Part 31 (1/2)

I'm okay.”

Vicki smiled at him and swept the flashlight beam over the interior of the barn. There was a body on the floor. Carl Biehn sat on a barrel of some kind looking stunned. Everyone else - Colin, Cloud, Henry, Stuart - was with Storm.”

”Is Storm ... ?”

”He's alive,” Celluci told her. ”Apparently Williams caught him in another one of those traps. Which are buried all over this place so walk only where I tell you.”

”Williams?”

”Is dead.” Celluci jerked his head in the direction of Carl Biehn and said to Barry, ”Get over there.

Watch him.”

Barry nodded, thankful for some direction, and limped across the barn.

All the long way here in the back of the police car, Vicki had thought only about arriving in time to make a difference. Now she was here, it was over, and the flashlight showed her only broken scenes suspended in darkness. ”Mike, what happened?”

For a second, he weighed the alternatives, then he quickly laid out the facts, attempting to keep themuncolored by emotions he himself wasn't certain of. He watched her face carefully when he told her what Henry had done but she let nothing show he could use.

”And Peter? I mean, Storm?” she asked when he finished.

”I don't know.”

Sixteen.

Vicki launched herself toward the blur of light, the dim figures moving through it taking on solid form as she came closer. If Storm died, she didn't think she'd be able to forgive herself. If only she hadn't been so stupidly wrong about Carl Biehn, so sure he couldn't be the killer. She felt Celluci take her arm and allowed herself to be guided the last few feet, flashlight hanging forgotten in her hand.

Cloud had her front paws up on the table and was desperately licking her brother's face, her tongue alternately smoothing and spiking the fur on his muzzle. Stuart's arms were around Storm's shoulders, supporting his weight. Colin stroked trembling fingers down the russet back, whimpering low in his throat.

Henry ... Vicki squinted at Henry, bent over one of Storm's back legs. As she watched, he straightened and spat.

”The poison's spread through his system. I'd kill him if I tried to take it all.”

Colin began to make a noise, low in his throat, not quite a howl, not quite a moan.

”Get him to Dr. Dixon.” Cloud ignored her. The rest turned to stare.

”We can't move him, Vicki,” Henry told her softly. ”He's trembling on the edge right now. It would be so easy to tip him over.”

”If only we could get him to change,” Stuart rested his cheek on the top of Storm's head, the anger in hisvoice only emphasizing the pain in his expression.

Vicki remembered what the doctor had said about the change somehow neutralizing infection. She supposed poison could be considered a type of infection. ”He can't change because he isn't conscious?”

Stuart nodded, tears marking the russet fur with a darker pattern.

”Then what about forcing an unconscious change?”

”You don't know anything about us, human.”

”I know as much as I need to.” Vicki's heart began to pound as she gathered up everything Dr. Dixon had told her, added it to her own observations, and knew she had something that might work. ”If he won't change on his own, maybe he'll change for Rose. Twins are linked. Dr. Dixon said it, Nadine said it, h.e.l.l, you can see it. And Rose and Peter are ...” She couldn't think of a way to phrase it, not with Rose - Cloud - right there.Oh, h.e.l.l, no way around it. ”As Rose goes into heat, she's pulling Peter with her.

Their reactions are linked more now than they ever have been. If Rose, not Cloud, would, uh, well, maybe it would pull Storm over into Peter.”

Stuart raised his head. ”Do you realize what might happen? How strong a bond this is with our kind?”

Vicki sighed. ”Look, even if it works, he's too sick to do anything and besides ...” She reached out and stroked one finger down the limp length of Storm's front leg.Incest or death, what a choice. ”... isn't it better than the alternative?”

”Yes. Oh, yes.” Rose didn't wait for Stuart to reply. She threw herself down beside her twin, gathering him as close as she could, rubbing her face over his.

Stuart released Storm and straightened, one hand resting lightly on his nephew's shoulder. ”Call him,” he said, his voice resigned, his expression watchful. He would not allow this to go any further than it had to.

”Bring him back to us, Rose.”But try not to lose yourself. The last thing they needed now was Rose going into heat without Nadine around to protect her. Breeding reaction had destroyed packs in the past.”Peter?”

The fine hair along her spine rising, Vicki could feel the power in a name.This is who you are, it said.

Come back to us.

”Peter, oh, please. Please, Peter don't leave me!”

For agonizing moments it looked as though nothing was happening. Rose continued to call, the grief, the pain, the longing, the love enough to raise the dead. Surely it must have some effect on one not yet gone.

”He moved,” Henry said suddenly. ”I saw his nostrils twitch.”

”He's got the scent,” Stuart said, and he and Colin both s.h.i.+fted uncomfortably.

Then it happened. Slowly enough this time that Vicki always after swore she'd seen the exact moment of change.

Peter tossed his head and moaned, his skin gray and clammy, left foot horribly cut by the steel jaws of the trap.

Rose pressed kisses on his lips, his throat, his eyes, until her uncle moved her bodily off the table and shook her, hard. She burst into tears and buried her face on Peter's chest, both hands tightly wrapped around one of his.

”His heartbeat is stronger.” Henry listened to it struggling, forcing the sluggish blood to flow. ”His life has a better hold. I think it's safe to move him now.”

”In a minute.” Vicki took a deep breath. It felt like the first in some time and even the dusty, kerosene scented air of the barn smelled sweet.Jesus Christ, how the h.e.l.l are we going to explain this to thepolice ? ”Here's what we're going to do. ...”

”Excuse me.”

She started and for a moment didn't recognize the old man who crept forward into the lamplight, Barry Wu trailing behind like an anxious shadow.

Carl Biehn reached out a trembling hand and lightly brushed the silver spray of Rose's hair. She rubbed her nose on the back of her wrist and looked up, eyes narrowing when she saw who it was.

”I know it won't be enough,” he said, speaking only to her, the words rough-edged with pain, ”but I realize now I was wrong. In spite of all I'd done to you and yours, even in the midst of your grief, you saved my life at the risk of your own.That is the way of the Lord.” He had to pause to clear his throat. ”I wanted to thank you, and say I'm sorry even though I know I have no right to your forgiveness.”

He turned away then, and Vicki met his eyes.

They were red rimmed with weeping but surprisingly clear. Although pain had become a part of them, no doubt lingered. This was a man who had made his peace with himself. Vicki heard the voice of memory say,”He's a decent human being and they're rare.” She nodded, once. He echoed it and moved past, bowed but somehow still possessing a quiet dignity.