ROMANCE: Mason (Bad Boy Alpha Male Stepbrother Romance Boxset) (New Adult Contemporary Stepbrother Romance Collection) (77 page)

Autumn frowned.  “Wait.  Daniel Blacksmith said the woman from the painting died ten years ago…his wife died ten years ago.  She would have been alive when you were there right?”

“It was twenty two years ago.”

“Right.  I guess maybe he wasn’t married to her then.”

“He was.  There was a wife, but no one saw her.” 

Dalton touched his forehead like it hurt.  “Why did your parents feel it necessary to go to there?”

Winnie rolled her eyes heavily.  “They were like the hippies of the werewolf world.  Love and peace.  Why can’t we all get along?  Bullshit if you ask me.  Especially considering that my father lost his life to one of them a short year later.  After that my mother went berserk, and as far as I know she’s still hanging out in Arizona drinking herself to death at some supernatural playground called Crimson.”

Dalton ran a hand over his mouth.  “You went to Thomas after that?  Where was Ton…Whitley?” 

“That’s the thing.  We didn’t know.  I mean we assumed she had run off to join up with Daniel Blacksmith, but we just didn’t know.  My parents were actually a little proud of her.  They hoped she would become some sort of ambassador between the two worlds.”  She paused to take a breath.  “After my father died and right before my mother truly went off the deep end, we received a package with earrings and a necklace that Whitley had worn all the time.  The letter inside said ‘My deepest condolences’ and that was it.  We thought she was dead.” 

“Back when we told you about Tonya you seemed…I don’t know…like you knew something about it.”

“It crossed my mind that it was her, Dalton, that’s all.” 

Dalton could feel the heat rising again, but reigned it in as Autumn touched his arm.  Dalton pushed one side of his jaw outward. 

“Winnie, did it occur to you under the circumstances to tell me all of this?”

“Not really.  Like I said, it crossed my mind, but it seemed like such a far stretch.”  She shrugged.  “All these years and not a word.  I’ve thought she was dead all these years.” 

Autumn stood and wrapped her arms around Winnie from behind.  “It’s ok, Winnie.  Maybe she had her reasons.”

“The funny thing is that she looked just as shocked to see me as I was her, but she didn’t even try to get out and talk to me.” 

Dalton shook his head.  “If she was under orders of Daniel, she probably couldn’t.  There was the driver to consider.  Autumn and I had the impression she was a pet of some sort for Daniel, or an employee of sorts.” 

“No.”  Winnie said sadly.  “She’s a weapon.” 

The rest of the pack was raptly paying attention, and Dalton had almost forgotten about them. 

“Sorry, guys.  Didn’t mean to ignore all of you.”

Murmurs went around the room, all indicating it was fine.

“So, what’s the plan?”  Chris asked.  “I mean, you can’t seriously be thinking it’s a good idea to meet up with him.”

“It’s got to end sometime.”  Dalton said. 

“And he has my mother.”  Autumn thought about Daniel Blacksmith’s cool good looks, and suave mannerisms.  She thought about his money and prestige.  She doubted Becky Coates was there against her will.  She was glad there had been no mention of Teddy in the letter. 

“The plan?”  Chris asked again. 

“For now we sleep on it.  But we need to set up guards just in case.”

“Like last time?”  Chuck asked, his hand resting on Winnie’s shoulder. 

“Yes.  I’ll take first watch with Brian.  Who wants second?”  A flurry of hands shot in the air; all except Tamara, and Dalton understood why.  “Alright, Chris and Trina for second.  Third watch will be in the morning, so Winnie and Chuck you can take that one until others start to wake up.”  He glanced sympathetically at Winnie.  “Try to get some sleep.” 

Daniel looked disdainfully out of his tinted window at the city of Fredericksburg.  It looked like a ghost town, and as Bretton circled around the labyrinth of one way streets once again, he began to realize the only places currently open in old town were a rundown hotel and a 7-11.   

“Where are the people?”

“You could have your contact meet you at that 7-11.”  Becky said hopefully.  What she really wanted was a coffee and a bathroom.  A smoke wouldn’t be bad either. 

“Fine.”  Daniel said and waited as Bretton maneuvered the Suburban off of one street onto another.

“Why are the streets like this?  One direction on one street and the next parallel one goes the opposite way.”

“It’s just the way the older parts of some cities are.”  Bretton offered, he hoped, helpfully.  Although he knew his master probably already knew that.  He had been on the earth for quite some time.   

“Yes.”  Daniel sighed.  “I think I’ve spent too much time at the Bull Mitch.  I should be out more.”

He watched the sleeping city roll past him slowly.  He had missed being out in the world.  Sometimes the craving of human, real human, interaction made him salivate; and it had nothing to do with their blood.  He watched his hidden cameras at Bull Mitch and marveled at the simplicity of their lives.  He marveled at the frailty.  Even the humans sympathetic to his kind were like children playing with a dangerous animal.  They didn’t quite grasp the reality of the danger. 

Bretton pulled into the 7-11 parking lot and they finally found people.  Two African American men looked at the truck with interest.  Daniel didn’t worry about a carjacking.  He didn’t worry about potential human threats at all. 

“Take Becky into the store, Bretton.  I’m sure she needs to go in.” 

Bretton silently got out and opened the rear passenger door for Becky.  The two men’s interest piqued further as they leaned against the brick of the 7-11; their dark eyes following Becky into the store. 

Daniel held the cell phone he rarely used to his ear.  He hated cell phones, but knew they were a useful technological advancement.  He preferred older ways and traditions, but time and technology marches on, so he must as well. 

“Hello?”  A groggy voice responded on the other end.

“I’ve arrived with no fanfare or greeting.” 

Daniel watched the two men talking with their heads together and smiled as he heard the rustling of a bed and the sharp intake of breath. 

“Daniel?  My God, I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow!” 

“Calm down.  I know what I said.  Have arrangements been made?” 

“Yeah…yeah.  Do you know where the house is?  Just come on over now.” 

“I’ll have to call you back.”  Daniel said and watched as the two men approached the Suburban.  They tried both doors and with large grins at finding them unlocked, climbed inside.  Daniel sat deathly still.  He so enjoyed giving a good scare.

“White boy probably didn’t leave the keys.”  The larger one in the driver’s seat said, but quickly looked up at his partner in crime and laughed.  “How ‘bout that shit?  He sure did leave ‘em!” 

“Let’s get out of here!  Come on!”  The lighter one said excitedly. 

“Yes, let’s.”  Daniel spoke smoothly. 

Both faces turned to him with bulging eyes.  The men moved to open the doors but Daniel was by far faster.  He had them each by a shoulder, his skilled finger tips finding and biting into the joint.  Both men winced and one even yelped in pain. 

“Let us out, man!  We were just looking!” 

“So look.”  Daniel breathed, relishing the shudder that went through the man.  He jerked him backwards like a rag doll and had him in the backseat before he could speak again.  He jerked the other man from the passenger seat in the same fashion, enjoying his second yelp of pain.  The second more profound than the first.

Daniel placed an arm around each man’s shoulders and waited for Bretton and Becky to come out. 

The darker skinned man turned his head a fraction of an inch, his neck and back throbbing from being jerked so violently into the backseat.  He had never seen a person like this.  He moved too fast, and his skin nearly glowed as the lights from the store and parking lot touched his face.

“Who are you?” 

“No one.” 

Bretton opened the rear passenger door for Becky, and they both froze and stared in.  The lighter skinned man tried to lean forward, but Daniel pushed him back with his fingertips.  “Please.”  The man pleaded.  “Help us.”

“Bretton, you and Becky ride up front.” 

“What are you going to do with them?”  Becky asked, but she already had an idea. 

“My dear, it’s rude to visit another person’s home and not bring a gift.  Tonight I will bring snacks.” 

The two men began to weep.

Becky stared up at the large Victorian style house and felt like she was getting ready to enter an episode of the Addam’s Family.  Fredericksburg had old homes such as this one sprawled all over old town, but this one was an oddity.  For one, it was situated in its own cul-de-sac and it was painted black and white.  Not the traditional white sides and black trim, no, this place was opposite; black sides with white trim.  It made the many windows look like square and oval empty eyes in the night.  A single light burned above the door of the massive wrap around porch.  The front door opened and a thin man stood there in jeans and no shirt. 

“Please, come in.”  He said with a wide yawn. 

Becky looked at Daniel and almost laughed as Daniel looked at the man with distaste.  He thought everyone should be dressed in their finest at all times. 

“You’re the only one here, I presume?”

“Yeah.”  The man yawned again.  He noticed the two men Daniel held by the crooks of their arms.  “Who are they?”

Daniel grinned coldly.  “My gifts for Johnathon and Lucinda.” 

One of the captives whimpered.  “Please, we won’t tell anyone about this, just let us go!”

“Shhh.”  Daniel put his head close to the one who had spoken.  “Enough of that.”

The man with no shirt began cutting on lights, illuminating a posh and surprisingly modern interior.  The house had the look of renovation.  Walls had obviously been removed to create one massive room that stretched over what would have been a foyer.  Stairs wound from the center of the large from up to the next level. 

“Want something to eat?”  He asked Becky and Bretton.  Both shook their heads no. 

“My apologies.”  Daniel said.  “Becky, Bretton, this is Francis.  He’s the groundskeeper and general secretary for Johnathon and Lucinda Aries.”  He pushed the two men in his possession towards one of the overstuffed cream couches.  “Have a seat gentlemen.” 

“They should be back by sunup.”  Francis said and went to the base of the stairs.  “I’ll be back.” 

“Unconventional.”  Bretton mumbled, as he watched Francis take the winding stairs two at a time. 

“Yes, well, Jonathon and Lucinda were always unconventional.  They run the city rather haphazardly, but it’s none of my concern as long as I get what I need when I need it.”  He sat down gracefully in an arm chair and smiled at the two men.  “Comfortable?”  Neither responded. 

Johnathon and Lucinda Aries exploded into the house an hour later, talking loudly, with two other vampires trailing behind them.  Becky was immediately taken by the way Lucinda’s wavy black hair bounced and shone under the light.  Her slim waistline was accentuated by swinging hips and swelling breasts.  The two captive men sitting stock still on the couch, with knees clasped shut, and hands on the caps, lost all interest in their random begging once Lucinda was there.  Johnathon with swarthy skin and large brown eyes stared amusedly at them as they ogled his wife. 

“Daniel, what have you brought for us?”

“A snack.”

Johnathon laughed delightedly.  “Good thing the pickings were slim tonight.” 

The other vampires with them were what Daniel referred to as animal feeders.  They lived only for the hunt and the kill.  Their type was dangerous and Daniel found them exceedingly boring.

They circled the couch like predators, every so often touching the men there in a taunting teasing way, but both men had their eyes pinned on Lucinda.  She was walking sex.  If it had of been the time of the Greeks or the Romans, they would have bowed to her and called her Aphrodite or Venus.

“So, tell me why is it exactly that you needed to come here?”  Johnathon wasn’t outwardly rude, but Daniel sensed the territorial wariness in his voice.  He thought he may have to remind Johnathon of his exact position on the vampire food chain. 

“I’m here to see Dalton Brown.” 

Johnathon’s face puckered.  “The alpha?”

“Yes.” 

“He’s way out in Spotsylvania!”

“I know exactly where he is.  He has something of mine that I have come to retrieve.” 

“He dismantled Mike Rodgers pack just six blocks from here recently.  I hear his pack is rather large now.”  He regarded Daniel amusedly.  “So, you want back up?” 

“Yes and no.”

“Why didn’t you bring some of your own vampires?” 

“I already have two here.”  Daniel’s face turned to stone and the air in the room changed.  The feeders stopped circling, and Lucinda straightened from her previous casual pose on the arm of the couch.  “The rest of my family is none of your concern.”