His hands softly stroked my hair as I snuggled up closer to him. I hadn’t wanted to wake him, but I was glad that he was. I’d put this off for long enough. It was time to go to the next level in my plans.
‘I need you to do something for me Gabriel,’ I said. ‘And you’re not going to like it.’ He cocked his head to the side and scrunched his brow. ‘To make things worse,’ I continued ‘I can’t tell you anything.’
‘This is the thing you and Ash are working on?’
‘Yes.’ I could feel the smile. His hand continued to stroke my hair as he held me in his bear hug. ‘I know that you have been to see him more than that one time I was there. You two are up to something. And that’s what this is about?’
‘It is. But…’
‘I know. You cannot tell me everything about it.’ Hmm, he had effectively circumvented the “anything” to “everything.” ‘How about a small peek?’ he asked. I knew that the curiosity was killing him. I stayed silent, debating what I could tell him. He deserved an explanation, just not all of it. Not just yet.
‘I’ve guessed it has something to do with the Council,’ he added giving me a handle on the issue.
‘Yes,’ I answered. ‘It does.’
‘Ok, well that’s good. It’s about time someone did something about them. But what are we going to do?’ I loved the way he had made it our problem, not just mine. He would do anything for me. I knew that. I felt it in his touch, saw it in the adoration in his eyes.
‘First we need to gather a group of like-minded people.’ I measured every word. Watching for an effect.
‘That shouldn’t be too hard. The Council has a lot of enemies.’
‘Yes, but they would need to be willing to fight.’
‘True. I think that shouldn’t be too much of an issue,’ he continued. ‘People are fed up with the persecution and the way they treat anyone who is not of their perceived status.’
‘We will need allies,’ I said again.
‘Yes. I have contacts in the other packs. We should travel to them and propose your plan. Maybe bring Ash along as well. He has a lot of standing within the packs.’ His mind was going at a hundred miles, formulating plans to add more Werewolves to the forces. That was only part of what I wanted. The easy part.
‘We might need to look further than just the packs,’ I offered carefully.
He stayed silent for a few moments, then turned his body so that he looked into my face. There was concern there. And curiosity.
‘Anyone specific?’ Did I detect a slight edge to his voice there?
I took a deep breath and put it out there. ‘The Sabres.’
‘And that’s the part I wouldn’t like?’ He continued to search my eyes. I hoped to God that he didn’t see all there was, not just yet. ‘Why the Sabres?’ he finally asked.
‘Because they have numbers, power and money. And they have a vested interest here in this territory. We don’t need another enemy at the same time as the Council.’ He nodded. Yes, it made sense. But would that be enough to set aside the age-old differences? Not to mention the competition for me that he didn’t know about yet.
Gabriel lay back down on the bed and pulled me close. I concentrated on his steady heart-beat, trying to calm my own nerves.
‘I still think we should try the other packs first.’
‘We’ll do both,’ I answered, relieved that he hadn’t written it off outright.
‘Does Ash know?’
‘Yes.’ Ash knows everything.
‘Figures. If anyone can get them to work with us, it’s him. They owe him. Big time.’ Now the surprise was on my foot. Why did the Sabres owe Ash a debt? The big man wasn’t telling me everything. Not that it was a surprise, he still adhered to the idea that I had to find it all out for myself. He was reluctant to offer unrequested information, preferring to answer my explicit questions. This was an interesting snippet of information that he forgot to mention. I will have to ask him about that.
‘Would you please come to a meeting with me? Just you, me, Ash and Metisse.’ I held my breath.
He looked me deep in the eyes, searching for answers to obvious questions, like how did I know Metisse? I held his stare, trying to portray the importance of the meeting in my eyes. Gabriel was tuned to body language, maybe even more than to spoken word.
He nodded. ‘When?’
‘In about two hours.’ I was cutting it close. We had to meet today and get this all organised before Alex came back from the Council. No way could I have him sticking his nose into my business until I’d convinced my lovers to work together.
Gabriel smiled. ‘Wow, no pressure then. Where?’
‘In the clearing where the first treaty was created.’
‘Good choice.’ He was much more perceptive than Metisse. That’s understandable, he has seen more and is infinitely wiser.
‘That means that we have about another hour before we have to leave.’ His eyes sparkled again. I nodded and pulled him closer. We would get through the wait one way or the other.
Chapter 46
As I planned, we got there before Metisse. Ash turned up about ten minutes later in a worn-out pick-up truck that looked as though it should have been scrapped decades ago. The deep rumble of the engine belied the exterior. There was some real power underneath that hood.
Ash greeted Gabriel, then came over and kissed me on the cheek. He had to bend over to do so, and as always, I felt like a small child next to such a big man. His mohawk was more muted in colour than the last time I saw him and decorated with two eagle feathers. A souvenir of his last borrowing maybe?
The clearing boasted an astounding view of the mountains and the forests. The woodland surrounding us was dark and deep, the trees close together. The afternoon sun lit up the clearing and warmed us as we waited for Metisse. It was totally private, secluded and off the beaten path. There would be no casual passers-by. This was exactly what we needed.
I felt the history of this place, the hairs on the back of my neck tingled with every breeze. I imagined the souls of those who had negotiated the first treaty between the Sabres and the Wolves were here with us. Looking at both Gabriel and Ash I had the profound feeling that they felt the presences too. Ash must have. He was attuned to this kind of things. And he might even have been there, for all that I knew. Ash was old. Even if he didn’t look it.
I couldn’t stand still. Every thirty seconds I scanned the track that led to the clearing, searching for the headlights of Metisse’s car. None came. Gabriel observed me with mirth and more than a bit of confusion. He walked up to me and took me into his arms. As much as I appreciated his warmth and empathy, me in this position might not be a good starting point for the discussions if Metisse suddenly turned into the clearing. I kissed him to thank him and we walked over to Ash. He stood on one side of the Shaman and I took up a spot on the left.
‘It will be ok.’ Ash’s calm and deep voice was soothing. But there was no way that any words that he or Gabriel could say would calm my nerves. And justly. I was only now becoming aware of the extent of my deceit. I had led both of these wonderful men on. Sure, they were both my soul mates, but they were completely unaware of the fact that they shared me. Both were convinced that they were the only one. This could get very ugly.
Finally, about twenty minutes late, we heard the rumble of a large SUV as it made its way up the path. The deep boom was smooth, unlike that of Ash’s car. It had an almost fluid quality. The headlights lit up the dark track into almost daylight as the car turned into the open space. The sun threw long shadows as it started to disappear behind the high trees. There was more than enough light to see, but it would be twilight soon.
The car stopped twenty metres from where we stood. I waited as the engine shut off and the door opened. My breath escaped in a sigh when I recognised Metisse as he stepped out from behind the door of the SUV. Somehow, I hadn’t really expected him to come. He looked at us standing there. His gaze travelled from Ash to Gabriel. The
yellow glow in his eyes belied his calm exterior. When he saw me he smiled warmly. I felt both happy and completely embarrassed at the same time. My guilt was showing. I tried to smile, but his quizzical gaze showed that I hadn’t been convincing. Ash’s hand touched my elbow, encouraging me to continue what I had started. I was grateful for his support. My first instinct was to turn and run. His touch reminded me of why we were all here. I glanced over at Gabriel. The fire in his eyes was a clear indication that he knew part of what was going on here. He’d pieced together that Metisse and I were more than acquaintances. The loving way that Metisse acknowledged me wasn’t lost on Gabriel.
Metisse remained where he was. The puzzlement was clear on his face. He had no idea what was going on here. He must have felt the tension. Maybe he possessed an inbuilt mechanism to stop him from coming to unwanted conclusions, it would explain a lot. I walked over to him and took his hands.
‘Thank you for coming, Metisse.’
‘Sure,’ he answered uncertainly.
When I didn’t expand on the situation, he cocked his head in question. Being the coward that I am, I just turned and, hand in hand, led him to the other two.
If looks could kill, I think none of us would still be alive. Not even me. Though I might just be collateral damage.
I let go of Metisse’s hand and took up a place between both of my lovers. We made up a triangle of sorts. All about one and a half to two metres from each other. Ash took a step backwards to give us space. Metisse and Gabriel observed each other, then stole glances at me.
‘What the hell is going on here Trish?’ Gabriel finally asked. Metisse nodded almost imperceptibly.
Metisse and Gabriel stood opposite each other. Their negative energy heated the air. Sparks actually pushed the goose bumps up my arms in waves. Here we were, my two beaus and me. All in one place. The two people who I had kept apart for weeks were now no more than two metres apart. The only thing that stopped them from ripping each other apart was their love for me. I brought them here. Convinced both of them to listen to what I had to say. To stay all aggression until they knew what my plans were.
I didn’t need to tell them that they were both my lovers. They deduced that from the vibes in the air and the looks that both shot at me. What I said would just be a validation. That was the first surprise, and not a welcome one for either of them. Yeah, well, get used to it. This was how it was, and how it was going to be. I ran by my own rules. And if that meant that I had two men, then that was my prerogative.
I think it was hardest on Gabriel. He was the alpha of a more male dominated society. This idea of a woman running the show was alien to him. Metisse clearly understood the strength of women. He had a perfect example—Charmaine, his mother. But still, he wasn’t acting like it.
In the background I could see the clan and pack members between the trees. I had asked both men to come alone. Well, so much for my influence.
The only other person in the clearing was Ash. He was as calm as ever. I couldn’t read him, and despite the fact that I trusted him beyond my life, it still made me apprehensive.
‘This place is starting to smell of wet dog.’ Trust Metisse to fling the first insult. The amused and condescending smile on his face was in stark contrast to the raw hatred that Gabriel projected.
The atmosphere in the clearing was volatile. I tasted the tension. One way or the other I needed to defuse the situation before it got out of hand. I admit I’d underestimated the effect that the two rivals would have on each other. That and the fact that they knew that they both had a claim to me. Another thing that I didn’t take into account was the childish behaviour both of them—but mostly Metisse—displayed.
Chapter 47
I was about to rebuke them when my attention was distracted by the deep growl of a heavy V8 engine.
The familiar deep black custom Dodge Van pulled up to the clearing. The driver stepped out and opened the rear doors. With a wiring sound a ramp descended from the back of the vehicle and connected to the ground. I waited with bated breath. What was this? Why would Charmaine be here? I looked at Ash. He was observing the van with a big smile on his face. He obviously knew more about what was happening than I did. I would have to speak to him about this later. This was my show—remember?
Another humming sound came from the van and the electric wheelchair made its way down the ramp. Charmaine expertly turned the chair, raised the seat upwards so that her face was at the same level as ours and made her way over the clearing towards where we stood.
‘Mother?’ Right, so it wasn’t Metisse who had organised this. The surprise on his face was genuine. His brow was crunched in bewilderment, his mouth open, not knowing what to say or how to react. He looked at me. I shrugged. I had no idea myself.
Ash walked over to Charmaine and took her proffered hand. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers lightly. ‘Charmaine, so good of you to come.’ Well, that answered that question. She was here on the Shaman’s request.
‘Of course, Ash. It is finally time.’ Now what the hell did that mean? And why did I get the impression that the real power in this area of the world was now complete. Plus, Ash and Charmaine obviously knew each other. Not only that, they were on speaking—and hand kissing—terms.
There were smiles all around. At least between those two. I was lost. I had no idea what was going on.
Charmaine turned to the two men in my life. ‘Son,’ she acknowledged Metisse. ‘You might want to close your mouth,’ she joked. The surprise was still etched on his face. He could only nod as he did as he was told.
‘Gabriel,’ she said with more warmth in her voice that I’d expected. This was her arch-rival. Her would-be nemesis if it came to a war. Or was he? Everything I thought I knew just become questionable.
‘My lady,’ he answered with a small bow. Ok. Now I really had no clue what was happening. But I would have to run with it whatever.
‘Trish, my dear.’ She turned to me.
‘Hallo, Charmaine.’ I couldn’t help myself. ‘I didn’t expect to see you here.’
‘No,’ she answered with a small chuckle. ‘I expect you didn’t. Ash invited me to this monumental event.’
I cocked my head in question, but she didn’t explain further. She just smiled. Right. No explanations there. I decided to get back to what I, and all the others were here for.
It was my mantra; “when flustered—bluff.”
* * *
I turned my attention back to my two lovers.
I looked into Gabriel’s eyes. The pupils had changed from his usual grey to jet black with red rims and were fully dilated. A sure sign that he was mad as hell. Well, tough. Shit happens.
Glancing at Metisse, I saw that he wasn’t doing much better. It’s not just the fact that they were both vying for my love, these two were life-long, natural enemies. It’s the cat and dog thing.
There couldn’t be more of a difference between two people than here. They embodied the extremes with regard to lifestyle, status, outlook in life. One had it all, the other fought for every dime. What they did have in common was their unwavering loyalty towards their families. Metisse had the clan. Gabriel had his pack. Both would do anything to guarantee the safety of their kin. And then there was me. They had me in common. Only that wasn’t their choice. It was mine.
I grossly misjudged the impact that the close proximity would have. They looked ready to attack each other. Both stole glances at Ash and Charmaine. Like me, they were stumped by the ease in which the two unwritten leaders of the groups communicated. They seemed comfortable with each other. Almost good friends. How the hell did that happen? Nothing ever hinted at what I was seeing now. Gabriel seemed slightly less surprised. He knew more. I would have to talk to him after we sorted this out. If we were still on speaking terms, that is.
Metisse was so sure of himself. His arrogance was part of what attracted me to him. But here he was playing a dangerous game. Sure, if push came to shove and Metisse and Ga
briel went at it, Metisse would probably win. Once shifted, he was bigger and much more dangerous in a one-on-one fight. But one-on-one wasn’t the pack’s way. They had strength in numbers. The damage they could do to Metisse as a group would be extensive. If their adversary were alone that is, and he wasn’t either. I could see the bright yellow eyes between the trees. Three, probably more of Metisse’s clan had come to protect the boss. More likely they’d come spoiling for a fight, just for the fun of it. There were wolves on the right and Sabretooths on the left. It would be a hell of a fight. If it ever came down to that.
I wasn’t against a rumble. I just didn’t think their oversized male egos and testosterone overloads would let them stop before they killed each other. And frankly, that would defeat my purpose. Like I said, I’m greedy. I want them both. Preferably with all their limbs attached. Plus, I have a plan. One, I needed both of them alive for.
That made it time to intervene.
‘Guys.’ I walked down to stand between the two like a referee in a boxing match—a boxing match with an abundance of claws and fangs. Metisse smiled at me as I passed him, his hand softly brushed my arm. His bright yellow eyes lit up with pleasure at seeing me. The white of his beautiful teeth showed between his lips, the slight points of the descending Sabre canines the only indication that he was not exactly at ease here.
Gabriel was much more open in his feelings. I could read them off his face in the dark scowl that stayed put as I looked him in the red-rimmed eyes. These was no relaxation there. His body inclined slightly my way—finally a reaction to my presence—but he fought the pull and retained his defiant stance leering over his six-centimetre shorter adversary. My hand on his arm didn’t help soothe the anger, I felt the tense muscles beneath the denim shirt.
Playing With Fire Page 157
