Whispered Shadows

CHAPTER 1
Note: unedited

This was my last City Council meeting, and it was earlier than usual this time. Good thing, because I was meeting my guys for dinner at eight-thirty. Yes, I said guys. Plural.

I had been appointed to a city council seat. Recently, that seat had been rescinded. Although it was never said in so many words, I'd become too friendly with the supernaturals of the world, was too apt to defend them, and city council considered me a liability. This meeting started at six, and was over by eight.

Leo Freedman was a doctor in the human world, and werewolf king of his pack. Julian Bax was the master vampire of the city. While the vampires had gone public and were out in the open, humans still didn't know that werewolves existed. More than likely it would stay that way, since the werewolves were integrated pretty closely within human existence.

We'd gotten a tip that several reporters were meeting at a restaurant downtown. This was the chance we were waiting for, the chance to be seen together in public. You would think that we wanted to keep our...well, I'd call it a threesome, except for the fact that Julian and Leo hated each other...quiet. However, it was the perfect opportunity for us. Pictures of the three of us together would reinforce the pact made previously between the vampires and the werewolves. They'd been at war for several centuries, and had recently reached a tentative truce.

Of course, that truce was based on a secret binding between Leo and Julian. An old fashioned binding that made Leo a kept wolf, so to speak. If word of that binding came out in the supernatural world, the wolves and vampires would be all over each other again. Instead, the wolves currently believed that they had one up on the vampires by forcing Julian to share me with Leo. The vampires believed they had one up on the werewolves because I was destined to be a wolf, and Julian had stolen me.

We also needed to be seen as friends on the human side of things. The world knew of my relationship with Julian, and it caused such a scandal that my appointed position with city council was returned to an elected position in an attempt to unseat me. Seeing the three of us as friends would kill any suspicious rumors if I was accidentally caught alone with Leo--which chances were I would be, since I lived with him for two weeks out of the month.

The two of them were already seated when I arrived. I walked past a table of reporters, and I recognized Jack Horntrey who usually did our interviews. As planned, I pretended not to notice. I felt eyes on my back as I walked up to our table and Julian and Leo both stood to greet me.

Julian leaned forward with a kiss to my lips.

"Hello, my sweet."

I smiled at him, kissed him back, and turned to Leo. He bent also, but kissed my cheek instead of my lips. He'd also extended his hand, and I squeezed his, a promise for later since we couldn't really kiss.

The table was set for three; it was comfortably cozy and round. Candles were centered in the middle, the tiny flickering flames imparting a feeling of warmth. A good choice.

"Did you order?" I asked Leo.

"Yes, and Julian ordered for you."

I looked at Julian wryly. "Oh, Lord, what will you have me eat now?"

Since I was Julian's human servant, he had the ability to taste what I ate when we were in close proximity. Unfortunately, he wanted a wide variety of fancy, foreign stuff that a girl couldn't even pronounce.

Julian's lips turned up in a little half smile. I watched those lips, knowing what they were capable of. I'd had them on every inch of my body, and time stood still as I'd reminisced. Of course, to be fair to Leo, during my two weeks with the wolves, Julian fed from me -only if necessary- but nothing else. So essentially, I was missing him fiercely about now.

Leo cleared his throat.

"It's still my time frame, is it not?" he asked, a little on the jealous side.

He meant that for another week, I was living with him. After that I'd return to Julian's side for two weeks. The dates were approximate, as we tried to schedule my time with Leo for any full moons. Back and forth I scuttled since selling my house several months previously. It wasn't really bad, now that I'd gotten the hang of it. I kept separate clothes at the vampire quarters and the wolf mansion. It was easier than the scents mingling.

Supernaturals have an extra-sensitive sense of smell. The first day of switching houses was hell on the alpha male egos, as Julian smelled me as werewolf and Leo smelled me as vampire. They were also weakened by being away from me for two weeks, and a lot less in control. A couple of times, I'd actually felt the tiniest shiver of fear that my human body might be accidentally injured in a jealous rage.

I turned and looked Leo in the eyes. "Of course, it's your time. But I haven't seen either one of you all day, and Julian's the only one I can hug and kiss, and act normal with in public. I'd like nothing better than to throw myself at you, but I can't."

Leo has had me for a week now. He's better able to come to his senses than Julian is.

"I'm sorry. You're right, I don't know what I'm thinking."

Leo's hands were on top of the table, clenched into fists. I sighed, and lay a hand atop his.

"I know it's hard, sweetie." I didn't look at Julian, afraid that I'd see the tiniest bit of a smirk at Leo's expense.

The only time the two of them have been friendly was when I was sick, or injured, or even kidnapped. I'm hoping all of that is done and over with, since Danielle, the vampire responsible for it, has been disposed of. I don't know how, I've been too squeamish to ask Julian. Maybe, just maybe, he may have been correct in erasing my memories years ago. Although I'd never tell him, for I never want to go through it again.

"Good evening."

The three of us looked up, startled. We'd completely forgotten about Horntrey. Ah, well, I guess it made it more convincing that this wasn't a contrived show.

My hand was still over Leo's, and I couldn't see any way of extricating it without being obvious, so I left it. Julian spoke to him first.

"Mr. Horntrey, are you enjoying your dinner?"

"Quite, quite. How are you, all?"

"Enjoying the evening, also. Anjelia and I are trying to cheer up Dr. Freedman after a difficult day at work."

Everyone knew Leo had a difficult job. He was a surgeon among the humans; how stressful was that when you need monthly time off?

To make his point about Leo's stress, Julian reached out and patted his hand also, so it wouldn't seem odd that my hand was clasping Leo's.

Unfortunately, two things happened at once.

First, I'd slipped off one high-heeled sandal, and was rubbing my unstockinged foot up inside Julian's pant leg. Just a little casual footsie, to tide me over until I saw him again. Second, my hand still covered Leo's other hand. The three of us connected, in a sort of magical triangle.

A surge of electricity traveled from Leo's hand, up my arm, through my body and out my foot that was connected to Julian's leg. It burned through me, and for a brief, agonizing second, I feared my heart would stop.

There was a crackling roar of thunder in the restaurant, and the lights flickered on and off until they finally blacked out, leaving only the candlelight on the tables. I wrenched my foot from Julian's leg and casually placed my hands in my lap, my fingers and toes still tingling from the burn. As soon as I broke the connection, the lights in the restaurant returned.

Mr. Horntrey was looking up at the fixtures. Julian's hands had returned his hands to his lap. He was paler than usual, a difficult feat for a vampire to accomplish.

"Must be quite a storm outside. Well, I'll leave the three of you to your dinner. I just wanted to say hi," Horntrey continued.

"It was good seeing you again," I told him, as Leo murmured something appropriate and Julian merely inclined his head.

"You shocked me," I whispered to Leo when Horntrey left.

"Actually, it was Julian that shocked me," Leo said, turning toward him.

Puzzled, Julian looked at me. "I thought you shocked me, with your foot."

Leo's eyes widened. "Oh, no. The three of us haven't touched before. Not simultaneously. Not since our binding, and the attempted binding with Anjelia. I'd say we just cemented us, somehow."

There was silence while we pondered the consequences of this. After all, we didn't need to bind. We'd attempted it months ago when I was kidnapped and had failed at it.

We stared at one another, and something was different. The dim lighting of the restaurant didn't allow for much detail, but something clicked in my head.

I stared at Julian. "What color are my eyes?"

"They're a pale brown. Amber."

I whipped my head to Leo. "Hazel?"

Because they had been.

He paused. "Not quite." He looked into my eyes, and then continued. "You had more green, before. Hazel, but toward the greens."

I nodded. "Your eyes and Julian's match perfectly. You still have your same golden color, but Julian's were dark. I haven't looked into a mirror, but I'm going to bet that mine match also."

Julian looked at Leo, and then me. Leo was busy doing the same.

"Exactly the color of Julian's," Leo said.

"His eyes were so dark," I murmured. He was still beautiful, but different. "Leo's eyes haven't changed. We seem to have taken on his color."

"Do you think anyone will notice?"

"Doubtful," Julian answered. "Well, maybe females would notice."

I snorted. Of course females would notice, as females always stared at my guys. Leo was muscular, with dark brown hair streaked with lighter shades of gold that he wore tied back in a ponytail. His face was masculine perfection, sending naughty thoughts at me especially when he wore his cheeks slightly stubbly. It was hard to not jump him when you caught glimpses of that tiny little dimple. His tawny eyes matched his hair color, which apparently now Julian and I matched.

Julian was more sleekly muscled, but still hard and yummy, with hair so black it's nearly blue. Hair as dark as the night, perfectly foiled by the pale, creamy skin that vampires have. Their skin seems to light from within, as though it glows with moonlight. He also has ruby-red lips, full and kissable. The GQ model that belongs on the front cover.

We finished dinner, more quiet now, each of us lost in our own thoughts. Then I made a show of leaving with Julian. He and I returned to Bang's in my car, but I only dropped him off.

Not that he didn't try for more. He whispered he was hungry, and I knew it wasn't for blood. I allowed him a good night kiss, because I already carried his scent from earlier. Leo would understand.

I arrived at the mansion after Leo. The butler opened the front door. I don't know how the man knew when either Leo or I were there. He just seemed to magically know. Maybe his job was to wait at the windows.

My smile at him was pure enjoyment. He took my coat and I saw Leo descending the stairs.

He grinned back at me, knowing my amusement was at the butler's expense. It was laughter we'd always shared together.

Leo placed a possessive arm around my waist, and bent to kiss me deeply. I wrapped one arm around his neck, keeping him to me. He lifted his lips from mine for just a moment. So I took that moment to speak. "Tell me the butler's gone."

"He's gone."

"Did he open the door for you, too?"

"Yep. Stop talking." He nibbled on the side of my lips. "God, I missed you today."

"You saw me at dinner," I reminded him wryly.

"I didn't get to touch you or kiss you. I just had to watch you kiss Julian."

"I'm sorry. I know it's hard. But I'm with you now."

"Then make the pain go away. My jealousy."

I smiled slowly, taunting my wolf. "Poor baby. What will take it away?"

* * * * *

Leo reminded me before I left for work the next morning that our wolf meeting was that night. As if I would forget, for the next day I returned to the vampires. I arrived home from work and went straight upstairs to the bedroom I shared with Leo. He was nowhere in sight, probably seeing to the last minute preparations for tonight's monthly meeting.

I took note of the outfit he'd laid out on the bed for me. It was simple and elegant, a pale silky yellow dress with a handkerchief hemline that would show glimpses of leg as I walked. Leo tends to dress me like the lady of the manor, while I'm Julian's Dominatrix Barbie.

I showered quickly and put the dress on. It fit beautifully, but then I never needed to worry about that with Leo. I was adding makeup when he walked in. He lifted my hair and pressed a kiss to the back of my neck. I shuddered and glanced at the clock.

"Are you ready to go downstairs?" he asked.

I sighed. I guess that meant there was no time.

"I know," he said, reading my mind. "But there's later," he promised, pulling me to my feet. He kissed me thoroughly, trailing more kisses down my neck.

"I'll need to add more lipstick now."

He raised an imperious eyebrow. "You're my wolf-mate, Anjelia. I like the look of it being kissed off."

Truth was, I liked the faint impression kissing it off left on his lips. Macho men.

We made our way slowly down the stairs, my arm clasped in Leo's in the usual manner. Halfway down the stairs was a landing, where we paused for our ritualistic greeting. I looked out at the sea of faces, keeping my face expressionless. At times like these, I felt pure vampire in a room full of antagonistic wolves.

Leo sensed my uneasiness, and traced calming circles on the inside of my arm. I smiled at him. I would never admit to being slightly frightened of the wolves he loved.

"Greetings, Wolf-King. Madam Queen. We greet you both and show our gratitude and appreciation for tonight's mating ritual."

Great. There would be a wolf howl tonight. I scanned the crowd until I saw Connie. My werewolf friend winked at me, and I fought the urge to smile at the thought of the wolf howl. It was, after all, a somber moment. As Leo tried to remind us, over and over.

"Greetings, my wolves. I am honored that once again you take time from your busy lives to visit with your brethren. Please enjoy your food and drink, and I will be available for pack business while you do so."

There was clapping that followed his statement, and when it finished, Leo and I turned toward each other.

"My queen, thank you for gracing my pack with your presence, and carrying our wolf power within you."

I smiled at him - as I always did - before he stepped close to me and tilted my chin up with a touch. His lips lowered to mine, and I felt the soft, familiar pressure. His kiss was warm, and he tasted minty.

That was all that was familiar about the kiss, though. Because in that next instant, a vision wiped out everything else.

The vision was of me running through the wild, untamed land that was located around Leo's mansion. My body was tireless, as my legs pumped, blood rushing furiously throughout my body.

My vision was enhanced, my sense of smell incredible. I could smell moisture in the air; the fresh scent of rain washing away the dirt.

And I was encased in fur. A wolf form, muscular and sinewy - compact and strong. A hunger rolled through my body, and the scent of fear whipped through the air while I chased. Anticipation whipped raced my body, adrenaline flowing through my four legs at the thought of the hunt.

I was chasing prey. My elongated mouth drooled at the mental image I projected of sinking my teeth into warm, fresh meat. The gulp of blood as it ran over my tongue, as my canines ripped chunks of flesh to swallow nearly whole.

I regained consciousness in Leo's arms, my head lowered to his shoulder. I raised it to look up at him, and he smiled at me, his smile full of pride.

It was one of his memories I had accessed. It brought us closer together to have me in his head. And it allowed him to retrieve bits of power from my body to use for the packs' rituals without giving me pain.

I smiled back at him, to show him I was all right. No lingering weakness or any after-effects from the vision. He kissed me briefly, before we turned and descended the stairs.

The formal Greeting ritual over, he walked me over to Connie. He had mingling to do, business to attend. Wolf squabbles to sort out. I would visit with her and Ajay, her mate. During the last couple of meetings, I'd recently started to mingle with other wolves also, but it was slow process.

I still smelled of vampire to them, although they respected me as their queen.

"You two be good," Leo warned when he'd walked me to her side.

I gave my best elegant, sophisticated glare as I looked down my nose at my mate. "Good?"

He kissed the nose I was trying so hard to look down.

"Yes. That means Ajay is in charge of the two of you. There is to be no giggling or whispering or pointing during the mating ritual."

Ajay bowed to Leo, and our Wolf King left us looking extremely insulted. Only for a moment though, because he was right. The last time there was a mating, we did giggle, whisper, and point.

Connie turned to Ajay. "Will you get us a glass of wine, honey?"

He did, of course. And we watched him walk away.

"Mmm, mmm. That boy is fine, isn't he?" Connie said.

"Yeah, you're lucky."

Ajay glanced over his shoulder at us, a smug look on his face. Vampires weren't the only ones with super hearing.

Connie turned to me. "Ready to flit about?"

She was always gently pushing me to fulfill my duties. Always gently supportive.

I allowed her to lead me to a group of younger wolves. I say younger, who knew how many decades that could entail?

Rhett Salter was in that crowd, owner of a local coffee shop I frequented. I'd met Rhett a long while ago, but had only recently struck up a friendship while I was searching for possibilities on Julian's disappearance a few months ago. Julian was safe and sound now, but I still enjoyed Rhett's company.

He wasn't the type I normally was friends with. He wore his golden blond hair in dredlocks, and he had his lip pierced, of all things. But I did enjoy conversations with him, his intelligence level was way above most people's I spoke to. Such as those on the City Council.

"Rhett. How have you been?" I asked.

"Fine. Business is good. How are you making out? I heard you're having magic lessons."

I frowned. "Harder than it looks."

He laughed. "Yeah. Otherwise, we'd all be witches, huh?"

"Except I didn't ask for it."

"No, better. You were gifted."

A gift is something accepted. This, I was afraid of. This was a curse. Still, I smiled at him, letting the conversation slip away for now.

I didn't get to converse with him for too long, as Ajay returned with our wine. He and I wandered to another crowd, where Connie already was.

"Leah, have you heard the latest?"

The man who'd been speaking to her froze, shock on his features.

"Oh, it's okay," she told him. "She may be our queen, but everyone loves a bit of gossip," she ended with a wink.

"Jay here just told me of a new scandal. Renegade wolves that don't belong to the pack are donating blood. To vampires that are not under an allegiance."

I looked blankly at that. Uh, I donated blood myself.

"It makes us food, Anjelia. That they are doing it willingly is a slap in the face."

"But they're not with a pack, right?"

"Exactly. It hurts us as a whole."

I still didn't understand the seriousness of the situation, and didn't have time for it, because it was finally time for the wolves to change.

"Don't say anything about it to Leo," she whispered to me. "You'll earn the trust of the wolves if you keep their secret."

I nodded, and then Leo was there. "We're going to change. Are you coming or would you rather get ready for bed?"

"Yes," I whispered, as I kissed him. "I'm coming. But I'll skip the mating, so Connie can change with everyone else."

How could he think I wouldn't? A wolf change is painful. Imagine every bone in your body snapping like a twig. Your muscles stretching, pulling on those broken bones to reshape them. Your skin splitting, as the protective fur grows through the barrier.

Leo and I discovered quite by accident that I relieved his insanity while he changed with my hand touching his body during the process. Later we discovered that his change had no pain while I touched.

He smiled at me, "I've changed with pain lots of times. You don't need to put yourself through getting naked in front of everyone."

"There's no need for you to feel pain anymore." I said, kissing him. "And I'm not ruining my clothes."

The change is also messy. Bloody and slimy, some sort of thick, jelly-like goop coats their bodies before the fur takes over to protect. The room looks like a labor and delivery room of a hospital when they're done, and I usually mop it up. I could leave it for them, as Leo has told me over and over, but it's probably harder to clean in the morning when dried.

We walked downstairs to the changing room. It was a walk out basement sort of room, only one whole wall lifted like a garage door afterwards, where the wolves left to roam and hunt. In the summertime when it was warm enough to change in the nude, they'd go outside directly.

Nudity is a fact of life for werewolves. I guess it would be, when you wake up stark naked in a field somewhere with a bunch of curled bodies around you. Being human in the midst of werewolves had its own set of problems.

The changing room had open-faced cubbies adorning the walls. Several pack members were already stripped, folding their clothes neatly and stacking the folds in the shelves. The cubbies would protect the clothing, keep it dry. Changing was messy; the floor would be covered in blood and gunk.

The air buzzed with excitement over the impending change. Especially this month because this time, something was new.

Last month while I touched Leo through his change, I noticed a man next to him groaning painfully. I'd reached out with my opposite hand, to comfort him. Unnoticed by me, another partially changed pack member also touched him with a paw on his ankle.

Both members claimed that their pain was instantly wiped away. When I'd first met Leo, he called me a healer. I didn't pay much attention to it at the time, considering he was insane.

This month, the wolves were going to change in close proximity, and one was going to touch another, a chain of wolves. We would see if my "healing touch" would spread.