here?”
Tambra followed his glare to brand new silver Mercedes SLR parked
in the driveway. “Who is that?”
“Fox,” Adrian replied. He parked and exited the car. Catching
Marcus’s attention, he nodded to the Mercedes. “Let me run interference. You
just get Tambra inside and settled.”
Marcus nodded slightly toward Adrian before taking Tambra’s arm
and showing her to a smaller door on the side of the house, Cody in tow. Once
inside the service door, Marcus led them through a dimly lit, dark paneled
hallway. At the end stood another door, larger than the rest. Marcus opened
it and continued at least two stories down a metal spiral staircase. The dark
wood walls changed to rock, and the temperature dropped a good ten degrees as
they descended to a large, cavernous space.
Cells lined the walls. In the center was a laboratory cordoned
off by large panels of glass. Inside the large structure was an impressive
amount of machinery, humming merrily away.
“What is this place?” Tambra asked Marcus.
“Those cells are where we keep our law breakers, and this is our
laboratory. We run DNA matches, take blood samples.”
“CSI with a twist.” Cody nodded, obviously impressed. “You have
a doctor?”
“Tegan is a medic. He is familiar will all Breed physiology and
has spent several of your lifetimes studying medicine in human universities.”
“Several lifetimes? Just how long have you all lived?” Tambra
asked.
A hint of a smile played on Marcus’s lips. “A very long time.”
“So, where exactly are you putting me? A cell or the lab?”
Tambra asked, clearly not liking the idea of either.
“Neither right now. When you go through the Rising, I will see
that the lab is made ready for you and this equipment removed. The glass is
virtually unbreakable, so there is no danger of you getting out or being harmed
by shattered glass. Until your Rising you are my guest here and can move
freely around.”
“I should be very put out with you Marcus,” a deep male voice
chided. “How remiss of you not to let me know my mate is your guest
here.”
Temple Fox stood at the bottom of the stair case, impeccably
dressed in a light grey suit.
“I don’t give a shit, Temple. What are you doing here?”
“I have come for Tambra, of course. Why else would I venture
into your barbaric dungeon? Really, Marcus, the dark ages have come and gone,”
Temple sneered.
Marcus stiffened, rage pumped though his blood stream like
molten lava, a red haze filled his vision. Tambra was his woman. No,
not his, he reminded himself, she would never be his. He struggled to smother
the fire in his blood.
“I am not your mate. I don’t even know you, and what I
can see I don’t like,” Tambra snapped, moving closer to Marcus.
Temple waved her words away with a nonchalant shrug. “Once
you’re through the Rising, you may think differently. I, naturally, will be
there, monitoring every moment of your Rising. You have nothing to fear. We
should go and get you settled.”
“Go? I’m not going anywhere with you!” Tambra spat, moving even
closer to Marcus.
“You heard the lady. You’re not taking her anywhere.” Cody
stepped forward, squaring off with Temple.
In a blur of speed Temple was next to Cody.
“Do you think you can stop me? One puny human against the
strength of a Pure Blooded Lycan?”
“No. But I can,” a new voice drawled, capturing everyone’s
attention. Tegan flowed down the stairs with all the predatory grace of the
cat he was.
“Tegan, you have no authority over this claim,” Temple sneered,
backing away from Cody as he gave the were-panther his full attention.
Tegan raised one eyebrow. A sardonic smile lifted his lips. “I
beg to differ. It is you who overstep. Miss Ellis has been placed in
protective custody by the Tribunal’s Enforcers, prohibiting any action on your
part if
Tambra followed his glare to brand new silver Mercedes SLR parked
in the driveway. “Who is that?”
“Fox,” Adrian replied. He parked and exited the car. Catching
Marcus’s attention, he nodded to the Mercedes. “Let me run interference. You
just get Tambra inside and settled.”
Marcus nodded slightly toward Adrian before taking Tambra’s arm
and showing her to a smaller door on the side of the house, Cody in tow. Once
inside the service door, Marcus led them through a dimly lit, dark paneled
hallway. At the end stood another door, larger than the rest. Marcus opened
it and continued at least two stories down a metal spiral staircase. The dark
wood walls changed to rock, and the temperature dropped a good ten degrees as
they descended to a large, cavernous space.
Cells lined the walls. In the center was a laboratory cordoned
off by large panels of glass. Inside the large structure was an impressive
amount of machinery, humming merrily away.
“What is this place?” Tambra asked Marcus.
“Those cells are where we keep our law breakers, and this is our
laboratory. We run DNA matches, take blood samples.”
“CSI with a twist.” Cody nodded, obviously impressed. “You have
a doctor?”
“Tegan is a medic. He is familiar will all Breed physiology and
has spent several of your lifetimes studying medicine in human universities.”
“Several lifetimes? Just how long have you all lived?” Tambra
asked.
A hint of a smile played on Marcus’s lips. “A very long time.”
“So, where exactly are you putting me? A cell or the lab?”
Tambra asked, clearly not liking the idea of either.
“Neither right now. When you go through the Rising, I will see
that the lab is made ready for you and this equipment removed. The glass is
virtually unbreakable, so there is no danger of you getting out or being harmed
by shattered glass. Until your Rising you are my guest here and can move
freely around.”
“I should be very put out with you Marcus,” a deep male voice
chided. “How remiss of you not to let me know my mate is your guest
here.”
Temple Fox stood at the bottom of the stair case, impeccably
dressed in a light grey suit.
“I don’t give a shit, Temple. What are you doing here?”
“I have come for Tambra, of course. Why else would I venture
into your barbaric dungeon? Really, Marcus, the dark ages have come and gone,”
Temple sneered.
Marcus stiffened, rage pumped though his blood stream like
molten lava, a red haze filled his vision. Tambra was his woman. No,
not his, he reminded himself, she would never be his. He struggled to smother
the fire in his blood.
“I am not your mate. I don’t even know you, and what I
can see I don’t like,” Tambra snapped, moving closer to Marcus.
Temple waved her words away with a nonchalant shrug. “Once
you’re through the Rising, you may think differently. I, naturally, will be
there, monitoring every moment of your Rising. You have nothing to fear. We
should go and get you settled.”
“Go? I’m not going anywhere with you!” Tambra spat, moving even
closer to Marcus.
“You heard the lady. You’re not taking her anywhere.” Cody
stepped forward, squaring off with Temple.
In a blur of speed Temple was next to Cody.
“Do you think you can stop me? One puny human against the
strength of a Pure Blooded Lycan?”
“No. But I can,” a new voice drawled, capturing everyone’s
attention. Tegan flowed down the stairs with all the predatory grace of the
cat he was.
“Tegan, you have no authority over this claim,” Temple sneered,
backing away from Cody as he gave the were-panther his full attention.
Tegan raised one eyebrow. A sardonic smile lifted his lips. “I
beg to differ. It is you who overstep. Miss Ellis has been placed in
protective custody by the Tribunal’s Enforcers, prohibiting any action on your
part if
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