Rise of the Lycans: Shadows And Secrets

Chapter 17 – Dead Man’s Pint

Maeve

With a rising sense of gloom, I watched as the Vampire King turned his head slowly in my direction.

Fucking fantastic.

I tilted the umbrella sideways to hide myself and hoped I would blend in with the people hurrying by. The Vampire King had just stepped out of the pub that Remington owned, and I knew it wasn’t for a cold beer. Ambrose was family to the Alpha King. One whiff of me, and he’d know the secret I was carrying.

I looked down at Remington's business card in my shaking hand and watched it slip from my grip into a wet puddle. I wasn’t going to need it anymore because I couldn’t stay here. If I hurried back to Waverley Station, I could catch another train out of here within the hour.

“It’s no big deal, Maeve,” I told myself, trying to calm the panic rising. “You can find somewhere else to work.”

Through my peripheral vision, I could see dark shoes hurrying to cross the street. Hurrying in my direction. The smell of coffee coming from behind me was strong, and I reached for the door, hoping to hide my scent inside.

“You dropped something,” I heard the deep timbre of his voice.

I spun around and came face to face with him. “Remington.”

“It’s good to see you, Maeve,” he smiled. The business card he held in his hand was perfectly dry, and I couldn’t resist looking down for the one I had dropped. It was gone.

“I… I was just—”

“Leaving?” He smiled knowingly.

“I thought I saw someone…”

“You did,” he whispered and stepped closer to me. “Now play along.” He draped his arm around my shoulders and turned to face the approaching Vampire King.

“Remington, you know this female?” Ambrose questioned, his eyes analyzing me. I had seen him at the Moon Realm before, but I wasn’t certain he had seen me. I was a nobody, and there would have been no reason for him to take notice of me.

“I do,” Remington’s smile widened. “This is my niece, Maeve.”

Shite! He just gave Ambrose my name.

Ambrose’s dark orbs focused on me for a moment before he spoke. “I thought I scented—”

“You did,” Remington quickly replied. “You know Alpha blood runs in my family.”

Ambrose lifted a brow, and his eyes returned to Remington. “But she’s also a—”

“That she is,” Remington nodded in agreement before Ambrose could finish the sentence.

“That could only make her…”

“Balor’s daughter,” Remington stated with a grin on his face.

My head spun. I had absolutely no idea what they were talking aboutor who Balor was, but whatever Remington was selling, the Vampire King was buying.

“I see,” Ambrose tipped his head and returned his focus to me. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Maeve,” he said, reaching a hand out to me.

“Thank ye,” I uttered in a low Scottish accent. Unsure of who I was supposed to be, and what she may sound like. I took his gloved hand, and gave it a quick shake.

“Forgive me, but have we met before?” He asked.

“A’h dinnae believe sae,” I shook my head.

“Thank you again for stopping by,” Remington said. “I’d love an invitation to the Endless Nights Ball next year, old friend.”

“Yes, of course,” Ambrose replied. “Until then,” he tipped his head and turned to cross the street again. We stood silently, watching as the Vampire King slipped into the taxi with his mate and pulled away.

“What the hell was that?” I turned to Remington.

“Come on, let’s get you inside and out of the rain. There’s a big fireplace in the pub that will get you nice and warm.”

He took my duffle bag before I could protest and placed a hand on my lower back. We crossed the street, and he led me into the pub without another word. The main door opened to an entrance hall with a large coat rack and umbrella buckets to the right. I could hear the sound of a piano being played, and smell the aroma of something cooking mixed with the scent of beer.

We moved through the second set of wooden doors, and wild laughter greeted us from the pub. The dark mahogany bar was lined with high-back stools, and the spacious room had tables with rich leather armchairs. The far side of the pub had dining booths upholstered with the same chestnut leather. The floor was dark, heavy wood, the décor was traditional, and the open fire was welcoming. People were socializing, drinking, and relaxing.

“It’s busy in here,” I managed to say.

“It’s the rain,” Remington replied.

“Considering it always rains in Scotland, I assume it’s always busy?”

“That's exactly why I’m hiring you to help,” he said and stunned me into silence. “Sit right here,” he motioned to a chair and set my duffle bag down.“I’ll get you a cup of tea.”

Remington slipped through the swinging wooden doors into what looked like a kitchen. Feeling a bit dazed, I released a deep breath and sank into the leather armchair. It was warm from the fireplace and felt like sinking into a warm bath. The gentleman with salt and pepper hair behind the bar smiled at me, and I smiled back to greet him just as I felt something brush up against my leg.

“Hello, sweetheart,” I reached down to stroke the black cat that was rubbing its scent all over my legs and meowing. “What’s your name?”

“I see Jinx likes you,” Remington said, setting down a cup of tea. “Milk and sugar, just the way you like it.”

“You remembered,” I smiled, lifting the cup to drink. “Who names a cat Jinx?”

“In his defense, business has been booming since he showed up. He’s kind of the good-luck cat.”

I gave the cat another good scratch, and he looked up at me with sweet greenish-yellow eyes. My head went blank for a moment, but then I felt Remington's eyes on me and was hyper-aware of how large he was. Like an Alpha shifter. Maybe bigger.

“How did you know I was looking for a place to work?”

“I heard you speaking to yourself,” he smiled, and the amusement reached his eyes. I tried to read him, still wondering what the Vampire King was doing here, but everything about him was a mask of mystery.

“I… I’m not sure I’m going to stay in Edinburgh.” I took another long sip of tea. Remington made great tea.

“You didn’t stay long at the pack,” he replied, and my breath stuck in my throat.

“Pack?” I questioned, but he could see right through me. He had mentioned Alpha blood in his family. The only way he would know is if he was… “You’re a shifter!”

“Are you in trouble, Maeve?” He didn’t admit or deny it, but I knew he had to be. Ordinary humans were not built like him.

“No, I just wanted to get away and spend some time in the human world. Away from shifters.” I lifted the tea to my lips and savored the sweetness.

“Well, this place is packed with humans seven days a week. Most are regulars, and they tip well. You can work and hide here.”

“Does Edinburgh have a pack nearby?” I wondered if he was the Alpha’s brother or something.

“Aye. The Lowlands Pack is just south of here, and it’s bit smaller than the Highlands Pack.”

I considered him for a long moment. Remington lived in Scotland but didn’t speak with a Scottish accent, which told me he grew up someplace else. I studied the faded scar under his eye and wondered if it was a claw mark. Was he a rogue?

“You just told the Vampire King that I was your niece. I can’t stay here.”

He tipped his head curiously. “How do you know Ambrose?”

“What was he doing here? Certainly not having a beer.”

“Edinburgh has a rich history of witches, vampires, and fair folk. This is one of the oldest pubs in Scotland.”

“So… you serve witches brew, blood, and….”

“Wine,” he smiled.

I was going to say nectar, but I knew fair folk were just a myth. Mages had different levels of magic and one had likely given birth to the legend of fair folks or faeries when a clan was cursed or something.

“I thought you said the pub is packed with humans seven days a week?”

“It is,” he nodded as if this was everyday conversation. “The lower levels have a different entrance and can only be accessed by… supernaturals ,” he said with a smile. “There are powerful enchantments in place, and they can’t access the top levels of the pub, not that they want to. Humans aretoo fragile and boring to them.”

“And Ambrose was just having a drink?” I questioned, setting my cup of tea on the table.

“Ambrose owns blood bank donation centers worldwide and supplies us with the finest pints,” he nodded. “The Vampire King prefers a more refined manner to quench a thirst. He drops in every year or so.”

“Dead Man’s Pint,” I whispered as it all made sense. I reached for my duffle bag. “I can’t stay.”

“You’re safe here,” Remington assured me.

“You have vampires and witches frequenting the basement,” I hissed quietly.

“Would you prefer shifters instead?” He raised a questioning brow. “You fled the safety of the pack to protect your pup.”

He didn’t say baby—he said pup. Before I could even think of denying it, he continued. “Maeve, let me help you.”

I knew he could scent me, and there was no point in trying to hide it. “I need to be in the human world…. away from shifters.”

“And you will be,” he told me. “No one will cross me to get to you,” he nearly snarled. I could feel the energy shift around us, and Iknew what he said was true.

“Jack tried to force himself on me, and I may have hurt him. He’s telling people I tried to kill him,” I confessed. “Alpha Hamish might come looking for me.”

“No shifter is a match for me,” he smirked.

“Who or what are you?” I whispered.

“It does not matter, but if anyone asks… you’re my niece.”

“But, what if Ambrose already knows the truth? It will only bring the Alpha King to your door.”

“I was standing close to you for a reason,” he smiled. “It’s still too early for the pup to put out a strong enough scent to tell him much more. Do not worry about Ambrose or the Alpha King. They can’t access the pub or apartments upstairs.”

“Do you really have a niece?”

His eyes softened and he smiled. “I’m looking at her right now.”

His niece. Something warmed me to the idea. Even if it was pretend, he felt familiar to me. He wanted to protect me, not claim my Alpha pup as his own. The way he had helped me through the flight and eased my worries felt natural. It felt protective, not possessive.

I nodded my agreement. “I want to work and earn my keep.”

“We have ten dining booths and need help serving food. It’s twenty pounds an hour, plus tips. There’s live music on the weekends and a knees-up every Friday, which brings in a crowd.”

Twenty pounds an hour was very generous. My mind quickly worked out the math. I’d probably earn two hundred pounds a night and be able to afford a hotel room and food without digging into my savings. Of course, if I wanted to save money, I could stay in a hostel for a few weeks.

“When do you want me to start?”

He took my duffle back from me. “Let’s get you settled in, and you can start tomorrow.”

“Settled in?”

“I have an empty studio upstairs, and you need a place to stay…”

“How much is it?”

“It’s free.”

I snatched my duffle bag from his hold. “I can’t accept.”

“You can, and you will.” He seized my bag again.

“I need to pay you for it.”

He shook his head. “You’re just as stubborn as him.”

I wasn’t sure who he was talking about. “Who?”

He looked down at the black cat brushing against me. “The cat.”

“I’m not comfortable with this. I should pay you.”

“You can pay me by providing good service and making my customers happy,” he grinned. “The stairs are through the kitchenandhave the same enchantment.”

“How many employees do you have?”

“The only ones you’ll see are the ones working in the pub. Cadbury,” he called out to the man behind the bar. “Cadbury, this is Maeve. She’ll be staying with us for a while.”

“The niece,” Cadbury smiled, and the warmth seemed to reach his gray eyes. “It’s a pleasure to have you with us, Maeve.”

“Thank you,” I replied. I had read so many books, and if ever there was a silver fox, Cadbury was it. His beard alone screamed solid masculine energy.

I followed Remington through the kitchen. “The master in the kitchen is Mars,” he said, pointing to the portly man with dark brown curly hair and a short well trimmed beard. “Mars happens to make an excellent fried Mars bar.”

“Hello, boss!” Mars greeted us, wiping his hands on his apron before he extended it to me. “I’m Mars.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” I shook his hand. “I’m Maeve.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” he replied, and I realized neither Cadbury nor Mars spoke with a Scottish accent.

“The kitchen is open to you around the clock,” Remington said, leading me past the walk-in refrigerator and toward the stairs. “You’ll meet Kit later. She works the bar or kitchen when Cadbury or Mars are off.”

“Kit?” I questioned.

“It’s short for Kit-kat,” he continued up the stairs as if he hadn’t noticed the oddity of their names.

An hour later, I was still seated on the bed, wondering how I had gotten here. Remington gave me a beautifully furnished large studio apartment with a kitchenette, bathroom, and fireplace. The bed was situated in a cove that could have easily been walled off to make it a one-bedroom instead of a studio.

The walls were painted a dark, greenish-gray, dragon breath color, and the décor was accented in creams and browns. I flicked the switch for the gas fireplace, and the flames came to life. The big leather sofa looked just like the ideal place to curl up with a book.

To my surprise, the kitchenette had a small washer and dryer unit. There was no stove, but it did have a hot plate, sink, mini refrigerator, toaster, and electric kettle. There was a round table with two seats in the corner, a television hanging over the fireplace, a coat rack by the door, and a bookshelf.

I moved to the large window and pulled back the curtain. The street below was bustling despite the rain. From here, I could see the Sainsbury’s market just a block down Shandwick. I wanted to pick up a few things from the store, but I was exhausted and decided I needed a hot shower first.

My cell phone chimed, and I looked down to find a text from a Scottish number I didn’t recognize.

“Maeve, this is Alpha Hamish. Where are ye?”

My heart pounded in my chest. I had Alpha Hamish’s number saved on my phone, butthe text message was coming from a different number. He didn’t ask if I was okay… he asked where I was. I knew the real Alpha Hamish would have called me.

Deciding to put my theory to the test, I texted back.

“I told you when we spoke two hours ago.”

“Aye, but I didn’t write it down.”

I hadn’t spoken with Alpha Hamish, but Jack didn’t know that. I wanted to tell Alpha Hamish, but the Alpha King would come for me if he found out about the pup.

“Fuck off, Jack, ye rank wankstain.”

After properly saying goodbye to Jack, I blocked the phone number, and powered off the phone.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, I noticed the apartment windows had fogged from my long, hot shower. I reached for my duffel bag and placed my extra clothes in a dresser drawer. I put Nessie on the bed, my toiletry bag in the bathroom, anda photo of my parents and me on the nightstand. Sighing, I slipped on the only pajama dress and wool socks I had remembered to grab.

“At least I can wash clothes here,” I reminded myself as I retrieved my dirty clothes and carried them into the kitchenette. The washer and dryer combos were tiny compared to theAmerican-sized machines.

There was a blow-dryer in the bathroom and I needed to dry my hair, but the excitement of the day was catching up with me and my eye lids grew heavy. I wrapped my hair in the towel and settled in the middle of the plush bed. Listening to the sound of the rain pelting the window, I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep.