Enigma

Chapter 34

The compound where the Council would convene was about a three-hour drive from the pack border. Noah, Sean and Lillian had taken one of the pack's vehicles while Elle, Amanda and Arthur drove their own.

The compound was deep in the forest. Noah had said the forest was neutral territory, but that Arthur owned the compound itself. It was a massive, walled-in area, the size of two football fields. Several buildings rose here and there, unexpectedly modern.

The mountains stood like majestic giants just beyond the compound. It was colder up here. Peaked roofs and glass walls made the buildings a seamless blend between mountain cabins and modern villas.

The greenery inside the walls of the compound was not left to run wild; stone paths criss-crossed through the grass, trees were contained to the edges of the compound, and flower beds designed to form pretty shapes around the place, giving it color and character.

A pool shimmered on the side, several fountains spit water into the air, and bushes formed neat lines, cutting between buildings.

It was a mountain resort of sorts.

Elle, Amanda and Arthur were walking in front of Noah, Sean and Lillian.

Elle curled her lips in disgust as they walked through, looking around the neat gardens. "Do you own this?" she asked her mate.

"Yes."

"Why in the world did you make the forest so..." She waved her hand around, clearly not liking the view. "Lifeless. The woods shouldn't be cut into geometrical shapes and stupid neat boxes."

Amanda laughed. "You should get over your aversion to landscape design."

"For someone raised in the woods, this would not feel right," Arthur said, throwing his arm around Elle's shoulders.

Lillian looked around. She liked the view. But then again, if she'd lived in a forest all her life, this might have felt artificial, in a way.

Just then, a couple of vampires walked past them, bowing their heads Arthur's way.

They'd parked their car in a parking lot near the entrance, and during their walk to the center of the compound, they had come across several people. All immortal, of course. Lillian felt like an intruder. The majority of the looks she received made it clear others shared her thoughts.

The two vampires walked past them, and Lillian felt the chill of their gazes on her. She stepped closer to Noah.

"Try not to go anywhere on your own," he said. His amber eyes scanned the place.

"I don't have a death wish," Lillian said. She didn't like the fact that she needed a babysitter. But she was no longer in the pack. There were people here who would slit her throat simply because of her race. She liked herself alive and breathing, and she had a pair of little trouble makers to get back to.

Elle turned then and walked backwards. "If you're tired of Noah's incessant chatter, let me know and I'll keep you company. I hate these things, and I have a feeling having you around will make things more interesting."

Lillian snorted. "I sure hope not."

Elle's green eye squinted on something behind Lillian. "I think the fae delegation just arrived."

Lillian's eyes widened. She never met a fae before, not counting Elle since she was a special case. She looked over her shoulder. But they were too far away for her to have a good look at the people who'd just stepped out of several fancy vehicles. Her senses couldn't pick up on their presence from this distance.