Dawn's Envoy

by T. A. White

  “Where are we?” I asked.

  The room lacked the easy charm of his house, leading me to believe he’d taken us somewhere else.

  “The Gargoyle,” he said. “The sun was already up by the time we left the hospital. This was closer and it was safer to wait out the day here.”

  I couldn’t argue with that.

  “I selected some clothes from your room last night. They’re on the chair,” he said, pulling his pants up as he grabbed his cell from the end table.

  I didn’t waste any time grabbing them and heading for the bathroom, the thought of a shower a welcome one.

  It wasn’t long before I was clean and dressed and ready to tackle the day. Liam was already gone when I re-entered the bedroom, so I left as well, sparing the rumpled bed a last, lingering look.

  I stepped into the hallway, closing the door softly behind me. I didn’t want to advertise where I’d spent the last night. While I didn’t plan to hide what Liam and I had done, I saw no reason to announce it to the world.

  Seconds later Makoto rounded the corner, his head down as he studied the tablet in his hand. I froze just as he looked up.

  His eyes went from me to the door, his smile widening. “You dirty girl, you.”

  I gave him a quelling glance. “Stop.”

  “No, no, it’s cool,” he said, pretending to wipe the smile off his face. “I’ll just ignore the fact that you came out of Liam’s room and are wearing that just-been-fucked glow.”

  “You mean the just got out of the shower look,” I returned.

  He gave me a grin that told me I hadn’t fooled him. “Don’t deny it. I can practically sense it on you.”

  I gave him a dark look. Sometimes living around creatures with senses even more finely tuned than my own sucked.

  “Besides, Liam made an announcement earlier this evening. Your status has been upgraded to his most special person. Anyone caught trespassing on his territory will be dealt with harshly. That usually only means one thing,” Makoto said, tossing the information out like it was unimportant and not the type of thing capable of making my head explode.

  I stopped in the middle of the hallway, staring at nothing as anger welled deep inside. He probably hadn’t used those exact words, but the sentiment would be the same.

  “Where is he?” I snapped.

  “Uh oh,” Makoto said.

  Uh oh was right. When I got done with Liam he was going to think twice about sharing personal business with his underlings.

  “Where?” I asked.

  “The war room,” Makoto said.

  Of course, he was. One of the few parts of the mansion off-limits to me.

  “He said to bring you there when you got out of the shower,” Makoto continued.

  “Lead on,” I told him with a pointy smile that didn’t quite disguise the fury crackling through me. Makoto looked like he’d prefer to be anywhere else right then.

  The mansion was surprisingly full tonight. For once, vampires were in the halls, a few of them sliding me unsure glances as they passed.

  “What’s going on?” I asked.

  “Everyone’s on edge because of what happened last night,” Makoto said, sending them a dismissive look. “No one wants to admit it, but they’re afraid. Most of the civilians don’t face death on a regular basis. It’s got them rattled.”

  “But not you?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “This is just another day, another situation. Vampire politics are no less bloody. Every one of the people here would probably kill if it would advance their station. They’re running scared because they don’t understand what happened and they don’t like facing the idea there are creatures out there more powerful than them.”

  After that he fell silent until we came to a halt in front of the war room. He headed inside, going directly to a spot in front of a laptop, setting his tablet beside it.

  I stepped in, my gaze immediately drawn to Liam. His eyes met mine as his mouth quirked. I sent him a look that said we were going to have words later. His smile turned smug, his eyes communicating he was looking forward to it.

  We’d see about that.

  After the exchange I found a spot along the wall, noticing most of his enforcers were in attendance. Thomas entered moments after me, guards flanking him. He was dressed in a suit, looking incredibly formal, as did his guards. My jeans and nice top didn’t compare.

  He took note of me where I stood along the wall, before turning his attention to Liam. Looked like we were about to get started.

  The situation felt oddly familiar. I’d sat in pre-mission briefings before, and that was what this was. No doubt about it. Everyone listened with attentiveness. A single overlooked detail now could mean the difference between life and death later.

  These people moved and spoke with an ease and purpose that came from doing similar briefings time and time again. It was odd how comfortable I felt falling into this role.

  Granted, the mission briefings I’d sat through in the military usually didn’t have the same level of high-tech equipment. It looked like the sort of briefing room you might find in a movie about spies or something. There were more monitors than I cared to think about, and so many technological gadgets even I couldn’t recognize all of them.

  Vampires might be known for being old-fashioned, but you wouldn’t know it from looking at this place. My old commander would have sold his own mother to get his hands on a few of these toys.

  “Our guests have informed us the hunt will likely start tomorrow night,” Liam started.

  The others stirred, the news unsettling them.

  “Do we have any idea who the hunt has chosen as prey?” Daniel asked.

  Liam’s eyes met mine before he turned his attention away. “Not yet. They’ve assured us those who participate do so voluntarily and will be compensated appropriately should they survive the Wild Hunt,” Liam said, not seeming happy about that fact.

  The news didn’t resonate well with those around me either, if their somber and irritated expressions were anything to judge by.

  “If I were the designated prey, I would find a deep, dark hole to crawl into until this hunt is over,” Anton muttered, not bothering to keep his voice quiet.

  “Be that as it may, this is happening,” Liam said. “Our job is to make sure there are no incidents.”

  Liam nodded at Makoto, who hit a few keys on his laptop.

  A map popped up on the large-screen TV next to Liam. It zoomed in on a section just north of the city.

  “The hunt will begin near the Alum Creek Reservoir,” Liam said, pointing to a place that was right next to the dam.

  “So close to the city?” Anton asked. “What if it moves into the populated sections? It’s not exactly known for obeying borders or rules.”

  “It’s the best we could do,” Liam said. “Arlan and Niamh are holding a party tonight to celebrate their gods and the return of the hunt. Then tomorrow, starting at sundown, the hunt will begin. Daniel and Anton, you’ll be with Thomas tomorrow. Nathan is already on-site preparing for our arrival. For tonight, I want everyone on the lookout for anything unusual. Our guests will probably try something. It’s our job not to let them. Any questions?”

  Anton raised his hand. Liam looked resigned and gestured for him to speak.

  “What’s the yearling’s role in all this?” Anton asked, jerking his thumb at me.

  All eyes swung my way. I returned their gazes with a placid expression, outwardly calm at being the focus of several top predators.

  “You don’t need to know that,” Liam said in a voice that meant business. It did not invite questions.

  Anton didn’t seem satisfied. A feeling that seemed to be reflected in several of the enforcers’ faces.

  Still, they respected Liam, and kept their doubts to themselves despite their reservations.

  “Alright, let’s survive the night,” Liam said in clear dismissal.

  His enforcers filed out while Thomas and I lingered. I didn�
��t move from my spot, hoping Thomas would finish his business so I could have a moment with Liam.

  To my surprise, Thomas turned to me, propping his hip on a desk. “Liam tells me your niece is sick.”

  I didn’t answer, my gaze going to the man in question where he had busied himself tidying up several papers. I didn’t like that he’d shared that news. I liked it even less, that he’d done it without giving me a heads-up.

  “She’ll be fine,” I said. She would. I’d make sure of that.

  “There are ways to help her,” he said, his words meaningful.

  “She doesn’t need help. I know how to fix her,” I told him. I wasn’t accepting anything else from Thomas. Not after the stunt he’d pulled with Deborah. He was the enemy pure and simple.

  His expression grew confused as he looked between Liam and me. “Is there something I don’t know?”

  I didn’t answer, holding my stony silence. The less he knew about anything, the better.

  Liam put down his papers and sighed. “She thinks Niamh or one of her people might have something to do with her niece’s condition.”

  Thomas’s face turned alert. “Is that a real possibility?”

  “Yes.”

  “Unlikely,” Liam said at the same time, giving me a warning look. “And we’re not going to make any accusations unless we’re sure.”

  I lifted my chin but didn’t answer.

  “Aileen, I need you to promise. These aren’t the type of beings you take on at a whim,” he said, his voice serious.

  I jerked a shoulder up. “I’ll be smart.”

  I had to be.

  Thomas made a small sound of amusement. He looked like a cat infinitely entertained by the two fools performing for him. He glanced at Liam. “She’s your responsibility tonight. Make sure she doesn’t get herself killed.”

  Liam grunted as Thomas straightened and glided out of the room, leaving the two of us alone.

  I fidgeted, finally giving in to the urge to move as I explored the room. These types of conversations weren’t my forte. Throw in the fact that I had intimate knowledge of his body now and couldn’t help but remember a few of the things we’d done not that long ago, and it was a recipe for awkwardness.

  Liam watched me, his gaze enigmatic as he leaned against the side of the table, arms folded across his chest. The flexed muscles reminded me unnervingly of how strong he’d been earlier. How effortlessly he’d held himself up.

  I blinked and shook my head. None of that now. I needed to concentrate.

  “Makoto tells me you’ve been making announcements. Something about how I’m yours,” I said, my voice eerily calm.

  Liam’s smile flashed; he knew what he’d done and was amused by it. Great.

  “I simply relayed the facts as I saw them,” he said.

  He waited expectantly. I didn’t fail to disappoint.

  “Is there a reason you felt the need to share our personal business?” I asked tightly.

  He lifted a shoulder, the picture of unconcerned relaxation. “I felt it best to head off any misunderstandings now.”

  “Misunderstandings?”

  He nodded. “I’ve found clear communication is always best.”

  “Clear communication.” Great. Now I sounded like a damn parrot. I took a deep breath, trying for patience.

  “Were you aware this isn’t the middle ages?”

  Liam cocked his head. “It’s not?” Fake surprise was in his voice.

  I narrowed my eyes at him as his lips tilted up in a wicked smile. He thought he was winning this little battle.

  “No. And in this time period, people aren’t owned,” I said through gritted teeth.

  “Are you sure? Because I’m pretty sure you’re mine,” he said, purposely missing the point.

  My smile bared teeth in an expression an animal would have recognized as a threat. “Only in your dreams, pretty boy.”

  He leaned forward. “Only every day and every time I shut my eyes. Over and over again.”

  I folded my arms. Okay, that hadn’t gone the way I’d thought. Time for a new approach.

  “What was the purpose of telling everyone what we’d done?” I asked, point-blank.

  I didn’t enjoy having my personal business bandied around the water cooler. It wasn’t the end of the world that others knew, but I wanted to understand the tricky vampire. He never did anything without a reason. Understanding was the best way to tilt the odds in my favor.

  “Don’t tell me you’re ashamed of me,” he said with a teasing glint. His confidence was such that I knew the question was more to pull at my tail than anything else. He exuded sexuality. There weren’t many women dead or alive who wouldn’t have taken him up on what he was offering.

  “If you needed compliments to stroke your male ego, you only needed to ask,” I said in a saccharine voice.

  His laugh was short as he gave me a glance from under his eyelids. It was packed with all the seduction in his repertoire. I’d be lying if I said the look was ineffective; it stroked across my senses as I flashed to what we’d been doing earlier.

  I leveled a look on him that meant business. I wanted answers.

  He sobered slightly, some of the teasing playfulness falling from his expression. “Vampires are territorial by nature. By making it clear that you and I are involved, I’ve simply made it so no one will see you as a viable bed buddy. It keeps them safe since they know the state of things.”

  I went still, processing that statement. I didn’t know which part of it to address first.

  “You assume that we’re going to be doing that again.”

  His gaze turned provocative. “Oh, I can promise you we will.”

  I folded my arms across my chest and snorted. “I think you’re going to need my full cooperation for that sort of thing. Somehow, I just don’t see that being possible after this little conversation.”

  He moved closer, looming over me so I had to tilt my head to look at him. His personal scent reached out, wrapping around me and making me slightly light-headed. The man was heady and dangerous. No doubt about that.

  “I like my chances of convincing you to change your mind,” he rumbled, looking me over in a way that told me he was remembering what I’d looked like rising over him in bed.

  The sound he made then was half-purr, half-growl. I fought to keep it from getting to me, knowing that way lay danger.

  Liam was too used to getting his way. If I let him, he’d grind me up and spit me out, leaving behind nothing but a heartbroken mess.

  “I think it’s best if I work next to someone else for the remainder of this job,” I said, my eyes never leaving his. “To cut down on distractions and all that.”

  He lifted an eyebrow. “I didn’t know your willpower was so weak. I’ll be sure to limit my allure when you’re around, if that makes you feel better.”

  My smile turned brittle. “It’s not my willpower I’m worried about. After all, I’m not the one going around metaphorically pissing all over me.”

  Having said my piece, I headed for the door.

  He stopped me with a hand on my hip. “I’m looking forward to this dance, a chuisle. Run all you want. In the end, you’ll still end up back in my bed. Mine, as I’m yours.”

  I stepped free. “I think you’re confused. I’m not part of the hunt.”

  The door was closing behind me when his words floated out. “No, you’re the prize.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  The clearing fairly thrummed with energy, beings of all types throwing themselves into the madness. Music, amplified by magic and science, filled the air. A band played their hearts out on a small stage on the far side of the clearing, their movements almost frantic as they poured their entire beings into the music.

  “Humans,” Thomas said grimly. Liam and he exchanged a significant glance before he shook his head.

  I glanced at him, not quite understanding.

  Liam touched my waist and murmured in my ear. “The Fae can
be rather hard on their human companions. They both rejoice in a human’s ability to create, and hate it, jealousy turning their love to darker things.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked softly.

  “In the country of my birth, they used to tell tales of humans who got caught in a fairy circle, made to dance or play until they dropped dead from exhaustion.”

  My gaze went back to the humans playing with frenetic energy. I’d thought they were simply caught up in the moment. After Liam’s words, I had to wonder if there was more to it.

  “But they wouldn’t do that here, right?”

  We weren’t in Fairy. They wouldn’t be so bold as to kill humans through compulsion here, would they?

  Neither Liam nor Thomas looked particularly hopeful.

  “Shouldn’t we do something?” I asked.

  Liam shook his head. “There’s not much we can do. Tonight belongs to the Fae.”

  I didn’t like that answer, and I was tempted to try something. Liam took my hand and drew me after him, tucking me in close as he shadowed Thomas.

  We were all dressed similarly, the men in dark pants and leather jackets. It was the most I’d seen them embrace the vampire stereotype. All of them were armed under those jackets. I’d seen more than one enforcer add a few blades to their arsenal, and even a gun or two.

  My room in the mansion had evidently come equipped with clothes that fit right in. Pants that had to cost hundreds of dollars, given the nice things they did for my ass, and a jacket with leather soft as butter. It was the real deal and probably cost more than the pants and silk dress shirt under it.

  Once upon a time, I’d had a thing for leather jackets in all shapes, sizes and colors, so I knew a thing or two about how much something like this ran. This was nicer than anything I’d ever dreamed of back in those days.

  The best thing about the outfit was the lack of high heels. This time, I was in motorcycle boots that were infinitely more comfortable. I don’t care what anybody said, walking in heels was a perishable skill. I’d take the boots over those any day.

  Liam prowled next to me. He surveyed the spooks around us, watching for any signs of danger.

  His enforcers had spread into the crowd, but the two of us were stuck looking after Thomas for the next hour.