Secrets (The Serenity Series Book 1)

by Dawn Kirby

  “Can I ask you something else?”

  “Ye may.”

  “Do you stop aging when you change? You certainly don’t look a hundred and fourteen.”

  “Aye, ye do in a sense,” he answered, smiling at my sudden curiosity.

  “What about your hair and fingernails. Do they still grow?”

  “They do, if we have a steady diet,” he said hesitantly.

  “Why doesn’t David look as young as he should? If I’m right, he should look about twenty seven, but he doesn’t.”

  “David never gets enough, Leah,” he said sadly. “It tends to wear on his body. I’ve tried to take him more, but he won’ have it. The only time his thirst is completely satisfied is when he ‘as Mia’s blood running through ‘im.”

  “So now I just need to figure out how to keep him going without her,” I said more to myself than to him. “If I can do it, he can too.”

  Declan looked at me in disbelief. I only said what needed to happen. I wasn’t ready to lose David. If I was going to fight for my life, then he was going to be right there beside me. I didn’t know how to do it without him. Granted it would be easier if he ate food, but if it was blood he needed, I was ready to do everything in my power to make sure he gets it.

  “Ye’re unbelievable, do ye know that?” he asked laughing. “If I’d heard half of what ye have tonigh’, I’d ‘ave staked us all.”

  “I can’t very well run from it.” I told him. He shrugged his shoulders and kicked the hide-away closed. “We better go tell Donovan what we found, don’t you think?”

  “He’s no’ gonna be happy. The day Donovan confined Judith to this house, he forbade her from taking lovers. He was afraid she’d tell David’s secret. I’m not surprised Raif’s involved though. Whether Donovan wants to admit it or not, he’s deceptive.”

  “Why would Raif need Judith?” I asked. “Didn’t he know about it already?” Everybody else in this house did.

  “At the time, he was living in New York. Donovan ‘ad ‘im working on a project there for a couple o’ years. It never panned out for ‘im though,” he explained, “By the time he came back home, yer parents were already settled into their life apart. Donovan decided no one else needed to know, so he was kept in the dark.”

  “Didn’t he ask why she was being punished?”

  “He did, but Donovan told ‘im it was between the two o’ ‘em.” Declan put my hand in the crook of his arm and led me out of the room. “There’s only one rule in this house. No one questions

  Donovan. He allows us to live ‘ere on the condition that we give ‘im complete loyalty.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “Well now, we have plenty of reasons to find her, do we not?” Donovan said when we told what I’d discovered. His voice was cold and harsh. “She has betrayed David. Caused the death of an innocent woman, and has defied me. Not to mention, put Leah’s life in danger.”

  “What o’ Raif,” Declan asked flatly.

  “Call him,” he instructed Declan. “Let him know he is no longer welcome here. I can forgive a lot, but not this. Tell him I will personally dispose of his belongings. I have paid a heavy price for putting my trust in him.”

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t give you better news, Donovan,” I said.

  “The answers we want are not always the ones we get,” he said solemnly. “Are you still willing to go to your neighbor’s home? I would like to know if that is where they have been hiding.”

  “Is that a good idea?” Declan asked. “If she’s there, Leah won’t ‘ave a chance.”

  Unfortunately, I had to agree with Declan. I’d already seen what she was capable of doing to people she didn’t like. The wound on JD’s neck was still fresh in my mind. My name was sure to be on the top of her list now that Mom was gone. The only things I had in my favor were my senses and Raine’s strength.

  “I would not brazenly put Leah’s life in danger if I did not think I had a good reason for it,” Donovan roared angrily. He stood up and slammed his hands down hard on his desk. His eyes flashed at Declan dangerously. His long fangs protruded from his upper lip. His oceanic scent filled every corner of the room. “But knowing her movements is crucial. Oddly enough, the person we need to protect is the only one that can help in that regard.”

  “The only one?” Declan pushed. “Either o’ us could go out there an’ get the answers ye want.”

  “Outside the house.” Donovan said angrily. His jaw started to twitch. “I need to know what went on inside.”

  “Then send Kale. Send Raine, but don’t send her. Ye know as well as I do that woman will kill ‘er the first chance she gets.”

  “I let you live here,” Donovan said, leaning across his desk toward. “I give you a job. Pay you well. Offer you beautiful women to feed upon. All this is given under the condition that you never question me.” His eyes shot past Declan toward me. “This is my house. Unless you wish to cut your ties, I suggest you back off now.”

  Declan lowered his head submissively. Donovan inhaled deeply and slowly sat back down, still upset, but doing his best to control it. As his tense body began to relax the oceanic smell dissipated.

  I saw exactly what he meant by not questioning Donovan. It could potentially be hazardous to your health. I had my doubts about going to the house, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. I happen to like having a heartbeat.

  No matter how furious he had gotten, I never saw a haze. I wondered if it could be attributed to the lack of body heat. Normal people had properly beating hearts. Body temperature rises. Vampires have a heart that beats about as fast as a sloth moves. I had yet to feel their temperature rise when they were angry. Maybe that’s all the hazes are, body heat affected by a person’s mood. Almost like a mood ring.

  “Do you want me to check anywhere else?” If I was going to walk into a trap, I might as well let it snap all the way shut.

  “Not now,” he said. “If anything comes to mind, I’ll give Raine a call.”

  While they discussed where to send Raif’s things, I went and sat in one of the high backed chairs in the back of the room admiring the cherry wood stain on the floor. I couldn't care less where his stuff went. He was as guilty in this as Judith was. For all I cared, his things could go in the trash, and he and Judith could both burn in Hell.

  I sat there quietly while they tended to several other different business matters. Apparently, Donovan had feelers all over the place. That project in New York turned out to be a very lucrative construction company. Declan shot a wink in my direction letting me know it was the same one Raif had failed at. Once David got his hands on it, the business took off. From the sound of it, David had opened a lot of doors for Donovan. In the time I’d been sitting there five other businesses came up.

  My brain stalled when I smelled Raine coming down the hallway. I let his scent fill me until my lungs felt like they would explode. When I finally exhaled my thoughts concerning Judith, Raif and Donovan’s businesses were washed away. The second he stepped into the room, my body started to tingle. I’d never seen a man look quite so good in jeans.

  Raine was flawless. Every inch of his tall, trim muscular body was perfect. His eyes were intoxicating. I could look into them for hours, just to watch the subtle shades of blue and gray play off each other. The slight curl in his thick brown hair begged to be touched. My fingers twitched just thinking about it. The dark blue haze around him was the icing on the cake. It was something no one else could see.

  Donovan’s commanding voice abruptly brought me out of my thoughts. “Keep her safe, Raine. And watch yourself. We don’t know how far this has gone,” Donovan advised. He craned his head around Raine to see me. “Are you ready, Leah?”

  Raine spun around and grinned happily. Without saying a word, he offered his arm and led me into the hallway.

  “Bring ‘er back, lad,” Declan called from the doorway. As we walked towards the end of the hallway, my face flushed when I overheard his conversation with Donovan. I had
n’t realized my feelings for Raine had been that obvious. “David should be pleased. He’s always been fond o’ that boy.”

  “Easy friend,” Donovan said with a slight chuckle. “Let’s wait and see where it goes. It’s likely he simply finds her interesting.”

  “Ye know that boy as well as I do, Donovan. There’s something there and I doubt it’s simple infatuation.”

  “Time will tell,” Donovan sighed. “Time will tell.”

  One of these days someone’s going to remember I can hear unbelievably well. Still, their comments did make me wonder if I had the same effect on him that he had on me. What would it mean if I did? More importantly, what would it mean if I didn’t?

  Before we walked into the kitchen I remembered I’d left my purse upstairs. I wasn’t sure if we’d need them or not but as far as I knew my keys were in it. Not to mention my phone still lay on the bed.

  “I’ll be right back, I’ve got to grab my purse,” I said, tugging on his arm. He refused to let go. “It’s upstairs.”

  “You won’t need it. If we need anything while we’re in town I’ve got it covered,” he told me, pushing open the kitchen door. “We’re taking my Jeep anyway.”

  “Cool, I’ve never been in one before,” I said.

  “Don’t you dare take Leah out back yet,” May said to him as we walked in. “That Jeep is top heavy and you get a little too wild. It would be a shame to lose her to adventurous stupidity.”

  She had a bright twinkle in her warm, brown eyes. Obviously she was picking at him. I wasn’t clear on what yet, but he didn’t seem to mind. .

  “I’m so glad to see you’re still here, sweetheart. I didn’t doubt you for a minute,” she said proudly. “Looks like I gained myself a granddaughter.”

  She looked like she was about to burst, she was so happy. I, on the other hand, was about to cry. They had made me feel so welcome here and now she was including me in her family. I didn’t know what to say.

  “Thank you, May,” I said with tears in my eyes. I gave her a hug and was nearly crushed to death in her embrace.

  “No need to say it, honey,” she said, wiping away her own tears. “Now, you two be careful out there. Donovan is out of his mind for sending either one of you.”

  “I can’t very well say no,” I said. “He’s been nice enough to let me stay here. I think I owe it to him.”

  “Your dad’s made enough money for him over the years to pay for your stay here ten times over,” she said coolly. “I know they’re friends, but sometimes I think if the money ever stops coming in that friendship is gonna change drastically.”

  “Granny, you don’t really believe hat do you?” Raine asked, looking stunned. “He’s protecting Leah.”

  “Yes, honey, he is,” she agreed. “But is it out of friendship or obligation?”

  “Who cares, as long as she’s safe,” he said.

  “That’s true,” she said, sitting down at the table.

  “Please don’t worry,” I said to her. “I really don’t think Donovan would deliberately put us in danger.”

  “Honey, I’m a grandma, it’s my job to worry,” she told me smiling. “I’m probably wrong anyway. The older I get, the more paranoid I become.”

  “We better get going,” Raine suggested. “It’s getting late and I don’t want to stay out in the open too long.”

  Sure enough, the clock already read midnight. I had no idea it was that late. After a couple of weird days and nights, I’d lost all track of time.

  “Be careful,” May said, pointing her finger between the two of us. “Both of you.”

  Raine gave his grandmother a gentle hug and kissed her cheek. “We will, Granny. I promise.”

  “I expect to see the both of you at breakfast in the morning,” she said from her doorway.

  “It’s a date,” I told her before she disappeared into her apartment.

  We walked outside into the warm night air. The view of the stars I had from my window at home was good, but out here it was phenomenal. I had no idea there were this many stars in the sky. They sparkled like little diamonds all around us.

  “Sorry about the mud,” he apologized as we approached his dark gray Rubicon. “I haven’t had a chance to clean it up since Kale and I took it out the other day.”

  “Did you have fun? I’ve never done it before. Mom was always afraid I’d get hurt.”

  “We had a blast,” he told me happily. “I guess you haven’t done any rock climbing either, have you?”

  “No, but next time you go, I’d love to try it.”

  “That shouldn’t be a problem,” he said opening the passenger side door. “Donovan’s place is huge. The mud pit is about two miles south of here. It fills up pretty quick after a good storm. And to go rock climbing, we only have to drive about a half a mile east.”

  “Exactly how big is this place?” I asked curiously. “Don’t y’all have any neighbors?”

  “I’m not really sure how much he owns,” he answered, climbing in the driver’s side. “If we have any neighbor’s, I’ve never seen them.”

  “Do y’all ever get bored?” I slipped into the passenger seat.

  “Not me. There’s too much to do. I love being outside,” he said. “Kale does though. He’s a people person. He likes nothing better than going out and getting fifty different phone numbers a night.”

  We took off down a long, paved driveway. Huge pine trees lined both sides of the private drive. At a small break in them, I could see a huge rock swimming pool. Off to the side of it was a patio with a big outdoor cooking area. On the opposite side I just make out the lights of a hot tub.

  The grounds of the house were impressive. Every inch of it was clean and meticulously manicured. I wouldn’t be surprised if the grass didn’t stay green all year long. As we drove past the front of the house I admired the two rows of lush rose bushes that framed out the walkway. Flowers, trees and bushes had been perfectly placed throughout the front yard. A gorgeous marble fountain sat right in the center of the yard, surrounded by thick rows of bluebonnets.

  I couldn’t imagine growing up here.

  “How long have you lived here?”

  “I’ve been here since I was seven. I’m twenty five now,” he answered. “Kale was ten.”

  “Can I ask what brought y’all here in the first in place?”

  He shrugged. “Granny brought us here to protect us.”

  “From what?” I couldn’t imagine them needing protection from anybody or anything.

  “Dane. He took control of the pack shortly after we moved here,” he answered. “After he killed my mom and grandfather, he came looking for us.” His voice took on a sadder tone. My hand instinctively went to his thigh to try to comfort him. His parents’ absence from Donovan’s house had never crossed my mind. “Donovan knew he wanted us dead, so in exchange for our guaranteed safety, he cleared a debt Dane owed him.”

  “Why did he kill them?” I asked, unsure if I’d get an answer. For all I knew he was still mourning.

  “Mom didn’t want to conform to his way of thinking,” he answered. “Granddad just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  “And y’all? Why on earth would he want to kill to innocent kids?”

  “That I can’t answer.”

  Several minutes of awkward silence followed. I had no idea who this Dane guy was, but I knew for a fact I didn’t want to meet him. My stomach tied itself in knots when I thought of them losing their mother at such a young age. How on earth does a child get through something like that? How do I?

  A part of my conversation with Kale flitted through my mind. Earlier he’d said our pack not the pack. That Kale would knowingly be a part of the pack that was lead by the man who had killed his mother and grandfather stunned me. Let alone wanted them dead, too. I would be afraid he would try to kill me no matter what kind of deal had been made.

  “Why does Kale run with him?”

  “He doesn’t have a choice. Dane require
s any werewolf living in his territory automatically become a member. If they refuse, he deals with them.”

  “Deals with them how?”

  “In whatever way he sees fit,” he said. “His punishments tend to be pretty harsh. One man refused to join up and lost his son because of it. It took dental records to identify the poor kid.”

  “How does the rest of the pack feel about him? Don’t they have a say in what he does?”

  “Pack life, under him anyway, is not a democracy. What he says goes,” he said. “Most of them have been terrified of him their entire lives. They know better than to question any of his decisions.”

  “Raine, why do you have to hide what you are?”

  “Because it will throw his leadership into question.”

  “Is it because you can control the change or is it the resistance to silver?”

  As we pulled onto the main road, he put his hand over mine on his thigh. It hadn’t occurred to me at all to move it. The feel of his rough hand sent warm tingles up and down my arm.

  “You talk like this is normal,” he said puzzled. “Doesn’t it bother you?”

  “Being hunted bothers me,” I told him. “Mom’s always taught me to be open minded. I think, in her own way, she was trying to prepare me for this. Knowing what you and David are doesn’t bother me at all.”

  “You do know David loves you, don’t you,” he asked.

  “I know, but he loved Mom, too,” I said quietly. “I just wish they could have been together.”

  He squeezed my hand gently and looked at me with his amazing eyes. “They wanted to protect you. Apart they thought they could.”

  “If I hadn’t come along they could have been happy together all these years,” I said quietly. “Instead they got married in secret. David changed his last name so I could have his. I still don’t understand that. To top that off they both decided to be lonely for the rest of their lives.”

  “You’re a big part of the reason he’s lived this long. If it weren’t for the two of you, he would have given up a long time ago.”

  “I hope one of us will be enough for him. He looked awful when I saw him earlier.” I shifted in my seat to look him. My neck was getting a catch in it from going between him and the road. “I don’t think I could stand to lose him too. Mom and the store are enough for now.”