Captive Beauty: Harem of Redemption 1, page 15
My hands balled into fists as I let my magic dissipate. I turned to a large pile of driftwood and threw a punch. The piece splintered.
Frustration over this, as well as Emma, burned in my gut. We should hand her over to the witches and be done with it. Though that thought gave me pause. Grunting, I pummeled a thicker, weathered tree trunk until it disintegrated under the assault. My bloody knuckles left smears on the wood.
Images passed before my mind’s eye. First, the enchantress’s smug face, then Emma reaching for the hourglass. As always, the memories flashed by until they landed on one scene. My father’s features crowded my vision. A bolt of blinding magic was followed by searing pain that ate at my flesh. Feminine laughter echoed behind me.
My next punch shattered a log. The visions disappeared, leaving me once more in a temporary peace.
Panting, I shook out my hands. The pain helped relieve some of the frustration and cleared my head.
“Feel better?” Lucas asked from where he stood several feet away, leaning against a stump.
“Much.” I stalked past him to the car.
He slid into the passenger seat and without another word, we sped toward home.
This time of year, when the rest of the area experienced winter too, I found it easier to forget our cursed estate. But soon spring and summer would surround us, while the mansion remained encased in snow. Almost ten years of winter was grueling.
Some days, I wondered if it would have been easier to smash the hourglass and end this Hell, only to enter another. Except, we had no guarantee that would put an end to this life. Perhaps the object was simply meant to be a constant reminder of our damnation to come, of our limited time here to achieve the impossible.
My gut twisted as we left the rain soaked streets and entered our snowy prison. The garden lamplights illuminated the multitude of freshly bloomed roses, another of the enchantress’s wicked tricks. Why leave us with this one beauty when she’d taken all else from us? Sadistic bitch.
I parked in the garage and we made our way through the mansion. Ash and Kevin were on guard duty in the front hall. I shook my head and their hopeful expressions faded. My chest ached every time we returned from one of these trips and had to deliver the bad news. We were all still doomed.
Jace met us at the top of the stairs. He took one glance at us and his features grew solemn. “Zane’s in the office,” he said quietly.
I nodded to the butler, and Jace continued down the steps.
I pushed the office door open and we entered. Lucas closed it behind us.
Zane had decided to take his pet to work tonight. I did my best to ignore Emma where she sat behind the desk next to him. Her eyes had widened when I’d walked in. She scanned my body, taking in my disheveled appearance and the crusted blood on my knuckles. I’d deal with cleaning up later.
“What happened?” Zane asked, eyeing me and Lucas.
“It was another dead end.” I stepped toward my desk.
“And your fists?”
I surveyed the raw wounds. “Had a run in with some driftwood. I won.”
Zane rubbed his palm across his lips. “I see. Well, we’ve had quite a bit more excitement here.”
“What happened?” Lucas asked. His wild eyes immediately landed on Emma.
I inwardly groaned. Annoyed, I gestured toward her. “What the fuck has she done now?”
Lucas growled, shooting me a warning glance. Zane sighed.
Emma folded her arms under her breasts, and fixed her gaze on me. As if that didn’t irritate me even more. The display of her deep cleavage, her hazel eyes on my marked face, how her shoulder brushed Zane’s arm… All of it—irritating.
She stood, reaching for a couple of items on Zane’s desk. “My stalker has found me.” Emma held a small gold and black box in one palm and a scrap of paper in the other.
23
Emma
“The note reads: Emma, beware of Penumbra Syndicate. They are your enemy. They will betray you, as they’ve done to one abomination before.” I set down both the paper and the box, doing my best to ignore the hatred in Cade’s eyes. “Zane told me how years ago you all turned over a person that 5th Circle was hunting. How would my stalker know about that?” I glanced at the three men.
I was pretty sure they wouldn’t hand me over to the hunters. Well, except Cade, who would drop me on their doorstep in a heartbeat. My latest bout of curiosity hadn’t exactly smoothed over our troubled relationship. The fact that I’d meant no harm didn’t matter to the burly fae.
Lucas stepped forward, halting a couple feet away, as if he didn’t want to be too close to me. I had no idea where I stood with Lucas or Zane after the incident with Cade, only that they refused to let me leave and wouldn’t tell me why. So, status quo?
Or maybe they were also angry with me. Zane had been quite a bit more reserved since I’d stepped foot into the office, but I couldn’t tell if it was because of me or my stalker’s note.
A suspicious thought caused my pulse to spike. What if they were keeping me here now, only to sacrifice me later? My stalker had never been wrong. Was I blinded by false promises of protection? Could I really trust these men?
Lucas cleared his throat. “Your stalker must be a member of 5th Circle, Eclipse, or have information access to them.”
“Or be a member of your household,” I said. “The timing of this tells me that my stalker saw us together yesterday at the fight. So either he was there, or someone in this mansion was waiting for the opportune time to send this note.”
Lucas scrubbed the back of his neck.
“We can rule out everyone beneath this roof.” Zane trailed the back of his hand down my arm, and I shivered. “Everyone here has been with us for years. None of them is your stalker. But, I agree, he was at the shifter fight. And, according to what you’ve said before, he didn’t know you would be there. Otherwise, he would have warned you before we were attacked.”
I nodded. He was right.
“Your stalker knows you are here.” Zane’s hot breath tickled my neck. “5th Circle and Eclipse know you are here. And you know that we will protect you. That note changes nothing.”
I gazed into Zane’s black eyes. Oh, how I wanted to trust him. Having him, Lucas, and the strength of Penumbra Syndicate at my back would be a dream come true. But they’d turned over a hybrid to 5th Circle in the past. What if, by some cruel twist of fate, I was not only a witch, but a cleverly disguised abomination?
Would they betray me then?
A knock sounded on the door. Jace, the butler, poked his head in. “Excuse me, dinner will be served in an hour…in the formal dining room,” he said with a cringe.
“Have it brought up,” Zane ordered.
“Mrs. Holt insists, sir.”
I had no idea who Mrs. Holt was or why she would insist we eat dinner somewhere other than the parlor, but with a heavy sigh, Zane gave in with a nod.
“All of us,” Lucas shot Cade a pointed look, “will be down in an hour.”
“Very good, sir.” The butler left.
“Sweetness, go change for dinner,” Zane said. “Wear the new black dress in your wardrobe.”
“Yes, sir,” I mumbled, crossing the room. Since when had I started following their orders? I hummed as I let myself into the hallway. That was right, since they’d rescued my ass—twice, vowed to protect me, and promised not to kill Orion. What more could a girl want? I rolled my eyes. Maybe her freedom?
In my room, I opened the free standing wardrobe and, sure enough, a new silky, black evening gown caught my eye. I trailed my fingertips over the deliciously soft fabric. This was all too much. I dropped my hand.
Zane was spoiling me with beautiful clothes, decadent meals, and saying all the right words. Except, of course, that he insisted on keeping me prisoner, and all of them were keeping secrets. The good parts couldn’t last forever, and the bad parts would always remain, so I couldn’t get comfortable here. I shouldn’t let my guard down.
With my mental armor intact, I slipped into the dress and found a pair of low, black satin heels. A touch of makeup, and a brush ran through my hair, and I was ready.
I stepped out of my room to find the vampire waiting. He looked practically edible in a tailored black suit, white shirt, and tie. The jacket hugged his broad shoulders. Having his dreadlocks pulled back accentuated the strong line of his jaw..
A slow smile graced his lips. “You look good enough to eat,” he said, offering his arm.
“Thank you.” I took it and let him lead me along the hall and down the staircase to the formal dining room on the main floor. My jaw dropped as the french doors opened to reveal the vaulted ceiling, blazing hearth that had to be taller than me, and the expanse of finery. A huge marble table stood in the center of the room, glowing with candle light.
I side eyed Zane. “What’s this all about?”
“You’ll meet Mrs. Holt soon enough. Or as we call her: Mama Holt.” He chuckled. “This…is all her.”
The french door opened behind us to admit Lucas and Cade. They both wore suits as well, and all I could do was stare. Suddenly, it felt too hot in this space. Ugh, I am going to die from an overdose of testosterone. At least Cade was a real bastard and I would never be in danger of losing my heart, or my panties, to him. But Lucas and Zane…fuck me…in a wolf and vampire sandwich. I shook that image out of my head.
A door at the far end opened and a huge, blond, viking of a woman strode toward us. She wore a blue gown that did nothing to soften her sharp angles. I must have taken a reactionary step backward because I bumped into Lucas. Cade smirked down at me, amused. Shithead.
Zane’s arm wrapped around my waist and he pulled me into his side. “Mama Holt’s a bear shifter,” he whispered.
Mama bear? Really.
The woman embraced Cade, ignoring the scowl on his face. “My boys,” she said, “I barely see you any more.” She moved to Lucas and hugged him as well. “These old knees don’t make it up and down those stairs as well as they used to.”
I ran my gaze over her muscular frame. Could have fooled me, she looked as fit as any of the guys. Though as I studied her, I realized her hair was streaked with white and fine wrinkles showed a much older face up close.
Zane stepped forward, embracing her. They were about the same height. “Mama Holt,” he said, “I want you to meet Emma.”
She pinned me with pale green eyes. “Aren’t you a beauty? You’re the talk of the mansion, don’t you know? We should have been introduced much sooner.”
I forced a smile, uncomfortable with the idea of being the center of gossip, and extended my hand. Mama Holt ignored my proffered palm, and briefly snatched me up in her arms before returning me to my feet. Geez, the woman was strong.
“Nice to meet you,” I murmured.
She grinned and it softened the hard plains of her features. “So tell me, which one of my boys do you have your sights set on?”
I choked on air.
She clapped me on the back so hard I stumbled forward. “Don’t fret. Whichever one you choose, you have my blessing.”
My cheeks heated, probably turning my whole face bright red. Which only made the giant woman laugh. I didn’t dare glance at any of the bosses—er, her boys.
Zane’s arm found my waist again. “What’s for dinner, Mama?”
Her face brightened. “Five courses of your favorites. I’m trying to lure you back to eating down here so I can see my boys.” She winked at me. “Sit. I will have the first course served momentarily.”
Zane led us to the long table, where we all sat at one end, him at the head, and me to his left. Lucas settled in the spot next to me, and Cade at Zane’s other side. Beside the grouchy fae, Mama Holt took her seat.
My skin prickled with the awareness that I was nestled between the vampire and the wolf. I inhaled a steadying breath to calm myself and expanded my attention to the table as a whole.
I was bursting with questions, but as soon as I opened my mouth, two servers appeared with our first course. They set bowls of savory smelling, creamy soup in front of each of us.
“Your favorite,” Mama Holt said to Cade. She stroked his long, silver-blond hair in a loving gesture, then started in on her soup. The staff retreated back to the kitchen.
I stared across at Cade. The woman had just treated the asshole like an adored, favorite child. What the hell? He caught my gaze and his eyes flashed with annoyance. He dug into his soup. His favorite… I scooped up a spoonful. Robust herbs danced across my taste buds and I hummed my approval.
I swallowed. “This is delicious.”
“I’m glad you like it, dear,” Mrs. Holt said. “We have an excellent cook.”
“So…why do they call you Mama?”
Zane answered for her. “We call her Mama because she is just that to the three of us.” The vampire’s mouth turned up at one corner. “You could say she’s the mother of our Penumbra Syndicate. We certainly wouldn’t be here without her.”
Mrs. Holt smiled at Zane.
When no one elaborated, I frowned. Now I had more questions than before. “So…are you the birth mother to one of them?”
“No. We share no blood,” she said. “I adopted them.”
“All three of them?”
“Yes. When they were very young men with no families of their own.” Another warm smile graced her lips.
“You’re orphans?” I asked, glancing at each of the bosses. That piqued my interest.
Lucas shifted uncomfortably beside me, and Cade let out a warning grunt. I watched them. More secrets it would seem.
I narrowed my eyes at them. “You all know my story.”
“Only out of necessity,” Cade said.
“I think you mean force,” I shot back. “Besides, I don’t care about your story.” A lie, and a cheap shot, but whatever. He was a dick.
I thought I saw a flash of hurt before his grey gaze hardened. Why would he care if I chose to exclude him?
Mrs. Holt swatted Cade. “Don’t be rude to our guest.”
My cheeks heated. I’d been rude right back to him. Good one, Emma. Way to make a great first impression.
Sheepishly, I turned my attention back to Zane and quirked a brow.
“Orphans,” he said, “in a way, yes. Personally, I never knew my parents.”
“At all?”
He shook his head.
Wow, at least I’d had a few years with both of mine, even if our time together had been cut short. I had memories. I knew they loved me. It was hard to imagine growing up and not having a single experience to recall with your parents. I focused on my soup and pondered this new information. We were all orphans at this table, or at least, we had no living parents.
“How did you end up adopting them?” I asked the stately woman.
She swallowed her mouthful of soup. “Oh, let’s see, where to start? I won’t tell you their individual stories, because those are for them to divulge, but I will tell you mine.” She took a sip of wine. “My family was a rich and powerful bear clan in Europe. We had many enemies. Several of our enemies joined together and slaughtered my clan, but I escaped. I came over here when I was a young woman, and brought my family fortune.”
I sat with rapt attention as she told her story of escape and venturing into a new life here in Washington State. She’d come from a crime family, and established her own illegal empire when she was younger than me.
“But you see, even though I am cutthroat with my business dealings, I have a weakness for lost creatures. And these three boys were the most lost I’d ever come across.” She glanced at the three bosses before continuing. “I found Cade first, then Zane, and lastly Lucas. We grew into a family. Eventually, they took over the leadership of Penumbra, so I could retire.”
Hearing her story was amazing. What a life.
“You will be a most wonderful addition,” she said.
I gave her a weak grin. Did she know that I was held here against my will? She obviously adored her boys. I was sure they could do no wrong in her eyes.
“Thanks,” I managed.
Zane squeezed my knee under the table.
The staff served more courses throughout the evening. Once they were finished, a single server remained and kept our wine glasses full. Gradually, the guys relaxed and fell into work-related conversations with each other and Mrs. Holt. I guess they didn’t have any shared hobbies. Well except for one, they liked beating the shit out of other shifters in a boxing ring from time to time. Which the giant woman seemed to think was just fine.
“The next fight is in a month,” Zane said. “I’ve heard there’s a wolf coming from Alberta to compete.”
Lucas grinned.
“You actually like doing that?” I asked Lucas.
“Like it? I need to do it.” That wolfish glow shone behind his eyes. “It keeps my wolf under control to let him out from time to time. And yes, I like it too.” His gaze dropped to my mouth.
The wine was making my skin warm and my head a bit fuzzy. I was riveted in place, so curious to know what he would taste like. My lips parted. The quietest rumble sounded in his chest, and he cupped my cheek.
Cade’s fork clanked onto his plate, breaking the moment. I pulled away. Lucas’s hand dropped to my thigh beneath the table and rested there. I tensed, my breath hitched. Fueled by liquid courage, I slid my palm over his and our fingers entwined.
Zane sat back in his chair. He was the last to empty his dessert cup, which consisted of some kind of blood-infused custard made especially for him. The server cleared it away and disappeared toward the kitchen.
“The hour is late,” said Zane. “I’ll see you all in the morning.”
“Walk me out, dear,” Mrs. Holt stood and held her hand out toward Zane.
He rounded the table and tucked her hand under his arm. “Of course, Mama.”
The giantess pinned me with her pale green gaze once again. “I hope to see more of you, Emma. Don’t let my boys boss you around too much. They respond best to a firm hand.”
“Mama.” Zane tsked.
An amused rumble sounded in Lucas’s chest. Cade’s frown deepened.
