by Julie Wetzel
The woman shot Vicky a ‘you have got to be kidding me’ look. Zak chose that moment to poke around the corner of the doorway and gurgle at them. The woman took part of a step back at the sight.
“He’s just misunderstood.” Vicky smiled at her before tossing a piece of bacon towards the creature. Zak snagged it out of the air and munched on it happily. She thanked the two girls for their cooking and took her plate into the breakfast nook to eat.
***
The number of people hanging out in his house this morning surprised Darien. He knew that both Clara and Rupert had opened the invitation to everyone, but still. When he had gone downstairs to make sure Phelan was awake, he had been awed to see there were still movies playing in the family room and people gaming in the living room. A group had set up some role-playing game on the dining room table and were busy tossing dice around. The entire weekend had been an amazing flourish of activity wrapping around the clock. Did these people ever sleep?
The other thing that amazed Darien was how well the vampires and the werewolves got along together. Most of the members of both groups were too young to remember what had caused the conflict between the two parties. It was really only the older wolves and vampires who were still having problems getting over hard feelings. It helped that Zak reminded them all fighting wasn’t welcome.
“Who did your hair?” Darien asked as he came into the kitchen with the silver wooden sticks in hand, ready to fix Vicky’s hair. He had been stopped in the foyer by Clara, who insisted he have a proper breakfast and not ‘that bagged crap’ he normally ate. The little side trip had delayed him for a few minutes, making him worry that they’d be running late.
“Terrence did it.” Vicky turned around to show off the intricately plaited braid the delicate man had woven in her hair.
Pushing aside the twinge of disappointment, Darien smiled appreciatively as he slipped the sticks into his inside coat pocket. He liked running his fingers through her soft curls as she sat with her eyes closed, trusting him. Reminding himself that he had spent all night cuddling her, he cheered up.
“It looks beautiful.” Darien complimented. “Are you ready to go then?”
She pushed Zak off her lap and stood up. “I just need to grab my bag,” Vicky said as she headed out of the room. “I’ll meet you in the foyer in just a minute.”
Darien nodded in response and reached down to grab up the ball of tentacles following her. “Now listen,” he lifted Zak up to eye level, “I know you want to come with us today, but you can’t.”
Zak growled at him.
“Not even as a dog. I need you to stay here and make sure everything’s okay.”
Zak wiggled his tips angrily at him.
“I promise she’ll be okay. If anything should happen, I’ll send word back to you.”
Zak stared at him hard before sneezing.
Darien dropped the little horror to the floor and opened the refrigerator to pull out one of his blood packs. “Here.” He tossed it down to the little fay.
Zak snatched it up happily.
“Make sure you put the bag in the trash when you’re done.”
He gurgled his agreement and took off with the blood to enjoy it in peace.
***
“Stop pulling at your tie.” Vicky shook her head at Phelan as he tugged on the unfamiliar clothing. “You’ve got it all crooked.”
“It feels like I’m wearing a collar,” Phelan grumped as he attempted to fix what he had messed up.
“Technically, you are.” Darien smiled, and Phelan sneered at him.
“Cut it out.” Vicky turned to the wolf dressed in her boss’s clothing. “Hold still and let me fix it.” She stepped in so she could mess with Phelan’s tie.
Darien shut his eyes and pushed away the anger that stole over him. He had this irresistible urge to yank her away from the wolf and yell ‘Get away from her, damn it. She is mine!’ Surprised by the pang of possessiveness that coursed through him he shook his head to clear it of rampant thoughts. It had to be the stress from the weekend messing with his head. He had spent most of the time watching her and thinking about what he was going to do to ensure her safety. Darien opened his eyes when he felt Vicky’s gentle fingers at his neck and smiled as she fixed his tie, too.
“Thank you,” he said softly as she pulled away from him. Somehow, that simple gesture was enough to calm him.
“You’re welcome.” Turning to face the door, she stood between the two men. “Now don’t mess them up,” she warned as she stepped out of the elevator.
Phelan dropped his hand away from his collar before he touched the offensive article.
Darien just snickered and followed her out onto their floor.
Dropping her bag in its customary spot and opening her computer, Vicky ignored the guys as Darien went into his office, leaving Phelan to his own devices in Vicky’s room. She looked up at the man slightly out of place in the corporate world. “Did you bring something to do?”
Phelan shook his head as he looked around the room.
“Here.” Taking pity on the man, Vicky unplugged her laptop. “I don’t need this for a while.” She picked up the computer and handed it to Phelan.
“I’m here as a guard.” He tried to refuse.
“True,” Vicky said. “But there’s no reason for you to be bored,” she insisted, pressing the computer into his hands. “I really doubt that anything is going to happen.”
Phelan just looked at her for a moment.
“Besides, it’s not like you’re going anywhere.”
The wolf finally gave in and took the laptop.
Vicky went back to her desk and pulled out Darien’s appointment book so she could get busy rearranging his schedule for the week.
Phelan held the computer in his hands and found a seat on the couch next to the desk. At least now he would have something to do for a while.
***
“I’m heading down to the café to get something for lunch,” Vicky said after Maurice left looking more than a little chewed, but glad that Darien hadn’t fired him over the massive shipping error. “Did you want anything?”
Darien looked up from his desk to his thoughtful assistant. “Just the usual, please.”
Vicky nodded her understanding before slipping from his office.
Darien let out a contented sigh and went back to the file he was trying to read before his next meeting. He was so glad that the temp agency had sent Vicky to him. Now, if they could just make it through this week, he would be able to act on his growing feelings without being overshadowed by some chaotic event.
“I’m going to get some coffee and lunch, did you need anything?” Vicky asked as she gathered up her bag.
Phelan looked up from the game he was playing as he processed the question. “Lunch.” He nodded, closing the laptop to join in on her quest for food.
“You don’t have to leave your game.” Vicky hadn’t meant to disturb him. “Just tell me what you’d like, and I can bring it back.”
Phelan chuckled. “I wouldn’t be a very good bodyguard if I didn’t stay with the body I’m supposed to guard.” He smirked at her.
Vicky opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She had not realized he was here to protect her. Closing her mouth, she led Phelan out of the office in silence.
***
“Is there anything else that you needed me to reschedule for the week?” Vicky asked as she walked into Darien’s office, looking at her notepad. It had taken her most of the morning and into the afternoon to get Darien’s week cleared.
“No.” Darien shifted papers around on his desk, preparing for the next meeting. “Were there any problems?” He glanced up at Vicky, who was still looking over her notes.
“Not really.” She started to look up from her paper. “Mr. Tyler didn’t…” Her words faltered as her eyes shifted up to something behind her boss. The shocked expression that crossed Vicky’s face made Darien spin around to see what had caused
her to stop talking.
A handsome man dressed in a sleeveless red tunic and pants stood on the ledge outside the window. He had a yellow sash tied around his waist that flapped in the breeze along with his long, ash-gray hair. Smiling in the window, he waved to Darien.
Darien growled as he recognized the ifrit and launched himself at the window, intending to tear the creature to pieces if he could catch him.
The ifrit blew Vicky a kiss and stepped backwards off the ledge as he disappeared, laughing.
Darien wrenched the window open and screamed in fury at his missed target.
Phelan rushed into the room and dropped to check on Vicky as she lay on the floor. The ifrit had sent a touch of power down their connection when he blew his kiss. It burned in the mark on her hand. Between the pain and the roll of energy flooding the room from the pissed vampire, Vicky had passed out without a sound.
Darien slammed the window shut, nearly breaking the tempered glass, and turned around. His anger went cold when his eyes landed on Phelan rolling Vicky over. “Victoria!” he gasped, and rushed to her side. His eyes found where Vicky had clutched her left hand to her chest when the pain struck.
“She’s alive.” Phelan moved back to give Darien some room. “What happened?” He looked around the room for any signs of danger.
Darien ignored him for a moment as he rolled Vicky into his arms. He carefully lifted her left hand to look at the burn. It had started to heal, but the red mark now had fresh blisters on it. He growled his anger. Had she not been wearing the medallion, the magic the ifrit sent could have burned a hole in her hand. “It was here,” Darien finally said in answer to Phelan’s question. “Just outside the window.”
The wolf stood up to look over at the windowsill.
Darien patted Vicky gently to wake her up. “Victoria.” He breathed her name.
She shifted in his arms as she came around. Her brow wrinkled as she tried to deal with the headache the magic had caused her. Lifting her left hand up to rub her temples, she hissed in pain as the burnt skin moved. Vicky tried to open her eyes but groaned as the light stabbed into her, intensifying the headache she already had. She quickly closed them and rolled her face into Darien’s chest, trying to escape the pain.
“Is she okay?” Phelan asked as he came back from checking the other windows for any signs of the ifrit.
“I think she caught a little backlash from the magic,” Darien said. “She should be fine in a few minutes.”
Vicky groaned into his chest as she rubbed her face into him.
“Can you get the first aid kit from the closet?” he asked Phelan before sitting back and pulling her deeper into his arms. “Be still, and I’ll see what I can do.” Darien whispered to her. Leaning over, he kissed her softly on the head and pushed a little power into her.
That warm sensation flowed through her head, chasing out the pain the rampant magic had caused.
He pulled back when Vicky’s breathing evened out. She blinked up at him slowly.
“How do you feel?” Darien asked her softly.
“Mushy,” she slurred slightly.
A grin turned up the corner of Darien’s mouth as he shook his head lightly. He let out a relieved sigh at seeing her safe.
Phelan dropped down in front of them and proceeded to bandage Vicky’s hand. She looked at him groggily as he worked.
“Is she all right?” Phelan took in the slightly glazed look in the woman’s eyes. She giggled at him a little.
“She’s very sensitive to magic,” Darien explained, lifting her from the floor. “She should be fine in a few minutes.” He carefully set the addled woman on the couch to recover.
Phelan nodded and packed the first aid case back into the closet. “When’s your next meeting?” He had listened to Vicky pack several of the meetings set for the next few days into this afternoon.
Darien looked up at the clock and cursed slightly. “Mrs. Robinson will be here in about ten minutes.” He glanced over at Vicky resting on the couch. “And she has a bad habit of being early.”
Vicky pulled herself in to a sitting position. “I’m okay.”
“Are you sure?” Darien asked, concerned.
“I’m not about to let that woman catch me sleeping on the couch.” She tried to stand on shaky legs. “She already doesn’t like me because I didn’t come through HR.”
Darien stepped over to give her some support. “I haven’t heard anything about this,” he said, surprised. “Did she say something to you?”
Vicky chuckled as he helped her from his office. “She didn’t have to.” She smiled weakly. “I can tell. Sue may have also mentioned she heard a few of the girls from HR gossiping about her displeasure with the ‘inexperienced skirt’ you were chasing, and how her department could have found you someone better suited to your needs.”
Darien was completely shocked by this. Mrs. Robinson had been disappointed when he told her he was going to a temp agency for his PA, but she never let on that she felt so strongly about it. He clenched his jaw as his surprise turned to minor annoyance. “It’s none of her business whose ‘skirt’ I’m chasing, and she blew the six chances I gave her,” he said indignantly. “How the hell does she know what my ‘needs’ are anyway? I happen to like the assistant I ended up with, no matter how ‘inexperienced’ she was.”
Vicky’s smile turned real, and she laughed lightly. “Thank you,” she said as Darien sat her into her chair. “Do you say that to all the women you help stagger from your office?”
“Only the special ones.” He tucked a stray strand of hair behind Vicky’s ear.
She grinned shyly as her boss turned away from her.
“Stay close to her.” He patted Phelan away from his study of the ceiling tiles as he passed back into his office to prepare for the meeting with the head of HR. There had been several complaints from some of the other departments, and they needed to discuss policies. Maybe he should talk to Sue himself. If the woman was that opinionated about one hire that didn’t go through her, maybe she was causing problems for some of the more timid department heads.
***
“Is there anything I can help you with?” Phelan asked, picking up the laptop he had dropped on the floor. He placed it on Vicky’s desk before making his way into the corner behind her to lean against the wall.
She plugged the cable into the back of the computer. “Not really.” Vicky opened the top and looked at the puzzle that the wolf hadn’t finished. “We just have to wait for Mrs. Robinson to arrive.” She clicked on one of the jewels to switch them and clear the line from the game.
It was only three minutes before Mrs. Robinson stepped through the door. She looked at Vicky, then to Phelan leaning against the cabinet behind her, with disapproval. The smile she shot the pair didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m here to see Mr. Ritter,” Mrs. Robinson said as she stepped up to Vicky’s desk.
Vicky gave her a smile just as fake and waved her to the couch. “Please have a seat, and I’ll announce you.” It took everything in her, but Vicky rose very professionally while Mrs. Robinson stood defiantly in front of her desk. Phelan glared at the woman as Vicky forced herself to not show how far out of it she was.
“Mr. Ritter.” She knocked on the door and opened it up. “Mrs. Robinson from HR is here.”
Darien shook his head at Vicky’s posturing and told her to send the woman in.
“He’s ready for you.” She turned around and left the door open so the Human Resource director could go in. Making her way back to her desk, Vicky dropped herself into the chair as Mrs. Robinson went in and shut the door. She was sure the woman was in for a good chewing out. Sue kept her up on the gossip of the building, and that woman was the most complained-about person around. Vicky didn’t feel bad that she told Darien what Sue had overheard; the woman had given her a really hard time since he had informed HR that she was permanent. She did, however, hope he didn’t take his frustrations at the ifrit out on her. Darien mad was something she wouldn’t
wish on anyone.
Vicky laid her head down in her arms on the desktop and tried to breathe deeply and evenly. Her head was still swimming a little from the magic. What she really wanted was some water, but she couldn’t walk that far yet, and she wasn’t about to ask Phelan to go and get her some. Even if he was willing to take her cup to the water fountain in the hall, she didn’t want him to leave her alone for that long. Her mind pulled up the face of the man who had been standing just outside Darien’s window, and she shuddered.
The ifrit was nothing like Vicky had expected. She knew he was well built from the time he held her captive in the circle, but she didn’t expect him to be so handsome. The fine, olive skin and long, grayish hair were just too nice to be so evil. Vicky spent a few minutes thinking about the contrast and found she wasn’t especially surprised by this. She had met so many beautiful things that were highly dangerous in the last few weeks.
Laughing silently, she thought about the creatures that had come into her life recently—things like the wolf standing behind her, the vampire she was now living with, and the strange, doglike fay she had become used to. Vicky let out a long sigh. Something soft and warm wiggled up from under her desk to touch her face gently, and she sat up in surprise.
Zak gurgled at her from the darkness.
“Why are you here?” Vicky asked, rolling back in her chair so the small fay could wobble up in her lap.
He growled unhappily as he felt her to make sure she was okay.
“I’m fine,” she reassured him and ruffled his tips with both of her hands.
Zak took hold of her left hand and pulled it over to sniff at the wound. He growled at her again.
Vicky closed her eyes and tipped her head forwards, apologizing to the angry fay.
Whining, Zak rubbed his face into her stomach.
Phelan watched the pair from behind and shook his head at them. He didn’t understand how Vicky could have something like Zak around her and not be scared out of her wits. He was terrified just standing in the same room as the creature. Just the power he could feel from the small fay commanded respect, but she didn’t seem to notice in the slightest. If she was sensitive to magic, how could she not feel it?
