by Lisa Oliver
Shutting off the water, Byron smoothed the water off his face, and reached for a towel. Dancer? He really needed to speak to someone, but it was like his link with his dragon was muted too. Anybody? It wasn’t an unrealistic request – he was now bound to a second dragon and a wolf shifter. Surely the wolf would be protective, even if his human side wasn’t.
But there was no response. Just a quiet hum in the base of his skull. I sure hope they’re having more fun with their bonding than I am, he thought, closely examining his face in the mirror. Apart from some puffiness around the eyes, which could be explained away by stress and lack of sleep, and the now gleaming scar on his neck, he looked the same as he did before he mated. Right down to the sadness in his eyes. Byron dropped his towel and reached for his clothes. It wouldn’t do to keep his bossy mate waiting.
Chapter Seventeen
Ice wasn’t sure what to make of Dirk. The man was an alpha dragon shifter – the power oozing from every pore was unmistakable. However, despite his leadership, the man often deferred to his mate, who was a cute, but unmistakable canine shifter. I’ve never seen this in a dragon mating before, he thought – making him wonder if the way he’d reacted at breakfast had been the best idea after all.
In Dirk’s presence, Byron seemed diminished somehow and Ice looked for signs of the feistiness evident from when they first met. It was definitely lacking. In fact, Byron gave only lackluster answers to the questions Dirk and Jon bombarded him with.
“You haven’t said much, Mr. Sellivik,” Jon noted quietly. “You clearly come from a very powerful dragon lineage, yet you barely speak of your family.”
“That’s because the only family I have any contact with is my half-brother, Petrov, who you already know.” Ice rested his right ankle on his left knee, aiming for a casual pose. “I’m older than any one in this castle and have interests in countless businesses in Europe and in other major cities around the world. You don’t need to worry about your brother’s welfare – I am more than able to care for him in the manner to which he is accustomed.”
Byron’s lips tightened, but otherwise he gave no sign he’d even heard. He was staring at a picture of Dirk and Jon, along with a baby Ice didn’t know that was framed and hung behind Dirk’s desk. The pose was a casual one – very unlike anything else Ice had seen in the castle, and yes, he had snooped while Byron was sleeping. Both men, and the child were smiling, and the picture showed a family devoted to each other.
“That may be so, Mr. Sellivik,” Jon said calmly. “However, it might have been nice if you’d told us you’re currently the only Sellivik heir – the ruling ice dragon family – and that you work for the paranormal council as… what was the term they used? Ah yes, an exclusive hitman. Surely you can see that both of these extreme situations could cause us to worry about the Hollingsworth second and our dear brother.”
“How in the hell…?” Ice recovered quickly. It was never in his best interests to show any emotion of any kind, especially in a semi-hostile situation – Dirk and Jon weren’t welcoming. “My apologies. What I meant to say was both aspects of information you’ve uncovered are completely confidential. I’m surprised you had access to it.”
“Jon is a world class forensic auditor, Mr. Sellivik,” Dirk said with a fond smile at his mate. “Companies all over the world seek his expertise every day. There isn’t anything on a computer he can’t find, and on you, he found plenty.” Dirk reached for a piece of paper Jon handed him. There was a strong glint of dragon in his eyes when he glared at Ice.
“For example, there is a detain and present order, in your name, currently being broadcast across every paranormal and human network around the globe. The paranormal council you work for is seeking to question you about the demise of Jack Benton. Apparently, you killed him the night my brother was abducted. On a perhaps more positive note, there is also a summons for you to appear before the Sellivik court within five days so you can take your place as King Sellivik’s heir.”
“They can’t find me, so now they’re seeking to draw me out,” Ice muttered, stunned by the new information, forgetting for a moment he had an audience. “King Sellivik is still young enough to produce a full blood heir, and the paranormal council sanctioned the killing of Jack Benton. I only kill on their orders. This whole thing screams of a setup.”
“Or maybe, your handler, who only goes by the name Nikita, is in league with dissidents within the Sellivik court, namely your second cousin Bertrand, and when she gave you the name Jack Benton, she did it, knowing she was sending you to kill an innocent man.” Jon held up another piece of paper. “Apparently, you signed a contract many decades ago, forfeiting all your worldly goods and assets to your handler, if you made the mistake and took out, quote, ‘the wrong man.’ The actual council contract was for Zack Benton, Jack’s identical twin brother, who, as from this morning, is now under paranormal council arrest for charges of slavery, sexual assaults on minors, and the murders of fifteen innocent shifters.”
“No. That’s not possible.” Ice jumped up, snatching the paper out of Jon’s hands. As he read the words on the page, he felt his fury burn. He’d been betrayed by the one person – the only person in the entire world he trusted, and it was all at the instigation of a cousin he’d met once as a child. Now an innocent man was dead, and his mate was in dreadful danger. “He wants to be king. That’s the only reason they’re doing all this. My cousin wants to be king after my father, and the only way he can do that, is if I’m out of the way. He must have got to Nikita, seduced her somehow and…”
“It’s interesting,” Byron said quietly, “that you don’t show one word of remorse for killing poor Jack Benton. Am I to assume, my abduction was another effort by your cousin and handler to bring you to your knees?”
“Well yes, obviously.” Ice was still reading, searching for hidden clues between the lines. “I told you, I was informed you were in rural Paris. They took you to get you out of the way, while sending me to an isolated location in a totally different country where they planned to ambush me. I couldn’t work out why, but now your brother-in-law has found the missing pieces of the puzzle.” He looked at his mate. “I need to go. Now. Immediately.”
“But of course.” Byron waved his hand, but he didn’t get up. “You clearly have a lot of people to track down and take care of. I’ll await my uncle’s arrival with my brother and then fly back with them to New York.”
“You’re not coming with me?” Ice knew it was a stupid question the moment the words left his mouth. It was obvious Byron wasn’t, but that didn’t explain the sudden gut-wrenching pain he felt at Byron’s lack of caring.
“You only came to find me when Petrov advised you I’d been kidnapped. I imagine the emotions surrounding the scene, and the pull of the mating bond between us heightened the need for the claim. But now you’ve assessed that the threat to me was only to get to you, which means I’d only be in your way as you go do whatever it is you have to do. I am not a trained killer after all. I’ll be perfectly safe. It’s you they’re after.”
“Byron!” Jon sounded shocked. “Surely, you want to…”
“It doesn’t matter what I want,” Byron interrupted quickly. “Ice made that perfectly clear this morning and I respect his wishes. I’ll be safe in New York. No one would think to steal me away again. There is no point in repeating a failed plan. And Ice needs to focus. I’m sure he works better alone. I shall worry, of course, because that is my nature, but now our mind link is muted, that won’t cause you any concern.”
“Thank you.” The words were automatic – Byron was coming across as a mate considerate of the asshole Ice had been at breakfast, but that’s not who I am. “Are you sure you’re going to be all right with your uncle coming? Maybe I should…”
“No. No.” Byron waved him off. “Your situation is far more important. If my uncle does have the temerity to challenge Dirk – well, you’ve met my brother now. I’m just there to ensure the protocol of the challenge is adhe
red to. I will be standing with Jon and will be perfectly fine. Keep me updated if you think of it.”
“Of course, I will.” Ice hesitated, mentally cursing his decision to mute their mind link. He couldn’t open it up now, or he’d look foolish, but he would have given half of his horde to know what was behind Byron’s masked expression. He took a step towards the door, and then back to Byron, who hadn’t moved. Dashing over quickly, he picked up Byron’s hand and brushed a kiss against his mate’s knuckles. Gods, he wanted so much more. “I’ll see you soon, in New York. I promise.”
“I’ll be waiting, just as you expect me to.” Byron tugged his hand away. “Stay safe.”
“Yes. Yes. You too.” Nodding at Dirk and Jon, Ice hurried from the room. He needed a new laptop, and to pick up Petrov before he contacted the pilot of his plane. No. Scratch the pilot. I’ll fly the thing myself. But as he left the castle, Ice had a horrible feeling he’d left the most important thing in his life behind.
/~/~/~/~/
“Byron, are you all right?” Jon was by his chair the instant Ice left the room. Byron couldn’t blame him – the poor shifter had a nose that could scent all emotions and Byron was a banquet of them.
“I will be.” Byron managed a strangled laugh. “It just goes to prove the fates don’t like me either – sending me the one shifter in existence as a true mate who doesn’t believe in affection, doesn’t trust a living soul, and who can casually dismiss my needs as secondary to his own ‘quirks’. His killing people I could have handled, if the man had treated me as anything half way valuable when he claimed me.”
“He didn’t force the claim on you, did he?” Dirk growled.
“No, nothing like that.” Byron shook his head. “I’d just waited so long, you know. I spent a fortune on PI’s over the last year trying to find some trace of the man I have dreamed about for over ten years, and then, when he turns up, it turns out I would have been better off staying on my own. Some things are better not found, or some people at least.” He looked up at his brother and brother-in-law. “I’m sure I’ll be fine. My routines are very comforting and being back at work will help.”
“How is your dragon feeling?” Jon asked cautiously. “I don’t imagine he’d be too pleased, you staying behind while your mate runs into danger.”
“I haven’t heard from Dancer since I woke up. I imagine he’s resting, considering how much energy he’d expended yesterday, and he has his new dragon mate and a wolf spirit to get to know.” Byron thought wistfully of the touching claiming scene he’d only caught a glimpse of in his mind – Dancer was loved, and his dragon deserved to be happy.
“As for Ice…” Byron shrugged. “I got the impression he’s used to handling everything in his life alone. I know it doesn’t look like it, but I am trying to respect my mate’s wishes and his space. He’s clearly had a big shock today, and he deserves to be allowed the time to handle the repercussions of the information you’ve given him in his own way. I worry if…”
Dirk knelt by his chair. “I told you, you could tell me anything and I’d listen. I meant it, bursting into your room notwithstanding.”
“You care in your own way. I understand.” Byron let out a long sigh. “I worried, that if I insisted on going with Ice, that he’d lose focus, maybe be worried more about keeping me safe and ignoring his own safety. He might not care for me, but it would devastate me if something happened to him and it was my fault.”
“That’s not all it was, though, was it?” Jon said.
“Your nose can be positively intrusive at times.” Byron smiled to show he was teasing. “I couldn’t bear to hear him justify why I should stay behind. It was easier for me to cope with him going alone if I gave the impression it was my idea.”
“I think you shocked him.” Dirk got up, groaning as he straightened his knees. “That’s not necessarily a bad thing. But Byron, it won’t be easy on you physically or mentally spending periods of time without your mate.”
“Dancer has the connection he’s longed for. I can only hope he’ll go easy on me. But enough about me. Is our uncle going to challenge you, or is he more likely to kiss your ring and then stab you in the back when you’re not looking?”
“He won’t be staying,” Dirk said grimly, taking Jon’s hand. “We’ll meet with him, let him say his piece and then he can fuck off. I’m not having anyone threaten the safety of my clan, my mate, or our son.”
I do wish my mate felt the same way, Byron thought as he followed the loving pair out of the room.
Chapter Eighteen
Finding Petrov wasn’t a problem. Getting his damn brother on the plane was a different story. “You can’t leave your mate behind.” Petrov pulled his arm free of Ice’s grasp. “Fuck, man. I thought you had an epiphany. I thought you’d finally seen the light and understood what it meant to be true mated. You’ve barely been with him a day.”
They were in a café just ten minutes’ drive from the airport where Ice had the plane waiting. Petrov hadn’t eaten since shifting the night before, and as the wolf needed sustenance, he insisted. Since leaving the Hollingsworth estate, Ice had debated whether to go after Nikita or Bertrand. Bertrand was the logical choice. Whatever it was Bertrand promised her, if he couldn’t deliver, then the Nikita threat was easily nullified.
But maybe picking up Petrov was a mistake. Ice didn’t need a constant reminder of the other mistake he’d made that morning. “Are you with me on this or not?” He snarled, keeping his voice low but letting the menace show through. “Byron is with his clan. He’s got support and you know damn well I can’t take him to the Sellivik estate. They’d eat him alive.”
“They aren’t keen on me either,” Petrov grumbled. Stuffing the last of his food in his mouth, he wiped his lips with a napkin and put it on the table. “Are you sure you’re going to be all right, leaving Byron the way you did?”
“I’m fine. I’m cool. I’ll go and see him when I’ve wrung Bertrand’s neck for him.”
Petrov tilted his head slightly, and then sniffed very deliberately. “Are you sure? You’re looking a little warm.”
“Don’t be ludicrous. I’m an ice dragon. Now, will you move your ass?”
“You absolutely sure? Only your cheeks are flushed too. You could be going into mating heat.”
“Geez, you do come up with some nonsense.” Ice finished his coffee and stood up. “I claimed my mate – sex and bites. The heat only applies to a dragon who rejects his mate.”
“If you say so.” Petrov’s smirk was not funny, but the man got up, threw some local currency on the table and swept his arm towards the door. “After you, brother.”
You’d better not be doing any hinky shit with my insides, Ice warned his dragon and wolf both. We’ve got a threat to neutralize. He rubbed his chest as another heat burst bloomed under his rib cage. “I just need to focus,” he muttered. “Focus. Focus. Focus.”
/~/~/~/~/
Dirk, being far more casual about things than his father ever was, decided to meet his uncle and accompanying party in one of the larger living rooms in the castle. Byron knew his uncle wouldn’t come to the castle alone and sure enough, when they were announced, Orson Hollingsworth was flanked by two more of Byron’s cousins – Henry and Luke – and a host of enforcers, that Dirk immediately ordered back outside of the house. There was a bit of a standoff – Orson clearly not happy having his men ordered by someone a lot younger than he was, but he finally relented with bad grace.
“We hardly need an audience for a family chat, do we, Orson?” Dirk waved the visitors to a three-seater couch, across the room from where Byron was sitting with Jon, and Dirk. Neither Byron, nor his brother and brother in law stood up – Byron taking his cue from his older brother.
“I suppose you realize the right mess you made of the European reshuffling?” Orson didn’t waste any time. He sat firmly in the middle of the couch, spreading out his legs and arms, leaving his sons to stand behind the seat like bookends.
“M
y father stole a lot of money from innocent people to shore up the European companies which were failing because of the economy,” Dirk said, and Byron wasn’t the only one who noticed the bite in his tone. “Maintaining a business reputation through theft is not what I want to see as a Hollingsworth Clan legacy.”
“I’d hardly call what went on as theft, exactly…”
“Injecting a hacker code into a company’s account system is theft, Orson, whether you want to admit it or not. An international embezzlement fraud if you want to get technical about it. That money may never be recovered, but the restructuring of the European branch of Hollingsworths was done with the view of maximizing profits, providing equal benefits to all stakeholders, and ensuring a solid future regardless of what the economy may throw at us.”
Dirk leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You and I both know you’re not here to gripe about the company. So why don’t you say what you came to say and then leave. My family here have a lot of things that need to be done before we fly out.”
Orson’s eyes narrowed, and Byron felt the heat of them on him before they flickered back to Dirk. “Your brother was abducted recently.”
“Yes.” Dirk leaned back in his seat again and rested his arm behind Jon.
Orson was clearly hoping for more details. Byron wasn’t going to help the man. His uncle was another one who spent a lifetime ignoring or belittling him.
“Your mother’s dragon died yesterday.”
Dirk nodded. “She did. It was very tragic, especially seeing as my mother didn’t even realize or feel it when half of her spirit was gone. And yes, before you state the obvious, my mother is fine, and being cared for, but she’s not here and won’t be returning to the estate.”
“It’s rather suspicious don’t you think, both of your parents passing within such a short time of each other?”
“Merely coincidence.” Dirk’s casual pose disappeared, and Byron tensed as he watched Luke and then Henry ball their fists, their jaws tight. “If you’ve got a point, make it. I don’t have all day to dance around with you. Do you intend on challenging me for clan leadership?”
