The young girl hurried from behind the counter, keys jingling around her wrists. “Absolutely. That is one of my favorite pieces. We have a local artist who made it.” Once she unlocked the case, I held my hand out, taking the jewelry from her. Usually, wolves couldn’t wear silver, and I was happy the piece had been made of platinum instead. I kept the price tag hidden from my mate, unsure how she’d react if she noticed the cost.
Slipping the delicate piece around her neck, I marveled at the perfection. The colors of the circle surrounding the wolf were stunning, bringing out the blue in her eyes. “We’ll take it.” I handed my card to the girl. Her eyes widened at the black credit card, but she nodded and went back to the counter. I followed behind her, signing on the screen, then strolled back to where LeeLee still stood, staring down at the pendant.
“You ready, love?’
Tears swam in her eyes. “Thank you.’
I tipped her chin up and bent the few inches down, claiming her lips in a soft brush of our mouths. “You’re welcome.’
“It looks like it was made just for you. I mean, wow. The colors of the stones light up,” awe laced the young girl’s voice.
I looked at the piece and noticed it didn’t reflect the lights. We thanked the clerk and then walked out.
“Now, let’s get you and me some touristy clothes and then check into that Inn on the corner.” I tilted my head to the north, an odd sensation tugging at my gut.
We made quick work of the next couple of shops, getting her some easy-on, easy-off outfits since she still wasn’t comfortablein constrictive clothing, and me a couple of pairs of comfortable jeans and T-shirts, which had LeeLee laughing when she read the slogans on them. I’d gladly wear a sack on my head if it made my mate laugh.
“I can’t believe you bought that tie-dyed shirt. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s going to look great on you, but you just don’t look like the type to wear a shirt that says Don’t Worry Be Happy.” LeeLee bumped my hip with hers.
We’d bought one large suitcase to put all our purchases in, making our last stop the pharmacy, where we bought the necessities for the bathroom. “Alright, let’s go get us a room.” I steered us toward the historic-looking home they’d turned into a bed and breakfast. The large building looked like it had once belonged to a wealthy family, complete with turrets. I imagined it was once a small castle, or maybe it was built to resemble one.
“There is a sense of déjà vu about this place, Slater,” she said in a hushed tone.
I had the same feeling but wasn’t sure why, as I’d never been there before.
The foyer was dark and empty as we entered. Two grand staircases lined the sides with a reception desk in between. “Let’s go see if they have a bell or something to alert someone to our presence.” I held our bag in one hand and LeeLee’s hand in the other. Her nervousness was apparent in her strong grip.
Before we reached the counter, a tall, thin man appeared from a side door, his smile genuine. “Welcome to The Huntsman Inn. My name is Jerone. Will you be needing a suite for the weekend?’
Tall and lanky, and one hundred percent human, the man had to be in his late forties. I let go of the suitcase handle, freeing up one of my hands, and nodded. “Yes, we are. Do you happen to have one? We didn’t realize you were having a huge celebration of sorts.’
Jerone nodded. “Oh, yes, annual shindig it is. Why, it’s the grand shebang if you know what I mean. The locals go all out to make sure the current year is bigger and better than the last. Really draws in a crowd.’
I wondered why they weren’t booked up if it was such a big event, but I bit my tongue to keep from asking. “I have one suite left. It must be your lucky day, as the couple who reserved it just called and canceled literally minutes ago. It’s the largest and most expensive, I’m afraid.” He looked LeeLee and me up and down. His gaze didn’t give any indication that he thought we couldn’t afford it.
Pulling out my wallet, I handed my card over. “We’ll take it.’
Once again, I waited for the card to be processed. I took a quick look down at LeeLee and hated how pale she appeared. I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, then let it go to sign the receipt.
“You look really familiar,” Jerone spoke up.
Not liking the way the other man was staring at LeeLee, I placed my larger body between the two. “Where is a good place to grab some dinner?” I’d tried to keep the growl out of my voice. Clearly, I didn’t do a good job, as the other man took a step away from the counter.
Jerone cleared his throat, his eyes darting away from us to the doors leading outside. He named a few local restaurants, then handed over the keycard.
Thanking Jerone, LeeLee, and I walked away with our bags. I could feel the man’s eyes on our backs the entire trip up the stairs. For the first time, I wished there was an elevator for us to disappear into. Luckily, we rounded the first curve, and I no longer felt the sensation of being watched.
“He gave me the creeps,” LeeLee shuddered.
I agreed but kept my thoughts to myself. Instead, I stayed on alert. There was something strange about the building.
The opulent room we entered was gorgeous. LeeLee walked around with her eyes wide open, taking everything in as if she wanted to memorize the space. Damn, I loved the look of awe on her face. A king-sized bed dominated the bedroom with a fireplace on one wall and French doors opening up to a private balcony. I followed her as she opened the doors and was amazed at the view of the open field beyond. A huge manor sat alone with a few lights glimmering in the windows, looking even more like a castle than the one we were staying in.
LeeLee’s quick inhale had me pulling her into my arms. “I think that was my home.” She pointed at the place across the field.
With the sun setting, I caught her trembling body against mine, turning her to face me. “We’ll go over there tomorrow.” Tonight, I wanted to make new memories with my mate. Her stomach rumbled loudly against mine.
“Let’s change and go grab us some dinner. I’m starving.” I was hungry for more than food for my belly, but I’d fill one need first.
