by Anya Breton
"Tell me about the next engagement after the Chamber Tea," the priestess said as if nothing had happened.
I was glad for it because I didn't enjoy feeling like more of an oddity than I already was. "The next scheduled events are the Fourth and Tanglewood."
"I've already made arrangements for Tanglewood. We're renting an adorable condominium with a pool. You will stop by at the very least."
"I will see how my schedule..."
The sensation hit me harder this time and didn't let up nearly as quickly. I bit out a cry before grabbing on to the nearest solid object. Morrígan made sure that was her.
While I clung to her to keep from falling she leaned in to whisper, "Your second present."
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Something tugged me back with a jarring movement that snapped my jaw shut. Thankfully my tongue had been no where near my teeth this time. A second later I was whisked off the ground.
The vibration the suit was giving off ceased. When I could breath again I saw Morrígan glaring at me. What had I done to piss her off?
"She can walk on her own, senator," Morrígan said coolly.
My muddled brain slowly cleared. That was when I realized Aiden was holding me in his arms. Now I understood.
"I can walk on my own," I repeated her sentiment shakily.
"Very well," Aiden said in an unreadable voice as he set me gently on my feet.
Bravely I walked forward even though my legs were gelatinous. I didn't want to hold Morrígan's arm again but knew she'd be offended if I didn't. Slowly I came to understand what had happened.
There was more to this outfit than met the eye. And Morrígan controlled its wicked secrets. I was afraid of what other secrets it held.
"I am disappointed you did not come alone, Ms. Denham," Morrígan said with a delicate pout of her lips. "I did so hope to see you in private."
There was nothing I could say that wouldn't insult her so I wisely remained silent. My heart beat a little too rapidly in anticipation of her next attack. By the mischevious smile on her face I knew she was enjoying this immensely.
"You will have to visit me again soon, without your guard dogs." She shot a bitter glance back at them.
My quick response was, "They're not my guard dogs."
Her attention returned to me with a slight frown. "I do hope you haven't brought your lovers into my den."
"They're not my lovers either."
"Good. I would be offended to have my nose rubbed in that, Ms. Denham."
"I know," was my soft reply.
Her arm dropped away from mine to curl around my back upon reaching the heavy door to her study. She guided me inside and to the sole chair in front of her broad oak desk with only the pressure on my tailbone. I knew the lack of seating was because Morrígan didn't like entertaining more than one person at a time.
The room was a space one might expect to find in an old Victorian house, complete with paintings, bookshelves lined with tomes and the paper strewn desk. But here there were no hovering witches. This was her private domain. Her personal guard would not be here if I hadn't brought the Alpha and senator.
I averted my eyes from the desk with a flush in my cheeks. Morrígan had brought me here for more than just supposed gifts. She wanted me to remember. And remember I did.
She settled into the large leather chair behind the desk. "Now, dearest Ms. Denham," she tapped a porcelain-colored finger against her chin. "I'd like a hint as to why you are here before I decide if we're to dispense with the unpleasantness of whatever business has brought you to me this time or if we're to do the gift giving first."
I was praying for the business first. "Another Fire witch has set a residence on fire, amongst other things."
She leaned forward with slightly wider eyes. Her fingers clenched one another in a tight, white grip. "Your dad."
It was difficult to remain impassive because I knew she was upset that someone might attack my dad again. "No. It wasn't my dad."
Morrígan relaxed into her broad leather chair again, setting her hands atop the arm rests at either side. "We shall get the business out of the way. I will answer all of your questions, gladly. And in return you will give me a few minutes of your time sans guard."
"No," Aiden answered before I could think of an excuse.
The priestess's blue eyes swiveled to where he most certainly stood behind me. Her gaze sharpened. When she spoke it was in the lower register of her voice. "A vampire speaks for you now."
I was quick to respond, "No one speaks for me. You know that."
"I thought I did." She kicked a delicately formed ankle up onto the desk with her eye fixed on him still. "I shall teach him not to presume to know your mind."
Shit! I did not need this crap. "No, priestess." My heartbeat skyrocketed. I could feel the muscle pounding against the wall of my chest. "Please," I added because I knew how much she liked to hear it.
Her eyes snapped back to mine with a malevolent gleam. I didn't need to hear a response to know I was in deep shit. Morrígan's ankle dropped to the floor so she could stand from her chair and lean over the desk toward me. "You say please for him."
When Morrígan backed me into a corner my bad reactions were far different from those with anyone else. I went on the true defensive because I was legitimately worried for the vampire. "He's only here because the Alpha got frisky last night. Please just ignore him. He doesn't understand."
Damn it. Damn It. Damn it! Why was I such an idiot? How could I have been stupid enough to bring a vampire into the den of the Fire witches? I should have fought him harder.
The furious gleam in her eyes transformed into something quite different. I knew that look. And I knew I wasn't getting out of this easily. "You will explain what it is that he doesn't understand."
"He doesn't understand that you and I have...a history," I said just above a whisper.
"A history," she let out a husky laugh. "How I wish that what we had could be counted as a 'history', dearest Ms. Denham."
"Can we do this later?" I asked miserably.
"Hmm." It was as close to a question as she'd come.
"We were going to get the business out of the way." I steadily grew mortified. Because of it wasn't able to temper my impatience. She would make me pay for that as well.
Morrígan settled back down into the chair then gave a brusque gesture of her long, pale fingers.
My heartbeat eased, for now. I got down to business before she changed her mind. "A Fire witch kidnapped the sister of one of the Alpha's wolves. And a Fire witch set this same wolf's condo on fire."
"You will tell me what it is that you want from me," the priestess said in her imperious way.
Aiden spoke up from behind me. "Did the order come from you?"
I turned enough to give him a sharp glare. Hadn't he learned anything since he'd been here? Aiden didn't spare a look at me. His determined gaze was fixed on the high priestess. I resumed my normal pose because it was obvious he wasn't going to take silent advice from me.
"No, senator, the order didn't come from me," Morrígan replied in irritation. "There would be no purpose in my kidnapping a random wolf's sister."
I noticed how specific she'd made the statement. The Alpha hadn't made any noise so I assumed she'd been telling the truth or she'd found a way to fool Were. I guessed it wasn't a complete waste that he'd come along.
Aiden asked another question. "Would you be able to tell us who did kidnap her if I were to describe her?"
The urge to look at the vampire once again was strong. How exactly could he describe the Fire witch? How had he'd seen her when no one else had? The information Michelle had given us had been generic at best.
"Perhaps," Morrígan said with a dismissive gesture.
"My description may be a little off, as it is tempered by someone else's perception," he added. "But it may be enough."
The priestess heaved a heavy sigh. "Get on with it, senator."
"She has flame re
d hair cut in an asymmetrical bob, gray or blue gray eyes, emaciated figure, and a rather large nose."
"Megan," Morrígan replied at once. "But she would not..." Her voice trailed off without finishing. A hand went to her temple as her eyelids closed heavily. "Perhaps she would. She was angry that I did not make her an Adept. I'd thought she'd diverted her passion into her studies."
"She's one of yours?" Dominick spoke for the first time since we'd gotten there.
"Yes, Alpha, she is one of mine." Her attention switched back to me. "She will be dealt with according to Coven law." In other words, she'd be tried by the high priestess and if found guilty, put to death by drowning.
"And restitution to my wolf for the loss of his condo and belongings?"
"Setup mediation, Alpha." Morrígan said wearily. "I will attend it."
I brought the focus back to me now that we were dealing with the safer topic of business. "I need to know who she was working for, priestess."
Spying an opportunity, Morrígan snagged it immediately. "I will arrange it. Return tomorrow night without your..."
"No," Aiden interrupted her, "She's not coming here alone."
Morrígan's voice dropped low. "You are beginning to anger me, senator."
"Tomorrow night," I said loudly enough that I hoped they both shut up, "I will come, alone, on one condition."
The priestess's lips twisted to one side. "There's always a condition with you, dearest Ms. Denham." But she waited for me to give the condition before saying anything else.
I looked her in the eye and said, "We postpone the gift giving."
Her mouth spread into a broad grin. "We have an agreement."
"Thank you, priestess." I stood from her leather chair, bowing in front of her desk in a deferential gesture.
That was when the evil, evil woman hit the switch on her remote. I bit my lip to keep from making a sound at the sudden jolt. My lack of response spurred her to turn up the juice. I unfolded to stand upright with my hands on the edge of her desk while the vibrations sent little shocks of desire all through me.
She lifted into a standing position with a graceful movement and then moved the four steps to stand beside me. Her hot breath slid into my ear in the form of a whisper, "I will dream of you."
It took every ounce of coordination and the little composure I was capable of displaying not to fall onto the floor in a quivering mess. Somehow I managed to make it to the door. The high priestess remained behind, resting against her large desk with her eyes fixed on us as we moved.
It was a testament to how messed up I was that I didn't protest when Aiden scooped me up and carried me back to my car. Someone had driven us a block away when either the priestess let up on her remote or I'd moved out of range. I let my muscles go slack against the passenger seat with a shaky sigh of relief.
"What the fuck was that, Laura?" The Alpha was the first to speak. From the location of his voice I gathered that he was sitting in the back seat. That must mean Aiden was driving.
I'd forced them to hold their comments until after but I wasn't certain I was going to answer any of their questions.
"That was nothing that concerns you," I answered in what I'd hoped was a cool tone, in reality it was breathless because of the after shocks still riding my nerves.
"We're tryin' to find out who is attemptin' to kill my wolf and you seem to be personally involved with everyone who could be pulling the strings."
His accusation angered me enough to get defensive. "I'm not involved with anyone."
Dominick muttered, "I'll bet you're even friendly with the Prime."
"She is, actually," Aiden told him.
"For fucks sake," I said at the same time as the Alpha was cursing in the back seat.
"You should have told us you had history with the high priestess," Aiden scolded me far too calmly.
"Yeah," Dominick chimed in. "That would have been a nice fuckin' thing to know goin' in."
"I don't really have history with the high priestess." I wasn't even convincing myself. "At least not the kind of history she wants. And look, nobody is supposed to know about this. If either of you so much as makes a peep about..."
"Are you or aren't you a lesbian?"
This from the Alpha was actually insulting. "My sexual preference has no bearing on my ability to track down who is doing all of this shit and put the hurt on them."
The guy was gruff when he declared, "I'm not talkin' about the kidnappin's and fires right now. I just wanna know."
"I don't know you well enough to..."
He interrupted me impatiently. "Oh, just stop it."
"Fine then, what answer will get you to leave me alone?"
I heard Aiden inhale a quick breath but when I glanced at him I couldn't tell why he'd done it. It had sounded like a laugh to me but his face was an unreadable mask.
"What's the priestess got on you?" Dominick demanded angrily. "How can you be such a hard ass with me but almost...submissive to her?"
That question made my entire body go a little cold. Was I submissive to Morrígan? Good gods, I was, wasn't I? That was part of why she scared me so damn much.
Stiffly I replied, "I'm not discussing Morrígan with you."
He smacked the back of my seat. "You damn well..."
Aiden interrupted him. "Calm down, wolf. If Miss Denham isn't comfortable discussing this then we can't force her."
The Alpha's ire quickly turned to him. "What the hell is the deal with you anyway?"
"I'm sorry?"
"One minute you're rattin' on her about the Prime and givin' her a hard time for keepin' her little affair with the priestess a secret and the next you're reasonable. Make up your fuckin' mind."
"It's not an affair..." I attempted to argue but was drowned out by them.
"My mind has not changed, wolf," Aiden retorted. "You are right that she is perhaps too close to this investigation. And it was irresponsible for her to keep that information from us..."
I broke in with a louder voice. "I'm sorry but I did try to keep you guys from coming with me. And I told you things might get weird."
Aiden moved onto a more productive topic before the Alpha could say something derisive. "I believe we should track this Megan down before her priestess gets to her, in case Morrígan is the one behind this."
"While I think that is a good idea, I can't go along with it," I said.
"Why?" The Alpha butted in, "Because you don't want to upset your girlfriend?"
My shoulder turned enough for me to look over it into the back seat. "Do you have any idea how immature you sound right now?"
Dominick held my irritated eye for a silent moment. "Why can't you go along with it?"
"Because Mr. Bruce is a vampire and Morrígan is the high priestess of the Fire witches for the Northeast. He might as well play chicken with the sun."
The vampire glanced at me while merging onto the interstate. "I appreciate your concern but I can handle myself."
I shook my head in a slow, grave motion. "It's not about whether or not you can handle yourself. It's that she knows me well enough to know threatening me directly never works. She knows only threatening other people will get my attention. And you're the one she'd go after first because she thinks it will upset me."
"Will it?"
I didn't want to answer Aiden's soft question but neither of them spoke. Obviously they were waiting on my response. I closed my eyes for a moment. "If anyone gets hurt because they were foolishly trying to protect me, then yes, it will upset me."
My answer plunged the car into silence. I was grateful for it. But the silence meant I had to think and my thoughts instantly went to Morrígan.
Gods, what had I gotten myself into this time?
I tugged the belted raincoat tighter around my waist as I stepped out of my car near the row house. My neighbors would just love to be able to tell the symphony that I dressed like a dominatrix on my off time. I really needed to come up with a cover story for all of the w
eird crap that happened around me. That or I needed a place without neighbors.
These days it seemed like my symphony life was the cover story. More and more my nocturnal activities took over what was supposed to be my "real life". I didn't know how to feel about that. On one hand the Underground facet of my life was dangerous and I tended to get hurt. On the other I was getting rid of some of Boston's worst criminals -- the ones the police could never hope to contain, even if they knew of their existence.
A figure stepped out of the shadows to block my path. I'd been so distracted in thought that I hadn't realized someone was there. My hand immediately went for the gun inside my coat but it hadn't been in time.
The figure grabbed me my the forearms, wrenching them from within the coat. A split second later I was whirled me around and immediately slammed up against the brick wall. Hot minty scented breath fanned my face while I attempted to decide if this was a supernatural creature or a run of the mill thug. Had that movement been quicker than human or was I just off my game tonight?
I knew the answer when warm lips pressed over mine. That kiss, open mouthed and all, was familiar. The Alpha had followed me home.
The two men had gotten in their respective cars at the brownstone fifteen minutes earlier without much of an argument. I should have known I wasn't going to get away that easily. But of the people I would have expected to follow me, the Alpha wouldn't have been my first guess.
His hands slid in between the folds of my jacket to move along the leather beneath. I wouldn't have thought I'd be able to feel much of anything through the outfit but I'd have been wrong. Each tiny gesture was articulated through the leather straps directly onto my skin. Now that I thought about it, it made sense given who had bought it for me.
I turned my head away, breaking the kiss so that I could ask, "What do you want?"
Rather than answer me he unbelted the coat, spread it wide and press himself against me. I felt the heat of his skin through the layers of our clothes. He was warm. And he was aroused.
"I want you so bad," he said into my ear in that voice I'd known would give me shivers.
"Alpha..."