by Ciana Stone
While he worked with Elijah, she had hunted. She had to make sure they were safe here and that Guinevieve did not know their whereabouts. Moreover, she needed to search for the Judas wolf. Someone was a danger to Logan James and his entire family. She needed to know who it was.
“I hear from my mother yesterday,” she said quietly. “She said the Judas wolf is someone close to Logan James’s family, in particular to his father.”
“She wouldn’t say who?” Joe asked.
“No, she said she couldn’t talk.” She took her gaze off Logan James to look at Joe. “I wish she did have more time. I have questions.”
“About?”
“Me. Us. For example, you said the lifespan of the Numina or Fae is a lot longer than humans, that you’re centuries old.”
“Yes.”
“So, did you age at an equivalent pace as a human and then when you got old just stopped aging?”
He chuckled. “No.”
“So why did I age at approximately the same pace as Logan James?”
“Did you?”
“Well, yes. I mean he’s older than me, but I still look like a thirty-seven year old woman.”
“Do you?”
“Are you going to keep doing that?” She felt a bit of annoyance. She really wanted answers.
“I’m sorry, child.” He patted her knee. “Basically your appearance is, to you, what you expect it to be.”
“Pardon?”
“Okay, you think of yourself as being a certain age—thirty-seven. And because of society, you have an expectation of what someone that age should look like. If you got rid of that expectation and saw yourself for who you are, you might be surprised.”
“So are you saying I don’t look as old as I think I do?”
“Yeah, pretty much. I imagine if you asked any stranger you met to guess your age, they’d say twenty-five.”
“Well that’s flattering but not all that much of a difference. I mean what about you? Do I see you for who you are?”
“Not exactly.”
Sabine gasped. Beside her sat a man who appeared to be perhaps Logan James’s age. His hair was no longer gray but still long. He was handsome, with a mega-watt smile and kind eyes.
“Wow. You’re really handsome. Why do you disguise yourself as an old man?”
“It’s easier to make friends.”
Sabine nodded. “Oddly, I can understand that. As Joe the older man, you give off this air of trustworthiness and comfort.”
“Bingo.”
“Okay, so the real you looks about forty-five and you’ve been around since…when?”
“Before earth’s first civilization.”
“Good grief, that’s a long time. But how did you age? I mean how long will I look the way I look and—” A horrible thought stabbed her and tears immediately gathered in her eyes. “Oh god, I’m going to outlive Logan James.” She swiped at her eyes and then in desperate hope, grabbed Joe’s hand. “But he’s Fae too, right? So he could live just as long?”
“Possibly.”
“Oh thank god.” She felt such relief, followed by such confusion. “But hold on. His dad is Fae and he’s older in appearance so why—” She suddenly smiled. “Because he thinks he should look that way?”
“Or maybe he deliberately looks that way. Think about it. To live among humans you have to give the appearance of being one of them.”
Sabine felt a little foolish. “Here I was telling Logan James that he needed to learn about himself and all the while, I knew far less than I thought about myself.”
“Don’t beat yourself up about it, child. We all have things to learn. And it looks like your lesson is about to start so I’m going to leave you for now.”
“You’ll be back soon, won’t you?”
“I’m only a call away.” He got up, leaned over to kiss her on the forehead and then spread his wings.
Sabine watched him ascend into the sky and vanish. Just then she heard the low growl from behind her and looked over her shoulder. A beautiful wolf of considerable size stood behind her. She slowly got to her feet, keeping her eye on the wolf.
“Logan.” She kept her voice calm but loud enough to be heard. “Logan?”
A few seconds later, he stepped up beside her. “Just inch back slowly.”
The wolf lowered its head and snarled. Sabine froze in place. “I don’t know if—oh hell.”
The wolf leapt forward, taking her to the ground. Sabine grabbed it by the fur on either side of its head. It snapped and snarled, spittle flying as she tried to keep those sharp teeth from sinking into her neck or face.
“Logan!”
She saw him grab the wolf around the neck and try to haul it off her. She lost her grip and Logan fell back with his arms still wrapped around the wolf’s neck. It managed to wiggle free but instead of going after Logan, it lunged again at Sabine.
Sabine scrambled back on all fours away from the wolf. It had paused and swung its head toward Logan.
Or what was once Logan. Before Sabine’s eyes he transformed, his human form warping and distorting. It was horrifying to watch and now she understood why the act of shifting terrified people. Within moments, the human Logan was gone and in his place was a wolf of mammoth proportions, its fur thick and dark and its eyes the color of a winter sky, gray and clear. He lowered his head and snarled at the wolf that had attacked Sabine.
The wolf that had attacked her sat down and yipped twice. Its tail thumped on the ground. Sabine knelt beside it, running her hand over his broad head as she spoke to Logan.
“It’s okay. Don’t you recognize him? Use your animal senses. Your sense of smell. Come closer. It’s okay. Come on, Logan.”
He hesitantly inched forward, lifting his head to sniff the air. Then he paused and looked at her.
“It’s okay, you know who we are. Come on.”
Again, he inched forward, this time stopping close enough that he could lean his head forward and sniff the wolf again.
Sabine smiled when Logan let out a yip and pounced playfully on the other wolf. It was on. For nearly an hour they chased one another, rolled around on the dirt wrestling and even went out into the lake.
Finally, they both collapsed on the ground beside her.
“All tuckered out, are you?” she asked and rose to fetch her big canvas bag from beneath the trees. She took two towels from it and placed them on the ground. “I’ll give you some privacy,” she said and turned to walk away.
A minute later she heard Logan’s voice. “That was amazing.”
Sabine turned to see him standing beside his Uncle Elijah. Both men had towels wrapped around their waists and both were smiling. Sabine looked at Elijah. “I’d say today was a success.”
“Yes, it was.” Elijah clapped Logan on the shoulder and then walked to her. “Good plan,” he whispered and then said aloud. “Well, time to get on back. See you for supper.”
Only seconds later the towel fell to the ground and Elijah, in wolf form, bounded away. Sabine watched him disappear into the trees, then turned to look at Logan.
“Good plan?” he asked as he stalked toward her.
She shrugged. “We thought maybe if you stopping thinking about doing it and just let it happen, you might have better luck.”
“In other words, you tricked me. Made me think you were in danger.”
“Guilty as charged,” she admitted. “I’ve been a very bad girl.”
“Well, I just might have to spank your ass for scaring the life out of me.”
Sabine felt something hot and needy bloom inside her, felt it make her sex burn. She was more than ready to submit to whatever he wanted but wasn’t ready to let him know. “Hmmm, what makes you think I’d allow that, Shifter?”
His smile told her all too clearly that while her Angelic powers might be more developed, when it came to dominance, he was the alpha. And in matters of pleasure, she would bend to his will and enjoy it.
He was right.
*****
Wayne held Ravyn for a few extra seconds. Since they’d returned from seeing Logan and Sabine, he’d felt like an imposter in his own life, going through the motions but feeling like everything he knew was a lie.
How could these kinds of beings exist and people not know? Well, most people. Obviously, Ravyn’s family knew. And apparently so did his mother. Just like she knew that the Legendre and Beaudreaux family were witches.
Wayne was still a bit resentful that Ravyn had not trusted him enough to tell him the truth. He’d said as much in front of Sabine before he and Ravyn returned home and Sabine had assured him that it wasn’t a matter of trust. Ravyn was just trying to protect him, along with herself and the life they had together.
If her family thought she’d opened to Wayne with the truth, chances were they would have ended up like Sabine and Logan.
In the end, Wayne gave in and tried to understand. He couldn’t imagine the family being that uncaring, but then he looked at his own family. His father had flaunted a thirty-year affair in his mother’s face, and he’d made it clear to Wayne a long time ago that Wayne either shared his thirst for revenge against the Legacy’s or he wasn’t part of the family. Harris’ enemies were Wayne’s or Wayne was out.
What screwed up families they both came from. Maybe Logan had the right wish after all. Find some land, raise some cows and kids and live a simple life, free from the stresses of big business and money.
He laughed to himself. As if either one of them would ever see that dream come true.
Unless we can amass enough against our families to make them afraid to move against us.
His father had taught him one important and valuable lesson: knowledge was power.
He released Ravyn from his embrace and held her at arm’s length. “Maybe it’s time we took a page from Sabine and Logan’s playbook.”
“Meaning what?”
“Instead of just trying to see if we can get information about Bannon, we gather as much information as we can about both our families. Things they don’t want to be made public. Things we can use to convince them to leave us alone and let us live our own lives.”
“You mean blackmail them?” She shook her head. “It will never work. My mother’s people would make sure something awful happened to us—or one of us.”
“Not if they thought their secrets would be revealed if one of us was harmed or killed.”
Her eyebrows rose. “You have a point.”
“So, will you help me?”
“I will. What do you want me to do?”
“Watch, listen. Take pictures, record audio—document anything you know your family doesn’t want the world to know. I’m going to do the same—starting today.”
“Starting today we plan our escape.”
“Yes.” He hugged her again. It might not work but damn if it didn’t feel good to at least have a plan.
*****
Sabine rolled over onto her side, lazy and relaxed after making love. Logan lay on his back, staring up at the sky with a pleased expression on his face. For the first time since they had been reunited, he appeared relaxed. She liked the fact that he was comfortable in his nudity.
Her fingers drifted over his chest. The first time she made love with him, ten years ago, he’d been a man in his mid-thirties, strong and virile, probably at the peak of his strength. He’d also been a man whose face seemed to be etched into a permanent scowl, as if life had given him nothing to smile about.
In short, unhappy. It hadn’t taken long for her to understand. He had two divorces under his belt and he wasn’t sure he was cut out for marriage. Neither of the women he’d married had made him happy and he sure as hell didn’t seem to have what it took to make them happy.
It made her sad that his life had been filled with more unhappy moments than happy ones and she wondered if that would have been the case had his family not exiled her. Well, in all fairness, she could not blame his entire family. Despite his father being the one who had not wanted to take her into their home in the first place, he was the one who had fought to keep her there.
Fought and lost. Of course, fighting both the Legendre and Beaudreaux clan was a battle she didn’t think could be won. They were formidable, had great numbers and were not above resorting to tactics that were less than honorable to get what they wanted.
Sabine wasn’t aware she had lost herself in thought until Logan’s voice drew her back to the moment. “Penny for your thoughts.”
She smiled at him. “I don’t know they’re worth that much.”
“Tell me anyway.”
“Just thinking—wondering really, what our lives might have been if the Council had not removed me from your home when we were children.”
He rolled over on his side to face her. “You mean, would we have fallen in love and had babies like you said when you were seven?”
“Yes.”
He shrugged. “I guess we’ll never know for sure, but something tells me I wouldn’t have been able to resist you once you were grown.”
“Oh?”
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known.”
Sabine had enjoyed her share of compliments over the years, but none meant as much as his. “I love you so much.”
“I know.” He stroked the side of her face. “And I love you. I won’t let anyone take you from me again, Sabine. I promise you.”
“I know. And they won’t. We’re too strong.”
“And smart,” he added.
She almost laughed but his phone started ringing. Something told her this was a call he should take. She fetched it from her canvas tote where he’d tossed it this morning before they left the house to go into the woods.
“It’s my dad,” he said when she handed it to him. “Hey, Dad. What’s—uh, yeah, sure. Give me half an hour.”
“Half an hour to do what?” she asked when he handed her the phone.
“To get back to Elijah’s. Dad’s there.”
“Your mother, too?”
“Apparently not.”
Sabine didn’t comment, she just started dressing. She was relieved that Genevieve had not accompanied John. If she had, Sabine might have been tempted to flee. She didn’t have the same fear of John, but she was apprehensive, and she could tell by looking at Logan that he was as well.
Within minutes they were making their way through the woods. Twenty minutes later they arrived at Elijah’s house. He and John were sitting in rockers on the front porch. They both stood as Logan and Sabine reached the steps.
Sabine hung back as John hugged his son. When he released Logan, all three men looked at her. It struck her how much Elijah and John resembled one another and how similar Logan was to his father in appearance. Three very handsome men, all virile and powerful in appearance despite their age.
“Sabine.” John opened his arms to her. She smiled and walked into his embrace.
“It’s been a long time,” he whispered. “Long time.”
“So, you don’t dislike me anymore?” she asked when he released her.
“I never disliked you, honey, just the situation. And I felt unprepared to raise an Angel child. I hope you can forgive my inadequacies.”
“There’s nothing to forgive. I know you fought for me. More than once.”
“What does that mean?” Logan asked.
“Ten years ago,” Sabine answered. “He went to the Council on my behalf, requesting my release.”
“Why?” Logan asked his father.
“Because you were in love with her—and she with you,” John answered. “And what they did was wrong. You were both adults. You should have been given the freedom to choose.”
“That’s what wrong with that damn coven,” Elijah said. “They think they have the right to make decisions about the lives of others. It’s wrong.” He cut his eyes in Sabine’s direction. “No offense.”
“None taken. They’re not my relations. And I agree. But I suspect they’re about to discover
they aren’t the eight-hundred-pound gorilla on the porch they thought.”
“What does that mean?” Elijah asked.
“May we sit?” Sabine asked.
“Oh, sorry, of course, let’s go inside.” Elijah led the way, followed by John.
Once they were all seated in the big family room, Sabine started the conversation, basically bringing Elijah and John up on what happened in Texas.
“I have to be honest, son,” John said to Logan. “I’m more than a little uncomfortable with Harris’ son being privy to so much family information.”
“You know he and Ravyn are deeply in love,” Sabine offered.
“I do, but—” He paused as if collecting his thoughts. “But here’s the rub. While I never tried to stop my daughter from having a relationship with Wayne, that doesn’t mean I trust him. Or her.”
Sabine could feel the way Logan tensed. “What does that mean?” he demanded.
“Simply that I’m not sure where her allegiance lies.”
“You mean, does she answer to the Council?” Sabine asked.
“I mean, is she her mother’s daughter or her father’s?”
Sabine didn’t know how to answer. She looked at Logan, could tell he was an indecisive as she. “I’m not sure what you’d have us say, sir,” Sabine finally responded. “Ravyn has never betrayed her family even though she loves Wayne. In fact, it’s he who is willing to cut himself off from family because he doesn’t respect what his father is doing.”
“Does my daughter feed information to my wife and the Council?”
Sabine locked eyes with John. “Yes.”
“Then that answers the question, doesn’t it?”
“No, sir. It doesn’t. She tells him only the most superficial things, never anything of import.”
“How do you know?”
“Because she tells me first and I don’t let anything get to the Council that might harm Logan James.” She mentally kicked herself for using his whole name, but hoped it wouldn’t annoy him.
John stared at her for a long time, then nodded and turned his attention to Logan. “As Wayne told you, I was once engaged to his mother Janette. When she broke it off and married Harris, I pretty much sank all my energy into work. Within five years, I was a wealthy man. Lonely but wealthy. I took some time and visited New Orleans. While I was there I met Genevieve.” John leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. “I wasn’t looking for a wife, but wasn’t opposed to having a good time and she was willing. We had a great week together and then I headed back to Texas. Two months later she showed up at my house to tell me she was pregnant. At first I, didn’t believe it, or didn’t want to, but in time she convinced me. I wasn’t about to let a child of mine be born a bastard, so we married. I was nervous about the baby. Whether it would be like my family. I came clean and told Genevieve and that’s when I found out that she came from a family of witches. Not the pretend kind but people with actual power. She said it would not be a problem. She could ensure that the child would never know about my family and would never shift.” John raised his head to look at Logan. “She and her family cooked up this blend of stuff that she started giving to you as a baby.”
