by Moxie North
“Let’s be sharp. No one gets near Kellan. Zion, did you use the bathroom? No breaks tonight,” Eden said to the large man. He was wearing a form-fitting tux and Kellan had no idea where he’d gotten one on such short notice.
“Hah, you are a riot, Eden. Maybe you should give up bodyguarding and become a comedian,” Zion remarked dryly.
She sniffed haughtily and reached for Kellan’s hand. The soft velvet of the cloak she was wearing brushed against his skin.
Eden had excused herself after the call for the party the day before and gone shopping on her own. She came back with a half dozen different-sized bags and when he’d asked to see what she bought, she told him it was for work.
She’d also kicked him out of the room before they left so she could get dressed. When the door finally opened, she was wearing the black wrap cape that went down to her ankles. Her dark brown hair was braided back from her head in a coronet with sparkly pins tucked into it. The rest fell down her back in soft curly waves. Her eyes were lined with black and when she blinked, Kellan saw a sparkle at the corner of her eyelids from a metallic shadow. Her normally perfectly plump pink lips were shining with a deep-colored berry lipstick. Everything else was hidden from his view. It was infuriating and alluring at the same time, and he almost pinched himself at how lucky he really was to have Eden as his mate.
“Let’s get this over with. Everyone smile, we have nothing to hide. Zion, you have my six and I’ll stay by Kellan.”
Zion was right behind them when he said, “Terrible idea. I’ll hold Kellan’s hand all night and you watch my six.”
Eden glared over her shoulder. “Now who’s the comedian?”
Zion chuckled and took his place behind them as they approached the mansion. The front doors of the mansion were open, there was a light line of people walking in and they joined the crowd. Just inside, Kellan handed over his dress coat and turned to help Eden with her wrap. As she swung off the garment, Kellan stood frozen as he stared at her.
The dress was the color of dark red wine and it clung to her body like a second skin. The top had slim straps that went over her shoulders. The front was a loose wrap style, the curve of her breasts was outlined perfectly by the material, and her mate mark shone against her pale skin. The dress had a small belted waist then flowed down, a slit on one side exposed her leg to mid-thigh.
“Holy shit…” Kellan said in awe.
Eden blushed and smoothed a hand down over the front of her dress. “I don’t normally dress up. I just thought this would be nice. I usually have to show more skin when I’m working.”
“I’m sorry, show more?”
Eden walked up and put a hand over the spot where his mate mark was. He could feel her touch through the layers of fabric.
“I wore this for you. I saw it and knew you’d think it was the prettiest dress here,” she said softly.
“Forget the dress, you are the prettiest thing here. You’re radiant, Eden,” he said, his voice catching at the end.
She gave him a smile that hit him straight in the heart and then traveled down to his cock. He had been nervous before they’d arrived, but now he could only think of slowly undressing his mate back at the apartment. Maybe that was her plan all along: play to his baser desires to keep him from worrying.
It was working.
Zion cleared his throat. “We should probably… mingle,” he said quietly. Zion was staring at the ceiling as though he was attempting to give them some privacy during their intimate moment.
Eden smiled at her partner and tugged on Kellan’s hand. As they walking into the house, the difference from a few days ago when they had last been here was surprising. Large potted branches wrapped in white twinkle lights had been placed around the entryway. Waiters circled through the crowd with champagne and food. Groups of Kindred and humans alike were talking and laughing together. Kellan noted how many people were showing off their mate marks. There were some men that had had adjustments made in their shirts to display some if not all of their marks, their suit jackets worn open to proudly show off the mate bonds. Glancing at their eyes, he could see those men were all human. The telltale silver sheen of Kindred eyes gave them away every time.
He wondered if he should have done something similar. He’d have to ask Eden why she didn’t suggest it.
Kellan spotted Beau and guided Eden over to him.
“You came!” Beau said with relief in his voice.
“I didn’t think the invitation was optional,” Kellan remarked. As the son of the Clan Head, his best friend lived a slightly sheltered life. Not that he wasn’t brilliant and capable, but Beau was a little naive to the realities of human and Kindred relations.
“It’s a party, nothing nefarious,” Beau assured him.
“They aren’t going to serve me up for dessert?” Kellan half joked.
Eden let a low rumble out and Beau’s eyes flashed at her. “Don’t worry, Eden. Your mate is safe here. I think my father wanted to show he was still in charge, and make sure that you hadn’t run off to some island where the Clan can’t extradite you.”
Maybe Beau understood this situation a little better than Kellan had originally thought.
“Enjoy yourselves. No one is going to interrogate you tonight.”
Kellan nodded gratefully, and when Beau was pulled away, they continued to circle around the room. Eyes were on them, human and Kindred alike. The whispers that followed them were almost audible over the soft music playing through hidden speakers in each room.
They made their way to the dining room that had been his interrogation room, but instead of the huge heavy table, it was now empty and a few couples were dancing in the space.
“Do you dance?” Kellan asked Eden.
She turned to him in surprise as though she’d been somewhere else in her head. She was working, Kellan assumed, looking for danger around every corner.
“I can dance. I don’t normally do it for fun,” she said honestly.
Kellan took her hand and led her to the dance floor. He pulled her into his arms as he started swaying in time with the music. He pulled her closer to him than was probably proper, but he needed the contact. The racing of his heart would settle when he touched her and his muscles let go of all the tension he had been holding in his worry.
“You can dance,” she remarked, looking up at him.
Kellan smiled back. “I can. I like dancing. I prefer it over having to make small talk.”
“Don’t we all,” Eden said with a laugh.
The pair danced, not bothering to be concerned with the couples around them that slowly moved away. Leaving them alone, staring into each other’s eyes. For a brief moment they were the only souls in the world. Caught up in each other, strengthening their connection.
Kellan could hear his mate’s heartbeat, the scent of the lightest spray of perfume blending with her skin to create an aroma that made him want to keep her only to himself. He didn’t want to share her beauty with anyone else. Not that he could shield her from the world, but the level of his happiness he felt wasn’t something he could have put into words.
They finished the song and stood for a moment, lost in each other. Out of the corner of Kellan’s eye, he saw movement and broke his gaze from Eden’s. Ritch was walking the perimeter of the room, people parting as he walked past them. His eyes were on Kellan and Eden, his gaze narrowed, his jaw set. Every other set of eyes were on them now, too, and the room’s casual party atmosphere had changed. There was anticipation now, almost like… wolves circling prey.
“Well, this can’t be good,” Kellan mumbled to Eden. His mate went stiff in his arms.
“Mr. Huntley, Eden,” Ritch said loudly as he turned to start walking towards them. He stopped right before he reached them, leaving a space that spoke volumes. They were tainted and he didn’t want to get too close.
“Ritch,” Kellan replied. He could practically hear Eden grinding her teeth.
“The Clan has come to a decision. We
cannot prove you were behind the theft of our finances. But someone has to pay for the loss. You were in charge of that line of investment. You were the one that was charged with the responsibility. You were supposed to be the gatekeeper. We trusted you, we gave you access to something very few non-Clan members would ever have. We feel you need to be the one that pays our Clan back, to make things right.”
“You were giving him more time. Have you officially found the proof you were looking for?” Eden said, her body leaning toward Ritch. She was angry and Kellan didn’t think fighting a Clan Head would work out well for anyone.
“There’s a chance we may never find out who stole the money. There is no hard proof that someone coerced him into it. No confessions, no video, even the forensic accountants couldn’t see any obvious manipulation other than Kellan’s password, his computer, and his fingerprints that connect him to the missing fifteen million dollars!”
A low rumble sounded around the room. Whether it was from the fury of the Clan Head or the amount of money that was missing, the tension was thick and Kellan was feeling very human.
In an attempt to protect him, Eden stood in front of him and growled at Ritch. He didn’t think she’d want to shift in front of this Clan; it wouldn’t bode well for him, or her company.
“Eden, honey, I got this,” he said, placing his hand on her shoulder. She glanced over her shoulder and he could see the effort it took for her to step aside.
“I want to state for everyone here, that I did not steal that money. I would never steal from the Clan. You have all welcomed me with open arms and I would not turn my back on that. I know the responsibility that I was given and I took it and still do take it very seriously. I clearly was part of a great plot. I almost died for someone to take the money from your Clan. Therefore, I will work to replace the money as I was the guardian of it.”
“Kellan, that’s ridiculous! You didn’t take it and you don’t have fifteen million dollars!” Eden said, whipping around to face him.
“I don’t, but I can spend the rest of my lifetime earning it. I’m good with money. No matter what the cause, the Clan Odal shouldn’t have to suffer.”
Eden lowered her voice, not that every shifter in the room couldn’t hear her. “They aren’t going to suffer. They have plenty of money.”
Kellan knew this was true, but it didn’t change the fact that someone had taken advantage of an apparently weak link in their chain. Him.
“You’re going to take the debt on yourself?” Ritch asked.
“I am willing,” Kellan said. It would take a very long time, but he knew the markets, and in time, many, many years from now, he might be able to pay back the money.
“I’ll need to discuss this with the council.” Ritch was clearly surprised that he took the fall for the theft. If he hadn’t there was probably a plan in place to have human police rush in and arrest him, or some other dramatic gesture to show the Clan’s strength. Ritch seemed honestly surprised and hesitated before turning and walking to the edge of the room where a man and woman were standing. Kellan recognized them from the other day. They had been sitting near Ritch at the meeting; their stony expressions hadn’t changed. They were the ones that weren’t very kind to him.
“Kellan, we can walk out of here right now. We don’t have to stay and you don’t have to take the fall for this,” Eden hissed.
He smiled softly as he told her, “I’m not going to slink away. I’m trying to make this right.” There had to be some way for him to be able to hold his head up again with the Clan. Moreover, he’d be joining Eden’s Clan soon. He wasn’t admitting guilt, but he was taking responsibility for the breach. Maybe her Clan wouldn’t look too unkindly on him.
Chapter 22
It was taking all of her self-control not to shift. Kellan was standing, all eyes on him in the middle of a circle of unfriendly faces. Her mate was standing tall. His shoulders were back and he was trying to right a wrong. Everything about him was making her proud.
Except for the part where he was allowing anyone to think for a second that he stole that money for his own gain. Clearly, he didn’t have it. But Ritch and the council were still contemplating allowing Kellan to work for the rest of his life, basically as a slave, to pay them back.
That pissed her right the fuck off.
Looking around the room, she saw that Zion had his eyes on her, like he was waiting for a sign. It was tempting to think about picking up her mate and carrying him out of the room. She had the strength for it, but it would damage his pride, and that was already so bruised.
Another body started moving towards them on Eden’s side. It was Harlow, Beau’s sister. She was carrying a glass of champagne; her metallic silver dress glinted with the lighting in the room. Her arm was linked through a handsome man’s arm. Her gait wasn’t steady and Eden wondered just how much she’d had to drink.
“Hey!” she said, her voice a little too loud. “Welcome to the party! I’m Harlow, Clan Head’s daughter and apparently disposable goods. This is my soon-to-be ball and chain, Ollie, but he doesn’t like that name, it’s Oliver the Second, don’t you know!” Her voice took on that loud whisper of someone not able to control their volume any longer.
“Harlow, this isn’t dignified,” Ollie growled.
Eden had no idea what she was talking about and looked back to Ritch who turned to see his daughter.
“We’ve met, Harlow. I met you in Kellan’s hospital room?” Eden said, trying to spare the young woman the embarrassment of the Clan looking on.
“Huh?” Harlow frowned, looking between the two.
“It was just last week?” Eden offered. She looked to Kellan and he appeared concerned as well.
“I know you… but, I don’t recall how. Are you sure we’ve met?”
Eden shot a look back to Zion for help. As Zion made his way across the room, the blank look on his face changed. Leaning towards Eden, he whispered in her ear. “She smells like Kellan did. When he was in the coma.”
Eden took in the scent of the young woman and couldn’t believe she’d missed it. Her senses were so focused on her mate, that she hadn’t recognized it.
“How much has she had to drink?” Eden hissed to Ollie.
“Not much, at least not more than normal. She never gets drunk. This bit she’s doing is probably just to embarrass me,” he said, his concern for his partner not very high. “We’re supposed to be getting married and she’s acting like she didn’t say yes.” Annoyance and a vaguely hidden disgust were obvious in his voice.
Before Eden could ask Harlow if she’d been feeling badly, the woman collapsed suddenly. Ollie hesitated and almost missed catching her before she hit the floor.
Ritch broke away from the people he was speaking with and ran over to where his daughter was now on the floor. Beau heard the commotion and came running into the room. He skidded to a halt when he saw his sister huddled on the floor.
“What the hell?” Beau cried, he was showing the concern for Harlow that Ollie should have been.
“Ritch, smell her. She smells like Kellan did,” Eden growled.
Ritch breathed in and his eyes changed from brown to almost black. “Why?” he asked Eden.
“I don’t know why, but we don’t know how it might affect her,” Eden said. “We need to get her to the hospital.”
Glancing around the room trying to decide whether an ambulance or a private car would be fastest, she swept the crowd with her gaze and noticed one of the waiters looking over his shoulder as he walked through a door. It was the doctor from the hospital, she was sure of it. Dr. Wilson dressed as a waiter.
“Zion, three o’clock,” she said. Both Zion and Kellan looked in the direction she indicated.
“I know him! I remember him,” Kellan gasped. “He held me down. And not from the hospital, it was from before. I just didn’t recognize him.”
“Ritch, call an ambulance, we can’t risk her going into shock. If you can wake her up and have her shift, do that,
it can only help,” Eden ordered then turned to Kellan, “stay here, help them with Harlow.”
She half expected him to tell her not to go, instead her man simply replied, “Be careful.”
Taking off, she kicked off her shoes as she ran, knowing that Zion was behind her. Following the path the man had taken, she could pick up the same scent that she’d noted before when he’d run away from her. They ran through the back of the house, through the kitchen and out a back door. Ahead, she could see three men racing towards a waiting car. Eden could hear the running feet behind them, members of the Clan who planned to provide back-up.
“Don’t let that car leave,” she shouted, hoping someone in the Clan could take action. She reached for the garter wrapped around her thigh and pulled out her Clan knife. She sliced quickly through the material of her dress and let the pieces fall into the lawn as the shift took over. Her body arched and morphed as the black fur and claws took the place of her fragile skin and nails.
She let out a loud roar as her four huge paws hit the ground. An equally loud roar echoed from behind her and she knew Zion had completed his shift into the giant Kodiak that he was.
The three men made it to the car and were desperately trying to get it started. Finally, the car shuddered into gear and they tore out, wheels spinning and spitting gravel. They headed for the main entrance but a car skidded in front of the road, Eden recognized a Clan Odal member behind the wheel. Knowing that their wolves or cougars were no match for a vehicle, they’d opted to use something a little more solid.
Eden continued to race after the car. She could sense the men’s panic, they had one chance to get away and that was to find any path out that could take them to freedom.
Turning around, they tried to head back towards Eden, the car veered and she barely moved out of the way before being hit. Reaching out, she dragged her claws across the side of the car as it passed, an eerie screeching noise echoed around the revving engine. She thought she heard the men inside scream. They were scared. Good. She wanted them running for their lives. They had tried to harm her mate. Now they were trying to harm the daughter of her client.