Good news! Victoria’s Cat is off to the editor!

Depending on how extensive the edits are, the book will be ready to release on July 11 as planned. I will bust my butt to make sure they are done in time for the promised release date.

Usually when I finish a book, I feel like it is a good story.  Not every time. There have been a couple that I wasn’t happy with, and there have some that I was okay with, and then there are a couple that I thought were outstanding. I think Victoria and Marty’s story is outstanding. Is that wrong to say? I kind of love Marty. He’s quiet and laid back. And loud mouthed Victoria is perfect for him. They are pretty awesome together.

This isn’t quite the end of the book. I’ll have one more teaser on the 4th of July. Wait until you see what Wolf’s Shadow does to Marty!  🙂

Marty? Victoria hid her elation behind a confused expression. “Cats? You mean kitty cats?”

“I mean lions,” the general snapped. “Don’t play dumb. And don’t pretend you’re sweet and helpless either. I saw what you did to Mott. Now answer the question.”

“I don’t know anything about any cats.” She turned the tables and gestured to the bread. “What happened? Is this all the food we get?”

“You’re lucky to get that much, after the destruction your friends and family caused.” He leaned forward and glared at her. “You’re lucky to be alive. The president wanted to execute you three. His temper sometimes gets the better of him. Fortunately for you, cooler heads prevailed.”

Victoria returned the glare. “Does he have these little tantrums often?”

“Be careful,” he warned softly. “He could still have you given to the men. Think about it before you say anything else.”

Victoria was done minding her mouth. “Today my husband and my family burned your supplies. If anything else happens to me, they will burn a lot more. Thank about that.”

He shoved his chair back. “Eat your bread and get your bags together. We’re leaving in ten minutes.”

Renee stood up too. “Leaving?”

“Back to the bridge for a prisoner exchange. Be ready.”

With that he turned sharply to the door and left. Renee let out a long, shaky breath. “Thank God.”

“We’re going home?” Anna asked in a hopeful voice.

“I think so,” said Renee. “Here, let’s divide the bread and eat quick.”

Chapter Thirteen

When they jumped down from the truck at the bridge, sunset was painting the clouds gold and rose. Victoria squinted to try to see the other end of the bridge, but between the distance and the glare of the sun, she could only make out some indistinct forms. On this side of the bridge were only a dozen people, among them General Atwater, President Todd, and Major Ellis. President Todd’s face was oddly tranquil as he greeted them. Perfectly groomed and smiling, he did not look like the man who had rolled around on the grass having a tantrum.

“Ladies, I’m so sorry your visit is being cut short like this,” he said warmly. “It would be lovely to see you again sometime.” His smile was polite, with no sign of mockery or hint of threat, as if he were a normal host saying goodbye to guests at the end of a fun visit.

Victoria exchanged a glance with Renee. Either he was a good actor or flat out crazy. “Thank you.”

General Atwater took over. “In a few minutes, when the signal is given, you will walk slowly across the bridge. The president’s ladies will do the same. Don’t stop. Don’t talk to the other women when you pass them. Just walk slowly. We’ll stay on our side, and your men will stay on their side. Once you are across the bridge, each group will depart immediately.”

The pretty major sidled over to them. “We’re leaving Omaha for now,” he said. The sweet smile didn’t reach his eyes, which were stormy with rage. “But you haven’t seen the last of us. We will destroy you. Those bags?” He nodded at the suitcases their escort had handed down from the truck. “When we’re done with you, everything your entire tribe has left won’t fill even one of those bags.”

Victoria eyed his smile and curled her fist, but Renee jabbed an elbow into her side. Victoria turned her back on him. It wasn’t as satisfying as punching his teeth in.

“It’s time,” Atwater said. “Start walking.”

Victoria picked up her suitcase. “Good thing we didn’t pack everything when we left Omaha.”

Renee, carrying her bag, stepped onto the bridge. “Doesn’t matter. Right now, I would gladly drag everything I own across this bridge without batting an eye. Come on, Anna.”

They walked slowly, as instructed, and with each step Victoria’s heart pounded faster. She could see the gaggle of Todd’s women coming closer. They too were walking slowly. Gina’s mom and Fourth Mrs. Todd were in front, followed by Suzanne and Gina, and Todd’s sister and her friend brought up the rear. Victoria took a breath. Gina shouldn’t be going back to Todd. Words of angry protest leaped into her throat. But she couldn’t say anything. As the two groups drew closer, Victoria saw that Gina’s eyes were bright with tears. Victoria opened her mouth. Gina gave a tiny shake of her head. They passed each other in silence. Victoria clenched the handle of her suitcase so tightly it hurt, but she kept her mouth closed and looked resolutely to the end of the bridge.

The forms there were clearer now. That tall, broad frame must be Eagle. Her brother was here. That was Mayor McGrath, and next to him was Hawk. Beside her, Renee was shaking. Anna’s breathing was almost sobs. Poor kid had cried a lot in the past two days, and Victoria didn’t blame her. Her own breath caught when she saw the setting sun gleam on golden hair. Marty? No, the hair was short, not wavy locks falling to broad shoulders. But those shoulders had a familiar set… She gasped.

“Marty,” she whispered.

It was him. As they came closer, she recognized him, but his face was distorted by horrific bruising. His hair was clipped close to his head to make way for a bandage that covered him from one side of his forehead, over his ear, to the back of his head. His jacket was open to show one arm in a sling. He was injured but alive. Victoria grabbed hold of Renee’s arm for support. The joy and relief made her head swim.

It was agonizing to keep her pace slow and steady. The end of the bridge seemed miles away. The need to touch Marty was overwhelming. Somehow, even though she was shaking, Renee kept their pace steady. She must want to throw herself into Hawk’s arms as much as Victoria wanted to do the same with Marty. But could she throw herself at him? He was hurt. His shirt didn’t fit right, as if he was wearing something thick under it, like bulky bandages. He was leaning on another blond man. Was that his brother, Eddie Madison? What was Mayor Madison doing here in Omaha? She scanned the men waiting at the end of the bridge and identified several cousins who hadn’t come to Omaha with the representatives. They were naked, so they must have come in wolf form and changed back to men. But she didn’t see Colby or Ray.

The questions swirling around her brain could wait a few minutes. Only a couple of yards to go. Anna broke away from Renee’s arm and rushed at her father. Renee’s attention was fixed firmly on Hawk, who stared back at her with a face so expressionless that Victoria knew he was hiding strong emotion. Renee ran the last few steps off the bridge to Hawk. Her mate folded her in his arms, face still blank, but Victoria saw the black of his eyes gleam with moisture.

Victoria looked away from them to Marty. His face was as white as the bandage as he straightened up from his brother’s support. He swayed and Eddie grabbed him again. Victoria took three long strides to stand inches away from him. Her hands trembled when she reached for him. Where could she touch him that wouldn’t hurt him? After a few uncertain moments, she dropped her hands. He swayed again, his swollen features twisting with a hurt that wasn’t physical.

“I’m ugly now,” he began in a hoarse voice.

“Shut up,” she snapped. She had to swallow twice to get her mouth to work.  “You’re alive. I thought you were dead.” Her voice broke on a harsh sob. “I thought you were dead,” she repeated. “I want to hold you, but I don’t want to hurt you.”

He took a tottering step to her and half collapsed against her. “Then I’ll hold you. But you might have to hold me up while I do it.”

His good arm draped around her waist. He leaned his cheek against her hair. In fact, he leaned most of his weight against her. “It’s a good thing I’m tall and strong,” she said, trying to joke, but she couldn’t stop crying.

Eagle tapped her shoulder. “Sorry to butt in, but we have to go. You can talk on the bus.”

Most of her relatives let their wolves out but Hawk and Eagle stayed human. It was only twenty yards to the bus, but Marty was shaking and wheezing with exhaustion by the time they got there. Eagle and Eddie Madison helped him get into the bus. Victoria sat at the end of a seat and Marty slumped against her. Eddie sat on his other side to help steady him. Eagle, Hawk and Renee, and Mayor McGrath and his daughter climbed into the bus and found seats. The bus started up with a now familiar roar. Even the smell of the fuel wasn’t as horrible as it had once seemed. As the vehicle bumped its way over a rocky path, Marty groaned.

“He refused to stay home,” Eddie said to her with a tired smile. “He insisted on coming to be here when you were released.”

Victoria stroked one of Marty’s short blond curls with light fingers. “Idiot,” she said fondly.

“I love you too,” Marty said in a sluggish voice.

“Are you okay?” she whispered.

Even over the noise of the engine, Marty heard her. “I will be. Now that you are safe, I’ll be just fine.” He dropped his head to her shoulder. “See? This part of my head is good. I think I’ll just rest it here for a minute, okay?”

“Okay.” He could keep it there as long as he liked, even if it put her arm to sleep. “I love you, Marty.”

He snored. Beside him, Eddie gave a smothered chuckle. “He needs sleep. I don’t think he’s had any in days.”

Had it been only two days since their wedding? They had slept that night. Maybe not very much, but some. “How did you get here?” she asked.

Eddie jerked a chin at Marty. “My brother dragged himself into Kearney, bloody and limping only hours after the train was attacked. I sent word to the Plane Women’s Pack and the den, and we came here at a run. My baby brother insisted on coming back with us. I don’t know how he did it, but he kept up with us.” He smiled. “I suppose a man —whether cat, wolf, or human— can perform miracles to save the woman he loves.”

From the seat behind them, Eagle spoke. “I have to say, I didn’t like the idea of you marrying him, but I was wrong. That cat will do anything to keep you safe.”

Eddie smiled at her again, and she was struck by the warmth and sincerity of it. The contrast between his smile and the smiles she’d seen on the men from Kansas-Missouri was stark.

“Were you part of the raid on Todd’s camp?” she asked. “There were cat paw prints there.”

“Yes. I wanted to be part of the rescue. You’re my sister now,” he said. “Congratulations and welcome to the family.”

“Thank you. Ray? Is he okay?”

Ray’s dad sighed, his smile fading. “He’s pretty bad off,” he said. “He’s at the hospital in Omaha. They think he’ll live, but …” He trailed off. “He hasn’t woken up. He might not ever wake up. We’ll have to wait and see.”

Ray. Patia’s fiancé. What would her cousin do if Ray didn’t wake up? Or if he did wake up but couldn’t speak or move? It was too painful to think about now. She turned to look back at Eagle. “How about Colby? Where is he?”

Eagle looked stricken. “He’s dead. Don’t you remember? He was killed on the train. Marty told us about it.”

“No,” Victoria said at the same time that Renee did. Renee, sitting beside Eagle and still wrapped tightly in Hawk’s arms, went on. “We thought he was dead. Those assh—” She broke off with a quick glance at Anna in the seat behind her. “Er, the soldiers from Kansas-Missouri threw him in the back of a truck, but when the truck got to the camp, the two soldiers who had been in the truck were bleeding and Colby was nowhere to be seen. They said the wolf came back to life and tried to kill them before jumping out.”

Eagle’s eyes lit with hope. “Then he’s out there somewhere, probably trying to get help. We’ll find him. Aunt Carla will be crazy with joy. She thinks he’s dead.”

The bus bumped twice, and smoothed out. They were on a road now.

“We’re almost home,” McGrath remarked. In the third and last seat, he had an arm around his daughter as if he’d never let her go. “Mrs. Madison, you and your husband will be our guests while he recovers.”

Victoria opened her mouth to decline, but he stopped her with a raised hand.

“My house is closer to the hospital, and we have a large bedroom on the first floor. Mayor Madison is our guest. I would be honored to have you stay with us too. Thanks to you and your family, my daughter is alive and well. I can never repay you.”

It was hard to deny him when he sounded so sincere and grateful. Besides, how would Marty climb the stairs to the third-floor bedroom at the Limit? “Thank you,” she said.

The bus went up an incline and stopped. With great care, Marty was roused and helped off the bus and into the mayor’s house. Eagle followed with her suitcase. He murmured that he was going to talk to Rock and some of the others about finding Colby. A wave of love swept over Victoria when her brother gave her an enormous hug.

She sniffed. “I love you.”

He looked abashed, but smiled. “I love you too. See you in the morning.”

When the door closed behind him, Mrs. McGrath swooped to her daughter with tears and hugs. Her nearly incoherent exclamations of joy mixed with her daughter’s wails and sobs. They clung together for a long moment. Anna babbled about how scared she had been, and how hungry they were, and how evil Mr. Todd was. Rye McGrath put his arms around both of them, tears in his own eyes. Mrs. McGrath raised her head and looked at Marty. With obvious reluctance, she pulled away from her daughter and husband. She seemed to be torn between her daughter and her duties as hostess. Anna was still crying, but she smiled through the tears at her mother.

“Go ahead, Mom,” she said in a small, shaky voice. “I’ll stay with Dad.”

Mrs. McGrath gave her daughter one last hug before turning to Victoria and Marty. “Please follow me. There’s a bedroom right off the living room.”

They followed her, half carrying Marty. Light from the hall gave enough illumination to see the outline of the furniture. Eddie helped his brother to the bed, sat him down, and pulled off his shoes. Victoria hovered over her husband, holding his good hand and staring anxiously down at his white face.

“This was my mother-in-law’s room,” Mrs. McGrath explained, flipping on the light to show a luxuriously furnished bedroom with a sitting area and a private bath. “Anna said you hadn’t eaten hardly anything all day.”

Victoria’s stomach rumbled loudly. Mrs. McGrath laughed. “I’ll heat supper up in a minute. The dining room is…” She trailed off when she noticed how Victoria clutched Marty’s good hand. “No, I’ll bring a tray to you here.”

“Thank you,” Victoria said to her hostess. “I could definitely eat. Lie back, Marty,” she ordered.

“Yes, ma’am,” he mumbled. He seemed to try for a smile, before carefully easing himself down.

The obvious pain he tried to hide hurt her too. “Thank you so much, Mrs. McGrath.”

“Please call me Cayla,” Mrs. McGrath said thickly. “And thank you. My daughter is home. We can never thank you enough. I’ll be right back.”

Eddie stood at the door. “Do you need help getting him undressed?”

“I can do it. Thank you.”

Her brother-in-law nodded. “He’s stubborn, so you’ll need to be firm to get him to behave.”

Victoria snorted. “He’ll behave,” she declared.

“I’m not deaf, you know,” Marty muttered.

“Are you going to behave?” she demanded.

“Too hurt not to right now.” He closed his good eye in a slow wink. “But just wait a week. I’ll misbehave in a way that you’ll like a lot.”

A tide of red flowed into Eddie’s lean cheeks. He coughed. “I’ll say good night.”

Victoria held her giggle in until the door closed behind him. “Oh, Marty,” she gurgled. “You are so naughty.” The giggles morphed into sobs. Dropping to her knees on the floor, she buried her face in the blanket by Marty’s shoulder and wept like a baby.

“Oh, now,” he said, awkwardly trying to twist his arm to clumsily pat her head. “Don’t cry, Vic. Everything is alright now.”

She sniffed inelegantly. “I’ll cry if I want to.” But she wiped her eyes on the sheet and raised her head. “Let’s get you undressed.”

“Good plan.”

She moved slowly and carefully as she unbuttoned his shirt. When she saw the bruising spreading out from under three separate bandages, her lips flattened. “How many times were you shot?”

His brow, the one not covered by a bandage, pulled down as he silently counted on his fingers. “Four. My shoulder, my arm, my hip, and my head. They were lousy shots.”

She didn’t laugh. “I didn’t punch him hard enough,” she growled.

“Who?”

“That lieutenant, the one who was in charge on the train.”

“You punched him?” he said delightedly.

“Right in the kisser.” She swelled with remembered satisfaction. “He went down like a sack of potatoes. His lip is still swollen.”

“That’s my Vic,” he said proudly.

She eased off his shirt and moved to his pants.

“This is different from the last time you unbuttoned my pants.” He angled his head to look up at her with a leer. “Maybe if you were very careful…”

She peeled his pants down and saw a bandage on his hip. A bullet must have gone through him, right under the hipbone. “That’s not funny.” The tears started again and she wrestled them back. “You ran all the way to Kearney like this?”

The leer faded. He took her hand. “I had to. You know that. I had to get help for you. When I first came to, back there by the train tracks, I knew immediately that you were gone. I looked around, but you weren’t there. No one was there except the dead men on the grass.”

“And Ray?”

His eyes clouded. “I left him. I left him behind.”

“Where is he now?”

“Hospital. Few blocks away. He’s in a coma.”

He speech was getting short. He must be exhausted. She pulled his hand to her lips. “If he’s in the hospital, then you know he’s being taken care of by men who know what they are doing.”

A faint smile ghosted his lips. “And women. Omaha has two lady doctors.”

“Well, then you know Ray is being take good care of.” She pulled his pants off and removed his socks. “You did everything you could.” She surveyed him, naked except for the bandages. “You could have died. If it had been Ray who was able to go for help would you have begged him to take you along?”

“Of course not.” He slanted a twisted smile up at her. “I know I did the right thing. It’s just hard.”

“I know.” She moved to lift the sheet over him but paused when he raised a hand. “What?”

“When you look at me, do you see your husband, or just a wreck?”

“I see my husband,” she said instantly. “A little the worse for wear right now, but brave and strong. You’ll recover.”

“Yes. My face might be scarred.”

She made a rude sound.

“You don’t care?”

“Idiot,” she muttered.

He smiled. “I love you,” he whispered. “I don’t know how it is for wolves, but I heal fast. In a week, I’ll be able to do more in bed with you than just sleep.”

He was leering again. Victoria rolled her eyes. “Oh, good. For now, though, just sleep.”

“You, too.” His eyes were already closing. “Sleep with me.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

He shook his head. “If you lay on this side it will be fine. If you do accidentally hurt me I’ll let you know, okay?”

She thought about it, gauging the width of the bed. “Okay.”

Twenty minutes later, she was dead asleep against him. Marty breathed in the scent of her hair. All the pain and weariness and anguish were nothing compared to the feel of his mate beside him. He placed his hand gently over her thigh, rejoicing in her presence. His mate was returned to him, safe and well, and that was worth running two hundred miles with bullets in him.

A soft knock announced Mrs. McGrath with supper. He didn’t move. Victoria didn’t stir. After a few moments, he heard the clink of dishes as something settled on the floor outside the door. A tray, he guessed. Later, he told himself. You can wake Vic up later. For now, he just wanted to savor having his mate cuddled up beside him. She snorted a delicate, lady-like snore. He silently chuckled. He loved her. He must, because even her snores were precious to him. He turned his head and brushed a kiss over her hair.

“I love you,” he whispered, as sleep pulled him under.

*    *    *    *

One week later the train, which had been retrieved from where the Kansas-Missouri troops had abandoned it, pulled into the Kearney station. Victoria stared out the window.

Update on Victoria’s Cat. The rough draft is Done!

I want to break out the champagne and chocolate. But actually, I have a date with my vacuum cleaner and duster. 🙁  I haven’t cleaned since before I left for Ohio, and with three cats you can only guess at what color the carpet is.

The manuscript has been rushed off to the beta readers so I have a few days to recover before diving into revisions. Here is a good sized chunk of the second to last chapter. As I was highlighting to copy it, I saw several typos and mistakes. *head desk*  Be kind. I hope you can enjoy it anyway.

Chapter Twelve

Marty ran. The jagged edges of his heart stabbed him with every stride, but he ran. He had left his nephew, the man who was the brother of his heart, wounded behind him. Ray couldn’t run. He hadn’t even been awake. It tortured Marty to leave his nephew, but he knew Ray would want him to go without him to fetch help. He had taken only enough time to pull Ray away from the other dead men and build him a slight shelter so scavengers wouldn’t get him. He would return for Ray as soon as he could, but right now he had a mate to save. He had to get her back. He couldn’t do it himself. He needed help, so he left Ray behind and ran.

A mountain cat could cover a lot of ground even when bullets had torn chunks out of his chest and hip, even when a bullet had cut a groove in his skull. It hurt, but he ran because he had a mission. He was going to save Victoria, and punish the men who had stolen her and murdered so many from the train. The railroad tracks would lead him to where he needed to go, so he followed them with all the speed he could force from his broken body. Through the mud created by the early spring sun, he ran. When the mud turned to ice as the sun fell, he ran. He didn’t have time to baby himself, not if he was going to find the help he needed to save Victoria. With that thought alone in his mind, he ignored the pain of his wounds and followed the tracks to the place he knew he would find help.

*   *    *    *

“It’s cold this morning,” Gina commented. She curved her hands around a mug of coffee and shivered. “I don’t like living in tents.”

Victoria sat beside her at the table that had shrunk overnight. “I’ve spent most of my life living in a tent. I don’t mind it.”

Gina sipped coffee that steamed in the chilly air. “Last night you said something about Colby.”

Victoria looked around the main room of the harem tent, but no one was around except for she, Gina, Renee, and Anna. They were going to be paraded around in front of the men from Omaha in a few hours. It was past nine in the morning, and the other women were still in bed. Victoria couldn’t imagine sleeping that late. But any of them could come in at any time, so she lowered her voice, knowing that canvas dividers wouldn’t keep them from being overheard.

“Colby jumped out of the truck on the way here,” she whispered. “He’s alive.”

Gina’s hands fell limp to the table. “How can he be? I saw him. He was dead.”

“I thought so too.” Victoria looked at Renee for confirmation, and the older woman nodded. “I don’t know how, but he survived. He’s a wolf warrior. They heal quickly.”

Gina closed her eyes and let out a trembling sigh. “I’m glad, but it doesn’t make any difference. He can’t take me to his family now.”

“He’s a wolf warrior. You’re the mate his wolf chose.” Victoria drank coffee. “You haven’t seen the last of him. He’ll get you out of here.”

Gina shook her head slowly. “It’s impossible. You’ve seen what it’s like. And now you’re stuck here too.”

Renee snorted. “You don’t know the Clan.”

Voices came from outside the tent. Major Ellis entered. “Miss Gina, you look beautiful this morning.” He nodded to the rest of them. “I’m glad you’re awake. President Todd wants us to be ready to leave in ninety minutes.”

Eighty minutes later Victoria, Renee and Anna were in the back of a truck. Victoria had been reunited with her coat, which must have been picked up when the Kansas-Missouri soldiers scavenged the train. There were six soldiers in the truck with them, and an entire fleet of trucks growled around them. Victoria put her hand under her nose to try to hold off the fumes.

“Ugh,” she said to Renee. “I hope this won’t take long.”

“About half an hour,” one of the soldiers shouted cheerfully, but before he could say more the trucks roared to life, drowning out anything else.

There must have been at least forty trucks in this convoy, and the noise they made and the tracks they left would make it easy to track them. Todd must not be worried about keeping the location of his camp a secret. If each of these trucks held ten soldiers each, the President would have about four hundred troops with him at the parley, which left his camp still well protected by the rest of his soldiers. Victoria wanted to say something to Renee about it, but between the noise and the jolting she lost interest in trying to say anything. She amused herself by imagining how much fun it would be to punch Todd right in the teeth.

Her side was aching again by the time the trucks stopped. She, Renee and Anna were kept inside the truck for nearly another thirty minutes before the engine started up again and they moved over bumpy ground. The six soldiers dismounted from the truck first and then helped the women down. They were in what looked like a decaying ghost town. Victoria glanced at Renee. Her aunt would have walked through cities like this in the Times Before, when they were alive with people and technology that Victoria can only imagine.

“This way, ladies,” one of the soldiers said, and led them along an ice-rimmed path to a wide bridge.

“We must be in Iowa,” Renee murmured. “I think this is a famous bridge over the Missouri River between Council Bluffs and Omaha.”

There were soldiers stationed either side of the bridge, standing at attention with their weapons propped against their legs in a non-threatening position. Ahead Victoria could see a bunch of people standing in the middle of the bridge. They wore the Kansas-Missouri uniform. She assumed Ryan McGrath was there too, but he must be past Todd’s soldiers. She wanted to see what was going on, but the bridge must be a mile long, too far for her to see or hear anything.

The six men of their escort arranged the women single file and took up flanking positions on either side of them. It was a long walk to get to the center. They were halted twenty feet away from the men, and even with her height, Victoria couldn’t see anything except the dirty ice on the river on either side and the backs of Todd and his men in front.

A thin sound came from Anna, not quite a wail, not quite a moan. Renee stepped out of formation to put an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t worry,” she whispered. “It’s going to be okay.”

Anna put a hand over her mouth. “I want my dad. I want my mom.”

“So do I,” said Victoria. It surprised her, but she really did want her parents. Her dad would mow down the soldiers and take her home. “Let’s try to listen and hear what they are saying.”

They could hear Todd speaking, but even though his voice was raised to carry, the wind was blowing past them toward him, pushing his words away from them. Victoria tried to distinguish what he said but they were too far back. She recognized Ryan McGrath’s voice but couldn’t make out any of his words either. Tears leaked down Anna’s cheeks. “Dad,” she whispered.

There was a flurry of movement ahead of them and one of the men from Kansas-Missouri turned and waved at them. The six soldiers marched them forward. Victoria strained to see the group on the other side of the bridge. The bridge curved out into a roundish central place, probably so pedestrians could look out at the river. On the side closest to Omaha was Ryan McGrath, along with Captain Erickson and a few other men she vaguely recognized from the stage in the legislative chambers, and there were Hawk and Stone to one side. A breath seeped out of Victoria, and with it, some of her anxiety.

Hawk tended to be stoic, but when he saw Renee, his face turned to stone and his black eyes burned with icy fire. He was twenty feet away from them, but Victoria clearly saw death written in the flat line of his mouth.

President Todd gestured Victoria, Renee, and Anna forward. He draped an arm around Victoria’s waist and the other around Anna’s shoulders. Renee, mercifully, was spared being touched by the president. Good thing. Hawk might have lost his habitual cool if the slimy little turd had put hands on his mate.

“As you can see,” Todd called jovially, “your ladies are quite well in my care. I think we can reach some arrangement that will ensure they remain safe and well, can’t we?”

McGrath looked almost as stony as Hawk. “We’d like to hear from the ladies themselves. Send them over.”

Todd laughed. “I don’t think so. You can hear them just fine from here.” He nodded at Renee. “Is that your husband, my dear? Please, reassure him that you are being well treated in my care.”

Renee fixed her eyes on her mate. “He’s absolutely right,” she called earnestly. “We’ve been treated like honored guests. In fact, last night we were invited to dinner. It was the best meal I’ve ever eaten. I wish we had a cook as good as the President’s.”

Hawk blinked. “Uh. Good.”

Victoria hid a smile. That blink was the equivalent of another man gaping. “It’s true,” she agreed, loudly. “Except for me being shot, we’re fine.”

The was no hint of shock on Hawk’s face now. He was back to be stony. Stone’s usually mild expression matched Hawk’s.

She went quickly on. “I was shot on accident,” she assured them. “It’s not serious, but President Todd sent his personal physician to me. He couldn’t have treated any of his own wives any better. Cousin Anna and I are fine.”

McGrath’s gaze flicked to Anna and casually away, but his jaw was clenched. Todd was stiff beside her. He said in a low voice, “My dear, I think you’ve said enough.” His smile, directed at Anna, chilled her more than the wind. “Not another word, do you understand?”

Victoria swallowed and nodded.

“Excellent.” The president turned back to the party from Omaha. “I’m told this young lady is one of your people.” He nodded at Hawk. “But I think she bears a striking resemblance to Mayor McGrath.”  He put a finger under Anna’s chin and lifted her face to examine it before looking at McGrath. “Yes, she certainly does resemble you. How curious.”

The mayor of Omaha almost managed to look bored. “Return the ladies to us now and we’ll be much more open to negotiating terms that favor you.”

The president laughed. “Oh, no, that’s not how this works.” Todd’s arm gave Victoria a squeeze that nearly forced a hiss of pain from her. “You see, because I have your women, you will agree to whatever terms I want.  Then, after you have proven trustworthy, you may get your women back. It all depends on you.”

Anna tried to muffle her sobs against her shoulder. Todd patted the top of her head. “Now, you girls scurry back to your truck and let us men finish our talk.”

Girls? Us men? He’s going to die, Victoria reminded herself. Don’t get angry. It’s only a matter of time before someone kills him. She would be happy to do it herself. With great reluctance, Victoria let the soldiers form up on either side of them to begin the march back over the long bridge to the truck.

“Be patient,” Hawk shouted in Lakota. “We’ll get you back.”

Renee turned her head to search out her mate. “We know,” she shouted back.

The soldier beside Renee gave her a gentle but firm nudge. Obediently, they marched down the bridge to the trucks. Victoria kept her eyes open for any sign of the other wolf warriors skulking in the brush, but didn’t see them. They were around, she was sure. Rock, Eagle, Quill, and Sand wouldn’t be napping back at the Limit. They were probably up to something right now that would cause trouble for Todd.

They waited in the truck for another hour before the truck’s engine roared to life and the fumes of its fuel clogged their noses.

“We’ll be back to camp in less than an hour,” one of their escort remarked. “We should have brought some rations. It’s past lunch.”

“Supplies were just delivered last night,” another said. “There will be plenty of food waiting for us.”

Victoria’s shoulders slumped. It hadn’t been likely, but she’d hoped they would be returned to Omaha right away. Renee must have felt the same. Over Anna’s head she nodded grimly.

They had been travelling twenty minutes when a new stench cut through the engine fumes. Renee pinched her nose closed.

“Something’s burning,” she muttered.

The scratch at the back of Victoria’s throat turned into a cough. The light coming through the opening at the back turned dim. A haze of dirty smoke filtered in. Something was burning, but it didn’t smell like grass or wood. Victoria had seen more than one prairie fire in her life, but those occurred in hot, dry weather, not in damp springtime. She could tell by the way the soldiers readied their weapons that this wasn’t a natural disaster. They expected trouble of the man-made sort.

The truck picked up speed, jolting over the uneven ground. Victoria clenched onto the bench to keep from being bounced off the seat. After several minutes, they slowed to a crawl. Voices outside the truck were raised. Not all the words were clear, but shock and anger were. From the little she caught, the new supplies had been set on fire, and the fuel and ammunition had exploded.

She was dying to see what was going on, but the soldiers stopped her.

“No, ma’am,” one said. “You all stay put until we know if it’s safe.”

Two of the escort slipped out to find out what was happening.

“The Clan,” said Renee with satisfaction.

“Did all the food burn?” one of their escort asked another. “What about lunch?”

Victoria’s stomach growled, but she shared a smile with Renee. “The Clan,” she agreed.

The canvas at the back of the truck opened and Lieutenant Mott looked in. “Bring the ladies out,” he ordered. “Take them to the harem and make sure they stay there.”

Somehow the burning smell was even worse outside the truck. Victoria fanned her hand in front of her face to try to clear the haze. She could see the harem tent ahead and to the right, and to her left, President Todd stood with fists shaking in front of his face. That face was contorted into an ugly mask, clenched teeth exposed by curled lips, eyebrows pulled so low his eyes couldn’t be seen, and nostrils flared.

“That doesn’t look good,” Renee muttered.  “Is he foaming at the mouth?”

A glistening strand of spittle rolled from the corner of his mouth. Victoria took a step back. “Eeew.”

The President slammed his fists into the truck he stood beside. “My son,” he screamed. “They took my son!”

Victoria stared, repelled, while he threw himself to the ground, screaming. “Get them back. Get them back!” he shrieked, pounding the grass with his fists and slamming his heels into the ground. “I’ll kill them! All of them. I want them dead! Dead, dead dead!”

Anna was staring too. “My little brother Nick used to do that when he was two, but he doesn’t do it anymore.”

“Everyone I know outgrew it,” Victoria said. She watched the President writhe around, biting the collar of his uniform. “This is like a toddler tantrum, but worse.”

General Atwater hurried toward them. “Ladies, please go to the harem tent. It’s best that you aren’t in sight right now.”

Their escort bunched around them and herded them away to the harem tent. The soldiers looked nervous, like they wanted to be out of sight too. Renee paused when they got to the tent. Strangely, there were no men guarding the tent. “Wait a minute,” she said, when the escort turned to go. “What is going on?”

The soldiers looked at each other. “Dunno, ma’am.” The tallest one, whose name on his uniform was Smithers, shuffled his feet. “Our supplies were vandalized and the President’s harem was captured.”

“He said something about his son,” Victoria remembered. “I don’t think we met him.”

A different soldier answered. “Not born yet. Fourth Mrs. Todd is expecting. It’s the president’s first child.” He shook his head. “The president is going to flip.”

“Shut up,” muttered Smithers. “Ladies, please go into the tent and stay there until you are called for.”

Renee opened the flap. “Lunch?”

Smithers shook his head. “If there’s any food we’ll try to get you some.”

His voice said he doubted there was any food to be had. Renee led the way into the tent. The passed through the main room, down the hallway made by canvas hangings, to the room they had left only a couple of hours ago.

“Kind of creepy with no one else here,” Renee observed.

Victoria agreed. “Yeah. Let’s go sit down in the front room.”

After they were settled, Anna asked, “Do you think there really isn’t any more food? At all?”

“There might be some,” Renee said thoughtfully. “I bet the president keeps his food separate from the army’s supplies. But if he has three thousand men, his private supply won’t go far. Either they’ll have to go looking for more food nearby or wait for more to be sent to them from another place. Either way, the army will be hungry.”

“I’m already hungry,” Victoria put in.

“And hungry men aren’t as disciplined,” Renee continued. “Todd could face a mutiny. Or whatever it’s called in the army.”

“Did your husband do this?” Anna asked.

“My husband was on the bridge with your dad.” Renee jerked a thumb at Victoria. “Her husband might have. I suppose they came here looking for us to rescue us. When we weren’t here, they took the harem.”

“Yeah,” Victoria agreed. “Burning the food and the other stuff was brilliant, but I’m getting pretty hungry.”

Anna sighed. “Me too. How did your husband get the other women out of camp? There were lots of people here who would have stopped them.”

“That must be why they burned stuff. Everyone probably ran over there to save the food.” Victoria frowned a little. “Stealing women doesn’t seem like something they would do.”

Renee shrugged. “At least the harem will be completely safe with them.”

Victoria glanced at Anna. “True.”

Hours passed. Supper time came and went with no food and no news. Anna was snoring with her head on the table when a male voice announced he was entering. It was General Atwater and a younger soldier holding half a loaf of bread. The general gestured and the man set the bread on the table, gave a crisp salute and left. The general sat down. Victoria divided her attention between him and the bread.

“It’s interesting,” he remarked dispassionately, “how many big cat prints are around our camp. Wolf tracks I had expected. But big cats? No. What can you tell me about the cats?”

Marty! Victoria hid her elation behind a confused expression. “Cats? You mean kitty cats?”

“I mean lions,” the general snapped. “Don’t play dumb. And don’t pretend you’re sweet and helpless either. I saw what you did to Mott. Now answer the question.”

We’re getting close to the end of the story! In this chapter we will learn more about President Todd, and next week we’ll find out more about who Georgina Summer is and what’s been going on in Omaha for the past day. Hard to believe Rye McGrath’s dinner was less than twenty-four hours ago! Lot’s has happened, and lots more will be happening.

Happy Reading!

Chapter 11

Victoria was surprised when the soldier led the way not to the largest tent in camp, but the one beside it. When the clan set up camp, the Alpha’s lodge and those of the leading families were at the center of camp, with others laid out in concentric rings around them. Here, three larger canvas tents were at the front of dozens of rows of small A-line tents all facing one direction in a block. It looked weird to Victoria. She glanced at Renee to see what she thought of the camp, but Renee was looking down at Anna McGrath. The girl was white faced, her lips visibly trembling. Poor kid.

Two uniformed sentries with rifles held across their chests were posted on either side of the closed door flap. They stood like statues, not even looking at them. The soldier escorting them paused outside. “Mr. President,” he called. “Lady visitors to see you. Permission to enter?”

There was a moment of silence, then a voice spoke. “Permission granted.”

One of the sentries pulled the door flap open, still not even glancing at them. The escort ducked under the flap. Victoria followed, grimly eager to meet her enemy face to face.

The rectangular tent was divided into two squares, this front room with a table with a roll of paper on it surrounded by four chairs, and another room in back, probably a sleeping room. There were three people in the room, all dressed in the familiar uniform of Kansas Missouri. Two of them sat at the table and third stood beside it as if he had just stood up.

Victoria examined them, trying to decide which one was the president. The man standing was boyish and slim, with sandy brown hair cut short, bulbous blue eyes, and a weak chin. She dismissed him and looked past him to the men at the table. The one nearest to her had a stocky build with thick, broad shoulders and a face that wasn’t precisely handsome, but she could see how the craggy features would appeal to some. His hair was black with generous sprinkles of silver, with  a hint of curl controlled by a close cut. He was probably her dad’s age, in his mid-fifties. The third man had a perfectly proportioned physique that made his uniform look elegant. The gray green fabric was tailored to fit his broad shoulders and narrow waist perfectly. His brown hair was thick and neatly trimmed, his face dominated by large liquid brown eyes. Victoria had to suppress a sneer. He was prettier than she was. And he was about her own age, so probably too young to be the president. It must be the rugged one across the table.

Boland, their escort, snapped a salute to the wimpy-looking guy standing by the table. “Mr. President, Lt. Mott asked me to conduct these ladies to you. They are from the train we stopped this morning.”

Victoria remembered to close her sagging jaw and examined the man again. His face might appear boyish, but a closer look revealed lines around his eyes and mouth, proving that his age was closer to fifty than twenty.

“Where is Lieutenant Mott?” the scrawny man asked. His voice was deep, full, and rich, utterly belying his appearance.

Boland maintained a rigid posture of attention. “Sir, the lieutenant has been momentarily delayed, but he will be in directly to give his report.”

“Very good, Boland, you are dismissed.”

The soldier snapped another salute, turned briskly, and left the tent. The president stepped closer to them with a friendly smile. “Ladies, allow me to introduce myself. I am Gerald Todd, President of Kansas Missouri.”

Victoria almost snickered. The all mighty president of Kansas Missouri didn’t quite come up to her chin. There was a moment that stretched a little too long before Renee replied. “I’m Mrs. Wolfe, and this is my niece, Mrs. Madison.” She pulled Anna a little closer. “And this is my niece, Miss Wolfe.”

An almost childlike delight lit Todd’s eyes. “Wolfe?” he cried. “From the Indian tribe of werewolves?”

Victoria clenched her back teeth together to keep herself from correcting him and allowed Renee to do the talking. “That’s right,” Renee said in cold voice.

The door flap opened and Lieutenant Mott came in. He stood at attention and saluted. “Sir, I am ready to make my report on the taking of the Omaha train.”

“Splendid. These ladies tell me that they are part of the werewolf tribe.”

“Yes, sir.”

Todd turned his attention to Victoria. She had heard people talk about undressing someone with their eyes. She was fully dressed, but she would swear his protuberant eyes were undressing her. His gaze lingered on the curve of her breasts. Where was her coat? It must have been left back on the train, dammit. She drew herself up to her full height, and had to hide a wince when pain burned her side.

The president frowned and when he saw at the bloodstains on her blouse, the frown turned into a dark scowl. “My dear lady, have you been hurt?”

“Yeah, when one of your men shot me.” Sarcasm was thick in her voice. She remembered an instant too late that she was supposed to be a weak, helpless woman. She put one hand over her heart and tried to flutter her eyelashes. “I was terrified. It was dreadful.”

Victoria didn’t know how, but that weak chinned face went cold and hard. He didn’t look boyish or secretarial now. He snapped glare at Lieutenant Mott. “What happened?”

“Mister President, one of the men overreacted and fired his weapon. His target was not the lady, but she was grazed by the bullet. Private Hastings cleaned and bandaged the wound. There’s no indication that it is serious. The man who fired has been executed.”

“Excellent.” The president stepped even closer to take Victoria’s hand. As he bowed over it she noticed there was a bald patch in his sandy colored hair. “I’m sure the private did his work well, but I’ll send my personal physician to attend you. I deeply regret that you were injured.”

He brushed his lips over her knuckles and it was all she could do to not clenched her hand into a fist and ram it into his weak chin. Instead she forced a smile. “Thank you. When will we be returned to our families?”

“Not immediately, I’m afraid.” The president stepped back and gestured to the pretty young man. “Josh, will you escort the ladies to the harem and then find Doctor Penrose? “

“Harem!”

Victoria’s squawk was either ignored or missed when the older man stood up. He was staring intensely at Anna. “What is your name, young lady?”

The girl’s voice was a tiny thread when she said, “Anna.”

Renee cut in quickly. “This is my niece, Anna Wolfe.”

The older man’s smile was sardonic. “Really? I’m told the mayor of Omaha has a daughter named Anna, and you resemble him greatly.”

“This is my niece,” Renee insisted.

Todd waved a soothing hand. “We won’t worry about that now, Bill. The important thing right now is for Mrs. Madison to be looked over by Doctor Penrose. Ladies, if you will follow Major Ellis, you will be given quarters where you can rest. I will see you later for supper.”

Lieutenant Mott, the President, and the man he’d called Bill gathered around the table, speaking softly. Renee looked like she wanted to protest more, but closed her mouth and gave Anna an encouraging smile. Dismissed, they followed the pretty man out of the tent.

The harem was the largest tent. Victoria ground her teeth over that designation. The man had a harem? And took them along when he was ready to conquer a new city? If he expected to make her his newest wife, he was in for a rude surprise. She was already married. And if he tried to move on her, she would bend that little shrimp into a pretzel.