Twilight (By My Light, Book Three) (Werewolf / Shifter Romance)

by Mac Flynn

  Contents

  Title Page

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Other Books

  Twilight (By My Light, Book Three) (Werewolf / Shifter Romance)

  MAC FLYNN

  Text copyright 2015 by Mac Flynn

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission in writing from the author.

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  CHAPTER 1

  I was a werewolf, and during the day a nocturnal beast such as myself needed her beauty sleep. I didn't get that that day.

  An alarm screamed at me to wake up. My eyes shot open and I tried to sit up. I caught in my sheets and tumbled, bounced off the platform on which the bed sat, and collapsed in a heap on the hard, cold stone floor. I peeked my head out and glared at the ceiling. The alarm continued to blare, unaware of my bleary eyes and sensitive ears. I crawled out of the mess of bed sheets and clapped my hands over my ears.

  I strode over to the door and flung it open to take a peek into the hall. A commotion to the left turned my head, and I saw Emery rush down the hall.

  "Where's the fire?" I asked him.

  He paused at my door and pressed his glasses against the bridge of his nose. "There appears to be an intruder in the castle in one of the lower rooms," he told me. "You may be of assistance in this matter."

  "Oh sure, get the werewolf to be a guard dog," I quipped, but I followed Emery as he ran down the passage.

  I heard a phone ring, and Emery pulled out his machine and pressed it against his ear. "Yes, sir?" There was a pause. "Very well, sir. We will meet you there."

  He hung up the phone and we hurried downstairs to the front hall. It was a large room with an open-beam ceiling that ended in a point at its highest tip. Large doors on either side led to the wings of the castle, and a grand staircase led to some of the higher at the rear of the castle. There were passages on either side of the staircase that led to the gymnasium and, I recently learned, the kitchen. Large, ancient tapestries covered the stone walls, and small tables with vases filled with fragrant flowers were positioned along the walls.

  We rushed out the east-wing doors and Emery stopped us near the foot of the staircase. At the top of the staircase was a pair of thick wooden doors that led to the center point of the castle. The doors were flung open and a black-clad ninja stood in the doorway. All but their eyes and the tips of their fingers was covered in a thin black cloth. Their fingers sported long nails and ruby-red nail polish, and there was a distinct scent of scream around them. A piece of rope attached to a bag was slung over one shoulder, and I saw there was a soft bulge in the bag.

  Fox made his appearance from the west wing armed not with his usual tranquilizer, but with a real black pistol. He pointed the gun at the intruder.

  "I must ask you to set the bag down and put up your hands," Fox requested.

  The ninja crouched and jumped into the air. They sailed over our heads and landed neatly and silently on the floor. We spun around and the ninja waved their hand at us. Their fingers emitted a dense, charcoal-scented fog that swept over us. My eyes burned and I choked on the smoke. Fox stumbled in front of me and his hand covered his mouth. The ninja leapt out of the smoke and swiped at Fox. Their long nails sliced his shirt, but he stumbled back out of her reach.

  I growled and jumped at the intruder. The ninja jumped back into the smoke and I caught air. A whirring noise interrupted my next attack. The smoke blew towards the walls and was sucked into the air vents. The air cleared to reveal that our intruder was gone. Emery stood near a hidden panel behind one of the stones in the wall and shut off the ventilation system.

  Fox straightened and showed off five clean claw marks in his suit shirt. He glared at the front door.

  "I'm sorry, sir. They seem to have escaped," Emery commented.

  "Yes. Have we confirmed what was stolen?" Fox asked him.

  Emery turned to the staircase and the open doors. He adjusted his glasses and pursed his lips. "I would venture to guess our intruder stole the Cornerstone."

  I looked from one of them to the other. "They broke in here to swipe a hunk of rock?"

  "If you will excuse me," Fox replied. He stalked off to the west wing and shut the door hard behind him.

  I turned to Emery and jerked my thumb at the shut door. "Mind explaining that?"

  "I'm not at liberty to say," Emery told me.

  I folded my arms and glared at him. "Why not?"

  "Again, I'm not at liberty to say," he persisted.

  I rolled my eyes and dropped my arms. "Then I'm not at liberty to stay awake any longer. Ring the alarm if you need me."

  I shuffled off to bed and slept soundly until evening. A knock on the door awoke me. I peeked my head out of the covers and sighed.

  "Come in," I called out.

  The door opened and Emery stepped inside, but stayed by the door. "Mr. Fox would like to speak with you."

  I crawled out of the covers, sat on the end of the bed, and stretched my arms above my head. "He knows where I sleep."

  "The matter would be better discussed in his office," Emery returned.

  I froze in place with my arms stuck in stretch and my mouth open in a yawn. My jaw snapped shut. "His office?" I repeated.

  "Yes. If you would follow me please," he requested as he gestured to the doorway.

  I stood and walked into the hall. Emery shut the door behind us and led me downstairs to the entrance hall. He opened the west wing doors and we stepped inside an elevator. The walls were bare silver a panel that contained only six buttons. I looked around the tiny space and frowned.

  "I was expecting this part of the house to be a little bigger," I commented.

  "The west wing is the mechanical shop and detached from the rest of the castle. Mr. Fox's office is located in the Towers below the castle," Emery explained. He pressed the button on the panel marked 'O' and the elevator traveled downward.

  "So why does he want to see me?" I asked him.

  "That would be better explained by Mr. Fox," Emery insisted.

  I frowned, but didn't ask any other questions. The elevator stopped at the appointed floor and we stepped out onto carpeted flooring and a long, wide hallway. The decor was basic gray with a few modern paintings to finish off the Post-Modern feel of the place. Doors lay on either side of the hall, and at the end was a pair of black double-doors. I didn't need three guesses to know who those belonged to.

  Emery guided me down the hall and opened the doors for me. I stepped inside and looked around. The office was enveloped in a dark, flat paneling. A large inserted TV screen sat in the left wall near the back of the room. In the center rear was a long, wide black desk. Behind the desk was a high-backed leather office chair, back turned towards me, and behind that was a rear wall covered entirely in glass. The glass gave an unbroken view of the lit city beneath us. The room was draped in low-lit lights that didn't hurt my eyes.

  I jumped when Emery shut the door behind me without coming in. The chair swiveled around to reveal Fox.

  "Good evening," he greeted me. He gestured to a simple chair in front of the desk. "Might I offer you a seat?"
<
br />   "You can offer me an explanation," I quipped as I walked over and plopped myself in the chair.

  "I'm sure you've already guessed this conversation is about the item stolen from me this afternoon," he returned.

  "You mean the Cornerstone?" I guessed.

  "One and the same," he concurred. "The Cornerstone is the cornerstone of my collection, if you'll pardon the pun. It is the only intact stone that remained from King Arthur's castle."

  "You mean the original castle?" I asked him.

  "The same," he replied.

  "Where'd you find that?" I inquired.

  "England," he replied.

  I folded my arms and glared at him. "All right, how did you find it?"

  "I was fortunate to acquire a set of ancient scrolls that led me to the find," he explained.

  "I get why you'd want a hunk of rock from Arthur, but why would anyone else want it?" I asked him.

  Fox leaned back in his chair and twined his fingers together in front of himself. "As I said, the Cornerstone was the only intact stone that remained of Camelot. It is rumored that the castle itself was built by Merlin, and each stone held immense magical entities, but only if the stone was intact. Thus the rumor goes that the Cornerstone holds a powerful magic that if combined with the right incantations can grant the wielder great powers."

  "Uh-huh. Magic. Of course. Why not? So any idea who would want this Cornerstone besides every Dungeons and Dragons player in the world?" I wondered.

  "There are a great many collectors who would sell their souls for even a piece of the stone's magic, but I believe I've narrowed the list down to a few suspects," he told me. "And by some coincidence one of them happens to be holding a dinner party tonight to celebrate her Medieval relics collection."

  "And let me guess, you're invited," I commented.

  "No, we're invited," he returned. Fox pulled open one of the drawers in his desk and pulled out two cards. He tossed them to me and they skidded to a stop at the edge of the desk.

  I scooted closer and looked over the cards. They were slick velvet invitation cards for a dinner party hosted by-

  "Fay Morgan?" I read aloud.

  "Are you familiar with the name?" he asked me.

  I leaned back in my chair and shrugged. "I heard about her from Dakota. She's into fashion designing and women's lipstick. Has some big lines and stuff. I think it's called 'A Touch of Magic.' You think she's the thief?"

  "Dakota?" Fox wondered.

  "A. . .an old friend," I admitted.

  He raised an eyebrow. "I see. As for your question, that is a possibility, but we can't be sure until we find proof to connect her to the theft. We may find it at her estate."

  "'We?'" I repeated.

  "Yes. The dinner starts in an hour, and you haven't tried on your new dress," Fox pointed out.

  "I don't-" There came a knock on the door.

  "Come in," Fox called.

  Emery stepped inside. In one raised hand was a hook, and attached to that hanger was a white sleeveless gown with a leather bodice. A pair of white leather gloves also hung over the hanger.

  I glanced back to Fox. "No way am I wearing that."

  "I'm afraid this isn't under discussion," he returned.

  "Maybe I don't want to go to a party hosted by one of your non-business partners," I threatened.

  "Fine." Fox stood and walked around the desk over to Emery. He took the dress in hand and turned to me. "You can remain with Emery and assist him in feeding the dragon," Fox suggested.

  I felt the color in my face drain. "It's not dead?"

  "No, and it's very hungry," he warned me.

  I frowned, but stood and marched over to him. I swiped the hanger from his hand and glared at him. "You're an ass, you know that?"

  "I have been told that many times, but the clock is ticking," he reminded me.

  "What makes you think a lipstick millionaire stole your stone, anyway?" I countered. "Maybe she just wants to marry you for your billions."

  "Emery will lead you back to your room," Fox replied.

  I frowned and pressed the dress against my chest. "This conversation isn't over. I want a rundown of this woman's history before I get into a mess."

  I marched off with Emery in the lead.

  CHAPTER 2

  In a half hour I was suited up. The dress fit, but I hated how it lay snug against my curves. There were two other problems: my collar, which stood out like a sore, metallic thumb, and my yellow eyes. I stepped out of my bedroom and found Fox waiting for me in the hall. He wore a black dress suit with a matching bow tie and white undershirt. His shined shoes reflected every discomfort in my face as I wiggled in my dress.

  "I feel like an over-popped popcorn kernel," I quipped.

  Fox smiled at me and offered me his arm. "On the contrary, you look lovely."

  I felt a faint blush arise in my cheeks, but I tampered it down with a frown and ignored his arm. "Flattery won't get you out of the dog house with me."

  He smiled and dropped his arm. "An apt saying, but we mustn't keep our hostess waiting."

  "Are you blind?" I jerked a finger at my neck. "I don't think this dress is going to hide this."

  "No need. I've thought of a solution for that."

  Fox pulled a silver bracelet from his pocket. The piece was wrapped in bands of gold that twined around one another, and between the bands were precious gems. He clasped the bracelet around my wrist, and brought out the control for my collar. With the press of a button I felt the collar pop open and fall down my chest. I caught it in my hands and looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

  "What's the catch?" I questioned him.

  "The catch is that the bracelet performs the same task as the collar, but with less attention," he explained. "As for your eyes." He pulled out a pair of eyeglasses and plopped them onto my face. The glass was fake. "That should do it."

  "You delight in torturing me, don't you?" I growled at him.

  "It's merely a matter of necessity," he countered.

  I crossed my arms over my chest. "Necessity, my ass. This is cruelty."

  "Think of it as you will, but we must be going," he insisted.

  Fox led me downstairs and to the elevator. We stepped inside and I noticed the panel had changed. There was the usual two-hundred odd buttons for the entire building. Fox pressed the one number '1.'

  "What happened to the other elevator?" I asked him.

  "This elevator system is set up to accommodate two elevators. One leads to my office, and the other to street level," he explained.

  "Anything else you want to tell me about this castle?" I wondered as the elevator slid down.

  "Nothing that comes to mind," he assured me.

  The elevator swiftly took us to street level and the doors opened to reveal a long hallway. We were in the center exterior wall of one of the towers, and the hallway spanned the entire length of the first floor of the building. I could see another set of elevators at the opposite end. Fox led me down the hall to the lobby of the grand building located in the thin 'bridge' part of the 'I.' The lobby was a towering monstrosity of modernity with an open-beam construction that graced four floors above us. The front was made of glass and the opposite was was flanked by a large, black-hued marble desk that curved along the wall. The desk stood as a sentinel to the rest of the steel-and-glass building.

  "Beware all ye who enter here. . ." I muttered as we passed the desk for the glass doors.

  We stepped onto the semi-busy street. The entrance to Indigo Towers sat five feet above the street and fifty feet back. A limo sat on the curb, and Emery stood beside the rear door of the limo. My eyes narrowed and flickered to Fox.

  "I thought you said he was going to end up dragon chow tonight," I growled.

  "I must have been mistaken," he replied. Emery opened the door and Fox swept his hand in front of us. "After you."

  "Damn asshole. . ." I muttered as walked down the steps to street-level.

  We slipped into the
spacious rear of the limo and Emery took a seat as driver. The window between the two sections was open so I could see Emery. I saw opposite Fox with my back to the driver.

  "So what makes you think this Morgan woman knows anything about the stone?" I asked him. "Is she looking for some magical cure to get a face lift without surgery?"

  Fox leaned back in his seat and crossed his leg over the other. "I would be a happier man if I could understand what she intends for the stone, but at this time I have no such information," he told me.

  I snorted. "Come on, you probably know all the baddies around here."

  He smiled and shook his head. "You flatter me, but I speak the truth. I have no idea what her intentions are towards the stone, if it is indeed in her possession."

  "Didn't the police find any fingerprints or something?" I wondered.

  "The police weren't called. If you will recall, I prefer to handle my own affairs," he reminded me.

  "Theft is something a little more ordinary than a dragon," I countered.

  "You must admit you can hardly call the Cornerstone an ordinary relic," he argued.

  I threw up my arms. "Okay, so there's no police investigation. How are we supposed to find out if she stole it?"

  "I wouldn't be surprised if she intends to show off a new addition to her collection," he suggested.

  "Is she really that dumb?" I asked him.

  "I wouldn't define her as foolish. She is rather-shall we say-bold," he commented.

  I turned away from him to the windows. The showed the world as it passed by. "Then I hope we're not the dumb ones for going to her."

  We drove southwestward across the city to the mouth of the Cam River. The river spilled into the ocean, and the western coast was lined with majestic houses built by business barons two centuries ago. Their stately mansions arose from large, green lawns specked with ancient trees. The grounds of the estates were parks unto themselves with a thousand feet of water access each where they parked their yachts.