Charmed by the Werewolf (3 page)

“Are you crazy? We have no future.
I
have no future.” She fumbled at the lock on the door, crying out in frustration when the chain slipped out of her fingers. “If he finds out you’re what you say, he’ll Summon us both and he won’t be happy. Which means, I won’t be happy. Which means you’ll be miserable.” Near hysteria elevated her voice. “And he’ll do unspeakable things to me after hurting you.”

Just the thought of a Summons envelope arriving magically into the apartment gave her cold sweats. Every time one of them appeared, it meant Sterling was displeased and there’d be a lecture or worse at the other end. Sure, the recipient could deny the request for an appearance. In those cases, if Sterling was beyond angry, he’d issue an Imminent Summons and that one couldn’t be ignored. Once the black envelope arrived, it immediately transferred to the person who broke the seal as well as the person it was meant for to wherever the Portal Master happened to be.

She didn’t want that to happen, especially since she was with an alleged werewolf.

“Sophia, stop.
” He turned her around to face him. “The Portal Master doesn’t have the power to force either of us to go to him. He can Summon us all he wants, but unless we choose to go to him, he’ll be destined for disappointment.”

“What if he uses an Imminent Summons?
” Fear sat at the back of her throat and refused to go away when she swallowed.

“What if he does?
” Xavier shrugged and his easy-going smile returned. “We’ll deal with it at that time.”

“He’s right, Sophia. Sterling won’t find out about Xavier unless
you
tell him. He’s a pain in the ass, but he’s not a mind reader.” Mona joined them in the tiny entryway after tripping over a corner of the hallway runner. “You said yourself you don’t have an appointment with him for a month.”

“He
will
find out. Look.” She shrugged out of her blazer. The crown-shaped birthmark on her left wrist gave off a red glow, a direct contrast against the paleness of her skin. “He’s probably already been alerted I’m having issues.” The detested birthmark only heated and glowed if the Portal Master was displeased or impending danger to herself threatened.

“Does it matter
?” Xavier met her gaze. “He’ll want to see me. I wish to see him. You’re the only stumbling block in this equation.” He reached out as if to take her into his arms. She backed away, still clutching the blazer.

She moistened her lips with her tongue, ignoring how his eyes darkened as he watched the movement. “You’ve only told me you
’re a paranormal being. Let’s keep it that way. Right now, it’s your word against mine.” She tapped her chin as if he’d never spoken. “According to the laws of the Court, I have to acquire actual proof the being in question is of an acute and dangerous paranormal nature before I’m obligated to bring you to Sterling.”

“But—
”

“No, this will work.
” She smiled and nodded. “You look like a good person. Let’s keep it that way. We’re just having a conversation. Why don’t you leave now and we can all forget this whole incident.”
Oh please go!

Mona jumped up and down, delight on her face. “I knew you
’d work it out.” She placed a delicate hand on Xavier’s sleeve. “Sophia knows all sorts of loopholes for her job. You’ll be safe now.”

“Ah, like I’ve already stated, that
’s going to be a problem.” Xavier gently detached Mona then set her aside.

Sophia frowned. “What do you mean?
”

“I need to speak to the Portal Master urgently.
” His gaze locked with hers. “I believe he has knowledge of how to break the curse that binds me.”

“No.
” She shook her head, fumbling with the door latches again. “I won’t do it and besides, without concrete proof, I don’t need to.” She cried with triumph as the door finally opened. “He’ll find creative ways to detain you before forcing you through the Portal and make you do things you don’t want to do. Trust me on this.” Her eyes widened. “Sterling has a rather interesting sense of humor. Who knows, he might send you to the Demon Realm or he might hit you with a death glare and reduce you to ash.”

Xavier sighed, exhaustion evident in the sound. “We can’t settle on a course of action while you’re so upset.
” He drew a business card from a pocket of his trench coat and handed it to her. “I’m hosting a dinner party tomorrow evening with a few close friends. Please join me so I can explain my case to you in more detail.”

Fingering the gold embossed card, Sophia
slid her gaze to Mona. “I suppose that would work. But I need to impress upon you, your presence here is dangerous. You should never have sought me out.” She didn’t want to acknowledge the tickling sensation in her chest whenever he looked at her. Nothing could come of it. Her life was too dangerous.

“I
’ve managed to elude Sterling this long. I think I can manage for another twenty-four hours.” This time, he stroked his fingers along her arm. “Thank you for your concern.”

She nodded. “You’re welcome.
”

“Please don’t hesitate to call for directions, or any other concerns that may arise. I
’m at your disposal in every conceivable way.”

Her cheeks blazed again. Damn the man and his incessant charms. “I doubt it
’ll come to that, but be careful just the same.”

Before Xavier had the chance to say anything else, Sophia shoved him out the front door.
He stumbled off the porch step and into an evergreen hedge. For both their sakes, she hoped he’d forget about her as his one-way ticket to the Portal Master and as a woman. Both avenues would only end in heartache.

Sophia gnawed on a thumbnail until a glare from Mona made her stop.
I can’t do this.
Plush cocktail parties at lavish homes did not make for a comfortable situation. Not to mention the intense interest shot her way from the red-haired pregnant woman in the room. She’d even asked Sophia how she felt about Xavier. How the hell was she supposed to feel about him? She’d barely met him, and even that could be considered questionable.

Shrinking back against the silk throw pillows cover
ing the Colonial American sofa, she tried not to become immersed in the conversation around her, but it was impossible. Being in the midst of this eclectic mix of people was like being picked up in a tornado, shaken around a bit and dropped in a strange land far from home.

“I think perhaps we should let Sophia acclimate herself to us before starting the interrogation.
”

She threw a grateful glance at the dusky-skinned man seated opposite her on another sofa. He wore his shoulder-length black hair held back at the nape by a ribbon tied in bow ala early American explorers. The most striking thing about him was his startling blue
eyes. Sophia did a double take. “Thank you.”

H
e gracefully stood then drifted to a halt just behind his wife at the other end of the sofa. “You’re welcome.” The low lamp light cast soft shadows on his brilliant ruby button down shirt. “Allow me to perform the introductions that have been sadly neglected by my wife.” He bestowed a tender glance on his mate then returned his attention to Sophia. “My name is Edwin. Obviously, this is my wife, Hannah. Since she found out about her pregnancy, you will find most of her brain cells are useless. That could explain her haste to learn of your background in the scant fifteen minutes you have been here.”

“I can’t help it. I’m interested, and I did have that vision about her.
”

Sophia blinked at the woman’s off-putting demeanor.

“She also has an unhealthy interest in meddling.” Edwin glossed over his wife’s outburst. “Seated in the wingback chair is our good friend Duncan. Although he doesn’t look it, he really is one of the nicest people you could meet—his undead status aside. His thunderous and foreboding expression just means he has not properly woken up yet. Vampires dislike rising before midnight, but I convinced him to join us. He needs to mingle.” He chuckled at his own joke and when the rest of the room didn’t, he continued. “Beside you is our esteemed host, Xavier, who I hear you’ve already been acquainted with. Despite his love of expensive things, he is a genuinely pleasant guy when he’s not growling.” He chuckled again then covered it with a cough.

“You’ll have to excuse my friend.
” Xavier’s baritone voice resonated in Sophia’s chest. “He’s recently decided to try his hand at humor and hasn’t quite grasped the concept.” The werewolf’s lips twitched with amusement as the tips of Edwin’s ears turned pink. “It seems the countless hours of watching sitcom re-runs and comedians haven’t had the desired effect.”

She
ignored the man who shared the sofa with her. His occasional rumbles of laughter wrapped themselves around her like invisible thread. She did
not
intend to learn more about him, no matter how drop-dead gorgeous he was. “It’s a pleasure to meet all of you. I’m a tad overwhelmed. I still have no idea why Xavier invited me.”

“Because you’re his mate, duh.
” Hannah rolled her eyes. “It’s not a hard concept.”

“What?
” Sophia threw a helpless glance around the room, studiously ignoring the rude woman. “I’m afraid I can’t help him with the curse, so I brought my friend Mona along to explain the situation. She’s better at tact than I am.”

Before Mona could make use of the segue, the red-haired woman interrupted.

“How long have you known Sophia, Mona?” Hannah shifted her weight and clutched a pillow over her pregnant belly. “Would you say she’s a dependable, trustworthy type of person? Does she perform well under pressure? Would there ever be a situation in which she could do harm to herself and others?”

“Uh, I don’t see how my personality is any of your business.
” Sophia glared.

Saying Hannah was meddlesome was like comparing a hurricane to a gentle summer breeze.

“We met three years ago under trying circumstances,” Mona interrupted. A grin lit her face as she popped a cheese puff into her mouth. “I would trust Sophia with my life and have done just that, actually.” She swallowed with some difficulty, and resorted to downing a healthy gulp of wine to dissolve the treat. “If you need Sophia for a job, she’s the best, and she’s really smart.”

Xavier’s laugh hummed in the air between them once again. “Did you really think you needed a character reference?
” His whisper caressed her cheek. “The girl obviously adores you.”

“Think of her more as a buffer, if you will,
” Sophia muttered and glanced at the shredded mess of a napkin in her lap. Her senses were on overdrive at his nearness. She didn’t want to be there, didn’t want to feel anything for him.

“My friends can be a bit overbearing at times, but they mean well.
” He shot Hannah a look of gentle reprimand that caused her cheeks to turn pink. “If you require it, they can vouch for my sincerity.”

Sophia brushed at the napkin confetti
. How soon could she leave without seeming rude? She picked up her plate from the coffee table. “That’s not necessary—” A delighted laugh from the pregnant woman cut into her thoughts.

“Just because Xavier is a werewolf doesn’t mean he’s not a good person.
” Hannah dabbed at her lips with her napkin. “Of course, I did manage to put him on a strict diet of venison to curb his people-eating tendencies. If I can overlook that small flaw, so can you.”

“Ah, that’s why you asked about the deer meat.
” She toyed with the stuffed mushroom on her plate, debating the benefits of actually consuming the now-cold appetizer. Her eyebrows lifted in surprise as she finally processed the rest of the statement. “Wait. You eat people? Are you serious? But I thought—”

“Not anymore.
” Hannah grinned. “With regular counseling and food therapy, Xavier is doing quite well.”

“Counseling.
” To distract herself, Sophia swept her gaze across the intimate gathering to land on the dark and brooding Duncan. Silver hair flowed about his shoulders. His intent gray eyes focused on Edwin with a touch of anger. She shivered and resolved not to become better acquainted with him. Something about him disturbed her. “Why counseling?” She felt Xavier’s gaze boring into her, but refused to look his direction.

“Let me explain.
” Edwin cleared his throat. “Hannah has opened a paranormal counseling service and used Xavier and Duncan as guinea pigs for new techniques.” He sat beside his wife and gave Sophia a tight smile. “Perhaps you and Xavier would like the opportunity for a private conversation? My wife can be rather zealous if you are not well versed in her tactics. She’ll start probing your mind if you don’t guard yourself.”

Relief washed through her. “That would be—
”

Hannah shook her head. “You can’t rush
her away!”

“Pardon me?
” Sophia gaped at the red-haired woman. She opened her mouth to comment on the woman’s lack of etiquette, but Xavier nudged her arm with an elbow. “What?” She glared at him instead.

“Patience.
”

Hannah narrowed her gaze, her lips settling into a frown. “I want to quiz her about her tattoo or birthmark or whatever it is, as well as her family background. I have to be certain she
’ll be a perfect fit. We can’t be too careful.” She exchanged an intense look with her husband. “You know what Xavier means to me.”

“Unfortunately, I do.
” Edwin shot his wife a look of distaste. “If it were up to me, we would leave right now and let Xavier take care of his own life.”

“Oh please.
” Sophia rolled her eyes. Further verbal response wasn’t needed on her part since Mona popped into the conversation once more.

“I can fill you in on all that.
” She sacrificed another cheese puff before she began her tale. “Sophia is half-human and half-Gargoyle. She has this annoying habit of turning into a stone statue if she’s under an enormous amount of stress. She’s managing it well with medication.”

“Kill me now.
” Groaning, Sophia downed her nearly full glass of wine then clambered to her feet. “I need some air.” She returned her plate to the table.

“Allow me to escort you away from the madness,
” Xavier offered.

“Gladly.
” She accepted his hand, captivated by his amber eyes. As she escaped into the hallway, Mona said, “Oh, and Sophia is claustrophobic. I remember one time when we…” Her voice died away as Sophia followed her host into a room farther down the hall. The heavy oak door closed without a sound behind her. A near hysterical giggle escaped. “You’re missing the creepy music that signals a dramatic revelation.”

His lips tipped upward in a smile. “I’m sorry you haven’t enjoyed your evening thus far. If I were to conduct this meeting again, I
’d leave my well-meaning friends off the guest list. You and I would have been fine alone.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered if I was attending a grand soiree for the President of the United States or a quiet dinner, I
’d still feel ill at ease.” She shrugged and sank onto a buttery soft leather sofa. “I dislike being the center of attention and make sure my life is well-camouflaged to avoid most people.”

“That would explain your mousy hair and neutral-colored clothing.
”

“What’s wrong with my outfit?
” Sophia risked a quick glance at her brown slacks and cream sweater and frowned.
Just my luck. Not only was the man a werewolf but he was also a metro-sexual. Perfect.

“Wardrobe aside, your attempts at hiding
haven’t worked. I could pick you out of a crowded room with little effort.” His smile disappeared into a mask of restrained boredom. “I’d imagine it’s especially trying now your flaws and vices are being categorically displayed for my rather pushy friend?”

Choosing not to answer, Sophia soaked up the atmosphere of the room.

Heavy oak shelves lined the walls from floor to ceiling of what could only be a library. They paused once in deference to a classically designed French window, open to take advantage of the cool night air. Tiffany-style lamps were set about the room lending the masculine room a softer edge. It was full of light and shadow, similar to the owner. Xavier seated himself behind a massive desk of the same Colonial design as the rest of the house. Sophia was surprised to see a pair of antique spectacles in a small display case on one corner of the desk. “You need glasses?” It was an unexpected touch of humanity.

“No.
” He glanced at the object in question then folded his elegant hands on the blotter, the platinum links of his watch winking in the faint light. “They’re a pair of bifocals that originally belonged to Benjamin Franklin, or so I’m told. I haven’t had them authenticated. I find my free time taken up with much more pressing concerns.”

“I suppose you want me to ask you about your …er …problem?
” Her gaze drifted to him, and she was careful to avoid the full effect of his eyes. “My reasoning still stands. If I don’t know any more about your secret, Sterling can’t harm you.”

“If you wish.
” He brushed at an invisible piece of lint on his charcoal gray suit. “I won’t press the issue and respect your reasons.” He gestured to a shelf of books to his left. “I have numerous tomes and volumes dedicated to curses and shape shifting. When I became aware of my differences, I made sure to keep myself well versed on the subject. Forewarned is forearmed.”

“They do say knowledge is power.
” Sophia stared at him for long moments, weighing and assessing her options before she wrenched her gaze away to focus on the books once again. Despite of reservations, she grew curious about her host. She’d never had occasion to meet a werewolf before, and now she had a prime opportunity to study one. “I imagine being a werewolf is an inconvenience to daily living.” If she kept the conversation to general questions, she could circumvent stumbling onto hard evidence he was indeed what he claimed.

Xavier shrugged then stroked his blond goatee. “Although my affliction may be a mild annoyance at times, I
’d hardly say it inconveniences me.” Moving slowly, he came around the desk to lean with casual elegance against the massive piece of furniture. The tailored lines of his suit followed every contour of his body. “If you feel uncomfortable talking about me, why don’t you tell me something about you?”

“That
isn’t an option.” She sprang from the sofa, the need for activity over-ruling the need for calm. His interest in her life caused her stomach to clench. The less he knew about her, the longer he’d remain safe. Anxiety skittered through her body when Xavier’s exotic eyes scanned her face as he waited. “I’m just a single, thirty-two year old woman who’s a clerk at Nann’s Gourmet Grocery. I live in the Indianapolis area with a danger-prone roommate, two destructive imps, a renegade pixie, and a ghost I can’t ditch. Other than that, I’m ordinary. It’s my goal in life to ensure I stay that way.”