Painting guy—Theo, Misty called him—holds his hand out for me to shake. As our hands meet, a tingling sensation shoots from my hand through every fibre of my body. I jump and try to pull my hand back but Theo is just staring at my hand, like he’s never seen a hand before.
What the hell was that? I’ve felt other weres test power but it’s never felt like that before. A test of power feels more like a pressure against your skin but then I’ve never had a werewolf test my power before, maybe they feel different to were-lions.
His gravelly voice breaks my inner dialogue, “I’m Theo. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He lifts my hand up to his mouth and places a gentle kiss on it. I notice his nostrils flare as he takes in my scent. Okay...Weird!!
As I look into his alluring emerald green eyes, that look just as much like real emeralds as the ones in the painting did, I distractedly reply, “The pleasure is all mine.” Did I really say that out loud?
Oh my goodness. Please let the floor open up and swallow me. Any time now would be nice.
He stares at me as he rubs his thumb over the top of my hand and slowly pulls his fingers away from mine. I instantly miss his touch. He smirks, like he knows a secret, and winks at me.
Nice one, Bel. You look like a bloody idiot.
I notice Misty is back at her end of the bar again. Thank the angels she didn’t witness me act like an idiot.
Okay. Ask him for his order already. He’s only a guy.
“What can I get you?” I can’t seem to wipe the embarrassed look off my face. I can feel the flush in my cheeks.
“Do you know what a Johnnie Black Sazerac is?” He’s still smirking, like the cat that swallowed that dumb tweety bird. Thankfully, it’s one of the cocktails I actually know. I have made enough of a fool of myself for one night.
“That’s Johnnie Walker Black and Pernod, isn’t it?” I ask with a questioning look.
Better to be safe than sorry, or embarrassed again in this case!
As I bring my eyes up, I feel the urge to reach out and touch him. I want to feel that power again. I stop my hand before it moves towards him.
“You’re good; I usually always have to list that one up when someone serves me for the first time.” He seems like a nice guy. I’d expect an alpha to be more serious and commanding. I don’t feel at all intimidated by him. I just want to rub myself against him. I’m glad the bar is between us, because it’s the only thing that’s stopping me.
“The last place I worked was full of men, and that’s a man’s drink, so to speak.”
As I’m mixing his drink, I realise there’s a picture of a wolf howling at a full moon on his t-shirt. “That’s fitting,” I say with a chuckle.
His chin drops and his eyes stare down to where my eyes are looking and gives his own hearty laugh, “I like to state the obvious,” he says with a shrug. “Did you put a request in to come into town?” he asks, as I’m admiring the shape of his body through the tight fitting t-shirt.
“Request? I didn’t know I had to,” I say, with a worried face.
“Any supernatural being that wants to come into town—whether it be for a long or short stay—needs to make a request to me or the leader of the Mount Roxby Vampire’s. He likes to be called the King.” He raises his eyebrows in exasperation. “I’d recommend me, I don’t bite, unless you ask me to,” he jokes.
“Oh. I’m sorry; I didn’t know anything about it. I’m from a small town that didn’t get many newcomers; it’s mainly just the pride that lives in the town.” I catch the confused look on his face as I say the word pride and quickly clarify, “I was brought up in a were-lion pride.”
“A werewolf in a were-lion pride. That’s new. I can put you in the system if you want?”
“That will be great, thanks,” I say, as I pass his drink over. He gives me some money and I place it in the till like Misty showed me.
“How did they react to you leaving? Being brought up with them; they would have seen you as one of their own, wouldn’t they? I wouldn’t have thought they’d be very happy to see you leave,” he asks.
“Far from it. No, they were glad to see me leave. They had never really accepted me; even though my Auntie was married to one of them.” I stare off into space, thinking about how I was treated by the Pride.
“Once I turned eighteen I was challenged every week, and I didn’t even want to be classed as Pride. It was duel after duel, I needed to get away.” I snap out of my memories, realising I’m telling my life story to a stranger. He’s so easy to talk to, I feel like I’ve known him all my life. Realistically, I’ve known him ten minutes, if that!
“I’m sorry. You don’t want to hear all that,” I say, as I shake my head.
“Can I get another?” A customer down the bar waves me over, thankfully before Theo gets a chance to comment on me blurting all that out to him.
The bar seems to have filled with vampires and werewolves whilst I’d been distracted by Theo. I better get back on with the job or Misty will be firing me before I even really got started.
Two
UNWANTED ENCOUNTERS
THEO
I can’t stop staring at Bel, the new barmaid. I can’t believe it…But I felt it. The tingle when we touched, my wolf nearly burst out of my skin. That shouldn’t happen.
Unless…No.
She can’t be.
There’s no other explanation though.
I’m dying to touch her again to see if it happens a second time. It’s taking every ounce of concentration to stop myself from vaulting the bar to get to her. Her floral scent is making my mouth water and other bodily reactions, completely inappropriate in public.
A heavy hand on my shoulder pulls my attention from my staring. “Who’s the hot new barmaid?”
A growl leaves my throat before I can stop it. I catch my energy before it flares. I don’t need the whole pack’s attention. I turn to face Eddie, who is standing with his hands up in a gesture of surrender.
“Whoa, obviously someone I shouldn’t be looking at.” He sits on the empty stool next to me.
“Sorry Ed, she’s called Bel. New wolf in town,” I say, as Bel walks past to serve someone further along the bar. I watch as Ed’s nostrils flare when he catches her scent.
“Fuck, she smells good.”
As much as my wolf wants to rip his head off for even scenting her, I hold it in. I have no claim over her. I’d only just met her.
My wolf disagrees. Mine, is pulsing through my head as he pushes against my skin trying to get to her.
“Did you track the vamp down?” I ask Ed.
Ed is one of my enforcers, or soldiers as some people call them.
Ed grunts. “I couldn’t find anything to substantiate the reports we received. Not one person I spoke to has seen any evidence of a rogue vampire. Sorry, boss, but I think it was a time-waster.” He waves at Bel as she glances in our direction.
“Hey guys. What you after?” She flashes Ed a friendly smile.
Ed reaches over the bar and offers her his hand. “I’m Ed. It’s nice to meet you. I’ll have a Jack on the rocks, thanks.”
I watch in anticipation as their hands touch, my eyes flashing between them to see if they have a reaction.
“Bel. Nice to meet you, Ed.”
I let out the breath I’d been holding when she walks away to get Ed’s drink, with no sign of reaction.
“Hey, Theo!” I turn to chase the voice that belongs to someone I usually manage to avoid. Unfortunately, I was too distracted with Bel and didn’t even feel or smell her early enough to make a run for it.
I plaster on my best fake smile. “Hi, Chloe. How are you?”
She stops in front of me, trailing her fingers up my forearm. “Much better now I’ve seen you.”
I force myself not to cringe. It’s not like Chloe is repulsive—with her beautiful blonde hair, legs up to her armpits, and bright, baby blue eyes—she’s far from it. She turns plenty of heads. Unfortunately, she likes to go for the guy
s that aren’t interested, and never takes no for an answer.
I’ve never casually dated a pack member and I don’t intend to start now. Being an alpha, I’m stronger with a mate. A wolf knows his mate when he meets her—I’m pretty sure I found mine tonight. Just imagine the hassle my future mate would have when she joins the pack if it was full of my jealous ex-lovers.
I’m not celibate; I have been in relationships—just not with pack members. I gave up on finding my mate and married a human when I was young, stupid, and wanting to settle down. My marriage ended when she cheated on me. To be honest, the failure of our marriage was my fault. I hadn’t told her about being a werewolf, yet I expected her to give me children.
“Can I buy you a drink, Theo?” Chloe asks in a seductive tone.
I glance at my watch to make it look like there’s somewhere I need to be. “Actually, I’m just about to leave; I’ve got a meeting to get to.”
Chloe mirrors my actions, glancing at her own watch. “It’s a bit late to be having a meeting, isn’t it?”
She has no right to question her Alpha, but I don’t want her turning up at my house later so I answer her, “Vampires.”
Bel makes her way over to us placing a drink in front of us both with a shrug. “I saw you were empty, too.”
I pull the glass towards me and pass her some money, making sure to brush her hand with mine. I feel it again; almost like an electric shock shooting from where we touch through my body to my wolf. He jumps up; alert and ready to claim. There is no mistaking it this time. She’s my mate. I look into her eyes as they change from chocolate brown to her wolf’s amber eyes. She feels it too.
Her wolf knows.
“Thanks, darlin.”
She snatches her hand back, looking at it like it was an alien. “Sorry about that. Must be static electricity, or something.”
“Or something,” I growl, as she rushes off to serve another customer.
After downing my drink, I say my goodbyes and leave quickly; to make my meeting look genuine. My wolf is antsy enough as it is, I can’t handle any more Chloe tonight. He doesn’t like that I am leaving Bel behind. He’s already calling her ‘mine.’
* * *
I only get a block away from Misty’s when I scent a vampire. They have a bloody scent. Werewolves suffer bloodlust. We love the smell of blood and meat, but vampires don’t smell like fresh blood. They have a sickly rotting scent. They have strong noses, too. I don’t know how they can handle their own stench.
Hoping the vampire I can scent is the rogue we’ve been hunting down, I follow the smell. I could do with a good fight to distract my wolf from leaving someone he already considers to be our mate, in a bar full of threats.
It’s not long before I realise that fight isn’t going to happen. I can feel the vampire now and I recognise this one’s energy.
Dominick Draconis. The King.
Yeah, he wishes.
“Well, well, well,” Dominick quips. “If it isn’t the daddy dog himself.”
He may be old and he may act all high and mighty, but he ain’t nothing but a mosquito to me.
I tell myself that every time we are in each other’s company and I still end up at his throat by the end of the conversation. I’m not going to let him get to me. “Dominick.”
“What no happy greeting? No wagging tail?”
Try as I might, I don’t manage to contain my growl. My wolf might get his fight yet. “What do you know about this rogue vampire I’m hearing reports about?”
“Touchy. Fine. Let’s get straight to business then. I’m following up on the reports too, but none of my men have found any leads. He seems to be good at hiding.” His phone chimes in his jeans pocket, he reaches his hand in and pulls it out, but on glancing at the screen he ignores the call by angrily shoving it back in his pocket. “Have your men found anything?”
“Not a thing. My guys are calling it a time-waster, but I have a bad feeling about it and I don’t like it.”
I’m not a fan of Dominick, but this rogue is his kind and if anyone is equipped to find him, a two-thousand-year-old vampire leader is bound to be better at it than I am.
“You’re right to be concerned. He’s a threat and we need to find him. I have no doubt that in time we will,” he proclaims, with the confidence of a leader.
“Yes, we will,” I declare, walking away. I’m not concerned about turning my back on the vampire—even when I know our scent is intoxicating and highly addictive to them. The total opposite of how their revolting stench affects us; werewolves and vampires have a pact, of a sort. We can live comfortably in the same town without a war breaking out. Neither of the species can attack the other without serious punishment. I won’t lie and say there aren’t ‘incidents,’ but we stay on top of them and our pact helps keep them far and few between.
I reach into my pocket for my keys, unlocking my Pajero as I approach it. I get in and head home.
My home is the pack’s home; which means, any member is welcome at any time. I just hope that Chloe finds someone to entertain her tonight because I’m still not up to dealing with her.
Three
VAULTING BARS
ROSABEL
I’m distracted as I serve two or three customers. My mind is still on the reaction to Theo’s touch. No matter what bullshit I said about static electricity, I know that isn’t what caused it. It has to be something to do with our wolves—I’m just not sure what. It didn’t happen when I came in contact with the other wolf he was with, so I am leaning towards it being an alpha thing.
I glance along the bar to see if any of my customers are empty. When my eyes reach Ed, I notice Theo is no longer with him. My wolf reaches out to feel for his power but can’t. Realising he must have left whilst I was serving; I search the bar for Barbie girl who was coming onto him earlier. My wolf relaxes when I see her plastered all over another guy. It didn’t take her long to move her affection on to someone else.
It took all my will power not to jump the bar and drag her away from him when I saw her talking to him earlier. I had to remind my wolf that I had no claim over him. I had spoken to him for a few minutes and that was all. He was the local alpha; she was probably pack, and had more right to lay a claim.
* * *
Midnight comes quick and fast. It feels like no time has passed when Misty rings the bell for last call. As the last customer leaves, I head to the office to get my bag, realising a little too late that I haven’t organised anywhere to sleep tonight.
Misty enters the office and hands me an envelope with some cash in it. “That’s for tonight’s shift. If ya enjoyed it, I’d love ya to come back same time tomorrow?”
“Yeah, that’d be great. Thank you,” I answer, placing the envelope in my bag. “You don’t know any hostels that will be open at this time, do you? I came straight in here off the bus without organising anywhere to sleep.”
She looks me up and down, weighing me up. “No. They’ll all be locked up now. Ya can stay at mine for the night, if ya want?”
“Really? That’d be great. Thanks. I’ll go straight to the hostel in the morning.”
“No worries. We’ll sort it out. I saw you chatting to Theo. It looked like you got on well.” She seems excited at that thought. I’m guessing she’s a bit of a matchmaker.
She shows me out of the office, locking the door behind us.
“Yeah. He seems like a nice guy, not to mention easy on the eyes.” We both giggle as we leave through the fire exit at the end of the corridor.
There is a top of the range purple VW Beetle parked in the deserted alley. How come it didn’t get stolen or stripped for parts during the shift? It’s not as if this alley is a high traffic area.
As we approach the car I feel that sensation of dread again, which answers my previous question...Wards!
* * *
I wake up to the smell of bacon, eggs, tomatoes, ooh and fresh coffee. My nose is great with smells. It’s not such a good thing when the smell
is unpleasant, like when I got on that bus full of smelly people. Ugh. Times like that I wish I had a human nose. Today? Today I am happy to have an extra sensitive nose. It feels like a week since I had a cup of coffee. I’d even be glad for a bad one at the moment. I can’t function without a coffee in a morning, and this coffee smells divine.
I dive out of bed, or should I say off the bed since I didn’t manage to get under the covers last night. After quickly washing and changing, I follow the lovely smell of food and coffee; after entering two empty lounge rooms I finally find the source. Sitting at the granite breakfast bar in the kitchen is Misty, eating the best looking full English breakfast I have ever seen. Seeing only one plate makes my stomach grumble and decide I need to find a diner as soon as possible.
“Good morning, Misty. Thanks for letting me stay the night. I’ll get out your hair now and see you at five for my shift.”
Misty slightly spins her stool to face me. “How’d ya sleep?”
“Great. That bed is fantastic.”
“Good. There’s a plate of breakfast in the oven keeping warm for ya, and there’s some fresh coffee in the pot on the side.” She waves her hand in the direction of the oven and coffee.
“Oh. You didn’t have to do that. Thank you.” I grab the tea towel hanging off the oven door and remove my plate from the oven, sitting at the bar on the stool next to Misty.
After eating my breakfast and drinking the best coffee I’ve ever had, I reach over and pour myself a second cup from the jug on the table.
Misty puts her cup down for seconds too. “I was thinking, since ya don’t have anywhere to stay and there’s just me in this big place, do ya wanna stay on a more permanent basis?”
Misty’s apartment is actually four apartments knocked into one. She has the whole floor to herself.
“What? Like rent one of the rooms from you? Are you sure? You don’t really know me.” I can see what’s coming; I should have seen it last night when Misty invited me to stay, even though she had only known me for a couple of hours.
Mount Roxby Box Set Page 3