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Selina looked out the window and watched the familiar landmarks as the town car sped along the road to Port Townsend. They should be home in another fifteen minutes, she thought as the moon finally peeked out through the dense clouds that had been overhead all night. She smiled as the beams hit the water and reflected back, making the dark night feel almost magical.
She didn’t usually allow herself to have such fanciful thoughts, but she was tired. It had been a very long day. As she watched, the moon beams played along the water moving closer to the land. She smiled and turned her head, glancing over at Damian, who’d been sleeping since she gave him the drink.
Selina almost jumped off the seat before she caught herself and forced her muscles to relax. A large, gray wolf was lying on the seat next to her sound asleep. Now, this was not part of the plan, she told herself, watching the animal’s chest rise and fall as it slept. When the clouds covered the moon again, the wolf changed back into Damian, still sleeping.
Looking outside, Selina was relieved to see more clouds blowing in and blocking any further moonlight, at least for the near future. When they pulled up to the house, she had Daniel help her get Damian upstairs and into the guest room, giving him a generous tip as they walked back down.
“Thank you again, Daniel,” she said as he set the suitcase just inside the foyer. Selina smiled as he left, then locked the door. As she walked into the kitchen to make a cup of tea, she considered tying Damian up...but what if he changed into the wolf again? Would the constraints hurt him or fall off entirely? It seemed like a complete waste of time, and it would probably only upset whichever version woke up.
She decided it was better to lock her bedroom door and deal with it all after she got some rest. If Damian was still here when she woke up, they’d figure out what to do next. She doubted he would hurt her, but she locked the door and put a chair against the knob when she went to her room. Changing into a long black nightgown, she got into bed and wondered if she had lost her mind bringing a werewolf into her home. A werewolf, who she also believed was a vampire hunter.
When Selina woke up it was late morning, and everything seemed quiet. She put on her robe, which was also black and walked across the hall to the guest room. She tapped lightly on the door.
“Come in,” Damian said.
She opened the door and slowly walked into the room. “How do you feel this morning?” she asked.
“Hungry,” he replied, smiling. “Did I...did anything happen last night?”
“You mean, did you change into a wolf on the ride home?” Selina asked, getting right to the point.
Damian’s blue eyes turned almost gray as he looked at her and considered what to say next. He finally blurted out the only thing that came to mind. “Well, you don’t seem that surprised, which I find very interesting.”
“Really?” Selina said. “And what would you prefer? Me fainting or tying you up in your sleep? I almost did the first and seriously considered the second.”
Damian smiled. “That’s more like it.” He looked around the room. “So, if we’re all right with all this maybe we can have breakfast.”
“I am far from all right, but I will get you some food,” Selina said. “However, we are going to talk about this and what we need to do tonight before it gets dark. Otherwise, I will lock you up in the cellar.”
Damian laughed. “Now, that sounds more like a normal reaction. Not that very many people know the truth.” He rubbed his hands over his face, then winced. “Damn, I keep forgetting how much that hurts until I move.”
“Then, you may want to lie back down and rest,” Selina said.
Damian watched her walk out of the room, doing his best not to react to the nightgown she was wearing. The more time he spent with Selina, the more she intrigued him and that could be a problem. He decided to forget about everything else and just get some more sleep until she brought him breakfast. Who knew? Maybe she was a terrible cook. That might be enough to end this attraction he seemed to have for her.
Selina walked down to the kitchen and started some bacon and eggs. Toast or pancakes, she thought to herself. Pancakes, she decided. Wolves probably had a large appetite. She stirred the batter wondering what she had gotten herself into. She had told herself she might be able to use Damian’s help with Diana, but the truth was that she did find him attractive. Very attractive and she hadn’t felt that way about a man in a very long time.
Of course, there was no way she could or would do anything about it. She had too much to lose to take a chance on someone, who obviously had some serious issues of his own. As she turned the bacon, she considered how much she should tell him. If she wanted his help, she’d have to tell him enough to explain how she knew Diana, but not so much that he would see her as a threat.
She piled the food onto a plate and placed it on a tray along with some coffee and orange juice. She decided to add a cup of coffee for herself, but no food since she was too nervous to eat. She wondered how the girls were doing and decided to call them as soon as she finished her conversation with the werewolf. She walked upstairs and set the tray on the hall table, then opened the door to the guest room. Damian was sound asleep.
Selina walked into the room and looked at him. Reaching down, she carefully brushed a lock of hair off his face, then couldn’t help touching his cheek.
Suddenly, he grabbed her arm and sat up, making her jump. He winced and smiled. “Sorry, old habits,” he said, carefully lying back down. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Not at all,” Selina replied. “I was just checking to see if you had a fever,” she lied. “Would you still like something to eat?”
She walked out and brought the tray back in, pleased to see Damian’s eyes widen with surprise. “It looks great,” he said.
“Did you think I couldn’t cook?” she asked, setting the tray down with a smile.
“No comment,” Damian said, grabbing a piece of bacon and attacking the pancakes. “This is wonderful,” he said between bites.
“I’m glad you approve,” Selina replied with just a hint of sarcasm as she took her coffee and sat down in a chair across from the bed. “We need to talk about what happened last night.”
“I know,” Damian said as he started on the eggs, “and we will as soon as I finish eating.”
“Very well, enjoy your breakfast.” Selina got up and walked over to the door.
“Where are you going?” Damian asked.
“To check on the girls,” she replied. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Damian nodded and picked up another piece of bacon as she closed the door.
Selina went downstairs and called the girls from the parlor. Michela answered her cell phone on the first ring. “Is everything okay?” she asked, sounding concerned.
“Everything is fine,” Selina replied, smiling. “I called to see if you were having a good time.”
“We are” Michela said. “Well, as much as we can when we’re worried about you and that stranger in our home.”
“Have some fun. Shop, swim in the pool, see a movie...just don’t sit around and worry.” Selina walked over to the gas fireplace and pushed the switch. “I’m going to read a book and relax while our patient sleeps. I’ll call you tonight.”
“Okay,” Michela replied. “Call by nine, or I’m going to start worrying again.”
“Yes, my little helper,” Selina said. “Tell your sisters that I love them.”
“I will,” Michela promised. “We love you, too,” she added.
Selina ended the call and looked at the fire, thinking how much they had grown and changed over the years. Her girls as she thought of them. She would not let anyone, nor anything put them in danger. She got up and walked into the kitchen to get some more coffee. Time to talk to this vampire hunter, she thought as she started up the stairs.
“Well?” Selina asked as she walked into the guest room.
Damian was leaning back, smiling with the tray on the table next to him. “That was delicious.”
“Thank you,” Selina replied. Sitting down in the chair, she added, “It’s time to tell me why you’re here...and what exactly is going on.”
Damian stopped smiling and nodded. “You’re right. I do work for Interpol,” he began. “I investigate unusual crimes, which may or may not involve the supernatural. It’s not really a department, but more of a specialty that I kind of fell into with my particular...shall we call them talents?”
“Do they know you’re a werewolf?” Selina asked surprised.
“Not exactly,” Damian replied. “They think I have a sixth sense about this type of thing, and I get results. Unfortunately, I also end up with property damages and other expenses, which they’re not so thrilled about. That’s why I’m here unofficially this time.”
“Ah,” Selina said with a hint of a smile. “You getting into trouble? Difficult to imagine that.”
“Very funny.” Damian looked down at his bandages and laughed. “You know, I really thought I’d gotten the upper hand with those, uh, suspects yesterday.”
Selina sighed. “I don’t have time to play games, Mr. Salvadori. We both know that Diana and her associates are not what they seem.”
Damian’s eyes narrowed. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that I have a werewolf in my house, and I haven’t called the police or the pound. That should tell you something.” She paused and took a deep breath before continuing. “Diana and I go way back and with her in town I...well, I need to know what you know.”
“Let’s put our cards on the table, shall we?” Damian demanded. “You know she’s a vampire, don’t you?”
“Yes,” Selina replied, holding his gaze.
Damian just looked at her for a moment. “Does that mean that you’re one, too?”
“Yes,” Selina said quietly, “but not like Diana.”
He should have guessed, Damian thought to himself, wishing he had a weapon with him. He’d been suspicious but had told himself she didn’t fit the profile. No blood, all those kids around, the way she moved. He stopped and forced himself to calm down.
“You have me at a disadvantage,” he said, finally. “Where do we go from here?”
“I won’t hurt you,” Selina said, seeing the look in his eyes, “but I need to know why you followed Diana. Where is she staying? What is she planning?” Selina stood up and seeing him tense, she sat back down again. “I can’t take any chances with the girls. I have to know why she’s here.”
Damian relaxed. She’s worried about them, he realized. “Who are these girls to you?” he asked. “Are they vampires, too?”
Selina looked down and shook her head. “I will tell you about myself, but you are not to hurt them. They are innocents.” As he said nothing, Selina added, “Promise me, Damian. Promise me that no matter what else happens you won’t harm them.”
“I can’t promise you anything,” Damian said quietly, “until you tell me what’s going on.”
Selina nodded. “I will. But first, I need to know one thing. Should I put you in the cellar before dark?”
“No,” Damian replied, smiling slightly. “If you don’t drug me, I can control what happens and whether I change or not.”
“That’s a relief,” Selina said with the trace of a smile.
He couldn’t help feeling something for her. “Selina, we need to call a truce while we exchange information. You tell me your story, and I’ll tell you mine.” He realized she could have killed him as he slept, so he might as well give her the chance to explain.
“Very well,” Selina agreed. “I will call this truce with you, Damian Salvadori,” she said, “and you will promise me not to hurt my girls.”
“If they don’t threaten me, I will not hurt them,” he replied. As she paused, he added, “It’s the best I can do without knowing more about you.”
Selina nodded. “Very well. I will tell you everything about who I am and what happened, then you will see that I...that we are no threat to you.”