Chapter 2
"Now who exactly did Laurel tell you to call?" Jason wanted to know after we finished a late breakfast.
"Someone named Angel Redfern. Laurel said she's the leader of some Night World teen group. She might know a wolf we can talk to."
"And what about your contact?" I shrugged and picked up the phone, the number scrawled on a Post-It Note.
"I met Sage on Instant Messenger. It was a common interest we share in ancient time periods. When I mentioned foxglove just to be curious, he picked up on it right away and we got to calling each other every month or so. He's an Old-Soul who lost his parents when he was ten."
"He's an orphan too?"
"Yeah. He also belongs to this group- Hi, is Sage Carter there?"
"Yeah, he's here. Can I ask who's calling?" the male voice asked.
"My name is Ruby, and I'm a friend."
"I'll get him." A moment later, a deeper voice came on.
"Hello?"
"Sage? Hey, it's Ruby."
"Ruby, what's up?"
"Listen, could I meet you somewhere so we can talk?"
"Sure. There's a diner near my house called the Excaliber. Okay if a friend and I meet you there in half-an-hour?"
"Okay, we'll be there in half-an-hour. I'm bringing someone too."
"Ruby, are you all right?"
"It's a long story, Sage. Let's just say our pack met up with Hunters. I'll tell you details in half-an-hour." I hung up and turned to face Jason. "Call a cab so we can meet at the Excaliber Diner. Sage is also bringing a friend."
"Well, at least things are looking up."
* * *
We arrived at the diner and stepped inside to the smell of pastries, people, and pasta with just a hint of smoke. A man came out from behind the register counter and approached us. "Are you Miss Kitritch?" I nodded. "Mr. Carter is waiting for you. Please follow me." We walked down two small stairs and into the non-smoking section. Three large women in fur coats were kindly asking the waitress for the vegetarian menu. Oh yes, mustn't kill poor defenseless animals- the hypocrites. A young couple was busy staring dreamily into each other's eyes over a strawberry milkshake, but they definitely smelled human. Off in a secluded corner were two teen guys, and their gaze was centered on us. The stockier boy had hair in a crewcut that went from brown to black depending on how the light hit it. His hazel eyes were intense and filled with wisdom beyond his years. There was a hint of contained power right under his skin, but I only felt it because I was searching. He'd had practice in how to blend in with a crowd.
"You must be Sage. I'm Ruby, and this is Jason Lidonne," I introduced as we sat down across from them. Sage looked me over, then assessed Jason. The boy beside him never took his eyes from my face.
"I'm honored to meet you, Ruby, Jason. Allow me to introduce my best friend Peter Augustine." The silent teen brushed a lock of orange hair out of his hazel eyes and gave me a lop-sided grin. A dusting of freckles covered his nose and upper cheeks, giving him a childish appearance. His wiry frame gave no hint as to the muscles that were hidden beneath his baggy jeans and loose T-shirt. Jason narrowed his eyes at Peter, his power prickling my skin. I grabbed his arm, but he shook me off.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I whispered harshly.
"His "friend" is human." Both of us turned accusing eyes on the other wolf. Sage put up his hands in a calming gesture.
"Let me explain. Peter and I met on the streets, both of us having no parents. For a year I was able to hide my identity, but one day a thug robbed Peter of all the money for food that week. I came upon him being beaten up, and my animal instincts took over. It was sloppy of me to lose control of my emotions like that, but I had to help my friend. After that I told him everything about our world, but made him promise to keep it a secret."
"I've never met a human who didn't hate us," Jason shot back, his voice bitter and very cynical. After what we'd been through, I almost agreed.
"Now you have," Peter finally spoke up. "I would never reveal your secret." The waiter came up then, bringing a large doggy bag with him.
"Four Danishes to go. Have a nice day." All of us stood and walked out, waiting while Sage paid the small bill. He then told us to climb inside his ancient Volvo, and we drove off. Soon we came to a residential area.
"We going back to your place?" I wondered.
"No, we're taking you to see our friend. Perhaps Angel can help out," Sage commented. I was speechless for a moment.
"Angel Redfern?" Jason asked in minor disbelief.
"The one and only," Peter replied with a chuckle.
* * *
Right after burying our pack, Jason and I had met up with friends of ours. Laurel, Connor, and Daniella were local vampires we had worked with a few months back, and they were furious when they heard what had happened. Even Victoria, Laurel and Connor's eight year-old daughter, was ready to go on a hunt for the Hunters. "You'll find them, won't you, mommy? Aunt Daniella?" The two made-vampires smiled at each other. Both of them were assassins who worked for the made-vamp High Council. Daniella was almost three hundred, and her job was to find info and people. Laurel was ten years older, and she was the one who did the actual killing. Her husband Connor was only a year older and also an assassin, often accompanying Laurel if there was a group to deal with. Connor and Laurel had been betrothed back in 1689, but had only been married three months. Vicky had been a human that Laurel had brought over to save her life. Laurel took me aside and handed me a slip of paper with a phone number.
"What's this for?"
"Virginia isn't safe for you two anymore. This is the number of a lamia on Long Island. The High Council speaks of her with the utmost respect. When you get there I want you to call her. Angel Redfern runs a small group of Night World teens that call themselves Circle Starlight. I think you and Jason will fit in there."
"I have a wolf friend there alrea-" Laurel put a hand over my mouth and stared at me with cool, emerald eyes. I decided to keep quiet.
"Even though you might have contacts, the more people you know, the better off you'll be." I smiled and hugged her, slipping the paper into my pocket. I would take her advice.
"We'll keep in touch, I promise."
"We'll find those vermin, Ruby. I swear we will."
* * *
Sage pulled up in front of a blue-gray house that stood guard at the entrance to a wooded park. A black Ferrari was in the driveway and a blue Jeep was out in the street. "Angel's got company," Peter noted as we got out of the car and strode up the driveway.
"It's only Amber. Actually, I'm glad she's here," Sage answered.
"Why is that?" I wondered as he rang the bell.
"Amber is our Chronicler. She'll check out your pasts and give her findings to Angel. Then Angel, Kat, Blaise, and Amber will discuss whether to accept you or not."
"What if we don't want to join?" Jason demanded, folding his arms across his chest. A second later his eyes widened and he stood up a little straighter. I turned back to the door and saw a girl standing there with a smile on her face. Ice-blonde hair fell in silken strands a few inches past her shoulders, framing her pale face. Eyes of ice-blue were warm and friendly, but I sensed caution just under the surface. She had a delicate- looking frame, but an aura of cool power flared up as she locked eyes with first me, then Jason. "Is this Angel?" At his question the girl giggled, a blush lightly coloring her cheeks. Aside from this, a scarlet mouth was the only other color that stood out amid all her icy features.
"No, I'm only the lowly Chronicler. My name's Amber Johnson." I shook her outstretched hand and felt our auras brush. Within a millisecond I knew she was lamia, which was hardly surprising. "Oh good, we need more 'shifters. Come on in." We followed her into the spacious living room where a couple sat quietly on a beige couch, their eyes only for each other. At our entrance however, the girl shifted her gaze to us.
"Amber, you didn't tell me we had guests," her melodious voice intoned as she fluidly rose and glided over. Power breathed off her like a warm breeze; sweet and intoxicating like a fine wine. Hair of brown silk tumbled in permed curls all the way to her slender, swaying hips. Her eyes changed color from chocolate-brown to violet, and I knew that this must be the famed Angel Redfern. It is well known that only some born Redferns having shifting eyes, a trait that makes the bearer all the more seductive.
"My name is Ruby Kitritch, and this is Jason Lidonne. Our friend Laurel told us to contact you when we got here. That was before we knew Sage was a part of your Circle."
"And where did Laurel get my name from?" Those authoritative eyes were now centered directly on us, but I wasn't about to back down. It was a test of willpower, and I usually won these kinds of games. Jason shrunk behind me, placing his hands on my shoulders. I took his hand to let him know I would protect him. Give Jason another 'shifter, human, or witch to stand up to, and he would never flinch. Vampires worried him for some reason. But in this case, I couldn't blame him, as Angel creeped me out too.
"Laurel works for the High Council as an assassin." Angel's eyes softened, like she respected someone who was friends with hired killers. Though why that would make a difference, I didn't know. The man on the couch stood amid squeaking leather. From his trim hips to sturdy boots he was encased in the black material. A white silk shirt brought out the shimmering quality of his moonlight-white hair, and I glimpsed a pair of blue eyes underneath his bangs, though I couldn't quite describe the exact shade they were. Almost the color of the pre-dawn sky, but not exactly.
"Which High Council?" he inquired with a deep voice that seemed to promise pleasure in the dark.
"Laurel is a made-vampire, but her Council always spoke highly of the lamia, especially the Redferns. Your name was respectfully mentioned a few times, and a friend of hers finally found your number. I wanted to call Sage first. He never mentioned being a part of your group." Angel nodded as the man wrapped strong arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck. The way he moved was graceful and powerful, each move looking as though he'd choreographed it in his head. This closeness came too soon, and a tear slid down Jason's cheek. I kept a tight grip on his hand, not letting him run. Amber moved up beside us, but Sage gently pulled her back.
"Forgive me for being rude. Julian is my Shadow Man and a wise counselor when I need one," Angel introduced. I'd heard stories about the Shadow Men, but most weren't too nice. They played on people's fears and emotions, but apparently this one seemed spellbound by Angel.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," I replied, extending my free hand towards him. He took it and brought it to his lips, a feathery brush against my skin that sent chills up and down my spine. Oh boy, this was going to be one interesting group if we joined it.
"The pleasure is all mine." The sexual energy that rolled off him caught me by surprise and forced a gasp from my lips. As soon as the power touched me, I recoiled and set up a mental shield to block him. Unfortunately, Jason got the backwash of energy, and it was too much to handle. He struggled out of my grasp and bolted out the front door. Sage and I followed him after I disentangled myself from Julian's hand, and Peter was right behind us. Amber made a motion to come, but Angel grabbed her arm.
"Let the wolves deal with it. They aren't even part of the group, Amber." The younger lamia sighed and nodded sadly.
"Jason, slow down! Where are you going?" I called out as we chased him through the woods. Finally we caught up to him in a small clearing, and I grabbed for his hand. He wrenched violently away.
"Don't touch me!" The anger in his voice caught me off-guard.
"Jason, what's wrong?" Sage asked softly. Peter came up then, his chest heaving and face red from running so fast. For a human, he had remarkable endurance to chase 'shifters through the woods.
"Ruby, we don't belong here. Vampires can't possibly know about wolf packs. They all look down on us, and those girls are no better."
"Yes they are. They know a lot more than you could ever hope to know," Peter panted, anger flashing in his eyes. Jason tensed up and growled, his eyes bleeding to a rich chocolate-brown. Sage pushed Peter behind him while I faced my friend.
"You'll regret it, Jason. We can't afford to ostracize ourselves." He took a step closer, and I glimpsed canines in his mouth. A deep growl sounded in his throat. Power rolled off him, causing my chest to tighten. If I didn't calm him down now, things would get messy. "Think of Liona." At my words his face crumpled and he slumped to his knees on the ground. Sobs ripped from his chest as tears slid down my cheeks. Both Sage and I hugged him tight, and the other wolf put an arm around me too. With a small sigh of relief I saw Jason's eyes return to green. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Amber enter the clearing and center her gaze on us.
"I thought Angel told you to mind your own business?" Peter asked.
"She and Julian are busy, so I sneaked out. Besides, she doesn't rule everyone." I stood and walked over to her, trying to keep my own emotions under control. Now was not the time to lose my cool.
"We have nowhere else to go. Hunters wiped out our pack, and the only reason we came here was because of Sage and Laurel's insistence. If you really feel that we belong here, we'll stay. But if not, we have to go somewhere else." Amber took my hand and smiled sweetly. Underneath her icy exterior I sensed a genuine warmth and concern for us.
"Any friend of Sage's is a friend of mine. Come with me and you'll meet the rest of our Circle." Pulling Jason to his feet, the four of us followed the blonde lamia through a tangle of undergrowth and fallen logs until we came to a small ranch-style house the color of wet soil. Not bothering to knock or ring the bell, Amber walked right in the back door. A moment later she shrieked with laughter as a tall young man carried her back into the den. His dark-brown hair grew thinly down to the base of his neck, but remained short on the sides and in front. Amber reached up and tousled the mop, which looked as though he'd just woken up. Eyes of steel- gray took us all in, and I felt as if those eyes had seen the creation of life itself. While he didn't have a stocky build like Sage, muscles rippled subtly under his skin as he moved. I shook my head and tore my gaze from the vampire's, silently wondering just how old he really was. Peter noticed my confusion and silently mouthed "eighteen". Well, it was a small relief that he was my age.
"Hello," he greeted, waving at us with a half-smile.
"This is Marik Tyler. Marik, meet Ruby Kitritch and Jason Lidonne. They came here looking for a new pack," Amber introduced, quite pleased with herself. It was clear she had a thing for this guy.
"What happened to your old pack?" Marik wondered as he set Amber down and shook our hands.
"They were killed by Hunters," I quietly replied. The lamia nodded and gave me an understanding smile.
"We're all orphans here too." At that instant two shapes came barreling into the room, laughing and shouting as they chased each other. Amber and Marik leapt out of their way while the rest of us dove for cover.
"Austin, Katarina, watch where you're going! You almost killed our guests!" Amber chided as she crouched on top of a couch. The two laughing people stopped dead in their tracks and stared at us.
"Guests? We have guests?" the girl wanted to know. Her face brightened like a child's on Christmas morning when she saw us. "Well, hi there! I'm Kat Vatavitch." A Russian accent added flavor to her words, and she seemed thrilled with each syllable she got out. Brushing feathery, sunshine-blonde bangs out of her face, she came over and hugged me. With her small body, innocent grin, and intense purple eyes, the girl before me was reminiscent of a pixie. So young and fragile-looking, yet so full of life. "Say hi to the nice people, Austin."
"Hi to the nice people, Austin," the boy beside her echoed. Both of them giggled while Marik rolled his eyes and looked heavenward.
"Austin is my little brother, and the bane of my existence," he clarified. The younger Tyler brother turned amber eyes on Marik, tensing up his small body. While the top half was gangly, his thighs and legs were thickly muscled, and there was no doubt he was built for speed. Dirty- blonde hair was in the same style as Marik's, but his looked combed.
"Bane of your existence? You need me and you know it."
"I need you like I need a hole in the head."
"I can take care of that real eas-"
"Boys!" Kat and Amber both shouted, interrupting their banter. The Tylers immediately shut their mouths and looked at their feet. Kat turned with a smile and winked at me.
"Women rule this group. You'll get used to it." I smiled back.
"I think I'm going to like it here." The doorbell rang then, and Marik went to answer it. He returned with a girl who was absolutely drop- dead gorgeous. Eyes of smoke-gray were heavily lashed, and one could easily be mesmerized by them. Hair the color of the blackest night was fluffed out around her shoulders. Full breasts strained against her burgundy shirt, leading down to a flat stomach and finally came to trim hips and slender thighs. By the smirk on her scarlet mouth I knew that she knew she looked every bit like a goddess.
"Meet Aphrodite-incarnate. This is Blaise Harman," Sage spoke up, appearing rather bored by her. Blaise looked me up and down, her smile widening a little. But when she set her eyes on Jason, the smile widened into a full-blown grin. What was she so happy about?
"He yours?" she inquired of me in a husky voice, hips swaying as she walked over. She ran long red nails lightly down Jason's cheek, but he didn't even bat an eye. This caused her to frown.
"Jason is my pack-mate."
"Mate as in friend, or are you involved?" At that question Jason blushed and stepped away from her. I noticed that all the other boys were watching him intently, and the two other girls were staring at me. I had a feeling a showdown was going on, but I didn't know any of the rules or what we were supposed to do next. Dominance battles I handled, but control in a relationship was beyond me.
"We lost our mates when Hunters killed our pack," I told her, a spark of power jumping between us. She looked surprised, as if no one had ever challenged her before. Always good to start something new. I also hoped that this would be the last time I retold the reason why we were here.
"My condolences. He is under your protection, but I'll try again later," she replied, turning to Amber and Kat. "Angel wants us all back at the house. Something regarding our new friends." The girls nodded and motioned us to follow them. Austin took hold of Kat's hand once we were outside, Blaise walking next to them. Sage and Peter brought up the rear while Marik and Amber stayed near Jason and me. The whole twenty-minute journey I kept running scenarios through my head about what could've happened that would warrant an almost-emergency convening of this small group.
"Now who exactly did Laurel tell you to call?" Jason wanted to know after we finished a late breakfast.
"Someone named Angel Redfern. Laurel said she's the leader of some Night World teen group. She might know a wolf we can talk to."
"And what about your contact?" I shrugged and picked up the phone, the number scrawled on a Post-It Note.
"I met Sage on Instant Messenger. It was a common interest we share in ancient time periods. When I mentioned foxglove just to be curious, he picked up on it right away and we got to calling each other every month or so. He's an Old-Soul who lost his parents when he was ten."
"He's an orphan too?"
"Yeah. He also belongs to this group- Hi, is Sage Carter there?"
"Yeah, he's here. Can I ask who's calling?" the male voice asked.
"My name is Ruby, and I'm a friend."
"I'll get him." A moment later, a deeper voice came on.
"Hello?"
"Sage? Hey, it's Ruby."
"Ruby, what's up?"
"Listen, could I meet you somewhere so we can talk?"
"Sure. There's a diner near my house called the Excaliber. Okay if a friend and I meet you there in half-an-hour?"
"Okay, we'll be there in half-an-hour. I'm bringing someone too."
"Ruby, are you all right?"
"It's a long story, Sage. Let's just say our pack met up with Hunters. I'll tell you details in half-an-hour." I hung up and turned to face Jason. "Call a cab so we can meet at the Excaliber Diner. Sage is also bringing a friend."
"Well, at least things are looking up."
* * *
We arrived at the diner and stepped inside to the smell of pastries, people, and pasta with just a hint of smoke. A man came out from behind the register counter and approached us. "Are you Miss Kitritch?" I nodded. "Mr. Carter is waiting for you. Please follow me." We walked down two small stairs and into the non-smoking section. Three large women in fur coats were kindly asking the waitress for the vegetarian menu. Oh yes, mustn't kill poor defenseless animals- the hypocrites. A young couple was busy staring dreamily into each other's eyes over a strawberry milkshake, but they definitely smelled human. Off in a secluded corner were two teen guys, and their gaze was centered on us. The stockier boy had hair in a crewcut that went from brown to black depending on how the light hit it. His hazel eyes were intense and filled with wisdom beyond his years. There was a hint of contained power right under his skin, but I only felt it because I was searching. He'd had practice in how to blend in with a crowd.
"You must be Sage. I'm Ruby, and this is Jason Lidonne," I introduced as we sat down across from them. Sage looked me over, then assessed Jason. The boy beside him never took his eyes from my face.
"I'm honored to meet you, Ruby, Jason. Allow me to introduce my best friend Peter Augustine." The silent teen brushed a lock of orange hair out of his hazel eyes and gave me a lop-sided grin. A dusting of freckles covered his nose and upper cheeks, giving him a childish appearance. His wiry frame gave no hint as to the muscles that were hidden beneath his baggy jeans and loose T-shirt. Jason narrowed his eyes at Peter, his power prickling my skin. I grabbed his arm, but he shook me off.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I whispered harshly.
"His "friend" is human." Both of us turned accusing eyes on the other wolf. Sage put up his hands in a calming gesture.
"Let me explain. Peter and I met on the streets, both of us having no parents. For a year I was able to hide my identity, but one day a thug robbed Peter of all the money for food that week. I came upon him being beaten up, and my animal instincts took over. It was sloppy of me to lose control of my emotions like that, but I had to help my friend. After that I told him everything about our world, but made him promise to keep it a secret."
"I've never met a human who didn't hate us," Jason shot back, his voice bitter and very cynical. After what we'd been through, I almost agreed.
"Now you have," Peter finally spoke up. "I would never reveal your secret." The waiter came up then, bringing a large doggy bag with him.
"Four Danishes to go. Have a nice day." All of us stood and walked out, waiting while Sage paid the small bill. He then told us to climb inside his ancient Volvo, and we drove off. Soon we came to a residential area.
"We going back to your place?" I wondered.
"No, we're taking you to see our friend. Perhaps Angel can help out," Sage commented. I was speechless for a moment.
"Angel Redfern?" Jason asked in minor disbelief.
"The one and only," Peter replied with a chuckle.
* * *
Right after burying our pack, Jason and I had met up with friends of ours. Laurel, Connor, and Daniella were local vampires we had worked with a few months back, and they were furious when they heard what had happened. Even Victoria, Laurel and Connor's eight year-old daughter, was ready to go on a hunt for the Hunters. "You'll find them, won't you, mommy? Aunt Daniella?" The two made-vampires smiled at each other. Both of them were assassins who worked for the made-vamp High Council. Daniella was almost three hundred, and her job was to find info and people. Laurel was ten years older, and she was the one who did the actual killing. Her husband Connor was only a year older and also an assassin, often accompanying Laurel if there was a group to deal with. Connor and Laurel had been betrothed back in 1689, but had only been married three months. Vicky had been a human that Laurel had brought over to save her life. Laurel took me aside and handed me a slip of paper with a phone number.
"What's this for?"
"Virginia isn't safe for you two anymore. This is the number of a lamia on Long Island. The High Council speaks of her with the utmost respect. When you get there I want you to call her. Angel Redfern runs a small group of Night World teens that call themselves Circle Starlight. I think you and Jason will fit in there."
"I have a wolf friend there alrea-" Laurel put a hand over my mouth and stared at me with cool, emerald eyes. I decided to keep quiet.
"Even though you might have contacts, the more people you know, the better off you'll be." I smiled and hugged her, slipping the paper into my pocket. I would take her advice.
"We'll keep in touch, I promise."
"We'll find those vermin, Ruby. I swear we will."
* * *
Sage pulled up in front of a blue-gray house that stood guard at the entrance to a wooded park. A black Ferrari was in the driveway and a blue Jeep was out in the street. "Angel's got company," Peter noted as we got out of the car and strode up the driveway.
"It's only Amber. Actually, I'm glad she's here," Sage answered.
"Why is that?" I wondered as he rang the bell.
"Amber is our Chronicler. She'll check out your pasts and give her findings to Angel. Then Angel, Kat, Blaise, and Amber will discuss whether to accept you or not."
"What if we don't want to join?" Jason demanded, folding his arms across his chest. A second later his eyes widened and he stood up a little straighter. I turned back to the door and saw a girl standing there with a smile on her face. Ice-blonde hair fell in silken strands a few inches past her shoulders, framing her pale face. Eyes of ice-blue were warm and friendly, but I sensed caution just under the surface. She had a delicate- looking frame, but an aura of cool power flared up as she locked eyes with first me, then Jason. "Is this Angel?" At his question the girl giggled, a blush lightly coloring her cheeks. Aside from this, a scarlet mouth was the only other color that stood out amid all her icy features.
"No, I'm only the lowly Chronicler. My name's Amber Johnson." I shook her outstretched hand and felt our auras brush. Within a millisecond I knew she was lamia, which was hardly surprising. "Oh good, we need more 'shifters. Come on in." We followed her into the spacious living room where a couple sat quietly on a beige couch, their eyes only for each other. At our entrance however, the girl shifted her gaze to us.
"Amber, you didn't tell me we had guests," her melodious voice intoned as she fluidly rose and glided over. Power breathed off her like a warm breeze; sweet and intoxicating like a fine wine. Hair of brown silk tumbled in permed curls all the way to her slender, swaying hips. Her eyes changed color from chocolate-brown to violet, and I knew that this must be the famed Angel Redfern. It is well known that only some born Redferns having shifting eyes, a trait that makes the bearer all the more seductive.
"My name is Ruby Kitritch, and this is Jason Lidonne. Our friend Laurel told us to contact you when we got here. That was before we knew Sage was a part of your Circle."
"And where did Laurel get my name from?" Those authoritative eyes were now centered directly on us, but I wasn't about to back down. It was a test of willpower, and I usually won these kinds of games. Jason shrunk behind me, placing his hands on my shoulders. I took his hand to let him know I would protect him. Give Jason another 'shifter, human, or witch to stand up to, and he would never flinch. Vampires worried him for some reason. But in this case, I couldn't blame him, as Angel creeped me out too.
"Laurel works for the High Council as an assassin." Angel's eyes softened, like she respected someone who was friends with hired killers. Though why that would make a difference, I didn't know. The man on the couch stood amid squeaking leather. From his trim hips to sturdy boots he was encased in the black material. A white silk shirt brought out the shimmering quality of his moonlight-white hair, and I glimpsed a pair of blue eyes underneath his bangs, though I couldn't quite describe the exact shade they were. Almost the color of the pre-dawn sky, but not exactly.
"Which High Council?" he inquired with a deep voice that seemed to promise pleasure in the dark.
"Laurel is a made-vampire, but her Council always spoke highly of the lamia, especially the Redferns. Your name was respectfully mentioned a few times, and a friend of hers finally found your number. I wanted to call Sage first. He never mentioned being a part of your group." Angel nodded as the man wrapped strong arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck. The way he moved was graceful and powerful, each move looking as though he'd choreographed it in his head. This closeness came too soon, and a tear slid down Jason's cheek. I kept a tight grip on his hand, not letting him run. Amber moved up beside us, but Sage gently pulled her back.
"Forgive me for being rude. Julian is my Shadow Man and a wise counselor when I need one," Angel introduced. I'd heard stories about the Shadow Men, but most weren't too nice. They played on people's fears and emotions, but apparently this one seemed spellbound by Angel.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," I replied, extending my free hand towards him. He took it and brought it to his lips, a feathery brush against my skin that sent chills up and down my spine. Oh boy, this was going to be one interesting group if we joined it.
"The pleasure is all mine." The sexual energy that rolled off him caught me by surprise and forced a gasp from my lips. As soon as the power touched me, I recoiled and set up a mental shield to block him. Unfortunately, Jason got the backwash of energy, and it was too much to handle. He struggled out of my grasp and bolted out the front door. Sage and I followed him after I disentangled myself from Julian's hand, and Peter was right behind us. Amber made a motion to come, but Angel grabbed her arm.
"Let the wolves deal with it. They aren't even part of the group, Amber." The younger lamia sighed and nodded sadly.
"Jason, slow down! Where are you going?" I called out as we chased him through the woods. Finally we caught up to him in a small clearing, and I grabbed for his hand. He wrenched violently away.
"Don't touch me!" The anger in his voice caught me off-guard.
"Jason, what's wrong?" Sage asked softly. Peter came up then, his chest heaving and face red from running so fast. For a human, he had remarkable endurance to chase 'shifters through the woods.
"Ruby, we don't belong here. Vampires can't possibly know about wolf packs. They all look down on us, and those girls are no better."
"Yes they are. They know a lot more than you could ever hope to know," Peter panted, anger flashing in his eyes. Jason tensed up and growled, his eyes bleeding to a rich chocolate-brown. Sage pushed Peter behind him while I faced my friend.
"You'll regret it, Jason. We can't afford to ostracize ourselves." He took a step closer, and I glimpsed canines in his mouth. A deep growl sounded in his throat. Power rolled off him, causing my chest to tighten. If I didn't calm him down now, things would get messy. "Think of Liona." At my words his face crumpled and he slumped to his knees on the ground. Sobs ripped from his chest as tears slid down my cheeks. Both Sage and I hugged him tight, and the other wolf put an arm around me too. With a small sigh of relief I saw Jason's eyes return to green. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Amber enter the clearing and center her gaze on us.
"I thought Angel told you to mind your own business?" Peter asked.
"She and Julian are busy, so I sneaked out. Besides, she doesn't rule everyone." I stood and walked over to her, trying to keep my own emotions under control. Now was not the time to lose my cool.
"We have nowhere else to go. Hunters wiped out our pack, and the only reason we came here was because of Sage and Laurel's insistence. If you really feel that we belong here, we'll stay. But if not, we have to go somewhere else." Amber took my hand and smiled sweetly. Underneath her icy exterior I sensed a genuine warmth and concern for us.
"Any friend of Sage's is a friend of mine. Come with me and you'll meet the rest of our Circle." Pulling Jason to his feet, the four of us followed the blonde lamia through a tangle of undergrowth and fallen logs until we came to a small ranch-style house the color of wet soil. Not bothering to knock or ring the bell, Amber walked right in the back door. A moment later she shrieked with laughter as a tall young man carried her back into the den. His dark-brown hair grew thinly down to the base of his neck, but remained short on the sides and in front. Amber reached up and tousled the mop, which looked as though he'd just woken up. Eyes of steel- gray took us all in, and I felt as if those eyes had seen the creation of life itself. While he didn't have a stocky build like Sage, muscles rippled subtly under his skin as he moved. I shook my head and tore my gaze from the vampire's, silently wondering just how old he really was. Peter noticed my confusion and silently mouthed "eighteen". Well, it was a small relief that he was my age.
"Hello," he greeted, waving at us with a half-smile.
"This is Marik Tyler. Marik, meet Ruby Kitritch and Jason Lidonne. They came here looking for a new pack," Amber introduced, quite pleased with herself. It was clear she had a thing for this guy.
"What happened to your old pack?" Marik wondered as he set Amber down and shook our hands.
"They were killed by Hunters," I quietly replied. The lamia nodded and gave me an understanding smile.
"We're all orphans here too." At that instant two shapes came barreling into the room, laughing and shouting as they chased each other. Amber and Marik leapt out of their way while the rest of us dove for cover.
"Austin, Katarina, watch where you're going! You almost killed our guests!" Amber chided as she crouched on top of a couch. The two laughing people stopped dead in their tracks and stared at us.
"Guests? We have guests?" the girl wanted to know. Her face brightened like a child's on Christmas morning when she saw us. "Well, hi there! I'm Kat Vatavitch." A Russian accent added flavor to her words, and she seemed thrilled with each syllable she got out. Brushing feathery, sunshine-blonde bangs out of her face, she came over and hugged me. With her small body, innocent grin, and intense purple eyes, the girl before me was reminiscent of a pixie. So young and fragile-looking, yet so full of life. "Say hi to the nice people, Austin."
"Hi to the nice people, Austin," the boy beside her echoed. Both of them giggled while Marik rolled his eyes and looked heavenward.
"Austin is my little brother, and the bane of my existence," he clarified. The younger Tyler brother turned amber eyes on Marik, tensing up his small body. While the top half was gangly, his thighs and legs were thickly muscled, and there was no doubt he was built for speed. Dirty- blonde hair was in the same style as Marik's, but his looked combed.
"Bane of your existence? You need me and you know it."
"I need you like I need a hole in the head."
"I can take care of that real eas-"
"Boys!" Kat and Amber both shouted, interrupting their banter. The Tylers immediately shut their mouths and looked at their feet. Kat turned with a smile and winked at me.
"Women rule this group. You'll get used to it." I smiled back.
"I think I'm going to like it here." The doorbell rang then, and Marik went to answer it. He returned with a girl who was absolutely drop- dead gorgeous. Eyes of smoke-gray were heavily lashed, and one could easily be mesmerized by them. Hair the color of the blackest night was fluffed out around her shoulders. Full breasts strained against her burgundy shirt, leading down to a flat stomach and finally came to trim hips and slender thighs. By the smirk on her scarlet mouth I knew that she knew she looked every bit like a goddess.
"Meet Aphrodite-incarnate. This is Blaise Harman," Sage spoke up, appearing rather bored by her. Blaise looked me up and down, her smile widening a little. But when she set her eyes on Jason, the smile widened into a full-blown grin. What was she so happy about?
"He yours?" she inquired of me in a husky voice, hips swaying as she walked over. She ran long red nails lightly down Jason's cheek, but he didn't even bat an eye. This caused her to frown.
"Jason is my pack-mate."
"Mate as in friend, or are you involved?" At that question Jason blushed and stepped away from her. I noticed that all the other boys were watching him intently, and the two other girls were staring at me. I had a feeling a showdown was going on, but I didn't know any of the rules or what we were supposed to do next. Dominance battles I handled, but control in a relationship was beyond me.
"We lost our mates when Hunters killed our pack," I told her, a spark of power jumping between us. She looked surprised, as if no one had ever challenged her before. Always good to start something new. I also hoped that this would be the last time I retold the reason why we were here.
"My condolences. He is under your protection, but I'll try again later," she replied, turning to Amber and Kat. "Angel wants us all back at the house. Something regarding our new friends." The girls nodded and motioned us to follow them. Austin took hold of Kat's hand once we were outside, Blaise walking next to them. Sage and Peter brought up the rear while Marik and Amber stayed near Jason and me. The whole twenty-minute journey I kept running scenarios through my head about what could've happened that would warrant an almost-emergency convening of this small group.