by Jade White
Pre-teen boys were already a force to be reckoned with, especially when their world was shattered as his had been. But Egan was also a shifter, and their parents' deaths had come during a time in his life where he was unable to control his body, or his temper. Now eighteen, Egan could still be a challenge at times, but he was a good and kind soul. Sable had no doubt that his kid brother was destined for greatness.
Sable pulled himself out of his musings and concentrated on the driveway ahead. His automatic garage door opened when the Jaguar passed the sensor and he slid the machine into its place beside his SUV. The door closed behind him and Sable took the side door into the house. The back stairs off the kitchen led directly to his master suite. He took the stairs two at a time and checked his watch as he walked through his door way. He had at least two hours before sunrise, plenty of time to get some sleep before he had to start his day.
He shed his clothes and slid into bed. He would shower in the morning. For now, what he needed most was sleep.
*
The sound of the doorbell tugged at Sable, clanging over and over until he awoke from his deep slumber. He blinked several times, his head foggy with confusion and the left overs of an odd dream. With a groan, he rolled over and looked at the clock. Eight a.m.? Who would come to my house at eight a.m.? He had his suspicions, but he pulled on some clothes before he went to answer the door, just in case.
Olivia Turner stood on the porch, arms crossed, staring straight into the peep hole when Sable checked to see who was calling at such an early hour. Her hair was messy, long auburn locks in loose waves around her heart-shaped face. Her cheeks were splashed with freckles that highlighted her deep green eyes. Sable could hear her toe tapping impatiently through the door. He opened the door and she strode in without waiting for an invitation, heading for the kitchen.
He watched her walk away, admiring how her jersey knit dress clung to her round backside. Sable could watch Olivia walk away all day; it was a luscious sight. He found her at the center island, already opening an expensive bottle of Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc, preparing to pour it into a large glass.
“Rough night?” he asked, knowing the answer already. Olivia wasn’t much of a drinker under normal circumstances. So when she opened a bottle of wine before breakfast, he knew she was in a bad way.
“Rough month. I haven’t been able to sleep a wink all night. I haven’t even seen this man in over two weeks, but he’s been calling me almost non-stop since we spent the night together. We were having a perfectly good night, and just like that, it was over.”
“What did he do wrong?”
“He said I love you. Why the hell did he have to go and ruin everything? I liked this one.”
Sable nearly laughed. Anyone who didn’t know Olivia would have a hard time figuring out why she was nearly in tears with anger that a man had declared his undying love for her. But Olivia wasn’t that kind of woman; she preferred to be free to flow from one relationship to another without any bonds tying her to just one man. A man professing his love threw a wrench in her plans and threw her for a loop. It seemed to happen to Olivia often, and Sable couldn’t help but be amused at her predicament. She was probably the only woman he’d ever met who was truly happy remaining unfettered, and not just saying it to snag an otherwise reluctant man. He had no doubt that she would settle down someday, but he also knew it would take one hell of a man to accomplish it.
She poured the wine into the goblet and downed it in one shot. Sable reached into the pantry and pulled out a bottle of whiskey, setting it on the table with two shot glasses. She raised her eyebrow at his choice.
“What do you take me for, a drunk? It’s not even nine in the morning.”
Sable laughed this time, a deep, hearty chuckle that reverberated through the tiled room and filled the air with warmth. Olivia was a fire-cracker, and Sable loved her for it. There was never a dull moment when Olivia was around, that was for sure.
Sable took a shot of the whiskey and put the bottle away, coming back to sit across from her on a plush, high-backed stool. He sat in silence, waiting for her to talk. Two glasses later, she finally started talking, the words pouring out unchecked.
“What man doesn’t want a woman who isn’t looking for a ring? Is it too much to ask for some wham, bam, thank you ma’am without all the mushy stuff?”
She looked at Sable, waiting to see if he would answer, but he held his tongue. Part of the reason they’d been friends for so long was because her feelings on love and sex aligned so perfectly with his. For almost a decade, the two had been friends with occasional benefits, and that suited them both just fine. He winked at her, and she blushed.
“If you’re done whining about love and soul-mates…”
Olivia sighed. “Yes, I’m through. I’m through with all of it. Why can’t they all be like you? Good in bed, but not looking for commitment. Every man I sleep with is suddenly head-over-heels in love, and can’t live without me. I thought only women were like that. What gives?”
“I guess I’m one of a kind.”
She rolled her eyes. Sable was a lot of things, but modest was not one of them.
“So there’s a fundraiser tomorrow night for the Shifter-Human Peace Project Scholarship Fund, and I need a date. Someone who’s gorgeous, funny, stunning in a tight little dress, and a good conversationalist. It also helps if she’s human, since the big purpose behind the gala is to prove that shifters and humans are still able to coexist peacefully.”
“Is there anything in it for me, or am I just arm candy?”
“I could offer you the moon and the stars, and my heart for all of eternity.” Olivia snorted. He knew better than anyone that those things were the furthest thing from her mind. “Or I can offer you a good time, lots of dancing to live music, and maybe a roll in the hay afterwards.” She smiled at the last, “If you’re good and you behave yourself in front of the politicians.”
Olivia groaned. There was nothing quite like a room full of pompous men throwing a party to show each other what selfless philanthropists they were. Olivia stood, her legs a little wobbly from that extra glass of wine she enjoyed. She slid around the counter and stood beside Sable, leaning in close to whisper in his ear.
“Fine, I’ll go, and I’ll be nice. I might even be friendly. But I don’t promise that I’ll be wearing anything under my dress.”
He smiled. “I was counting on that.” He pulled her in for a kiss and she leaned into him, enjoying the heat of him. She pulled back and smiled sheepishly.
“I’ll need a new dress of course.”
“Of course. You can charge it to my account. Just do me a favor; wait until tomorrow morning to go shopping. I have a feeling that what’s her name is buying at the store as we speak.”
“Oh, Sable. Did you forget some poor girl’s name again?”
“More than that. I ripped her only evening dress and rocked her world so hard that she blurted out her eternal love for me. I left without saying goodbye, so I thought a new wardrobe would help.”
Olivia laughed so hard that she snorted. “I wish men were so easily placated.” She looked in dismay at her cell phone display. “I’ve already received twenty missed calls from Dan today, and we haven’t had sex in weeks. And he left a message every time.”
“Let me know if he becomes an issue and I’ll take care of him.”
The memory of the last man Sable had “taken care of” was still fresh in Olivia’s mind. He had a hard time understanding that no means no and had started stalking Olivia shortly after a date that was so bad, she left before dessert was served. After trying unsuccessfully to let the police handle it, Olivia was desperate for peace. Sable had caught the man, red-handed, trying to sneak into her bedroom window in the middle of the night. Olivia would never forget the look on his face when Sable stood before him in the darkness, the light of the moon shining down on him as he shifted into a tiger and let out a deafening roar. The stalker had been rooted to the ground, a large puddle
growing around him in the flower bed as he stood there, too frightened to move.
Olivia had never seen the man after that day. She hoped Dan wouldn’t need the same incentive to stay away.
Heavy steps pounded down the stairs off the kitchen.
“Incoming,” Sable whispered. Egan wasn’t much of a morning person and Sable knew that it really was a crap-shoot which version of the hormonal teen he was going to get each morning. Sometimes, Egan was downright pleasant. But most of the time, it was like playing a game of Russian roulette and all the chambers were loaded.
Hair in disarray and yawning, Egan appeared in the doorway. When he saw Olivia, he smiled shyly and went to the fridge. He pulled out a dozen eggs, a package of bacon, a gallon of orange juice and a can of pre-made biscuits. Glancing over his shoulder to see if Olivia was still watching him, he began to cook with a flourish, cracking the eggs with one hand and placing the entire pound of bacon strips on the stove top griddle. The air quickly filled with the aroma of sizzling bacon and hot, buttery biscuits.
Olivia realized that she was starving. “Man, Egan, you’re a life-saver. I’m glad one of us can cook.”
Egan ducked his head and blushed. It was no secret that he had a crush on Olivia, even though his brother had been seeing her off and on for most of his life. He never gave up the notion that one day, she would be his. She shot him down at least once a month, claiming that he was much too young for her, or that he was like her kid brother. She would see one day, he just knew it.
Garnering his courage, he stammered a little as he started, “Olivia, um, there’s this dance tomorrow night.” He spooned her food onto a plate and garnished it was a fresh sprig of parsley. Olivia smiled and thanked him, digging in with gusto and moaning in pleasure when she took the first bite.
“Anyways, there’s this dance, and I need a date and I thought that you could be my date. You know, just as friends.”
Olivia’s face fell. She hated to hurt him, but he was so persistent. She looked to Sable to for help. Sable shrugged. He’d long since given up on convincing Egan that Olivia was out of his league and his age bracket. He was determined, that was for sure.
“Sable already asked me to be his date for an event and I’m going with him. What about Tiffani from your school? I thought she liked you.”
“She does, but she’s a high schooler.”
Sable interrupted him. “So are you. As long as she’s already eighteen, she’s welcome. I’ll even let you rent a limo if you want.”
Egan slammed a plate of food in front of Sable, the eggs spilling over onto the counter as the glass fought to stay together. “I don’t want a limo, I want Olivia. Why must you ruin everything for me?” He grabbed his plate of food and raced up the stairs, his hasty retreat followed by a violent slamming of the door that reverberated throughout the west wing of the house.
“And just like that, I’m the enemy again.” But it was par for the course with a teen, and Sable was just thankful that all Egan had done was slammed a door. There was a time not long ago when the slightest upset sent him into a fit of rage that ended with him shifting and running off into the woods. There were guidelines about shifting around humans, and Sable had had his hands full trying to keep Egan from flying off the handle when they were out within the community. Nothing like an angry teen throwing a tantrum in the grocery store that ended in a tiger tearing everything up as it fled the scene.
Olivia let out a heavy sigh, picking at what was left of the food on her plate.
“It’s not your fault. He knows you can’t date him.”
“I know, I just feel so bad. I know he’ll find someone, someday, that is exactly who he thinks I am. But for now, I’ve been that teenager before, and I know it hurts him, and he feels like it truly is the end of the world. I can’t wait until he sets his sights on another woman and I can be his friend without walking on egg shells all the time.”
They finished their meal in silence and Sable cleared the plates in front of them. He washed each dish and stacked them in a strainer by the sink. Olivia watched him, wondering as she always did why he didn’t just hire someone to take care of the house for him. His parents had left them millions; he didn’t need to do the dishes himself. But he insisted that Egan needed to have as close to a normal life as possible, and that included learning how to do menial tasks for himself.
Olivia rummaged through Sable’s wallet and pulled out a black credit card, one that had no spending limit.
“I want to go shopping today, but I don’t want everyone to know it’s on your account. Can I just give this back to you later?”
Sable shrugged. If it were anyone else, he would worry that she’d buy herself a million dollar car before the hour was up. But Olivia was his best friend, and he knew she’d come back with only what she needed for the gala. He nodded and kissed her cheek as she headed out the door.
“I’ll let you know if I see the mystery woman. I’m sure she’ll be easy to spot. She’ll be the one with a million dresses on her arm. Does Rolland’s still have personal shoppers?”
“Yes.”
“Oh good. You’ll probably pay for those for her, too. I don’t blame her. You’re hard to get over.” She winked at him and slipped out the door, ducking to avoid another kiss. She had to hurry if she was going to catch a glimpse of his latest fling. She was sure that the woman had been waiting in front of the store when they opened. Olivia knew that, in her place, that’s exactly what she would do.
*
Sable sat in his library, a well-worn hardcover held gently in his massive hands, when Egan burst into the room.
“The council is here!” He was gasping, having run the entire length of the house after buzzing them in at the gate. Sable looked up from the book, his finger casually marking his spot, his eyebrow arched somewhat comically.
“All one hundred thirty-two of them?”
Egan blinked. “What? No. Just the three from our region and that one really weird man that follows them around with a tablet, typing their every word.”
“Then I’m sure it’s nothing.” Without another word, Sable went back to his reading.
“Don’t you even want to know why they’re here?”
“I’m assuming they’re here to see one of us and that they’ll explain why once they get here. Why, little brother? Have you done something that I should know about?”
“No! It’s just, the last time they were here, they came to tell us about Mom and Dad.”
Sable set the book on his lap and looked at Egan. The massive teen looked suddenly smaller, and Sable saw before him hints of the twelve-year-old boy Egan once was.
“It’s nothing bad, I promise. The fundraiser is tomorrow night. I’m sure they’re here about that. If not, I’ll deal with whatever it is.” He smiled at Egan, trying to ease the young man’s fears. “It’s going to be okay.”
As if on cue, the front doorbell rang, the reverent tones echoing through the house.
“Let them in and then make yourself scarce.”
Egan started to protest, but Sable held up his hand. “Now is not the time to argue, please just do as I say.”
With that, Sable began pulling the fine glassware out of the cabinet above the mini bar, preparing himself to have guests. He doubted the council members were here to discuss the gala tomorrow night, but it wouldn’t help matters to have Egan panicking over something he couldn’t control. Sable had no idea why they were here, but he would deal with it once he did. He took his seat once more and picked up his book, waiting for the men to make their way into the library. Sable didn’t care why they were here, but he certainly wasn’t going to rush to meet them like some frightened subject.
The men filed into the spacious library, fanning out to take their seats around the sitting area. Laskin—or as Sable liked to call him, “the weasel”—took the liberty of pouring each man a drink in the glassware that Sable had set out.
The oldest of the councilmen, Aldrich Stone, began to spe
ak, his voice steady and firm.
“Sources tell us that you’ve been bedding multiple human women once again, and it’s been brought up to the council that you’re not taking the regulations regarding such interactions seriously. We, the council, wanted to impart upon you the importance of this matter so that the future of our species is protected.”
Sable waited patiently as Aldrich droned on, his voice ebbing and flowing monotonously as he recounted the days of old, and that time, generations ago, when their kind had almost been bred right out of existence.
“The guidelines were not meant to be circumvented the way you continue to do. Please understand that, if you do happen to get a female human pregnant, you will be forced to marry her or face execution. Nevertheless, the preference is for each prospective human mate to be vetted and approved by the council before marriage and mating occur.”
Aldrich sat back, sipping his drink and waiting for Sable to respond.
“I assure you, Aldrich, that I am well versed in the laws of our people.” He stood and motioned towards the door. “If that is all, gentlemen.” Without another word, he bowed reverently. Aldrich was the first to stand, though none of them moved to return the genuflection. They knew when they’d been blown off, and it was obvious that this virile young man thought himself invincible.
Aldrich turned as they were passing through the door, his expression threatening.
“We’ll be watching you, Sable. And young Egan. Make no mistake, if you impregnate a human woman, you will marry her. Your money won’t weaken our resolve. There’s more at stake here than just your freedom. I hope you recognize the gravity of this situation.”
