Three Make a Ménage Read online

  “What?”

  * * * *

  Thea marched up the short walk to the front door and pressed a buzzer. The wooden door was wide open but a screen door was closed. “It’s open. It’s always open,” yelled a cranky male voice from inside the house.

  Zane held the door wide for her and Thea smiled at him before stepping into the home and walking down the hallway. The voice hadn’t seemed to come from nearby so she just glanced into a living room as she passed it. A bedroom was on the other side, and then the hallway led into a kitchen. No one was there either. She continued past a second bedroom and into a sunroom or conservatory. Huge potted plants lined one side of the room almost blocking the floor-to-ceiling window there. But plenty of light came from the matching window on the other side.

  Right in the corner of the room was a young woman seated with her back to the two walls, a needle and thread in her hand, and a pile of socks on her lap. And lying on a daybed under the plant-free window was Mr. Patterson. He wasn’t very tall, and looked quite thin, Thea thought, but his gaze was as fiercely bright and intelligent as had been the shopkeeper’s. That proved it. If Mr. Patterson was a vulture, so was the man in the store.

  “Good afternoon, Mr. Patterson. My name is Dorothea Chisholm, and I’m here with Tybalt Mundy and Zane Saville to escort you and your granddaughter to the shape-shifter clinic.”

  She took a closer look at the woman in the corner. There was something about the blonde hair tied tightly on her head in a knot… Oh, yes, the Lindy Hop dance competition on the final night. “Hello, Grace. It’s nice to meet you again.”

  “How do you know my granddaughter?” Once again the voice was cranky.

  “I’m an events planner. I organized the events at the Interspecies Mating Party.” She saw fear and worry in Grace’s eyes so didn’t mention Grace winning the competition. Did the old man not approve of dancing, perhaps? Surely he must have expected her to dance at a week-long party?

  “Sir, do you need us to help you pack whatever you wish to take with you to the clinic?” asked Tybalt.

  “It’s all done except his socks. He needs warm socks for Ohio. His feet get cold easily. I’ll have them all mended by the time we arrive.”

  For a moment Thea wondered why they didn’t just buy new socks, but then she thought that maybe warm socks wouldn’t be stocked in the small store in the desert. Or perhaps he was on a tight budget.

  “You just got here in time. I want to watch the sun set and then rise over the canyon one last time. I can’t get out there by myself now. I take it that this patient transport vehicle you have can take me there tonight so I can see the sunset and then we’ll go back early tomorrow in time to see the sunrise. Then I’ll come with you to your clinic.”

  He thinks he’s going to die. Surely not. Surely Oscar can fix him up. It’s only an ulcer that’s wrong with him, isn’t it?

  “It’s an RV. We can stay there overnight and sleep in the van so you won’t need to get up until just before dawn. You’ll need to show us where it’s permitted for people to park though. I don’t want to break any taboos,” said Ty.

  “Huh. We aren’t going to some tourist place. We’ll go to my heartland. Grace, give these men our luggage and let’s go.”

  Grace piled her sewing into a bag beside her chair, and then carried it into the second bedroom, where she sat it on the bed. She took Zane and Ty to the other end of the house, presumably to collect Mr. Patterson’s luggage.

  “We have some food in the RV. Is there anything here you especially like and want to take with you?”

  “I can’t be bothered eating anymore. Everything tastes like cardboard nowadays.”

  “We also have some ointment and creams to put on your wound. Maybe that will help it not hurt so much on the journey.”

  He gave her a look that said quite clearly he didn’t believe her. Personally, she put her trust in Oscar. The man was a genius at helping shape-shifters heal. However, one thing was crystal clear. Mr. Patterson wasn’t going to be an easy patient and it wasn’t going to be as smooth and pleasant a road trip as getting here had been. And there’d be no sex either. Damn!

  Chapter Five

  Grace sat up front with Zane to direct him to where their patient wanted to go to see the sunset.

  “Are we going to make it in time?” He was worried because he didn’t dare travel fast on the narrow dirt track.

  “I think so. I usually go by dirt bike which is about this speed, maybe a little faster, and it takes less than an hour. Sunset is more than an hour away yet.”

  The good news was that they were going to see the Grand Canyon, which they all wanted to do, and that it was not inconveniencing their patient in any way. The bad news was that it appeared he was going to be as difficult and grumpy as Dr. Thorne had hinted.

  Oh well, he and Ty could share the driving and leave the two women to deal with the old man. He hoped. Or maybe Thea would insist on driving to escape from dealing with their passenger.

  The countryside was now rocky and the road wound in and out among scrubby clumps of grass and low trees. Zane could just imagine the snakes, scorpions, and other biting things hiding in the ground. He hoped none of them would be able to get into the RV. There was no way on earth he’d be walking anywhere here without wearing his sturdiest boots.

  Ty was alone behind him in the backseat. From the rear of the RV Zane could hear Thea saying, “These are the medicines Dr. Thorne sent for you. I want to see your wound now and Grace and I will dress it with these creams. Dr Thorne works with shape-shifters. He understands the differences between shape-shifters and humans, so his treatment should improve your health faster than conventional medicine.

  “I’ve had this ulcer for months and it never goes away. Sometimes it gets bigger, sometimes smaller but it never goes away completely and nothing can change that. One day the infection will get into the bone and then I’ll be dead.”

  Zane winced. Poor old man. It was no wonder he was so cranky. Ongoing pain was a bitch to deal with.

  Zane had to concentrate on his driving but every now and then he heard the voices from over the back and occasionally he heard Thea laugh, so he guessed they were all getting along well together. That was great. An RV was a large vehicle, but it wasn’t really a very big space for five people to be cooped up together in for a week or so. And he guessed it would take them a week to get back to Ohio. It was all very well for him, Thea, and Ty to sit in the truck for twelve hours a day with just a couple of stops to gas up the RV and stretch their legs. There was no way they could expect that kind of behavior from an old man who was in chronic pain.

  Zane figured maybe two hours straight was all they could expect him to travel, then a rest break. And likely he wouldn’t get up all that early in the morning either. Not that Zane was eager to jump out of bed at the crack of dawn. Oh well, if they stayed at truck stops they’d be able to buy hot breakfasts as well as hot dinners. He’d been happy enough to eat a sandwich but likely the old man needed to keep his strength up.

  When Grace directed him to drive off the track onto the rough ground, Zane pulled the RV to a stop. “This vehicle is a lot heavier than a dirt bike,” he said picturing himself and Ty spending the rest of the day digging it out of the sand. They only had one shovel on board, not two so it would take forever to do.

  “The ground here is rock. It’s got an inch or so of dirt over it, but there’s no sand here, just rock. You won’t get bogged.”

  “That’s good to know.” Nevertheless he traveled incredibly slowly, bumping over scattered tussocks of grass and rocky soil. When she told him to stop he was stunned by the view, but turned the RV around so the old man would have the canyon framed in the window beside his bed. The rest of them could stand outside the truck. The old man might like to remain lying down.

  It was already starting to get dark. It was still a way short of nightfall, but the sun was lower on the horizon. He and Ty leaned against the side of the truck in silence, wat
ching the colors of the rocks change. The Colorado River became black, and gradually inside the canyon disappeared in darkness as the sun sank lower on the horizon until there was just a golden glow along the rim. Finally, as if some higher power flicked a cosmic switch, the sun vanished and they were left staring at the darkening sky.

  The old man had insisted on joining them outside. Thea leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Thank you. That was truly special.”

  Zane’s breath hitched. That was why he loved Dorothea. She was a beautiful person inside and out. Sweet, gentle, and incredibly caring of everyone. He longed to take her in his arms and tell her he loved her, but that wasn’t possible right now.

  * * * *

  Since they were going to be awake early to watch the sunrise, they prepared and ate a meal straight away. Ty helped Thea cook, as she consulted with Grace and Mr. Patterson regarding what they liked. The old man kept insisting he hated everything, that nothing tasted good anymore. Thea took Grace’s advice and persisted in cooking for him.

  Ty noticed he ate about half what was on his plate, so at least he was getting some nutrition. He hoped that with Dr. Thorne’s medications the old man’s pain would lessen and he’d regain his appetite.

  After they’d washed the dishes and tidied up, they all lay on their bunks, still clothed, but with the light off, and talked. Grace was very quiet, answering questions politely if she was asked, but not volunteering any extra information. From the conversation Ty gathered that she didn’t normally live with her grandfather, but that she visited him regularly helping him as she could.

  After a silence, Ty asked the question that had been in his mind since they’d arrived at Vulture’s Valley. “Are many of the people in your town vulture shape-shifters, Mr. Patterson?”

  “Even out here in the desert there have never been a lot of us, boy. Not you like wolves which seem to have communities everywhere. But if what you’re asking is, was the community settled by shape-shifters, the answer is yes. We vultures can count back seven generations, and our people were here already.”

  “Seven generations. That’s a long time. Most of our people struggle to remember five,” said Zane.

  “I know my family’s names for getting on for three hundred years. Some of our ancestors flew here to escape persecution. The oral tradition has always been important to us. We can’t pack any luggage in our bird shape so our history has to be memorized and brought with us in our minds.”

  Ty shook his head in amazement. That would be so hard, to arrive with no clothes, no food, nothing. “Why did they settle in the desert then?”

  “The desert is our natural home. There’s plenty of food if a person wants to hunt for it, and clean water and fish in the river. The desert is home.”

  Ty thought the old man was tiring and didn’t ask any more questions. He knew sometimes wolves had run away in their wolf shape as well, but naked was never a good look outside the bedroom. Or possibly the dungeon. Not that he had a dungeon or a sub yet, but he could picture Thea delightfully naked, chained up to a ceiling beam and himself caning her ass and then fucking her. Zane would be there as well, maybe tormenting her with a vibrator in her cunt as she was being punished.

  Ty sighed. Not going to happen for a long time. Although if they stayed in Ohio and worked at the clinic, maybe they would have enough money to rent a small apartment for the three of them. All they really needed was a bed. Everything else was optional. Apart from his toy box, of course.

  * * * *

  Thea was aware of Grace getting out of their bed over the cab, and listened to hear if the old man wanted help, but all was quiet so she soon returned to sleep. Since they’d all gone to bed partially clothed, getting dressed hardly took any time and she and the two men waited outside the RV for dawn. She’d been aware of Grace speaking quietly to her grandfather, and sounding a bit exasperated, but the old man had not drawn the rest of them into the conversation, so Thea was content to let them have their privacy. When Grace joined them alone, she thought maybe the old man had been persuaded to watch the sunrise from his bed.

  Until a huge black bird flew out of the open door of the RV, circled overhead, gave a loud cry and flew over the rim of the canyon.

  “What the fuck?” asked Ty.

  Grace shrugged. “I tried to talk him out of it. I’ll go fetch him later.”

  “Are you a vulture as well?” Thea certainly hadn’t guessed that, not with her long blonde hair. Black vultures were black, end of story.

  “No, I’m human. But I’ll walk down into the canyon. I know where he’ll go to rest.”

  “I’ll come with you.” Zane and Ty spoke together.

  “Maybe one of us should wait up here with Thea in that case,” said Zane.

  “You can all stay here. He won’t want any of you to see him. He’ll keep flying until he’s totally exhausted, and then he’ll hide in one of the caves and sleep for five or six hours, maybe the whole day. Then it’ll take him likely three hours to walk out of the canyon.”

  Thea thought she sounded annoyed. Likely the old man had done this before. “He won’t be able to fly out?”

  “He’ll be too tired to change again. After flying he’ll want to sleep in human form because of his hip, so he can lie down. But two more changes to fly out and then become human again will be too much for him. We’ll be staying here all day now.”

  “You’re sure he’ll be all right? He won’t get hurt or anything out there?” asked Thea.

  Grace shook her head. “He’s stubborn but not completely stupid, thank the goddess.”

  Thea’s gaze was on the lightening sky as colors gradually made themselves known and black became navy blue, then gray, and finally bright blue.

  Grace sighed and went into the RV. Thea followed her. “What do you want for breakfast? I’ll make it straight away.”

  “I have to carry clothes for grandpa and lots of water. In the base of the canyon I can drink from the river but I need water for the trip down and Grandpa will need plenty for coming back up.”

  “Are you sure the Colorado River water is safe to drink?” asked Ty, sticking his head in the door.

  “Oh, yes.”

  “In that case, you can fill any empty bottles when you’re waiting for your grandfather. That will save you a bit of room. Here, porridge, powdered milk, dehydrated soup, and a small pot to cook them in. Oh, matches.” As Thea spoke she was rummaging through the drawers and collecting items. The food fitted inside the pot, saving space in her backpack, and at least Grace would have some food to eat as she waited.

  Thea watched as Grace rolled her grandfather’s shirt and jeans into a tight bundle and put them in her backpack with his underwear and socks, and then tied his boots to the outside by their laces. The backpack was very full, and water was heavy, but the other woman didn’t make a sound as she loaded it up.

  “If we aren’t back an hour before dark, we won’t be back until tomorrow. I won’t let him attempt the climb until I’m sure he’ll make it.”

  “I’m sorry, Grace. I hope you’ll be okay.”

  Grace smiled. “Actually, I’ll enjoy the walk. I’ve been stuck inside for long enough. I love the canyon. I just hope he doesn’t exert himself too much, that’s all.”

  Thea watched as Grace turned back the way they’d come. Maybe a quarter mile later she went to the canyon rim and disappeared. Ty and Zane hurried after her, evidently wanting to ensure she was all right, but without imposing themselves into her personal space. Well, she and the men now had six hours or more alone. What should they do? She looked around the small space and began closing the curtains. She grabbed the blankets off the men’s bunks and laid them on the floor along with their pillows. That would fill in the first hour. After that they could eat and maybe walk into the canyon a little way themselves. But first, some personal one-on-one time with them would be good.

  “I like the way you think,” said Zane sitting on the doorstep and removing his boots.

  “Me
, too.”

  As soon as Zane stepped into the RV, Ty followed him leaning against the wall to remove his own boots. In moments the door was locked and clothing was dropping to the floor from all three of them. Ty took condoms and lube out of his locker then pulled out another bag, mumbled and put it back, before choosing a second bag. This time he removed a flogger, a pair of handcuffs, and a simple gag.

  He held up the gag. “This is just in case some people come by. Likely they won’t but we really don’t want to be interrupted just when we get to the best bit.”

  “Hell no,” she agreed, letting him gag her.

  Ty cuffed her hands behind her back and he and Zane lowered her face-down onto the blanket, shoving one pillow under her head and the other one under her hips.

  Thea didn’t have to look over her shoulder to know it was Zane who was lubing her ass. Just as he was taller and leaner than Ty, his fingers were longer and more slender. He was also a little gentler in his touch, although he was moving fast enough to massage the rim of her ass right now.

  Thea’s entire body jumped with shock when the strands of the flogger landed on her shoulders.

  “The flogger can be used for all sorts of things. It’s just as much a multipurpose tool as a Swiss army knife,” said Ty.

  Next he trailed the strands of the flogger up her legs stepping around her body and flicking the flogger over her feet. He didn’t do it hard, but her feet bounced all by themselves at the slight bite of pain.

  “The flogger can tease and arouse,” said Ty trailing strands across her body, and letting threads trail over the sides of her breasts.

  Thea heaved in a moan at the delicate, tormenting touch on her aching globes.

  “It can also punish disobedient subs.”

  This time the flogger had a true smack behind it as it landed hard on her ass and then her upper thighs.

  For a moment Thea wondered if any of the strands had hit Zane, but she supposed Ty could make it land exactly where he wanted it to hit, so Zane would be all right.