by Aspen Drake
“It’s okay. I’d rather you be stepping on me than cornered by that creep.” I reached down and adjusted my sock so it didn’t slip into my shoe. “I’ll call to find out what happened between Steve and the fairy tonight. Do you happen to know the fairy he left with?”
“No, but I think she’s a few years younger than me. I’ve see her around but don’t even know her name.”
“The guys will keep her safe.”
“You’d think she’d be more careful about who she went home with.”
I couldn’t help but smirk at her hypocrisy.
“I know. I know. I was the same way – jumping whoever’s bones looked appealing. This is serious though.”
“It is, but your father and his team haven’t yet spread the word to the community about what’s going on. There are rumors floating around but nothing’s official. And, even if there was, no one pays attention to these warnings until they see something happen to someone they know personally.”
“True.” She nibbled on her fingernail. “I just hope she’s okay.”
“She will be.”
Instead of heading straight home, we headed over to McDonald’s to grab a late night snack. Of course, a snack for me was a double quarter pounder, large fries, and a large soda. For Lily, it was a Big Mac, fries, and sweet tea. We ate in silence, each lost in our own thoughts. She was a gorgeous woman, and my thoughts kept drifting to how incredible she was in bed. I couldn’t help it. I was a man in his prime with needs, and she was such a sweet little thing. The song “Little Red Riding Hood” came to mind, and I couldn’t help but grin.
“What’s so funny?” she asked after taking a big bite of her burger.
I pointed to her mouth. “You have sauce all over your lips.”
“Oh!” She quickly wiped her lips with her napkin. “Is that better?”
I gave her a smoldering grin. “Perfect.”
When we got back to her house, I put on a pot of coffee. It was almost six, but I wasn’t in the mood to sleep. I wanted to find out what happened to the fairy Steve left with. I’d texted a couple members of the team, but they said the two were holed up in a motel room at some scuzzy place called the Dew Drop Inn. Could the name be any more obvious?
Lily and I curled up on the sofa, each at opposite ends. We spent the next couple hours talking about our lives and getting to know one another. It was the most I’d ever learned about a woman. I wasn’t the relationship type. I’d dated a couple girls in the sense that I’d fucked them more than once, but that was about it. I’d never had any desire to learn personal information about women. But Lily was different. I wasn’t just killing time with her. I actually wanted to learn as much as I could about her. What her favorite color was. What movies she liked to watch. Her interests. I was surprised when she said she enjoyed interior design.
“Why aren’t you in the business?” I asked as I sipped my coffee and turned toward her.
She gave a shrug. “There’s no money in it. People in Greywood aren’t exactly interested in someone coming into their homes just to decorate it.”
“You might be surprised.” I put my mug on the coffee table. “It’s true there aren’t a lot of people in town with the money for a designer, but there are always the halfbacks.”
She smiled. “That’s true.”
Halfbacks were what North Carolinians called those who had retired and moved from New York to Florida only to discover that Florida was too damn hot. Thus, they moved halfway back. They had loads of money and loved to see people jump anytime they snapped their fingers. Truthfully, they were annoying as hell.
“I’m not sure that’s the clientele I’d be interested in.” She laughed.
“Can’t say that I blame you.” My phone’s screen lit up with Walker’s name. “Hold on just a sec. It’s your dad.” I put the phone on speaker. “Hey, Walker. What did the team learn?”
“They’re gone.” His voice sounded defeated.
“What do you mean? The team had the room surrounded.”
“Apparently, there was a secret passage in that room to help married people escape should their spouses show up.” He sighed into the phone. “We’re not even sure when the couple left during the night.”
“How did you find out they were gone?”
“One of the team members got tired of waiting and knocked on the door, pretending to be housekeeping.”
“Kinda early for housekeeping…”
“The man simply wasn’t thinking it through. Regardless, there was no answer. He knocked again and then turned the doorknob, which was unlocked. It didn’t look like the couple had utilized the room in any way.”
“So you’re saying he took her there simply to escape?”
“Looks that way.” Walker was silent for a few moments. “There’s more. It looks like our assumptions may be right. The man in the second photo isn’t a decedent. He’s actually the same as the man in the first photo. The guys in tech have been analyzing the photos and the overlay is exactly the same. He’s the same guy.”
“How?”
“That’s what we’re trying to find out. The man hasn’t aged in almost a hundred years…at least not the way you’d think he would.”
“Who have you put on the case to find answers?”
“Matt.”
What? “My Matt? As in Matt Lupin?”
“Yes. I would normally have chosen someone from the fairy community or one of the ancient vampires, but Matt has an incredible knowledge of the community’s history. I was quite impressed.”
I was too. Matt had never mentioned anything about this. Not that it would have come up in our conversations about our latest conquests. But what really had me puzzled was why he cared. Matt wasn’t originally from Greywood. He came from the west coast. Why would he care about Greywood’s history?
21
Lily
Anwell was lost in thought after speaking to my father. I wasn’t sure why it was a big deal that my dad had chosen a werewolf to lead the research team, but Anwell seemed troubled by it. “Is Matt a problem?”
“No, he’s actually one of my best friends. But he’s not from here.” Anwell scooted to the edge of the sofa and placed his hands on his knees. “I’m not sure why he would be interested in Greywood’s history.”
“It does seem odd. We weren’t even interested in it and it’s our history.” I tapped my finger against my mouth. “I guess our history may seem fascinating to an outsider.”
“I guess.” He got up from the sofa and took our mugs to the dishwasher. “Why don’t you get some sleep, and I’ll start doing some research of my own.”
“Don’t you need some sleep?” I asked with a yawn and stretch.
He smiled. “I’ll get some rest in a few hours. If you need anything, I’ll be right here in the living room.”
I went into my bedroom and closed the door behind me before undressing and slipping into a soft nightgown. Something was definitely wrong with Matt being the one to do the research. I could see it in Anwell’s eyes. I trusted him though. If there was something amiss, even with his own pack, he would handle it. I was sure of it.
Somehow, I knew I was sleeping soundly. Yet, I wasn’t in my bed. I was back in the forest, and Steve was there with the old man, the fairy, and another man I’d never seen before. The woman was on the alter. I tried to scream but couldn’t. Her throat was slit open, and blood dripped from her neck into a glass. It was mixed with something that almost looked like mercury, but the color was a deep purple.
“Here, Father,” Steve said as he handed the goblet to the older man. “Drink this.”
The man drank deeply, and his form changed. His skin grew less wrinkled, his eyes brighter, and his posture straightened. It was as if sixty years had been erased from the old man’s appearance. He now appeared to be in his forties. He handed the goblet back to Steve. “Thank you, son.” He walked to the other man and shook his hand. “Thank you for doing the research needed to bring me back into my pri
me. Your services will be rewarded.”
I awoke with a gasp, and Anwell came running into the room. “What’s wrong?” His eyes searched the room for a threat. When he realized we were still alone, his shoulders relaxed. “Was it another dream?”
“The fairy is dead,” I said as I pulled myself into a sitting position and wrapped my arms around my knees.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. And there’s more.” I leaned my head on my knees and looked up at Anwell.
He sat beside me, placing his warm hands on my calves. “What is it?”
“Tell me what your friend Matt looks like.”
22
Anwell
I was going to fucking kill him. KILL HIM. Lily described Matt down to the last detail after I’d asked her to tell me what the man in her dream looked like. He was a rogue. He’d come to Greywood because he’d heard rumors that a man from the original creeper cleanup had managed to keep himself alive using black magic. Matt was able to find the spell needed to give the man his youth and planned to singlehandedly ruin us all.
I banged on his door and was shocked when Luna opened it. “Oh, hi, Anwell,” my sister said while trying to cover herself. Oh, HELL FUCKING NO. This shit wasn’t going to happen now.
“Get dressed.”
She gave me a look like she was going to protest but knew better than to say anything.
“NOW!” I roared.
“Dude, what’s the problem?” Matt asked as Luna ran to get dressed. He leaned in and whispered, “She finally came around and things are going well.”
I couldn’t give away the fact that I knew he was helping the creepers. “I’ve had a change of heart.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “My sister deserves much more. I want her to be with a leader of his own pack. Someone worthy of her.”
“Worthy? What the fuck? I thought I was your best friend.”
“Nothing personal, man.”
“Nothing personal my ass.” He got up in my face, ready to fight me.
“You won’t win.” I smiled smugly. “Best back down while you can.” Luna came back into the room, fully dressed and carrying a bag. “Ready to go?”
“I guess.” She gave a backward glance to Matt as she passed by.
“Babe, don’t go. You don’t have to jump when he says to.”
“Actually, she does. Until she’s mated to someone I give my blessing to, I’m the one she answers to.” I led her to the door and looked behind me. “Like I said, it’s nothing personal.”
I shut the door behind me and walked Luna to the car.
“What was that all about?” she whined, tugging out of my grip.
“I could ask you the same thing.” I opened the door and helped her into my truck. “I didn’t know you even like Matt, and now you’re sleeping with him?”
“I thought you were best friends.”
“I did, too.”
“Lily, Luna. Luna, Lily.” I introduced the two girls after I arrived back at Lily’s home. I’d left her there only after her father had arrived to watch her. It had given her time to tell him about her dream and get him on the same page. There was a problem in our community – a big one.
“Hi,” Lily said while extending her hand. “It’s great to meet you. Your brother has told me a lot about you.”
Luna shook Lily’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you, too. I just wish it was under different circumstances. Apparently, my big, protective brother thought it was okay to pull me out of my boyfriend’s home this morning.” She gave me a hateful look.
Lily furrowed her eyebrows at me, and I shook my head to let her know not to say anything. “Well, big brothers can certainly be a pain.”
“Ugh. I know, right?” She gave Lily a bright smile, and the two headed into the kitchen to get an iced coffee. “Wow, your home is gorgeous.”
“Thank you.” I could hear the smile in Lily’s voice.
“Who designed it?” my sister asked as she took a sip of coffee.
“Me.” Lily smiled brightly.
“You’re kidding? This is amazing. Could you help me with my apartment? I just moved in and it looks so sparse. I haven’t even been shopping for new things yet, but I would pay you.”
Lily brushed off the offer. “No need. I’d be happy to help you – no charge.”
Luna hugged Lily. “Thank you so much. It’ll be fun to bond with you since my brother seems to be smitten.”
Lily blushed. “Oh, I don’t think so. We’re just…friends.”
“Friends...right.” Luna winked and nudged Lily with her elbow.
Lily looked at me and I shrugged.
Truthfully, I was smitten with her. More than smitten.
I left the girls to chat while Walker and I went into Lily’s library and talked. I shut the door behind me, so the girls wouldn’t hear. “We have a problem,” I said as I turned to look at Walker. “My sister is dating Matt.”
Walker sighed. “You have to keep her away from him. We have no idea if he might be planning to send her to the alter like Steve did with the fairy.”
I stood silent for a moment. “Matt has been hung up on my sister forever. I told him how to win her over, and it worked. I don’t know if he’s genuinely interested in her or what his true motivation is. I honestly thought I knew him. I thought I could trust him.”
Walker patted my shoulder. “Nothing is worse than when someone you love turns.”
I sat down in one of the oversized leather chairs, which happened to fit my larger frame perfectly. “What’s our next step?”
“We have to proceed without letting Matt know we’re on to him. We need to feed him some bogus information to send him on a wild goose chase. If he catches on, we’re in even more trouble.”
“So what do we tell him?”
Walker thought about it for a moment. “Let’s have him pull every bit of information he can find on what spurred the creepers to act in the beginning. Each time he comes to us, we’ll think of something else for him to look up.”
I sighed. “That should keep him busy for now. In the meantime, who are we going to have replace him?”
“The person who knows the most, other than Matt, is my mother.” He looked concerned. “She’ll be great for research, but nothing more. She’s getting older, and I don’t want her involved in a battle against this man.”
“Understood.”
I took a moment to explain to Lily what my sister did and didn’t know. She needed to know that Luna had no idea Matt was a threat, and that Luna also didn’t know what I did for a living. The last thing my sister needed to know is that I was co-owner of a sex club.
That night, I debated on whether or not I could leave the two women alone while I went to work. I couldn’t take Luna with me, yet I couldn’t leave Lily alone. Since Matt wouldn’t know Lily and Luna were acquainted, chances were good he wouldn’t come there looking for her. So after careful contemplation, I decided Luna would stay at the house, and Lily and I would go.
Luna, of course, wanted to know why she needed to stay there and couldn’t return to her apartment. I told her I needed someone to watch Lily’s place, and she reluctantly agreed. “Alright, but I want to go back to my apartment tomorrow.”
“Sure, no problem,” I said as Lily and I headed out the door. There was no way in hell she was going back to her apartment, but I’d deal with her wrath tomorrow.
The night at the club passed quickly. I hung out with Lily in the back booth and watched the crowds. Steve didn’t come back into the club at all. It was a relief, but it also made me wonder what he might be doing. Was he picking up a paranormal being somewhere else? Would there be another woman slaughtered in order to help his master?
We headed back home right after the club closed. I was anxious to get back and see if my sister had stayed put. When we unlocked the door, the home was dark. The couch was empty and so were the bedrooms. I turned on the lights and found a note in the kitchen.
Anwell,
Lily’s friend Steve stopped by and asked if I’d like to get a cup of coffee. Be back soon.
Love,
Luna
“FUCK!” I headed for the door, and then turned back around to stare at Lily. What the fuck was I going to do? I couldn’t leave Lily there, but I couldn’t lead her into the fire. I also couldn’t stand there with my thumb up my ass. Who knew what was happening to my sister. I was pacing frantically and could feel my inner wolf trying to escape.
“Go.” Lily gently placed her hand on my forearm. “She’s your sister, and time is running out.”
I looked at her helplessly before rushing out the door. I was probably making a huge mistake by not taking Lily with me, but it felt foolish to lead her to the enemy. I had to find my sister and get back to Lily as quickly as possible. The only problem was I had no idea where in the massive woodlands of Greywood I would find these monsters.
23
Lily
I shut and locked the door behind Anwell. I knew what was coming and how it would happen. What I needed to do was prepare myself. My last dream showed me more than I had told anyone. It should have been scary that everything was playing out like it was, but I felt a sense of calmness as I double-checked all the doors and windows in my home. I wasn’t sure why. Locks weren’t going to stop Matt from breaking in. He’d been smart to send Steve after Luna. She didn’t know Steve and was young enough to believe anything the man said, especially a gorgeous man such as Steve.
I hadn’t been careless with the girl’s life. I knew she’d make it out okay. Anwell would rescue her without any problems. They didn’t want or need her. It was fairy blood they were after. Fairies are the most magical beings, and if they planned to keep that bastard alive, they needed more of it. I wasn’t sure how he’d survived this long or if he’d been in a dormant sleep, waiting for his time to come again. All I knew was he planned to rule Greywood and all who inhabited it. We wouldn’t be murdered, one by one, but we would be his slaves. Each one of us would be used to harness more power. I wasn’t about to let that happen.
