by Nina Croft
“Diablo and Satan,” Caleb murmured.
The hounds heard their names. Their ears pricked, and the growls were cut off. They rose to their full height, which was almost to Caleb’s shoulders and eyed him with burning crimson eyes.
“Nice pets your girlfriend keeps,” Ethan muttered.
“What are they?”
“Hellhounds. Magnificent animals. I couldn’t bring myself to kill them.”
The name certainly suited. They were huge creatures, bearing only a vague resemblance to dogs, with rough russet coats, and a thick black stripe down their backs. Powerful legs ended in long savage claws. Their heads were misshapen, with pointed ears and razor-sharp teeth. As he approached the bars, they sat calmly, only growling when Ethan came up beside him.
“What do you expect me to do with them?” Caleb asked.
“Give them back. There are chains over there. I’ll get out—they don’t like me very much.”
“Well, you can’t fault them on their taste in people,” Caleb said as Ethan left the room.
Caleb spoke to the hounds softly, but they gave him no trouble as he attached the chains around their necks. His father was waiting for him at the top of the stairs.
Ethan walked with him to the truck, keeping his distance from the hounds. Caleb opened the back and they jumped in. He was climbing into the cab when Ethan stopped him with a hand on his arm. Caleb glanced down at it then pulled free. “What?” he asked coldly.
“I know you’ve never wanted anything to do with the pack, and in some ways I understand that, but there’s something you can’t afford to ignore.”
“And that is?”
“What do you know of the mating bond?”
“It doesn’t exist. It’s a myth.” He shook his head. “I’ve seen you with women, and there’s never been anything remotely mystical about it.”
“That doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”
“Did it exist with my mother?”
Ethan turned away.
“I heard the stories,” Caleb called after him. “You abducted her, raped her, and then let her die. Where was the mating bond in that?”
Ethan paused then turned back slowly. “You shouldn’t believe all the stories you hear, and I wanted a son.”
“And you got me. Was I worth it?”
Ethan looked him over. “I thought so at the time.” He shrugged. “I still think so, or would if you’d stop being so stubborn and join me.”
Caleb climbed into the truck and slammed the door shut. He drove off without another word, but when he looked in the mirror, Ethan was still watching him.
He thought over what he had learned. He’d never wanted to be involved, had turned his back on the pack as soon as he’d been able, but he didn’t like the sound of this. The world was not perfect, but he knew there were far worse things out there, and it sounded very much as if Ethan was involved with one of those things.
As he turned a corner, the house and his father disappeared from sight, and a tall figure stepped out of the trees at the edge of the drive. It was Tom, his father’s second, and Caleb swore softly. He pulled the truck to a halt and wound down the window. “What?”
“I need to talk to you.”
“I can’t talk now.”
“Caleb, please.”
Caleb sighed. Of all his father’s people, Tom was the only one who’d stood up for Caleb when he was a child. Caleb owed him, but he couldn’t do this so soon after seeing his father; he needed some space. He took a business card from his pocket, then paused. He didn’t want Tom at the office, he didn’t want his two worlds colliding any more than necessary. He picked up a pen from the dashboard, scribbled an address on the back of the card, and handed it to Tom. “Come here tomorrow afternoon around five,” he said. “I’ll speak to you there.”
Tom nodded and stepped back, disappearing into the forest.
Caleb made to drive off when a whine from the back seat reminded him he had company, and he frowned.
He took out his cell phone and punched in Catrin’s number.
She answered immediately. “Caleb.”
“How the hell—” He broke off—perhaps he didn’t want to know. “Is Regan there?”
Catrin was silent for a minute. “Not right at this moment,” she said.
“I have her hounds.”
“You do? That’s wonderful. Can you bring them here?”
“Yes,” he replied.
“Good. But Caleb—”
“Yes?”
“Can you wait till after dark?”
He frowned. What the hell? “No problem. I’m a couple of hours away anyway.”
“Okay, I’ll see you then.”
She cut off, and he sat staring at the cell phone. What happened after dark?
#
Catrin opened the big wooden door and ushered him inside. As soon as he was in, she crouched down and hugged the two hounds.
“Thank you,” she said.
Caleb peered past her down the dark hallway. “Is Regan back yet?”
Catrin straightened. “She’s still in London.”
A stab of unwelcome disappointment hit him. “When will she be back?”
“I don’t know.” She gave a little shrug. “She hasn’t been home in over three weeks.”
“And you didn’t think to mention this when I phoned?”
“I did, but I wanted you to come here. I want you to meet someone.”
He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t want to meet anyone.” Certainly not the type of person he was likely to meet in a house belonging to three witches.
“Please, Caleb.” She reached out and laid a hand on his arm.
A sense of peace washed over him, and he stared down at her with narrowed eyes. She was so different from Regan, small, delicate, with an air of sweetness totally lacking in her older sister. Still, he didn’t trust her. The same blood ran in their veins. “Are you using magic on me?”
She glanced down at the hand on his arm and smiled. “No, not magic. I have this calming effect—very boring. Now, please, come and meet my sister and her husband. They’re worried about Regan.”
“Jesus, another sister? Is she anything like Regan?”
“No, thank God.” A man’s voice spoke from behind him, and Caleb whirled round. A tall figure lounged in the kitchen doorway. The man was big, his arms folded across his chest. He appeared relaxed, almost indolent, but the air around him throbbed with tension. He was black haired, olive skinned, and when Caleb looked into his eyes, they were almost black and filled with menace.
Every instinct told Caleb to move away, as fast as he possibly could. Instead, he took a step forward until he stood only a foot from the other man. They were the same height and Caleb stared into those dark eyes without flinching.
The man raised an eyebrow, then he raised the corner of his upper lip revealing the tip of one sharp white fang.
“Holy shit,” Caleb muttered. Some primitive fear roiled in his gut, but he stood his ground. He swallowed, then let his eyes change so his wolf peered out, and a low growl trickled from his mouth. The man pushed himself off from the doorframe, and his whole body tensed as if ready to leap. Caleb stood poised on the balls of his feet, every cell in his body urging him to take the initiative and attack first.
“Darius, stop it!”
The words broke the tension. Caleb glanced past the man to see a tall woman, with shoulder length blond hair and Regan’s eyes, standing behind him. She put a hand on the man’s shoulder, and the tension seemed to ease from him. He turned to the woman, his lips curving into a smile.
“Hey, we were only kidding around. Guys need to do this sort of thing, work out who’s boss.”
“Hmm, and have you?” she asked.
He stared at Caleb, and a small frown played across his features. “No,” he said. “Not yet.”
“Well, you’ll have to find out some other way then.” She stepped forward and held out her hand. Caleb hesi
tated, he looked from one to the other, uncertain whether the threat had passed, but the danger had eased, and he reached out and took the hand offered.
“I’m Gina,” she said. “Regan’s sister. And this is my husband, Darius.”
“He’s a vampire?”
She smiled and nodded. “So am I.”
He stared at her and her smile widened revealing a pair of small, white fangs. Christ, witches and now vampires. So much for keeping away from that world. He needed to get out of here. “Okay, well, nice meeting you, but now I really have to go.”
“Not so fast,” Darius spoke, and Caleb’s gaze swung round. Darius stepped forward. “Let me shake your hand,” he said. “You’re a brave man.”
Caleb’s eyes narrowed on the outstretched hand. “I am?”
“Anyone who’ll take on Regan must have balls—”
“Shut up, Darius,” Gina muttered.
He grinned. “Hey, your sister has tried to kill me at least twice.”
“And next time, I’ll let her do it.”
“No, you won’t.”
He pulled her against him and kissed her. Caleb folded his arms and watched, fascinated. Catrin came to stand next him and he glanced down. She lifted one shoulder. “They’re newlyweds,” she said.
“Vampires get married?”
“Obviously. Come on, I’ll make us some coffee.”
Caleb thought about arguing, but the evening had taken on a surreal quality, and coffee sounded like a good idea. Scotch sounded like an even better one. He allowed Catrin to lead him around the kissing couple and into the kitchen.
She pushed him toward one of the chairs around the big wooden table and then put the coffeemaker on. Then she went to a cupboard, got out a bottle, and poured him a long drink.
He had a brief memory of Regan telling him that Catrin had drugged his drink the last time. Then he shrugged and took it. “Are you a mind reader?”
It wasn’t meant to be a literal question, but she considered it anyway.
“Sometimes,” she answered. “But I tend to see emotions rather than actual thoughts.” She paused. “Though sometimes I see thoughts as well.”
“Great,” he said.
She grinned. “Don’t worry, I can’t see yours. You just looked like you needed a drink.”
Taking a long swallow, Caleb sat back in his chair and waited. He had to admit he was curious.
A minute later, Gina and Darius entered the room. They both took seats opposite Caleb, and he sipped his drink and tried not to twitch under their intense stares. Gina put mugs of coffee in front of them all and sat down next to him.
“So, Caleb,” Gina said. “Tell us all about yourself.”
Caleb frowned, and across the table, Darius grinned.
“They’ll get the details out of you in the end,” he said. “So you might as well give it up now and tell them what they want to know.”
Darius reached across to where Catrin had left the bottle and topped off his drink. “Except I have no idea what it is they want to know.”
“All about you and Regan, for a start. I must admit, I’m a little curious about that myself.”
“There is no Regan and me.”
“Okay, maybe we’ll leave that part for now. So, you’re a werewolf?”
“No.” His gaze wandered slowly over the other man. “So, you’re a vampire?”
“Yes, and not ashamed to admit it. Then again, I don’t turn into an animal at regular intervals. I’d probably be ashamed of that, too.”
Caleb was aware the other man was trying to get a rise out of him. “I’m not ashamed, but I was born, not bitten. I’m half werewolf.”
“What’s the other half?” Darius asked.
Caleb frowned. “Human, of course.”
“I don’t think so,” Catrin said from beside him.
The words didn’t make sense and he glanced at her. “What?”
“I’ve been doing some reading up on the subject since Regan was bitten. A human woman could never have carried you to term. No, whatever you are, it isn’t human.”
Caleb held himself very still, as though if he didn’t move he could ignore the shock pouring over him, choking him. It was a lie. How could she possibly know? He’d always clung to the belief that his mother was human, and Ethan had never denied it. Caleb had embraced the idea of that humanity. All through his childhood, it had given him strength to know that he didn’t belong completely of Ethan’s world. And when he’d turned his back on his father, he thought he had a right to a life among men. Maybe he had no right at all.
What else could his mother be?
He looked across the table, where two vampires sat watching him, then glanced to his side, where a witch sat, staring at the table. The fact was, far more existed in this world than he’d been willing to consider. The wolves had always kept to themselves, and he’d never encountered any other supernatural beings before. He’d suspected they existed, but never gave it much thought. As long as they left him alone, he’d wanted nothing to do with them.
He pushed back his chair and rose to his feet.
Darius regarded him curiously. “Don’t you want to know what she was?”
The question brought him up short. Could the vampire actually tell him, and did he was to know?
“Do you know what she was?” He had to force the question out.
“No. But maybe I could find out.”
“How.”
“I could taste you.”
For a second, Caleb didn’t understand. Then anger rushed through him. The vampire meant his blood. No way was he letting a bloodsucker anywhere near his neck.
“Fuck off.”
Darius laughed softly. “It won’t hurt, and it won’t be in any way”—he glanced at his wife and something passed between them—“sexual.”
“Jesus,” Caleb muttered. “It never occurred to me that it would be.” He shook his head. “I’m out of here.”
Nobody tried to stop him as he left the kitchen, stalked down the hall. He pushed open the front door, then came to an abrupt halt. Regan stood on the other side.
She raised an eyebrow when she saw him, a small smile curling her lips. “Well, well,” she murmured. “Come back for some more of that love potion?”
He couldn’t take this right now. “I’m just leaving,” he muttered and strode down the stone steps without waiting for another word.
“Caleb.”
Catrin spoke from behind him, and he turned to see her framed in the open doorway beside Regan.
“What?”
“You’re a good man; don’t forget it.”
“Actually, it appears I might not be a man at all,” he said and stalked away.
Chapter Eleven
Caleb spun, raised the pistol, and squeezed off ten shots. They formed a neat little circle at the center of the target.
A slow clapping came from behind him, and he whirled around. Regan leaned casually against the doorway. For a moment, his black mood lifted, then he scowled—Tom would be here soon, and he did not want Regan present at that meeting. He put the pistol down, just in case she riled him too much.
“How the hell did you find me?” he asked.
“This time I did use magic.” She shrugged. “I went to your office. You weren’t there, and I thought you might be avoiding me.” She pushed off the wall and strolled across to him, glancing around the cavernous room. “What is this place?”
“A training facility for the company.”
She came to a halt close to him. “I wanted to thank you for returning Satan and Diablo. You left last night before I had the chance.”
“My father had them. He seemed keen to send them back.”
“I’m glad—I was worried they might have been killed.” She looked at him. “So you went to see your father. You know, I’d have been happy to tag along.”
He sighed and glanced at his watch. “I suppose you wouldn’t consider going away and coming back later.”
&nbs
p; “You suppose right.”
Caleb rubbed at his temple, trying to ease the tension. He’d spent a sleepless night attempting to come to terms with the idea that in all likelihood, he was not in any way human. Part of him wanted to ignore it, pretend he’d never been told, get on with his life. But another part needed to know the truth. He pushed the thoughts down; he had to concentrate on Regan, persuade her to leave this alone, go away somewhere until it all blew over. Whatever “it” was.
“I need a coffee,” he said. “Come on.”
He led her into a small office and poured them both a drink. “Sit down.”
Regan took the cup and sank into the chair he indicated. He took his own seat behind the desk.
“So what did you find out?” Regan asked.
“Nothing much. Ethan is working with someone, someone very powerful. He wouldn’t tell me who, but he said you knew the guy. I got the impression it was an old lover of yours.”
He watched her carefully as he spoke, gauging her reaction.
She pursed her lips and frowned. “That’s pretty much what Ethan told me the night he bit me, but it doesn’t make any sense.” She ran a hand through her long red hair, and then shook her head. “The only old acquaintance I have who possessed that sort of power is dead.”
“How can you be sure?”
Her face turned cold, and she looked him straight in the eyes. “Because I killed him.”
Shock ripped through him. “An old lover?”
“Yes,” she snarled.
“When?”
“A long time ago.”
“How long?”
She flicked her gaze to his face at the question. Her expression held something he couldn’t identify. “Two thousand years long,” she replied dryly. “Give or take a few.”
He breathed out. “I have to admit, that sounds pretty dead to me. Who was he?”
“It doesn’t matter. Sardi is gone, so it can’t be anything to do with him.”
“Well, you need to think hard about who it could be, because according to my father, this thing is still on.”
“So where is he?”
“I don’t know.”
It was the truth. The pack must have moved out of their usual home after his visit yesterday, because he’d been trying to contact other pack members and not managed to reach anybody. He wanted to know about the mating bond thing his father had mentioned, because the more he thought about it, the more he was sure something weird was going on with his wolf. Still, maybe Tom could give him some information.
