by Lynde Lakes
He’d seen the pool room in the mansion and wondered if she’d take the bait if he offered a provocative suggestion to her. It would be easier all around if he could get the girls out of this den of simmering testosterone without a hassle.
“Not afraid to play a pro, are you?” she taunted in a tone that reminded him of heat rising off the desert floor in mid-summer.
He lowered his voice. “Honey, I prefer it. But how about we use the rec room in your home? Then we could play for something really interesting. Besides, I prefer to show up a hot, lusty babe like you in private.”
Her eyes blazed, whether with interest or anger, he wasn’t sure. But before she could reply and give him a clue, her dad shouted from the doorway. “Victoria!” His neck and jawline were blood red.
It was comical how Victoria’s demeanor changed. She put down the pool cue and shrugged. “Look, I gotta go, guys. My party-pooper dad just arrived.”
The muscle-bound jerk with a quarterback build said, “So you’re Daddy’s girl? I thought you were a woman out for a good time.”
“Not tonight. I know my dad’s look and it’ll be best if I get him out of here before he explodes and gets us all banned from this place.”
Across the distance, the jerk with muscles gave daddy-Damon a once-over. “I’m not afraid of that old man.”
Rick rolled his shirt sleeve up, exposing a scorpion tattoo he’d gotten when he briefly belonged to a desert gang while working undercover for his brother. “But her dad’s not alone,” he said. “Ever hear of Deeto and his gang? They’re outside waiting for the fun to breakout.”
Valerie had already hightailed it over to Angela who was right behind Damon. Rick couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Valerie was nodding.
Rick grasped Victoria’s arm. She wrenched away, and for several annoying seconds, she scorched him with her gaze. “Hands off, employee of the hour.”
Rick felt like shaking the sexy spoiled brat. “Come quietly, Victoria. You don’t want to make trouble for your dad.”
Beneath lush lashes, she sent Rick a sidelong glance. “But maybe I’d like to make a problem for you.” Then she strode toward her father with an irritatingly beautiful animal grace.
Rick started to follow when he felt a cue stick slam across his back. He whirled and went into a judo crouch. “Get the girls out of here now,” he shouted at Damon. “I can handle myself.” Damon must have pushed Angela and the girls out the door. Because a second later, he was in the fight with him, using karate moves and kicks. No one who’d ever seen Damon in action would call him an old man. He had a killer instinct tempered with skilled reserve. Just the kind of man he wanted on his side.
When they were the only ones left conscious and standing, they headed out the door, sore and a little bruised, but glad the girls were all right. Out in the car, Rick found himself sandwiched in the back seat between the twins.
His wide shoulders forced him to put his arms up over the back seat behind them. Victoria’s silky hair rested on his arm, taunting him.
He would’ve been amused by Damon’s lecture to the girls if he hadn’t realized how dangerous the situation had been and, after what they’d learned about Lazar, how lucky the twins had been to escape him.
“To make things crystal clear,” Damon said, “you didn’t have permission to go to that drug-infested hangout.”
“I didn’t see any drugs,” Victoria said with the innocence of an angel. “Besides, we don’t do drugs. You know that. So why are you so mad? We were acting responsibly. We rode with an adult you know and respect, and we set an early curfew. He promised to return at ten-thirty and take us back up the hill. He’s a real cool guy.”
“No, he isn’t,” Damon shouted. “I learned some things today that changed my opinion of Lazar. I want you to stay away from him. Far, far away.”
Rick wanted to second that, but he remained silent.
After Damon made certain his girls understood how things could’ve turned deadly, he led Angela to the master bedroom so they could resume their discussion about Lazar in private. “I think you’re right about him,” he admitted. “We used a luminol scan and found blood in Lazar’s bedroom.”
She grabbed the telephone receiver and started to dial. He took it from her and hung up. “We can’t report this. We can’t prove Lazar was ever in that apartment. His name wasn’t on the lease. The lease was in the name of your former harassing boss, Dudley Knox.”
Her eyes widened. “Good grief. Dudley certainly got around before someone killed him.”
“I suspect Lazar. The only thing I have to go on is he listed that apartment as his home address and the blood.”
Now that he suspected Reeves may have morphed into Lazar’s body, he was glad he hadn’t set it up for Hugh to give blood while in his werewolf state. Even though Hugh had specified that no one must know it came from him and that Damon had to do the extraction himself, Lazar would have caught on that it came from a family member.
“Well,” Angela said, “if Lazar was in the apartment, the police can find his DNA.”
Damon groaned at the mess he’d made of things, all in the name of protecting his family. “You forget, I found Kat dead on our property and buried her. And now my DNA is in the apartment with the blood.”
Angela’s eyes blazed. “Don’t say the blood…admit it. You know it’s her blood.”
He drew Angela into his arms and kissed her forehead. “We have no proof of that. If we bring in the police, we risk bringing trouble down on our whole family. Just let me handle it.”
She shrugged away from him, leaving his arms feeling so empty. “That’s how we got into this mess.” Her whispery shout filled the room. “Your perpetual drive to handle things.”
Damon’s stomach knotted tighter. “Don’t you think I know that?”
Every step he’d taken to protect his girls was backfiring on him. He’d wanted to protect them from the excruciating pain and their predator wolf taking over their senses. Equally, he wanted to protect them from feeling the hunger and raging desire of a feral wolf before they’d found love, hopefully no sooner than their late twenties. Better yet, their thirties.
The dark element stirred in the back of his mind that had plagued him for years. It was during January’s full wolf moon when a blue moon occurred and drove his father over the edge of sanity into the empty realm of suicide. Suicide, the eventual solution of most of his family, was not an option for his girls.
“I won’t give up on finding a cure for the girls, but I know now that I can no longer count on Lazar. Since he put false information on the employment form and deceived me, I know I can only expect trouble from him.”
Angela shook her head. “Just imagine what might have happened to our girls because you trusted Lazar. And worse yet, you made the girls feel it was safe to trust him. I can’t leave this in your hands any longer. I’m taking the girls and going to my mom’s until I can think of a safer place.”
“Don’t start that again. You are safer here. You have me, Rick, Hugh, and Deeto and his gang to provide you and the girls around-the-clock protection.”
“Then how did the twins escape all of your heavily-muscled protection today?”
He didn’t blame her for lack of trust in the protection he provided so far. “I didn’t have enough against Lazar then. But because he worried you, I took the steps and gathered information. Now I can act on what I learned.”
“But—”
“You and the girls will always be first in my life. That’s why I have to do whatever it takes to keep you all safe. You might not always approve of my methods, but no couple ever agrees on everything, especially a couple who has lived through such wild, turbulent times and who has yet to face the demanding challenges that seem to be unfolding, You must realize that my need for you and your cooperation has only grown stronger.”
Angela’s eyes blazed. “You mustn’t let him back on our property! I want restraining orders, the whole shebang.”
/> “You got it.” Damon paced the room, wondering if he dare tell her the worst part. For her safety and the safety of the girls, he had no choice. “Remember the frightening blobs reaching out from the mud in the crystal and Madam Nola’s story about the dead rising to eternal life?” He rushed on, wanting to get it said before Angela had too much time to think about it. “There’s something else…something terrifying. I think Reeves has morphed into Lazar.”
Angela’s face paled. “As impossible as that seems, I find myself believing you. Although Reeves was dead and his ashes scattered behind the mansion, I had an eerie sense of his presence from the moment we returned from our honeymoon.”
“Reeves died a werewolf and if he morphed into Lazar, Lazar acquired the werewolf tendencies.”
“That could explain the wolf attack on Madam Nola and Kat.” Angela’s face paled, and she dropped down on the window seat, looking defeated. “If that’s all true, how do we get rid of that fiend and destroy his gift of eternal life?”
“I haven’t a clue, but I’ll talk to Hugh. He rose from the dead and may know the secrets and limitations.” Damon doubted an answer existed. Nevertheless, he forced himself to stay positive for Angela’s sake. But if what they suspected was true, they were dealing with an inhuman, indestructible monster.
In the recreation room, Victoria tossed her black, hip-length jacket across the room with the power of vengeance and approached the pool table like it was the enemy. Clearly ready for battle, she cued up the balls. The wide Elvis-style collar of her shirt rode high on her slender neck. With each breath, her shirt lifted and fell across her firm, rounded breasts. She’d left three buttons undone and, were it not for her undershirt, he could’ve seen cleavage clear to China. The skinny, tight black cargo pants revealed hints of sexy leg muscles. She tossed that long, full, wind-blown onyx hair provocatively and handled the pool cue like a pro. That wild, big hair reminded him of when she’d morphed into a wolf. Even then, she was a creature of amazing beauty. Rick watched, totally fascinated. Her full, almost heart-shaped lips begged to be kissed. She was smart, beautiful, and wild—and forbidden, he reminded himself repeatedly. He tried, but he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. Every movement was an exercise in grace and sent his heartbeat soaring.
Victoria gave a throaty laugh. “Hey, wasn’t Dad awesome tonight?”
“That’s an understatement,” Rick said, knowing better than to expect any praise for his part in the fight. “Of course we wouldn’t have been forced into a knock-down, drag-out if you girls would’ve stayed home where you belong.” The minute he finished saying those last three words, he knew he’d made a mistake.
“Where we belong?” She looked over at Valerie who was sitting on the window seat, staring out into the darkness. “Did you hear what this temp bodyguard had the nerve to say to me?”
“Forget him,” Valerie said. “What about Lazar? He’s going to drive up to the club in about an hour and we won’t be there.” She glanced at Victoria. “You have his cell number, don’t you? I think we should call and tell him our plans have changed. After all, it’s only polite. He did give us a ride.”
Rick stiffened. “Didn’t you hear what your dad said? You’re to have no contact with that man. He’s dangerous. You’re lucky to be alive.”
Valerie’s long blonde hair had golden highlights that someday would drive the right man wild, and her sad, smoky expression touched his heart in a sisterly way. She was beautiful, but she wasn’t captivating in the same walk-on-the-wild-side way as her dark-haired twin.
Victoria broke the balls fiercely and explosively, as though one of the balls had his name on it. With her out for blood, he’d better keep his mind on the game. As long as Valerie stayed put, he had no worries—the girls were safe with him. Although he found them outstanding and fascinating, he had a strong willpower and intended to keep his lust firmly under control. Very quickly, the game got intense and he didn’t notice Valerie slip out of the room.
Damon caught Hugh just as he was leaving his room. “I need to talk to you,” he said.
Hugh stepped back inside. “Make it quick. I was just going to check on the girls. I have an uneasy feeling.”
“They’re in the rec room with Rick, playing pool. We can check on them in a minute. The sands of trouble have shifted again on the property, and I need help to fortify the place.”
“Is it Lazar?”
“You already suspected him?”
“I feel a negative connection to him that makes my skin crawl.”
“You and Angela caught onto him before I did.”
“That shouldn’t surprise you. You’ve always been too trusting.”
Damon couldn’t deny it. “Angela believes Lazar killed Kat and my inspection of his apartment turned up blood. But there’s more to it. I think Reeves morphed into Lazar. If he’s our morphed brother, he has a lot of anger in him and is undoubtedly intent on getting revenge on all of us.” Damon paced a few steps. “You came back from the dead. Are there secrets or limitations tied to those with eternal life that I can use against him?”
“Not that I know of. But the angel who brought me from the muddy bowels of death told me you held the secret to ban the curse. She said if I wanted to escape it, I should ask you. Maybe you unconsciously know something to fight this.”
“I only know that our family curse can be broken by love. When we love someone enough to sacrifice ourselves for them and then prove it, we are freed from the curse. But let’s discuss that more later. Right now, we have to stop Lazar from coming back onto the property. I need you to help me change the locks and fortify the security to protect my family. I called Deeto, but he didn’t answer, so you, Rick, and I are on our own.”
Valerie heard voices coming toward the stairway. It was her dad and Hugh. She hurried out the door. Their footsteps neared. Oh, my goodness, they were coming outside, too. She scurried behind the bushes and squatted out of sight. Her dad and Uncle Hugh wore tool belts and headed for the lab. When they stooped down and inspected the knob, she knew they were there to change the locks.
The bright security light over the door illuminated them and provided sufficient light to do the job. Obviously, Dad was really down on Dr. Lazar to prohibit his access to the lab.
What had Lazar done to make Dad angry enough to fire him without notice from his life’s work? Losing his job so suddenly was all the more reason for her to apologize for not calling and letting him know they were no longer at the club waiting to be picked up. Poor guy. She couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t apologize. But just in case he was the bad guy as her dad suspected, she would definitely keep her distance.
“Oh, crap,” Rick said. “Valerie slipped out of the room.”
“I should’ve given her Lazar’s cell phone number.” Victoria ran to the window, the soft wave of her onyx hair swishing across her back, begging to be stoked. “His car is coming up the lane toward the driveway,” she said a little breathlessly.
A second later, Rick heard it, too. Her superior hearing could come in handy in his line of work. He joined her and put his arm around her waist. She smelled like roses. “See anything?” he asked. He trusted her sharp eyesight over his own.
“Dad and Uncle Hugh are at the lab door, changing the locks.” Victoria’s breath caught. “Oh, no. Valerie is down there, hiding in the bushes.”
Rick saw only a shadow behind the foliage. Lazar’s car turned into the driveway.
Victoria’s body stiffened. “If Lazar is as bad as you and Dad claim, we’d better get down there and head Val off before she does something stupid. She’s intent upon apologizing to him.”
Rick hoped Victoria could handle what he was about to tell her. “We’re pretty sure he murdered your Aunt Kat—”
Victoria gasped. Without waiting to hear more, she tore out the door and down the curving stairway. Rick followed close behind, praying they’d get to Valerie in time.
Chapter Eleven
Valerie rushed up
to Lazar’s darkened car. “I’m sorry we weren’t at the club when you came to pick us up, but Dad—” Lazar’s eyes glinted. When he grabbed for her, she jumped back. An eerie feeling sent a prickle through the roots of her hair and she whirled around and ran. With the motor still running, he bolted after her. Within two large steps, his biting grip sank into her upper arm. She screamed. He snaked an arm around her neck, got her in a wrestling hold, and pressed a gun to her head. Then he half-dragged her backwards to the car. “Get in!”
“He’s got her!” Rick squeezed Victoria’s fingers. Even in the dim light from the car beams, he saw her eyes spark. “Do something to distract him. I need to circle to the other side of the car unseen. But, whatever you do, stay out of his reach.”
She nodded.
Rick used the bushes for cover then scurried along the ground on his hands and knees. The distance seemed infinite. But he pushed on. He’d almost reached the rear of the car when he heard Victoria call out to Lazar.
“You’ve got the wrong twin,” she said, taunting him as she lifted up her T-shirt.
What the hell? Rick gasped. Those rounded breasts and pert nipples were definitely sexier than anything he’d seen in Playboy Magazine. Even in the darkness with only the light from the head-beams, the diversion was enough to melt any man in his tracks.
Her stunning method of distraction wasn’t what he had in mind, but it sidetracked Lazar long enough for him to circle to the passenger side of the car. Rick used his car-stealing master key to unlock the back door. Then he slipped inside and crouched on the floor. Any sound of movement was covered by Damon and Hugh shouting for Lazar to stop.
When Lazar shoved Valerie into the driver’s side of the car, she attempted to tromp on the gas pedal, hoping to throw him off balance. He kicked her ankle and shoved her onto the passenger seat. She dived for the door. Before she could open it, he pressed a button. All door locks clicked, barring escape.