Shadow Walker (12 page)

“I promise you that won’t happen. I have grown up a little and wasn’t this to prove that? How can I do that with my agent breathing down my neck?”

Amber heard the sirens of the ambulance and threw up a silent thanks to whatever God chose to answer the agent’s prayers. She watched Aaron walk toward the door. He appeared to be a little…not jumpy…but
off
. He kept flexing his hands and rubbing his wrists and forearms. The way the Tigress had reacted when they’d first met…something was there, but the answer wasn’t coming to her.

As Gary was loaded into the ambulance, they stood back. Aaron was kind enough to call the man’s wife to have her meet him at the hospital. He closed the door and turned to them, giving them a winning smile.

“It’s just another terrific day,” he said, laughing. His hair was standing in curly tufts where he’d run his hands through it a few times. Rather than make him seem unkempt, it jacked up the sexy meter a few notches.

Amber frowned, something…wasn’t right.

Casey groaned. “I forgot to ask him where my equipment was.”

“It’s here.” Aaron led them through a winding series of hallways to another large and grand sitting room. “We weren’t sure where you’d feel comfortable, and this room isn’t used as much.”

Counting through the bags, she verified all her things were there and nodded. “This is fine. I’d like to look around a little, and we can start whenever you’re ready. But from the looks of it, you don’t look like you’re feeling well, either.”

He waived away her comment. “It’s just a touch of carpal tunnel.”

Amber glanced at her watch but didn’t need to, her stomach already told her the time. “Will there be food in the near future? ’Cause this chick, right here, is hungry.”

Casey grinned at her. “Let’s take a quick tour so I can think of some of the better places. I want to do an all-over, but I want to get it in my head before we begin. Then we can break for lunch, and we’ll see what this afternoon holds. Sound good?”

* * * *

Amber was impressed with the walk through, but her favorite by far was the overflowing garden. She caught herself muttering the Latin names. There were some beautiful winter flowering plants. Some samples would definitely be making the trip back to Walker’s Run with her. They’d had lunch catered in and walked the grounds some more. Casey had taken some notes, a few pictures, and jotted more notes about lighting and angles.

Dori was very into placement and had lots of opinions, which Casey simply nodded at and made
more
notes, neither confirming nor denying whether she agreed. The bruising had darkened around her nose and under her eyes, making Amber wince.

They declined Aaron’s offer for dinner and made plans to be back around ten a.m. the following morning.

When they arrived at the hotel, Amber scrounged in her bag and came back with a remedy for pain she had brought along for Casey’s transformations. During dinner at the hotel she sprinkled it into Dori’s wine. Two hours later, they led a very tipsy Greek back to her room.

“I don’t get it Casey, I can drink you under the table and you’re not even…not even buzzing. Like…sober,” Dori slurred when they opened the door to her room.

Casey just smiled and shrugged. “I’ve spent time with my dad and brother, they own a couple bars, remember?”

Dori harrumphed. “I’ll see you in the morning. If I’m not up, just send Attila the Hun in after me.” Wincing when she touched her nose, she closed the door.

When they walked away, Casey whispered, “Did you really have to hit her so hard?”

“You know I’m used to being around Weres, right? I don’t know how to hit softly. She’s alive, and her nose isn’t broken. Can we let it rest? I am tired of apologizing already.”

“So long as she can see we’ll be good, or you’ll be doing
her
job.”

Amber groaned. “It’s not fair, I apologized in advance.”

“Yes, but you didn’t tell me you were going to disable my assistant in the process.”

The next morning Amber tried to hide her jealousy while she watched just how well Casey and Dori worked together. There was a grace and fluidity in their movements, and she understood why her friend was so highly sought after. Anytime Casey needed something, Dori had it in hand, usually before it was even mentioned.

Gary had hired a makeup expert to make sure Aaron’s face didn’t shine with the camera flash. Today he was dressed in jeans and again wore the layered shirt look, this time a black T-shirt beneath a grey button down. Amber again noticed how handsome he was. With men this good looking, there was usually something…wrong. She was certain he had quite the string of girls at his beck and call.

Money and good looks, they took you far in such a conceited world.

The one thing she’d noticed the day before was he hadn’t seemed very snobbish at all. If anything, Aaron had been very open, even endearing. Sharing some bits of his gloomy past that Gary was trying hard to keep under wraps. He was very intelligent, that in itself seemed an accomplishment considering his reputation as a playboy. Though he didn’t appear to be much of a partier as most of the twenty-something’s seemed to be falling victim to in recent years.

She watched Casey take roll after roll of film, explaining that only five to ten of the pictures would be used in the magazine. The rest would go to Weiss and Sorenson to use as they pleased, and Casey would be able to use them for her promotions as well. They switched to digital in between for the ease and different textures. Most of this information went right over Amber’s head, but it was interesting to witness anyway.

Casey took photos of Aaron in the garden, on the patio, and even in the large library.

While taking a break, Amber noticed him rubbing his wrists while the make-up artist did a little retouching across his forehead. She could see he was becoming quite agitated with all the doting.

He was restless, moving in the chair for a moment or two before standing and raising his hands. “I need a
full
break,” came his growl. He stormed past the startled woman into the house.

Casey sighed, letting the camera hang from the strap around her neck. She shrugged and picked up a bottle of water.

“You know, I think I’m a little jealous.” Amber opened one, too.

Pausing with the bottle part way to her lips, Casey frowned. “Jealous…of what?”

Amber smiled. “Just watching you take command of everything like that. It’s a totally different side of you. I’ve not seen it before. The way you and Dori moved together, not having to speak. It’s like its very own work of art.”

Casey laughed and shrugged. “Kind of like the way I feel when you and Braedyn are talking about matters in the Run. You’ve worked alongside him so long half of the time you don’t need to say everything. You already know what he’s thinking and vice versa. Even the way you move around him, Amber. It’s like you’re always on guard. Not
from
him but
for
him. Instinct.
I’m
jealous of that.”

With a smile, she put an arm around Casey’s shoulders. “Okay, we’re even. Again.”

The blonde frowned at the door where Aaron had disappeared. “He looked like he had a bit of a headache when we started this morning.”

“More like a hangover,” Dori whispered behind them. “I saw a fifth of whiskey in the library before the housekeeper straightened up a bit earlier. It was almost empty.”

Amber had to agree, there had been a heady odor of alcohol seeping through his pores when he’d walked past her earlier. From the smell, there’d been quite a bit consumed, though Aaron didn’t appear to be suffering from any sort of hangover, just mild irritation at being doted over, but she’d imagined feeling quite the same herself had their roles been reversed.

Casey turned her frown on Dori. “Keep that little bit of information to yourself. Need I remind you of the privacy clause here?”

Dori snapped her mouth shut and nodded. “I know.” She shrugged and backed away with her water bottle to pretend to gather and arrange some of the equipment.

“There’s something not quite right…”

“I know. Just trying to see when and where I can attempt to get close to him without someone else around.” Amber’s gaze traveled to the back door while she puzzled it over. “Is this much security even necessary?”

Bodyguards were all over the grounds. There were more guards than people. She counted eight of them. There were the three on the photo crew, two caterers, and one makeup artist. A total of six. More than one guard per person. The absolute waste of man-power was absurd.

The reporter had already done the interview through the beginning of the shoot, asking questions in between poses and during the first three breaks of the day. Upon leaving, Kara Martin had looked a little disappointed there hadn’t had more time to talk with him outside of performing the interview.

From the corner of her eye, Amber watched Dori slip inside after having made an excuse to look for some other piece of equipment. A few minutes later she came out looking shaken but shook it off when she neared.

“I…I just ran into Aaron inside. He’s complaining of a migraine and has asked that we reschedule for tomorrow.”

“Well, let’s gather everything up then,” Casey said with a sigh.

Dori dutifully began repacking and carried some things in.

Amber saw Casey’s hands tremble when she zipped up a duffle bag. The first night of the full moon was this evening.

“What do you think?”

“I’m not sure, but there is
something
going on with him.” Picking a bag up, she slung it over her shoulder. “Do you think it could be his birthday approaching? I’ve heard some human guys get that way.”

Casey laughed and glanced around them. “Watch how loosely you throw that word around in mixed company,” she said, lowering her voice. “But I don’t know, my dad and brother didn’t have reactions like that.”

Amber saw her friend try to repress a shudder and ground her teeth. “It’s going to be okay.” The place had already been picked out. She felt confident in the area chosen for them to run.

They carried the rest of the equipment in, and Amber couldn’t help overhear two of the bodyguards as they passed.

“His birthday is tomorrow. There is supposed to be some party in the city tonight for him. He’s probably just resting up for it.”

Casey rolled her eyes when they stepped inside. They’d dealt with him only slightly crabby today, who knew what tomorrow would bring. “Seeing how he snapped at the make-up girl a couple times…”

“I don’t think that’s what this is about.” Amber shook her head replaying the discomfort she’s witnessed the day before as well. “He’s in obvious pain, and it can make you act like an ass, too.”

“You’re right, so what do we do?”

“Nothing today. I think we should just head back to the hotel and let you get some rest before this evening. Sound all right to you?”

It was obvious that Casey was nervous, but she nodded. “Yeah, I guess that would be for the best.”

* * * *

Amber could sense Casey’s nerves when they approached the clearing. She could hear her friend’s teeth chattering from her anxiety and the cold.

The pull of the moon rippled through her muscles too, but she’d learned to control herself.

“Go ahead and take your clothes off,” Amber murmured once she’d looked around and made certain they would go undiscovered.

The Alpha female quickly wriggled out of her clothing and folded them, setting them to the side. Moments later, she cried out, crumpling to her knees. The deep guttural groans while her bones cracked and the cartilage reformed was the definitive sound of torture.

Amber winced, watching Casey’s painful transformation, remembering all too well the pains herself and vowed to figure out a way to help her friend channel it better. She stood in awe, when the Silver Wolf rose and shook out her coat.

The Mother of all Weres.

She had known this. Casey could wear silver and not be affected. No other Were could do that. Bringing back people from the brink of death with a kiss. Seeing it right in front of her was almost enough to bring her to her knees in reverence. Tears stung her eyes when she looked at the Goddess Wolf.

But it was still Casey, which was why she had been brought into the wilderness. She needed training, but it was an honor to be in her presence.

Stepping back, Amber used her magic to flash the clothing from her body. Letting the fire ripple through her muscles, channeling the pain into the ground, she shifted into the Tigress.

She turned to the wolf,
“Ready?”

Raising her nose to scent the air, the Silver one replied,
“Yes.”
Then shook her coat out again when she caught a scent.
“Do you smell that?”

The Tigress opened her mouth to try and catch the scent, but the wolf’s nose was more advanced.
“Let me lead, and we’ll check it out.”

Curious, they took a route that led them away from civilization. The Tigress decided it was okay to follow the scent. Side by side, they tracked together, racing through the forest. They tried to outrun one another and took turns rousting and chasing small game. The wolf glared when the tiger leapt into a tree and startled an enormous owl.

The wolf let out a howl that echoed for miles, showing her delight.

Amber could tell Casey was enjoying herself. Braedyn would have taken it easy and not pushed her too hard. She knew her friend wanted to be challenged. They ran, hard. Paws pounding the ground in a heavy cadence, setting a backdrop of music to their escapades.

They ran for hours, and Amber was no longer certain where they were. Then a familiar scent hit her again and she narrowed her eyes. Opening her mouth, she tasted the air. It was a jaguar.

“Want to check it out?”
she asked the wolf and was greeted with an enthusiastic response.

They barreled through, chasing the scent until Amber realized with surprise they were at the Sorenson property. She urged the wolf to remain at the rear of the garden and went to further investigate. The scent was strong.