Shadow Walker (9 page)

Amber took note of all the expensive décor, even in the elevator. It made her feel like the entire structure would crumble were she to sneeze. “Please tell me your place isn’t decorated this way,” she whispered, afraid to speak too loud.

Casey laughed and shook her head. “No, I promise, it’s very basic. I surrounded myself with what I love most.” Stepping off the elevator, she led the way to her apartment and unlocked the door.

Standing there a moment, Amber watched the churn of emotions shift through her friend. The atmosphere seemed…cold…distant. The apartment was sparsely furnished and everything inside was black, white, and grey.

“Hey…it’s gonna be all right Casey, I promise. We won’t be gone long and then we can pack everything up and sell or rent this place out.”

The blonde sniffed and set her bag down. “I guess, I didn’t realize my apartment felt this way. So desolate, empty. After just saying…”

Amber took a deep breath and walked into the living room. It was furnished with a large overstuffed black leather sofa and matching loveseat and armchair. The tables were black and glass. The portraits on the walls were of nature scenes in black and white. The few decorative plants were in pale grays and white. She stopped in front of an enormous black and white portrait of a tree. The sunlight was coming down through the branches. Her eyes were drawn to it.

Casey walked over and stood next to her. “I took that out in the Cabinets about eight years ago. I liked it so much I blew it up and framed it. This tree is one of my favorite places to go whenever I go there. I’ve always loved that tree.”

“You took all of these?” She walked through the room, looking at all of the different pictures.

“Most of them.”

“You’ve never been in my place, have you?” Amber leaned forward to look at a collage of smaller photos.

“No, I haven’t actually. Why?”

“I don’t have anything like this. No decorations.” She took a deep breath and turned to look at Casey. “I…I have plants, you know, I’m an herbalist after all. There are some things that Aquene has made for me. A few dream catchers and blankets. But there are no pictures. No paintings. There’s nothing adorning my walls. Though my place is considerably smaller…and
far
less furnished…the feeling is much the same, Casey. But we already knew that we were a lot alike, didn’t we? We’ve both just been going through the motions for some time now. It’s amazing how things have changed in a month’s time, isn’t it?”

Casey smiled and nodded. “Yes. This isn’t my life anymore.”

“No, it isn’t. The first thing we’re going to do when we get back is completely redecorate my bungalow. Are you game to help?”

“You bet. Want some coffee?”

“You read my mind.” With a grin, she followed Casey into the kitchen.

* * * *

Amber pulled out her small laptop and began a search of the Seattle region. When Dori called, she informed them the shoot would be done at the client’s parental estate just on the outskirts of Seattle proper. Which to her meant, about thirty miles in the country. Perfect for the full moon. The Olympic National Forest was near with plenty of room for both a wolf and a white Siberian tiger to run unnoticed.

Listening in on the arguments over the phone, she realized how much stress Casey really was under. The calm, cool, and collected woman she’d come to know could be a serious bitch when pressed.

“No I won’t be bringing a full crew, just two assistants, Gary.” Casey took a deep breath and paced back and forth at the foot of the bed. A suitcase was open and occasionally an outfit was tossed in between rants.

“If you feel others are needed, feel free to hire them. I have cut everything back, and I know how you are about privacy. My equipment is minimal and the three of us can carry it.” After a few minutes the cell phone was tossed on the bed. “I’m so ready for it to be over. Gary Weiss is an absolute asshole. I’ve worked with him before with other clients.”

“So, tell me how you really feel?”

Casey laughed and tossed a few more things into the suitcase. “I just need to put on my professional face again and we’ll be fine.”

While she finished packing, Amber ambled to the kitchen and proceeded to make another pot of coffee and toasted some bagels.

“Dori will be here in a few minutes. She’s bringing the cab and will ride to the airport with us.” With a deep breath, the blonde leaned against the counter and picked up her coffee. “How are we going to manage the shift with Dori being there?”

“How do you handle a shoot like this?”

“When we’ve wrapped for the day we’ll go prowling, clubbing, or out to eat.”

Amber raised her brows. “I didn’t peg you as the type, Casey.”

She cleared her throat and stated rather modestly, “I’ve not
always
been a good girl.”

A smirk played around the edge of her mouth. It was a struggle to keep it at bay. “I’m starting to see that.”

Breakfast was eaten, and within the hour Casey’s cell rang again. This time it was Dori informing them she was in the parking lot waiting with the cab. Lugging their suitcases, they took the elevator down.

Dori waited in a huge taxi van, the back packed with two enormous cases of equipment and her personal suitcase.

Amber eyed the exotic, deep-blue-eyed Greek as she tossed her bag into the rear of the van.

“Dori, this is Amber Vaughn. Amber, this is Dorian Xanthis, my assistant.”

She had medium brown hair with copper and blonde streaks and was evenly tanned with a small spattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks. Dori smiled, revealing too-white teeth and extended a super hyper-caffeinated hand. The woman’s body vibrated with energy when she stepped back and took her in with the critical eye only an artist possessed.

“Gods! You’re gorgeous! Casey, have you thought of shooting her?” She beamed and helped them store their suitcases.

“Dori, just how much coffee have you consumed?”

“Half a pot. I had to make sure all your stuff was packed, and I know how picky you can be.”

The ride to the airport was a mix of Dori filling Casey in on the location of the shoot and her ideas of what they could do with the scenery. Amber tuned her out. The rush through the airport wasn’t too hectic, they were on a private jet. By the time they reached the gate, their things had already been stowed.

Preferring to listen and watch, Amber curled up in the seat and found herself dozing off before long. Just prior to landing, she sat up. Dori was asleep with ear buds in listening to her mp3 player. Casey was staring out the window.

“Everything all right?”

“I guess.” She looked over at Dori and sighed. “Just nervous about the impending…you know…”

“It’ll be fine. I’ve done all the research. Tomorrow night, we’ll be safe.”

“We’ll be landing in about ten minutes ladies,” the pilot called over the intercom.

Dori blinked and sat up, pulling the ear buds out. She stretched, looking somewhat groggy, and shook her head. “Damn I hate flying. Hmm…” Bending down she pulled a piece of paper from beneath the edge of the seat. “Betcha I know who it is we’re working with.” With a grin she passed it to Casey.

“Fucking hell…” Casey groaned and balled up the paper.

Amber raised her brows, not used to hearing her friend use that word.

“It’s Aaron Sorenson. He’s a yuppie kid trying to make a name for himself. He’s a former child-star who has done relatively nothing since. Just a late twenty-something with too much money and his hand in a lot of pockets. A pretty face and sculpted body on the board of a lot of big name companies.” Casey shook her head. “Why in the hell are we doing this shoot? He has nothing real to offer unless this is to unveil something he’s finally ventured to do on his own.”

“Come on, don’t do this now. We have to get through this last shoot, okay? I need this on my resume since I will no longer have a job after this, remember?” Dori’s gaze was very pointed. “We’ve done these
countless
times and came through without killing the client, we can do it again.”

Amber covered her grin and looked out the window to avoid drawing the wrath of her friend.

“Fine…I just really hate this,” Casey grumped.

The plane landed and instead of taxiing to the airport, the jet stopped near a small fleet of black SUV’s. The Tigress perked up, alert.

“Two trucks? Seriously? We were able to fit everything into a freakin’ van…” Casey grumbled under her breath while they disembarked into the frigid and damp cold of Seattle.

By the time Amber made it to the bottom of the small flight of stairs, most of their equipment had been unloaded and put into one of the waiting SUVs.

“Need any help gentlemen?” she couldn’t resist asking with a smirk.

Casey laughed and put a hand on her arm. “Now wouldn’t be the time to show your physical prowess. I think those guys are body guards anyway,” she whispered.

“And I’m not?” Amber grinned at Casey and shrugged.

“Not looking for trouble already, are you?”

“Who knows?” She glanced back at the huge guys while they finished loading all of the equipment and their bags. “What are we supposed to ride in? I think those guys and the equipment are pretty much going to fill up both vehicles.”

“Not sure. Usually Weiss is right here to greet me when I get off the plane.” Casey scanned the tarmac and back at the guys again. “Where’s Weiss?” she hollered over the roar of the jet engine.

“Not here, we’re just to gather your equipment,” a large, bald black gentleman said turning to look at Casey. The muscles in his arms rippled, and he turned to look at Amber and Dori. “He’ll meet up with you in the morning. Something unexpected has come up.”

Using her sense of smell, Amber called the Tigress forth, and felt Casey doing the same with her wolf. An unforeseen change of plans was a normal thing. But they didn’t lead normal lives anymore. The unexpected always had new meaning. The Tigress sensed no immediate danger, but that didn’t mean she was ready to let down her guard.

A black car drove down the tarmac and stopped a few feet away from them.

“Weiss has never sent a car for me before. I usually get a cab.” Casey frowned, but squared her shoulders when the driver stepped out.

“Ms. Maynard?”

“It’s Walker now, but yes.”

He smiled and opened the rear door. “I am here to escort you to your hotel. Ladies?”

Dori smiled and shrugged before slipping into the car. Casey exchanged a glance with Amber before following suit. The Tigress came forward when Amber neared the driver, and then settled back. There was no concern here.

She settled in and turned to her friend. “So, you don’t normally get the star treatment when you do these things?”

Casey scoffed. “Not like this. Depending upon the venue, I usually hire my own staff and drivers.”

The driver slid into the car and caught Amber’s gaze in the mirror. “Is there anywhere I can take you ladies prior to the hotel?”

They looked at each other, and Casey answered for them. “No thank you. I think we’d just like to settle in and eat a good dinner so we can be on our game tomorrow morning.”

The blonde’s nerves were unsettled for a few reasons, Amber realized. This shoot wasn’t going the way things were supposed to. She wasn’t in control. It didn’t help the full moon was the following evening.

They arrived at the hotel soon after and check in was painless.

“I bet you guys are pretty jetlagged, huh?” Dori asked, pausing outside their door.

“A little, why?” Casey stifled a yawn.

“I’ve never been to Seattle before with a little time to kill.”

“And you don’t want to go out alone?” Amber assumed.

Dori smiled and batted her lashes.

Unable to contain it, Amber laughed and shook her head. “I’m not sociable by any means. We’d probably get into a fight and booted out before you finished your first drink. I’m not a good person to hang out with like that.”

“Come on! You didn’t even have a bachelorette party, Casey.”

“No way. Braedyn would kill me if I let that happen.” Amber shook her head adamantly. “And so would her brother.”

“Dammit.” Dori pouted. “No fair.”

* * * *

“Two weeks,” Casey groaned and tossed the remote on the coffee table. “I can’t handle being away from Braedyn for two weeks.”

Two weeks
, Amber gave an inward groan.

“I’m so sorry, all I’m doing is whining.” Casey sighed and ran her hands through her hair. “I’m not a big television fan and all the movies out now are nothing but remakes that fall far short of the originals.” Stirring from the couch, she rambled through the mini-fridge.

“Ooh, are we drinking?” Amber propped on the back of the too soft couch, watching her friend rifle through it.

“How much does it take to get a Were drunk?”

“A lot more than is in the tiny little fridge, for just
one
of us.”

“Ugh…damn. Then it isn’t even worth starting out.”

Amber nodded toward the window and the gorgeous view of Seattle. “I’m sure we could find something down there.”

“I really don’t want to go out. I am tired and just want to wallow in my misery right now.”

“I know how you feel.” She grabbed one of the couch pillows and hugged it to her chest.

“Are you ready to talk yet?”

How could she talk about something so foreign to her? “I…I don’t know how, Casey.”

“To talk about it? Or feel it?”

“Both.”

“Okay.” Casey sat on the back of the couch. “I know you didn’t have the best of upbringings. While Dean and I weren’t abused…our mother left us at an early age, leaving just Dad to raise us. He did his best, and from what I’ve seen, Dean has turned out to be…about as close to the perfect guy as you can get.”

Amber scoffed, shaking her head. “Way to talk up your brother.”

“Yeah, you think I’m kidding? No guys could ever hold a candle to my father and my brother, and it didn’t take me long to figure that out. They set the bar.” Casey leaned over and laid a hand on her shoulder. “When you’re ready and can find the words, I’m here, okay? But in the meantime, I think I’m going to change out of these clothes and call Braedyn.”