Silver Bullet Part 9

Max shook his head, staring into the darkness.

Alec stared at the wall too, watching his brother from the corner of his eye, waiting for a reaction. "Stasi drives me nuts, makes me madder than any other person on the planet but I can't imagine being without her." That hadn't been so hard to say.

"Do you love her?" Max asked, spearing him with his gaze.

Alec's throat tightened. He thought back over his stormy relations.h.i.+p with Stasia and realized the strain between them had started a long time ago-when Stasi still belonged to Max.

For the longest time, he'd thought he wanted her because of Max, because he'd been jealous. But now, he knew he'd cared about her all along. Seeing them together, seeing her love for his brother, had twisted his insides. "Yeah. I guess I do."

Max raised one dark eyebrow. "She's not an easy woman to be with. She keeps secrets."

Alec snorted. "If she was easy, I probably wouldn't have looked twice at her." He drew a deep, ragged breath. "I've never been...the way I am with her. Sometimes...I think, I could hurt her."

"She likes it wild," he said, nodding.

"Do you ever think about her?"

"You asking me if I'm still carrying a torch for Stasi?"

Alec straightened. "I guess I am."

"No, little brother. I never loved her."

Alec blew out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "Good. 'Cause I'd fight you for her."

The corners of Max's mouth curved upward. "Think you could take me?"

Alec grinned back. "Let's never find out."

Chapter Seven.

"He let that vampire b.a.s.t.a.r.d go!" Todd said, slamming his fist against the kitchen table.

Stasia jumped and slid out of her chair to face him. A lifetime of experience taught her never to stay within striking distance when her brother was on a tear. "That's not possible, Todd. He dusted him and the vamp who tried to free them. Alec hates vampires. Besides, I was there. Don't you think I'd have noticed a little thing like Joe Garcia sneakin' out of the station house?"

His dark glare held a world of scornful fury. "You were so busy getting your brains screwed out, you wouldn't have noticed if a tornado dropped on top of you!"

"Keep your voice down-Anna's still sleeping," she hissed. "And I was not s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g at the station house!"

He stalked toward her, crowding her back against the counter, gripping it on either side of her hips to trap her. "How do you think the other one snuck up on Danny and Garret?" he asked, his hot breath gusting over her face. "Those two had their ears glued to the f.u.c.kin' door listening to the two of you goin' at it!"

Stasia's face flushed hot-so much for keeping her embarra.s.sing proclivities private. She pushed at his arms and grew alarmed when he wouldn't release her. "I'm telling you, Alec wouldn't let a vampire go. Maybe Max, but not a bloodsucker."

"And I'm tellin' you that's exactly what he did," he spat, from between gritted teeth. "He knew that Mex'can a.s.shole was gonna be dusted and he let him out."

"Cuban," she said faintly. "Alec said Joe was Cuban."

"I don't give a f.u.c.k. And you shouldn't either. Or are you l.u.s.ting after vampires now?"

His hips brushed hers and Stasia lifted her knee in warning. "Back off, Todd! I hate the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds same as you."

"But you like bein' Weir's wh.o.r.e, don't ya?" he said, his lips hovering just above hers.

Her eyes widened and she pushed against his chest. "I'm not a wh.o.r.e!"

Todd dropped his head to sniff along her shoulder and neck and then drew back to meet her gaze. "You think he's gonna marry you? You may stink from his loving, but you can't give him cubs. Your womb's useless."

Stasia bit her lower lip to prevent it from trembling. Hearing her brother spew acid on her wounds, only deepened the hurt she already felt. He was right. Alec still wanted the breeder in his bed.

He lifted one hand and she flinched, but he only trailed a finger along her cheek. "What if I told you there might be a way to change your destiny, little sister," he said, his voice smooth as silk.

She turned her face away. "What are you talking about?"

"What if there was a way to make you able to breed?"

"Since it's not a possibility, I'd rather end this conversation." She slid out from under him and circled the table. Line-breeding might be acceptable when the pack was thinned, but incest still made her skin crawl. Brother or no, she'd never submit. "I've got better things to do. And you know I don't like you touching me."

"I love you, Stasi. I'm the only one who does." His voice lost its mean edge and his face softened, giving her a poignant glimpse of the littermate she'd adored as a child. "You think I'm happy with the way he treats you? Don't you think I'd do anything to make you happy?"

Tears welled in her eyes. Weary to her toes and desperately unhappy, she shrugged, just wanting the discussion to end in a hurry so she could lock her bedroom door and sleep. "I don't understand what you're saying, Todd."

"Those vamps have found a way to breed more born b.a.s.t.a.r.ds-winged vampires. Don't you think if they can do that, they could make you a whole woman?"

Stasia's body trembled at the possibility. She could breed-she could give Alec everything he needed. He wouldn't have to bring another woman into their bed. "How... how can we get them to help us?"

Todd stepped toward her and fell to his knees. He put his arms around her hips and pressed his cheek to her belly. "Stasi-girl, I know some folks down south a piece from here. They've got hold of the scientists those vampires are lookin' for."

Her spine stiffened and she grabbed his hair to pull back his face and capture his gaze. "Todd, are they the same wolves who attacked the vampires' compound in Florida?"

His expression grew sly. "Alec tell you all about that? Imagine that. Do you really care about what happened down there?"

Alec hadn't told her-she'd eavesdropped with her ear pressed to the floor of his office. She pulled Todd's hair hard and leaned down. "They killed a human woman," she bit out. "A pregnant one! They broke our laws, too."

"They were fetchin' our breeder. The one that got away from Garret in New Orleans. The human just got in the way."

Stasia shook her head. "There is no excuse! Alec has to know."

Todd's embrace tightened and his expression beseeched her to understand. "Alec's gonna help his brother take the scientists back to the vampires. Think about that, Stasi! His actions will help them breed more of the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds. We're already losing territory; our packs are thinnin' fast. Alec's gonna betray us."

Her heart raced. Not Alec! He was strong and pure-by-the-rule Alec! "He would never do that," she said, although she felt doubt creeping in due to the strength of Todd' s conviction.

Todd's gaze pleaded, his hands caressed her back, soothing her now. "Maybe Alec doesn't understand what they plan. They're gonna build an army to destroy us-wipe us off the face of the earth once and for all."

Stasia shook her head again. "I'll talk to him."

"He's gonna follow his brother, Stasi. He did before-all the way into vampire territory. You've defied him every step of the way. Why would he believe you now? He may not even understand the conspiracy they've hatched, but he's gonna betray us just the same. There's not a d.a.m.n thing I can do."

Everything he said was true. She'd fought Alec, ridiculed him, acted like a spoiled b.i.t.c.h every time he'd sniffed around her. Why would he listen to her? Her heart squeezed. "He'll be cast out," she whispered. Alec would be alone; she could follow him, there was nothing holding her here...except for her little sister. She could never leave her in Todd's care. Her shoulders slumped.

Todd shook his head sadly. "The overlaird will kill him. Unless...you help me. We can stop them. We can save Alec from himself."

She eyed him, suspicion rearing its ugly head. "You hate Alec. Why would you want to save him?"

He kissed her belly. "I love you more. I want you happy."

"Stop it!" she said, shoving his face back. "You're asking me to betray him?"

He tilted back his head and nodded. "It's the only way to save him. Do you love him?"

Even before tonight, she'd thought she was pretty d.a.m.n close. He drove her crazy. Made her madder than anyone ever had. But his mastery over her body had finally sealed her love. "He won't ever forgive me," she said, her voice breaking.

"It's the price you'll pay to save his hide. Do you love him enough to give him up?"

A dull, thudding pain pounded behind her eyes. "That's what this is all about, isn't it? You want to separate us."

"I...love...you," he said, tears filling his eyes. "I know you'd never forgive yourself if you didn't give him this chance."

She stared out the kitchen window into the bleak, gathering dawn. "What do you want me to do?"

"What you do best."

"I don't like this one d.a.m.n bit." Alec slammed the telephone back in its cradle and cast a worried glance across the desk at his brother.

"So, they want someone else to transport me to the meeting," Max said, his voice deadly calm.

"Yeah. Todd." He snorted. "I guess they don't trust I'll get you there." Alec felt a deepening dread that something more was at work here-the hairs on the back of his neck lifted, warning him.

"And you don't trust Todd? I know he holds a grudge against me for mating with his sister all those years ago, but do you really think he'd betray the clan?"

"He's the same weasel he ever was. And big brother, he hates me more. Not only did I take Stasi for a mate, I kicked his a.s.s in the trial."

"I still don't see the problem. He wouldn't dare try anything along the way-not if he ever hopes to win back the pack alpha position."

Alec rubbed the back of his neck. "Still...something doesn't feel right."

"Doesn't mean you can't follow him. You plan on being there, right?"

"It's an open meeting. I wouldn't miss it."

Max's mouth tightened. "Maybe you ought to," he said quietly.

Alec's gaze fell away and he took a deep breath. "If they decide to put you down, I want to be there."

Max leaned forward in his chair. The hard edges of his face were sharper than ever. "Just don't try to be a hero. I knew what I was walking into when I came back."

Alec read acceptance in his brother's flat gaze. "I'm no hero. I leave that role to you." He tilted his head back, fighting to keep his composure. "He'll be here soon."

"Guess this will be it. Maybe the last time we have to talk."

"Yeah." Alec cleared his throat and met his gaze. "I wanted to tell you this for a long time. I'm sorry about what went down in Florida. I don't know what I was thinking."

"You were thinking you wanted it over and you wanted to come home."

Alec snorted. "I guess. I went about things a.s.s-ways. Turning wolves. I thought I could control them." He wished he could walk around the desk and fold his brother in his arms-but Max wouldn't like that. He was stronger than that.

"So, you made a mistake. I did too. I should have explained what was happening, what I was learning about the vampires." The corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. "So what about you and Stasi? You gonna marry her?"

"If she'll have me." And he meant it. Enough playing around. He'd even give her his fidelity-let someone else save the pack from extinction. Anything to make her trust him. Maybe then she'd realized he really loved her.

"Way it seems to me," Max drawled, "you shouldn't ask her."

Alec gave him a startled glance and flushed at Max's rueful grin. "Yeah, it's probably not the best approach-to ask." He grinned at the thought of just how he ought to approach popping the question. Handcuffs might do the trick.

"I'll give you a hint," Max said his voice sliding into a low, teasing growl. "Buy her a collar. She'll love you for it."

Alec didn't like thinking about how well his big brother knew his future wife. "Did you ever...?"

"No! I never took to the time to figure out what rang her bell. I was a purely selfish b.a.s.t.a.r.d."

"Good. Don't want her comparing."

A single dark brow lifted about Max's twinkling eyes. "Think you'll come up short?"

Alec narrowed his own gaze. "Not a chance."

His office door was flung open and Todd strode in. "Ready, Weir?" he asked, his lips curling in a snarl as he approached Max. "Hey, he's not cuffed!"

"You don't need 'em," Alec said, rising from his chair. "He asked for this meeting."

"Still, law's the law."

Max shrugged and held up his hands. "Wouldn't want you getting nervous on the drive."

Todd grabbed one arm and twisted it to bring it around behind Max's back.

Alec stepped forward to reprimand him for his unnecessary roughness, but Max shook his head as Todd finished. "I'll be right behind you, Todd. No detours."

"Wouldn't dream of it, boss," Todd smirked. "The sooner this one gets to the town hall, the sooner he'll be pus.h.i.+ng up daisies."

Max's jaw tightened, but he remained silent as the deputy led him out of the station house to his cruiser.