KNIGHT
Chapter 11
Alexia detested the ultra-early start again the next morning, particularly since every muscle in her body screamed to high heaven. But Neil was an unforgiving personal trainer, forcing her to stretch out and power through most of the painful Charlie horse cramps and keep going, even after being called a “hardnosed wolf jerk” a few times.
When she collapsed onto the mat for the third time, however, he stopped their grueling workout in order to massage thick ointment into the worst of her shaking muscles. Alexia might have actually enjoyed it too. If she hadn’t been in complete agony.
“Ugh, what is that?” she gagged as his hands kneaded her tightening right calf. “It smells like barf flavored ice cream.”
“A blend I created,” he said. “Smells bad, but works quick. Humans can’t smell it anyhow, so it doesn’t matter. Better?”
She stood and shook her leg out. “Yeah, that does help a lot, thanks. If we keep this outrageous pace of yours, I may have to take a bath in it tonight.” He cracked a slight smile. “Hey, I’m not kidding.”
“Guess I’ll have to make more then. Ready?”
“Not even a little. Let’s go.”
They practiced self-defense moves that Neil introduced to overcome both human and were-attacks, never knowing what she might encounter someday. After two more hours, Alexia was amazed how strong she had already become. Even her reflexes were much more agile and quick.
Finally he stopped their workout and directed her upstairs. There was a shooting range on one side, the other half another practice area of some sort with paper targets and faceless mannequins against the back wall.
They stepped up to a shelf with boxes filled with various weapons. Neil selected a handful of smaller steel knives and positioned her behind a yellow line.
“Actually something I might be good at,” Alexia said, feeling more enthused. “Did I tell you how great I was at archery in high school?”
He eyed her doubtfully. “Watch.”
Neil took one of the daggers by the handle, then focused on the human outline. As instructed Alexia watched and waited for him to pull back and throw it. The next she heard, the knife whistled through the air with a thunk in the head of the paper man, and the knife was no longer in his hand.
“Whoa, I didn’t even see you move! How’d you do that?”
“Many lycanthrope beings have supernaturally quick reflexes,” he explained. “If you only rely on your normal human reactions, you’ll be dead before you could even raise the dagger into position.”
“What am I supposed to do then?”
“Think in terms of chess,” he said. “You have to consider two or three moves prior to your reaction. We’ll work on strategy later, but first you need to learn the actual skill.” He handed Alexia a knife and shifted her into his position. “First, you have to throw hard enough to make it go the distance. This is about two hundred feet.”
“Easy,” she said confidently.
Not so much, she soon discovered. The distance between the line she stood behind and the back wall was a lot farther than she first anticipated. Her knife barely reached three-quarters of the way the first dozen times.
Neil repositioned her stance, then demonstrated how to turn her wrists and upper arms and body properly. He placed a hand on her belly, instructing her how to use even those muscles to add power. When Alexia’s knife finally hit the wall and bounced off, she jumped and screamed with excitement.
“Woo-hoo! Did you see that?”
“I did,” he said, smiling wide. “Now, make it stick.”
That was even harder, and Alexia worked at it unsuccessfully for the next hour. She finally managed a couple of loose sticks, but that was all. When her arms were so sore and shaky that she couldn’t raise the knife anymore, Neil gratefully called it quits. She handed the knives back to him, swiping the sweat beading her face.
“We’ll work on this tomorrow,” he said, gathering the knives littering the target area. He stacked the filled box back on the shelf with the other weapons and walked back to her. “Then your aim. And you need to start thinking strategically—”
“What is this? What do you have my daughter doing, Enforcer?”
At Erik’s furious tone, they both turned around. He stalked towards them with long, hard strides until he slid between them, forcing Alexia to back up a couple steps.
“I’m teaching her how to defend herself, Leonid,” Neil said.
“The irony does not escape me, Enforcer. I understand you have been spending a lot of time with her.”
“Just doing my job, nothing more. Remember that it was you who had Rob order me to find and protect your daughter in the first place.”
“It now seems as if she needs protection from you.”
Alexia immediately stepped between them. “Whoa, gentlemen, let’s take it down a notch, shall we? Besides, the adult and very independent daughter in question doesn’t need either one of you to come to her defense, thank you. Erik, what are you even doing here?”
He pulled his glare from Neil to look at her with a softer expression. “Now that the gates have reopened, I knew you would probably be very grateful to leave the confines of the community here. Would you care to go into town, Alexia? I am certain there are many things you are in need of.”
That perked her up instantly. She almost ran for one of the security gates right then. Since Deena left yesterday afternoon, she had developed a bad case of claustrophobia and the self-pity blues.
“Yay! How soon can we leave? I’ll have to change first. Oh, I was supposed to help Rachel and Scott in the lab again this afternoon. Oh well, this is definitely a priority. I’ll let them know I’ll be there tomorrow instead.”
“Unfortunately, Rob still has concerns for my immediate safety and I must stay here,” Erik said, “so I cannot accompany you on this trip.”
“Oh. So how am I going to get there?”
“I’ll drive you,” Neil said, stepping towards her.
Erik shifted in front of him again. “There is no need. Jake volunteered his services earlier.”
“I’ll bet he did. You don’t want to do that, Erik.”
“And why is that?”
They looked as if they were holding a silent conversation by the various subtle expressions on their faces. Then Alexia realized they probably were. Erik was projecting his thoughts and reading Neil’s mental responses. Whatever Neil had silently told him made Erik growl low in his chest.
“Fine, Duran, you may drive her,” he said out loud for Alexia’s benefit. “I will expect you to be extra vigilant in her safety.”
“Count on it.”
Erik handed her a platinum credit card. “Charge anything you need to me. And you should greatly supplement your wardrobe. Buy some evening wear as well. The Bryants have invited us to dine with them tonight. Please, no arguments. I can well afford it, and it is the least I can do for you. And your mother.”
Dang, he got her with that last one.
She took it from him, nodding. “Thanks, I really could use some new stuff.”
And be very careful with this enforcer, Alexia, Erik spoke into her thoughts. He may be young in my estimation, but very experienced in comparison to you.
He’s fine, Erik, she returned silently. A bit of an overprotective big brother, but that’s all.
Erik arched a brow at her. Do not be mistaken, my dear. There is nothing brotherly to Neil Duran’s inclinations. This wolf has most definitely set his sights on you. I did not have to read his mind to see this.
Alexia sent him a withering stare. Don’t worry, daddy-kins. I can take care of any unwanted advances should they arise.
Erik looked pleased at her affectionate reference to him, although it had slipped out unintentionally, the downside to his ability to read her uncensored thoughts. Still, if the unconscious gesture made him happy, so be it.
“I trust your judgment. Take care, Alexia,” he said verbally, then bent down and kissed her cheek.
Erik sliced another warning glare at Neil. When Neil’s back went rigid, Alexia was dying to know what Erik mentally threatened.
After he left, she turned to Neil, bouncing on her toes, itching to go. “Meet me in the lobby in twenty minutes?”
Neil headed down the secluded forested road towards his cabin to shower and change as well. It was going to be a real challenge to keep a sharp eye on that little renegade while they were in town.
Remembering their time in the gym and shooting range, he grinned wide at some of Alexia’s comical moments or remarks. Actually the girl impressed him by how well she caught on, continually surprising him at every turn. Who would have thought that someone raised by humans…
Neil halted, the smile sliding off his face. Since when the hell did he ever stupidly grin like this anyhow?
A rough shudder vibrated through him as he shook off the warm, unfamiliar feelings. He was acting like a damn hormonal teenager letting that tiny woman get under his skin. He would do well to keep his wits about him from this point on. Alexia Raine may be small and compact, but so were five sticks of dynamite.
His pace quickened until he was jogging by the time he hit the porch. He obviously needed a very cold shower. Frigid, even. Although when he stripped down and stepped under the hot spray he finally eased and calmed down.
Ten minutes later Neil felt more like himself again and shut off the steaming water. He stepped out of the shower stall and was about to head straight to his bedroom when he froze at the slight hum coming from the kitchen area. Listening harder, he heard the definite sound of a knife slicing through something.
His brain calculated in milliseconds how far it was between him and his Magnum taped underneath the coffee table, and he knew he could get it in time before whoever was out there…
Then he caught the familiar scent, and his back went rigid.
No, his semi-auto wouldn’t help him in this case. He’d need something more akin to a battleship cannon.
Or an atomic bomb.
Neil stalled another minute, then figured he might as well get it over with. He tucked a towel around his waist, then opened the bathroom door. Eva LeBlanc twirled around from the kitchen sink with a beaming smile.
“Hey you,” she said, waving with the paring knife in her hand. “Thought I’d make your favorite. Steak and mashed potatoes.”
He dragged a hand down his rough jaw. “I really wish you would’ve called first. I don’t have time right now.”
Eva set the potato she was slicing into the mixing bowl with several others and jaunted over to him, slipping her arms around his neck. “Mmm, don’t you smell yummy. Maye we should eat now.”
Before he could respond, she pulled him down into a very deep, very intimate kiss, until he had the strength enough to pull away.
On any other occasion, Neil would have gladly welcomed her delicious advances. And he was probably a damn fool for shutting her down now. But for some unknown reason, he just didn’t…want her.
That was new.
And now uncomfortable and awkward.
He stepped back, letting her arms slip away from his shoulders. “Like I said, now’s not a good time.”
She hiked her thin brows as she grinned wickedly at the towel wrapped around his waist. “Seems like the perfect time to me.”
“I’m still working, Eva.”
“Yeah, it really looks like it.”
“I am. Rob wants me to take Erik Leonid’s daughter into town, and we’re leaving in just a few minutes.”
She snorted. “Rob wants you to.”
“Yes. He’s our H.A. and my direct boss, and Leonid is our prime gifted, and both need me to guard her while she’s away from the protection of our community. Don’t get paranoid.”
Or possessive. Or clingy. Or jealous.
Particularly since she belonged to someone else.
Not that Jake would care much.
Eva crossed her arms, lifting her chin up to him, pouting in that way that normally lit him up like a torch. Now it just seemed childish. “Jake was supposed to take the human brat into the city. That’s why I’m here. We don’t get much time together these days, baby.”
He squeezed his eyes shut a long moment, trying to rid himself of the guilt that always ate him up whenever he fooled around with Eva LeBlanc.
True, they had been a thing long before her ambitious parents made the unspoken agreement with the Bryants about marrying her off to the royal heir. Just because their engagement was agreed upon by all parties involved, didn’t mean Neil’s feelings for his first love changed.
He tried keeping things platonic between them at first, kept trying through the years, but it didn’t help that Eva constantly came onto him like a steamroller whenever she was antsy or discontented in her arranged engagement. She might very well keep going even after her and Jake tied the knot. Which meant he needed to shut her down at some point for everyone’s sakes.
And now was as good as any.
“It’s over, Eva.”
“What do you mean, it’s over? Do you want me to come back later then?”
“No, I mean it’s really over this time. You’re taken, and I hate cheating on people we actually care about. Go back to Jake. I’m sure he’s waiting for you around here somewhere.”
She snarled, lightly touching his chest, shooting all sorts of unwanted sparks through him. “I’m sure he isn’t. I’m sure he’s off humping some other too-available adoring female, like Rob’s new assistant, or maybe even that precious little demon spawn of Leonid’s. His taste always leaned towards the kink and bizarre.”
A deep growl escaped Neil, widening Eva’s eyes. He immediately sent her an apologetic look, but instinctively stepped back before she took a clawing swipe at him.
“What the hell was that?” she snapped, one hand on her hip.
“Sorry,” he said, exhaling heavily as he dragged a hand through his hair. “It’s been a long couple of weeks.”
She grunted, obviously not believing him. The woman wasn’t stupid. And it was a lame excuse.
In truth, he didn’t know why he jumped to Alexia Raine’s defense at Eva’s caustic remark. It shouldn’t have mattered to him what she thought.
This whole sordid thing was getting to him now.
Eva eyed him seductively. “Well, I know how to relax you.”
She reached for the edge of his towel, and he gripped her hands pushing her back. Now her injury turned to white-hot fury as she snarled at him, her brown eyes glowing gold.
“Fine! Go chase after that freak of nature,” she spat, “but don’t come knocking on my door later when you realize what a moron you’re being right now!”
“I don’t want to hurt your feelings, Eva—”
“Don’t even! Just remember this when you’re aching for me later on tonight, and I won’t be there! I’ll never be there for you ever again!”
“Eva, wait—”
She burst into her brown wolf and ran out the door at lightning speed, howling as she disappeared into the dense forest.
Neil knew he should turn wolf and go after her. Still, that’s what she wanted, why she tore out of her expensive silk clothes and shifted on the fly. He heard the desperation in her voice, knew she would do anything to keep this toxic, twisted relationship of theirs going.
And he just didn’t have it in him anymore to do so.
Neil stared out the open door, still able to hear her. She was close enough for him to catch up with her, make amends, make love to her half the afternoon.
He turned and headed into the bedroom to change.
Alexia showered and was dressed in borrowed clothes for the last time, eager to finally buy her own, along with several other habitual necessities she had been forced to live without. She circled her locket back over her neck and tucked it underneath her blouse, then placed the call to Deena.
“Great news, I’m heading into town,” she rushed out. “I’m hoping you can go shopping with me. Princess has daddy’s platinum card, and the sky’s the limit. We’ll even buy you some things.”
“That’s great! But darn it all, I’m working right now,” she said above the background noise of the diner. “I’d take off some time, but I’ve already missed so much.”
“No, you’re right. You need the hours,” Alexia said, covering her disappointment.
“But you could stop in and say hi anyhow. I’ll tell you all the best places to shop around here. So don’t stop in Yakima. Keep driving until you get to Kennewick.”
“Kennewick, got it. See you in a few then.”
Alexia ended the call, then looked at the cellphone in her palm with new apprehension. It was now Friday, an entire week now spent there at Timber Ridge. Her uncle would be expecting her to return to work very soon.
Would Rob Bryant prevent her from leaving now that the lockdown had officially been cancelled?
That was a question. After working every afternoon with Rachel and Scott in the lab, they were still no closer to discovering who this wolf killer was than the first night after examining the body. Rob’s sources sought leads all over the territory, but had come up empty. Neil and Jake had their security teams working overtime trying to find anything of value. Rumors were spreading like wildfire, none of it accurate or helpful.
Not that any of them needed her to help solve this case, so there was no reason she couldn’t go home.
The thought of returning to her old life in San Diego didn’t cheer Alexia though. Strangely, she would miss her new friends, miss Erik, Deena, miss...
The cellphone buzzed, and she read the text to shake her tiny tail feathers.
Pushing the dismal thought of leaving down on her priority list, Alexia headed down the elevator to the lobby, deciding to be simply happy at the prospect of going into town this afternoon.
Neil leaned against a post near the entrance, as usual in his typical dark tee-shirt and jeans.
“I’m so ready to go into town, I could fly there,” Alexia said, practically skipping up to him.
“I’m going to ask you something that you won’t like,” he said.
She frowned. “Tread carefully, Duran. Don’t you dare kill my happy buzz. I’ve worked very hard for this.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the thin wrist tracker he tried to force on her yesterday. “Please.”
“Forget it. I’m not being tagged like a pet poodle.”
“I could refuse to take you to town.”
“I could ask Jake instead,” she countered. Neil growled, and Alexia smiled wide, sensing the victory. “Just thinking strategically like you taught me. Shall we head out?”
They walked to his car parked in the lot to the right of the Lodge. The vehicle was unassuming, a standard looking black sedan. Somehow she had expected something fast and huge to match his aggressive personality. When he turned the engine and it growled hungrily for gas and speed, Alexia understood there was probably a great deal of power under the hood.
Maybe it did match the guy.
“I was told to go to Kennewick,” she said as he backed out of the parking space.
“Yakima’s a lot closer,” he said, driving forward out of the lot and down the quiet street. “We’ll go to Kennewick another time.”
“I have strict orders from Deena. We’re stopping at her restaurant first. In Kennewick.” At his stubborn expression, Alexia smiled wide, batting her eyelashes and sang, “Pleeeease? Oh, come on. Be a good sport. I’ll be your best friend.”
“Wear the tracker?”
“Nothing doing.”
“Back at you, then.”
Alexia snarled. Done in by her own need to see her friend. “Fine. But just while we’re in town. It comes off the minute we’re back inside this military compound.”
One corner of his mouth curved up as he handed her the tracker. She roughly snatched it from him and fitted it onto her left wrist. Wearing short sleeves put her humiliation on full display too, dang it all. She almost slugged the smirk off his face when he looked at it before facing forward.
“Why don’t you just give me a prison ankle bracelet and force me to wear an orange jumpsuit too,” she muttered, crossing her arms tightly.
“Your pouting won’t do any good, Alexia.”
She sliced him a fierce death glare. “Did anyone ever tell you that you’re the most hardnosed wolf jerk ever created?”
“Several times for the past week. I counted five today alone.”
“Make it six then. No, seven. I’m saving one for later.”
They drove out of the township and across several miles of rural and forested acreage before finally reaching one of the walled exits. Alexia was surprised to see two uniformed guards standing on each side of the twenty-foot, iron gate. The one on their side held up his hand for them to stop.
“What’s going on?” she asked. “I thought the lockdown was cancelled.”
Neil stepped out of the car and motioned for her to do the same. He exchanged whispered instructions to the guard who then checked his iPad and nodded. The guard then reached inside the car to pop the trunk and walked around the back of the car. While he thoroughly examined the car inside and out and ran a magnetic wand around the vehicle, Neil took Alexia aside, still watching his enforcer’s actions carefully.
“Without the lockdown, we have to be extra cautious with anyone and every vehicle coming in and out of this place now,” Neil explained. “If I wasn’t their direct superior, they would be vetting my credentials too. I vouched for you, but he still had to check the guest list at the Lodge for your name.”
“I guess better safe than sorry, right?”
He jutted chin, then opened the passenger’s door for her at the guard’s nod.
The gates parted, and for the first time in a full week Alexia felt like she could breathe fully. She turned around as they drove away, watching the gates enclosing the towering stone wall lock again.
Then she faced forward again with a wide, glowing smile. This was going to be a really great afternoon.
Alexia nearly jumped out of the car before Neil had a chance to park it in the back lot of the restaurant. She couldn’t believe how badly she wanted to see Deena.
It was a typical Americana diner with its Formica booths against the large windows, stools lining the counter in front of the walled off kitchen. The steamy smells of various mingling foods ranged from bacon and eggs to pot roast and biscuits.
Deena was jotting another customer’s order when they walked through the jingling glass entrance door. She brightened and gave a little wave, then motioned for them to sit in one of the empty booths. After she stuck the order ticket into the cook’s carousel, she darted back around the counter towards them. Alexia jumped up and hugged her tightly as if it had been a year, not a day since they last saw each other.
“So nifty little uniform you’re wearing there,” Alexia teased.
Deena groaned at the orange and blue stretch material of her dress uniform. “I swear Steven’s uncle is not only color blind, but would love everyone to go back to the 1960’s. I tried to show him some nicer styles a few months ago, but he wouldn’t budge. Guess as long as my paycheck stays green, I’ll deal with it. Neil, nice to see you again.”
“Deena,” he greeted, then turned to Alexia. “Want to eat a late lunch here?”
“Sounds great, I’m starving. Then we can hit all the shops here in town. Deena, you’ll have to make a list, and I’ll pick some things up for you too.”
“No, I couldn’t let you do that.”
“Nonsense. Father’s orders. Go crazy.”
Deena winced. “Well, there is a really pretty blouse in Marigold’s that’s in my size. Rosa’s holding it for me until I can buy it next week after I get paid.”
“Write it down,” Alexia said. “In fact, make a list while we eat.”
The entrance door jingled, and Alexia watched Neil’s dark gray eyes shift above his menu. Reflexively, she turned around to see who just entered, then smiled wide. Deena’s boyfriend lumbered over and planted a lusty kiss on his surprised fiancée’s mouth.
“Hi ya, Steven,” Alexia said, then reached over and gave him a hug. “Looks like you’re glad your honey’s back home again, huh?”
“You bet,” he said, combing his overlong brown hair from his eyes. “Made me realize what I was living without. I’m trying to get her to bump up the wedding date now, but she won’t budge. Yet.”
She chuckled. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”
Alexia’s smile slid from her face when she noticed Deena’s anxious look at Neil. She turned around and saw his darkening expression, his nostrils flaring like a warhorse ready to charge into battle.
What was his problem? Why was he glaring at Steven like..?
Her stomach dropped, suddenly remembering. Neil could smell that Steven was human!
“Maybe I’ll take a raincheck on that lunch,” Alexia said, pulling hard on Neil’s arm. “It’s getting late anyway, and I have a lot of shopping to do. So you said to hit Marigold’s first? I think I remember seeing it a few stores down the block.”
Deena cringed at Neil’s steely focus on Steven as he stood from the booth. Alexia pulled harder on his arm, and he finally tore his stare away and followed her outside. Neil stalked fast and hard down the storefront sidewalk.
“Okay, so he’s human,” she said finally, doing her best to keep up.
He halted, facing her with hard accusation. “You knew?”
“Yes, but there—”
“It’s forbidden, Alexia! For good reason.” He frowned back at the diner. “I have to report this.”
“No! You can’t say anything. Deena’s a very low zeta with one foot practically out of the Pack. She loves the guy, so who the heck cares if he’s human or a three-eyed water buffalo? It doesn’t affect your precious organization in any way. Besides, she’s still trying to figure things out with him. It may end on its own anyhow.”
“They’re talking marriage. Doesn’t sound like they plan to end anything.”
“Well, that doesn’t mean—”
“Alexia, I have a responsibility to Rob and to the Pack. You can’t ask me to keep silent on this.”
She took his hand. “Please, Neil. I’m asking you as a friend to keep this one very minor secret, to trust me this once. I’ll really owe you.”
His jaw muscles clenched and unclenched, his expression darkening. Finally, he jutted his chin to the store in front of them. “You wanted to go in here?”
The sign above them read Marigold’s in colorful, flowery lettering. Alexia nodded, figuring that was the closest she was going to get to an agreement.
Inside the women’s boutique Alexia tried to distract Neil by asking his opinion on clothes, shoes and accessories. He mostly returned one and two word responses or a shake or nod of the head. An hour later he still continually stared out the store window as if considering the issue of Deena and her human fiancé.
Alexia was trying on a pair of pink flats when the store clerk handed her a folded piece of paper.
“I was told to give you this,” the older woman whispered. “From your friend.”
Alexia frowned at her pointed look, then looked up to locate Neil who was hovering around the entrance, again peering outside.
She opened up the note and read: Meet me out back in the alley. Alone. Emergency.
Her eyes shot up to the clerk. “Where’s your rear exit?”
The woman motioned to the closed door next to the check-out counter marked for employees only.
Biting her bottom lip, Alexia looked over to Neil who was still peering out the front window. She didn’t want to deceive him. It would be a horrible betrayal of his newfound trust. But Deena was obviously terrified that he would divulge her secret and be expelled from the Pack. She needed to reassure her that although Neil was conflicted between his responsibilities, he wouldn’t say anything. At least not yet.
In order to tell her this, however, she had to slip away without him noticing. It would only be for a couple of minutes. If she worked it right, he wouldn’t even know she was gone.
Grabbing a few blouses hanging on a rack, Alexia ducked into the dressing room. She hung up the clothes, then unhooked the wrist tracker and set it on the chair. Peeking out of the curtains, she motioned to the clerk to stand behind Neil, blocking his view when she crossed between the last rack and the counter.
When the woman nodded and headed his way, Alexia ducked under the other racks of clothes and duck-waddled until reaching the last rack, then darted quickly through the door and into the back room, over to its rear door.
Alexia was grateful that in a small town like this the businesses were trusting enough not to have alarms at every exit. She simply turned the knob and stepped outside into the building’s back alley.
The door automatically slammed shut behind her however. Alexia gasped, not counting on that. She tried the handle, but the door was locked from the inside.
“Dang it.”
That meant circling back around the front entrance of the store to face the wrath of the Big Black Wolf for ditching him and the tracker.
Just when they were making strides of trust between them too.
Alexia groaned inwardly. Still, she had another important dilemma to deal with first. Then she’d worry about how to make it up to Neil.
Quickly, she searched around the dank, littered alley, but no one was around.
“Deena,” she called, searching up and down the cramped area. “I’m here. Where are you? I only have a few seconds.”
Quick footfalls came from around the building, and Alexia sighed with relief. “I don’t have a lot time, but honestly Neil—”
She silenced when two people came into view. Because it wasn’t Deena Hudson who rounded the corner. It was Moustache and another of his Talanov thugs.
One holding a tranquilizer gun.