Cuckoo in the Coven

“Dimitri, darling.” She put out her hands, but didn’t rise.

Dimitri crossed the room at a pace, and then bent over her hands, kissing them.

“Good to see you, dear boy.” Her gaze flitted immediately from Dimitri to Caleb. “Who’s your friend?”

Caleb walked slowly over to join them. He had the feeling she already knew who he was. Dimitri did the introductions, then stood in a far corner, leaning up against a marble pillar, one shoulder against it, observing.

“Take a seat.” She gestured at a low chair nearby.

Caleb chose to remain standing. He had no intention of getting cozy with this viper woman. He nodded his head, and stayed where he was. “Ms. Cavendish.”

“Call me Drusilla.” She looked him over, staring quite blatantly. “Dimitri told me about you.”

“So I understand.”

“You seek kin.”

The urge to deny it was within him, but he resisted. “I’m curious about my beginnings, that much is true.”

“If you were part of our coven, we’d assume the task of discovering your background, if we didn’t already know.” One corner of her mouth lifted.

He stared at her, saying nothing.

“I’d be happy to welcome you,” she continued, still looking him up and down as if he was a piece of meat in a market, “but we usually have some sort of initiation, or a task, through which you prove yourself. Are you willing to take such a challenge?”

Caleb bristled. “I’ve been reliably...” He paused and looked at Dimitri, “informed, that you might know something of my family origins. If you don’t, I’m out of here.”

She broke eye contact, spreading herself out more comfortably on her velvet chaise lounge. Her black silk robe fell open, revealing her shapely legs. Caleb had the feeling she’d done it on purpose to attract his attention. She was a good looking woman, but that wasn’t why he was here.

“Caleb Meriwether, Caleb Meriwether...” She tapped one long red talon against her lower lip. “The name rings a vague bell.”

Irritated, Caleb rolled his eyes. “How vague?”

“I do seem to remember some gossip within my circles. It’s likely I can find out more on your behalf. I’d fill your background in, for a price.”

“Which is?”

“Loyalty. Join my coven.”

Now he was sure. He definitely didn’t want to be part of a coven. Ever. But he was hungry for the knowledge she might have about him. “Depends on the task.”

“I’d like you to go south, meet some old friends of mine.” She smiled. It was sinister. “Specifically, I’d like to know what they’re up to these days. Let’s just say we have mutual interests.”

“You’re asking me to spy on an enemy?”

“My, you are direct. I prefer to call it getting to know them.” She lifted her perfectly arched eyebrows, looking like a 1920s silent movie star.

She looked good, and he couldn’t help wondering how old she was. She had quite the reputation, so he figured she’d traded for more time.

“Where?” He didn’t really want to leave London at the moment. He had irons in several business fires, but he could handle them from a distance.

“You’ll have to leave town for a while. Head down to Cornwall for a nice sleepy retreat.”

Caleb couldn’t think of anything worse. He needed to be on the go, to feel alive and worthwhile. “Sleepy?”

“Don’t be fooled by appearances. There’s a lot going on beneath the surface.”

“And you want to know what.”