This matter of humans knowing about the lycan race also needed to be investigated. The Eurostar trains, leaving for Paris from St Pancras Station made the trip in a little over two hours. If Josephine would only listen to reason. They were heartmated. She needed to understand what that meant.
***
Josie finished wrapping the gauze around the cut on her arm. Thank goodness she’d thought to add the first aid kit to her backpack. She rolled her sleeve down before picking up the small metal tube from the sink and rinsing the blood down the drain. Her first instinct was to flush the tube down the commode. Then, another idea came to mind, and she smiled. If the men wanted to track someone, she would give them someone new to track.
She walked out of the water closet and into the train car. Three police officers sat two rows up from the train door. The one in the aisle seat was reading the morning paper. His jacket lay draped across the seat, and the pocket was in easy reach. Josephine wandered by, making a show of gripping each seat back on her way. When she reached the officer, she slipped the device into his pocket. Let Fortescue’s men track him for a while.
As she returned to her seat, the train began to slow as it came into the next station. Josie watched the police officer fold his paper and pick up his jacket before making his way to the door, the other two officers following in his wake. Would her diversion work?
“Hey?” the teen holding her hat asked.
“Thanks for letting me use your tool.” Josephine handed the multi-tool to him.
“Here’s your hat. You want to come to the zoo with us? It should be fun,” he asked, sounding hopeful.
“Sorry, I’ve got an appointment I can’t miss. Thanks for asking me, though.”
“Hey, no problem.” He turned to his friend on the other side.
He seemed like a nice kid. Who knows what might have happened if she hadn’t hidden in their midst? She took out a few pound notes and slipped them in the kid’s jacket pocket.
The rest of the trip into Paddington Station was uneventful. Each time the train pulled into a station, Josie tensed, worried that Fortescue’s men would board. She would duck down and try to stay out of sight. But so far, there was no sign of them. Perhaps her trick with the police officers had thrown them off her trail.
The train began to slow as the outskirts of London appeared through the window, and soon conductors were announcing its arrival. Josephine walked with the teens to the main concourse before saying goodbye. Seeing an information kiosk, she hurried up to it. “I need to catch a train to Paris,” she told the clerk.
“Well now, you’ll have to go over to St Pancras Station and catch the Eurostar. The quickest way there is to take a cab. If you have the time, the tube can get you there cheaper.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
She hurried through the station, following arrows on the floor to the taxi rank. She patted the pocket that held the rest of the cash from Valerii’s wallet—another thing she hoped he would forgive.
She walked outside and joined the people in line for a cab. The wait wasn’t long, and she soon climbed in.
“Hey, kid,” the driver asked. “You got the quid to pay for this trip?”
“Yes, sir. Right here.” Josephine held up a few bills for him to see. “Take me to St Pancras Station.”
“What train you taking?”
“The Eurostar.”
“Okay, then.”
Josephine sat back in her seat and relaxed for the first time since arriving at the hospital. Her head, as well as her arm and shoulder, hurt. She needed to shift and let her lycan metabolism heal her wounds. The way things were working out, she would shift after she got to Paris. Fortescue’s men were still out there. Now wasn’t the time.
She leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. Her thoughts immediately went to Valerii. Where was he? Did he miss her?
Then she was seeing out of his eyes; he was on the motorway, and the next exit read Harrow Road.
Did you really think I would let you leave me? His voice came flowing into her mind.
Josie broke the link as quickly as she could. Thank goodness her eyes had been closed, and he couldn’t see where she was.
“Hey, kid. You getting out? We’re here.” The driver turned to look at her.
Josephine handed the man his fee and jumped out of the cab. She needed to get out of London before Valerii caught up with her. She didn’t want to listen to another lecture nor did she need his protection. She joined the mass of people walking into the station and followed the signs for Eurostar trains.
***
Valerii took the next exit and headed into downtown traffic. The station was only a few miles away. Now, if he could only get a parking spot.
Josie refused to let him link his mind with hers. He could feel her but not catch her thoughts. Why was she so hardheaded? He wanted only the best for her. Swearing, he drove by the front of the station, trying to find an open car park. He peered at the mating bond, bringing it into focus.
“Govno! She isn’t at the station,” he said, hitting the steering wheel with his hands. Why wasn’t she waiting for him? The thin yellow cord led away to the east. “She must be heading to St Pancras Station.”
Valerii drove past Paddington Station, following the mating bond. Twenty minutes later, he was once again looking for a place to park. He turned down Pancras Road, into the car park, and pulled a ticket from the machine. Grimacing at the rates, he decided to call Grigori and have him send one of the three, single pack males who lived in London to come pick up the car. When he caught up with Josie, they would take the tube and train back out to Taunton Station. He parked and gathered his luggage.
Josie?
His thoughts bounced back like they’d hit a brick wall. Damn, she still wasn’t letting him link with her telepathically. At least the mating bond ran right into the station. She was in there, somewhere.
Sighing, he walked into the glass-roofed station. The place was crowded, and his lycan ears hurt from the noise. How was Josie faring in this chaos? He gritted his teeth as heat flooded his face. She was being ridiculous, but she was definitely proving herself to be a strong Alpha. He shook his head. In a way, he was proud of her.
The smells of coffee and food couldn’t quite cover the smells of humans with their colognes and deodorants. Valerii coughed and covered his nose for a moment, before pushing his discomfort to the back of his mind. Nothing was going to stop him from finding his mate.
***
For once, things seemed to be working. Josie found the train schedule, and a Eurostar train was leaving in forty minutes. She knew she was cutting it close. Valerii was closing in on her. She sighed as she put his credit card into the machine and selected her ticket. Would he be terribly angry with her? She’d find a way to pay him back later.
She followed the crowd to the ticket barriers and fed the travel receipt into the machine. Then, she took her place in line for customs. As long as no one questioned her passport, she would be fine.
She stood behind a young couple with their arms around each other. The woman wore her brown hair in a bun at her neck, while her blond companion looked at her with adoring eyes. Their accents sounded similar to the accent of the Alpha’s mate from America. From the way they gazed at each other, Josephine assumed they were on their honeymoon.
The young woman smiled at her. “Is this your first trip to Paris?”
“No, I used to live there when I was younger,” Josie answered.
“Really? That must have been wonderful. I’m Susan, and this is my husband, Jack.” Susan looked expectantly at Josie.
“I’m Joe,” Josie said, afraid to give her disguise away. Did the overlarge T-shirt and jeans hide her gender?
“Are you traveling economy? We can sit together,” Susan said.
“Ah, yes,” Josie said, stumbling over her words as she tried to think of an excuse. Not finding one, she accepted their offer. “That would be nice, thank you.” What wou
ld it hurt?
She followed the couple through customs, sighing in relief when the officer didn’t comment on her passport. He looked her over and handed the passport back.
“Hurry, Joe. We still need to get to the platform,” Susan called.
They hurried down to the platform and stood with the people preparing to board. Josie was climbing up the first step when she felt a tug on the heartmate bond. Valerii was here. She rushed inside the train car and down the aisle, taking a seat across from Susan and Jack. Scooting closer to the window, she peered out. Would she see Valerii before she left? She felt so mixed up inside. Part of her feared seeing him, while the other part longed to with every fiber of her being.
Her heart ached, and she started to rise and turn toward the door before she stopped herself. She must go to Paris. She needed to protect Rosie and the English pack. She needed to be the Alpha she had been raised to be. Nothing could stop her, not even the man who was her mate. Sitting back down, she turned away from the window and brushed tears from her eyes.
“Are you all right, Joe?” Susan asked, patting Josephine on the knee. “Honey, why don’t you go find the dining car and buy us a couple of drinks,” Susan suggested to her husband.
Jack frowned. He got up and headed down the aisle to where a conductor stood by the door.
“Do you want to tell me about it?” Susan asked, taking Josephine’s hand. “When I saw you, I just knew I needed to help you. Are you in trouble? Is that why you’re dressed as a boy?”
***
Valerii walked up to the ticket counter and looked at the schedule. The next Eurostar train to Paris left in twelve minutes. There was no way to buy his ticket and get to the platform on time. Was Josephine on that train? The one after it left at 10:25—over an hour’s wait. Glancing at the customs lines, he gritted his teeth. He was never going to catch up with her.
Two doors down, a red sign read “For Coffee Lovers.” He might as well grab something to eat while he waited. Melisande had introduced the pack members to the drink, and Valerii was particularly fond of it. In Siberia they drank hot herbal tea.
He sat down with a cappuccino and biscuit. There was a tug on the heartmate bond, and he could feel Josephine’s sadness, the tears coming to her eyes.
Josie, don’t cry, malyshka. I will join you in Paris. You don’t have to do this alone.
It’s not safe for you to follow me. Please stay safe, Valerii.
Once again, she cut the link, leaving them both alone. Valerii tried to reconnect and met that barrier of resistance in her mind. He sighed and took a swallow of his coffee. It hurt that she was leaving him, but she was hurting, as well. What drove her so? He couldn’t stay mad at her; she was trying to protect her pack members. Any Alpha would do the same.
He took a bite of the biscuit. It turned to mush in his mouth. He pushed the plate away and picked up his coffee, cradling it in his palms as if to warm himself. His heart ached, and he felt cold inside. Only Josephine’s presence could warm him. He knew his sadness was going to get worse. The farther away she traveled, the poorer they both would feel.
His shoulders slumped, and he leaned his elbows on the table, suddenly weary. His wolf begged to go after its mate, to hunt and chase. He felt his skin warming as white lights started to form around him. Valerii used his strength of will to subdue his wolf spirit, and the lights winked out. He agreed with his wolf, but shifting here would mean a death sentence. Humans could never know of the lycan race. He would catch up to his mate in Paris, and then he would never let her go.
He lifted his head and sniffed the air, catching a familiar smell over the aroma of coffee. The scent of the men following Josephine wafted into the restaurant. Valerii rose from his chair and moved to the door. The three men he’d seen at the hospital walked up to the Eurostar ticket office. He hovered in the doorway, watching them.
“What are you going to tell Fortescue when we get back?” the man with the scar asked. Valerii frowned, his hands fisted at his sides. Fortescue? Was that the man who was after Josephine?
“That we lost her. How was I supposed to know she’d cut the tracking chip out of her arm?” the thin man, the one who’d shot at Joise, answered.
“Girl’s got guts.” The fat man held the black gauge that tracked Josephine.
“You won’t be so happy about it when we don’t get paid,” the thin man replied.
Valerii felt his wolf rush toward the surface and feared that his form once more was beginning to shift and that his eyes glowed with an inner light. Instead of subduing his response, he grabbed the energy and used it to enhance his senses. He drew the men’s smell into his lungs so he would always know them. The fat man smelled of garlic and tomato sauce, while the thin man smelled angry, an acidic scent that burned Valerii’s nose. He watched as the thin man pulled cash from his wallet to pay for the tickets. Valerii could make out a name on the driver’s license in the front—Jorge Sanxay. He could hear each breath the men took, and the sound of their heartbeats echoed in his ears. When the men finished paying, they turned to walk to the customs area. Valerii reached out with his telepathy and slipped into Sanxay’s mind, placing a suggestion in his thoughts.
“Go get in line, I’ll be right with you,” Sanxay said as he paused outside the men’s water closet.
The two other men walked away. Valerii followed Sanxay into the toilet.
Valerii walked into the small room, his senses wide-open, gathering information. He and Sanxay were alone in the space. Valerii turned and locked the door behind him. Sanxay finished using the urinal and turned toward the sinks. Valerii’s fist smashed into Sanxay’s nose, and Sanxay went down with a yell of surprise. Valerii was on him in an instant. Holding him by the throat, Valerii sent his mind plunging into Sanxay’s.
Valerii rushed through Sanxay’s memories of the night of Josie’s kidnapping. How Sanxay had drugged her and fondled her breasts while she was unconscious. How he’d been tempted to rape the young girl. But Dr. Boucher had demanded that Josephine Chevalier be delivered to the lab outside of Paris, unharmed.
Valerii growled in rage, his fist tightening on Sanxay’s throat. He rushed forward through Sanxay’s memories and saw a new person wanting to retrieve Josephine. This man was younger, his eyes sad—Norris Fortescue. He, too, had demanded that Josephine be unharmed. So why did Sanxay shoot at her? Moving deeper into the man’s psyche, Valerii suddenly understood. Sanxay liked pain. To him, unharmed meant alive and nothing more.
Valerii came back into his own mind and heard sounds of Sanxay choking, his face starting to turn blue. Valerii was tempted to close his fist and crush the man’s windpipe. Sanxay was scum. He had thought about raping Valerii’s mate and had shot her. But he didn’t know anything about the lycan race. His employers never had explained why they wanted Josephine.
In good conscience, Valerii shouldn’t kill him. Humans needed to bring this man to justice.
A banging on the door startled Valerii. He was running out of time, and this place was too public. He dove back into Sanxay’s mind.
You will never look for Josephine Chevalier again. If you do, you will die. Do you understand?
When Sanxay nodded, Valerii smiled. He blurred the memory of what he looked like in Sanxay’s mind before he smashed his fist once more into Sanxay’s face, knocking him out.
The banging on the door grew insistent. Valerii lifted Sanxay up and sat him in a stall before closing the entry. Valerii washed his hands, and then opened the toilet’s door. An older man rushed in and over to the urinal, not even glancing Valerii’s way as he unzipped his pants. Shaking his head, Valerii walked out of the room. Now to catch a train.
***
“You know I’m a girl?” Josephine asked in astonishment.
Susan smiled at her. She looked to be in her early thirties. She sat relaxed in her chair, her ankles crossed.
“Well, of course. The baggy clothes work from a distance, but you have curves no boy would have. What are you running
from?”
Josephine sat, her mouth hanging open. She’d dressed as a boy for the last five years. Could everyone see through her disguise? What should she say to Susan?
“Is it a man?” Susan asked, brushing at a piece of lint on her pants.
“No, I mean yes, er sort of. I’m running from some men who’ve been threatening me. My ma…er fiancé is also following me. He wants to protect me.”
“Call the authorities,” Susan said. “Let them protect you. Let your fiancé protect you. Lose the disguise. It isn’t working.”
“You don’t understand. I’m trying to protect him. I don’t want these men to get their hands on Valerii.”
“Valerii, nice name. Joe...Is that your real name?”
“Josephine.”
“Okay, that’s better. Josephine, you need to contact the police. Let them handle these men who are scaring you.”
How could Josephine explain that she couldn’t go to the authorities? The human race wasn’t ready to learn about lycans. “I’m sure you’re right. I may have overreacted. I just want Valerii to be safe.” She hated lying, It would be impossible if Susan were a lycan. Lying had a smell that any lycan could pick up.
“It’s a noble idea to protect your fiancé. But he won’t thank you for it. His need to protect you is just as strong. In fact, it’s stronger. Men are genetically set up to protect us. Why can’t you work together as a team? Then, you both can protect each other.”
“I ran from him. I took his money.” Could he ever forgive her?
“You said he was still following you, right? He must really love you to do that. Money can be replaced and so can a fiancée if she isn’t the right one.”
“You think he loves me?” Josie asked, a spark of hope igniting in her heart.
“Why else would he come after you? Josephine, stop and think a moment. Use your intellect. Don’t let your emotions run away with you.”
A Siberian Werewolf in Paris Page 4