Winter's Dawn (12 page)

****

It turned out that it took six large bottles of high quality whiskey to make an alpha werewolf officially drunk and fifteen to knock him unconscious.

Dealing with Max unconscious was no easy feat. There were well over twenty bottles of whiskey scattered around their bedroom and Susie was enjoying her first experience with actual intoxication despite the fact that she had been drinking alcohol since her tenth birthday.

The room was spinning, but she still managed to drag Max to the bed from his prone position on the large rug in front of the fireplace in their bedroom, something no ordinary female werewolf would have been able to do considering Max’s weight of two hundred and seventy pounds.

She collapsed on the bed once the task was done, thanking the Gods Max had undone her hair and braided it before he dropped. She had only a thin nightgown on and the room was cool, but not as much as she liked. It seemed the alcohol had knocked out Max’s ability for climate management.

Susie sighed and rolled over, working at the buttons of his white tuxedo shirt. His jacket, shoes and tie had been abandoned the moment they had made it to the safety of their rooms, but the rest were obviously less important than the whiskey.

She tugged at his shirt once she had gotten it undone, pulling it out of his black pants. She placed his cufflinks on his nightstand. All the while he was totally unresponsive as she tried to free his shirt from his arms. She was forced to pull him to her, his broad back flush against her chest. “Gods, Maxwell, make my life easy and lift your arms.”

Susie was surprised when he obeyed, lifting his arms so that she could free him of the shirt. “I don’t suppose you could lower the temperature while you’re at it,” she said as she undid the button to his pants and then unzipped them. “I’m melting.”

The temperature lowered to the point that Susie could see her breath and she sighed in relief. “Mmm, nice. Help me get your pants off.”

The help she got from him was less than she hoped for, but she finally fell back against the pillows, with a naked Max cradled to her chest. Her eyes drifted closed. She reached for his hair on habit, twirling the coarse, black strands between her fingers. Max rolled onto his side, his breath warm against the curve of her breasts and she finally fell into a heavy, dreamless sleep.

Chapter Six

Early 1959

“Hey, Max, how was your Christmas?”

Max turned from his open locker to look at John Parving, one of the other linebackers on their football team. He was now reluctantly wrestling, though Max knew that was more to do with Max’s own participation in the sport while they waited for baseball season. John had been one of his closest friends since fourth grade. Being the son of a rich businessman, they attended the same schools for years. He was built big like Max and they had more in common than most.

“It was typical.” Max pulled his history and math books out of his locker. “You?”

“Oh, you know, my mother always throws big parties for Christmas and New Years. I get to rub elbows with the same blue blood assholes every year, but it was okay. I got a car for Christmas.”

“Yeah, me too, for my birthday.” Max smiled. “I got a black Aston Martin. I loved driving to school today with the top down. It’s much better than that beast Hal used to drive us to school in.”

“Jesus, Max, it’s freezing out.” John winced in horror. “You must have frozen poor Sue to death.”

“Nah, she loved it.”

“You’re an odd dog.” John pulled his rumbled uniform jacket out of his locker and put it back on. “Speaking of Sue.” He tilted his head down the hallway as he made poor work of fixing his tie. “She looks nice. Didn’t she just have a birthday too? How old is she now?”

“Fifteen. Too young for you.” Max turned to see Susie walking up with a large group of female friends.

“I forgot she skipped a grade.” John brushed at his wrinkled jacket as Susie and her friends walked up. “Hey, Sue. Happy Birthday.”

“Thanks, John.” Susie gave John a bright smile. “Was your holiday nice?”

John blushed to the roots of his blond hair. “Sure was. I wish you and Max would come to one of our parties.”

“You know we are always terribly busy over the holidays.” Susie sighed in disappointment. “It’s dreadfully boring, but it has to be done. My Aunt Emma must entertain. It’s what she does.”

“Yeah, my mom is the same.” John nodded emphatically.

“Oh, I know, I didn’t have a moment to breathe all break,” said Jessica Carver, still one of Susie’s closest friends. “We spent the whole holiday in Newport. It was a different party every night. I was hoping you and Sue would be there. Your family still has a residence there, don’t they?”

Max was never able to look at Jessica without remembering one horrid summer stuck in bed, miserable with silver poisoning. Fortunately, everyone in her house had been relieved of memories from the rogue attack. His father had their house repaired and cleaned. Jessica thought her old butler had died of a heart attack and Max firmly believed it was for the best.

He gave Jessica a weak smile, shaking off a shudder when he thought of silver. “We still have the Newport place, but it’s generally just a summer estate for us.”

“Well, that makes sense. Nothing like Newport in the summer,” Jessica said, before she turned to her and Susie’s other friends for a moment, giving them a conspiratorial look. “Speaking of parties. The girls and I thought we might throw Susie a belated birthday party. You really must come, Maxwell.”

Max cringed, but John spoke up for him. “Max’s birthday just passed too.”

“Then it’s decided.” Jessica’s smile grew broader as she gave Max a lingering look, her gaze running over him for one long moment. “It’ll be a joint party for Susie and Max. John, you’ll make sure all Max’s friends come, won’t you?”

“Yeah, sure.” John was grinning from ear to ear. “But, Ol’ Max has a lot of friends.”

Jessica waved her hand flippantly. “So does Susie. My mother said I could use the ballroom all evening. It’s this Saturday. I’m having it catered.”

“Gosh, Jessica.” Max sent Susie a look. “That’s, um, really nice of you. I don’t think Susie needs all that.”

“I told her that.” Susie returned his look with one of consummate pleading. “Aren’t we busy on Saturday?”

“Probably.” Max turned back to Jessica and lowered his voice so the other girls wouldn’t hear. “I don’t think my father will let Susie attend a party like that.”

“Don’t be silly.” Jessica waved her hand once more. “I told Susie my father would call your father. He’ll work it out for you two. Saturday, two o’clock. I expect you to be there looking handsome, Maxwell.”

“Right.” Max sent Susie an apologetic look. “Could be fun, I suppose.”

“Oh, it will be,” Jessica promised. “I’ll make sure you two get all sorts of wonderful gifts. John, make sure all the boys know they have to bring gifts for both of them.”

“I don’t think that will be a problem.” John’s gaze was still on Susie. “We’ll all bring two gifts.”

“We don’t need—” Susie started, but was interrupted by her friend Pamela.

“I already bought you something.” Pamela’s gaze was on Max. “I knew your birthday was on the twenty-first.”

“I bought you something too, Max,” said their other friend Tammy. “I know you’ll love it.”

“Well, my mother is going to New York tomorrow.” Jessica sent both Tammy and Pamela a scathing look. “I’ll make sure she picks you up something wonderful, Maxwell.”

Max rubbed at the back of his neck. “You know Susie and I really don’t need gifts. We’re pretty well taken care of.”

“Everyone needs gifts,” Jessica said as the bell rang. She stepped forward and laced her arm through John’s. “Walk with me, John. We need to make plans for their party.”

John turned around and mouthed ‘thank you’ as he obediently walked with Jessica. The other girls dispersed, all saying goodbye to both Max and Susie. Since Susie’s next class was in the same direction as his, Max put his arm around her and leaned down to whisper as they started walking.

“I hate going to Jessica’s house.”

“You try telling her no.” Susie looked up at him skeptically. “I hate it too, but it’s not her fault that happened.”

“They really shouldn’t buy us things. We haven’t even come close to opening all our birthday gifts.”

“Yes, and how do propose I explain that? Should I tell her I am the queen of werewolves and receive roughly eight thousand gifts from the most prominent ones every year?” Susie raised her eyebrows expectantly. “Jessica’s father is richer than Midas. She can afford the gifts. They all can. We’ll just donate them to needy werewolves with the rest. Think of it as a good cause.”

Max laughed. “If only they knew.”

“This is me.” Susie stopped in front of her class. “I get to pretend I have only an intermediate comprehension of French.”

“Have fun.” Max leaned down to place a chaste kiss on her cheek in brotherly fashion. “I’ll see you at lunch.”

“Mmm, hmm,” Susie hummed and then pulled him close and whispered, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Fine,” he promised. “I’ve got wrestling today. I can work off some of the aggression.”

“Max, don’t hurt them,” she warned. “It’s not their fault you’re frustrated.”

“They’re my friends,” he said solemnly. “I won’t hurt them…too bad.”

****

“John said you’re still real tough on them at practice.” Susie stepped out of the tub and took the towel Max handed her. “Are you okay?”

Max wrapped a second towel around his waist and then ran both hands through his still wet hair, leaving it standing on end in black spikes. “Gods, he is such a baby. It’s me being tough on them that is giving them a winning season.”

“He said you dislocated James Porter’s shoulder yesterday.” Susie tied the towel around her and turned to look at Max in concern. “Maybe you shouldn’t wrestle so close to the full moon.”

“I’m fine.”

“You say it, but I don’t believe.” Susie picked up her brush off the large vanity in the bathroom. “It’s lovely, isn’t it?”

Max rolled his eyes as Susie admired her new brush, one made of intricately engraved rosewood and boar hair. He was kicking himself for giving John the tip that she may want a new one, because unlike others, Max knew Susie appreciated little things, like a new brush.

Max rolled his eyes and took it from her. “You have been admiring it for two weeks.”

“It was a thoughtful gift.” She left the bathroom, heading for the their bedroom. “It was the only one I kept from that party.”

“Lucky you,” he said blandly, following her obediently into the bedroom. “I didn’t keep any.”

“Yes, well, you’re hopelessly picky.” Susie dropped her towel on the ground as her hair dried at will and her skin lost its dewy appearance. “I think I’ll have two tonight. Do you mind, Max?”

“Do I ever?” Max asked as he watched her walk to her desk in the corner of their room and sort through her schoolbooks completely uncaring that she was naked. “Would you like a nightgown?”

“Hmm?” She looked up from her books. “Oh, sorry, Max,” she said as his hair dried also. “Gosh, doesn’t it seem hot for February? Another month and we’ll be officially into spring. How dreadful. Lower the temperature, won’t you?”

Max just shook his head and walked to the changing rooms. He pulled on a thin pair of boxer shorts, knowing that he’d never be able to sleep comfortably in anything more. He wished he could sleep naked like Susie, but unfortunately, he didn’t have that luxury anymore. In the past two months Max had come to completely loathe hormones and their early appearance in his life.

He returned to their bedroom, still carrying her cherished hairbrush and two hair ties to match. He found Susie lying on their bed, several books spread out in front of her, but ignored completely because Maggie had shown up.

“I love literature the most,” Susie was saying, holding up a textbook as evidence. “I can’t wait until I get to college, then I can study French literature to my heart’s content. Can you believe the Academy doesn’t offer it?”

“I can’t believe it.” Maggie sent Max a smile as she picked up Susie’s discarded towel. “What are private schools coming to?”