“I don’t care about the Council or whether or not I’ll be mated to someone on it!” She sucked in another breath to continue her rant, but jerked when her grandfather invaded her personal space and clamped his hand down on her shoulder.
He squeezed a tender spot and she bit back a yelp of pain. “You will behave, little girl, or I will make you wish you had. Do we have an understanding?”
Her lip trembled and her eyes watered. She refused to cry in front of him, even though his fingers were causing excruciating pain. Her head began nodding of its own accord and she shuddered through a breath as he released her.
“Good.” He backed up a step and opened the limo door for Carlotta.
Her grandmother hadn’t even blinked at the threatening display, but Aaron struggled where he knelt to remain still. She could only feel the tension because of the thin bond that’d already formed between them.
“Mr. Katsaros, come. Since you have handled her competently up to this point, you will continue as Nicole’s bodyguard until the ceremony.”
“Yes, sir.” Aaron moved fluidly from his kneeling position to Nicole’s side, grabbed her arm, and shoved her toward the limo. He ignored her huff and literally picked her up and put her inside the vehicle. Then he climbed in and sat next to her. His thigh brushing against hers was enough to momentarily sidetrack her brain from its destructive path.
“You know, dear. You are a valuable woman. The magick of two royal bloodlines flows through your veins. You and your two younger sisters are the last heirs of the Demakis royal line.”
“What about Uncle Phillip?”
“His children, if he ever has any, will never be recognized by the Council. He’s made it quite clear that he defected from our authority. Your aunt and uncle will be taken care of in due time. Don’t worry yourself about them.”
“You mean the way mom took care of Dad and Uncle Stefan?”
“Nicole,” Aaron growled under his breath.
“It’s fine, Mr. Katsaros.” Carlotta held up a hand to still both her mate and Aaron. “Renata is fulfilling her purpose. The Demakis family held too much power. It was a mistake on the Council’s part to ever let them gain control of the three main packs in the U.S.”
“That’s it. Fulfilling a purpose? Is that what you call murder?”
“The entire world you live in is built on the blood of others,” her grandfather added. “Would you rather your blood join theirs? Or would you prefer to go on living?”
“Who gave the Council the authority of the gods?” Nicole shot back.
“When the gods and the Originals stopped giving a damn.” The anger in her grandfather’s voice was clue enough the conversation was over. No point in arguing. If she wanted to know more, she’d have to ask one of the sources—Kate.
***
Aaron kept his gaze lowered, never daring to make eye contact with either of the Antipas royals. His mind was spinning, trying to figure a way to keep his interest in their granddaughter hidden. His life and his sister’s were as good as over if anyone noticed the connection between him and Nicole.
It took every shred of his concentration to ignore the gentle brush of her thigh against his. The way her arm bumped his when the car jolted sent pulses through his body. His magick hummed in Nicole’s presence, but his cat still refused to speak to him. It refused to see reason. Though it loved his sister as well, it stood fast that she wouldn’t want him to lose a chance with a true mate.
Even though the bond between them was weak and still indiscernible by others, it was growing stronger. He could feel her irritation loud and clear. He could also sense her arousal. Her attempts to pull him in on the plane had nearly succeeded. With her and his cat working against him, he didn’t stand a chance in hell of resisting for long.
Thankfully, after the little spat between the three of them over who was in charge, they all remained silent for the rest of the ride. Nearly a half-hour later, they pulled up to the front of the Antipas palace.
The property spanned hundreds of acres and the square footage in the main building totaled near thirty-five thousand. It had been daunting when he first arrived a hundred years before. His family had been slaughtered and his sister taken prisoner to force his undying loyalty. For a century he’d served as a personal slave to Reginald and Carlotta Antipas, always hoping one day they’d grant his precious sister freedom from what they teasingly referred to as their private zoo.
It didn’t even deserve to be called a zoo. He’d visited zoos owned by humans. Their animals were much better provided for than his sister and the other prisoners. The prisoner building sat a quarter mile back from the palace and housed dozens of animals—shifters trapped in animal form by a witch’s spell.
They were kept in steel cages, fed once a day, and cleaned of waste once a day with a high-powered hose. Many of the prisoners had gone feral. Those who had were kept in a constant state of semi-consciousness via tranquilizers.
Some were like his sister and still had family who visited and talked to them. They were able to retain a balance between their humanity and the animal soul who’d been given control. There had been days, though, especially through the last few years when even his precious Sasha had become wild, growling at his hand and forcing him away from her cage in tears.
Aaron opened the limo door and helped Nicole to her feet, and then Carlotta. Reginald exited from the other side. He caught the small hitch in Nicole’s breathing. The palace was overwhelming, and the look on her face showed it.
“Come child,” Carlotta said. “It’s nearly time for the evening meal and I’m famished. The cook is making roasted pheasant—it’s one of her specialties. I requested it just for your arrival.”
A surge of anger flowed through their bond. Shit. What is that stubborn woman about to say now?
“Sounds positively delicious.” Nicole’s voice was syrupy sweet and bordered on slightly unhinged.
He snapped his jaw shut in surprise and closed the limo door.
“Oh, good. I’m so glad you said that. I was worried we would keep having ugly confrontations after the little upset in the car.” Carlotta smiled, making her look a little more grandmotherly and a little less dominatrix-bitch.
Maybe she’s smarter than I thought.
Silence. His leopard was still giving him the cold shoulder.
Damn it. You can’t avoid me forever. We share the same fucking body!
“I can avoid you as long as I damn well please. When you decide our MATE is worth saving, I’ll start taking you serious again.”
Aaron stifled a snarl and followed silently behind the Antipas royal family. They walked up to the large, intricately carved doors that featured two wolf heads. Their footsteps echoed on the white marble floors. He noted Nicole glancing around some, but she kept most of her attention on her two grandparents.
It was hard not to appreciate the beauty of the palace. He hated the place, but still admired the elegance of the marble floors, the gold lacquered walls, the arched and coffered ceilings that were so high the servants had to build scaffolding to clean them properly. Rich Persian rugs decorated the floors and exquisite medieval tapestries hung from nearly every wall. Paintings from every master from every era of time also decorated the walls as they passed through to the dining hall.
He knew Carlotta had a penchant for Rembrandt and Monet. Much of the priceless artwork had been commissioned privately by the family through the centuries. The public didn’t even know the paintings existed. There was even had a sculpture from the great Michelangelo. It was a depiction of Bathsheba—the complement to his renowned sculpt of David.
He took his place next to two other guards at the dining hall doorway. One was a wolf shifter and the other was a lion. Alex, the wolf, was head of security in the palace. The lion, Ashir, was Carlotta’s plaything in bed when Reginald chose to have other company, which was quite regularly.
Reginald sat at one end of the enormous table and Carlotta sat at the other. Nicole w
as seated at the corner near Carlotta. Aaron rolled his neck and cracked a couple of vertebrae, relishing the release of a little tension. The evening meal would take at least three hours, more than enough time to clean up and visit with his sister for a few minutes.
He walked to Carlotta’s side and knelt beside her chair—head down, waiting for her acknowledgement. She didn’t say a word until the servants had poured drinks and brought out the appetizer course. His nostrils flared at the rich scent of scallops and buttery sauce and he willed his stomach to be silent, regretting that he’d not eaten anything on the plane.
“Yes, Mr. Katsaros.” Carlotta spoke softly.
He spoke without raising his head. She would take offense if he attempted to make eye contact. “Mistress, may I take a short leave of my charge while she eats? I would appreciate a few minutes to clean up from the trip and see my sister.”
“I suppose, Mr. Katsaros. Be back before the meal ends. I do not want to be kept waiting when she needs to be escorted to her suite.”
“Yes, Mistress. Thank you.”
He rose from his knee and walked silently from the room, neither slowly nor quickly. He never moved to arouse suspicion. Every move he made around the palace was carefully calculated and measured. Most of the guards and servants had their own agenda, and none protected anything but their own ass.
It was a lonely way to live.
His gait sped as he entered the servant’s hallway that stretched nearly the entire length of the palace. It was a central corridor that made it easier to access nearly every room of the palace. About every hundred yards, swinging doors closed off the hallway and there was a pass-through in the main building with a nook and an elevator that traveled between the four floors. He pushed through the first set of swinging doors, passed the elevator, and went through the next set of swinging doors.
He passed several maids and even a few security guards on his way to the back. They moved out of his way. He might not be the head of security, but he was Carlotta’s pet mercenary and no one questioned his movements around the property.
It took nearly ten minutes to reach the back of the palace. He pushed open the metal exit door and took a deep breath of the evening air. A chill clung to the light breeze and moisture from a brewing storm over the bay filled the air with the salty scent of the sea.
Rushing down the sidewalk, he turned down the long driveway that led to the cages. A few minutes later, he pressed his eye to the retinal scanner next to the door, waited for the beep, and then pulled open the heavy, steel door. The smell of feces and rotten meat permeated the air. Bile rose in his throat. It always smelled this way, except for a few hours after the morning power washing.
Nothing could be done. At least it was cleaned daily. Visiting servants from other royal estates had described much worse conditions than the Antipas cages.
It wasn’t fair. They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it. Yet they did get away with it. No one ever breathed a word of complaint. None dared.
He hurried down the middle walk and turned to the right. His sister’s cell was in the front right corner of the building. “Sasha.” He called and was answered by a soft yowl. A thin leopard moved from the shadows to the front wall of the cage. She sat on her haunches and stared at him with dead eyes. Her fur had lost its luster years ago and she was too thin. They were fed scraps from meat markets, whatever was cheap and going to be tossed. He wasn’t allowed to feed her anything either and had been beaten several times when he tried to sneak her extra scraps from his meals.
“Hey, sweet girl. I’ve missed you. I was out of the country, but I’m back now.” He folded his legs and sat on the cold concrete in front of her cage. “I found somebody. You’ll never guess what she is.”
Sasha’s golden eyes widened and she whined.
“I found my mate, Sasha, but it’s useless. She’s going to be claimed in a ceremony at the end of next week. She wants me to help her escape, but I can’t.”
His sister bared her teeth and hissed.
Yeah, she was pissed. He knew she’d be angry. If he was in her place and she had the chance to be with her true mate, he would want it for her, no matter what.
“I can’t do it, little sis. They’ll torture you to get to me. Then they’d torture us both and kill us. It would all be for nothing.”
She shook her head back and forth and bared her teeth again.
I’m surrounded by stubborn women.
Aaron reached through the bars and rubbed under her chin. Purring vibrated from her throat and he smiled. It was a small pleasure, but the only one he could give her.
“She knows the creator, Sasha. I know you’re mad, but I’m going to get you out of here. I won’t leave you here. Ever.”
Her gaze met his and then she swung her head to her left and then to her right. He followed her gaze and sighed. Dozens of others paced in their cages. All fated to suffer for decades ... or longer.
“I can’t promise anything, Sasha, except that I’ll try.”
The front door slammed. He jumped to his feet and watched as one of the kitchen staff hurried down the center walk. It was Lena. Her husband was in a cage at the far side of the building. They’d both served the Antipas household until Reginald had requested her presence in his bed one night, twenty years ago. When she refused, he had her husband spelled and locked up. She slept next to his cage every night.
Aaron knew the whole story, though. Reginald still requested her presence from time to time and she gave without hesitation to keep Nicholas alive.
When he’d asked her if she told Nicholas, she nodded yes. She said it couldn’t have been hidden even if she’d tried. They shared everything through the mate bond. Every feeling and emotion. Nicholas was her partner. Her comfort, even when everything had been taken from them.
He checked his watch. It was time for him to head back inside. He needed to grab a quick shower, a bite of something from the kitchen, and be back in the dining hall at Carlotta’s beck and call.
Magick rippled off his skin in waves as he tried to push down his anger. He had to keep it in check. The whole groveling, slave boy routine is what allowed him so much freedom on the grounds. It went against every fiber of his being to bow to Carlotta’s every whim and beg her permission to breathe the air next to her. But, in the long run, it would be worth it.
One day the freedoms his groveling afforded would be his and Sasha’s salvation.
One day he would get her out of this wicked place.
***
Dessert was being cleared from the table when Aaron slipped back into the dining room to stand next to the two other guards at the door, neither of whom had moved during the entire dinner service. He was freshly shaved and his hair was still wet. A nice blue t-shirt stretched across his chest and Nicole felt her heart do a little flip-flop. Her wolf wasn’t the only one who couldn’t keep sex out of her mind.
Carlotta turned to glance at him and he bowed low, whispering a soft thank you.
How can he stomach being so, so ...?
“How can you judge him when you are doing the same thing?”
Her wolf was right. The sickly sweet smiles and nods she’d been feeding her grandparents through the meal were exactly the same thing. Who’s to say his behavior isn’t out of necessity as well. He’d definitely displayed plenty of hot alpha-ness in the plane. You’re right. It has to be an act.
“Mr. Katsaros, take Nicole up to the white suite on the third level.” Her grandmother caught her gaze and smiled. “It’s been prepared especially for your arrival. I do hope you like it. If you need anything at all, he will be standing guard outside your door all night.”
“I need a guard?” It slipped out before she could stop it.
“Of course. We all have personal bodyguards, darling. Reginald has appointed Mr. Katsaros as yours. He is one of our best. You are free to go anywhere in the palace, but it is a large place. Best to have an escort to avoid getting lost.”
Nicole nodd
ed. “Good night then. I’m tired from the flight. I would like to lie down and get some sleep.”
“Of course.” Carlotta snapped her fingers and one of the wait staff helped her up from her chair. “Mr. Katsaros.”
He stepped forward and gestured for her to exit the dining room ahead of him. She hurried through the grand doorway and turned to the left with a softly spoken word from him. They continued in silence down the main hall for a short distance until he spoke again, requesting she turn to the right. To her surprise, an elevator door was tucked into the alcove.
Aaron pressed the call button and the door slid open without a sound. The elevator was made of dark wood that was so polished she could see her reflection. They stepped inside and he pressed the button.
“You’re going to have a hard time avoiding me now, since Grandfather appointed you my official babysitter.”
He coughed and covered his mouth, but she detected the slightest hint of a smile twinkling in those golden brown irises. No verbal response though, and his gaze stayed glued to the closed door.
I thought for sure the babysitter comment would break this damned silent treatment.
“Patience.”
She wished she could tease him more, but her body was exhausted. What she really wanted was to be left alone to sleep for at least a day, maybe two. Like that would happen.
The doors opened again and they stepped into the hallway of the third floor. “What’s on the fourth floor?”
“The fourth level is split between your grandparents’ suites.”
He speaks! “The whole floor?”
“Yes.” He extended his arm and pointed toward an intricately carved door, lacquered in white. Upon closer observation, she saw the carvings were a relief of Venus rising from the ocean. It was hauntingly beautiful.
“Will you really stand out here all night?” She turned and faced him.
Taking Nicole (Vegas Mates Series)(#4) Page 3
