“The princess went to her wolf prince and begged him to help her father’s army when the horde reappeared. For all her father’s subjects knew their respite was a small one. The wolf prince agreed with one condition: the princess would be his wife and come to live with him. She agreed gladly because she loved him already, and her father prepared a formal parchment describing the terms.
“When the marauders reappeared, wolves boiled out of the forest in a fury. The human prince sent out his army and together the two forces fought the horde until the few survivors ran away in terror. The wolf prince howled, calling the princess to him. But the army rode back into the city, and the princess never came out.
“Her father, the prince, refused to see his daughter married to an animal. So, he locked her in a tower and reneged on his promise to the wolf prince. She begged and pleaded and called upon his honor, but still he refused her. She fell into a melancholy that no amount of coaxing could bring her out of.
“As the days turned into weeks, she stopped eating. Each evening a white wolf could be seen howling at the edge of the forest, calling to his mate. The princess would cry when she heard him, missing her true love desperately.
“The princess grew weak, and the prince, her father, was forced to bring in a healer. But the man reported the princess was dying from a broken heart and he could not repair it. The prince, her father, raged and ranted. But the princess became weaker and frailer. Finally, fearing his favorite child would pass from this world, he lifted her up on his own horse and carried her into the forest.
“When they came into the clearing, a beautiful young man with emerald eyes and brown hair awaited them. He took the princess from her father’s arms and walked into the forest, never to be seen again. Her father returned to the city, hoping the wolf prince would heal his daughter.
“On the anniversary of the day the prince gave up his daughter, a note came tied with a piece of golden hair. The people rejoiced when, after reading the note, the old prince smiled for the first time in a year.”
“Grigori, how beautiful,” Melisande said in awe.
“Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. I loved it. Thank you so much,” Wentworth gushed.
“It was a pleasure to share with you. Thank you for making this such an enjoyable evening for us, Kimberly,” Grigori said.
A slight shift in the energy of the room brought Grigori’s wolf senses howling to the surface. He glanced up and saw a man with a heavy overcoat coming in from the stairwell. For the first time since arriving that evening, he allowed all his senses to be fully present.
“Valerii, stay with the ladies, Brencis, with me. Excuse us a moment, please,” Grigori said, rising from the table.
Knowing Brencis was right behind him, Grigori went through the crowd to cut off the man in the overcoat. The smell of gun oil and metal was apparent to Grigori’s lycanthrope senses. The man reeked of fear and excitement, and his heart could be heard beating at an accelerated pace. He is not a professional assassin, Grigori thought in satisfaction. He tried to read the man’s mind, but it was a jumble of images and thoughts, too convoluted to straighten out. The man wasn’t quite sane.
Grigori caught Officer Kincaid’s eye and nodded toward the man. But Kincaid stood near the door to the balcony and could not reach him. Kincaid lifted his wire and spoke into his microphone.
Brencis cut off his escape. Make sure there are no accomplices.
Grigori had almost reached the man when the intruder ran up to the head table and pulled a gun from under his coat. Using his lycan speed, Grigori rushed up and grabbed the man’s wrist, as the first person at the table started to react.
The world went into slow motion as Grigori flowed into action. A woman screamed. Applying pressure to the man’s wrist, Grigori crushed his wrist bones. People rose from their chairs. A man yelled. The gun fell from useless fingers. The assailant turned toward Grigori. Officers from around the room rushed forward. Grigori gave a quick jab to the man’s nose. The assailant fell unconscious to the floor. And time returned to normal.
Grigori glanced down at the fallen man. The room was in an uproar with everyone talking at once. He started wiping his hands with a napkin from the head table, when several officers leveled their service revolvers at him.
“Bloody, Hell!” Barras shouted. “Don’t shoot him. He saved my life. Captain, call off your men. Didn’t you see the idiot in the coat pull a gun on me? Dammit, Solovyov, I’ve never seen anyone move so quickly. I owe you my life. How did you know he was carrying a gun?”
“It was the way he moved. And he was slightly overdressed, don’t you think?” Grigori asked, hoping to cover up the fact that he had used his lycanthrope speed and sense of smell to recognize the assailant. “If you don’t mind I would like to go back to my fiancée, now that you are safe, Barras.”
“Yes, certainly. Melisande must be terrified. Let him through, captain. You can get his statement later,” Barras said, directing his security force.
Grigori turned to see Brencis speaking with Officer Kincaid. He started to make his way back to the table when Melisande came through the crowd and grabbed him around the waist.
“Do you always need to be a hero? You scared me half to death!” she said as she hugged him tightly.
Looking in bemusement at his mate, he felt his heart fill to bursting.
“I’m sorry if I frightened you, lyubov moya. I thought you might be upset if something happened to your dear cousin. Was I wrong?”
“No, but I would have been more upset if something had happened to you, you arrogant man.”
Grigori chuckled in delight at his mate. “Come, I think it is time to go home. I believe the party is over.”
At that moment Wentworth came through the crowd with Valerii.
“I know a back way to get you out of here, but we better go right now,” she said.
“Lead the way, Kimberly. We are right behind you,” Grigori encouraged her.
Brencis, Kimberly is sneaking us out of here. Dump Kincaid and follow us.
Right behind you.
Wentworth led them through the kitchen to a service elevator in the back of the building. Sirens could be heard coming from the front entrance.
“If you go down to the main floor there is a back door to the street behind Kensington High Street. You can catch a cab from there. Here is my card. Call me tomorrow, and I will give you all the contact information Lord Barras wanted you to have,” Wentworth said, pushing them into the elevator. “Thanks for a great evening. It was fun.”
“You were pretty terrific, too. It was nice meeting you, Kimberly,” Melisande said as the doors closed.
Once they were on the main floor, the back door was easy to find. A quick scan proved they were alone. If an officer had been posted here, he must have been called upstairs. Grigori grasped Melisande’s hand, their fingers twining, as they quickly walked to the back street. They found a crossing before looking for a taxi. Valerii hailed a passing cab, and they all squeezed in on their way back to the townhouse.
“Quite an evening,” Valerii commented.
“You saved Lord Barras’ life tonight,” Brencis insisted.
“Do you think we could order a pizza?” Grigori asked, seeing a sign advertising the dish. He had noticed the food on the local television commercials and was intrigued.
“Is that all you can think about? Food?” Melisande asked irritably.
“Well, I don’t know about the boys, but I’m still hungry,” Grigori complained.
Melisande shook her head and then started to laugh. Soon they all were joining in. The cab driver stared at them as if they were crazy, but he offered them a number to a pizza place that delivered.
Later in the evening as Grigori and Melisande lay in each other’s arms. She ran her hand down his chest.
“Thank you for saving Andrew tonight.”
“I did it for you, lyubov moya, though I think your cousin wishes it was anyone else but me. He doesn’t like the idea
of his favorite cousin marrying a Russian.”
“Well, he can get over it because you are everything I’ve ever wanted.”
“Remember what you said when our first child shifts into a wolf pup.”
“You know I was thinking . . .”
“About our first child?”
“No, about the pack. You said it came as a surprise that your Alpha was able to mate with a psychic human. But in your story tonight, which I realize is more than a fairy tale, you said the wolf prince mated with the Russian princess. You also mentioned she liked to talk to the animals. So, maybe she was psychic.”
“The story is very old and passed down through the generations. My father’s mother used to tell it to Brencis and me to make us sleep at night. We were so enamored of the wolf prince and how he saved the city from the marauders. I never thought about the line of her speaking to the animals, or much about the fact she was human. It became a beautiful fairy tale. It didn’t seem real.”
“Perhaps the answers to the pack breeding problems are hidden in your old family legends.”
“I’ll suggest it to Dmitry. You might be right. Now come here so I can love you.”
§
“Idiot! You were supposed to bring me the woman. Instead, Zaytsev saw them returning to the townhome in a cab. And how is it, you let Solovyov’s young protégé find my newest rental? I can’t keep finding new places to hide out. This is getting tedious. I’m paying you to spy for me, not cause more problems. This is your first and last warning. Fail me again, and you will pay with your life,” Funenko shouted into the phone.
Hiring someone inside to spy on Solovyov had seemed like such a good idea. But this venture was costing Funenko more money by the hour. Melisande Reule was going to pay for every cent with her delectable body. Rubbing his hands together, Funenko imagined the fun he was going to have.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Grigori dreamed. Melisande was walking down the aisle toward him, wearing a beautiful white gown. Her eyes sparkled with joy, and she consumed him. He loved her so much.
Grika! Wake-up! Little Joe is at the back gate. Something is wrong.
Grigori jerked awake. Melisande lay sleeping peacefully beside him. He expanded his senses, searching for danger. But he didn’t smell or hear a threat.
Grika, should I let the child in?
Brencis?
Aren’t you awake yet? Having a mate is bemusing your brain. Little Joe is at the back gate. I smell fear.
Let the child in. Meet me in the kitchen. Let little Joe see your wolf form. Take note of the reaction, then report it to me later, Grigori sent to Brencis as he got out of bed and started putting on clothes.
He hated to wake Valerii, but they might need him. Sighing, he calmed his thoughts and reached with his mind to the man sleeping down the hall.
Valerii. Wake-up!
Grigori?
Sorry to wake you. Rosie’s child, little Joe, is at the back gate. Brencis will bring him to the kitchen. I’ll need you to take over guard duty while we deal with whatever problem has come up.
We need a wolf door installed. It would be easier going in and out.
We won’t be staying here long enough to add conveniences. Meet me in the kitchen, and I will let you out.
Before leaving the room, Grigori pulled the covers up around Meli’s naked form and kissed her on the forehead. He was so thankful she was his. Then, sighing, he headed downstairs to the back door.
A soft knock heralded Joe and Brencis’ arrival. Grigori opened the door and ushered them in. Brencis sat down in his wolf form, his ears perked, while Joe shifted from foot to foot, staring at the floor.
“It’s all right, Joe. Don’t be nervous. Is something wrong?” Grigori asked, keeping his voice low so as not to startle the poor child.
“Rosie’s missing!” Joe blurted out. “I didn’t know what else to do. She heard a little one, a wolf pup crying, and went out to find it. But that was hours ago, and she hasn’t returned. I’m afraid something happened to her.”
“What do you mean she heard a wolf pup?” Grigori asked, more confused than ever.
“She hears them in her head. She hears them calling to her.”
“You mean telepathically? Can she speak to you in your mind?” Grigori asked. Is that how Rosie found these children? Did she hear their thoughts?
“Not exactly. She’s like a lycan compass where pups are concerned, but only if they are hurt or scared. She hears them crying, howling for help. That’s how she found the twins, Donny and Adam, in a circus cage. Then later she found Jeremy in a petting zoo.”
Grigori didn’t know what to think. Rosie must be psychic and picking up on the children’s fear and panic. Did that mean she was a telepath, empath, or something else entirely?
“All right, Joe. We’ll help you find her. Brencis, go change and dress. Where is your older brother Seth?”
“He changed and went out to track her,” Joe replied.
“He’s running around London as a wolf?”
“Most people think he’s a dog. At this time of night, there aren’t many people on the streets.”
Grigori shook his head in disbelief. These lycan children needed to be taken in hand at once. Keeping the secret of their existence was the pack’s number one law, and having a youngster wandering the streets in wolf form was asking for trouble.
Brencis, hurry. We’ve got to get these children to safety and find their mother.
On my way now.
“Joe, I’ll be right back. I’ve got to tell Melisande we’re leaving.” Grigori headed out of the kitchen and with lycan speed rushed up the stairs and past Brencis.
Get the car. I’ll be down in a moment. Grigori sent his thoughts to Brencis.
He rushed into the master bedroom and patted Melisande on the shoulder.
“Detka, wake up. We have a situation, and I need to go out.”
Melisande opened her eyes. Grigori leaned over her.
“Grigori, what’s the matter?” she asked concerned.
“Rosie is missing, and we must find her.”
“I’ll get dressed and come with you,” Melisande replied, starting to rise.
“We’ve got to hurry. Seth is wandering the streets in his wolf form,” Grigori said agitated. He wasn’t sure bringing Melisande was a good idea. But he knew she would fight to come, and it would be faster to let her. Then there was little Joe, who might feel better if Melisande came with them. Joe was very timid and skittish. Grigori didn’t want to scare the child. Having a woman around might make Joe more comfortable.
“I’ll be only a moment.” Melisande grabbed her clothes and threw them on. Grigori watched as she slipped on a pair of jeans over pink silk panties and pulled a lightweight sweater over her head. She smiled provocatively as she saw him watching. Knowing she was braless beneath the sweater made his hands itch to slip inside and fondle her. How was he going to concentrate on finding Seth and Rosie?
Then she slipped her feet into a pair of loafers, snatched up her purse, and walked over and put her arms around Grigori’s neck. Her breasts brushed against his chest, soft and warm beneath the sweater. His hands swept around her and he pulled her closer, letting her feel the hardness in his pants. After a quick kiss, she said, “Aren’t we in a hurry?”
“If we weren’t, I’d be stripping that sweater off.” Sighing, Grigori brushed a stray lock of Melisande’s hair from her cheek. He would always want her like this. Needing her close, he would want to join their bodies as well as their souls. But now wasn’t a good time. He took her hand in his and led the way down the hall to the back door.
The car stood idling in the drive with Brencis and Joe in the front seat. Grigori proceeded to the automobile and held the door open for Meli to get in.
“Where’s Valerii? Isn’t he coming?” Melisande asked.
“No, he will stay here and guard the house. All right, Joe, can you speak to Seth mind-to-mind?”
“Seth is telepathic. He spe
aks to me. I can hear him, but I can’t send to him,” Joe said apologetically.
“Where is he? How do we find him?” Grigori asked. He wasn’t sure he could reach Seth with his telepathy, since they had no pack connection and had met only once. Plus there were the problems of distance and of not knowing where Seth might be.
“He headed into Bow in Tower Hamlets right before I got to your house,” Joe said.
“Brencis head toward the East End. I’ll try to connect with Seth as we get closer.”
It took half an hour to get to Bow. Luckily, traffic was minimal at this time of night. Brencis followed little Joe’s directions about where to turn. Grigori sat in the back seat with Melisande snuggled in his arms. The area they entered was not like the pristine neighborhood they lived in. Buildings looked rundown or empty; dented and abused old cars sat along the street or parked on long cracked and broken driveways. Lots that should have been covered with nice lawns were nothing but dirt and weeds. Trash littered the streets.
Just then a young wolf darted between two cars and ran into the path of their automobile.
“Govno!” Brencis swore as he slammed on the breaks and swerved to avoid hitting the animal. Little Joe threw open the front passenger door and rushed up to the wolf who was standing in the headlights. She wrapped her arms around the wolf and hugged his neck.
Grigori undid his seat belt. He got out of the car and walked up to the pair.
“That was a stupid trick, Seth. You might have been killed,” Grigori chastised the young wolf, his heart still thumping because of the near miss. Kneeling down, Grigori gazed into Seth’s wolf eyes. A connection was made between the two lycans, and Grigori was able to touch Seth’s mind with his thoughts.
Did you find Rosie? Grigori asked.
Yes, one block down is a house with a fenced yard. Rosie’s trail leads into the yard. But there are three blokes sitting on the front stoop drinking, and I didn’t know how to get around them, Seth replied.
AMAZON KINDLE VERSION A Siberian Werewolf In London EDITED 3 9 2012 Page 11
