by Petra Landon
“Miss Armstrong seemed a tad disappointed with the meal” he commented to Hawk.
“Damn” Hawk muttered in sudden comprehension. “She’s a vegetarian. There’s probably nothing here she can eat.”
“That explains it. She is making do with bread.”
“Check with Fernando. There should be frozen stuff in the back that might work for her” Raoul, a silent spectator to the conversation, suggested to Hawk.
Ten minutes later, Tasia glanced up from her plate to catch a pair of gold eyes on her. This evening, he was back in the comfortable jeans that hugged his tall lean frame.
“You don’t eat meat?” he remarked.
“No.”
“Any particular reason?”
“Just never developed a taste for it, I guess. When I was a kid, meat was a luxury. So, we grew our own vegetables. When I left home, I realized that I did not like the taste of meat.”
“Do you ever eat at the Lair Cafe?” he asked curiously. As far as Raoul was aware, all they served was meat and plenty of it.
“I lunch there sometimes with Sara. The restaurant I work at provides my evening meal.”
The Alpha contemplated her inscrutably for a moment while Tasia wondered at his questions. This had been their most civil conversation so far. It was almost too normal for the highly charged Alpha Protector.
“Fernando was in charge of ordering the meals for our flight today. He knows what the rest of the party like. Since he wasn’t aware of your tastes, he picked out a little of everything for you. Unfortunately for most Shifters, that translates to lots of meat. The Shifter metabolism demands a high protein diet” he proffered an unexpected clarification.
Tasia stared back at him, not sure whether she’d just been given an apology or an explanation.
“There you are” a voice called out suddenly. “I’ve been looking for you, Alpha.”
Elisabetta strolled towards the Alpha. She wore a cream shift dress that hugged her curves in the right places and matching high heeled sandals. Her dark hair was a slick and shiny curtain over her shoulders. She looked almost impossibly gorgeous. She must also be very powerful, Tasia realized. Elisabetta had been present in the Pack Room that first night when Hawk had escorted her in to meet the Alpha. Tasia, more savvy about Shifter affairs after a week at the Lair, now understood that the Shifters present that evening comprised the Pack Council. It meant that this beautiful woman was also a Were-Alpha. Beautiful, powerful and dangerous - what a potent combination for a Chosen!
Elisabetta murmured something in a low voice to the Alpha who nodded his head in silent agreement. Hawk chose that moment to rejoin Tasia on her couch. He cast a shrewd glance at the female Were-Alpha in conversation with his Alpha before leaning towards Tasia to whisper into her ear.
“Our resident beauty has her sights set firmly on our Alpha” he whispered naughtily into her ear.
The Shifters must truly have fantastic hearing for the female Shifter turned around to shoot a dirty look at Hawk. A look that Tasia noted did nothing to detract from her luminous beauty. For some inexplicable reason, Tasia felt a fit of giggles come on - whether it was at Hawk’s naughty tease of Elisabetta or her reaction to it or even the dispassionate glance the Alpha directed at Hawk even though he must have heard the comment as well. As she attempted to stifle her giggles, she dared a glance at the Alpha’s face. The gold eyes flashed cold fire at her, the searing gaze successful in quelling all the mirth out of her. Tasia flushed in response, glancing away hurriedly from the disconcerting gold gaze.
So, Hawk is allowed to make snide comments to me about this stuff but Lord forgive me if I attempt a giggle in response. Bad tempered ogre.
“Hawk” she whispered, part protest and part admonishment, at her grinning and unrepentant companion.
“Thought I’d distract you from your hunger pangs, Tasia” he said cheekily. “I checked with Fernando. He has more food stocked in the refrigerator for the journey back but unfortunately, it’s more of the same.”
Tasia’s face softened in response. Hawk had been looking out for her as usual.
“That’s okay, Hawk. I’m fine with bread and cheese” she assured him.
The next few hours passed by in desultory conversation with Hawk and the occasional comment from Duncan. The Alpha sat by himself, rarely allowing anyone to draw him into conversation. Duncan was the only Shifter who he allowed any liberties to, something she’d noted in all her interactions with him. Duncan called the Alpha by his name. He also never seemed to hesitate to state his honest opinion to his Alpha. The other Shifters deferred subtly to the Alpha in a manner that Tasia was beginning to understand was a Shifter’s way of acknowledging another’s dominance. Not Duncan though; and the curious thing was that the Alpha didn’t seem to expect it from him. He always listened very intently when Duncan spoke although she had seen him dismiss other Shifters brusquely when he wasn’t in the mood to hear their opinions or disagreed with them.
An hour before they were scheduled to land, Raoul gathered Tasia, Duncan and Hawk in the private stateroom that their plane came equipped with. It had a large sitting area by the enormous bed and a television set. The Alpha put a DVD into the player attached to the TV.
“What I say now doesn’t leave this room” he said with a warning glance directed at Tasia.
Worn out by her long day and the sleepless nights, Tasia failed to respond to the Alpha’s satisfaction.
“Do I have your word, witchling?” he asked brusquely, the gold eyes intent on her.
Duncan glanced sharply at Raoul but the Alpha’s attention was focused on the young wizard. Tasia gazed at him, unable to hide the hurt in her eyes. Hadn’t she amply demonstrated her loyalty and trust! What could be a bigger sign of her good faith than the dangerous secrets she had entrusted to him, she wondered.
“I give you my word” she stated with quiet dignity.
As the Alpha turned away to operate the DVD player, Hawk sent her a reassuring half-smile although his eyes held a puzzled query when he glanced at the Alpha.
“This is the copy of a surveillance tape that the wizards have provided to us” the Alpha explained. “It’s from a break-in that occurred twenty-four years ago at The Vault. The wizards say that nothing was taken. Faoladh has asked me to look into the break-in to see if we can find out what the perpetrators were after.”
A grainy tape of a striking looking woman and a tall pale young man walking into a dark hallway played on the screen. A half hour later, based off the timestamp on the tape, the two made their way back out the same hallway. This time, the young man seemed to be supporting the woman who looked exhausted and frail.
“That is Lady Bethesda, a powerful wizard; accompanied by a leech called Rafaelo Bianchi who comes from the illustriously infamous Venetian Nest of the Lombardi Family” the Alpha informed them.
“The wizards are sure that nothing went missing?” Duncan inquired.
“As far as they can tell. I’m sure that they were pretty thorough.”
“It’s not easy breaking into The Vault. It’s one of best guarded fortresses in the Chosen world.”
“I agree. They broke in there for a reason. I want us to find it.”
“She might’ve broken in to use one of artifacts stored in there. It could explain why nothing was missing” Tasia interjected hesitantly. Only the very powerful and very dangerous of Chosen artifacts were placed behind the high security walls of The Vault.
At her suggestion, three pairs of eyes flashed to Tasia.
“Miss Armstrong might be onto something” Duncan reflected. “It would certainly explain the break-in. It might also explain something else. It’s well known that when wizards expend powerful magic, it weakens them. Their magic is temporarily depleted until the stores can be naturally built up by their body again” he added knowledgeably.
“That is why she looks so frail on her way out” Hawk exclaimed in sudden comprehension.
“I think it is very likely”
Duncan assented.
“It would have to be very powerful magic for she was in there a mere half hour” Tasia added a note of caution. “That is not enough time to deplete a wizard powerful enough to have the privilege of a Magick Facade.”
Only very powerful wizards were granted the privilege of a Magick Façade to hide their true identities. It was a custom the wizards had adopted from the Ancients who believed that incanting a powerful Magick’s true name infused the speaker with some of his magic. Once a Chosen became powerful enough to use a façade, their true identities were only revealed to trusted family and friends.
There was a short silence.
“Faoladh has arranged with the wizards for a visit to The Vault. That is where we’re headed now” Raoul informed them. “Thanks to the surveillance equipment, we know which room she spent the half hour in. It sounds like what we need to look for during our visit is an artifact in that room that might explain the frail woman we see on the tape as she emerges out.”
“An artifact powerful enough to drain her magic in thirty minutes” Duncan remarked. “You’re working on the assumption that if we’re able to identify the artifact correctly, it might tell us why she broke into The Vault?”
“Yes” Raoul concurred. “And that is where you come in” he said to Tasia. “You have the ability to detect whether any of the artifacts show signs of magic residue.”
“I can certainly try” she agreed quietly. So, the Pack was keen on solving the mystery of a break-in at The Vault twenty-four years ago, she mused. A puzzling state of affairs, given that it had been a wizard and a Blutsauger that had done the breaking and entering!
“The wizards have agreed for three people to be escorted into The Vault” the Alpha continued. “Hawk, you will wait outside while the three of us go in.”
“Escort?” Duncan inquired.
“Two Guardians will accompany us into The Vault.”
“Guardians” Tasia exclaimed tremulously, as her heart thumped loudly with anxiety. Guardians were very high level wizards. She would need to be very careful in their presence to not arouse their suspicions of her.
“The wizards wouldn’t allow us in without an escort” Raoul answered. “I understand that you’ll have to be extra careful with them watching. Don’t try anything fancy. Just signal Duncan or me discreetly if you detect any residue and we’ll take it from there. Can you do that?”
Tasia took a deep breath while her heart sang suffocatingly loud in her ears. Parading under the noses of any powerful wizards, let alone Guardians, was a risky proposition. The sole reason she had accepted Pack protection was to keep herself safe without resorting to her magic. Any use of her extraordinary powers potentially placed her at risk of discovery by other Chosen. Now the Alpha was asking her to use her power for the benefit of the Pack. It would be ironic indeed if his request placed her in danger by arousing the suspicions of Guardians.
“Will not a wizard, especially a low level, accompanying Shifters raise the Guardians’ suspicions?” she asked, playing for time.
“I’m hoping that your presence will arouse their curiosity and not their suspicion” he acknowledged candidly. “They’re aware that the First Wizard has asked Faoladh for assistance on this matter. They know that Shifters only trust their Pack and Faoladh has let it be known that you are Pack. It is also reasonable for me to bring along a wizard when we’re investigating wizard business. Their knowledge of our general paranoia will mitigate any suspicions about you. They might wonder how you acquired Pack status but I’m confident that they’ll not be suspicious of your power. In their arrogance, they will believe that only a low level wizard would be willing to work with Shifters.”
Tasia had to acknowledge to herself that the Alpha had read wizards correctly. Wizards had low regard for Shifters in general. Magic level as they measured it, was paramount to wizards. They believed that the Shifters had no true magic since their magic, unlike the wizards’, could not be measured. The only Chosen the wizards truly respected were the Ancients whose powers came exclusively from old magic. The Alpha had certainly hit the nail on the head with his last observation. Perhaps he was right about the rest of it too.
“Do you think you can handle it?” the Alpha asked again, his voice a tad gentler than before.
Tasia forced herself to meet his gaze. He did comprehend the extent of the danger she skirted by acceding to his request. There was an expression in the gold eyes that made Tasia very sure that he understood what he asked of her. She nodded slowly.
Chapter 8
Tasia gets drawn deeper into Shifter affairs
Two hours later, Tasia followed the Shifters into an upscale jewelry boutique in Manhattan. She counted four people inside the beautifully anointed store. Two women who could easily pass as salesgirls for the upscale store and two men who she guessed waited for them. As they walked in, one of the women hurried to lock the door to the boutique. Only then did the men walk up to the Alpha and introduce themselves as Guardians sent by the First Wizard.
The Alpha did not introduce the rest of his party. He simply let it be known that Hawk would stay in the lobby while the rest accompanied the Guardians into The Vault. The younger Guardian glanced curiously at them while his partner conversed with Raoul. His disinterested gaze moved past Hawk and Duncan before falling on Tasia. An expression of mild contempt crossed his face fleetingly as he caught sight of her. Then the Alpha said something that drew the Guardian’s attention back to him and away from Tasia. A silent command from the Alpha had Hawk seating himself comfortably on one of two fluffy white couches that decorated the room. The two salesgirls ignored his presence as Hawk pulled out his cell phone to busy himself. The Alpha’s party followed the Guardians through a door into a small anteroom with an ancient elevator. The older Guardian addressed the Alpha as the elevator doors opened.
“The elevator is a tight fit, Alpha. It might be easier if you and your Shifter take the first one. We will follow with the wizard.”
The Guardian was right - the elevator was tiny as well as ancient. Yet Tasia couldn’t help but tense up at the Guardian’s suggestion. She had no desire to be alone with the two wizards; to be subjected to any uncomfortable questions from them. The younger Guardian’s feelings about her had been made amply clear. The Alpha had been right – he had predicted their reactions to her to a tee! They judged her for working with Shifters and were convinced that the only reason she did so was because she was not powerful enough to have better options.
“She stays with us” Raoul stated in an uncompromising voice. “We’ll take it down together.”
The older Guardian stepped back from the elevator, his face carefully devoid of all expression although the younger one shot Tasia a dirty look. She had noted the respect and circumspection with which they treated the Alpha – unsure whether it was his reputation or orders from Lady Esmeralda. Perhaps it was a combination of both, she surmised. The three of them squeezed into the elevator as it took what felt like a long time to go deep down underground. The Alpha stood still, his gaze fixed at a point over her head while his body thrummed silently with a peculiar tension. When they arrived at their destination, Tasia noted that one of his hands had curled tightly into a fist by his side. Hawk was right – Shifters did feel claustrophobic in enclosed spaces. Tasia wondered why that was. Nothing that she’d heard about them explained this particular trait.
The elevator spit them out onto another small anteroom, almost identical to the one above. They waited in silence for the two Guardians to join them while the elevator made a slow second trip. From the corner of her eye, Tasia observed the unnatural stiffness in the Alpha as he stood silently beside her. In all their previous encounters, he’d been superbly self-assured; quick to temper and brusque to a fault but supremely confident with an arrogance in his ability and infallibility, no matter what the circumstances. Even under pressure during their visit to the Blutsauger nest, he’d been coolly unperturbed and completely in control as he traded b
arbs and threats with the vampire Mistress. Tasia could still vividly recall being caught between her terror at the psychotic vampire Mistress and a reluctant fascination for the cold, unflappable and ruthless Shifter standing between her and the single-minded army of Undead the Mistress seemed intent on unleashing against her. Thus, this curious tension in him allowed her a rare glimpse of a vulnerability that made him seem almost human for the first time. Or at least as human as a Shifter Alpha Protector allowed himself to be! She caught the searching glance that Duncan cast at him.
“They’re going to be watching you like hawks, witchling” the Alpha warned abruptly, his hand gesturing at the elevator presumably carrying the Guardians. “Watch yourself and alert one of us if you sense something. Alright?”
All Tasia had time to do was nod before the elevator opened to let out the two Guardians. They made their way through the doorway into a larger room where four men stood guard before a large barricaded steel door. The older Guardian made his way to the guards while the rest waited by the doorway. An animated discussion ensued between the Guardian and two of the guards while the other guards stared curiously at the party of Shifters. Duncan turned to Tasia with the air of a pedantic Professor.
“They want to frisk us and the Guardian is pushing back. He has orders from the First Wizard to allow us in” he informed Tasia softly in a voice that was clearly audible to the younger Guardian who waited with them.
Tasia shifted her gaze downward to hide her amusement. This, she understood well. These were the kind of mind games that the Chosen loved to play with one another. Duncan had subtly let the Guardian know that the Shifters were aware that all this was pure window dressing. The Guardians had orders to admit the Shifter party into The Vault. This was a wizard guarded institution and the head of all wizards had given her consent for the Shifters to access it. Despite what the Guardians argued or the guards here at The Vault threw at them, the Shifters knew that they would not be denied entry. And Duncan had just made sure to let the wizards know that. It was akin to saying do your usual wizard drama if you must and we’ll show a little patience but we all know what the end result will be.
