Fox Fate (21 page)

"And how is she like Lara, other than the physical similarities?"

"They both have a Harvard business degree. Annabelle is quite the business woman."

"She seemed quite the operator today."

"Oh, Great Panther isn't hers. It belongs to her uncle. She was there today as a favor to Carissa. But watch. She's going to gravitate towards the business people in your group, unless she decides to chat someone up."

The restaurant was a separate building from the plantation house, although it looked very much like a second house. We found ourselves in a private dining room with one long table set for all eighteen of us. Carissa assured Lara and Elisabeth we were perfectly safe and encouraged the enforcers to relax and enjoy the meal. I was surprised when the sisters took Carissa at her word and declared the enforcers off duty.

Of course, they weren't entirely off duty; they would remain watchful.

Carissa then orchestrated seating, although Anna whispered in her ear, too quietly for me to hear. Carissa laughed and promised, "Of course." Then she turned to Lara. "Alpha, with your permission, I would like to mix things up tonight."

"Of course."

"Excellent. I also wish to take temporary possession of your mate." She was moving towards my side as she said it, and she took my arm in hers. "I assure you, I shall return her to you at the conclusion of our meal."

"Of course," Lara said, but it was said stiffly, and I knew she wasn't happy.

"Excellent," Carissa repeated.

"Carissa, darling," Ekaterina said. "Perhaps you would see to Sonya's enjoyment of the meal as well. I believe I would like to engage some of these fine wolves in a discussion."

"How wonderful," Carissa said. "I shall be flanked by the lovely foxes." She switched to Russian for a moment, and I heard Sonya's name. She held out her hand, and after a glance at her vampire, Sonya moved to her.

"Well then." Carissa drew Sonya and me with her, leading us to the head of the long table. Somehow Anna was already waiting, and she held chair a chair for me to Carissa's left, then made it around the table to help Sonya into her seat. For now, Carissa remained standing.

"Well, now we have such an embarrassing point of protocol," Carissa said. "We have the foot of the table, and we have three obvious occupants. We have, of course, a representative of the local jaguar community."

"Oh, not me, Carissa," Anna said immediately, offering a small bow.

"Well then," Carissa went on, "we have the alpha of all the weres of Wisconsin, a truly unique woman amongst all werewolves. The Madison alpha commands as many souls as I do, and perhaps as many as Ekaterina, and a territory greater than both of ours combined."

I hadn't thought about that. I hadn't thought about any of that.

"But we also have the Queen of St. Petersburg, who has traveled a great distance to join us this week, a woman whose power rivals -- and may indeed surpass -- my own."

"Carissa," Ekaterina said. "We have one queen at one end of the table, and so I cede the opposite end to the Madison alpha."

"Quite gracious," Carissa said.

"Carissa," Deirdre inserted. I thought perhaps the vampire was surprised. She turned to the fae. "I think perhaps the woman paying for our repast should take the seat in question."

Carissa offered a confused expression. "I expected to cover our costs this evening."

Deirdre grinned. "Elisabeth and I engaged in a small wager." Carissa asked for details, laughing as they emerged. "And so, I would propose that it should be either Elisabeth or I to take the controversial seat."

"I believe you are correct," Carissa agreed. "Madison alpha, do you concur?"

"Definitely," she said, smirking at Elisabeth. "And while I have an opinion on the outcome of the wager, and I know my mate expressed her opinion earlier, we haven't heard my sister's response."

Without a word, Elisabeth moved to the far end of the table, placing her hands on the back of the chair.

Carissa offered Elisabeth a bow, and I detected not an ounce of sarcasm. "Very gracious, Ms. Burns." Elisabeth inclined her head.

"Well," said Carissa. "I believe the discussion at this end of the table will be somewhat cultural in nature; I believe there are hopes the opposite end of the table will host a discussion of more mundane-" she made a face "-business topics. Are you agreed, our gracious hostess?"

Elisabeth smiled. "I love talking business, as do many here."

"Well then, I will leave you to orchestrate your end of the table. Ekaterina and Annabelle both wish to join you."

"Of course," Elisabeth replied.

Carissa lowered her voice. "Michaela, I believe Angel was your maid of honor and is one of your closest friends."

"She was, and she is."

"Will she and Serena wish to join the conversation at the other end of the table?"

"I couldn't say, but I suspect my mate's nerves would be relaxed if at least one were near me."

"Then we shall make it their choice." She raised her voice. "Serena, Angel, will you be joining the business discussions." They both turned to her and shook their heads. I knew Angel would be waiting to take whatever seat was remaining at the end. And I knew Serena would rather be beside me than anywhere else.

"Well, then, Deirdre, if you would take the seat beside Sonya, Serena may sit beside her alpha, and Angel may sit beside Deirdre."

All this work simply to arrange seating, but I realized Carissa was accepting some awkward moments to make us feel more comfortable. She was also helping my pack economically, offering opportunities to establish business relationships we wouldn't otherwise have.

At the other end of the table, Lara ended sitting on the opposite side of the table from me. I was sure she sat there so she could watch me. Elisabeth arranged Ekaterina on one side of her and Annabelle on the other. Lara was beside Annabelle with Violet beside her. James and Hanna sat beside Ekaterina. The remaining enforcers filled in the intervening seats.

Lara looked in my direction. I very obviously blew her a kiss and then mouthed, "I love you so much."

She smiled, but it was strained.

The meal was fabulous, absolutely outstanding. But of course, it was the conversation that kept my attention. I eavesdropped on the business conversation from time to time, but I didn't understand the implications of most of it. However, it sounded quite animated, and I absolutely knew the wolves were ecstatic with the opportunity.

Conversation at our end of the table was quite different. As expected, Carissa was a gracious host. She kept the conversation flowing, making sure everyone was included while translating back and forth for Sonya besides. She even drew both Serena and Angel into the conversation. I admired her grace and commented on it.

"Practice," she said. "You are far, far more gracious than I was at your age." She smirked at that.

Sonya was full of excitement and questions about our afternoon. She expressed some disappointment Annabelle was too far down the table to question, but Carissa said, first in Russian, then English, "Well, I can discuss the history, and we have a science teacher siting here who can perhaps talk about the nature."

I hadn't ever gotten around to telling Sonya I was a teacher. She had more questions about that, then expressed surprise I had a job.

"But Lara is rich," she said.

At that, I shrugged. "I am stubborn and do not want to live on my wife's money."

She didn't seem to understand that, but I found myself answering questions about our outing, primarily the more exotic wildlife. She was as surprised as I was about the marshmallows.

"The white balls," she said. "They are candy. Anna fed candy to the animals?"

I explained what a marshmallow was and then repeated what Anna had told me. "Alligators will eat anything."

"I imagine they would love to eat fox," Sonya said with a nervous laugh.

"Gus would eat either of us in two bites," I replied, and she agreed with me.

Later, Sonya said, "Anna roar. Lara growls."

"Anna definitely roars," I said. And so we had to explain to Carissa, whose eyes shone in mirth. She then answered some of Sonya's questions about that.

It was a lovely meal.

* * * *

Finally, we all stood. Lara worked her way to me, wrapping arms around me. I leaned backwards against her, kissed her cheek, and thanked her.

"For holding you."

"You know exactly why I'm thanking you," I whispered. "Form any new companies?"

"Tonight was only diplomacy, but Violet and James are ecstatic. We should have sent Hanna down to your end though."

"I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't think of that."

"She sat quietly, and she never complains, but she turned your way every time one of you laughed."

"We should invite them to Bayfield for Thanksgiving," I suggested.

"Yes, I think so," she agreed.

Carissa gave us another minute, then she moved in our direction. "Alpha, I imagine you are tired, but your mate asked Deirdre something earlier today, and Deirdre wished to offer a little demonstration. Do you mind returning to my plantation?"

Lara frowned, but then her arms tightened a little further. "Of course not."

"Perhaps you will allow me to have her back during the drive. Well, more exactly, you will allow her a little more time with Deirdre and Sonya. I assure you of her safety, and I will not allow Ekaterina to spirit her away."

Lara didn't want to let me out of her grasp, but she replied with "Certainly."

I thought perhaps it would be a casual trip back, but Carissa had an agenda. We were barely away from the restaurant before Ekaterina turned to me. "Michaela, I know you hoped to meet a male fox."

My eyes flashed to Carissa, who held up her hands in defense. "I didn't tell her."

"Michaela, I am, well, shall we agree I am a thousand years old?" Carissa snorted but didn't otherwise comment. "You were subtle during the interrogation I offered you. But I was watching you. You are pleased to have met my Little Fox, and she is pleased to have met you. But she herself told me she wished you were male, and that is how I realized you wished the same of her."

"I have a mate," I said.

"It is not a mate you look for. It is someone to father your babies. And while a wolf can mate with a human, a fox cannot."

"Let's say you're right..."

"I will make a pact with you."

"I am listening."

"I imagine you have not given up."

"And if I haven't?"

"I have always kept my ear open for exotic opportunities, but my Little Fox has expressed a certain desire, and so now I will be doing more than remaining open to ideas."

"You're going to look."

"Yes. And while I cannot make promises, if there are foxes in Russia, it is very likely I will eventually find them."

"They will hide from you."

"They can hide from general searches, but if I know they exist, they will not succeed in hiding from me."

I glanced at Carissa, and she nodded.

"I detect a proposal."

"Neither of us knows if either of us will be successful in her search. And so, I offer a pact. If my search is successful, I will offer you, well, let us call it access. And if your search is successful, you will do the same."

"Access? Lara would never allow me to travel to Russia."

"I believe all you really wish is a certain sample or two. And that is all I require as well."

I studied her. I looked at Sonya. She was staring out the window into the night, seemingly oblivious to the conversation. "Does she know what we're discussing?"

"No. Nor has she suggested she knew what you wish. I am not in the habit of raising her hopes when I cannot make promises."

It was my turn to look out the window. They let me sit in silence for a minute or two before Ekaterina said, "Will you tell me your hesitation?"

"I do not wish to offend you."

"You intend to decline?"

I turned back. "I don't know if I can explain my hesitation without offering offense."

"Ah. You fear to express a certain reluctance into delivering offspring into my care."

"That is the first part. There are other concerns, but that is the main concern."

"Everyone in my household is happy," Ekaterina said. "I hold Sonya very close to me, but only for the same reason your mate holds you so closely."

"Are you lovers?"

"No. We are friends, and we love each other, but not in that style."

"Do you feed from her?"

"Yes, but no more often than the other members of my household."

Carissa spoke next. "Michaela, you experienced only the beginning of the thrall, when it is most intense. Do Deirdre, Anika or Joanna appear unhappy?"

"No," I said. "But a fox should be free."

"A fae needs freedom at least as much as a fox does," Deirdre said.

"But I imagine you have more freedom than the white-haired one does." Sonya's ears didn't even twitch. "And perhaps more than I do."

"I do not believe I have more than you do, but yes, probably more than she does," Deirdre said. "However, she seems happy, doesn't she?"

"I hold a great, great deal of land," Ekaterina said, "and she has free roam of all of it. She wears no collar."

"She wears the leash of a blood thrall."

"She is happy, as you were," Carissa said. "Any offspring would be happy, if Ekaterina keeps them."

"What?" I asked. "You'd what? Sell them?"

"No," she said. "I will add that to our pact. I will not trade them away, unless they themselves request it. However, I might want to discuss additional breeding opportunities, twenty or thirty years later."

I came to a decision and nodded. "I cannot make the same sort of promise you can make."

"Why not?"

"It would not be my sample to send you. I would neither force someone else nor deceive him. What do you propose?"

"We have the basis of an agreement, but you are asking how I would expect you to keep it?"

"Tentative agreement," I clarified. "The details matter. I would not make a promise I cannot control."

"Then I will add this. We will share information. If you learn of a group in North America, you will inform me. If I learn of one in Europe or Asia, I will inform you."