Fires Of Solstice Part 16

"Here, let me do that. I'll salvage what I can. You better watch the eggs."

"Eggs!"

s.h.i.+fting to give him room, she sighed with relief as she stirred the eggs. They, at least, hadn't burned. Wrapping the handle in a towel, Bleddyn lifted the pan and carried it to the sink.

"Only a few pieces are burned."

A low whine came from the other side of the kitchen and Keri licked her jowls.

Bleddyn didn't even look at her as he picked the unburned bacon out of the pan. "No, you may not have it. You're watching your weight, remember?"

After a low growl in his direction, the wolf disappeared in the direction of the study.

Meredythe glanced toward Bleddyn. "How did she understand you?"

He placed the last of the bacon on a plate. "Dogs learn the word 'no' fairly quickly, and wolves are smarter."

After one more quick stir, she divided the eggs onto two plates, placing the larger portion on his. "They are?"

Bleddyn smiled at the seemingly innocent inflection of her words. She was fis.h.i.+ng for information. Well, he'd give her some.

The toast popped up. "To a certain extent. And, like any animal-including humans -some are smarter than others. There's jam in the refrigerator. Would you like orange juice or a cup of coffee?"

She set the plates on the table and opened the silverware drawer. "Coffee. No cream -I drink it black."

"So do I," he murmured.

Meredythe poked her other hand with the fork she was lifting out of the drawer. His husky tone nudged all of her defenses awake.

When she glanced his way, he was sitting at the table b.u.t.tering a slice of toast. "Thank you for making breakfast. I usually make do with toast and coffee."

Without breaking eye contact, she slid into the seat across the table and shrugged. "It's the least I can do. You've been very kind. Not everyone would have spent almost two hours digging my car out of a s...o...b..nk just to get my luggage."

His eyes were soft and his smile was tender. "Anything for you, Meredythe."

She simply stared. Why did he look at her and talk to her like she was his long-lost love? She didn't even know the man. She glanced down at her plate then looked up again. He was shoveling food into his mouth like he hadn't eaten in a week.

Glancing up, he swallowed and said, "Finish your breakfast and I'll introduce you to my wolves."

She tried to hold her eagerness in check. At last she was getting somewhere. "You have more than just Keri?"

"Besides Keri, there are six here now," he answered between bites.

Meredythe's mind began to sort through all the information she'd gathered. Maybe one of them was black. "Where do you keep them?"

"I have two hundred acres of woodlands and meadows enclosed with a fifteen-foot fence. They roam free inside."

She swallowed a piece of bacon. "They roam free? Have any of them ever gotten out?"

He started on his second piece of toast. "Only once, and I found him on my front porch. I have two men who patrol the fence on a weekly basis to check for breaks. I'll have to go out and check it today. They won't be able to get here."

She swallowed another bite. "What happened to that wolf who got out?"

"He died three months later in his sleep in front of the fireplace. He was an old wolf."

Keri wasn't the only wolf he let sleep in his house? "How long ago was that? Did you have Keri then too? What color was he? How did you know he wouldn't attack you?"

His gaze locked with hers as he sipped his coffee. "Five years ago. He was gray. Keri's been with me since I've lived here, and wolves don't attack people. They'd rather run away. There's not one doc.u.mented case of an unprovoked wolf attack on record. Those few wolves that did attack humans were rabid or protecting themselves or their cubs."

Meredythe dropped her gaze and pretended to concentrate on her food. If wolves never attacked people unless they were provoked, what was the explanation for the murder in Central Park? According to Sally, that wolf appeared out of nowhere. Maybe it wasn't a wolf. Maybe it was a hybrid. But Frank had seemed so sure when he said the prints came from a wolf. This story would definitely require closer investigation.

She stabbed a piece of bacon. Could Dr. Glyndwr be involved? She glanced up and then quickly dropped her eyes back to her plate. He'd been the perfect host so far and seemed to be cooperating. But then she hadn't asked him any really tough questions yet.

Leaning back in his chair, Bleddyn pushed his empty plate away and sipped his coffee. Her face was so easy to read. His statement about no unprovoked wolf attacks had her mind whirling. He wondered how long it would take for her to admit exactly why she was here. James King hadn't given him all the details when he called the day after she decided to come to Winterbourne.

Laying her fork on her now-empty plate, Meredythe rose and carried it to the sink, mentally compartmentalizing her newest information. She better slow down before she let something slip. Bleddyn Glyndwr impressed her as being pretty intelligent, and she didn't want him becoming suspicious of her motives. "I'm glad to see you have a dishwasher."

He finished his coffee and rose with her. "I'm even worse at cleaning up after myself than I am at cooking." At her raised eyebrows, he continued, "I have a housekeeper come in once a week. I had the dishwasher installed when she told me she didn't want to find a week's worth of dishes sitting in the sink."

Her back to him, Meredythe grinned. "Just how big is your house? I couldn't see much last night."

He stepped closer. "Forty-eight rooms."

The silverware she was rinsing clattered into the sink. "Forty-eight? What do you do with all of them?"

"Nothing. I only use three or four, not counting the kitchen. The entire west wing is closed off. And I've never used either tower."

She spun around. He was right behind her. "Either tower? This place has towers? Like a castle?"

He nodded and reached around her to put his own plate in the sink. His chest brushed against her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Then he stepped away and returned to the table. Picking up the b.u.t.ter dish, he returned it to the refrigerator. "It looks a lot like one. The original owner was the youngest son of an English duke and modeled this place after his home in England. The family pretty much died out and the last descendent sold the estate to me. It met my requirements for forest and open land perfectly."

She set the frying pan with burned bacon in the other half of the double sink to soak. "This will be easier to clean later. Why did you locate here in New York State? Why not out west somewhere?"

He brought his coffee cup to the sink and handed it to her. "Westerners are less tolerant. There aren't any large cattle or sheep operations around here-just dairy farms, and the cows are mostly kept indoors.

She rinsed it and put it in the dishwasher. "So the residents of Winterbourne aren't bothered by your wolves?"

"They were leery at first, but they've accepted me. It's amazing what a few judicious donations to the local high school and community library will do. Are you ready?"

He s.h.i.+fted sideways and leaned against the counter. Turning her head, Meredythe realized that he was only inches away. c.o.c.king her head, she looked up and fell into his misty gaze. Her eyes dropped to his lips.

"For what?"

When her tongue flicked out of her mouth and moistened her top lip, Bleddyn pushed himself away from the counter and retreated to the back door. "To meet my wolves, what else? I think there's a pair of boots out back that will fit you. I have a couple of extra parkas out there too."

Meredythe blinked and remembered where she was. A s.h.i.+ver raced up her spine.

Why did he keep having this effect on her? "What? Oh yeah, the wolves."

He glanced back over his shoulder. "Are you coming?"

Taking a deep breath, she nodded. She was going to get to the bottom of these murders come h.e.l.l or high water, no matter how s.e.xy her number one suspect was.

The cold air had a sharp bite and fat flakes of snow still floated from the sky as Meredythe followed her host down a path he must have shoveled earlier.

"I have to feed Hammer first," he explained as he opened the door to a large shed that had kennel runs extending from the other three sides.

Cold hands fisted in her coat pockets, she followed him in. "Hammer? The wolf-dog Frank Messner had at Columbia University?"

"The same one." Bleddyn dumped some dry dog food into a bowl then mixed a can of wet with it. The low growl that was emanating from a dark corner erupted into a full-fledged snarl when he opened the door to the kennel run. He set the bowl on the floor and set a fresh bowl of water next to it. The snarling and growling didn't stop until they left the shed.

Once he'd latched the door, Bleddyn sighed. His chin fell down against his chest. Meredythe's hand on him arm brought his attention back to her. The sorrow and regret on his face startled her.

"Dr. Glyndwr... Bleddyn?"

He patted her hand. "Don't mind me. I'm just not used to defeat. I've had Hammer for a bit now and haven't made any progress with him. He still snarls whenever I get close. If I could get my hands on the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds who did this to him... " With a quick smile he tucked her hand under his arm. "But you're not here to hear me complain about my failures. The wolves are this way, probably in the cave I built."

She grabbed his arm with her other hand when her foot slipped as they struggled through knee- to thigh-deep snow. "You built a cave?"

He stopped until she caught her balance, then led her forward. "Chicken wire, plaster of Paris, some cement and a little gray paint. It doesn't look half bad now that the trees I planted around it have grown."

Stopping in front of a gate, he removed the glove from his hand and dug the key for the lock out of his pocket. A quick flick of his wrist had the lock and chain off. Swinging the gate open, he glanced her way, a mischievous smile on his lips. "Want to come in?"

Eagerness mixed with fear. She looked around cautiously. "Are you sure it's safe?"

Again he trained those misty gray eyes on her. "You'll always be safe with me, Meredythe. I give you my word."

That icy s.h.i.+ver sauntered up her back again. But just how good is your word? "Maybe just inside the gate."

His grin was contagious, and she answered him with one of her own as he led her inside the enclosure and fastened the gate firmly behind them. She halted after three steps. His chuckle wafted back over his shoulder as he headed for a locked shed. "They aren't here yet, and I could use some help."

After a quick look around, she forged through the knee-high snow after him. If his wolves did appear suddenly, there was no way she could run fast enough to get away, but she might be able to get inside that shed. "Why do you need my help?"

"I can't carry six dishes of food at one time."

"Oh. What are you feeding them?"

He started dumping food into the six dishes sitting on a shelf. "Dog chow."

She blinked. "I thought wolves ate meat."

"They do," he answered as he handed her two dishes of food. Then he placed another one in the crook of her arm. "Can you manage three of them?" After her nod, he continued, "But a couple times a week, I give them commercial dog food. They seem to enjoy the change."

He gathered up the other three dishes and led her out of the shed and across an open area toward a pine tree. "The snow's not as deep here," he said by way of explanation.

After setting his dishes down, he took two from Meredythe. "Just set that one down at your feet and back up a little." Then he pursed his lips and whistled. A couple of yelps emerged from some nearby pine trees. Then four wolves exploded from the undergrowth and headed straight for them.

Stumbling back, Meredythe lost her balance and landed on her b.u.t.t. Before she could struggle back to her feet, a mouth full of teeth appeared before her eyes. She snapped her eyes closed and raised her hands to ward off the attacking wolf.

She swallowed a scream. Oh my G.o.d, I'm going to die.

A sloppy tongue swiped across her face. She opened one eye slowly, then the other. A gray wolf sat before her, staring intently. Chuckling, Bleddyn stepped into her field of vision and squatted next to the wolf. "This is Spring. She's the friendliest one."

"This is friendly? What's she like unfriendly?" The wolf's tongue lolled out. Meredythe shuddered at the sight of sharp teeth at eye level. Tugging her eyes away from the wolf, she concentrated on Bleddyn.

He extended his hand. She grabbed it and he pulled her to her feet. When she saw the five wolves that sat behind him, she stepped closer to his side.

Bleddyn smiled to himself and slipped his arm around her. Her eyes locked on the wolves and she snuggled closer.

"As I said, you've already met Spring. The three sitting together are, from right to left, Storm, Snow and Honey. The mostly white female off to their left is Breeze and the large male is One-Eye. Breeze and One-Eye are the parents of the other four. Last winter I had two wolves here. Come spring, my population had tripled."

Meredythe frowned mentally as the wolves scattered to their dishes and began to eat hungrily. No black wolves. She eyed the pups warily. "You mean they aren't even full-grown yet? They look awful big to me."

He chuckled and planted a quick kiss on her nose. "They're eight months old. I think you'll be more comfortable outside the gate. I want to examine them and make sure they 're all healthy, then I'll be out."

"They won't chase me?" she asked dubiously.

His grin was not comforting. "Not if you don't want to play."

She blanched. "Play! With them?"

Another kiss on her nose and a quick squeeze from the arm around her waist. "Go on. I'll be out in about fifteen minutes."

Meredythe backed away slowly. Bleddyn sat down in the snow. The wolves ignored her and, except for the one-eyed male who remained aloof, gathered around him.

Once she was outside the gate, Meredythe began to breathe again. Her host remained seated, the wolves milling about him, sometimes eating, sometimes staring at him, sometimes licking his face or rubbing their bodies against his. Meredythe leaned against the fence and stared. She had never seen anything like it in her life.

Eventually Bleddyn rose and walked over to the largest male. He stared at him for a few minutes then gathered up the now-empty dishes. Stacking them together, he headed for the gate, the four younger wolves jumping around him.

He waved them away. "Go play somewhere else."

Tongues lolling out in what could only be wolf laughter, the four of them sprang away and began chasing each other around. They disappeared into the undergrowth. Their mother rose, and after a quick swipe of her tongue on the large male's muzzle, she followed her rambunctious children. The male rose and followed them.

Meredythe continued to stare at the spot where they'd disappeared until Bleddyn joined her outside the enclosure. After securely locking the gate, he asked, "What do you think of them?"

"I-I've never seen anything like it. They're so beautiful. Aren't you afraid of them? What if one of them bit you?"

He grinned a wolfish grin. "I'd bite back."

Nonplussed, Meredythe simply stared. He leaned over and kissed her nose again. "I have to go check the fence, and that will take most of the day. Why don't you go on back inside? I'm sure you have work to do. There's a computer in my bedroom if you want to use it. I refilled the generator, so you don't have to worry about the power going off."

He was already walking away.

"Bleddyn?"

He turned. "Yes?"

She shoved her hands deep into the pockets of the parka she was wearing and swallowed. "Why-why do you keep kissing my nose?"