By My Hand

Untitled Part 3

Rupert pulled Fred intothe library upstairs to show her another new book or somethingmoments after they arrived home, and David was glad to have theopportunity to talk to Paul and Rafael without her. He rounded themup into the kitchen and he and Carter told Rafael and Paul what hadhappened at the cafe earlier, and Fred's obvious, but unstatedconcern that it might put her husband onto her trail.

"I guess I honestlydidn't think about it one way or the other, of course her husband isricher than god. It makes sense." Paul said. Fred hadn't told themmuch but he should have realized. Fred had told them she had beenborn the daughter of a lord, she lived in an actual castle, and heshould have assumed she hadn't married down. If nothing else theinvestment advice she had given them all should have been a clue inand of itself.

"It adds acomplication. One I hadn't considered before either." David tellsthem. "If he does start looking for her, it's not just one guywandering the streets. We have a man who has a lot of people andresources at his disposal to do it for him."

Rafael massaged histemples. "And here I was worried about him being able to do alocator spell or something. Fred said he was a sorcerer or somethingright? Is that a possibility? Is that a thing you can do withmagic?"

"So, we have no ideaif or when he might come looking for Fred, what he is or is notcapable of magically, or what he even looks like." David looked atthe others, and for the first time, possibly ever, none of them hadany idea what to do. "I hate not having a plan as much as anyone,so just keep it in the back of your minds. I don't want to push Fredtoo much yet; she still seems incredibly reluctant to talk about him. Until we have a credible threat we'll leave it alone. Rafael, youmight try and prepare her some, she might have to answer some prettyuncomfortable questions before too long. Paul, you might need tobring some of your work home with you."

"Never thought I'd seethe day a pack of werewolves needed a security system." Paulsnorted.

1705Yorkshire-Rafael

He'd always had thefeeling she let him win but curiosity had finally gotten the betterof him. "Come on wolfy, show me what you got, really. There'snobody here but us."

"Alright... I'llgo all out if you do." Fred was reluctant but he knew she couldn'tresist the chance to show him what she was actually capable of. Oncehe'd let slip all those years ago he knew about her she'd been sorelieved to not have to hide that part of herself from him anymore.

"Just hand to handthough!" Rafael warned. "I think you might accidentally kill meif I put an actual weapon in your hands. You're enough of one."He laughed at her faux pout.

Rafael maybe lastedone minute against her. She dodged every swing and had him pinnedagainst the barn wall in a heartbeat. Fred had her forearm under hischin and his toes barely scrapped the ground. Her head was turned, anoise outside caught her attention and she wasn't paying attentionto him anymore, her huntress instincts taking president. Rafael wasgetting dizzy and it was hard to breathe, he kept hitting her arm toget her to let him go. "Fred... I can't... breathe..." hegasped out.

"Oh god!" Shedropped her arm and he fell to the ground. "Rafe I'm so sorry!Are you alright? Did I hurt you?" She dropped to her knees and hadclasped her hands to her mouth in horror.

It took him moment torecover, "You didn't hurt me, just my pride." Rafael saidrubbing his neck as she helped him to his feet. "At least I knownow I'll never have to worry about protecting you."

"I'm really sorryRafe." She sat there worrying about him for several minutes whilehe caught his breath. "Still love me?" She actually looked alittle worried, as though the blow she'd just delivered to his egowas sufficient to change his opinion of her. He'd gotten use to theidea of Fred not needing him for anything a long time ago. At firstit had been a bit emasculating. Fred was rich, incredibly smart,resourceful and exponentially stronger then him. He'd had to shifthis thinking, Fred may not need him but she wanted him, often andenthusiastically and that was enough. He'd found other ways to'rescue' her, protect her, over the years.