Angel nodded. “I understand.”
He shot her a grim look. “I hope so.” He raised a fist and pounded on the door.
The door opened quickly—and Angel tried not to gawk.
The woman was tall and very pretty. Long black hair had been neatly coiled around the crown of her head, then looped into a twisted rope that fell to her waist. Angel figured if it were real, the woman’s hair probably trailed behind her as she walked if it were ever set free of the elaborate hairstyle. The GarLycan leader’s mother was also rail thin and sporting a gown that looked right out of a ballroom.
“Lady Galihia.” Kelzeb released Angel and bowed deeply at his waist. “I present Angel. She is Creed’s mate.” He straightened. “I hope you were informed of her arrival. I apologize for my state of undress.”
“It’s fine. I was expecting her. Thank you.” She opened the door more. “Enter, Angel.”
She glanced at Kelzeb. He jerked his head, indicating she should go. She walked into the room and stopped short, openly staring around. It was as if she’d stepped back in time. It looked nothing like a cave. The dark wood floors, the loaded bookshelves lining one wall, and the big fireplace gave it an elegant library look. Fancy couches and a few tables were the only furniture. A painting hung over the mantel of the woman before her, holding an infant in her arms.
The door closed behind her and she forced her attention back on Lady Galihia. She didn’t even appear to be thirty in human years but that didn’t come as a surprise to Angel.
“How do you do?” It was the politest thing she could think to say; she’d heard it a movie.
“I am well. How are you, child?”
“It’s been a strange day.”
“I imagine so. Please follow me. A bath awaits you.” Galihia glanced down Angel’s body. “I’ll send for Renna. She’ll make certain you have a gown.”
Angel followed the woman down a wood-paneled hallway past closed doors to the one at the end. Lady Galihia opened it, revealing a massive bedroom. There were no windows anywhere but the interior looked as if they were in a real house, one that was a few hundred years old but with electricity. There were tall ceilings and even a chandelier hanging in the center. An open archway let her see a claw-foot bathtub.
“My bed chamber.” She walked over to a corded rope and tugged on it. “I have called for Renna. This must be bizarre for you. Do you have any questions?”
“How does pulling on that cord get someone to come?”
“It runs all the way to the ceiling, where there’s a rope that rings a bell at the other end of it in Renna’s chambers next door. She’ll hurry to see what I need. She’s my aunt and attendant.”
“What’s that?”
Lady Galihia chuckled. “She looks after me. You’ll like her. She’s a Lycan. I was told you were raised as one but you’re fully human.”
“I am.”
“How did a human come to be with them?”
“Creed saved me when I was a child.”
“How did he do that?”
“I don’t remember much about my before life. That’s what we call it. There are bits and pieces. My biological father yelled all the time and I remember being afraid of him. He had a girlfriend. She was worse. They hit me a lot. Creed took me from them and gave me to my parents. It makes my mom cry when we talk about it. I guess I was in really bad shape that night. I’d been beaten and had sores from neglect. I was also skinny and underfed. They adopted me and gave me a great life.” She hesitated. “I probably wouldn’t have survived where I’d been. My dad told me that he got the impression from something Creed said that I was about to be murdered when he rescued me.”
“And now he’s your mate.”
“He’s always been kind of a hero to me,” she admitted. “I didn’t notice how handsome he was until I was much older, when he started coming around. I almost thought I’d dreamed him from the night he’d rescued me as a child, until I saw him again.”
“Didn’t he protect your pack?”
“He only came down to talk to the elders at night, and that was way past my bedtime when I was young. We all heard about the guardian as kids but never saw him. He was almost like a myth or something.” She smiled. “Then one day he came to me during the daytime. I was sixteen and had almost walked into a bad situation with a bear and her cubs. Creed landed, put his hand over my mouth, and pointed out what I hadn’t seen. He offered me his hand then and led me back to my village.”
“You felt bound by honor to agree to be his mate.”
“No.” Angel shook her head. “I fell in love with him and threw myself at him right after I turned eighteen. He told me it couldn’t be that way between us and stopped seeing me. I actually moved away so it would hurt less. It was just too hard being that close to his lair, knowing he was up there, but he wouldn’t talk to me anymore.”
Lady Galihia’s features softened. “How did you become his mate then?”
“My mom called me in Seattle and told me I needed to come home. I figured it had to be pretty important, since she’d never done that before. I got on the first available plane heading that way. She explained Creed was going into the ravage, and what that meant. No one in our village had volunteered to be with him, so I did.”
“You owed him a debt for the life he’d given you, so you couldn’t say no. You felt honor bound to offer your body to him. That’s admirable.”
“Actually, I was pretty mad. I wasn’t going to do it. He’d rejected me once so I didn’t think he was attracted to me. I was so upset that my mom thought I’d offer to go to bed with him that I went outside to cool down. Creed thought I was a lost hiker and flew down to scare me off, but then realized who I was. Do you really want to hear this?”
“I do.”
“I saw him…and man, he was still as hot as ever.” She inwardly winced. “Sorry. He was as attractive as ever.”
Lady Galihia shook her head. “Please continue. Don’t hold back. I enjoy how you speak. It’s refreshing.”
“Okay.” Angel relaxed. “I guess the ravage had already begun, because he wasn’t as reserved as he normally is. Who could resist that? I couldn’t. He was showing feelings and he got turned on when I touched him.”
“You made first physical contact?”
“You bet. I mean…yes. Who wouldn’t? You have no idea how much I love him, and I’ve always wanted to be with him. I told him I was going to volunteer and he kind of freaked out. Then I made it clear that I wasn’t taking no for an answer. I didn’t leave him a choice.”
Galihia expression became animated as she grinned. “How did you leave him with no choice?”
“I got in his face and wouldn’t let go of him.”
“So you’re physically aggressive.”
“You could say that.”
A door opened across the room and an older Lycan woman entered. She wore a gown too. She paused, staring back at Angel. “This is her, Gali?”
“Yes. She’s sharing a very entertaining story. She pursued Creed for the ravage.”
The Lycan came forward, grinning. “Tell us more.”
Angel glanced between them. They looked a bit too happy, and it made her nervous. “I’m not going to get him into trouble, am I? It was all my fault.”
“No,” Galihia answered. “We’re intrigued. You see, in our culture, women do not pursue men.”
“Your culture,” Renna chuckled. “I chased your uncle. He didn’t know what hit him. I was in heat and just stripped down in front of him when I found him alone. I ordered him to take me. He did. No hot-blooded man could withstand that.”
Angel glanced between them again. “You’re more than family. You’re best friends,” she guessed.
“Yes. My father was a Gargoyle who mated with a Lycan. My aunt came to me after her mate died.” Lady Galihia’s eyes glistened with tears. “I was so grateful she did.”
“Hush now, Gali,” the other woman murmured. “That is what family is for.” Renna hel
d Angel’s stare. “It can be a bit cold around here. These people don’t hug or touch unless sex is involved, and there’s not much of that, either. They choose every word they speak with care. It’s nice to be able to relax and just be. Gali here was mated to a Gargoyle. I got a case of the chills just being in the same room as him. I can’t imagine being summoned to his bed chambers. You call me Renna, and this is Gali. We’re not formal.” She winked.
“He was very set in his ways,” Gali agreed. “Now he’s gone and I’m unmated.”
“And better off,” Renna muttered. “You need a nice Lycan in your life. He’d warm you right up.”
“No. I couldn’t ever leave here. Aveoth needs me.”
“Your son is fine, and we love that dear Jill. She’s good for him. So much personality and fire.”
“Yes.” Gali smiled. “She’s lovely. My son needed her. I worried my mate had crushed his soul.” She motioned toward the bathroom. “Let’s get you in the bath, Angel. My son wants to see you. Don’t allow him to frighten you. He isn’t unkind.”
“She’s shorter than I thought she’d be but I’ll find something appropriate for court to fit her.” Renna brushed her hands over her own dress. “This is the worst thing about living here. These formal getups.”
Angel glanced at the gowns. “They are pretty.”
“They’re also bulky,” Renna sighed. “It’s how they dress. The men here like to keep us covered from throat to toe. A little flash of cleavage is acceptable but nothing else. It helps them avoid feeling lusty. Jill is working on Aveoth to change our dress code to something more casual. Pants are never allowed in pubic on women. Now, tell us about your Creed.”
“We’re mostly interested in your physical aggression, and how he reacted to it.”
“I don’t know if you want to hear that, Lady Galihia,” Angel admitted. “I was told to talk as little as possible by both Creed and Kelzeb.”
“You heard Renna. Call me Gali. And of course they said that. They are worried you’ll be a bad influence on us. Come. Remove your clothing and get into the bath. I hope you’re comfortable with us present. You were raised Lycan.”
Angel got a better look at the tub when they crossed the threshold into the other room. It was filled with a white liquid. “What is that?”
“It’s a mixture of tree sap, goat’s milk, and water. I know it looks a bit odd but it will mask your scent. It’s warm.”
Angel had no words.
“Continue about your Creed. How did the mating happen? Did he take your body before he could chain you?” Renna sounded a little excited. “I think that would be romantic.”
“He wouldn’t have,” Gali disagreed. “I would guess he worried about being overly powerful for her body to withstand and became too cautious to begin. He lost his patience, and then was riddled with guilt for his brutal treatment.”
“That’s not how it went down.” Angel started to undress. She wasn’t thrilled to have to get into that bath but at least it didn’t stink. “He chained me. It was the morning after, when he let me go, that I kind of messed things up.”
“How?” Renna took her discarded clothes.
“He wanted to take me home but he was still showing signs of the ravage. I just wanted to touch him, so I did. He kept telling me to stop but I wouldn’t listen. It’s totally my fault. I seduced him.”
“How romantic!” Renna giggled.
Angel tested the bath. The water was warm and a bit thick, like sitting in milk. She ran her fingers through it, looking at her palm. “Please tell me that I don’t have to wash my hair in this.”
“Your hair is fine.” Gali leaned over and carefully gathered it all, holding it up. “How do you feel about being mated to Creed?”
She didn’t have to think about it as she lowered and sank into the tub. “I love him. I wish he wasn’t in trouble. I’m afraid for him.”
“Think of yourself,” Renna suggested. “It’s the women who pay the highest prices in this culture when mates have broken any rules or laws. They use us as leverage against the men.”
“Aveoth won’t do that.” Gali’s tone cooled. “He would never kill a mate. He has his own. He’d want to fall if he lost his Jill.”
“That’s true.” Renna put pins in Angel’s hair to keep it in place so it wouldn’t fall into the water.
Both women grew quiet and Angel closed her eyes after settling down into the tub. That was her biggest fear. What if Lord Aveoth did something that made Creed end his life so she’d be spared?
She fought the urge to cry. It wasn’t going to happen. She wouldn’t allow it.
Chapter Eleven
Angel hated the formal gown. Her middle was squeezed together so tight she could barely take a breath. Renna had put her in a corset. They were torture devices with laces along the back. Her breasts were probably permanently crushed in an upright position.
She couldn’t even see her feet with the yards of material that made up the skirt, not that she planned on doing much bending, with her waist and chest locked into the corset. There wasn’t a hoop that flared the skirt out, at least. She tried to be comforted by that. The gown covered everything except her hands and a small V of skin on her chest from the neck down.
The big man who escorted her to Lord Aveoth hadn’t said a word. He opened a door and stood there. She hesitated and entered, hoping that’s what he wanted, since he sure didn’t give any hints.
The room was large and had an open balcony. She could see sky and the fresh air was nice to breathe. That was, until the man standing in the center of the room drew her attention.
Lord Aveoth was a striking, yet daunting figure. His good looks would make any woman feel at a loss for words and have a difficult time summoning thoughts.
“Come closer,” he ordered.
She had a hard time taking those steps. Power seemed to radiate from him, and she knew a deadly predator when she saw one. He was lethal. She swallowed hard and tried to remember Gali’s and Renna’s advice. She stopped about six feet from him and bowed her head, lowering her gaze to the floor. Her knees bent in a curtsy before she straightened.
“Lord Aveoth.” She was supposed to say it was a pleasure to meet him but couldn’t do it. He scared her. She wanted to flee from the room.
“It was brought to my attention that Creed mated you. Did he explain why that shouldn’t have happened?”
“Yes.”
“You thought it was an acceptable risk and I’d have mercy?”
She wasn’t supposed to look directly into his eyes, but his cold, angry tone didn’t sit well with her. She raised her chin and met his glare. “No. It wasn’t planned, and I take full responsibility.”
He arched one eyebrow.
“It was my fault, Lord Aveoth.”
“You overpowered Creed and forced him to mate you?” He swept his gaze over her from head to foot. “Did he ask you to say that?”
“No. He told me to let him take the blame.. But he was vulnerable and warned me to stop touching him. I actually just about tackled him to get him back on that bed. He demanded I stop but I didn’t listen.”
“He could have forced you away from him.”
“Creed wouldn’t risk hurting me. Have you been to his lair? It’s all rock with just a thin rug carpet on the floor. There’s only a bed and a small dresser in his bedroom. I would have either hit the floor or one of the walls if he’d thrown me off him. As a human, one blow to the head against rock could kill me. He’d never risk that. I straddled him and wasn’t letting go. I did this. I didn’t understand that he was fighting the urge to mate me.”
“Why would you do that?”
“I just wanted to be with him one more time.”
“You spent the night with him. That wasn’t enough?”
“I was chained down and couldn’t touch him all night. I knew it was a onetime thing, and I’ve loved him forever. I just wanted to do all the things I’ve fantasized about. It is my fault, Lord Aveoth. Creed should
n’t be punished for what I did.” She sucked in air. “Do you feel anything?” She stepped closer. “I love him. I finally had the chance to be with him. He was going to take me home, and I’m human…I knew it was the only time I’d ever have with him. I just…” Her voice broke. “I wasn’t willing to let him go yet. I wanted one more memory to take with me. It was going to have to last me until the day I died.”
Aveoth frowned.
“I tried to get over how I felt about Creed. I couldn’t stay with my pack, knowing he was so close but wouldn’t spend time with me. I dated other men after I left home. It didn’t work. I never got over Creed. I couldn’t stop wishing he wanted me too. Then we were together finally, and I—”
“Enough.”
She lowered her gaze. “Punish me instead. Please?” She looked at him again. “I think it’s wrong that his father could promise a hundred years of his life to someone else, but I understand it’s how your world runs. I respect that. Creed tried to keep me distanced. I threatened him. I told him I’d buy a grenade launcher and blow him out of his lair if he picked someone else to spend the night with during the ravage. I deserve to take whatever punishment you want to give him.”
His features blanked. “I don’t believe he took that threat seriously.”
“You don’t know me. You’d also be surprised at the kind of things you can buy on the internet. I meant it when I made that threat. The idea of him taking another woman up there probably would have driven me insane. I have a temper. He knows that. Please punish me instead.”
“His punishment will be a hundred lashes and encasement for ten years.”
“I know. He told me. I can’t turn to stone but I’m sure you have cells here. We have them in my pack. I’ll take the beating and the prison time. Just tell him you’ll do it to me regardless of what he does. He threatened to fall to spare my life. He’s a good man. I can’t stand the idea of him being hurt because of me. I pushed him, Lord Aveoth. I refused to listen when he told me to stop, and he was emotional. I took advantage of knowing I could get away with it because I wanted to touch him.”