Mingled: Chapter Three

The sun rays danced throughout the room like fairies in a garden. I slowly opened my eyes and stretched my arms out. "Oh my God!" In my morning daze, I had forgotten about the night before. It all flooded back to me in an instant - dinner, the attack, the bullet, the shower - Luke!

"What's wrong?!" Luke jumped up poised for a fight, obviously still on edge from last night's attack. His body perfect, roman statue-like in the beams of the sun coming in from the window.

"Calm down, it's fine. And here put some clothes on. Geez, the curtains are wide open."

I threw him his boxers and I grabbed a towel from the floor and wrapped myself and reaching up pulled the curtains closed. I grabbed a pair of underwear, yoga shorts, and a sports bra, and headed into the bathroom to shower. Planning on doing this alone this time, I locked the bathroom door behind me.

When I came out, Luke was dressed in sweatpants and a tee. He had cooked eggs and bacon and had a cup of coffee waiting for me. "Those aren't..." He cut me off before I finished my question.

"No Rachel, these are my sweatpants. They were in my car."

"But your car is at the restaurant."

"No, it's here. I had made arrangements last night to have it delivered."

"You are such a spoiled rich boy."

"I know", he winked.

We sat down at the table and ate our breakfast, recapping the details of the attack from last night.

"Did you happen to see if the guy had one of those tattoos Cynthia told you about?"

"I didn't really take the time to check while I was pummeling his face."

"You know you can't stay here, Rach. It's not safe. I'll help you pack some things and you'll crash at my place."

"You'd just love that, wouldn't you Luke? Your own little live-in Elvin Were play-toy."

"Come on Rach, it's not like that at all. Last night did mean something to me. You mean something to me."

I sheepishly turned away. Luke meant something to me too, but I couldn't help feeling guilty about it.

"Michael would want you to live your life. Start a new one if you had to, and not to be lonely."

"It's already going on noon, I should get packed."

I really didn't want to have that conversation right now, if ever. I got up from the table and went to my bedroom to gather some clothes. I grabbed my Louis Vuitton luggage bag and started strategically filling it. I was pretty spoiled too with fancy things. I made a great salary at the university and Michael had done exceptionally well financially. We had married the winter before last so when he died most everything passed to me. I had used a good bit of the money to pay off his parents' debts and made sure they would remain comfortable. I had become very close with them after leaving the tribe. They had adopted me into their family. What would they think of this thing I had gotten myself into with Luke? They have known Luke all his life. He had grown up in the clan with Michael. Luke's parents were lifelong clan members also.

I came out, luggage in hand, packed for the next week or so. "We are going to have to go to the clan about the attack."

"Yeah, I know. I called Grandfather this morning and made arrangements for a meeting this evening."

"I'm also going to have to call Cynthia and tell her about it. I told you Jeremy was jumped at the bar the other night, right?"

"Yeah, you told me. That guy is a jerk though. He deserved a good beat down."

"He's alright. He's just emotional and hot-headed when it comes to me."

Luke picked up my bags and we left. I set the alarm to my apartment and called the alarm company to notify them I would be away for a couple of weeks. Luke put my bags in the trunk. "I'll pull up and you can just follow me out to my place. I'll drive us to the reservation tonight."

Luke lived in a gated community a short drive outside the city. His neighborhood was perfectly landscaped and every house lined up in perfect order. We stopped at the guard's station to pick up a visitor's pass so I could get in and out of the community on my own for work. I got the feeling that was about as much as Luke would be allowing me to do on my own for a while.

His house was immaculate, not a house, more like a mansion. His driveway was long and wound up into a loop around a fountain in the front. It had stone exterior with properly groomed gardens, no doubt maintained by a hired gardener. When you walked in you first entered into a large foyer with black and white tiled floors and a large crystal chandelier. A tall spiraling staircase led up to the bedrooms. I showed myself to the kitchen for a glass of water while he carried my bags upstairs. I loved this house. Michael and I had joined him at the showing when he was house shopping. I always thought it was odd that he had wanted such a large home with it just being himself to live in it. Either way, it was a gorgeous home. He had hired a well-known interior decorator to adorn the place with high-end furniture and decor. Luke came from money and it showed. His parents were held high in the community. His father was a big-shot community lawyer and his mother was in marketing. He had followed more in his mother's path becoming the CEO of a men's fitness magazine. This was a fitting role for him considering the physical shape he was in. He sure did fit the look and lifestyle of the magazine.

"Found your place, huh?" he teased walking into the kitchen.

I knew he was being smart but I did love to cook so I just rolled with the punch, "Yup, I'm claiming the stove".

He walked up, taking me into his arms. "I know this is tough on you, all of it. And I know you don't want to talk about it but I don't think you're doing anything wrong."

"You're right. I don't want to talk about it." I pulled away from him abruptly.

"Well I'm glad you're here, and I promised Michael on your wedding day that if anything ever did happen I would take care of you so damnit I'm here."

"Geez, Luke, sorry I'm such a burden."

"My hand wasn't forced Rachel. I care about you. I always have and I always will." I knew I had stroked a nerve with my last comment, he doesn't use my full name very often.

I wanted to change the subject. I loved Luke too. I had grown to love them both but I had committed to Michael, and now he was gone. I wasn't ready to think of this being a possibility of fate. "What time do we meet the elders?"

"Six 'o clock."

"Okay. I'm going to lay down for a little. I have a killer headache. Thank you for setting everything up Luke."

I shot a text to Tiffany before dozing off. Luke and I were attacked last night in front of my apartment building. They have silver bullets. Luke was shot, he's okay though. We're going to meet with the clan tonight. This is getting deep, scary. Keep your eyes and ears open. Take care of yourself, stay in touch.

My mind was racing. So much had happened in the past two days. It was hard to believe it was all real. Luke climbed into bed next to me. He kept space between us but he did reach over and grab my hand. "We will always be friends first. I love you, Rachel." I took a deep sigh and said nothing, keeping my eyes closed.