Leader of the Pack (2 page)

“So where is this friend of yours anyway?” She said. He could hear an edge of concern in her voice when she said that. She stared at Cullen and then over at the door.

“You know what,” Cullen said and eyed the office door. “If you need a ride home or something…” His voice trailed off as he looked at her.

Aislinn’s eyes meet his again. She couldn’t help see there was something in there. He was just one of those people she knew could be trusted in the same way she knew that Derrick couldn’t be. At the same time logic dictated that she not accept rides from drunken strangers.

“No thanks.” She walked over to the main doors and looked out. There wasn’t anyone there and the parking lot was abandoned except for a large black SUV and Derrick’s dilapidated red Honda. Presumably he SUV belonged to this Cullen guy. She was considering calling a taxi. It would cost her but at least that was safer than any of her other options at the moment. Aislinn turned around to find Cullen standing directly behind her with a confused, appraising look on his face.

He just couldn’t put his finger on it. He wasn’t sure what she smelled like. But he was starting to think that he liked it, whatever it was. He figured that if it weren’t for the alcohol he probably wouldn’t be being so introspective or even care. The worst part was that he wanted a closer inspection. Not that she’d submit to that. She wouldn’t even let him give her a ride. She was standing there looking at him cautiously. He closed his eyes and smiled, shaking his head. He could just imagine her reaction if he said something like,
I’ll give you a ride home. You can take a shower. Then you can let me smell you.
He chuckled again. Alcohol hadn’t felt this good in ages.
It’s pretty sad with a little bit of amusement caused by a random female and alcohol beats out everything else in your life.

Aislinn could see the thoughts spinning through his head. He was amusing himself with whatever it was he was thinking. She couldn’t help wondering what it was. He certainly had a pleasant smile. As he was standing there she finally saw what was making him smell so foul. He was wearing a t-shirt and jeans under his duster. Everything he was wearing was black, so in the gloomy bar with all the smoke and him sitting behind the bar she hadn’t noticed. But now that he was standing, with the coat open in the light from the main entrance she could see what appeared to be blood all over the front of him. She wasn’t an expert but she was pretty positive from the smell that it wasn’t human blood. That had a more coppery smell to it. She had caught that smell coming from people a number of times. People were always getting hurt. The smell of human blood wasn’t pleasant, but it wasn’t this foul either.

Cullen saw confusion on her face and followed her gaze to the front of his clothes. When he realized what she was staring at he pulled the duster closed and looked up at her again. That sobered him up a bit. He’d nearly forgotten the fight with the vamp he’d gotten himself into after he left Jenna’s. He intended to go home after that, but spied this dive and decided to stop instead.
Maybe that was a mistake.
When their eyes met again they seemed to be staring into each other, trying to read the other’s mind. That was when another large black SUV pulled into the lot.

Aislinn turned to look at who was pulling in. “This your friend?”

“Yeah, I think so,” he said, still looking at her. He didn’t want to be done with this yet. She had obviously seen the blood. Didn’t she even care?

Aislinn looked over his shoulder toward the office, and then sidled past Cullen and headed for the bar. “Excuse me.” She half jogged, half walked toward the bar and jumped over it in one motion. Cullen noted the athletic ability that her non-athletic build masked. She grabbed some stuff from behind the bar and then came around the side, all the while watching the office door. As she came back toward the main entrance she called back to the office. “Derrick, that guy’s ride’s here. I’m leaving.”

Before Derrick could get out of the office to stop her she had moved passed Cullen again and out into the parking lot. “Have a good night,” she waved and walked hurriedly toward the street.

The guy from the office came trotting across the floor and stared out the door after her but she had managed to get out to the road and was on her way toward town. “Shit,” he said and glared at Cullen.

Cullen could see the look in the man’s eyes and knew that whether it was tonight or some other night Aislinn was in danger. Something in Cullen was outraged at the thought. But the alcohol was making it difficult for him to think beyond doing something unfortunate to the man right then and there.

Keith walked up to Cullen as Derrick ushered him the rest of the way out the entrance and closed the door, locking it without a word. Derrick would never know how close he came to being ripped to shreds that night.

Keith followed Cullen’s gaze as he watched Aislinn walking quickly down the road. “Hey, you alright?”

“Yeah,” Cullen answered and looked over at his friend as he was led toward the SUV. “Congratulate me. I’m engaged to be mated.”

Keith understood. He shook his head. He couldn’t believe that Cullen was going along with this. It wasn’t the way the Arnauk operated. As they neared the SUV Ranaild stepped out. Cullen threw Ranaild the keys to the SUV he’d driven here and Ranaild walked to the other vehicle. Keith headed for his side of the car. As they were getting in, Cullen saw Derrick appear out the side of the bar and head for the beat up car at the other side of the lot.

“Do me a favor,” Cullen said. “Consider it a condemned man’s last request. Follow that guy.”

Keith stared at Cullen a minute and then shrugged. Putting the truck in gear he headed after the guy. It didn’t make any sense but who was he to argue with Lord General Cullen Arnauk. “You gonna tell me why we’re following him?”

Cullen smiled sardonically. “Cuz he’s an ass and I want a reason to rip his throat out.” “Alright.” Keith wasn’t used to Cullen being like this. Firstly, he didn’t get drunk. Secondly, he didn’t disappear and then need rides summoned by strange girls in the middle of the night. Thirdly, he didn’t show interest in human females. And if that wasn’t enough, he didn’t chase human males around for any reason. Keith glanced sidelong at Cullen. He knew that being forced into mating with Jenna Tairneach was the last thing in existence that he wanted, but this was just strange.

“Faigh muin,” Cullen swore vehemently and brought Keith’s attention back to the situation. Keith slammed on the brakes and Cullen dove out of the car before Keith could see what the problem was.

* * * *

Aislinn had been walking as fast as she could. She was just praying that she could reach her crappy apartment before Derrick could get his act together. It was only a ten minute walk from the bar but if he got in his car relatively quickly he’d be able to catch up.

When Derrick pulled in front of her, cutting her off, she knew that she was in trouble. Aislinn headed for the other side of the road as Derrick got out and followed her. “Hey Ais, are you sure you don’t want a ride,” he slurred.

God, I wonder how much he drank tonight?
Aislinn’s mind raced. He was between her and her apartment.
Just one more block
. Momentarily she thought she might be able to get around him. She was rather quick. Then there was the other option. He had tried this once before. She had cold cocked him and he had left her alone for a week. “Do you want me to hit you again?”

“You bitch,” he said with a wicked glare. “You really do think you’re too good for me. I’ll teach you this time.”

Aislinn set herself up in a defensive stance. As Derrick got closer she balled her hands into fists and punched him square in the face. Derrick grunted, but managed to catch himself just before he fell over. “Damn bitch!” he said, spitting out blood. “You on steroids or something?”

Aislinn took the opportunity to try and run around him but he yanked a black boxlike thing out of his pocket and caught her in the side with it as she tried to run. Aislinn felt the excruciating electric shock blaze through her body. Suddenly everything spun and she lost control of her legs. She found herself lying on the ground in confusion, unable to move and staring up at Derrick. He held up the black box and pushed a button so that she could see what he had done. Electricity jumped across the electrodes on the end of the taser. Derrick smiled an evil smile. “I bet you feel just as good unconscious as not.”

A low growl caught Derrick’s attention and he turned around but all he could see were shadows down the street. He figured he needed to work quickly before the stun wore off. Derrick shocked Aislinn again for good measure and shoved the taser back in his pocket. He had something more permanent in the car to deal with her. But he had to carry her over there. Another growl caught his attention and he looked behind him to see that guy Aislinn had been waiting on standing there out of nowhere. The guy didn’t say anything and his face was shadowed where he stood with a street lamp behind him.

“Mind your own business,” Derrick spit at him and headed for his car with Aislinn slung over his shoulder.

Cullen lost it. He couldn’t believe that the piece of caoch would still be trying to get away with this even after being caught. He stepped up and knocked Derrick’s feet out from under him. As Derrick fell Cullen grabbed Aislinn and pulled her to himself. The stun was starting to wear off and she looked up into his face. His eyes were like molten pools of amber. It was almost hypnotic. They seemed to swim between dark brown almost black and glowing gold.

Derrick stood up swearing and pulled the taser out again. He headed toward Cullen and Aislinn and jabbed the device at them. Cullen took the shock in his arm and then shook his head at the guy. Derrick finally figured out that this was not going to go his way. He turned and made a dash for his car but somehow Cullen was there first. Derrick tried the taser again but Cullen only grunted as the shock went through him and grabbed Derrick by the wrist that was holding the gun. There was a disgusting crunching sound and Derrick’s screaming as Cullen’s hand squeezed around Derrick’s wrist and the bones gave under the pressure.

Aislinn was still a bit dazed as she watched Cullen beat Derrick to the ground and then toss the guy in the backseat of his car. Then, as if nothing had happened, Cullen came walking over to her. “Are you sure you don’t want that ride home,” he asked.

Aislinn swallowed deliberately. She just didn’t get it. “Why did you do that?”

Cullen watched her. She still wasn’t afraid of him. This little human girl had just been attacked and watched him throttle her boss. He knew that she had seen his eyes turn. He nearly killed the guy without thinking. The alcohol was warping his sense of control. “I don’t really know,” he said honestly.

Cullen knew that Keith was watching from the truck. He could see the black SUV down the road a ways. “That ride,” he asked again.

“I just live a block down from here.”

“Then I’ll walk you.” It wasn’t an offer.

Aislinn could tell from the tone in his voice that he wasn’t going to take ‘no’ for an answer. She took a deep breath. “Fine, it’s this way.”

Cullen walked with her toward her apartment building. “I think you need a new job.” Aislinn harrumphed at him. “Yeah, well you gonna give me one? Here’s my resume. College dropout with minimal bartending experience seeks nice stable job not working for an ass.” She refused to look at him and he knew there were tears in her eyes from the shaky way she finished the statement.

“Alright, you’re hired,” he said.

She stopped and looked at him incredulously. “Are you for real?”

Now he could see the glassy eyes. He wasn’t sure if it had been his question or everything that had just happened that had caused her to be suddenly upset. But he didn’t like the idea that it might be his fault.

“What do you mean,” she persisted when he didn’t explain himself.

“I have some influence with a number of different businesses in town. I can give you a job. Secretary,” he shrugged, “waitress if you really want. If that’s what you do.”

Aislinn wasn’t sure if she should take him seriously or not. “Who are you? Superman?”

Cullen chuckled and one corner of his mouth turned up in that amused smile he’d been wearing off and on all night when he looked at her. “I prefer Batman. I don’t think I could pull off red and blue tights and Batman had better toys.”

Aislinn shook her head. “I think you’ve done enough for me at this point,” she said cautiously.

Cullen rolled his eyes and sighed in annoyance. “Why is it that people never do the smart thing when it’s right in front of them? Look, I’m just offering you a legitimate job. You shouldn’t have to put up with a creep like that.”

Aislinn glared at him. What right did he have to be angry with her? It’s not like she asked for his help. “And what about the other girls there? You gonna give all the people working for Derrick jobs elsewhere? Why are you so concerned with me?”

“Honestly?” Cullen ran his hand through his hair and looked back toward where the black SUV was parked. He knew that Keith was sitting behind the tinted windows watching the scene. “I don’t really know. No, I’m not going help out everyone working in that dive. But I thought I might be able to help you out. If you want to keep working for that guy, be my guest. But my guess is that when he gets a grip after what I did to him he’s going to be looking to take it out on someone. Who do you think is going to end up the target?” He was suddenly feeling very sober again and didn’t like it.

Aislinn stood in silence for a minute staring at nothing on the ground. “You’re right. I’m gonna have to quit. I can’t stay there now. It would have been one thing if I’d just beaten him off like last time, but you really screwed this up.”

Cullen growled at her. “Would you have rather--“

“Let me finish.” Aislinn interrupted him. Cullen was shocked into silence. No one interrupted him. “No I wouldn’t rather the alternative. But you didn’t have to put him in the hospital.”