by Jana Leigh
She needed to have a few hours to figure this shit out, which is why she was sitting in the back seat pretending to sleep, while they drove the English countryside running from a crazy-ass group of Rogues. How had this gotten so far off track? Just two weeks ago, everything was normal. They were planning on her taking over. And then the impossible happened.
Now her life had changed so much she wasn’t sure what to do. The only thing she knew for sure was that she had an obligation to her Pack. These two men were her mates; she could feel it. And she needed to fucking sleep.
That was her last thought as she actually drifted off, confident that her mates would protect her with their lives, even if they didn’t know her yet.
Chapter 7
Brin and Dante talked quietly while Jax slept. Her breathing had evened out about an hour ago, and the men had noticed and began to talk about the situation. Dante was glad the human knew everything about the magical community and seemed to know how to take care of himself.
“We will stay at a hotel under my name. I have reserved three rooms and a suite. We will have to have someone come in and measure Jax for clothes; I don’t feel comfortable taking her out into public,” Dante said quietly.
“That's fine, I will pay for it,” Brin said like Dante was questioning that.
“Listen, I know we were thrown together in this crazy-ass situation. But we are mates; I can feel the connection already. I will tell Jax, but I am telling you, that I am the Seer of the Senate,” Dante admitted.
“What does that mean?” Brin asked curiously. He knew Blaine was and his mates were also the Seer of the New Council.
“When I was changed, something happened to me.” Dante admitted. “I can't explain it, never have been able to. But when Orfeo’s father found me, he noticed there was something different about me. Over the last few decades, it has gotten a lot stronger. I see things in my dreams. Things that come true, I don’t always know when they are going to happen, or even the whole story. It's like bits and pieces. Anyway, that's why I know we are destined to be together. I saw it. Jax may be the White Wolf of the Senate, but I am the Seer. Just before I left, I told Orfeo it was time for me to take my place on the Senate as the Seer. This is why I told him. Together we will share a seat.”
Brin frowned and looked in the mirror. So one of his mates was the White Wolf of the Senate and the other the Seer, he was a fucking human, how the hell did that work out? Was he supposed to sit nicely in a corner while they did all this amazing shit and he came out when they needed a sideshow? It didn’t make sense. Dante must have felt his indecision about things.
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
“Well, I am wondering where I fit in,” Brin said slowly.
“Simple, you are the anchor for both Jax and me. As the White Wolf, Jax can be overwhelmed by the feelings she will have, and when I have a vision...sometimes I can’t figure out what the fuck they mean. I was told finding my mates would even everything out. Besides, you are the lawyer of the Senate, so you will have a lot to do anyway,” Dante said reasonably.
Brin thought for a minute and then said, “And I'm going to have to be a mediator, right?”
Dante laughed and looked back. “Yeah probably. So I wanted to make sure we are clear. We will share Jax.”
“Uh yeah, I get that, and I'm feeling a connection with you, not sexual, more like you are my family, a brother,” Brin said.
“Me too. I have been alone for a long time. It will take getting used to, but I already feel comfortable with you. More than even Orfeo, who is my closest friend,” Dante said.
“Are you guys going to hug it out now?” Jax said from the back seat.
Brin almost lost control of the car when she muttered the words and Dante frowned and turned and looked at her. “How long have you been awake?”
Jax snorted. “Enough to hear the hugs and kisses.”
Brin laughed. “We're going to stop in a few, we need to eat.”
Jax scrunched up her face in thought and then looked at Dante and said, “Hey, what are you gonna eat? I mean, it's not like we can order a pint of blood.”
Dante looked at her straight faced and said, “Know many vampires?”
“Yeah, you,” Jax said smartly.
“The first thing you need to know is that yes, although Vampires do drink blood, we also eat food. The second thing is not to piss a Vampire off unless you are willing to deal with the consequences,” Dante said and turned around.
Brin looked at him out of the corner of his eye and saw he was smiling a little. This was like foreplay to him. Looking in the rearview mirror, he saw the same expression on Jax’s face. Wow, life was certainly going to be interesting.
“So, what made you decide to change your hair color again?” Brin asked and then both of them turned and looked at him and laughed. Obviously, he was trying to break the tension in the car. Shit, riding for the next few hours with the sexual vibes flying around would be hell. They really needed to stop and take a breather.
“I need food!” Jax said when her stomach grumbled. “Are we there yet?” She whined, and Brin laughed.
“We have ten miles,” Brin answered and Dante pulled out his phone and called his men in the other cars. They were all ready to get out and stretch. The hotel was about four more hours away. They needed a break.
“I vote Bangers and Mash. I haven’t had that in a long time!” Jax said from the backseat and Dante snorted.
“What in the hell is that?” Dante said.
“WHAT?” Brin said and grinned. “You don’t know what Bangers and Mash are?"
“Uh, did you want me to guess?” Dante drawled and looked at him.
Brin laughed and said, “Sausages and mashed potatoes with gravy.”
“Ahh,” Dante said.
“Well, if we in Ireland, I would make sure you had a helping of Black Pudding and Colcannon, but since we are here, Bangers and Mash are the next-best thing,” Jax said innocently. Brin looked in the mirror and shook his head at her. “What?”
“Okay, there had to be an insult in there somewhere, what are Black Pudding and Colcannon?” Dante drawled.
“I will make it for you! You will love it!” Jax said in a sing-song voice, and Brin started laughing.
“Tell me!” Dante said and then picked up the computer and began to type.
“Cheating,” Jax complained.
“No, survival,” Dante laughed and then shook his head when he saw Black Pudding was made partly of blood, and Colcannon was made from pig’s feet and kale.
“Yumm,” Jax said and rubbed her stomach.
Brin laughed and pulled off the highway and looked for a restaurant in the small village as they arrived. Driving through the small, sleepy town, Brin wondered if they were going to stick out like a sore thumb. But they had to eat.
Finally, he saw a small café that looked open and parked. The other two SUV’s pulled in next to him, and Dante put a hand on his arm before Brin could open the door. “Let them check it out!”
“Why? We are in the middle of nowhere, who the hell is gonna bug us?” Jax said from the back and looked around. There was no one even on the street. If there was a crazed shifter around here, she couldn’t see them.
“Just let us do our job,” Dante said and Jax rolled her eyes and mimicked him in the back. Brin had a hard time keeping his laughter in. She was gonna be a pain—a cute pain—but still a pain.
“Did you say you were gonna cut your hair, because I think we voted no,” Brin said.
“Is this gonna be a thing for you?” Jax asked and laughed.
“What?” Brin said innocently.
“My hair, talking about my hair when things get a little tense,” Jax said waving her hand around. She was impressively expressive, Brin thought.
“Maybe, I haven’t decided. Right now, I'm trying to keep you from coming to blows about shit,” Brin said and then laughed when Dante made a noise that sounded an awful lot like a laugh.
/> “Ready?” Jax said and flung open her door when she saw the Vampire walk out of the diner and nod slightly.
“Damn it,” Dante said and pushed open his door so fast that Brin had to blink to make sure he saw what he thought he had.
“Here we go again,” Brin muttered and exited the vehicle to hear Dante yelling at Jax about waiting for him or Brin to get out first. Jax was yelling right back something about being able to kick most men’s ass, and so she was not worried. And on it went until they were in the small diner waiting for a table.
There were only a handful of people in the place, and soft music played in the background. At least, it covered the silence that descended when they walked in the door. Apparently, not too many people get off at this exit. Or it was because of the eight men dressed in black jeans, black shirts and different length black leather jackets. They looked like they stepped out of the movies they were all so handsome—Jax had already commented on that once. Add in the woman dressed in oversized, hunter green sweats and messy, long hair because of rolling her head back and forth on the seat cushion. They screamed ‘cult’ or ‘gypsy’s’. Take your pick in England; they were both scary to normal people.
Brin looked around the room and met all the people’s eyes, causing them to turn away slightly. The diner had a country feel to it, decorated in pink and white checkered tables and white wood slat walls. It reminded him of a very nice barn.
The waitress was a short, bubbly teen that didn’t seem to notice the others staring at them. She led them through the tables and chatted the whole way with Brin about the small town. “This okay?” she said pointing to a table in the corner. Brin nodded and took a chair and watched as Dante made sure Jax was between them and sat so he could see the rest of the room. Always on guard, Brin thought.
“So, our specials are in the front.” The waitress announced when they had been seated, then she put up a hand and covered her mouth on one side like she was sharing a secret, but her tone never decreased. “But I wouldn’t have the stew, if you know what I mean.”
None of them did, so they just nodded, she took their drink order, and by the time she returned, they decided they were all having the same thing. Once they placed their order, Jax sat back and looked at the Vampires who were in the other cars. Brin braced himself for what was coming.
***
Jax narrowed her eyes at the Vampires; she had so many questions, but they were very serious. She wondered if she asked if they had a stick up their ass, if they would be offended. Finally not able to hold it in any longer, she said, “I have a question.”
Dante rolled his eyes and his men all smiled. “Sure.” The large man who had been driving the car ahead of them said.
“Your name?” Jax asked.
“My name is Trey,” he said and then introduced the others that sat around the table. Jax smiled at them nicely and then looked at Dante, who was staring intently at her.
“What?” She grumbled and frowned.
“Nothing, just waiting for the question,” Dante said smoothly and Jax turned to Brin.
“Brin, I think he's trying to pick a fight with me, don’t you?” she asked innocently.
“Staying out of this,” Brin said holding his hands up.
“Good idea,” Jax said and ignored Dante and put a huge smile on her face and spoke to Trey.
“So how does this whole Vampire thing work, I thought you could only go out at night,” she said.
“Well, normally that is the truth. For most Vampires, you are unable to stand the UV rays, but because our Sire, or our leader, mated with both, a wolf and a human, his blood changed with the magic. I don’t really know all about it. I only know we are able to walk in the day now. We are stronger than humans normally, and fast, but after we changed to a day walker, some of the skills we have are increasing. We can have children, eat food, sleep normally, though we don’t require as much.” Trey explained and then went about explaining the other characteristics of being a Vampire, and their hierarchy.
Jax nodded and looked closely; Brin knew she was trying to figure out what was going on with the Senate, how things would work, and most especially how the leader of the Senate would work.
“So, I get the whole prophesy thing, I asked my father about it when Orfeo sent out the letter saying that according to the Seer in the New Council, the members of the Senate would have two mates also. I teased my dad he was going to have to find someone to hold mom back when he took another mate. I guess it was not meant to be though,” she said wistfully and then shook herself as if she had shown too much of herself to others.
“Okay, I understand the whole prophesy, now what about Orfeo, what is he like?” Jax asked, and Dante sat forward and answered.
“He is a good Sire, fair and generous. No one at this table will ever say a bad word about him because he has proven time and time again he is devoted to the Clan and now the Senate. The Senate will be comprised of members from all over the world; each of the magical communities will have a member on the Senate. The New Council is planning to reveal our existence to the humans. Of course, there are those who will disagree or fight us. So far, we have kept that to a minimum, making sure the community knows we are here to help get their concerns addressed with the New Council before they announce anything. Their Seer has seen when and how the reveal happens, although no one knows but him and his mates. He says, so it will not change the future. Although he did say the Senate had to be formed, and other things needed to fall into place before we could proceed,” Dante said and Jax had leaned toward him without thinking. When he stopped speaking, she sat back quickly.
“And what exactly are we supposed to do as a Senate, and how does that affect the New Council?” Jax asked and then moved to the side, and the waitress brought their food. Bangers and Mash, the scent made her wolf sigh inside; it was comfort food for her. She loved it, her mother made it when she needed it. Jax closed her eyes when she took the first bite, remembering her mother and father sitting around the kitchen table eating. The comforting picture flowed over her; she was glad that she had these memories of them.
When she opened her eyes, she saw all the men staring at her with their mouths open. “What?”
“Uh, honey, you were projecting a little,” Dante laughed.
“What do you mean?” Jax said frowning.
“I think it has something to do with your wolf side; Jo can do similar things to her Pack,” Brin said and laughed. He had felt it too; he wondered what that meant since he was actually a human.
“I don’t get it, you are Vampires,” Jax said taking another bite and smiling to herself.
Brin loved the look she had, it was pure joy.
“You're not only part of a Pack any more. You are my mate, therefore, part of my Clan. Orfeo told me that since I found my mates, he was allowing us to make our own smaller compound on the Senate compound; each of the members will be allowed to do this. We have enough room for your Pack as well as my Clan. I explained to the men, and they all will follow me, so they belong to us,” Dante said quietly.
“Belong to us?” Brin asked.
“We are considered their Sires or Masters, which ever we decide to have them call us,” Dante said.
“Uh, why not Brin, Jax, and Dante?” Jax asked.
“That’s not the way a Clan is run. There are certain guidelines,” Dante said smoothly.
“Like?” Jax said impatiently. “You know, pulling information out of you is like pulling teeth. What the hell?”
Brin laughed, and Dante shrugged. “We have five more days in the car; I figured we would be able to talk as we got closer.”
“Good to know you share your plans with us,” Jax said and pushed her plate away when she finished the last little bit. She noticed the men had already finished and were waiting for her.
“I don’t really like to sit in a human restaurant talking about magical stuff, it may not be such a bright idea,” Dante drawled.
“Right, like a famou
s author who happens to live in England didn’t make a million dollars on the subject,” Jax sneered.
“That was make-believe,” Dante argued.
Brin closed his eyes and shook his head and said loudly, “Would you like to stop and get some hair dye to get your hair back to its original color?”
“Again with the hair,” Jax growled.
Dante stood and threw money down on the table and said, “Let’s get moving.”
Ignoring the humans, they walked back to their cars and piled back in, Jax grumbling about sitting in the back again. Dante ignored her and climbed in and brought the computer back up and began typing. Brin just drove. After getting back on the highway, he heard the radio turn on. Brin looked around and saw Jax playing with buttons in the back.
Dante looked up and then pushed a button, changing the station to a classical music station. Brin didn’t really care, he liked all music, but apparently it was not the same for Jax. She pushed a button and switched it back to the soft rock station.
Dante looked behind him and growled. Shit, Brin thought and waited. Dante reached up and pushed the same button as before, the music flowed back through the speakers. It was seconds before it switched back, but this time Jax began singing loudly in the back. It was an American station, so they were listening to pop songs.
“Raise….” Jax sang loudly.
Dante changed the station after the first word.
Jax changed it back and sang again, “Too cool….”
And the station changed again and this time Dante held his finger on the button and used his other hand to type on the keyboard. Jax snorted and folded the hands over her chest and waited. But Dante wasn't budging. He refused to move his finger.
“Oh fuck,” Jax screamed and Dante jerked to turn and see what she was talking about. Brin slowed a little, thinking something was wrong and he had not heard it. Then Jax laughed and pushed the button in the back, and the music pounded through the speakers and this time, she held the button and resumed singing along.
