Daniel (Fairplay Shifters Series Book 6) Read online

  But she sensed that this wasn’t one of those conversations almost immediately. There was an electricity in the air she’d never felt before; it had a heavy, dangerous feel, and she shivered when it washed over her. From the direction the voices were coming, she knew that her father was sitting at his desk, Demetri across from him in the big leather chair.

  “So, let me get this straight. She shows up out of nowhere, enchants the amulet, and now she wants to meet me?” her father asked, his voice hard.

  Demetri was silent for several seconds, and she wished she could see their faces. Finally he said, “That’s about right; without her the amulet is worthless.”

  “What I don’t understand is why you let her stay in Brussels. Have you lost your touch, Demetri?”

  Demetri huffed, “You have no idea what she’s capable of Deacon; you’ll see. She’s one of the strongest witches I’ve ever come across; I’m not messing with her. That’s your job.”

  Her father was silent for long enough she could hear Demetri shifting in his seat. Finally he sighed and said, “I can see that I’ve got no choice; bring her here.”

  Cassie could hear their chairs sliding on the hardwood floor, so she slipped back into the passageway and back to her room just in case her father came looking for her. She jumped in bed and laid back against the pillows but didn’t even try to sleep; there were so many questions swirling around in her mind, she was sure that she’d never sleep.

  Her father had mentioned an amulet, which she knew was a magic charm, but not much more about them than that. Getting back out of bed, she went back to the closet, shoved aside a significant section of clothes, and opened a suitcase. Inside, she’d stashed every book on witchcraft she’d been able to find in the library. Looking over the titles, she finally found what she was looking for.

  Taking the book back to bed, she flipped it open to the chapter on charms and read it through twice. When she was finished, she closed the book and set it on the bed next to her. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, thinking about magic, magic that she didn’t have and never would.

  Not long after she’d come to live with her father, he’d pulled her into his study and explained that witches were real and that she might herself be one. She’d only been six, and at the time it sounded like a wonderful thing, so she’d willingly let him cast a spell on her, a spell that would expose her magical talents.

  But to her great disappointment, her father had announced that she wasn’t a witch, that she’d taken after her mother who’d been a regular human. “I’m sorry, Cassie; it looks like you won’t be a witch after all,” he’d said, not half as disappointed as she was.

  The sickness had started not long after that, and for years she’d forgotten about that conversation, the struggle to learn to live with an unnamed and untreatable disease her only focus. But years later, she’d remembered that conversation, and since then she’d thought about the magic running through her blood and wondered if maybe it was there, just waiting to be awoken.

  Finally feeling sleepy, she snuggled back into the covers and closed her eyes, the old dreams of finding her magic with her as she fell asleep. She dreamed that she was a witch, a familiar dream that was easy to slip into, but that night the dream was different. That night, there was a man in her dreams: a man who made her heart beat faster, a man who kissed her and told her that he loved her.

  ***Daniel***

  Daniel stretched and looked out the window, marveling at how green everything was. He’d seen pictures of the German countryside, but they couldn’t compare to what he saw out his window. Even as tired as he was, excitement bubbled up inside him, his body itching to shift and explore the lush forests.

  But he knew that adventure would have to wait until he’d gotten settled in and had a chance to explore the area around the castle in his human form. There was a reason fairy tales came from places like this; the forests were deep and untamed; many things could lurk in the shadows. Annabelle had told him to be careful, that he was dealing with a witch of incredible power, and he had every intention of heeding her warning.

  When the car pulled onto a long tree-lined drive, he felt like they’d gone into a tunnel, but after only a few miles, they emerged from the trees to find the castle looming in front of them. Daniel could only stare at the imposing structure, made of white stone, its turrets reached into the sky, some twice as tall as the structure below it. He could hear the driver laughing but continued to stare, so enthralled by the sight before him it was all he could do.

  “Imposing looking place, isn’t it? Not very many drivers like to bring fares up here; lots of rumors about this place, some as old as Germany itself. A few not quite so old,” the driver said, turning around in his seat and raising his eyebrows at Daniel.

  “Oh, I think I’ll be okay,” Daniel said, opening the door to get out.

  “Working in the stables like you are, I suppose you’re right, but I’d still be on my guard,” the driver said, tipping his hat to acknowledge the big tip Daniel had given him.

  He knew better than to go to the front door, so he walked around the castle until he saw the stables a half mile away. Shouldering his bag, he started towards them thinking that the place had a deserted feeling, a heavy feeling. Halfway there, he began to feel as if he was being watched, cold prickles on the back of his neck, but when he turned around, no one was there.

  By the time he got to the biggest barn, he was walking at a fast stride, the silence around him making him uneasy. When he pushed through the doors, the smell of horses, hay, and leather hit him, and the feeling vanished. Relieved, he called out a hello and waited by the doors.

  Chapter Three

  ***Cassie***

  Without opening her eyes, Cassie groped around on the bed for a pillow, then put it over her head to block out the early morning sunlight streaming through the window. Typically she was a morning person, but today she wanted to stay in the world of her dreams for just a few more minutes, to prolong the feelings her dreams the night before had given her.

  She couldn’t have described what she was feeling exactly: a mixture of happiness mixed with hope was the best she could do. It was silly to lay there wishing for sleep again, and when a loud knock on the door startled her, she knew she wasn’t going back to sleep. Sitting up in bed, she pushed her hair out of her face, grimacing when the bright light hit her eyes.

  Before she could call out, the door opened, and a young woman came bustling in with a breakfast tray. “Good morning, Ms. Cassie. I’m Vanessa, the new upstairs maid,” she said, setting the tray down next to the bed.

  Cassie stared at her for a second. “Ummm, good morning,” she finally managed to say. “I didn’t know… I mean, father didn’t tell me he’d hired new staff.”

  “It was a bit of a last-minute thing from what I hear, but I’m not gossiping, mind you,” Vanessa said with a wink.

  Cassie couldn’t help but smile at the young woman, who had a massive smile on her face. Then she heard voices and the sounds of furniture being moved around. “What’s going on out there?” she asked, taking the cup of coffee off the tray.

  “Your father wants the castle cleaned from top to bottom and made ready for company,” Vanessa said, throwing open her closet and rummaging through her clothes.

  “I don’t need you to help me get dressed, Vanessa; this will be fine,” Cassie said, starting to get out of bed.

  Vanessa grinned at her again, “Oh, I wasn’t going to help you; I just wanted to see what was in your closet.”

  Cassie stared at her shocked at first, then realized that Vanessa was like a breath of fresh air in her stuffy world. “You’re different than the other maids we’ve had,” she said before she could stop herself.

  “I’ll take that as a compliment,” Vanessa said, closed the closet door, and walked back over to the bed. “Do you need anything else before I go? I’ve got beds to change and rooms to clean, but you come first.”

 
“I think I’ll be fine, thanks,” Cassie said, disappointed that Vanessa was leaving so soon.

  “I’ll be back for your tray in a little while,” she said, heading for the door, but before she got there, she stopped and turned back. “I almost forgot, your father wants you to have lunch with him in the dining room at two o’clock, formal attire.”

  Cassie’s heart sank; she hated having meals with her father. But at two o’clock sharp, she walked into the dining room and sat down across from him at the big table. When one of the servers offered her wine, her father cleared his throat, so she shook her head, disappointed.

  It took a long time for her father to choose his meal thanks to his new habit of taking one bite of each of the numerous dishes offered before making his choices. By the time he was finally finished, Cassie was always so hungry she didn’t care what she ate.

  Usually they would eat in silence, but today after he’d taken a few bites, her father put down his fork, took a sip of his wine, then fixed his eyes on her. She was staring down at her plate but feeling his glance, looked up, hoping that he was in a good mood that day.

  “I’m sure you’ve noticed all the commotion around here this morning,” he said, picking up his fork and taking another bite of his food.

  “The new maid said that you were opening up the castle again, that we’re having an important visitor,” Cassie said, feeling a mixture of disappointment and excitement.

  Ever since she’d discovered that her father wasn’t leaving, she’d been fighting the disappointment of knowing that she was going to have to abandon her plans to escape the castle. But the excitement of a pending visit took the sting away; they never had visitors to the castle, and she was sure that it was the woman he and Demetri had been talking about the night before.

  “It’s good to know that the servants are doing their jobs,” her father said, a look of displeasure on his face. “But at least our new maid had her facts straight. Your sister will be arriving in a few days.”

  Cassie dropped her fork, too shocked to say anything for a second. “My sister?” she finally managed to croak.

  Her father stared at her like she was the one who’d just dropped a bomb in the room, “Of course. Your sister Charlie and her fiancé Steven will be joining us for a short stay.”

  Cassie picked up her fork and took a small bite of her food and chewed it for a long time, stalling. Finally she managed to calmly say, “You never told me that I had a sister.”

  Her father’s face did something strange then; it looked like he was sad, but not quite. “I thought she was lost to me a long time ago, so I stopped thinking about her,” he said, not very convincingly.

  Cassie didn’t know how she knew it, but she recognized that her father was lying. She wasn’t sure what he was lying about, but it was clear that he was covering up something and it wasn’t the first time he’d behaved strangely in the last six months. Ever since he’d come back from Colorado, he’d been acting strange, not quite himself.

  “Well, I can’t wait to meet her,” Cassie said, putting a giant smile on her face.

  “That won’t be possible,” he father said, picking up his fork again. “You’ll be staying in your room while she’s here.”

  ***Daniel***

  Daniel felt something nudge his leg, then a sharp kick. Sitting up, he looked around confused for a second when he saw the bare wooden walls and the little dresser, but then he remembered where he was.

  “It’s about time you woke up. I was beginning to think I was going to have to go get a bucket of water,” a voice said from across the room.

  Daniel turned toward the voice, then smiled when he saw the man standing there. “What did you put in my coffee last night?” he asked, remembering the slightly bitter taste.

  “Just a little home-brewed spirits to help you sleep. I figure it’s my job as manager to make sure my men get their sleep.”

  “Magnus, I appreciate your concern, but next time you could warn a guy,” Daniel said, looking down at his rumpled clothes. “I need a shower.”

  “Well, you best be getting about that then; you already missed breakfast,” Magnus said, throwing a foil-wrapped packet at him. “Cook put that together for you though.”

  Daniel opened the package, and his stomach began to growl when the scent of sausage and bread wafted into the air. There was also a huge wedge of cheese, and before he could stop himself, he’d taken an enormous bite.

  “I’ll just leave you to your breakfast,” Magnus said, handing him a thermos of coffee. “I’ll see you downstairs in half-an-hour.”

  By noon, Daniel was starving again, so it was a relief when Magnus said, “Well, that’s almost the end of the tour; all we have left is the kitchen, and since it’s about lunch time, we’ll end with that.”

  “Sounds like an excellent idea. I’m starving.”

  Magnus laughed, “Won’t sleep through breakfast again, will you?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

  Daniel laughed, “No sir, I won’t.”

  When they walked into the kitchen, Daniel immediately felt at home. It was like the bunkhouse kitchen had been transported to Germany, right down to the shiny pots hanging from the ceiling, and the strings of peppers, onions, and herbs next to them.

  “Something smells wonderful,” he said, taking a deep breath of the fragrant air.

  “We’ve got one of the best cooks around, and the master doesn’t skimp when it comes to food. We get what he doesn’t eat and more. I promise you’ll never go hungry here,” Magnus said, taking a seat at the table.

  At first, all he thought about was the food, which was simple but tasty. But as his hunger began to fade, he wondered about Vanessa, his contact inside the house. He’d seen no sign of her, and no one had mentioned her name; it was beginning to worry him.

  Left on his own, he’d be able to accomplish little here since he was only allowed to be in the kitchen of the castle. He needed someone on the inside to watch things, to spy on Deacon, and to pass messages to Charlie and Steven; without Vanessa, all that would be impossible.

  Just when he was beginning to panic, a petite blonde girl come into the kitchen. When she saw Daniel, she smiled at him and said, “Hi, you must be new. I’m Vanessa.”

  Daniel was so relieved, he opened his mouth and said, “I heard that you were supposed...” then stopped, “I mean, it’s nice to meet you.”

  “Your plate is almost empty; let me fill it for you,” she said, then took his plate and walked away.

  Daniel knew that he’d almost blown it, that he’d almost given them both away. Taking a deep breath, he turned to Magnus and asked him about their breeding program. When Vanessa brought him his plate of food, he was afraid to look at her, afraid that he’d give them away, being sneaky was a lot harder than he’d thought it would be.

  After she’d walked away, he picked up his fork to take a bite of food and saw the corner of something sticking out from under his plate. His heart skipped a beat, but he didn’t let his excitement show on his face, simply pulled the slip of paper out from under the plate and tucked it in his pocket.

  It was midnight, but there was no sign of Vanessa, and he was beginning to wonder if he’d read the note wrong, but then he heard the carriage house doors squeak open and saw her slip in. He waited for her in the shadows, only turning on his light when she was right next to him.

  Vanessa sucked in a deep breath, then whispered, “You scared the hell out of me. Turn that light off; someone might see it.”

  “Sorry, I wasn’t sure if you saw me here,” he said, pulling her farther into the carriage house.

  She put her fingers over her lips, took his hand, and led him to the back of the building and through a door. Once inside, she shut the door and leaned up against it. “I don’t think anyone saw me,” she whispered, “We should be safe in here; from what I understand, no one has lived in here for years.”

  Daniel turned on his flashlight and shined it around the room; the little furniture there
was covered in dust, the old mattress full of holes, and cobwebs clogged the corners of the room. Through the one window, he could see the carriages all lined up, silent and waiting to be used.

  He shivered and shut off the light. “This place is spooky. I wouldn’t want to sleep here,” he said.

  Vanessa turned on her flashlight and smiled at him, “What’s the matter, shifter? Scared of the dark?”

  “No, I’m not scared of the dark; it’s what’s lurking in the dark that scares me,” he said, only half teasing.

  Chapter Four

  ***Cassie***

  After a long night of warring emotions, Cassie decided that she’d try to talk some sense into her father at breakfast. She’d been both hurt and angry that he’d dismissed her so easily. Had even considered for a second that he didn’t want her sister to know that she existed but shoved that thought aside as ridiculous.

  She was standing at the buffet filling her plate when her father walked into the room, a newspaper tucked under his arm as usual. When he saw her, he stopped and asked, “What are you doing here?”

  Cassie was immediately on her guard. “Getting my breakfast,” she said, her heart pounding in her chest.

  “I thought I told you to stay in your room. Charlie could be here any minute; we discussed this last night,” he said, sitting down and opening his paper. “Until she’s gone, you’re to stay in your room.”

  Cassie could only stare at him, too shocked to move or speak. Her father began to read the paper as she stood there, and for the first time in her life, she didn’t know the man sitting at the table. He’d never treated her like this before, had never banished her to her room, had always been kind and gentle with her.