A sign above a door with steamy windows announced a sauna and beside it, a long window with a pool on the other side. We breezed by it to arrive in front of an enormous room with exercise equipment of every kind—elliptical, weights, treadmills, and even punching bags filled the room. With enough space for a large, matted area that I guessed was for sparring or combat training.
At the far end of the room, we passed through another door that returned us to the atrium, except now we were on the opposite side from where we’d entered.
“And this is where we began.” She spun, pushed through yet another door, and climbed a plush staircase.
“We’ll skip the second floor, which consists of offices and such. Can’t imagine him involving werewolves in our affairs,” she muttered, turning up the next flight and exiting through the door of the third floor. A few yards farther, our path snaked into a mezzanine. My eyes devoured the chandelier overhead and the hundreds of tiny teardrop crystals.
I slowed across the corridor and past the old tapestries on the wall that smelled of age and dust. I tried to imagine the texture of the fringe if I were to let the thin strands slip between my fingers. But I kept my hands to my side as the scent of oil from huge, gold-framed paintings wafted up my nose. Sculptures stood on blocks at both ends of the hall and above me the thick crown moldings accented the high ceilings.
“This floor is the staff quarters. Not our final destination.”
Yet we followed her through the entire length of it, same route as downstairs, around the center that had a railing and afforded a view of the courtyard and the glorious perfume of the blooms below. We passed rooms: a lounge, another game room, kitchen and café, laundry facilities, and, finally, more bedrooms. At the other end, we trailed after her up another staircase. “The fourth floor is the king’s suites where he keeps several rooms, along with his council.”
Kayla paused at a door at the top of the stairs, and placed her hand over a glass plate on the wall. After two clicks, she opened the door and waved us through, then closed and locked it behind us.
Now my mom’s confidence in Cedric’s security made sense.
This floor was similar to the one below—it had its own kitchen and laundry facilities, as well as a lounge and game room. I wondered how humans put up with such gigantic houses and how long it could take to get from one end to the other. Since they didn’t have the stamina of a werewolf or vampire, they’d need a good intercom system and staff to fetch. Of course anyone who owned a place like this could afford anything they wanted.
Just like before, Kayla paused at another door and knocked before placing her hand over a glass plate. After a click, she opened the door and motioned us inside.
She pointed to the part of the room covered by an enormous rug. On top of it, two overstuffed chairs sat in front of a wide, glossy mahogany desk with an impossible amount of fancy carvings. My feet sank into the velvety threads of the rug, and I felt guilty for still wearing shoes.
As soon as we sat, she glared down at us. Yep, a nice, friendly vampire welcome. Awesome.
Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, Zack told me.
Anything that brought Zack back from the dead had to be a great idea. This Zack was way better than the zombie I’d spent most of the day with. But whether we were with hostile vampires or not, I didn’t believe this Cedric guy would harm us. No way would my mom send us here with even the smallest chance something could happen to me.
The woman pursed her full lips. “Anyone ever tell you how rude it is to speak telepathically in front of others?” she snapped.
“Kayla, is that any way to treat my guests?” A tall man with ginger hair wore a charcoal-gray suit that fit his big frame perfectly. He strode into the room, quickly closing the distance between us, and I immediately caught the pungent smell of blood. Another vampire.
Kayla bowed. “You granted them entry, but I assumed you weren’t aware they were werewolves.”
“Otherwise they wouldn’t be here?” Cedric asked. “I’m fully cognizant of their genetic composition. Now please spread the word that these werewolves are not to be harmed. They are under my protection.”
“From other werewolves?” Her eyes shifted between Cedric and us. “Knowing the werewolf king, they’ll probably get killed anyway once they leave.”
My chest tightened with that little glimpse into my future. Always running. Always in danger of being discovered and killed.
“Or maybe these two will surprise us,” Cedric continued. “Maybe if we can keep them safe, one day they’ll overthrow the werewolf king.” His head whipped around to Kayla at her amused cough.
I agreed with Kayla; that was some dream. Zack and I weren’t warriors and we were a long way from being able to protect ourselves, much less take over an entire body of government.
“But are you sure keeping werewolves in the palace would be wise?” Kayla asked. “With the unrest among—”
“They are guests in our home and will be treated as such. That will be all, Kayla,” he said in a firm, yet kind tone.
“Yes, sir.” Keeping her head down, she slunk away and left the way we came.
“My suite is soundproofed, so you can speak freely.” Cedric took a seat behind his desk, then steepled his fingers and studied us.
I took in the rest of the room—the ridiculously elaborate green drapes and valance, complete with gold ropes and tassels. And then there was the gorgeous grandfather clock—etched glass panels covered most of the front and exposed the wheels and other mechanisms. I could swear the metal parts looked like they were made of gold. Probably cost more than my car.
Cedric cleared his throat. “As you can see, a wolf’s presence puts me in an uncomfortable position. Your mother’s timing couldn’t be worse.”
“Why is that?” Zack cast a worried glance my way.
“It happens that a couple of our best men were attacked a few weeks ago in Scottsdale, Arizona. By werewolves.” Cedric growled. “Lacking a cure for werewolf bite, they died and my people are in an uproar.”
“Rogue werewolves?” Zack asked.
“We thought so at first but then it happened again in Montana. Whether they’re the same werewolves or not, we can’t be sure until we get more intel.”
Uh-oh. The incidents happened first in Arizona, then in Montana? “My parents were in both those places the past couple of weeks. Except my mom and dad aren’t werewolves, so they couldn’t have been the ones who bit your men.” Still, I couldn’t ignore the timing.
“Right. Both your parents are shape-shifters, of course.” Cedric regarded me for several beats, as if he were measuring his next words. “I find it intriguing they were in the same place at the same time of the murders, though. I’ll get in touch with your mother and see if she knows anything that may help us locate those responsible.”
Fear gripped my heart and wouldn’t let go. “You don’t think they had anything to do with it, do you?”
“Absolutely not.” He reached a hand out and laid it on my wrist. “But she may have some insight as to why my men are being attacked.”
“So... you’re not sure if they’re isolated instances or—” Zack began before being cut off.
“Or if I’m at war without the courtesy of a formal declaration.” Cedric’s jaw clenched.
“Should we... leave?” I asked.
“It would certainly be easier on me.” He stared vacantly, lost in thought as he thrummed his fingers on the surface of his polished desk. “Years ago, your mother was of great service, saved my life, in fact. I told her to call upon me if she were ever in need. I can’t disregard that obligation.”
“But do you think we’re at risk if we stay here?” Zack asked Cedric before glancing at me—probably wondering if anywhere else would be better.
“I can keep you safe.” Cedric leaned back in his overstuffed chair, the leather creaking as his large shoulders shoved against it. “There’s a fully-stocked kitchen down the hall and with over twenty thousa
nd square feet on this floor, it’s unlikely we’ll get in each other’s way until your parents come for you next week. You’ll have to stay here in my personal suite, though, since security is significantly higher—in case any vampires decide to take revenge on you two because of the recent deaths. I have two extra rooms.” He pointed to a door on one side of his study next to the door leading to the corridor, then aimed a thumb on the opposite side toward two doors. “You’re welcome to one of them.”
He moved to get up, then sat back down and scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Probably best if we don’t mention to your parents that I let you share a room.”
“Deal.” Wow, we’d get to stay together in a private suite of a grand estate. I could live with that. Swiveling, I faced Zack. “Seems better than the alternative.”
“It’s settled.” Cedric pointed to the single door closest to the hallway. “That’s your room. One thing though.” He leaned over his desk toward us and glanced around for eavesdroppers.
Icy tingles crawled up my neck. By the look on his face, this had to be serious.
“Most vampires have gone their whole lives without meeting a shape-shifter. They wouldn’t know the difference between you and a werewolf. I doubt you two are stupid enough to mix species, but anyone in the palace could turn you in to the werewolf king for being involved in any way at all. This place would be crawling with werewolves trying to kill you for that transgression.” Cedric pinned me with a stare. “I’ll do whatever I can to protect you, but don’t make my job harder than it needs to be. Keep close to Zack. Since your scent is unusually weak, they’ll pick up on only werewolf and the likelihood of them sniffing you out is slim.”
“Yes, sir,” I answered, hoping my cover wouldn’t be blown.
“I’ll send Kayla up in a moment to escort you to the car for your things. In the meantime, have a look around.”
“I think I might.” I walked to the window. Holy smokes, the view was spectacular. Trees as far as I could see. “How many acres are yours?”
Cedric halted and turned. “About a hundred.”
Oh, that was a lot. I couldn’t wait to run through the forest later. “This place is enormous. I had no idea houses like this existed in California.”
“We finished building last year and we’ve been quiet about it. We’re trying to stay off the radar, you understand.”
“I’d probably feel the same way.” Zack nodded. “But maybe living in a less conspicuous house would draw less attention.”
“I prefer to keep my court nearby, as well as my staff.” Cedric rested against the wall, his mouth curving as if our questions amused him. “Safety in numbers.”
“How many vampires live here?” I asked.
Cedric tapped his chin. “Close to thirty, I believe.”
“And they all have a grudge against werewolves?” Zack asked.
Cedric grunted. “Good point. I’ll send Tony along when you get your things.”
Great, we’d be guarded by two vamps we already knew were hostile toward us.
Zack stood. “We feel safer by the second,” he said in a deadpan tone.
Cedric pushed off the wall and headed toward the door. “My people wouldn’t dare cross me. And how much trouble could you cause by going to your car and back?”
“We’re not worried about the trouble we might cause,” Zack muttered after Cedric disappeared out the door. Zack tugged on my hand. “Let’s get this over with.”
As soon as we reached the doorway, Kayla reappeared. “Let’s be off then.”
We shadowed her through the endless corridor and down the stairs, the awkward silence grating on my nerves. How could we stay in a vampire lair knowing they all hated us? I had to at least try to build some sort of trust. The only way I could think of to accomplish that was to engage her in conversation and let things happen naturally.
I picked up speed so I could walk beside Kayla. “So what do you do here?”
She continued at a brisk pace, staring straight ahead. “Security. But I also train any newly turned vampires in battle.”
I would’ve loved to get in on some of that training, but the chances of Kayla teaching her enemy to win a fight were probably pretty slim. “How long have you worked for Cedric?”
When Tony fell into step beside us, Kayla didn’t break her stride. “Hundred years or so,” she answered.
I flinched. “Seriously? I couldn’t imagine holding down the same job for one year, much less a hundred.”
She held the door open to the outside and a part of me wondered why she was sending us out first. I gulped. Together we proceeded ahead and into the sunlight of the atrium—which we already knew didn’t bother some vampires at all. Damn. I hoped Kayla and Tony would be enough to hold off the vamps if we were swarmed.
A buzzing sound reached my ears and I went on alert. Zack shielded me as several blurry forms advanced. Three vampires—a female and two males—stopped a mere two feet away, still as statues, their gazes locked on Zack and me. The female vampire hissed.
Kayla hovered in front of us, her arms stretched backward like we were in her protective bubble. “They are under the king’s protection. No harm will come to them while they are under his roof,” she warned, her voice taking on a menacing tone.
I should’ve been comforted knowing we had support from the top of the food chain. But the three threatening vamps in front of me were yanking on my safety net.
Tony slipped into the space between Kayla and the vampires. “Amy, Michael, Gustavo, His Majesty has his reasons for providing sanctuary for these wolves. You will not dare defy King Cedric.”
Amy took a step back, never taking her eyes off us, and then she motioned the two others to follow. They vanished, melting into the wooded area behind the house.
Zack’s breath rushed from his lungs as soon as the vampires were out of our line of vision. “Thank you.”
Kayla shot us each a stern look. “In obeying our king, Tony and I have betrayed our own people. You’d better prove worthy or I’ll suck you dry myself. Now grab your things and let’s get the hell back to the king’s suite.”
Note to self: Don’t wander the estate without Kayla and Tony. I hoped they’d be guarding us every second.
† † †
“I don’t know why we’re bothering to unpack.” Zack stuffed the last of his things in the bottom drawer of the chest and whirled around to face me. “They hate us. Even the vampires protecting us don’t want us here. How long before Cedric and Kayla give up and decide it’s easier to let the whole household feed on us?”
After shooting off a quick text to my mom to let her know we’d arrived safely, I powered off the phone and tossed it on the bed. “Let’s give it some time. We might end up here longer than a few days and we don’t want to live out of a suitcase. May as well be comfortable.” I leaned a hip along the front of the dresser. “And even if Cedric decides he doesn’t want to risk alienating his people, wouldn’t he make some kind of effort to get us out of here safely?”
“Safely to where?” Zack hadn’t budged from where he’d been standing in front of his dresser, his eyes holding an empty stare. “The werewolf king knows about me. I’m expected to show up on his doorstep any day. He’ll send someone after me if I don’t. And then there’s always Renzo. Nowhere is safe.”
I crossed the room and let my knuckles caress his jaw, but he still didn’t seem to see me. “We expected this, Zack. It’s not a big surprise.”
His unfocused gaze drifted to somewhere behind me. “We’ve killed a scout and Renzo knows about it. Fraternizing with the enemy brings the death penalty, and Renzo knows we’re together. We have no idea why he hasn’t turned us in, but it’s only a matter of time before someone nails us.” He stepped away and ran his hands through his hair.
None of that was news to me and shouldn’t have been news to Zack either. Maybe his negativity had more to do with having doubts about being with me. “We were always going to be on the run, Zack.” I pee
ked at him as he paced the room. The whites around his deep green irises were bloodshot.
“Yeah, I know.” He scrubbed his hands over his face. “It’s been a hard day.”
“I wish I could undo the entire morning. Maybe things won’t seem so bleak after some sleep.” Today had been long and brutal for me too, and I wanted more than anything to wipe it all away and get lost in Zack’s hands on me, his thumbs digging into my hips. But he’d been through too much these past few hours and I didn’t want to push. For now, he needed rest. I could use some of that too.
His gaze raked over me, from the brown military boots on my feet to the snug jeans and then up to my V-neck tee. Since I finally had his attention, I closed the distance and snaked my arms around his neck. He brushed his fingers across my cheek. “I don’t know what I’d do without you,” he said, barely above a whisper.
“Ditto.” Sliding my hand down his shoulder, I gently took his hand and coaxed him toward the bed. I stopped when the backs of my knees bumped the mattress. “C’mon. We should get some rest.”
Zack’s palm rested at my hip as he touched his forehead to mine. His eyes smoldered and my lungs tightened like they were sealing shut. “You’re so beautiful,” he said.
I absorbed his words, allowing them to cocoon me, and waited for what he might do next. And then his mouth was on mine, laying waste to any inclination I may have had to hold back.
God, he hadn’t kissed me all day. “I’ve missed you,” I rasped when he came up for air.
“Not as much as I missed you.” He lowered his mouth to mine again, then he picked me up by my hips and I wrapped my legs against his waist. My back collided with the mattress, our hands in a frenzy for each other, our mouths hungry. My chest heaved, my heart pounding.
A rumble began deep in Zack’s throat before he rolled off me. He tunneled his hands through his hair. “It’s too easy to get carried away with you.”
“Likewise,” I said in an unsteady voice as I curled up against him.
A long moment later, he reached for my hand then whispered, “I’m scared. Of being without my mom, my family.” He leaned over to land a kiss on the top of my head. “You.”