by Dannika Dark
Three minutes later, a silver Audi raced toward the gate. The brakes screeched and the car lurched to a stop. Prince emerged and strode toward the guard, breathing as if he’d been running. I wondered if he ever dressed down in a pair of jeans and T-shirt. He had on a charcoal-grey suit and a black shirt with a wide V-neck beneath his unbuttoned jacket.
Oops. Maybe I interrupted a meeting.
When the gates opened, Prince waved me in. I started the engine and pulled up behind his Audi. As the gates began to close, I stepped out of the vehicle, leaving the keys in the ignition.
“My apologies for the wait.”
I slammed the door and then bumped it with my hip when it didn’t shut all the way. “No problem, but your guard could use some manners.”
Prince inched closer and lowered his voice. “Did he disrespect you?”
“I haven’t decided whether or not ‘scrawny’ properly fits my description. What do you think?” I said, half joking, anchoring my hands firmly to my hips.
A muscle twitched below his eye and he spun on his heel, stalking toward the guard.
Prince didn’t handle him roughly, but smoothed his hands down the lapels of the guard’s jacket. “Did you insult my guest?”
“I only—I—she just came in with an attitude and—”
When Prince drew in an audible breath, the man snapped his mouth shut and took a submissive position. Five seconds ticked by, then twenty. The guard didn’t move—his eyes looking at Prince’s leather shoes.
With a slow turn, Prince returned to my side and lightly touched my arm. His eyes scanned my body and unfortunately noticed the bead of sweat that trickled down my temple. “You can leave your vehicle here. I’ll drive you to the house and we’ll get you something cool to drink.”
“Thanks,” I said, my voice wavering. “I hope I didn’t cause any trouble with the guard. I’m sure he was just doing his job.”
Prince led me to his car and we got in. “If his job is to force you to sit in a hot car, then he’ll soon be unemployed.”
I sighed when the frosty air from the vents blew onto my face. “I’m just not used to the heat like I used to be. I’ve been away a long time and got a little spoiled, although I’m not a fan of rain.”
“Yes, they get far too much of it over there.”
We approached his mansion and I gasped, my eyes soaking in what compared to an English manor. “I heard it was big, but this is huge!”
Prince chuckled. “I’ve heard that a time or two.”
“I’m sure you have,” I said over my shoulder, although I wasn’t sure if he had meant the innuendo. I did, and I was a little disappointed when he didn’t return the playful banter. “This isn’t a mansion; it’s a castle in the woods. How is it that humans haven’t found this place?”
“I’m sure flying helicopters overhead might notice, but private property allows a man to build the kind of home that fits his personality.”
Three stories of personality. Stone archways across a long porch on the first level, a low wall below that since the house was on a hill, and a balcony on the second level. It had the appearance of a castle because of the steepled roof and the rounded columns of windows on either side. I was stunned. I’d seen Lorenzo’s home, and while it was contemporary on the outside, it didn’t equal half the size of Prince’s house.
“I feel like I’m going to a resort,” I said.
He parked the car on the right side of the house, inside a garage. “Should you want to stay the night, you’re more than welcome. There’s underground parking for your car.”
“While I’d be over the moon to stay at a place like this for the night, I’m just here to talk.”
A secretive smile touched his lips. “Come. I’ll show you to my private quarters and order refreshments.”
He guided me through the breezeway toward a side entrance. I hoped that “private quarters” didn’t mean his bedroom, although what that must look like piqued my curiosity. I wondered if he had silk curtains around his canopy bed with gold slippers at the edge.
After a brief chat with a packmate, Prince escorted me to the third level of the house. The sun was beginning to settle below the tree line, and the surrounding woods basked in the golden light flooding through the windows of the third floor.
“This is breathtaking!” I rushed to the open balcony doors and stepped outside. I could feel a delicate breeze that wasn’t blocked by trees or buildings. “You can see everything,” I said in awe. “I bet this looks amazing during meteor showers.”
“Would you like to sit out here?” he asked from the open balcony door.
“No, we need to speak in private. I don’t want anyone to hear our conversation.”
“Very well.” Prince closed the doors and leisurely walked toward two brown leather chairs near a tall bookcase on the right. It had a gold area rug beneath it that I couldn’t stop admiring because of the elaborate patterns. Obviously not something he bought at Home Depot.
As he motioned for me to sit, a knock sounded at the door.
My eyes were eating up the décor. From the antique paintings on the walls to the dark wood floors, no expense had been spared. An array of beautiful flowers was on a table between the bookshelves—fresh flowers. I snapped off a piece of material dangling from the end of my jean shorts and suddenly found no place to put the piece of scrap. I peered over the armrest in search of a trash can.
“Here we are.” Prince rolled a cart to my left and handed me a cup of hot tea, complete with a saucer.
I dropped the string of material next to a plate of cookies and accepted the tea with fire stinging my cheeks.
Prince’s face softened, but he pretended as if he hadn’t seen what I’d done. “Would you like something more comfortable to wear?”
“No,” I said, sipping my tea. “I’m just going to unravel right here in your chair.”
He took a seat in front of me and flashed his eyes up to mine. “How did you find England?”
“Wet.”
He traced his finger over his eyebrow and drew my attention back to his eyes. His right one was a medium brown, while his left eye glittered like sapphire. “You have grown into a remarkable woman.”
When my teacup rattled against the saucer from my nerves, I set it down. “Kind words, but the compliments aren’t necessary. I feel like an eyesore in your house. I didn’t mean to show up underdressed, but I’m working on replenishing my wardrobe.”
Prince sipped his tea slowly and set it on the tray. “On the contrary, everything in this room pales against your radiant beauty.”
“If you’re trying to play a game of how many times you can make me blush, then you win. I came here to talk to you about something private—something you might know a little about.”
Prince widened his legs and placed his arms on the armrest of the chair in a casual manner, but I could see his apprehension.
“Can I have your confidence?”
He nodded. “Your secrets are safe with me. As a Packmaster, I give you my word.”
I scratched my collarbone and looked around.
Prince laughed quietly. “You have peculiar habits when nervous. Such a trembling little flower.”
“No, I think I got a mosquito bite at the lake earlier. I’m here to ask you about the mark on my shoulder. Do you know the one I speak of?”
He nodded slowly.
“Can you tell me anything about what it means?”
Prince laced his fingers together and crossed his legs. “I have lived more centuries than most. I age slowly because I come from a pure line of powerful Shifters. You might see a few strands of silver in my hair, but I will live twice as long as the average Shifter. I’ve seen a lot of Breeds; some who have gone extinct—at least to my knowledge—and others who have thrived in our evolving world. Yours is an interesting story that began from nothing but rumors. There’s a reason why witch hunts involved searching for marks on a human. In the early years, humans knew about Breed, but
they knew little about what we could do with our gifts. So they made up fables, if not making us the demons within their own religion. Do you know what you’re called?”
“Lexi said a Potential.”
“Yes, that is the name our kind has given to you. Not because you’re one of us, but because you have the potential to become one of us. No one I’ve spoken to knows how Potentials began, but it’s speculated that long ago, an extinct Breed possibly mated with your kind.”
“I thought Breed couldn’t have children with humans?”
He smiled. “And you are correct. But we know little of every Breed that’s ever walked the earth, and there might have been some who could at one time. I suspect there are certain Relics who know such details, but they don’t make them public. Perhaps these Breeds passed on just enough of their genes to lay dormant throughout generations until something awakened the magic within them. There could be more of you than is known about, but most have no knowledge of what the mark looks like or what it means. Not everyone has heard the stories. There are many legends among our kind that have been forgotten; they’re no longer stories told by the campfire because modern life has provided many distractions. Packmasters are more likely to recognize your mark, or those who have been in contact with elders and paid attention to their stories.”
“Is it something I must keep hidden?”
He leaned forward, eyes still centered on mine. “Absolutely. It’s not the ninety percent of our kind that don’t know about the mark who matter, it’s the ten percent who do. For some, it might be in a spot easily hidden by clothing, or they never come into contact with Breed to be discovered. But don’t doubt for a moment that what you are is unique. There is magic locked within you.”
I hated where this was going. I glanced down at the small white mark on my leg where I’d had the tanning accident. “And what is the key?”
His eyebrows arched. “Any Breed male you choose, should you choose. You can remain human for the rest of your days, or become one of us. It’s not just limited to Shifters; you can select any Breed you wish. All it requires is sex with a partner.”
“I don’t see how that would make any—”
“Please,” he said, holding up his hand, “don’t make me go into explicit detail. It’s in the sperm. At least, that’s my assumption.”
“So if he wears a condom…”
Prince rose to his feet and huffed out a breath. “Would you like some biscotti?”
“Actually, I prefer to eat crumpets while talking about condoms.”
His cheeks flushed. “A lady shouldn’t use foul language.”
“The only thing foul in my vocabulary are insults.”
“And you don’t think condoms would insult me?” He handed me a napkin with a biscotti.
“If I called you a condomhead, maybe. But discussing the nature of sex is hardly insulting. Not in a direct and personal way.” I took a bite and immediately placed it back on the tray.
“I thought you preferred this kind of food in England,” he said, still towering by the tray.
“Actually, I ate a lot of crisps and soda. Sit down and tell me more. Have you ever met any Potentials? Are there any dangers to my health by not changing, or vice versa?”
“Slow down. Give me a moment to collect my thoughts.”
I wanted to sling him around by his ponytail until he spilled the beans. Instead, I tucked my hands beneath my legs and leaned forward, trying to feign patience, wishing I had a bag of Doritos.
“I have known one Potential in my life,” he began. “This was… maybe four centuries ago, if I’m not mistaken. I was captivated by her beauty, and I preferred the company of human women.”
“Why?”
He scratched his head and then smoothed his hair in that spot. “No risk of producing accidental children.”
I knitted my brows. “I never thought of a human woman as a form of birth control. Don’t you want kids?”
“When I choose to have children—if I choose—then it will come from a bride I have carefully selected. It’s important to keep my line pure, and I will not settle for less.”
“What happened to the Potential? Did you turn her?”
“No. I hadn’t courted her long enough before a Gemini entered the picture. They’re an old, rare Breed, and I don’t know if any women exist among their kind—none that I’ve ever seen. Naturally, she caught his eye, as did the tattoo of a spade on her left wrist. I didn’t know at that time what it meant, but he presumed I did and spoke freely in my presence. I didn’t believe his story, and because he was insistent on pursuing her, I didn’t feel she was worth the fight. Geminis are not a Breed to tangle with.”
I hadn’t heard anything about them. “What happened to her?”
“She changed, of course. I wouldn’t have believed it had someone not provoked her and drawn out the signature eye color of a Gemini. I could feel her energy had changed, and all from bedding that scoundrel.”
“Did she know that was going to happen to her?”
“Perhaps. Although a devious man relies on trickery to get what he wants. She wouldn’t have been able to survive on her own without him—the human world would have rejected if not killed her out of fear she was a demon. People were executed in those times without hesitation, often without a trial.”
I stood up and moved toward the windows. In the reflection, Prince watched me, but my eyes focused outside at the dimming light. My life suddenly felt like an hourglass with a decision placed at my feet. Do I live as I am, or do I make a choice to become something else? No matter which way I went, I could end up regretting that choice.
“You have much to consider, little one. You can live as you are, but you will always be at risk of someone taking that choice away from you. All it requires is one careless moment of not covering your mark. Someone could have noticed it ten years ago, and an immortal has patience. They wait until the fruit ripens on the vine.”
I whirled around and waved my arms. “Don’t talk about me like I’m a grape! Everyone seems to think it’s so terrible to be human, but the length of your life doesn’t guarantee a better quality of life. I’ve seen people who lived to thirty happier than some immortals as old as the pyramids. No one is squeezing this little grape.” I was stalking angrily toward the door when he shot up from his chair and caught my arm.
“Do not make decisions in haste. If you storm out the door, you will never hear the rest.”
I shook out of his grip. “The rest of what?”
Prince traced his finger along the slope of my cheek. “That I would like to invite you to my bed. Don’t you see, little one? If you draw from my magic to become a Shifter, the purity of my power will move into your eyes, your hair, your skin, your breasts, your sex. You will be the perfect mate I’ve been seeking all these years; the only one worthy of bearing my children.”
“Most men offer to take me out on a date before they suggest filling me up with babies.”
“If you have any further questions, my door is always open. You shouldn’t have any trouble at the gate from now on.”
From now on. He said that as if my visits were going to become a regular thing. Prince was handsome, sophisticated, and he sure smelled nice, but that was a lot to dump on a girl. It didn’t really hit me until I walked out that Prince had all but given me a marriage proposal.
***
After returning home early that evening, I curled up in the chair in our quiet study. William still hadn’t come back, and Trevor had left to meet up with April and break the news in person about our meeting. Worst of all, there I was giving everyone a lecture about keeping secrets while I was hiding the biggest one of all.
What Prince had confirmed about my genetics frightened me, excited me, and made me dizzy all at once. His proposal, offer, whatever it was, left me uncertain. I’d always dreamed of marrying a prince, but who knew that could be a reality? He was attractive, polite, powerful, wealthy, and protective—all qualities a woman migh
t desire. But did he like me? I sensed he did, but I was also skeptical of his true intentions. He’d known about my mark since I was a child and mentioned how immortals had patience. Maybe he was talking about other men, but it made me wonder if he’d been waiting all these years for his little grape to ripen on the vine.
Someone knocked on the door and it pushed open. “Hey, chickypoo. Mind if I come in?”
“Hey, Naya.”
She closed the door and reached down to wipe something off her bare foot. “The boys forgot to finish their chores today and the wood floor in the living room is in a dreadful state. I’m going to have to wear socks if I want to maintain my pedicure around here. I miss wall-to-wall carpeting.”
I peered behind her and noticed Spartacus had shoved his entire front leg beneath the door. Naya casually strolled toward the white chair in front of me. Behind it was a bookshelf built into the wall, filled with cookbooks, car-repair manuals, novels, home decorating books, and encyclopedias. She crossed her legs and studied her red nails for a minute.
“So I found a nice boy,” she began.
“I’m not sure this is a good time to play the dating game.”
“Of course it’s a good time!” she exclaimed. “No better time. You need someone to take your mind off the pack and whatever else has you hiding in here. You’re young, and you should be out having fun with other people your age.”
“Who happen to be male?”
She smiled with her ruby-red lips. “Of course. I’ve always found those of the male persuasion to be a perfect distraction. A nice date is just the kind of diversion you need to get you out of this musty room. He’s a trusted human in our world, so you won’t have to worry about keeping secrets. Isn’t that fabulous?”
Actually, it was kind of nice to have that burden lifted. I hadn’t known many trusted humans within the Breed world, at least none my age.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed Spartacus was sweeping his paw across the floor—claws extended.
Naya twisted her ankle in small circles, causing the silver chain to slither around her foot. “Saturday.”
“No good,” I quickly said.
