“Of course,” Brencis said. “I thought the government buildings we held contracts on were offices. What could someone possibly want so badly that they would try to blackmail you into letting them steal it?”
“I wish I knew,” Grigori said, running his hand through his hair. “As you know, through your strong-arming attempts, the mating bond has snapped into place for Valerii and Josephine. Josephine, for some unknown reason, has disappeared. Rosie is in a dither, plus Seth, Adam, Jeremy and Donny all want to go after Joe and bring her home. Evidently, they all knew Joe was actually Josephine, but all of them kept it secret from the others. Seth, as the oldest, is having the hardest time of it, though he is happy she has mated Valerii. So that brings us to Meadow,” Grigori said.
“What about Meadow?” Brencis asked. A feeling of doom suddenly hung over him.
“Well, things have been a little rocky to start with you two,” Grigori said.
“Perhaps, at least my mate didn’t punch me in the face,” Brencis said, remembering what happened when Melisande found out about Grigori’s wolf spirit.
“No, she poisoned you.”
“Men are always so competitive,” Melisande said, breaking into the conversation. She had been so quiet, Brencis had almost forgotten she was there.
“Tell him, love,” Melisande said. “She's not here, Bren. She left to go to work at her shop.”
“What? You let her go?” Brencis asked, rising from his chair.
“We didn't let her go,” Grigori said. “She isn't exactly a prisoner. Seth drove her back to her shop. It's what she asked for.”
“She left? Why didn't anyone let me know?” Brencis asked. She left him? Why did she go?
“Brencis, did you tell her you wanted her to stay?” Melisande asked.
“I didn't get a chance,” Brencis said. “We were attacked, and then Josephine was missing. I haven't even looked for my mother's ring. How was I supposed to tell her? She could be in danger. What if the people who targeted Melisande find out about Meadow? I've got to get to her.” Brencis began to pace. He’d have to get someone to drive him into Glastonbury.
“He's not going to be any use to anyone, is he, dear?” Grigori asked, shaking his head. “Why did both of my seconds find their mates at the same time? Go, Brencis. You have a week, and then I expect you back here, mate in tow. Do you understand? One week?”
“Thanks, Grika. I know the timing is bad, but I've got to be with her, knowing she is out there unprotected is killing me.” Just when he thought he could relax, Meadow decided her store needed her.
“Pack a bag, and have Seth drive you in,” Grigori said. “Your car is still parked outside Magic Herbs.”
“And, Brencis, remember her shop means a lot to her,” Melisande said. “It will be hard for her to give it up. Try and find a compromise.”
“Thank you, Meli. I'll try to remember your advice,” Brencis said and ran out of the room and up the stairs.
“We could go to Siberia for a visit. Get away for a while,” Grigori said, leaning over and patting Melisande on the knee.
“You wouldn't leave Bren and Val without someone to watch their backs,” Melisande said. “Not now at their most vulnerable time. They stuck by us when we were in their shoes.”
“Alas, spoken like a true Alpha's Mate. No, we will not leave them,” Grigori said.
Chapter Five
Brencis ran upstairs and started throwing things in an overnight bag. He would not leave his mate unprotected. A sudden picture of Meadow dancing in the moonlight came to his mind. She was his mate, his fairy princess. He would have to convince her to move in with him and sell her shop. He wanted her here in his den, safe and protected. Had she run from him? Was she afraid he would lose his temper again? Why hadn’t he asked her to stay?
Brencis ran down the stairs and saw Seth waiting by the door. Young Seth ducked his head and looked away, giving Brencis the higher position in the pack.
“Let’s go. We're still over thirty-five minutes away,” Brencis said. Thank God, she wasn’t any farther. Neither of them would suffer the grieving associated with being apart from a mate. All he needed to do was reach for her mind through the mating bond.
Brencis drove along in silence. He could see Seth peeking at him. Finally, with a sigh, he decided to give the youth a break. It really wasn't his fault Meadow left.
“What is it Seth?”
“She thinks she's a witch. Her mother told her she was, and some old guy who tried to get fresh with her told her that, too. She thinks her powers are witchcraft. She tries to be a good witch. I think she’s afraid of what she can do.”
“Meadow told you this?” Brencis asked.
“Well, not all at once, we had a nice long talk. She thinks she can love you.”
“Well, that is reassuring. Did she say why she dyes her hair?”
“She dresses up to help sell things in her store. She feels the customers expect her to be a little crazy, so she gives them what they want.”
“I guess that makes sense in a totally silly way. But then, I am finding Meadow can be very silly.”
“She's not trying to be silly. She's different. She wants to be connected to the Earth and do good works. She's afraid of her powers going out of control and hurting someone. She admitted she was terrified you were hurt by her potion.”
“Meadow doesn't have magic powers. She has a psychic talent she uses to influence the customers who drink her herbs. They respond to her psychic suggestion, that's all.”
“What if witches of old possessed some psychic ability? It would still seem like magic to them.”
“Meadow does not do witchcraft or magic. There is no such thing as magic. She is psychic, that's all.”
“Well, first Meadow leaves, then Josephine. Are you sure you know what you’re doing?
Brencis growled, letting the younger pack member know he had stepped over the line. Seth stopped talking and started sulking.
What Seth had said about Meadow explained a lot. Brencis felt guilty that Seth needed to tell him about his mate. If he gave her time to talk to him, maybe he would understand her better. He would have to prove to her she wasn't a witch, but a gifted human who possessed the psychic power of suggestion. That was the only logical explanation. Now, if Brencis only knew why Josephine ran away? What was it with women?
At least, Meadow’s belief in this nonsense explained why she accepted his wolf spirit so readily. She really did think he was a magical creature. He wanted to laugh at how ludicrous the situation was, except a part of him didn't want to make Meadow face reality. She seemed so fragile sometimes. What did it hurt if she believed in fairies and sprites? Wouldn't it be better for her if she knew her powers weren't witchcraft and magic? He wanted his mate to be happy—with her life and with him. Brencis wasn't sure what he should do.
Brencis pulled up in front of Meadow's shop and climbed out of the car. When Seth came around to the driver's side, Brencis ruffled Seth’s hair and patted him on the shoulder.
“Thanks for sharing, and for being such a good listener to Meadow. I appreciate it,” Brencis said.
“It was nothing. She's nice and I like her. I especially like her dancing naked in the woods.”
“Go home, puppy, and mind your manners. What do you think Rosie would say if she knew you had been spying on Meadow in the woods?”
“Oh, please don't tell her . . .”
“I won't, for now.”
Brencis smiled as Seth climbed into the car and drove away. Brencis wouldn't tell Rosie. He wanted to be sure Seth showed Meadow the proper respect for the mate of the Beta. He didn't want any embarrassing comments when he brought Meadow home to live.
Brencis walked down the block to his car. When he saw a paper under his windshield wiper, he was afraid he had received a ticket. He pulled the paper out, tossed it on the passenger seat and got in the car. Brencis drove around to the back of the building and was happy to see a parking spot marked Magic Herbs. He parked his
car, then reached over and picked up the paper to find out how much of a fine he would have to pay. What he saw surprised him even more. Written with a bold hand was a message. It read: “Beware Witch of Magic Herbs. Danger stalks her with evil intent. Beware!”
“What the hell?” he asked, bringing the paper to his nose. There was a faint odor of bergamot. So someone who touched the paper liked Earl Grey tea. Not a very helpful clue here in England.
Sighing, he put the paper in his pocket and climbed out of the car. He looked around the alley. This area was a security nightmare. Meadow could easily be mugged or her car vandalized out here. There was only one small light fixture over the back door to the shop. There was a steel door to the basement and a metal stairway leading upstairs to the apartment over the store.
Brencis checked the locks on the doors and was glad to see the dead bolts he had suggested to Meadow. He reached into his bag and pulled out a pen. On the back of the cryptic warning, he wrote a list of items he would need to bring Meadow's security up to an acceptable level. As long as she was staying here, he would make sure it was as secure as possible.
Brencis then pulled out his cell phone and called Solovyov Security. After a few minutes with his secretary, he relayed the list of items for the back of the store.
“Send a team out right away,” Brencis said. “I'll call you with the security items needed for the front of the building in ten minutes. Thank you Mrs. Poole.”
As Brencis made his way around to the front of the building, he pondered the cryptic message he had found. Was the warning for him or for Meadow, and why was it left on his car? What was going on here?
Brencis looked at the front of the building. At least, there was plenty of light in the front. A camera on the corner of the building should be able to pick up anyone entering the store or the stairway to the apartment. Brencis hit redial and waited for Mrs. Poole to answer.
“Mrs. Poole, add a second security camera to the list of equipment for the front. I want these items installed today. Put the account in my name, and have it listed as 24-7 monitoring. Thank you again, Mrs. Poole,” he said.
Next Brencis dialed Grigori. “Grigori, I've ordered a security package for Meadow's store. I also found a note left on my car. It says: “Beware Witch of Magic Herbs. Danger stalks her with evil intent. Beware!” I'm not sure what is going on here, but I don't like it. Meadow deals with crazies every day. I'm not sure if they are warning me off or warning me Meadow is in danger.”
“Any threat to a mate of the pack needs to be taken seriously, of course,” Grigori said. “It does seem strange. If anything else happens, bring her back to the den. She will be safer here.”
“I'll keep an eye on things. Any news?” Brencis asked.
“We did get an unsettling call from Inspector Lewis. Our prisoner from last night was found dead in his cell this morning. The prisoner never told us whom he was working for, and now we may never know.”
“Kind of convenient, don't you think?”
“Very. Be careful, Bren,” Grigori said. “I don't like this. It feels too much like the mobsters in Russia.”
“I'll be careful. You and Meli stay safe.”
Brencis closed his phone and looked in the shop. He saw several women wandering around. Then, he saw Meadow and grimaced. Even knowing why she dressed in costumes didn't help his automatic revulsion and confusion.
Today, her hair was black with bright green ends. She was wearing leather and a studded collar. If Meadow needed to dress like this for work, he would allow it, but when work was over, he was going to scrub every inch of make-up and hair dye from his lovely mate. She could hide from the world, but not from him. Sighing and shaking his head, he entered the store.
Meadow had sold almost a hundred pounds worth of merchandise the first hour she was open. Today was going to be a good day. When she looked up and saw Brencis enter the store, she felt her heart lighten and realized she had missed him. He looked good this morning in his black T-shirt and jeans. Meadow felt her body warm and her nipples harden. Would he always have this effect on her?
She watched him as he walked up to her. She couldn't have looked away if she wanted too. He was the center of her world, and for a moment, everything else drifted away. He reached out, a hand on the nape of her neck, and drew her closer. His breath tickled her cheek as he leaned in toward her and whispered into her ear.
“I missed you, Meadow. I didn't like knowing you left me.”
Then, he was kissing her. Meadow wanted to melt into him. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him as ravenously as she was feeling. Brencis responded by drawing her closer, pulling her tightly against him. She could feel his erection pressed into her thigh. Meadow ran her fingers through his hair and sighed in disappointment when he drew back. Only then, did she hear a woman clearing her throat.
“Really, this is not very business-like. You, young man, should leave this young lady alone to do her job, which at the moment is waiting on me. Really,” she huffed.
Meadow looked up into Brencis' sparkling green eyes and wished more than anything she had never inherited Magic Herbs from her mentor, Mary Peasely. But then, she would never have met Brencis, so that couldn't be right. Meadow gathered her composure and pulled herself gently from Brencis' embrace.
“I'm sorry, Ma'am,” Meadow said. “Here let me help you. Will that be cash or credit?”
Brencis watched as Meadow helped her customers. He found a chair behind the desk and sat down to wait. He noticed how good Meadow was at her job. She listened to her customers as if they were the most important people in her world. Next, she would suggest what products might help them the most. She was kind and considerate and never rushed anyone. How was it possible she thought herself a witch? She was an angel.
Time flew by while Brencis worked on the small computer Meadow owned. It was on a little desk in the back corner of the store. Grigori might have given him a week off, but there were still accounts to be reconciled. Suddenly, he realized he was starving. He looked at the clock. It was past one. Didn’t Meadow stop to eat? He got up out of his chair and followed her voice to the corner with all the stones. She was helping a teenager pick out a crystal. When Meadow glanced up and saw him standing there, her eyes sparkled in delight and Brencis felt his heart warm. Truly, Meadow was a treasure. The teenager clutched the crystal to her chest and ran to show her mother.
“Meadow, detka. Are you going to stop for lunch? It's after one, and I know I'm starving.”
“Oh, you should try the deli down the street,” Meadow said. “They have great sandwiches and pitas. They even have several vegetarian dishes.”
“Would you like me to bring you something?”
“Maybe, a side salad. I normally don't have time to eat,” Meadow said.
“All right. I'll be back as soon as I can.”
Brencis caressed her cheek and gave her a quick kiss and headed for the door.
Meadow felt a moment of panic as he went out of sight.
Out of sight, but not out of mind. I am here with you, Meadow.
Meadow clasped her chest in relief. For a moment, she hadn’t been able to breathe in her panic. Brencis was as close as the mating bond between them. Meadow looked down and saw it glowing as it followed him out the door. She heard him clearly in her mind. Deciding to try to answer, she concentrated and sent a reply.
I miss you already, Meadow sent.
And I you, printsessa volshebnaya moya.
Meadow smiled in relief. She had done it, talked mind to mind with Brencis. Rosie had said last night it would happen, but Meadow didn't really believe her. Of course, before yesterday she wouldn't have believed in mating bonds and people who possessed wolf spirits.
Brencis came back to the shop in time to see his security team finish putting up the security camera in front. Brencis walked over to talk to Gwen Quiet Thunder. She had arrived from America to work for Grigori and came highly recommended by the new American Alpha, Sergei Sokolov.
She seemed to have a sense about where to place security cameras that out-did everyone else. Brencis thought she might be psychic, but he didn’t know for sure.
When he had first seen Gwen, he’d thought she would make a fine mate, except there weren’t any sparks between them. Looking at her now, he thought she couldn't be any different from Meadow if she tried. Where Meadow was Moonbeams, Gwen was Midnight.
“Gwen, how is it going?” Brencis asked.
“Mr. Solovyov, fine. This is the last piece of equipment. We finished installing the lights and door sensors on all five doors, as well as the camera on the back and now this one. The feed is working, and I got a call from corporate wondering if you wanted a digital backup?”
“Of course, a backup is always a good idea,” Brencis said.
“Good, because that is what I thought as well, and I told corporate to add it,” Gwen said.
“You're the best, Gwen.”
“That's what you pay me for, Sir.”
Brencis smiled. Gwen really was excellent at her job. He waved and headed inside to give his mate her salad and her bottle of orange juice. He wanted Meadow to stop work for at least five minutes and eat something.
Brencis opened the door and smelled something rotten. He looked around and finally saw that the old man with the creepy eyes was back. He was over by the stones, but his eyes never strayed from where Meadow was working with a customer. Brencis could feel his nails starting to lengthen and the hair on his neck stand up. This guy was bad news. Brencis didn't like the way he kept staring at Meadow.
Brencis moved up beside Meadow. When the old man saw him watching, he frowned and left by the front door. Brencis was going to have to ask some careful questions about Meadow's friends. He waited while Meadow finished with her customer, then handed her the bag of food.
“Go sit down for a few minutes and eat. I'll watch the store for you.”
My Magic Mate Page 6
