Chapter Six

Five seconds later, the four of us had settled into various chairs in the main living area of the house along with Kyle, Heinrich, William and Kaera. Sinc, Brina and Ethan were busy at the school. “Kyle, find anything interesting?” Garrett smiled, seeming fairly sure of what Kyle would tell us.

“There was a bugging device in almost every room, plus cameras in all the main common areas and entrances. Someone who knows what he’s doing is really worried. I’ve taken care of all of them, plus I’ve added some of my own surveillance equipment. The interview rooms would make 007’s boss proud.” Kyle gave us a toothy grin. “Kaera and Will helped me organize the temp lab.” They’d parked it at the far end of the driveway.

“Excellent. Thank you. Let’s discuss our take on tonight’s meeting.” Garrett sat back and waited for one of us to begin. He encouraged the team to feel comfortable brainstorming ideas in front of him.

When no one else stepped up, Liam spoke. “Quentin lied several times. I believe he knows where the boys are and the reason they were taken. Why he called us in is the question.”

I had an idea about that. “He may have been pressured by his pack into doing something about the disappearances, or at least by the members who aren’t involved in whatever weird stuff is going on.”

Garrett nodded. “I agree with you. Although the alpha is the supreme leader, he can be overthrown if there's enough dissension in the ranks and there’s a werewolf strong enough to take him out. Weres can challenge the alpha, but in some packs they have to fight his second to the death before they can approach him. Jake is formidable, but considering the circumstances, someone might be desperate enough to cause problems. The loss of a child is devastating and can cause a parent to behave in uncharacteristic ways. He may have contacted us to calm the masses, so to speak. To make it seem as if he is truly concerned.”

Liam added, “Someone from this pack must have called the Western Pack Council, since Aaron knew all about the boys.”

“There could be another reason he’s lied.” Will didn’t usually contribute to our group conversations, so we looked at him, a little surprised. “Maybe he's protecting someone: his mate, or one of his sons.”

I shrugged. “Gabriel is powerful, but he didn't seem like a kidnapper. We have yet to meet Karl or Katrina, but you could be right.” Will looked pleased that I’d taken his suggestion seriously.

Heinrich spoke in his deep, rich voice. “He’s hired us, but he doesn’t really want us to find out anything. He may go to great lengths to keep us from discovering the truth.” The room grew quiet.

Sasha leaned forward. “With this in mind, we must take our security seriously. If Garrett, Heinrich, Will and I are not here from dawn until six in the evening, the rest of you are at risk during that time.”

“We can protect them, vampire.” Kaera’s eyes began to sparkle with gold, but she looked more amused than angry.

Sasha relaxed back into the chair, smiling his most beguiling smile. “I don’t doubt that, Lady Fae, but even you have to sleep. Our shifter team cannot go wandering off unprotected.” He made a vague circular motion with his hand.

Kyle snorted, “We don’t go wandering off like toddlers, Sash. Jeez.”

Sasha grinned. “I hear kittens are easy to distract. A little catnip and...”

Garrett held in a laugh and tried to look stern. “Focus please. I don’t believe he meant it quite like that, Kyle. But he’s right, the team as a whole is more vulnerable without the four of us, especially with Brina accompanying Sinc as she gathers evidence. It's a matter of balance.”

“They'll think you're still here.” Liam reminded Garrett with a smile.

“True, the alpha and his crew don’t know we’ll be returning to Crescent City every dawn, but they do know we're weak during the daylight hours. Sash, you and Kaera put your heads together and come up with a staggered sleep schedule that works best for the security of the group.”

Garrett glanced at his watch. “We have about an hour before the pack is going to start showing up for their interviews. Jackie and Sasha will be in one room and Heinrich and Liam in the other. Kyle and I will watch from the control center. Kaera and Will, I’d like you to keep things flowing smoothly. Make sure we’re only seeing two weres at a time. This room can hold ten or twelve comfortably, so we can have that many waiting to go in. Any early arrivals will need to wait outside. When Gabe and his mom show up, send them directly to Jackie. Don't make them wait. Ethan can help you when he gets back. We’ll leave out coffee and water bottles. That’ll have to do.”

Kyle stood up. “They left us some food, so how about we eat something?” He looked over at Heinrich who grinned at him and licked his lips. “At least those of us who eat food. You coffin dwellers ate already, right?”

Heinrich let his fangs lower. “You offering? There’s always room for dessert.”

Kyle laughed. “Maybe there's a rat running around in the basement for you to suck on, Igor.”

Rick was grinning too. “Just don't eat too fast. I don't like cleaning up fur balls in the middle of the night.”

“Children, you need to behave.” I glared at them as I stood. “The next few hours are going to be tough. Quentin's adult pack is only about forty strong, so it really shouldn’t take all night.” I noticed Kaera moving toward Sasha and sitting next to him on the couch, so when the others headed off I waited in the doorway, feeling a little curious.

“What exactly is the meaning of your name? Saashaa.” She spread out the word, making it sound kind of sultry. “It has an oddly soft sound; very unlike many American names.”

“Sasha means ‘defender’ in Russian. Does the name Kaera have a powerful meaning in Fae? You are a warrior after all. Or so I’ve heard.”

Sasha was suddenly in full-fledged seductive mode. His voice had lowered and taken on a silkier tone and his smile was the kind that might make a girl have all kinds of restless dreams. He’d even been bold enough to drape his long arm over the back of the couch behind Kaera. A vampire’s favorite treat was fae blood and Kaera’s would not only be delicious but magically powerful. Sasha was obviously hoping for a little taste. Having had a taste of fae magic several times myself, I understood the appeal.

“Not exactly.” Kaera shook her head, allowing her thick black hair to tumble over her shoulders, setting off her glittering violet eyes. “It means darkness. Brina means strength. Our father knew his daughters well. My sister and I enjoy the more dangerous road. Our family doesn’t always approve.” She met his gaze, inviting him to make a move.

Sasha was reaching for her hand when I spoke up. “Kaera, I think you should get something to eat. Sasha and I need to talk.

Sasha glared at me, but Kaera only nodded with a slight smile. “As you wish, Jacqueline.” She got up and went into the kitchen as I stared at the angry vampire on the couch.

“Jackie…”

“I don’t give a crap what you do in your free time, but Kaera’s here to work and so are you.” A moment later my head began to spin, so I reached for the arm of a nearby chair and lowered myself into it rather awkwardly.

Sasha was by my side in a second. “Mistress, what’s wrong?”

“I’m dizzy.”

“My love, you look pale. Are you unwell?” Garrett had flashed beside me as soon as he felt my distress. He kissed my forehead to feel my body temperature, then took my hands in his as he knelt in front of me.

Sash was already back with a glass of water. I sent him a mental thank you, then lifted my eyes to look at Garrett. “I’m fine, I think I need something to eat. It’s going to be a long night.” I sipped the water gingerly.

“I’ll take Sasha’s place in the interview room.”

I glanced at Sash, who was keeping his expression neutral. He’d told me earlier he was looking forward to dealing with the weres. “Sash will call you if there’s a problem. You've said yourself he and Heinrich are master interrogators. If we’re interviewing a male wolf, I’ll play good cop and if it’s a female, he’ll play—very good cop. We have it all worked out.”

Sasha smiled, perhaps grateful for the confidence I had in him. Garrett’s small nest had endured more horror at Eleanor’s hands than I could ever imagine. Garrett and I wanted them to know they were an important part of our team and could put the nightmares behind them.

Garrett nodded.” That sounds like an excellent plan. Now come inside, my love, and eat something.” He kissed me sweetly, guiding me into the kitchen where I ate two helpings of fried chicken and mashed potatoes, feeling better by the time the first weres arrived for their interviews at nine o’clock.

We’d decided to ask the most basic questions related to the disappearances while I watched their auras and tapped into the lines to see if they were lying. Liam had taught me what to look for, so I hardly spoke at all and let Sasha do most of the work.

Sasha would introduce the two of us in a friendly way, then make a few bland comments or ask a few generic questions to put them at ease. With the single female wolves, he’d walk back and forth to give them a good view, all the time asking them questions in his laid back, sexy way and listening to their answers, rewarding them with a smile. The mated females would get a different Sasha, as he’d sit across from them and speak with a concerned look on his face, appealing to their motherly instincts for any help they could possibly give us. With all the males, he’d ask his questions in a very professional manner, so none of them would feel he was being confrontational or accusatory in any way. I’m sure we learned a lot more than we would have with someone less experienced doing the interviewing.

While we waited in between interviews, I had a chance to ask Sasha some questions of my own, deciding this was a perfect opportunity to learn a little about his history.

“What did you do before Eleanor found you?”

Sasha was hesitant at first, appearing almost shy. Finally, he shrugged. “I painted.”

“Houses?”

He smiled wryly. “No. Portraits and landscapes. I particularly enjoyed painting portraits of beautiful women.” He grinned at me at first, his expression suddenly turning wistful. “I also loved painting mothers with their children.”

“You made a living doing that?” I didn’t mean to sound so shocked, but this information didn’t jell with what I’d seen of the amazing warrior sitting next to me.

“Actually I did. I was much sought after in Moscow, believe it or not.”

“Of course I believe you. But how did you learn to fight?”

“At sixteen I was a soldier in the Imperial Army. I had a natural gift for weaponry and hand to hand combat, but I hated the waste of human life. The wars were always fought for causes only important to the royal house and the wealthiest families. Too many peasants were killed for their small plots of land, their women raped and their children left to starve.

“When I was released, I took up painting, studying with a local artist to improve my skills. I wanted to create something beautiful, something original, but all I was able to do was take what was beautiful already and put it on canvas in my own feeble way. The loveliest married and unmarried women from all the best houses came to my studio and commissioned me to paint them.” He gave me one of his most devilish glances. “It was my pleasure to accommodate them.”

I was fascinated by his tale. “How did you meet Eleanor?”

“She came to me one evening and asked to be painted in her home. I preferred to use my own studio but she insisted. Eleanor was exquisite and I easily fell under her spell and couldn’t refuse. By that time, I had become a rather shallow excuse for a human being and I arrogantly believed she’d not only pay me well, but also be seduced by my twenty-six-year-old charms as so many others had.”

He turned away and looked out the window, painful memories darkening his expression. “I came to her home for seven nights to paint her, intending to draw it out for as long as possible. I never suspected there was anything odd about her, other than her extraordinarily pale skin, but then that was the fashion with wealthy females. She used a rented and furnished house as her base, leaving her nest elsewhere, except for Antoine who answered the door when I'd arrive, behaving like a perfect servant. She'd easily glamoured me into believing I’d fallen in love with her.” He smiled sadly as his voice grew soft. “I’d bring her white roses when I came to her each evening and she’d make a fuss over them like it meant so much to her. I could barely afford them.”

He turned away again, as if he was still embarrassed after all this time by his naivety. “When the painting was finished she took me into her bedroom and turned me. There was no discussion. She'd chosen me and I was now her property to do with as she pleased. I would have rather she’d killed me.”

“Sash. You don’t have to continue.”

“I never speak about my past, but you’re so easy to talk to. I’d like to continue if I might.” I nodded. He breathed deeply and began again. “The next month we moved to Eleanor’s mansion in Louisiana. She’d lived there on and off for two years and had already decided to take Garrett and his family for her little “experiment”. We brought them in chains to her house in Carmel. One week later, Garrett was a member of our nest and the rest of his family was dead.”

Moved by his story, as well as the trust he'd place in me, I looked at his long graceful fingers and asked, “Why don’t you paint anymore, Sasha?”

“The painting I did of Eleanor was my last. She hung it over her mantle so I was forced to look at it daily. She liked to torture us that way. When Heinrich was turned, he had a picture of his daughter and his wife in his wallet. She'd bring it out when he resisted following her commands and she'd talk about all the horrible things she'd do to them if he didn't obey her.” Sasha shook his head and lowered his body into the chair next to mine with a long sigh.

“My skills as a painter weren't what drew Eleanor to me. She sensed I'd inherit her charismatic charms, so when I did, she put me to use luring in female victims. She called them cattle. When she found out I’d been a soldier, and had quit because I’d hated the killing, she forced me to train in the fine art of torture. I became one of her enforcers. Antoine tortured me when I refused. She broke all of us over and over so we continued to do what she demanded. Garrett was the only one strong enough to stand up to her.”

A shiver ran down his entire body as he remembered what she’d done to him and the others. “Whatever artistic gift I was born with shriveled up and died many years ago.” He shrugged his shoulders and looked at me, probably thinking I’d be appalled by what I'd heard. Instead, I wiped away a tear. “Don't weep for me. There are many others more deserving of your tears.” A kernel of an idea grew in my mind. He watched a smile spread across my face and arched a blonde eyebrow in curiosity. “What? My story is now amusing to you?”

“May I speak to you privately, mind to mind?” I didn’t want Garrett to hear. Sasha nodded. “Garrett’s birthday is right after Christmas on New Year’s Day.”

“Yes, so…?”

“Would you paint my portrait so I can give it to him as a birthday gift? He’s got one of his family hanging over the fireplace that he loves to look at it. I thought he might like one of me too.”

Sasha smiled at the idea. “He would treasure it, but you could find a much better artist to paint it. I’ll check around for you.”

“No, I want you to do it. Please. It'll mean more to him and to me if you paint it.” He didn't look convinced. “You know it's true. You're part of our family.”

He seemed embarrassed. “I don’t have paints or brushes or…”

“Make a list. Those supplies will be my gift to you, Sasha.” He shook his head. “Don’t argue with me. We’ll go together to the art store and you can get everything you need. I want you to start painting again. We’ll make one of the rooms in the Vamp Villa a studio for you. Maybe Aedus will want a picture of Philladre and the baby.” I realized I was jabbering on excitedly without considering how he might feel about this idea. “I'm sorry, Sash. You can think it over. I'm being pushy, aren't I? I only thought you might like to paint again.”

He stared at me for several seconds looking puzzled. I laughed. “I'm serious about all of it.” Perhaps he could finally believe we were a team—a group who supported each other during work but also in our everyday lives. He’d trusted me with personal information he’d rarely shared. I wanted him to know how much his trust had meant to me.

Understanding passed between us as he nodded his head. “Mistress, I would be honored to paint your portrait. Thank you.” His wide smile was genuine and it made me very happy to see it.