Stalked (Rogues Shifter #2)

by Gayle Parness

  Chapter Sixteen

  I woke up in the pitch darkness of his room, both of us tangled up in his satin sheets. This very rarely happened, because when dawn broke, his room sealed up as tightly as a tomb, with metal window shades coming down and locking in place and his door secured against an outside intruder like a vault at Fort Knox. He always thought that I would be much more comfortable waking up in my own room, with sunshine streaming through the large windows, but I really didn’t mind. This was more like how a normal couple would start the day, except for the fact that he wasn’t breathing and wouldn’t stir for at least another hour or two. Still, that was much earlier than most vampires rose. This was because he fed from donors who were shifters, including me, and our energy gave him more tolerance to the last rays of the afternoon sun. Plus it didn’t hurt that he was 235 years old. Francois, his grandsire, could walk around in the sun for hours.

  I sat up to turn on the small bedside lamp and then leaned on my elbow so that I could enjoy the view. Not for the first time, I thought about how breathtakingly handsome he was. His soft lips were turned up in a smile so I leaned over to kiss them gently and hoped that he was remembering last night. It looked like my plan to change his worried expression had been a huge success, so I laughed quietly to myself.

  Garrett was at his most vulnerable when he rested: unable to properly defend himself until the turn of the earth sent the sun heading back toward the horizon. I let my hand run from his broad shoulder down his arm to wrap around his wrist. I picked it up and traced the outline of the cheetah eye and tear stripe that Francois had given him when we completed the third part of the ritual. I kissed it, turned it over and kissed his palm then laid his hand very gently back on the bed. His skin was cool, but rarely cold and always smelled delicious. I toyed with the idea of just snuggling up with him again and going back to sleep so that we could really wake up together, but then thought about everything that I had to take care of and decided instead to jump in the shower.

  Liam was in the kitchen when I walked in looking for something to eat.

  “Good afternoon, Jacqueline. Are you hungry?”

  “Starving, but I have to call the hospital to see how Ethan is doing.”

  “Young Ethan is at Sinc’s home where I am sure he is enjoying the very best of nursing care.”

  “I’ll call him there then. Thanks. You made my day.” I gave his hand a squeeze without thinking and ran over to the phone to call Sinc. She answered on the second ring.

  “Jackie, I’m so glad you called. Ethan’s asleep. He’s feeling 100 % better thanks to your magic." Sinc sounded tired and emotionally drained, but I had no doubt that in a couple of days she’d be back to her usual effervescent, extroverted self.

  “He’s family.”

  “He feels the same way. We both do. He’ll call you when he wakes up later.”

  “That would be great.”

  “How are you feeling? You’ve had an awful lot to deal with lately.”

  “No kidding. I’m stressed to the max, but I’ll be fine now that I know Ethan’s okay.”

  “When we have a break, I’m taking you to the spa.”

  “It’s a date.” We both laughed and said goodbye. We’d made a lot of spa dates that had fallen through in the past. Maybe this time we’d actually get there. Liam had put out a plate of food for me and was giving me the ‘sit down now and eat something’ look, so I did. Samson came over to curl up at my feet and I looked down at him with surprise.

  “Ohmygod, Samson, did we forget about you, boy? How did you get here?” I was petting him furiously and feeling very guilty, while he exposed his belly and gifted me with a forgiving doggy grin.

  “Robert picked him up and took him home after he left the hospital, then brought him over this morning. He is Cu Sith, and has chosen to protect you. He should always be at your side.”

  “When we were in Faerie, you mentioned the Wild Hunt. How is Samson a part of it?”

  “The Wild Hunt is summoned by a powerful fae to destroy another. The criminal must be considered a traitor to all of Faerie for the magic to be called, but once begun there is no escape for the traitor. It is a force of horrific death, beyond any nightmare you can imagine. The cu sith and horsemen led by F'ar D'orocha on his black stallion, ride out and call the name of the one who is to die. The sound of the beating hoofs and the hound's howls can drive a human insane with fear. It is not a common event. I’ve only witnessed it four times and I am over 1500 human years. A fae would never call upon the Hunt lightly, for it will turn against the one who assembled it, if the crime is not worthy. Also, when called, it draws the attention of all of Faerie, including the Queen's Court.”

  “And Samson would be called to hunt?”

  “Only if the crime was related to you. He is yours alone.”

  “Was he Carly’s cu sith?

  “No. She raised him and he waited there for your appearance. He is wise and patient.”

  “Not when it’s time to eat,” I chuckled, then frowned. “I guess Kennet hasn't done anything to warrant the Wild Hunt.”

  “Not yet, perhaps, but soon I think.”I looked at him curiously. “Kennet is involved in much more than attempting to steal away a beautiful woman from her mate, or harming her friends. He is a traitor to the fae, but I cannot say more.” I watched his eyes burn with a golden fire and his hand clutch the handle of his magical blade. I tapped into the magic and saw ley line energy dancing around him in thick cords, weaving into complex and powerful designs and symbols. Liam was preparing to do battle with a hated enemy.

  There was something else that I was curious about. “When I met you, you told me you were from the Seelie Court. But you have no king or queen. Does court mean something different for the fae?”

  He took a few moments before he answered, possibly thinking about how much he should say “There is a queen and a true court. Our Sidhe in the Cascade Mountains is one of several located around the world. But our queen is the absolute ruler and she is above us all.” He took my hand. “Don’t ever mention her, not even to Garrett. You do not want to draw her attention to yourself. Simply talking about her can sometimes make her turn our way.”

  There was a touch of true fear in his eyes, something I’d never seen before. “Liam, if I can be of service to you or your father, please call on me.”

  “Jacqueline Crawford, I accept your offer and I thank you.” He ran his slender hand along my jaw to my chin and said softly, “Garrett is awake. I must go now. My father calls me.” He turned and left through the patio doors walking quickly into the woods and disappearing, leaving behind the delicious smell of fae magic.

  I stared after him, surprised by his intimate gesture. The fae did not often touch non-fae, it just wasn’t their custom. Of course Liam and I had kissed so that he could share his magic and give me the strength to battle against Antoine, so that may have changed the rules. They were always mysterious, these fae, and this news of an all powerful queen that they feared made them even more so.

  I knew that Garrett was in the shower by the sound of running water, so I called Bridgett on her cell phone. She must have been wondering what happened to us.

  She picked up instantly and exclaimed loudly, “Jackie are you and Ethan okay? What happened?”

  “Are you someplace private?” She was using our real names and was not speaking at a low volume.

  “What do you think, I’m an idiot? Yes I’m someplace private.”

  “Sorry. Ethan was in a car accident last night so we won’t be in school until Wednesday or Thursday.”

  “But he’s okay?”

  “He has a concussion, some internal injuries and broken bones but his shifter healing has kicked in.”

  “Well, that’s okay then. Oh, that sounded bad. I mean, I’m sorry he got hurt but it’s good that he’s healing.” I could hear the genuine relief in her voice. “I thought that maybe—maybe you found what you were looking for and that you left town. No one was at your house
. Not even your dog.”

  “Bridgett, we’re not going to just leave town and then not contact you again. We’re in your life now, so relax.” She sounded so needy and lost.

  There were a few beats of silence, but I could hear her breathing. “Jackie, something’s going on that’s kind of freaking me out. My dad’s involved and I’m afraid for him.”

  “Are you safe?”

  “Oh yeah, no one bothers me ‘cause of my dad. It’s something else.” She waited another moment, unsure of whether to tell me whatever she had on her mind, then blurted out, “Oh yeah I forgot. That wolf, Jason, was accepted into the pack. I thought you’d want to know that.”

  “That’s helpful. Thanks, Bridgett.”

  “No prob…. Shit, I gotta go.” She hung up suddenly.

  My cell phone rang again one minute later and Bridgett’s number showed on the screen. I picked it up. “Bridgett?”

  “Is this Melanie? Bridgett said you weren’t in school, I hope everything is alright.” It was Bridgett’s dad. He sounded calm, yet I worried that he might have overheard some of her conversation with me.

  “Yes, Mr. Brownlow, everything is fine. We’ll be back in school by Wednesday or Thursday definitely.”

  “I’m glad to hear that, Melanie. Bridgett is fond of you. Come by the club sometime next week with your brother for lunch. I’d like to speak with you both about something.”

  “Thanks, Mr. Brownlow. We’ll let you know what day we'll be there.”

  “Goodbye, Melanie.”

  “Goodbye.” A cold sweat ran down my back. I immediately called Sinc.

  “Sinc you need to change my cell phone number stat. Bridgett’s dad has it. Something’s up with that guy and I don’t trust him at all.”

  “I’ll put the number in Melanie Gray’s name. It should only take me thirty minutes. I’ll have to cancel Garrett’s number too. I’m sorry, I should have thought of it before. Use that phone exclusively when you’re speaking to Bridgett or any of the other locals. Then I’ll get you and Garrett new numbers and new phones by tonight. I’ll bring them over in a few hours. Hold on…” I heard Ethan in the background. “Ethan wants to talk to you.”

  “Hey, Jackie.” His voice sounded weak but upbeat.

  “Hi Ethan.” I couldn’t think of where to begin, there was so much I wanted to say. I kept it light. “So your hard head is healing, huh?”

  “Yeah, thanks to you unscrambling my brains and making me able to shift.”

  “What happened exactly?”

  “I was about halfway to Sinc’s and I felt this ice cold pain in my gut that made me feel really nauseous. The car swerved and I almost slammed into a tree but I got it back under control. Then I got hit again by the same pain, only this time I blacked out and woke up in the hospital looking at your beautiful face. Rob told me that I’d gone off the road and down an embankment, rolling over a couple of times until the car stopped upside down. Luckily another car was around fifty yards behind me and the driver saw me go off the road. He called 911 and ran down to help me: a lion shifter named Carl Jamison. He got me out of the car before it caught on fire and blew up. I’ll have to call him to thank him.”

  “You know you were attacked by Kennet, right? That this is all because of me and my big mouth? I’m sorry Ethan.”

  “I know it was Kennet, but saying it was your fault is bullshit. If I ever see that guy again I’m going to rip his fairy heart out for what he’s doing to you.”

  I heard Garrett laugh behind me. “Ethan will have to get in line behind me and Liam.”

  “Just leave me something, okay? A few fingers or toes at least?” Listening to Ethan’s laughter, the knot in my stomach finally unclenched in relief. I told him about my conversation with Bridgett and her dad and he snorted out another laugh when I mentioned our invitation to lunch.

  “That’s one invitation we’re passing on.”

  “Mr. Brownlow gives me the creeps.”

  I watched Garrett pour himself a cup of coffee as Sinc came back on the line. “Your current phone is now under the name of Melanie Gray at your address in Gasquet. I’ll get you a new cell phone and number later. Rob’s coming over to babysit Ethan. He keeps insisting he can go out.” I could hear the exasperation in her voice. “In fact, I’m going to hang up now and try to get him to take a nap. The doctor says he needs lots of rest. Bye, Jackie.” I heard Ethan complaining as we hung up our phones. I would love to be a fly on that wall.

  I felt Garrett’s hands on my waist as he turned me around. He was grinning mischievously with his eyebrow arched up in his usual sexy way.

  “So was I successful last night?” He nuzzled my ear. “Did you forget about Kennet?”

  “Kennet who?” I planted a kiss on his soft lips and then pushed him away laughing. “We have some things to talk about.” He nodded and sat at the table, indicating that I should sit too and then waited for me to begin. “What are we going to do about your nest?”

  “They’re my responsibility and not anything that should concern you.” His expression was wary, as if he knew what was coming next.

  My eyes grew a little wider. He didn’t really believe that, did he? “That’s a load of crap and you know it. Their welfare affects you and anything that affects you is something that concerns me. Do you want my advice? You said you did.”

  “Yes, of course I do.” He looked amused. I think he secretly liked that I insisted on sharing my opinion. I mean this was a partnership, right?

  “I think you should keep them near you where you can keep an eye on them. We have plenty of room right here in the basement. Liam’s around during the day and you wake up early enough, so I’ll never be hanging out with them alone, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  Garrett’s eyes narrowed. “Jackie, you’re not looking at the big picture. Think about when they feed. Are you willing to let them bring their donors here? It can get a little—noisy.”

  I cringed. I was definitely not a voyeur or an exhibitionist.

  “Okay, so how about this? We tell them to feed and have sex somewhere else while they live in our basement and we buy that lot next door and build another house just for them. You can have all your meetings with them over there, so I won’t be running into them constantly. With a little magical help, you can probably have the house up and running in a couple of months.”

  He shook his head and looked bewildered. “You have no problem spending that kind of money on a few rag tag vampires?”

  “This is your nest, your vampire family, and you seem to care about what happens to them, otherwise you would've killed them like you did the others. You and Sasha have a history, maybe even a friendship. How can I not help you? Anyway, I get the feeling that money isn’t really a problem for us. Tell me if I’m wrong. I’ve felt uncomfortable asking about your personal finances.“

  “You can ask me about anything. I don’t live extravagantly because that just isn’t my nature, but we will never have to worry about money. I’ll be happy to get you an appointment with my accountant who can lay it all out for you in black and white.”

  I looked around the beautiful, modern kitchen and thought about the Saab and the Porsche he kept in the garage. Then there was the emerald jewelry he'd given me and his seven or eight hand tailored Italian suits. It made me wonder what he thought was extravagant.

  I wanted to bring up something else that had been going through my mind lately so I figured this was as good a time as any. “Garrett, the team should be paid for working a job.”

  He smiled at me. “Rob, Sinc and Kyle have been paid consultants for years now. You and Ethan should get your first checks in a few days. You get paid every two weeks, or if you prefer, you can get it all when the job is completed. Make sure you keep your receipts. When I bring in Aaron or Maya or any other consultant, I pay them too. Liam won’t take money. It’s insulting to the fae, apparently.”

  “You’re paying me out of your money?” I frowned.

  “The t
eam was my idea. I’ve put up the money to make it a reality. I pay the salaries.” He saw my face and asked, “What’s wrong?”

  “There are some things I want to do and I don’t want to use your money.”

  “My money is now our money.”

  “So I’m paying myself a salary?” I had to grin.

  He laughed. “Yes, and you’re very generous. Oh, by the way, we have a company name. Rogues, Inc.”

  “Perfect.” I laughed too. “So what about the nest?”

  “You are like a dog gnawing a bone.” He chuckled and went over to the wall phone.

  “Hello, Aaron. I need Andy and Ralph to come to my house this evening. I’m renovating my basement and building another house. One day for the basement and a month and a half tops for the house. Stop cursing at me and call them." He winked at me. "No, Jackie isn’t kicking me out or making me move down to the basement.” He was laughing. “Yes, you can come too. See you later, around 7:00.”

  He hung up and dialed another number. “Bonjour, Francois. J’ai une faveur à te demander.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  While he spoke to Francois, I fed Samson and went into my room to change into black jeans, and a dark burgundy silk halter top. We were going to have guests and sweats didn’t cut it. Back in the kitchen, Garrett seemed to be speaking to Sasha, so I pulled Liam’s lasagna out of the freezer and set it in the oven. Weres were always hungry. I put more beer in the fridge and made 2 loaves of garlic bread and a huge salad while it heated up.

  “Is Francois coming over?” I sent to Garrett around thirty minutes later.

  He nodded and sent back, “Yes they all are, around midnight. The weres should be gone by then”