Mount Roxby Box Set

by Aimie Jennison

  I’m an empath. I can feel people’s emotions. According to my Aunt, my mum was an empath, too. It’s the empathy that’s making Misty feel like she can trust me. For some reason, people feel at ease with me. I even get strangers coming up to me on the street and pouring their heart out. Their trust in me isn’t false. I’m trustworthy because I feel people’s emotions. I don’t want them to feel bad, so I do anything I can to make people feel better. I would never do anything to hurt people; for one thing it would hurt me twice as much as it would them.

  Misty jumps off her stool and walks over to the sink to rinse her plate. “I know, but I trust ya. I get a good vibe from you and being a witch, I’m all about vibes.”

  “If you’re sure, that would be brilliant. Thank you.” I walk over to the sink to rinse my own plate and cup, before placing them in the dishwasher.

  The day goes by pretty quick. We just chilled out, drinking coffee and filling each other in on our lives. I got through my life story in no time. I told her about my empathy; which Misty had heard of. Thankfully, it didn’t alter her feelings towards me.

  Misty has been practising witchcraft for the last ten years. She moved in with her gran when she found out she was a witch at sixteen. Her gran taught her everything she knew. Unfortunately, she passed away last year. She bought the bar and apartment when she was twenty-one with some inheritance money she received from a distant relative she had never met.

  * * *

  We opened up the bar at four in the afternoon and by six thirty it was heaving. There must’ve been about sixty people spread throughout the bar. When I say people, I mean witches, weres, and vampires. I even think there were a few fae, too. Not a plain ordinary human in sight, thanks to Misty’s ward. It’s nice to be able to relax and not worry about someone spotting a side effect of a supernatural being. I can see why Misty’s is so popular.

  I’m having a break in the office at eight when I realise I haven’t been in touch with Benji since arriving. When I left he had demanded I ring when I arrived. I retrieve my bag from the cubby hole behind Misty’s desk and dig my phone out to find ten missed calls and panicked messages getting more aggressive with each one.

  The first text being. ‘What the HELL has happened?’

  The last text is all caps and I definitely get an urgent vibe from it. ‘WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU, BEL?’ He even ended it on a growl that would do any werewolf proud; which is a feat for a human.

  I hit call.

  When he picks up, I’m expecting a hello to start the conversation. Instead, I just get garbled rambling. I hold the phone away until I think it’s over.

  It isn’t!

  It finally goes quiet on his end and I put the phone to my ear.

  Now the begging starts. “Benji. I’m sorry I haven’t rung sooner, but it’s been hectic since I got off the bus. I found a job and a place to rent.”

  “You should’ve called, even just to say you’re alive. I’ve been sitting here thinking you must be dead in a gutter somewhere and waiting for the police to come around and ask us to identify your body.”

  Just then Misty comes in, which means that my break is over and hers has started.

  “Look, Benji, my break is over. I have to get back to work but I promise I will send you a huge email giving you a second by second report.” I hang up before he can argue about how I don’t know how to send email from my phone.

  I put the phone and my bag back in the cubby hole, whilst grumbling away to myself. When I look up, I find Misty laughing at me.

  “It was, Benji. He was going mental because I haven’t rung him to tell him I’m alive,” I say, rolling my eyes.

  I walk back behind the bar and notice that at least another ten customers have entered since I went on break. The mixture of emotions throughout the room hits me like a brick wall. I take a deep breath and try to focus on my safe barrier that protects me from them. With that breath, there’s a smell I recognise from last night.

  Theo.

  He must be here somewhere. I look around to find him, but come up empty.

  “Hey Bel, can I have a Rusty Nail?” yells Theo’s lovely gravelly voice from the other end of the bar.

  I laugh and nod my head hoping he can see me. I put his drink together—scotch whiskey and Drambuie—walk over to the other end of the bar and place the short glass in front of him.

  He takes a test sip. “I’ll stump you eventually,” he jests as he passes me his money.

  “Bring it on.”

  I serve a few more customers and notice Misty is back out and Lucy, the other mixer, is missing; probably having her break in the back office.

  Misty is laughing with some customers when a vampire comes to the bar. He’s the most intimidating vampire I have ever met. The energy coming from him is fierce and wild.

  He’s at least six-foot-four inches tall with jet black hair in tight curls against his head. His eyes are black and endless. He asks for a Siberian Fizz, which thank my angels I know.

  I wouldn’t like to ask him how to make it; he’s likely to bite me.

  I pass him the drink and take the money he offers in payment.

  “Are you new here?” he questions

  I put the money in the till before answering him. “Yes. I started last night.”

  As I turn away to look for another customer to serve, he throws his hand in front of me. “I’m Dominick Drake.”

  As I shake his extremely cold hand, he grins at my shudder. “Do you have a name?”

  “Rosabel McGuiness. Nice to make your acquaintance,” I say insincerely. I don’t know if vampires can feel a lie like werewolves can, and to be honest, I don’t care. I just want to get away from him. He gives me the heebie-jeebies.

  “The pleasure is all mine, darling,” he says rather creepily. He’s even looking at me, as if wondering how my blood would taste.

  “Quit thinking about what she tastes like. We have a deal—you don’t touch werewolves,” says the gravelly voice that’s becoming ever so familiar. He must have made his way over for another drink, but when I look at his glass, it’s still full.

  “Oh. Is she a new one of yours?” asks Dominick, looking rather disappointed.

  “No. She’s a lone wolf. Before you ask, she’s on the supe census. I saw to it myself.”

  “Well. If she isn’t part of your pack, she’s not included in our deal. I haven’t tasted a werewolf for over a century. You taste so much better than humans.” He licks his lips while staring at me intently, even hungrier than before.

  Brilliant. Why do I have to be something tasty?

  With that reply, I feel extreme anger and regret coming off Theo. My wolf bristles at the feel of the alpha energy coming off him. The whole bar falls silent to stare in his direction. I’m guessing it’s not just my empathy picking up Theo’s emotional state.

  Dominick walks off towards one of the tables near the dance floor with a laugh. When he’s halfway there, he turns around looks directly at Theo and says, “Hope to have a taste soon, Rosabel.”

  No chance!

  Theo turns back to me. His alpha energy has dulled but I can still feel his emotions through my empathy, and he isn’t any calmer. He’s obviously trying hard to push down his wolf. The noise in the bar picks up again as if nothing happened.

  He downs his drink and slams his glass on the bar, the glass shattering in his hand. I notice he’s trembling all over and after hearing a rumbling growl emanating from deep in his chest, I realise he’s fighting the change.

  Grabbing a bottle of Absinthe in one hand I jump over the bar and grab Theo’s elbow with the other. I start dragging him, having no idea where to take him. As I look up, I catch Misty’s eye; she mouths the word ‘office,’ pointing in its direction.

  Why didn’t I think of that?

  I focus on getting him behind that locked door. When I feel that I’m no longer dragging him, he seems to be coming easily and the trembling is easing, too. I enter the code and push the door open and prac
tically shove him inside, slamming it shut behind us.

  Taking a deep breath, I remove the lid from the bottle and swallow down a huge swig. I need it. The adrenaline rush is making my wolf twitchy. Theo’s energy is running over my skin, it almost feels like his fingers are stroking the fur of my wolf. I pass the bottle to Theo, who’s perched his behind on the corner of Misty’s desk. He takes an even bigger swig, and although the trembling seems to have dissipated, I can still feel the anger emanating from him.

  He holds out the bottle for me to take again. “Absinthe?” He pulls a face, like he has just sucked on the sourest lemon ever grown.

  “It was the closest thing to my hand when I jumped the bar. You would have turned furry and no doubt drawn Dominick’s blood if I had wasted time looking for something more satisfying.” We both laugh, passing the bottle back and forth after taking a swig.

  Theo makes a show of eyeing up my height. I can guess what he is going to ask before he even says it, “You really jumped the bar?”

  “Yeah,” I say, with a shrug as I settle in next to him on Misty’s desk.

  “How did you manage that? You’re only what five-foot? The bar comes up to your chest,” he says, nudging me with his shoulder.

  “I don’t know. It must have been the adrenaline…or something!” We both laugh softly.

  We sit in comfortable silence for a moment before Theo breaks it. “I’m sorry for putting you in danger with Dominick. I came over to try and protect you. I never would have told him you were a lone wolf if I didn’t think they were part of our pact.”

  I place my hand on his forearm. “It’s not your fault, Theo. Thanks for trying to protect me.” His energy feels like electricity entering through the palm of my hand. I can’t feel the anger anymore; this is more like the first time we touched. “How are you feeling now?”

  He lifts his head and his eyes penetrate mine. “In control again. You stopped an ugly scene unfolding in there. Thanks.”

  I lose myself in his beautiful green eyes for a second. “I should get back behind the bar. It will be last call and I’m needed to help clean up. Do you think you can handle going back in there now?”

  He pushes himself off the desk and makes a step for the door. “No problem.”

  I open the door and gesture for him to lead the way through to the bar. The propped open bar door gives us a clear view of the empty room.

  Misty stops wiping the bar down and comes straight over to us as we walk through the doorway. “Theo, how ya doing?”

  “Much better, thanks to Bel here.” He passes her a handful of notes. “For the bottle,” he explains.

  I walk off, leaving them to their conversation and start clearing the tables. Once the tray is overflowing with dirty glasses, I head to the dishwasher behind the bar. Theo is still leaning against the bar watching me. Misty must be in her office and Lucy must have left while we were in the office. She usually leaves before last call because she has a baby sitter to relieve. It’s just him and me in the empty bar.

  “How are you getting home?” he asks, before taking another swig from the bottle of Absinthe.

  “Oh. I-I’m getting a lift with Misty,” I manage to stutter, shocked at the strength of the protection emotion I can feel coming off him.

  “When you get home, will you be alone?”

  “No. Misty has offered me a room at her place.” He must be worried about Dominick following me home and attacking me. I quickly try to ease his mind. “The building is secure; no one can get in without a key. There’s a guard on the door and in the elevator.”

  Theo watches me walk back to the dishwasher and fill it with the last load of dirty glasses. “Good. I’ll make sure you get in the car safe, before I leave.”

  I pause to watch Theo’s reaction to my next question. I need to know how much danger I am in. “Do you really think Dominick will want to taste me? As he so nicely put it.”

  He grimaces. “Dominick doesn’t say anything he doesn’t mean. So, yes, he will taste you. It’s just a matter of when. I’m going to do everything I can to delay the inevitable.” He reaches in his pocket, pulls out a business card and hands it to me. It reads: Theodore Wilson, and has contact numbers with an email address TWilson@gymwolves.com. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call.”

  I slip the card into the back pocket of my jeans. “Thanks.”

  Four

  BLOODTHIRSTY WEREWOLVES

  Rosabel

  Thankfully, the next few days pass with no sign of the bloodthirsty Dominick. Misty informs me that Dominick is the head vampire—although he likes to be called ‘the King of New South Wales’—which is brilliant. I don’t have just any vampire yearning for my blood, but the King Vampire of the state.

  LOVELY.

  I’d much rather have the local pack’s alpha yearning for me. Come to think of it there has been no sign of Theo, either.

  Misty has been begging me to go to the gym with her. Apparently, she needs a gym buddy because if she goes on her own she can’t get in the zone. Me? I’m not a gym person.

  A weekly run in the forest as a wolf is usually about it, but I haven’t had the chance to find anywhere safe to run since arriving in Mount Roxby. Working from late afternoon until the early hours of the morning and then sleeping until lunch, doesn’t give me many hours to explore the town.

  I’m not complaining, I love Misty’s. I meet lots of people; some of whom come in every night. I get to use my empathy on those troubled and in need. Misty sends me to some of her friends, or regulars, who need it, which benefits me too because the bar ends up feeling like a much happier place once I’ve helped people. I’d just like to be able to find somewhere that I can run freely.

  I have caved and we are pulling into a large car park. There are only two other cars in the empty car park, but not many people will be insane enough to go to a gym at two o’clock in the morning. Did I mention it was a twenty-four hour gym? Why did I say yes?

  I WANT MY BED.

  After filling out the forms and handing the membership fee over to the woman behind the counter; whom I believe wants to be in bed just as much as I do, we walk through the door with a female figure on it. A room full of at least twenty private cubicles. The cubicles surround a large open area, with a few benches, for non-private changing.

  We change in the open area, into the crop top and shorts the gym gave us. Even though the clothes were included in the membership, they are kinda cute. There’s a little picture of a wolf weightlifting on the leg of the shorts and on the breast of the crop. The gym is called ‘Gym Wolves,’ so I guess the wolf is their icon. We pick our lockers on the far side wall and dump our stuff. I try not to think of whose sweaty neck it has already been around as I place the key on its dog tag chain around my neck.

  I walk into the gym via a door next to the lockers. The equipment is all set up in sections like I imagine most gyms are. Treadmills together, weight machines all together and so on. We head straight for the treadmills with useless TVs on them, it’s not like there would be anything on at this time of the night. We choose neighbouring machines and start them up. I put a music channel on my machines TV and crank up the sound so we can both hear it over the noise of the machines and our feet pounding them.

  I put the speed up to eight, a gentle jog for me, to stretch. I don’t jog for long because jogging just doesn’t do anything for my energy level—neither does sprinting in human form—but it’s the best I can get in a gym. I up the speed until I’m pushing the machine to find a sprint to satisfy my needs.

  Misty is just slowing her treadmill down but I still feel the need to keep sprinting. I suddenly sense someone approaching. I don’t bother trying to identify them. It’s not like anyone I know will be insane enough to be in the gym at this time of night.

  “Hi, Misty. Are you having a good work out?” I can only just make out the male voice over the sound of my blood pounding in my ears and my feet thudding on the treadmill, not to mention the music.
>
  I didn’t hear Misty’s reply.

  “Bel. Why didn’t you just go to the bush and shift? It would be a hell of a lot more satisfying.” The lovely gravelly voice I hear from right behind me is the last person I expected to encounter here. I’m so shocked, I totally lose rhythm of my sprint and start to stumble, tripping over my own feet.

  Brilliant. I’m going to fall flat on my face.

  Theo reaches his arms out to steady me, noticing my struggle. Unfortunately, his good intentions only make matters worse, before I can hit the stop button I’m hurtling backwards towards him. He doesn’t have enough sense to get out my way and before I know it, I’ve knocked him off his feet and we’re both on the floor, laughing.

  Misty is standing next to the treadmill doubled over in laughter. After the laughter passes, Theo gets up and reaches down, offering me his hand. I take it gratefully.

  I must have knocked my knee somewhere during the fall because it’s bleeding and stinging like a bitch. I’m not too worried about it being hurt. Being a werewolf, small injuries like this heal quickly. It’s the blood dripping down my leg and pooling on the carpet that bothers me. I start hobbling towards the locker room but all I manage to do is make more of a mess.

  “Where are you going?” Theo asks in a slightly amused tone. “You’ll heal in a minute or two.”

  I glare at the mess I’m making on the floor. “I know but I’m dripping blood on the carpet. I was trying to get to the locker room. At least the tiled floor in there will clean easily.”

  He reaches his hand over his head, grabs the back of his shirt and pulls it off before throwing it at me. “Here. Press this against your knee.”

  As I catch it, I get a whiff of his scent and I can’t help but hold his shirt to my nose, taking in more of that delectable scent. Misty’s giggle snaps me out of it and I realise what I’m doing. I glance around quickly to see Theo’s reaction, but luckily he is nowhere in sight. I breathe a sigh of relief hoping he didn’t witness that.