The Keeping

by Nicky Charles

  Ryne quirked his brow and snorted derisively. “I’m a nature photographer, not some guy into Hollywood special effects, or an eccentric old man on the edge of senility.”

  “Mr. Greyson will be seriously offended when he hears of your disrespect.” Aldrich mocked.

  “I’m trembling with fear.”

  “And so you should be. My employer is not a man to be taken lightly. But I digress.” Aldrich gave a tight smile before continuing. “Mr. Greyson is immensely curious as to where you took that picture. Now, I can see why. If we find that location, our chances of capturing a real live werewolf increase astronomically. The money that would be paid for such a specimen is mind-boggling.”

  Ryne forced himself to not flinch or tighten his fists, despite the fury raging inside him. The man was talking as if his people were little more than animals to be bought and sold.

  “The one thing that has me puzzled though, is how Ms. Greene fits into all of this. She’s obviously some form of werewolf herself. Why didn’t Mr. Greyson just use her? He chose her specifically for the job, so he must have had some knowledge of her background.” Aldrich stared at Melody with a furrowed brow. When he continued, he seemed to be talking to himself. “This requires further analysis before I make my next move. It’s no longer an issue of obtaining a report to keep Mr. Greyson happy. It’s a question of whether or not I tell him about what I’ve discovered.”

  He smiled coldly. “Working for Mr. Greyson has opened a number of doors for me, but he also likes to believe he has me on a leash. With Ms. Greene under my control, I’ll be able break free.” Standing, he focused his attention on Ryne. “Tell me, does she do this changing thing often? Is it under control?”

  Clenching his jaw, Ryne made no reply.

  “Nothing to say? Is it that you don’t know the answers? Or possibly, you’re in shock yourself.” Aldrich paused and snapped his fingers, his eyes widening as if he suddenly came upon an amazing discovery. “That’s it isn’t it? You didn’t know your girlfriend was an animal until this very moment. I must say, you seem very calm about the fact.” A speculative look came over the man’s face. “Tell me, did you have sex with her?”

  A growl threatened to escape Ryne’s chest as Aldrich’s gaze slowly went over Melody as if stripping her naked. How he wanted to wipe that leering expression off the lawyer’s face. Only the knowledge that any reaction on his part might further endanger the packs, kept him from reacting.

  “Tell me, Taylor, what’s it really like… fucking a bitch?” Aldrich stepped closer and laughed darkly when Ryne shifted so he was in front of Melody. “Don’t worry. I have no plans to do her… yet. Though it might be an interesting experience.”

  The civilized veneer seemed to slip from the man’s face and he now reminded Ryne of some of the more unsavoury people his stepfather had associated with; thugs and petty criminals, ‘friends’ who would stab you in the back if the price were right. Hmm… It would appear there might be more to Aldrich than met the eye. Ryne stored the information away; it paid to know your enemy.

  Aldrich played with the trigger of the gun, seeming to relish having someone under his power. His dark eyes narrowed as if gauging the response to his comments, looking for a reaction, a sign of fear.

  Ryne wasn’t about to give the man the satisfaction and forcibly relaxed his muscles, assuming a careless pose. His forearm rested on his bent knee and he blinked at the man slowly, conveying the attitude that he was unimpressed with the other man’s posturing and rhetoric. “Are you through? This is really getting tedious.”

  For a moment Aldrich’s face began to flush at the insult—Ryne cursed himself for not keeping his mouth shut—but then the moment passed. The man’s face cleared and the smooth cultivated tones of the successful lawyer reappeared. “I see you’re going to be difficult. Well, luckily time is on my side. Mr. Greyson won’t be back for a while, so I’ll be able to leave you two here to think things over. Possible when I return, you’ll be feeling more cooperative. Hand over your cell phone.” He waited with his hand extended and the gun at the ready. When Ryne finally complied, Aldrich nodded and left, bolting the door behind him.

  Chapter 35

  “Aldrich! Is that you? Dammit man, what the hell are you doing on my property?” The voice of Anthony Greyson boomed across the lawn, obviously startling the lawyer who had just exited the supposedly abandoned hut at the rear of the estate. To give the lawyer his due, he composed himself quickly but Greyson still had the satisfaction of knowing he’d caught the man off guard. His amusement faded though, as he pondered what possible excuse Aldrich might have for being where he shouldn’t be.

  “Mr Greyson, sir! I’m surprised to see you. I thought you’d be gone for a few more days.”

  “I never said I was gone. Merely that I was incommunicado. There’s a difference, Leon. As a lawyer, you should know that.”

  “I do, sir. It’s just that the reports stated—”

  “I know all about your ‘eyes and ears’ that report my movements to you. But they only see and hear what I wish. I left, and as soon as they reported me gone, I returned.” The older man rocked back on his heels, secretly enjoying the flabbergasted look that briefly passed over the other man’s face before it disappeared behind a carefully schooled expression. Greyson loved playing mind games with those around him; people thought they could pull the wool over his eyes, that he was an old man in his dotage. Ha! He was sharper now than he’d ever been.

  “I beg your pardon, sir. I never meant—”

  “Don’t start boot-licking now, Aldrich. You watch me. I watch you. Neither of us got where we are today without hedging our bets. It’s smart business, even if it is damned impertinent of you.”

  Aldrich nodded, but Greyson noted how the man’s eyes were assessing him. It appeared Leon might be getting too comfortable in his role, maybe even considering usurping his master. Well then, it was definitely time to consider a little shake up. He gave the lawyer a steely look. “Just remember I sign that pay cheque you’re so fond of, and no matter what you think you know about me, I know even more about you. If I wanted to make you squirm like a worm on a hook, I could.”

  The lawyer didn’t even so much as blink, but Greyson was sure Aldrich’s busy mind was wondering exactly how much his employer really knew about certain past indiscretions. Good, let him sweat a bit. People got too damned complacent; they needed to be kept on their toes.

  “A worm on a hook, sir? Not a pretty picture. I’ll certainly do my best to avoid inciting such a circumstance.”

  Greyson guffawed before turning serious. “Your attempts at humour are pathetic, but even still, you amuse me. Now, why are you here? I believe my orders were quite specific. All non-essential staff were to be off the estate for five days. Last time I looked, you weren’t essential to the running of this place. Explain yourself.”

  “I was checking on the state of the safe room. Ensuring it was up to date and in running order in case you ever need it, Mr. Greyson.”

  “Humph.” He narrowed his eyes and stared at the man he sometimes called friend. In his life, friend and foe were often two sides of the same coin. Which side was Aldrich right now? He glanced towards the hut. Did his peripheral vision catch Aldrich giving his finger a nervous flick or was it merely a shadow from the leafy branches overhead? Hmm… “All right. It’s a good enough reason. Damned efficient of you. But next time I say to stay away, I mean it.”

  Aldrich bobbed his head. “Will you still be ‘incommunicado’ for a few more days, sir?”

  Greyson stared past the lawyer towards the main house. He might be getting old but his eyesight was still keen enough to pick out the window in the upper right-hand corner of the west wing. There was a flicker of movement there—just a flash of white—but it was enough to let him know he needed to get moving. He drew his gaze back to the lawyer. “That’s right. No contact. And don’t you dare let on to anyone I’m here. You won’t like the consequences, if I discover this informatio
n has become public knowledge. Now clear out.”

  “Of course, sir. Except… I do need to make a few adjustments to some of the equipment in the safe room. It will cause less suspicion if I do it now, while almost everyone is away.”

  He studied the lawyer. Something was off, but what? Movement in the upper window of the main house drew his attention again. Damn! There was no time for this. “All right. But I want you gone by sunset. Understood?”

  “Perfectly.” Aldrich nodded serenely as he pulled open the car. “I’ll just go get what I need and return in about an hour. You’ll never even know I was here.”

  “Make sure of it.” Greyson watched Aldrich get in his car and drive away at a sedate pace. Once the car was out of sight, he turned and studied the small camouflaged hut that housed his secret safe room. Leon was checking the equipment and would be back to fix it. Uh-huh. He rubbed his chin, weighing his options before heading back to the house at a brisk pace. Aldrich might be up to something but it would have to take back seat to the more pressing matters that were awaiting him at the main house.

  *****

  Ryne stepped back from the door, where he’d been eavesdropping on the conversation outside. The walls appeared to be reinforced and if it hadn’t been for his keener than normal hearing, he’d never have been able to make out what had been said by the men standing some several feet away. It would seem that Aldrich might be planning on double-crossing Greyson, since no mention of Melody or himself had been made. A falling out among the enemy might work to his advantage.

  He turned to check on Melody. She was resting, her eyes closed, obviously exhausted from the stress and pain of a partial transformation. If she’d been a full-blooded werewolf, the first change would have been slightly uncomfortable but not painful. In fact, once one got used to it, transforming was actually a pleasant feeling of release, rather like a small orgasm. Unfortunately, Melody’s body wasn’t ready for the experience. Some cells were changing, others weren’t. She likely felt as if she was being torn in two.

  Not knowing what else to do, Ryne began circling the room, hating the feeling of being trapped. His wolf required space and freedom; confinement went against his very nature. Testing the window, the door, and the walls, he began looking for any weakness in the structure. Using his elbow, he tried to shatter the glass in the window but it seemed to be some form of bullet proof or shock resistant substance. Similarly, the door and walls resisted his attempts to break them down; the only thing he managed to do was bend the door handle out of shape and give himself a sore shoulder. A frustrated growl rumbled up from his chest. Yep, this was definitely a safe room. While it was designed to keep people out, it also served to keep people in.

  He rubbed his aching joint and sat down on the floor next to Melody, brushing her hair from her forehead. Her breathing was even; the sleep was natural rather than the unconscious state she’d been in when he left her apartment. How many hours ago was that? He glanced at his watch, having lost track of time. Okay, he still had an hour before needing to check in with Bryan. It was cutting it close, but there was still time so that was one positive. Unfortunately, after that everything else went straight to hell.

  Kane was waiting for his call. His brother would be anxious, not wanting to disperse the pack but not willing to risk their safety by waiting too long. Ryne ground his teeth and cursed Aldrich for taking his phone. The dispersal was one thing—if it happened, the members could be called back, but how long would Kane wait before issuing the order to destroy the remaining pack? A knot formed in Ryne’s gut as he contemplated what would happen if he didn’t make that call in the next few hours.

  Leaning his head against the wall, he inhaled deeply and forced himself to be calm and logical as he puzzled over who knew what and the implications of each bit of knowledge. How many people did he need to find and silence? Together Aldrich, Greyson, and Melody each had possession of a plethora of truths, half-truths, and misconceptions. Out of the three, Melody knew the most; she just wasn’t aware of it yet. In a way, that made her the most dangerous to the safety of his kind. How she reacted, when the pieces of the puzzle fell together, would determine her fate.

  Beside him, Melody stirred and pressed closer to him. The simple gesture made his heart beat faster. In her sleep she still trusted him, but how she would feel once she was awake might be a different story. When she’d first seen him at her apartment building, she hadn’t been pleased, no doubt still feeling the sting of their parting words. And, even though she called out his name when he had charged into this room, it was probably due more to surprise than any actual joy at his presence.

  Loathe to disturb her, but knowing they had an hour at best before Aldrich returned, he gently shook her awake. He needed to figure out if she was really an innocent in all of this, explain about the transformation, formulate a plan to get out of here in one piece and then deal with those who knew more than they should.

  “Melody? You have to wake up. We need to talk.”

  “Hmm? Ryne?” She blinked at him sleepily, her brow slowly furrowing as awareness returned. Ryne could tell, by the expression on her face, the moment she realized where she was. Pushing herself upright, she brushed her hair from her face and looked around at her surroundings. “What the hell is going on? Why are you here? And why am I here?”

  Ryne helped her up sit up, steadying her until she found her balance. “Well, it’s complicated.”

  “Complicated?” She glowered at him. “And, why do I suspect that the complications are mostly your fault?”

  Her tone of voice irritated him and he snapped back at her. “Well, some of it is, though strictly speaking, your presence is what started everything.”

  “Me? I didn’t do anything!”

  “Yes, you did. You kept insisting on interviewing me.”

  “So? It’s a perfectly reasonable request!”

  “Which I chose to decline. You should have just gone away.” Ryne chose to take a hard line with her. If he pushed enough, he might get to the truth behind her presence in Stump River and Smythston.

  “Gone away! After chasing you half way across the continent? I don’t think so! There was too much money involved.”

  Ryne pounced on her statement. “Ah-ha! So now we have your real motive. You said the interview was for a course you were taking. That you were just interested in my art. But that’s not the whole truth, is it? You’re in this with Aldrich!”

  Melody huffed and looked away.

  He pressed his advantage. “I’m right, aren’t I? That’s why you won’t look at me. You lied about the interview. What was the real reason you were trying to find me?” He grabbed her shoulder, forcing her to face him.

  She compressed her lips before sighing and giving in. “All right. I’ll tell you, especially since it appears Aldrich was lying to me or has gone off his rocker or something.”

  Ryne settled back and crossed his arms. He kept his eyes carefully trained on her so he could gauge the truth of what she was about to tell him.

  “This rich guy named Greyson wants information on you—I was never really told exactly why; they just hinted that it might be for an article in an art magazine and that he was this big collector who liked your work. Anyway, Aldrich was in charge of interviewing people for the job and somehow got hold of my name. I was surprised I was hired because he didn’t seem to like me, and I’m still just a student. But, for whatever reason, I was offered the job. It paid a small fortune; enough that I could quit working and go back to school full time, so I took the assignment.”

  Ryne narrowed his eyes, considering the information. It seemed too simple. “If that’s the case, then why didn’t you just tell me?”

  “Because secrecy was one of the conditions of the job.” She shook her head. “I know, I know; it sounds suspicious, and I did wonder, but the money was too good to pass up. And then, when you didn’t want an interview, Aldrich started to threaten that Greyson would sue me for the return of all the money, even
what I’d already spent tracking you down.” Melody rubbed her hands up and down her arms as she stared about the small room. “It was just an interview with a nature photographer, for heaven’s sake. Nothing that earth shattering. I figured it was easy money; what could possibly go wrong?” She snorted inelegantly. “Now look at the mess I’m in!”

  “Yeah, well… ” Ryne rubbed the back of his neck. “In normal circumstances, an interview with a nature photographer would be a simple job.” Her aura let him know she was speaking the truth so at least part of his concerns had been dealt with. Now came the hard part; breaking the news to her about werewolves.

  Melody fixed her eyes on him, a speculative look on her face. “But you’re not a simple photographer, are you Ryne?

  “Not exactly.”

  “Then what? Do you smuggle drugs in the picture frames? Are you in debt to the Mob? Wanted for murder? Robbing a bank?”

  “No. Nothing illegal.”

  “Then what?”

  “Well… ” Ryne tried to think of any easy way to tell her, but knew they didn’t have time to beat around the bush. He might just as well spit it out. “You see… I’m a werewolf.”

  Melody blinked at him then gave a distinctly un-amused laugh. “Right and so am I. And when there’s a full moon, I get all furry and start howling. Come on, Ryne. Give me a break. I feel like crap because… well… I don’t know why, but I do. The point is, I’m just not in the mood for stupid stories.”

  “I’m not joking. I really am a werewolf and so are you. Well, technically you’re only partially a werewolf since you’re still undergoing cellular changes, but eventually you will be.”

  Ryne watched as she got a funny look on her face and then began to ease away from him. “You actually believe those books I saw in your house, don’t you? And I bet you’re a card carrying member of that Lycan website I came across, too.”

  “We don’t really carry cards, but yes, my name’s on the registry.”