Of course, they had just met, but Caz was great at gaging people. All except Raven. He didn’t have time to study her more when they pulled up at Calum’s. He was already waiting in the car as they got behind him and followed him to the target’s new residence.
This was another problem for them. Why would a city billionaire move to a small town in Georgia? What was Wyatt Benjamin and Boris Connor up to? These were the questions they needed answered.
According to his sister, Calum was a nervous wreck about his friend. Why would Boris be involved and to what extent? He was on the vampire council which was a huge problem.
“Goodness,” Jade whispered as they pulled up at the front gate. “It’s so...so--”
“Tall.” Raven finished her sentence, but she was right. This gate was made of brick and mortar, and at least twelve feet high.
“Why would someone need a fence that tall?” Jade asked.
“So you can’t see what’s going on behind it, which is why we were invited. To take the speculation off him. Make sure you spread out and cover as much ground as you can while we are here. He’s hiding something,” Lennox said.
They drove through the gate and armed guards were everywhere. The grounds were covered in tall trees, but the guards all stared at them as they went by. Raven and he both turned around and watched as the guards continued to stare at them as they drove down the long driveway.
Raven turned around and frowned. “Creepy, if you ask me. What do they think we have in here, a bomb?”
“It was a little strange. You told Cosmo where we were going?” Jade asked, turning toward her mate.
He glanced at her and smiled. “Of course, baby. There are enough Death Hunters just over that ridge if anything happens. It will be fine.”
“I know. It’s just like Raven said, creepy. Why all the fire power?” Jade asked. “We are only country folk, not the mob.”
“Well, technically, we could be considered a mob of shifters,” Lennox said, winking at Jade. But it was a valid question and Caz knew the alpha was only trying to put Jade as ease. Even his tiger was on the lookout. For what though? What had him spooked?
As they pulled around the corner, his mouth fell open. Calum’s house was impressive, but this was something seen in the movies. The biggest castle he had ever witnessed. “He built a castle in Georgia.”
“Jeez, it’s really a castle, Lennox. How much money does this man have and look at all the guards.”
Now his tiger was pacing. He glanced around taking in every angle. Something wasn’t right and Jade was correct, how much money did this man have and why did he need so many hired guns?
“Just take it easy, hunters. I sent Cosmo a text and they will be patrolling, and he’s already placed a call to Dixon and Crenshaw. If anything goes down, they will attack and ask questions later. Don’t go anywhere alone. Got it.”
His alpha didn’t have to say it twice, but Jade looked like she was about to bolt. “Baby, calm down, you will only unnerve us. Nothing will happen to you, I promise.”
“Lennox, who do you think you are talking to? I have enough magic in me to drop every brick of this castle on this rich man’s head if he even thinks twice about hurting any of us.” Jade announced, then opened her door. They all sat there for a minute taking in what Jade just said.
“Don’t piss my mate off, people. Because she could do just that,” Lennox said, getting out of the truck.
Caz and Raven looked at each other and then smiled and got out. It still didn’t stop the tension boiling inside him. His tiger still paced, watching and smelling anything that scented off. His mate was beside him and he wouldn’t hesitate to shift and kill anything that came near her. But just like him, Raven was checking out everyone and everything as well.
They were also watching Jade, because Quinn and Scarlett told them that between Jade and Greer, they had enough power to take out the whole county. If they knew how to use it. Scarlett was working with both of them because neither knew how to control the magic.
He had heard about witches and even dealt with them, but until he met Greer, Jade, and Quinn, he never liked them. Thankfully, he learned that all witches were not alike. Funny how you have this prejudgment about others until you really figure it out.
“Welcome to my home.” They all watched as a tall man approximately six-foot, seven-inches tall came around the house and greeted them. Staring him up and down, Caz noted the man didn’t even have on shoes. He was barefoot and very young looking. Nothing like the pictures he had seen. This man was in his late twenties if that old.
Even Lennox looked confused. All except Calum. He greeted the man calling him by the man they were all supposed to meet. “Hello…Wyatt. This is spectacular.”
“Thank you, Calum. I’ve always wanted a castle and never found one I liked enough to buy but I had a clean slate here and decided to build it. It took five crews to get it built so fast.” He glanced at Raven and smiled. “I’m sorry. Where are my manners? Hello, I’m Wyatt Benjamin.”
If the man continued to stare at his mate, he was going to rip his eyes from his head. Caz just about did, but his mate threw her hand out to the billionaire. “Hello, I’m Raven Verdes and this is Caz Milton.”
Wyatt glanced at Calum. “Didn’t you say that your wife was a Milton?”
“She was and that is her brother and Raven is his girlfriend,” Calum answered, defeating the tension before he started the killing.
Opening the front door, Wyatt held his hand out welcoming them in. “I’m so glad you all came. I was hoping to meet people. When I bought this land, I was afraid I wouldn’t know a soul. Now look, I’ve already met some of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. Come, let’s go through the house. I have prepared a meal for us out back on the patio. It’s too pretty to eat inside.”
“We didn’t expect to eat, Wyatt, just thought we would stop by before we went to dine. You didn’t have to do this,” Calum expressed.
“Nonsense. I couldn’t invite you over without feeding you first. Now what kind of host would I be?” They followed Wyatt through the house, and even though it was a castle, it had a very homey feeling. Large sofas and chairs sat in a living room area where men and women sat watching TV. They all stared at them as they passed. None of them smiled, but carefully watched them.
Caz couldn’t explain it, but these people didn’t look like they were staff. They looked like they lived there. Almost like his home. The pack house. This was so strange. Even Calum was taking it all in, but these were humans. Not shifters or vampires, but humans.
The kitchen was bigger than the one in Calum’s house. Two stoves and two industrial style refrigerators. It looked like something out of a restaurant. But the beauty was still there and people were mingling in the kitchen, sitting at the bar and the giant table.
Again, as they passed, they all stopped what they were doing and stared.
Holy crap, was this a cult?
When they made it outside, holy moly, the grounds were incredible, and the back porch was unreal. Tables were set up with food piled on them. Did he expect them to eat all of that? He ate a lot, but this wasn’t a party. It was just them.
“Please sit and let’s eat then take a tour,” Wyatt suggested, pulling out a seat for Raven. He made sure she was next to him as they sat. As soon as they did, the old Raven came out.