Outside of Chinook, The War-Kin Manor, Mid October

    Annik had no clue where she was. Sure she knew that she was in the burbs north and east of Chinook. But her exact location? No clue. When they turned down a gravel road with pot holes big enough to eat cars, she was even more confused. Not just because a barely there gate hung from a chain link fence that was more on the ground then hanging from it's posts. The fence and gate looked like something from an abandoned farm during the great depression. Everywhere she looked were the signs of a farm that had been left to go wild. Great, she thought, I avoided being abducted by one guy only to hand myself over to a serial killer. But even with the broken down fence and gate in front of her she couldn't bring herself to be afraid of the large man sitting beside her. Even when she told herself that she should be. Annik was even more confused when the gate opened smoothly, belying its decrepit appearance.

    After a turn in road about a quarter of a mile from the gate, the road suddenly went from unpaved to well maintain and paved. At the same time that the road had changed the night had gotten foggy. The change was sudden enough to make Annik turn and look behind her. Had she actually seen what she thought she had seen? She could no longer see the first gate or the road. They were hidden behind overgrowth that on this side of it was well maintained. It's all a facade, she thought, starting to get nervous. They don't want anyone knowing that they're here. Just who "they" were and what she had gotten mixed up with? she had no clue.

    They traveled about another quarter of a mile when they came to the second gate that Nic opened with what looked like a garage door opener. This gate was metal and plugged into twenty foot stone walls. The kind you would expect to see in Jurassic Park or some such. Damn, she mused to herself. What the hell are they trying to keep out. Or was it more like what were they trying to keep in? Either way Annik had only seen gate and walls like this in movies. Did Nic live in a castle? That was the only other time she'd remembered seeing set-ups like this after all. I doubt that there are any velociraptors around here. So it must be a castle.

    Turning to face the man next to her she asked. "Do you live in a castle? Or do you keep dinos as pets?"  All she got in reply was a small knowing smile.

    The first thing that Annik saw when they came out of the fog was a white gravel driveway that circled around a large fountain. At least she guessed that the large tarp draped object was a fountain. After all why would you cover and winterize a statue. Then she saw the building that was behind what she assumed was a fountain. The edifice was made of granite blocks like an old castle from a movie. No wonder he was smiling at me Annik thought to herself with a small smile.

    Diamond paned windows gave off a warm glow that did nothing to soften the hard edges of the huge stone edifice. Evenly spaced along the edge of the peaked roof gargoyles sat and, Annik was certain, cameras. You didn't put so much into your security and leave something as basic as surveillance out of the equation. Off to one side of the circle driveway there was a parking area that had cars and SUV's parked in it. All of the parked vehicles were high-end models and very expensive.

    "Oh my god," Annik breathed "Who lives here, Dracula or is it Frankenstein?"

    "Welcome to my humble abode," Nic gave a small bow from his seat, clearly amused.

    Humble? He was calling this place humble? For some reason all Annik could see were the old sixties horror films with Lon Chaney Jr, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. They could have been filmed right here and no one would have so much as blinked. She half expected to see a young Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee as Dracula and Van Helsing fighting it out in front of the place. IT WAS was so out of central casting that is was a cliche for heavens sake.

    "If this is humble I would hate to see what you consider fancy," Mock seriousness was almost successful in hiding her laugh.

    Annik completely focused on  the stone structure in front of her. So much so that she didn't immediately register Nic opening the car door for her until his hand was in front of her to help her out of her seat. She had completely missed his getting out of the car and coming around to her side of it to open the door. Just as she was exiting the car Annik heard a very familiar sound.

    "You have a cat? How wonderful. I will miss..." Annik's voice trailed off as she saw that Nic wasn't looking at her he had frozen half bent down to get her bags from the back of his car. Hearing the meow again Annik realized that the sound had come from inside the car not outside. Following his gaze to behind the seats they had been in Annik saw the last thing she would have expected. Sitting calmly on her Adidas bag As if he owned it, was Wiket. Looking completely self satisfied as only a cat can. Annik thought she looked pleased with herself for stowing away and not getting caught.

    "Wiket!" Annik exclaimed exasperated. "What the hell are you doing here." 

    Well damn, Annik thought. Now we'll have to take the cat back. Assuming of course, that they could get her out of the car back at the apartment building.

    "I swear I didn't know that she was back there." Annik apologized to Nic. "We have to take her back. I don't own her. Wiket belongs to the building manager where..."

    Annik stopped talking. Nic didn't seem all that upset though. In fact he looked like he was almost happy to see the cat. Looking at Annik when she put her hand on his arm, he only smiled down at her. Amber eyes almost glowing.

   "You don't own cats. Cats choose who they do or don't live with at Their will, not our own." Nic stated as he dropped down on his haunches.

    Once he was on the cats level, Annik watched his almond shaped amber eyes slowly blink once, twice. A third time. Then with slow steady movements he held one hand out to the cat. Finger loose and palm down so the Large grey cat could smell his fingers if she wanted. Wiket for her part slowly blinked back and delicately sniffed his fingers before giving out another meow. Then with stately grace Wiket  hopped out of the car and started to wind herself around Annik's ankles.

"I think she has decided that you are her person," Nic chuckled as he reached in and grabbed her bags.

    Annik shook her head. There was no way that she could keep her landlords pet. Especially since she wasn't even sure if she was going to stay here in Chinook. She was probably gonna have to move again. Pets didn't do the nomadic life well, which is why she'd never had a one in her life. Not even a goldfish.  Damn, Annik cursed silently. I don't want to leave Chinook. I really like it here. She insisted to herself that it was her mother that she didn't want to leave. Even though the woman was now dead. Annik didn't want to look to closely at any other possible reason for staying.

    "I can't keep him. Tomorrow.." Annik glanced at her watch to confirm the time. "I will call my landlord tomorrow and tell him that I have his cat and make arrangements to take Wiket back. It's too late to do that tonight"

   Annik looked down at the large framed man who was still crouched at her feet. For all appearances talking to the cat. A deep sound was vibrating out of him. Purring? Was the man actually purring? Talk about an unusual skill. Briefly part of Annik wondered what that purr would feel like. Giving herself a mental shake, Annik dropped that thought like a hot potato. Now was so not the time to think like that. Especially about a man like him.

    "It's not like I'm going to be living here forever," She heard herself saying. "It's just until I can make other arrangements. So don't worry I won't be bothering you for long."

    Annik couldn't fathom why Nic had stood suddenly and frowned when she'd said she'd be gone soon. He should be happy to get her out of his, admittedly gorgeous, hair. During the trip here Annik had gone way beyond second thoughts all the way to fourth or fifth thoughts. But through it all no matter where her brain went, Annik just couldn't be afraid of the large leather clad man. Annik somehow knew that not only would Nic not hurt her, but he would do anything to keep her safe. Which made absolutely no sense at all.

    "Come on," Nic's voice was curiously flat. Like someone had canceled Christmas or something.

    And damn didn't that confuse the bejeebus out of her. why would hearing that she wasn't going to be around for long upset him. Why should he care if she stayed or not. They'd just met after all and it wasn't like she was fashion model material or something. Annik knew she wasn't ugly but she wasn't beautiful either. Why would or should he care about her and where she was. Staying here so wasn't fair to him. After all he owed her nothing and had no reason to keep her safe. No matter what he had said.

  Leading the way Nic headed for a pair of red painted heavy wooden doors. Annik got the brief impression of some kind of design also carved on them as they approached. Was that a tree of some kind? Annik couldn't tell. Annik briefly wondered why the entrance wasn't better secured considering the measures taken at the gates. People who took that kind of precautions didn't just leave their doors unsecured. 

    On the other side of the double doors was a vestibule.  At least that's what Annik thought it was called. The only place she had seen something even remotely like it had been at government buildings on T.V.. Another set of doors on the other side, this time metal clad,  answered the security question in spades. Next to the other doors was a security system that even Annik knew was high end. She watched as Nic hit a button then made sure his face was in the camera. Wiket, who had followed them into the vestibule seemed to approve of the set-up, purring loudly as she again wended her way around Annik's ankles.

    At first the huge foyer didn't register on Annik. She was far to busy trying to keep track of the cat that had hitched a ride with them. At least she wasn't going to have to try and find her outside. But moments later when the sight before her registered on her brain, she stopped dead in her tracks. The room she saw before her was opulent to a degree that Annik had never imagined. All the splendor was at complete odds with the dour exterior. Annik wasn't sure what she had expected but the room she saw was so not it. She was far to amazed to see who opened the door to let them in.

    "Oh my god," Annik was clearly awed and almost overwhelmed by the sight in front of her. "It's just how I always imagined a palace would look."

    There was so much to see that at first her eyes couldn't land on any one place. They flitted around like a kid in a candy store. Each sight was more beautiful then the last. The first thing that Annik could properly focus on was the grand stair case directly in front of her. The deep rich color of the wood was beautifully accented by the rich red color of the carpeted steps. This led her vision to the deep black marble floor that had some kind of design that she couldn't really decipher. The black color made it look like the design seem to float in the night sky.

    The next thing that her vision landed on were the warm honey marble of the carved pillars that abutted the walls of the foyer. The pillars had what Annik thought was gold inset into the carvings. The pattern was so subtle that the actual design was impossible to distinguish. Finally her gaze went up, up ,up to the ceiling three stories above her. There  was a masterful painting on it that rivaled the Sistine chapel as far as Annik was concerned. It depicted a cave in a forest grove surrounded by sunlit clouds.

    There were doors into other rooms but Annik was so caught up in the splendor before her eyes that they barely registered. Vaguely Annik noticed the two huge fireplaces that were big enough to hold whole trees. The golden sconces on the walls bathed everything in a soft warm light. Everything was so overwhelming that Annik wasn't sure that she was actually seeing what was before her. It was all just to much to take in.

    The voice coming from behind her startled Annik. She hadn't realized that she had stopped in stunned amazement. The foyer was just so beautiful to look at. It was an absolute show stopper, it was so lux. Annik had only seen rooms like this on T.V. or in books. There was nothing overblown or Donald Trumpish about the display of wealth. It was the good taste that came from generations of money. There was a well bred restraint to everything. This room didn't so much shout old money as use a sound system worthy of a rock concert. Nonetheless the overall impression was one of quiet elegance. Yeah, Annik decided, Nic definitely came from old money.

     Wait, what had Nic asked her? The decor was just so distracting. The more she looked at it. The more details she saw. Turning to Nic, as much to distract herself from the beauty of the foyer as admire the beauty of the man. Annik decided that no matter how he dressed this was the kind of room he belonged in, it was as beautiful as he was. Between the carefully curated decor and the gorgeous man, Annik was hard pressed to say which one she preferred to look at. Either was a sight for the eyes.

    "What? sorry just admiring the view," Annik left the double entendre where it lay. Really hoping that Nic didn't notice it.

    Nic gave a small smile. Barely more then the twitch of the lip before responding. "My father had this all built before he died." Nic looked almost embarrassed by the display of wealth around him. "I didn't have anything to do with the design or decoration of the place if you're curious."

    Again Annik heard the slightest hint of an accent when he spoke. A very slight roll of the R's, there was more to it but it was hard to nail down. She had heard it earlier and hadn't paid any attention to it at the time. There had been a lot going on after all. However when he mentioned moving her from another country his accent had impinged on her consciousness for the first time. Annik wondered what country he'd been born in. His accent sounded familiar for some reason that she just couldn't quite put her finger on. It sounded close to but not exactly like that of his mother. The similarities were like hearing two different accents from England.

   "Don't worry, I think it's beautiful. Truly impressive to be honest."

    Smiling up at him Annik wondered if he liked the decor. What with how he dressed and all. Was his attire an attempt to counter all the wealth? After all, the leather was so not what you expected to see someone that lived here wearing. That look fit in better in the part of town where they had met. Or in some of the bars she had filled out apps for. But definitely not in a place that looked as though everyone should be wearing tux's or evening gowns. Annik shook herself, realizing that yet again she had lost track of what he was saying. Damn, if this kept up she was gonna need a blindfold whenever she was around him.

   "I'm sorry, what did you say?" Annik realized that she hadn't answered the question that he had actually asked.

   "I asked if you were hungry." This time Nic's smile was more then a hint. Softening his harsh aristocratic face. "We're not usually home for mid meal, or lunch as you would say. So I doubt if there's anything already made. But I'm sure that I can throw something together for you. I'm not completely useless in the kitchen no matter what my Siblings might say."

    The hopeful look on Nic's face made him look younger, less imposing. His whole body was poised and waiting. He looked like he was ready to jump to it if she said yes to food. As if he really wanted to do something, anything for her. Annik wasn't sure where that thought had come from but she didn't question it. And what an odd way to say lunch. Then Annik reminded herself that English was his second language, so she would probably find many of his phrases odd.

       "Siblings?" Annik queried. "You mean your two brothers from the alley?"

    She really didn't want to think about what had happened in that alley. Didn't want to remember the reason she was standing in this lovely foyer talking about food. Annik remembered the other two men that she had met earlier. One had clearly been Nic's twin the only real difference being the length and style of his hair. The other however had been shorter, platinum blond and much fairer of skin than the twins were. And the odd word he used. Not brothers but siblings, why use that term. Where the twins or the other one adopted? maybe all three? All three of them were tall and well muscled though. And had the same general muscular build.

    "Among others, yes," Nic replied simply.

    Talk about shutting a conversational door. Clearly Nic had no intention of saying anything more on this subject. "I wouldn't mind some food," Annik answered, not wanting to pry.

  Annik smiled up at her rescuer and decided that she could really come to like him. She resolutely refused to look to closely at that particular thought. Instead she followed Nic as he led the way over the design in the black marble floor into a well appointed dinning room with a table that looked like it could have seated thirty or forty people all at once. She thought it was made of oak, but what did she know. Before Annik could get more than a cursory look at the room though Nic had continued on to go through a butler's door at the other end. As she followed him across the room Annik wondered if every room in this house belonged in a museum.

    The kitchen on the other side of the butler's door was absolutely huge. Annik once again was stopped in her tracks. The room she was standing in was the dream kitchen of every chef. One that looked large enough to feed an army. Or at least the thirty plus people that would fill that huge table in the room behind her. All the appliances looked like they were the best in the market. Annik had worked in enough professional kitchens to know a thing or two about that.

    "Do a lot of people live here or do you just entertain a lot?" Annik asked in a amazement. "This kitchen looks like it could feed a country."

    "Nope," Nic answered distractedly, looking for something in the cupboards. "Don't really entertain at all. My father did but that was back in the old country."

   Was his father dead Annik wondered to herself. Wait, He'd said that his father had built this place before he'd died. She wasn't going to ask him how though. She knew what that was like, first hand. He clearly hadn't lost the money, Annik thought as she continued to watch Nic rummage around for who knew what. I wouldn't be in this showroom of a house if he had. When Annik stayed where she had stopped, Nic gestured for her to seat herself in a breakfast nook. A thick butcher block table that was obviously used for both eating and for prep stood in one corner in front of banquet seating. this room was so much more homey then the foyer or the dining room. It was easier to relax here.

    Taking a seat at the short side of the banquet. Annik decided that she might as well enjoy the sight of Nic while he cooked. He was so easy on the eyes. Nic had taken off the leather jacket and laid it on the edge of the table she sat behind. She was briefly taken aback by the sight of the guns that were holstered under each arm. The large knife sheathed on his back was less of a surprise. Annik was fairly certain that there were more weapons in the jacket. Not wanting to think about what had happened earlier she  quickly distracted herself with looking at Nic.

    "Why do your brothers think you are useless in the kitchen?" Annik asked, watching the smooth way he moved.

   "Because he set the kitchen on fire is why," a gentle female voice answered.

    Annik looked quickly at the door she had come in by. She had been so busy watching the man move that she hadn't realized that someone else had joined them. A tall and elegantly beautiful woman stood in the door way. She must be over six feet tall Annik said to herself. The strangers hair was so pale that it looked almost translucent. Tied back into a long braid that draped over one shoulder. Vibrant blue eyes looked at Annik with such compassion that all she could do was blink back at the woman in confusion. The woman was so beautiful that she almost seemed unreal. She has got to be a model of some kind. This must be Nic's girlfriend? wife? Annik said to herself. Someone as handsome as he is has to be with this statuesque woman.

    She didn't want to think about the stab of jealousy she felt at the quick hug and peck on the check that the two exchanged. You have no reason to feel like that, Annik firmly told herself. He isn't yours no matter what your libido thinks. Just because he rescued you doesn't mean that you are anything special to him. You don't even know the man for Gods sake. And it was obvious that the two were close from that greeting.

    "Hi, the gorgeous woman said as she walked up. "I'm Bree, I'm one of Nic's Siblings." The woman gave a small bow as she introduced herself.

    The woman Bree, then turned to Nic. "Tell me you're not trying to cook, again. I'm not sure the kitchen can survive another such attempt." the laughter was clear in her voice.

    It took a second for exactly what Bree had said to register on Annik. More of that odd way to say brother. Or in this case sister.  Well, that explained Nic's among others comment at least. Annik said to herself. It made perfect sense, after all Bree had the same odd accent that Nic had. Maybe not as pronounced, but still the same. They didn't look like relatives but maybe one or more of them were adopted?  Nic had said that his father had built the mansion and had entertained a lot back where they were from. Most likely Nic's father had adopted the two that didn't look like him Annik decided. And the odd way of saying she was Nic's sister must be a second language kind of thing.

    "Hi," Annik said as she stood up. Holding out her hand to the other woman. "I'm Annik Johnson."

    As they shook Annik was glad that Bree was Nic's sister. She really wanted to like the woman. Annik was normally reticent around people. She was naturally shy and the way she'd been raised hadn't changed that tendency at all. But there was something about the other woman that encouraged Annik to be more outgoing then she usually was. Something that put her at ease. What was it about these people that made her act so out of character Annik wondered as she sat back down. The woman wasn't the only example. She had gone with Nic, a perfect stranger, just minutes after someone had attacked her. Sure, he had stopped the attack and defended her. But she didn't know the guy from Adam. Why did she trust him.

    Wiket picked that moment to make an appearance in the kitchen. She padded over to Bree meowing loudly. Clearly wanting the woman's attention. The cat sat down on her haunches and started to purr. For her part Bree looked down at the cat and purred a greeting back. Then she looked over at Nic and started speaking in a foreign language that Annik didn't know, but had heard before. She just couldn't be sure that it was the same one her mother had spoken. Eventually Annik knew she'd find out for sure. Even if it meant showing them the story book her mother had told her tales from. It was  good bet after all that if it was the same written language than it was the same spoken one. Maybe she'd finally be able to find out what the tongue was.

     What ever it was that had been said made Nic look over at the tall woman almost thankfully before he responded. He looks like she had given him the winning lotto numbers Annik thought. Annik remember the few times she'd heard her mother use that language. It was always in bad dreams. Dreams that almost always ended in her screaming herself awake. What the hell was going on here. How had she ended up with a group of people that spoke the same language her mother had. One that she had never heard from anyone else in her life. God, this night was going from bad to weird Annik decided.

    Before she could go any further with those thoughts Bree turned to her and spoke in her accented voice. "Nic says the cat is yours. She's beautiful. What's her name."

  Annik shook her head before answering. "Actually she belongs to my landlord. She stowed away with us when we went grab some of my stuff." Annik made a lap for the cat when she asked for one, who immediately jumped up and settled in for the duration. "I have to call my landlord tomorrow and make arrangements to take her back. "OW, Wiket." Wiket had chosen that moment to carefully sink one claw into Annik's leg as if she understood what was being said and didn't approve.

    Bree laughed while she answered. "You don't own cats. They own you. And I think that Wiket-" Bree looked at Annik plainly asking if she had the name right, continued at Annik's nod. "Wiket has decided that you are her person." Bree laughed again. "You can't argue with that kind of thing. And you'll only loose if you try."

    "That's what Nic said too," Annik replied, starting to laugh herself.

    Man this Bree woman was easy to get along with. Annik had never had a real friend before. Heck she'd barely had acquaintances at work much less friends. And forget having any away from work. It had always been just her and her mom before. But Bree felt like she could become a real friend. Damn, Annik thought, the closer I get to these people the more it's going to hurt when I leave. But for once Annik decided that she was going to go with it and have a friend. If only for the short time that she was here. After all she may never get another chance. Not letting any of her thoughts show on her face Annik changed the subject

    "Did Nic really set the kitchen on fire trying to cook?"

    "Multiple times actually."

"Hey," Nic protested. "The last one wasn't my fault." Laughing Nic continued. "Let's get you fed. Even I can read the directions on a can of soup."

    "Ah," Bree shot back, holding up a finger to make her point. "But will you follow them is what I want to know." Bree placed a hand on Nic's shoulder. "You sit down and I will throw something together and we can all eat. After all I came in here to grab a snack in the first place."

  "Good plan my Sister. Good Plan." Nic then turned to Annik before continuing. "We can talk in the library after we eat."

    Annik started to wonder what they needed to talk about. Oh yeah, she remembered. The whole rescuing me from stinky guy. And how I'm going to pay my way here. Annik was determined that she wasn't going to accept any charity. And if that meant she left first thing tomorrow? Then so be it. She was going to win this particular argument whether Nic knew it or not.

    Annik watched as the gorgeous blond started to boss Nic around. Obviously telling him what to get and what to do with it. They were talking in that beautiful language of theirs again but Annik didn't get the feeling that they were hiding anything from her. More like it was just habit to talk to each other in it and they had forgotten that she didn't speak it.Annik decided that she could listen to Nic talk all night long. It didn't matter what language he used.

    Annik didn't care if they were talking about her or not. She just sat at the table watching the two of them cook while she pet the cat in her lap. Well one of them cook, the other following orders and trying to stay out of the way. Annik wasn't sure why she felt so comfortable with the two of them but she did. It had always seemed to her that there was an invisible wall between her and the rest of the world. Like she lived on a different wave-length then everyone else. Annik felt like she was home for the first time. Deciding that she didn't want to think about that too much Annik went back to watching them cook. Well, watching Nic try to cook actually. that was another thing she didn't want to think about. She was just going to enjoy the view and pet the cat.