Chapter 15: Now What?

We met up with Noelle and Sid, who were at The Mirage. I was a little surprised that Noelle wasn't shopping, but then I saw why. The Secret Garden was absolutely breathtaking. I could stand there for hours watching the white tigers play in the water. There were lions, tigers, and dolphins in an amazing park-like atmosphere. Evan grinned at me as I cooed to the adorable baby tigers. They were so cute!

"Do you think they would let me take one home? I promise to take good care of him."

"I don't think they're going to let you take one home, Kimber. Sorry."

I sighed. I would be a good tiger mommy, I just knew it. I held Evan's hand as we walked over to the dolphin exhibits. Noelle and Sid wandered a little ahead of us, taking pictures of everything.

"Evan, what was all the fuss about you giving me some of your blood that night? Robert asked you a lot of questions about it."

"When people like us decide to get married, there's a special ceremony that takes place. They stand outside under the moon, generally the day before or the day after a full moon. The ceremony is quite simple. One of them will make a small cut on the other one, generally on the wrist though placement is up to them. Then they kiss the area, making sure to take a small bit of the blood into their mouth. Then they recite the words that seal the bond. After the first person is done, the second person repeats the process. It's sort of like exchanging rings and vows, one after the other. Our kind mate for life. This ceremony, done under the moon, makes that bond permanent and irrevocable."

"What are the words they say?"

He smiled at me and ran his fingers through my hair. "I can't say them to you. We've already exchanged the blood, so saying the words would magically seal the bond, moon or not. I'll have Noelle tell you or write them down for you, though."

"So we have the first part of the mating bond and that's why Robert was worried about us sleeping together?"

He nodded, "Yes. It's not something we do lightly, and he was afraid that by exchanging blood I was influencing your decision to be with me. I want to be with you, Kimber, but it's not because of the bond. It's because of the amazing, courageous woman you are. If you decide you don't want to be with me, there's no harm done. You just exchange blood and complete the ceremony with someone else and it negates what I did in the basement."

"So what about people like Tasha? Will she ever choose another or is she still bound to her dead husband?"

"She's no longer bound, but it's entirely up to her whether she will choose another or not. The magic of the mating bond, well, it's not easily forgotten or put aside. Many of us who lose a spouse never marry again. Marsh may be chasing the impossible. If Tasha decides she wants another mate, he may have a chance. Otherwise, no."

"It doesn't seem very fair. I mean, there's what? Fifteen of us in your pack and only three women? That's not a lot of hope for all the men."

Evan laughed, "That's just us, silly girl. There are a lot of other areas where there are plenty of women. The spring CanUS meeting is attended by a lot more people. There's a lot of relocation petitions and summer weddings after the spring meeting."

"Evan, I'm sorry about your probation and you losing your salary for a year. I'll try to pay you back."

He raised one eyebrow at me, "Oh? And how do you propose to do that?"

"I'll give you my salary for this year. I have the resettlement money. That will get me through a year."

"Is that so? What about all the interest I'm losing on possible investments? Any ideas on how you'll make that up to me?"

I swallowed hard, "Next year's salary, too?"

"I have a better idea," he swung me against him and kissed me senseless. There was a small smattering of applause and cheers from the people standing around us. "There. Paid in full. Don't offer to pay me back, Kimber. I have you. That's all I need."

The happy glow inside me should have blinded everyone around me, but they didn't seem to notice.

When we sat down to eat a late lunch, Evan handed me a bag. "I picked this up for you. I know it's not what you wanted, but I thought you might like it."

I hadn't realized he'd slipped away from me. I'd been way too busy cooing at baby tigers on the way out of the Secret Garden. When I opened the bag and peeked inside, I couldn't help but smile. Inside the bag was a stuffed animal, a baby white tiger. It was so cute! I pulled it out and cuddled him close.

"Thank you, he's wonderful!" I pulled Evan down and gave him a sweet kiss.

My heart felt like it was about to burst from happiness. Evan seemed pleased with my response and squeezed the fingers I threaded through his. It wasn't easy to eat lunch while still holding hands with Evan, but I managed.

Sid had meetings that afternoon, so he arranged to meet Noelle the next morning before we all flew home. Caleb met up with us in The Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian. He asked Evan about the trial and they found a quiet corner to talk while Noelle and I explored the stores. They had some really nice stuff, but I had enjoyed the shopping at Caesar's a lot more. Then again, Caesar's didn't have gondola rides.

Evan took my hand and steered me over to where the rides started. Caleb and Noelle followed us. At first I felt sort of silly, floating down the canal in a gondola where all the other shoppers could see us. But then Evan kissed me and I didn't care what anyone else thought.

The sun had set by the time Noelle was finished shopping. We walked across the street to The Bellagio to watch the fountain show before dinner. I noticed Caleb and Noelle holding hands and tried to hide my smile. I was really happy for them. I just hoped it worked out well.

It was dinner time for most people, so the crowd on the sidewalk wasn't too huge. We all stood at the stone wall, watching the amazing fountain dance to the music. I was so absorbed, I wasn't aware of the men standing behind us until one of them tapped me on the shoulder.

"Ms. Sparks? Mr. Nash? I'm sorry but I'm going to have to ask you to come with us."

The men were tall, well groomed and wearing suits. They had earpieces that immediately made me think "Secret Service" but that was silly. The Secret Service wouldn't be interested in me or Caleb. I had just reached the conclusion they were government agents of some sort when Evan's hand closed over my arm. The agent in charge opened a slim wallet and flashed his badge for everyone in the group, but Evan didn't release his grip on my arm.

"Where are you taking her? She's not going anywhere without me."

One of the men moved his jacket just a bit so we could all see the holster he had under his left shoulder, "I'm sorry Mr. Maxwell, but Ms. Sparks is coming with us and you are not."

Evan growled and his eyes flashed amber. The agents didn't even flinch. The leader said in a low voice, "You don't want to do that here. We're in a public place. Let's not cause a scene or someone will get hurt. Ms. Sparks, Mr. Nash, after you."

They moved to either side of us and a big, black SUV with darkened windows pulled up at the curb. I shot a frantic look at Evan who whispered, "I'll be right behind you. Whatever you do, don't change. Don't struggle or fight. Don't give them an excuse to hurt you. I'm right behind you, Kimber."

As the SUV pulled away from the curb, I saw Evan on his cell phone as he and Noelle ran down the sidewalk behind us. Caleb was furious and demanded information from the agents, but they refused to tell us anything. When we pulled up in front of a private hanger at the airport, I really began to panic. How would Evan ever find us if they put us on a plane?

I squeezed Caleb's hand tightly, trying desperately not to cry. What in the hell was going on? No one would tell us anything as they made us get out of the SUV. There was a small jet waiting on the tarmac. Caleb and I were walked over to it and forced to get on board.

"You don't give us any trouble and no one gets hurt. Got it? Either one of you pulls anything and we'll put you in cages. It's your choice."

I sat in the first seat I came to and buckled in. Caleb sat next to me and held my hand.

"Sir, I'm going to need your cell phone." Caleb silently handed it to the agent standing next to him. "And yours, Miss."

"I don't have one."

"May I see your bag, please?"

I handed it over and after he searched it, the agent handed it back. The plane began to taxi and moments later we were in the air.

"Caleb, do you have any ideas about what's going on?"

Caleb shook his head, "I don't have a clue. I imagine they'll tell us at some point. Until then, we need to just sit tight and wait for Evan. There's no way he's going to just let this go. If he's the guy I think he is, he's doing everything he can to track us down and get us out of here."

I started to cry. I couldn't hold my tears back anymore. My hands were shaking I was so scared. Caleb pulled my head onto his shoulder and kept telling me that everything was going to be okay. I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that he was very wrong.

We were in the air almost four hours before the plane landed. I tried to figure out where we were, but nothing looked familiar. We were escorted to a waiting SUV that was identical to the one in Las Vegas. Between the darkened windows and the pitch black night, I couldn't see a thing. After a twenty minute ride, we went through several security check points before the vehicle came to a stop inside a garage.

There were armed guards waiting who escorted us into the building. When we were inside, we were separated. My last sight of Caleb was of him walking down a hallway with guards trailing behind. A few minutes later, my guards stopped in front of a door that looked to be solid steel. They opened it and I stepped into the room.

There were two guards in the room, both female. One held a rather nasty looking gun while the other handed me a stack of clothes. "Strip and put these on, please."

It was a one-piece jumpsuit in an obnoxious bright lime green and a pair of white socks. Reluctantly, I took off my clothes and put the jumpsuit on. They made me remove my watch and earrings, too. I slipped them into my shoe and handed the stack of clothes to the guard. Next was fingerprints and photographs. It was like some bad crime drama on TV, only I was the criminal.

When they finished with me, I was led to a room with a prison-style bunk bolted to the wall. A table was bolted to the floor on the other side of the room with two office-style chairs pulled up on either side. I curled up in a tight ball on the bunk with my back against the wall.

My wolf was raging inside me. There weren't any bars, but she and I both knew a cage when we saw one. There was no clock and they had taken my watch. I had no idea how long I sat huddled there. I was exhausted, but there was no way I could sleep. I had to stay awake and keep the wolf under control.

The locks on the door clicked and it opened. In walked two armed guards and Agent Stanton. I stared at him in shock as he greeted me, "Hello again, Ms. Sparks. Would you please join me here at the table?"

The guards closed and locked the door, one outside and the other one inside. The one inside kept his gun in his hands and his eyes never left me. I stood and crossed slowly to the table, settling myself into the swivel chair.

"Do you remember signing this?" Agent Stanton took a document out of his file folder and slid it across the table to me. It only took me a moment to recognize the relocation and resettlement agreement I had signed the day I was released from the hospital.

"Yes, I remember."

"Really? You do? You could have fooled me." Stanton had a snotty, superior look on his face, "This document says you understand that you are not to have contact with anyone from your former life ever again. It spells out strict punishments if you violate the agreement. And yet, here we have photographic proof that you didn't bother to abide by this agreement for even a month."

He tossed several photographs on the table where I could see them. Cabel, Noelle, Sid and I all having dinner at Nero's. Caleb and I sitting on the bench talking. Caleb hugging me. Caleb and I standing with Evan and Noelle at the Bellagio fountain. I looked through them all and my stomach began to churn in fear.

"But I didn't contact him. He's a werewolf. I ran into him at the CanUS keynote session. I didn't do anything wrong."

Stanton leaned over the table and glared at me, "I don't care how it happened. You agreed to have no contact with anyone from your former life. Caleb Nash and Lauren Summers were very much friends. I have pictures from her Facebook account to prove it."