by Jami Gray
Horrified chills ran over Xander. How could any parent sacrifice a child like that?
Warrick continued, his voice grim. “Dmitri was frantic. He approached our father and asked to be allowed to turn her. My father refused, rightly so. Forcing a human to endure a change is never a good idea. And bringing the change on someone mortally ill—” His arms tightened around her briefly. “—the odds are even worse.”
Pity and anger seeped through their bond. She gave him the only comfort she could for his old pain by continuing to listen.
“Furious, Dmitri left the pack, taking her with him. It broke my mother’s heart, but my father—” He stopped and gusted out a heavy exhale. “My father was torn. Some of the wolves suggested he consider silencing Dmitri. They were worried he would betray them to the invading humans.”
Stunned, Xander raised her head and looked at him. “They shouldn’t have asked that of him.”
Something old and weary darkened his face and he traced the edges of her tattoo with a delicate touch. “It was a dark time then, pixie girl. So many were being hunted and not just Kyn. Those wolves had families to protect. Their concerns were valid.”
She frowned. “But to ask a parent to kill their child—Where was your Tracker?”
“We had none and the responsibility for dispensing justice and protecting the pack fell to the alpha.”
She studied his expression. “He refused.”
Warrick gave a short nod. “And he, my mother, and many others paid for it.”
“Why?” Why would his brother betray his family, his pack?
He cupped her face. “He changed Elise, but lost track of her when the change started. He found her a few days later, dead.” Dropping his hand, he looked over her head at the fire. “He went straight to Metzger and gave him the information. Information that was used to ambush the pack.”
Watching the careful blankness of his face, she knew there was something he wasn’t saying. “How did she die?”
At first, she didn’t think he was going to answer, but then, “I killed her.”
The three words fell like stones into the quiet, sinking down and leaving the ripples of hidden emotions in their wake. His face remained still, but what came through their bond was anything but calm. It was a tangle of anger, guilt, sorrow, resentment, and practical necessity.
“She was a threat,” Xander picked her words carefully, watching. “Not just to Dmitri, but to your family, you, your pack.” Maybe if he heard her say it, he’d begin to believe it.
His attention turned from the fire and focused on her. He studied her expression as if weighing her belief behind her words. Whatever he saw had him giving her a slow nod.
“Does he know you killed her?” she asked.
“If you had asked two days ago, I would have said no,” he answered. “But—”
Yeah, but.
Based on what they thought Dmitri was up to, she had to agree with Warrick’s assessment. No matter how much you fought with family, no matter how nasty the fights got, in the end they were still family. To be forced into a situation where your actions would forever break those ties, was unimaginable. But some betrayals were beyond forgiveness.
Her heart ached for him. “How did he survive?” There was no way Warrick would have let his brother walk away, not after that.
“There was no actual proof of his betrayal. We could never connect him to Metzger’s plans. There were witnesses that put him miles away at the time of the attack, still grieving for his human. When I went to hunt him down, he had disappeared. It was thought that he had been killed.”
She folded her hands on his chest and rested her chin on top of them, watching him. “Until now.”
“Until now,” he agreed, holding her gaze.
Studying his beloved face, taking note of the lines etched around his mouth and eyes, she wondered if he realized how much he was hurting over his brother. She knew as well as he did that if they were able to definitively link Dmitri to the spell and the drug, Warrick’s only option would be to kill his brother. What would that do to him? Whether he admitted it or not, it might break something in him. She couldn’t let that happen.
His eyes narrowed. “What are you thinking?”
She shook her head and pushed upright. “We need to get to Taliesin.”
He leaned forward, searching her face. “That wasn’t it.”
She wouldn’t lie to him, but she wasn’t stupid enough to tell him either. “No, it wasn’t, but that’s the most important thing right now.”
He continued to watch her and she was worried he wouldn’t let it go. “Once I deal with Mulcahy, we’ll call Ryuu and see what he’s found out about the human who supplied the drug to Sebastian. Maybe we can use the human or Sebastian to draw Dmitri out.”
She nodded and got up from the couch, bringing the blanket with her. Relief that he wouldn’t press filled her and she headed for the stairs. It was time to get dressed and go hunting.
Before she reached the first stair, an arm snagged her waist as Warrick pulled her close. Her arms were trapped under the blanket, which in turn was caught against his chest. He raised her chin and took a quick kiss.
“Whatever it was, I’ll figure it out,” he warned her, an anticipatory light at the prospect of a different hunt in his eyes.
Since Xander’s bike was still at Ryuu’s, Warrick drove to Taliesin. Her pants were damp, but clean and Warrick’s T-shirt hung to her knees. Even her hair was subdued, the various shades of blonde laying in a haphazard shaggy style that owed more to a towel than any styling products. At least the bruising was quickly fading. If she was lucky, it would be mostly gone by the time they made it to Taliesin.
Vicious butterflies had decided to take up residence in her stomach and indulge in some serious partying. The constant roiling sensation was making her queasy. Instincts whispered that the upcoming meeting between Mulcahy and Warrick wasn’t going to end well. There was no way. Maybe she’d ask to borrow a couple of blades from Raine just in case she had to step in between the two men.
The image of standing between Warrick and Mulcahy with a knife pointed at each man popped into her head and she frowned as it was quickly replaced by the more accurate image of her resembling a human rope in a bloody tug-of-war. When your choices were facing a pissed-off wolf or a lethal fairie king, it would probably be safer to use the blades on herself.
A rusty chuckle drew her out of her morbid thoughts. “I don’t think it will be that bad.”
“That’s what you think,” she muttered, chagrined at the reminder of their mental connection.
“Mulcahy can be an arrogant ass,” Warrick said. “But his first concern is the safety and wellbeing of the Kyn. Everything else is secondary. Right now, I would bet the Council is pressuring him to get this whole thing swept under the rug as soon as possible.”
“That would be enough to piss anyone off.” Although she never had the misfortune to meet the Council, she knew it was composed of eleven individuals from the various Kyn populations, each one a threat in their own right. All together, they made nightmares tremble.
If Warrick was right, it meant that things were a lot more complicated than she thought. Most of the time, the Council let the territory heads of house handle any situation that cropped up. They were only pulled in when the issue was deemed a threat to the Kyn community as a whole. Granted, having a wolf go Feral in a human club was pretty damn serious, but she didn’t think it was serious enough to garner their attention. “How’d they find out?”
“If I had to guess, I’d say Natasha was covering her ass.” He must have caught her confusion, because he continued. “In the last six or seven months, the Northwest Houses have come under fire for their decisions.”
She had a feeling she knew exactly which decisions he was talking about. “Like entering the Southwest territory and killing the alpha’s crazy, nutter mate?”
His lips twitched at her disrespectful quip. “That’s one. Taking out a w
ell-known human scientist that worked under Jonah Talbot was another.”
Floored, she could only gape at him. “Seriously? The twisted bitch was experimenting on Kyn. And not in a fun way either.”
He acknowledged her statement with a dip of his head. “True, but her death made headlines.”
“As an accidental gas explosion. There was no way for the humans to tie it back to us,” she argued.
“Regardless, the Council has informed the four of us that if we are unable to maintain control in our area, they’ll be forced to send a representative to evaluate the situation.” Which didn’t sit well with him, if the growling edge to his voice was any indication.
“Well, shit.” That wasn’t good. Not only would they have to smooth things over with the humans, but they’d have to get rid of Dmitri and any humans tied to him, without the Council catching wind. “Does that mean Natasha’s squealing to the Council on the rest of you?”
Warrick’s shoulders shrugged. “Not necessarily. The Council’s very creative at utilizing moles. Still, if it is her, she’s aware that her house isn’t immune to the Council’s verdict, so if I were to guess, I’d say she was trying to make sure that the Amanusa House comes out looking like innocent bystanders in this mess.”
“Isn’t that an oxymoron?” she asked. “Innocent demons?”
“Perhaps.” He smiled. “But as their leader, her primary job is to keep them safe. I can’t fault her for that.”
“I can,” she muttered. He gave her a look. “Well, I can. I understand wanting to protect your people, but not if it means throwing the rest of your community to the wolves, so to speak.”
Pulling into the parking lot at Taliesin, he parked before turning to her. “Being a leader at this level requires a certain amount of ruthless practicality. The decisions you make have long-reaching effects, so what may seem to be cruel in the short term may ensure your survival in the long term.” Something pained crossed his face, but in the dim interior of the car, she wasn’t able to read it. “Your people may not agree with your decisions, but if they know you will do whatever it takes to protect them and theirs, they will stand behind you.”
For the first time, he gave her a glimpse into what it really meant to be an alpha—the choices and the sacrifices a leader made because the ones he protected couldn’t do it themselves. The weight of it took her breath away.
But this was Warrick, her mate, and she knew this was the male she wanted to stand beside. She met his gaze and stated the brutal truth. “Because you do all the dirty work.”
“Yes, it’s my responsibility.”
Leaning forward, she brushed a soft kiss over his lips. Drawing back, she held his gaze. “The world’s a messy place, and evil never plays by the rules. Sometimes to win, you have to break the rules.”
Relief flared then was quickly hidden. “It’s a slippery slope, and one form of dirt looks pretty much like another.”
She touched his face. “I know you, Warrick, and there are lines you will not cross, regardless of the cost. If I think you’re slipping too far, I’ll pull your ass back in line.”
As he touched his forehead to hers, she closed her eyes, hiding the rise of tears as her heart burned under the answering wave of emotion echoing through their bond.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
When Warrick and Xander stepped out of the elevator on the top floor of Taliesin they were met by Raine and Gavin. Raine sat on top of the reception desk, swinging her booted feet. Gavin leaned next to her, his elbow beside her hip as he rested his chin against his fist. Raine didn’t look happy while Gavin looked amused.
Xander frowned. “Who’s with Sebastian?”
“Mulcahy and Cheveyo,” Raine answered, then looked at Warrick. “Mulcahy’s requesting your presence in the interview room.”
Warrick stiffened at the implied command and Xander muttered, “Has anyone ever told your uncle he’s a bit of a demanding ass?”
Raine gave her a fierce smile. “Every chance I get.”
The interview room looked exactly as the name implied, a simple room where prospective employees could be comfortably interviewed for positions. The benign plaster hid solid metal walls etched with some of the strongest reinforced magical wards meant to contain most magic, which made it an ideal spot to conduct other kinds of interviews when necessary.
“What did they do? Kick you out?” Xander asked.
Gavin laughed and Raine growled. “They said I might mess things up.”
Adopting a mock-innocent look, Xander teased, “Who? You? Why ever would they think that?”
Raine’s muttered, “Smart ass,” was replaced by the doors opening behind them as Ryuu joined the party.
“I have info on Brant Sutler.” He didn’t bother with pleasantries.
Exhaustion paled his skin to a dull sheen and the bags under his eyes held enough room for a two-week vacation. He dropped into a chair near the desk, his legs sprawled.
Warrick dragged another chair over positioning it so Raine and Gavin stood between them. “Tell me.”
Xander leaned a hip against the back of Warrick’s chair and settled in to listen.
“Brant Sutler, age twenty-seven, doctoral student working on his thesis entitled, The Impact of Non-Scientific Energy and Nano-Technology on DNA Sequencing, currently employed by Biovita, a biotech lab located in Hillsboro.”
“Non-scientific energy?” Xander repeated.
“Magic,” Warrick supplied.
“Haven’t we had this discussion before?” Raine asked, a thread of anger running through her voice. “Magic never plays well with science. What the hell is so damn fascinating about combining the two that humans just can’t leave well enough alone?”
Before anyone could answer, a dull boom sounded and the floor rocked under the impact. Everyone was on their feet, rushing to the hall leading to the back offices before the cloud of escaping debris reached them. Xander’s heart was in her throat as she stayed on Gavin and Raine’s heels, Warrick and Ryuu behind her.
The choking cloud turned everything into a dull haze of white and breathing became difficult. They were halfway down the hall when another vibration sent the floor rolling under their feet. Slipping and sliding, Xander reached out to stop herself from landing on her ass. She caught what remained of an office windowpane and the sharp sting of skin parting under a jagged piece of metal had her hissing out a breath.
Ahead of her, she could just make out Gavin and Raine jerking to a stop. The strange heavy silence that had settled over everything was shattered by a wrenching scream of anguish and anger. It wasn’t until Xander stumbled closer that she realized the scream was coming from Raine. Shock and horror competed with grim determination as Gavin kept his hold on the near-feral Raine, her attention caught by something in the destruction that had once been the interview room.
Warrick moved up next to Xander and fear skittered through her as she shared a look with him. Dear gods, Cheveyo and Mulcahy! Together, they picked their way over the rubble. Gavin had tucked his head behind Raine’s and was saying something in a voice too low for Xander to hear. Warrick reached them and touched Raine’s face, his touch bringing her struggles to an abrupt halt.
Xander could feel him pull on his wolf as he caught Raine’s gaze. “Enough. This is no time for hysterics.”
There was compassion under the steel of his words, but it was enough. Fury replaced the sick sorrow on Raine’s face and she actually growled at Warrick. He held her gaze for a few more seconds, then turned away and disappeared into the dark hole that had once been a room.
As she passed her friend, she touched Raine’s shoulder in a futile attempt to comfort, trying not to think about what it would mean if either Mulcahy, Raine’s uncle, or Cheveyo hadn’t survived the explosion. She followed Warrick’s back into the gloom.
The dust was beginning to settle, and a single light flickered above, hanging by one stubborn wire. The strobe light effect made it difficult to see. A ceiling tile lost
its fight with gravity and landed on another unidentifiable pile of rubble. Warrick moved around the edges of the room, searching.
Dust and shadows curled around something sitting in the center of the room, eerily untouched by the destruction. Moving closer, her teeth clenched in recognition. Sebastian’s unseeing eyes stared at the ceiling, his face oddly peaceful, which made the red ruin of his chest all the more disturbing. No sense in checking for a pulse. Whatever carved its way out of his ribcage left behind jagged bones, his viscera sprawled like worn-out tinsel. Made it easy to see his heart wasn’t beating.
Looking around, she took in the broken two-by-fours and chunks of plaster littering the ground. Half a table was embedded in the back wall a few feet from the ceiling. The shelves that once covered the right wall were nothing but splinters. The chairs were reduced to so much twisted metal and part of the right wall had collapsed into a small mountain.
The metal housing the wards was exposed in great patches, some sheets curling toward the floor like old wallpaper. Yet, enough was in place to maintain the activated wards, their faint glow adding a surreal tone to the scene. The golden luminesce pulsed in a thin web around the walls, but what shocked her were the ragged gaps where the metal was savagely torn away, leaving the magical threads cut. Whatever happened, it involved some serious magic. And she had little doubt it had originated with Sebastian.
Behind her, she could hear the others make their way into the room, searching for Mulcahy and Cheveyo.
A faint groan from the back of the room was followed by Warrick’s urgent, “Xander!”
She scrambled over the obstacle course of wood, wires, and plaster.
“Someone’s under here.” Warrick crouched next to a warped piece of metal, the wards a dull black burn on its surface. It had fallen from the ceiling, only to come to rest half-propped against the corner, creating a small hollow. He rose to his feet to get a better grip and looked at her. “Ready?”
She nodded, taking a position to the side.
