CHAPTER FOUR
Gabe did his best not to stare as Margo peeled out of her clothes the moment she stepped out of the car. He’d seen the other werewolves do that from time to time while in Pennsylvania over the past couple of weeks, but it was still a bit jarring for a guy who spent time mostly among other mages and humans who found nudity a bit disconcerting in ordinary circumstances.
Margo flowed from gorgeous naked woman into her gorgeous wolf self with practiced ease and trotted away, dismissing him from her mind completely. At least, that’s the way it looked to him. Gabe felt a little strange about being abandoned so easily. He wanted to mean more to her than that, but he counseled himself to be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and brave knight never won fair lady without doing something heroic.
He’d get his chance. He only hoped he could rise to the challenge ahead and make sure neither of them got too banged up in the process of achieving their goals.
Gabe’s goal was two-fold. First, he wanted to do everything in his power to help Margo track down the fugitive mage who had caused them all such trouble. Second, he wanted to capture Margo’s heart. Both were tall orders, but he figured he had the right stuff to make it happen. Gabe had seldom lacked confidence.
While Margo explored the area in wolf form, Gabe went about the work of prepping the cabin. It had been closed down for the winter, and it took a bit of doing to get everything going again. He had to prime the pump that provided water and get the solar panels up on the ridge line feeding down into the cabin rather than out to the grid. He put the electric heating units on in the outer rooms while building a fire in the main area that would warm the place up fast.
Then, he set to work putting away the stuff he’d brought in from the car. The small refrigerator was already humming happily in the corner. In an hour or two, it would be plenty cold enough inside the fridge to keep the food fresh while the cabin around it was warm enough to keep its occupants toasty.
He kept the water running to fill up the small-ish hot tub. His cousin hadn’t opted for a decadent ten-seater. No, this hot tub was more intimate. It could hold two—if they were very fond of each other. It was more like a large-scale bathtub with an abundance of massaging jets. It was economical in terms of water use, which fit with his cousin’s eco-warrior lifestyle, but it also was really nice to soak in after a long day.
Gabe would probably not have time to do that before they left for the meeting, but he set everything up so he could take advantage of it later, if he had time. The room was already warming up with the electric baseboard heaters doing their job on the other side by the workout gear. The water in the tub would warm up to room temperature while they were out, and then, when he turned the heater and jets on later, it would take little time to get into the comfort range.
Once everything was up and running, the house heating up nicely, Gabe set to work on preparing a meal.
Margo’s sensitive nose picked up the unmistakable aroma of sizzling steaks just about the time she finished investigating her new temporary territory. The land was lovely. Pristine and wild. Gabe’s cousin was a conservationist, she was certain of it. From the way the house was set back in the woods to the very small footprint it made among the wild pines… It was all set up to disturb nature as little as possible.
Margo could appreciate that. It was the same way many shifters built their homes. She could see why Gabe had been looking forward to coming here. Margo had been able to run in her wolf form, investigating everything around her, to her heart’s content. She was positive now, after her explorations, that there were no other shifters in the area.
It was odd, but Gabe had been right about that, too. While the area was perfect for her kind, none had taken up residence within any of the boundary lines of Brian’s property. Those wards the Llewellyns had put on the perimeter must be formidable.
The front of the house was simple, as was the rest of the place, but it had a swing seat placed off to one side of the doorway. She could just picture sitting there on a summer evening, sipping iced tea and listening to the welcoming sounds of the forest all around. She trotted up to it and noticed her clothes folded neatly on top. Gabe. He must’ve picked up her discarded garments and laid them out ready for her return. How sweet.
As her thoughts turned more human, so did her body. She flowed into her two-legged shape and reached for the clothing she’d been so eager to shed before. Right now, satisfying another hunger was on her agenda. She’d given her wolf form the freedom it had craved, now it was time to feed a much simpler craving—for food. And, by the smell of things, Gabe had dinner preparations well in hand.
She felt just a little bit guilty for running off and leaving all the housework to him, but she suspected he understood. He hadn’t even batted an eye when she’d torn off into the undergrowth—not that she’d been in any sort of shape to notice more than her mad desire to run. But, somewhere in the periphery of her mind, she was always aware of Gabe. He had a presence she couldn’t easily ignore.
When she entered the house, she discovered a lovely open-concept space that was both bright and cheerful. A large living room opened onto an equally impressive kitchen. Gabe stood behind the granite-topped island, wearing an incongruous apron with some sort of writing on it. As she drew closer, she was able to make out what it said.
“Kiss the Chef?” she asked, reading the message on the apron.
Gabe grinned at her as he plated the steaks. “My sister’s idea of a gag gift. I guess she thought it might help Brian get a little action.” He walked toward the dining table that was off to one side of the kitchen area, carrying the steaks. “You’re just in time. Have a seat.”
She came around the kitchen island to find a fully laid table. Everything was ready. The steaks had been the last piece of the gourmet-looking meal he’d prepared.
“This looks fabulous.” Feeling frisky, Margo went up to Gabe and gave him a peck on the cheek. “For the chef,” she whispered, smiling.
What she hadn’t been prepared for was, when Gabe put the platter of steaks down, he turned before she could get away and drew her into his arms. His mouth sought hers without delay, and soon, she was lost in a kiss as stirring as the one she remembered from New Year’s Eve. Only this time, they weren’t in a room full of people. There was no possibility of judgmental stares from family members who might not approve. There was only Gabe and Margo, locked in each other’s arms.
She lost track of time and space. All she knew was the strength of Gabe’s arms around her, the feel of his strong body against hers. He kissed like a dream. Like he really cared about her.
That thought gave her pause and drew her out of the kiss. Margo moved away, and he let her go, though she could feel the reluctance in him as she pulled away from his embrace.
“You’ve got to stop doing that,” she mumbled as she took her seat at the table and began the busywork of serving herself from the dishes he’d laid out.
“Why?”
She could feel him staring at her. Challenging her. She just didn’t know if she was up to that challenge, which made her inner wolf fumble.
She was an Alpha wolf. An Alpha woman. No man had made her unsure of herself since she was a little girl. Margo knew who and what she was. Her self-image was secure. So, then, why was her footing so shaky when faced with Gabe?
She knew he was waiting for an answer, but frankly, she didn’t have one for him. She didn’t have an explanation for herself, either. Her mind was confused as her body trembled, wanting nothing more than to go back into his arms. But she couldn’t. Acting on impulse had never been a good idea for Margo. Impulses got you into trouble. Instinct… Now, that was another matter.
Margo had learned early to follow her instincts, but Gabe confounded her on every level. She was no longer sure what was instinct and what was wishful thinking where he was concerned. She looked up at him and decided to lay her cards on the table, so to speak.
“You confuse me,” she said plainly. “You don’t fit into any hierarchy that I’m familiar with. You confuse my wolf, and that’s never good. You have to stop kissing me like—”
“Like it’s the right thing to do?” he interrupted her tirade with a challenge of his own.
“You can’t know that,” she insisted.
“Can’t I?” He took off the silly apron and chucked it toward the kitchen counter, then took his seat opposite her at the table. “Honey, I feel things for you I’ve never felt for another woman. I’m glad you’re confused because you confuse the hell out of me, too,” he admitted, though he was smiling. “Hell, I’ve been walking around in a daze since the moment I first saw you.”
Her breath caught at his candid words. Had he really?
“As for the hierarchy thing. I get it. I really do. We have hierarchies within our family, too. It’s probably a little more subtle than in the werewolf Pack, but believe me, we know who the Alphas are.”
“And you’re going to tell me you’re one of them?” She raised one skeptical her eyebrow.
He sat back in his chair, seemingly relaxed. “I’ll do no such thing. Sad as I am to say this, you’re going to have to figure that out for yourself.”
Huh. She relaxed a bit in the face of his confidence—and the fact that he was going to let things develop naturally. Dominance wasn’t something that could be unilaterally declared. It had to be earned. Often that meant repeated observation over time.
In her Pack, they’d all grown up together. They had sorted out the dominants from the submissives when they were children, but the perceived ranks within the Pack structure changed every so often. As Pack members proved themselves worthy of elevation through their actions, they moved up in the power structure. It was a natural progression.
For the first time, she started thinking about how that same dynamic might work in a family of mages. They probably had a similar situation. The members of the Clan would gain strength and skill as they aged, moving their rank within the family. The concept was intriguing to her. She’d never considered that other races of magical folk might have parallel systems.
She kept thinking as they ate. He’d served her a steak while she’d been contemplating his words, and she began eating when he did. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable. On the contrary, she enjoyed being in Gabe’s company, even when they weren’t talking. That was a new experience for her. Usually, she grew impatient in the presence of anyone not of her Pack, but Gabe had a calming effect on her that was totally unprecedented.
About the time she was running out of food on her plate, Gabe rather pointedly looked at his watch. “I think we’re going to have to get back on the road soon, if we want to make our meeting. It probably isn’t a good idea to keep a Master vampire waiting.”
“Have you ever met one before?” she asked him as she finished the little that was left on her plate.
“Can’t say that I have,” Gabe replied, standing with his empty plate in his hands. With a gesture, he offered to take hers, too, and she handed it to him.
They worked together to clean up the table and the kitchen then headed out to the vehicle he’d left parked in front of the house. Gabe was the last out, securing the place for their return. She noticed he paused a moment and waved one hand in the direction of the doorway. A little frisson of magical energy passed by her—a sensation like sparkles against her fur, though she was in human form.
Was that his magic? She couldn’t be certain, but she was going to keep an eye on him for further episodes. She wanted to learn the flavor and strength of his magic. Her wolf was getting desperate to figure out where he fit in the hierarchy. He gave many indications of having a strong Alpha personality, but did he have the power to back it up?
They worked well together, conversing easily as they headed back into town. Margo was glad that Gabe was familiar with the area. She’d never traveled much in the States, though she had worked with Collin Hastings on several cases in the southwestern part of the country. If they’d been a few hundred miles south, she could’ve acted as tour guide, but the Pacific Northwest was a bit beyond her experience.
She liked what she’d seen of it so far, though. The piney scent of the air gave way to the tang of the ocean as they left the higher elevation where the cabin was situated. City smells took precedence as they headed closer to Seattle proper, and as the sun set, she began to see that the city had a magic all its own.
“Pretty skyline,” she mused as he drove past a scenic spot.
“It’s a basically nice city. Master Hiram runs a tight ship for all his rumored eccentricities,” Gabe told her.
She glanced away from the enticing skyline to look at Gabe. “What have you heard?”
“The reason I’m so familiar with this area, and this city, is that my family has business interests here. My cousin, Brian, is part of that, though he doesn’t spend all his time working, obviously. My older sister, Barbara, pretty much runs the show here. She’s had dealings with Master Hiram on occasion. Like I said, he runs a tight ship. Our business couldn’t really move into high gear here until he gave the okay, so Barbara had a series of meetings with him.”
“And?” Margo made a face at him, impatience getting the best of her.
“Well, I’m not so sure how much I should tell you. It might be better to let you walk into this with no expectations.”
“Better, how?” she challenged.
“Safer.” He emphasized the word. “I don’t really know what to expect here. I only have stories from when Barbara met with him. The dynamic might be totally different since there are a pair of us, and we’re a mixed set.”
“Why? What did he do to your sister—try to seduce her or something?” Gabe’s mouth drew into a tight line, and Margo realized she might have hit the nail on the head. “No way.”
“According to Barb, he’s very charming, and he did try, but he also took a polite no for an answer. Not that he didn’t keep trying.”
“The cad.” Margo felt the sudden courage to tease him, quickly grasping the situation.
Gabe didn’t like it when some guy hit on his sister. This sign of his protective instincts was a point in his favor in her books.
“You can laugh, but I can only imagine that it took some powerful determination on Barbara’s part not to fall prey to an ancient like him.”
“Have a little faith in your sister. She seems like a reasonable woman. She can probably take care of herself if she managed to stand up to a Master vampire and live to tell the tale.” Come to think of it, Margo was impressed.
She’d met Barbara in Pennsylvania, of course, but they hadn’t interacted much beyond basic greetings. Hearing this, Margo was more intrigued, and if given the chance, she’d probably enjoy getting to know Barbara better. She sounded like the kind of person who would make a good friend.
“Just don’t let your annoyance about your sister bleed over into this situation,” she cautioned him. “We need this guy’s help.”
“I understand. I won’t make trouble.”
But the look on his face was fierce. She hoped he calmed down before they got to their destination.
When they arrived, Margo was duly impressed. The façade of the building was that of a trendy nightclub. They walked in through a back entrance that was almost indiscernible from the building itself, but was guarded from within by several burly men with bulky weapons.
The guards checked their identification and passed them through a short hallway to another set of guards. These were less bulky and more magical. The trio of two women and one man seemed to examine Gabe and Margo from the inside out, gazing at them with eyes that saw within, to the magical core of her being. At least, that’s how they made Margo feel. Maybe it was all in her imagination.
The trio let them into an elevator with only one destination. There were no buttons on the panel, but the car began to drop as soon as the doors closed. They were going down into the vampire’s lair. Margo felt a certain amount of trepidation seep into her bones. She’d never been in quite this kind of situation before. She was well aware that shifter blood was a delicacy for vampires, but she fully intended to walk out of here whole, with every last corpuscle intact.
When the elevator arrived at its destination, the door opened to darkness. Not complete darkness, but definitely a very dark corridor that led to a very dark room. Werewolves had excellent night vision, so Margo took the lead.
She walked straight down the corridor to the larger room beyond. What she could see of the furniture in the dark was opulent. Lots of antique-looking carved wood and rich fabrics. The whole place had an aroma of old blood, but it wasn’t strong. It was as if the resident of this domain liked things kept immaculate. In fact, she didn’t scent or see a single mote of dust, but who knew what would be revealed if the Master deigned to turn on the electric lights she could see in fixtures overhead.
He must have some reason for keeping them in the dark. Psychological warfare or a test of some kind.
“Ouch,” Gabe cursed under his breath after stubbing his toes on a protruding piece of furniture. Damn. She should’ve warned him. Sometimes, she forgot he wasn’t a shifter.
That thought would give her pause later, right now, she had to focus on the bloodletter. He was in the room beyond the corridor. She could sense him there, though she couldn’t say exactly how.
The second time Gabe stumbled and almost fell, Margo realized she’d fallen down in her guide duties again. What was so compelling about what lie ahead that she forgot to help Gabe? Damn. She shook her head.
“He’s using some sort of compulsion,” she whispered to Gabe, hoping he might be able to help her…somehow.
“That’s it,” Gabe sounded pissed. “Two can play this game,” he muttered. A second later, there was a flare of golden energy that originated in Gabe’s hand. He held it aloft—a light to guide their path.
Then, it split in half, and one part of the golden orb sped ahead of them, out of the corridor and into the larger room, illuminating everything in its path. Margo could now clearly see a man in casual dress from another era lounging at the point in the room opposite the corridor entrance. He was watching them with critical eyes.
There was another man—a younger man—standing off to one side, a dark computer tablet clutched in his hands. He wore what looked like a custom-tailored suit in dark colors. Neither of the men seemed disturbed by Gabe’s show of power, even as the orb he’d sent into the larger room split in four and stationed itself at the cardinal points near the ceiling.
“Well, at least I now know for certain which one of you is the mage and which one, the shifter.” The vampire’s voice came to them in lazy tones as he continued to watch them approach from the ease of his throne-like chair.
The wooden back of the large chair was ornately carved, though Margo couldn’t make out much of the design while Master Hiram sat in it. The fabric he’d chosen for the cushioning was a rich burgundy velvet. And speaking of burgundy, the vampire held a half-filled glass of the wine in his hand, the bottle open on a small table at his side. Margo could tell by its strong scent that it was, indeed, a very expensive burgundy.