Chapter Nine: Mason

Mason felt naked without the cover of darkness. His wolf's fur did well to blend with the hues of the fields and forests around the town, but he was moving far too fast to stay hidden. The only thing on his mind was finding Tamsin and making sure she was safe.

There's definitely another scent.His wolf paused at a low fence that hemmed in a field next to the road into town. It's…odd. Familiar.

Like dried flowers, which have been left out so long they've gone musty. Mason frowned. He didn't like this. Not one bit. I just don't understand why she would leave the safety of the cabin to go right to where her coven is?

Maybe she didn't trust us after all. His wolf looked solemnly toward the town of Wishing Moon Bay. Already they could begin to hear the sounds of the town waking up—distant chatter, the hum of vehicles, the clanking of goods being loaded onto ships at the docks. Or she's been captured.

But why can't we sense her?Mason gritted his teeth. From the moment she had returned, even when he had crossed the mountain to confront his father, he had been able to feel her in the back of his mind. But now there was a void where she belonged.

I can only think of one reason…

No!Mason snapped. I refuse to believe it. We would know. Let's just keep following the trail.

His wolf inhaled the intoxicating scent of his mate, which clung to grass, marred only by that odd, sickly smell of old flowers, before he trotted on, following along the side of the road toward town.

Feels like Déjà vu, Mason said with a grim expression. All we've done since Tamsin has returned is chase her across Wishing Moon Bay.

And we'll continue to do so if that's what she needs from us.

And so we will.

They attracted a few glances from people walking or driving along the road. Shifters were not an uncommon occurrence in Wishing Moon Bay, in fact far from it, but the closer they got to town, the more frowned upon it was for shifters to be in their animal form.

Normally, Mason paid them no mind. He would shift wherever and whenever he wanted, but with the circumstances at hand, every gaze upon him felt like approaching danger. And so returned to his human form as he reached the outskirts of the town streets.

It wasn't as easy to keep track Tamsin with his nose farther from the ground, not helped by the fact that now her scent was muddied by the eclectic scents of the waking town—food cooking, people's perfumes, smoke from fires—but he managed, following her route through alleyways and side streets.

At least she was careful not to just walk about in the open, his wolf said.

If only she had...He paused as they turned down one particular alleyway that was all too familiar.

"Of course," he mumbled as she looked up at the sign for The Lonely Tavern.

She's inside that damned tavern again. Mason stopped outside the door and stared at the sign swinging in the light breeze.

The Lonely Tavern. How lonely could it be if it kept dragging people in there, whether they liked it or not?

The door stood shut, its thick iron hinges daring him to try to break it down.

Well, he dared. For his mate, he'd dare anything!

Taking five steps back, he ran at the door, braced for impact. But before his shoulder connected with the solid wood, the door swung open.

Too late to slow his pace, he sailed through the open doorway and hit the floor, which must have been freshly polished, since he slid across it toward the bar.

As he slid to a stop, he looked up into the face of his mate who looked down at him, bemused.

It is kind of amusing,his wolf said, as his eyes darted around the bar. Tamsin stood with another man, and three older gentlemen stood as a group by the bar. Mason immediately recognized them as Stan, Burt and Harry, the Regulars of the tavern. It should have been no surprise that they were the only other people in the tavern at this early hour. Mason had heard they had a knack for being inside whenever something was happening.

"And behold, your pet wolf has come to save you," a tall, pale-faced man said with a sneer.

A tall, pale-faced man who looked, sounded, and most interestingly smelled familiar.

Valaky, his wolf growled. That old bookworm of a vampire. He was there that night!

"Hey, need a hand, pal?" Stan offered him his hand.

"Thanks, I can manage." As if to prove the point, Mason sprang to his feet and straightened his jacket, but there was nothing to be done for his pride as Valaky chuckled loudly.

"Did you get it?" Tamsin asked, as if she hadn't noticed his spectacular entrance.

"No." He shook his head. "I was close, but no."

"Thank you for trying," Tamsin said.

"But did he truly endeavor?" Valaky quietly asked Tamsin. "Or has he merely come to reclaim you for his pack leader?"

Mason squared his shoulders, ready to put this guy in his place. "If you have something to say, say it."

"I just did," the guy said with a shake of his head.

"Why don't you come over here and have a drink?" Stan slipped his arm around his shoulder and tried to guide him away.

"I'm fine just here," Mason said.

"The whiskey is very good. Or are you a beer fan?" Stan said, still trying to steer Mason away from his mate and the fool who was with her.

"Did someone say beer?" Morwenna materialized from the back room. "I have a fresh batch. Hot off the keg."

"I didn't think there was anything worse than bread beer," Stan said. "But if there is, then warm bread beer would be it."

"Was that a yes?" Morwenna asked and plonked a tankard full of some strange smelling liquid down in front of him.

"Warm bread beer?" Harry asked with a slight curl of his lip.

"Don't knock it till you've tried it, Harry," Burt said.

It smells like an old loaf of bread retired and moved into an old boot. Mason's wolf heaved.

While the other people around the bar seemed to be consumed with bread beer, Mason turned his attention back to Tamsin and the pale-skinned Valaky.

"I'm sorry I failed," Mason said to Tamsin while making a point of ignoring the vampire who was with her.

But why is he with her? his wolf asked. How did he know she was back in Wishing Moon Bay?

That, I intend to find out,Mason said, as he leaned forward and inhaled. Flowers that had been left too long.

Sickly sweet, like his smile as he placed a hand on Tamsin's shoulder. "Indeed, it seems you are a failure all round, no?"

"Valaky," Tamsin warned and inched to the side so his hand slipped from her shoulder. "Play nice."

The look in Valaky's eyes said he had no intention of playing at all. "As you wish."

"How did it go with your father?" Tamsin asked.

"He knows," Mason said. "He sent a couple of pack members after me, which is why we took so long to get back to you."

"We?" Tamsin asked.

"He means him and his wolf," Valaky murmured.

"Ah." Tamsin nodded.

"You would have been safe at the cabin," Mason told her.

"Maybe. Maybe not," Tamsin said. "If you failed..."

"And you did," Valaky muttered.

"Then the pack would have been led right there." Mason hung his head. He should be pleased that Tamsin had gotten away and was here at the tavern in relative safety.

You mean because the tavern will protect her?his wolf said dryly.

I hope so, Mason said. And since it is selective as to who walks through the door, then surely it would keep the pack out if they meant her harm. At least if we can't sense her while she's in here, then neither can our father.

Unless the tavern brought her back here so the prophecy can be thwarted,his wolf said.

True, we still don't know the tavern's intentions,Mason said, casting a glance toward the bar where Morwenna was still talking to the three older guys. It was strange to think that the whole building could be watching them, conspiring toward some unknowable goal.

"But why didn't you stay at the cabin and risk crossing all the way across town?" Mason asked.

"Because if you didn't manage to stop them from casting the location spell, it would lead them to Sophie, and then the wolves would be able to follow her scent to the cabin and then pick up my scent and find me. If she says I'll be safer here, I believe her."

"But we could have come up with a plan together—wait, what does Sophie have to do with this?" Mason asked.

That's why Valaky must be here, his wolf said. Of course, Sophie would be the person to know when Tamsin returned, and she is, for whatever reason, in league with this vampire.

"Sophie swapped out brooches," Tamsin said. "She took mine when she helped me escape and she left her brooch for you to find."

"Why?" Mason asked.

"In case she needed it. To find me, I guess." Tamsin glanced at Valaky. "How did you two know I came back? And where to find me?"

"What?" Valaky asked sharply.

"How did you and Sophie track me to the cabin?" Tamsin asked.

"Oh, you know Sophie," Valaky said smoothly. "She has her ways. Some magical tracker, I expect. Methinks she might have been the only one in the whole Wishing Moon Bay who knew how to find you…save for the wolf, that is."

"It wasn't you and your spies, then?" Mason asked accusingly.

"Spies?" Valaky snorted. "I don't know what you could mean."

"The man watering the flowers before dawn broke? You don't know anything about him?" Mason arched an eyebrow at him.

"Yes, why was Charles spying on Mason?" Tamsin turned to face him.

"He wasn't spying on him. He just happens to reside in the same building as Mason." Valaky held up his hands. "Okay, I admit it. I have been keeping tabs on Mason here ever since he endeavored to harm you, and imagine my surprise when Charles told me that the wolf was accompanied by you. So, I rushed to inform Sophie, and the two of us set out to find you."

"Why, though? For vengeance? Why wait so long?" Mason crossed his arms. "Did you know Tamsin was still alive?"

"All these questions," Valaky said.

"And so few answers," Mason replied, his gaze wandering to the stairs where Tamsin's assailant had disappeared.

Don't even think it, his wolf said.

Oh, I am thinking it, Mason replied. That guy is the one who holds the answers. Answers we need.

No, his wolf said. All we have to do is keep Tamsin safe and alive until the conjunction in a few days' time. You heard what Morwenna said—we'll never find them, and there's a good chance then that no one will find us either.

I'd still like to know what happened, and how that guy found her. As far as we know, the only two people who knew that Tamsin was still alive were us and Sophie, Mason reminded him. And I suppose Valaky.

"Hello there, again." Burt sidled up to them, his gaze lingering on Valaky. "It's not often we see vampires in here during the day."

"Yes," Mason furrowed his brows. "How come you are out in the daylight?"

"I'm not out in the daylight," Valaky said with a huff. "I'm in this tavern."

"But how did you get here?" Burt asked. "It was daytime when you walked in through the door with Tamsin."

"What business is it of yours?" Valaky asked, his fangs protruding from his top lip.

"None of that in here," Morwenna announced from behind the bar.

Valaky instantly retracted his fangs. "No harm, no foul."

"There'll be no drinking the blood of fowl either," Morwenna told him bluntly. "In fact, there'll be no blood drinking of any kind since we do not sell it and only drinks sold on the premises are to be consumed on the premises."

"To not serve blood is discriminatory," Valaky said, looking more relaxed now that the subject of conversation had switched away from him.

"She does not sell coffee either, which I feel is discriminatory to everyone in the morning," Stan butted in. "But I am working on it. Nancy does like a nice cup of coffee, and I don't see how else I will persuade her to join us here more often."

"So, we hear you are having problems with a prophecy." Harry came to join Burt and Stan followed.

"Where did you hear that?" Mason growled.

"Oh, around and about," Stan said, looking up at the rafters. Mason followed his gaze and was certain he saw movement up there, but he could not make out what.

"Begone, little man," Valaky murmured. "The grownups are conversing."

"You didn't answer." Burt squared his shoulders. "About how you got here in the daylight. It's just a little unusual, is all."

"A spell," Tamsin replied. "Sophie has perfected a spell to protect vampires from the sun, as long as they stay close to the caster."

"Ah, that Sophie. She is a smart one," Stan said. "She's good friends with Nancy. Did you know that?"

"That girl is good friends with everyone." Harry nodded.

"Is there a point to this conversation?" Valaky drawled.

"I like to keep up to date on vampire news, that's all," Burt said evasively.

"His niece is a vampire hunter," Harry added, and received a sharp look from Burt.

However, Valaky seemed to find the whole thing amusing. "A vampire hunter. Really? Are they still a thing?"

"Yes, they are," Burt said defensively. "She keeps herself very busy. The whole family is very proud."

"Good to know," Valaky said. "Anything else?"

"Yes, this prophecy," Stan said. "What exactly does it say? I mean, it must be quite explicit if it named Tamsin."

"Yes, almost every prophecy I have ever read is vague and open to interpretation," Harry said. "It's really what they're known for."

"And you've read a lot of prophecies?" Tamsin asked, suddenly interested in the three men.

"Oh yes," Stan said. "We like a good read of a prophecy. Helps to pass the time while we're drinking."

"Not exactly light reading," Burt said. "But it's good for the old brain cells."

"Beats doing a crossword," Harry agreed. "Although I am fond of a good sudoku."

"We have this game where we take bets on whether the prophecy has ever come true," Stan said. "But it doesn't happen often."

"So, if you want our help..."

"No," Valaky said. "We do not require your assistance."

"Pity that robed fellow gave you the slip." Stan glanced toward the stairs. "Morwenna said he arrived at the tavern with you."

"He did," Tamsin said with a nod.

"Now, I bet he has some answers," Harry mused. "No one runs away like that if they don't know anything."

"Which is why I'm going to go up there and find him," Mason said.

Valaky scowled at him. "More time wasting from the wolf."

"I've already told you, the tavern is a little less stable up there, and there's a good chance you won't find your way back." Morwenna put her hands on her hips. "There are enough strange noises in his building already without having to listen to a wolf shifter skittering around up there for all eternity."

"That's the case, is it?" Valaky narrowed his eyes for a moment. "Then perhaps you should go and seek our mystery assailant. I…was hoping he would have come down of his own accord and we could have interrogated him, but maybe you should go weed him out."

"I'd like to get to the bottom of this whole thing as well," Tamsin said. "So, I'll go too."