Engines and werewolves

Chapter 6

"Victoria!" She tilted her head backwards and looked up. Lukeman leaned over the balcony. A devilish smile graced his lips as he held the mirror over the edge. "Catch!"

Victoria's eyes widened. She reached up and opened her hands. The mirror fell perfectly into them. Victoria turned the item over in her hand. A quick perusal told her the yellow covering was gold. The frame of the glass was ringed by small, glistening jewels. The weight of the mirror bespoke its extensive value, and the shimmering glass reflected its great age.

Victoria hugged the mirror to her chest and glanced up into Lukeman's face. "Thank you."

He smiled and shook his head. "No, thank you."

Victoria furrowed her brow. "For what?"

He gestured to the balcony and the room beyond. "For brightening these halls with life. Real, beautiful life."

Victoria smiled and took a step backward away from the house. "I guess I'll be seeing you."

A strange, crooked smile graced his lips. "Then it's farewell for now."

Victoria bowed her head. "Goodbye."

Victoria spun around and fled down the stone path.Lukeman watched her until she disappeared behind the high wall. He turned and found his manservant standing in the doorway to his room.

The older gentleman pursed his lips. "Do you think it was so wise to allow her to leave?"

"Would you I rather eat her?" Lukeman retorted as he swept past him and into his chambers.

The manservant turned his body to follow his master. "But she is a threat to you."

Lukeman stepped up to the fireplace and lay his arm across the warm mantel. He gazed into the fire and a sly grin slid onto his lips. "I find this game rather exciting, don't you?"

His servant frowned. "Not in the least, sir."

Lukeman chuckled and turned to him. He tossed the manservant his coat. "Where has all your courage gone, Albert?"

"The world is a dangerous place, particularly for a man with secrets," Albert reminded him. "It may attract equally dangerous men."

Lukeman strode over to the dresser and attired himself in a pair of pants before he turned to face his old companion. "Then maybe it's about time I went out into the world and saw what I can do with this secret of mine. It's already fetched me a very beautiful young woman with my even leaving the house."

"And the enemies it made for you before you came to live here, and those within your own company?" Albert pointed out.

Lukeman plucked a piece of paper from the floor and read the contents. He flashed his manservant a toothy grin as he handed the note to Albert. "I think it's high-time I took a bite out of the competition, and my enemies. Have these gentlemen see me tomorrow."

Albert took the note and read the names. His eyes flickered up to Lukeman. "Together, sir?"

Lukeman shook his head. "No, apart, and have the junior employee come just before nightfall. I don't want him to interfere with my mate's return."

Albert arched an eyebrow. "You're sure she'll return?"

The young man strode over to the French doors and looked at the night sky. His eyes flashed a brilliant yellow. "Quite sure. In fact, I've guaranteed it."

Victoria's car waited for her, and she drove home. She found her father asleep in his favorite chair. The TV was on. She set the mirror on the coffee table in front of the chair and took a quilt from the foot of the bed. It was one sewn by her mother. She lay it over her father. He stirred a little and a few mumbling words passed his lips.

"Victoria. Victoria, where are you?"

Victoria smiled and whispered her reply. "I'm right here, Dad."

Robert's eyes fluttered open. His gaze fell on her and his face brightened with a smile. He sat up and clasped her hands. "I've been worried sick about you! Where did you go? Why didn't answer you phone?"

Victoria patted his hand. "You didn't need to worry, Dad. I went to see A-Mr. mac hensaw about your job."

His eyes widened. "You did what?"

Victoria winced. "I thought it would help."

He squeezed her hands and shook his head. "I know my job meant a lot to us, but you didn't have to go to see him."

Victoria smiled. "But it was worth it. I met him and he promised to look into it."

Her father blinked at her. "You. . .you did?" He shook himself. "I mean, he did?"

Victoria nodded. "Yep. We might hear from your work tomorrow."

His eyes lit up and a grin parted his lips. He jumped to his feet and swung her in a wild dance around the furniture. "This is wonderful! Stupendous! Now you can stay in college!"

Victoria fell back onto the couch and laughed. "It hasn't happened yet."

He rubbed his hands together and smiled. "But I believe it has. If Mr. mac hensaw is as honest a man as his father then I'm sure to get my job back." He gave her a wink. "Just you wait and see. He'll come through for us."

Victoria's eyes flickered to the mirror on the table. Her heart sank as she thought about her half of the strange, unfulfilled bargain. Her father hurried past her to the kitchen.

"Now why don't we celebrate with some spaghetti?" He pulled a frying pan from the cupboards and turned to her. "My treat."

Victoria grabbed the mirror and stood to face him. The mirror was hidden behind her back. "Actually, I'm a little tired from all that driving. I think I'll go to bed."

He blinked at her. "Oh, all right. Goodnight."

"'Night," Victoria replied.

Victoria slipped down her hall into the room and shut the door. The mirror weighed heavy in her hand as she strode over to her bed and settled herself on the covers. She cupped the mirror in one palm and studied the beautiful jewels and gold that surrounded the glass. Her palm brushed against the back and her fingers touched something. Victoria flipped the mirror over and studied the back. A few words were engraved in the gold inlaid.

A glass to see

What may be

Or what one

Needs to see

Beast Billionaire #1 (Bad Boy Alpha Billionaire Werewolf Shifter Romance)

Victoria raised an eyebrow. "That's different." She flipped the mirror back to the glass and gazed at her reflection. A sigh escaped her lips. "Lukeman. . ."

Victoria's eyes widened as the reflection of the room in the glass became distorted and foggy. The white mist cleared and revealed a familiar room. The reflection revealed Lukeman's chambers. The master himself sat in the high-backed chair before a roaring fire. The glass zoomed in on his countenance. His chin leaned on the knuckles of one hand and he gazed into the flickering flames.

"Wow. . ." she whispered.

Victoria lay down on her back and studied Lukeman's clear face. Sadness tinged the corners of his beautiful lips. His eyes were partially lidded, but the fire reflected in their dark depths.

Victoria reached up with one hand and brushed her trembling fingers against the surface of the glass. The image flickered and faded.

Victoria sat up and clutched the mirror in both hands. "Wait! No!"

The image melted into the reflection of the room around her. Victoria shook the glass, but nothing happened. The image reverted back to her own room. Her shoulders slumped.

Victoria jumped at a knock on her door. "Are you okay?" her dad called through the shut entrance.

Victoria stuffed the mirror under the sheets. "I-I'm fine, Dad. Just-um, just looking at myself in a mirror."

"You sure you don't want some food?" he asked her.

"Um, sure, why not?"

Victoria hopped out of bed, but not without one last glance over her shoulder at the lump beneath the sheets.

Her dad and she had his celebratory spaghetti. They sat down at the table with a mountain of the Italian food between them. She piled her plate high enough to keep her mouth full for a month.

Robert's eyes flickered to his daughter. "So what was Mr. mac hensaw like?"

Victoria shrank down, but managed a shrug. "Oh, you know, just his normal self."

He smiled and shook his head. "I'm actually not too familiar with him. Nobody even knows what he looks after such a long seclusion."

Victoria furrowed her brow and twirled with the spaghetti on the end of her fork. "How long has it been like that?"

Her father tilted his head back and tapped his fork against his chin. "Hmm, I'd say about ten years, just two years after his father died and he took complete control of the company. He used to come by the offices once a quarter to view the cubicles in person."

"How old was he then?" she wondered.

He shrugged. "Oh, he's about five years older than you, give or take one or two."

Victoria glanced down at her plate. Her imagination formed the noodles into his face. She started when her dad reached across the table and set his hand down on her free hand.

Victoria looked up into his kind but concerned eyes. "Something's bothering you," he commented.

She cringed. "I. . .it's just that-well, do you think monsters exist?"

He removed his hand and settled back into his chair with a raised eyebrow. "Monsters?"

Victoria nodded. "Yeah, like vampires, ghosts, and-um, werewolves."

He chuckled and rolled a large hunk of spaghetti onto his fork. "Yes, I do. I work with financial vampires all the time. They suck all the equity and fun out of life."

Victoria frowned. "I'm serious, Dad."

He paused and raised an eyebrow. "Really? What brought on this interest in things that go bump in the night?"

Victoria looked away from his prying eyes. "Maybe I bumped into one of them."

He furrowed his brow. "Victoria, if there's something you need to-" She dropped her fork and stood.

"It's nothing. Really," she assured him. She tossed down her napkin and managed a smile. "I think I'll go to bed. It's been a long day."

Victoria swept past him towards the hall. She'd just reached the corner when Victoria heard her dad behind her.

"I do."

Victoria paused and half-turned to her dad. "You do what?"

He looked her in the eyes. "You asked if I believes in monsters. Real ones. I do."

Victoria arched an eyebrow. "You do? Why?"

He shrugged. A mischievous smile slipped onto his lips not unlike that which belonged to Lukeman. "Let's just say there's more to life than numbers. Anyway, goodnight."

The young woman smiled, but this time for real. "Goodnight."

Victoria returned to her room and pulled the mirror from its hiding spot. The glass reflected her room. she pursed her lips. "Lukeman."

Victoria's eyes widened as the mirror reflected once more the object of her desire. Lukeman stood beside the bed. His shirt was removed and he wore a plain pair of white shorts. She brushed her hand over the mirror to feel his strong muscles, but she felt nothing but smooth, cold glass.

Victoria sighed and set the mirror face-down on the bed. The mirror was a t*****e device for the new l**t that pulsed inside her. She fell back on her bed and closed her eyes.

Her dreams were filled with a certain handsome man and their delicious desires.

Victoria stood before the wrought-iron gate. The cloudy image of the house stood beyond the entrance. The gate swung open with a deep groan, but she wasn't afraid. She walked straight ahead past the tall skeletal trees and to the front doors. They, too, opened for her. The interior of the house was long and distorted, but she knew the way. Her footsteps took her up the flight of stairs close by the front door and to the long hallway at the top.