Page 5 of The Stalker

Fulk was out of bed and across the room in three strides, snatching the hateful device up off the table. “What?” he snarled, when he answered, letting the wolf bleed heavily into his voice. An honest to Godsnarl.

Whoever was on the other end gasped. A throat cleared. “Um,” a female voice said. “I’m, um, trying to get in touch with Baron Strange. Have…have I reached him?”

Fuck.Fuck. He was Frank Stephens these days, legally; that was the name on their utility bills and magazines. No one alive right now knew him by his real name, much less his title. Save Anna…and certain members of the immortal community – none of whom he kept in contact with.

Panic seized him as he stood naked in his own kitchen; he half-expected search lights to beam through the windows.

“Fuck,” he said aloud, and heard Anna get out of bed.

“I’m sorry,” the woman on the line said. She sounded frightened. “I thought–”

“Who wants to know?”

“What – oh! Oh, yes, well. Um.” She cleared her throat again. He swore he could smell her terror through the cell connection. “My name’s Jennifer, Lord Blackmere, and I’m the personal assistant to Dr. Talbot with the Institute of–”

“I know what the Institute is.”

“Yes, yes, of course!” She tittered nervously. “Of course you do. I’m not sure if you’ve met Dr. Talbot before…” She paused, waiting for him to confirm, and then pressed on when he didn’t respond. “Right, well, he’s been made the head of field operations and he’s had great success at the New York base.”

Fulk had heard about New York; he guessed the term “success” was relative.

“He’s just acquired two incredibly sensitive artifacts,” she continued, “and he’d like to move them to a more secure location. He wants to set up an entire new base, actually. And he was wondering…”

Anna pressed up behind him, her skin warm and comforting. She slid her arms around his waist, smoothed her palms up and down his stomach.

“…if he could talk to you about your house.”

“What about my house?” he snapped, gaze swinging wildly from window to window. Shit, he was going to have to fight off an entire black-booted squadron without any pants on, wasn’t he? Not necessarily a challenge, but an embarrassment, for sure.

The woman gulped. “I’m sorry, is it not still abandoned? Dr. Talbot said you weren’t living there.”

Oh. That house.

“The manor?”

“Yes.” She sounded relieved. “Blackmere Manor. Is it available?”

“I don’t live there, if that’s what you mean.”

“Right. Great.”

“Why wouldDr. Talbotwant to use my manor as a base?”

“Um,” she hedged. “These acquisitions require…a particular kind of storage.”

His heart thumped hard. Anna covered it with her hand. A slow horror began to dawn. “Where did the good doctor get theseacquisitions?”

In a timid voice, she said, “Romania.”

The bottom fell out of his stomach. Seven-hundred-and-fifty years on this earth, and he’d thought there was nothing left to surprise him. This did, though. Thisfrightenedhim.

“Jesus Christ,” he hissed. “Don’t tell me you bloody idiots–”

“Yes, Lord Blackmere,” the woman said, tone suddenly stronger. Bold, even. “We did. We have them – both brothers.”

“Fuck,” he whispered. A shudder moved through him…and then a wave of grim resignation. It had been so peaceful for so long, he really shouldn’t have expected it to last any longer. “Take the house,” he bit out. “Tell the doctor I’ll be there in three days.” He stabbed the screen with his thumb to disconnect the call as she was thanking him.

He let his hand drop to his side, brought the other up to cover the back of Anna’s with it. Stood there with his teeth gritted, hating the world.

---