Soulmated

by Diane Darcy

  “What sort of movies do you like?” she asked, then took a bite of potato that practically melted in her mouth.

  “War, action, blood and …” he tapered off. Swallowed. “That is to say, anything with romance. As well, that is. Anything ye’d care to see.”

  She raised a brow again. “Right. You’ve seen The Notebook? Valentine’s Day? Sleepless in Seattle? And my all-time favorite, Pride and Prejudice? Care to discuss any of them?”

  His gaze flitted to the left and back. “No’ those exact movies, per se. I saw Gone With the Wind when it first came out.”

  “Really? Back in the thirties? Are you sure you didn’t just see the wax figures at Madame Tussauds? Because that would be cheating.”

  “Nae, lass. I saw the movie.”

  She chuckled. “That’s your story and you’re sticking to it, huh?”

  He looked wary. “Aye.”

  She chuckled again. “So how do you like to waste time?”

  He visibly relaxed. “Running with my pack. Drinking, football, laser tag, movies. You?”

  “With my sister. Girlfriends. Ladies night, pedicures, overnight stays, movies.”

  “Do ye have any pets?”

  “I had a dog once. A black lab who was a sweetie. Hard to have in the city, especially downtown, but we made it work.”

  “Downtown? Ye live downtown?”

  She stilled. That was more than she’d intended to reveal to a first date. She didn’t need a stalker if this didn’t turn out and, seriously? She didn’t like to judge, but with the intensity of this guy? He could have the potential. “Last vacation?”

  After a brief hesitation, he said, “Hunting in the bayou.”

  She grinned. “Hunting what? Alligators?”

  “Hogs. Vicious, nasty things that’ll tear ye open. Quite a nice challenge.”

  “I bet.” She wracked her brain for another get to know you question before he could ask first. “Oldest friend?”

  “I’ve several. Caleb and Quinn in particular always have my back. What is the most beautiful place ye’ve ever been?”

  “Night skiing in Utah. One night I skied off the lift, and the clouds were laid out in front of me like I could walk out onto them.”

  He nodded. “I’ve seen that in Scotland. Do ye stay up late? Or get up early?”

  “Stay up late.”

  His dark eyes lit once more. “Me, as well. Silliest fear?”

  “Man covers. Or I should say the lack thereof. I once saw a guy fall right into one. He lived, but I have to say I watch the road if I’m walking on it.”

  “Ouch.”

  “I know. He broke his leg. I was the one to call the ambulance. The funny thing was that I was watching him because something felt off, you know? And then, wham. Down the hole he went.”

  “Yer psychic abilities, no doubt, warned ye of his impending disaster.”

  She blinked. “Ah, yes. No doubt.” She speared a bit of asparagus and lifted it to her mouth. Was the guy truly a believer? Or was he teasing her? Trying to get her to admit she was a sham? He’d wait forever if that was the case. She’d learned long ago how to keep her mouth shut.

  He told her a story about a silly accident he’d once seen happen to a vampire, and she was soon laughing. As she watched him talk, she could feel herself falling under his spell. He was really good-looking, fun, personable, silly. This hadn’t gone how she’d imagined in the least. For once in her life, she couldn’t wait to tell Olivia the details of her date. “Did you have to cancel any plans to go out with me tonight?”

  William shook his head. “I was to oversee security for a wedding in the Great Room, but twas naught I couldnae pass off to my men.” He glanced at his watch. “Tis due to start in a couple of hours. Tis quite the fancy shindig. I’ve no’ seen so many flowers and plants in my life. They went all out with the greenery.” His eyes sharpened. “I’m sure ye could appreciate something like that.”

  “You’re right. I’d love to see something like that.”

  He perked up. “I can arrange it. Tonight. Before the wedding.”

  She hesitated. As they were almost to the end of their meal, she could certainly thank him for the date and leave at this point. She was under no obligation to do more.

  Looking into his intense brown eyes she found herself melting once more.

  The things this guy made her feel!

  He acted like she was the most important person in his life. Which was crazy, but she had to admit she liked it. She also enjoyed his quirky personality, his ridiculous stories, and just about everything else about him.

  Surprise, surprise, she wasn’t ready for this date to end. “You’re sure no one would mind?”

  Excitement flared in his eyes at her capitulation. “Nae, lass, I swear to ye no one will mind at all. In fact, if we leave now, we can probably get in before the ceremony starts and ye can study all the plants to yer heart’s content.”

  He watched her closely and seemed to be willing her to say yes.

  She chuckled, “Let’s do it.”

  He called for the check: loud, brash, confident.

  She even liked that about him.

  The things she felt for this guy were crazy. She’d only just met him a little while ago, but, there it was.

  The waitress, looking slightly harried, paused at their table. “Is there anything wrong?”

  William handed her a credit card. “Make it quick, if ye please.” He winked at Lena. “I’ve something important tae see to.”

  The beautiful waitress took the card, and hurried off.

  And through it all, William only had eyes for Lena.

  Chapter 8

  They made their way to the front entrance, where William handed the valet a ticket. It wasn’t long before a black sports car, shiny, waxed, and looking like it had just been driven off a show floor stopped in front of them.

  Thinking of her broken down truck, she inwardly winced. She’d gotten a message from Mike from the auto shop earlier saying in a singsong voice,

  "Lena, baby, I'm gonna need some mooooney."

  What was she doing with this guy? The insidious thought wormed its way in. William was out of her league. She should’ve just ended the dinner, hailed a cab, and made her way home.

  It was like he sensed her uneasiness and he quickly paid the attendant, hurried and opened the door, and had her tucked inside before she could change her mind.

  She sank into the plush leather seat, breathed in the smell of luxury, and gazed at the lit up console with all its bells and whistles.

  She sighed. She was a reverse snob, and knew it. Always had been. It still didn’t make her any more comfortable. Gypsies never played well with others.

  William was quickly inside and pulling forward into traffic.

  “What kind of car is this?”

  “A Maserati.”

  Of course, it was.

  They were soon driving along the Las Vegas Strip, and then exiting onto Flamingo Road and heading toward the interstate.

  She half expected William to reach for her hand, or put his hand on her leg, or do something to make her feel uncomfortable.

  Instead he kept both hands on the steering wheel and maintained a steady flow of conversation, sneaking in a personal question once in a while.

  His smile was pure charm and it was hard not to feel flattered by the amount of effort he was putting in.

  It took almost thirty minutes to arrive at The Hemlock, and soon the immense Gothic castle loomed in front of them, the building rising tall above the stone ramparts surrounding portions of it. The castle was decorated with a myriad of elaborate carvings and ornate windows, with battlements on top. Haphazardly placed gargoyles glared down from their perches.

  They drove through the gates, and then rather than go to the regular self-parking area, William pulled up to the doors, and let the valet parking attendant take the car.

  She sighed inwardly. Another sign they were ill-suited. Lena had never used valet
parking in her life. Give someone her keys? She didn’t have that kind of trust.

  William guided her with his hand at her back and they walked into the building, past the two gargoyles on either side of the doors.

  The nearby doormen were pale-skinned and dressed in black. The paranormal theme had her assuming they were supposed to be vampires or something, though they didn’t wear any tacky fangs or anything like that. They actually looked like male models, minus the tans.

  The place was over the top with marble floors, an elaborate chandelier, and columns that rose to hoist the battlements above. Escalators climbed to the second floor shopping area.

  They soon made their way through the crowd of tourists, and she noted that employees watched their progress.

  Valets, bell hops, even the front desk workers seemed to stop and stare.

  She was unsure whether it was William’s large stature, or the fact that they knew him, but it was making her uncomfortable. One man’s light blue eyes seemed to glow slightly, but when he blinked, the illusion faded. Contact lenses, no doubt, in keeping with the medieval/paranormal motif of the place.

  It was hard to miss that the attention seemed focused on her. She’d been here before, and part of the allure was the fact that most of the staff ignored the customers, or treated them coldly. Sort of like a paranormal version of the Queen’s Guard. Other than the time she’d been denied entrance, she’d always been ignored completely.

  But not tonight. Tonight, everywhere she looked, the hotel employees stared. In a twist of irony, she was trying to ignore them.

  She’d always loved the place when she’d visited in the past. It was a lot of fun, and at the same time had an air of class and style. As far as she could tell, they only hired very beautiful women. The men weren’t necessarily model pretty, but stunning just the same.

  Her date for the night certainly fit into that category.

  Rather than turning toward the casino, William led her up the escalator and to the mall area with all the shops and people selling their wares.

  The place looked like a medieval village, with a large, black domed ceiling rising overhead and sparkling with lights, a permanent starry night.

  Upon the walls, recessed areas showcased medieval weapons: swords, shields, and battle axes. All safely out of reach. What could have been cheesy, wasn’t, probably because everything looked authentic, dangerous.

  They wandered the cobblestone path that meandered past the shops, complete with stonework, thatched roofs, and turrets. All the while William kept up a light conversation, pointing out areas of interest, obviously trying to make her feel comfortable.

  Everywhere they went, more employees stared. It was hard to miss, as many stopped what they were doing to move to the entrances of the shops.

  He kept her away from the crowds, using his big body to ensure no one bumped her, jostled her, or otherwise touched her. His gentlemanly behavior tugged at her heart again.

  She did want to see the wedding decorations, but was starting to feel like she needed to get away from the guy. This, whatever this was, was moving too fast.

  Wedding decor first, and then she’d figure the rest out.

  Down the path William steered her to the left, to a set of arched double doors. The intricate carvings around the top of the arch were beautiful, and William grabbed the ornate gold doorknob and pulled the heavy door open.

  With a sweep of his hand, he said, “After ye.”

  Lena walked through the double doors, across the patterned cobblestone foyer, and into the large ballroom as the doors swung shut behind them. The place was gorgeous, all stone and wood flooring, and decorated in the most romantic way.

  White chairs were set up on either side of a red carpet that led to three stone steps that led to an archway for the marrying couple to stand in front of. Large stained glass windows lit one wall, and another was covered in stone leading upward to a balcony above. Swaths of white material, and a profusion of plants and red roses had the place looking like a romantic wonderland and …

  And …

  She stopped dead, fear rippling up her spine, her breath stuttering. She could hear William, discussing lighting behind her, and her throat worked as she tried to swallow past the fear flooding her.

  Fear of William, of why he’d brought her here, of what this meant.

  When she was able to breathe again, she sucked in a breath, intending to scream as loud as she could, to try and alert others to her situation, but instantly knew she wouldn’t be heard past the heavy doors.

  She deflated, exhaling, and all she managed was a low moan of dread.

  Chapter 9

  The scent of Lena’s fear hit William in a wave. He fought to keep himself from turning as he rushed forward and placed himself in front of her, fists clenched, ready for battle.

  There was no one to fight.

  There, on the floor in front of them, lay the groom, Creighton Cameron, a silver knife stuck straight through his heart.

  The sight of it made William grasp his own chest and squeeze.

  The man had half-turned to werewolf, a sight that would disturb anyone, let alone a woman unused to such things. She grasped his waist from behind, her breathing escalated, as was her heart beat.

  With one hand he kept her behind him. When she pressed her face to his back, regardless of the situation, he felt something click into place. He was born to protect her, to stand in front of any danger or upset, and doing so appeased the wolf within.

  He scanned the room. Everything else seemed in order. The trees, greenery, and decorations all exactly as expected.

  He looked for a place a murderer could hide, but as he tested the air for any foreign scent, he neither sensed nor smelled anyone near. He pulled out his phone and called Quinn. “Come to the Great Room immediately. The entire team. Drop anything ye’re doing, now.”

  “Aye, Boss.”

  He turned around, still blocking her view, and took Lena into his arms. She clung to him, her face pressed to his chest, her arms encircling his waist. Again, something slid into place. She wasn’t crying, but then she was his mate, wasn’t she? Strong, resilient, his.

  “Murder,” she breathed out. “He was murdered.”

  “Aye, lass.”

  “But … his face! What was the matter with him?”

  “He must have been in the process of turning, or else lived long enough to attempt it, so he could try and heal faster. Probably the latter.”

  “Turn into what?” Lena finally looked up at him, and the confusion in her gaze startled him.

  “Into a werewolf. That is a silver knife in his chest. I can feel it from here.”

  Taking a slow breath, she stared up at him. “But … but … there’s no such things as werewolves.”

  Now it was his turn to stare. He took a deep breath, inhaling her scent again. The wolf inside him perked up, enjoying the scent of her, even as he tried once more to identify what she was.

  “Lass, there’s human in ye. I can smell it, o’ course. But that’s no’ all; what are ye?” He finally asked the question he’d been wondering about the entire evening.

  Startled eyes gazed up at him. “I … I’m a woman.”

  Regardless of the situation, he couldn’t help but chuckle. “Of course ye are, tis just —” His men came flying into the room, and William pulled Lena off to the side. Caleb and Quinn stood shoulder to shoulder as they took in the murdered man before them, glanced at Lena, and then veered off in different directions to search the room.

  Alastair and Berkeley went to the body and knelt, searching the area with both vision and noses, before turning their attention to the dead man.

  William still stood with Lena in his arms. “Anything?”

  Alastair shook his head. “It looks like a straight-up stabbing.”

  Soon Quinn and Caleb were back.

  “I want this room locked down tight. Find out who’s in the wedding party, find a guest list, and discover who worked on putt
ing the wedding together. Make sure everyone knows they’re no’ to leave. Let them know if they do, I’ll track them down later, and it willnae go well for them.”

  After a quick glance at Lena, Quinn nodded. “If they’re smart, they’re long gone.”

  “Nae, if they’re smart, they’re still here. Anyone who’s left early becomes my prime suspect. And get one of the witches in here to test for magic. No’ Scarlett if ye can help it. I’m no’ in the mood to deal with her tonight. Let’s gather everyone in the Brown room, and we’ll start asking questions.”

  With a nod, Caleb and Quinn left, and William escorted Lena outside the doors, leaving Alastair and Berkeley within to take care of matters.

  He looked down at Lena. He should order a taxi to take her home, but couldn’t get himself to do it.

  “Do you know who could have done this?” she asked.

  The question gave him an idea. He didn’t wish to be separated unless she insisted. Since she hadn’t mentioned it, and even seemed interested, he’d take her along.

  “Come with me to the Brown Room. We’ll see if we can find out.”

  He found himself holding his breath as he awaited her response. When she finally nodded, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and led her away.

  Earlier on their date, he hadn’t dared to pull her close like he’d wanted. Now that the barrier had broken down, he had no desire to reinstate it.

  Perhaps she’d ask to leave sooner or later, but for right now, she was with him, and that was all that mattered.

  Chapter 10

  She should leave. Lena wasn’t sure why she was still with William. Maybe she was simply in shock, and he made her feel safe.

  She’d seen a dead body once before, on the street.

  She’d been about twelve-years-old at the time, and her best friend, Maisie Sanchez, had come running to tell her about it. They’d raced down the road as if in search of adventure, and instead had come face-to-face with death.

  They’d found out later the man died from a combination of drink, old age, and weather. When he hadn’t moved for over a day, someone had taken it upon themselves to check on him, and it turned out he’d been gone.