by Lily Graison
He stared at her and looked as if he was about to say something but Thaddeus rejoined them. “I’ll be taking you to Victor.”
She sat up straight in her seat. “Who is Victor?”
“Victor Carroll. Breed leader of the wolves in this area.”
Rayna studied him for long moments. “Was Malcolm a Breed leader?”
Thaddeus laughed. “Not hardly. Malcolm barely had control over his own pack, let along the ability to control hundreds.”
Malcolm wasn’t a breed leader? Then how did he fit into all of this? “Why did he get the privilege of deciding who would out you to the world?”
“He didn’t.” The confusion she felt must have shown on her face. Thaddeus smiled. “Malcolm acted on his own. He’s the one who contacted the others. Once we were told of his plan, and that he already had someone bringing you in, the others decided to let him continue. He assured us you were perfect for our transition and after doing our own research on you, the majority agreed.”
“So one crazy man speaks and the rest of you follow along like good little puppies?” Her entire life had been turned upside down because one man got a wild hair?
The anger that followed the thought brought her to her feet. “Do what you think you must, Mr. Mears, but be aware of this. I don’t do tricks and I’ll be damned if I’ll make this easy for you. You want my wolf? You’ll have to force it out of me.”
She turned and walked back to her room, slamming the door behind her. She paced the floor and tried to think of a way out. She needed a phone and quick. She had to call Garrett and let him know where she was.
Running a hand through her hair, she sighed in frustration. Before the night was out, she would be moved again. What if they didn’t tell her where she was? How would she be able to tell Garrett?
Tears of frustration burned her eyes and she scrubbed them away before flopping down onto the bed. She stared at the ceiling, trying to come up with a plan. Maybe she could just… sneak away. Climb out the window and run for it.
Jumping from the bed, she reached for the window, unlocked it, and lifted it. She only moved it a few inches when an alarm went off, the noise cutting like daggers inside her brain as the shrill screeching blasted through the house.
She covered her ears, screaming as pain laced her brain at the sound, and jumped when someone grabbed her and reached past her to slam the window shut.
The noise stopped a few moments later and Rayna stared up at Sabriel. He was speaking but her ears were still ringing. She couldn’t hear anything.
He sighed and just stood there staring at her. When the ringing inside her head died, she pulled her hands away from her ears. “I’ve gone deaf.”
He smiled. “I doubt it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me the place was secured?”
“I thought you were smart enough to realize it. I was almost certain you would have tried to leave once I left you alone early this morning.”
Leave this morning? Rayna felt stupid then. She hadn’t even thought of leaving once Sabriel went to bed. Why hadn’t she? Escaping should have been her first thought but it never even entered her mind. All she’d been worried about was a bath and food, a few hours sleep, and a telephone.
She’d encountered no one when she explored the house but not once had she tried one of the doors. Why hadn’t the thought occurred to her? Seeing Sabriel standing there smiling at her, she knew why. “You did something, didn’t you?”
“Not at first,” he said. “I was almost asleep before I remembered.”
“What did you do? Some Jedi mind trick to make me forget about leaving?”
Sabriel laughed and Rayna sucked in a breath as the noise trickled over her. The man was handsome when he did nothing but stand still but when he laughed, the effect was almost criminal. He should be locked away to save every woman who looked at him from falling at his feet like a lovesick fool. She shook her head and looked away.
“I’ll assure you it was nothing as spectacular as Jedi mind tricks. It was but a simple persuasion, Ms. Ford. Nothing nefarious involved.”
Rayna stared at the floor, trying to think her way out of her current situation when Thaddeus appeared at the door. “The car is ready, Ms. Ford. We’ll leave whenever you’re ready.”
“Oh well, in that case,” she said. “The sun will burn out before we leave. Should Sabriel set you up in one of his other guestrooms or are you going to wait in the car?”
Thaddeus didn’t look amused, not that she thought he would be. He scowled at her before turning his head to Sabriel. “Victor wishes to see you as well, Sabriel. I’ll await you both.”
When he turned to leave, Rayna looked up at Sabriel. “How can you be a puppet for them? I didn’t figure you for a man who took orders from others.”
He gave her an odd look. “I have no choice.” He turned and walked across the room. “Grab the things I left for you and meet me outside. Thaddeus isn’t very pleasant when provoked.”
Chapter Nine
Garrett was cranky and he knew the others were avoiding him because of it. He’d stalked the house, ran the woods until his legs ached, cleaned out one of the larger bedrooms and transferred his things into it, and spent endless hours staring out the window at nothing. He was getting twitchy, restless, and down right pissed. Why hadn’t Rayna called him yet? He was sure she would have once she’d settled in to where it was she was headed, but she hadn’t. Not even a simple call to say, “Hey. I’m all right.” What did he get instead? Nothing.
Spending a restless night alone caused the wolf to drive him near mad. It prowled just beneath the surface and demanded they go after his mate. He was almost tempted to do it if it weren’t for the fact he didn’t have a clue where to begin looking. He thought Rayna may have gone back to Bluff’s Point but she’d put her apartment up for sale when they went back to grab their belongings the month before. There was nothing in Bluff’s Point for her now. Nothing but friends, he thought. She could be staying with one of them. If so, why hadn’t she called!
He slapped the windowsill and turned, walking back across the living room. Jacob hadn’t come back and he would have enjoyed the distraction. He could only imagine what Carmen was up to by now. He didn’t trust the woman and he was sure she knew Rayna was gone. Surely she had someone watching the house.
Thinking of Carmen, he wished the woman would show up. He had more than a few things to say to her. A few things he was sure would piss her off. He could hardly wait for the confrontation. It would distract him enough to stop thinking about Rayna every three seconds.
The sound of the front door slamming, followed by the rapid beat of someone running, drew his attention. Gavin ran through the doorway and Garrett knew by the look on his face, whatever he was about to say, wasn’t good. “What is it?”
Gavin took several deep breaths, his chest heaving. “Up on the high ridge,” he gasped. “Saw tire tracks.” He leaned over, put his hands on his knees and held up one hand, motioning for him to give him a second.
Garrett’s wolf grew restless then. Gavin must have run like the devil himself was after him to be that winded. He waited impatiently and crossed the room when the man just stood there panting. “What the hell is it, Gavin?”
He stood, took another deep breath, and exhaled. “I was up on the high ridge. There were a few small saplings broken near the road and I saw tire tracks in the mud so I followed them.” He looked away and ran his hand through his hair before meeting his gaze again. “The tracks disappeared over the side of the cliff. When I looked… I saw Mitch’s car about half way down.”
Garrett’s blood ran cold moments before his wolf slammed against his bones. He was walking to the door before he realized Gavin was still talking.
“It’s wedged between some trees. I couldn’t get down to the car by myself.” Gavin grabbed his arm when he reached the door and Garrett growled before turning to him. He stared at Gavin’s hand before looking up.
“You’re going to
need help getting down that cliff, Garrett. Just hang on a second, let me round up a few of the others and we’ll go back up there.”
Gavin didn’t wait for an answer. Garrett watched him race through the house, yelling for Bryce and Ethan before he opened the door and walked out, heading across the yard. Ten steps away from the house and he was running.
He didn’t stop until he’d reached the ridge, walking along the road searching for the tire tracks. When he found them, he thought his heart would break from his chest. He tore through the trees lining the road and skidded to a stop at the cliff edge. A glance over the side and his stomach rolled over itself.
The front of the car was wedged between two trees, the nose pointing toward the ravine below. It was several feet down and just as Gavin had said, there was no way over the side of the cliff. Unless you wanted to break your neck and he didn’t.
“Rayna!” He waited, listening for any sign of movement and heard nothing. “Rayna!”
He yelled her name until his throat was raw. Paced the edge of the cliff looking for a way down and decided to just risk the broken neck and head down when he heard voices.
Bryce, Gavin and Ethan ran through the trees, panting for breath. Several lengths of rope were thrown to the ground and Gavin was tying one to a nearby tree when Bryce walked to the edge and looked over. “Have you heard anything?”
“Nothing. I’ve been yelling her name but no response.”
Garrett’s gut reaction told him she was fine but a niggling thread of doubt kept creeping in. She wasn’t answering him and he didn’t want to speculate why. The doors were still closed on the car but he couldn’t see the front windshield to see if it were still intact. The thought of her flying through it, and falling down the side of the mountain, made his stomach revolt again.
He walked to Gavin and grabbed the end of the rope.
Gavin didn’t let go. “Let me do it, Garrett. We can afford to lose me if something bad happens. I’ll let you know what I see the moment I get down there.”
He shook his head, no, and walked to the edge of the cliff, looking over the side. “Hold the rope incase it comes loose from the tree.” He wrapped the other end around his waist and hoped like hell it would hold. Climbing equipment would be nice about now. He’d have to see that they invested in some for the future. One never knew when it would be needed.
The other three men each grabbed the rope and he gave them a nod of his head before sitting on the edge of the cliff and sliding over the side. His arms ached as he held on, trying to find a foothold, and he glanced up once he found one. “If anything happens to me, Bryce, you’re in charge of the pack. Watch your back with Carmen. She’ll be trouble once she knows I’m not here.”
“I don’t have to worry about Carmen because nothing’s going to happen,” Bryce said. “Now get down there and get Rayna. We’ll pull you up when you have her.”
Garrett looked over his shoulder at the car. He hoped like hell Rayna was in there and just unable to answer him because the alternative wasn’t acceptable. He’d join her if she were at the bottom of the ravine.
* * * *
Sabriel’s whitewashed world was a stark contrast to Victor Carroll’s house. Where Sabriel’s home had been bright and open, Victor’s was dark and rather foreboding.
The three-story house was covered in dark brick and was surrounded by a dense forest of pine trees. It reminded her a lot of the house in Wolf’s Creek. Well, except for the interior of the house. Victor’s home was dark. Too dark. The paneling on the walls, the hardwood floors, even the drapes over the windows were dark. It looked like a tomb.
And Victor Carroll looked like he belonged in one.
The man was old. His appearance alone told Rayna that much. If she had to guess, she’d place his age at ninety or better. He was a werewolf, and since the aging process slowed down once infected, it was hard to tell how old this particular wolf was.
His face was tanned and wrinkled; white bushy eyebrows slanted down toward his eyes and made him appear to be scowling. His lips were thin and cracked and he moved as if every step was painful, his back hunched as he used a cane to help him walk.
When he sat down and looked at her, Rayna wanted to take a step back. His eyes were dark, near black in color. There was nothing gentle about this man. She could tell by the way he looked at everyone in the room. He was a Breed leader and apparently had been for some time. He was probably used to getting his way and she knew she was doomed. If this man wanted her to show the world they existed, she’d do it. He’d see to it.
“So this is the girl?”
“Yes, Mr. Carroll.” Thaddeus grabbed Rayna’s arm and pulled her closer. “Rayna Ford, this is Victor Carroll. Breed leader for the wolves. Your Breed leader.”
Victor stared at her for long minutes, his gaze sweeping over her from head to toe. She stared at him and refused to be intimidated. She’d had enough of that with Malcolm. She certainly wouldn’t let some old codger make her feel that way, too.
When Victor had looked his fill, he turned his head toward Sabriel. The smile he threw him was mocking and Rayna raised an eyebrow at the expression on Sabriel’s face. The man was still as death and his gaze was hard, those bright green eyes filled with a deadly glint.
“Sabriel, its nice of you to join us,” Victor said, his voice crackling. Sabriel didn’t reply. “You’ll be my guest, along with the girl. Catherine has already set a room aside for you.” He turned back to look at Rayna then. “The others will join us tomorrow, Ms. Ford. We’ll go over the plan with you then.”
“I can’t shift,” she blurted out. “There will be no plan for tomorrow.”
Victor looked at her with disinterest. “Ah, yes,” he said, waving a hand to dismiss her comment before standing. “No worries. I can call the wolf.”
“Call the wolf?” A bad feeling settled in her stomach. “What do you mean?”
He turned to look at her and smiled. “I’m two hundred and four years old, Ms. Ford. I’m the most powerful wolf in the country. I can call that wolf of yours and she will come. Don’t worry about that.”
“You can make her come out?”
“Yes. It won’t be pleasant for you but we’ll achieve our goal. The world will watch you shift tomorrow. Now, do get some rest. Catherine will show you to your room.”
Rayna turned when Thaddeus motioned her out into the hallway. A young girl stood there waiting. She was smiling, a fall of blonde curls dangling over her shoulders. She looked out of place in Victor’s tomblike home. Her dress was white, with small blue ribbons threaded through the collar. She looked young with large blue eyes that held a mischievous glint. Her features were fair and dainty. She looked like a fairy from a children’s book and raised more questions in Rayna than she knew she’d get answers for.
“This way.” Rayna followed, trying to remember which halls they passed through as she went. The entire house was somber. They reached the foyer and Rayna looked toward the front door. A man stood there, his beefy arms crossed over his chest. The look in his eye told her leaving wasn’t an option. She sighed and started for the stairs after Catherine.
The staircase twisted into a half circle, leading up to the darkened second story of the house. Photographs lined the wall as she climbed and Rayna stared at them as she passed, wondering if those were the faces of werewolves staring back at her.
At the top of the stairs, Rayna jumped, startled, when she came face to face with a wolf. He was standing against the wall, frozen. It took her a moment to realize it wasn’t real. “Nice décor you have here,” she said, looking at what she assumed was a replica of a werewolf.
Catherine laughed. The sound reminded Rayna of tinkling bells. It was childlike in nature and she wondered again at the girl’s true age. “That’s Artemis. He was a great warrior.”
Rayna’s eyes widened. “That’s a real wolf?”
“Was. He died nearly sixty years ago.” Catherine stopped and looked up at Artemis and smiled befor
e sighing lightly. “He was a great Breed leader. More powerful than Victor even.”
Something in Catherine’s voice, and the look on her face as she looked at the wolf, led Rayna to believe the girl may have known him while he lived. “He was Breed leader of this region?”
Catherine shook her head, a look of sadness now stealing over her features. “No. He ruled those in the south. He and Victor hated each other. They both wanted control of the entire east coast but neither would relent.” She smiled sadly, a far off look in her eyes. “They fought many times but were never able to best the other. When Artemis died, Victor had his body sent to be ‘prepared.’” She ran a hand over Artemis’ arm and grinned. “The taxidermist did a good job. He looks alive still, don’t you think?”
Rayna stared at those amber wolf eyes, the lips curled back to reveal teeth that still gleamed white. The arms were raised, claws extended. A shiver raced up her spine. “Yeah. He does look alive.”
She wondered why he’d remained in wolf form after death. That wasn’t how it happened in the movies. Werewolves shifted back to human at death. She’d have to ask Garrett. Assuming she ever saw him again.
They moved on, down a series of halls until they reached the room she would be staying in. Catherine opened the door for her.
The interior was dark and tomblike, just like the rest of the house. “I wouldn’t suggest exploring. The mansion is very large and can be confusing. Getting lost would be unfortunate.” Catherine smiled and looked around Rayna’s new prison. “Is there anything I can get for you?”
“A phone would be nice,” Rayna mumbled as she walked through the doorway.
That tinkling laughter was heard again. “The only phone in the house is in Victor’s study but I wouldn’t suggest going in there. He rarely leaves his sanctuary.”
Rayna turned to look at her. “And where is the study?”
