by Iris Abbott
The woman behind the desk glanced at the black cropped yoga pants covered in silver and gold stars and the tight silver T-shirt Zoe wore. “She just started one of her refresher courses in self-defense, since you’re here and dressed to work out, I don’t see the harm in showing you back.”
The woman walked around the counter. “Follow me.” Zoe smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.
They walked down the hall and entered the first room on the right. A group of eight women were stretching various parts of their bodies. The receptionist cleared her throat.
Brittany glanced over at them and immediately came over. “Thanks, Jill.” The receptionist nodded and returned to the front desk.
“Hey, glad you came by.” She greeted Zoe with a hug, which surprised the vampire hunter, but she returned the friendly gesture. “Ladies, come meet my new friend, Zoe Myers.”
Two women immediately rushed forward ahead of everyone else. The gorgeous blonde reached her first. She held out a hand. The scarlet tipped nails immediately captured Zoe’s attention. “I’ve heard a lot about you. It’s nice to finally meet you. I’m married to Drew’s cousin, Mitch. My name’s Scarlet.”
“I’m Rose,” the sultry brunette said after shaking Zoe’s hand. “And I’m married to Drew’s other cousin, Justin. I guess I don’t have to tell you that Drew is more than a little infatuated with you,” she confided with a wink and a smile.
Zoe shook Rose’s hand and tried to smile without looking overwhelmed. She wasn’t usually shy but being bombarded by part of Drew’s family when she least expected it was kind of nerve-wracking. “Hi,” Zoe finally managed to get out a greeting.
The other women came forward, saving her from having to think of something else to say.
Brittany handled the introductions. “This is Julie and Selena.” She waved a hand to indicate the two women closest to her. “They’ve been my best friends forever,” she said. “And this,” she said pulling forward a stunning redhead, “is my cousin Jessica.”
Zoe noticed the resemblance right away. She shook hands with the three women, and they exchanged pleasantries.
“And these two lovely ladies are Jillian and Jenna. They’re fairly new to Enigma. They fell in love with the town and decided to stay. Maybe you will too,” she added with a wink.
Zoe felt like she was halfway there. “Stranger things have happened, I’m sure.”
All the women giggled.
“In this town, most definitely,” Brittany agreed. She clapped her hands together. “Finish stretching and pair up. Zoe, I usually work with Jessica, but she already mentioned she wasn’t feeling a hundred percent today, do you mind pairing with me?”
“I’d be honored.” Looks like she was going to get a great workout after all. She joined Brittany in the front of the long rectangular-shaped room surrounded by mirrors. The layout reminded her a lot of her studio back home. She waited for the feeling of homesickness she usually got and was more than a little surprised when it didn’t come.
Zoe grabbed her ankle and pulled it up and back to stretch her quads. The familiar loosening of muscles made her smile. She moved onto the next one, eventually going through a series of stretches that covered most of her body. Ten minutes later she was ready to go.
“All right,” Brittany raised her voice to be heard by everyone in the room. “Start with some simple kickboxing moves to begin with and work up from there.”
Zoe took a deep breath and shook out her hands, fingers, and arms. She was more than confident in her own abilities, but she knew next to nothing about Brittany’s. They squared off against each other, and Zoe braced herself for the first blow.
When it came, the attack was half-hearted at best, and she had no problems dodging and blocking Brittany’s kicks and punches. That went on for about five minutes until Zoe wanted to scream with frustration. “Don’t hold back! I’ve got a brown belt in kickboxing, a black belt in Krav Maga, and third-degree black belts in Judo and Taekwondo.”
That announcement changed everything. Brittany’s face lit up. “Game on!” She executed a ferocious kick that would have sent Zoe reeling if she’d been a quarter of a second slower. She successfully spun away and countered with a kick of her own. The two of them fought five three-minute rounds. By the end of round two, everyone else stopped what they were doing to watch Zoe and Brittany.
When it was over the two women were breathing hard, and they collapsed onto the mats next to each other. Zoe’s muscles burned from the familiar ache of a good workout. She’d never had this talented of a sparring partner before, and she’d held her own, even after being away from her studio for months.
Loud, rousing applause startled her. She’d been oblivious to everyone in the room except for Brittany and the match. Zoe wasn’t surprised they’d garnered an audience, the battle was epic.
“That was awesome!” Julie exclaimed. “I didn’t think I’d ever meet another person that could fight to a draw against Brittany.” There was admiration in her voice.
Brittany was still breathing heavily, but she stood and extended a hand to help Zoe up. “I’m impressed, and trust me, that’s not an easy feat.”
“Likewise,” Zoe agreed with a smile and a bow which Brittany returned.
“I’ve got more business than I can handle, and I’m turning people away every day. If you decide to stay in town let me know, I’ve got a business proposition for you. I’m talking partnership.”
Zoe was speechless. It was a great offer, and it fit right in with the changes she wanted and needed to make in her life, but she couldn’t make such a major commitments yet. Too many things were still up in the air, mainly the latest hunt that had been leading them on a wild goose chase for months. “I’m not sure,” she finally admitted with more than a little regret.
“At least that wasn’t a no. It was a spur of the moment offer, but I meant it. Whether it’s a week from now, a month from now, or even a year from now, it stands. You just let me know when,” Brittany insisted.
“I’ll do my best to talk her into seeing Enigma as home,” a deep voice said from the door.
Zoe’s heart, which had calmed from the exertion of kickboxing, started pounding again. She turned toward the entrance and saw Drew leaning against the wall. His gaze slowly traveled over her body, leaving bursts of heat in its wake. She returned the favor. He was dressed in running shorts and T-shirt much like when they’d gone jogging, and he looked good enough to eat.
“All right, ladies, let’s call it a day,” Brittany said. “I’ve got to get ready for the next class.”
Everyone gathered around Zoe to compliment her kickboxing skills and encourage her to consider making Enigma home.
“I’m the latest addition to the group,” Jillian said. “I followed my sister here about this time last year, and I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.”
The other’s echoed the sentiment before saying goodbye. Five minutes later, Zoe and Drew were the only two left in the room. “Hey,” she whispered.
He moved until he was standing right in front of her. “Go out with me tonight.” It was more of a demand than a request.
Zoe’s sex clenched, and her resolve dissolved. She wanted Drew, and evidently, he wanted her too. She was tired of denying herself, and why should she? She and her sisters were no closer to finding an answer to the strangely mutated vampires popping up all over the country, and they were committed to staying in Enigma until after the Halloween party.
“Okay!”
Drew gave her a cocky grin. “And I didn’t even have to resort to seduction.”
“You can seduce me just by walking into the room,” she admitted. She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his.
Evidently, it wasn’t enough. Drew put his hand on the back of Zoe’s head, buried his fingers in her hair, and took control of the kiss. Her body heated and swelled with desire. Her knees wobbled, and she might have fallen if he hadn’t dropped his hands from her hair to her hips to hold h
er in place.
A sharp nip reminded her to open her mouth to him. She was oblivious to everything except the feel of his body pressed into hers, the thrust of his tongue claiming her mouth, and the caress of roving hands. The clearing of several feminine throats was an unexpected shock.
She tensed in his arms and tried to move away, but Drew’s hold was steady. He slowly lifted his mouth off of hers and looked up. When he did, Zoe glanced over her shoulder. She turned bright red when she saw Scarlet and Rose standing there.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Rose said, “but Drew’s our ride, and Brittany’s next class is waiting in the hallway,” she reminded them.
Zoe was mortified and hid her face against Drew’s chest. He rubbed her back. “Not a great first impression to make with your family,” she whispered.
He grinned. “Gannons are no strangers to public displays of affection.”
“Well, I am!” she said in a huff.
He slid a finger under her chin and tipped her face upward. “I’ll pick you up at six. Wear jeans, layers, and comfortable shoes. It’s supposed to be a beautiful fall night, and I want to spend it outdoors,” he warned. He brushed his lips across hers one more time before leaving.
Zoe watched him go. She took several deep breaths and was finally starting to feel normal again by the time Brittany and her students began to trickle inside. She gave Brittany an absent wave and left the studio. She had vampires to hunt and a date to prepare for! It was going to be an interesting day!
EIGHT
The full moon played peek-a-boo, using a thin layer of clouds as cover. The crisp air smelled of crushed leaves, evergreens, and spice. “It’s so beautiful,” Zoe whispered because she didn’t want to disturb the tranquility around them.
Drew nodded. “This land has been owned by Gannons for centuries, and there’s no place like home. I was more than ready to return when Mitch called and said he needed me here.”
“Isn’t it funny how things work? We might not have met otherwise.”
Drew shook his head in denial. “I’m a big believer in fate. I’d like to think that our paths would have crossed somewhere down the line.” Mates were fated, meant to be, but he couldn’t share that with Zoe just yet.
He spread the thick blanket on the ground and motioned for Zoe to sit. He joined her. "My family loves nature and the outdoors,” Drew told her. “I wanted to share it with you, plus my house was getting kinda crowded.”
Zoe laughed. “Yeah, I wasn’t expecting to meet most of your family tonight.”
“Well, trust me, it wasn’t planned. But once Scarlet and Rose get hold of an idea, they don’t let go. And my cousins have a hard time saying no to them.” He used to think it was funny as hell. Now he knew precisely how Mitch and Justin felt.
Drew stretched out on the blanket and looked up at the sky. Zoe joined him a few seconds later. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder to pull her closer and pillow her head. She relaxed against his body, causing his nerve ends to tingle and his wolf to stir, urging him to claim what’s his.
“My sisters and I used to stargaze when we were little. I haven’t done it in years.”
“Good to know, we’ll try this again later when we can actually see the stars,” Drew said with a smile.
“What about you? What kind of things did you and your cousins do growing up?”
“Living not too far from Acadia National Park and owning so much land we did all kinds of outdoor things,” he said.
Zoe lightly elbowed him in the side. “This is me trying to get to know you better, be more specific,” she urged.
Drew wanted to get to know her, he really did, but it was hard to think when she was lying next to him and he was breathing in the luscious scent of apples with a touch of vanilla that he now associated with Zoe.
“There’s a whole list. Hiking, hunting, biking, rock climbing, and my favorite, four-wheeling in the mud after a rainstorm.”
“Actually, all of that sounds fun,” she sounded wistful. “Especially the muddy four-wheeling,” she said with a laugh.
“I’d love to do all of those with you,” he said. “But what I really want to do is make love to you.” Drew rolled onto his side and cupped the back of her head, turning her face toward his. “Even covered in a pair of jeans and a sweater you drive me crazy. I’ve been dying to taste you all night.” He had to be inside of her soon, or he’d die.
“Then stop torturing both of us and do it,” she invited.
Drew touched his lips to hers, savoring her sweet taste. His free hand fumbled with the hem of her sweater. His hand glided under the garment and caressed her smooth skin. It moved higher until Drew stroked a pebbled nipple with nimble fingers. He smiled when she pushed her body into his touch.
He brushed his tongue along the seam of her mouth and surged inside when she opened for him. One of her hands moved to the back of his head, forcing him closer. Her tongue darted out and danced with his. She moaned. The sound was thick with desire and urged him to continue.
Drew threw a leg over her hips so that he straddled her. His growing erection pushed against his zipper, trying to get to her core. Drew didn’t think he could wait much longer to take her. Luckily, he wouldn’t have to. Then everything changed.
The shrill ring of Zoe’s phone shattered the quiet of the night.
“Don’t answer,” he growled.
Zoe sat up and pushed him away. She was still breathing hard, and he could see her pulse racing in her throat, but her eyes were no longer hazed from passion. The moment was lost.
“I can’t. That’s my sister’s ringtone. Kara knows I’m with you, and she wouldn’t call unless it were an emergency.” She quickly grabbed the offending phone from her purse and answered the call. “Hello?”
Drew wanted to curse and throw something, but he tamped down his feelings of frustration and concentrated on Zoe. He needed to know what was going on.
“What! Oh my God! Is Tara all right? How about you?” Silence for several seconds. “All right, I’m on my way right now. Love you.” She disconnected the call. “I’m sorry, but I need you to take me home right now.”
“What happened to your sisters?”
“Um, they went for a walk in the park and got mugged. Only a few scrapes and bruises, but I need to be with them.”
Mitch knew differently. He could hear much better than any human. He’d heard Kara’s end of the conversation too. The two sisters hadn’t been mugged. They’d been attacked by three of the Puppet Master’s creatures. They managed to kill one of the zombies, but not without minor injuries, and the other two got away.
“I’ll take you right now.” He quickly stood and pulled Zoe to her feet. He grabbed the blanket without bothering to fold it and slung it over his shoulder. He entwined his fingers with hers, and they briskly walked the ten minutes back to his garage. He threw the blanket in the corner until later.
Once they were in the car and on the road headed toward the inn, he broached the subject again. He wanted her to trust him enough to tell him the truth, but he could understand why she didn’t. After all, he hadn’t revealed his big secret either.
“Remember Jenna from Brittany’s studio?”
“Um, yes.” She gave him a confused look.
“Her husband, Craig Aquila, is a detective with the Enigma Police Department.” He was also a raptor shifter and the liaison between the council and the EPD. “Want me to call and ask him to check into the mugging?”
Zoe stiffened. “No police!” She took a deep breath. “Nothing was stolen, and my sisters are scared but not hurt. They just want to forget the whole thing happened.”
He dropped the subject, and they were silent the rest of the way to Inn Enigma. She tried to stop him from escorting her to the door, but he wasn’t having any of that. He kissed her goodnight. “I know after the attempted mugging you might not be in much of a partying mood, but don’t forget about tomorrow night.”
She hugged him. “We won’t. I can’t wa
it! Maybe tomorrow’s date will end better than this one.”
“A man can dream,” he said with a wicked smile. “Take care of yourself, and I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
She went inside to comfort her sisters. Drew returned to his car, moved it several blocks from the inn, and settled in for a long night. If the escaped zombies tracked the sisters to where they were staying, he’d be ready. And if the vampire hunters decided to go for a midnight hunt, he’d be prepared for that too.
NINE
“What the heck! A real freaking castle in Maine! No way!”
Zoe blinked twice, but nothing changed. She knew she was gawking, but Zoe couldn’t help it. The vast Gothic structure was more suited to Europe than Maine, and it was the last type of building she expected to visit. Zoe had to admit it was the perfect setting for a Halloween party. No wonder it was the most sought-after invitation in town.
Drew pulled her close and brushed his lips across her mouth. “Somehow, I knew you would be impressed.”
“In more ways than one,” she managed to say after the all too brief kiss ended. “I’m not too impressed with your costume, though. What are you supposed to be? Secret Service?” He just shrugged.
“The castle’s gorgeous,” Tara breathed. “And look at the turret. One day I want a house with a tower. It would make the perfect writing space,” she said in awe.
“Look at the decorations!” Kara exclaimed. “Someone went to a lot of trouble to do this place up right for the party. Brash and bold, my kind of style.”
Thousands of cobwebs were spread out on the walls and various arches. Mist covered the floor and swirled around the guests’ feet and legs. Spooky organ music reminiscent of Halloween filled the air, adding to the eeriness of the atmosphere.
The sisters looked around them trying to take it all in. At least a hundred people decked out in elaborate costumes filled the great hall of the castle. “Wow,” is everybody in town here?” she nervously asked Drew. She hadn’t been expecting so many people.