by Denise Carbo
“Fine, but aren’t we hampering any investigation by not giving them all the facts?”
“No offense, sweetheart, but I don’t have much confidence in your clan’s investigative abilities to begin with. This place is a security nightmare. There’s multiple access points on the compound an intruder could take advantage of. You’re in the middle of a damn city making it near impossible to track everyone coming and going near the compound. As if that wasn’t enough, part of your compound is open to the river. You don’t have enough guards to patrol all the unsecure areas. Don’t get me started on your antiquated surveillance technology.”
Bethany took several swallows of water while she pondered his words. Security had never been an area she thought much about or paid attention to. Recent events made it clear changes should be made however. It didn’t matter the city hadn’t existed when her clan first built the compound here. The river had been selected because of their focus on shipbuilding. Something she had thought about. The world was changing, and her clan needed to adapt to the times. The shipping business wasn’t as lucrative as it once was. Her clan would need to diversify and plan for the future. Whoever led the clan would need to be someone capable of accomplishing that. Apparently, they would need to address the security concerns as well.
Aaron was much more likely to want to keep the status quo than realize or listen to anyone advise him changes were needed. One more reason her cousin would not make a good ruler for the clan. Would Advisor Heyes make the better choice? He certainly appeared more reasonable and open to what was best for the clan. But could it all be a front to secure the vote?
“Should I be worried about your silence?”
Bethany glanced up at him.
“Experience has taught me women are more dangerous when they stop talking all together rather than screaming at me.”
“Do women scream at you a lot?” It occurred to her she didn’t really know much about his history.
Davis smirked. “Let’s just say I’ve had my ears rung a time or two.”
“Aunts? Sisters? Girlfriends?” He had mentioned he hadn’t known his parents, but did he have other family members?
“Currently? No to all the above.”
Bethany set her glass down in the sink and swiveled to face him. Should she ask him to elaborate? He didn’t strike her as the sharing type, but loss had shaped her life. It continued to affect and manipulate her path. “I have no memory of either of my parents. They died when I was two. Bryant was nineteen years older than me. I realize for a Risharden that isn’t much of a difference, but we were never close. I was sent to the Highlands to be raised by my nanny. Bryant stayed here, with Elsof, once he finished with his schooling in England.”
Davis stared at the floor so long she thought he wouldn’t speak. “Never knew my parents at all. My father died before I was born. My mother stayed around long enough to give birth to me but passed away shortly after to join her mate in the afterlife. At least that was what the old clan healer told me. The clan raised me. Families pretty much took turns taking care of me.”
Bethany laid a hand on his arm. “That must have been hard to understand as a child. You have no other family?”
He shrugged. “The clan is my family. It’s all I’ve ever known. I had a much older sister, but she died before I was born, also. My parents were not young when they had me. The way I heard it, I was a bit of a surprise.”
“I’m sure you were a very pleasant surprise. One of the downsides of our race is how rare children are. Each one is a precious blessing. There’s nothing sweeter than a child’s laughter, or purer than a baby’s smile. Colin’s visits always cheer my day.”
Davis gazed down at the soft smile on her face. The yearning in her voice was evident. As her mate, only he could give her a child. Did she really have no idea her mate stood right next to her? The truth was so clear in his mind and heart. Did her innocence prevent her from seeing the truth? She knew Donald hadn’t been her mate. Did she even suspect? Did he want her to?
Chapter Twelve
“I need to run.” Davis ran his hands through his hair and paced the length of the room. “How do you manage in the city? It’s not like you can fly around here. What do the members of your clan do?”
His movements became increasingly agitated. Living in the city certainly provided unique challenges to their race. Accustomed to the country, he probably had the freedom and luxury to shift as often as he liked. “Members of my clan change in the privacy of their homes if their altered form allows. There are also areas on the compound that accommodate those requiring more space. At the headquarters there are a group of ballrooms which are opened for clan members to use. They house a series of tunnels running beneath the compound as well for use. Some members own country homes to provide the outlet they need.”
He stopped in mid-stride and jerked his head back. “Tunnels? There are tunnels running beneath this place? Are they patrolled? Do they enter and exit only on the compound?”
“I really don’t know if they’re patrolled. I never go down there. I do know there are exits outside of the compound.”
Closing his eyes, he pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled loudly. “I take it back, the security in this place isn’t a nightmare, it’s a complete joke.” He swung around to face her and propped his fists on his hips. “Explains how Bryant managed to get out of here supposedly undetected.”
Bethany clasped her hands behind her back and frowned slightly. “I imagine you are correct. It does appear our security is sadly lacking. However, you shouldn’t form your opinions based on my knowledge of the security measures of the clan. There may be patrols, but I simply am not informed on the matter.”
“I’m not. I arrived at the conclusion by witnessing most of it firsthand. The tunnels’ existence are just the nails in the coffin.”
“Aaron oversees the security. I doubt very much he would speak to you on the subject, however, or listen to your opinions.”
Davis rolled his eyes. “Of course, he is. The news just keeps getting better. Why didn’t I know that? I’ll have to check with Malcolm, but I don’t recall that being mentioned before either.”
“It’s not an official title. I believe Uncle Elsof was giving him a trial period at the position. A chance to learn the procedures and demonstrate his ability to rule.”
He snorted. “Yeah, I think the answer to that is an emphatic no.”
“You believe Advisor Heyes would make a better ruler?”
“I believe a monkey would probably make a better ruler than your cousin, but that doesn’t mean I’m a fan of Heyes either. The jury is still out on that one as far as I’m concerned.”
Bethany tried not to smile, but her lips twitched in response. Unfortunately, she had to acknowledge Aaron would not make an effective leader.
“You never shared what you do when you have the need to fly?”
“Oh, I go to the Highlands, where I spent my childhood. I still own the family home there. I inherited it from my parents. Bryant was already an adult when they died and had no interest in the Highland property. He preferred the city. You know, it’s rather similar to your home in Wyoming. The mountains aren’t quite as tall, but it is breathtakingly beautiful. Plenty of room for you to run.”
“Is that an invitation?”
She opened her mouth to refuse. They couldn’t possibly go. Turmoil embroiled her clan. Someone was using her brother’s scent blocker.
Pressing her lips together, she stared down at the tiny bows on the tips of her ballet slippers. What difference would her presence make? If the vote happened, and it looked like it would, then it wouldn’t take place in the next day or two. A few days away would give her time to think without the pressure of Aaron or Advisor Heyes courting her to their side. As for the one who attacked her? Maybe during her time away, they would catch them. It would at least provide a little breathing room between Davis and her. As long as he insisted on assigning himself to be her bodyguard, the
more space they had the better. Her cottage wasn’t overly large, but it was certainly a great deal bigger than her flat.
She glanced up to find Davis patiently waiting for her response. “I suppose it is. A day or two at the cottage sounds a bit heavenly right now.”
****
“As we crest the hill, you will be able to see the loch.”
Davis glanced in Bethany’s direction. She was angled away from him staring out the passenger window. The last one hundred kilometers of the trip had passed with little conversation—only a brief sentence or two about a village they passed through. As the elevation had risen, so had the silence.
His thoughts swirled around the danger surrounding her like a rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike. Murder and violence had set up shop on her doorstep, and he was damned if they would get inside and do her harm. She was his mate. Even though he wasn’t ready to claim her, he wasn’t about to leave her unprotected. The more remote the scenery grew outside the window, the less urgent the danger seemed. Maybe it would give him a chance to work through the layers and figure out who had been working with her brother. He knew one thing—he had to keep from touching her again.
The deep blue depths of the loch appeared over the horizon. Verdant grass edged the shore and climbed the base of the gray craggy hills. His foot eased off the gas.
“Now this is more my kind of scene.”
Davis pulled off to the side to take in the view.
“I imagine this more closely resembles your clan’s compound in Wyoming. I confess my perception was impaired during my stay, therefore I did not stop to admire the beauty of my surroundings.”
“You’ll have to go back. There are some places so remote in the mountains that few humans ever see. Panoramic vistas both humbling and awe inspiring.”
“You really love it there, don’t you?”
He glanced at her before turning his gaze back to the road and continuing on their way. “It’s a part of me.”
“I feel that way about my clan, too. I used to believe it was the Risharden way, but I realize now not everyone feels the same way.”
“I think it’s part of our nature as Rishardens to stay close to our clans, but just like humans there will be the outliers. Some feel the urge to roam. Some move off the compound but are still relatively nearby. Others can’t get away fast or far enough.”
“Yes, I suppose you are right. There are those on the opposite spectrum as well in my clan. A few members have never even left the city compound.”
“Yeah, we too have those.
“Take the next left. It’s a narrow, unpaved road with limited travelers, but if we do encounter a vehicle you will have to pull over to let them pass.” Bethany leaned forward and pointed. “There it is.”
Davis took the turn. “How much farther?”
“About three kilometers down will be my driveway on the left. It’s a bit rough. Small stone pillars and a stone wall mark the entrance.”
Spirals of rock jutted up from the ground like fingers pointing to the sky. The mountains here resembled ancient Gods, a bit worn down from the millennia but powerful all the same.
“There’s the turn up ahead. Just past the cluster of purple heather. In a month or so the hills will be covered with flowers. It’s quite a stunning sight.”
The deeply rutted dirt path made it impossible to travel above a crawl. The farther they travelled down it the closer Bethany leaned in her seat to the window. Davis smiled over her eagerness.
A small, white cottage appeared in view. Two narrow dormers with a single window in each jutted from the roof of the second story. A stone wall flanked its sides, the hills and mountains dwarfed the building behind its back, and the loch edged the front. An old, crumbling stone building resided in the distance. Trees surrounded the cottage encapsulating it in privacy. Clumps of yellow flowers fanned the yard. He pulled to a stop, and Bethany jumped out before he put the car in park.
She took a deep breath, and a wide grin lit up her face. The sun bathed her upturned face in light, making her light blonde hair incandescent.
Opening the car door, the eerily familiar mountain air filled his senses. It had the same chilly bite, unpolluted purity, and earthy undertones as home. The dark blue water was vast, and he imagined deep and as frigid as ice.
Bethany entered the cottage through a forest green door. Getting out of the car, Davis stood and stretched his arms over his head and cracked his back before following her inside. A narrow staircase led upstairs. A living area was to his left. Bethany’s soft tread was coming from the back of the building, so he followed the narrow hallway to what opened to a kitchen and dining area stretching across the back. A small, round, pine table and chairs with a glass vase in the center holding dried heather occupied the left side. On the right, an ancient looking white fridge and oven took up the entire side wall, and a white farm sink and cabinets spanned the back wall. Glass doors by the table opened onto a stone patio so any occupants could enjoy the splendor of the loch.
“Are you hungry? I can’t offer you anything fresh, but I keep the freezer and cabinets well stocked.” She stood in front of the open cabinet with a soft smile.
“I’m good. What I’d really like to do is run. Is there anything I need to worry about? Any area I should avoid?”
“Oh, no, this side of the loch is uninhabited except for us. The Highlands are one of the most scarcely populated areas in Europe. Although there is always the danger of a trespasser, it’s highly unlikely, and I have never encountered one.”
“Great.” He started to march out the patio doors, but hesitated. “You’ll be okay here?”
“Of course. Take as long as you need. I am perfectly safe here. I can hear anyone approaching from quite the distance. The loch amplifies the sound, I believe, and my own hearing is rather pronounced.”
Davis nodded and walked out onto the patio.
Bethany turned back to the white wooden cabinets and closed them. Her appetite was nonexistent as well. She’d worry about food later. Traipsing through the archway into the living area, she trailed her hand over the dusty, rustic furniture. She had sat in this rocking chair losing herself in book after book as a child, letting the stories carry her away to far off lands and meet eccentric characters. She couldn’t help but smile. So many memories filled these rooms. Loneliness and a desire to connect with her family and clan members had prompted her to move to the compound. Duty to the clan, her job, and newfound friends convinced her to remain there.
Upstairs, she checked two bedrooms and promptly decided the single downstairs bedroom would suit Davis better. The roofline, although fine for her, was too low up here for him to be comfortable with his height. Besides, the only privy in the home was downstairs next to the bedroom. It would also give them both a little privacy and breathing room after sharing their previous tight confines.
The bedroom with the small window with a view of the loch had been hers as a child. The small, gray, wooden desk beneath the window had been where she sat to do her lessons. Bethany peeked out the window at the rowan tree growing in the yard. The graceful tree stood tall and narrow. In a few months, its leaves would turn red and the berries would ripen. She remembered her nanny harvesting the berries to make jelly.
Wandering back downstairs, she walked into the bedroom. She doubted the floral wallpaper and area rug, or the pink sheets and white bedspread edged with lace were his style, but it was still the largest room. Peeking into the privy, she checked to make certain the ivory pedestal sink and clawfoot tub were functioning properly. After a slight hesitation, the water gushed out. Baths were probably not his thing either, but there was a shower attachment. She fluffed the light pink towels on the rack and smiled slightly. The image of Davis using the feminine privy both amused and enticed her.
Fetching a duster from the cabinet under the sink in the kitchen, she got rid of the dust coating the ground floor. A caretaker came to check on the property periodically. Bethany wasn’t able to s
pend as much time here as she would like because of her job. But during the summer months, she usually took a few long weekends to holiday here. Satisfied Davis would be comfortable enough, she stepped out onto the patio.
He had been in quite a hurry. His clothes were dropped haphazardly across the stones. Bethany chuckled as she stooped to gather and fold his clothes before placing them neatly on the stone bench facing the loch.
Plucking a few weeds which had managed to grow between the flat stones, she mused over the times she had played with her toys on the patio as a child.
She sat down on the bench and tilted her face up to feel the crisp air. It was so pure here. No smell of exhaust or factory pollution tainted the air. Only the sounds of water gently lapping at the rocky shore and the faint rustle of leaves as a soft breeze blew intruded on the quiet. A piece of dark driftwood bobbed in the water. A brown buzzard flew overhead, searching for prey no doubt.
The sudden urge to fly gripped her. Bethany stood and started removing her clothing. She folded her clothes neatly and stacked them next to Davis’ on the bench. She raised her face to the sky and stretched her arms wide. Energy rippled over her body as she willed herself to transform. The change took only seconds.
A small leap to the bench, and a flap of her wings made her airborne. She flew straight up over the cottage and circled around—peering down at the old stone ruins behind her cottage. It was the site of the original dwelling on this property, old and crumbling long before her time. The only parts remaining were remnants of the chimney and portions of two of the outer gray stone walls. Vegetation and wildlife had claimed it for their own. She flew higher, heading up farther into the hills. As a child she had fashioned many a fort in the hills. Being the only child in the area, she had learned to entertain herself.
