by Bianca D’Arc
“I’m Margarete,” she said, introducing herself to Sonia first, then shaking hands with Katrina before turning her dancing dark eyes on Ren. “I’m a big fan, Mr. Smith.”
Ren seemed to shift into movie star mode, smiling at the woman easily. “Call me Ren.”
“Forgive my niece,” Monty told them all. “She’s more impatient than most of my human family.” Monty held out his arm to Margarete, and she took it. “Come into the dining room. The staff has prepared a feast in your honor,” he said, as he led them back down the hall.
Katrina noticed that everyone fell in line behind the lead couple, walking quietly toward the open doors that had to lead to the dining room. Sonia held Ren’s right forearm while Katrina was on his left as they entered. The room took her breath away. It was Grade-A medieval castle with all the modern accoutrements.
Antique sideboards and a massive table that ran the length of the room with exquisite hand-carved chairs upholstered in rich red velvet. There was a massive fireplace at one end and a door next to it through which people moved, bringing out platters of food that smelled just heavenly.
A small crowd was already gathered around the table as Monty took his place at the head. He gestured for Sonia to take the opposite side of the long table as her place of honor, and little place cards told everyone else where to sit. Katrina was seated next to Ren, with Margarete on her other side. Ren was at the left-hand side of Monty himself. On Monty’s right was an older man, with a bit of gray in his hair, who looked solid and eyed the company with interest.
He was introduced as Monty’s adopted son, and Katrina soon realized that Monty had surrounded himself with a human family, adopting as necessary to bring trusted individuals into the fold. Half of the giant table was filled between the jaguars and Monty’s family. When Monty gave the signal, food was set at the center of the table on large platters, and when all was laid out, those who had served sat down in the remaining places at the table.
Katrina liked that. Monty might be ancient nobility, but he treated the servants as equals in this, at least. Everybody at the table seemed to be in on the big secret of vampires and shifters being real, and conversation flowed freely. Monty’s family was definitely interested in learning more about jaguars, and Monty kept up a lively conversation with his adopted son, Roderick, Ren, and a few others.
Katrina remained mostly silent, concentrating on the meal and the amazing conversations taking place around her. She was new to this world, after all, and was learning by leaps and bounds. Plus, the magnificence of the room and the building itself was a bit overwhelming. She’d never been in an honest-to-goodness castle before.
Margarete did her best to put Katrina at ease, including her in the discussion she was having with some of the staff farther down the table about the movie production. Katrina answered what questions she could about filming and the scenes she knew they would be doing on the estate and in the castle, also telling them about what they’d already accomplished back in the States.
All in all, it was a fascinating dinner. The food was plentiful, and Katrina was glad to be joined by the members of Monty’s family in eating strictly human portions while the shifters impressed everyone by clearing their plates and going back for thirds. Monty, she noticed, ate nothing, but watched all while he sipped at his goblet of wine. At least, it looked like wine. She hoped it was wine.
Sonia was holding court at the other end of the long table, clearly in her element. Katrina was just drinking it all in when Ren touched her arm.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” he asked quietly, the others around them engaged elsewhere for the moment.
Katrina nodded. “It’s really impressive. The room, the building, the people.” She made a small gesture with one hand.
“Get used to it. You’re moving in different circles now,” Ren told her, smiling gently. She loved it when he looked at her that way, with the love sparkling in his green eyes.
“I know you two are newly mated, but I was hoping you might sit in on a security briefing after dinner, Ren,” Monty said, drawing Ren’s attention away from her.
“I’d like that,” Ren replied politely, then looked back to Katrina apologetically.
“We keep late hours here, and I know the others would welcome Kat into their company while we get business out of the way,” Monty told them, including Katrina in the conversation.
“I’d enjoy that,” Katrina insisted, sensing Ren wanted to be sure she was okay with him going off on his own. She’d miss him, but she’d be all right. There were plenty of people here, and she knew all the jaguars now. She could hang out with them and would enjoy meeting more of Monty’s family and staff, as well.
After dinner was over, Ren went off with Greg, Monty, Roderick and some of the others. Others left in groups, going in different directions. Katrina went with Margarete, who promised a tour of the castle. Franny, Deidre and Adela joined them, and they took off for a leisurely stroll around the massive house as Ren and the others headed for an interior room.
Once Ren was satisfied that Katrina was safe and well looked after, he moved into one of the other rooms where Monty’s people had set up a security briefing. The first scent that hit him the moment he entered the room was canine, and he stopped short. It was Sonia that pushed Ren into the room, her diminutive frame hiding a strength great enough to push a full-grown jaguar Alpha around.
“Ren, this is William Rufus Montague Whittaker, another of Monty’s adoptees. He is Alpha of the wolf Pack that lives in, and safeguards, the estate’s vast lands.” Sonia moved between the werewolf, who now stood on one side of the room, and Ren, who maintained his position just inside the door.
Ren wasn’t sure exactly what was happening, but he was willing to listen. He was certain of Sonia’s pure heart, and if she was on good terms with this wolf, then it was worth listening to what they had to say.
“Welcome to Montague,” the werewolf said. “I’m also head of security for the grounds while my human brothers and our Lord watch over the house itself. My Pack is the first line of defense for Monty, and we take our jobs very seriously. Which is why we weren’t at the dinner held in your honor. We thought it better that you meet the house side first, while we kept watch. As you move about during your work here, you’ll get to know some of my people, but it was important to warn you of our presence, to avoid potential conflict.”
Ren watched the wolf cautiously. “I understand, Alpha. Frankly, I’m surprised none of us scented your presence before now.”
The Alpha wolf smiled and shook his head. “Oh, there’s one among you who knew right away, but I’m not too put off by that. Nobody gets much past Sensei Mendez.”
As if conjured by mention of his name, Greg entered the room behind Ren and moved quickly around him with his hand outstretched to meet the werewolf. He had a big smile on his face, and it was clear Greg knew the other man already.
“Rufus, good to see you,” Greg said, shaking hands with the Alpha wolf as they both grinned, then gave each other a bro hug complete with back-pounding affection. Ren revised his opinion. Greg didn’t just know the other man, he actually liked him.
“Sensei, I’m glad you’re here,” Rufus replied as they broke apart, and Ren heard the sincerity in the wolf’s voice. “Strange things are afoot, and frankly, I could use your insight.”
“Always happy to help one of my best former students,” Greg replied quickly, clapping Rufus on the back. “What’s the situation?”
Rufus gestured for everyone to be seated. Once again, Monty had the position of honor at the head of the table, but it was clear that Rufus was running this briefing. He had two other werewolves flanking him, but their roles were unclear to Ren as the meeting started. He assumed they were in support positions, though the female looked too young to have grown into her full strength yet. Ren sat and waited to hear what the wolves had to say, reserving judgment until he had a clearer picture.
“We’ve had tests of our perimeter star
ting three days ago.” Rufus dove right in with his talk. “Normally, we get this kind of incursion maybe once every few months. Usually, it’s sightseers who’ve gone off the beaten path or are trying to get in to see the castle. Occasionally, it’ll be hikers or even birders who wander into our lands either by mistake or on purpose. We deal with them accordingly and send them on their way, and after one run-in with us, they don’t come back.” Rufus seemed pleased with that result, then his gaze grew concerned. “The last three days, there have been multiple incursions of different kinds every day, and we haven’t been able to track or capture our prey. I’ve asked my brother, Rafe, to prepare a visual so you can get an idea of where and when the tests of our boundaries have occurred.” Rufus turned to the male werewolf on his right and gestured for him to take the lead.
Rafe, who looked just a little younger than Rufus but had a similar commanding presence, began a precise briefing that had a definite military flair. Ren wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that the British werewolf was former Special Forces, or whatever the equivalent was in the British military. He dimmed the lights slightly and brought up a projection on the far wall showing the perimeter of the estate, which was far larger than Ren had thought.
Rafe explained the time, nature and success level of each incursion in chronological order. As each incident was reported, Ren’s concern grew. Greg was sitting next to him and had that serene but intense look on his face that he’d mastered over years of martial arts study and practice. Sonia, sitting on Ren’s left, looked concerned and even a bit angry.
When Rafe was done with his part of the briefing, he increased the lights to normal level again but left the graphic of the castle’s grounds up on the wall. He turned the meeting back over to his brother with a nod, and Rufus introduced the young woman seated on his left.
“This is my niece, Nerene. She’s training with the region’s priestess because she has a little extra something in the way of magic. Her father was a mage. Her mother was my sister.” A shadow passed over his face, and Ren didn’t ask but had the sad feeling that young Nerene was now an orphan. Rufus shook his head just once, as if to banish a memory, then put his hand gently on Nerene’s forearm. “Tell them what you told me about the man you saw,” he said softly to the girl, who was clearly a little apprehensive in such company.
Nerene looked nervously at Monty then began to speak. “I see things, sometimes,” she said hesitantly. “When the incidents started three days ago, I saw the image of a man, stalking the woods. He was big. Very muscular, in the way of humans that lift weights at gyms. I couldn’t see his face, but yesterday, I saw that he had some sort of tattoo on his arm. It looked almost like a military symbol, but not from this country. I’m not all that familiar with such things, but that was the impression I got, though I couldn’t see the design distinctly. I think there were wings and maybe a snake. Perhaps a sword.” She shook her head, and her gaze was slightly unfocused.
“That’s all right, Nerrie,” Rufus told her gently. “Tell them what you saw today.”
“A light,” she said with more certainty. “Shining off his head. He was bald, or he’d shaved his head.”
Ren thought immediately of the bald man who had been hassling Katrina back in the States. T.J. Cochran. Former Marine. A chill went down his spine followed swiftly by anger.
“It was dark in my vision. He was in the forest. Prowling. Hunting. I feel like he’s out there right now, looking for a way in.” Nerene shivered.
Ren could see she was a gentle soul, troubled greatly by what she’d seen. Even as anger and dismay coursed through him at this renewed threat to his mate, he took time to see that the less dominant werewolf received praise for her willingness to help and reveal what she’d seen.
“Thank you, Miss Nerene,” Ren told her, schooling his trained voice to gentleness. This girl seemed fragile in a way shifters seldom were. Of course, losing her parents could have done that, especially when her father was a mage and she shared at least some of his gifts. “I owe you a debt of gratitude for sharing what you know and telling me of this threat to my mate. I will not forget your kindness.” The girl blushed as he praised her, and he realized this little one needed such attention if she was ever going to grow out of her shyness.
Ren shifted his gaze to Rufus and caught a short nod of approval. The Alpha was protective of his young Packmate, and Ren’s actions had earned him a point in his own favor. Ren hadn’t been nice to her for that reason, but he didn’t mind that his natural instinct to be kind to a less dominant creature was helping him forge a better relationship with this unexpected canine Alpha.
“There was a man fitting that description harassing Kat in the States. He posed as a photographer, but he never seemed to actually take any photos,” Ren told them.
The Hilliards were sitting next to Greg, and Ren motioned to them to fill in the blanks of the research they’d done previously on T.J. Cochran. The werewolves seemed particularly interested in the Hilliards’ information, and Ren added his own observations of the man.
“We’ll be looking for Cochran,” the Alpha said in a grim tone, “but we won’t put all our eggs into the single basket. We’re watching for all threats, both to your people and to our primary concern, which has always been Monty’s safety.” Rufus nodded toward Monty, seated quietly at the head of the table. “He wants you all here, though to be frank, I disagreed with the entire idea. A film will draw attention to the estate, and with you in it, Ren, it’s going to be successful. I really don’t relish the idea of dealing with your fans wanting to get a peek at the castle where you once walked.” Rufus rolled his eyes, but Ren understood the man’s concerns.
“There are bigger issues at stake here than you know, William,” Monty told the Alpha wolf, speaking up for the first time from his post at the head of the table. He used the wolf’s first name, rather than the name his friends used, which seemed significant to Ren. Apparently, Monty’s easygoing manner hid a formality carried over from his earlier days. “I agreed to this, despite the possibility of added concerns for you down the road because Lady Sonia asked.” Monty nodded regally toward Sonia, who sat at the other end of the table, which was much smaller than the giant dining room edifice but still quite impressive and definitely antique.
“Establishing myself in this realm quickly is important,” Sonia said in her musical voice as all eyes turned to her. “To that end, Lord Montague and Alpha Pepard agreed to help. Monty graciously granted me the use of his castle and lands for a short period of time while the Jaguar Alpha helped me get Ren to agree to be in my movie. Once this film hits, my entrée into the elite circles I need to move in will follow. I haven’t told anyone but Marc Pepard and Monty why this is so important, but suffice to say that I believe some of the news and entertainment fed to mortals is being subverted by dark forces. My mission is to counter that and be in position to identify which of the elite in those areas serve the enemy and who might be counted on to help our fight, when it comes.”
This was news to Ren. Everyone around the table seemed surprised by Sonia’s words, except, of course, Monty. It explained a lot, though. Ren’s mind spun out the possibilities. If Sonia was probing the media world, were there others doing the same in other parts of the mortal realm? Ren realized that Marc was probably already on the lookout for people in his realm of influence who might be playing for the wrong side in the upcoming battle. Likewise, Monty was probably doing the same. Suddenly, Ren realized the importance of the film and its role in setting Sonia up to run in circles where he, himself, couldn’t quite reach.
Ren had influence among actors and actresses, but studio owners and the decision makers that brokered the deals weren’t quite in his league. They would be much more accessible to Sonia, as soon as this film propelled her into being the next big thing among directors. Those star makers would be competing for her attention, and she would be able to pick and choose where she positioned herself among them. Smart.
Chapter Ninet
een
Katrina’s tour of the castle was both amazing and a whole lot of fun. Margarete was friendly and, from what Katrina could tell, completely human. It was nice, in a way, to be around someone who wasn’t a shifter with magical abilities. Of course, Margarete knew much more about the world the jaguars moved in than Katrina did. At one point, as they explored the music room—which was more like a mini concert hall—the topic arose.
“The others are meeting them now, but some of my cousins are werewolves,” Margarete admitted off-handedly. The jaguar shifters all tensed, as if they expected an attack, and Margarete laughed. “Sorry. It’s not bad. They just wanted to keep watch while we got to know each other over dinner. I think the Alpha was also playing a game with your friend, Greg. Apparently, Mr. Mendez taught our cousin quite a bit in the ways of stealth and martial arts. Rumor in the family is that he wanted to test his skills, and how well he’d passed them on to the rest of his Pack.”
Katrina saw the jaguar women visibly relax a little at Margarete’s explanation. They were still a bit on edge, though, so Katrina took the opportunity to get some questions answered.
“So, you’re saying there are actual werewolves living in this castle?” Katrina wanted clarification.
“Only occasionally. They have homes out in the woods, mostly, but there’s always room here if some of them need a place. The Pack is led by another of Monty’s adopted sons, and he has his own domain. Basically, the human side of the family looks after the castle, and the wolf side watches the grounds, which are rather extensive,” she explained.
“Well, if they learned their stealth from Greg, they were A-plus students,” Franny said with a shake of her head. “I didn’t scent wolf at all. Not once.” She looked around at the other jaguars, who all nodded agreement.