Henri - 1

 

(Published in 2015. No longer in print.)

 

Henri stood on the third floor balcony of Miranda and Allyn's mansion, looking wistfully toward the skyline of New Orleans. He missed the freedom of being able to go there whenever he pleased. He hadn't been able to since the day he'd escaped from Xavier's clutches. He had thought it would be safe in the city, when he'd became a 'pet dog' in the home of Mrs. Graham and her children.

 

"At least they thought I was a dog," he said under his breath, "and it served me well for the time I was there." Then Xavier and his man had found him.

 

Henri shuddered as he always did when he remembered how the two men had slaughtered the woman and her children because of him. He had narrowly escaped then was offered sanctuary on Allyn Warwick's estate.

 

I've been here six months and I have no idea if Xavier is still searching for me or if he's finally given up.

 

"You're in a blue study," Miranda said from the balcony doorway.

 

Henri turned to smile ruefully at her. "I suppose I am."

 

"How did the hunt go?" she asked, joining him at the railing. "My brother, of course, hasn't bothered to check in to tell me."

 

Chuckling, Henri replied, "I suspect he had more pressing things on his mind—like Ransom. The hunt went well. We found the remaining pack members—all two of them, at this point, I'm afraid—and convinced them to move to a safe area Allyn knew about. Then we drew the hunters away before those two were killed as well."

 

"Fantastic. Allyn says you're a wonderful asset."

 

Henri bowed his head, embarrassed. "I'm…trying to be."

 

She hugged him, just as her husband came onto the balcony.

 

"There you are," John said. "Should I be jealous?"

 

Miranda laughed. "Nope. You're the only man for me and always will be."

 

"I know." He walked to her side, ruffling her hair, eliciting a growl from her. Then he studied Henri. "Something wrong?"

 

Henri shrugged. "Nothing I can do anything about."

 

John seemed to understand what he'd meant because he said, "Surely it's safe for you to venture out now. More than just to accompany Allyn on his jaunts to save the wolves."

 

"I keep telling myself it should be," Henri replied. "Then I think about what will happen if I'm wrong."

 

"We have to figure out a way to find the bastard," Miranda stated emphatically.

 

"Don't you think I've tried…with Ransom and Allyn's help? It's hard when we don't know where he took me. Ransom's scoured every database he has access to—and that's a lot. Xavier hasn't shown up on any of them." He smiled wryly. "The good detective has picked my brain dry, which wasn't hard. All I remember is bits and pieces of the lab. That's no help when it comes to locating Xavier."

 

"Why not use them to teleport back there?" Miranda asked.

 

"There's nothing distinctive, from what I recall of the place. I was sedated twenty-four-seven, so things are hazy at best. Cage bars, a food bowl appearing on a dirty floor, the kind of generic bathroom you'd find in a million hospitals around the world. The only time I wasn't doped up, I saw a ceiling, since I was strapped to a lab table. It was the day I escaped. However, the only thing I was thinking about right then was where I'd end up, not the room I was leaving."

 

"You think it was a hospital?" John asked.

 

"What hospital has cages? I only used that as an example because… Well, it's what the bathroom reminded me of."

 

"At least Ransom knows what he looks like, after putting you with the sketch artist," Miranda said.

 

"It hasn't done a damned bit of good," Henri replied morosely. "As he said, there are no wants-and-warrants for anyone named Xavier, last name unknown, who looks like him."

 

"What if Xavier is his last name?" John said.

 

"Ransom tried that too. Still no luck."

 

"It might not be his real name, you know."

 

Henri nodded. "Ransom figured it was a possibility. Unfortunately, no one resembling Xavier has shown up in any files—police, military, what have you."

 

"The great and mysterious Wizard of Oz." Miranda smiled, patting Henri's arm.

 

"He might as well be. The problem is, we haven't found the curtain he's hiding behind." Henri pounded his fist on the railing. "I want my freedom back, damn it!"

 

"Maybe," Miranda said pensively, "if we tested the waters?"

 

"How so?" John asked.

 

"The three of us go out somewhere—or even the five of us." She nodded, then smiled. "John, you remember Taegan, don't you?"

 

"Vividly," John replied. "Amazing hair. Yeah, I know. I shouldn't be checking him out, but it's not often you see a man with black hair striped with white. When I first met him, I thought he was going for a Goth look and had added white streaks—until you told me it was natural because he's a timber wolf shifter."

 

"Eastern timber wolf, to be precise," Miranda said. "Anyway, he's throwing a party and we've been invited."

 

John groaned. "Another one?"

 

"Yes, dear." She patted his arm. "You will survive."

 

"Promise?"

 

She laughed before continuing. "It's a barbecue, and he's rented The Peristyle at City Park."

 

Henri sucked in a dismayed breath. "That's awfully public."

 

"That's the idea," Miranda pointed out. "If we're going to do it, go all the way."

 

"I suppose. Still…"

 

"I'll make you a deal," Miranda said. "Before we decide, we'll run it by Ransom and Allyn. If they say no—"

 

"We'll do it anyway, knowing you," John interjected, grinning.

 

She grinned back. "Maybe?"

 

Allyn and Ransom – 51

 

The wedding was being held on the grounds of the estate, in deference to the fact they were still uncertain if it would be safe for Henri to go into the city. Before he had arrived on the scene, Miranda had wanted to have the reception at one of the major hotels. She'd quickly shelved that idea and chose instead to have it be a catered affair at the estate, Henri's protests to the contrary.

 

"This is your big day," Henri had told her. "Yours and Allyn's. I can…stay out of view. Honest."

 

"Not on your life," she'd replied. "You're more of a friend now than any of the ones I'm inviting. Besides," she'd pointed out, "you're Ransom's best man. You can hardly hide when that's happening."

 

"He could choose one of the guys he works with."

 

"But he didn't. He chose you. Deal."

 

Henri had.

 

Allyn and Miranda managed to calm one another's nerves enough that, when they heard the music announcing the ceremony was about to begin, they were able to walk sedately to the double doors leading out to the veranda.

 

Arm in arm, they walked down the steps onto the lawn. Ahead of them, standing on each side of the minister, were John and Ransom.

 

"He's so damned handsome," Allyn whispered to Miranda.

 

"I agree," she whispered back. "So is Ransom."

 

"I meant—"

 

She grinned. "I know who you meant, silly."

 

After that, it was all a blur to Allyn until he heard the minister say to Miranda and John, "I now pronounce you husband and wife." Then he turned to Allyn and Ransom. "I now pronounce you husband and husband."

 

Cheers went up as the two couples kissed to seal their vows.

 

Soon the newlyweds and their guests were celebrating with excellent food—prepared by Mrs. Wilcox—dancing, or just chatting with one another. Miranda had hired a small band for the music, comprised solely of shifters. With Henri's permission, she had told the band members why it was imperative they keep his presence a secret. Once they knew, they readily agreed.

 

"Who would have thought," Allyn said, leaning back in Ransom's arms as they enjoyed a moment of quiet on the veranda, "everything would end like this?"

 

"Not me," Ransom replied. "But it's not the end, you know. It's just the beginning. We have our whole life ahead of us."

 

Allyn smiled happily before swiveling so he could wrap his arms around Ransom. "I do love you."

 

Ransom laughed. "I would hope so, since you seem to be stuck with me now."

 

"Not sure stuck is the right word. More like ecstatically, elatedly, enthusiastically wed to you until the end of time."

 

"That works. I feel the same way. I will love you always." With that, Ransom kissed Allyn deeply. "Always and forever."

 

The kiss turned passionate. Then, reluctantly, they separated and went to rejoin their friends and families—knowing that soon they could celebrate their marriage on a much more physical level. Until then, as Ransom put it, "Let's eat, drink and be merry. For tomorrow, we have to get back to our mundane lives."

 

Allyn grinned. "When have our lives ever been mundane?"

 

"Never, since you came back into mine," Ransom admitted. "And they never will be again, I suspect."

 

"Not if we can help it," Allyn agreed. "Not. Ever."

The End

 

 

Allyn and Ransom – 50

 

"I'm scared, Mandi," Allyn said as she adjusted his bow tie.

 

"You're scared? How do you think I feel? You don't have to get all decked out in a fancy dress and hope you don't trip walking down the aisle."

 

At the moment, it was three months after Henri had come to live at the estate. So far, Ransom and the others were no farther along in finding Xavier than they had been the first day. But they weren't giving up hope that someday, somewhere, they would track him down and deal with him.

 

In the meantime, there was a double wedding to contend with….

* * * *

One month earlier

 

"You really should ask him," Miranda said, early one evening when Ransom and Allyn had come to the estate for a barbecue.

 

"Ask him what?" Ransom replied, still not sure why she'd dragged him off to "talk privately" with him.

 

"Ask Allyn to marry you. Then we can have a double wedding. Think of the money we could… No, no, that's not really a selling point, I suspect. Think how neat it would be, the four of us getting married on the same day. You love him. He loves you, so there's no reason not to. Right?"

 

Ransom nodded. "No, I suppose there isn't."

 

She tapped his chest. "So go out there and ask him."

 

Ransom gulped. "Now?"

 

"Yes now, silly. John and I have our wedding planned for next month. That doesn't give you much time to get ready—shopping for tuxes, letting your friends know, all that stuff."

 

"Not sure those are selling points," Ransom muttered.

 

She laughed. "Probably not, from your standpoint. Still—" she swatted his butt, "—get out there and do the deed."

 

Ransom did. Walking over to where Allyn was talking to John and Henri, Ransom dropped to one knee, took Allyn's hands in his and said, "This is sudden, I know. So sudden I don't have a ring or anything but, Allyn Warwick, would you marry me?"

 

Allyn looked at him in stunned surprise for a moment, then nodded. "I would love to."

* * * *

Present day

 

Now, a month to the day after the proposal, Allyn was still trying to believe the wedding was going to go off without a hitch.

 

"What if Ransom changes his mind and doesn't show up, Mandi?"

 

"Then he's going to have to deal with a lot of pissed off friends, starting with me." She patted his cheek. "Do you really think that will happen?"

 

"No. I guess I'm having pre-wedding nerves. How can you be so calm?"

 

"I'm a woman. We take things like this is stride." She didn't look as if she was totally certain though, as she checked the mirror again, smoothing down the satin skirt of her gown.

 

It was going to be a simple wedding, just a few of Ransom's coworkers, a couple of Miranda and Allyn's close friends, and their parents, as well as John's.

 

Ransom had no family to speak of, and what was left of it was not on speaking terms with him anyway, due, he said, to his "sexual proclivities". "Meaning shifters are supposed to be straight so they can sire more of us," he had said blisteringly when Miranda had asked.

Allyn and Ransom – 49

 

Henri nodded. "In the meantime, if I think of anything, anything at all, I'll write it down." He looked hopefully at Ransom. "Do you really think there's a chance we can catch him?"

 

"As I said, it won't happen immediately, unless we get very lucky. If I were him, I'd go to ground, regroup then start hunting for you again when I thought it was safe."

 

Henri's shoulders slumped. "So I could be staying here for a long time."

 

"Hey," Miranda said, "it's not all that bad. It's a big estate with lots of running room when you need it, and there's the pool, the workout room, the pleasure of my scintillating company…"

 

"Good food…" John added.

 

"And," Allyn said, "you'll be safe here. Very safe."

 

"But what will I do? I can't just sit around." Henri shook his head. "That would drive me and everyone else crazy."

 

"You can come with me when I go out to protect the wolves," Allyn replied.

 

"What?" After Allyn explained, Henri looked at him with deep respect. "That's very noble of you."

 

"Not really. It's just something that needs doing."

 

"So he set himself up as a one-man crusader," Ransom said, giving Allyn a hug.

 

"I'm sure it would be safe enough," Allyn told Henri. "At the most, we'd spend a week in one place, always in our wolf forms. I don't think there's any way Xavier could find you since we'd never go into town."

 

Henri nodded. "I'm sure you're right." He looked at everyone, saying gratefully, "I don't know how I can thank you all."

 

"Henri—" Miranda hugged him, "—we stick together."

 

"Watch it. Here comes the 'All for one, one for all' speech," Allyn said, grinning.

 

"Well, it's true," Miranda muttered, winking at Henri.

 

"And on that note…" Ransom put one arm around Allyn, steering him to the door.

 

"We shall see you tomorrow night," Allyn said. "Sleep well, everyone. I know I'm going to."

Allyn and Ransom – 48

 

"Wow. This is something else," Henri said after Allyn had shown him around the mansion. He smiled ruefully. "I always dreamed of living like this, but never got around to making the dream a reality."

 

Allyn replied, "You make it sound as if you're ancient. How old are you, if you don't mind my asking? You look all of twenty-five but then so do Ransom and I."

 

"I'm a hundred and twenty."

 

"Younger than me, but not by much," Ransom said.

 

"I guess I'm the baby in the group," Allyn grumbled. "I'm only seventy-five."

 

"Nope," Miranda said, coming into the parlor. "I am." She looked at Henri with interest. "You're a different breed. Oh, and hi. I'm Miranda, Allyn's sister."

 

Henri bowed. "Henri Bosier, at your service."

 

Miranda glanced at Ransom. "You could learn a lesson or two from him, I think."

 

Ransom laughed. "If I bowed to you, you'd drop dead from shock."

 

"True. So, Henri, why has Allyn been showing you around?"

 

"It seems—" He looked at Allyn for help.

 

"Henri needs a very safe place to stay."

 

"Ah." Miranda tapped a finger to her lips. "Do tell." So between them, Allyn, Henri, and Ransom did. When they finished, she was shaking her head. "That bastard should have been strangled at birth. You're more than welcome here, Henri. We can put you in Allyn's old bedroom."

 

"You don't live here too?" Henri asked Allyn with surprise.

 

"Nope. Ransom and I have our own house, in the city proper."

 

"I…see. Oh, don't take that the wrong way," Henri added hurriedly. "I did pick up on the fact you two are close. I just didn't put all the pieces together." He chuckled. "Given this is New Orleans, I suppose I should have."

 

"Not to worry," Ransom said, patting Henri's shoulder.

 

"Do you have a girlfriend, or boyfriend," Miranda asked. "Someone who you'd like to stay here with you, Henri?"

 

"Me? No." Henri chuckled. "I had one—a girlfriend—a long time ago. But when she aged and I didn't… Well, things got tense, even though she knew what I was. So it ended and I haven't really looked for anyone since then, female or male."

 

"A problem Mandi and I will have in time."

 

Everyone turned to see John, lounging against the doorframe.

 

"Have you been eavesdropping?" Miranda asked, going over to hug him.

 

"Just long enough to know he—" he glanced at Henri, "—must be a shifter too." He went over to introduce himself. "I'm John Varley." After Henri told him his name, John continued where he'd left off. "Since I'm human, I'm going to age while Mandi continues looking all of twenty-four. I have one advantage over you, though, Henri. People don't think too much about it when the man is older than his wife by a lot."

 

"At least not for a while," Miranda agreed. "Then, when he looks like he could be my father, that's what we'll tell people who ask—after we move somewhere new." She smiled at John, joking, "That's when you start Botox and facelifts."

 

He snorted. "As if."

 

"Okay, everyone, I need to get going," Ransom said. "I actually have a real job, which means I need to get in a few hours sleep before heading to the station."

 

"What are you going to do about the murder of Mrs. Graham and her children?" Henri asked.

 

"Given the circumstances, I'll make it seem as if there's not enough evidence to help us find the killer—and let it end up as a cold case file. In reality, we'll try to find Xavier, one way or another. It could take time since we don't have any place to start looking. How about we get together again tomorrow night, Henri? We'll go over everything again and hope you'll remember more details we can use."