by K. R. Willis
After dressing for work and feeding Rya and myself, I jotted down the numbers for the leads, then headed out. It was still pretty early, so traffic was light. I made good time as I drove past a sea of trees that bordered the highway on both sides. Sunlight flickered in and out as the sun slowly rose, raining patches of light down on the wooded floor like sparkles from a roman candle on the Fourth of July.
It was through these erratic splotches of light that I saw them.
I wasn’t sure how many there were, but I counted at least three on my left, and four on my right. A multitude of colored coats danced in and out of light and shadow as they ran. They kept pace with Old Red, the pounding of their paws on the ground would no doubt echo the sudden pounding of my heart if I’d been able to hear them.
An ashy gray one to my right, who seemed to be bigger and in the lead, turned beady amber eyes toward me and showed me its teeth. I tried to swallow the lump that had found its way into my throat, but it refused to move.
“Werewolves,” I breathed. Looking for me. I knew it in my gut. Their territory was nowhere near here.
Rya stepped forward in my mind then, alert and aware. Can you outrun them? she asked.
“I’m not certain,” I said aloud, “but we’re damn sure about to find out.”
Stomping on the accelerator, I opened Old Red up, letting every one of her 350 horses have full rein. The rebuilt old engine hesitated for half a heartbeat before it dug in and shot the old truck forward like someone had chewed us up and spit us back out. My head thumped the back glass with the sudden jolt.
I’d never pushed her hard, afraid of losing control and crashing her or damaging the old frame, but I didn’t think of any of that as I pushed the pedal closer to the floor. She growled her displeasure, but quickly responded. Within seconds, we were far enough down the road I could no longer see the wolves.
I looked over my shoulder to make sure. A few shadows danced in and out of the morning sunlight, but furry shapes no longer littered the forest floor. My foot remained on the accelerator, but it eased some, letting Old Red slow a bit. No need to push her that hard if I didn’t have to.
After checking over my shoulders one more time, I exhaled and peeled my fingers from the steering wheel. My heart raced in my chest and pounded in my ears, but it was easier to breathe.
How do you think they found us out here? Rya asked. She settled back into the depths of my mind, but stayed alert. I had the sensation her tail was twitching.
I don’t know, I said. My thoughts scattered in a dozen different directions, but kept circling back to one explanation. One that made me uneasy.
They must have been following me. Or at the very least, keeping tabs on me.
My skin crawled as the notion of dozens of pairs of amber eyes watching me as I went through my day to day routine ran through my mind. I shuddered. It was time I paid more attention before my lack thereof landed me in a whole lot of trouble.
Trouble I might not make it out of.
With that happy thought floating around in my brain, I kept her at a respectable ten miles over the speed limit, and hurried toward the shop.
∞∞∞
Kit was already in the shop when I opened the doors. Not long after I opened the shop two years ago, I’d caught Kit trying to spray graffiti on the old red brick. I’d seen something in him—not just talent—so I’d trained him to spray paint the classics I restored, and paid him to do odd jobs around the shop instead of turning him over to the cops. Having a real job to do had given him purpose, and he’d become a reliable worker. Even a friend.
I smiled when I saw him inspecting the ’35 coupe. He’d been wanting to put an updated paint job on her since the first time Dr. Radcliffe brought her in, but the old man refused. Said he wanted to keep the original color she had when he bought her for sentimental reasons.
He glanced up when the door shut behind me.
“How was your trip?” I asked. He’d taken last week off to visit some family in Washington, and I had to admit, the shop hadn’t quite been the same without him.
He smiled. “Went well. Gramps don’t recognize me much no more, but Grams kept after him until he came ’round.” He cocked his hip against the Ford and asked, “Why, did ya miss me?”
“Nope,” I said. I tried to sound serious, but I couldn’t hide my smile, so he knew I was kidding. A sudden thought popped into my head. “Hey, since you’re back, want to do me a favor?”
“Sure. Whatcha need?” He pulled himself away from the Ford, and stood at attention.
“I have some leads on a ’50 Chevy 3100 for a potential client. Can you make some calls and see if they follow through?”
He nodded eagerly so I handed him the paper with the numbers.
“If any of them pan out, come get me so I can talk to them.”
“You got it,” he said, then he dashed off toward the office. It really was nice having him back.
With that done, I pushed the few lingering remnants from my race with the wolves to the back of my mind, then rolled my hair into a ponytail and got to work on the coupe.
A few hours later, grease covered nearly every inch of exposed skin, but I’d managed to replace both breaks and had started wiring in the new air conditioner lines. Kit found me under the dash, trying to figure out the best place to run the lines through the firewall.
“Think I found it,” he said. “Guy outta Bozeman. Said his father has one buried in a warehouse. Old man passed away, and they’re lookin’ to clean house.” He passed me a piece of paper with a name and number scribbled across it.
“Thanks,” I said, and patted him on the back. “If you’re done, you can head out for the day. I don’t have any new paint jobs for you yet.”
“Cool.” He glanced at the coupe, a wistful look on his face, then pulled his keys from his torn pants pocket. “Later.” The door banged shut behind him.
I placed the call to Mr. Muldrow to confirm, then left a message on Vicki’s voicemail, letting her know I thought I’d found the truck she was looking for, and left my cell number for her to call me back. With any luck, I’d have a little extra cash in my pocket a few days from now.
∞∞∞
The sun had just set when I pulled into Leo’s driveway and killed the engine. I took the steps two at a time, and the large front door opened before I had the chance to knock. My hello to Amina or Raimondo died in my throat as I realized Leo had opened the door.
He chuckled. “Do not look so amused. I do know how to open my own door.” He stepped aside and bid me enter, then closed the door behind us.
“I figured you knew how, but seeing you do it in person just seems weird.”
He had such an aristocratic air about him that it just didn’t seem to fit, even with the semi-casual clothes he had on: white cotton shirt that buttoned up the front, and coffee colored slacks. Even when he relaxed, he still dressed better than most men I knew.
“Come,” he said and motioned me toward the library. “Amina and Raimondo wanted to see a movie in town, so I gave them the night off.”
I glanced at him sideways in disbelief. His smile brightened.
“I manage quite well on my own,” he added, as though he needed to prove himself capable of taking care of himself around the house. I laughed and shook my head. No matter what he said there was no way I could picture him doing his own laundry.
We stepped into his office, but instead of sitting at his desk as we had the last two times, he offered me a seat on the cream sofa that sat along the opposite wall. He poured a glass of brandy from a crystal decanter, and re-corked it when I shook my head no at his offer.
The plush cushions enveloped me as I leaned back, and asked, “Were you able to acquire the pass I need?” I hated jumping right in to business, but I couldn’t shake the feeling George was on a timetable...one that wasn’t on his side.
The smile vanished from Leo’s face. He took the other end of the sofa and knocked back half the glass before answering.
“Yes. At great cost, I might add.” He downed the rest of the brandy as though he needed the burn of the alcohol.
I didn’t ask him how much it cost him because I knew that if it cost enough to make a two hundred-year-old vampire mention it, I could never repay him, and that meant if I asked and he wanted me to pay it back, I’d end up owing him big time. Best to keep going and hope he didn’t think about it.
Without being asked, Leo stood and walked over to a jacket hanging on a coat rack inside the door. He reached into the left breast pocket and pulled something free, but kept it closed in his hand where I couldn’t tell what it was. He turned toward me, and a mischievous gleam lit his eyes.
Uh oh.
“Seeing how I acquired this at great personal cost to myself, I think it is only fitting that I ask for a boon in return. A way for you to repay me.”
Ah crap, he had thought about it.
Sitting up straighter and squaring my shoulders I asked, “What do you want for it?” You’d think saving a man’s life would be enough to make whatever he’d paid worth it, but apparently not. Perhaps vampires, and maybe even all supernaturals, didn’t view life and death the same way humans did.
Leo smiled like the devil. “Agree to have dinner with me.”
My mouth dropped open. That’s it? That’s all he wanted? Granted, I’d shirked his advances and refused his previous attempts to take me out, mostly because, with everything that had happened, it just didn’t seem like the right time. But also partly because the idea of having a relationship with him scared the hell out of me.
I mean, the man was over two hundred years old. The fact that he would be “well-versed” in all things romance hadn’t escaped my train of thought. Vampires were renowned for their romantic endeavors. I, on the other hand, was twenty-two and had dated very few men. I’d been “romantic” with even fewer. Terrifying was more like it. But, if that’s what it took to get what I needed to help George, surely I could survive one date with him without looking like a childish idiot.
Just say yes, Rya pressed. You might actually have some fun.
Yeah, that’s kind of what I was afraid of. “Okay, dinner it is. But just one.”
The devilish smile on his face grew. “Two.”
I sighed. I really didn’t have the money to repay him so I said, “Fine. Two, and that’s it. We’re even.”
“Done,” he said.
With that settled, Leo walked over and placed a gold medallion in my hand. The medallion was cool to the touch, and smooth around the edges, but the middle raised up underneath my thumb. It showed a werewolf in half-were form, hands shaped into claws and teeth bared. It looked as though he was preparing to fight, which seemed fitting for what Rya had described. Feeling something on the back, I flipped it over. The back of the medallion showed what must have been a troll with its massive, grotesque form, and horns jutting out of its head.
“This is it? This is all I need to get in?” I asked.
Leo nodded. “The club has different levels of entry: bronze, silver, and gold. Gold has the highest access, therefore is the most expensive and most coveted. Only bring it out when you wish to gain entrance somewhere; otherwise keep it hidden or you are likely to lose it.” He glared at me. “If you lose it, I will not replace it. It was expensive, even by my standards.”
Damn. By the sounds of it, I was lucky the only thing he wanted in return was for me to have dinner with him.
“Is there anything else you think I should know before I go in after George?” I rubbed the werewolf side of the medallion one more time before stashing it in my right pocket. Though it was tiny, I felt the weight of it as though I’d stuffed a brick in my pocket. I couldn’t wait to rescue George and return the thing to Leo.
“There is,” he said. “I took the liberty of purchasing you a dress.” He held his hand up before I had the chance to protest. “Before you argue, answer me this: Do you have anything in your wardrobe that would suggest you can afford to purchase such a piece?” His tone wasn’t condescending, just matter-of-fact, but still I stiffened at his words.
It was one thing to know I couldn’t afford it, and another to hear him say it aloud.
His eyes softened, lessening the blow to my ego, as though he knew what I was thinking. I sighed and crossed my arms over my chest. He already knew the answer so I didn’t say anything.
To his credit, Leo didn’t say anything else in regards to my wardrobe, or lack thereof. He dipped his head in acknowledgment and moved on. “I have placed your attire for the evening in the room you used before when you were recovering from your injuries. You should find everything you need. I have also asked Arnaud to take you in one of my vehicles. As much as I like the old truck you drive around, it would not suffice in this situation.”
At Leo’s mention of Arnaud going with me, some of the tension I hadn’t realized I’d been holding on to melted away. I really hadn’t wanted to go in with just me and Rya, but I refused to put Sam in harm’s way if I didn’t have to, and Sally was a definite no. She was still recovering from the last time she’d gone with me. Arnaud, on the other hand, was a very powerful vampire, and perfectly capable of taking care of himself.
“Thank you,” I said. “For everything. You didn’t have to do as much as you have.”
Leo smiled. “You are welcome. George was a good employee, and I do not wish for any harm to come to him.” His smile suddenly turned wicked and his eyes darkened. “Plus, I needed a way to convince you to go out with me since you have repeatedly rebuffed my advances.”
My cheeks heated, and I turned away. Guilt tugged at my subconscious, but the blue-blooded woman in me screamed, “Hot damn!” that he’d been willing to go to such extremes in order to take me out on a date. Now I just had to hope like hell I made it out of the club in one piece.
Chapter 6
Leo escorted me through the house to the room in question, then left me to get ready. I walked over to the large canopy bed and sucked in a deep breath when I saw the dress he had picked out for me. Instead of being black or red as I expected it would be, it was burnt orange. The high-necked, silk sheath dress puddled across the sheets like liquid fire, almost seeming to move on its own. Beige slip-on caged heels sat on the bed next to it, and a set of black, lacy undergarments rounded out the ensemble.
A thrill raced through me. I’d never had anything so exotic before, and the thought of trying it on made my heart race. I couldn’t get out of my clothes fast enough. I’d gone home and showered after work, so I didn’t waste any time slipping on the lacy bits, then the dress. It slithered across my skin like an old lover, caressing and feeling its way into all the right places. It was a perfect fit, as though Leo had known my size. I dashed into the adjoining bathroom, and stared at the woman in the mirror in awe.
My long black hair cascaded down my back and spilled across my shoulders, accenting the burnt orange color beautifully. Sleeveless, it showed off my toned arms and a little bit of Rya’s tattoo as it looped around my neck. Glittering gold grommets artfully showed off holes that had been spaced about two inches apart all the way around the neckpiece and the hem at the bottom. Even I had to admit I looked stunning.
You look beautiful, Rya purred. He has good taste.
Yes, he does.
Not wanting to waste any more time, I set to work applying the makeup that had been laid out on the bathroom counter. I didn’t know if Leo had picked everything out himself, or if Amina had, but if I had to pick between the two, I’d give her the credit. Men didn’t normally have anything to do with such things. But then again, men didn’t normally pick out dresses that fit like a second skin for women they barely knew.
About half an hour later, I stepped out of the bedroom and wobbled my way back toward Leo’s office. The shoes he’d picked for me weren’t as angled as they could have been, only about a two-inch heel, but for a classic car mechanic whose idea of dressy shoes amounted to combat boots and comfy sandals, they might as well have been six inches
high. I nearly tripped over my own feet twice, and I swear I felt the things bend as though they might break plum off, which might not be such a bad thing.
As soon as I entered Leo’s office, I shoved my hands on my hips and said, “I love the dress, but the shoes have to go. No way can I look like I belong when I’m stumbling over my own feet.”
Leo looked up from the papers on his desk and froze. His eyes turned the darkest black I’d ever seen them, and the desire reflected there made my cheeks turn red and my body burn. I’d never been looked at like that in my entire life, and I must admit, I stood a little straighter and smoothed my hands across my hips, relishing the silky slide of the fabric and knowing that I looked damn good. So this is what it feels like.
It took him a few minutes, but Leo’s eyes finally returned to their normal hazel color, and he cleared his throat. “Stunning. That dress looks every bit as good on you as I thought it might.” He leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers together. His lips curved into a roguish smile. “Perhaps I could have just bought you the dress and saved myself a ton of money on the medallion. Your beauty alone could have gained you entrance into the club.”
Okay, now he was just being downright silly. I knew I looked good, but not that good.
When I tried to step deeper into the room, I nearly face-planted into the bookcase nearest me, but managed to catch myself. With a disgusted sigh, I kicked off the offending shoes. Leo chuckled and stood, then came around the desk. He carefully picked them up off the floor, and proceeded to rip the heels off them like they were twigs instead of an expensive pair of shoes.
“There,” he said. “Try them now.”
I slid my feet in and sighed with relief when I managed to walk the length of his office without looking like a penguin in a silk dress. “Much better,” I told him. You couldn’t even tell they’d been altered unless you inspected them closely. Considering the rest of my outfit, I doubted anyone would.