Chapter Sixteen

The gardens surrounding Arturo’s mansion were a patchwork of miracles. 

Some of the land was xeriscaped, for the dry landscape, with cactus and other succulents and stone arrangements, and statues of wolves.  However, there were enormous sections of lush, tropical landscape as well, with a cluster of rain clouds hanging over them. It only rained at night, and it always rained just the right amount.  The privileges of ill-gotten gains; Arturo would have needed a full time upper level weather witch on hand to maintain that, which would be ungodly expensive.  There were citrus fruit trees and pomegranate trees and banana trees.  Waterfalls gushed into crystal pounds.

Arturo had “requested” that Zoey’s friends stay as guests in his mansion for the time being, because he didn’t want the Bianchi pack to be able to use them as collateral again.  Nobody turned down Arturo’s “requests”, so there they all were.  Danielle, Zoey, Dominique, Cin and Stewart had just finished a late afternoon snack of coffee and biscotti served to them in a gazebo.

At the moment, though, Andrea was blind to the beauty that surrounded them.  Her attention was focused on Lorenzo, who was leaning on his crutches and talking to Dominic.  And Lorenzo was hanging on every word that Dominic was saying.

He’d suffered shattered ribs, a fractured arm, and broken nose and cheekbones at the hands of the Bianchi pack, and he was still recuperating.  Giuliana’s med-mage powers had saved him weeks of healing time, but he was only human. 

Cin was in a funk too.  Lorenzo used to hang on her every word, and now all of his attention seemed to be laser-focused on the Blood Oath Capo.  She was happy that Arturo had relocated the rest of her homeless friends back to the Blood Oath territory, moving them into a motel where they actually were provided with hot showers and food, and he’d even given them all jobs – painting over the vacant buildings that they’d spray-painted.  But she apparently hadn’t realized how much she returned Lorenzo’s feelings – until he started ignoring her.

Zoey had no idea what the two men were talking about; she’d spent the last three days treating Dominic as if he were a communicable disease.  She couldn’t get past the fact that Dominic would have let a dumb innocent teenager die if she’d refused to stay with him.  And Dominic didn’t deserve Lorenzo’s hero worship, but telling Lorenzo that would have been pointless.

“I’ve lost him,” Andrea said miserably.  “How can I compete against a Blood Oath Capo? He’ll join the pack and get himself killed.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that.  Lorenzo’s not Blood Oath pack material,” Zoey said, then winced.  That hadn’t come out right.  “I’m not trying to be mean, I’m just saying that he isn’t physically big enough that anyone would allow him to be bitten by a warrior class shifter.”

“They must want my son for something.  Why else would Dominic have been talking to him for hours?” Andrea wiped tears from her cheeks.  “They’ll use him as cannon fodder.”

Andrea had to be right.  Dominic didn’t do anything unless he had something to gain, Zoey thought bitterly.

“If they did that, I’d never talk to Dominic again,” she said, eyes blazing.

“But my son would be dead.” Andrea’s voice was flat and hopeless. Lorenzo’s head was tipped up, riveted by whatever Dominic was saying, his head bobbing with eagerness.  “I’m going to my room.  I can’t watch.”

“I’ll go too,” Stewart said, standing up with a sigh.  “I’ve got a chair to finish.” Arturo had provided Stewart with wood-working tools, and he’d even commissioned multiple pieces of hand-carved furniture from Stewart, which under other circumstances would have had Stewart over the moon.  But Andrea’s misery had everyone down in the dumps.

“Yeah, me too,” Cin sighed.  “I’m going to go work on some jewelry.”

“About that,” Zoey said to her.  “I never apologized for thinking that you’d shoplifted the jewelry.  I’m really sorry.”  She was wearing a bracelet that Cin had made for her.

Cin managed a wry smile.  “Why would you think anything else of me?”

“Cin, no.  You’ve got to value yourself more than that.  You should have told me off, and I would have deserved it.”

“It’s no big deal.”

After Cin left, Zoey nudged Danielle with her elbow.  “Go on.  Your turn to complain.  Everyone else is miserable.”

Danielle stood up. “Nah.  Arturo’s chef, Tony, taught me how he makes coffee. In case you haven’t noticed, this particular variety is the nectar of the gods. So, I’m actually in a good mood for the moment.”

“The hell you say.” Zoey bugged her eyes wide open in fake astonishment.

“God’s honest truth.  Now, when I leave here and no longer have access to the imported coffee beans and the bomb-ass coffee maker, you can expect to hear weeping and wailing from morning to night.  So prepare yourself.”

“When you talk about the bomb-ass coffee maker, are you referring to Tony, or the equipment?” Zoey asked, pinning her friend with a questioning gaxe.

“Shut up, that’s what.  Now I need more coffee, and Tony promised he’d teach me his mother’s secret recipe for espresso. Oh damn, I’ve said too much. I’m leaving, I’m leaving!” And Danielle got up and ran out of the room.

After Danielle left, Zoey, restless, began wandering the grounds, instinctively drawn to flowers and plants that were drooping.  They perked up as she trailed her fingers over them.  Yay.  At least she was able to make something feel better today.

A patter of footsteps crunching on gravel made her spin around defensively.  Giuliana was coming her way.  As ever, she was dripping in Versace and Prada, and her pretty face was pinched in a scowl.

“Oh, hold on.” Zoey reached in her pocket and pulled out a canister of pepper spray. She smiled at Giuliana without warmth. “Now we’re good.”

“That was hilarious.  So funny.  I nearly died.” Giuliana said in a flat voice.

Zoey turned down a side path and kept walking.  Giuliana caught up with her.

“Thank you for not telling on me,” she said grudgingly.

“Whatever.” Zoey shrugged. She wasn’t going to tattle on Giuliana, but she also hadn’t forgotten Giuliana’s attempts to bully and threaten her.

“Dominic asked me how I knew you were a map witch. I lied and said that I have the same magic sensing abilities as my uncle.”

Zoey sighed and walked faster, but Giuliana stayed right by her side.   She shot her an annoyed look. “I am not going to tell on you.  And we both know you don’t like me, so this isn’t a social visit.  What do you want?”

“You’re ignoring Dominic.,” Giuliana said, sounding aggrieved.  “It’s been three days. His wolf is going crazy.”

“Huh. I remember some crazy wolf bitch stalking me and threatening me to stay away from Dominic.  Oh wait, that was you,” Zoey said, exasperated. “And now you’re pushing me towards him? I thought you wanted him for yourself.”

“You thought I wanted him?” Giuliana looked appalled.  “Ew.  He’s super old.  He’s, like 35 or something. I mean, not as bad as the other people my uncle was thinking of pawning me off to, but still, definitely not my dream wolf. I threw myself a little party when I found out I didn’t have to be his mate.”

Zoey stopped walking and stared at her, baffled.  “Then what was your problem with him choosing me as a mate?”

“I thought you bewitched him or something.”

“You thought I bewitched him? Why? How?”

Giuliana lifted her narrow shoulder in an uneasy shrug. “You have magic.  I can smell it on you.  Some kind of witch’s charm.  And lots of women would give their right tit to be a Capo’s mate.”

“But his wolf moon-bit me.”

Giuliana looked away.  “Yeah.  I guess I didn’t believe it was real.”

“Why not?” Zoey said indignantly. 

Giuliana shrugged.  “No reason.”

“Because…this?” Zoey gestured at herself.  Giuliana looked puzzled.

“Because you’re…wearing polka dots?” Giuliana cast a critical eye on Zoey’s blouse. “I mean, not a fashion choice I personally would have made…I wouldn’t even call it a fashion choice, actually…”

“No, dork-face, because I’m fat.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Giuliana was genuinely baffled.  “You’re full-figured.  You’re cute enough.  I mean, you’re not my type, but I don’t swing that way. I see guys here checking you out, very carefully so that Dominic doesn’t catch them doing it and kill them, but still, they look.  So men must find you hot.”

“Thank you? Or screw you? I’m not sure which.” Zoey started walking again.  “But you’re still not answering my question. Why did you warn me away from him if you don’t want him for yourself? Why do you care what happens with him?”

“Because, he’s my friend, and he’s also genuinely a good person,” Giuliana said heatedly. “He deserves a mate who loves him and is devoted to him, and I’m still not sure if that’s you.  He’s got a good heart, through and through.  Out of all the people in the Blood Oath pack, he’s the one I trust the most.”

“Dominic?”

Giuliana glared at her.  “See, there you go.  Judging him when you don’t know a thing about him.”

Zoey felt like a boiling over tea kettle.  “Because he won’t tell me a damn thing!”

Giuliana’s face turned red and she clenched her fists. “He is loyal, he’s protective, he’s self-sacrificing.  And if you don’t appreciate that, you really don’t deserve him!” she shouted. She turned on her heel and stormed off.

Zoey stalked after her and grabbed her shoulder, and Giuliana spun on her with a snarl, her mouth filled with fangs.

“You know, for someone who wants people to treat her like a grownup, and who doesn’t want to be seen as riding on her uncle’s coat-tails, you really act like a tantruming little brat.” Giuliana’s eyes flew open with shock.

“What did you just say to me? Do you know who I am?” And then Giuliana realized what she’d said, and her face went even redder.

 “Yes, and I know who your uncle is.  Going to run and tell?”

Giuliana glared daggers at Zoey.  “No.”

“If you grow up a little, and learn to talk to people without threatening, screaming and then stomping off, people might start to take you seriously.”

And Zoey left Giuliana standing there with her mouth hanging open.

Zoey headed back to the house, and as she made her way through the garden, she spotted Dominic, who was alone now.   And she had to admit to herself – it had been really, really hard to stay away from him. She missed seeing him light up when she walked in the room, missed his smile, the way his gaze warmed her.  She missed their back and forth sparring.  She missed giving him a hard time – both literally and figuratively. She felt pretty and funny and just all-around-good when she was with him.  He made her feel that way.

When he saw her looking at him, he waved at her. She sighed and waved back, gesturing at him to come over.

He instantly stood up and hurried towards her, which she grudgingly had to admit was pretty flattering.

 “Um. Hello,” she said, when he strolled up.  “So, oddly enough, Giuliana claims that you’re actually a nice person.”

“She did?” Dominic pretended to look appalled. “Remind me to give her a beat-down later.”

“You don’t always have to put on the tough guy act.”

“It cuts me to the quick that you think it’s an act,” Dominic smirked.

“Ah ha! We’re getting somewhere.  I cut you to the quick? I didn’t even think you had a quick.  So, you actually have feelings.”

He grinned.  “Only for you, princess.”

Zoey rolled her eyes.  “Say something real, Dominic.”

“You look lovely today.  When I woke up, I wanted to find you in my arms.”

“That’s flattery and flirtation.  It’s not real.” She started to walk away.

“Wait!”  There was genuine urgency in his voice, so she stopped and turned around.  Dominic looked around, as if making sure that nobody was watching, and then dropped to one knee. Right there in front of her.

Then he started singing.  The words, in Italian, rolled out, lush and deep.  His voice was astounding, so smooth and self-assured. 

She couldn’t understand a word coming out of his mouth, so she just closed her eyes and let the melody flow over her. It soaked into her, stroking the depths of her soul.

When he stopped, she waited a moment or two before opening her eyes.

“Your voice is very good,” she said.  He climbed to his feet again, brushing his knees off and looking abashed.

“Yep, surprised me too.”

“It did? You don’t normally sing?”

“Not since I was a little boy, when I was in the church choir.”

“What do the words mean? Is this something you sang in church?”

“It’s an old Italian love song.”  He frowned.  “My father used to sing it to my mother.  But I’d rather not talk about my parents right now.”

  “If you don’t normally sing, why did you do it just now?”

He cleared his throat.  “Don’t laugh.” There was a vulnerable, little boyish quality to him now, and she knew that it was just for her.  She’d asked himself to open himself up, and he had – as much as he was capable.  For a man like him, that had to be hard.  And he was making the effort for her.

She shook her head solemnly.

“I promise that I will not.”

“Lorenzo said that women like it when you sing to them.”

“You took love advice from a seventeen-year-old?”

He winced. “Seventeen and eleven months and one week. So, you know, a grownup, really.”

“That’s what you were talking to him about? His mother and I thought that you were trying to sell him on being a Blood Oath foot soldier.”

Dominic barked out a laugh.  “I’ve been doing anything but.  He’d join our pack yesterday if I let him.  I told him that the pack would give him a scholarship and put him through school, and if he graduates from college with a degree in computer science, he could work for one of our businesses managing computer security.”

“Oh,” Zoey said, taken aback.  She hadn’t expected that from Dominic.  Maybe there were sides to him she hadn’t seen yet.  “How did he respond?”

“Disappointed at first, but he cheered up at the thought that he could be associated with us on any level.”

 “But again.” She squinted up at him.  “You took love advice from Lorenzo?” she said, disbelievingly. 

“Well, nothing else seemed to be working.”

She shook her head in frustration.  “What did you expect? Did you not realize that blackmailing me into staying here by threatening to let Lorenzo die would make me very, very angry?”

“Yes,” he agreed.  “But I would have done whatever it took to get you to agree to let me protect you. I’d rather have you hate me, and be safe, than be happy with me but in danger.”

“Oh,” she said quietly.  She hadn’t considered it from that angle. How had he managed to make being a total asshole actually sound sweet? “You know, if you’d just take the time to explain things to me, we might get on a lot better.”

 “Romano told me that too. Damn it, I hate when that hairy bastard is right.” Dominic made a sour face. “It’s not personal, I promise you.  I’ve just lived my life a certain way for the last ten years.  I’ve built up walls so thick that no light could get through.  Until you came along.” His blue eyes shone with warmth, a sky on a sunny day.  He was focused on her, as if nothing else existed.  “You’re my light, Zoey, you’re finding the cracks in my armor.”

“Oh,” Zoey said, in wonder.  She blinked back hot tears.  Nobody else had ever, ever made her feel like this.  And, she realized, nobody ever would.  This connection between them was special, and unique.  And he needed her help.  Without her, those walls would stay up around his heart and he’d never let himself feel all of the things that he deserved to feel.  Being loved, being cherished.  “That’s amazing.”

“If I agree to try harder from now on, would you consider going out to dinner with me tonight?”

“Well…” she pretended to consider for a moment.  He looked at her expectantly, clearing his throat.  “You did sing to me.”

“Yes, I did!” He gave her a winning smile. “And very well, too, if I do say so myself.”

“If you can get Lorenzo to go apologize to his mother for having been an ass, and reassure her that he’s not going out on shoot-em-up missions with your pack, I will gladly have dinner with you.”

He lit up.  “I will do better than that.  Fetch Andrea, and come meet me in the parlor in fifteen minutes.”

A short while later, Dominic led a shame-faced Lorenzo into the parlor. Andrea, Stewart and Zoey were waiting.

“Tell your mother why you wanted to join our pack,” he said in a stern voice.

“It’s the best way I could think of to keep you safe!”  Lorenzo flushed, shoving his hands in his pockets.  “You gave up everything to move here with me, and we live right next to the portal, one of the most dangerous places in the city. On my own I can’t do anything to protect you.  But if I was a member of the Blood Oath pack, I’d make enough money that we could live somewhere safer, and nobody would dare mess with my family.  And yeah, I wanted to help Cin out too.  I thought if we had a bigger place I could…” his cheeks were glowing red. “…Ask her and her friends to live with us or something.”

Andrea burst into tears.  Happy tears.

Cin, who had walked into the room un-noticed, said in a small voice “You’d let someone like me live in your house?”

“We would,” Andrea said to her, with motherly warmth, and then Cin joined the hug, and then so did Stewart.  And Lorenzo stepped back and said to Stewart “You make my mom happy.  You tell really, really stupid jokes, but my mom thinks they’re funny. I guess ‘cause she’s old like you. If you and her went out on a…” he made a horrible face…” date, I guess it wouldn’t be the end of the world. Just don’t tell me anything about it at all.”

And then Stewart was crying too, and they were all hugging and Zoey, who was standing next to Dominic watching them, suddenly had really bad allergies that made her eyes water a lot.

“Shut up, I’m not crying, you’re crying,” she sniffled to Dominic.  “I need to go find a dress for dinner tonight.”

“I have a closet full of evening gowns for you in our bedroom.” At her surprised expression, Dominic winked, with a very smug look on his face. “I knew you’d come around sooner or later.  I thought it would be sooner, honestly. I’m pretty damn charming, after all.”

“Oh my God, are you insufferable.” But she was smiling as she followed him out of the main house, across the grounds, and over to a very nice Mediterranean style three bedroom with red barrel tile roofs.