“So what’s today’s surprise?” Pablo asked.
“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it?” Luke smirked at his friend.
Pablo, sitting in the passenger seat, folded his arms and stuck his bottom lip out in an exaggerated pout. Pablo had been trying to get the answer out of Luke since they’d left that morning, when he announced he had a surprise and the next piece of their plan was in place. Luke drove his usual crew of Delilah, Pablo, Sam, and Simone while Charlie drove the second vehicle, bringing Jamaal, Jung-sook, and Ahmed.
The drive from Luke’s cottage, as everyone had started calling it, took a little over an hour.
“I’m not going to close my eyes,” Delilah said. “I’m not ten.”
“You’re all such spoilsports. I won’t make you close your eyes or even do a drum roll.” Luke shook his head, a smile on his face.
After they drove through Maubeuge, Luke turned toward the north, winding through small paved country roads toward a section of forest consisting of tall deciduous trees. He turned onto a lane running parallel with the forest, then slowed to take another turn onto a narrow cobblestone road that looked newly put down. The cobble lane wound through the woods until it emerged into a more manicured section of the woods. As Luke pulled around a corner, the trees ended and transitioned into immaculately kept gardens leading up to a large château at least twice as big—probably closer to thrice—as the cottage.
“Holy shit,” Pablo gasped. “Please tell me this is my birthday present.”
Luke laughed. “We already celebrated your birthday. I bought you a monogrammed track suit, remember?”
“How good would I look rolling around my new pad in my monogrammed track suit? Lord Pablo is in the house, if you please!” Pablo gave a few rolling-wrist royal waves at his adoring but imaginary subjects.
Sam, Delilah, and Simone broke out in laughter at Pablo’s gregariousness. Reaching over, Luke patted Pablo’s knee. “If you want the mortgage on this bad boy, we can talk later, but you’re going to have to sell an awful lot of beer to afford that.”
“Dude, put it on the Flanders Pack’s tab. I have a certain lifestyle I’d like to become accustomed to, and you’re not helping me at all.”
Luke shrugged. “Sorry. Besides, you wouldn’t want to be that rich.”
“I’d certainly like to try,” Pablo replied.
Sam reached up and patted Pablo’s shoulder. “Look at it this way, you’ve never been super rich before, so you won’t miss it.”
“But, Sam…” Pablo whined. “I’ve been living the lifestyle with Luke these last few trips. I’ve gotten a taste for it now.”
The conversation ended when Luke stopped the BMW in front of the house. The caretaker waited for them.
“Émile, it’s good to see you.” Luke raised his hand, greeting the caretaker.
“Sir, right on time.” The elderly man gestured up the stairs.
Everyone fell in behind him, making their way up the elaborate staircase leading to the main entrance.
Once they got close, the paint looked tired and worn, weathered and cracked.
“The ol’ place could use a good paint job,” Pablo said.
“That’s the surprise,” Simone said. “We’re having a painting party.”
“Fuck that noise! I’m outta here.” Pablo made to turn around but Sam grabbed him and pointed him back up the stairs.
When Émile asked what they were saying, Luke translated his friends’ jokes into French, earning a laugh from the old man.
“I heard my name, what did he say?” Pablo asked.
Luke grinned at his friend. “He said, ‘Don’t worry, Mr. Sandoval. The painting crew will be here the day after tomorrow. I’m not sure if they have any job openings currently, but I can inquire if you’d like.’”
Shaking his head, Pablo headed up the rest of the stairs, leaving everyone behind. “Even the old man’s making fun of me in foreign languages. I can’t get no respect.”
The laughs of his friends followed Pablo up the stairs and were quickly joined by the friends themselves. Once Émile opened the doors and ushered them in, the laughter died down as the beauty of the house washed over them.
“There’s still a lot of work to do, but it’ll be done in time. Then we’ll just have to furnish this place, or at least the parts we’re going to use,” Luke said. He turned to face his friends. Their heads were on swivels as they looked around at the details of the massive banquet hall. “What do you think?”
Sam drew her eyes away from the luxurious details and looked at Luke. “It’s swanky, that’s for sure. It’s going to cost a lot of money to furnish it.”
“That we have.” Jamaal stepped up and joined the group. “The Flanders Pack is quite wealthy. They control two of the world’s largest ports, and they’ve been most generous with the funds we’ve embezzled from them. It’s going to take a lot of cameras to wire this place up.”
“Do you have a good quantity of infrared cameras laid in?” Luke asked, turning to Jamaal. “That’ll let us identify any vampires.”
“What are infrared cameras?” Simone asked.
“Infrared picks up on the heat objects generate or reflect,” Jamaal replied.
“They pick up on temperature differences between humans and vampires. There’s enough difference in body temperatures to tell them apart on the camera. We’ll pair them with standard cameras to identify any fangy guests that show up—invited or otherwise.”
Pablo quirked an eyebrow up to go along with his smirk. “Ha! You going to be able to have vampires in your house without killing them, Luke?”
Delilah laughed. “We’re going to have to tie his hands behind his back so he’s forced to play nice.”
“You underestimate me if you think that would stop me.” Luke stepped away from everyone then turned around and rejoined them. “But in this case, I can behave. I know the mission, and I can keep my instincts in check to ensure its success.”
Luke’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He held up his hand to silence everyone once he saw who was calling. He mouthed, “It’s Mathis,” even though he hadn’t picked up the phone yet.
“Ah, Mathis, my good man, excellent to hear from you.” Luke shifted to the French he’d used when he first met the man.
“Your Excellency, I was most excited to receive your call. I’m sorry I wasn’t available to take it when it came in.”
Luke chuckled affably. “Not a problem. We’re both busy, important people.”
“That’s most gracious of you, Your Excellency. What can I do for you today?”
“When we met, you offered to show me your collection of antiquities.” In fact, Luke had asked to see them during their meeting, but Mathis was unlikely to gainsay the wealthy Comte wanting to get to know him.
“Of course, I’d be delighted, Your Excellency. When would work for you?” Mathis asked.
“Well, until the work is done with my manor, I have few openings. I am available this Thursday afternoon and the following Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Let me know which works and I’ll make myself available.” Luke figured he could get away with being a bit forward and informal owing to his supposed American heritage. Any social faux pas he made could be chalked up to that.
“I believe I have some time open this Thursday. I’ll consult with my assistant and get back to you shortly, if that works for you, Your Excellency?” Mathis, on the other hand, was still sticking to formality.
Luke guessed it might be to ingratiate himself with the upstart Comte, but it could also be a barrier to keep his anger in check after Luke beat him out for every auction.
“That works perfectly. I look forward to hearing from you. Until then.”
“Excellent…” Mathis paused.
Luke grinned as he could picture Mathis’s annoyance.
“…Your Excellency.” Mathis hung up.
Luke chuckled. “Looks like I have a date with our frustrated auction loser.”
“Excellent, Your Excellency.” Sam performed it with a florid curtsy.
They all laughed and bowed to Luke. “Excellent, Your Excellency.”
Émile looked confused at the antics of Luke and his friends. He was used to Luke being a serious individual, even with his peculiarities, but he hadn’t gotten to know Luke’s friends or their often mischievous natures. They’d wormed their way into Luke’s heart; he knew they’d earn the respect of the old man who’d taken care of Luke’s manor for most of his life.
Once their laughter settled, Émile cleared his throat to get Luke’s attention.
“Yes, Émile?” Luke asked.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, sir, but I wish to speak with you on behalf of my son. How do I say this?”
Luke raised an eyebrow. “You know you don’t have to be delicate with me after all these years. Speak plainly.”
Émile’s eyes flicked to the werewolves gathered around Luke.
“Ah. I think I understand. You don’t have to worry about offending my friends either. We’re a plain-speaking group.” Luke smiled encouragingly.
“Very well. My son is uncomfortable with your friends’ medical needs. He is aware of your own medical peculiarities. All of our family is—those who serve you and your estate, anyway. But he’s never trained to treat…werewolves.” He sounded uncomfortable, despite the reassurances. “He feels unqualified to provide proper care.”
Behind Luke, Simone quietly translated for the rest of the group who didn’t speak French.
“So far it’s been simple debris extraction. Werewolves heal from their wounds pretty quickly. They don’t need much beyond basic care,” Luke said.
“I know, sir, but if one of your friends were to need something beyond that, he feels like he might do more damage than healing.” Émile shuffled nervously. “Also, and this is me speaking, he has a practice to maintain, and with the tasks your friends have taken on, it’s taxing his ability to meet both needs.”
“It’s understandable,” Sam said, stepping next to Luke. “A doctor’s duty is first to do no harm. It’s also not fair that we’re providing him with too much work. I think it’s time we call in a medical team from Portland.”
Luke narrowed his eyes. “You know Maggie will want to lead it. I was hoping to keep her out of the line of fire this time.”
“I know, Luke, but frankly, it’s not your decision. Maggie is in charge of the pack’s medical teams. If she assigns herself to the mission, then it’s not your call.” Sam’s voice was firm even as her eyes were sympathetic.
Luke, lips pursed, nodded. “I understand. It’ll be nice to have her here if she chooses to come.” He sighed. “I miss her.”
Delilah made a curious noise. “He’s not going to argue? That may be a first.”
“Our boy might be growing.” Pablo winked at Luke. “Isn’t that what they call character development?”
“Something like that.” Luke pulled out his phone and checked the time. “It’s still too early to call Portland. I’ll call her this evening after she’s awake.”
Sam smiled and patted Luke on the arm. “It’ll be good for you. You’ve been moping around since Roxi left. Maggie keeps you grounded.”
“I know. I just don’t want to use her as my emotional crutch.”
Pablo laughed. “I don’t think you’re in danger of that, dude. You keep those things tightly bottled up, mostly. You’re just softer and more open with her. She’s not your crutch; she’s your girlfriend. It’s OK to lean on others.”
Luke rolled his eyes but smiled indulgently at his friend. “You’re right. It’ll be good to have her here.” He missed the pretty blonde doctor. He could almost smell her perfume—citrus and spice—the sense memory brought a smile to his lips.
“He’s got his Maggie smile,” Sam said warmly.
Luke turned to Émile. “Please let your son know we’ll be able to lighten his medical load shortly. We’ll bring in our own medical team to take care of the bulk of our needs. Once they’re here, your son can return to treating more mundane wounds.”
Émile nodded and gave a half-smile. “He’ll be glad to hear that. Thank you, sir.”
Luke looked back to his crew. “Do we have any other business to discuss?” He waited until his friends shook his head. “Then, let’s continue our tour.”
Luke and Émile led the gang through the rest of the manor house as they discussed ways to furnish it as well as the best ways to use it. Periodically, Luke would sneak his phone from his pocket to check the time, hoping it would be morning in Portland.
After their tour, Émile set out meat and cheese for Luke and his friends and opened a couple bottles of wine from the cellar. When Luke’s phone finally said it was nine a.m. in Portland, he found some privacy and called Maggie.
“Hey, Luke. How are you doing?” Maggie asked.
The bright tone of her Polish accented voice brought a smile to his face. “I’m well enough. How are you?”
“I am also well. Just calling to hear my voice?”
“It’s always good to hear your voice, but I do have ulterior motives. With the number of folks out hunting, we’re getting a lot of incidental wounds, and it’s overwhelming the caretaker’s son. He may be used to my medical peculiarities, but he’s uncomfortable with werewolves. Plus he has his own practice to attend to.”
“What kind of wounds are we talking about?” Maggie said, concern in her voice.
“Nothing serious. A few slashes—vampire claws and knives—as well as some debris removal.”
“But based on the past, it doesn’t mean those injuries will stay non-serious. I’ll begin assembling a medical team. Is the little clinic you set up in your manor still functional?”
“Yeah. We’re using it currently,” Luke replied.
“Good. I’ll email you a list of supplies you can forward to your doctor. Once I ensure the other pack doctors are set, I’ll get my team moving. Where do you want us to fly into?” Maggie asked.
“How many people do you think you’ll be bringing?”
“Not many, we still have operations to maintain here. Probably a team of four, including myself. Why?”
“I need to plan the logistics. I’m thinking Paris might be the best option. It’s a big airport, and four people can blend in as tourists easily. It’ll be a bit of a drive, but I don’t want the teams that deep in Belgium or Germany, not with the uncertain pack situations.”
“We can take the train in from Paris. Just give me a town and we’ll be there. I used to live in Paris, remember.”
Luke chuckled. “I remember.” He remembered every detail she’d ever told him, his supernaturally enhanced memory actually filling his head with pleasant memories. “I’ll be happy to see you.”
“Aren’t you going to be too busy?” Maggie teased.
“I’m mostly just putzing around the house until the Comte de Maubeuge needs to make an appearance. The team figured it would be best if I stay off the streets to preserve both of my appearances.”
“Hmm, I should probably keep my appearance covered up once I’m in France in case someone recognizes me. Not many people saw me except for some of the Luxembourg Pack and the woman from the Köln Pack.”
“That’s a wise precaution. How’s Gwen doing?”
“Good. She misses you. She’s staying over with Olivia,” Maggie replied.
Luke was glad she’d become good friends with Olivia Adelisa. The Belgian girl had needed a friend after the murder of her father by her half-brother. “I miss her too. I’ll call her in a bit. Is there anything else you need on our end?”
“If I think of anything, I’ll let you know.”
“Sounds good. I’ll copy you in with Alexandre so you can coordinate with him. He speaks French.”
“Excellent, moi aussi,” Maggie replied.
Luke chuckled. “Je sais. I’m sorry to pull you out of Portland again.”
“It’s my job to take care of the pack’s medical needs. Also, I’ll get to spend time with you in your cottage.”
“That is a happy bonus.” He caught motion out of the corner of his eye; a couple heads disappeared behind the door frame. “Well, I have some annoying people waiting on me.”
Maggie laughed. “I’ll let you get back to the gang. I’ll see you soon, Luke.”
“I love you, Maggie.”
“I love you, too.” Maggie hung up.
Pablo popped out from behind the door frame, making a kissy face and smooching noise.
Luke shook his head but smiled at his friend.
“Did you put in a prescription for a sugar delivery?” Pablo asked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.
“Something like that. We’ll have a werewolf specialized medical team arriving in a few days. Ms. Rabinowitz has volunteered to lead the medical expedition.” Though he was pretending to be extra serious, he couldn’t keep the smile from tugging up the corners of his lips.
Sam joined Pablo. “Ah, I do love his ‘Maggie’ smile.”
“A ‘Maggie’ smile face is much better than his ‘Roxi’ moping face.” Delilah stepped into view, Simone by her side.
Simone nudged Delilah. “Be nice to Luke. He’s a very nice man.”
“And that, friends, is why Simone is my new favorite.”
“Luke,” Delilah said. “We need to get back to the cottage so I can get my teams moving for tonight.”
“Right you are. I need to prep for our incoming medical team, and get ready for the meeting with our mark.”