True Faces Read online

  True Faces

  Ciara Steele Novella Series, Book One

  By Catherine Banks

  Copyright 2011 Catherine Banks

  Smashwords Edition

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  Smashwords Edition, License Notes:

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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  PROLOGUE

  I hated sitting in the tree outside of her window, watching her like some sick perverted stalker, but I couldn’t stand having her out of my sight. Her buttery skin and blonde hair blended perfectly with her hazel eyes that changed from blue to green when she was upset and speckled with brown when she was frightened. She was one of the few women left who were skinny, but built with an hour glass shape. Her shape begged me to run my hands along it and trace the curves.

  I watched as she practiced kickboxing with her radio blaring heavy metal rock music. Sweat trickled down her chest and disappeared in to her tank top between her average sized, but perfectly proportioned breasts. She was perfect and I wanted her. The others would sense the difference in her soon and I had to claim her before they tried to take her. But the women of this century are much different than those of past ones. And this woman is more different than any other of her century. I love her and she doesn’t even know I exist. Such a cruel world.

  ~~~~

  CHAPTER ONE

  Akio flicked the center of my forehead making me cringe in pain. “Still open,” He grunted. Akio was short, Chinese and very powerful. He could kick my butt in two seconds even though he was very very old.

  I groaned and continued my Qigong movements and tried to focus on the center of my forehead.

  “I don’t understand why I can’t just focus on closing the eye first and then do the other training.” I complained.

  “I teacher. You student. Now focus.” Akio flicked my forehead again making me wince in pain.

  I sighed, but continued with the lesson. Akio raised his fingers toward my forehead after two minutes of watching me, but I grabbed his wrist before he could hit the center of my forehead where my invisible, but very real, third eye sat.

  “Anymore and I’ll be blind instead of being able to close the third eye,” I whispered calmly.

  Akio frowned at me, his deep wrinkles deepening further. I fought to push back the image of the dragon that was overlapping his face.

  “Fine. No more today, but you must practice,” he said angrily.

  I put my right palm over my left fist and bowed to Akio. “Thank you Master.” He nodded his head once and hobbled toward the back of the dojo where his living quarters were. I changed quickly into my work clothes then slung my backpack over my shoulders and walked down the busy city street. The sun dried the sweat on my face as I walked toward one of the seven skyscrapers in the city.

  Luna Villa was a two horse town when Akio purchased his property in sixteen thirty four, but in the eighteen hundreds the werewolf superstition spread and tourists swarmed to any city they believed could house wolves. What better place to look for werewolves than the “moon village”?

  Tourism was still booming three hundred years later and the merchandisers milked them for all they could. You could get a mug, a shirt, even a blanket with a picture of a half man, half wolf beast howling at the moon. The drawings were laughable and I knew the real werewolves despised the drawings. Yes, I said real werewolves. Not a very nice group to socialize with, but they seemed to like it in Luna Villa since hundreds of werewolves lived in the town. There were many other preternaturals living in Luna Villa as well and it made for a very frightening place to be out at night in.

  The normal humans had no idea and the werewolves played it up around the full moon, running through town in their wolf forms or in combatant form (half man-half wolf). The tourists would run to the cops and tell them how their friend was eaten by a werewolf and the cops would shoo them away as drunk and needing to get their fantasies in check with reality. Sadly it was the cops who needed a check in reality.

  I stopped at the red crosswalk sign and waited for the little white man to signal me to walk.

  Two men stopped beside me and the hair on the nape of my neck stood up. I turned my head slowly and my eyes widened. Over the men’s human faces flickered images of two ogres who were smiling at me, revealing decaying brown teeth. I turned away quickly and stared straight ahead trying to act like I had no idea they were ogres and favored the taste of human flesh.

  The signal finally changed and I walked quickly across the street. I couldn’t run or they would know I could see their true faces. I made it two more blocks without seeing another preternatural until a werelion stepped in front of me smiling wide. The blurred image of his razor sharp teeth overlapped the small human ones and would have made me scream if I wasn’t used to seeing it every day. “Hey girl. You look like you could use a good time.”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat and shook my head. “Sorry, I’m taken,” I said as strongly as I could. His nostrils flared and I knew I was sunk. He wouldn’t smell a man on me and would press the issue. It was broad daylight dammit. They usually didn’t pull stunts like this until night.

  He flared his nostrils again, looked behind me then shrugged and stepped out of my way. “My bad.”

  I wanted to look behind me to see what he had seen, but knew that something that would have frightened a werelion would have probably made me wet my pants. I walked quickly away from him and started counting down the blocks to my work.

  Five.

  Four.

  Three.

  Two.

  One.

  I opened the front door and hurried inside flashing my security badge at the guard as I ran passed. I turned toward the front door as I waited for the elevator and crossed my fingers. The elevator dinged and no monsters followed me inside. Thank goodness. I climbed into my metal safe haven and pressed the button for the sixth floor. Preternaturals hate to be in confined spaces so the elevator was the only safe place for me at work, but sometimes they used the elevator and I was forced to share the box with them.

  I slowed my breathing down and whispered, “As long as the monsters don’t know I can see them, they won’t hurt me.” If only it were true and I believed it.

  The elevator doors opened and the noise of the office brought a smile to my face. Secretaries, running between their desks and their attorneys’ offices, yelled orders to clerks. Attorneys yelled orders at the secretaries and yelled insults at the other attorneys. The phones constantly rung and music from the employee jukebox filled the air with a static hum. I loved my job.

  After grabbing a cup of coffee and adding two sugars and one cream, I rushed to Robert’s office. He was yelling at the phone, so I knocked on the door and stood just outside of it. He slammed the phone receiver down and motioned me in. “Morning sir,” I said with a pleasant smile on my face.

  He nodded his head at me shaking around his grey hair and pointed to a stack of tapes and files. “I need all of the letters and legal pleadings out today and I need coffee.”

  I set the coffee on his desk and picked up the files and tapes. “Right away. Remember, you have a deposition in conference room four in two hours and a counselors meeting at three in the executive conference room on the first floor.”

  Robert rubbed his temples. “What is the point of a counselors meeting? The chief will tell us we’re doing a great job, the other attorneys will g
loat about recent wins and then a debate will ensue which won’t get finished because no one can agree on anything. It’s absurd.”

  I smiled. “And you love every second of it.”

  He started to smile then shook his head and frowned. “Coffee, now.” Any other secretary would have objected that she’d just gotten him a cup of coffee, but I knew he would chug the first cup and would need the second one by the time I got back to him.

  I turned and left his office before he could think of some way to make me go to the counselors meeting in his place. I set the files and tapes on my desk and put my backpack in the bottom drawer. Sally popped her head up over the cubicle wall and smiled at me. “So, did you meet anyone?”

  I rolled my eyes at her and pushed her red haired head back over the wall. “I stayed home all weekend and watched episodes of Buffy.” We both sat down before one of the attorneys saw us talking and docked our pay.

  Sally sighed. “I don’t understand your infatuation with that teen vampire show.”

  “Vampire slayer show,” I corrected her. “And there is nothing wrong with Buffy. Wouldn’t you enjoy slaying a few demons?”

  Sally replied without hesitation, “I’d settle for a few attorneys.”

  I laughed quietly and hurried away from my desk towards the full kitchen. The attorneys spent more time at work than at home, so they decided to put in a full kitchen where they could make their secretaries cook them food. Three other secretaries I had never seen before were pouring coffee and tea into mugs for their attorneys when I stepped into the kitchen. I waited my turn for the caffeinated pot of coffee then grabbed Robert’s favorite mug sporting a penguin with a green tie asking, “What do you mean it doesn’t match my suit?” and poured the coffee in.

  I started adding sugar when one of the secretaries started talking to me. I stirred the liquid and smiled politely. “Sorry I didn’t hear your question?”

  She was a thin woman, almost too thin. It made me wonder if a kick to her side would break a rib. “I asked if you had seen the new attorney or if you knew who was assigned to him?” She asked with a bright smile.

  I frowned. “I didn’t know there was a new attorney.” Sally always kept me up to date on office gossip. Had she forgotten to tell me or was she holding out on me?

  One of the other secretaries, a woman too obese for her tight shirt, rolled her eyes. “I don’t know how you could have missed him. He’s only got the most perfect brown eyes and black hair I have ever seen.”

  The last secretary, the type of woman who tended to be overlooked no matter what she was wearing, groaned. “And the most luscious body.” All three women giggled loudly like teenage girls.

  I washed off the spoon I had used to stir Robert’s coffee and shrugged. “Well I hope one of you gets assigned to him.” They waved and I hurried to Robert’s office. I didn’t really care about new attorneys and office gossip, but I preferred to be kept in the loop so that I didn’t look like an idiot when someone asked me a question about what had happened recently.

  A hot attorney would at least be something to look at instead of these other, old attorneys that worked here. We did have one younger attorney, but he was not attractive.

  I walked into Robert’s office and set his mug in front of him and was almost out the door when he called my name. I winced and turned around slowly. “Yes, sir?”

  He had on his serious frown, the one that meant he was upset. “The chief has informed me that you’re being reassigned.”

  My mouth dropped open. “But…but I’m always here. I’m never late and I get your work out on time. Did I misspell something or not check a box?”

  Robert waved his hand to stop me. “Calm down, Ciara. You didn’t do anything wrong. You’re being promoted.”

  I closed my mouth then asked, “What floor?”

  He smiled. “First.”

  I sighed. Dammit. That was the floor where the monsters worked, but it was also the Executive members. “Which attorney is it?”

  He straightened his tie, a sign that he felt threatened by this new attorney. “The new hot shot, Eric Wolfe.”

  “Wolf?” My voice picked up a few octaves.

  Robert sighed and placed his hands on his desk. “Ciara, I don’t have much time. Yes, you’re Eric Wolfe’s new secretary. He’s already left for the day so the Chief told me to have you pack your stuff and set up your desk by Wolfe’s office and then go home. I don’t see why he gets to miss the counselors meeting.”

  I recomposed myself and smiled. “It’s been a pleasure working with you, Robert.”

  Robert nodded his head and picked up his ringing phone. I shut his door and walked numbly to my desk. Sally walked around her cubicle to stand by me. “What’s up? You look like you got docked money again.”

  I shook my head. “I got a promotion.”

  She smiled. “That’s great! Where are you going?”

  I pointed down. “First floor. New attorney.”

  She gasped and lowered her voice. “You got Wolfe?! You bitch!”

  I frowned and looked up at her. “What?”

  “He’s got to be one of the sexiest lawyers practicing. I was hoping to get that job, but you do deserve a raise.”

  I smiled. “A raise? Hmm, maybe this won’t be so bad.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You are a piece of work, Ciara. Only you would act devastated about getting a promotion.” She looked at the files and tapes piled on my desk. “Let me guess, these are rushes for today?”

  I smiled. “Yeah.”

  She sighed. “Hand ‘em over. I’ll divvy them out.” I handed her the stack then started packing up my personal belongings, which consisted of a calendar with forest pictures that Akio had purchased for me, a samurai bobble head and my backpack. I walked to the elevator and took a steadying breath. Down to first floor hell I go. The raise had better be worth looking at preternaturals all day.

  The elevator dinged loudly at the bottom floor sounding like a bell in my head. I walked out and toward the ornate double doors that led to the executive area. I opened the doors and froze as every set of eyes turned toward me. Every single employee was a preternatural. Shit. I walked to the head secretary and smiled as best as I could manage. “I’m Ciara Steele.”

  She nodded her head and pointed straight. “Eric Wolfe, office one thirty.” I walked past all of the silent workers as they followed me with their eyes and hurried into my new office.

  I have my own office! I closed my door and heard averagely loud work noise start up. It was too quiet down here. No yelling, no music and no phones ringing more than once. I set my bobble head on top of my new flat screen computer monitor and hung my calendar on the wall. I looked around my office and smiled. Two of the walls were solid and two were glass. The glass wall to the right faced Mr. Wolfe’s office and the wall in front of me faced the walkway to my office. My office was a portal from the normal workers to his office. It was designed that way so that I could keep the nuisances away from the attorney. I knew this because I had come here after hours out of curiosity and talked with a secretary who was working late.

  He must be really good to be new and get this office. I opened the door to his office and peeked inside. Solid walls all the way around except for the one into my office. He could see me and I could see him, but no one else could see him. Complete privacy for him and partial privacy for me. I shut his door and grabbed my backpack. That was when I noticed a small yellow note on my keyboard. It was a sticky note with elegant writing on it. I picked it up and stared in shock at the note.

  “Can’t wait to begin our relationship.

  I know we’ll make a great team.

  ~Eric W.”

  None of the attorneys at the firm had ever written me a nice note before. Maybe he wouldn’t be so bad? I put the note on the bottom corner of my computer and smiled. I could handle a group of preternatural secretaries and attorneys. I walked to the head secretary and asked, “Are there any forms I need to fill out?”
r />   She shook her head and handed me a piece of paper. “Here’s your new salary statement. Mr. W wants you here at seven thirty tomorrow morning. Don’t be late.”

  I looked at the salary and gasped. “A…are you sure this is the right one?”

  She frowned at me, her long canine ears flattening to her head. “I don’t make mistakes.”

  I swallowed nervously. “Of course not. My apology.” I hurried out of the double doors and out of the building. I let the sun warm my cold skin and looked at the salary again. “Seventy five thousand dollars?! Shopping spree here I come!” I yelled excitedly. I folded the paper and put it inside my backpack before jogging down the sidewalk. I danced nervously from foot to foot as I waited at the crosswalk for the signal to change and charged across smiling at the wereanimals and fairies in human disguises walking by me. I opened the door to The Office, the clothing store that the top executives purchased their clothes from, and smiled at the saleswoman. “I need a new set of clothes.”

  She smiled at me politely. “What position?”

  I pulled out my salary statement. “Executive Assistant to a level four attorney.”

  Her mouth dropped a little before she recovered and smiled. “Right this way, Ma’am.”

  ~~~~

  CHAPTER TWO

  Three hours of shopping later and my arms were loaded with packages. The saleswoman flagged down a taxi for me and even paid my fare. Being promoted was definitely a great way to start the day. The cabbie dropped me off on the outskirts of town where I lived, pressed against the forest and helped me to the door of my house. I thanked him and hurried inside, shutting the door and locking all three deadbolts.

  I ran up the stairs and emptied my shopping bags on to my bed. I giggled in delight and held a black pinstriped dress up in front of me so I could look at it in the mirror. “Hmm…maybe next week.” I hung the dress up and then held a pantsuit outfit up to my body in front of the mirror. It hugged all the right curves and was very classy. “We have a winner.” I hung the outfit on the mirror and started hanging the rest of the clothes up in the closet then finished by sorting the shoes, socks, hosiery and underwear.