by Dannika Dark
I arched my brows. “Or a partner?”
He looked me square in the eyes, his fangs glimmering beneath the lamppost. “Aye. Don’t trust anyone who doesn’t give you good reason to.”
Wyatt caught up with us and put his hand on each man’s shoulder. “You’re all coming with me.”
Claude sputtered with laughter and lowered his arm. “I dare you to fit me in that car.”
“I’ll owe you big-time. Blue isn’t going to shift back right away—if at all while we’re here—and Shepherd’s being his usual dickish self. There’s a freshy hanging around my car, and if you don’t fill the seats, he will.”
Claude sighed. “Shotgun.”
Christian retracted his fangs. “What about Gem?”
Wyatt shook his head. “She’s little. He’ll find a way to fit. Look, running into these guys is one thing. Having them follow me home is something else.”
“And if I don’t feel like tagging along as a seat filler?”
Wyatt rubbed his eyes, and I glanced at the tats between his knuckles that said, LOST SOUL. “Do you know how hard it is to get them out of the house? Why do you think I spend so much time in the game room? The electricity confuses them, so they mostly stay out, and I can focus on my work. Come on, man. It’s just a ride home. You can put your bike in the van.”
I gave him a bemused look. “Exactly how many dead people are living in our house?”
He scratched the side of his nose. “One too many. There’s this one creepy guy who doesn’t talk and only has half a face. Do you know what it’s like to be strolling down the hall at night to get a glass of milk and then run into a guy with only one eyeball and a permanent half smile?”
Christian turned him around and gave him a shove. “Get in the fecking car before I drop you off at the funny farm.”
Chapter 4
A knock sounded at my bedroom door.
“It’s me,” Gem called out.
I finished lighting a candle on the windowsill and then blew out the match. “Come in.”
Gem made a dramatic entrance and shut the door. “Wow. It’s starting to look homey around here.”
She strolled to the lit fireplace on the right and nudged the carpet with her shoe. “You might want to move this rug out of the way so it doesn’t catch fire. Either that, or buy a fireplace screen.”
I chuckled. “That’s the rug that came with the room. If it bursts into flames, I won’t shed a tear.”
She noticed the coffeepot I hadn’t taken out of the box. “How are you going to get that to work without electricity?”
“It slipped my mind that I’m living in the Dark Ages. It would have been nice to have hot coffee in my room anytime, but I guess I’ll have to return it and buy something more practical… like a torch.”
Gem had on sleep shorts and a baggy cotton shirt, which almost made her look like an ordinary girl, had she not also been wearing a blue kimono robe and slipper boots. She admired my new scarlet bedspread before turning her attention to the floor where I’d propped up a grey painting with a red accent tree.
“I might need to return that too,” I said. “I don’t have a power drill to get through the stone wall. Viktor loves making things difficult, doesn’t he?”
“I can help,” she offered. “You can nail anything between the stones where that mortar stuff is packed. Shepherd has a cordless drill.” Gem moved around the bed and looked at the fake red roses on the small nightstand beside it. “You like the color red.”
“Do you think Viktor would mind if I painted the armoire?”
She sat on the low bed and pulled her feet up Indian style. “This room is completely yours to do whatever you want. Paint it all red.”
I laughed and took a seat beside her. “I’m half Vampire. He might read too much into that and think I have some latent desire for drinking blood. I actually like red against grey, so the contrast between the walls and floor are exactly the way I want it.”
Her gaze drifted to the window. “I hope we get more snow.”
I noticed a glint in her eyes suggesting she was older than her youthful appearance. “How old were you when you became a Mage?”
“Twenty-three. Do I look younger?”
Without her makeup on, she sure did.
Gem tugged at a piece of fuzz on her boot. “I’m petite and slim, and when you pair that up with purple hair, people don’t see a grown woman, even though I’m mentally older than this body. Blue reaps all the attention at the bar; men can’t help what they like. I could dress like an aristocrat, and they wouldn’t give me a second glance, so I’d rather rock my own style. When were you turned?”
“Twenty-five.”
“You look older.”
I reclined against a pillow and thought about friends in high school who used to ask me to buy them alcohol since I never got carded.
“Did you have a rough life?” she asked. “Before you became a Mage.”
I raked my dark hair away from my face. “I made it harder than it needed to be.”
“Tough childhood?”
“I lost my mom when I was five.”
Her gaze shifted to the window, where the candlelight flickered against the glass. “I’m sorry. I can’t imagine.”
I played with a loose thread on my jeans. “A little kid should never have to wear black. The first time I ever wore a black dress was at my mother’s funeral.”
“How did she die?”
A slideshow of images entered my mind as I slipped back in time. “We lived in an apartment. My parents had a special arrangement where they didn’t live together, but they were still exclusive. So my mom was the only one there at the time. I don’t know how the fire started, only that it took out half the building. I was sleeping when the smoke came into the room. I tried to get out, but the door was too hot, and I couldn’t escape. I cried for my mom, and when she didn’t come, I ran to the window and pressed my palms against it.” I gave Gem a mirthless smile. “I was actually scared to open the window. My mom always told me I’d be in big trouble if she ever caught me unlocking it. She was afraid something would happen and I’d fall out.”
“What happened?”
“A crowd gathered in the street below, but I don’t remember seeing any flashing lights. People were just pointing and looking.”
A log in the fire snapped, and I glanced at the flames, the memory replaying in my head as if I were living it all over again—tears burning my eyes, the smoke wafting into the room, the terror, my whimpers for someone to save me. “Please come get me,” was all I remembered saying. I’d come so close to death at such a young age. That moment had been my first taste of raw fear. I left out those details whenever someone asked to hear the story.
Gem scratched her eyebrow. “How did you get out?”
“A man rushed into the room and threw his coat over me. I saw his reflection in the window when the door kicked open. He must have run through fire to get me out of there.” I quieted a moment, as if telling that part of the story deserved reverence. “When we reached the hallway, he handed me off to someone and turned away. I just remember seeing his back as he ran up the stairs, and I always wondered if he died in that fire. It takes a certain kind of man to run through flames to save a stranger, you know?”
But my feelings about it were mixed. Why didn’t he save my mother? Why was my life spared? That question had plagued me since my mother’s funeral.
“I still think about that guy every so often. I’ll never meet anyone who’ll mean as much to me as that stranger.”
“Why?”
“He gave me a second chance.”
I slid off the bed and leaned against the wall. Some things were impossible to explain, but that man had swooped into my life like a guardian angel and taken away all my fear. What compels a man to risk his life to save another? That’s a quality many people claim to possess but don’t actually have. That stranger, who had run through fire to save a little girl, was the best example of a man
.
Gem hopped off the bed and tapped her fingernail against the latticed window. “Everything happens for a reason.”
A sharp whistle in the hall seized our attention.
Gem groaned. “That’s Shepherd. Sounds like dinner’s ready. It was fun getting to know you. We should hang out in my room sometime.” She headed for the door. “Race you down!”
I pushed up the sleeves of my shirt as I followed behind Gem. She was using her gift to flash ahead of me, but I decided to walk at a normal pace so I didn’t break my neck going down the stairs.
“Sorry I’m late, Viktor. I fell down two flights of stairs, and the statue impaled me,” I mused aloud.
“Now that would be a gruesome sight,” Christian said from behind. “Where can I sign up to watch?”
His footsteps drew closer, so I quickened my pace. When he jumped to the second landing, that galvanized me into action, and I went tearing down the stairs. Christian stayed in pursuit, and before I knew it, we were in a full-fledged race.
When I reached the ground floor, I swung to the right and glimpsed Christian out of the corner of my eye as he leapt over the stone handrail to catch up.
I was running so fast down the hall that I was about to miss my turn. Christian bumped into me as we both squeezed through the open doorway to the dining room. We tripped over each other’s feet and hit the floor with a loud smack, just a tangle of limbs and egos.
Christian lifted his chin, a drop of blood on his lip. “You could have flashed.”
I chuckled. “Now where’s the fun in that?”
He stood up and held out his hand. I took it, still laughing at our silly behavior.
“Where’s Claude and Wyatt?” I asked, counting heads at the table.
Blue lifted her wineglass. “Claude went to make a woman look glamorous for a cocktail party.”
“And Wyatt?”
“Maybe he’s having a meltdown.”
“Or a raging case of diarrhea,” Christian offered.
Gem snickered. “I bet his invisible friend rode home in the van. Claude picked up a strong mixture of anger and fear coming from Wyatt’s car.”
“Probably Claude’s leftover emotions from his last ride,” Shepherd said with a deep chuckle.
I thought about when we had pulled into the underground parking garage. Viktor parked his van in front of the Mini Cooper, and the moment the rear door opened and Gem hopped out, Wyatt blanched. His fingers gripped the steering wheel as if he wanted to strangle someone, and when I asked him what was wrong, he ignored me.
I laughed, nearing the table. “Should we take him a plate?”
Viktor rose from his chair. “Raven, don’t sit down.”
Christian glanced back at me with a bemused look before taking his seat.
I dusted off my pants as Viktor approached me. “Am I in some kind of trouble?”
He took off his sweater jacket and tossed it to the floor. “There is something I’ve been putting off since your arrival, but the longer we wait, the more dangerous it becomes. It’s time for you to meet my wolf.”
I stepped back. “Now? Can’t this wait?”
“Nyet. If Cosmo had pulled a knife on me, I might have shifted to fight him off. You are a stranger to my wolf, and he will react accordingly. Each time we go on a job together, I take a chance with your life. The longer we delay, the greater the odds of my animal tearing you apart if I shift.”
“No offense, but I think I can fight off a dog.”
He flashed me a look that could have set a forest on fire. “A skilled wolf can kill a Mage. Wolves are more vulnerable with Vampires, but since you do not have the strength of a Vampire, you are the prey. Don’t become overzealous around a Shifter and think because you can flash or drain blood that you have an advantage. We are warriors, and we know how to uncover and expose your weaknesses. My wolf has never met a crossbreed, and I don’t know how he’ll respond. Everyone here has done this.”
Aside from seeing Blue shift into a falcon, I’d never been up close to a Shifter’s animal. My heart pounded against my chest, my palms getting clammy.
Christian rose from his chair. “I’ll mediate.”
Viktor turned his head. “You’ll do no such thing.”
Christian advanced without breaking stride. His dark brown hair was messy, as if he’d been rolling around in bed. “Your wolf’s aggressive with Vampires. Have you forgotten what he tried to do to me? Raven can’t knock him off like I can.”
“What’s he talking about?” I asked, looking between them.
Christian neared my side. “You can’t stop me, Viktor. I’m her partner, and that’s my right.”
I held Viktor’s gaze.
“Don’t run,” Viktor said. “Whatever happens, never run from a Shifter. You can only flash for so long, but my wolf will hunt you forever.”
“That’s reassuring. Am I supposed to fight you? Or should I stand here and let you maul me?”
Viktor kicked off his shoes. “These are usually not aggressive introductions. My wolf has to respect you, but he also will not know what you are. If that means we fight, stand your ground. And don’t knock him unconscious, or else I won’t be able to shift back. We have business to discuss. Any injuries you sustain, Niko will heal.”
“Did someone bring a mop to clean up afterward?”
He cracked a smile. “Don’t be so dramatic.”
In a swirling vortex of magic, Viktor morphed from man to beast—a grey wolf with the same steely eyes. He jumped away from the clothes and lifted his snout, sniffing his surroundings. Viktor was an impressive creature, and it surprised me that he wasn’t an alpha.
The entire room was spellbound, watching with rapt attention as Viktor’s wolf bared his fangs and growled at me. The spike in energy prickled against my skin, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
Christian steadied his eyes on the animal. “Stay calm, Raven. He can’t pick up your scent, so he’s trying to figure out your Breed. Wolves don’t trust what they can’t smell.”
“What did he do to you?”
“Nothing to fret about. He just tried to rip out my jugular. That’s how they take out Vampires.”
“You know, when most people say their boss is going to kill them, it’s just a figure of speech.”
The wolf took a few steps forward, and his teeth seemed to be getting even longer and sharper. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to look him in the eye or act submissive, so I stared him down to show no fear.
Maybe that wasn’t the best decision.
He launched high in the air to bite my neck, and I knocked him off and flashed out of the way.
“Are you just going to let him chew on me?” I asked Christian in disbelief. Not that I needed a man to save me, but what was the point of his gallantry?
He winked. “I’m just here to break up the fight if he gets to that tasty little vein in your neck.”
“Don’t show him your fear,” Niko said from behind me. “Your color is flickering, so something in your behavior is provoking him.”
Viktor’s wolf trotted around me, and I turned with him. Saliva dripped from his fangs, and I realized I’d been seeing him as an aging man when he was anything but. Viktor’s wolf was just as tenacious as he was, but now I could appreciate the raw power of his Breed.
“I’m not here to cause trouble,” I assured him.
“Viktor’s not aware anymore,” Christian said quietly.
How was I supposed to know that? My knowledge about Shifters was limited.
He neared me—nostrils flaring. I swallowed hard, staring at his fangs as he drew closer to my hand, attempting to smell me. I flared a little energy so he wouldn’t think I was a Vampire, but that only confused him further.
When I made a closed fist so he couldn’t bite off my fingers, he exploded into action. I used my forearm to block his attack, turning my arm into a chew toy. He thrashed, tearing at my flesh, and Christian knocked him away the second I cried o
ut in pain.
I quickly rose to my feet, strands of hair clinging to my sweaty forehead. I wiped them away as the wolf advanced.
“Careful, he’s got blood in his mouth,” Christian said, moving closer between us.
His wolf must have thought I was going to punch him, so this time I opened my hands and held my palms out for him to sniff.
“Nice to meet you, wolfy. Wanna make friends?”
Blue chuckled nervously. “The playful tone in your voice helps.”
Making friends with a stray dog was one thing; placating a savage wolf was something else. “I thought I was just coming down for some beef stew or clam chowder. Viktor didn’t prepare me for battling a wolf, so if you could just sniff me and get this over with, that would be great.”
His wet nose glided across my palm, and I wrinkled my nose.
Christian flicked an amused glance my way.
The grey wolf bared his teeth, and I wondered if I could regenerate fingers.
“Love me or hate me, wolf. Let’s figure it out now.” I dragged my eyes up to Christian. “Can’t he smell lotion or perfume to figure out my scent? I’m sure my clothes carry a smell.”
Blue chimed in. “Wolves filter out all the fake odors. They search for your signature smell, and you don’t have one.”
His tongue lapped at my bloody fingertips.
Christian inched forward. “That’s about as friendly as he’ll get with a Vampire. Back away slowly.”
I did as he said. Christian knelt down and stared at the wolf straight on.
When Viktor shifted back, I quickly turned away from the very naked man kneeling in the middle of the dining room. Viktor was physically older than the rest of us, as evidenced by his silver hair and beard, but not old enough for us to overlook that he was still a virile man.
Releasing a breath, I stood coolly by the end of the table, blood dripping from my hand. “I hope we’re having pie for dessert.”
Gem chortled. “No one here bakes, so your odds are slim to none.”