Mount Roxby Box Set

by Aimie Jennison

  I look at Paddy and Eddie; both their eyes are no longer human. I don’t need to look at any of the others to realise what Billy said was right.

  “Okay, sorry,” I say through gritted teeth, as I take a deep breath and reach out to find someone happy. I find Wesley and Alyssa, who must be in Misty’s and pull their happiness into me. With that happiness clearing my head I get an idea.

  “Dominick. Theo mentioned a census for all the supes in town. Does it contain home addresses and other property addresses?” I can feel the hope run through everyone—that my idea might actually lead somewhere.

  “Yes. But there are a lot of us in town. It could take days to find Emmanuel’s entry. I’ll get Patsy on it straight away, but if you get one of your men on it too they can start at opposite ends. If someone knows his last name that will help.” Patsy leaves immediately after he says her name.

  I look at Billy, having no idea who would know where the census information is kept. “I’m on it. Darren, you take everyone to Theo’s shed and give Doc Patel a call; best to get everyone checked over. Don’t forget Selena. Don’t let her see any of you. Dave, can you go let Wesley know what’s happening and ask about for anyone in the bar who might know Emmanuel’s address?”

  “No. I’ll do that. Dave you go with Darren. Emmanuel was Misty’s friend, I feel like I should break the news to her. I’ll find out what she knows at the same time. Dominick, do you mind helping by asking about in the bar too?”

  “It’s the least I can do,” Dominick says, as his guilt flows off him. I feel even guiltier now that I have just realised I killed one of Misty’s friends.

  “Rosabel, do you want me to stay and help you too?” Eddie asks. His eyes back to his human sky blue. Thank God!

  “That will be great. Thanks, Eddie.”

  He beams at me in delight.

  Everyone heads off in different directions. Billy is going for his bike. Darren, Dave, Phil, Paddy, and Jared all get in the van I found myself sitting in not long ago, leaving Dominick, Eddie, and myself in the alley.

  I look up at the roof. Is he still up there? Oh my god! What did I do?

  “Rosabel, he gave you no option. Greg has taken him to the morgue. He’ll make sure everything is dealt with. Let’s get inside and focus on finding Theo,” Dominick says, making his way to the back door that Misty must have left propped open for us.

  Twenty-Eight

  FACING DOWN THE WOLF

  ROSABEL

  We enter the bar to a round of applause. Wesley has already spread the news. Ignoring the applause, I immediately look around for Misty but only find Lucy behind the bar on her own; which is really unusual for a busy night like this one.

  I lean over the bar and shout over the crowd, “Lucy. Where’s Misty?”

  “No idea. When Wesley announced that Emmanuel was dead, she ran off through the back. If you didn’t see her outside, I’d guess she’s in the toilets or office.” I nod with a smile, to let her know I heard her over the rowdy crowd and turn to go find Misty.

  I nearly fall over Eddie, who had been standing directly behind me. “Oh, Eddie. Will you do me a favour and ask about in here for an address? Let Wesley know what everyone else is doing, too.”

  As I look around the bar to make sure Wesley is still here, I see Dominick is already asking people questions.

  “Yes. Consider it done,” Ed says, slipping away into the crowd.

  I go straight through the back hoping to find Misty. I check the toilets as I pass but she isn’t there. I just hope she hasn’t slipped out between us entering the bar and now. As I open the door to the office, I get hit by a wave of sadness. It doesn’t do my guilt any favours. I killed one of her close friends.

  “Misty. I’m so sorry.” I have no idea what else I can say. Nothing will make her feel better.

  “It’s okay. Ya had no choice. Wesley explained everything. I just wish everyone wasn’t so happy about it. I feel so guilty that I set ya up with him. I had no idea he was like that,” she manages between sobs.

  “I went on dates with him and I had no idea either. He hid that side of him well, but he wasn’t all bad.” I start to cry. “I actually cared for him and if Theo and I weren’t true mates, who knows, I could have fallen in love with him. And yet I just killed him.”

  Misty comes over pulling me into a hug. “It’s okay. Don’t live ya life blaming ya-self, ya had no choice.” she consoles me, making me giggle at the situation.

  “I came in here to console you not the other way around. I need to ask you something, too. Do you know his address? He didn’t tell us where Theo is and the others don’t remember anything about what they’ve done, or where they’ve been,” I ask, hoping for some good news.

  “I’m sorry, no. We always met up away from our houses. He never knew where I lived until he walked ya home,” she says frustrated. Probably because she can’t help.

  “It’s okay. Patsy and Billy are both checking the census, and Dominick and Eddie are asking in the bar, too. I’m sure we’ll find it soon.” A shocked look washes over her face.

  “Oh. Poor, Lucy. I left her alone and the bar is packed tonight.” With those words she dashes out of the office, leaving me staring at the door as it closes behind her.

  I look at the chair behind the desk and think how nice it would be just to sit down for two minutes. But I don’t have the time. I need to find Theo and the only way I will do that is by finding an address. It’s like finding a needle in a haystack.

  I open the office door and walk straight into Eddie, again. “We’ll have to stop doing this,” I say, whilst rubbing my nose after bumping it on his rock hard chest.

  “I don’t know. I quite enjoy it,” he says, with a cheeky grin.

  “No one knows anything in there. We’re going to have to wait on Patsy and Billy,” Dominick announces as he walks up behind Ed. He doesn’t sound happy at the prospect of waiting.

  “I know this might sound obvious, but can’t you just teleport to him? Billy said you can just think of somewhere with your eyes shut and be there when you open your eyes,” Ed enquires, sounding eager for his plan to work.

  “I can do that, yes, but I need to be able to smell, see, and feel the place in my head to get there. Not knowing where exactly he is means I don’t have those senses about the place. I’ve never seen him in his wolf form, so I can’t even try and do it by looking at him,” I say, furious at myself for not being able to do it. Eddie’s eagerness fades within a split second.

  “But you know his scent. If you focus on just that, it might work. What have you got to lose?” Dominick always seems to know just what to say. Eddie gives me the loveliest, encouraging smile. How can I say no to that? I guess it’s worth a try.

  “All right. I’ll give it a try.”

  I close my eyes and focus on nothing except Theo’s dark spicy scent, letting it surround me like a blanket. On opening my eyes I find myself in Theo’s room with a shocked Ruby staring at me with her mouth dropped open.

  “Sorry. I’ll explain later,” I say, before closing my eyes and trying again. I would rather keep looking for Theo than waste time explaining what I’d just done.

  This time I open my eyes hoping with every ounce of my being to see Theo in front of me, only to find myself in his lounge. Crap! At least Selena isn’t in here. I don’t think I’d be able to escape without an explanation if she was.

  I go back to the alley feeling totally defeated.

  “Did it work?” Eddie was so excited at the thought of me actually finding Theo. It’s such a shame to fill him with the disappointment I feel, too.

  “No, sorry. I just ended up in his bedroom and his lounge. I scared poor Ruby half to death,” I say, trying to lighten the disappointment by adding that bit about Ruby. “If only he’d not stood me up the day he was meant to take me on a run, I’d be able to picture him, too.” Now I’m mad at Theo; which isn’t really fair considering he’s the one trapped alone somewhere that no one knows about.

/>   “What colour fur does he have, Eddie?” Dominick asks.

  “It’s a rusty colour. Why?” We both eye Dominick with the same questioning look.

  He answers me rather than Eddie, “Because if you picture a wolf with that colour fur while doing what you just did with his scent, you might find him.”

  I close my eyes and picture a rusty coloured wolf, just like Dominick suggested. I wrap Theo’s dark spicy scent around me. I feel the swirl that I felt when Dominick called me to him that first time, and as I open my eyes hoping I’m not at Theo’s house again. I find myself faced with a big rusty wolf. I did a good job with the colour. It’s just as I imagined. It’s just the size I was off on; he’s easily double the size I imagined—absolutely huge! And he’s growling at me. I didn’t imagine that.

  “Theo. It’s me, Bel! I’ve come to take you home!” I approach him cautiously, but when I am about a foot away, I realise he’s not here with me.

  He’s delirious. His fur is matted with blood; obstructing my view of any actual wounds. I reach deep into our mate bond hoping to get through to Theo.

  The wolf before me pauses and weighs me up.

  I don’t move. I can’t tell if he recognises me or if he is wondering if I taste good. It’s much scarier being faced with Theo ready to eat me than it was being faced with Paddy. He’s making a rumbling growl deep in his chest as he slowly starts to edge towards me. I hold my hand out for him to sniff and hope he recognises my scent.

  It doesn’t take him long. He’s barely sniffed it when he drops to the floor with a whine. His whole persona changes. He’s extremely weak. It must have taken so much out of him to pretend to be so fierce.

  When I fall to my knees and reach out to feel for injuries, he doesn’t protest. I rub my hands over his head and neck, which all feels normal. I find the first wound on his shoulder. He doesn’t even flinch as my fingers probe it.

  What the hell is wrong with him? He should at least be reacting to the pain.

  “Jared just informed me that Theo has at least two silver bullets in him. He clawed one out himself last night.” Dominick’s voice answers the question I was asking myself. I don’t complain this time.

  Thanks.

  In the blink of an eye, I shift my hand to claws and slice into his shoulder making the wound bigger, once I get it deep enough so that I can see the bullet, I shift my hand back and grab the bullet between my fingers. I grit my teeth against the burning on my fingers where the silver comes in contact with my flesh, and drop it to the floor the second it’s out.

  “Theo, one down. Let’s see how many more you have in you,” I say, running my hands over his body. I find numerous bites but I can’t find another wound that looks remotely like a bullet. I’m about to give up when I find it lodged in his front leg. It’s not too deep but I still need to use my claws again to make the wound big enough for me to get a grip on the bullet. I’m throwing that bullet across the room in no time.

  “I think that’s it, Theo. Now we could do with some meat to get your energy back up.” I regret my words as soon as they leave my mouth.

  Mentioning food to a hungry wolf. Clever idea, Bel!

  His eyes flash from the black of his wolf’s to emerald green. Theo must be fighting his wolf for control.

  I slowly back away looking for an exit, catching sight of the reinforced steel door with no handle. I realise I have no chance getting out of that so I give the rest of the room a quick glance. All blank solid walls and not one window to be seen.

  Brilliant! There isn’t even a wardrobe I could lock myself in.

  “Rosabel, don’t worry. We’re on our way. I can sense you,” Dominick says through our link; the panic clear in his own voice.

  I turn my full attention back to Theo. “They know where we are. They’re on their way. Just hang on a little longer.”

  His eyes are fully black now; telling me his wolf is back in full control. I have to have faith that he won’t harm his mate. Normally that wouldn’t be a problem but he’s been confined and left injured for twenty-four hours. To make things worse, I just pulled out two silver bullets that had been stopping him from healing and taking all his energy. He’s not exactly in his right mind right now.

  “We’re two minutes away Rosabel!” Dominick tries to reassure me and fails miserably.

  It won’t take him that long to devour me.

  “Calm down. The fear will make him want you all the more.” Dominick suggests.

  How helpful, Dominick. It’s not like I already know that, being a wolf and all.

  Shifting into my wolf would only serve to make Theo feel more threatened, therefore, pushing him to attack me. I find myself backed into the corner of the room; I must have been backing up whilst arguing with Dominick.

  Theo is stalking me. He nuzzles his snout into my stomach trying to get to the soft flesh he could tear into. Thankfully my hoodie is in the way. I hear the material rip.

  Nothing like jinxing myself.

  His teeth brush against my skin as I am wracking my brain for something to say to stop, or distract him but I can’t think of anything.

  I hope you are bringing some fresh meat with you, Dominick.

  At that moment, the door bursts open three feet away from me.

  The noise is not distracting Theo one bit. There is no way I can get to the door. He has me pinned to the wall.

  Dominick and Ed appear from around the door.

  “Eddie. You need to get out of here, Theo is full wolf. It will force the change on you. We don’t need two wolves in here!” Panic once again floods my body.

  “It’s okay, I can fight it. If I feel like I can’t, I’ll leave. Theo you need to leave Bel alone. Come to me. I have some meat for you.” He throws a dead rabbit in the room. It’s freshly killed and dripping with blood. God only knows how he got one so quick.

  Theo doesn’t even bat an eyelid. “Theodore. You don’t want to hurt, Rosabel. I nearly killed her yesterday. I know what pain it would cause you if you killed her. You don’t want to feel that pain.”

  Both Ed and I give Dominick a perplexed look.

  Are you insane? That’s only going to make him angrier, Dominick.

  “Yes. That is my plan. If we get Theodore mad enough, he might take control.”

  Yes. Control enough to want to kill YOU!

  I look down at Theo. I have to find something to say to ease the situation. When I see Theo’s emerald eyes looking at me my fear subsides and relief washes over me.

  “Theo. Ed has lots of those rabbits for you. Please go eat them,” I say, pointing to the dead rabbit on the floor. I’m hoping Ed has more, at least.

  Theo rubs his head against my leg, probably in apology at almost eating me. He walks over to the rabbit and starts to devour it.

  I walk by him, slowly, hoping not to make him feel like I’m trying to steal it from him. Animals get extremely territorial over food. Once I reach Dominick and Eddie in the doorway, I can’t believe how much safer I feel now that I am standing next to another werewolf and a vampire.

  The three of us stand there, watching Theo thoroughly clean up the rabbit. Once he starts licking the blood off the floor, I nudge Ed. He gets my hint and leads Theo to a van, which looks like the one from the alley earlier. The only difference, this one is blue not white. They both jump in the back with a mountain of rabbit bodies.

  God knows where he got all of them from.

  Dominick gets behind the wheel so I climb in the passenger side.

  It doesn’t take long to get to Theo’s house. We drive around the back of his house where he’s got a big shed on the land there. I call it a big shed but it’s a huge eight-bay workshop. Eddie called it ‘the shed.’ I had to add big and that still isn’t a good enough name to describe it.

  I get out of the van and walk in to ‘the shed,’ leaving Ed and Dominick to help Theo out. The floor is covered in gym mats. There are a couple punching bags and a weight bench, with weights. He must use this as a training
area. There is also a couple hospital beds on the far wall set up with what looks like up-to-date medical equipment around them. The training room doubles up as a medical room.

  Jared is sitting on the edge of one bed, and Paddy is on the edge of the other.

  Wesley is cuddling Alyssa in the corner of the room. I don’t think he’ll be letting her out of his sight for a while. Just like I won’t be letting Theo out of my sight for a while either.

  Billy is standing with a woman of Indian descent, whom I don’t recognise. She has a black, chin-length bob, and wearing a white doctor’s coat with a stethoscope hanging around her neck.

  As I approach Billy, he turns his attention to me. “Hey, beauty. You did real good tonight,” he says, pulling me into a quick side hug. “This is Dr Patel. Dr Patel this is Rosabel.”

  She reaches out and shakes my hand. “Call me, Zainab.”

  “Nice to meet you, Zainab. I’m Bel. How are these guys doing?” I ask, waving my hand, gesturing to the three that had been taken.

  “I’ve just finished checking them over and they are all perfectly healthy.”

  “That’s great news. We have one more patient for you to look at. He’s not in as good a condition as these three though. He should be in any minute, now.”

  I turn to look at the door and see Eddie walking in with Theo trotting in alongside him. His eyes roam the room looking for something. When they land on me, he heads straight for me. He stops in front of me so I crouch down.

  “Bel, be careful,” Billy warns me.

  Wesley appears next to me ready to protect me if he needs to.

  “It’s okay. He won’t hurt me!” I say confidently, before putting my arms around his neck, cuddling into his fur and filling my lungs with his lovely scent. My wolf is itching to get out. I can’t stop myself whimpering in his ear. “My wolf will join you when you’ve been checked over, if you want?” I think it was her telling him that not me.

  A rumble comes from deep in his chest, which I take as yes, along with the excitement I feel emanating from him.