and Sula's place: one story, run down, and ugly. But it was even farther up the mountain and deeper in the woods, which was where Cal wanted to be. He clawed at the door handle.
“No, lay down. It's too early to call McBride, we've got two hours at least before I can reach him to set up a rental. So we're going to stay in the car and take a nap.”
“Perhaps breakfast?” Daniel suggested, his voice quiet and submissive for a change.
“No. Later, once we're set up here. Then maybe we'll go into town and I'll buy you a full meal. Right now, I want my pack to shut the hell up and let me sleep.”
Cal flopped onto the back seat, morose, because he was hungry. Daniel and Tony tipped the front seats back to the point where they were almost squished down on Cal's body. He liked it. It was not the same thing as everyone curled up together in bed, but it was as close as he was going to get that day, he suspected. Tony fell asleep instantly, but Daniel was restless, so Cal pushed up until his chest was on the armrest between the two front seats. Daniel wrapped one arm over Cal, scooting closer to him, and they both fell asleep in the awkward position, uncomfortable and unhappy.
Chapter 3
“W hat the hell did you do?”
Sula heard the words and felt the bed dip as Lisbeth sat down, but language was still somewhere out of reach. She blinked, trying to wake up.
“Sula, what did you do?” Lisbeth shook her.
“Wha'timin?”
“Early. You've got work today anyway.” Lisbeth shook her again. “I came home and the place smelled berserk. Cal and Daniel were hiding behind Tony's car, wouldn't go back inside. Tony packed up and headed up the mountain for McBride's place. But I smell you, all over the living room. And you broke the banister.” Lisbeth sat back, glaring at her.
Sula rubbed her face, the memories of the night percolating up into her bruised consciousness. “I didn't attack them, if that's what you're—”
“Don't be stupid. I smelled their sex. But what did you do ?”
Sula focused on her friend and saw worry in her eyes. “Aw, Lisbeth, no harm done. They were going at it and I watched for a while. Took off Bracelet and let them feel my nature, for real. You know what that does to folk. No one stays after that.”
“That's why you did it, to get them out?” Lisbeth stood up, hugging herself.
Sula sat up, trying to think. “I just wanted them to back off. They've got the wrong idea about me, they think they've got to win me over to get you to go with them. Jeesh, Lisbeth, I didn't do it to hurt you. They need to leave me alone. How many times I got to remind you, we're not pack?” Sula shrugged, then startled backwards when Lisbeth turned on her, growling.
“That's what you don't get! We are! We are pack! It's us, don't you understand? I'm not letting you go!” Lisbeth stepped forward, furious and pointing at Sula's chest. “Stupid bear!”
Sula just stared at her as Lisbeth began pacing the room. “I don't want to leave, Sula. I don't want you to leave either. You are my sister, you're all the pack I have now, I'm not going to give you up. Can't you get that through your thick bear skull?”
“Oh dammit, Lisbeth. Come on. We been over this. Bears don't live in packs. We don't even like seeing each other, if my life is any indication, because I've never seen another one. Maybe we don't mate together like you wolves do. I don't know, Mom never told me.” Sula shrugged again, and ran her hands through her hair.
“You mom didn't tell you much, did she?”
Sula shook her head, because it was pathetic, but it was true. She tried for a grin, to lighten it up. “For all I know I come from a long line of circus bears. Maybe that's why I like dancing so much.”
Lisbeth laughed and shook her head.
Cal whined again. Daniel reached back and petted him softly. The car slowed down to a full stop. Cal lifted his head. The small building in front of them really was a cabin, unlike Lisbeth and Sula's place: one story, run down, and ugly. But it was even farther up the mountain and deeper in the woods, which was where Cal wanted to be. He clawed at the door handle.
“No, lay down. It's too early to call McBride, we've got two hours at least before I can reach him to set up a rental. So we're going to stay in the car and take a nap.”
“Perhaps breakfast?” Daniel suggested, his voice quiet and submissive for a change.
“No. Later, once we're set up here. Then maybe we'll go into town and I'll buy you a full meal. Right now, I want my pack to shut the hell up and let me sleep.”
Cal flopped onto the back seat, morose, because he was hungry. Daniel and Tony tipped the front seats back to the point where they were almost squished down on Cal's body. He liked it. It was not the same thing as everyone curled up together in bed, but it was as close as he was going to get that day, he suspected. Tony fell asleep instantly, but Daniel was restless, so Cal pushed up until his chest was on the armrest between the two front seats. Daniel wrapped one arm over Cal, scooting closer to him, and they both fell asleep in the awkward position, uncomfortable and unhappy.
Chapter 3
“W hat the hell did you do?”
Sula heard the words and felt the bed dip as Lisbeth sat down, but language was still somewhere out of reach. She blinked, trying to wake up.
“Sula, what did you do?” Lisbeth shook her.
“Wha'timin?”
“Early. You've got work today anyway.” Lisbeth shook her again. “I came home and the place smelled berserk. Cal and Daniel were hiding behind Tony's car, wouldn't go back inside. Tony packed up and headed up the mountain for McBride's place. But I smell you, all over the living room. And you broke the banister.” Lisbeth sat back, glaring at her.
Sula rubbed her face, the memories of the night percolating up into her bruised consciousness. “I didn't attack them, if that's what you're—”
“Don't be stupid. I smelled their sex. But what did you do ?”
Sula focused on her friend and saw worry in her eyes. “Aw, Lisbeth, no harm done. They were going at it and I watched for a while. Took off Bracelet and let them feel my nature, for real. You know what that does to folk. No one stays after that.”
“That's why you did it, to get them out?” Lisbeth stood up, hugging herself.
Sula sat up, trying to think. “I just wanted them to back off. They've got the wrong idea about me, they think they've got to win me over to get you to go with them. Jeesh, Lisbeth, I didn't do it to hurt you. They need to leave me alone. How many times I got to remind you, we're not pack?” Sula shrugged, then startled backwards when Lisbeth turned on her, growling.
“That's what you don't get! We are! We are pack! It's us, don't you understand? I'm not letting you go!” Lisbeth stepped forward, furious and pointing at Sula's chest. “Stupid bear!”
Sula just stared at her as Lisbeth began pacing the room. “I don't want to leave, Sula. I don't want you to leave either. You are my sister, you're all the pack I have now, I'm not going to give you up. Can't you get that through your thick bear skull?”
“Oh dammit, Lisbeth. Come on. We been over this. Bears don't live in packs. We don't even like seeing each other, if my life is any indication, because I've never seen another one. Maybe we don't mate together like you wolves do. I don't know, Mom never told me.” Sula shrugged again, and ran her hands through her hair.
“You mom didn't tell you much, did she?”
Sula shook her head, because it was pathetic, but it was true. She tried for a grin, to lighten it up. “For all I know I come from a long line of circus bears. Maybe that's why I like dancing so much.”
Lisbeth laughed and shook her head.
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