The Enchanted: Council of Seven Shifter Romance Collection

by Juniper Hart

  You aren’t going to feel too smart in a minute, he assured the man silently.

  “I’m good. Thanks.”

  “Suit yourself. How was your flight in from New York?”

  “Quiet,” Orion sighed, reminiscing of a better time, one where he wasn’t being yapped at by Egan Cooper.

  The fat manager chuckled and plopped down behind the desk. “Sorry I kept y’all waiting. Can I get y’all drink? Little lady?”

  Both Orion and Vera shook their heads in unison.

  “No, thanks, Egan,” Orion said. “We won’t take up much of your time. I have half a dozen other properties to visit in the next two weeks.”

  Edward nodded understandingly. “Ain’t no rest for the wicked, am I right?”

  “You nailed it,” Orion replied shortly, his patience running thin with the small talk. “So?”

  Egan lost the jovial, clearly fake, smile and leaned forward, pushing papers toward him in a swooping gesture.

  “Well, I got the books right here, and the staff is always at your disposal. I trust the suite was acceptable?” He chuckled to himself, but Orion was going over the numbers that he had already committed to memory.

  It would be impossible for him not to appreciate the accommodations at the Cactus Playa Resort— he owned the hotel, after all, and he was not known for scrimping on luxury.

  “I noticed some issues with housekeeping, but I’ll put it in my report,” Orion answered honestly. Egan’s grin widened, believing the CEO to be kidding, but when he caught sight of the sincere expression, his face fell slightly.

  “I see,” he said curtly, the ooze of charm coagulating abruptly. “Anything else you noticed in the last hour since y’all have been here?” The sarcasm in his tone was not lost on Orion, and he seized on it to drive home the other infractions he’d detected.

  “It took two minutes and six seconds for someone to greet us at the desk,” Orion began, sitting back in his chair, recalling what he had told Vera to note. “The front drive needs repaving, and there are only two valets on duty on a Friday afternoon. I am going to assume that someone called in sick and you were unable to cover their shift.”

  The statement was rhetorical, but Egan’s jaw tightened in response as he stared unspeaking at Orion. The boss offered him a charming grin and lowered his glasses to meet Egan’s eyes with boring intensity.

  “But as you said, I have only been here an hour. I’m sure there will be more issues by the time I’m done here.” Orion rose and offered the manager his hand. Egan, however, wasn’t as eager to take it now. “Thanks for meeting with me, but the next time I say one o’clock, I expect you to be at your desk at one o’clock. If I can be here from New York at one o’clock, you can drag your ass away from whatever it is you’re doing to meet me at said time. It wasn’t like you were lacking notice. After all, isn’t springtime your favorite time of year because that’s when you get to see me?”

  Orion’s grin froze on his mouth as he stared intently, waiting for Egan to acknowledge everything he had said.

  “Yes, sir,” the manager growled, shifting his porcine eyes downward. Orion noticed his southern accent had completely disappeared.

  Vera followed Orion out of Egan’s office, and the two made their way to the elevators.

  “He didn’t take that very well, did he?” Vera commented dryly.

  “He never does,” Orion chortled, perversely enjoying removing the smugness from Egan’s face. “You’d think he’d learn.”

  “Start at the top?” she asked as the stainless-steel doors opened.

  “Yes. You have the hotel roster of empty rooms and the master key?”

  “Of course.” She gestured at the electronic card on top of her tablet. They slipped inside the lift, and Orion’s light blue eyes scanned the interior of the elevator critically.

  These need an overhaul, he thought. They scream ‘90s. Who is the property manager in Texas? This should have been addressed.

  “Make a note about these elevators. They need to be redone.”

  “My sentiments exactly,” the ebony-haired Lycan conceded, punching a note into her computer.

  Orion Tanner had been in the hotel business for longer than he cared to remember. His father had a small sprinkling of Tanner Hotels, a small legacy which he had passed along to his two sons when he had grown bored with the enterprise and moved onto other matters.

  Orion had been left to lead the business while Sirius had opted for the sanctuary of his cave, poking his head out on occasion to offer some backseat criticism and generally retreating into hibernation with a growl.

  He should have been born a bear. He’s far too solitary for a vampire. It was all the same to the younger brother; he relished the life of business and hard work. He was thankful he lived in the top one percent of the world.

  Sometimes, Orion could not believe how fortunate he had been in life, surrounded with wealth and success, even though his father had constantly drilled into him that their success had nothing to do with luck.

  “This world is all about survival of the fittest,” his father told him more than once. “Yes, we have abilities to help us, but it takes more grit than shapeshifting and being immortal to get where we are.”

  Orion believed him and followed his father’s design for a more prosperous world each day. He owned ten resorts in the United States and three in Europe. Tanner Casinos, Resorts and Spas was ever-expanding and a long-standing Fortune 500 company.

  Orion had never known a life of poverty or hunger, not even in the darkest days of the earlier centuries. He was human once, but his family had always been powerful. And when they were turned to vampires, their power and wealth continued to grow.

  But during tour season, when he visited his properties, he wished he was more like Sirius, stepping down and backpacking through Australia for six years.

  He's a figurehead on the board, not much else, Orion thought somewhat enviously of his brother at that moment. Somehow, the thought of Sirius made him think of the missing fox that Lane had talked about. I wonder if that’s where Harmony is. I wonder if she’s backpacking through Australia like Sirius. Maybe Lane got her signals crossed, and this Harmony is meant to be with my brother.

  He quickly shut off the notion, feeling heat rush up his neck. The truth was, he had thought about this mysterious Harmony more than he cared to admit, though that was only because Lane had put the idea in his head.

  Get it out. Focus on what needs to be done here. This is where your mind needs to be.

  The lift stopped, and the doors slid open at a painfully slow pace.

  “The pool is on the roof,” Vera commented as they stepped from the elevator. “We will need to look at the suites directly below for three floors to ensure there is no water damage.” Orion nodded.

  It was Vera Luciano’s third tour, and Orion was struck at just how efficient and bright the Lycan could be. She had a sharp mind and an even more biting tongue.

  His annuals occurred every spring so he could see the blinding truth of his properties in the aftermath of winter. Unlike her predecessors, Vera kept her questions to a minimum but gently reminded him of miniscule details he might have forgotten. It also helped that she was one of the Enchanted and didn’t question his idiosyncrasies as much as some others had.

  Yet even after three and a half years of being my assistant, she doesn’t realize I don’t forget anything, either, he thought wryly. He didn’t know if he found the quality endearing or annoying. Possibly a bit of both, he reasoned.

  In some ways, she reminded him of Sirius, and he wondered if that wasn’t why he found her invaluable. He would never admit to anyone, but Orion missed the back and forth he had with his older sibling. Their relationship had always been a hardened banter, sometimes resulting in physical actions, but even so, Orion loved his brother, and he knew Sirius loved him.

  While making the yearly trips to his properties was expected, the audits he did were not ordered by any government group. It wa
s simply something he did to put his own mind at ease.

  Orion had people to overlook every aspect of his hotels and people to overlook those people.

  He took health and safety very seriously and abided by all state and federal guidelines. He didn’t need to be told that people’s lives were at stake when things were disregarded.

  The damn mortals and their aptitude for death and injury, he grumbled to himself with some affection. After all, it was those “damned mortals” who paid for his yacht, and as long as he owned shares in Tanner Hotels, he would ensure everything was tip top.

  Orion had earned himself a reputation as an honest employer, and Tanner was considered a revered job at any level. The janitors received the same health benefits as the CFO, and it was Orion’s personal belief that it should be that way. Women and men were paid equal wages for the same job at the start. Regardless of social standing, Orion didn’t believe any one man to be better than another.

  “Being lucky enough to be born into the ‘right’ family isn’t a notable characteristic. Having more money than someone doesn’t make you a better worker,” he was often quoted to have said.

  The paygrade was competitive, and Tanner offered paid training for those wishing to enhance their skills in the company. People who wished for a future at Tanner were guaranteed one if they worked hard and met Orion’s high professional standards. He paid for schooling and gave grants to those who needed it.

  The worst people could say about Orion Tanner was that he was a perfectionist, something he hardly considered a flaw, anyway. There was not much bad to be said about the man who did not mind spending his billions to keep his staff and guests safe and happy. It was one of the reasons he took it upon himself to scrutinize every property with a magnifying glass. Orion was that magnifying glass. Nothing escaped his keen eyes.

  No matter how much these trips drain me.

  “Yes,” he replied to his assistant’s question as he and Vera walked along the air deck. “We’ll go down to the suites afterward and ensure there is no water damage.”

  Vera nodded, her hand poised over the iPad to jot down anything which might spring from the CEO’s lips. They strolled in silence, nodding at the sprinkling of guests sunning themselves on the roof.

  “It seems a little quiet here for a Friday in April,” Orion commented, arching a dark blond eyebrow. “Or am I wrong?”

  “No, sir. The numbers here have been steadily declining since last April, as I am sure you’re aware. Ken Chen swears they are doing everything they can, but he is convinced tourism is taking a dive in Texas.”

  Orion eyed her, trying to read her expression.

  “What do you think?” he asked. She glanced at him, startled by the question.

  “I don’t know,” she answered quickly. “It is really not my area of expertise.”

  “You’ve been at Tanner for a few years now, Vera. I like to think that you have learned a thing or two. What do you think? Do you think Chen is doing his job as a property manager and tourism in suffering in Texas, or do you think that something else is going on?”

  They paused at the edge of the building, looking down into Corpus Christi Bay to discuss.

  One of the many requirements for Tanner Hotels was that they be situated by water. If that was impossible, a manmade lake was dug. Orion considered it a trademark of the company.

  Just another Orion Tanner touch, he thought with swelling pride.

  He turned back to look at Vera, who hadn’t answered yet, her mouth pursed like she had something to say but hadn’t quite figured out how to word it yet.

  “You can tell me what you think, Vera. You must know whatever we discuss is in confidence. I won’t say anything to anyone,” Orion assured her, thinking her reluctance might be because she feared retaliation, although how he’d come to that conclusion, he couldn’t say. Vera didn’t seem to fear much.

  She shook her short, black bob quickly.

  “It is not that,” she replied slowly. “I-I think it’s a little bit of both. I think that Chen is getting either a little stagnant or comfortable in his position, but I don’t think he is entirely to blame.”

  “Explain your case,” Orion said, leaning on one arm to peer at her with inquisitive eyes. He knew the answer to his question, but he was curious to know how much Vera understood.

  She was going places. She was not going to be taking dictation at his side forever, that was for sure. He had to nurture her natural talent and have her heading up something big in corporate before she ended up a competitor with her own chain of hotels.

  It was one of his secret fears; that he would mentor someone into becoming his business rival.

  It had yet to happen, though that didn’t mean it wouldn’t.

  And no one wants to play a chess match against themselves, Orion thought ruefully.

  “Tourism has taken a slight dive in Texas over the past five years. The South has not been regarded as the hospitable place it was.”

  Orion nodded in agreement.

  Vera continued quickly, “However, I don’t believe that is the reason for our decrease in guest services here. My research shows that Chen is not following up with old clientele or keeping up with the appearance of the Cactus as he should be.”

  Orion continued to listen thoughtfully as she spoke. So far, she was batting one thousand. His own investigations had told him as much.

  “I agree,” he told her, looking at her intelligent face. “So, what should we do about it?”

  Vera chuckled lightly and shook her head, but he didn’t miss the slight blush tinging her cheeks at the question of ‘we.’ “That, I am afraid, is not my territory, boss.”

  “Fine,” Orion chuckled. “Let me rephrase. What would you do if you were me?”

  She seemed reluctant to respond.

  “This isn’t the first time that Ken Chen has dropped the ball on this front,” she finally said, her words coming out in a rush, as though she didn’t like the idea of ratting out a co-worker. “And it’s certainly not the first time he has been warned.”

  Orion blinked, giving her a sidelong look.

  She really has done her homework. He wondered how many other matters she had researched on her own accord. I wonder what she’s learned about me, he grinned to himself. He could only imagine his assistant, staying up all night, trying to dig up dirt on him. Too bad for her, I’m boring as sin.

  Still, Orion appreciated her intense dedication to her work. It wasn’t required that Vera know statistics or history. Her role was exclusively to manage Orion’s very hectic lifestyle, which she did with ease and grace. He thought, with some amusement, that perhaps he was not giving her enough to do. He wondered what she would say to being given more responsibility.

  She would jump all over that. She’s a type A, the kind who never shuts off. She’s a kindred spirit.

  I bet she spends her nights following up on the day’s events, researching the employees, and trying to find ways to better the properties.

  Vera had been engaged to the son of a prominent Wall Street banker when she started working for Tanner. That relationship, however, had quietly ended.

  Orion had always wondered if it had something to do with the grueling hours and demanding workload he had dispensed upon her, but he had never asked. It was none of his business. Theirs was a strictly professional relationship. Even if Orion had been attracted to Vera and did not perceive her as his protégé, he was married to the job. And he had no doubt that the feeling was mutual.

  The few half-hearted attempts he’d had at long-term relationships had failed, mostly because Orion couldn’t be bothered to make the women his priority. What woman wanted to play second fiddle to a bunch of real estate?

  The realization did not bother Orion; he had resigned to the life of a bachelor and had fallen into the role quite comfortably. He could not want for something he had never had, after all.

  Love is overrated, he thought, although sometimes, when he was crawling the w
alls in the middle of the night, when he had exhausted all the business strategies in his mind, he would think that maybe it would be nice to have someone to crawl beside every night as he tried to sleep.

  Someone like this Harmony? an unexpected voice chimed in his head, and suddenly, the screaming in his head intensified slightly.

  Stunned, Orion blinked and looked at Vera, who had continued her explanation, his slow-beating heart quickening. He hadn’t even realized he had zoned out.

  “I believe that Ken Chen is becoming too comfortable in his place,” Vera finished.

  As Orion’s head cleared and the screaming quieted, he wondered if he hadn’t simply needed absolution for what he had decided to do anyway; replace the lazy property manager.

  “Orion? Are you mad I said anything?”

  He shook his head vehemently and laughed. “No, not at all. Have human resources contact him. We’ll see if he is willing to take a demotion. If not, I am afraid he is looking at another job, but property management is not his forte, not anymore.”

  Vera nodded slowly while they wandered into the building. Orion pointed at various flaws in the décor, oftentimes without making a comment, and Vera wrote. They eventually finished the top to bottom examination and stopped for lunch on the mezzanine.

  “I scheduled staff interviews for this evening,” Vera told him as they were seated. He glanced at her in surprise.

  “You did?” he asked. “I thought we were doing that tomorrow.”

  Vera smiled mischievously and winked. “Tomorrow morning, before dawn, we’ll be on a plane to Washington to work our way east.”

  Hope and happiness filled Orion. In that moment, he could have kissed her.

  “You squeezed this audit into one day?” he asked, his voice warm with gratitude. She nodded, her eyes sparkling.

  “I know how much you dislike visiting Texas,” she laughed, and he nodded, grinning.

  “I really do,” he sighed. “You’re getting a raise when we get home.”

  Vera laughed. “I’ll settle for a partnership.”

  Orion’s head jolted up, and he looked at her. He could see the seriousness in her face.