Chapter 8

• The lobby was decorated with an old celtic feel. The floors and walls were cut, carved stone and large wooden beams arched up to the ceiling. The beams were decorated with elaborately carved gaelic sayings that were most likely wasted on the average patron. But Aislinn was entranced by the intricacy and the beauty of it all. There were stained glass murals high on the walls that through beautifully colored shadows across the floor from the sunlight streaming in. There were tapestries lining the stone walls and sconces holding lighting that looked remarkably like flames. It was as though she had stepped into some different city. No wonder this place gets so much attention, she thought.
• As she waited she contemplated the names of the two businesses. The name of the restaurant, Taigh-oèsda, was actually "the pub" or "hotel" in gaelic. The name of the casino, Madadh-Allaidh Saobhaidh, was "wolf den". She thought about Cullen's eyes and the growling. She didn't really know how to take it all. She was smart enough to make the movie world guess and jump to really insane conclusions. But she just couldn't force that thought into her head. At the same time, she thought, I wouldn't have ever believed that there were druids until I'd had to run away from their creepy culty "circle."
• It wasn't too long before the woman returned and then asked Aislinn to come with her. She led the way back through the door next to the desk, passed a set of doors that waiters and waitresses were going in and out of on the wall that would have shared with the restaurant, and toward a similar set of doors farther down the hall. "This way," she said with a smile. The woman hesitated a minute and turned to look at Aislinn. Her eyes flashed with curiosity. "I'm sorry I just have to ask, how do you know, uh, Cullen?" Aislinn noted the strange emphasis the woman placed on his name. Almost as if Aislinn shouldn't have been allowed to use it. The tone reminded Aislinn of a parent pointing out to a child that she should be more formal when speaking of adults.
• Aislinn had really hoped that question wouldn't come up. She cleared her throat. "He helped me out last week. Uh, he thought the guy I worked for wasn't very nice and suggested I get a job elsewhere."
• The woman looked at her as if she didn't believe what Aislinn said, but didn't press the issue farther. She just turned around and led the way through a door at the end of the hall into an office. There was a man in a gray suit shuffling paperwork at a desk. He looked up and motioned for Aislinn to come in. The woman immediately headed back out the way they had come in.
• He looked up at Aislinn with a piercing dark stare. Aislinn stared right back. He looked older than Cullen, but again there were those strange dark brown eyes and dark hair. Liam was much paler in skin tone than the woman or Cullen, as if he spent all his time in doors behind a desk. He seemed to be trying to see through Aislinn, but she put up her standard wall and waited for him to be done appraising her and say something.
• "Meghan said that Cullen sent you here with a note for me." Aislinn stepped toward the desk and handed the man the note that Cullen had written. He looked it over and then looked up at Aislinn with more of an interested gaze than before. "Okay, so do you have any experience with waitressing?"
• "My last job was tending bar. But I'm a quick study," Aislinn offered.
• The man nodded and looked back at the note. It was pretty obvious that this kind of thing didn't happen often. Somehow it made Aislinn feel good to know that Cullen didn't go around getting every woman he met a job. "Well Aislinn, I do have an opening for a new waitress. When can you start?"
• There wasn't even an interview really. Aislinn filled out the paperwork, was given a tour of the place by Meghan, and was told what to buy as a uniform. That evening she went to the store and spent the last of the rent money on appropriate clothes for her new job. As she did it she wondered what her landlord was going to do when she didn't have rent on time. She shook her head. There wasn't anything she could do about it.
• ***
• Cullen had been into Taigh-osda several times throughout the week. It was his favorite place to eat so no one thought anything about it. But really he had been looking to see if Aislinn had shown up to get that job. He had been more than a little annoyed when she didn't show. Muin, he swore to himself. If she wants to work for some jerk who tries to rape her then let her. She's just some random human female. Why the hell do I care?
• Jenna showed up at the den late that week. She was excited and waited all afternoon for Cullen to manage enough time to meet with her. For his part he had been finding as many extra things to do as he could come up with. The woman was driving him crazy. Ever since he had agreed to the mating she had been calling non-stop and making a fuss. As far as he was concerned, this was supposed to be an arrangement of convenience and nothing more.
• Brennus Tairneach, Jenna's father, was dying. He was ancient. Jenna was his only child and he wanted his bloodline to retain some power in his clan. Cullen owed the man a great deal. Brennus had been an alpha when Cullen was still a child. If it weren't for Brennus Cullen would have been killed centuries ago. But as time wore on Cullen came into his own power. He had never been interested in being an alpha, but he was more than strong enough mentally and physically to do the job. He had created clan Arnauk a long time ago and it was now one of the most powerful clans in northern America. At the same time Brennus was growing older and becoming less influential among the stronger members of the Tairneach clan. It was more than apparent that his child would not be able to succeed him and the vultures were clamoring for his throat.
• Brennus's plan was simple. He called in an old favor. Here was his beautiful daughter Jenna. Cullen couldn't debate that point. The girl was attractive. Cullen owed him a favor and was more than strong enough to merge the Tairneach with the Arnauk. Brennus wanted the Tairneach name to be carried with one of Jenna and Cullen's children and when the child was old enough to rule Cullen was to give the Tairneach land to Brennus's grandchild. Brennus's only hope was that he would be around long enough to see it happen. But he had no delusions about his ability to hold his position as alpha for much longer.