by Ciana Stone
"Who are they?" Layla turned her attention away from the smiling Gabriel who gave her a wink. "Severin, Darius and Xavier? Are they the Seven?"
August turned his attention to her once more. "When we decided to make our presence known publically, the governments of the world formed a Directorate to deal with … negotiations. As there are seven distinct races among us, we were labeled "The Seven," for brevity I suppose.
"Hold on. Make your presence known? As in announcing that Vampires and Angels and…" She cut a look at Connor. "And whatever he is, are real?"
"Yes. As I stated, our people are of seven races or clans of what humans call preternatural or preterhuman. I am Vampire, and before you ask, no I was never human. Yes, I can "make" a Vampire and yes, Vampires can breed. We are not "undead" and aside from a few who do not have the age or strength, we can withstand daylight."
"So you just figured I'd ask that, huh?"
"I've read your interviews and your blog. You are a most curious woman by nature."
She shrugged. That much was true. "I'm sorry to interrupt. Please continue."
"Along with my people, there are the Skinwalkers. They can transform from human to animal form. Connor is of the Skinwalkers and commands another of our conclaves in Colorado.
"Gabriel, obviously, is of the Archangels. He commands our station in California. Andre is Wizard and is located in Seattle. Severin – ah there he is now." Augustus paused as three men entered the house.
"You started without us?" A tall man with long dark hair and the blackest eyes Layla had ever seen, queried.
"Severin, good of you to join. Layla, may I introduce Severin. Severin is in command of The Seven enclave in Chicago. He is Daemon."
Layla nodded to Severin and noticed that he did not return the courtesy. Augustus gestured toward a blond haired man with the most curious lavender eyes. "This is Xavier, a Fae, and the Director of our conclave in Nashville. Darius…" He gestured to a strikingly handsome man with golden brown hair. "Is Changeling and commands from a center in Ontario.
"I am in charge of The Seven here."
"So who is in charge of the rest of the states?"
"North America is divided up between the seven centers, omitting only New York State."
"Why is that?"
"It is under the direct control of the Council."
"The Council?"
Augustus turned his attention to Severin, Darius, and Xavier. "Please, be seated."
They sat and then Augustus returned his attention to her. "The Council is our ruling body, made up of representatives from all seven races. Their headquarters is in Manhattan."
"And what about Alaska and Hawaii?"
"They have their own centers," Connor offered the answer.
"And the rest of the world?"
"Again, divided by territory and governed by an individual appointed by the Council."
"So." She looked at Augustus' chest, still not trusting to meet his eyes. "You claim you are all – people-- from – from what, fairytales and myth? And that you have places all over the world where your kind live. Am I getting this right?"
"We do not claim to be anything." Severin spoke and she could hear the scorn in his voice. "We are who we are and have inhabited this world since before humans climbed out of the primordial soup."
"Oh really?" She didn't care much for his supercilious tone but wasn't about to get into an argument. After all, what she was being told had to be the world's largest crock of shit. "Sorry. Let me rephrase. So, you are all – supernatural – pardon, preternatural, and have always been here. I'm guessing you've made your presence known to at least some humans over the years – hence the tales. And you have a government and apparently, it works for you. But here's what puzzles me…"
She paused and dared to raise her gaze to meet Augustus'. "Why am I here?"
She heard two soft chuckles and from the direction of the sounds guessed it was Connor and Gabriel. They seemed to be the only ones in the room who possessed a sense of humor.
Augustus' eyes narrowed just fractionally and she could have sworn she saw a tiny flare of light in their depths. Had she hit a nerve? Layla knew that she sometimes came across as naïve or even scatterbrained. Sometimes she was. But she also used it to her advantage. Like her Grannie always said, it's never smart to show all your cards up front.
"Well?" She asked when he remained silent.
"That was not a decision sanctioned by the Council or agreed upon by any of the District Governors," Xavier stated.
"Oh?" She looked at him then back at Augustus. "Then who exactly decided it was okay to drug and abduct me and bring me here against my will?"
"Me."
"You." She stood, hoping that her legs wouldn't shake. She didn't want it to show but she was more than a little afraid. After all, in less than twenty-four hours she'd seen a Shape-Shifter, a Vampire, a Fairy, a Daemon, and an Angel – with her own eyes. It was pretty darn clear that her bead on reality was way off base.
"So, you decided. And your Council – do they know?"
"No."
She looked around at the others. "And none of you feel it worth mentioning right? I mean, I am, after all, just a human."
"Your race was not a factor in my decision."
"Then what was?"
Augustus looked around at the others. "Leave us."
"Why?" Layla challenged his request.
"I'll speak with you alone."
"No. Speak now, right now, in front of your people and tell me why you brought me here and what you want from me."
He stared at her for a long time and her legs did start to shake, along with the rest of her body. But she refused to back down and stood there, fists clenched at her sides and trying to stem the trembling.
"I brought you here for what you can do. And for me."
"What I can do? You mean write a romance novel?"
Another chuckle from Gabriel had her cutting him a look. "Okay, I guess this is all quite amusing to you but it's not a damn bit funny to me. And it makes no sense at all. If you want to keep who and what you are a secret then why make yourselves known to someone like me? You have to know that I'll use it. I'll write a book or a damn series of books and have every one of you in it."
"No one will believe it is anything other than fiction.” Gabriel replied. “And we are not a secret. At least not to the upper echelons of power in world governments."
"You mean our government knows about you? As in the President and the military and—"
"Yes." Augustus interrupted. "They have known for a decade. We have been in negotiations with them for the last three years."
"For what?"
"Peace."
Layla suddenly knew what it meant to have a chill slide down your spine because that's exactly what happened at hearing Augustus speak that one word. Her courage or maybe it was her strength, suddenly waned to the point that she had to sit.
"Peace?"
"Yes."
"And have you succeeded?"
"There is tenuous peace between us but I cannot say there is trust."
She shook her head and reached up to squeeze the bridge of her nose between index finger and thumb. Her sinuses were aching and it helped relieve the pressure. But more than that, it was something she found herself doing when she needed to process information or consider something seriously.
There was complete silence in the room and she lost track of time. She didn't know how to process the information. On the one hand, maybe she had been drugged and was just hallucinating. Maybe none of this was real.
On the other hand, it seemed too real and clear to be a hallucination. However, the implication that it was real altered her entire view of reality. If beings such as those in the room existed then it changed everything.
She let her hand fall to her lap and looked at Augustus. "I think I'd like to speak with you privately."
He nodded and looked at the others. Gabriel smiled and stood, taking time to give
Layla a wink. Connor smirked and followed Gabriel out. The others didn't even bother to look her way. They just got up and left.
Layla gathered her thoughts. She fully intended to leave this place. Today. The question was how best to accomplish that task.
"I appreciate you telling me about The Seven and your Council, but I don't see what it has to do with me. I'm a writer. A romance writer. I can't possibly be of value to your kind and it serves no purpose at all to keep me here."
"Wrong."
That curt one word response rankled and before she knew it, reason was shoved aside by anger and frustration. "Look, Augustus, let's get one thing clear. You might be in charge here, but I'm not a member of your merry band and you can't keep me here against my will."
"Yes I can."
Layla flew to her feet. "That's illegal!"
"Your laws do not apply here."
"I beg your damn pardon but they sure as shit do. According to you, your territory is in the United States. And the US is under the control of local, state, and federal governments. So, unless you've whisked me away to some parallel universe, you follow the same laws as the rest of us."
"No, we don't."
His deadpan expression and brusque responses were getting the best of her. "God almighty, could you be more dense and annoying? You can't stand there and tell me you live in this country and don't have to follow its laws!"
"I can if where we stand is a sovereign nation."
Layla felt the wind die from her sails. "A sovereign nation?"
"Yes. This property and all of the other seats of power for our people have been sanctioned as reservations. Thus we are, in effect, a sovereign nation, governed by ourselves."
Son of a bitch.
"Prove it."
"I don't have to."
"You sure as hell do."
"Why?"
"Because … " She couldn't come up with a valid reason and maybe it was time to stop talking about it. She felt like Dorothy in Oz. She just wanted to go home. Since she didn't have any ruby slippers to click together, she was going to have to find another way.
Right now, the only option she could see was to try to make another run for it. If he tried to stop her, she wouldn't fall for it. Wouldn't let him touch her. She'd make it out, come hell or high water, as her Grannie used to say.
"Forget it." She made up her mind and acted before she lost her courage.
Layla broke into a run, made it through the door and outside onto the porch. She didn't see anyone around when she jumped off the porch and took off in the direction of freedom.
She estimated she was about halfway to the gate when she had to slow. It'd been a while since she had run and she was huffing like a locomotive. But she couldn't stop, she had to keep going.
She nearly sagged with relief when the gate came into view and there was no sign of Augustus. It was a big metal structurer, easily twenty feet tall with crossbars holding the bars at the top and bottom and a third set midway. Even if she could reach the middle bar, she'd never make it over the top as the vertical bars ended sharp arrow shapes.
Layla scanned both sides of the drive. The gate was mounted on thick stone columns that joined a high stone wall. She estimated the wall to be at least ten feet. There was no way she could get to the top unless she could find something to stand on.
Trees lined the inner wall of the stone fence. Maybe she could climb up one and get over that way. She used to be a darn good tree climber. Hopefully those skills had not gotten so rusty they would fail her.
She chose the right side of the gate and started following the wall, checking every tree. Layla was so focused on finding an escape route that she forgot to look to see if Augustus had followed her.
It felt like forever before she found a tree with promise. She hiked up her skirt and started up the tree. Bark sliced into her hands and feet but she ignored it. It wasn't long before she found a branch she could crawl out on and drop down onto the top of the stone wall.
That part was easy enough. Looking down at the ten-foot drop to freedom gave her pause. She wasn't keen on heights and had never liked the sensation of falling. But what choice did she have?
Layla crouched, took a deep breath, and pushed herself away from and off the wall. She closed her eyes for a split second as the ground rushed at her, preparing for impact.
The fall was quick and her eyes flew open the instant the downward momentum ceased. She hadn't landed on her feet or fallen on her ass. In fact, she hadn't touched the ground at all.
She was cradled in Augustus' arms. He gave her a smile, displaying his elegant fangs and this time she didn't faint. She was way too mad for that. She balled up her right hand into a fist and slugged him.
"You bastard!"
The blow didn't seem to faze him, aside from causing a minute flash in his eyes. "Let me go!" She started to struggle.
She kicked, hit, screamed, scratched, and managed only to end up pressed against his body with her feet angling off the ground and her skirt bunched up around her waist.
"Stop."
Was it the command in his tone, or something in his eyes that had her going still? She didn't know why, but all at once, her body was no longer hers to command.
That was terrifying. So much that tears gathered in her eyes. "Please, I want to go home."
"You are home, Layla." This time his voice was soft, the croon of a lover.
His lips claimed hers and what swept through her was more terrifying than fear because it ripped away her will. She could feel the fight seeping out of her and there was no amount of rage she could summon to combat it. Desire for him took control, stripping away all else.
It was then she realized that she was not going to escape. At least not this way. She was going to have to come up with a new plan and she needed to do it fast. Already he had inserted himself into her mind. If she gave in to him completely she would be lost.
And despite wanting him to the point of near madness, she could not let that happen.
Chapter Four
As my Uncle Herbert, the war vet would say, this here is a real fubar. How am I going to get out of this mess? Here I am, being carried in the arms of a man who is nothing less than a fantasy come to life. A Vampire for goodness sakes. A drop-dead-gorgeous, wears jeans like a real cowboy Vampire.
And he obviously wants me if his kisses and—manly responses —are any indication. I may not be Einstein but I'm not an idiot. I can recognize an erection when I feel one pressed against me. And that's puzzling in itself. Even if he were not a Vampire, Augustus is a man any woman would find sexy. Why me? I'm not an ogre but I'm not a beauty queen either. What would make him go to such trouble to have me with him?
What possible value could I have to him?
This is more than a fubar, it's a mystery all wrapped up in a package that's way too seductive and holds far too much appeal for me. Shoot fire, I sure wish I didn't have a case of hots for the man. I'm afraid that's going to screw with my head. I just have to find a way to shut my libido down and start thinking clearly.
If that's possible as long as he's within fifty feet of me.
Layla didn't make a sound the entire way back to the house. She was a bit surprised when Augustus set her down beside the passenger door of a big double cab truck rather than take her to the house.
He opened the door for her but she didn't move.
"Get in."
"Where are we going?"
"Home."
"I thought this was home?"
He put his hands on either side of her waist, lifted her up into the truck, closed the door, and walked around to get in behind the steering wheel.
Layla decided against asking anything more. He started the truck and drove past the house. The drive forked and he took the left fork onto another paved road. Layla looked out at the passing landscape as he drove. They passed what looked like an actual neighborhood with a fair amount of houses, then pastures and barns and what looked like an industrial comp
lex.
She was surprised. They must have driven for ten minutes before he took a turn to the left onto another paved road. It was sheltered on either side by old trees and a fence bordered both sides, the kind of fence used for pastures.
When a house came into view, her eyes widened. It was like something out of a magazine, all honey wood and glass, with a massive wraparound porch. The landscaping was incredible. Flowering trees, shrubs and an honest to goodness flower garden complete with a fountain and benches.
"What is this place?"
"Home."
"But—" She looked at the house and then at him. "I thought the other place –"
"That's for guests."
"Oh. Well, this is beautiful. Peaceful."
"Yes." He turned off the engine, opened his door, and got out.
After a moment, she got out. Augustus came around the front of the truck to her and offered his hand. Layla automatically reached for it then pulled back. Why had she even thought for a split second to take his hand? She had to remember that he wasn't her friend or her lover. He was her abductor. She'd be foolish to trust him.
Still it made her feel bad when a look of disappointment flickered on his face. He gestured toward the house and after a moment's hesitation, she started moving. He stayed a step behind her as they made their way to the front door.
Layla wished she could have been there under different circumstances. She'd love to take her time, wander through the yard, and smell all of the sweet scenes from the flowering plants.
She stopped at the end of the sidewalk and looked at Augustus. He moved ahead of her and opened the door.
Layla made note that he did not use a key. Did he feel so safe here that he saw no need to lock his home? That question traveled to the back of her mind as he escorted her inside.
The first thing that hit her was the smell. What was that? She stopped, closed her eyes, and inhaled. The smell was sweet but not cloyingly so. It held a bare hint of spice and … and what? It came to her in a flash. It was reminiscent to the smell of night blooming jasmine.
Her eyes opened to discover Augustus watching her. Layla avoided eye contact with him and wandered through the foyer into a large living area. It was a lovely room, the walls of the same honey colored wood as the exterior with enormous exposed wooden beams supporting the vaulted ceiling. The furniture was of soft-brushed leather in warm dark umber and accented with pillows of complementing earth tones.
