“No bears?” asked Elen.
Shrugging, Smokey smiled at her. “What’s with all the questions? I promise if you and Harte don’t want to stay, we’ll go somewhere else.”
“I was just curious, I guess,” Elen replied, turning her attention back to the scenery.
~/~/~/~/~
Removing a throw from the back of the sofa, Vasile gently draped it over Lucius who had fallen asleep, surrounded by books he’d been reading. After stacking them on a side table, Vasile sank into a nearby chair, keeping watch on his charge, noting the deep circles under the young vampire’s eyes. Frowning slightly at the sight, he was sure they hadn’t been as dark as they were now. Vasile knew what those darkening circles meant for a regular vampire, but he wasn’t sure about Lucius; he hoped it didn’t mean he’d soon need Brady’s blood, but by the looks of it, he might. The trouble was he had no way to reach Brady to let him know.
Sighing, he wondered if they should go to the Blackwood Pack. Maybe the Alpha there would know how to contact Brady or Mystia. A soft knock interrupted his thoughts. Rising, he headed over to the door, opening it quietly. “Nikolai.”
“Sorry to interrupt you, but there’s a witch who wishes to see you.”
“Mystia?” Vasile asked, hopefully.
Shaking his head, Nikolai said, “No…someone else. I asked her for a name, but she refused to give one. She said to tell you it’s about the blood prophecy. Do you know what she’s referring to?”
Fear skittered through Vasile. According to Mystia, no one other than she, Brady and the Blackwood Pack knew about Lucius and the blood prophecy. Now it appeared she was wrong and there was another at his door who also knew. Instead of sending the witch away, he hesitated, toying with the idea of meeting with her. But he quickly changed his mind: there wasn’t any logical reason to explain why she would suddenly show up at his coven.
Glancing over his shoulder, he looked at Lucius, feeling once again a sense of protectiveness flooding his heart—a strange emotion he’d never experienced before. But Lucius was special. While he didn’t know everything he’d suffered under his previous master, Brady had made it clear it was horrific. Yet despite his abuse, he’d managed to retain his innocent and gentle nature and, for that reason, Vasile was determined to keep him safe from all who might do him harm.
Turning back to Nikolai, Vasile began to speak, but before he could utter a single word, an alarm sounded. “Who the fuck set that off?” he snarled, as shouts and yells could be heard in the distance. Then Brady’s words flashed into his mind, “If you hear an alarm, find Lucius and leave…go as far away as you can before stopping. It’s the only way the witch won’t be able to follow.”
Vasile rushed to Lucius, scooping him up, blanket and all. Stopping briefly in front of Nikolai, he growled, “Kill whoever dared to enter my house without my permission.” Then he and Lucius were gone.
Nikolai relished the opportunity to have some fun; it had been a while since his battle skills had been tested and he welcomed the challenge. Claws and fangs extended he descended the stairs, eager to destroy the witch.
Carrying Lucius, Vasile raced through a secret passageway known only to him that led them outside and into the night. He heard Lucius’ muffled voice asking questions, but ignored them, fixated only on getting far enough away before they could be followed. He was sure Nikolai would take care of the threat, though he wouldn’t know the outcome until later. But for now Vasile’s sole focus was getting Lucius to the Blackwood Pack.
Chapter 22
Smokey pressed the intercom button and announced himself while staring up at the imposing 15-foot-high iron gates. Checking the rearview mirror, he found Harte awake, sitting up and looking around. He was relieved to see him looking more like his old self after his brush with death, but that hadn’t changed Smokey’s mind about having a doctor check him over. Turning back to the intercom, he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel while trying to calm his bear who was becoming more agitated by the minute.
“Uhm…Smokey?” the intercom squawked.
Pushing the button, Smokey said, “Yeah…that’s me. Can you open the gates?”
“Sure…just a minute.”
“Is there a problem?” Elen asked.
“Nah…I think they just weren’t expecting us this early,” Smokey replied, as the gates opened. Driving through slowly, he glanced at either side of the driveway, making sure no one was lurking there before accelerating up the driveway.
Harte stared at the sprawling home, nestled among the trees. “Gabriel? Are you sure this is the place?”
Killing the engine, Smokey gazed up at the structure, his mouth open in awe. “Holy shit!” he muttered. “What kinda fuckin’ wolf pack is this?”
“Is that the Alpha on the porch?” asked Elen.
Smokey’s eyes settled on the lone figure, surprised he wasn’t surrounded by enforcers. “I don’t know…but I don’t think so.”
“He has a lot of power,” Elen murmured. “Can you feel it Harte?”
“Yeah…”
Elen was right; the power radiating from the man enveloped them all, even causing Smokey’s bear to lower his head and begin to whimper, something he’d never done before. While Smokey wasn’t pleased about his animal’s obeisance, at least it was a welcome reprieve from his agitated pacing. Unbuckling his seat belt, he said, “Stay in the car, guys while I find out who he is.”
Jackson watched as the car door opened and a man got out. That had to be Smokey, Glenn’s friend, along with the shifters who were in danger. Noting the wariness on Smokey’s face, he decided to remain where he was, allowing Smokey to approach him. Glenn hadn’t told him much about his friend or the shifters who needed his help, but it didn’t really matter much to him. After Dylon explained that The Collector was after them, Jackson had offered the protection of his pack. When Smokey reached the bottom step, Jackson decided to speak. “I’m Alpha Jackson. Welcome to the Blackwood Pack. Are you Smokey?”
