The Accords Triptych (Book 1): Wolves Without Teeth

by Thomas, Ian

  “Besides it’s a public place, the rule doesn’t apply.”

  “What’s it to you?” Ben’s. “You a fucking hunter?”

  “Not at all.” The man’s eyes flashed gold and black, upper and lower canines suddenly more prominent

  “A wolf?” Staggering back, he retracted his claws. “But I didn’t–”

  “Smell me? I should hope not, especially given the price I paid for that cologne.”

  “I get it, you were upwind of me,” Ben said desperately.

  “Well, yes there’s that,” the man said. “And that fact that I didn’t want you to catch my scent. See I have a few secrets. That’s how your witch friend didn’t pick me as a werewolf in there.”

  “How?” Ben asked, stunned.

  “That’s who you’re waiting for, isn’t it?” The man ignored Ben’s question.

  “Why should I tell you,” Ben replied, his anger rising.

  “Because I’m not sure you have a lot of friends left, brother.”

  “Fuck you.”

  “I’m Henry Gardiner.” Ben detected the hint of an accent in his voice.

  “Ben,” he replied, unwilling to give any more than that.

  “Nice to meet you, brother.”

  “You one of Blackthorne’s wolves?” Ben asked.

  “Oh, my accent,” Henry said. “No, something of a loner, me.”

  “Wolf without a pack is a dangerous creature,” Ben said.

  “Seems I could say the same thing to you.”

  “I have a pack.”

  “Do you?” Henry eyed Ben closely. The man could see he was barely holding himself together. Sure, he presented a clean-shaved face to the world, tidy clothes, and handsome features, but it was all a façade. Just below the surface Ben was wrecked, armoring his exterior to protect the frailty beneath. “Word gets around. Us werewolves like to talk, ya see. Way I heard it you turned your back on the Pack Lord. Felt he’d lost touch with the cause.”

  “The cause?”

  “Being the greatest Pack Lord in the history of werewolves. Honoring what we are. Not taking the leash.”

  “Something like that,” Ben said guardedly, thankful someone saw the matter as he did even if didn’t know this man.

  “Ever think the mantle fell to the wrong werewolf?”

  “Matteo’s one of the best.”

  “If a little domesticated. Well, that’s what you thought the other supernaturals were doing to him, am I right?”

  “Still, given the other options out there, he was the only choice,” Ben replied. “Dominic died in the Pack War. Blackthorne’s too vicious. Caleb’s too much of a pacifist. Naeem’s in Blackthorne’s pocket, or the other way around. No one’s going to follow Piotr or Soren. Or Yasuo. And Jeffer–”

  “I meant you. Those others are little long in the tooth. They’ve lost touch with what we are. Lost their edge.”

  Ben started to walk away. “And I’m out.”

  “Wait.” Henry called after him. “Wasn’t a line, brother. I meant it could–” Catching up to Ben, he stopped him and turned him around. “Listen. Come have a drink with me. Just to talk.”

  “I shouldn’t…”

  “You’re in pain, brother,” Henry said, one hand on Ben’s shoulder, the other against his chest. “I can see your wounds.”

  “I’m doing go–”

  “You’re suffering under the yoke of a false god. Shrug it off.”

  Ben stood silently.

  “Come on, shrug it off,” Henry repeated, his voice soothing, “A drink. That’s all.”

  His resolve gone, Ben allowed himself to be turned away from where Rowan was. What seeing her would achieve, Ben didn’t know. He just felt she would listen to him. Especially now that he had cleaned himself up since the funeral. Remembering the scene with shame, Ben knew she still wouldn’t listen to him.

  Henry put an arm across Ben’s back as he signaled for a cab with the other.

  XVII

  Spirits high and the night still young, Rebecca and her friends left the nightclub.

  The line outside stretched along the block, the bouncer now a lot more selective about who he let in. Such was the life of a midnight to dawn radio host, her nights generally had to be over by eleven at the latest to prepare for the show.

  “Two and a half thousand-dollar bottle of champagne,” Hayley announced, linking arms with her friends. “I’d say we still got it.”

  “Not that any of us touched a drop,” Rowan said.

  “I know my excuse,” Rebecca said.

  Hayley looked at her critically, “so if you hadn’t had to go to work, you’d have drunk it. Even with the potential to be roofied?”

  “Ten years ago,” Rebecca replied, “probably.”

  “Me too,” Rowan added laughing.

  “Hell, I would’ve done it ten days ago,” Hayley admitted sadly to which her friends laughed harder.

  “So,” a male voice spoke up. “Good night?”

  “Listen pal,” Rowan said sharply, turning around to see McLachlan, her tone softening. “Oh hey.”

  “Hey,” he smiled back. Eddie was next to him, both evidently waiting outside for them to leave. Rebecca slipped her arms around McLachlan and pulled him in for a kiss. Eddie and Hayley made eye contact and that was about it, standing chastely on the sidewalk.

  “What’re you guys doing here?” Rowan asked.

  “That whole gentlemanly thing,” Eddie replied. “Thought we’d see you safely back to your residences.”

  “God, you guys were that bored, huh?” Hayley asked.

  “No,” McLachlan murmured as Michael unexpectedly joined the group. Eddie and McLachlan looked at each other questioningly. More so when Rowan kissed the newcomer.

  “Dudes,” he smiled. “Dudettes.”

  “Um.” McLachlan was taken aback by the arrival. And the kiss. Aware of his tendency to blunder, he looked at Rebecca, “so last radio shift of the week. You excited for the weekend?”

  “You mean our second date?”

  “Finally!” Rowan cheered.

  “At last,” Eddie said

  “Thank fuck!” Hayley declared.

  “I’m Michael.” Warmly, the newcomer offered his hand to Hayley and Rebecca, providing McLachlan an excuse not to reply.

  “Yes,” Hayley said, looking him over slowly. “Yes, you are.”

  “While I appreciate the gentlemanly gesture.” Rebecca saw Michael blush and tried to hurry everyone along. “I still think either you two were bored or hoping for sex.” As hints went, she worried, it was pretty heavy handed but figured she’d give it a shot and see how McLachlan responded.

  Sadly, it was Eddie who spoke up first.

  “Pretty sure there’s only one couple here having sex tonight.” He looked pointedly at Rowan and Michael.

  “Couple?” The word caught in Rowan’s throat.

  “Good one, doofus,” Hayley said, flatly. “Now no one’s having sex.”

  Discomfort rippled amongst the small group, the silence dragging on a little longer than it needed to.

  “Going with boredom then,” Rebecca said, rallying.

  “How’d it go with Gracchus?” Rowan asked.

  “Drink,” Hayley said, then realized they weren’t inside the club any more, with no alcohol at hand.

  “Could’ve gone better.” Sheepishly, McLachlan looked at Eddie. “He wasn’t there so back to square one.”

  “Two bodies, no leads,” Eddie said.

  “Another body?” Rebecca asked, her voice rising.

  “Now I understand the gentlemanly escort,” Hayley said, her tone leaden.

  “You could look at it that way.” Mistakenly, Eddie was trying to use his diplomatic skills on a woman who worked in PR.

  “Dude,” Michael said, “you’re going over the falls. Bail, bro, bail.”

  “There’s really no other way to look at it.” McLachlan turned to Rebecca. She could tell he’d been dreading this. For the moment she wasn’t su
re if she was upset that he hadn’t told her sooner or that there was another dead body. “I’m on it though. There won’t be another. Cult business is over. Ben’s elsewhere. Dylan’s back in England. Everybody’s all whole and healed. Nothing to distract me.” Except date number two, she hoped, mentally begging the others not to mention it. He put a hand on her shoulder, his thumb gently rubbing the base of her neck.

  She looked at him strangely. The gesture was soothing but too…familiar. Reaching up, she took his hand in hers and held it between them. His touch had been exactly what she needed but he wasn’t to know that.

  “Think that’s our cue to leave.” Rowan linked her arm with Michael’s and pulled him away.

  “Been real.” Michael shook the guys’ hands, then he turned his smile on Hayley and Rebecca. “Betties. An honor.”

  He put an arm around Rowan and pulled her close as they walked away. Waiting at the lights, he kissed the top of her head. Rowan leaned into him.

  “Not sure it’s anything to worry about,” McLachlan said, as they started walking in the opposite direction.

  “Another person’s dead.” Hayley placed herself on the other side of the group from Eddie. A conscious decision noticed by all.

  “True,” he replied. “And that’s a tragedy. I just think it’s someone trying to get Matteo’s attention.”

  “Chance would be a fine thing,” Hayley said dismissively.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” McLachlan demanded, Eddie tensed beside him.

  “You’re kidding, right?” Hayley stopped on the sidewalk and turned to the guys. “You don’t think Matteo’s been distant lately? Are you blind?”

  “Now, hold on,” Eddie said. “You’ve been around a week, tops. Some pretty major shit’s gone down, and suddenly you’re an expert in all things Matteo?”

  “You’re right,” Rebecca said firmly. “Some pretty major shit has gone down. And yes, Matteo has been distant.”

  “Doesn’t take a curse, bite, magic, or a demon to see that,” Hayley said.

  “Not what I meant,” Eddie replied.

  “You can leave,” Hayley said flatly. “McLachlan can see us home safely.”

  Eddie looked to McLachlan for help, but his friend had no idea what had just happened. Without a word Eddie walked off ahead of them. He saw an empty cab at the lights and hailed the driver.

  “You know he’s not trying to be dick,” McLachlan said, testing the waters. “He, more than anyone, is just pretty sensitive about Ben’s betrayal. Like he should’ve seen it.”

  “No one could’ve seen that coming,” Rebecca replied, then held her hands up when she saw his reproachful look. “And yes, I too, have only been here for a week or so but deception is easier to hide than distance.”

  They walked on a little further in silence, before Hayley admitted, “I know he wasn’t being a dick, I just can’t help snapping at him lately.”

  “Any particular reason?” McLachlan asked. Rebecca had the answer and could have told him later, but he seemed to be using this as a good chance to get to know Hayley.

  “Because he’s everything I want but nothing I can have.”

  McLachlan was about to pry further when Rebecca patted his chest. Making the effort had been appreciated. She just wanted him to know there was still a boundary.

  “And that makes me a bitch to be around,” Hayley said.

  Rebecca put her arm around her friend and leaned her head against the other woman’s shoulder, “You? A bitch? Never!”

  As McLachlan hailed a cab he was lost in thought. Rebecca watched him closely, a myriad of thoughts playing out in his eyes. Was it the dead body? Was it Matteo?

  “You’re right,” he said finally, as a cab stopped next to them. He looked Hayley square in the face, unsettled by the realization. “Matteo has been distant lately.” Comfortingly, she rubbed his arm then slipped into the cab after Rebecca.

  XVIII

  Flowers are cliché. But a cliché women seemed to like, McLachlan worried standing outside Rebecca’s apartment. Half-heartedly he looked at the roses in his hand, feeling he should have done better. Put more thought into it.

  He knocked. And braced himself.

  “Hey,” Rebecca said, opening the door. Her face lit up when she saw him. Returning her smile, he took it as a good sign.

  “Hey,” he replied. “I brought you…a cliché.”

  “The first today,” she said, gesturing him inside the cramped apartment. “And it’s a good cliché.” She kissed him as he entered the apartment, her lips lingering.

  McLachlan put an arm around her and drew her in for a deeper kiss. Kissing seemed to be their only intimacy since meeting. Not like a singular kissing marathon. Just minimal opportunity for…more. At least everyone accusing Hayley and Eddie of being chaste drew interest away from them.

  “Hey,” he said again.

  “I’m almost ready.” As she fixed her earring, he wondered what else she needed to do. Best not to say as much, he decided. Frank had run afoul of Connie enough times on that score that McLachlan had learned the appropriate response was, “you look great.”

  “Thanks.” She kissed him again. And again there was the lingering.

  “Great place,” he said, looking around.

  “It’s half the size of yours with twice the occupants is what it is.”

  “Yes, but not attached to a church,” he replied with a coy smile. “So that’s a bonus.”

  “About that…” Rebecca paused, stepping close and kissing him, her arms enveloping his torso.

  “What about your third date rule?” he asked, aware the kissing was far more passionate than before.

  “More of a guideline really,” she replied. “When I was twenty.”

  McLachlan felt his cock swell. Rebecca felt it too and pushed him over the armrest onto the couch. Laying on top of him, she slid her knees over his hips.

  “Fuck!” a voice cried out, followed by some banging and crashing.

  Like a pair of guilty teenagers they sat bolt upright on the couch as the bathroom door opened. Rebecca patted the bulging zip of his jeans. He shot her a puzzled look then stretched his arm across the back of the sofa behind her. She smiled as Hayley emerged from the bathroom.

  “Oh great,” she groaned. “Company.”

  “Everything okay?” Rebecca asked as McLachlan’s hand rested on the back of her neck, his thumb moving up and down in soft, soothing strokes.

  “Yeah, no, just that shitty little bathroom is like tiny.”

  “That it is,” Rebecca muttered, getting lost in the sensation of his thumb absently stroking her neck.

  “So second date, huh?” Hayley asked. “You know what that means?”

  McLachlan was about to reply when Rebecca stood up suddenly. “Can I borrow…your jacket?”

  “Uh, sure.” Hayley looked at her puzzled. “Which one?”

  “I don’t know, let’s try them all on.” Rebecca pushed Hayley all of three feet into her bedroom and slammed the door shut.

  Alone, McLachlan was able to…adjust himself.

  _ _ _

  “He did it again,” Rebecca hissed, her voice quiet and urgent.

  “What?”

  “The overly familiar thing. Like we’ve been together for years.”

  “I’m gonna need you to be more specific.”

  “He rubbed my neck. You know that spot in the back.”

  “What? The D-spot?” Hayley flashed her friend a knowing smile as she sat on the bed.

  “What? No. Wait you named it? And you named it that?”

  “After Dean,” Hayley replied. “He was the one who discovered it after all. Then Sammy stumbled on it. If I remember rightly, Dean massaged it, Sam used to kiss you there. Oh god, McLachlan’s not a biter is he?

  “No.” Rebecca sagged against the door. “It’s his thumb.” She was almost breathless, remembering the sensation sweep through her. “The lightest of strokes. Up and down, and yeah, gets all my nerves going.�
�

  “Are you sure you never told him about it?”

  “I’m sure,” Rebecca said with finality.

  “Not during one of your dull – I mean delightful conversations? That shit went on for a few months. Surely you covered that sort of thing?”

  “No, we didn’t and don’t call me Shirley.”

  “Maybe it’s like an Outlander thing. Because that could totally be possible and some ancient version of you had a thing about necks. Maybe you were beheaded in a past life?”

  “In his other life supposedly we were together for a while. We had two kids for crying out loud. He was my husband. That version of him totally would’ve known about the neck thing.”

  “Did he say anything about me?” Hayley asked. “You know what I was doing in that other life?”

  “Hello, not about you.”

  “Yeah, sorry. Still if you could ask. Right, sorry. Maybe you should talk to Rowan?”

  Rebecca dropped onto the bed with a frustrated groan.

  “Or not,” Hayley said.

  “No, you’re right. She is the best person to talk to. But fuck, why does this supernatural bullshit have to keep getting in the way of me getting laid?”

  “A question we’ve been asking ourselves since the dawn of time.”

  “Oh shut up.”

  “You shut up. And get back to your second date. With the guy who already knows how to rev your engine.”

  Rebecca grabbed the first coat she saw and opened the door. “I’m gonna take this one if that’s okay?”

  “Sure,” Hayley replied, “but the walls in this apartment are paper thin. I thought you knew that?”

  Aghast, Rebecca looked at McLachlan. He didn’t seem to have heard every word, but knew enough to wiggle his thumb at her.

  _ _ _

  By the time they were seated at the restaurant, enjoying a bottle of red wine and poring over the menu, conversation was flowing well enough the matter was all but forgotten.

  “I just don’t think I could handle being alive for that long,” Rebecca said. “Doesn’t he get bored?”

  “Little bit,” McLachlan replied. “Probably less so since he met me, because I am hilarious.”

  “And modest too,” Rebecca laughed.