“There’s nothing to worry about.” Zack gently turned her around and tied the apron in a neat bow. “Honestly. You’ll be fine.”
“But I don’t know how to do anything,” she said and looked out at the daytime crew as they swept floors and polished tabletops. “We’ve always had servants do these things.”
“Colleen will show you how to do everything.” Zack glanced behind Alix and grinned. “Speak of the devil and imps appear.”
“I’ll ‘imp’ you, asshole.” Colleen laughed and grabbed Zack up in a fierce bearhug. “C’mere!”
Zack hugged her just as tightly. Colleen had been one of the first shifters he’d met in New York after crossing over. She was from Ireland and looked it, with gorgeous red hair and a smattering of freckles across her cheeks. The first time she had shifted into her red deer form, Zack had been astounded by her beauty and grace. Her female form was just as admirable; her curves and height were almost Amazonian. She’d taken him in and shown him around the city, even allowing him to live with her for a while, but they had always remained simply friends.
“So is this your lady friend, eh?” Colleen looked Alix up and down. Zack tried to hide his smile at the faint frown of jealousy on Alix’s face. “She’s too wee to be a barmaid.”
“I can do anything I need to do,” Alix said quickly, hackles raised.
“Go easy, Colly.” Zack slipped his arm around Alix’s shoulders and pulled her closer. He noticed that she relaxed slightly at his touch. “Alix just wants to help Brady out while she’s visiting.”
“Have ye ever served anyone before?” Colleen fixed her emerald eyes on Alix.
Alix stiffened her back. “No. But I can learn.”
Colleen nodded slowly, studying her close, and suddenly laughed. “I like her, Zacky-boy. And you say she’s a princess, at that?”
“Yep.” Zack smiled at Alix. “But we’ll forgive her for it.”
“That we will. C’mon lass… I’ll show you how to wash a glass.” Colleen tossed a bar rag over her shoulder and headed towards the rear of the bar.
“She’ll be there in a minute!” Zack called after her. He turned to Alix, still smiling. “You’ll like Colleen once you get to know her. She’s all bark.”
“She’s very attractive,” Alix said, an uneasy look on her face. “Is she… um… one of your partners?”
“Partners?” Zack frowned for a moment, then suddenly understood. “Oh! Partner. Oh, no. No. We’ve only ever been friends.”
“Why?” Alix cocked her head slightly, genuinely confused. “You’re both very attractive and you obviously like each other—”
“Because sometimes friendship is the only thing that develops.” Unlike what I feel for you, he thought. “It’s just as important as finding a mate.”
Alix nodded, but he could tell that she wasn’t entirely convinced. The thought of her being jealous of him was oddly pleasing.
“I’ve got to take care of a few things today,” he said. “I’ll be back before the club opens.”
“You’re leaving me alone?” Alix’s eyes widened. “What about Vardok?”
“He’d be an idiot to step foot in this club.” I hope, he thought.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Very sure.” He lifted her chin with a crooked finger, somehow managing to fight the urge to kiss her. “Trust me. I’ll be back before you know it.”
Alix took a deep breath and sighed. “Okay. Fine.”
“Allie Cat!” Colleen yelled from the back. “You comin’ or no?”
“Allie Cat,” Zack repeated, grinning. “I like that one.”
Alix laughed and swatted him with a bar cloth, then turned away and hurried toward the rear of the bar.
Zack looked around the half-empty club, his smile and good mood fading. The day shift crew was busily sweeping and mopping and generally getting ready for the night’s opening. He knew everybody there, knew that, for the most part, he could trust them. The doors were locked and nobody would be able to get in without somebody stopping them. Nobody would be coming through the Arch in the cellar without alarms blaring. He knew all that, understood it, believed it to be true.
But…
He had seen the rage in Vardok’s eyes. He had heard the poison in his voice. Zack had no doubt that he would do whatever it took to get to Alix. He very much doubted that Vardok would give them the luxury of a week to convince Alix to come to him. He undoubtedly knew where Alix was hiding. He could send his mercenaries for her at any time, even though she still had most of a week left before she had to return.
And that made him question the wisdom of staying in such close proximity to the Arch. Maybe they needed to go further away.
Like Maine.
One of his buddies had a hunting cabin near Bangor. It wasn’t much more than a shack, but it was off the grid and tucked away deep in the woods. It was a seven or eight hour drive, but if they left first thing in the morning, they could get there before nightfall. If Alix wanted to return to the shifter world, Zack knew of an Arch near a town on the ocean. A lighthouse, of all things.
It wasn’t the greatest idea in the world, but it was all he had for now.
Zack watched Alix as she talked to Colleen at the bar. Zack had told her a little about Vardok and his mercenaries, so she was on red alert for strangers.
He’d leave Alix here, under Colleen’s watch, and gather everything they’d need for a few days in the wild. He debated for a moment about telling her his plan. She deserved to know, needed to know, but he didn’t have the time for another argument. The thought of leaving her alone unnerved him, but he didn’t know what else he could do. If he took her with him, he’d be constantly surveilling their surroundings. At least here she’d be protected.
Everything would be okay. Alix would be okay.
He just had to keep telling himself that.
The rented SUV was packed and ready to go. Zack felt itchy and wanted to leave for Maine as soon as possible, but Colleen had begged him to let Alix stay and help out for the night. She had several waitresses call off unexpectedly and needed the extra pair of hands. The club closed at 2am, and if they left by 3 or 4, they’d get up to Maine in plenty of time to settle in before nightfall. He agreed to wait, but he didn’t like it.
Just like he didn’t like the way that guy was looking at Alix.
Zack folded his arms atop the bar and didn’t try to hide the scowl on his face. Across the room, Alix was doing her best to take orders and deliver drinks to tables, concentrating too hard on getting it right to notice the creeper staring at her. Zack noticed, though. And he didn’t like it one bit.
“Hey, Zacky-boy,” Colleen strolled over to him and leaned against the bar.
“Colleen,” Zack said and nodded. The club was unusually quiet for this time of the night. Less than half of the normal amount of clientele had shown up, which was odd for a Thursday night. Zack preferred the club like this. The music wasn’t cranked up so high that it was impossible to talk, and the floor wasn’t so crowded that it took a half-hour to get across the room.
Getting old, he thought as he swallowed the last of his beer. Colleen was right there to replace the bottle with a new one.
“Your girl’s doing pretty good tonight,” Colleen said, tilting her head in Alix’s direction. “She picked it up quick, for a princess.”
Zack smiled. Colleen was the only person in the club who knew that Alix was Brady’s sister and the only person he knew who wouldn’t be a bit impressed by Alix’s title. She treated Alix just the same as everyone else. No deference, no special kid gloves.
“She’s not exactly my girl,” Zack said, glancing at Alix again. Now she was trying to mop up a spilled pitcher of beer with a handful of napkins.
“Not yet, you mean.” Colleen winked and grinned. “I know how you wolfy boys are. Once you find a mate, nothing stops you from getting what you want.”
“That remains to be seen,” Zack said with a laugh. “I’ll talk to you la
ter. Got some spying to do.”
He grabbed his beer and meandered through the small crowd, keeping his eye on the creeper. He didn’t want Alix to feel like he was hovering over her shoulder, but he couldn’t shake the thought of Vardok sending someone after her. He might not be able to use the Arch in the Markonian region, but there might be gateways that weren’t so carefully guarded. Most regions made sure no one came in or went out without permission, but Zack didn’t think Vardok would care much for rules. All it took was one careless guardian and he could come through and do some serious damage. They might emerge on the other side of the country, but they could make up the distance to New York in a day in their dragon form.
This guy, though. This creep. He looked like one of those so-called ‘nice guys’ who ended up stalking and killing girls who just wanted to be friends. Zack gauged him to be at least thirty, pudgy, with oily hair and wire-rimmed glasses. He watched Alix’s every move with just a little too much interest. He didn’t look like one of Vardok’s men, as as Zack moved closer to him, he could smell that he was a full human, not a shifter. That surprised him; usually humans steered clear of this place unless they had a personal connection to a shifter. It was an unspoken rule that even though humans were not banned from the club, they weren’t encouraged, either.
So what are you doing here? Zack thought. He took a seat at an empty table, keeping his back to the wall, and leaned back in his chair.
Despite her slow start, Alix looked like she was having fun. She hadn’t enjoyed sweeping and mopping the club before opening, but she did as she was told and got through it. Serving drinks seemed to be more enjoyable; she had a natural chemistry with people, and despite her screw-ups, customers seemed to like her.
He watched as she made her way back to the bar, deftly maneuvering between the dancing couples. She had pulled her hair back into a ponytail that swayed and bounced as she walked and made her look even younger than her years. Even in jeans, a t-shirt, and an oversized slouchy cardigan, she was jaw droppingly gorgeous. And apparently he wasn’t the only person who thought so.
Zack’s gaze flicked back to the creeper, who still stared at Alix. He didn’t look like the type who’d cause trouble, but then again… who knew what to expect with these jokers.
The guy held his hand up to catch Alix’s attention and Zack immediately went on full alert. He set down his beer and sat up straight. He didn’t want to embarrass Alix by making a big deal out of it, but he wanted to be ready. Just in case.
He allowed his hands to shift into wolf paws, his black claws long and curved, razor sharp. In an instant, his canine teeth had extended into fangs. He stayed in the shadows, tensed and ready to spring.
Alix saw the guy waving his hand and headed to his table with her tray under her arm. Zack watched as the creeper did a quick breath check and tried to mentally psych himself up to talk to Alix. Zack couldn’t help but feel bad for the guy. He knew all too well how it felt like to want what you couldn’t have. He had that much in common with this guy, at least.
Don’t embarrass yourself, dude, he thought. Be cool.
The guy was not cool.
Even sitting away from them, Zack could hear his stammer and see the sweat beading on his forehead as he fought to meet Alix’s eyes. Alix patiently listened to him, keeping a friendly smile on her face. After a few moments, the smile faded into a faint frown of apology as she shook her head. She lightly touched his shoulder and the guy looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him whole.
The moment Alix turned her back to him to go to the bar, Zack saw the change happen.
In an instant, the guy’s nonthreatening facade disappeared. The nervousness fell away. His back straightened and his eyes darkened. He tossed back the remainder of his drink and stood, throwing a couple of bucks on the table. He never looked away from Alix.
Okay. Enough of this shit.
He rose in one fluid motion and forced himself to very calmly and coolly walk over to the creepy guy’s table. It took a second, but the guy jerked, startled, when he saw Zack standing so close to him. It didn’t take long for that sullen pout to return.
“Back off, big man,” he said, squaring his shoulders as he tried to form a sneer on his face. Zack very nearly laughed at him. So pathetic.
“I saw you talking to the waitress,” Zack said in a surprisingly mild tone. “You looked pissed off when she left. What happened?”
Creepy Guy rolled his eyes and almost snorted. “That stuck up bitch?”
Zack growled deep in his throat. The guy heard it. He also saw the daggers in Zack’s eyes.
“Dude… chill. Is she your girlfriend or something?” Creepy Guy backed away, his hands held up in surrender. “Sorry, man…”
“Why don’t you go ahead and leave,” Zack said with a tight smile. “Now.”
Creepy Guy nodded and turned tail, getting out of the club as quickly as possible. Zack made sure he was gone before heading back to his table and the last of his beer. He couldn’t help thinking about the psychopathic bear stalker that had gone after Casey because she had been nice to him once. Sometimes a smile was all it took to light the fuse. Guys like that didn’t need a reason.
Zack swallowed the last of his beer and shook his head in disgust. Fucking incels.
Something told him to check the back door. Just a feeling. A strong feeling.
After the house lights came on at 2 a.m. and the club patrons filed out the door in search of more liquor and music, Zack felt an odd urge to go through the club and check out all the dark nooks and crannies where someone could hide. It wasn’t exactly a premonition, just a feeling, but he’d had these feelings before and they’d always turned out right.
So he popped into the bathrooms and glanced into the stalls. He double-checked exit doors and even opened supply closets. He looked under tables and in the corners and anywhere it might be possible to hide.
Nothing.
He looked over to the bar, where Alix was washing empty glasses. He was going to have to talk to her sooner or later about going up to Maine. She wasn’t going to like it. She’d had her first taste of actual freedom tonight and she wouldn’t want to give it up easily. Especially if she decided to go home to her arranged marriage with Vardok.
He didn’t want to think about that now.
As he approached the bar, Alix looked up and smiled. “Hey… how was your night?”
“Not bad.” Zack sat on a bar stool and leaned against the edge. “Where’s Colleen?”
“She went outside to smoke—”
A scream tore through the quiet of the club. Zack was on his feet in seconds, heading in the direction of the scream. He crashed out of the back exit, into the alley where people hung out to smoke, and nearly tripped over Colleen’s body.
“Colly!” Zack knelt beside her, only dimly aware that Alix had joined him. Colleen had been stabbed several places, but she was still alive. Barely. “What happened?”
She raised her head slightly. “He… made me… scream…”
Zack looked up right as a foot connected with his face, sending him sprawling. He rose quickly, shaking off the pain, and blinked in surprise.
Creepy Guy.
But now nothing about the guy seemed weak or pathetic. Now Zack could see that he carried himself like a soldier, tensed and ready to react. He approached Zack with a blank expression on his face; a mercenary, Zack thought. This is just business to him.
“Get her inside,” Zack yelled to Alix.
As Alix dragged Colleen into the bar, Zack got to his feet. “You here for Vardok?” he asked as he wiped blood off his chin with the back of his hand.
The guy nodded. “Nothing personal, man.”
“Right,” Zack muttered. He leapt at the guy, transforming midway, and slammed into him in full wolf form, knocking him onto his back.
He must have been expecting shifters, because he didn’t react in any way but to swipe at him with his knife, a jagged edged piece of steel made to inflict
maximum damage. Zack took a slice along his flank, but managed to clamp his jaws around the guy’s wrist, crunching bones between his teeth and sending the knife flying.
“Fucking freaks,” the guy muttered as he pushed against Zack, trying to get some space between them. Zack caught a glint of steel just a heartbeat before the explosion of the shot. Fire tore through his left shoulder, and he instantly lost feeling in his left foreleg and paw. It was just enough time for the guy to kick away from him and scramble to his feet, gun in hand.
Zack struggled to stand but couldn’t support his weight on his wounded leg. He fell back onto the ground, shifting back to human form, growling in rage and baring his teeth as the cocky bastard slowly approached him.
“I appreciate you keeping her close by,” he said, a smirk on his face. “Made things a lot easier for me.”
He raised the gun.
And was suddenly engulfed in pale blue flame.
Zack scrambled to his feet and turned around. A ghostly white dragon hovered just behind him, ten feet off the ground. Her lacy wings flapped powerfully as she opened her mouth to belch another stream of fire on the still burning body.
Alix.
She gracefully lowered herself to the ground, shifting back into her human form as she touched down. Instantly she was at Zack’s side.
“You’re hurt!” She gently prodded the bullet hole in Zack’s shirt, and he hissed in pain.
“I’m fine. C’mon… we gotta go.”
He grabbed her hand before she could argue and led her around the building to the street, where the SUV was parked. He opened the passenger door and virtually hurled her inside, then ran around the hood to the driver’s side. As he started the car and slammed the gear stick into drive, he saw another man running from an alley just across the street. He held an even nastier gun than Creepy Guy.
“Zack, what’s happening?” Alix’s voice was shaky, almost to the point of panic.
“Your fiance’s sent some goons for you,” Zack said as he pulled out of the parking spot and into the street. Traffic was light at this time of night. He glanced into the rearview and saw the new guy taking a military shooting stance. Without thinking, Zack grabbed Alix’s arm and roughly yanked her down. A second later, the rear window exploded as automatic gun fire echoed through the streets. Zack stomped on the gas and roared through red lights, trying to put as much space between them as possible. He heard another round of shots, but they were too far away..
Undercover Wolf Shifter Page 5
