We took Onyx and Dixie into the barn and unsaddled them, gave them a brushing and put them up with some grain and fresh hay, then gave the same to Poke. Oscar brought some fresh, unfrozen water in from the pump for them to drink. Even though we hadn’t seen any wolf tracks, we’d decided to keep the animals in the barn today. They’d gotten plenty of exercise o’er the last few weeks, and one day at rest wouldn’t hurt. If we didn’t see any wolves around for twenty-four hours, we’d put them in the paddock tomorrow. The cat followed us out of the barn and o’er the snow toward the house. I reckoned she was eager to get back to the comfortable, pillowy perches that she favored.
I was just about to turn to say something lewd and enticing to Oscar when I felt a hard thump in the middle of my back. It took me a second to realize t’was a balled bit of snow and not a wolf attacking, what with the way my nerves were still in a heightened state. Once I’d figured it out, I dropped the laundry bag in the snow and placed my rifle against the door, then turned to face the little bastard.
He was already rolling up another one and threw it right at my face. I opened my mouth to utter a curse as I jerked away, but he must have planned for that and the damn thing hit me square on the chin, with half of it ending up inside my mouth.
His laughter, which t’would have been music to my ears on any other occasion, only pissed me off more.
“Oscar, you little shit,” I growled, tired and fed up with everything. He thought he was being fun and flirty, but all I wanted to do was get inside, shut the door and fall into bed with him. Since he was preventing that, I decided to subdue him out here.
I took three strides and grabbed his elbow, tripping him up so he fell into the snow. Then I dropped down, covered him with my body and pinned his mischievous hands down.
“My nerves are a fucking wreck. Stop instigatin’. Get in that house, and get on your knees for me—or maybe o’er my lap so’s I can give you what for.”
There was enough genuine anger and impatience in my voice to turn Oscar’s fancy, and sure enough, he made a meek sound of surrender. Then he licked his lips and sighed in such a languorous, seductive way that I could barely contain myself.
“Good boy,” I said, letting go of his wrists and sitting back on his calves as a wolf howl broke the silence.
We scrambled up off the ground and made for the house. I grabbed my gun as Oscar fumbled with the latch string and pulled the door open. We got inside and I bolted the door behind us as my heart pounded in my ears. I’d never gone from excitement to dread so fast in my life, and I didn’t want to again.
I stared at Oscar, and he stared at me.
“Fuck,” I said.
“But we’re safe now,” Oscar said.
“Yeah. And the stable’s shut up tight, so the animals are safe, too.”
Then Oscar’s eyes blew wide. “Where’s Sprite?”
I tried to remember. She’d been following us to the house, but then we’d got distracted. I didn’t know where she was.
Another howl came then another, too close for comfort.
“I don’t know,” I said, realizing what that meant.
Oscar lunged for the door but I blocked him. “No! You ain’t goin’ out there.”
“But Sprite!”
“She can take care of herself, and you know it.”
“Againstwolves?”
“She’ll take off or go in the stable.”
“We can go out and get her. You can bring your rifle,” Oscar said, desperate and scared.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “I ain’t risking my life and yours for a goddamn cat!”
He glared at me, and the emotions that skittered o’er his face finished with a bleak betrayal that flayed me to the bone.
“She’smycat.”
“I know.”
“She’s more’n a cat, Jimmy. She’s myfriend.”
“Well, I know that, Oscar, but—”
