Angel wasn’t certain what to expect of the place Creed called home when he wasn’t living in his cave perched high above her village. She’d never seen another GarLycan until that airport hangar, and then the third one who’d arrived with Creed to meet her alongside the road.
So far, her impression of his people didn’t bode well for her future.
All three men were a bit intimidating. They showed no emotion when they climbed out of their vehicles in an out-of-the-way spot off a dirt road. She stood in official GarLycan territory. They’d passed an electronic security gate that had closed off the road a mile before they’d parked.
Kelzeb addressed Creed, not sparing her a glance. “I’ll take her up. She needs to be presentable before meeting with Lord Aveoth. You need to change clothes.”
Creed stepped in front of her, putting his body between Angel and the enforcer. “I’ll fly her to my lair and see to it.”
“No.” Kelzeb softened his voice. “She’ll be taken to Galihia. You know the rules. She’ll be safe. I give you my word. You wouldn’t have anything appropriate for her to wear. You’re already in deep shit. Do you want to make things worse? Don’t fight me, Creed. The last thing you need is to appear in court wearing chains.”
Angel could feel the tension and she reached out, placing her hand on Creed’s broad back. “It’s okay.”
He turned his head, staring down at her. His eyes had gone black. She was starting to guess they did that when he was angry or his emotions were in serious turmoil.
“It’s okay,” she repeated. It horrified her to think of him being put in chains. She even managed to force a smile to hide her uneasiness. “I’ll be fine.”
He said nothing, just stared down at her.
“Don’t get into more trouble over me,” she whispered. “Please?”
That seemed to sway him. “Do everything you are told.” He turned and reached up, grabbing a thick lock of her hair with his fingers. “Rein in your attitude for me. I find it amusing but they won’t. Do you understand?”
It was a clear warning. “I’ll be on my best behavior.”
“Treat everyone as if you are in the presence of a visiting elder.”
In other words, his people were formal and would take any lip as a sign of great disrespect. “I understand.”
“It’s important, Angel. It would be bad otherwise.”
She wanted to hug him but refrained. Her fear notched a little higher but she tried to hide it from him. She had no idea what the laws of his people were with regards to etiquette or how harsh their reprimands would be, but his grim tone implied a lot. It would be really severe. She nodded.
“You won’t like the clothing but don’t refuse.” He paused. “Try not to speak at all unless they ask you a direct question.”
She really wanted him to explain more but Kelzeb cleared his throat.
“The scouts would have notified Lord Aveoth that we’ve arrived. Making him wait will irritate him. We need to go.”
Creed took a step back from her and nodded. “How long until I’m expected in court?”
“Give it an hour. I want to speak to him first.” Kelzeb removed his shirt and tossed it inside his Jeep. He slowly approached. “I’m going to take her. Leash yourself.”
Creed grew totally still. “Do it.”
The big GarLycan stepped behind Angel. One of his arms looped her hips, the other locked around her just above her breasts. He pulled her tight against his body and she didn’t protest. He lowered his head a little. “Just be still. I won’t drop you.”
That’s all the warning he gave. He lifted her off her feet, bent his knees a little, and then jumped. His wings thumped hard, taking them into the sky.
She grabbed at his arms just for something to cling to. Creed had never flown with her that way. He cradled her in his arms but this GarLycan just kept her locked in front of him. It was more frightening, knowing she could plummet to her death if she slipped from his hold as they rose higher, the ground getting farther way.
He banked to the right sharply, and she gasped and drew her knees up.
“You won’t fall.”
They flew between a pair of mountains. There were woods as far as the eye could see, with no signs of houses or roads below. She twisted her head, staring behind them. Three figures were back there, one of them Creed. It made her feel a little better, knowing he remained close. He’d catch her if Kelzeb dropped her. She’d seen how fast he could move when he dove as he flew.
“Your mate is on the edge. Don’t scream,” Kelzeb warned. “He’d attack me in flight. That would mean you might slip from my hold. Am I clear?”
“Yes.” She wasn’t liking him much at that moment.
“We’re almost there.”
“Couldn’t we just drive?”
“We purposely make it very difficult for anyone to reach our cliffs by foot or vehicle. There is very rough terrain, and we bring in a lot of territorial animals to help us defend the land against intruders.”
They cleared the two mountains and turned left. That’s when she first spotted the cliffs. It was a massive mountain with a sheer side. It split in a few places, showing off some vegetation where trees had grown, but most of it was a flat face of sharp-looking rock. She looked up, realizing it extended high into the air.
“That’s it?”
“Yes. Let me give you some advice.”
She turned her head, looking up at him. “What?”
“Do everything Galihia says. She’s Lord Aveoth’s mother. She’s a GarLycan with a heart, so her advice will be given in your best interest. Listen to her.”
“Thank you.”
He flew them higher. She examined the area of cliff they flew toward. It surprised her when she saw a bunch of open ledges and openings. “How many people live here?”
“Dozens. We live a little spaced apart for privacy. Stay away from the ledges. You wouldn’t survive if you slipped. I hope you’re not afraid of being inside caves, because this might be the last time you’re allowed outside for a while.”
He banked his wings and they dropped. It made Angel feel a little sick. Then he landed, and it knocked the air out of her lungs, but she wasn’t hurt. She turned her head, searching for any sign of Creed. Kelzeb blocked her view though when he marched her forward into a dark hole in the cliff.
She couldn’t see anything until he turned. Faint lights showed that she was inside a tunnel. It wasn’t like anything she’d ever seen before. The rock walls had been smoothed until they were nicely shaped. He stopped and lowered her to her feet.
“Stay at my side.”
“As if I want to get lost. Not.”
He shook his head. “That’s the kind of talk you don’t want to do here. Just agree. Our women were born in another time. Do you understand?”
“No.”
He blew out his breath. “My mother is two hundred and twenty-six years old. I would guess that Galihia is about a hundred and twenty, give or take some years. They are from a time when women were more submissive to men. A lot of them never leave the cliffs. No man wants his mate at risk. Just be quiet and try to learn our ways. Watch every word you say. Creed and I are considered young, but so is anyone under a hundred. We’ve also spent a lot of our lives away from here. We’re more modern. Most of the people here aren’t. Is that clear enough?”
“Yes.”
“You shouldn’t stare into a man’s eyes when you’re speaking to them. Dip your chin and only give them glances if they speak directly to you.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
She sighed and dropped her gaze to stare at his chest. He had a nice one, but it still felt weird. “Like this?”
“Yes.”
“I feel rude since you’re not wearing a shirt. I’m not checking you out.”
He barked out a harsh laugh. “It’s only appropriate to be without a shirt when we’ve just flown in.”
“Creed wears those thin-strapped tank tops. He can get his wings out in them without a problem.”
“It would be ruder to wear them here than to just be bare. They would be considered indecent by our standards. Let me take you to Galihia. Be very polite and respectful to her.”
“I will be.”
He gripped her arm. “This way.” He led her forward.
A big guy approached from the other direction. She tried not to stare. He wore leather pants, military-style boots, and a thin black material stretched tight over his muscled upper body. His eyes were a dark green with enough silver that they seemed to nearly glow. The sword strapped to his hip was scary looking, especially when he reached for it, wrapping his hand around the handle.
Kelzeb jerked Angel by her arm, shoving her behind him. “Stand down.”
“Who is she?”
“A new mate.”
“Who does she belong to? You?”
Kelzeb deepened his voice and it echoed when he spoke. “Keep walking. You’re not challenging for her.”
“Who does she belong to?”
“Not you. Her and her mate have an audience with Lord Aveoth.”
Angel peeked around Kelzeb’s broad back. The other guy still gripped his sword handle but his eye color had faded a little so they weren’t so silver. He locked them on her.
“Who do you belong to?”
“Don’t answer that,” Kelzeb snapped.
He reached back with his other arm and shifted her to his other side, still keeping her behind him. His hold was almost painful as he stepped forward, taking her with him. They walked past the other man. He didn’t attack but as soon as they were away from the stranger, Kelzeb yanked her in front of him so he kept his body between her and the other guy. They turned a corner.
“What was that about?”
“You are giving off the calling. Any unmated man in here is going to investigate and consider challenging for you. Your mating bond is weak and not fully formed yet.”
“What does that mean?”
“They might be tempted to fight Creed to the death. He isn’t well known here and has few friends. It means more than likely they’ll challenge to take his mate. You don’t want that. He’s a skilled fighter but some of these men are on the battlefield often. Creed isn’t. He could be rusty with his sword.”
That made her afraid for Creed. “What do you guys fight here?”
“Vampires mostly, from the larger cities if they’re getting out of hand. We fly in and take out some of their numbers. Occasionally we’ll get Gargoyles flying in from Europe when they believe they can invade our territory. We’re not far from Russia, they also come at us from that way. Full-bloods are pretty fierce.”
“You guys invade each other’s territories? Why?”
“You’re from a Lycan pack. Why do others invade your territory?”
“They want to take over when they’ve expanded their numbers to the point that they need land to add to their territory. Sometimes it’s to gain access to more women.”
“Exactly.” He kept her moving. They reached the top of stone stairs and he led her down, keeping a firm hold on her arm.
“How big is this place?”
He seemed to debate answering her, or maybe how to answer. She almost gave up on expecting him to say anything when he finally spoke.
“Are you familiar with an ant farm?”
“Yes.”
“Think of the interior of these cliffs like one of those. All the homes are linked internally, but we all have exterior entrances that can be sealed off if we’re attacked or in harsh weather. All of our community areas are deep inside, so they’re protected.”
“Have you ever had a full-on attack happen?”
“No, but we are prepared for that event.”
They came to the bottom of the steps and another interior corridor. Lights were along the walls about every twenty feet. She got a good look at them. “Electricity?”
“Generators. We have modernized somewhat.”
“Solar or gas?”
“Why do you ask?”
“I’m curious.”
“We have a river that runs through the base of our mountain. We use the flow of water to create power for our generators. Everything is self-contained from the outside world.”
“That’s impressive. What about when the winter comes and the water freezes?”
“We can switch to fuel but the water runs so deep that it never completely freezes. We’re a very old race. Now stop with your questions.” He halted in front of a massive wooden door. “We’re here. Be respectful. Lord Aveoth is more powerful than your alpha, and this is his mother.”
Angel nodded. “I understand.”
He shot her a grim look. “I hope so.” He raised a fist and pounded on the door.
The door opened quickly—and Angel tried not to gawk.
The woman was tall and very pretty. Long black hair had been neatly coiled around the crown of her head, then looped into a twisted rope that fell to her waist. Angel figured if it were real, the woman’s hair probably trailed behind her as she walked if it were ever set free of the elaborate hairstyle. The GarLycan leader’s mother was also rail thin and sporting a gown that looked right out of a ballroom.
“Lady Galihia.” Kelzeb released Angel and bowed deeply at his waist. “I present Angel. She is Creed’s mate.” He straightened. “I hope you were informed of her arrival. I apologize for my state of undress.”
“It’s fine. I was expecting her. Thank you.” She opened the door more. “Enter, Angel.”
She glanced at Kelzeb. He jerked his head, indicating she should go. She walked into the room and stopped short, openly staring around. It was as if she’d stepped back in time. It looked nothing like a cave. The dark wood floors, the loaded bookshelves lining one wall, and the big fireplace gave it an elegant library look. Fancy couches and a few tables were the only furniture. A painting hung over the mantel of the woman before her, holding an infant in her arms.
The door closed behind her and she forced her attention back on Lady Galihia. She didn’t even appear to be thirty in human years but that didn’t come as a surprise to Angel.
“How do you do?” It was the politest thing she could think to say; she’d heard it a movie.
“I am well. How are you, child?”
“It’s been a strange day.”
“I imagine so. Please follow me. A bath awaits you.” Galihia glanced down Angel’s body. “I’ll send for Renna. She’ll make certain you have a gown.”
Angel followed the woman down a wood-paneled hallway past closed doors to the one at the end. Lady Galihia opened it, revealing a massive bedroom. There were no windows anywhere but the interior looked as if they were in a real house, one that was a few hundred years old but with electricity. There were tall ceilings and even a chandelier hanging in the center. An open archway let her see a claw-foot bathtub.
“My bed chamber.” She walked over to a corded rope and tugged on it. “I have called for Renna. This must be bizarre for you. Do you have any questions?”
“How does pulling on that cord get someone to come?”
“It runs all the way to the ceiling, where there’s a rope that rings a bell at the other end of it in Renna’s chambers next door. She’ll hurry to see what I need. She’s my aunt and attendant.”
“What’s that?”
Lady Galihia chuckled. “She looks after me. You’ll like her. She’s a Lycan. I was told you were raised as one but you’re fully human.”
“I am.”
“How did a human come to be with them?”
“Creed saved me when I was a child.”
“How did he do that?”
“I don’t remember much about my before life. That’s what we call it. There are bits and pieces. My biological father yelled all the time and I remember being afraid of him. He had a girlfriend. She was worse. They hit me a lot. Creed took me from them and gave me to my parents. It makes my mom cry when we talk about it. I guess I was in really bad shape that night. I’d been beaten and had sores from neglect. I was also skinny and underfed. They adopted me and gave me a great life.” She hesitated. “I probably wouldn’t have survived where I’d been. My dad told me that he got the impression from something Creed said that I was about to be murdered when he rescued me.”
“And now he’s your mate.”
“He’s always been kind of a hero to me,” she admitted. “I didn’t notice how handsome he was until I was much older, when he started coming around. I almost thought I’d dreamed him from the night he’d rescued me as a child, until I saw him again.”
“Didn’t he protect your pack?”
“He only came down to talk to the elders at night, and that was way past my bedtime when I was young. We all heard about the guardian as kids but never saw him. He was almost like a myth or something.” She smiled. “Then one day he came to me during the daytime. I was sixteen and had almost walked into a bad situation with a bear and her cubs. Creed landed, put his hand over my mouth, and pointed out what I hadn’t seen. He offered me his hand then and led me back to my village.”
“You felt bound by honor to agree to be his mate.”
“No.” Angel shook her head. “I fell in love with him and threw myself at him right after I turned eighteen. He told me it couldn’t be that way between us and stopped seeing me. I actually moved away so it would hurt less. It was just too hard being that close to his lair, knowing he was up there, but he wouldn’t talk to me anymore.”
Lady Galihia’s features softened. “How did you become his mate then?”
“My mom called me in Seattle and told me I needed to come home. I figured it had to be pretty important, since she’d never done that before. I got on the first available plane heading that way. She explained Creed was going into the ravage, and what that meant. No one in our village had volunteered to be with him, so I did.”
“You owed him a debt for the life he’d given you, so you couldn’t say no. You felt honor bound to offer your body to him. That’s admirable.”
“Actually, I was pretty mad. I wasn’t going to do it. He’d rejected me once so I didn’t think he was attracted to me. I was so upset that my mom thought I’d offer to go to bed with him that I went outside to cool down. Creed thought I was a lost hiker and flew down to scare me off, but then realized who I was. Do you really want to hear this?”
“I do.”
“I saw him…and man, he was still as hot as ever.” She inwardly winced. “Sorry. He was as attractive as ever.”
Lady Galihia shook her head. “Please continue. Don’t hold back. I enjoy how you speak. It’s refreshing.”
“Okay.” Angel relaxed. “I guess the ravage had already begun, because he wasn’t as reserved as he normally is. Who could resist that? I couldn’t. He was showing feelings and he got turned on when I touched him.”
“You made first physical contact?”
“You bet. I mean…yes. Who wouldn’t? You have no idea how much I love him, and I’ve always wanted to be with him. I told him I was going to volunteer and he kind of freaked out. Then I made it clear that I wasn’t taking no for an answer. I didn’t leave him a choice.”
Galihia expression became animated as she grinned. “How did you leave him with no choice?”
“I got in his face and wouldn’t let go of him.”
“So you’re physically aggressive.”
“You could say that.”
A door opened across the room and an older Lycan woman entered. She wore a gown too. She paused, staring back at Angel. “This is her, Gali?”
“Yes. She’s sharing a very entertaining story. She pursued Creed for the ravage.”
The Lycan came forward, grinning. “Tell us more.”
Angel glanced between them. They looked a bit too happy, and it made her nervous. “I’m not going to get him into trouble, am I? It was all my fault.”
“No,” Galihia answered. “We’re intrigued. You see, in our culture, women do not pursue men.”
“Your culture,” Renna chuckled. “I chased your uncle. He didn’t know what hit him. I was in heat and just stripped down in front of him when I found him alone. I ordered him to take me. He did. No hot-blooded man could withstand that.”
Angel glanced between them again. “You’re more than family. You’re best friends,” she guessed.
“Yes. My father was a Gargoyle who mated with a Lycan. My aunt came to me after her mate died.” Lady Galihia’s eyes glistened with tears. “I was so grateful she did.”
“Hush now, Gali,” the other woman murmured. “That is what family is for.” Renna held Angel’s stare. “It can be a bit cold around here. These people don’t hug or touch unless sex is involved, and there’s not much of that, either. They choose every word they speak with care. It’s nice to be able to relax and just be. Gali here was mated to a Gargoyle. I got a case of the chills just being in the same room as him. I can’t imagine being summoned to his bed chambers. You call me Renna, and this is Gali. We’re not formal.” She winked.
“He was very set in his ways,” Gali agreed. “Now he’s gone and I’m unmated.”
“And better off,” Renna muttered. “You need a nice Lycan in your life. He’d warm you right up.”
“No. I couldn’t ever leave here. Aveoth needs me.”
“Your son is fine, and we love that dear Jill. She’s good for him. So much personality and fire.”
“Yes.” Gali smiled. “She’s lovely. My son needed her. I worried my mate had crushed his soul.” She motioned toward the bathroom. “Let’s get you in the bath, Angel. My son wants to see you. Don’t allow him to frighten you. He isn’t unkind.”
“She’s shorter than I thought she’d be but I’ll find something appropriate for court to fit her.” Renna brushed her hands over her own dress. “This is the worst thing about living here. These formal getups.”
Angel glanced at the gowns. “They are pretty.”
“They’re also bulky,” Renna sighed. “It’s how they dress. The men here like to keep us covered from throat to toe. A little flash of cleavage is acceptable but nothing else. It helps them avoid feeling lusty. Jill is working on Aveoth to change our dress code to something more casual. Pants are never allowed in pubic on women. Now, tell us about your Creed.”
“We’re mostly interested in your physical aggression, and how he reacted to it.”
“I don’t know if you want to hear that, Lady Galihia,” Angel admitted. “I was told to talk as little as possible by both Creed and Kelzeb.”
“You heard Renna. Call me Gali. And of course they said that. They are worried you’ll be a bad influence on us. Come. Remove your clothing and get into the bath. I hope you’re comfortable with us present. You were raised Lycan.”
Angel got a better look at the tub when they crossed the threshold into the other room. It was filled with a white liquid. “What is that?”
“It’s a mixture of tree sap, goat’s milk, and water. I know it looks a bit odd but it will mask your scent. It’s warm.”
Angel had no words.
“Continue about your Creed. How did the mating happen? Did he take your body before he could chain you?” Renna sounded a little excited. “I think that would be romantic.”
“He wouldn’t have,” Gali disagreed. “I would guess he worried about being overly powerful for her body to withstand and became too cautious to begin. He lost his patience, and then was riddled with guilt for his brutal treatment.”
“That’s not how it went down.” Angel started to undress. She wasn’t thrilled to have to get into that bath but at least it didn’t stink. “He chained me. It was the morning after, when he let me go, that I kind of messed things up.”
“How?” Renna took her discarded clothes.
“He wanted to take me home but he was still showing signs of the ravage. I just wanted to touch him, so I did. He kept telling me to stop but I wouldn’t listen. It’s totally my fault. I seduced him.”
“How romantic!” Renna giggled.
Angel tested the bath. The water was warm and a bit thick, like sitting in milk. She ran her fingers through it, looking at her palm. “Please tell me that I don’t have to wash my hair in this.”
“Your hair is fine.” Gali leaned over and carefully gathered it all, holding it up. “How do you feel about being mated to Creed?”
She didn’t have to think about it as she lowered and sank into the tub. “I love him. I wish he wasn’t in trouble. I’m afraid for him.”
“Think of yourself,” Renna suggested. “It’s the women who pay the highest prices in this culture when mates have broken any rules or laws. They use us as leverage against the men.”
“Aveoth won’t do that.” Gali’s tone cooled. “He would never kill a mate. He has his own. He’d want to fall if he lost his Jill.”
“That’s true.” Renna put pins in Angel’s hair to keep it in place so it wouldn’t fall into the water.
Both women grew quiet and Angel closed her eyes after settling down into the tub. That was her biggest fear. What if Lord Aveoth did something that made Creed end his life so she’d be spared?
She fought the urge to cry. It wasn’t going to happen. She wouldn’t allow it.