Lion: Call of the Shifter

Chapter 3

Chapter 3So much had happened in the last three days that the timeline of events made little sense. At some point she’d stopped by the apartment and collected her belongings while Peter wasn’t home. She’d located a sleazy but cheap motel to stay at for a few days until she figured out what to do. She’d cancelled and rescheduled her appointments at work to take some time to get her life sorted out. She’d tried to call her parents to no avail. Leaving Peter had turned her life on its head, and it was going to take some time before she felt upright again.

What Vicky did remember was that on the third day she called him.

Since they’d met that night at the Ambrogio, Vicky had not forgotten his face. The business card sat inside the clutch by her beside, unforgotten but off-limits. Jumping from a serious relationship right into going on a date with a handsome stranger seemed desperate and not her style, but shaking Gavin from her mind was harder than she’d thought. It was as though he’d infected her and had rooted his presence in her soul. Maybe he was an angel sent down to guide her through these tough times. Maybe it was time that she stopped ignoring her blessings.

As she dialed the number on the back of the lawyer’s business card, Vicky traced the letters of Gavin’s name with her index finger. The phone rang once, twice, three times. She plopped back upon the lumpy motel mattress and held the business card upwards, waiting. Four times, five times. Vicky was just about to take the phone away from her ear to hang up when the call connected.

“Hello?”

“Hi.”

For a moment silence stretched between them. The depth of his voice surprised her, and warm familiarity spread through her stomach as excitement caused her heart to beat that much faster. It was really happening — she was really speaking to him.

“Um, this is Vicky, from the Ambrogio the other night. You gave me your number, and I thought I’d call.”

“I remember,” he said right away. Vicky smiled. The business card slipped from her fingers and spun through the air, landing on the mattress at her side. “Listen, I can’t really talk right now. Can you meet me tonight? Seven, at Masquerade.”

Masquerade was one of the city’s gems. As the name suggested, guests were encouraged to enter wearing masquerade masks, and many often dressed in elaborate costume. The venue was upscale, but the atmosphere was always relaxed and fun. Vicky had been once or twice, but after meeting Peter she hadn’t had much of a chance to go.

“Yes, but—”

“I have to go, V. I’ll find you.”

The call disconnected, leaving Vicky both puzzled and excited. Was it a date? It felt like a date. With only a few hours left to get dressed and ready, there was little time to waste. This week was going to be a week from hell, so if she could spend even just one evening having fun and doing something for herself, she had to take advantage.

The hours passed quickly. Vicky washed, then did her hair and makeup. From amongst her scattered possessions crammed into suitcases she located the strapless peacock dress she’d worn the last time she’d gone to Masquerade. It was a radiant blue green color, one half of the sweetheart bust decorated with fabric peacock feathers sewn with accent sequins. The feathers stretched diagonally across the dress, and the longest ones ended upon her skirt. The skirt itself was puffed out, layers of billowing tulle concealed by a layer of fabric peacock feathers that peeked out from between the dress and over the tulle. The mask she owned was matte black, crafted to fit over her nose and cheekbones on the bottom while forming a V pattern symmetrical to the bridge of her nose at the top. Upon it in glossy black paints were intricate designs that framed the mask, some of the lines laid with black glitter, others left glossy. Vicky had always loved it, and was thrilled to have a chance to wear it again.

Before she knew it she was dressed and in the back of a cab. The Masquerade was in a much better part of town than where she’d come to call home over the last few days, and although the drive was brief, it would be too far to walk in heels.

The sun had just begun to set, the sky stained with reds and pinks. The Masquerade opened its doors for dinner as early as half past four, but seven was when guests began to show up in earnest and the party began. Vicky exited the cab and glanced up and down the street, hesitating only momentarily to tie the mask to her face. So far she hadn’t seen Gavin, but she suspected he might already be inside.

Amongst modest gatherings of people in beautiful dress and elaborate masks, Vicky entered the venue. Old world elegance greeted her in its marble columns and plush red carpets. Mirrors with filigree gold frames hung upon the walls to reflect back the dazzling colors of women’s dresses and the beauty of anonymity. As she passed down the entrance hall it was impossible not to see herself; as big as Vicky felt, she also felt beautiful. No doubt if Peter were here he would make a comment about her thighs, or her stomach, or her arms, but without him there to hold her back, Vicky was liberated. Tonight would be good; she was certain of it.

The entrance hall led to the sitting area and the dance floor. Unlike most bars, the area was well lit and kept immaculately clean. Two rows of tables lined the outside of the room, offering guests a place to eat or, later, to sit with their drinks, and the center of the room was lowered and reserved for dancing. For now the music was still at a decent volume as the last of the diners finished their meals, but soon the lights would dim and the music would get louder. The empty dance pit in the center of the room would fill with men and women looking to lose themselves to the music.

Still there was no sign of Gavin.

Vicky let her eyes sweep the room from the left to the right, lingering on the guests at the tables and those that milled about by the bar. It was just after seven, so maybe he hadn’t arrived just yet. Would it be better to sit at one of the tables, or to wait outside?

Before she had a chance to consider it further, a familiar hand met her lower back.

“I’d recognize you anywhere,” Gavin’s voice whispered in her ear. A shiver ran through her, and slowly Vicky turned her head in his direction. “Thank you for coming out tonight, V. I’m sorry I had to be so curt on the phone.”

Tonight he was dressed in black slacks and a white button down. Overtop he wore a black jacket, left open, and a black tie. A simple black mask set across the top with silver embellishments concealed his face, but Vicky knew the blue eyes beneath.

As though by magic, as the words fell from his lips the lights began to dim. A sense of wonder rode through her, and Vicky couldn’t help but believe that he’d arranged the coincidence. The music swelled in volume, the rise gradual. The hand traced from the small of her back to her hand, which Gavin took with affection. He guided her with ease towards the empty dance floor.

Old world met new. All eyes upon them, Gavin took her in his arms and they began to dance. Peter had always tried to make her invisible, and had never wanted to associate closely with her in public in ways that would demonstrate their intimate relationship. Gavin hadn’t wasted a second letting the entire room know who he was here with. Warmth spread through Vicky’s cheeks at the thought. For the first time in a long time she felt worthy.

Gavin held her close as they moved across the empty floor. One of his hands was at her waist, the other still holding hers. Vicky had her free hand at his shoulder. As close as she was she could smell his cologne, a subtle, woody aroma mixed with the lighter, brighter scent of dried grass and the crispness of the summer sun. Like an open field, she thought. Like nature had claimed this man as its own.

“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you,” Gavin confessed as they moved across the floor. Each step left her feeling that much lighter until it felt as though she floated over the dance floor instead of upon it. The strong and yet controlled way that Gavin touched her made her heart sing in a way Vicky had never known it could.

“I’ve been thinking about you a lot, too,” she replied. The words were as hushed as they could be over the volume of the music. For the next hour or so classical waltzes overlaid with electric beats would play to ease the transition between high dining and dance, and then later in the evening the music would change to club-like affair. Vicky was glad that Gavin had invited her out early into the evening; the waltz they shared felt far more personal than senseless jumping and grinding.

“There’s something special about you. Something I can’t put my finger on. It feels like I’ve known you for a long time.” As they danced his fingers wove between hers, and the hand at her waist held her that much closer. All eyes were on them as they shared the first dance alone. For once Vicky did not feel self-conscious.

“You think so?” she asked. Once upon a time Peter had said sweet things to her, but there was sincerity in how Gavin spoke that had always been absent in her sort-of-ex’s voice. Had they really broken up? Since she’d left him at the Ambrogio they hadn’t spoken, but the words had never officially been said. “I’d know if we’d met before. Yours is the kind of face a girl doesn’t forget.”

The bright dresses and monochromatic suits that clustered near the outskirts of the dance floor were just as magical as the patio lights had been. Vicky’s heart was in her throat.

“I think it’s deeper than that,” Gavin replied. “I can’t explain. Not here.”

They spun across the floor in lazy circles. The song was coming to its end.

“Then where?”

“Somewhere private. Somewhere we can speak without fear of being heard. I understand if you don’t want a stranger taking you behind closed doors, so I’ll leave the choice up to you. There is something I want to share with you, but I will bite my tongue and just enjoy your company tonight if that’s what you want.”

A secret. A request for privacy. For all the red flags she knew were present, Vicky wanted to bring him home. They barely knew each other, but Gavin’s presence alone made her feel as though she owned the world. She wasn’t ready to let that feeling go away just yet.

“Let’s stay and dance a little longer,” she said. “I’ve got somewhere we can go later. I’m enjoying this too much to leave right away.”

The smile that spread his lips eased some of the gruffness away. God, was he handsome. Vicky’s heart fluttered at the sight. He was smiling for her.

“Of course. I want nothing more than to dance with you tonight. You look lovely, and the world deserves a chance to see. I’m a lucky man to have your company.”

It was magic, the words he spoke, the way they danced, and the way his hands felt upon her. When the song ended other pairs descended to the dance floor, and soon they wove their way around others. Never once did Vicky notice. Gavin was all she saw and all she heard. They spoke of their lives, of his deployment overseas and her struggle to upkeep her interior design business. Of their likes and dislikes, and of stories of their past. And sometimes they relished mutual silence. Things were easy between them, like they moved together thought a blissful dream.

When the music grew heavier and the beats more insistent, Gavin directed her to the edge of the dance floor. A rugged, mature man like Gavin wasn’t the type Vicky imagined would be interested in clubbing. Now that the evening was beginning in earnest, it was time for them to take their leave. Hand in hand they climbed the few stairs leading up from the dance floor and headed for the front doors. A cab already waited outside, drawn in by the crowds the Masquerade always pulled.

“Where are we going?” Gavin asked as she flagged the cab down.

“Back to where I’ve been staying. We’ll have privacy there.”

They both sat in the back, and Vicky gave the driver the address. Was this crazy? Her head said yes, but her heart said no. It was just like Gavin had told her earlier that evening — it felt like she’d known him a long time. Gavin was the type of man who was easy to trust.

The cab stopped outside of the motel buildings and Vicky paid the driver. Gavin cast a scrutinizing glance at the rundown buildings, then looked back to her.

“You’re staying here?” Instead of disdain, there was concern in his voice. “This place isn’t safe. We should go somewhere else.”

“I promise it’s fine. I’m not here for much longer, just while I figure things out.” It was Vicky’s turn to place her palm on his back. With a gentle force she led him forward and towards the cabin she was staying in. “This is all I’ve got going on for me right now.”

A few steps in and already Gavin had stopped. He shook his head, refusing to move any closer towards the units.

“I can’t. Not here.”

“I promise it’s safe.” His refusal was making her heart break. For the first time ever Vicky had found the confidence to call a guy and meet him on a date, and now that she was bringing him home — however innocent the intention — he was backing down. The self-esteem she’d cobbled together since leaving Peter began to erode once more.

“It’s not that, V. It’s...” He turned to look at her, and she saw how torn he was. Tension broadened Gavin’s shoulders and straightened his posture, like an animal in danger trying to make itself looked bigger than it appeared. The same spooked mannerism haunted his words. “It’s something I can’t explain. Not here. You just have to believe me. I can’t stay here.”

Already he was pulling away, backing towards the street. The cab hadn’t driven off, and Gavin waved him down again. What had him so spooked? Vicky didn’t understand.

“Let me come with you.” It was all she could think to say. If Gavin couldn’t join her in the motel, she could join him elsewhere. “I don’t want to be apart, not yet.”

He stopped. Some of the tension eased from his shoulders.

“Alright,” it sounded as though he’d given in. “Come. I don’t want to be apart, either.”

For now it was good enough. Until Vicky discovered what was afoot, understanding what ate at Gavin would be beyond her. They entered the cab again, and this time Gavin gave the directions. The cabby laughed at their indecision in good humor, and then they were off.

From around the side of one of the motel rooms a dark haired male emerged. At a distance he watched the cab disappear, and once it had faded from view he worked his way across the grounds and to the spot Vicky and Gavin had lingered at. His nostrils flared.

“Gavin Lister,” he murmured, lifting his eyes to observe the darkened horizon. Street lights cast long shadows through the night. “The warrior King, fallen from grace.”

And then, a laugh.

There were many things Vicky did not yet understand about her blue eyed stranger, but before long she’d have no choice but to learn.