Chapter Four
The following morning, Meredith received orders from the Alpha that she was to escort Daric from the 16th floor barracks to Jade’s lab on the 33rd floor. She was finishing her morning workout, practicing her martial arts floor exercises by herself when one of the assistants from the executive floor handed her an envelope. Inside were instructions, including a schedule for Daric, which basically just consisted of three hours a day working with Jade and then back to the barracks. Seeing as she only had about an hour to go before she had to pick up the warlock from his room, Meredith headed to her room, took a shower, and got dressed for the day.
Her current clothing options were quite limited, seeing as she didn’t exactly earn a salary. She put on a pair of dark jeans, a pink t-shirt, and sneakers then pulled her long, blonde hair back into a ponytail. After checking her reflection in the mirror and swiping some lipgloss on (which, she told herself, was not to impress anyone), she walked over to the room next to hers and knocked on the door.
“Yo, warlock, time to get up!” she said, rapping her fingers on the wood. “I don’t have all day, you know.”
The door slid open. “I’ve been ready for the past hour,” Daric retorted.
Meredith stood still, her eyes roaming over Daric. The warlock was dressed casually in a pair of blue jeans, boots, and a tight, dark green t-shirt with the Fenrir logo that stretched across his expansive chest and showed off his muscular arms. His long blonde hair was freshly washed and pulled back in a messy man bun. There was already a light stubble on his face and she suddenly found herself wondering how it would feel against her inner thighs.
“Well? Are we going or not?” Daric asked, his blue-green eyes peering down at her, a haughty look on his face. Scratch that last thought; now she wanted to wipe the floor with that handsome, arrogant mug.
“Right,” Meredith muttered. “Follow me.” She turned around, not even bothering to check if he was following, because, where else would he go?
They took the elevator up to the 33rd floor. Meredith’s handprint and retina scans were already programmed in, and they entered Jade’s lab with no problem. The clean and modern laboratory was large and looked like any scientific research facility. Meredith had no idea what most of the equipment in there was for, but she knew they were probably expensive. In the middle of the room was a staircase that led to an upper level which housed Jade’s office and inner lab. As they entered, Daric looked around in wonder. “So, this is where you Lycans study magic?”
“Yeah. Sorry, no cauldrons or pointy hats here,” she quipped.
“And where is Dr. Cross?”
A loud crash from the inner office interrupted Meredith before she could answer. Daric tensed visibly, his brows knitting. Then, a faint feminine moan resonated from the inner lab followed by the rhythmic banging of furniture against the wall.
“Goddamnit Jade!” Meredith slapped her hand on her forehead.
“Is that…Dr. Cross and her mate…”
“Going to Pound Town?” Meredith finished.
“That’s rather crude,” Daric said pointedly.
“Just be glad you don’t have enhanced hearing,” she groaned, sticking her fingers in her ears. She was happy that Jade and Sebastian were True Mates and all, but Jesus, someone needed to take a hose to them.
She sighed. Meredith was still trying to wrap her head around the concept of True Mates. She had never even heard of or knew what True Mates were about until she came to New York. Lara and Jade had explained it when the witch had found her own True Mate in the San Francisco Alpha.
Lycan couples had trouble conceiving, and the couples who do have children hardly have more than one. Lycans who marry non-Lycans also don’t conceive shifter kids, only fully human ones. The one exception was True Mate pairings. It was some type of Lycan magic/biological mojo that made two people so compatible that they immediately conceived a shifter baby the first time they had sex. Apparently, it also made the mother invulnerable to most things, including poisoning, stabbing, bullets, and falling a hundred feet off a cliff. While she thought it would be cool to be invincible like Superman, growing a magical bun in her oven didn’t sound appealing. No. A family wasn’t in her future. She was too fucked up to even think about being a mom.
They stood there awkwardly for a few more minutes until the sounds finally stopped. Another minute later and the door to the office opened.
“…And you better not forget it,” came Sebastian Creed’s low growl.
“Oh, you bet I won’t forget it,” Jade huffed, smoothing down her skirt. Her hair was in disarray and her lipstick smeared. “I can’t believe that you would…Meredith?” The Lycan scientist’s light green eyes widened in surprise when they landed on the other Lycan. “What are you…D-d-daric?” Her face went entirely red and she turned to the man behind her. “You said there was no one outside!”
The handsome man beside her frowned and glared at the intruders. “There wasn’t anyone here when I came in, darlin’,” Sebastian said. “How the fuck did you two get in here?”
“Sorry to rain on your sex parade,” Meredith said dryly. “You guys need to put a sock or tie on the door or something when you’re banging in there.”
“We won’t be doing anything in there anymore,” Jade said as she stomped down the stairs.
“Fine, we’ll just bang in my office next time,” Sebastian muttered as he followed her. He gave her ass a soft slap, which made the tiny scientist yelp.
Meredith rolled her eyes. “Oh please, tone it down in front of the guest, lovebirds.”
As soon as they reached the main lab floor, Sebastian stood protectively in front of Jade and stretched to his full height, crossing his arms over his chest. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I’m here to assist Dr. Cross,” Daric replied, his face remaining calm. Though not as wide as Sebastian, Daric was easily an inch or two taller than the dragon shifter.
“Jade?” Sebastian turned to his mate. “Is this true?”
“Um, yeah, Grant told me this morning,” Jade replied nonchalantly. “Daric’s knowledge and assistance could help us defeat the mages.”
“But he’s one of them!” Sebastian bellowed. “Why the fuck didn’t Grant tell me this?”
“Calm down, baby-daddy,” Meredith said, which earned her an “I’m-gonna-set-you-on-fire” look from Sebastian.
“First of all, this is my work,” Jade retorted. “And he probably didn’t say anything because you’d overreact. Just like you’re doing now.”
“I am not a mage,” Daric interrupted. “I am still whole. I have not used blood magic and therefore, am still a warlock, albeit a powerless one, thanks to your mate,” he said, waving his arm and showing off the bracelet. “In exchange for some freedom and other concessions from the Alpha, I’ve agreed to help Dr. Cross learn more about magic and how we can stop Stefan.”
“Oh yeah? You can bet I’ll be talking to Grant about this.” Sebastian’s eyes turned gold, the beast inside him simmering at the surface.
“Sebastian, please,” Jade soothed, rubbing a hand over his arm. “It’ll be okay. He doesn’t have any magic, the lab’s monitored, and Meredith’s here.”
That seemed to ease some of Sebastian’s anger, and his eyes turned back to their usual gray color. “I’m still going to see Grant.”
“Whatever you want,” Jade said, pressing a kiss on his arm. “Now, I’ll see you later, okay?”
“Fine,” Sebastian said gruffly. He wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her hard. “I’ll be by at five. Be ready to go by then. No staying late, okay?”
The Lycan shook her head. “We’ll leave at five on the dot.”
With one last glare at Daric, he left.
“Really, Jade?” Meredith admonished. “In your office? I eat lunch there. Gross.”
“Not on my desk!” Jade countered. “It’s the hormones. I can’t help it.”
“Uh-huh. Well, I supposed if my baby-daddy looked like that…”
“Stop calling him that, he hates it.”
“Well, what should I call him? Your lover? True Mate? If he wants to be called something respectable, then he better put a ring on it, girl,” Meredith pointed to Jade’s left hand.
“I don’t need—”
Daric cleared his throat. “I’m sure your personal life is fascinating, Dr. Cross, but perhaps we can get on with our business first?”
Jade’s face went red. “Right, well, let’s start then.” She motioned to the large table in the middle of the lab. “Please, have a seat.”
The warlock nodded and parked himself on one of the chairs by the table, while Jade sat across from him.
“I’ll be in my corner,” Meredith said, walking over to her usual chair. She was bored one day and found some pink glitter and markers and wrote “Princess chair” on one of the office chairs that was lying around the lab. She sat down and started perusing the stack of new gossip magazines on the table. Though she tried to concentrate on the dirty divorce details of some Hollywood celebrity couple, she couldn’t help but tune her ears to Jade and Daric’s conversation.
“…And now that we have time, tell me more about your powers,” Jade said. “Transmogrification. Or the power to change matter. How does it work? Can you change anything into anything else? What are the limits? You can also transport yourself and others, right? How-”
“Too many questions, dear Doctor,” Daric interrupted. “Maybe we can start with the basics. I can change the form of matter into almost anything, with some limits. First, I need to know how something works or what it is made of for me to change its properties. I can’t simply turn water into wine without knowing how wine is made in the first place.”
“Ah, so you need knowledge…how do you gain it?”
“The old-fashioned way, I’m afraid,” the warlock continued. “Study. Lots of it. When I was younger, my father and I would spend hours reading books on science, biology, botany, chemistry and other subjects.”
“So, you can’t just, let’s say, change a cat into a mouse without knowing the biology of both animals?”
“Correct. If I did such a transformation and it was not successful, well…you don’t want to know. But, that’s why I stick to simple things. Non-living things. For example, if I knew the ingredients of your favorite shampoo or your mother’s recipe for chocolate cake, I could recreate them using other materials.”
“But what about transporting yourself and others? Moving things around? Don’t you need to study human biology for that?”
“Moving things around is simpler, as I simply bend the matter to my will, making it move from here to there. As for transporting myself and other people, to some extent, yes, I would need to study human biology, if only to make sure I don’t accidentally put your spleen where your heart is. That is why one of the first things I learned about was the workings of the human body. Finally, I would also need to know the place where I need to go, so I don’t materialize inside a wall or a tree. Which is why I can only transport to places I have been to or make sure I’m going in and out of open spaces. I can use satellite imagery to see the place I need to go and materialize there.”
“Oh, so you use computers and GPS to help you locate the right places?”
He gave a short laugh. “Of course. We have Wi-Fi. We’re not savages.”
Meredith gave a snort. Daric and Jade looked over at her. “What?” she asked. “Enhanced hearing, remember?” She flipped her hair and turned her attention back to her magazine. Biting her lip to stop from laughing, she secretly wondered if Stefan had other uses for an Internet connection in his various hideouts. Did he have a Facebook profile? What type of updates did he make? “Maimed another Lycan, score! #DieLycansDie” or maybe “Defeated by the Lycans again. #FML”.
Jade and Daric continued their discussion, with Meredith half listening.
“The best way to understand would be to see my powers in action,” Daric said.
“I wasn’t born yesterday, Daric,” Jade pointed out.
Good girl, Jade, Meredith thought.
“I’m under explicit orders from the Alpha. Under no circumstance am I to remove the bracelet,” Jade continued. “But, you said that the bracelet didn’t dampen your innate powers. Tell me, how can you see the future? Could you show me mine?”
“Ah, curious little Doctor,” Daric said in a low voice. “Some people think knowing the future is a gift, but those who can see it know it is a curse. Are you sure you want to know what lies ahead for the daughter of the dragon?” There was a pause. “I didn’t think so.”
“Is it…bad?” Jade asked hesitatingly.
“I can tell you that it’s not bad. I’ve seen a great destiny for her, one that no one should alter, even if it saves her from hardship and heartache.”
The Lycan let out a sigh of relief. “Is the future set?”
“No, it is not,” Daric replied. “Everything I see is merely one possible future, one that could change based on what happens now. However, I mostly see a person’s past and share visions with my mother, and to some extent, Stefan.”
“But can Stefan see you now? Can he know what we’re planning?”
“I’ve been blocking him out. I couldn’t before, not when he had my mother. The only time I tried to block him out…well…it didn’t go well for me. Or for her.”
Meredith’s hands tightened into a fist, her fingernails leaving half-moon marks on her palms. God, Stefan was such a fucking dick!
“And what do you think Stefan is planning to do now?” Jade asked.
“He’ll be amassing his army of human slaves,” Daric said. “He will find a way to strike back.”
“You said there was a counterspell to stop him from controlling humans. Could we find a way to discover it?”
“I suppose, with time we could. But killing Stefan would be the simplest way.”
“If we can get through his human slave army in the first place,” Jade pointed out. “If he gathers a lot of people, then there might not even be enough Lycans in the world to stop him.”
“Yes,” was all Daric said.
Jade’s keen eyes narrowed. “Could he possibly control the Lycans, too?”
“It would be difficult,” Daric said. “It’s already difficult to control humans, but to control both a human and an animal at the same time? It would be challenging.”
“But not impossible?”
“Technically, no. But, wolves are pack animals. You need to have a semblance of order, an Alpha to follow. Not only would the spell have to control both the human and animal side, but fight the Alpha bond.”
“Hmmmm,” Jade said thoughtfully. “I’ve never thought of it that way. But it makes sense. When we pledge to our Alpha and clan once we come of age, there’s this natural tendency to follow the Alpha’s orders, as well as protect the clan.”
They continued their conversation about magic, with Jade asking questions and Daric answering them as best he could. Meredith continued to half listen, but if she was being honest, she couldn’t help but keep them in the corner of her eye. Or rather, a certain handsome warlock. She wasn’t even looking at him and yet, couldn’t pull her attention away. The low timbre of his voice sent heat pooling in her middle, and it was distracting. Get it together, Meredith, she thought, giving herself a pep talk.
Yummy.
Oh, not you again.
C’mon. Just one taste. Don’t you want to know if he tastes as good as he smells?
“Leave me alone, bitch!” Meredith cried, jumping up from her chair.
“Mer, are you ok?” Jade asked, concern marring her face.
Daric, on the other hand, frowned. “Can you not control what comes out of your mouth, woman?”
“What? How dare you!” Meredith felt the anger rising inside her. “I have a name. Maybe you can use it sometime.”
“All right, all right,” Jade said, standing up. “I think we’re good for today. I have to log in what we’ve learned and do some more research.” She walked towards the other Lycan. “What’s wrong, Meredith? Are you feeling all right?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she muttered, giving Daric a dirty look. “It’s going to be a long…life. He’s roomed next to me, too, you know.”
Jade gave her a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry. Look, at least we get to spend more time with each other. And I’m glad you’re not in the basement anymore.”
“Yeah, bright side, right?” Meredith smiled. “Aww, you do miss me!” She hugged Jade, wrapping her arms around the other Lycan.
“Of course,” Jade choked, pulling away. “Who else would keep me on my toes?”
“Well, when you get a chance and Lara comes back from San Francisco, let’s go hang out in my room. I’ve made some improvements since I moved in.”
Jade laughed. “I’m sure it’ll be interesting.”
Meredith threw another sour look at Daric. “Well, I should get our prisoner, er, guest back to his quarters. Plus, I got training after lunch. Vrost’ll have my ass if I’m late again.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” Jade said.
“Let’s go, warlock,” Meredith called.
“And you shout at me for not using your name?” Daric countered.
“Oh, just move your ass, I don’t have patience for this right now.”
The two of them left the lab and went into the elevator. Meredith pressed her palm on the sensor and then mashed the button to the 16th floor repeatedly, willing it to go faster.
“Is that helping at all?” Daric asked sarcastically. “Perhaps hitting it with a club might make it come quicker?”
“Oh yeah, why don’t you wave your hand and get us out of here?” Meredith retorted. “Oh wait, you can’t!”
Daric’s back stiffened, his face turning hard and expressionless. “Why the Alpha thought you were competent enough to watch over me, I’ll never know.”
“A monkey could stand watch over you, warlock.”
“Oh, so he did make the right decision.”
Meredith gritted her teeth and as soon as the doors opened to their floor, she stomped out. “You already know the way to your room, but I can write you directions if you need them and make sure I use simple words.”
“I’ll find my own way. Besides, I would not want you to use up all your crayons.”
Anger and rage boiled in her, but she tamped it down. “Drop dead, warlock,” she hissed and stomped away from him.
***
Meredith groaned as her body hit the padded mat. She stared up at the ceiling of the Fenrir Security Team training facility, slightly dazed and the wind knocked out of her.
“What’s wrong, Lone Wolf?” Luke Carter said, grinning at Meredith. “Not feeling well today? Is it that time of the month?”
There was a chorus of guffaws behind her, but Meredith ignored them and stood up. “I can wipe the floor clean with you any time of the month, Carter,” she spat. Goddamnit, how could she have fallen for that one? She wasn’t paying attention, that’s why. Pull your head out of your ass and concentrate! Stop thinking about the warlock.
“Less talking,” Nick Vrost, Fenrir’s Head of Security and Beta to the New York clan, barked.
Vrost was tough but fair. He didn’t give her or Faith Greer, the only other woman on the trainee squad, any special treatment, but didn’t coddle them either. They were all equals, and they equally got an ass reaming when they didn’t perform well.
Meredith crouched low into her fighting stance, moving into a position that was pure instinct at this point. Her body was an instrument, one that was honed and trained at an early age. By the time she was fifteen, she could easily overpower men (Lycans included) over a hundred pounds heavier than her. Training in three different martial arts, physical conditioning, and just plain old hard work, not to mention, getting her ass kicked, made her efficient and effective at taking down her enemies.
Being part of the New York clan’s security trainee team was a privilege she didn’t earn, but her skills made her a natural fit. The people on the squad weren’t exactly friendly to her, and they all hazed her since she was the new girl, but Carter especially seemed to have had a chip on his shoulder. It was probably because she knocked him flat on his ass on the first day she was there. He’d been trying to get under her skin since then.
Find his weak spot, a familiar voice inside her head told her. Use it against him.
Carter was over six feet tall and had more than seventy pounds on her. His upper body was pure muscle, but like an upside-down pyramid, he was clumsy on his feet. Sure, he had the reach advantage, and if he ever hit her with his meaty fists, she’d probably get the wind knocked out of her. But Meredith was quick, well-trained, and smart. The other Lycan had immediately underestimated her the first time they had trained. Of course, it looked like he had been learning a few tricks of his own. After all, to make it this far, one had to be smart and strong. The New York clan only employed the best and the brightest to be part of their Lycan security team, the elite guards that protected the Alpha and the clan. Grant and Nick chose trainees based on skill and not connections and if a trainee survived the year-long probation period, they could become a member of the team and move up in the clan hierarchy.
“Are you two just going to stand there?” Nick said impatiently.
Hoping to impress the Beta, Carter lunged forward. Big mistake. Meredith was ready, reading his body language in half a second. She twisted around and let him think he’d caught her, but kept her arms up. In one smooth motion, she broke free of his grasp, then bent down to sweep him off his feet. He landed on the mat with a heavy thud.
Meredith gave him a sweet smile. “Aww, what's wrong, Carter? Is it that time of the month?”
Carter said nothing, but quickly rose up, his face red with anger.
“Step back, Carter,” Nick ordered.
Not wanting to disobey Nick, he nodded and slinked back to his corner.
John Patrick, one of the more senior members of the team, walked up to her and slapped her on the shoulder. “That was awesome, Meredith, I knew you could do it.”Out of all the guys, Patrick was the nicest and the one who didn’t haze her too much. In fact, on her first day, he approached her and welcomed her. He was also the one who warned her about the ribbing and the practical jokes, as it was something all the newbies went through.
“Nice form,” Tate Miller said, flashing her a bright smile and gave her a pat on the back.
“Yeah, I know you appreciate my form,” she said dryly. Tate Miller was six-feet-two-inches of All American hotness. Blonde and blue-eyed, he could have any girl’s panties melting, including her own. At least he did when she first saw him. He did fill out that white shirt nicely, with his tanned and muscled arms and broad chest. She’d flirted with him a few times, but stopped the other day when he took it too seriously. After an evening workout, Tate cornered her outside the female locker room, where he pushed her against the wall and tried to kiss her, but she turned away. God, she was so tempted, but he worked at Fenrir. She couldn’t. It was awkward between them at first, but he quickly apologized for his behavior, and things more or less went back to the way they were - heavy flirting, but no follow-through.
“It is a nice form,” Miller said and winked at her.
Meredith looked over at Carter triumphantly, but when she opened her mouth to deliver an insult, Nick gave her a warning look.
“I need less talking from you,” the Beta said.
“I couldn’t agree more,” came a voice from behind.
Nick’s ice blue eyes suddenly turned frosty. “What are you doing here, warlock?” The hate from the Lycan was evident, and the air in the room grew thick with tension.
“The Alpha said I might enjoy communal living,” Daric answered. He was dressed in the same T-shirt, but he had changed into loose black pants. “And so, I thought I might join the rest of the occupants of this floor in exercise.”
“I told the Alpha that this was a mistake,” Nick said. “But he wouldn’t listen. Seems to think you could be of some use to us. I think you’d only be useful locked up in your cell. Preferably for the rest of your life.”
“It’s an unconventional arrangement, but even you’d agree it was an offer I couldn’t refuse.” Daric walked closer, onto the mats. “I was thinking it's been far too long since I've had some exercise."
All the Lycans in the room turned to the warlock, their distaste and hate visible.
“You want to train with us?” Nick asked. “Not that I would ever allow it, but what can you do? You have no powers, warlock.”
“I know how to fight, Lycan,” Daric said. “I’ve had other training aside from magical. Perhaps one of your pups could pose a challenge.”
His head snapped towards Meredith’s direction, but he wasn’t looking at her. His eyes were trained on Patrick and Miller. The two men tensed beside her.
“If the warlock wants a challenge,” Tate began as he cracked his knuckles. “I’m sure I’d be up for it.”
“No one is challenging anyone today,” Nick began. “Warlock, you are to stay in the common rooms only. The training area is for members of the Lycan security team and trainees only.”
“As you wish,” Daric said, giving him a small nod. “I should, perhaps, have my escort to make sure I stay in the correct areas?”
Meredith gritted her teeth, but Nick turned to her and motioned to Daric. “Meredith, show the warlock which places he’s allowed in the security barracks. The common room, gym, kitchens, and dining only.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Meredith muttered. As she passed Daric, she cocked her head. “Let’s go, warlock.”
“Whatever you say,” Daric replied, following her out.
The training area took up the entire floor beneath the living quarters. From there, they had to walk through the long hallway past the showers and therapy room, all the way to the set of stairs that led to the upper floor.
“What they heck were you thinking, going down there?” Meredith suddenly asked. “You know there’s a room full of Lycan shifters in there who all want you dead. Are you suicidal or something?”
“Do you actually care about what happens to me, Lycan?” Daric asked.
“Only because it’s my job,” Meredith muttered as she stomped up the stairs, Daric right behind her.
“I’m sorry to be taking up your time, especially since you seem to prefer the company of—”
Meredith whipped around, but before she could say anything, the sound of rushing footsteps caught their attention.
“Meredith!” Alynna Westbrooke, Grant's sister, called out as soon as she saw the other Lycan. “Thank God, I found you!”
“Alynna?” Meredith’s brows wrinkled. “What is it?”
“You have to come with me,” Alynna said, taking her by the arm. “We have a couple of people detained in the basement level.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“Well, they said that they’re your brothers.”
Meredith felt her stomach drop. “My brothers? They’re here?”
“So, you do have brothers?” the brunette asked.
“Um, sort of. Three of them? One of them a big guy with a scar down his face?”
“Yeah! That’s him. Scary, that one,” Alynna confirmed. “I didn’t know you had brothers.”
“I don’t,” Meredith replied. What were they…this wasn’t good. Her heart began to pound, and her gut told her there was something wrong. “I mean…it’s a long story. But I need to see them. Now.”
“Okay.” Alynna looked at Daric. “Let’s get Daric back to his room.”
“No!” Meredith gripped Alynna’s arm. “Please, can’t we…I just need to see them now. If it was Grant, could you wait?”
Alynna hesitated, then narrowed her eyes at Daric. “Fine, but you do as I say and keep quiet.”
Daric shrugged. “If I must. I don’t care either way.”
Alynna looked at Meredith. “Let’s go.”