Amber Flame (The Flame Series Book 4) (6 page)

Once more, she told herself to get a grip. It helped to have a chore to do as she tidied up the kitchen.

When she was done, she made her way to the master bedroom. She stopped in the doorway and almost let out a scream since an unknown woman reclined on her bed. Well, not on her bed exactly, more like a few inches in the air above the covers. Mary had no idea who she was but she did know
what
she was.

“You’re a ghost.”

No shit, Sherlock.
The ghost’s telepathy went straight into Mary’s mind.

The woman wore a red tank top, tight black leather pants, and matching boots that tied in front all the way to the knees. Though her form was mist-like, she seemed very real. She had short black hair and large, heavily made up blue eyes. The mist rippled as she moved.

Mary glanced around. “What are you doing in my bedroom?” It seemed a logical question.

The woman planted her hands on her hips and wagged her head.
And what are you doing with my husband?

“Your husband?”

Fergus.

Mary put a hand to her chest as another memory surfaced, of talking with Fergus about his wife and what had happened to her. “Oh, my God. Of course. You’re Sharon?”

Yup, the one with the torn up, broken neck.
Her lips turned down.
What a stupid way to die. I’m still embarrassed that I let that bastard seduce me, then kill me. I should have known he was after the Gordion pack and didn’t give a damn about me.

Mary had no idea what she was talking about, but it sounded like Sharon had cheated on Fergus. “You had an affair?”

Several, but this one proved deeply unsatisfying.

“Did Fergus know?”

Didn’t have a clue and you’re not to tell him.
She looked Mary up and down.
He’s got the wolf-hots for you and by the odor in the air, I’m thinking your fae ass would like to be all over him. But in real-time, not this dreamglide shit. Oh, don’t look so shocked. I’m here because I have a debt to pay and I’m supposed to help you out, or both of you, I still don’t know. The full scope of my orders is as yet unclear.

Mary blinked several times in a row. “What are you talking about?”

Sharon floated down to the floor then crossed to stand in front of Mary.
Well aren’t you a tall one. Jesus, you could have been a model. Instead, you like cutting open small animals. You psychotic or something?

Mary’s nostrils flared. “I’m a vet.”

Which war?

Mary got that a lot. “Do I look like a soldier?”

Sharon pursed her lips.
I guess not.

Mary was out of her depth with this woman, this ghost. She needed a shower and some time alone. Moving into the master bath, she shook her head at the sight of herself in the mirror. Her hair stuck out in all directions.

Yeah, you look pretty grimy, yet still Fergus wants you.

Mary met Sharon’s gaze in the mirror. “You’re not going away anytime soon, are you?”

Nope. I’ve got a score to settle here in Five Bridges, among other things.

“I’m taking a shower. The night was long, the day longer, and I have a feeling things are about to get worse.”

Sharon lifted her strong, arched brows.
Don’t mind me. You do whatever you need to do.

Mary didn’t know what to make of a sudden ghost intrusion into her life, especially since she happened to be Fergus’s deceased wife. It was too weird.

Mary ignored the fact that the woman remained leaning against the doorjamb and watching her. She stripped out of her silk tank, jeans and underwear. Her muscles ached from the night’s activity and from sleeping on a way-too-firm surgical table. She needed to focus on her own self-healing.

She switched on the water and waited until it warmed. Stepping beneath the spray, she moaned softly, though it came out a little hoarse, the way a wolf might moan.

That’s one of the things I miss,
Sharon called out.
A good, hot shower.

Mary ignored her.

But that didn’t stop Sharon from continuing.
I miss all the tactile sensations, like warm water beating down on your shoulders and back. Lips touching lips. Oh, and Fergus’s cock as deep as he can get it.

“Sharon?”

Yes?

“Shut the fuck up.”

She heard a ghostly laugh that sounded like wind through the trees.
So, you’ve got some grit. Good. You’re going to need it.

Mary glanced in Sharon’s direction, ready to start yelling at her, but nothing was there. She could feel that the woman had left.

Had she offended her? Somehow, that seemed impossible since Sharon clearly had a pretty thick skin.

But why on earth was she even in her home?

She enjoyed the rest of her shower in peace as she washed her hair. Twice. She toweled off, then took her time drying her hair before she left the bathroom.

She wrapped herself up in another towel just in case Sharon was still hanging around. Sure enough, when she moved back into the bedroom, Sharon floated as though sitting on top of the headboard, her leather-clad legs crossed.

I changed when I became a wolf. I didn’t used to be so crude or even so mean. When I look back, I can see that I was arrogant during my human and later my
alter
life. I didn’t appreciate what I had. Not even a little. Fergus put up with a lot.

Mary sensed the shift in the woman’s attitude and for that reason stopped to listen to what she had to say.

Sharon met her gaze but she remained on top of the tall, upholstered headboard. She shook her head, sighed a ghostly sound and turned her gaze toward the window.
I hated becoming an
alter
wolf. I mean I loathed it. I wished I’d become anything else, but turning into an animal? It still sickens me, and I think you might have felt the same way if it had happened to you. I can sense your disgust of wolves generally and that has to be hard on Fergus.

“You’re right. I am disgusted. But I’m not happy about being an
alter
fae either. I miss being human. I think everyone who lands here feels that way.”

Sharon turned to meet Mary’s gaze.
I disagree. Fergus took to life here pretty easily. And I think men like Sydon are thrilled to be whatever kind of beast they want to be. By the way, that man won’t rest until he’s secured the Gordion Pack.”

Mary frowned. “Haven’t you heard? He’s alpha right now.”

Sharon floated off the headboard and dropped to stand in front of Mary.
I know what’s going on and what Fergus intends to do. But one of the reasons I’m here is to tell you that Fergus won’t succeed in reversing Sydon’s rule without you. He needs your help, badly.

At that, Mary laughed. “You’re kidding. But what can I do? I’m a fae woman that likes taking caring of small animals. Which reminds me, I need to buy more bird seed.”

Sharon made a disgusted, ghostly sound.
Wake up, Mary. Your life has changed forever, but you’re not owning up to it. Listen to me. Fergus needs you and no, I don’t get why that is. But he does. You’ve already saved his life once, and you may have to do it again. And again.

Mary felt Sharon’s sincerity, but she found it hard to process what she was saying. “It sounds like I’m supposed to be his bodyguard or something.”

Yeah.
Sharon nodded several times which caused the mist to float around and blur her features for a moment. When she pulled her ghostliness back together, once again she looked almost real.
I think that’s exactly what I’m saying. Fergus is damn powerful, as you know. But Sydon will do everything he can to secure the pack. Gordion is his point-of-entrance for his larger plans to rule Savage. Fergus, thinking like a man of honor, won’t be able to see the treachery Sydon intends to throw at him tonight.

What treachery? Do you know what Sydon will do?

Sorry. I don’t have the specifics.

Mary turned around and moved slowly to her dresser and pulled out fresh underwear.

No, not that.
Sharon said. When Mary glanced at her over her shoulder, Sharon added,
This.
She then whipped across the room and with a profound show of kinetic ability for a ghost, pulled a long negligee from Mary’s closet. It flew through the air, landing at Mary’s feet.

“I don’t get it. You want me to seduce Fergus?”

Sharon laughed, another windy sound.
Tell me you’ve been thinking anything else since you fed him a couple of ham steaks.

Mary picked up the fairly sheer nightgown. It had a small leaf-pattern on a cream background. She’d bought it on impulse a couple of weeks ago. “How did you know?” She lifted the nightgown up. “About this, I mean. About how I’m feeling.”

Sharon pinched her nose.
Like I told you earlier, you reek of wolf-lust.
Her gaze fell to the nightgown.
Fergus will love you in it.

“I can’t do this, Sharon. I’m not going to seduce Fergus, and I can’t be his bodyguard.”

Yes, you can and you have to. Otherwise, he’ll be dead for real by morning.

Mary stared at her. “You’re serious.”

As hell. And now the ball’s in your court. But don’t take my word for it. Access your fae sense of the future and you’ll know exactly what needs to be done.

She snapped her fingers and with a quirky smile disappeared.

Mary didn’t move even an inch as she held the gown in both hands, her heart pounding in her ears. She could feel that the ghost was gone. A few minutes ago, she’d been planning her night, ready to take care of some sick pets and get on with her life. Maybe make a trip to the store to buy bird seed.

The problem was that the things Sharon had told her made way too much sense. Already her faeness was speaking to her, pointing her toward Savage and toward a very different immediate future.

Mary crossed the room to sit down on the far side of the bed, the negligee in hand. Glancing out the window, she saw that the sun still hovered in the west and wouldn’t set for at least another forty minutes or so, which meant Fergus would be under her roof during that time. Wolves were as sensitive to sunlight as everyone else in Five Bridges. It was a terrible pay-off for a long life.

She could hear him in the guest room talking to someone. When Warren had dropped off the satchel with a change of clothes for Fergus, he’d included a cell phone.

Mary thought back to her fae friend, Juliet, and how she’d recently gotten swept up into a vampire’s life. Brannick was a good, honorable man, just like Fergus and Juliet was a powerful fae woman who fell hard for the man. Fergus was right. The couple had definitely shared powers and still did. They were also deeply in love. In fact, Mary felt certain she’d learn of an engagement any day now.

Was this to be Mary’s path as well, to hunger for a man outside her species, maybe to even be with him permanently?

She shuddered and shook her head. She’d shunned Savage because of how her sister had died and because there were more murders and uprisings in Savage than any other territory in Five Bridges. Wolves were violent.

Yet, she couldn’t turn her back on Fergus. She would do what needed to be done, at least for right now. Sydon had a reputation as a man full of perverse, evil intentions. He ran a rogue pack, serving as their alpha, and had set his sights on taking over another pack.

Sydon had already tried to kill Fergus by puncturing his heart with a skewer. He’d do whatever he had to do until he accomplished all his goals.

Mary knew how the packs worked. Sydon, having defeated Fergus in the dominance battle, had a right to become the pack alpha. Even the Savage Pack Council would be forced to uphold his claim, regardless how many of his wolves he hurt in the process.

She cringed at the thought of any of the female wolves being forced to work the Savage Strip sex clubs. They’d be pumped full of amber flame first, of course, a drug that would make them more than willing to do what they were told.

Drawing a deep breath, Mary closed her eyes and took Sharon’s suggestion. She used her fae senses to reach into the future. What came to her was a sensation of profound movement all around her. That’s when she understood she was experiencing a wolf reaction, not fae at all. She stayed with it, holding the wolf energy close as she focused on the immediate future.

After a moment, images of Fergus came forward. She sensed that at least for the next night, she’d be heading into Savage, a place she’d never wanted to be. But her life right now appeared to be entwined with his, much like the intricate three braids he wore.

Opening her eyes, she glanced down at the nightgown in her hands. Maybe it was a fae instinct, or perhaps just a womanly one, but Sharon was right, Fergus would love her in it. She felt something else as well, that she would love wearing the silky gown for him.

He’d been her lover in the dreamglide. She could feel it now, how close they’d been and why she’d raced across the room and hugged him, why he’d called her ‘Sweetheart’.

Knowing he would need her over the next few hours, and that she intended to accompany Fergus back to Savage whether he liked it or not, she stood up and let the towel fall to the floor. She knew this wouldn’t just be about the pleasure of sex but about connection. In that sense, she was taking a huge forward step.

Slowly, she slipped the nightgown on.

CHAPTER THREE

SITTING ON THE side of the bed, Fergus stared at the cell Warren had provided for him. He’d just spoken to his fellow alpha and had learned the horrific state of his pack.

His ribs felt crushed all over again.

He had to challenge Sydon, the sooner the better. The bastard was planning on shipping off several of his female wolves to the Savage Strip sex clubs tonight.

Fergus knew Sydon. He wouldn’t wait. It was clear he had big plans to rule the territory probably with the help of the cartels and the Gordion Pack was his jumping off point.

He sat on the edge of a wing chair, his towel still wrapped around his waist, damp hair down his back. He glanced out the window. Time was not on his side. He couldn’t leave until full-dark. But as soon as he was able, he’d fly to Warren’s compound. He and Warren would work together to oust Sydon.