By choice or by force Ch. 03

Rowena Beaumont was on her way over, she had told him, and he was not to go anywhere or do anything until she arrived.

He was not a man to bow down to anyone, but he found himself bowing down to Ms Rowena Beaumont.

Michael was not a man to sit idly by, and do nothing when a loved one was possibly in danger, but then he had never had a loved one quite like Laurie, and he was not sure of the best way to handle things; and so, he found himself waiting -- impatiently for the arrival of one Ms Rowena Beaumont.

He walked around his apartment, switching on lights and drawing the blinds, and then he half-filled a glass with whisky and squirted in a small amount of water.

He carried it over to his sofa and sat down on the edge, where he put the glass to his lips and drained its contents in one swallow.

He tossed the glass down on the sofa next to him irritably, and then stood up.

He did not know how long he would have to wait for Ms Beaumont to get here, but already he felt that he had been waiting for too long.

Michael stepped onto his balcony and stared out over the city and the early evening sky.

He fixed it all in his mind, and then he closed his eyes.

Laurie was there behind his eyelids, looking afraid, and earnest. It was a talent that he had developed years ago, with his parents, but he had not tried to do if for a long time. Michael had closed himself off after the death of his mother, and had kept his contact to mostly humans who had no empathic ability to note. He had never tried to link with a human, because the risks were too high. But Laurie knew what he was -- even if she didn't quite understand. And then there was the way that Laurie kept herself closed off from him, he was not sure that it would even work...

But there she was frozen in his mind's eye, and there was something in her eyes, it seemed as if she was reaching out to him too.

"Laurie!" he called out silently.

Her shadowy form remained still, and unresponsive, but her eyes burned brighter.

"Laurie!" he drew up himself up, and the hairs on his arms thickened, as the adrenaline began to pump into his system, burning away all traces of the alcohol that he had just consumed.

"Laurie," he called out one more time, and the image behind his eyelids suddenly wavered.

"... Michael... Oh Michael!"

It was as if she was standing right in front of him, her little person gazing up at him and seeking his protection.

"Laurie, where are you?"

"... I... I'm not sure... they grabbed me... and shoved me into a van... and now we've been moving for ages, but I have no idea where we are!"

He realised that she could have already left London -- had more than likely already left London.

At this time of the day, traffic was almost at a standstill, so perhaps they had timed it to get out just ahead of it.

Michael wanted to know who 'they' were, he wanted to know quite desperately -- he wanted to grab them the way that they had grabbed his Laurie, and then he wanted to rip out their throats.

"Do you know which direction that you are heading in?"

"... I don't know... oh Michael I am so afraid -- I don't know what they want with me -- I... I thought I recognised one of them, but I don't know for sure who they even are!"

The sound of someone thumping on his door, reached his hearing.

"Laurie, I have to go for a moment -- but keep yourself open to me, I will come to you soon, I will find you!"

He strode through, and pulled open the door.

"Mr Richards," Rowena Beaumont nodded as she marched into his living room -- without even waiting to be invited.

He closed his front door and followed her quickly.

Rowena Beaumont was probably in her early forties, and at just over five feet in height, she was a small bundle of barely suppressed energy. Her fair hair had a tendency to frizz and stick out at all sorts of odd angles, and her blue eyes had a slightly manic glaze to them most of the time.

But behind that batty, eccentric image was one of the shrewdest minds that Michael had ever met, and he knew that it was that shrewd mind that had made her company a successful business and herself, an incredibly wealthy woman.

She was a woman who demanded respect even in their race, even despite her lack of height or elegance or physical prowess. She was energy in its purest form.

Rowena turned and looked up at him in what was almost an accusing manner.

"Talk," she snapped out like a bullet.

Michael sighed and dug his hands deep into his trouser pockets as he thought about what to say.

"We rode the elevator up together the other day," he said slowly. "Along with a woman from one of the lower floors... when I got in it today, that woman got in it also."

"Who is this woman?" Rowena demanded suspiciously.

Michael described her quickly and accurately. "On both occasions she got into the elevator from the seventh floor."

"Eileen Brennerman," Rowena thought for a moment and then nodded with certainty. "A nice enough woman -- pays her rent on time, and doesn't annoy her neighbours."

"Yes, well, whatever," Michael shrugged indifferently. "Any way she got in the elevator as well, and she mentioned Laurie, it was her who saw her being hustled into a van."

"What did she say? Did she give any sort of description? A registration plate... could you get her to say anything at all that could be useful?"

Rowena's pale blue eyes had turned to a dark almost metallic silver, and although she and Michael had instantly recognised what they were in each other, Michael was still taken aback by her forceful alter ego.

He felt his inner being stir in response to her animal presence, and a growl came from deep within him.

"I got her to tell me -- in minute detail exactly what she saw, a white van, two young strong men, with one of them holding her arm as she got into the back. She could not see the licence plate from that angle, and as it drove away a lorry pulled up and blocked her view... There were plenty of people around, and no one else seemed worried or even interested, but something about it bothered her."

"Could she describe either of them men?"

"Broad and heavy set. Strong looking, but they were too far away for her to get a very good look," he went on to tell her what else this Eileen had said, about her thoughts and concerns, and Rowena listened without comment until he had finished.

"Maybe..." Rowena said thoughtfully as she stared down at her feet, "But I do believe that she has told you enough!"

She fixed her eyes on him again.

"I think that I know who might have taken my niece!"

His eyes fixed on her in shock. "Your niece?"

"Yes, yes, Laurie is my niece," Rowena nodded impatiently. "The daughter of my brother -- well one of his daughters, Laurie has a sister -- Iris."

She clicked her tongue, and her eyes hardened. "If I am right about this, then it was Iris that these... men, wanted originally; but when they could not get her, then I guess that they must have decided to go after Laurie!"

Michael only half heard what she was saying though.

"But, if you are her aunt, then that must mean... but you... you are a shifter -- like me..."

Rowena narrowed her eyes at him. "That is not exactly a newsflash for me, I am well aware of what I am, as I am more than well aware of what you are!"

She stepped closer to him as suspicion crept in. "What exactly is your interest in my niece?"

A dull flush came to his cheeks, and his eyes fell away from hers awkwardly.

Rowena Beaumont was the only woman he had ever met, who had seen him for what he was and had not been intimidated or awestruck by his power and authority.

They had quickly formed a mutual respect for one another, which Michael valued in its uniqueness.

But now he was a little intimidated by her, and as much as it too was a unique experience for him, it was not one he valued or even enjoyed.

"I am her neighbour," he began evasively.

"Yes, I remember, I also remember you telling me to try to find someone quiet so that you wouldn't be bothered by them... so just when did you change that rule?"

She was right up against him now, up on her toes, and her chin was in his chest, as she invaded his space, and left him in no doubt of how aggressive her protection of her niece might be.

Michael realised with a jolt that if she perceived any threat in him towards Laurie then she would attack.

He swallowed a couple of times, and then he thought of Laurie and the possible danger that she might be in.

His eyes hardened and darkened and then they began to glow.

Rowena blinked, and her brow furrowed, but she held her stance, and her lips tightened, and Michael was reminded of Laurie.

How could he have missed that?

Their relationship cried out to him, as the only two women to not be cowed by him and his natural authority.

He grinned suddenly even has he lifted his chin almost defiantly, and Rowena stepped back.

"I love her," he said huskily. "I am in love with your niece -- and that is my interest in her."

Rowena looked speechless for a moment, and then she squared her shoulders and glared at him.

"Love her -- you don't even know her -- have never said more than two words to her!"

"No? You are dead wrong about that!" Michael snapped back, feeling offended by her instant dismissal of his feelings.

"I don't believe you, Laurie would have said something, if not to me then she would have spoken to her sister..."

She stopped talking abruptly and pulled out her mobile phone.

She put it to her ear, and tapped her foot impatiently.

"It's me," she said absently. "I need to talk to you, can you come over to Laurie's apartment... yes as soon as you can... bring him with you -- we may need him."

She smiled tightly as she listened to the response, and then with a casual, "Bye." She pressed a button on her phone, and then slipped it into her oversized hand bag.

"My other niece is on her way over here," she told him as she glanced around the room. "We will finish this discussion when she arrives."

Rowena glanced at Michael and then sank down onto the sofa.

"I could use a brandy -- if you are offering," she suggested pointedly to him.

"What... yes of course -- I am sorry -- how would you like it?" He shook his head to clear it of the bleak thoughts that kept threatening to swamp him, and walked over to the cabinet in the corner.

"As it comes," Rowena said with an indifferent shrug.

He pulled out two tumblers and picked up a bottle, and then with a shrug he poured liberal amounts into the two glasses and strolled back to his landlady offering her one glass and then he sat down across from her with the other one.

Rowena sat back and sipped slowly at the drink.

"Thank you," she murmured absently.

She seemed lost in her thoughts as they sat silently waiting.

Michael nursed his glass, and he stared down into the amber coloured fluid, it was as though someone has just hit a pause button, and although all he wanted to do was charge through the night and get back his would be mate, he sensed that Rowena and her family would be the fastest course of action. He guessed that Rowena knew something more about Laurie's disappearance, but boy did he hate this waiting, this inaction.

"Laurie?" he silently called as he focused his gaze.

She did not reply, but Michael had established a link with her, and so even if he could not communicate, he could sense her emotions -- feel her presence.

She was afraid still, but not terrified. She was blind and confused and very thirsty.

He concluded that she was still in the van; he could almost feel the cold of the metal under her legs.

She was uncomfortable and being jostled around, but she was alive and she was unharmed... for now.

He let out a low growl, and Rowena looked across at him.

"What?" She demanded.

He was about to respond when they heard the elevator kick into life.

Rowena thrust her glass onto the table and marched across to his door, where she yanked it open and then stood waiting impatiently.

Michael heard the elevator doors whoosh open and then a light feminine voice had Michael on his feet and striding across.

"Aunt Trudy?"

"Iris... in here," he stumbled to a halt as he realised that it was not Laurie outside as he had for one heart stopping moment thought.

Rowena stepped back and a stunning young woman with rich red hair rushed in.

"What's going on?" She demanded anxiously, as she glanced around quickly and her eyes fell on Michael.

"Who... oh!" She exclaimed and then her face took on several expressions -- one chasing the other as fast as lightening as the realisations seemed to hit her almost all at once.

Her mouth melted into a smile, which wavered into uncertainty and then her green eyes shadowed with concern.

"Trudy," the male voice of the man attracted Michael's attention and he turned to the other newcomer.

He was a shifter.

He was a young and powerful shifter.

Michael growled and opened up his shoulders, as instinct kicked in and he prepared to defend his territory.

The woman -- Iris gasped and stepped away from him and closer to the man.

The man's brown eyes darkened immediately and his own shoulders went back, and he seemed to grow -- or the room shrank.

Rowena swore and shoved the door, which banged loudly.

"Enough of that!" She snapped angrily and she stepped between the two men.

"If you two do not stop this right now -- then I will bang your heads together and hope to knock some sense into the both of you!"

The furious tone coming from the tiny woman had them both blinking and then after a second, they were both hanging their heads in a sheepish fashion, even as they eyed each other warily.

"Aunt Trudy?" Iris asked into the silence.

"Iris, James this is one of my other tenants. This is Michael and he drew my attention to a frightening event today. He informed me that he has reason to believe that your sister has been kidnapped!"

"Kidnapped!" Iris exclaimed as her face drained of colour and her eyes widened with pure terror. "But who would want to kidnap Laurie?"

"Who indeed!" Trudy said with a bitter twist to her lips. "Laurie is not rich, nor powerful -- at least not outside of our race..."

"You believe that a shifter took her?" James guessed in a low voice.

"More than one -- judging by our eyewitness's account."

"There was a witness? Who?" Iris demanded in a tight voice. "Who witnessed this but did not intercede... who stood by and did nothing to aid my sister when she needed it?"

"The witness was a woman!" Michael stepped in to defend the woman in the elevator. "She was an ordinary woman who saw something that caused her concern -- but she was not even sure what it was that she witnessed!"

He went on to tell her of his encounter with the woman, and to tell them both what the woman had described. "She said that at first she thought that Laurie knew the men, she looked relaxed and unworried. She said that even though one of them was ushering her into the back of a van, Laurie seemed more surprised than frightened, and it was all done and over with before anyone could even become concerned."

"More than one abductor then..." He looked down at Rowena, and his eyes darkened. "You think that it was Bill Frawnings and his clan -- don't you?" James surmised shrewdly.

Michael was impressed by James's cool-headed assessment of the bits of information coming from him and Rowena.

Rowena nodded. "Yes, I do think it was them, they sought an alliance before. They wanted an alliance of bonding and marriage, between one of Bill's boy's and Iris, and they were not happy when Iris rejected them all out of hand, and then you came along and moved her forever out of their reach. I believe that Bill has contacted my brother again since your marriage to try and begin something with one of his boys and Laurie, but Greg refused him."

He was totally in the dark about these nameless faceless people, who had taken his bride -- did not even know them -- as far as Michael knew, but it seemed that everyone else in the room knew them, and knew why they had taken his Laurie.

Michael felt like an outsider in his own home, as Rowena and James discussed things which he had no knowledge of, and could not contribute to. He had a sudden need to assert himself, to let these people know exactly who he was, and what his strength was.

He allowed his shoulders to open up again, and his eyes glinted as he felt the power surging through his system, and washing away his feelings of inadequacies and fears.

James looked at him quickly and his eyes widened as he saw Michael for what he truly was.

Iris looked at him blankly though, even as she registered the power emanating from him, the power and the barely restrained aggression.

"You are of the old blood?" James muttered in a low shocked voice. "I thought that there was few -- if any of you outside of the council, left by now."

"I am of the original lineage." Michael nodded. He looked at James as the other man's shoulders also opened up, and his golden eyes began to glow, and Michael saw the history of him immediately. "As are you?"

James hesitated as he glanced quickly at Iris, but then he shook his head. "Not quite, no. My blood line is not as pure as yours."

Rowena hissed and clicked her tongue, and her eyes narrowed nervously, but Iris just continued to look confused.

Laurie and Iris's mother has been human born, and after her death, their father had kept the girls as human as possible, to honour and remember their mother. And the nature of shifters living alongside humans meant that they were all secretive about their abilities, even with each other. Consequently, their knowledge of shifters of old blood, pure blood, or mixed blood was non-existent. As far as the sisters were concerned, a shifter was a shifter, was a shifter, and it was as simple as that.

No hierarchy or underdogs -- just people good or bad.

This was the first time that Iris to her knowledge had met a shifter outside of her own family networks and of course James. And the way that James was responding to this Michael, she had never seen this side of her husband and it frightened her.

"James?" she whimpered worriedly.

James glanced at his wife and he relaxed his shoulders on a sigh and smiled apologetically at her as he took her in his arms. He peered over the top of her head and shot a quick resentful look at Michael.

"Look here you two," the older woman snapped. "We don't have time to strut and admire each other... we need to find out what has happened to her and then come up with a way to reclaim Laurie -- to get her back!"

It was as though mentioning Laurie brought her image straight into Michael's mind, and opened up a channel of communication towards her, as he clearly saw her being dragged from the van, and over to a building -- a house, a large house if what he was seeing was right.

Laurie was resisting, she was trying to fight and to escape, she was trying to pull away and run in a different direction -- a particular direction, Michael sensed a real desperate purpose in her.

Suddenly as though she possessed additional strength since she was such a slender young woman and less than half the size of the man dragging her. She managed to pull free, and without a pause even for surprise she spun on her heel and began to run.

"Run Laurie!" Michael shouted out in triumph. "Get away from them!"

"What's happening?" He dimly heard Rowena's voice, but he was blind to the world and the people around him. At that moment all Michael could see was Laurie, as he bent all of his concentration onto her.