Lone Wolf Rising (Paranormal Romantic Thriller) (The Winters Series) (29 page)

Instead, he took the hand that was attempting to push his chest away in his, raised it, and gently kissed her knuckles while staring deeply into her eyes.  Her breath caught in her throat as her heart missed another beat and then raced full speed ahead.
 
Gods be damned, he was sexy… but off limits
she reminded herself of her resolve and shook her head to break the contact.  Yesterday he told her he was engaged.  She told him they could work through the obstacles if that was what he wanted.  After last night, she wondered if that was a promise she could keep.  She was so confused. 

He seemed reluctant to work through anything yesterday, especially after Gabriel’s mating proposal.  What really threw her for a loop was that today
 he was flirting with her mercilessly.  It was like a painful roller coaster, and both Lucky and Gabriel were running the ride. All she wanted to do was get off.

‘
You belong with Gabriel.  You know it, and that’s why you are having doubts today.
’  The wolf offered her opinion.  That was all it was,
her
opinion.  Rebecca needed to decide what was right for her. 

‘
As I have said before, this isn’t your choice.
’  And with that the wolf went silent.

“Remember the meeting you asked me to set up with Celestia?”  Lucky asked, his eyes searching her face. 
What was he looking for
she wondered?

“Yes.  It was only yesterday when I asked you to help organize that meeting.”  She reminded him.

“We have to go now.”

Rebecca didn’t need to say another word, she simply followed him.
  This time, though, she didn’t call Gabriel.  This time it would only be Lucky and her because they needed to talk.  He needed to know what happened with Gabriel and she needed to let him know how she felt.

Unfortunately, there was little talk during the drive.
  Rebecca turned in on herself and prepared for the meeting.  She didn’t know how this was going to work but she knew that Celestia had to have some insight as to what happened to her parents. 

The feeling that she was responsible was weakening the more she learned.  She was starting to realize she wasted too many years buried in grief and self-pity over the idea that she caused their deaths.  And if there was someone involved in wanting to kill them, perhaps then, it wasn’t random, and it wouldn’t have been her fault.
  The reality of this was hitting her like a brick wall and she didn’t like getting hit.

He pulled into a parking spot next to an abandoned gas station and she didn’t ask any questions until he led her up to the metal meshed fence.
  “Ah, okay?  Are we waiting here for her?”  She didn’t know much about vampires but she was sure that a lady like Celestia wouldn’t lower herself to meeting in such a shabby place. 

In an odd sense she felt like she was back in the old west.  With the exception of a few random cars flying past them, the world seemed still.  Then she remembered the vacuum repair shop so she started looking for a hidden electronic keypad.

Lucky stepped behind her and put his hands on her shoulders; keeping her firmly in place.  “Focus on the scene before you, allow your eyes to soften and look past it.”

Focusing on anything but his smooth voice caressing her neck and ear was impossible at the moment.
  Lucky knew how to seduce, whether he wanted to or not.  Rebecca wondered if that had something to do with being a nephilim.  Maybe his charisma and attraction came from the angel half.  Regardless, it made him irresistible at times. 

“Concentrate.”
  He chided her gently.  “There will be plenty of time to discuss other things later.” 

Rebecca felt heat rise on her neck and cheeks.  She wondered if he could read her thoughts.  She hoped that wasn’t the case.  She knew his special power was mental.  Was he telepathic?  He cleared his throat reminding her to focus. 

Rebecca blinked her eyes and did her best to focus past the scene, like one would do with those pictures that are made to trick the eyes.  Looking past the blobs of color always made the picture pop out at her.  When the same thing happened here, in the middle of town, she stumbled backwards in awe and wonderment, falling against Lucky’s solid frame. 

Instead of the abandoned gas station she found herself looking at a creepy old house that screamed horror movie location in her mind.
  It was dark, despite the high noon sun.  The landscaping was well manicured, like one would expect surrounding a mansion.  The windows were boarded up and covered in black paper. 

The hair on the back of her neck stood up, and every nerve, cell
, and fiber of her body screamed at her to turn and leave.  It was like looking at a haunted house built into a mansion.  Instead, she steadied herself and with Lucky at her side she took a step forward.  Suddenly the illusion of the metal fence and the gas station was gone and she was in the pop-out picture.

“That’s insane.”
  She lowered her voice, unsure of why she was whispering.  The only living things around were the trees and the plant life.  There were no birds or rodents.  If she looked hard enough she would venture there were no insects either.  She was thankful Lucky was at her side; holding her hand, giving her strength.

He shrugged, like this was a common occurrence to him.
  “It’s called rune magic.  Witches are really the only ones that understand the true secret behind runes, but they’re neutral so they can protect the dark and the light.”  He leaned in close, "from my understanding we’re on a different dimension which overlaps with earth."

Rebecca shook her head, “so many rules and so little time to learn them.”

“I don’t know.  You’re catching on pretty quickly for a novice.”

“That’s because I have a wolf bossing me around.  But I also have a great teacher…” he
smiled. “Besides, despite the fact that I was not raised in magic, it has apparently surrounded me all my life.”

“True.”
  He stopped her from walking further for just a moment.  “You need to know that we’re going to be outnumbered in this house.”

“Understandable.”  Rebecca’s wolf was already devising an escape plan.  She could hear the mumbling in her mind.

“I may need to step in and protect you despite your desire to be unprotected.”

The wolf growled a warning at that.  Rebecca wanted to refuse his offer of help
, but logic got in the way and she nodded her head.  It was hard not to remember that first day of training in that moment.  “Thank you. And I also know where you hide your weapons so I call the dagger.”

He
chuckled, "It’s yours, and thank you for letting me do my job.”  They continued walking up the graveled driveway.

And there was that word again
. She was a job to him; a duty to see through.  Despite the attraction they felt for each other, reality was making it crystal clear they weren’t meant to be together.  It was a harsh realization that hit her like a truck.  “About that, I think there’s something you should know…”

“Hurry, hurry
, my mistress is waiting impatiently.”  A skinny, worried looking man approached them from the bushes by the front door.  He ushered, no, herded them towards the door quickly and within moments they were inside.  In a way, Rebecca was thankful because she was sure it would’ve taken her much longer to use the scary looking knocker.   

They stepped into an old
-world style mansion.  Two marble spiral staircases came down from the second floor on either side.  A magnificent glass chandelier hung from the ceiling above them.  The floor was black and white checkered marble.  The furniture was black, white, and silver with red décor accents.  She might have enjoyed the décor even more but the squirrelly man was too busy pushing them through the hall to a room that looked strange, like an old-style throne room.  Celestia, in all her beautiful deadly glory, was laying luxuriously on an oversized red velvet chaise lounge.  To make the scene even more over the top, she had three shirtless men in skin tight white pants fanning her with human sized red fans. Rebecca’s instincts were right; Celestia did have expensive taste, but the male servants were overkill. 

"Has anyone ever told you that you look a lot like your mother?"
  Celestia’s voice was commanding and had a slight British lilt.

"A hello would be nice."
  Rebecca countered, already irritated.  All vampires put her on edge, this one was no exception.  Even without her vampire radar, Celestia seemed dangerous.  She exuded a level of power that she no longer possessed; thanks, in part, to Rebecca’s parents’ deaths.  That made Celestia as dangerous as a trapped animal.  Thoughts of the other child vampire she helped a few days ago filled her mind for a moment, but she pushed them aside.  Rebecca’s eyes flitted around the room to see if she could spot the girl vampire.  At the same time she was counting the figures in black that were positioned tactically around the room.  Twelve was her final count.

Celestia laughed and waved the men away as she sat up.
  She wrapped her red satin robe around her shoulders and gave Rebecca a dazzling smile.  "You will have to forgive me. I am from the old world and I am not comfortable with modern formalities."

"I don't have to forgive you of anything."
  Rebecca plastered on the same dazzling, condescending smile.  Lucky squeezed her wrist in warning, then let go.

"Of course."
  Celestia waved Rebecca forward.  "You called this meeting.  Please tell me what you are here for."

As Rebecca moved forward,
 Lucky matched her steps.  "I wanted to talk to you about my parents’ death."

"That is something that happened many years ago.  Something I paid dearly for, so you could imagine how that is not a subject I enjoy remembering."  She flipped her red curls behind her shoulders.

"No, I’m sure you don't."  Rebecca approached slowly.  What most people don't know is that vampires have a terrible smell to werewolves.  With each step she took towards her, Rebecca could smell her rotting flesh, despite the glamour that made her beautiful; the truth of her existence was detected by Rebecca’s senses.  She knew the red hair styled like Marilyn Monroe and flawless pale skin were simply an illusion because inside she was dead.  Rebecca also knew the only way they could keep the illusion was to feed from human blood.  "While I am sure you paid dearly..."

"I lost my crown!"
  Celestia snarled.

"As I said, you paid dearly, but so did I.  My entire family has paid dearly for the loss."

She waved her hand in the air, dismissing Rebecca’s statement.  "As I am sure you know, little wolf, death is a fact of life.  You will see many more members of your family and friends die with your newly extended life."

"A vampire lecturing me on the idea of death is laughable."
  Rebecca bit her tongue.  She had to stop antagonizing the vampire.  They continued to walk forward.  The room was massive.  The closer they got the more uneasy the wolf became.  She was getting very difficult to control.

"I have loved and lost.
  And the one thing I have learned in my three hundred years is that grief has little to do with the lost love one and almost all to do with the pain you feel from losing them.  You silly humans cannot seem to grasp that concept.  Perhaps if you had more time things would be easier to understand."

"Look
, all I’m asking for is some information."  Dismissing Celestia’s lecture the same way the vampire dismissed Rebecca.

"Information does not come cheap in our world."  Celestia snipped

That was no surprise.  "What will it cost me?"

"A truce between your pack and my vampire faction."

This time Rebecca did laugh.  She honestly assumed the female vamp was making a joke.  But the look on her face told Rebecca her assumption was wrong.  There was no humor returned from her, simply an ice cold stare.  "The vampires are suspected of killing off my entire pack.  So you answer this suspicion by asking for a truce?"

"Tomas needed to go, I will not dispute it.  I am sure your alpha has already told you tales of the terror he raged on other supernatural species in
Arizona.  But I can promise you, my vampire clan had nothing to do with your pack's demise."  Her blood-red tipped fingernails walked the length of the chaise as she spoke, showing more interest in their journey than the conversation.

"Somehow
, I doubt that."  Did Celestia really think she believed that?

She turned, head tilted, examining Rebecca from a different angle.
  "Dear, sweet child, vampires cannot lie when asked a direct question.  Put your mind at ease and ask me."

"So you had nothing to do with the attempted genocide?"

She shook her head, "no, but I cannot say if the queen was involved.  She has cast me out of the organization, left me in exile; fearful I will take my crown back."

"You seem to be doing fairly good for yourself here in
exile
."

"And I will do better with a truce between your pack and my faction.
  I may not be able to call myself queen yet, but I will take my crown back, and you on my side will make that easier."