My UnTrue Love (A Kinda Fairytale #7)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Death had claimed the tragic lass,

Who the cy’ote treated poor,

In that flood, she breathed her last,

And now her mate implored.

Lyrics from the folk song “Crossroads Coyote”

Bill burst into the police station, panic strangling him. “Where is she?” He barked at Hank, barely even glancing the man’s way. His senses were already tracking Clem’s perfect, blueberry flapjack scent. “Why isn’t she at the hospital?”

The police station was a log cabin situated near the center of Red River Valley. A row of cells lined the back of the main room, one of them with the barred-door bent inward. Hank’s desk sat near the front, with smaller desks for his deputies scattered around the space. A bulletin board covered in wanted posters was situated on the wall. Bill distractedly noticed a huge reward for some black-masked bandit with a Z in his name.

When Hank called him, Bill had already cleaned up and left his brand-new job at Buffalo Roam. He’d been headed to the Kitchen to rehearse his performance, when his phone rang. Thank God he’d decided against blocking his brother-in-law’s number, because that’s who told him that Clem was hurt. Two sentences into the conversation and Bill was headed for his wife at a dead run.

Reaching Clementine as quick as he could was all he’d thought about. No secondhand assurances from Hank meant a damn thing to him. He had to see for himself that she was okay.

Hank straightened up from where he’d been leaning against the wall, watching Clem sleep in one of the cells. He was so tall that his head nearly hit the ceiling. “She’s fine. Just like I told you. Still unconscious, but that’s the stress affecting her. I wanted her here with me, so I could keep an eye on her. It’s some bruises and scrapes. The witch-practitioner administered medicine and said to give her time to wake up.”

“How much time?” Bill demanded at a roar, striding for his mate. He wasn’t going to be satisfied that she was safe until she was in his arms. “And where the hell is Johnny?” The man’s name was spat out like a curse.

“I don’t know.” Hank said as an answer to both questions. “She usually wakes up within a few hours of passing out. And he left his phone at your apartment, so I can’t track his yellow-bellied ass. Town’s only so big, though. I’ll find him.”

“Not if I find that motherfucker first.”

“I’ve got all my deputies out looking for him. You focus on Clem. Once we get the full story of what happened, we can…”

“We already know what happened!” Bill interrupted. “That lowdown son of a bitch touched my wife! I can smell him all over her.” He slammed into the cell, where she was recovering from Johnny’s violence. “He’s not gonna survive the goddamn night, if I have anything to…” His angry words stopped short, spotting the coyote crouched in the corner of the cell.

Blue.

The mist covering Luke’s body was blue. Bill blinked. The boy was also the biggest coyote he’d ever seen in his life.

When he’d called to tell Bill that Clem was hurt, Hank recapped everything he knew about the attack. He’d explained that Luke had carried Clementine into the police station, giving him a halting story of Johnny Jacobs chasing her right into his apartment. Bill hadn’t asked where the kid had gone, after he brought Clem to her brother. He’d been preoccupied with getting to his wife. Now he realized that Luke hadn’t gone anyplace. He’d stayed with Clem, watching over her.

Eerie brown eyes fixed on Bill, as he entered the cell. Luke’s teeth bared in a slight snarl, warning Bill not to try anything.

First shifts were hard. The kid had been distraught and in pain. The coyote had seized control, protecting his human-side. He was still mostly-transformed, his glowing gaze defiant.

And his magic was blue.

“The boy doesn’t like anyone touching her.” Hank said in an unruffled tone. “He’s doing better than he was a while ago, so I’m giving him some space. He can’t figure out how to shift back.”

“That can happen,” Bill allowed, “until we learn how to settle down.”

If they learned. Some coyotes lived their whole lives on a violent rampage. Unlike a lot of shifter-species, they didn’t access their animal-forms until adolescence, and it could lead to Bad outcomes. At his size, Luke had the potential to be the most dangerous coyote Bill had ever come across. …And he was about six feet away from Clementine.

Bill’s jaw tightened.

“He’s not a threat to her. Just to everybody else.” Hank reported, anticipating Bill’s reaction. Stew Slewfoot used to be in that cell over there.”

“For the bar fight, still?”

“No. He’s awaiting extradition to Zurzura. I got news today that the Cavaliers found a cache of forbidden talismans in his home.” Cavaliers were the security force who dealt with crimes that crossed kingdoms. “Stu swears the talismans aren’t his, of course, and he was set up by someone .” A meaningful pause. “But he’s still being charged with international smuggling.”

Bill grunted.

“Anyhow, I had to stick Stew outside, tied to the hitching post, because Luke tried to rip his throat out for shouting some insults Clem’s way.” Hank went on. “The kid almost went through the bars to get to him.”

That explained the bent iron door. Not much got between a coyote and who they’d targeted.

Case in point: Nothing was gonna keep Bill from his wife.

He kept his eyes on Luke, hands held where the boy could see them. “She’s my mate and I’m gonna be with her.” He walked towards Clem, his steps deliberate. “You wanna fight me, we can do that. But it’ll be all or nothin’.”

The boy didn’t want to fight. He stayed crouched in the corner, his back against the wall, accepting Bill’s claim on Clementine. He remained braced to launch forward though, just in case Bill did do anything to threaten her.

That was truce enough for Bill.

He turned his attention back to Clem. “Darlin’?” He reached out to smooth back her golden hair. “Can you hear me?” Her face was bruised, and her top was ripped. Darkening marks marred the tops of her breasts, where Johnny’s fingers had dug into her flesh.

His gaze cut over to Hank, asking the question without words.

Hank shook his head.

Bill closed his eyes in relief.

Clementine was hurt, but Johnny hadn’t raped her. The bastard had tried, though. He’d marked her skin and scared her and tried to rape her. When Bill caught up with that miserable shit, Johnny would never sing again. Bill was gonna stick a branding iron down his throat and broil him from the inside out.

Slipping his arms beneath his wife, Bill lifted her up and turned to sit on the cot himself. He settled back, holding her on his lap. “I got you.” He rested her head on his chest, making sure she was comfortable. “I got you, baby.” He kissed her temple. “You just come back to me. I can’t stand it when we’re apart.”

Nothing. She slept on, leaving Bill without her bright light.

His gaze lifted back up to Hank. “I’m sorry.”

He felt compelled to ask someone for forgiveness. To pledge be better, if only he had another chance. To swear to do Good, even though he was born Bad. Anything . He’d promise anything at all, so long as he got Clem back.

“I know.” Hank said quietly, like he could read all that meaning in just those two words.

“I should have let Johnny sink on his own. Or I shouldn’t have worried that Clem might be mad at me and hit him harder. Or I shoulda just killed him, in the first place. I can’t…” Bill trailed off. He’d never felt so helpless. Not even as a vulnerable kid, with no one in the world who cared about him. “I promised I’d protect your sister and I didn’t. I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t think he’d go after Clem, either.” Hank admitted. “When Johnny snapped, I assumed he’d just shoot you from behind.”

“I woulda taken that hit a thousand times over.”

“I know.” Hank said again. “Maybe that’s why he did it this way. Maybe he’s smarter than we figured and he struck where he knew it would hurt you the most.”

“I gotta have her back.” Bill rested his cheek against Clem’s head, willing all of his energy into her body. “I’ll die if I don’t have her back.”

“She’ll come back.” Dark eyes met Bill’s. “And it’s not just you that set this into motion. Seems Johnny’s hurt women before.”

Bill’s brows furrowed. “He what?”

“Drugged them and forced them. He didn’t get that far with Clem, but he did with plenty of others.”

Bill dragged in a deep, angry breath. “If I’d known about that, he’d already be gone.”

“Oh, he’s gone. I got lawyers calling me to set up interviews with their clients. Victims coming forward. Johnny’s done . That’s what pushed him over the edge. Not just you.”

“If you think finding out that my wife’s old roommate is a rapist is gonna help me feel better…? It don’t.”

Hank nodded in tired agreement. For a few minutes there was silence. “So, where did you get the forbidden talismans?” He asked, as if he was trying to pass the time.

“Come again?”

“The forbidden talismans that I know damn good and well you put in Stew Slewfoot’s house. Where’d you get them?

“I have no idea what you mean, Sheriff.”

Hank looked distinctly skeptical.

“Bears might have something like that hidden under their beds.” Bill hazarded after moment, because maybe talking to Hank would be another kind of apology. Maybe if he apologized enough, Clem would open her eyes.

“Bears?” Hank repeated. “The one from the racetrack, who you put in the hospital, you mean?”

“I’m just speculating… If someone searched that bear’s house, on their way to a job interview…? And if that someone found a shipment of forbidden talismans during that search…? And if that someone realized that they were valuable items, so having them go missing would fuck over the bear…? Why, putting them in Stew’s apartment and then phoning in a tip to the Cavaliers would be a way to get rid of both men.” Bill nuzzled Clem’s head. “In a quiet, indirect way.”

Hank’s eyebrows climbed. “You’d already done them both massive bodily harm. Wasn’t that enough?”

“No. They put their hands on my wife . They deserve whatever they fucking get.”

“That dumb grizzly was probably just a middleman for the talismans.” Hank crossed his arms over his chest. “His bosses are going to be pissed. Am I now going to have a cartel of forbidden-magic dealers assassinating bears in my town?”

“How am I supposed to know? I got nothin’ to do with it. I was at a job interview.”

Hank shook his head, somewhere between impressed and horrified. “You scare me much more than the kid does.” He pointed towards Luke. “Your claws are better hidden.” The phone rang and he went to answer it.

Bill petted Clem’s hair, just trying to keep himself together.

Luke stayed in the corner, teetering on the edge of a feral abyss.

“Bill?” Hank covered up the mouthpiece of the phone, his expression incredulous. “Would you care to explain what the fuck you did to Tenderfoot Tompkins?”

“Come again?”

“Tyler “Tenderfoot” Tompkins.” Hank spaced out the words. “Who, as I recall, took my baby sister to dinner at that weird aviary restaurant once. Who I remember punching for making her cry. And who was apparently just devoured by a half-owl, half-parrot, carnivorous bird-monster.”

Bill stared at him impassively. “I was at a job interview when that package with the egg was delivered to Tyler’s house.”

Hank heaved another long-suffering sigh and went back to the phone call.

Time crawled by.

Bill found himself humming. My Own True Love had a complete tune now. And there were words that went along with it. A ballad of longing and hope, from a man who was terrified of losing the only thing that mattered to him. It was probably awful, but it didn’t sound awful in his head. It sounded about right. He fancied that Clem liked the melody too, because she seemed to smile in her sleep.

“I never heard her cry out in pain, until today.” Luke suddenly said.

Bill’s eyes jumped to the kid and saw he was regaining control.

“I would listen for you to start hitting her.” Luke went on, still not looking at Bill. Not looking at anything. “Or start shouting at her. Or start calling her names. I figured it was all coming, sooner or later. I figured you’d start mistreating her, once you had her alone in your house. You’d want to break her.”

Bill said nothing, examining Luke’s features. His coyote-form was receding and now the boy’s face beneath was revealed. There were bruises covering it, older than what Johnny could’ve inflicted.

Someone else had hit him.

“I waited for her tears to begin, so I could hate you. But you never raised a hand to her. Never did nothin’, except take her pizza that time.”

“Salt’s bad for her medical condition.” Bill explained quietly.

The kid swiped his wrist under his nose. “I figured you must’ve had some kind of reason. Later on, I thought about it, and I knew you wouldn’t steal her food.”

“I would starve myself to death first.”

Luke gave a scoff. “She thinks she has to ‘entice you’ to notice her. Like you’re not always watching her, with this crazy, fascinated, lovesick expression. She doesn’t need to trick her stalker into paying attention.”

Hank shifted outside the cell. “It’s a dual-stalking situation. They both think they’re tricking the other into liking them. Scary to consider the level of delusion I’ll be dealing with at every family holiday, from now on.”

Luke seemed to agree with that analysis. “Clem’s so happy with you.” He told Bill. “Her voice always comes through the wall real cheerful. Laughing. Calling to you, when you’re in some other room. The girl wants to be with you, all the time. You’re her best friend.”

The backs of Bill’s eyes unexpectedly burned with emotion.

“She dotes on you.” Luke sounded awed by it. “I don’t think no one’s ever doted on a coyote before. Everybody’s scared of us. But Clem…” He swallowed. “She says you’re the gentlest man she knows.”

Fuck. Bill held Clementine closer, blinking rapidly and drawing in a shuddering breath. Aw, fuck . Coyotes did have hearts. He could tell because his was breaking apart.

Hank reached through the bars and thumped a huge hand onto Bill shoulder, squeezing in silent support.

“Clementine saved me today.” Luke continued, his tone distant. “She didn’t have to. She coulda just run. That Johnny guy was bigger than her. And I was… gone. Lost in the wildness. I could’ve ripped her apart. But, she stayed with me, anyhow.” He swallowed again, trying to hold back tears of his own. “I think maybe she’s the only Good person I ever met.”

“Me too.” Bill got out hoarsely.

“My own ma didn’t stay with me.” Luke laid his head back against the wall. “Most coyote’s stolen-mates take their kids with them, when they finally wise up and leave. Momma, though, she said she was done with coyotes forever. Me included. Said I’d grow up and hurt women, just like him.”

“She was blaming you for things that weren’t your fault.” Hank assured him. “She was wrong.”

Luke shrugged as if it didn’t matter, but he was rocking slightly to comfort himself. “She hated me for being like Pa. For looking like him. I’d watch him, and I’d see his meanness, and I’d understand why. I’d get this empty feeling inside. Like I was trapped somewhere dark and screaming to get out, but no one else even noticed me.”

Bill knew that place all too well. His sunshiny wife had driven all that darkness away, though. She’d found him and saved him.

“I guess there can be something more for us, after all.” Luke continued. “Maybe Ma hightailed it and never looked back. But Clem stayed right beside me, even when I coulda been a threat to her. You treat her nice, so she’s got no reason to hate coyotes.”

“Everybody says we can’t have mates. Everybody’s wrong.”

Luke nodded in understanding. “Clementine really does belong to you.”

“She picked me. She could’ve had anyone, but I was the one she chose.” Bill rested his cheek on Clem’s hair, breathing in her scent. “I belong to her .”

“She trusts you. You taught her she could. Pa taught my momma a very different lesson.”

“He taught mine the same.”

Those pale brown eyes finally met Bill’s. “You know who I am?”

“I got a suspicion. I never did meet another coyote with blue magic.”

Suddenly, Clementine made a small sound and Bill forgot everything else.