SelkiesSeduction (10 page)

“No, he’s a warlock on his father’s side but he’s not very
strong. He can Dream Walk and do a few parlor tricks but that’s about it. He’s
really feeling helpless to do anything about his sister.”

“Just enough talent to know what he’s not capable of.” Nikki
shook her head and Wolfe could see the sympathy in her eyes.

“Hopefully we’ll find Sasha and everything will be okay. If
he hadn’t contacted her for a few months, it is possible she picked up one of
those contract jobs up in the mines in Northern Alberta. Lots of people from
the interior are doing that right now. The money is good enough to tide them
over until something opens up back home. Would explain why her apartment hasn’t
been touched. She might be planning to come back to it in a month or two.”
Trina turned to her sister. “So how much longer can you stay? I’ve never seen
you this comfortable in the Dream World.”

Nikki glanced up at Wolfe. “Depends on Wolfe. I’m leaning on
him pretty heavy.”

“Aahhh. I should have known.”

Wolfe smiled. Just to hear her admit it sent a warm feeling
through him. “We have some time left. Now that Todd’s gone, I need to know
about that vision you had about Nikki. Did you see anything that could help us
identify who’s after her?”

Jack put a protective arm around his wife. “Careful, bro.
Trina doesn’t like to talk about her visions much, and I won’t be having you
upset her.”

“It’s okay.” Trina patted Jack’s hand gently. “He’s right.
They need to know.” She sighed. “Unfortunately, my visions aren’t always clear
and this one is shrouded in so many symbols that I don’t understand.”

“Do your best.” Nikki gave her a sympathetic look. “We
appreciate whatever you can tell us.”

Trina paused, gathering her thoughts. “Nikki was somewhere I
didn’t recognize. There were a lot of glass walls, and stainless steel. I don’t
think I saw anything natural like grass or trees so she must have been inside
somewhere. She was in pain, surrounded by creatures I couldn’t quite see, but I
sensed they were evil. She was dashing back and forth as if she were trying to
escape, and then a big silver wolf jumped in and stood between her and the
creatures. Every time one of them tried to get to her, the wolf blocked them.”
She glanced at Wolfe. “That’s why I called you. I have no idea if the wolf
represented you or if it’s just a coincidence. As for who or what is after
Nikki, I have no idea. There were at least six creatures tormenting her, and
one who seemed to be directing the attack. I think the one directing the attack
is the one you need to worry about. The rest were just following orders. That’s
about all I can tell you.”

Wolfe shifted uncomfortably. The same foretelling. Exactly.
He could almost hear his grandfather echoing Trina’s words.

“What’s wrong?” Nikki stirred on his lap.

He gave her a reassuring squeeze. “Nothing. It’s just that I’ve
heard this before. My grandfather was a Druid, a Cosantoir from the ancient
Celtic line. Sometimes he would go into a trance, and when he came out of it,
he’d describe a vision that he’d had. Although sometimes they were hard to
decipher, every single one of them came true. He called them foretelling. When
I was twelve, he had a foretelling, and it was the same vision your sister just
described. He said the silver wolf represented me and it was my destiny to save
a mystical being from her foes. He didn’t know what the mystical creature was.”
He squeezed her tight for a second. “He never mentioned me having an emotional
connection to the creature I rescued, but I never doubted that someday his
vision would come to pass. It wasn’t until now that I connected Nikki to the
foretelling. I’ve been so busy concentrating on our bonding and keeping you
safe that I just didn’t think about it.”

Trina nodded. “Being bonded takes a bit of getting used to.
I had no idea your grandfather had the same vision. That is rare, not to
mention just a little scary.”

“It is. But it confirms your suspicion that Nikki is in
danger.” Wolfe traced a path from Nikki’s shoulder to her wrist with one
finger. “It also justifies my decision to bond with you.”

“Nice try.” Nikki tossed her head. “You just said you hadn’t
connected the two visions until now.”

He couldn’t help the grin that curved his mouth. She wasn’t
about to let him get away with anything.

“We really don’t know anything more than we did before.”
Jack brought the subject back to Nikki’s safety.

“Nikki will just have to stay at my place until we figure
out what’s going on. I’m going to look into Todd’s story. Sasha and Nikki are
both selkies which makes it one hell of a coincidence.”

“I can’t stay at your place indefinitely.” Nikki shifted in
his lap. “I have a job.”

“You’re between contracts at the moment. Don’t try to pull
that crap on me.”

“How do you know that?” The mutinous set was back on her
face.

“Superlative detective work.” She raised her brows and he
chuckled. “Trina told me you were up at the cabin because you had a few weeks’
vacation. Hence, you’re between contracts.”

“And the agency is going to get suspicious when I suddenly
disappear off the face of the earth.”

“Send them a message and tell them you’re extending your
time off to take a vacation. That should be good for at least six weeks.”

“What if I don’t want to?”

Wolfe opened his mouth, but the set of her jaw warned him
not to push. His woman had an independent streak a mile wide, and if he didn’t
want her to turn on him he’d better learn how to compromise.

Damn right.
She slid the thought into his mind
without hesitation. Seemed she’d got the hang of this whole bond mate thing.
So
what’s the compromise?

“I’m hoping you realize I’m not doing this to annoy you, I’m
worried about your safety. How’s this for a compromise? You stay by my side at
the tree house until we find out what’s going on and are sure you’re safe. You
can tell the agency it’s a vacation or unexpected family business. I don’t care
how you justify it so long as they know you’re unavailable. Once things are
settled, you can go back to business as usual. I won’t make any attempt to stop
you or interfere with your career.”

Nikki blinked, and he swore she almost looked hurt. “You’re
just going to let me go?”

He tightened the arm around her waist and nuzzled the soft
skin behind her ear. “I didn’t say that. We’re bonded, and that’s a lifetime
commitment. If you’re going to investigate the books of a firm on the far side
of the world, I’ll be right there carrying your luggage. I’m not just going
away.”

“So you’re not going to terminate the bond?”

He wasn’t sure if she sounded relieved or annoyed. “No, it
doesn’t work like that. A bond is for life, and I’ll do my best to make sure
you don’t regret it.” He dropped a quick kiss on top of her head. “We need to
get going soon. Say your goodbyes.”

She stood, and he watched her head toward her sister before
he got up. He found it hard to believe how much his life had changed in the
span of the last few days. He’d never intended to take a bond mate. His job
required him to spend long months working far up in the backcountry, away from
even the most basic conveniences of modern society. It wasn’t fair to expect a
mate to drop her own life in order to follow him, and he wasn’t the kind of man
who’d father a family and then leave them to fend for themselves while he
returned to the woods.

He couldn’t survive in the modern world. He needed to be
amongst the trees in order to renew himself. He’d long ago decided that
marriage was out. He’d had casual affairs, some even lasting for a year or two,
but the women had all known from the outset that it was a temporary situation,
and they all had their own reasons for agreeing to such an arrangement.

Now, without even taking the time to consider the
consequences, he’d created a bond with Nikki. His grandfather must be laughing
his grizzly old head off from wherever his spirit now resided. He’d always said
that when the right girl came along, all Wolfe’s carefully thought-out plans
would come crashing down. He’d been right as usual. Instead of wondering how to
get out of this, Wolfe found himself considering how he could possibly keep
such a sophisticated world traveler happy in the land of mountains and trees.
He shook his head ruefully. Yes, his grandfather’s spirit was definitely
amused. He walked over to stand beside Nikki.

“I know you’d love to stay and visit, but we need to get
going. Maybe when we get this sorted out we can take a trip to Scotland and
have a real visit.”

“I’ll hold you to that!” Trina threw her arms around her
sister and hugged her tight. “Be safe.”

Nikki opened her eyes, cautiously raising her arms above her
head. Beside her, Wolfe watched with an amused smile on his sexy lips. The
faint rays of sun poking their way through the windows indicated that it was
nightfall. They’d been in the Dream World since two that afternoon, longer than
she’d ever managed to stay before.

She didn’t feel the bone-deep weariness that usually
followed any attempt to Dream Walk. She cautiously flexed her joints but
everything felt just as good as it had before she embarked on the journey.

“I told you so.” Wolfe propped himself up on one elbow.

He looked so damn sexy with his hair tousled and that grin
on his face. And he was right. His strength must have somehow allowed her to
make the journey without any of the usual side effects. “Yes you did. And it
seems you were right. I’m just not sure it was worth the trip. We really didn’t
learn much more than we already knew, did we?”

“We confirmed that you are in some sort of trouble, although
I have to admit the vision was a bit vague on exactly who is after you and why.
I’m going to look into that doctor that Todd mentioned. There could be
something there.”

“I felt sorry for Todd.” Nikki lifted a finger to trace the
faint shadow of a beard on Wolfe’s face. “He’s a strange kind of guy, but he
seems so worried about his sister. I hope we can help find her. I thought he
was going to die of fright when you confronted him when he first got there.”

“He’s definitely a bit of a geek, but he seems very
remorseful about ignoring his sister’s pleas now that she’s missing. Maybe she
really did take off with some guy and just didn’t think to tell Todd. He did
say he hadn’t bothered to contact her in a couple of months, so maybe she
thought he didn’t care.”

“Quite possible. I guess we’ll find out.” Nikki’s tummy
rumbled and she covered it with one hand, feeling heat suffuse her face. “Did I
mention that the other side effect of Dream Walking is that it leaves me
ravenous?”

“Me too. Something to do with metabolism.” Wolfe swung his
legs over the edge of the bed and stood. He held out his hand to her. “What say
we go rustle up some dinner?”

“Sounds like a great idea.” Nikki let him pull her to her
feet. Wolfe opened the door and her breath caught in her throat at the sight of
the setting sun. Streaks of vibrant orange and yellow lit up the tree line,
illuminating the clearing in a gorgeous display of nature’s power. In all of
her travels around the world on business, she’d never come across any place
that affected her as much as the wilds of the Rocky Mountains. Although she’d
been born on one of the small islands off the northern coast of Scotland, she’d
never felt at home there. The memory of her mother’s desertion was too strongly
tied to those cold ocean shores.

She slipped her hand into Wolfe’s and they stepped out into
the clearing to stroll over to the steps. Such a mundane act, walking hand in
hand and yet it made her feel so special. Damn, it was going to be hard to let
him go.

* * * * *

“The view from up here is amazing.” Nikki took a sip of her
tea and stared out the picture window in the dining area. “It feels like we’re
in the clouds.”

“I’m glad you like it.” Wolfe flipped the salmon steaks over
on the grill with an expert flick of the wrist. “This is home to me; where I
come when I need to recharge my batteries and get away from civilization.”

“I’m curious.” Nikki put her tea down, and watched his
expression. “Why the waterfall and pond? They are perfect, exactly what I need
to keep my otter happy but they must have been built decades ago, long before
you knew anything about me.”

“That was the first thing we built.” A faraway look came
into his eyes. “Grandpa said we needed it to soothe the forest spirits. The
sound of the water tinkling over the rocks is pleasing to the oak trees as
well. As long as the pond and falls are there, the trees know they will always
be nourished, and protected in case of wildfires.”

Nikki nodded, remembering the wildfires of 2003 that had
decimated large tracts of the Shuswap forests. “I guess you need to consider
fire suppression with an interface like this.”

Wolfe snagged the salmon steaks onto a platter and added
vegetables from the steamer. Carrying it over to the table, he set it down with
a flourish. “Dinner is served. Grandpa and I set a spell to divert wildfires
and other natural disasters around this area. Before he started to build the
tree house, he fasted and asked for a vision of what the compound should look
like. The pond and waterfalls were part of the vision that came to him so we
assumed they were needed in case fire started within the protected boundaries.
Magic can only do so much, and nature is unpredictable. We never dreamed that
one day a selkie would show up and frolic in the waters.”

“A matchmaking oak tree!” Nikki helped herself to one of the
salmon steaks and a generous portion of the vegetables.

Wolfe’s eyes twinkled with mirth. “Got to watch out for
those trees.”

“So what’s the plan?” The first bite of salmon melted in her
mouth. “This is fantastic. If I intended to stay with you, I’d insist you did
all the cooking.”

“You are staying, and I’d be more than happy to do the
cooking. It’s one of my hobbies.”

Nikki could feel Wolfe’s presence in the back of her mind.
She’d never admit it, but it gave her a warm cozy feeling. If only she were a
normal woman, with normal motherly instincts. She could imagine children
running around the clearing, watched over by the ancient oaks. Little boys with
Wolfe’s blue eyes and mischievous grin. She gave her head a mental shake. Not
happening. As soon as they figured out what was going on and neutralized the
danger, she’d be on her way.

And little girls with their mother’s green eyes and
freckles.

Damn. She’d forgotten how easily he could read her thoughts.
She gave him a tired smile. “Nice thought, but I don’t think so.”

He shook his head and changed the subject, a stubborn glint
in those gorgeous blue eyes. “I need to look into the doctor Todd told us
about. I have a satellite uplink in my office so I should be able to find out
something about him on the internet. I really don’t want to venture back into
town until we have a handle on what’s going on. You can take a look around,
explore the house and grounds but I want you to stay within the protected
boundaries.”

Nikki raised one brow, her independent nature objecting to
being told what to do. He certainly was good at throwing out orders. Then
again, if he was going to protect her from whoever was after her, she supposed
she needed to cut him some slack. “It’s getting late, and the sun goes down
early this deep in the forest. I’ll just putter around the clearing for now.
Even with your help, I’m tired from the Dream Walking, and feeling kind of
stiff.”

A sensual smile curved the corner of his lips. “I could put
off the research for tonight and give you a massage. I guarantee you’ll feel a
whole lot better.”

She let him feel the heat rolling through her at the thought
of his hands moving over her body. “I was hoping you’d offer.” She set her fork
down on the empty plate. “A guy who can cook and give a mean massage. How on
earth have you managed to stay single all these years?”

He stood and came ’round the table, kneeling beside her
chair to put them eye to eye. “It wasn’t hard. I swore I’d never marry unless I
found a woman who was as comfortable in the forest as I was. Frankly, I never
thought fate would drop someone like you into my lap. Selkies are rare these
days, and very hard to find.”

“As are true Druids. Many humans play at it, but true
Protectors are born.”

She put her hands on his shoulders, pushing away a
melancholy sadness that threatened to overwhelm her. She kept eye contact as
she gently moved her lips over his. Their time together was limited and she
intended to enjoy every minute of it.

* * * * *

“I’ll be in my office if you need me.” Wolfe paused at the
bottom of the stairs. “Stay within the boundaries of the clearing and you
should be fine. I’m not sure how long it will take me to find out about the doctor
fellow.”

“I’ll be fine. I’ve been amusing myself for decades.” Nikki
let a smile play around the edges of her lips. “Besides, my otter wants to
explore that pond again. My last assignment was tracking down suspicious
anomalies in the books of a multinational import company. The head office where
the books were located was in downtown New York, and it’s been months since I’ve
been able to let loose without worrying about being discovered.”

“Okay then. I’ll see you later.” Wolfe put the last of the
dishes in the dishwasher and turned it on.

Impulsively, Nikki rushed over and planted a kiss on his
cheek. Wolfe raised his brows in surprise, and she blushed. “Sorry. Don’t know
what came over me.”

A slow sensual smile lit his face and he reached an arm
around her to draw her close. “Don’t be. I enjoyed it.” And he lowered his
mouth to capture hers.

All thoughts of research and evil plots fled as their hunger
burned out of control. At this rate, they’d never find out anything about the
mysterious doctor.

* * * * *

Wolfe felt an odd prickly sensation run down his spine,
unlike anything he’d ever felt before. He glanced up from his computer and
looked out the window. Always a good idea to pay attention to your intuition,
especially if you were a Druid. Everything looked fine in the clearing. The sun
was shining through the canopy, throwing long green shadows on the ground, and
he could hear the squirrels arguing in the treetops.

He could sense Nikki’s presence in the back of his mind, a
comforting reminder of their binding. He smiled faintly to himself as he
remembered her reaction when she’d realized what he’d done. He’d honestly
thought she knew what would happen, but he wasn’t sure he would have stopped
even if she’d disagreed.

She’d promised she’d stay in the clearing within the
boundaries of protection he and his grandfather had set those many years ago.
He couldn’t quite see her, but then she could be on the far side of the tree house.
He went back to tracing the career path of Dr. Gruener Kvordic.

The man had quite an interesting life. Once he’d left U Vic,
he became hard to follow.