A Siberian Werewolf in Paris (8 page)

“He’ll come after you, her husband.”

“Don’t worry, Alain,” Valerii said. “I hope he does. Right now we need to get you and your sister somewhere safe.”

“Our passports are at the Alpha’s house
,” Alain said. “He’s still at work. I’m not sure who else might be there.”

“
Chyort Vossmi.
I don’t want to start an uproar in your pack. Going to the Alpha’s house to get your passports isn’t a good idea. Let me take you to a hotel. I’ll check you in so your names aren’t registered. Let me talk to the Alpha and get this straightened out. Then, if you wish, I can send you to our pack in England.”

“You would do that?”
Bijou asked.

“Of course. I told you I wouldn’t let this continue. Our females should be treasured, not sold into marriages with humans. Come.” Valerii led the couple out of the alley to the street. A taxi sat on the corner, and they quickly hurried over.

Valerii climbed into the taxi after the siblings and looked back longingly at Café de Luna Bleu. Josephine would be arriving in a couple of hours. He couldn’t wait to see her. This issue with Bijou needed to be dealt with quickly. Landry’s father had a lot to answer for. If he still lived, Valerii would be tempted to kill him. His crimes against this woman demanded swift justice.

***

Josephine put her passport and money into the beaded black evening bag she’d purchased. Then, as she prepared to leave the hotel room, she hugged Susan. It seemed as if they had known each other forever.

“Contact me as soon as you have an address, so I can send you your clothes,” Susan said.

“I will. You and Jack be careful. No more trying to rescue everyone.”

“I think we learned that lesson only too well.” Susan hugged herself in reassurance
. “What did you think of the Volkovs? Laurel’s research problem seems like quite a puzzle. They invited me to join their team. They offered me a lot of money.”

“I liked them. But you need to do what is best for you and Jack,” Josephine said. Was it possible Susan could be a mate to a lycan? What about her marriage to Jack?

“We’ll discuss it and decide together. The job sounds promising.”

“I need to go. Valerii is meeting me at the
café.”
At least I hope he is.
“Give Jack a hug for me when he wakes up.”

“I will. Bye.”

“Bye, Susan.”

Josephine hurried down the hall, her lycan senses on full alert. There was still
a danger that one of Fortescue’s men would see her. The elevator opened as she reached it, and a mother with two children got off before Josephine entered. When the door closed, she sighed in relief. So far, so good. She ran her hand down her black lace dress. Would Valerii like the way she looked? He’d never seen her in women’s clothes before. It was silly, but she hoped he liked them.

When t
he elevator door opened on the lobby, Josephine rushed out. Anton and Laurel stood waiting at the door to the street. Laurel smiled and waved as Josephine made her way across the busy lobby. Josephine glanced all around, trying to see if anyone was taking undue notice of her. She didn’t see anyone she recognized.

“Wow, you look great,” Laurel said. “I love your shoes. I’m not sure I could wear a four
-inch heel, though.”

Josie glanced down at the
black patent-leather shoes. She loved the little red bow on the heel. The four-inch stilettos made her feel taller, and she needed confidence tonight for facing her pack. Not to mention facing Valerii after running away.

“I hope Valerii will like my outfit.”

“You’ll steal his breath away. Finding you surrounded by your pack should drive him crazy. Don’t forget the mating heat will be working on him. He’ll want to get you alone and all to himself as soon as possible,” Anton said, a look of concern on his face.

“What’s wrong?” Josephine asked.

“I hope Valerii can handle this situation. If he starts acting like a caveman, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Anton shook his head.

“Let’s go before I lose my nerve,” Josephine said, leading the way outside.

The doorman signaled for a taxi, and they were soon on their way to the café. Was Anton right? Would the mating heat cause Valerii to act irrationally? If it did, her pack could cause a whole slew of problems if they saw Valerii out of control. Sighing, she sat back and looked out the window. Whatever was going to happen would happen. Valerii was her mate. She would stand by him.

Josephine got out of the taxi and waited with Laurel while Anton paid the driver. The sun was lower in the sky, and a cool breeze blew across her overheated skin. The smell of spaghetti
bolognese and roasted duck wafted into the air. The time to face her pack was here. She looked at the people sitting at outside tables in front of Café de Luna Bleu. Inside would be two separate dining rooms, one for humans and one for the pack.

The pack had owned this café for as long as she could remember. All of the lycan teens were given jobs
there as waiters during the summer. She’d worked part-time as a waitress the summer before her kidnapping. He father had felt she could learn responsibility. Plus the other pack members would respect her more if her father treated her like any other lycan teen. Josephine had never forgotten she was the heir. Her mother taught her financial skills so she could oversee the management of the pack’s money. Her father taught her leadership skills. She missed her parents more at this moment than at any other time during the last five years.

Pain suddenly knifed into her brain. She gasped.

“Are you all right?” Laurel asked, slipping an arm around her waist and giving her a hug.

“I never expected to take over the pack from my parents this early in life. I thought my parents would always be with me. I knew my pack would always be there for me. Then
, my family was gone, and no one came to save us. Even as my mother died, she promised me someone would come. But they never did.” Another burst of pain caused Josephine to blink back tears.

“I’m so sorry, Josephine. Anton and I will stand with you tonight, and we are not without power. I am the shaman of the Siberian pack, chosen by Asena. We’ll help you get some answers.”

“Thank you, both of you.” Squaring her shoulders, Josephine walked up to the door.

***

Valerii rushed out of the hotel, waving a taxi as he ran. Bijou and Alain were finally settled in their room with clothes and food enough to last until tomorrow. He called Grigori and explained the situation. If the siblings needed to leave France, Grigori would be happy to welcome them to his pack. Valerii glanced at his cell phone, checking the time. He was late. Josephine would already be at the café. Would she think he had deserted her? Changed his mind?

He climbed into the taxi and gave the driver the address. As the taxi pulled away from the curb
, he glanced down at his clothes and groaned. His outfit was filthy. There was dust and dirt on his pants and on his shirt where Bijou’s tears had soaked in. Part of him was disappointed that he wouldn’t be looking his best when he met Josephine. He tried to finger-comb his hair into some semblance of order, but feared it, too, was hopeless. When had it come loose?

He grabbed his bag and pulled out a blue T-shirt. It wasn’t fancy, but it was clean. Then he slipped off the dirty shirt and rolled it up before putting it in his satchel. The cab driver watched curiously in his mirror as Valerii changed.

“You are meeting a woman, no?” the driver asked.

“
The
woman,” Valerii answered, once more running his fingers through his hair.

“Take her someplace dark with candlelight. Buy her champagne and good food. She will never notice your clothes until it is time to take them off.”

Valerii smiled at the driver. If only it were that easy.

He reached for Josephine with his telepathy. He could feel her; she was near. But her mind stayed securely blocked. How was that possible? He was her heartmate. Their minds should flow together without any barriers. His heart ached for her, the beginning of the grieving process. He needed to touch her,
to hold her in his arms. His wolf rushed to the surface, the need to shift overwhelming. His wolf wanted to hunt, chase, claim what belonged to him. Valerii pushed his wolf back, whispering promises to his wilder self. Promises of chasing his mate down and cementing the bond into place.

As the promises gave him more control over his wolf spirit, his human body
reacted. He grew hard with wanting. Erotic images of Josephine taking him into her body filtered through his thoughts. Valerii realized the mating heat was creeping up on him. If he didn’t bind Josephine to him soon, he would turn more animal than man, and Josephine deserved more than a rutting beast in heat. She deserved tenderness and romance. Her body should be treasured as he took the gift of her virginity. If she would drop the barriers to her mind, he might be able to gain some control.

“We are here, monsieur,” the cab driver said.

***

Josephine walked up to the m
aître d’ and asked for a table in the back dining room. His nostrils flared. He smiled, picked up three menus, and led the way through the main dining room toward the back of the building and a red-curtained archway.

“Right through here,
s’il vous plaît
,” he said, holding the curtain aside for Josephine, Anton and Laurel to step through.

Josephine looked curiously at the man. She knew him, but she couldn’t remember his name or anything about him. She walked through the curtain and looked around the room. The blue walls and wooden tables seemed familiar. She
’d been in this room many times. Why couldn’t she remember the details? Pain sliced through her head. Again, her mind blanked. The maître d’ escorted the party to a table, and when they sat, he handed each of them a red menu before he walked away.

Josephine felt terrible pressure in her head. Sweat popped from her pores. Her stomach roiled. What was wrong with her?

“I feel sick. Something is wrong,” she said, gripping the table as her body weakened.

“Let me scan you. I’m a healer.” Laurel took Josephine’s hand.

Josephine nodded. Her field of vision narrowed, thenturned to blac
k
.
Her mind was a vortex of memories all pouring into her thoughts. She held onto consciousness by a thread. Afraid, she reached out to the one person who could anchor her, Valerii.

I am here.

He flowed into her mind. His spirit wrapped around her and held her in a bubble of light as her memories buffeted them both. The pain her father suffered at the hands of Boucher flowed through them. Josephine knew Valerii accepted the brunt of the experience. Still, she mentally cried out in horror. Her father’s death soon followed. Then her mother’s. Josephine cried and wailed in grief. Then, they went through the vortex and into her earlier memories. She recognized the maître d’. His name was Chevalle, and he was only a few years older than she. More faces and names swirled around her, memories of pack celebrations, moments of affection. She felt the love of her people, her pack.

Valerii’s grip on her spirit loosened as the memories turned pleasant. Still
, he was merged so deeply with her, he must feel each emotion and know each person as she did.

Another presence joined their link. This one
was feminine; her power was stronger than any Josephine had ever felt. Laurel.

Josephine
had a block put in her mind. It was triggered to crumble when she saw a pack member she recognized. I can only assume her parents put the block in place to protect her from feeling her father’s torture. I’m blurring the memories so they won’t be so overwhelming. Look at your heartmate bond. It is now almost completely open and glowing bright
.

Josephine blinked her eyes and came out of her trance. She sat in the restaurant. Strong arms surrounded her. She looked back into Valerii’s concerned blue eyes. She was sitting on his lap. The heartmate cord glowed brightly between them.

“You’re here,” she said, feeling joy warm her heart. She glanced across the table and noticed smiles on Anton and Laurel’s face.

“Are you all right? You gave me quite
a fright.” Valerii frowned at her.

“Don’t frown. I didn’t mean to,” she said, trying to rise.

Valerii’s arms only tightened. “Don’t move. Let me hold you. I
need
to hold you.” He rubbed his face against her hair.

***

Valerii
nuzzled Josephine’s neck. He breathed in, taking in her fragrance. His mind was still awhirl from the block crumbling in Josephine’s mind. No wonder he’d never been able to sustain a link with her.

He felt raw, vulnerable. His arms tightened around her. Finally
, his mind was linked to hers. He knew her, her thoughts, her memories. Everything about her was there for him to explore. She’d lived through hell, and he’d experienced it with her. This group of doctors was extremely dangerous to his race. What happened to all of the notes Boucher took while torturing Josephine’s father? Had they been destroyed in the fire the night she disappeared?

Warmth spread into his mind. Josephine was using the link to learn more about him.

Everything I am, I give into your keeping, Josephine.

For the first time, Valerii understood that phrase of the mating bond. They would walk in each other’s minds. See each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Only someone who loved you unconditionally could accept you as you are. He opened his mind completely for her inspection, hiding nothing from her.

You are my mate. Of course, I accept you as you are. What is this memory I see of you holding my friend, Bijou, in your arms?

Landry’s father sold her to a human for a million
euros. The man abuses her and is not her mate. I took her and her little brother to a safe place. This matter needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. But not at this moment. This moment is for us. I missed you terribly today. I thought I might lose you. Feel what that did to me.

I’m sorry I caused you such pain. I was trying to protect you.

That is the only reason I’m not turning you over my knee.

***

Josephine laughed. She knew Valerii would never hurt her. He did, however, have some very erotic pictures in his mind, including the use of silk scarves and a paddle.

“It is good to see you again, Valerii,” Anton said. “Laurel and I are happy you have found each other. You might want to come back to reality. We are about to be surrounded by a whole pack of curious lycans.” Amusement tinged his voice.

Josephine turned to look around the room. A squeal sounded from across the space. She stood as a woman hurtled herself into her arms.

“Josephine Chevalier, it is you! I didn’t recognize you at first. Your hair is so short.”

“Monique!” Josephine said, laughing. “You almost knocked me down.”

***

Soon others were coming over to laugh and touch Josephine. Valerii stayed as a shadow in her mind and could feel her affection for these people. Her standing so close to him was the only way he handled the young men in her pack hugging her and patting her on the arm.

“Give her some room. Monique, get our guests some food. I can hear their stomachs rumbling. Where are your manners?”

Valerii recognized the voice. He turned to see Louise Bontecou walk into the room. All the pack members scattered, huge smiles on their faces.

“
Grand’mere
.” Josephine stepped away from Valerii and into her grandmother’s arms.

Valerii stood. Louise was Josephine’s grandmother?

Louise smiled at him over her granddaughter’s shoulder. “I knew you were Josephine’s mate on the train. Her scent clung to you, faint but unmistakable. Thank you for bringing her home to us.”

“You cannot thank me. Josephine returned
on her own. I chased after
her
.” Valerii walked up to the women clinging to each other.

“Ah, to a lycan, the chase is foreplay. Don’t you agree?” Louise said, winking.

“
Mémère
, you shouldn’t say things like that,” Josephine said, blushing.

“Come now, you know I
’m right. Sit down. Here is Monique with your dinners. I’m sure Durant has been called and informed of your presence. Eat now so you can deal with pack politics on a full stomach.”

“Are you expecting problems?” Valerii asked, leading the ladies back to the table.

“Durant has been the acting Alpha for two years, Louise said, taking Valerii’s offered chair. “He will not willingly give up that position. He plans to mate with our Josephine. Don’t be too hard on him. The son should not have to pay for the father’s sins.”

Before taking his seat,
Valerii walked to an empty table and brought a chair over to the head of theirs. What did Louise mean by that last remark? He had the feeling she knew far more than the rest of them. If Durant planned to mate Josephine, he would need to be put in his place quickly.

Valerii’s
stomach rumbled as the delicious smell of food filled the air. He hadn’t eaten anything since the train and was starving.

Louise chuckled before turning her gaze on Laurel and Anton. Her eyes twinkled when she looked at the golden medallion Laurel wore. “Welcome, Asena’s handmaiden and warrior, servants to the mother of our race. Long have we waited to greet
you.”

“Greetings to you,
Babushka,
Grandmother. I am Anton, and this is my mate, Laurel.”

Soon
, the five of them were talking amicably while they ate. Valerii listened attentively to Louise as she described how they’d searched for Josephine to no avail. Laurel suggested the block placed in Josephine’s mind could have shielded her from family telepathic links.