CHAPTER 4
Coming and Going
Eliot glanced over his shoulder as he headed up the stairs in his houseboat. Gemma was on the narrow deck out back, leaning against the railing, watching the boats go by. While she was content and distracted, Eliot hurried up the stairs and went to a small safe he'd hidden under a vent cover under the bed.
He pulled a small box out of the safe and pushed the lid open. Three rings were in the box. The largest one was a wide plain gold band that had belonged to his grandfather. The two smaller ones had belonged to his grandmother. She'd gifted the rings to him years ago and he'd hung onto them through all of the years in between. They'd been kept in a safety deposit box for years, but he'd moved them to this small safe not long after he'd come clean to Gemma about being a werewolf. He slipped the little box into his jacket pocket and replaced the vent cover over the safe.
Gemma was waiting at the bottom of the stairs when Eliot returned. "This place is so quiet."
Eliot snorted. "That's because the rest of the pack is somewhere else." He held out a hand and smiled as she laced her fingers between his.
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Nate tossed a set of boxers onto the stack of clothes next to his suitcase. "I think someone needs to sit Nati down and get some straight answers."
Sophie smiled and shook her head. "Nate, by now you should be well accustomed to the strange and mysterious."
"Humph." He tossed a couple of shirts next to the growing stack. "Doesn't mean I have to like it."
"No. I suppose not." Sophie smiled fondly at him.
Nate looked up with a frown at the soft tone of Sophie's words. "It doesn't bother you that we don't know what's happening? That we don't have any real control over any of this?"
Sophie, who was well accustomed to reading every bit of body language and tone from all her years as a grifter, paused as she took in Nate's aggressive body language and surly tone. "Take off that necklace for a moment will you." She slipped her own off as well and held out her hand to take Nate's.
Nate removed the necklace and felt his ears pop. He tugged at an earlobe to sooth the sensation. "What was that about?"
"I think these things are a little more effective than advertised." Sophie felt a tension ease from between her shoulders. The urge to manipulate the people and the situation around her faded to the background urge that was always there but seldom used outside of a con anymore.
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Quinn had nearly finished casing the gallery when Ewen joined them in front of a painting of an ugly, large-nosed, old man, in a court jester's outfit.
"Nati girl, that guard's been starin' daggers at ye fer the last five minutes." Ewen whispered as he wrapped an arm across Nati's shoulders and tugged her into his side.
"The docent is trying to figure out if Nati is the person they're looking for." Quinn tried to hide his smile. Parker had sent an anonymous tip/threat to the museum letting them know a dark-haired woman was planning to deface an artwork. Quinn showed Parker's text to Nati and Ewen.
"That wee shite!" Ewen growled softly. "Whatever would she be doin' that for?"
Nati chuckled and looked right at one of the security cameras giving it a wink. She rested her head on Ewen's shoulder. "I imagine it's somethin' te do with response times and security measures." Her comment was quiet enough that no one past the three of them could have heard her.
"And on that note, I think it's time to be going." Quinn smiled as he led them to the nearest exit.
Two of the security guards were making their way toward Quinn's little group as they headed for the stairs. Taking a look around Quinn could see that they couldn't get to the elevators or any of the other exits before the guards would be on them. "Parker, was this really necessary?" Quinn hissed.
Suddenly a large group of tourists, all wearing headphones, veered between the security guards and Quinn.
"You're welcome." Hardison sounded smug over the earbuds and Quinn had no trouble picturing his face.
"What did ye do?" Ewen asked as the three of them hustled to the next set of stairs.
"Just redirected the walking audio tour a little." Hardison smiled. "Now that the tours are kept digitally and uploaded to the listener's device, it's given me a new toy to play with."
The three of them hurried down the stairs and out of the gallery. Hardison pulled up next to the curb and everyone piled into the van.
Ewen caught a look at the security team that had followed them to the door, as they drove past. With a growl and a flash of yellow eyes he turned toward Parker. "What were ye thinking? Callin' down the guard on Nati like that?!"
Quinn shoved between Ewen and Parker and with a push overbalanced Ewen causing him to stumble and fall on his butt. "Back Off!" Quinn let his eyes go blue.
"It's okay." Nati set a hand on Ewen's shoulder. "No harm done."
Quinn waited a moment and when nothing else happened, he settled on the floor of the van between Parker and Hardison, facing Ewen and Nati. "Did you get what you needed, Parker?"
"Yep." Parker let the 'p' pop as she navigated through something on the tablet in her hands.
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Gemma enjoyed the warm rough feeling of Eliot's hand in hers. He worked with his hands all the time and even his remarkable werewolf healing abilities couldn't remove the calluses that had developed over the years.
As they got to the door that led to the loft, she noticed the subtle stiffening of Eliot's posture and the tilt of his head that told her he was hearing something that she wasn't.
"Everything okay?" She gave his hand a little squeeze before she let him go.
"Maybe." He gave her a quick half smile. "Just pack drama… I think." He consciously relaxed his shoulders as he pushed open the door and stepped into the loft.
Nate and Sophie both turned as though they'd been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
"Back already?" Sophie's too bright grifter voice was in full swing.
Eliot arched an eyebrow at her and looked to Nate.
"Parker and Hardison on their way up?" Nate glanced past Eliot's shoulder toward the door.
"What's going on?" Eliot took a deep breath and started to cross his arms but stopped the motion and pulled Gemma in front of him, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.
Gemma relaxed against Eliot's chest. She knew he wouldn't have put her in front of him if he thought there was going to be some kind of trouble.
"Where's Parker?" Sophie asked and couldn't quite stop the slight frown between her eyebrows.
Gemma glanced up at Eliot before answering. "Everyone else went to case that gallery so we haven't seen them since breakfast. Is something wrong?"
Nate and Sophie both looked relieved, and Nate held out the two leather thongs with their small black and white tiles on them. "We want to help Parker, but I don't think we can wear these."
Eliot frowned but took the necklaces from Nate. "Why?"
"They're just…." Nate tossed his hands in the air at his inability to find the words.
"It feels like we're being pushed into something that we don't want, or like." Sophie grabbed Nate's hand and tangled her fingers with his.
Gemma ran her fingers over the little tiles dangling from Eliot's fist. She could feel the vibration in Eliot's chest at her back as he tried not to growl out loud. She took the tiles and turned to face Eliot. "May I?" She started to gently lift the leather string of the necklace he was wearing.
Eliot frowned a question at her but nodded as she lifted the necklace free. She added his necklace to Nate and Sophie's and tucked all three into her jeans pocket.
Eliot leaned forward gently scenting the side of her neck.
Nate, seeing Eliot nuzzling Gemma, cleared his throat.
"It's not like that Nate." Eliot grumbled but didn't move away from Gemma. "Her scent changed… shifted just a little… it's… I can't explain."
Gemma set her hand on Eliot's cheek. "Good or bad?"
"I don't know…" He started to lean into her again, but she stopped him as the clatter of several feet on the stairs announced the imminent arrival of the rest of the pack.
The door swung open, and Parker and Hardison spilled into the room in their usual noisy fashion. Quinn followed a few paces behind, looking mildly irritated but not yet on the verge of violence. Just before the door swung closed Ewen caught it and held it open for Nati.
"Good." Parker looked around. "Everyone's here."
Eliot glanced face to face. "Since none of you got arrested, I'm guessing things went okay?"
"Grand. Quite grand." Nati smiled.
Eliot didn't miss the annoyed look that Ewen shot at Parker or the way that Quinn shifted to put himself between them. Eliot cocked an eyebrow at Hardison in question.
Hardison rolled his eyes and gave Eliot a very subtle shake to his head.
"On our way back, I got another update from the client." Parker handed her tablet to Hardison. "We'll be moving up the timeline on this job by two weeks."
"Two weeks!" Eliot shouted. "Two weeks? Parker that's going to be cutting things awfully close. You may not have the control it takes to work a job by then!"
"We'll figure it out." Parker waved a hand as if shooing away Eliot's concerns. "Besides this is just an in and out heist. Even easier than taking money from the French National Bank."
"Then we'll wait until after this job is done." Eliot crossed his arms and glared at Parker.
Parker glared back but didn't argue.
Hardison looked away from the tense standoff and noticed the luggage sitting near the kitchen table. He turned to Nate and Sophie. "Y'all leaving already?"
"We'll be back for Parker's change. We just had a couple of things that need to be settled."
Eliot looked at the luggage and then Nate and Sophie breaking the standoff with Parker. "Do you need a ride to the airport?"
"We've got it covered." Sophie smiled and gave Eliot's arm a squeeze as she stepped past him. "Nati, Ewen, it was lovely to see you both again."
Eliot tuned out the hushed conversation behind him. "You sure you won't stay?" He held his hand out to shake.
Nate took Eliot's hand and pulled him into a brief hug. "You know we're like bad pennies. We'll be back before you know it."
A few more hugs were exchanged and in no time Nate and Sophie were on their way to the airport.
Eliot looked around. "Anyone hungry?" Eliot smirked at the nods of affirmation all around and headed for the kitchen.
Quinn's cell phone rang in his pocket, and he fished it out. "Paige!" He smiled as he headed quickly for the stairs.
Hardison and Parker drifted to Hardison's desk and Nati settled herself at the kitchen island. Ewen moved to the couch where he could keep an eye on Nati and the rest of the room. Gemma had started to follow Eliot but after seeing the look on Nati's face she decided to give them a little space and she moved to the living room with Ewen.
"You and Quinn getting things worked out?" Eliot glanced at Nati as he started to mince garlic.
"I have to admit I find it strange to be dealing directly with Quinn instead of with you." Nati's lips tilted into a crooked grin. "What are your thoughts on the matter?"
"I think the whole idea of being under someone's aegis makes me a little uncomfortable. Feels too much like when I worked for Moreau." He scraped the garlic into a small bowl and drizzled a little oil over it.
"Aye, I can see that." Nati nodded. "But is your pack not under your aegis? Aren't there others that you would consider yours who are outside your pack?"
Gemma, Ms. Teo, Julio, Chrissa, Charlie; face after face of friends, and others from all over, flitted through Eliot's mind. "I suppose."
Nati snorted at the scent of his words. "That's all I'm asking. I just want Quinn to formally be under my protection as well as yours."
It was Eliot's turn to snort. "That's not all you're asking though. Is it?" Eliot set his knife to the side and leaned with his palms flat on the counter. "You're asking him to be some kind of sacrifice or ingredient in some spell in the future. And you can't tell any of us what's going to happen to him then. That's a lot to ask Nati."
She nodded and silently drummed her fingers against her arm for a moment. "I see yer point." She looked for a long moment into Eliot's eyes. "I can promise ye that I'll do nothing without the boy's permission. When it comes down to it, and he's needed to release me, he'll have a choice."
Gemma slid up onto the stool next to Nati and placed her hand over top of the older woman's. "Thank you." She glanced up to the top of the stairs where Quinn was standing. "That promise means a lot."
Quinn had hurried down the stairs and paused next to Gemma. He bent and gave her a quick kiss on her temple. He gave Nati a thoughtful look before he headed into the gym.
"Ye really live up to yer name don't ye child." Nati smiled at Gemma.
"What do you mean?" Gemma cast a puzzled look from Nati to Eliot.
Eliot arched an eyebrow at Nati and waited.
"Gemma Segen." Nati smiled. "Gemma meaning gem or treasure and yer last name is the German word for blessing."
Eliot smiled. "You are a treasure and a blessing."
Gemma blushed. "Uhm. Okay then."
Nati chuckled and patted Gemma's hand. "So, what exactly are ye fixin' us, dear boy." She closed her eyes and inhaled the scents of Eliot's cooking.