CHAPTER THREE

H arley wasn't sure where he was and what was happening, but he was certain that he needed to get away. Panic took him over and he started just blindly swinging his arms and attempting to stand. Suddenly things changed and the panic that was consuming him was draining away. His fear diminished as he took in his surroundings.

The man there grabbing his arms and trying to calm him seemed familiar to him. "Easy, sweetheart, don't hurt yourself. My name is Gage, don't you remember?" He reached for him, but Harley jerked away. "We're at the Lodge owned by Nikolas Hadden. Try to remember. There are more creatures out there like the one who chased you, and we needed to get somewhere safe. No one is going to harm you here, I promise." Harley calmed down, sat back, and stared at the man in front of him.

He grabbed the jacket that had been covering him and was compelled to hold it close and drink in its amazing scent. Deep breaths brough a sense of peace over him and his panic disappeared. "Where is your friend?" Harley remembered the large dour looking man standing over the remains of that beast.

"Dumas is searching the premises for anything that might be useful to us. He's also trying to get reception so we can reach our commander." That did not sound good, and Harley felt a chill run up his spine. "Nothing to worry about, really. Whatever these things are, I assure you Dumas and I can handle them."

"This is a nightmare." Harley didn't want to sound like a whiner, but this was utterly horrible. "I can't believe I willingly put myself in this mess. I could be warm and safe in my bed. Why did I have to be such a petty-ass bitch."

"I've only known you a short time, but I'm certain you are not and have never been a petty-ass bitch." Gage smiled, and it relieved every regret Harley was feeling, and he smiled back, suddenly feeling warm and safe.

"I went off on my own because of hurt feelings, which is something I should have handled better. Anger is not your friend, and that is a lesson learned." Gage patted him on the shoulder, but Harley could not resist leaning into the gesture.

"Where were you camping?" Gage moved from where he was seated on the coffee table to sit next to Harley on the sofa. Harley held fast to the lovely smelling jacket but moved to give Gage room to sit.

"I'm not really sure. I was walking and thinking and was blind to where I was going. It was nearly dark when I finally set up camp. I chose a level clearing with tree cover just off the main trail. I really didn't think this thing out. I wanted to get away and be alone, and I picked the worst possible way to achieve that." Harley leaned against Gage's shoulder, liking the way he felt and the energy he was giving off.

"Do you have your phone with you?"

"Yes, but I couldn't get any service after I started running." He then went into a description of what had happened to him. "I got a bad feeling when I was setting up my tent, but I was tired, and it was late, so I ignored it." He shook his head and then turned to look up at Gage. He was surprised by the sweet understanding that was reflected there in his expression.

"I got comfortable and settled about two hours later I heard movement outside my tent. It continued to get closer and louder, and I stepped out of my tent to see something unimaginable." The memory of the sight of that thing sent another shudder through him and to his delight Gage put his arm around him.

"I started running, chaotically, I'm sorry to say, and that thing kept following. It could have overtaken me at any time, but instead, it just kept running behind me until I was utterly exhausted." Harley laid his head on Gage's shoulder and noticed he carried the same delicious scent as the jacket.

"Larger animals will sometimes do that with their prey," Gage commented. "How did you get into the storage building? I know it was locked up tight?"

"I picked the lock."

"Thank heavens you were able to get to safety."

"You and your friend weren't too far behind, and for that, I am thankful."

"So am I, Harley." Gage pulled him close, and Harley went with it, thoroughly enjoying the attention from this strong and handsome man. He deserved it after the day he'd been through.

"We can't reach them by phone, and there is no reception due to the storm rolling in there," Micheal reported to Josef his concerns for his men. "They should have reported in by now. Those two are damned resourceful, and if they don't report, then it is because they can't."

"Wait till morning and if they haven't made contact send a team up fully armed and ready for anything." Josef directed. "We aren't out of the woods yet with the lingering effects of the evil that flooded this area. No telling what might be going on in the forest and the hills."

"I have a contact with the Dragon Circle," Michael interjected. "I'll give him a call and see if they're having any issues in the area."

"Good idea." Josef then put in a call to Master Hadden who was enjoying the reuniting of his Coven and their return to the Hadden Center. It had been a very rough time for everyone the separation was difficult but necessary and now everyone was back together. The last thing Josef wanted to share was the possibility of trouble brewing in the mountains.

Dumas returned with bottles of water and a few snacks but failed to get service anywhere within the Lodge. "A storm is raging further to the west, and it is headed this way. The weather is interrupting the cell service up here. We may not be able to call out until it passes, which could be several hours or longer."

Gage took one of the water bottles and popped the cap and handed it to Harley. "Drink up you don't want to get dehydrated." He then took a package of cookies and opened it and started handing him one after the other. "Eat it's the best we can do until we get out of here and you need to keep your strength up."

Gage was pleased that Harley did not question him but rather drank the water and ate the cookies. He wished they had something more substantial, but this would do for now. "Micheal will send reconnaissance come morning if he doesn't hear from us." Gage offered.

"I wish we had a way of alerting them to the shifter freaks in the area."

"Were you able to see anything from the observation floor?"

"Too dark but there was movement, and I could sense their aura it was much like the one that I killed sour and wasted." Gage noticed Harley place his hand on Gage's chest as he listened to Dumas describe what he saw and felt. "Once its light out I'll do a sweep of the immediate area."

"What about your vehicle where did you park? You didn't hike in here I assume." Harley spoke up.

"A doubt the SUV is in any condition to be driven." Dumas answered and Harley looked confused.

"Those things out there would have disabled it by now," Gage explained.

"What are those things out there? Do you know? I saw the one you killed." Harley looked up at Dumas. "It looked like a cross between a human and an animal. It was grotesque." Dumas glanced over at Gage and lifted one eyebrow, asking for his next move.

"How long have you lived in Pittsburgh?" Gage started there to see if there was some common ground he could build upon. Dumas smiled and turned back to pacing in front of the bank of windows that looked out over the hillside.

"I was born in Pittsburgh and grew up there." Harley didn't hesitate.

"Are you familiar with the Imperial Club, or the Ruby Light or the Hadden Center?" Gage knew he was dancing around but he had to take this carefully.

"The Imperial Club is above my social class and way beyond my financial capabilities." He smiled and Gage reciprocated the guy was just cute as hell. "I've been to the Ruby Light a few times but it's not really my scene I prefer the basic sports bar type of establishment. You know, more lights and less arousing." Gage nodded his understanding and continued to enjoy every minute with this man.

"I've had coffee and lunch at the Hadden Center, they have some really nice little shops and restaurants. Although I haven't been there in quite a while, there was something about the place that put me off. I'm not sure what was wrong, but I always changed my plans and went elsewhere. I hope whatever the vibe is there that it doesn't last." Harley shrugged his shoulders and looked over at Gage.

"The vibe has definitely changed; you can come back," Gage reassured.

"The place is back to normal." Dumas seconded while keeping his gaze focused just beyond the windows.

"What sort of vibe did you get at the Ruby Light apart from arousal-inducing?" He watched Harley consider the question and think about his answer.

"There was always a sharpness in the air like anything could happen. I never stayed long because I felt weird and out of place. It's hard to describe, but I wouldn't doubt that the place was haunted. It had a paranormal feel to it if you know what I mean." Harley was getting so close.

"Have you had that feeling elsewhere around town?" Harley went on to name several places all Coven owned and operated. He was sensing the paranormal, obviously sensitive to the vibrations, but didn't know what it was.

"All of those places are owned and operated by Nikolas Hadden and his people." Gage told him and saw the speculation in his eyes.

"What I'm trying to say, and being very clumsy about it, is that there are more things in this world than just humans and animals. What you saw and what chased you through the woods was a shifter, but not a normal shifter. He was caught mid-shift and, therefore, presented as a grotesque image. We believe that it was caused by poison or magics either purposeful or it was inflicted upon him." Gage saw that Harley was still listening, so they continued.

"I know it sounds crazy, and we would not be telling you this if this was not a very special circumstance. You are stuck here, and you need to know what you're dealing with."

"I know about shifters," Harley interjected casually and without fear. "I didn't recognize that thing, but I know about shifters."

"How did you find out about shifters?" Gage was relieved that he had some awareness but also concerned as to how he found out.

"A friend of mine is a fox shifter, and I saw him and his older brother shift. I know there are cougars, wolves, and bears. What was that thing Dumas killed." Harley was handling this like a trooper, and Gage could not be happier. He dreaded having to explain the supernatural in all its infinite detail, and now that infinite detail had been cut in half at the very least.

"Well, that makes things a lot easier." Gage gave a sigh of relief. "It was originally a cougar shifter, but it had somehow mutated. It was no longer present or in control of itself." He answered Harley's question.

"Do you know anything about vampires or hellhounds?" Dumas asked the burning question.

"Vampires?" Harley asked, a little perplexed.

"And hellhounds," Dumas added.

"Maybe we should just leave it there for now." Gage tried to intervene. "You've had a lot to deal with, and we can pick this up at another less tension-filled moment."

"No, tell me what it is you mean." He glared at Dumas who looked over at Gage apologetically.

"You accept shifters and even that abomination out there, so why is it hard to believe that there are vampires and hellhounds?" Gage went with logic. This was not what he wanted to be doing tonight, but it was a conversation they had to have.

"Ashton never spoke of vampires, but I agree they're not a stretch at this point. As far as hellhounds, I think you're just being ridiculous and playing with me now." Harley's smugness was immediately countered by Dumas shifting into his hellhound. Harley reacted as expected, threw himself backward over the couch, and hid behind it. He stared speechless at the large beast before him. Dumas just stood there looking bored as he let Harley take it all in.

"That's a hellhound?" Harley's voice quivered.

"Yes, Dumas is a hellhound, and he's also a member of the Hadden Coven," Gage informed, glancing back at Harley over his shoulder, waiting for him to make the connection.

"You're a vampire?" He asked, and Gage nodded.

"Am I in trouble here?" His uncertainty was understandable, but still, Gage didn't like it.

"You're in no danger from us." Gage tried to be clear. Dumas shifted back to his human form and seconded that statement.

"Okay, I'm a little shaken by this, but surprisingly, I'm not scared. If you were going to kill me, I assume you would have done it by now unless you're a couple of really twisted fucks." Harley was rambling, and they just let him ramble. He managed to make Dumas smile, which was not an easy task.

Harley climbed over the couch and sat down beside Gage, which was a very good sign of their growing connection. He even took Gage's jacket that he'd covered him with and pulled it on after first breathing in its scent. He was feeling the pull. He gave Gage a long and thorough assessment, staring at him for several minutes.

"Nikolas Hadden is a coven master?"

"The finest there is."

"What's your position in the coven?"

"Dumas and I are new to the Hadden Coven, having joined less than a year ago. We hold positions as guards."

"You're allowed to just move around coven to coven."

"Yes, as long as you are accepted."

"Hmm." Was all he had to say to that.