by Jami Gray
Raine didn’t immediately answer, but stared at the body for a minute. “Maybe, but I think messing with someone’s magic will be a hell of a lot easier than proving science had a hand in this.” She shook her head and met Xander’s gaze. “Besides, science has never played well with magic.” Old horrors darkened her eyes.
Xander curled her hands to keep from reaching out in comfort. She kept her voice soft. “Maybe that’s the why behind all the damage you’re seeing.”
Raine gave a short nod, turned away, and headed to the cars, leaving Xander and Gavin behind.
“Will she be okay?” Xander asked the man who moved to stand so silent beside her. Watching her friend walk away, she knew she wasn’t the only one still trying to find her way back after Arizona.
Gavin brushed her shoulder. “She will be.” He began following in Raine’s wake.
Watching his broad back disappear into the shadows, Xander sighed. She dragged her hand through her hair and wished this night was over. Even if Cheveyo confirmed their suspicions on the spell and its effect, they had no idea who was behind it or why. Discovering Sebastian’s scent on the body hadn’t helped either. It just raised more questions. Questions she wasn’t sure she could ask without hurting those she was sworn to protect.
The night clouds shifted and the moon’s light fell over her, offering a soft song of promise. She closed her eyes and lifted her face, taking a moment to bask in the comfort. Her heart ached. Her pack was being stalked by an unknown enemy, her mate was being singled out, and Zeke was out there alone somewhere. Fate’s cosmic clock was ticking away and Xander had the feeling she was running out of time.
Xander and Raine headed to Taliesin, leaving Gavin behind to ensure no one else decided to drop in before Ryuu came to clean up the after party mess. There was no need for conversation on the ride over. Raine’s stereo was filling in the blanks quite nicely, the volume nowhere near as ear-destroying as normal.
Xander propped her bare feet against the dashboard and let her muscles relax into the seat. The insipid yellow streetlights played peekaboo with her battered pedicure. Now you see the dirt, now you don’t. She’d have to take advantage of the fifth-floor showers before she met with Cheveyo. She looked out the window. Much like her battered feet, the reflection of her blood-spattered face flickered across the glass like an old film reel.
An unexpected, impatient tug on the bond connecting her to Warrick raked across her psychic skin. Flinching at the underlying demand for a response that was coming through loud and clear, she let her head fall back against the seat. She kept her face turned away from Raine, just in case. Warrick wasn’t going to be patient and she couldn’t keep him out forever.
Not that she wanted to, but she had no idea how much he could see when she let him in and that worried her. For three weeks, she kept him out and he hadn’t pushed. Now he was done playing patient predator, demanding she let him in. Her wolf stirred, offering a solution. Xander took it. Loosening her grip on the bond, she let her wolf take the lead. In the dark glass, a low amber light flickered. Her pupils expanded and rounded, until her wolf stared back.
Her lids fell to half-mast and she sank deeper into the essence that was her wolf.
Warrick’s relief when Xander finally released her grip on the bond was short lived. He hoped to get some answers as to what in the hell was going on. Instead, he found himself face to face with her wolf. His wolf surged forward to rub his body along hers, tangling noses in greeting. Somewhere deep inside, a bittersweet ache bloomed. One he refused to allow to surface. Frustrated anger edged out the worry, sliding over the ache. She was avoiding him.
The brush of fur under his clenched fists was followed by the warm weight of her wolf brushing against he legs. He looked down at the distinctive blend of blacks, grays, and whites that made up Xander’s fur. Her short ears were covered in black fur that blended into a mask for her amber eyes and ended in her white muzzle.
His hands relaxed, and even though her head reached his waist, he crouched down until they were eye level. He cupped her beautiful face in his hands and stared into her eyes, catching sight of the woman behind the wolf.
“I know you’re in there, Xander.” He kept his voice level. They had never verbally communicated through the bond, but he hoped she could hear him. “I don’t know what’s going on but whatever it is, hiding from me isn’t going to help.”
He waited.
Her wolf licked his wrist. Not hiding.
“Yes, you are.” There was no way to miss the rough edge in his voice.
Her wolf whined. Need time. There was a pause. Please.
He dropped his forehead until it rested against hers. No matter what she said, he knew something was wrong. She was trying to protect him. Again. He wanted to yell at her for putting herself in-between him and whatever she considered a threat, but—he had promised to trust her, trust her judgment. The problem was the niggling feeling that things were about to go to shit fast was bearing down hard.
He lifted his head and held hers immobile, forcing her to look at him. “You will be careful.” He didn’t bother hiding the demand of the alpha and the man. Her ears perked forward. “Two hours max, Xander. That’s all I can give you.”
She answered with a small yip then her tongue swept out over his chin. She spun around, nuzzled his wolf and trotted back down the connection. Warrick and his wolf watched her black-tipped tail disappear as she gently blocked her end of the bond.
He had no doubts that whatever course of action she had decided on, he wasn’t going to like. Xander wasn’t known for backing down from what she thought was right. The fact she used her wolf to run interference meant she was really worried that what she was doing was going to piss him off. Therein lay the real issue. When everything was said and done, would he be able to see past her actions to her intentions? For the first time in a very long time, he didn’t have an answer.
Chapter Twenty-One
Xander’s two-hour time limit was almost up. Warrick was pacing the floor in front of the large stone fireplace in his living room when a car’s headlights splashed across the windows as the sound of gravel grinding under rubber joined the show. As he watched a dark SUV make its way up his drive, his stomach clenched.
The temporary calm he found from their earlier shared run had long since disappeared. He tried reaching Ryuu or Sebastian for the last few hours with a frustrating lack of success. Neither his Second nor Third were bothering to return his calls, regardless of his very explicit messages. And although Xander’s earlier visit had helped, he was now having a hell of a time accepting everyone’s decided lack of communication. Whatever was happening was going to be bad.
Car doors thumped closed and he didn’t move as he heard at least three people make their way to his front door. The tension curdling his stomach rose another notch. Unless it was Xander, Ryuu, or Sebastian, he was in no mood for company.
A sharp knock broke through the quiet, snapping the leash holding him still. He was across the room before the echoes of the knock faded away. A familiar scent had him wrenching the door open to see Xander, flanked by Raine and Cheveyo.
Under his skin, his wolf drew back his lips and snarled at the invaders, yet outwardly he knew the only visible reaction to his growing suspicion would be his eyes flaring to wolf amber. After a quick glance at the individuals behind her, he focused on Xander.
Relief flowed through him and he tightened his grip on the doorknob.
Her long-sleeved black T-shirt and jeans were an abrupt departure from her normal eye-searing color choices. Yet, strangely, the lack of color etched a beautifully lethal picture. He caught the hint of antiseptic soap and shampoo, indicating she showered at Taliesin. A bruise was coming up along her cheek and she held her weight off one leg. The urge to drag her into his arms and check for other injuries clawed at him, but there was a careful distance to her as she faced him. A distance that disturbed both the wolf and man.
“We need to talk.” Her words were soft as she
met his burning gaze with stubborn resolve.
He captured her arm and gently pulled her over the threshold, bringing her close to him. Not saying a word, he ignored the others, keeping her trapped in his arms. He tugged her close until he could feel her slight tremors as she wrapped her arms around his waist and burrowed closer. He closed his eyes and dropped his head over hers protectively.
Someone gave a soft cough and Xander stiffened in his hold before reluctantly stepping back. Inside, his wolf gave a soft, mournful howl. Instead of joining in, he took a deep breath and faced his visitors.
Watching Warrick straighten, his alpha persona falling into place, Xander felt the first cracks start in her heart. Maybe, her foolish heart had whispered when he held her, maybe he’d under-stand why she had to do this. Now cold logic gave a harsh laugh. Warrick the man might, but Warrick the alpha would see only betrayal.
“Come in,” he said.
She stepped back, letting the other two enter the house. She barely restrained the urge to flinch under Warrick’s unreadable gaze. He turned and headed back into the living room, leaving her to follow behind.
A large U-shaped sectional took up the majority of Warrick’s living room. Wolves loved to sprawl out and since an alpha’s home tended to be a gathering place for the pack, lounging space was a necessity. The high-end flat screen TV hung above the river-rock fireplace, a roughly hewn piece of oak providing a sturdy mantle.
Warrick crossed the thick-patterned rug, covering the wooden floors, and waved the others to take a seat. He watched Cheveyo take a seat on the nearest couch before taking his own seat across from him on the opposite section. Raine stopped in front of the large painting hanging on the wall.
Xander limped her way past Raine and across the living room. No sign of last night’s deadly confrontation remained, other than the broken banister above her.
As tempting as it was to take a position behind her alpha, there was no way some leather and wood would protect her from the up-coming confrontation. She stifled a little sigh and carefully lowered her aching body into the corner seat, nearest the fireplace. There was a good two feet between her and Warrick. It would have to be enough. She settled into the plush leather as Raine turned away from the art and perched on the cushion next to Cheveyo.
“Nice art, Vidis.” Raine studied the fall forest scene where wolves peeked from behind trees as if playing hide-n-seek with the viewer.
“Thank you,” Warrick answered. “However, I’m sure you’re not here to appreciate my artistic tastes.”
“Not really.” Raine crossed her arms over her chest. A tense silence curled around the large room.
Warrick raised an eyebrow. “I thought not.” He leaned back, stretching his arm along the back of the couch, and Xander became hyperaware of his hand lying mere inches from her. He turned his attention to Cheveyo. “I’m surprised to see you here, Cheveyo.”
The most powerful witch in the Northwest inclined his head, a small grin playing around his mouth. “The rumors of my death were greatly exaggerated.”
Not by much, Xander thought, considering the still-pale undertones to Cheveyo’s normal burnished skin. A physical reminder of his recent ordeal in Arizona. Between the straight black hair brushing his collar, the sharp planes of his face, and his piercing obsidian eyes, the Native-American blood running through his veins wasn’t in question. However, standing six-foot-six, Cheveyo’s ancestry included some European somewhere along the line. It was a compelling combination, if you didn’t mind dating a giant.
Warrick shot a withering glance in Xander’s direction. “Considering the unusual silence of my wolves tonight, I’m eager to hear why you’ve come.” There was a snap to his voice, as he bit off each word.
Raine opened her mouth but Xander cut her off. “Zeke’s missing.” She ignored the frown Raine sent her. “I think whoever was behind last night’s attack now has him.”
Warrick turned to her, the beginnings of anger thinning his face down. “Why?”
“He was checking on possible links to last night’s attack,” Raine answered.
Warrick swung his head around. “Excuse me?” His voice was so soft it raised every hair on Xander’s body.
“You know, the two wolves that helped redecorate your house,” Raine drawled, “and the wizard who was tagging along? Your missing wolf wanted to meet with Xander, share some information he found. Problem was he never made it to the meeting.”
Warrick rose to his feet in a fluid motion, the wolf evident in every movement. He turned on Xander before anyone could react. With one hand on the back of the couch and the other on the padded arm beside her, he trapped her in place.
She fought for calm and met his barely restrained fury head on.
Ignoring the others, he leaned in. “You defied my orders?” The lethal edge of his question no way diminished by his deceptively gentle tone.
“I did what I felt was necessary to protect my alpha and my pack.” She managed to keep her voice equally quiet.
His low growl didn’t completely cover the sound of leather tearing under his claws. They stared at each other for an endless moment before he pushed away.
As he stalked over to begin pacing by the large windows behind her, she let out a shaky breath and closed her eyes. There was a choking lump in her throat, but she fought past it. Opening her eyes, she caught a flash of sympathy before Raine could hide it. Xander looked down and curled her fists in her lap.
“Did you call in Ryuu or Sebastian to help search for Zeke?” The cold edge to Warrick’s voice cut her to the bone.
“Ryuu was tracking from the office, and I retraced Zeke’s possible path to the pub. I found his truck abandoned on Dowlings Road. He’d been run off the road.”
“You know this how?”
“There was damage to the bumper, his radiator was busted, and there was blood on the steering wheel.”
“Not to mention the welcoming party left behind,” Raine chimed in, unhelpfully.
“How many?” Warrick’s question, snapped from directly behind Xander, made her jump.
Furious over his petty move, she used her sudden spike of temper to bite back. “One.” She deliberately took her time to face him. His face was inches away. Fleetingly, she wondered what he’d do if she nipped his chin in punishment for his behavior. Seeing the furious light in his eyes, she figured he’d probably rip her head off.
He pushed off the couch and paced a couple of steps.
“Can you contact your missing wolf through your ties, Vidis?” Cheveyo’s quiet question stilled Warrick in mid-step.
Warrick flicked her an unreadable glance before turning his back on the room and its occupants to face the large windows.
She watched him. For a minute, he stood there unmoving. Then he slammed his end of the bond brutally shut and she flinched under the impact. She dropped her head to the back of the couch to hide the tears springing into her eyes while her wolf whimpered at the abrupt loss of their mate’s presence. Gods, it hurt. More than she had imagined.
She breathed her way through the shocking pain. It was going to get worse before it got better. Bit by bit, she began compartmentalizing. Find Zeke, confront Sebastian, and eliminate the threats to Warrick. Pack first. Falling apart into a thousand broken pieces would wait.
“Who’s this?” Warrick snapped.
Xander lifted her head to see lights streak across the window. She cleared her throat to get her voice to work. “Gavin and Ryuu. I told them to meet us here when they were done.”
“Are you sure about this, Xander?” Cheveyo’s question was soft, but it snapped Warrick’s spine rigid.
Xander knew what Cheveyo was really asking, but her decision was made as soon as she called him in. She watched Warrick for a moment then turned to face the others. “I’m going to need Ryuu’s help.”
“Can you trust him?” Raine asked.
Warrick didn’t turn. “More than any other.”
Xander couldn’t stop the
small flinch at his answer and all that it implied.
“Vidis.” Cheveyo waited. Xander heard the small brush of cloth, as Warrick must have turned to face the witch. “Can you feel your missing wolf?”
“No.” It surprised her how much emotion one word could hold.
“Then we have a very serious problem,” Cheveyo said.
Before Warrick could answer, the door opened, bringing in cold air along with Gavin and Ryuu.
Ryuu gave the others a quick nod. “Vidis,” he greeted, before dropping down to sprawl next to Xander. “Got Zeke’s truck and your bike at my place.”
She gave him a small grateful smile. She hated leaving her bike unattended, but she was in no shape to ride it back. Hopefully, she could catch a ride with Raine or even Ryuu when they were done here. Considering what she was about to hit Warrick and Ryuu with, Raine was probably the better bet.
“The truck’s going to need some work.” Gavin took a seat on the padded arm of the couch next to Raine. “We were lucky to get it as far as we did.”
“Before I forget.” Ryuu straightened his legs and tilted his hips as he dug his hand into a back pocket. He came out with Xander’s keys. “Here.”
She took them with a quiet, “Thanks.” She could feel the weight of Warrick’s gaze behind her. Tension crawled up her spine. It was time to get this conversation back on track. “Anything come back on the body?” She knew Ryuu had run her attacker’s prints while she was meeting with Cheveyo.
Ryuu frowned. “Not much, actually. The only reason I found anything was because his prints were buried in an old incident report.”
Her pulse skipped. “Buried?”
Her question was quickly followed by Raine’s. “What kind of incident?”
Ryuu looked between them, no doubt picking up on the underlying tension in their inquiries. “He was a minor witness in an investigation of an underground cage match that used wolves to hedge their bets.”
