“I don’t know what Mira was short for.”
“Can you remember your family?”
She shook her head. “I think I only remembered Mira because it’s so much like Misha. I’m pretty sure someone’s been in my head because I can’t remember anything from… before.”
“Can we open the cage and let you out?” Misha asked. “We’re supposed to bring someone stronger in before we unlock your cage, but I think you’ll freak if you smell a predator.”
“What is this place?”
“It’s Bran’s house, which is probably too big to call a house, but it’s our home,” Vanessa answered. “I was a slave when I came here, but I’m free to go now if I wish. Misha came here of his own choosing. He’s going to college and Bran pays us well.”
“Is Bran my new owner?”
“Patrick is the new Alpha of the Ringgold Pack,” said Misha, “which means he owns everything Frank owned. He isn’t interested in owning a slave so he brought you here. Bran will teach you what you need to know so you can own yourself, eventually.”
“Bran is the vampire?”
“Yes, but he won’t drink from you if you don’t want him to. Don’t be afraid of him. If you want to be a slave so you’ll be cared for by others, he’ll find a way to make it happen, but if you want your freedom then he’ll help you figure out how to survive on your own.”
* * *
Patrick
Thirty minutes later Ranger and I were alone in the now-soundproof room while Bran and Briana were in the garage talking to Mira.
“I’ve kept my women in cages since shortly after I discovered our lifestyle, but they all chose to stay with me,” I told Ranger. “The idea she had to be kept in a cage so she wouldn’t escape makes me ill.”
Ranger leaned against a wall and nodded. “I’m more into active play than long-term bondage, but I understand what you’re saying. I get pretty rough with Bethany, but she wants it.”
I sighed. “Any woman who comes to my house has strict rules. No furniture, no speaking unless asked a question, and their movement is just about always restricted.” I nodded toward Briana on the largest screen. “I don’t want to give her those rules, and yet there are times we’re going to need them. Why is she so different? I’d miss her if she couldn’t talk, couldn’t snuggle with me on the sofa.”
“She isn’t just a toy — she’s someone you want in your life. Makes all the difference in the world.”
“I have no idea how I’m going to handle the lone wolf situation. I bargained with Randall for a week, but I’m completely responsible for her during that time.”
“What can you use as leverage? Your new position is as much about politics as it is being strong. One of Randall’s Alphas has been keeping slaves. You can bet Abbott will hold him responsible — can you make the situation easier for Randall?”
* * *
We left nearly two hours later, when I was certain Mira was going to be okay at Bran’s large estate. Owning another human is a huge responsibility, but Aaron, Abbott, and Nathan all assured me Bran was the best option.
It bothered me that he wouldn’t let me put limits on what he could and couldn’t do, but Bran told me he’d give her what she needed to help her grow into her own person. Apparently, some women need space and nurturing, others have to be bullied into it.
Aaron invited us to his house for dinner, and said since Abbott is his neighbor it would work for me to have my talk with him this evening as well.
I introduced Sophia to Briana and asked where the kids were.
“They’re visiting their Godmother in Faerie. She can let them fly around as dragons and keep them from burning any important buildings down. Or, she tells me she can, anyway.”
Briana gave a small laugh and Sophia rolled her eyes. “Yes, my children have a Faerie Godmother. It sounds insane, I know. I sense your hunger. We have lasagna made out of five different animals in the oven. It should be out in about fifteen minutes, but I can get you a snack if you need something now. I have a cheese tray already prepared.”
“Cheese would be good. Thanks so much for offering.”
“Five?” I asked.
“Cow, pig, sheep, buffalo, and duck. It’s eight inches tall and fills most of the oven. Our cook doesn’t mess around when she’s told she needs to feed a bunch of hungry carnivores.” Sophia pulled the cheese tray out of her huge, industrial sized refrigerator, settled it on the large island, and grabbed a bottle of wine.
“This is a sweet red, almost a dessert wine. We also have beer, and a variety of other wines.”
A red-headed man stuck his head in the door and I smelled cat. Leopard. “Aaron’s ten minutes out, and he said since Patrick and Ranger are here I could send the rest of my team home. Ranger and I have the front and back taken care of, but Aaron wanted to be sure I let Patrick know he’s on inside duty.”
“Thanks, Jonathan,” Sophia told him. “With you and Ranger here, does this mean Mac and Bethany have a solo date night?”
He chuckled. “Yeah, but we’re all off at the same time day after tomorrow so she needs to rest up.” He tipped his head and left, and Briana looked at me in question.
“That was Jonathan. He, Ranger, and Mac all share the same woman. They’ve been living together a while and it seems to be working for them. She’s human, living with two wolves and a leopard.” He shook his head. “I have no idea how it works, but they’re all happy so I’m happy for them.”
She opened her mouth to say something, looked at Sophia, then back to me, and apparently decided not to say whatever thought had gone through her head.
I smiled. “I understand how to physically make it work for a one-night stand. It’s the long-term emotional stuff, the relationship stuff I don’t get.”
She shrugged. “I can’t answer much about relationships. I don’t really do them.”
“And yet, here we are.”
She turned to Sophia. “This wine works great with the smoky cheeses. Can I ask why you need bodyguards?”
“I’m the Swan Queen, as well as the Dragon Queen. My husband has lots of allies but also lots of enemies, and he’s quite protective of me. Jonathan’s been with me a long time, and I’m fortunate he came with me once I left my father’s house.”
She looked to Patrick. “Speaking of people who escaped my father’s house. Bran took on one of my father’s former slaves. She was my whipping girl so I’m quite close to her, and I know what Bran’s done for her. Your little otter is in good hands. My friend has chosen to continue as his slave, but she’s still being groomed to one day move out and become her own person. She may never actually do it, but he’s making her take college classes on the off chance she changes her mind.”
I took a breath and felt loads of tension leaving my body as I breathed it out. “Thanks for that. I’ve never owned a human before. I know I’ll own the members of my Pack, in a sense, but not as slaves. Finding out I own a slave…” I shook my head. “It’s a huge responsibility, and one I hadn’t prepared for. I almost wish Frank were still alive so I could kill him again.”
Sophia looked at Briana and told her, “While I’d known Aaron all my life, when I came to him at twenty-four it was the first time we’d been alone together since I was a child. It was the first we’d been allowed to touch in more than a decade. We were crowned Swan Queen and king in Faerie the day after I lost my virginity to Aaron. It happened fast and at times it felt as if I had no control over the events as they transpired, but I could’ve stopped things at any time.”
“Were you so sure Aaron was the right man for you?”
Sophia nodded. “I knew he was in my heart, but I still feared things were happening too fast.” She glanced at me before looking back to Briana. “You’ve had a lot happen since you first changed, and the promise of a lot more in the coming weeks. Let go of what you planned and choose the best option. Sometimes plans have to change.”
I’d heard a vehicle pull in the driveway as she talked, s
o I wasn’t surprised when Aaron Drake came in and kissed his wife on the cheek from behind her. “Sometimes you have to throw your plans completely out the window and start over, but sometimes you have to remember why you made those plans in the first place.” He looked at Patrick. “You’re family. We’ll do what we can to help, but there are some internal Pack decisions I won’t be able to broach with Randall. You’re mine but you’re also his, and she’s living here with his permission. If she refuses to allow Randall to oversee the situation and we pull in either Abbott or a Concilio member to handle things…” He sighed and rubbed his jaw with the back of his fingers. “I’m pretty sure you’d prefer Randall’s solution.”
Aaron looked at me, his eyes kind though I could almost see the dragon in there. “I know it hurt when Randall pushed you away, but if you were human and not wolf, it was the kindest solution. You chose to find a way to embrace your wolf, and I applaud you for making it happen, but now you have some decisions to make. Life is hard for lone wolves. Don’t make things harder than they have to be because of your pride.”
Sophia stuck a piece of cheese in his mouth as she said, “I think my husband’s trying to say you need to make your own decisions, and to follow your heart, not your wounded feelings. We’ve given enough advice for one day, though, and I’m sure it’s time for the lasagna.”
It turned out Sophia had her own mostly vegetable lasagna, while the rest of us ate from the mega-carnivore version.
Our dinner conversation was relaxed and enjoyable, thank goodness, but eventually it was time for Patrick to walk next door to Abbott’s house for their meeting.
I was surprised when he took my hand and led me with him, but I stopped at Aaron’s front door. “You’re the Alpha, I’m not sure I was invited.”
Patrick kissed my forehead, pulled me to him, and said, “I intend for you to be my mate. I intend for the two of us to run the Pack as a couple, and this means we both need to be present for this meeting.”
“I haven’t agreed to that.”
“No, because we both agreed things were happening too fast. I have a week to show you how things can be with me. I’m not asking you to oath to me today. As a new wolf you’re supposed to have some time to make those decisions, and while you’re already stronger than Maggie so those rules don’t really apply, I’m allowing them for another week.” He sighed and held me tighter. “We’ll figure this out, Hot Lips. Go with me and sit with me as my mate, please?”
The Hot Lips thing might be silly, but it reminded me of better times and made me smile. “Fine, but we aren’t going to make it seem like a sure thing to anyone.”
Chapter 19
Patrick
Truth be told, I was nervous as hell about this meeting. I had ways of keeping people from knowing I was nervous, and I was certain Briana wouldn’t know.
I was just as certain the Master Vampire probably knew everything about me as soon as I stepped foot through the gate in the hedge and onto his property.
I didn’t wear any weapons, save a single pocketknife with a blade too short to adequately penetrate a vampire’s heart. I had to walk in as an ally, and bringing weapons would’ve sent the wrong message.
Still, I’m so used to the weight of my firearm on my hip, I felt naked.
We were let in by a grandmotherly looking elderly lady, and she pointed us towards some stairs going down. “Abbott’s in his study, go left at the bottom of the steps.”
I let my nose tell me which room he was in, and I knocked on the partially open door as we approached.
“Come in, Patrick, and introduce me to your mate, please.”
“Abbott, this is Briana. Briana, Abbott.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Sir. Who told you we’re mated?”
He tilted his head, straightened it, and gave her a warm smile. “No one, my dear. Your energy signature practically screams it. I have no issues treating you as a mated Alpha pair because it’s what you are. I do hope you recognize it sooner rather than later.” He gestured to a loveseat. “Please, have a seat so we can get started.”
He moved to a chair on our side of his desk as we sat, and told Patrick, “I appreciate being your first phone call when you were told of Frank’s little otter slave. None of Frank’s people have oathed to you yet, but I’ll still consider them yours until the Pack energy is taken from them. This means I’m notifying you of my intention to bring them all in tonight so I can question them.” He held a finger up. “I’m notifying, not asking. However, if I discover some were aware of her, I’ll bring you in to help decide how they’re dealt with.”
I’d already made this decision, so I told him, “If they knew about her and kept quiet then my solution will be to sell them to a northern slave owner outside your territory, and put the proceeds in a trust fund for his former slave, in the event she ever chooses to step out on her own.” I relaxed some tension I didn’t know I was holding when his smile told me he approved. “If she was available to the Pack, and they all had access to her? I might need to make an example of them before selling them.”
Abbott nodded. “We’re in agreement, then. You need to know I keep a number of wolves who act as my daytime security. I own them, I control them, but in most cases they agreed to the terms when I took them on. I’m not totally against slavery within my territory, but I’m to be made aware of all instances, and I must personally approve of each situation. Bran has slaves he’s taken on as rehab cases — people like your little otter who can’t survive on their own. Most of the time he sets these cases free in three to ten years, with self-respect and the skills to earn a living. I also allow indentured servitude, but again — I must approve of each situation.”
“Will I be able to check in on Mira?” Briana asked, and I squeezed her hand to let her know I approved.
“Of course, dear Briana. Bran will want a week to ten days to get her acclimated and on a schedule, but I’ll make sure you have his number so you can call and set up a time to come see her. Once she’s stable, you’ll likely be able to meet her for lunch or dinner. She’s only caged now because we can’t take the risk she’ll change in front of humans, or do something to alert the human authorities of her plight.”
“Thank you.”
I leaned forward. “It’s good to know we’ll be able to check in on her, but I have a feeling there’s going to be more to this meeting than following up on a few details.”
Abbott tilted his head in acknowledgement. “No one disputes I’m the most powerful in the territory. I rarely have to publicly throw my weight around because I prefer to handle potential problems in private, before they become an actual problem. Randall and I have navigated around some pretty explosive issues, and I know I can go to him if I have an issue with you, but I prefer going straight to the source. Anytime an issue comes up I need to be aware of, you need to contact me personally, or my second or third in command — Gavin or Kendra.”
“How will we know if it’s something you should know about?” Briana asked.
“Common sense will guide you in most things. If you discover an intrusion of Celrau, or anyone else known to be an enemy of mine, I should be told. If you have a problem with one of my vampires, I should be brought in. If one of your wolves begins dating one of my vampires then a quick email or text alerting me to the fact would be appreciated, and I’ll return the favor if I find out first. There’s nothing against it happening, but it’s good if we all know about it up front. Aaron Drake and I are friends, so Patrick can always consult with him, but you both seem smart enough to be able to use your common sense to know if it’s something I should be brought in on.”
“And if I discover a supernatural has broken one of your rules,” I said, “even if the supernatural is one of mine, you should be told.”
Abbott smiled. “Exactly. I’m pleased you were smart enough to figure this out when you found the little slave. Randall and I are working on recompense, since he should have been in better control of one of his people. I’l
l keep you updated on what I find out from the previous Pack members under Frank.”
“I appreciate it, as well as you notifying me of your intentions.”
He handed both of us a business card. “This has my contact information on the front, and Gavin and Kendra’s on the back. Please send Kendra an email with all of your contact information — for both of you. She’ll send you a schedule of our meetings. I’ve found it beneficial to bring all the local leaders into one room at the same time to discuss potential issues before we have problems. I’d like you both present at the first, but as long as the two of you communicate with each other adequately, it’s fine if only one of you comes to future meetings. However, whoever comes will be assumed to speak for the both of you.”
Briana shook her head. “We haven’t decided anything yet. We’re just… we’re too new to be making those kinds of decisions.”
“You haven’t asked for my advice but I’ll give it. The two of you should give a united front from the beginning. If you decide you aren’t soul mates then it’ll be easy enough to let everyone know it didn’t work out, but if you’re wishy-washy now, you’ll never have a chance to show a strong partnership from the start.”
I squeezed Briana’s hand again as I told Abbott, “The advice is appreciated. I don’t foresee you and I having a problem, but if something arises it’s good to know we’ll be able to sit down and discuss it. If you don’t need anything else, Briana and I will take our leave.”
* * *
Briana
Patrick and I walked hand-in-hand across Abbott’s yard and into Aaron’s before he stopped and pulled me into his embrace.
“I’m sorry everything’s in upheaval right now, but I appreciate you sticking with me.” He breathed in my scent and kissed the top of my head. “How are you doing with your wolf? I know someone who has vacation rental cabins on Signal Mountain. Should I give Aaron the money to rent one in Drake Security’s name, so we can hang out there without my being seen? One of them’s surrounded by acres and acres of forest. If it happens to be empty, it’d be ideal.”
Careful What You Ask For Page 13
