The next day, at three o’clock on a very sunny and pleasant afternoon, I steered the open-top sports car to the marina he mentioned. I hadn’t expected it to be much as sailing opportunities were slim here and was pleasantly surprised that the boats that lined the quay were sleek, white and obviously very expensive. This was the private marina of the upper class of the area and it opened up onto a magnificent lake. No one with less than eight figures in their fortunes would be welcome here. It was the playground of the local elite.
Bentleys, Lamborghinis, Porches and Ferraris lined the parking area. My E-type Jag was at least unique. I parked the deep-green Jaguar in an open spot near the entrance to the marina. I needed maximum exposure. My image would be everything in this gig, so I had to milk it. The deep growl of the engine had already gathered a crowd of admirers. When I opened the car door and swung my long, bare and tanned legs out, there were some gasps in the congregated group of men. Their attention moved from the car to the driver. Things were progressing just as I’d planned. Once again, I silently thanked my mother for good genes.
I stepped out of the car, locked it, grabbed my bag from the passenger seat and made my way on high heels to the boats. No, the shoes were not suitable for a boat, but that was not the point. I could almost hear the drooling of the men as I passed.
Metisse’s boat was at the end of the quay. It had to be. It was too big to fit in any of the slots. It was also where the music was coming from. Reggae music bellowed over the marina. I saw some unhappy faces, but I guess no one contemplated complaining. Hmm, another indication of the power of the Sabres here. My arrival was noticed by the occupants of the massive sleek white and yellow motor yacht. It must have been at least fifty metres in length, with multiple levels and sun decks. The striking yellow and black of the interior decoration was a beautiful contrast to the glossy white of the ship itself. Colourful flowers in vases and garlands completed a playful look, something the more traditional skippers in this marina must frown upon.
Metisse stood at the gangway that connected the quay to the yacht. His face was one big smile. The bright white of his hair contrasted with the dark brown of his skin in a way that made the whole picture look mystical. His eyes flashed a yellow glow of recognition as his Sabre acknowledged me. From deep within this beautiful man, the beast made its claim. I felt tingles that started at the base of my spine. They ran up my back and at the same time slashed deep into my core, heating my body as I walked closer. I felt my nipples stiffen and tried in vain to stop them, but my body had a mind of its own. It affirmed the attraction that I felt towards not only the man, but also the beast. This was a combination made in heaven. It had to be. No mere mortal could have conceived it.
I smiled. His eyes lit up again. The yellow-ochre flashing even more and staying put for seconds. Was that a light coating of fur that I saw on his bare arms? Or was I just imagining it. There was a haze, the contours of his muscled arms looked a bit fuzzy, then it receded and there was just the man. Well “just”, the man was more than enough for now. If the Sabre had been more pronounced, I might just have jumped him there and then, that was the extent of the attraction the cat had on me. I had to reign myself in for now and remind myself that I was on a mission here. Oh, yeah. The Council. That was enough to quench any erotic tendencies. Well… almost.
Metisse came down the walkway and took my hand. Once again, he brought it up to his lips and lightly kissed my fingers. The tip of his tongue slipped through his lips and licked the knuckles of my hand in a wicked way. The texture of his tongue was the rough cat’s tongue. More sand-paper than subtle, but a complete turn-on, whatever it was. The cat was staking its claim again. It was a promise of what I could have. If I wanted. Hmm, let’s not get into that.
‘I’m so glad you could come,’ he whispered. ‘Please, after you, my dear.’ He indicated the walkway. I took off my colourful Louboutin Cinestripes, very aware of the fact that high heels are a no-no on a maritime vessel. Not just because of the damage that the points could make to the deck, but also the difficulty it would give me personally to stay upright on a softly rolling ship. Besides, it turned out to be a super sexy action on my part. The bulge in his white shorts shouted the effect that my painted toenails, thin gold chain around my ankle and bare feet had on him. Man, he’s easily turned on. So glad I have more restraint. Yeah… right.
He followed me onto the yacht. The touch of his hand on the small of my back was light yet strong as he steered me up the winding staircase to the upper deck. It burned in a very welcome way, sending bolts of passion to my core. We passed the captain of the vessel as we walked to the space where the party was.
Chapter 11
All eyes turned to us as Metisse steered me towards the party. I could feel the soft growl of the boat’s engine as it left the marina and slowly made its way out onto the lake. Looks like the party was complete now that I was here.
The guest’s reactions to my entrance varied. Some—most of the men and an occasional woman—tried to undress me with their eyes. Others stared over their glasses of Champagne with a mixture of curiosity or aggression. That last was interesting.
The hairs on my arms reacted to the close proximity of the Sabres. There were more of the clan here. Many more. Though not all of those present were of a paranormal nature. There were also humans; mainly women, blonde and beautiful.
I smiled confidently, internally enjoying the mixed effect that my presence had on the congregation. I lived for this kind of thing. I guess I’m an exhibitionist at heart, or I just like baiting people. Or both. Probably both.
Metisse took two glasses of Dom Pérignon Champagne from the waiter circling the party and offered me one. I accepted the beautiful cut-crystal glass and sipped the top-quality nectar. His hand returned to my back where it burned a hole in the sheer material of my colourful summer sheathe dress. The material hugged my body leaving almost no doubt of what was underneath. The low back allowed Metisse to softly stroke the skin on my lower back with his thumb. It sent shivers up and down my body.
We joined a group of four people, three of whom were clearly clan members. There were two men and two women. The men cast appreciative glances my way and congratulatory nods to Metisse. The blonde woman who hung on one of the men’s arms was oblivious to my presence, her attention completely taken by her date. The other one, the brunette, shot killing looks my way. Ok, she was competition. The yellow in her eyes wasn’t even clouded. She made her point immediately.
‘Trish.’ Metisse introduced the group. ‘Allow me to introduce Kylian,’ he indicated the man on the left, a tall very dark-skinned man with an easy smile. Kylian took my hand and shook it enthusiastically. The smile on my face came easily. ‘This is Adrian,’ Metisse continued the introductions. Adrian was a large heavily muscled Caucasian, the exact opposite of Kylian. Both were Sabres. Obviously, the clan made no difference between the race their human forms had. The cat side was what bonded. The blonde bimbo hung onto Adrian’s arm and Metisse didn’t even bother to introduce her. I doubt he even knew her name. We turned to the last person in the group; the aggressive woman.
Metisse seemed unperturbed by her demeanour. I followed suit. ‘May I introduce Mariah.’ She held back her hand, so I just nodded.
‘Nice to meet you,’ I said innocently, the smile wide on my face. She didn’t react. Just stared at me malevolently.
I sipped the Champagne and tuned to Kylian who was much more interesting and friendly than Mariah, and a lot more fun. We chatted for a few moments, with Mariah fuming in the background, then Metisse steered me to the next group of people.
This continued for most of the following two hours. There must have been at least seventy or eighty people here. A small party, Metisse had said. Made me curious as to what he would mean with a big one.
The yacht stayed out on the open water for the afternoon and most of the evening. A beautiful tapas-style meal was served below decks in the captain’s study. The tables were laden with beautif
ul dishes decorated with intrinsically carved fruits and vegetables. There were culinary delights for all tastes, with meat being the predominant ingredient. Not unexpected, with such a large feline presence.
I had a whale of a time that was nicely capped with fireworks as we slowly re-entered the marina and made our way back to the slip. The captain moored the enormous yacht without even a bump and the gangplank was set out so that the guests could leave. Amongst many “great day Metisse”, “do it again soon” and other remarks, the tipsy guests set foot on solid ground again and made their way to the cars and drivers who were waiting for them. Metisse tried to keep me on the boat until everyone had left, but I kissed him on the cheek, thanked him for a great day, and made my way back to my E-type.
It had been a good day. Lots of fun, and a sound opportunity to see who’s who in the clan. Kylian, with all his laid-back ways, was the enforcer. Adrian the finance guy. Mariah was the second in command as far as I could fathom. That would explain her aggression towards me. I wasn’t just a challenger for Metisse’s attention, I was a threat to her position in the clan as well. I’ll have to keep an eye on her. She could mess up my plans.
Chapter 12
I called Metisse. It was time that I started to ease up on the hard-to-get act. He’d treated me to a great day out, so I decided to give him a ring.
‘Well hello beautiful,’ he answered in his soft and extremely seductive voice, sending chills to certain parts of my body again. The guy was hot. Even over the phone. Come on girl, get a grip.
‘Hello right back at you.’ I matched the huskiness of his voice.
‘I was just thinking about you.’
‘Isn’t that the coincidence?’ I laughed.
‘No really, I was. Actually, you haven’t left my mind since you stepped off the yacht and sped away in your little sport car.’ Little sport car? Was he kidding? The Jag might not be a Ferrari, but the price tag of this specific model was a hell of a lot higher than most of the cars that had graced the marina parking lot. Especially in the mint condition that I’ve kept it in over the years. I bit back a reply. Not a good idea to be touchy now. At least, not that kind of touchy.
‘Seriously,’ he continued. ‘You have been foremost in my thoughts all of last night and this morning. I have hardly looked at the work that needs to be done.’
‘Oh my, not exactly a good influence then.’
‘The best,’ he laughed. Then became serious again. ‘When can I see you again? This evening?’
‘So soon?’ I couldn’t give in too much. Besides, I had things to do the coming days. Things he was not party to. ‘No, sorry, not today. I have an appointment this evening.’
‘Not a date I hope.’ He said it in jest, but there was an undertone of panic.
‘Not a date.’ I relieved the tension. ‘For business. I have to go out of town for a few days. Make up for the time I lost on your fantastic yacht.’ I let that sink in for a moment. My cover was as a business woman; international financial business. We’d spoken about my work yesterday on the open seas in a moment of calm while most of the other guests were either swimming or sleeping.
‘How about Saturday? Surely you won’t be working then?’ That was four days away.
‘Not if things go well this evening.’
‘Then I will let you go this evening.’ I let that one pass. He had no say over me, and he was very well aware of that. ‘But Saturday you must come to a clan party as my guest. A birthday celebration for my mother.’
‘How late and where?’ I asked him. This would be the perfect opportunity to meet more of the clan and stake out the opportunities.
‘My place. In the hills. Kennedy Avenue all the way up to the end. You can’t miss it. We fire up the BBQ at four. Bring your swim wear, it’s a pool party.’ Why did I expect the BBQ to be something more than the simple event that he was trying to make it out to be? Nothing with Metisse was mediocre. Or even normal sized. He didn’t offer to send a car. That hadn’t worked last time, and it wouldn’t now. He was a quick learner. Good for you Metisse.
‘I’ll be there.’ My words were what he had hoped for. He let out his breath in an almost imperceptible sigh.
‘I’m looking forward to seeing you again. Here at my home.’ It was an open invitation to make it my home too. He was going fast, very fast. I must have made an even better impression than I thought. There was vulnerability in his voice. Need. He was hooked.
‘Me too.’ I gave him what he wanted.
Chapter 13
The drive up into the mountain was worth it. The road wound between majestic forests on both sides, high embankments filled with ferns, trees and occasional flowers. Under the trees the air was cool and slightly humid. The deep tang of the fir trees interspersed with the earthy smell of the undergrowth. It was actually quite heady, and my enhanced senses took it all in, riding on a nature high. The road started to climb steeply as hairpin bends tested the E-type’s versatility. It was made for this kind of environment and the deep rumble of the massive six-cylinder 3.8 engine filled the air as we easily climbed the mountain side.
The view as I turned the last corner was astounding in both directions. The vista over the mountain and valleys below with all the different tones of green was offset in the other direction by the massive contemporary stark white building. It was a monstrosity of steel, plaster and glass and looked completely out of place in the midst of nature. The minimalistic garden held two containers with white flowers—the only embellishment that was visible. I don’t know why, but I had imagined a stately home. Maybe even a luxury throwback to a log cabin. Never such a modern building. I guess it made a statement, so I should have known. Metisse was a walking statement. He was the top cat in the area and everyone—absolutely everyone—would know that. Not that I’m knocking it. It’s just not my taste. Minimalism is lost on me. It just looks empty.
I steered the Jag on the neatly raked gravel to the end of the small line of super-cars that were waiting to purge their passengers. Valets dressed in the same black, white and yellow that dominated Metisse’s yacht accepted the keys to the cars and whisked them away to some unseen parking. When it was my turn, I eased the car up to the asphalt at the bottom of the two steps that led up to the walkway to the house. The valet opened the door for me, and I passed him the keys as I stepped out of the car. The smile on his face was genuine. A real car lover who clearly recognised the unique E-type. I smiled back.
Metisse was waiting for me at the end of the slate walkway. Not surprising, I’d noticed the cameras that were hidden at intervals for the past mile. The road was the only way to reach the house, and it was heavily guarded in an unobtrusive way. Most people wouldn’t have noticed, but hey, I’m not most people. In my line of work, you pay attention, or you die. It’s that simple. I needed to know the layout in case I had to exit in a hurry. I was here on a mission, and Metisse, in all his glory, was one of the targets.
He reached out to me as I stepped up and took me in his arms. Quite a step up from the usual hand-kiss. His strong arms closed around me as he kissed me on the cheeks. Turning around he left his left hand on the small of my back as he steered me into the house. The loud music was in stark contrast to the subtle sounds of nature that had accompanied me on the trip up the mountain. It originated from the pool area behind the massive living room. The minimalistic style of the exterior was somewhat softened inside by earthy tones and the bright green of plants and strategically added yellow orchids carefully placed in groups for maximum effect. It was stunning. OK, the outside was not to my taste, but I could surely live inside.
We walked out of the living room onto an enormous deck. The white marble flooring was interspaced with tropical plants all sporting yellow hued flowers with strong scents. The pool was something else. No straight lines there. The effect was one of mountain waterfalls that fed into countless pools at different levels on the mountain side. The water cumulated in a larger infinity pool that looked out over the mountain side.
Sunken seating in the water allowed guests to sit at the cleverly camouflaged bars on either side of the pool.
Metisse took my hand and led me to the water’s edge. ‘I hope you’ve come prepared,’ he said silkily.
‘There’s nothing that could have prepared me for that view,’ I answered truthfully. It was astounding.
‘There is swim wear inside,’ he continued.
‘That’s ok, I’m wearing mine.’ That brought a smile to his lips. There wasn’t much material in the dress that I was wearing, so whatever was underneath was even smaller. He was right there. It was a very tasty but minuscule bikini that showed off my curves to the extreme, in a classy Dior kind of way. The tiny bits of material had cost me an arm and a leg. But I had to keep up appearances, didn’t I? Besides. This was one of the expenses that I was putting on the Council’s tab. So great to have a customer with unlimited funds, even if they were reluctant to part with them.
‘Later,’ Metisse said much to my surprise. I’d expected him to want to see me almost naked as quickly as possible. ‘First there is someone that I want you to meet.’ The softness in his voice made me smile.
Chapter 14
The birthday girl wasn’t what I expected. Metisse’s mother was a regal and stately woman, proud and demanding of respect, despite the wheel chair that she sat in. It was state-of-the-art but couldn’t hide the fact that she was unable to walk. This was a surprise. Sabres, like most shape-shifters heal exceptionally well from any injuries. Even those that would be debilitating to humans would mend in time. Here, something else was going on. More than an injury. Her legs were withered away; frail.
She looked me in the eye, curiosity as much at the foreground as the challenge to say something about her condition. I smiled warmly. Not bothering to hide my surprise. That would have been disrespectful.
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