ROMANCE: Mason (Bad Boy Alpha Male Stepbrother Romance Boxset) (New Adult Contemporary Stepbrother Romance Collection) (74 page)

Becky touched her skin lightly.  Something was changing within her.  It was almost like the aging process was reversing.  She wouldn’t ask Daniel how it was possible.  She imagined it was coming from his snacking on her like a human buffet.  Her mind drifted to Teddy.  She wondered if he was still alive.  Becky wouldn’t ask.  A piece of her didn’t care whether he was or he wasn’t, another piece needed to cling to the hope that he was.  Teddy being alive would somehow alleviate the horrors of the Bull Mitch. 

A knock sounded at the door and Daniel told whomever it was to enter without taking his eyes off of the mirror. 

Tonya sauntered in, a scowl marring her beautiful face, as her eyes swept over Becky then to Daniel.  Becky didn’t bother covering her nakedness.  It was just too much work to move right then. 

Tonya stepped towards the bed, her scowl changing to a deep frown with furrowed brow.  She looked at the bruising, and Becky thought something like pity flickered in her deep set eyes.  She turned slowly and sauntered to Daniel.  Becky could hear her murmuring, but closed her eyes to it, drifting immediately into sleep. 

“You’re going to kill her.” 

“And if I do, it will be of little consequence.”

Tonya lifted her chin.  “I thought you needed her.” 

“I have gotten what I need from her.” 

“Then why is she still here?”

Daniel looked at her reflection darkly.  “She is now here for my own pleasure.”  He turned from the mirror and confronted Tonya head on.  “She’s rather gifted in bed…even if she is a human.”

Tonya lifted a shoulder and returned his gaze coolly.  “Then turn her.  But I would do it before you kill her accidentally in your raucous love making.”

Daniel chuckled without mirth.  “There’s no love involved.”

“Right…that would require you to screw yourself.” 

Daniel looked at her flatly.  “Was there some reason for this interruption?”

Tonya went back to the door and laid a hand on the doorknob.  “I thought you might want to know that the sisters of death have struck again.  Teddy died this morning.”

“He must have had a strong countenance.  He lasted longer than I thought he would.”

Tonya looked at Daniel and left without saying another word.  She stopped halfway through the parlor and gazed at the portrait of Leanne and Daniel.  She moved slowly towards the painting and reached a hand towards it, her fingertips brushing the tips of Leanne’s painted ones.  The strength of the sob took her by surprise. 

“Why did you have to do it?  He’s a monster.  Look at me.  Why aren’t you here to look at me?  I’m the first born of an army that’s coming.  He’s going to create an army of us, and he’s going to do it from his own blood and loins.” 

Seeing autumn on the back of the old mare, her red curls bouncing with each trot, smiling pure and true; it made Dalton hesitate mid stride.  

That’s my wife.  She’s my mate.  It took his breath away.

Autumn saw him and raised her hand high and waved, her voice cutting through the early afternoon. 

“Look at me!  I’m on a horse!” 

Dalton smiled, and called back.  “Yeah, I see!  You look good up there.”

“She’s a natural.”  Belinda smiled, coming up to the corral fencing, still astride Governor’s Prince. 

“Dalton, can I get a horse?  I know Winnie can teach me all the car required for one!” 

Belinda looked at Thomas and winked, before looking at Dalton.  “Well, can she?” 

Dalton touched the nose of the old mare and smiled up at Autumn.  “They are a lot of work.” 

Her face fell.  “I know.  If Winnie and Chuck don’t mind another one staying there, and I go every day to care for it…could I then?” 

Thomas nudged Dalton.  “She still doesn’t quite understand, does she?”

Dalton looked back to Autumn.  “Uh…sweetie, Winnie and Chuck have a house on my land.  The little farm is for the pack.  Winnie just runs it.” 

Autumn’s face went blank.  She knew it was Dalton’s land, but she hadn’t looked at it that way. 

“Are the horses there already yours?”

“Oh no, they belong to Winnie.  The barn is mine though.”  He laughed.  “The pack shares things, sweetheart.” 

“Well, I would still want her to be okay with it.  Could I?”

“Let this be our wedding gift to you.”  Thomas grinned up at her.

“You already sent a gift.” 

“Yes, but we’re sister packs now.”

Dalton’s eyes enlarged.  “You took the official vote?” 

Thomas nodded in affirmation.  “Yes, and everyone is fine with it.”

“Where is your pack?  I’ve only met one other.”  Autumn asked.

“Some are working.  Not all live here.  Most don’t actually, but they’re homes are nearby.  Dalton runs his pack just the way I taught him in that regard; I own the land and their houses are on it.” 

“Wow.  How big is the property?”

“Total acreage is a hundred and fifty.”

Belinda cleared her throat.  “Let her have a horse, Dalton!  She can pick from a few of ours.  Thomas and I can even bring it up for you.”

Dalton rubbed his chin and looked up at Autumn’s expectant face.  How would he ever be able to deny her anything? 

“That’s fine.”  He threw his hand in the air.  “Let’s go look at the horses.”

“I have two that would be good for her to start out with.”  Belinda said, once they had unsaddled the horses they had been riding and put them out to pasture.

The four of them stood on the railings of the fencing and waited as Belinda whistled.  Several horses trotted towards them hoping for a treat.  Autumn’s eyes lit up when a buckskin quarter horse came directly to her. 

“Looks like he chose you.” 

“Was he one of the ones you had in mind?”  Autumn asked, rubbing the horse’s tan neck, and gently running her hands through his dark brown mane. 

“Yep.  He’s a quarter horse.  He’s seven years old, and gentle.” 

“What’s his name?”

Belinda sighed contentedly.  “Rough Waters.”

Dalton laughed out loud, quickly covering it with a cough after Thomas shot him a dark look. 

“Why did you name him that?”

“I took him out when he was about two years old.  I wanted to get him used to trails, and encountering other people who smelled like people and not wolves.  We had an unusual amount of rain that spring and I took him too far down a bank.”  She looked at Autumn.  “I fell in.  The current was strong.  He saved me.” 

“How?”

“My arm was twisted in the reigns.  He bared down in that mud and slowly pulled me to shore.  His name had been Beastly, because he had been so rowdy before.  After that day he became Rough Waters, and had the opposite demeanor.  He was a real sweetheart after that.”

“You should keep him then.”  Autumn said quietly. 

Belinda touched the horse’s nose and smiled thoughtfully.  “Nope.  He’s all yours.  He came to you.  He normally won’t come to anyone but me.”

“Guess animals have a thing for me.”  Autumn said and elbowed Dalton in the ribs. 

Daniel held Leanne’s brooch to the light and turned it slightly.  If there were any powers within the stone, he couldn’t detect it.  He tossed the brooch on his desk and waited for his guest to arrive.  It had taken an afternoon’s worth of phone calls, but he had finally found the person he must speak with.  After the hefty promise of making the trip worth her while, she had agreed to come.  Daniel had specifically asked for her to be there no later than one in the morning.  She was already ten minutes late. 

Bretton stretched nervously.  His master wasn’t happy he had come home without being summoned, but the girl and her new werewolf husband had entered a werewolf territory that was not easily penetrated.  It wouldn’t have been safe for him, and eventually the trail would have led back to his master, and Bretton wasn’t willing to risk it.  His master must have agreed, because Bretton himself was still breathing.

“I could go down and see if there was a delay.” 

Daniel looked at Bretton in an annoyed fashion.  “Delay?  Do you think Tonya is so far gone that she won’t bring my own guest to me?”

Bretton lowered his eyes.  “I only want to be helpful.”

“Helpful would have been camping in Williamsburg to keep track of Autumn!” 

Bretton kept his eyes to the floor.  Daniel’s phone rang and he kept his eyes on Bretton as he answered.  There was a pause before he spoke brusquely. 

“It’s about time.  Bring her up.”

In his usual fashion for new guests, Daniel opened the double doors of his parlor and waited for his guest to step off of the elevator.  He wouldn’t bother with the lips not moving while speaking trick.  This guest wouldn’t be impressed. 

The elevator doors swooshed open and Tonya led the way with a scowl on her face.  Daniel thought of the old saying adults told children who made ugly faces: “You better stop that before your face gets stuck that way!” 

“Good evening, Clarisse.”  Daniel said, and offered his hand. 

Clarisse Davenport took his hand with a graceful tilt of her head.  “It’s a pleasure, Daniel.  Thank you for having me.”

“Please come in.”  He said and swept his arm wide for her to enter the room.  He shut the doors behind them and immediately issued an order to Bretton.  “Since our guest has arrived, please bring the trays up.” 

“You’re too kind.”  She purred. 

Daniel looked her over from head to toe.  She was a little younger than he expected, mid-fifties, but no more than that.  She had dark brown hoar streaked with gray and her clothing was something reminiscent of a Stevie Nicks concert.  She took off a dark green velvet cape and handed it to Tonya. 

“This is nice.”  Tonya replied dryly.  “Is it for me?”

Clarisse looked at Tonya with a startled expression.  “I’m sorry.  I assumed you were part of Daniel’s staff.”

“She is.”  His pale eyes darkened.  “Take her wrap, Tonya.” 

Tonya jerked it from the woman’s hands, and marched it to a closet. 

“She’s temperamental.  I do apologize.” 

“No…it’s fine.”  Clarisse said, her eyes on Tonya’s retreating back.  “Someone as powerful as herself has a right to be, I suppose.” 

“So you can sense things like that?”  He asked smoothly, indicating for her to take a seat. 

“Yes.  But I can see a fellow witch’s powers more clearly.” 

“What do you see when you look at Tonya?”

Clarisse closed her eyes and breathed in deeply.  When she opened them again she stared intently at Tonya.  “She’s vampire for sure…but there’s some kind of animal there as well.  I would say wolf….but perhaps not werewolf.  She’s also still human to a certain degree.”  She looked to Daniel.  “Extraordinary.  How was she accomplished?”

Daniel waved the question off like it wasn’t important, causing a low growl to issue from Tonya’s pursed lips.  “Werewolf parents, vampire bite, injected wolf blood.  I brought in a dog to bite her too, to see if it would enhance what I had already done…strictly for experimental purposes, of course.”

“Of course.”  Clarisse responded, glancing at Tonya uneasily.  She smiled at Daniel once again.  “I see the animosity between werewolves and vampires is still alive and well.”

He shrugged and clasped his hands around one knee cap.  “The inferior races will always bemoan what we have” 

Clarisse laughed lightly.  “I see.  So, let’s get down to business.  What is it you wish for me to see?”

“Tonya please bring Becky.” 

Tonya strode across the room and opened Daniel’s bedroom door.  She brought Becky out by the top of her arm, and pushed her towards the center of the room.  Daniel was pleased to see Becky had chosen a chiffon dress of peach from Leanne’s wardrobe and had chosen matching pumps to wear with it.  Yes, his bites were changing her physical appearance, just like they had changed Bretton’s to a certain degree.  No one on the planet would look at the technically still human Bretton and guessed his physical age at fifty.  At the most, he appeared to be in his early thirties.  Becky no longer looked like a woman in her early forties.  Now, she could pass for thirty three or thirty four with ease.  She would be stunning if he decided to complete her change.

Becky looked at the older woman warily.  She knew what she was immediately.

Clarisse stood slowly and approached Becky.  She touched Becky’s forehead with a cold jeweled hand and ran her fingertips along the sides of her face.  She smiled slowly, before turning back to Daniel. 

“She’s a witch!”

“How powerful?”

“Powerful enough.”  She cocked her head to one side and looked at Becky harder.  “She’s tarnished.  She hasn’t used her powers in a while, I suspect.  She has a certain amount of clairvoyant talent, and something….something else.  Tell me, what house are you from?”

“Coates.”  Becky replied weakly. 

“All related, yes?”

Becky nodded.  “Yes.” 

“And where is your talisman?”

Becky looked to Daniel.  He took the brooch of Leanne’s from his pocket and handed it to Clarisse.  “I want to know if it holds any powers.”