dual-colored eyes stood in the doorway of the castle. His pose said he was trying for patience, but the intense energy crouched within him, straining at his skin, said he could just as easily spring and kill them all.
“You were a wolf,” she said dumbly, backing away. Might as well get it all out there. Insanity was more fun when you shared it. “I saw your eyes. You were a… You attacked a strange creature. I don’t understand any of this.”
“We won’t harm you.” The man held up his hands. “You are in no danger here. Maybe we should start from the beginning, and then someone can give you a tour of the Realm. Please.” The man gestured her inside.
“He saved your life,” Devon said. Then, as if he were a male stripper, he ripped off his sweats with one powerful tug, revealing a pair of fire-engine-red boxer briefs. Bending down, he began fastening his sweats around Charity’s bare legs to cover her up. It was a sweet gesture ruined by his attitude problem. “If he’d wanted to kill you, you’d be dead ten times over.”
Devon’s challenging tone, though certainly justified if he were telling her the truth, fanned the fire in her gut. Her fingers curled into fists, unbidden.
Once he finished his task, Devon straightened. “So are you coming or what?” He lightly touched her arm again. Electricity crackled between them.
“I’m coming,” she said through clenched teeth, clinging to calm with everything she had. Another tear leaked out. She batted it away.
A few minutes later, she found herself seated at a worn table in the biggest kitchen she’d ever seen. Devon, who’d disappeared and then reappeared in another pair of sweats and a shirt—the castle clearly had a large supply—sat beside her, and the man with the dual-colored eyes, who had to be Roger, sat opposite her. He clasped his hands in front of him. “Let’s start with what happened at the party, shall we?”
“Give the girl a minute to get her bearings.” A plump woman with curly brown hair turned from the counter. She set a steaming cup of brownish liquid in front of Charity and patted her on the shoulder. “I’m Beazie, dear.” The middle-aged woman smiled. “I run the domestic affairs here in the castle. That includes the kitchens and sleeping quarters. So if you need anything—anything at all—you come see me and I’ll sort you out. All righty?”
“Am I stuck here? In this world?” Charity asked.
“Oh my, no.” Beazie laughed and patted Charity’s shoulder again. “Of course not, dear. You’ll get to go home as soon as everything is straightened out, don’t you worry.”
“That hasn’t been decided yet,” Devon stated, the gold specks in his eyes dancing dangerously.
Beazie tsked at him. “Mind your manners, young man. This is your pretty guest. Be courteous.”
The broad-faced man smiled good-naturedly, his attention never far from Charity’s face. “I’m Roger,” he said. The rest of what he said was gibberish. “I’m the alpha of the North American region. In other words, I oversee all the various packs within North America, and each of their pack leaders, my sub-alphas, report to me. I’m like a CEO in a large company. This is one of seven regions spanning the world.”
“Uh-huh.” Charity dipped her finger into the steaming brew. Heat bit her skin. The expected sensory result was welcome. At least hot things in this place steamed. Her world and theirs had one thing in common.
“We’re known as shape shifters. We have magic that allows us to change into an animal form,” Roger continued. “We use our animal form, and the inherent magical properties therein, to help police the human world from magical species—like vampires, for example, or corrupt mages. We’re supernatural police, if you will. Our goal is to keep the secret of magic from the non-magical. Does this make sense?”
“Mmm. Mhm…” Charity tapped the table. It felt and sounded like real wood.
“This is Devon, whom you’ve met previously, I think. He’s the sub-alpha of the Forest Clan, but we call him an alpha for the sake of simplicity.”
“Sure, yeah. Simplicity.” Charity nodded and tapped her chair—also like real wood.
“Primarily, Devon’s team is responsible for taking out all newly formed vampires in his area,” Roger said.
“She must know all this, sir,” Devon said, obviously trying to keep his aggravation at bay. “She repeatedly ignored my warnings about going into the house with those creatures. She played innocent well, I grant you, but her timetable isn’t believable.” He ticked off a finger.