Dark Wolf --the first in the Spirit Wild series...
It is a bold new beginning for the Chanku. For so long they kept their shapeshifting ability secret, but now they have assimilated into the world in ways they once never thought possible. Still there are those who want to destroy them, with dark powers of their own... The CEO of Cheval International, Lily Cheval chooses to live alone, but a series of rapes and murders leave her wary and worried for her fellow Chanku. Then she meets Sebastian Xenakis and the connection is intense and immediate. The son of a charismatic cult leader, Sebastian is a mysteriously sensual man who uses magic to shift into wolf form. He and Lily come together in a moment of supreme ecstasy, succumbing to a primal passion that leaves Lily shaken but utterly alive. But she has to know: Is Sebastian her lifetime mate or is he her worst enemy? ~~*~~ "...intense and edgy...a fascinating read, filled with unbelievable heat...if you enjoy a different type of paranormal, fantasy, shapeshifters, and full blown erotica ... you will enjoy reading DARK WOLF. Reviewed by Annetta Sweetko for Fresh Fiction |
This new edition of Dark Wolf is the same story as the original--new cover, typos (hopefully) all caught, and a much lower price.
But Sebastian is just as hot as he's always been! |
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“...Douglas introduces her Spirit Wild series with a new generation of sexy Chanku wolves. Set in the San Francisco Bay area and the wilds of Montana, supported by a cast from the Wolf Tale books and fresh faces as well, this novel thrives on action and strong sexual encounters."
Reviewed by Donna M. Brown for RT Book Reviews
Reviewed by Donna M. Brown for RT Book Reviews
"Once again, Kate Douglas has delivered a well written and extremely sensual erotic fantasy... Dark Wolf proves that Ms. Douglas is a master at her craft."
Reviewed by Debra Taylor for Night Owl Reviews
Reviewed by Debra Taylor for Night Owl Reviews
"...Dark Wolf is more about love than sex, and the victory of good over evil... Douglas’s book is an exciting, creative and fun read. I couldn’t put it down, even though I did try to hide the sexy cover when I was reading it on the train."
Reviewed by Zenobia Rose Love for At the Inkwell reviews
Reviewed by Zenobia Rose Love for At the Inkwell reviews
Read an excerpt:
Chapter 1
Crickets chirped. An owl hooted. A dusting of starlight shimmered faintly against granite peaks, but here at the forest’s edge, all was dark. Shivering slightly in the cool night air, Sebastian Xenakis stood beneath the gnarled oak, just one more shadow among many. With great humility and as much confidence as he could muster while standing naked in the darkness, he raised his arms, drew on the magic coursing through his veins, and once more called on the spirit within the tree, one he affectionately thought of as the lady, humbly asking for her strength.
Nothing.
“Damn it all.” He exhaled, accepting the rush of air for what it was—a huge blast of frustration at the serendipitous nature of his magic. He stared at the massive tree towering overhead and methodically emptied his mind of all thoughts, all distractions. He put aside anger and frustration, fears and hopes, leaving room for nothing but here and now. Focusing everything within, he opened his heart to possibilities, and waited.
A few long, frustrating minutes later, he felt her warmth envelop him. An unexpected frisson raced across his bare shoulders, along his arms. It caressed his naked buttocks and swirled over his belly, lifting the dark line of body hair that trailed from navel to groin. Then it slithered along his thighs, circled his calves and tickled across his bare feet. His cock, flush with hot blood, swelled high and hard against his belly, giving homage to the gift of power.
Then, sliding away as soft as a whisper, the intimate sense of touch, of sentient communion, bled off into the damp loam and returned to its source through thickly tangled roots. Sebastian sighed, a shuddering acceptance of sensual pleasure, the gift of contact with such a powerful force.
The lady of the oak.
His erection remained, strong evidence of her touch, the visceral connection he’d made with a spirit ancient beyond recorded memory. His body thrummed with her life force, with her power, until Sebastian felt each and every one of her thick and twisted branches spreading far and wide, until he bowed beneath the age and innate wisdom of the ancient tree. This mother oak must have stood here, a silent sentinel of the forest since long before the dawn of modern history. A few heavy branches had fallen over time, but he knew her roots were strong, her branches healthy. As if challenging time itself, the graceful beauty and symmetry of the tree remained.
He remembered the first time he saw the oak, recalled the sense of life, the sure knowledge of the tree’s spiritual power. It was on that day he’d learned his father wielded the kind of power Sebastian had quickly grown to crave.
Standing just beyond the reach of the great branches, unsure of his relationship with a man he barely knew, Sebastian had watched Aldo Xenakis call lightning out of a clear, star-filled sky—call it and control it with the deft hands of a master.
He’d been seduced so easily, so quickly by that flashy show of fire and magic. Of power. Immeasurable power. So thoroughly seduced he knew he might never break free of its siren call.
Might never break free of the man he’d consciously sought, despite his mother’s warning. Now it was much too late. His die had been cast, commitments made, and he was almost glad his mother was dead.
Glad she couldn't see what he’d become.
Sebastian quickly shoved thoughts of his moral weakness, his failures—and his father—aside. There was no need to mar the beauty of this night. He took a deep breath and then, almost as an afterthought, cleared his mind of all obstructions and drew more power to him. Pulled it from the earth, from the sky, from the water of a nearby stream, from the mountain itself. The fire must come from within, but he called on that as well and felt the power build.
Then he buffered the swirling energy with the strength of the oak until it was entirely under his control. Until he was the one holding the power.
Unlike his father, unwilling to display or even acknowledge such arrogance, Sebastian turned and bowed his head toward the oak, giving the tree’s spirit his grateful thanks for her help. Then, spreading his fingers wide, he consciously breathed deeply and opened himself to the energy flowing into him from all directions. A brilliant glow surrounded him, but it wasn't lightning that lit the dark night.
It was power. Raw power he’d pulled from the earth, from the air and water. From the spirit in the tree, and the fire burning in his soul.
Within seconds, the light blinked out. Gone as if it had never existed at all.
As was the man. In his place, a wolf darker than night raised its head and sniffed the air. Then it turned away and raced into the forest.
~~*~~
“Lily? Have you seen this morning’s news?”
Lily Cheval fumbled with the phone and squinted at the bedside clock in the early morning darkness. Blue numbers blurred into focus. Her best buddy looked at her out of the screen on her phone. “Alex, it’s six-fifteen in the morning. On a Sunday. What can possibly be important enough to...”
“There’s been another one, Lil. Just inside the entrance to the park this time.”
Lily bit back a growl and sat up. The last body, discovered less than a week ago, had been found along the highway leading into Glacier National Park in Montana. Much too close to the Chanku pack’s main residence. The one before that had been on the outskirts of Kalispell. “What have you got?”
Alex sighed and wiped a hand across his eyes. Poor Alex. How he’d ever ended up as the pack’s liaison to the Flathead County sheriff’s department was beyond understanding. He might be brilliant and charismatic—not to mention drop-dead gorgeous—but he was not cut out to deal with, much less deliver, bad news, especially early on a Sunday morning.
She wondered if he’d even made it to bed the night before. His eyes looked bloodshot, and Alex did love his social life on a Saturday night.
Even in Kalispell.
“Same as the last seven,” he said, pulling her back into the conversation. “Young woman, beaten, brutally raped. Throat torn out. Just like the others, probably killed somewhere else and dumped. A park ranger found her body beside the road.”
“Shit. I hope you've got an alibi.” She hated having to ask, but with public sentiment the way it had been heading...
“I was with Jennifer last night. I got the call on the way home this morning.”
Jennifer. Poor choice of woman, but at least she could account for Alex’s time when the attack occurred. Frustrated, Lily dug her fingers into her tangled hair and tugged. Anything to help focus her thoughts. “Let me know what you find out. Check with the pack, see if they’ve got any new leads. I’m stuck in San Francisco until after the reception, but I’ll try and get up there by the weekend.”
“Okay. Sorry to wake you, but I just wanted to warn you. Be careful. Whoever’s behind this, they’ve hit the Bay Area just as hard. I’ll find out what I can. Thanks, Lil.”
Quietly Lily set the phone back in the charger and leaned against the headboard. Another young woman dead. Another murder with all the signs of a wild animal attack—except for the rape.
Just like the other seven.
Eight young women, dead by a combination of man and beast. Five in or near Glacier National Park. Three in the San Francisco Bay area.
And where were the largest populations of Chanku shapeshifters?
“Glacier National Park and the San Francisco Bay Area. Shit.” A chilling sense of premonition shuddered along Lily’s spine. If they didn't find the one behind this, and find him soon, someone was going to be hunting Chanku.
~~*~~
The sharp click of Lily’s heels echoed against the pale gray walls of Cheval International, one of the more profitable branches of Chanku Global Industries. She walked quickly toward her office, wishing she could ignore the tension headache pounding in sharp counterpoint to her footsteps.
Her father insisted headaches were purely psychosomatic—according to Anton Cheval, Chanku shapeshifters were impervious to human frailties. “Tell that to my head,” she muttered, timing the steady throbbing between her eyes against the click of her heels.
Damn. She did not need a headache. Not on a Monday, not with a full day of meetings ahead, including lunch with the mayor and a one-on-one with the head of security.
Resentment of the long-lived Chanku shapeshifters had been simmering for years, but the recent series of attacks against young women had brought that simmer to a boil. It didn’t help that a local celebrity had taken a very public stance against the Chanku, blaming them for everything from the current downturn in the economy to the vicious rapes and murders.
Aldo Xenakis had been a thorn in Lily’s side ever since she’d assumed leadership of Cheval International. Recently, his verbal attacks had taken on a frighteningly personal slant.
It didn't help that he owned a massive amount of land that abutted her father’s vast holdings in Montana. It was bad enough he was stirring up resentment here in California, but Montana was home. Having long-time friends and neighbors turn against them hurt Lily and the rest of the pack on a much more personal level. They’d worked hard at being good neighbors, at integrating themselves into the community.
Now this.
“Good morning, Ms. Cheval.”
“G’morning, Jean.” Lily paused in front of her assistant’s desk. “Have you got today’s calendar?”
Jean nodded. Gray haired, round-faced and very human, she’d been Lily’s assistant since Lily’d been named CEO of the company seven years earlier. And, while Jean continued to age, Lily still looked as youthful and fresh as the day she’d walked out of UC Berkeley with her MBA.
One more reason for humans to resent shapeshifters, though she’d never noticed any resentment at all from Jean. Considering the good pay and generous benefit packages all CGI employees—including all Cheval International hires—received, she didn't expect it to become an issue.
Lily glanced over the daily calendar Jean handed to her. The morning wasn't too busy, but... “Why have you got a question mark by my lunch date with the mayor?”
Jean shook her head. “Her office called a few minutes ago. When the mayor’s schedule went out to the media yesterday, they forgot to black out your lunch appointment. Reporters know when and where you’re meeting, and the mayor said she’d understand if you decide to cancel.”
The pounding between her eyes got worse. Goddess, but it had been too long since she’d shifted and run. Right now, Lily really wanted to chase down something furry and kill it. “Not necessary,” she said, rubbing her temple. “We really need to talk. Maybe I’ll wear a disguise.”
Jean grinned as she gave her an appraising look. “Don’t think that would help. You’re hard to miss.”
Lily raised her eyebrows and glanced at Jean. “Thank you. I think.” She grabbed the mail Jean handed to her and headed toward her office, but paused at the door. “I’m expecting a call from Alex Aragat. Be sure and put him through even if I’m on something else.”
“Okay.” The phone rang, but before answering it, Jean added, “You’ll find a list of the calls you need to return on your desk. Uhm, more than a few from your father.” Lily just shook her head when Jean laughed and said, “He wanted to remind you not to forget the reception Thursday night.”
“I wish,” Lily muttered, but she turned and smiled at Jean. “I won’t. And even if I wanted to, dear old Dad would make sure I got there on time.”
Lily shut the office door as Jean took her call. She glanced at the clock over the bookcase. Seven-thirty, which meant that with any luck, she’d have time to get her desk cleared before lunch. Her head was still pounding like a damned jackhammer, but she flopped down in the comfortable chair behind her desk and read through Jean’s messages. All were carefully organized by importance. The stack from her father—and damn, but how many times had the man called?—was set off to one side.
She knew he’d be up. Might as well check in with the boss first. The phone rang as she reached for it. She glanced at the caller ID, sighed, and flipped on the video.
“Hello, Dad. I was just getting ready to call you.”
“How’s your headache?”
She frowned at his smug image. “How do you know I've got a headache?”
“Because I've been trying to mindspeak all morning and I know you’re blocking me.”
“Oh.” No wonder her head hurt. She’d developed the habit of keeping her shields high and tight since she was just a child, but that never kept her father from trying. He’d rarely managed to give her a headache, though. “Well, if you knew you were giving me a headache, why’d you keep pushing?”
No answer. Typical. She was convinced he only heard what he wanted to hear.
“You've talked to Alex.”
Not a question. He’d know, of course. Anton Cheval knew everything. “Yes. He called first thing yesterday morning, but he didn't have any details. I expect to hear more today. Have you learned anything else?”
“How well do you know Aldo Xenakis?”
“Not well at all,” she said, used to her father’s non sequiturs. Amazing...her headache was gone. She almost laughed. Dear old dad had been the cause all along. “Why do you ask?”
“His son will be attending the reception Thursday night. I want you to meet him.”
“He has a son? Since when? I thought Xenakis lived alone.”
“The younger Xenakis has stayed in the background. From what I've learned, he didn't even know Aldo was his father until a couple of years ago. When the boy’s mother died, he traced Aldo through her private papers.”
“Interesting. Why do you think the son’s important?”
“He’s been staying at his father’s home up here for the past month. You know where the house is. It’s a few miles from our place, though our properties share the southern boundary. Tinker thought he smelled an unfamiliar wolf near the edge of our holdings night before last. He traced the scent to a ridge on the Xenakis property. The wolf scent disappeared, but he picked up the trail of a man and followed it to the house. The only one there was a young man who appeared to be Xenakis’s son.”
“He’s Chanku?” Now that would be interesting, considering how xenophobic the father was.
“We don’t know. The elder Xenakis has powerful magic. If the son inherited his father’s gift, he could be shifting by magical means, not natural. I want you to get close enough, see if you sense anything.”
“Do you think he’s our murderer?”
“I don’t know, Lily. But the women have been killed near Kalispell and in the San Francisco bay area. Xenakis has homes in both places, and his son spends time at both locations. I've got Alex looking into his schedule now, checking flight records, that sort of thing. Be very careful.”
“One question. What’s his name? How will I know him?”
“Sebastian. I don’t know what surname he used before, but he’s taken his father’s name. Look for Sebastian Xenakis. Tinker says he’s tall with dark hair. And really odd eyes. Teal blue, according to Tink. Not amber like most of us. And Lily?”
“Yes?”
“I love you, sweetheart, but I have a bad feeling about this. Be very careful. We don’t know a thing about this guy, but he’s got my sense of premonition in high gear. No specific danger, just a strong feeling he’ll have some kind of effect on our family.”
Lily stared at the handset long after her father had ended the call. The pack might tease Anton Cheval about his premonitions, but invariably he’d been proven correct. She flipped on her computer and typed in Sebastian Xenakis’s name.
It never hurt to be fully informed about the enemy.
~~*~~
“Lily. So glad you agreed to meet even after my office bungled this so badly.”
“Well, hopefully the media haven’t bugged the dining room.” Lily smiled at the mayor and shook her hand. “It’s good to see you, Jill.” Then she nodded toward the group of reporters gathered just outside the restaurant. “I was hoping they were here for you, not me. It’s been a while since I’ve run a gauntlet like that.”
Mayor Jill Bradley shook her head as she reached for the menu. “It’s the killings, Lily. We’re doing everything we can to keep a lid on things, but...”
“I know.” Sighing, Lily reached for her own menu. “I heard from Alex Aragat, our pack’s law enforcement liaison in Montana. People are scared, and I can’t blame them. My father’s got every available resource working on this from our angle.”
Jill shook her head. “My gut feeling is that it’s not a Chanku killing these girls. I think someone’s trying to raise public anger against shifters.”
Lily had to agree. “Dad feels the same way, but until this guy is stopped...”
“Or they. DNA is inconclusive, but I’ve been told it points to more than one perp. Wolves, definitely, but possibly more than one human committing the rapes.”
Crap. “They've narrowed it down to wolves?”
“Yes. We’re keeping a lid on that info.” Jean spread her hands in a helpless gesture. “Your people are catching enough flak as it is.”
“No kidding. Is it a single male? If a woman had consensual sex before the attack, it could explain more than one.”
Jean nodded. “There’s one consistent set, a few variables. That’s the conclusion. For now.”
The waitress reached their table before Lily could respond. Jill set her menu down to place her order; Lily closed hers and studied the mayor. Jill Bradley had held her post for almost five years now, and her popularity had yet to wane. She’d become a good friend and a powerful ally, a woman Lily would have liked and admired even if she hadn’t been the mayor.
It never hurt to have friends in high places. Smart friends. The fact she had already considered what Lily figured was happening was a good sign. She glanced up and realized the waitress was waiting patiently for her order.
“Hamburger. Rare.” Lily smiled at the waitress, waiting for the admonition that rare beef wasn’t safe. Instead, she got a saucy wink. “You got it. Be back in a minute with your wine.”
“Did we order wine?”
Jill laughed. “It’s on me. I figured you could use a glass about now. I know I sure can. Let’s discuss the reception and your father’s generous donation. The other topic is too frustrating when we don’t have any answers.”
“I agree. I think we’re being set up, but I’m not sure it’s more than one person.”
Jill’s dark brows drew down. “You’ll let me know if you learn anything to substantiate that, won’t you?”
“Of course. Alex Aragat, our pack liaison with local law enforcement in Kalispell is working on a couple of things, but at this point it’s all supposition.”
The waitress reached the table and opened a bottle of wine. She poured a taste for the mayor, who sipped and quickly agreed.
“I’ll have your meals in a few minutes. Enjoy.” Smiling, the young woman moved on to another table.
Lily tipped her glass in a toast to her friend. “Here’s to the new wing at the museum. I saw it this weekend. It’s turned out beautifully.”
“Thanks to your father’s generosity.”
Lily dipped her head, acknowledging the mayor’s comment. Anton Cheval, via Chanku Global Industries and its subsidiary, Cheval International, had become a generous benefactor over the years, and Jill Bradley’s status as mayor had benefited greatly from his many gifts to the city during her administration.
“Consorting with the local fauna, Mayor Bradley?”
Lily fought the urge to spin around and glare. Instead, she sat perfectly still, outwardly calm and relaxed, though she raised one eyebrow at the mayor. Jill set her wine on the table and glowered at the man beyond Lily’s shoulder.
“There’s no call for such rude behavior, Aldo. You’re interrupting a private lunch.”
Lily slowly turned in her chair, at a disadvantage to the tall, elegant man standing much too close behind her for comfort. The hairs along her spine rose and she bit back a growl. She’d never met Aldo Xenakis in person, but the man was on the news often enough. Lately he’d made a point of baiting Chanku shapeshifters, and Lily Cheval in particular. She recognized him immediately.
Shoving her chair back, she stood while privately enjoying the satisfaction of watching him back up when he realized she met him at eye level. “Ah, Mr. Xenakis. I’d say it’s a pleasure, but we both know differently.” She smiled, showing a lot of teeth, and held out her hand. He stared at it a moment. Lily didn't waver. Reluctantly, he shook hands.
The frisson of awareness left her wanting to wash her hands. There was something wrong about Xenakis. Something she couldn’t place. Oddly enough, it wasn't her Chanku sense that left her skin crawling.
No. It was her magic, something as much a part of her as her Chanku heritage. Her innate power recoiled almost violently at the man’s brief touch.
Lily surreptitiously wiped her palm against her slim skirt. She noticed that Jill wasn’t the least bit welcoming. “Was there something you wanted, Aldo? Ms. Cheval and I are enjoying a private lunch while we discuss business.”
She placed her emphasis firmly on private.
“No.” He stepped back and nodded. “I merely saw a beautiful woman sitting here and took a chance to say hello.” He kept his gaze planted firmly on Jill and blatantly ignored Lily.
Lily remained standing, purposefully invading his space until the waitress arrived with their meals. Aldo stepped out of her way and then left without another word. Lily turned, sat, and raised her eyebrow again as she glanced at Jill.
Jill shook her head. The moment the waitress was gone, she took a sip of her wine. “I do not like that man. Something about him...”
Lily nodded. “Makes your skin crawl?”
“Exactly. Why? He’s handsome enough. Well mannered.”
“Rich and powerful.” Lily laughed. “I bet he’s asked you out.”
“He did, and like a fool, I accepted. I couldn't wait for the evening to end.”
“Did he make a pass?”
Jill shook her head. “Nothing so obvious, but he makes me very uncomfortable. Just a feeling I wasn't safe with him.”
Lily took a bite of her blood rare hamburger and swallowed. “You sure you’re not Chanku? You've always got good intuition.”
“No. Not a drop. I was tested. Took the nutrients for two weeks. Not even a hint of the need to howl.” She shrugged and turned her attention to her salad.
Lily used her French fry as a pointer. “I’m sorry. I think you could have given the guys in my pack a run for their money.”
Jill sipped her wine. “I still can. I just have to do it on two legs.”
They both laughed, but at the same time, the fact she’d tried the nutrients meant Jill had hoped she was Chanku. Lily was sorry for her, for the fact that her friend had wanted something badly enough to go for it, yet failed.
It was something Jill had to accept she could never have. Lily wondered what that would be like, to want something that was totally impossible, something forever out of reach.
They concentrated on their food for a bit. Then Jill set her fork down. “You know, Lily. I think the world of you, and I really love your folks. You’re good people. All of you, your mom and dad especially. They give generously whenever there’s a need, and they've done a lot for this city, even though they don’t live here. I don’t want to see these killings hurt any of you, but if we can’t find the killer, I don’t know how we’re going to keep the anger under control. I worry about your safety.”
Lily glanced toward the crowd of reporters waiting at the front door. The questions they’d thrown at her as she walked into the restaurant had been pointed and ugly. In their minds, shapeshifters were committing rapes and murders and she was just as guilty as the ones actually doing the deed.
The sudden jackhammer inside her head had her gasping.
“Lily? Are you all right?”
Jill reached across the table and took her hand.
Lily pressed fingers to her skull. “Just a minute.”
Her father’s voice filled her mind.
There’s been another killing, Lily. A woman’s body was found about ten minutes ago in Golden Gate Park, not far from the garden your mother designed many years ago. If you’re in a public place, you might want to find somewhere private to finish your lunch with the mayor.
“Shit.” Lily took one more quick bite of her burger and tossed back the last of her wine, taking a moment to consider the consequences of her father’s words. She focused on Jill, one of the few people aware that the Chanku were telepathic. “My father just contacted me. There’s been another murder. The body was found about...”
The mayor’s cell phone rang. She answered the call, but her gaze was glued to Lily. With a soft curse, she asked a couple of brief questions and then ended the call. “That was the Chief of Police. I’m needed back at City Hall.” She stood up. “I’m sorry, Lily. I’ll do what I can.”
“I know. Thank you. Go ahead. I’ll get lunch.”
Jill was reaching for her handbag. “That’s not...”
“Go. Call me later.”
“I will.” She slipped the strap to her purse over her shoulder and gave Lily a quick hug. “Later. And thank you.”
Lily watched her walk away. A pleasant looking woman in her early fifties, Jill Bradley looked like someone’s mom, not like the head of one of the nation’s largest, most diverse cities.
She walked as if she didn't have a care in the world, passing through the throng of reporters with a quick smile and a friendly greeting to the ones she knew.
Lily wished she had that kind of grace under fire. She handed her card to the waitress, signed the tab when it came after adding a sizable tip for that perfectly prepared, almost-raw burger, and walked toward the back of the restaurant.
There was no way she was going to try and get through the reporters. Nope. She’d take the coward’s exit, through the kitchen and out the back.
And the first thing she’d do when she got back to the office was call Alex. The last murder had been in Montana, but this latest had happened barely a mile from her office.
She wondered where Sebastian Xenakis had been last night.
Chapter 1
Crickets chirped. An owl hooted. A dusting of starlight shimmered faintly against granite peaks, but here at the forest’s edge, all was dark. Shivering slightly in the cool night air, Sebastian Xenakis stood beneath the gnarled oak, just one more shadow among many. With great humility and as much confidence as he could muster while standing naked in the darkness, he raised his arms, drew on the magic coursing through his veins, and once more called on the spirit within the tree, one he affectionately thought of as the lady, humbly asking for her strength.
Nothing.
“Damn it all.” He exhaled, accepting the rush of air for what it was—a huge blast of frustration at the serendipitous nature of his magic. He stared at the massive tree towering overhead and methodically emptied his mind of all thoughts, all distractions. He put aside anger and frustration, fears and hopes, leaving room for nothing but here and now. Focusing everything within, he opened his heart to possibilities, and waited.
A few long, frustrating minutes later, he felt her warmth envelop him. An unexpected frisson raced across his bare shoulders, along his arms. It caressed his naked buttocks and swirled over his belly, lifting the dark line of body hair that trailed from navel to groin. Then it slithered along his thighs, circled his calves and tickled across his bare feet. His cock, flush with hot blood, swelled high and hard against his belly, giving homage to the gift of power.
Then, sliding away as soft as a whisper, the intimate sense of touch, of sentient communion, bled off into the damp loam and returned to its source through thickly tangled roots. Sebastian sighed, a shuddering acceptance of sensual pleasure, the gift of contact with such a powerful force.
The lady of the oak.
His erection remained, strong evidence of her touch, the visceral connection he’d made with a spirit ancient beyond recorded memory. His body thrummed with her life force, with her power, until Sebastian felt each and every one of her thick and twisted branches spreading far and wide, until he bowed beneath the age and innate wisdom of the ancient tree. This mother oak must have stood here, a silent sentinel of the forest since long before the dawn of modern history. A few heavy branches had fallen over time, but he knew her roots were strong, her branches healthy. As if challenging time itself, the graceful beauty and symmetry of the tree remained.
He remembered the first time he saw the oak, recalled the sense of life, the sure knowledge of the tree’s spiritual power. It was on that day he’d learned his father wielded the kind of power Sebastian had quickly grown to crave.
Standing just beyond the reach of the great branches, unsure of his relationship with a man he barely knew, Sebastian had watched Aldo Xenakis call lightning out of a clear, star-filled sky—call it and control it with the deft hands of a master.
He’d been seduced so easily, so quickly by that flashy show of fire and magic. Of power. Immeasurable power. So thoroughly seduced he knew he might never break free of its siren call.
Might never break free of the man he’d consciously sought, despite his mother’s warning. Now it was much too late. His die had been cast, commitments made, and he was almost glad his mother was dead.
Glad she couldn't see what he’d become.
Sebastian quickly shoved thoughts of his moral weakness, his failures—and his father—aside. There was no need to mar the beauty of this night. He took a deep breath and then, almost as an afterthought, cleared his mind of all obstructions and drew more power to him. Pulled it from the earth, from the sky, from the water of a nearby stream, from the mountain itself. The fire must come from within, but he called on that as well and felt the power build.
Then he buffered the swirling energy with the strength of the oak until it was entirely under his control. Until he was the one holding the power.
Unlike his father, unwilling to display or even acknowledge such arrogance, Sebastian turned and bowed his head toward the oak, giving the tree’s spirit his grateful thanks for her help. Then, spreading his fingers wide, he consciously breathed deeply and opened himself to the energy flowing into him from all directions. A brilliant glow surrounded him, but it wasn't lightning that lit the dark night.
It was power. Raw power he’d pulled from the earth, from the air and water. From the spirit in the tree, and the fire burning in his soul.
Within seconds, the light blinked out. Gone as if it had never existed at all.
As was the man. In his place, a wolf darker than night raised its head and sniffed the air. Then it turned away and raced into the forest.
~~*~~
“Lily? Have you seen this morning’s news?”
Lily Cheval fumbled with the phone and squinted at the bedside clock in the early morning darkness. Blue numbers blurred into focus. Her best buddy looked at her out of the screen on her phone. “Alex, it’s six-fifteen in the morning. On a Sunday. What can possibly be important enough to...”
“There’s been another one, Lil. Just inside the entrance to the park this time.”
Lily bit back a growl and sat up. The last body, discovered less than a week ago, had been found along the highway leading into Glacier National Park in Montana. Much too close to the Chanku pack’s main residence. The one before that had been on the outskirts of Kalispell. “What have you got?”
Alex sighed and wiped a hand across his eyes. Poor Alex. How he’d ever ended up as the pack’s liaison to the Flathead County sheriff’s department was beyond understanding. He might be brilliant and charismatic—not to mention drop-dead gorgeous—but he was not cut out to deal with, much less deliver, bad news, especially early on a Sunday morning.
She wondered if he’d even made it to bed the night before. His eyes looked bloodshot, and Alex did love his social life on a Saturday night.
Even in Kalispell.
“Same as the last seven,” he said, pulling her back into the conversation. “Young woman, beaten, brutally raped. Throat torn out. Just like the others, probably killed somewhere else and dumped. A park ranger found her body beside the road.”
“Shit. I hope you've got an alibi.” She hated having to ask, but with public sentiment the way it had been heading...
“I was with Jennifer last night. I got the call on the way home this morning.”
Jennifer. Poor choice of woman, but at least she could account for Alex’s time when the attack occurred. Frustrated, Lily dug her fingers into her tangled hair and tugged. Anything to help focus her thoughts. “Let me know what you find out. Check with the pack, see if they’ve got any new leads. I’m stuck in San Francisco until after the reception, but I’ll try and get up there by the weekend.”
“Okay. Sorry to wake you, but I just wanted to warn you. Be careful. Whoever’s behind this, they’ve hit the Bay Area just as hard. I’ll find out what I can. Thanks, Lil.”
Quietly Lily set the phone back in the charger and leaned against the headboard. Another young woman dead. Another murder with all the signs of a wild animal attack—except for the rape.
Just like the other seven.
Eight young women, dead by a combination of man and beast. Five in or near Glacier National Park. Three in the San Francisco Bay area.
And where were the largest populations of Chanku shapeshifters?
“Glacier National Park and the San Francisco Bay Area. Shit.” A chilling sense of premonition shuddered along Lily’s spine. If they didn't find the one behind this, and find him soon, someone was going to be hunting Chanku.
~~*~~
The sharp click of Lily’s heels echoed against the pale gray walls of Cheval International, one of the more profitable branches of Chanku Global Industries. She walked quickly toward her office, wishing she could ignore the tension headache pounding in sharp counterpoint to her footsteps.
Her father insisted headaches were purely psychosomatic—according to Anton Cheval, Chanku shapeshifters were impervious to human frailties. “Tell that to my head,” she muttered, timing the steady throbbing between her eyes against the click of her heels.
Damn. She did not need a headache. Not on a Monday, not with a full day of meetings ahead, including lunch with the mayor and a one-on-one with the head of security.
Resentment of the long-lived Chanku shapeshifters had been simmering for years, but the recent series of attacks against young women had brought that simmer to a boil. It didn’t help that a local celebrity had taken a very public stance against the Chanku, blaming them for everything from the current downturn in the economy to the vicious rapes and murders.
Aldo Xenakis had been a thorn in Lily’s side ever since she’d assumed leadership of Cheval International. Recently, his verbal attacks had taken on a frighteningly personal slant.
It didn't help that he owned a massive amount of land that abutted her father’s vast holdings in Montana. It was bad enough he was stirring up resentment here in California, but Montana was home. Having long-time friends and neighbors turn against them hurt Lily and the rest of the pack on a much more personal level. They’d worked hard at being good neighbors, at integrating themselves into the community.
Now this.
“Good morning, Ms. Cheval.”
“G’morning, Jean.” Lily paused in front of her assistant’s desk. “Have you got today’s calendar?”
Jean nodded. Gray haired, round-faced and very human, she’d been Lily’s assistant since Lily’d been named CEO of the company seven years earlier. And, while Jean continued to age, Lily still looked as youthful and fresh as the day she’d walked out of UC Berkeley with her MBA.
One more reason for humans to resent shapeshifters, though she’d never noticed any resentment at all from Jean. Considering the good pay and generous benefit packages all CGI employees—including all Cheval International hires—received, she didn't expect it to become an issue.
Lily glanced over the daily calendar Jean handed to her. The morning wasn't too busy, but... “Why have you got a question mark by my lunch date with the mayor?”
Jean shook her head. “Her office called a few minutes ago. When the mayor’s schedule went out to the media yesterday, they forgot to black out your lunch appointment. Reporters know when and where you’re meeting, and the mayor said she’d understand if you decide to cancel.”
The pounding between her eyes got worse. Goddess, but it had been too long since she’d shifted and run. Right now, Lily really wanted to chase down something furry and kill it. “Not necessary,” she said, rubbing her temple. “We really need to talk. Maybe I’ll wear a disguise.”
Jean grinned as she gave her an appraising look. “Don’t think that would help. You’re hard to miss.”
Lily raised her eyebrows and glanced at Jean. “Thank you. I think.” She grabbed the mail Jean handed to her and headed toward her office, but paused at the door. “I’m expecting a call from Alex Aragat. Be sure and put him through even if I’m on something else.”
“Okay.” The phone rang, but before answering it, Jean added, “You’ll find a list of the calls you need to return on your desk. Uhm, more than a few from your father.” Lily just shook her head when Jean laughed and said, “He wanted to remind you not to forget the reception Thursday night.”
“I wish,” Lily muttered, but she turned and smiled at Jean. “I won’t. And even if I wanted to, dear old Dad would make sure I got there on time.”
Lily shut the office door as Jean took her call. She glanced at the clock over the bookcase. Seven-thirty, which meant that with any luck, she’d have time to get her desk cleared before lunch. Her head was still pounding like a damned jackhammer, but she flopped down in the comfortable chair behind her desk and read through Jean’s messages. All were carefully organized by importance. The stack from her father—and damn, but how many times had the man called?—was set off to one side.
She knew he’d be up. Might as well check in with the boss first. The phone rang as she reached for it. She glanced at the caller ID, sighed, and flipped on the video.
“Hello, Dad. I was just getting ready to call you.”
“How’s your headache?”
She frowned at his smug image. “How do you know I've got a headache?”
“Because I've been trying to mindspeak all morning and I know you’re blocking me.”
“Oh.” No wonder her head hurt. She’d developed the habit of keeping her shields high and tight since she was just a child, but that never kept her father from trying. He’d rarely managed to give her a headache, though. “Well, if you knew you were giving me a headache, why’d you keep pushing?”
No answer. Typical. She was convinced he only heard what he wanted to hear.
“You've talked to Alex.”
Not a question. He’d know, of course. Anton Cheval knew everything. “Yes. He called first thing yesterday morning, but he didn't have any details. I expect to hear more today. Have you learned anything else?”
“How well do you know Aldo Xenakis?”
“Not well at all,” she said, used to her father’s non sequiturs. Amazing...her headache was gone. She almost laughed. Dear old dad had been the cause all along. “Why do you ask?”
“His son will be attending the reception Thursday night. I want you to meet him.”
“He has a son? Since when? I thought Xenakis lived alone.”
“The younger Xenakis has stayed in the background. From what I've learned, he didn't even know Aldo was his father until a couple of years ago. When the boy’s mother died, he traced Aldo through her private papers.”
“Interesting. Why do you think the son’s important?”
“He’s been staying at his father’s home up here for the past month. You know where the house is. It’s a few miles from our place, though our properties share the southern boundary. Tinker thought he smelled an unfamiliar wolf near the edge of our holdings night before last. He traced the scent to a ridge on the Xenakis property. The wolf scent disappeared, but he picked up the trail of a man and followed it to the house. The only one there was a young man who appeared to be Xenakis’s son.”
“He’s Chanku?” Now that would be interesting, considering how xenophobic the father was.
“We don’t know. The elder Xenakis has powerful magic. If the son inherited his father’s gift, he could be shifting by magical means, not natural. I want you to get close enough, see if you sense anything.”
“Do you think he’s our murderer?”
“I don’t know, Lily. But the women have been killed near Kalispell and in the San Francisco bay area. Xenakis has homes in both places, and his son spends time at both locations. I've got Alex looking into his schedule now, checking flight records, that sort of thing. Be very careful.”
“One question. What’s his name? How will I know him?”
“Sebastian. I don’t know what surname he used before, but he’s taken his father’s name. Look for Sebastian Xenakis. Tinker says he’s tall with dark hair. And really odd eyes. Teal blue, according to Tink. Not amber like most of us. And Lily?”
“Yes?”
“I love you, sweetheart, but I have a bad feeling about this. Be very careful. We don’t know a thing about this guy, but he’s got my sense of premonition in high gear. No specific danger, just a strong feeling he’ll have some kind of effect on our family.”
Lily stared at the handset long after her father had ended the call. The pack might tease Anton Cheval about his premonitions, but invariably he’d been proven correct. She flipped on her computer and typed in Sebastian Xenakis’s name.
It never hurt to be fully informed about the enemy.
~~*~~
“Lily. So glad you agreed to meet even after my office bungled this so badly.”
“Well, hopefully the media haven’t bugged the dining room.” Lily smiled at the mayor and shook her hand. “It’s good to see you, Jill.” Then she nodded toward the group of reporters gathered just outside the restaurant. “I was hoping they were here for you, not me. It’s been a while since I’ve run a gauntlet like that.”
Mayor Jill Bradley shook her head as she reached for the menu. “It’s the killings, Lily. We’re doing everything we can to keep a lid on things, but...”
“I know.” Sighing, Lily reached for her own menu. “I heard from Alex Aragat, our pack’s law enforcement liaison in Montana. People are scared, and I can’t blame them. My father’s got every available resource working on this from our angle.”
Jill shook her head. “My gut feeling is that it’s not a Chanku killing these girls. I think someone’s trying to raise public anger against shifters.”
Lily had to agree. “Dad feels the same way, but until this guy is stopped...”
“Or they. DNA is inconclusive, but I’ve been told it points to more than one perp. Wolves, definitely, but possibly more than one human committing the rapes.”
Crap. “They've narrowed it down to wolves?”
“Yes. We’re keeping a lid on that info.” Jean spread her hands in a helpless gesture. “Your people are catching enough flak as it is.”
“No kidding. Is it a single male? If a woman had consensual sex before the attack, it could explain more than one.”
Jean nodded. “There’s one consistent set, a few variables. That’s the conclusion. For now.”
The waitress reached their table before Lily could respond. Jill set her menu down to place her order; Lily closed hers and studied the mayor. Jill Bradley had held her post for almost five years now, and her popularity had yet to wane. She’d become a good friend and a powerful ally, a woman Lily would have liked and admired even if she hadn’t been the mayor.
It never hurt to have friends in high places. Smart friends. The fact she had already considered what Lily figured was happening was a good sign. She glanced up and realized the waitress was waiting patiently for her order.
“Hamburger. Rare.” Lily smiled at the waitress, waiting for the admonition that rare beef wasn’t safe. Instead, she got a saucy wink. “You got it. Be back in a minute with your wine.”
“Did we order wine?”
Jill laughed. “It’s on me. I figured you could use a glass about now. I know I sure can. Let’s discuss the reception and your father’s generous donation. The other topic is too frustrating when we don’t have any answers.”
“I agree. I think we’re being set up, but I’m not sure it’s more than one person.”
Jill’s dark brows drew down. “You’ll let me know if you learn anything to substantiate that, won’t you?”
“Of course. Alex Aragat, our pack liaison with local law enforcement in Kalispell is working on a couple of things, but at this point it’s all supposition.”
The waitress reached the table and opened a bottle of wine. She poured a taste for the mayor, who sipped and quickly agreed.
“I’ll have your meals in a few minutes. Enjoy.” Smiling, the young woman moved on to another table.
Lily tipped her glass in a toast to her friend. “Here’s to the new wing at the museum. I saw it this weekend. It’s turned out beautifully.”
“Thanks to your father’s generosity.”
Lily dipped her head, acknowledging the mayor’s comment. Anton Cheval, via Chanku Global Industries and its subsidiary, Cheval International, had become a generous benefactor over the years, and Jill Bradley’s status as mayor had benefited greatly from his many gifts to the city during her administration.
“Consorting with the local fauna, Mayor Bradley?”
Lily fought the urge to spin around and glare. Instead, she sat perfectly still, outwardly calm and relaxed, though she raised one eyebrow at the mayor. Jill set her wine on the table and glowered at the man beyond Lily’s shoulder.
“There’s no call for such rude behavior, Aldo. You’re interrupting a private lunch.”
Lily slowly turned in her chair, at a disadvantage to the tall, elegant man standing much too close behind her for comfort. The hairs along her spine rose and she bit back a growl. She’d never met Aldo Xenakis in person, but the man was on the news often enough. Lately he’d made a point of baiting Chanku shapeshifters, and Lily Cheval in particular. She recognized him immediately.
Shoving her chair back, she stood while privately enjoying the satisfaction of watching him back up when he realized she met him at eye level. “Ah, Mr. Xenakis. I’d say it’s a pleasure, but we both know differently.” She smiled, showing a lot of teeth, and held out her hand. He stared at it a moment. Lily didn't waver. Reluctantly, he shook hands.
The frisson of awareness left her wanting to wash her hands. There was something wrong about Xenakis. Something she couldn’t place. Oddly enough, it wasn't her Chanku sense that left her skin crawling.
No. It was her magic, something as much a part of her as her Chanku heritage. Her innate power recoiled almost violently at the man’s brief touch.
Lily surreptitiously wiped her palm against her slim skirt. She noticed that Jill wasn’t the least bit welcoming. “Was there something you wanted, Aldo? Ms. Cheval and I are enjoying a private lunch while we discuss business.”
She placed her emphasis firmly on private.
“No.” He stepped back and nodded. “I merely saw a beautiful woman sitting here and took a chance to say hello.” He kept his gaze planted firmly on Jill and blatantly ignored Lily.
Lily remained standing, purposefully invading his space until the waitress arrived with their meals. Aldo stepped out of her way and then left without another word. Lily turned, sat, and raised her eyebrow again as she glanced at Jill.
Jill shook her head. The moment the waitress was gone, she took a sip of her wine. “I do not like that man. Something about him...”
Lily nodded. “Makes your skin crawl?”
“Exactly. Why? He’s handsome enough. Well mannered.”
“Rich and powerful.” Lily laughed. “I bet he’s asked you out.”
“He did, and like a fool, I accepted. I couldn't wait for the evening to end.”
“Did he make a pass?”
Jill shook her head. “Nothing so obvious, but he makes me very uncomfortable. Just a feeling I wasn't safe with him.”
Lily took a bite of her blood rare hamburger and swallowed. “You sure you’re not Chanku? You've always got good intuition.”
“No. Not a drop. I was tested. Took the nutrients for two weeks. Not even a hint of the need to howl.” She shrugged and turned her attention to her salad.
Lily used her French fry as a pointer. “I’m sorry. I think you could have given the guys in my pack a run for their money.”
Jill sipped her wine. “I still can. I just have to do it on two legs.”
They both laughed, but at the same time, the fact she’d tried the nutrients meant Jill had hoped she was Chanku. Lily was sorry for her, for the fact that her friend had wanted something badly enough to go for it, yet failed.
It was something Jill had to accept she could never have. Lily wondered what that would be like, to want something that was totally impossible, something forever out of reach.
They concentrated on their food for a bit. Then Jill set her fork down. “You know, Lily. I think the world of you, and I really love your folks. You’re good people. All of you, your mom and dad especially. They give generously whenever there’s a need, and they've done a lot for this city, even though they don’t live here. I don’t want to see these killings hurt any of you, but if we can’t find the killer, I don’t know how we’re going to keep the anger under control. I worry about your safety.”
Lily glanced toward the crowd of reporters waiting at the front door. The questions they’d thrown at her as she walked into the restaurant had been pointed and ugly. In their minds, shapeshifters were committing rapes and murders and she was just as guilty as the ones actually doing the deed.
The sudden jackhammer inside her head had her gasping.
“Lily? Are you all right?”
Jill reached across the table and took her hand.
Lily pressed fingers to her skull. “Just a minute.”
Her father’s voice filled her mind.
There’s been another killing, Lily. A woman’s body was found about ten minutes ago in Golden Gate Park, not far from the garden your mother designed many years ago. If you’re in a public place, you might want to find somewhere private to finish your lunch with the mayor.
“Shit.” Lily took one more quick bite of her burger and tossed back the last of her wine, taking a moment to consider the consequences of her father’s words. She focused on Jill, one of the few people aware that the Chanku were telepathic. “My father just contacted me. There’s been another murder. The body was found about...”
The mayor’s cell phone rang. She answered the call, but her gaze was glued to Lily. With a soft curse, she asked a couple of brief questions and then ended the call. “That was the Chief of Police. I’m needed back at City Hall.” She stood up. “I’m sorry, Lily. I’ll do what I can.”
“I know. Thank you. Go ahead. I’ll get lunch.”
Jill was reaching for her handbag. “That’s not...”
“Go. Call me later.”
“I will.” She slipped the strap to her purse over her shoulder and gave Lily a quick hug. “Later. And thank you.”
Lily watched her walk away. A pleasant looking woman in her early fifties, Jill Bradley looked like someone’s mom, not like the head of one of the nation’s largest, most diverse cities.
She walked as if she didn't have a care in the world, passing through the throng of reporters with a quick smile and a friendly greeting to the ones she knew.
Lily wished she had that kind of grace under fire. She handed her card to the waitress, signed the tab when it came after adding a sizable tip for that perfectly prepared, almost-raw burger, and walked toward the back of the restaurant.
There was no way she was going to try and get through the reporters. Nope. She’d take the coward’s exit, through the kitchen and out the back.
And the first thing she’d do when she got back to the office was call Alex. The last murder had been in Montana, but this latest had happened barely a mile from her office.
She wondered where Sebastian Xenakis had been last night.
Chapter 2
“Anything newsworthy?”
Sebastian glanced away from the big bay window with its unobstructed view of the sun slipping into the Pacific Ocean, something he found more attractive than anything that could possibly fill the media screen this time of day. “I have no idea. I’ve not been paying attention.”
His father paused in front of the screen, raised the volume, and then spoke over it. “Maybe you should, son of mine. I don’t understand your lack of interest in events shaping the world. How do you expect to help shape those events if you’re not even aware, if you don’t care, what’s important?”
Sebastian merely shrugged. “I have no interest in shaping events. I’ll leave that to men like you.”
“That’s the coward’s way. No son of mine—”
Sebastian smiled as he interrupted. “Wants to compete with his father. You’re obviously good at what you do, Father. There’s no need for me to fight your battles. You do quite well on your own.”
His father stared at him a moment, and Sebastian wished he could read the man’s mind. He couldn’t even read his aura, something that came naturally to him with most people. The man remained a mystery. Sometimes he wondered if the elder Xenakis wanted to send him away, if he’d rather not claim a son who was so unlike himself. Other times, Sebastian was certain his father was proud of his accomplishments, even a bit impressed by his magical abilities.
The shape shifting had certainly gotten the old man’s attention. When he’d demonstrated his ability, Sebastian’s shift from man to wolf had left Aldo Xenakis speechless. Of course, with his father’s avid hatred of Chanku shapeshifters, Sebastian possibly could have chosen a creature other than a wolf—one more politically correct—but that was the one that came easiest to him.
He had not wanted to risk failure, and he hadn’t. In fact, he’d grown so comfortable now with the shift that it took less energy every time, but he really should work on some new creatures. He’d watched the Chanku on the neighboring property. Hiding high on the mountain on his father’s land, he’d used a powerful telescope to study them as they went about their daily lives.
Even the children could shift. Fascinated, he’d watched the little ones take the shapes of various creatures, of birds and lions and leopards, always under their parents—or at least an adult’s—watchful eye. And always creatures of prey, whether it be hawk or cougar, wolf, or even, on at least one occasion, a snake.
He’d not ventured beyond the wolf. His greatest fear was finding a shape and getting caught in it, but eventually he was certain his skill would allow shifts of all kinds.
“What do you know of this?”
Sebastian glanced at the digital tablet his father shoved in front of him. The evening news was updating—he read the headlines. Another body had been found, another young woman raped and murdered. Raped by a man, yet murdered by a beast. Or beasts.
He raised his eyes and stared directly at his father. “Not a damned thing. Why? Do you expect me to have inside knowledge?”
“The last murder occurred Sunday in Montana, not far from our home. This one was here in San Francisco. You were in Montana on Sunday. You’re here now.”
He tapped the screen, shutting down the view. Then he turned away from Sebastian and stared out the window.
Silence truly could be deafening.
Sebastian clamped down on the surge of anger. There were some topics he’d rather not argue. This was one of them, but he wasn’t about to let his father’s insult go entirely unanswered. “What’s your point, Father?”
“Are you still shifting? Still running as a wolf?” Aldo continued to gaze out the window as he questioned his son.
“I am.” Sebastian took a deep, controlling breath. “Are you insinuating that I have anything to—”
“Do you?”
The question, the fact the man would actually voice it, startled him. He stared at his father’s back. Stared until the bastard slowly turned and glared right back at him. Energy sparkled in the air between them. Energy and anger unlike anything Sebastian had ever experienced. He felt his wolf stir within, an unnerving, unexpected sensation. For the first time ever he had to consciously hold back the shift. There was no magic in this—it was rage. Pure, relentless rage.
He clenched his jaw, fought for control, and won.
Still the two of them stood there, glaring at each other like two alpha wolves daring one another for control. Neither of them spoke. They didn’t have to. Anger simmered, a palpable force in the room.
Sebastian was the first to lower his gaze. Seething inside, fighting the wildness reaching for release, he stared at the stone tiles that covered the floor. He didn’t raise his head until he was certain his father had left the room.
Once again, he’d been judged.
Judged, and found wanting, even though he knew he had his father bested.
Sebastian could shift. The wizard couldn’t.
Long moments later, he felt the wolf subside, took a deep breath, and then let it out. He inhaled again, slowly, until his thundering heart settled back to its normal cadence in his chest.
He turned to the window, breathing slow and steady as he watched the fog rolling in over the dark water, but his thoughts were far away. He wondered about the latest victim—who she was. What she had been like.
What her thoughts had been before she died.
If she had known the one who killed her.
~~*~~
It was a little after ten when Lily paid the cabbie near 19th and Lincoln, got out of the car, and slipped into the fog and shadows at the edge of Golden Gate Park. She wore loose sweats and sandals and carried a cloth bag, well aware she looked more like a homeless transient than the CEO of one of the largest import companies in the city.
It was exactly the look she wanted.
Slipping into the thick shrubbery that bordered this area of the park, she stripped out of her clothing and stuffed shoes and sweats into the bag. Naked, shivering in the cool night air, she bent low and shoved the bag with her stuff under a low-growing shrub.
A branch cracked nearby, sharp and loud as a gunshot. She went totally still, crouched low beneath the brush. After a moment, Lily heard laughter, a feminine giggle, and the soft tones of a masculine voice. She raised her head and sniffed, picking up the faint hint of cologne, a softer, feminine perfume, and the rich cloud of pheromones in the still night air.
She heard the sound of clothing rustling, a soft whimper, and a rough, masculine moan.
Just her luck. She wanted to run, and the dude on the other side of the bush wanted to fuck. It would be funny if she weren’t so desperate to leave her human self behind tonight, though she almost laughed out loud when she thought of what Alex would make of the situation.
He had a smart-ass comment for everything, and he’d absolutely be loving this mess, which meant she’d probably tell him about it later. She could hear him now, running a riff about her hunkered down in the bushes alongside one of the busiest streets in the city, bare assed and buck naked while some bozo tried to make it with his girlfriend less than two feet away.
She waited, hoping they’d disappear, maybe find a room somewhere. Instead, she heard the snick of a zipper, a soft, “Oh, baby. That’s it...that’s...”
Shit. Enough already. Lily called on her wolf and felt the change sweep over her body. She paused as all her senses synced with the night around her. Within seconds she’d slipped through fog and shadows without making a sound. The soft gasps and moans faded as she silently left the couple behind.
The fog grew thicker as she ran, muting the ever-present sounds of civilization as well as the soft pads of her paws against the trail. With mouth open and tongue lolling, Lily drew great draughts of air into her lungs. Her wolven brain easily categorized the scents—alder and pine, pungent eucalyptus, and freshly mowed grass. A hint of cigar smoke and the familiar odor of marijuana. The acrid smells of many who had passed through the park earlier, scents of dogs and children, of perfumes and colognes.
Familiar smells, but not the ones she wanted. Not tonight. She missed the smells of home, the sharp tang of cedar and the clean scent of damp earth. The sounds here were lacking as well. Owls hooting in the night, the squeak of bats overhead. There were some small rustlings of mice in the weeds and the occasional slither of a snake or the crackle of voles in the leaves, but no rustle of deer in the brush, no bugling elk.
No pack members to run beside her.
No male who wanted her as his mate.
And that was the crux of it all, wasn’t it? She was damned tired of living alone, though she’d never admit that to her parents. They wanted her to find love and had always hoped it would be with Alex Aragat.
Even Alex found that idea insane. They’d slept in the same crib, and played together as toddlers and beyond, until they each went off to college. Through all their years together, Lily had been the big sister, the one in charge.
She still was. That dynamic would never change.
She loved Alex, and sex with him was amazing, but it wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough. He didn’t challenge her, and she would always intimidate the hell out of him. They laughed about it, pretended to go along with the wishes of their parents, but both of them accepted their relationship would never go beyond what they had now: packmates—special friends with benefits.
Lily realized she was growling as she ran. Time to stop thinking about Alex and her lack of male companionship. This run was supposed to relax her, not leave her frustrated and angry.
She put in a fresh burst of speed and raced through the park. Normally she preferred to run in the Marin Headlands or through the tangled grounds of the Presidio, but her time tonight was limited and she needed this run.
Desperately.
She raced past the golf course and circled the soccer fields, keeping to the shadows, out of plain sight. Circling back, she found herself drawn toward the small garden her mother had designed over thirty years ago. Keisha Rialto had been a young landscape architect when her life was turned upside down by a horrible assault and an unexpected shift from woman to wolf.
In spite of everything, her design had won a contest that resulted in the beautiful memorial to Tibetan Sherpas who had lost their lives guiding climbers into the Himalayas. Her simple yet elegant design had changed so many lives—including her own.
Somehow, the woman who would one day give birth to Lily had included specific plants native to the Tibetan Steppe—plants containing nutrients Chanku shapeshifters needed to shift.
Instinct? The hand of the goddess? Whatever force had lead Keisha to those plants had also led Lily’s father to search for her mother.
If not for that garden, Lily might never have been born, her parents might not have found one another, and the Chanku species could have disappeared forever.
She’d always loved the garden and felt a special connection to the peaceful memorial near Stow Lake. Now, though, as she drew closer, Lily sensed something different.
A darkness that hadn’t existed before. A sense of evil so powerful that the entire area felt tarnished.
How could she have forgotten so soon? A woman had died here just a few hours ago.
Raped by a man, her throat torn out by a wolf.
Lily eased up on her ground-eating lope and slowed to a trot, moving silently among the large stones and softly clumped grasses. The scent of blood hung thick in the foggy night despite the best efforts of the cleaning crews to remove all signs of the assault and murder.
Lily’s sensitive nose picked up the stale scent of fear, of sweat and blood, of semen. Overlaying it all was the powerful scent of wolf.
Not a wolf she recognized, and not just one. She crossed back and forth, breathing in the smells. At least four different wolves. Maybe more, but there was an underlying stench of something wrong, a darkness that didn’t fit with the familiar scent of Chanku.
It made no sense. Man and beast had been here, but had they been Chanku? Or had it been humans and natural wolves—wolves trained to kill?
She was certain she knew all of the Chanku capable of shifting. Over the past twenty-six years, ever since their existence had become public knowledge, they’d searched among normal-appearing humans in hope of finding more of their kind, those who carried the genes for shapeshifting.
Very few had been discovered, but each of them had been brought into the pack, taught to live as a wolf, and encouraged to stay on as part of the ever-growing family of Chanku.
A few had chosen life elsewhere—generally those who preferred solitude to life within the pack. Still, they all kept in contact with her father, and all acknowledged Anton Cheval as the über-alpha, their pack leader.
Just as every one of them looked to Keisha Rialto as the true power over all Chanku. Lily was so proud of her mom, and like everyone else, recognized the quiet strength in the woman who had easily brought über-alpha and powerful wizard Anton Cheval to his knees. Her father might act like the ruler of his own kingdom, but even he acknowledged his mate’s alpha nature.
Of all the known Chanku, none of them, as far as Lily knew, were evil. As wolves they had the power to kill, but they also lived by a code of honor. Evil was a trait that would have shown up very quickly. One thing she’d learned to count on with the pack was the way they watched out for one another. They truly were a family, and if someone had problems, they were the pack’s problems to be dealt with and solved before they were put aside.
But someone was raping and killing young women, and if it wasn’t Chanku, it was someone intending to make it look like Chanku. Lily circled the garden once again.
Her nose wrinkled at the stench of old blood and death, and the overlying sense of something terribly wrong. She couldn’t place it, knew that, if asked, she’d not be able to describe it, but she also knew she would never forget it.
Finally, satisfied there was nothing more she could learn, she turned away and trotted slowly back to the spot where she’d left her clothes.
Her joy in the night felt tarnished, just like her mother’s garden. She was absolutely certain it would be a long time before she ran this way again.
~~*~~
Sebastian adjusted the bow tie on the black silk shirt he’d selected to wear with his tux and once again checked the time. The week had flown by, but he’d spent the hours immersed in his father’s collection of books on magical theory and practice, and he felt as if he’d strengthened his own magic through knowledge. Now it was time to study another kind of magic.
Tonight’s reception was his first truly public event with his father—though why the man had chosen a reception in San Francisco honoring the Montana neighbor he claimed to despise really didn’t make much sense.
No matter. Aldo Xenakis had an amazing, inbred charisma. When he walked into a room, people naturally gravitated toward him and gathered about him. When he spoke, they listened. When he gave an order, no one asked why.
They merely did his bidding.
That was the thing that had stood out the first time Sebastian met his father, the trait that had impressed him the most. He’d since studied the man carefully, watching the way he moved, the words he used, the intonation of his voice.
Tonight Sebastian would do as he always had—he’d keep his mouth shut and stand beside the man he knew he’d never fully understand, and continue to do his best to figure him out.
How else was he going to learn how to move within the same rarified social circles? His mother certainly hadn’t had the opportunity. No, she’d spent her life living alone and afraid, focusing entirely on her only son. Loving him.
He sighed. She’d loved him all right, but she’d lied to him, too. He wondered what his life would be like if he’d never found her divorce papers or his original birth certificate with his mother’s real name—one listing Aldo Xenakis as his father.
How different would things be if he’d never hunted for the man, if he’d listened to his mother’s pleas that he leave well enough alone?
She’d asked him to promise. On her death bed she’d begged him to promise he would never search for his father.
He hadn’t been able to do it. Hadn’t even had the guts to lie to her. She’d gone to her grave, telling him he was making a terrible mistake.
Some days he had to agree. But then, some days...
“Sebastian?”
“Yes, Father?” He glanced at his father’s reflection in the mirror and corralled his unsettling thoughts. Aldo stood in the doorway, still dressed in his everyday dark suit.
“I’m sorry,” he said, studying Sebastian as if he was some sort of exotic bug, “but I will not be attending tonight’s event after all.”
Sebastian turned slowly and watched his father, wondering what the old man was up to now.
“I’ve had some other business come up,” he said. His stare was direct, his manner as formal as always. “You will go. I understand Mr. and Mrs. Cheval will not be at the reception. Their daughter will represent them.”
Interesting. Why would that matter? Well, two could play this game...if a game it was.
Of course, with his father, it was always a game—or a contest—of some sort. “Which one?” Sebastian checked his cuff links as he spoke. “Don’t they have two daughters?”
“They do. The oldest girl, the one who runs Cheval International. Her name is Lily. Lily Cheval. She’s single, very intelligent. She’s also quite attractive.”
That caught his attention. Sebastian raised his head. “You’ve met her?”
Aldo nodded. “This week.”
“Why do you mention her?” He watched his father’s face. As usual, the man gave away nothing.
He shrugged, as if the question meant little to him. “You’re young. You’re not seeing anyone. I thought you might be interested.”
Sebastian raised one eyebrow. “You’re playing matchmaker? With the daughter of the most powerful Chanku alpha alive? A man you openly dislike? Why do I find that so interesting, Father? So unlike you.”
There was the slightest flicker of...what? Indecision? Discomfort? Now that was a rarity. He focused on Aldo’s eyes. Dark brown. So dark they almost appeared black. Nothing like his own, but their physical resemblance was still remarkable. The same tall, lean build, the pronounced widow’s peak, a certain intensity...
“Matchmaker?” His father chuckled. Unconvincingly. “Not at all. I merely thought you would feel more comfortable attending without me if you knew our neighbor’s daughter would be there.”
“I’ve never met her. Never had any desire to. She is, after all, the enemy, isn’t she? Or at least the enemy’s daughter.”
His father’s eyes went wide. Sebastian almost laughed. The man couldn’t look innocent no matter how hard he tried.
“I’ve never said that. Anton Cheval and I have met on more than one occasion. We are always quite civil to one another. I have issues with the species as a whole, but not any one shifter in particular.”
“I guess I misunderstood. Still, I don’t see how her presence should change things.” Sebastian turned away from his father, but he watched him in the mirror as he finished adjusting his bow tie. “I hope your business goes well.”
Aldo nodded and left the room. Sebastian watched him leave, aware of a faint buzzing in his head. He’d noticed it a lot lately. Almost as if someone pushed at his mind.
From the inside.
It wasn’t until the bedroom door closed quietly behind his father that he remembered to breathe.
~~*~~
Lily stared into the vanity mirror and clipped the diamond studs first to one ear and then the other. Such a nuisance, not being able to pierce her ears, but the holes closed up after every shift, and it was hardly worth the trouble.
She smoothed her hands down over the silky fabric and wondered if this was the right dress for the CEO of the largest import business in the city to wear to an event honoring her father. Dark russet shimmered over her skin. The halter top plunged deep in front and was almost nonexistent in the back. The color shifted with reflected light. Turn this way, the gown looked black, that way, russet. Yet in the direct light it was a brilliant, almost metallic copper.
Almost an exact match to her hair and close to her caramel skin. She’d chosen to wear her hair long and loose tonight. Thank the Goddess the tight ringlets of her childhood had loosened into softer waves and manageable curls after so many years of shifting.
Even so, it hung almost to her hips when it was dry, but stretched past her butt when wet. Leaving it loose when the back of the dress dipped to the upper curve of her buttocks kept her from feeling half naked, though she loved the sensual feel of her thick hair sweeping over her bare back and arms.
Arousal blossomed, and she took a deep, controlling breath. Probably not a good idea to run again this afternoon, but damn, she’d felt so trapped this week. Trapped and frustrated by too many pressures coming from too many directions.
The murders, the press hounding her for comments, this reception. Damn, she really didn’t want to go to this event tonight. She’d rather be running through the tall grass on the flanks of Mount Tamalpais than forcing her feet into these damned high heels and worrying if her dress was apropos or not.
She wished Alex had been able to come. He’d have had her laughing by now, but he hadn’t been able to make it down for the reception. She really needed him tonight, if only to burn off the rush of sexual need that always followed a shift.
But Alex was trapped on the investigation in Montana, and it was up to Lily to represent Cheval International tonight. She wondered what he’d discovered, if anything. After the bombshell he’d dropped on her this morning, she’d been so upset she’d walked out of her office and headed straight for Mount Tam. She’d badly needed a chance to breathe some fresh air and think.
Sebastian Xenakis had been in Montana last weekend, when that body was discovered. He was in San Francisco the night the latest victim had died. But could he shift? The only thing they had was Tinker’s nose, the fact he’d followed the scent of a strange wolf and it had led directly across the Xenakis property.
Right to the staircase leading up to the huge Xenakis home.
Her father’s warning floated through her mind, and she looked longingly at the beautifully designed grotto in the bathroom behind her. Natural stone with live ferns and orchids growing from carefully camouflaged pots, a series of showerheads designed to mimic falling rain, and a deep pool off to one side with the option of soaking in an inexcusable amount of hot water with lots of bubbles and all the jets going—it sounded so much more appealing than tonight’s event.
It was definitely preferable to meeting someone who might be a killer and a rapist, of having to carry on polite conversation. What would she do if she recognized his scent? She knew she’d never forget the mix of wolf and man, the stench of pain and death she’d smelled on her run through Golden Gate Park a couple of nights back.
She was certain she’d be introduced to Sebastian Xenakis tonight. The fact they were both young and single, the offspring of very powerful men, made it a given that someone, somewhere, would be pushing them together.
If only for the photo op.
She really wasn’t cut out for this. All the publicity, the schmoozing with people who’d stab her in the back as easily as they’d buy her a drink. Who the hell did she think she was kidding?
You can do this, sweetheart.
Dad? What are you doing in my head? Usually she knew when he was hanging around. She must be more concerned about the evening than she’d realized.
Listening to you worry. You must have inherited that trait from me. Your mother never worries.
Lily snorted. Not a very ladylike response, but her father was right. That’s because she knows you’ll do it for her.
True. Relax. Enjoy yourself tonight. Don’t make a special effort to meet young Mr. Xenakis. It will happen in good time.
It’s going to happen tonight.
There was a long pause. Lily heard her own heartbeat. She could practically see her father nodding as he considered his response.
Okay, he said. How do you feel about that?
I’ll be fine. I probably won’t call you until tomorrow.
Is that a hint for me to stay out of your head?
Yes. Good night. I love you, Dad. Now go. Give Mom a hug for me.
He didn’t answer, but his laughter echoed in her mind.
And Lily realized her nervousness was gone. Someday she’d figure out how he did that.
She just hoped this sense of calm lasted.
She was dressed to the max and running late. Her libido was working on overtime and her imagination wasn’t much better. So be it. Grabbing her handbag, Lily slipped out the door. The company limo she’d called for earlier waited in front of the house.
The driver opened the door, and she slid into the backseat. “Museum of Modern Art,” she said, checking her handbag for the speech she’d prepared.
The notes were there. She’d done this sort of thing a hundred times. So why was she so uptight about tonight?
And what if Aldo Xenakis approached her with his slimy comments, the way he’d done when she’d met him on Monday?And how the hell was she going to deal with his son?
Somehow, she just couldn’t drag up any good feelings about the coming evening. As they drove into town, she found herself turning in her seat, looking back in the direction of the mountain.
What kind of CEO would rather be running as a wolf across the grassy hillside? With a deep sigh, Lily turned and faced forward. Time to put on her business face and act like a grown-up, whether she wanted to or not.
Sebastian glanced away from the big bay window with its unobstructed view of the sun slipping into the Pacific Ocean, something he found more attractive than anything that could possibly fill the media screen this time of day. “I have no idea. I’ve not been paying attention.”
His father paused in front of the screen, raised the volume, and then spoke over it. “Maybe you should, son of mine. I don’t understand your lack of interest in events shaping the world. How do you expect to help shape those events if you’re not even aware, if you don’t care, what’s important?”
Sebastian merely shrugged. “I have no interest in shaping events. I’ll leave that to men like you.”
“That’s the coward’s way. No son of mine—”
Sebastian smiled as he interrupted. “Wants to compete with his father. You’re obviously good at what you do, Father. There’s no need for me to fight your battles. You do quite well on your own.”
His father stared at him a moment, and Sebastian wished he could read the man’s mind. He couldn’t even read his aura, something that came naturally to him with most people. The man remained a mystery. Sometimes he wondered if the elder Xenakis wanted to send him away, if he’d rather not claim a son who was so unlike himself. Other times, Sebastian was certain his father was proud of his accomplishments, even a bit impressed by his magical abilities.
The shape shifting had certainly gotten the old man’s attention. When he’d demonstrated his ability, Sebastian’s shift from man to wolf had left Aldo Xenakis speechless. Of course, with his father’s avid hatred of Chanku shapeshifters, Sebastian possibly could have chosen a creature other than a wolf—one more politically correct—but that was the one that came easiest to him.
He had not wanted to risk failure, and he hadn’t. In fact, he’d grown so comfortable now with the shift that it took less energy every time, but he really should work on some new creatures. He’d watched the Chanku on the neighboring property. Hiding high on the mountain on his father’s land, he’d used a powerful telescope to study them as they went about their daily lives.
Even the children could shift. Fascinated, he’d watched the little ones take the shapes of various creatures, of birds and lions and leopards, always under their parents—or at least an adult’s—watchful eye. And always creatures of prey, whether it be hawk or cougar, wolf, or even, on at least one occasion, a snake.
He’d not ventured beyond the wolf. His greatest fear was finding a shape and getting caught in it, but eventually he was certain his skill would allow shifts of all kinds.
“What do you know of this?”
Sebastian glanced at the digital tablet his father shoved in front of him. The evening news was updating—he read the headlines. Another body had been found, another young woman raped and murdered. Raped by a man, yet murdered by a beast. Or beasts.
He raised his eyes and stared directly at his father. “Not a damned thing. Why? Do you expect me to have inside knowledge?”
“The last murder occurred Sunday in Montana, not far from our home. This one was here in San Francisco. You were in Montana on Sunday. You’re here now.”
He tapped the screen, shutting down the view. Then he turned away from Sebastian and stared out the window.
Silence truly could be deafening.
Sebastian clamped down on the surge of anger. There were some topics he’d rather not argue. This was one of them, but he wasn’t about to let his father’s insult go entirely unanswered. “What’s your point, Father?”
“Are you still shifting? Still running as a wolf?” Aldo continued to gaze out the window as he questioned his son.
“I am.” Sebastian took a deep, controlling breath. “Are you insinuating that I have anything to—”
“Do you?”
The question, the fact the man would actually voice it, startled him. He stared at his father’s back. Stared until the bastard slowly turned and glared right back at him. Energy sparkled in the air between them. Energy and anger unlike anything Sebastian had ever experienced. He felt his wolf stir within, an unnerving, unexpected sensation. For the first time ever he had to consciously hold back the shift. There was no magic in this—it was rage. Pure, relentless rage.
He clenched his jaw, fought for control, and won.
Still the two of them stood there, glaring at each other like two alpha wolves daring one another for control. Neither of them spoke. They didn’t have to. Anger simmered, a palpable force in the room.
Sebastian was the first to lower his gaze. Seething inside, fighting the wildness reaching for release, he stared at the stone tiles that covered the floor. He didn’t raise his head until he was certain his father had left the room.
Once again, he’d been judged.
Judged, and found wanting, even though he knew he had his father bested.
Sebastian could shift. The wizard couldn’t.
Long moments later, he felt the wolf subside, took a deep breath, and then let it out. He inhaled again, slowly, until his thundering heart settled back to its normal cadence in his chest.
He turned to the window, breathing slow and steady as he watched the fog rolling in over the dark water, but his thoughts were far away. He wondered about the latest victim—who she was. What she had been like.
What her thoughts had been before she died.
If she had known the one who killed her.
~~*~~
It was a little after ten when Lily paid the cabbie near 19th and Lincoln, got out of the car, and slipped into the fog and shadows at the edge of Golden Gate Park. She wore loose sweats and sandals and carried a cloth bag, well aware she looked more like a homeless transient than the CEO of one of the largest import companies in the city.
It was exactly the look she wanted.
Slipping into the thick shrubbery that bordered this area of the park, she stripped out of her clothing and stuffed shoes and sweats into the bag. Naked, shivering in the cool night air, she bent low and shoved the bag with her stuff under a low-growing shrub.
A branch cracked nearby, sharp and loud as a gunshot. She went totally still, crouched low beneath the brush. After a moment, Lily heard laughter, a feminine giggle, and the soft tones of a masculine voice. She raised her head and sniffed, picking up the faint hint of cologne, a softer, feminine perfume, and the rich cloud of pheromones in the still night air.
She heard the sound of clothing rustling, a soft whimper, and a rough, masculine moan.
Just her luck. She wanted to run, and the dude on the other side of the bush wanted to fuck. It would be funny if she weren’t so desperate to leave her human self behind tonight, though she almost laughed out loud when she thought of what Alex would make of the situation.
He had a smart-ass comment for everything, and he’d absolutely be loving this mess, which meant she’d probably tell him about it later. She could hear him now, running a riff about her hunkered down in the bushes alongside one of the busiest streets in the city, bare assed and buck naked while some bozo tried to make it with his girlfriend less than two feet away.
She waited, hoping they’d disappear, maybe find a room somewhere. Instead, she heard the snick of a zipper, a soft, “Oh, baby. That’s it...that’s...”
Shit. Enough already. Lily called on her wolf and felt the change sweep over her body. She paused as all her senses synced with the night around her. Within seconds she’d slipped through fog and shadows without making a sound. The soft gasps and moans faded as she silently left the couple behind.
The fog grew thicker as she ran, muting the ever-present sounds of civilization as well as the soft pads of her paws against the trail. With mouth open and tongue lolling, Lily drew great draughts of air into her lungs. Her wolven brain easily categorized the scents—alder and pine, pungent eucalyptus, and freshly mowed grass. A hint of cigar smoke and the familiar odor of marijuana. The acrid smells of many who had passed through the park earlier, scents of dogs and children, of perfumes and colognes.
Familiar smells, but not the ones she wanted. Not tonight. She missed the smells of home, the sharp tang of cedar and the clean scent of damp earth. The sounds here were lacking as well. Owls hooting in the night, the squeak of bats overhead. There were some small rustlings of mice in the weeds and the occasional slither of a snake or the crackle of voles in the leaves, but no rustle of deer in the brush, no bugling elk.
No pack members to run beside her.
No male who wanted her as his mate.
And that was the crux of it all, wasn’t it? She was damned tired of living alone, though she’d never admit that to her parents. They wanted her to find love and had always hoped it would be with Alex Aragat.
Even Alex found that idea insane. They’d slept in the same crib, and played together as toddlers and beyond, until they each went off to college. Through all their years together, Lily had been the big sister, the one in charge.
She still was. That dynamic would never change.
She loved Alex, and sex with him was amazing, but it wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough. He didn’t challenge her, and she would always intimidate the hell out of him. They laughed about it, pretended to go along with the wishes of their parents, but both of them accepted their relationship would never go beyond what they had now: packmates—special friends with benefits.
Lily realized she was growling as she ran. Time to stop thinking about Alex and her lack of male companionship. This run was supposed to relax her, not leave her frustrated and angry.
She put in a fresh burst of speed and raced through the park. Normally she preferred to run in the Marin Headlands or through the tangled grounds of the Presidio, but her time tonight was limited and she needed this run.
Desperately.
She raced past the golf course and circled the soccer fields, keeping to the shadows, out of plain sight. Circling back, she found herself drawn toward the small garden her mother had designed over thirty years ago. Keisha Rialto had been a young landscape architect when her life was turned upside down by a horrible assault and an unexpected shift from woman to wolf.
In spite of everything, her design had won a contest that resulted in the beautiful memorial to Tibetan Sherpas who had lost their lives guiding climbers into the Himalayas. Her simple yet elegant design had changed so many lives—including her own.
Somehow, the woman who would one day give birth to Lily had included specific plants native to the Tibetan Steppe—plants containing nutrients Chanku shapeshifters needed to shift.
Instinct? The hand of the goddess? Whatever force had lead Keisha to those plants had also led Lily’s father to search for her mother.
If not for that garden, Lily might never have been born, her parents might not have found one another, and the Chanku species could have disappeared forever.
She’d always loved the garden and felt a special connection to the peaceful memorial near Stow Lake. Now, though, as she drew closer, Lily sensed something different.
A darkness that hadn’t existed before. A sense of evil so powerful that the entire area felt tarnished.
How could she have forgotten so soon? A woman had died here just a few hours ago.
Raped by a man, her throat torn out by a wolf.
Lily eased up on her ground-eating lope and slowed to a trot, moving silently among the large stones and softly clumped grasses. The scent of blood hung thick in the foggy night despite the best efforts of the cleaning crews to remove all signs of the assault and murder.
Lily’s sensitive nose picked up the stale scent of fear, of sweat and blood, of semen. Overlaying it all was the powerful scent of wolf.
Not a wolf she recognized, and not just one. She crossed back and forth, breathing in the smells. At least four different wolves. Maybe more, but there was an underlying stench of something wrong, a darkness that didn’t fit with the familiar scent of Chanku.
It made no sense. Man and beast had been here, but had they been Chanku? Or had it been humans and natural wolves—wolves trained to kill?
She was certain she knew all of the Chanku capable of shifting. Over the past twenty-six years, ever since their existence had become public knowledge, they’d searched among normal-appearing humans in hope of finding more of their kind, those who carried the genes for shapeshifting.
Very few had been discovered, but each of them had been brought into the pack, taught to live as a wolf, and encouraged to stay on as part of the ever-growing family of Chanku.
A few had chosen life elsewhere—generally those who preferred solitude to life within the pack. Still, they all kept in contact with her father, and all acknowledged Anton Cheval as the über-alpha, their pack leader.
Just as every one of them looked to Keisha Rialto as the true power over all Chanku. Lily was so proud of her mom, and like everyone else, recognized the quiet strength in the woman who had easily brought über-alpha and powerful wizard Anton Cheval to his knees. Her father might act like the ruler of his own kingdom, but even he acknowledged his mate’s alpha nature.
Of all the known Chanku, none of them, as far as Lily knew, were evil. As wolves they had the power to kill, but they also lived by a code of honor. Evil was a trait that would have shown up very quickly. One thing she’d learned to count on with the pack was the way they watched out for one another. They truly were a family, and if someone had problems, they were the pack’s problems to be dealt with and solved before they were put aside.
But someone was raping and killing young women, and if it wasn’t Chanku, it was someone intending to make it look like Chanku. Lily circled the garden once again.
Her nose wrinkled at the stench of old blood and death, and the overlying sense of something terribly wrong. She couldn’t place it, knew that, if asked, she’d not be able to describe it, but she also knew she would never forget it.
Finally, satisfied there was nothing more she could learn, she turned away and trotted slowly back to the spot where she’d left her clothes.
Her joy in the night felt tarnished, just like her mother’s garden. She was absolutely certain it would be a long time before she ran this way again.
~~*~~
Sebastian adjusted the bow tie on the black silk shirt he’d selected to wear with his tux and once again checked the time. The week had flown by, but he’d spent the hours immersed in his father’s collection of books on magical theory and practice, and he felt as if he’d strengthened his own magic through knowledge. Now it was time to study another kind of magic.
Tonight’s reception was his first truly public event with his father—though why the man had chosen a reception in San Francisco honoring the Montana neighbor he claimed to despise really didn’t make much sense.
No matter. Aldo Xenakis had an amazing, inbred charisma. When he walked into a room, people naturally gravitated toward him and gathered about him. When he spoke, they listened. When he gave an order, no one asked why.
They merely did his bidding.
That was the thing that had stood out the first time Sebastian met his father, the trait that had impressed him the most. He’d since studied the man carefully, watching the way he moved, the words he used, the intonation of his voice.
Tonight Sebastian would do as he always had—he’d keep his mouth shut and stand beside the man he knew he’d never fully understand, and continue to do his best to figure him out.
How else was he going to learn how to move within the same rarified social circles? His mother certainly hadn’t had the opportunity. No, she’d spent her life living alone and afraid, focusing entirely on her only son. Loving him.
He sighed. She’d loved him all right, but she’d lied to him, too. He wondered what his life would be like if he’d never found her divorce papers or his original birth certificate with his mother’s real name—one listing Aldo Xenakis as his father.
How different would things be if he’d never hunted for the man, if he’d listened to his mother’s pleas that he leave well enough alone?
She’d asked him to promise. On her death bed she’d begged him to promise he would never search for his father.
He hadn’t been able to do it. Hadn’t even had the guts to lie to her. She’d gone to her grave, telling him he was making a terrible mistake.
Some days he had to agree. But then, some days...
“Sebastian?”
“Yes, Father?” He glanced at his father’s reflection in the mirror and corralled his unsettling thoughts. Aldo stood in the doorway, still dressed in his everyday dark suit.
“I’m sorry,” he said, studying Sebastian as if he was some sort of exotic bug, “but I will not be attending tonight’s event after all.”
Sebastian turned slowly and watched his father, wondering what the old man was up to now.
“I’ve had some other business come up,” he said. His stare was direct, his manner as formal as always. “You will go. I understand Mr. and Mrs. Cheval will not be at the reception. Their daughter will represent them.”
Interesting. Why would that matter? Well, two could play this game...if a game it was.
Of course, with his father, it was always a game—or a contest—of some sort. “Which one?” Sebastian checked his cuff links as he spoke. “Don’t they have two daughters?”
“They do. The oldest girl, the one who runs Cheval International. Her name is Lily. Lily Cheval. She’s single, very intelligent. She’s also quite attractive.”
That caught his attention. Sebastian raised his head. “You’ve met her?”
Aldo nodded. “This week.”
“Why do you mention her?” He watched his father’s face. As usual, the man gave away nothing.
He shrugged, as if the question meant little to him. “You’re young. You’re not seeing anyone. I thought you might be interested.”
Sebastian raised one eyebrow. “You’re playing matchmaker? With the daughter of the most powerful Chanku alpha alive? A man you openly dislike? Why do I find that so interesting, Father? So unlike you.”
There was the slightest flicker of...what? Indecision? Discomfort? Now that was a rarity. He focused on Aldo’s eyes. Dark brown. So dark they almost appeared black. Nothing like his own, but their physical resemblance was still remarkable. The same tall, lean build, the pronounced widow’s peak, a certain intensity...
“Matchmaker?” His father chuckled. Unconvincingly. “Not at all. I merely thought you would feel more comfortable attending without me if you knew our neighbor’s daughter would be there.”
“I’ve never met her. Never had any desire to. She is, after all, the enemy, isn’t she? Or at least the enemy’s daughter.”
His father’s eyes went wide. Sebastian almost laughed. The man couldn’t look innocent no matter how hard he tried.
“I’ve never said that. Anton Cheval and I have met on more than one occasion. We are always quite civil to one another. I have issues with the species as a whole, but not any one shifter in particular.”
“I guess I misunderstood. Still, I don’t see how her presence should change things.” Sebastian turned away from his father, but he watched him in the mirror as he finished adjusting his bow tie. “I hope your business goes well.”
Aldo nodded and left the room. Sebastian watched him leave, aware of a faint buzzing in his head. He’d noticed it a lot lately. Almost as if someone pushed at his mind.
From the inside.
It wasn’t until the bedroom door closed quietly behind his father that he remembered to breathe.
~~*~~
Lily stared into the vanity mirror and clipped the diamond studs first to one ear and then the other. Such a nuisance, not being able to pierce her ears, but the holes closed up after every shift, and it was hardly worth the trouble.
She smoothed her hands down over the silky fabric and wondered if this was the right dress for the CEO of the largest import business in the city to wear to an event honoring her father. Dark russet shimmered over her skin. The halter top plunged deep in front and was almost nonexistent in the back. The color shifted with reflected light. Turn this way, the gown looked black, that way, russet. Yet in the direct light it was a brilliant, almost metallic copper.
Almost an exact match to her hair and close to her caramel skin. She’d chosen to wear her hair long and loose tonight. Thank the Goddess the tight ringlets of her childhood had loosened into softer waves and manageable curls after so many years of shifting.
Even so, it hung almost to her hips when it was dry, but stretched past her butt when wet. Leaving it loose when the back of the dress dipped to the upper curve of her buttocks kept her from feeling half naked, though she loved the sensual feel of her thick hair sweeping over her bare back and arms.
Arousal blossomed, and she took a deep, controlling breath. Probably not a good idea to run again this afternoon, but damn, she’d felt so trapped this week. Trapped and frustrated by too many pressures coming from too many directions.
The murders, the press hounding her for comments, this reception. Damn, she really didn’t want to go to this event tonight. She’d rather be running through the tall grass on the flanks of Mount Tamalpais than forcing her feet into these damned high heels and worrying if her dress was apropos or not.
She wished Alex had been able to come. He’d have had her laughing by now, but he hadn’t been able to make it down for the reception. She really needed him tonight, if only to burn off the rush of sexual need that always followed a shift.
But Alex was trapped on the investigation in Montana, and it was up to Lily to represent Cheval International tonight. She wondered what he’d discovered, if anything. After the bombshell he’d dropped on her this morning, she’d been so upset she’d walked out of her office and headed straight for Mount Tam. She’d badly needed a chance to breathe some fresh air and think.
Sebastian Xenakis had been in Montana last weekend, when that body was discovered. He was in San Francisco the night the latest victim had died. But could he shift? The only thing they had was Tinker’s nose, the fact he’d followed the scent of a strange wolf and it had led directly across the Xenakis property.
Right to the staircase leading up to the huge Xenakis home.
Her father’s warning floated through her mind, and she looked longingly at the beautifully designed grotto in the bathroom behind her. Natural stone with live ferns and orchids growing from carefully camouflaged pots, a series of showerheads designed to mimic falling rain, and a deep pool off to one side with the option of soaking in an inexcusable amount of hot water with lots of bubbles and all the jets going—it sounded so much more appealing than tonight’s event.
It was definitely preferable to meeting someone who might be a killer and a rapist, of having to carry on polite conversation. What would she do if she recognized his scent? She knew she’d never forget the mix of wolf and man, the stench of pain and death she’d smelled on her run through Golden Gate Park a couple of nights back.
She was certain she’d be introduced to Sebastian Xenakis tonight. The fact they were both young and single, the offspring of very powerful men, made it a given that someone, somewhere, would be pushing them together.
If only for the photo op.
She really wasn’t cut out for this. All the publicity, the schmoozing with people who’d stab her in the back as easily as they’d buy her a drink. Who the hell did she think she was kidding?
You can do this, sweetheart.
Dad? What are you doing in my head? Usually she knew when he was hanging around. She must be more concerned about the evening than she’d realized.
Listening to you worry. You must have inherited that trait from me. Your mother never worries.
Lily snorted. Not a very ladylike response, but her father was right. That’s because she knows you’ll do it for her.
True. Relax. Enjoy yourself tonight. Don’t make a special effort to meet young Mr. Xenakis. It will happen in good time.
It’s going to happen tonight.
There was a long pause. Lily heard her own heartbeat. She could practically see her father nodding as he considered his response.
Okay, he said. How do you feel about that?
I’ll be fine. I probably won’t call you until tomorrow.
Is that a hint for me to stay out of your head?
Yes. Good night. I love you, Dad. Now go. Give Mom a hug for me.
He didn’t answer, but his laughter echoed in her mind.
And Lily realized her nervousness was gone. Someday she’d figure out how he did that.
She just hoped this sense of calm lasted.
She was dressed to the max and running late. Her libido was working on overtime and her imagination wasn’t much better. So be it. Grabbing her handbag, Lily slipped out the door. The company limo she’d called for earlier waited in front of the house.
The driver opened the door, and she slid into the backseat. “Museum of Modern Art,” she said, checking her handbag for the speech she’d prepared.
The notes were there. She’d done this sort of thing a hundred times. So why was she so uptight about tonight?
And what if Aldo Xenakis approached her with his slimy comments, the way he’d done when she’d met him on Monday?And how the hell was she going to deal with his son?
Somehow, she just couldn’t drag up any good feelings about the coming evening. As they drove into town, she found herself turning in her seat, looking back in the direction of the mountain.
What kind of CEO would rather be running as a wolf across the grassy hillside? With a deep sigh, Lily turned and faced forward. Time to put on her business face and act like a grown-up, whether she wanted to or not.
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