by J. L. Madore
He points to the wall behind the door and I let off a whoop. “You saved Calli’s fireball wall. That’s awesome.”
“Somewhere between that and when you passed out and flashed your junk to my mother was when I fell in love with all of you. I didn’t want to lose those memories or leave them to anyone else.”
“So, you brought Northwood Hall to Kansas,” Calli says, grinning from ear to ear. “I love it.”
Kotah exhales. “I’m so relieved you’re happy. You gave me the idea.”
“I did,” Calli says, kicking off her sneakers. “Yay, me.”
Kotah drops his and Calli’s bags onto the leather sectional and takes her hand to guide her up the stairs. They walk halfway across, to the edge of the railing over by the second door, and then face me down on the main floor.
“Do you remember what you said when we were standing right here when I first gave you the tour of Northwood Hall?” He wraps her in a playful embrace from behind, cupping her breasts and kissing the back of her neck.
She lets off a nervous laugh. “I remember your cock being solid against my ass and you grinding me like you are now. Then you said you needed me naked and wanted inside me to christen the place as mates.”
He laughs. “All true. Then I told you that was where I felt the most myself. In that space. And you said…”
I laugh down below at Calli’s face. She’s definitely pulling a blank. “I think you lost her at want inside you. She gets distracted.”
Calli giggles and lifts her top to flash me her tits. “True story. Sorry, sugar. What did I say?”
“You said, ‘Whatever you need, sweet wolf.’ And that gave me the idea. I need that moment, that feeling of being at home with my mates. If I could have that here, I might be able to breathe.”
“Well, you’ve got my vote,” I say, jogging up with the bags to settle in. “Are the rooms laid out in the same floorplan as Northwood?”
Kotah nods. “Mostly, though I made our master bedroom bigger and put in a door to access the bedroom next door so Hawk doesn’t feel separated from us. I also made us a full office suite for Hawk and me to work in regularly and an extra desk for you guys if something comes up. Downstairs, I converted the two bedrooms on that end of the suite into a workout and fitness room so we don’t have to move the couch every time we want to train, and the two bedrooms on that end are a man cave and a library.”
Calli’s smile lights up. “You did good, Wolf.”
He bites his lower lip. “Annnnd, I may have added a few perks to the spare room too. I had Hawk help me order what we need to furnish our adult playroom.”
“Hot, damn,” I say, my interest in the remodel suddenly getting much more focused. “Which one?” When Kotah points, I pick up speed. I jog past the two of them and yep… worth the price of admission. “Yessss, look at this.”
“Holy shit,” Calli says her eyes widening to round saucers. “You went full-on kinky minx on us, Kotah. I don’t know what half this stuff is.”
“Me either,” he says, grinning. “But it’ll be fun to find out. Don’t you agree?”
I give him a high-five and my jaguar lets off a languid, long purr. I’m looking at the leather cuffs and the bondage restraints and the blindfolds and I swear my mouth starts to water. “Hells to the yeah. We’re trying out this sex swing tonight, but first…”
I close the door and push the ideas lighting off in my head down for the time being, “we’ve got business to take care of. And when I say business, I mean food and figuring out who’s trying to screw us over and why.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Hawk
We land on the private property of one of the Pacific Coast ursine communities north of a mountain town called Willow Creek. It’s a heavily forested area of seclusion, remote access roads, and low populations. It’s the perfect place for a community of bear wildlings to live undetected by the human world and maybe fae conspirators trying to stay off our radar.
“We’ve got a vehicle here for you,” the Six Rivers Alpha says when he greets us. “And Ben called down and explained what you’re facing. I’ve got my sleuth and the Redwood sleuth on notice in case you need backup.”
“Thank you, Alpha,” Brant says.
He smiles at Brant and shakes his head. “I always pictured you mating one of my girls, Robbins. But, I suppose there’s no arguing with the Guardians of the Phoenix prophecy, is there?”
“No sir. And I would’ve been a lucky man to have any of your girls as my mate. They are treasures, every one of them.”
He seems pleased with the bear’s praise. “And you think it’ll happen? You believe your phoenix will be able to break the portal block between the two realms?”
“Calli has a way to go in claiming her powers,” I say, reminding Brant that we need to protect her progress.
Brant nods. “She transitioned less than a month ago. It’ll take her some time, but she’ll do it. I have no doubt.”
Lukas starts up the truck and we extend our thanks. In another few minutes, we stop at the end of the lane, and Lukas programs our destination on the nav system. “Team two is sitting on a heavily treed property twenty minutes north of here. I texted them that we’re on our way and asked for someone to call with a sit-rep.”
Lukas’s phone rings and the vehicle’s Bluetooth flips it onto the console. “You’re on speaker with me, Mr. Barron, and Brant Robbins. What have you got, Griggs?”
“Uh… honestly, we aren’t sure,” Griggs says. “An eight-foot-tall creature shrouded in shadow portaled onto the grounds an hour ago in the company of three teens. They went inside, but whether they’re still in there is anyone’s guess.”
“Tell me about the creature,” I say.
“None of us has seen anything like it.”
“Describe it to me.”
“Tall, like I said… with a massive rack of antlers rising from the back of his head. The horns spread and speared the width of his broad shoulders and then some. He walked on two legs, but his arms were elongated and looked like he could drop to all four and become a beast in battle if needed.”
“Did he wear the curled horn of a ram around his neck?”
“Yeah. We wondered about that. You know it?”
“Yeah. I know it,” I say, cold dread twisting in my guts. “That is a greater fae known as a Forest Lord. And that horn is used to call his dire hounds. Stay the hell back and if he sees you, do not engage. On second thought if you’re discovered and he advances, run like hell.”
I cast a glance at the driver’s seat and Lukas nods. “Going much faster.”
“I take it that Forest Lords are big baddies?” Brant says in the back.
I chuff. “You mean mythical beings of untold power and fury that control a pack of satanic hounds that rip people to shreds… yeah, that would be them.”
“Awesome.” He leans forward between the seats. “Were the three teens with Antler Man from your site or from another site and brought there?”
“What are you thinking,” I ask.
“Maybe they realized Oregon was breached. They could be consolidating to keep a closer eye on their captives.”
“I couldn’t say,” Griggs says.
“Very well,” I say, staring at my clenched fists in my lap. “We’ll be there shortly. Do nothing until we arrive.” When the line goes dead and the radio comes back online, I let off a string of curses. “We don’t have the power to take on a Forest Lord.”
“Nope.” Lukas hits the indicator and makes a left.
“Can you phone a friend?”
The side of his mouth lifts in a mocking smile. “You mean can I call the Mage’s Guild and ask for volunteers to infiltrate a blind situation and take on a Forest Lord we know nothing about and the wrath of his evil hounds?”
“Yeah.”
“No.”
I scrub a hand through my hair. “Who the fuck is behind this teen kidnapping that a Forest Lord is involved?”
“Maybe he is,
” Brant says, his voice more growl than usual. “Maybe he’s our Black Knight.”
I wave that off. “Creatures of their age and power don’t care about modern politics and control. They value old ties and the ways of the past. If someone told me there was one involved in this mess, I would’ve bet money he’d be on our side, helping us open the gate for the chance of reuniting with others of his kind still in StoneHaven.”
“Assuming there are any left in StoneHaven,” Lukas says. “Weren’t they one of the first targets when the power struggles began?”
“Maybe that’s why he’s on this side,” Brant says. “He saw the writing on the wall for his extermination way back when and defected to stay alive.”
I press my fingers over the throb taking root behind my left eye. “Well, if he intended to remain unknown and stay alive, I’d say he succeeded. I had no clue a greater fae of his level lived on this side of the gate.”
“Awesome,” Brant says. “I love me some insurmountable odds. Maybe we’ll get extra lucky and they also have swarms of hellwasps or a phane under their control. Let’s make things interesting.”
I meet Lukas’s gaze and sigh. “Ignore the babble in the back seat. He gets smart-mouthy when the world crashes in.”
“Fuck you, Hawk.”
“Already offered. I declined. Take the hint.”
The low chuckle in the back isn’t what I expect, but it’s better than losing our minds considering the situation. “I’m glad you’re into kink. I’m already visualizing the duct tape over your mouth.”
Okay, that was decent. “Remember, it’s mind over matter, Bear. I don’t mind because you don’t matter.”
“The word of the day is ‘closure,’ avian. Try to keep your thoughts out of my pants. My zipper is closed for business.”
“Fine, Bear, I’ll be your sex object. Whenever you bring up sex, I’ll object.”
“It’s true, I’ve been missing you lately, but my aim is getting better.”
I laugh. “I’m trying to see things from your point of view, but I’m not sure I’ll ever get my head stuck that far up my ass.”
“Sorry, Hawk. I couldn’t fail to agree with you less than I already don’t.”
Lukas sends me a look and shakes his head. “If you two are finished, we’re here.”
I sober and shrug. “If we don’t laugh and let off steam we’re going to explode.”
He turns and pulls the keys, and the engine falls quiet. “I’m used to you choosing the explode option. You laughing freaks me out.”
Calli
Jaxx and I putter around the suite while Kotah and Keyla visit their father. Doc is with them, so he’ll watch their backs. In the meantime, Jaxx and I start redecorating the cork wall of the office pinning up printouts of who the likely suspects are in this conspiracy. Brant sent us their list and we we’re adding to it, trying to make some desperately needed connections. After an hour, we’re looking at almost thirty faces and no idea how any of it fits together.
“So, we have the council here, the palace people here, and the FCO corporate people here,” Jaxx says. “Now we start looking into connections we didn’t consider.”
“Like what?” I ask, pointing to the last slice of pizza.
“You eat it,” Jaxx says. “Like, say… does Raven belong to a Darkside support group? Or does Jayne get down and dirty with Dane from the Fae Council? I don’t know. Do I look like Sherlock Holmes?”
I chuckle. “Thankfully, no.”
There’s a knock at the door and we jog downstairs to receive our first visitor. In the hall, I find a lady-sized raccoon holding a two-level pie keeper. The top is coconut cream and the middle looks like a raspberry flan. Both are favorites of Kotah’s I’m assuming.
“Adahy, come in.” She accepts the invitation and joins us in the suite. She’s dressed in a silk blouse topped by a suede vest and green leather pants similar to those she had on the day I first met her.
Jaxx doesn’t miss a beat and offers his hand. “Kotah’s weapon’s master and confident, correct? He speaks of you kindly. Welcome.”
“A housewarming gift for my boy and his mates,” she says, handing Jaxx the pie keeper. “I went to the royal suites first, but Raven sent me here and said my boy is not residing in the Prime wing.”
“No,” Jaxx says, sliding the pies into the fridge for later. “Keyla and her mother will be free to stay there, but Kotah thought this suite would be more to his liking.”
She looks around, her bushy ringed tail swishing in the air behind her. “I agree. He always was happiest at Northwood Hall. Good for him.”
“It’s perfect, isn’t it?” I say.
“It is. Now, just to be clear. I am moving to the suite across the hall later today. From now on, I am the only one to cook for you and your guests. I will be the only one to present food and drink to you unless you cook for yourself. And if you do cook for yourself, I will stock your kitchen supplies myself, understood?”
I nod, feeling the weight of her words. “Has something happened?”
“Not yet,” she says, preening her whiskers with black, leathery fingers, “but I know that conniving bitch and I’ll not let her drug my boy into an obedience stupor as she has his father for all these years.”
“The Prime has been drugged?”
She nods. “I’d bet my butt it’s why he’s dying so young. Not natural that.”
“And you think Kotah will be next?” Jaxx asks, looking as horrified as I feel.
“She’ll try, don’t doubt it for a moment. When I caught her doing it to the Prime, she had me discredited and days later I was cursed into this form. A freak accident they said. No. It was her… I’ve always known it. She may have removed me from preparing the royal meals back then and fooled everyone since, but the table is about to turn.”
I’m not sure what my expression looks like but Adahy nods. “And while you are here, I will instruct you on weapon combat. I may not be the warrior woman I once was, but short arms don’t erase a century of master weaponry. Show me where you will train. I will ensure you have what we need.”
Jaxx looks as shellshocked as I feel. “It’s over here.”
Adahy takes a tour of the workout room and pulls a tablet out of the side pocket in her green, leather pants. “I’ll make a list. It won’t take me long. My boy can approve it when he gets back and we’ll get started tomorrow.”
I nod, feeling like I’m caught in the whirlwind that is Adahy. “Does Kotah know about his mother?”
“What about her?” Adahy asks, focused on the tablet.
“About her drugging the Fae Prime. Does he know?”
Adahy blinks up at me and frowns. “No. The Prima isn’t the one. It’s Raven. That bitch has this whole palace fooled. And yes, I told everyone with ears but no one believed me.”
“Kotah never mentioned any of this.”
She waves that away and continues to make her notes. “Prima said it was nonsense and Raven threatened to harm them if I continued to interfere. I couldn’t put them in any more danger than they were already in. The Prima wouldn’t listen. That woman is just as bad as… Oh, yes, I see your confusion. She is also a conniving bitch.”
“So, Raven is the one we’re looking out for?”
“Her and anyone working under her orders… which in this palace is everyone.”
I look at Jaxx as something clicks. “Maybe it wasn’t the Prima who had us attacked in Oregon. Raven was there and she could have ordered me kidnapped.”
“She would’ve known to grab Keyla and draw Kotah away as your defender.”
“And she was the only one of us not outside. She stayed in the house during the entire attack. If she knew what was happening and didn’t want to get caught in the crossfire her hiding in the house makes sense.”
Jaxx runs his fingers through his beautiful blond hair and whistles long and low. “I did not see that coming. Watson, I think we have our first suspect to investigate.”
Brant
Hannah meets us out by the road and despite being told she was fine, it makes me feel better to see her for myself. It’s not the same kind of relief I felt when I saw Calli wrapped in the fire blanket waiting for me outside Grant’s fire station, but yeah, I definitely care.
“You scared the shit out of me, Hannah,” I say, stopping myself before I hug her. “Where were you when you called and who was whimpering in the background?”
“I was edging toward the cabin back here and our perps brought out one of the teens to bury. They had another one of the kids with the power to move earth, lift the soil for the shallow grave. That was the one crying you heard.”
I growl. “They’re killing them?”
She shakes her head. “I don’t think it was intentional. From what we learned speaking to the four we rescued in Oregon, their captors were amping them up and then draining their power. It’s hard on them. We’ll know more when we exhume the body when this is over but we figure the one that died just couldn’t withstand their process.”
“This ends now,” I say, swinging my gaze to Hawk.
“Agreed. Let’s take these fuckers down.”
Our group half slides, half runs down the backside of a rise, and then jumps a creek when we get to the bottom. Once across the water, I rip a strip off my shirt and tie the fabric to an oak sapling.
When Hawk arches a brow, I smile. “Lukas may not have phoned a friend, but I did. Along the Pacific Coast, we’ve got the right to bear arms and the right to arm bears. This is ursine territory, and bears don’t take it well when bad guys fuck with our mojo.”
“That Forest Lord will do more than fuck with your mojo, Bear. If he’s here as an offensive force, blood will be spilled. Anyone here on your behalf is a life you’re risking.”
I grit my teeth and lift my chin. “Understood. We might seem like we’re all brawn and little brain, but I promise you, the bears know the score. We know what’s at stake here.”
