He slowed the Harley as they traveled up the long driveway and entered a section that felt like they were in a tunnel of trees. Zander kept his senses alert, but when they reached the crest of the hill, the world opened up, and the full spectacle of the Amoveo ranch came into view.
He pulled the bike to a halt and took a moment to survey the impressive Amoveo homestead. The property stretched out as far as the eye could see. Acres upon acres of fields ran into the wooded, mountainous terrain. To the right was a massive colonial-style home. The sprawling, white clapboard structure with black shutters harkened to a time gone by. Alongside it to the right was a long red-and-white barn that obviously served as a horse stable. Sections of the field were cornered off with white board fences, and at least ten other horses—Arabians if he wasn’t mistaken—grazed lazily on the grass.
The driveway forked in front of them. It dipped to the right, toward the barn and the house, and to the left, he saw at least three cabins, smaller versions of the main house, but if Zander had to guess, he would say there were others. Isadora had said this place was more of a compound or commune than a ranch. At the center of it all was a long, cylindrical-shaped structure that most people would assume was a heated barn, but Zander knew better. That seemingly innocuous building hid the sacred meeting hall of the Amoveo Council.
“Oh my gosh,” Rena said. “It’s absolutely beautiful, Zander.”
Before he could agree with her, two people stepped out of the main house and made their way down the stairs of the wraparound porch. A man and woman held hands and waved at Zander and Rena with big friendly smiles. Zander knew immediately they were Amoveo. Even from this distance, their distinctly strong energy patterns gave them away.
“It’s game time,” he said over his shoulder. “Are you ready?”
“Do I have a choice?” she asked with a curt laugh. “Let’s do it.”
Zander drove slowly down the hill, his heart thundering in his chest with anticipation and apprehension. He wasn’t afraid of the Amoveo, not by a long shot. But now that he was there, on the property, with his brother’s freedom within reach, Zander realized how close he was to the end of the journey.
If all went well, he and his brother would finally be free. Zander would have everything he had dreamed of.
Everything except Rena.
Bringing the Harley to a halt, Zander kicked the stand down and shut off the engine. He expected Rena to climb off the bike, but she didn’t. Her arms remained curled around his waist, and her energy signature hummed with a hint of fear and excitement. He pulled off his helmet and hooked it onto the handlebars before settling his hands over hers, pressing them gently against his stomach.
“You can do this,” he murmured. “You’re not alone, okay?”
“Don’t go anywhere.” Rena loosened her grip a little and whispered, “I mean it, Zander. Like, do not leave me alone with any of them. At all.”
The man and woman, who were obviously mates, gave each other a knowing look as they approached Rena and Zander. Coltari was in the Fox Clan, like Rena, and they were known to have excellent hearing. Since he was a pureblood mated Amoveo, his powers would be at full capacity. The chances were better than average the man had heard exactly what Rena said.
“Hi!” The woman, a statuesque, raven-haired beauty with alabaster skin and a lush, curvy figure, gave them both a big smile. Zander couldn’t put his finger on it, but he knew her from somewhere. “I’m Kerry, and this is my mate, Dante. You must be Rena and Zander.”
“Hey! I know you.” Excitement laced Rena’s voice as she scrambled from the bike and took off her helmet. “You’re Kerry Smithson. Gosh, you’re even prettier in person, and I definitely had no idea you were, you know…”
Before Zander could ask what Rena was talking about, she hooked her helmet onto the back of the bike and slapped his arm, gesturing toward the couple.
“Sorry,” he said with a wave. “Hi.”
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me that we would be meeting a supermodel today,” Rena said with a wide grin. “Kerry was one of the first plus-size models to make it big. Oh wait, you like curve model better, right? I mean, that’s the correct term.”
“I’m semiretired now, but either works for me.” Kerry put her hand out to Rena. “Kerry Smithson Coltari, part-time model, full-time wiseass, and Amoveo hybrid from the Panther Clan.”
“Rena McHale,” she said, shaking Kerry’s hand. “Private investigator and, supposedly, part of the Fox Clan. But so far no fur or fangs.”
Zander’s gaze flicked to Kerry as her energy pattern began to hum. What was it Dante had said about his mate? She could see a person’s secrets with one touch?
“Shifting is usually the last of the gifts to emerge,” Dante interjected.
Dante shook Rena’s hand. As with all Amoveo men, he was well over six feet tall with a muscular build and would be considered handsome by most. Zander’s eyes flicked to Rena’s delicate hand, which was engulfed in the shifter’s far larger one, and jealousy swelled briefly. Zander shoved it aside. After all, he damn well had to get used to another man touching her.
Like his brother, for example.
Shit.
“Welcome to the family, Rena.” Dante smiled broadly as he released Rena’s hand. “I’m Fox Clan as well.”
“Yeah, but she’s got that extra something special,” Kerry said in a casual, matter-of-fact tone. “You’re psychic, aren’t you?”
“I am,” Rena said with a nervous laugh. “How did you know?”
“Takes one to know one.” Kerry winked. “I peeked in your head a little when I shook your hand. Skin-to-skin contact gives me some inside info. But I promise I only took a small peek. Just enough to make sure you’re the real deal. And you are. All of the hybrids have an extra gift or two. We think it’s because the human parent was psychic in some way.”
“Oh, cool. Well, I have no idea who my parents are or were. I was in foster care all my life, and when I was fourteen, I took off on my own.” Rena sliced a glance at Zander and hooked her thumbs in the back pockets of her jeans. “I can see other people’s memories when I touch objects but no shapeshifting yet.”
“Once you find your mate, the rest of it will fall into place.” Kerry gave her mate a loving smile. “Trust me.”
“Right, that’s what I hear.”
“And you are?” Kerry tilted her head and gave Zander a narrowed gaze. “Not entirely human. Because I don’t have to touch you to know that you aren’t just a regular guy.”
Shit. She could tell something was up with him, which meant Zander’s time was running out. He had to speak to the prince before everything blew up in his face.
“He’s a witch,” Rena blurted out. “Or part witch.”
“Really?” Kerry’s dark eyebrows lifted as she looked from Rena to Zander. “That’s…interesting. You’re a warlock?”
“He’s part witch.” Rena shot him a look. “Right?”
“Zander.” He nodded curtly, not confirming or denying the claim. “Good to meet you both.”
He dismounted the Harley on the opposite side, keeping the bike between him and their hosts. Zander didn’t miss the knowing glance exchanged between Kerry and her mate.
“Welcome to the ranch.” Dante stepped closer to the bike and extended his hand to Zander. Not wanting to be completely rude, Zander quickly accepted the offering. “I’m Dante Coltari. You and I spoke on the phone.”
“We did.”
“You didn’t mention your heritage.”
“I didn’t think it was important,” Zander said casually. “I don’t practice magic. Never learned. In spite of how often Isadora tried to teach me.”
“That’s unusual.” Kerry was giving him a look that told him she wasn’t buying one bit of his story. “Most people can’t wait to embrace their supernatural gifts.”
> “Well, I’m not most people.”
“You can say that again,” Rena muttered.
“There’s more to your story.” Kerry wagged a finger at him. “And I’ll figure it all out sooner or later.”
Zander gave Kerry a tight smile and nodded at her but didn’t offer to shake her hand. He was surprised when she didn’t press the issue. The woman was perceptive in more ways than one.
“Kerry and I have been seeking out the other hybrids and, when possible, bringing them here to the ranch. It’s private and safe, the perfect place for you and others like you to explore your gifts without fear of discovery.”
“I feel like I’ve been through the spin cycle.” Rena folded her arms over her breasts and shrugged. “Zander found me a few days ago, but it feels like years. I’m getting answers to some of my questions, but then I just get more questions.”
“Girl, we so have to talk.” Kerry laughed. “Tatiana wants to meet you too, and she has her own war stories to share.”
“She’s a hybrid too?”
“Oh yeah. There are four other hybrids who live here on the ranch, but they aren’t mated yet, and actually, they aren’t even here at the moment. They’re at Malcolm and Samantha’s place at the beach. Two of them are from the Eagle Clan, like Malcolm, so he’s showing them how to master their flight skills.”
“Malcolm and Samantha?”
“Sorry.” Kerry laughed. “Sam is my bestie. She’s a hybrid from the Wolf Clan, and her hubby is a pureblood from the Eagle Clan. They live in Rhode Island with their daughter. They’re doing some training with the newbies out at their place for a month or two. If you stay on long enough, you’ll meet all of ’em. For now, Tati will be your best resource because, like me, she’s already been down the road you’re traveling.”
“I hope you don’t need me to remember all that, because my head is seriously spinning.”
“Don’t scare her off, princess.” Dante pressed a kiss to the top of her head and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Why don’t you let Rena get settled in before you inundate the poor woman?”
“Oh, fine,” Kerry huffed with feigned irritation. “We have plenty of time to give you all the gory details.”
Ironically, for the first time in centuries, time was something Zander didn’t have.
“I need to speak with Richard,” Zander interjected. “As soon as possible.”
“Why?” Kerry arched one dark eyebrow, her lips lifting at the corners. “Your job was to bring Rena to us, and you did. And why would you need to see the prince?”
“It’s…personal,” Zander said warily.
“I’m sorry, but the prince isn’t here,” Dante replied. “He and Salinda, his mate, are at the annual summit in Geneva with the other supernatural leaders. You really don’t have to worry about Rena’s transition. We’ve never had any trouble with the new arrivals, and at this point, introducing a hybrid to our world has become commonplace. Richard doesn’t get involved with the process anymore.” He held up one hand and quickly added, “He’ll want to meet you, of course, but he doesn’t handle the transitions. Kerry and I do all of that with help from some of the others.”
Zander’s jaw clenched, and irritation shimmied up his back, the muscles in his neck and shoulders bunching with the rising tension. He fought the instinctive urge for his eyes to shift and struggled to keep his energy pattern smooth. The prince was the only one he would even consider speaking to about Zed, and now that wasn’t even an option.
He had no idea how much he could trust Dante, and he wasn’t willing to risk Zed’s safety, or Rena’s, by taking any chances. If he didn’t come up with a new plan, his brother could be lost forever.
“Dante’s right.” Kerry dropped her voice to barely above a whisper and kept her dark-brown eyes pinned to Zander. She slipped out of her mate’s embrace and moved closer to the bike as she pushed her long ebony hair off her shoulder. Zander didn’t move. She was trying to get close enough to touch him. “In fact, you can leave, Zander. There’s no reason for you to stay, is there?”
“No!” Rena stepped to her left, directly in front of Kerry, effectively blocking Zander. “I’m not staying here without Zander. I trust him with my life, and based on the ginormous tiger I saw back at the gate, I don’t feel that safe. If he leaves, I go with him. That’s the deal. Take it or leave it.”
Tense silence hovered over the group, and Zander feared they had made a grave mistake by coming here. Maybe he should have taken his chances and snuck into the cave in the dead of night, but after getting a load of the guardian, that definitely wouldn’t have ended well. His presence, foreign and unwelcome, would have been immediately detected and hunted down.
On the other hand, now that he was here on the property, sneaking into the cave was a much more feasible plan. Nobody would question his presence. Attempting to wake Zed without bringing the Amoveo into the loop was a gamble. It was still risky but not as uncertain as trusting the Amoveo. If he shared Zed’s location and they weren’t as charitable as he hoped, his brother would be completely vulnerable to attack.
Nope. He flicked his gaze from Kerry to Dante. He would wait until they were all asleep and then make his move. He would have to handle Zed on his own.
“I’ll stay on, if you don’t mind,” Zander said evenly.
“Fine.” A smile bloomed on Kerry’s face. “The guest cabin is big enough for both of you, and we want you to be comfortable here, Rena. If you want Zander to stay, then he can stay.”
“Really?” Rena glanced over her shoulder at Zander and then back to Dante and Kerry. “That’s it?”
“Yeah, girl.” Kerry stepped back, and Dante slipped his arm around her waist again. “That’s it. You’re not a prisoner here. You’re a guest and welcome to stay as long as you want.”
“My mate is absolutely right, and don’t worry about the big brute at the gate,” Dante said with a warm smile. “That’s Dominic, and his job is to protect you and everyone else here on the ranch. He’s on your side. We all are.”
“Dominic looks scary, but Tati will be the first to tell you, he’s actually a giant pussycat.”
“Don’t let Dom hear you say that,” Dante scoffed.
“Eh.” Kerry waved him off. “You Amoveo men love to growl and beat your chests, but deep down, you’re all a bunch of softies.”
Zander stilled when Dante kissed Kerry on the lips, lingering just long enough to make him uncomfortable. He flicked his gaze to Rena, and his heart somersaulted in his chest. What he wouldn’t give to have that kind of comfort level and partnership with her.
“All right.” Kerry clapped her hands and rubbed them together vigorously. “Let’s get you two settled at the cabin, and then I’m sure you’ll want to get washed up before we give you the grand tour of the property.”
“Sounds good,” Rena said politely. “Thank you.”
“We’ll grab the golf cart, and you guys can follow us,” Dante added. “The guest cabin is the last one on the right, about a quarter mile down that way.”
Zander nodded to his hosts and climbed back onto the bike while they went toward the barn where two white-and-green golf carts were parked. As Rena climbed on behind him, Zander let his gaze drift over the mountain looming large behind the main house. He started the engine and cast one last glance at the mountain that entombed his brother.
This is it. Rena’s voice rushed into his mind like a cool breeze on a hot day, soothing and offering relief, and all Zander wanted to do was sink into it. Lose himself in her beauty and strength. Thank you, Zander. I’m nervous and kind of freaking out about all of this, but thanks for finding me.
Before he could utter a response, Rena’s lips brushed against his ear. The gentleness of the kiss threatened his resolve, but Zander held fast. He gripped the handlebars tightly and revved the engine as the golf cart with their hosts drove past.
>
A growl rumbled in his chest as he pointed the bike down the hill and took off, dirt and gravel spitting up behind his wheels. Rage and jealousy surged, because by the time the sun set tomorrow night, her kisses and kindness would no longer be given to him.
For the first time in five hundred years, Zander truly longed for death.
* * *
“This is the guest cabin?” Rena asked as she looked around the luxurious open space of the bright, airy cottage. “It’s beautiful.”
To the left was a sparkling kitchen with white cabinets and stainless steel appliances. At the center was a generous living area with soft, cushy-looking couches and chairs, all gathered around a stone-and-brick fireplace. Off to the right was a small sitting area with a lovely bay window. It was the perfect nook for morning coffee or a lazy Sunday afternoon with a newspaper crossword. The whole space was awash in varying shades of blues and grays, giving the house a warm, welcoming feel.
Everything about the house radiated casual elegance, including Kerry. Rena tugged her jacket around her and smiled at her new friend. The woman was wearing a plaid shirt, jeans, brown boots, and a down vest, but she still looked like she was ready for a cover shoot. Rena, on the other hand, felt like a frumpy, dirty mess after so many hours on the road. Were all of the Amoveo as beautiful as Kerry was?
If so, Rena was sure she was going to stick out like a sore thumb. She had earned plenty of money over the past few years, but she didn’t spend it unless she absolutely had to. After living with nothing for as long as she did, she preferred the fat, stable bank balance to luxury items.
“You could fit my entire apartment in about half of this room,” Rena said with an awkward shrug. “I’m definitely not in Vegas anymore.”
“The kitchen is stocked, but if there’s something you really want, let me know and I can have it delivered from town.”
“I’m sure it’s fine,” Rena said quickly. “It’s more than fine. Thank you.”
Undiscovered Page 23
