At Blade's Edge

by Lauren Dane

  By the time she got back to her office, the sky was rolling out sunrise. “Today is a good day, David,” she called out as she poured herself another cup of coffee.

  Rowan hummed with energy and focus. She’d known Roth was up to something, but not precisely what. Her prey was solidly in her sight. She’d take him down so hard. Planned to make it hurt like he’d never dreamed.

  “He sold you out far more than we thought.” David handed her several pieces of paper. Her address in Las Vegas. Her security codes. Times she’d been at the Keep with Theo.

  If she’d complied with the rules more than she had, the acolytes who served Brigid would have been endangered. Rowan never put any identifying information about that part of her life into her reports or files. They knew what she was, of course, but she was very protective of those who served the Goddess. Apparently rightfully so.

  “I hope they know this means I’m never doing paperwork again.”

  “You’re way scarier when you get calm-mad,” Carey said from the screen in front of Rowan and David.

  “I told him he wouldn’t see me coming for him until it was too late. Did you get in contact with Susan and Rex?”

  “They should be here any minute. Elisabeth is up already and making breakfast for everyone,” David said.

  “Let’s get started bullet pointing all this. Before I end this piece of garbage, I’m going to bury him in proof. Then I’ll end anyone left who supports him.”

  “Well, there’s our girl, Susan.”

  The sound of Rex’s dry delivery was what Rowan had needed to keep centered. She’d gone from flash fires to molten rage. Brigid fed it, approving, appalled and vengeful.

  “Come in.” David took their things and indicated the large table.

  “My valet is on Roth this morning. Susan’s is on Hilary. They’ll let us know if anything changes.” Rex paused to kiss Rowan’s cheeks before he sat. Susan copied that, adding a hug.

  Elisabeth and David set up breakfast and coffee to go with the tea. Once Elisabeth had retreated to the main house, Rowan jumped in.

  “Last night I went back to Roth’s house, as you know. I took a magically inclined friend with me. She’s the one who found the hidey hole all this evidence was in.” Rowan also explained the way they’d covered their tracks which hopefully bought them some time.

  “We can assume he was the source of the attack on you two evenings ago.” Rex spread orange-ginger marmalade over his still warm croissant.

  Rowan pointed at it. “Those are amazing. She gets fresh breads and things from this bakery a few doors down.”

  “They’re marvelous. It’s a shame I can’t tempt Clive’s staff away or I’d be doing it right now.” Susan sipped her tea as she tapped a shiny red fingernail on the sheet of paper before her. “Before we get into this business about Roth, there’s something I want to say. Rex and I can’t make a big splash to celebrate your marriage until the bond is officially announced by The First. We understand. However, you’re very dear to us. We came to rather like Clive and from the bottom of our hearts, we’re so thrilled. We want to celebrate you. One of our neighbors is a chef. He’s got a show on the BBC. Shaggy blond hair, big soulful eyes. Adorable. He has opened up the chef’s table in his kitchen for us. Just a little something special to tide us all over until we can do this all up properly with a party.”

  Rowan eyed her warily. “I’m touched.” And she was. They were pretty dear to her as well. “You saved my life, Susan. In so many ways.” She cleared her throat. “So anyway. Dinner sounds fun and thank you. For everything.”

  Susan’s lips wobbled just a tiny bit, but she held it together. Thank Goddess because Rowan was shockingly close to blubbering and that might have pushed her into sympathy tears.

  Also because a proper party sounded like it would mean being hugged and congratulated over and over and she was pretty opposed to that.

  “On to nailing this little bastard to the wall.” Susan indicated the paper she’d been tapping. “Two of the Hunters in these papers were killed. One of them was mine.”

  “I was afraid of that. I’m sorry.” It was devastating to lose someone you cared about but was even worse when you were the person responsible for them. Susan would be blaming herself for the rest of her life.

  “No. I’m the one who is sorry. This was blatant at the Tribunal and then while you were on the hunt for Enyo. He interfered. Egregiously so. Put you in danger and they tabled this mess to avoid the politics of it. I protested, but I should have insisted we deal with it. It could have been you.” Susan pointed to the paper again.

  It nearly had been. “But it wasn’t. It won’t be anyone else either. Not after we’re done. He needs to be gotten rid of. There’s a serious rot in Hunter Corp. If we don’t cut it out, it’ll eat out the heart and leave it a husk.”

  Susan nodded. “We’re in agreement on that point. However, you seem to think you need to leave Hunter Corp. I disagree. We get rid of the rot and build it up again. This tension can’t be handled by the likes of Roth. We can’t just walk away and leave a vacuum or the Vampires and Conclave will smell blood in the water.”

  “And you’re good at your job.” Rex looked over the top of his glasses at her. “You were meant to do this. Your absence would cripple Hunter Corp. Yes, we have skilled, dedicated staff, but why stay if the Hunter they all look up to has left?”

  “Look up to? Are you mocking me?” Rowan frowned at him.

  “Just because Roth had enough influence to put off any sort of investigation while you were in the field, doesn’t mean the field Hunters and the vast majority of those within Hunter Corp. don’t rally behind you. Do you know how many applications per year we get to be your valet?” Rex asked.

  “I had no idea I got any at all. I have a valet already.”

  “There’s a waitlist of ten.”

  “You’re saying this like it should mean something. Why have any waitlist at all? To repeat, I have a valet already. He’s all right and I don’t want to train anyone else.”

  “You’ll make me blush with compliments like that,” David murmured, making Rowan guffaw. “She doesn’t have any idea,” he told Rex and Susan.

  “Unless this is about my surprise party, could someone actually tell me what the hell you’re talking about? I’m getting cranky.”

  Susan arched a brow. “We have waitlists because sometimes, the wider a territory the Hunter patrols, the more help she needs. You have two already, I imagine you’ll pick up more as you go.”

  “Two?”

  “Carey is a valet too. Trained by Hunter Corp. His salary paid by us. And David, of course. Honestly, Rowan did you pay attention at all when you went to your history classes?”

  Rowan put some more bacon and eggs on her plate. “I hadn’t thought of it that way.”

  The look she got in return from her mentor said several things, chief among them an I told you so.

  David refilled her coffee as he explained, “People want to work for you. The other Hunters have waitlists too. But theirs are one or two. You mean something to them. You say what they want to say but they’re afraid.”

  “The horror on your face that people might hold you in high esteem amuses me and breaks my heart all at once,” Susan said.

  Rowan held a hand up. “No. You can’t go that way on me. I need to concentrate on this. I have enough to balance.”

  Rex put his hand over his wife’s. Echoing Rowan’s plea.

  Susan sighed. “Fine. Let’s talk about just what we’re going to do to Roth and when. After I say one last thing. Hunter Corp. needs you. We can make a difference. Together. Right now when it needs to be done so desperately.”

  Rowan knew all this. “I’ll think about it. You’ve got some good points. As for Roth. It’s a partner meeting day. He’ll be there. He thinks he’l
l be protected if he surrounds himself with Hunters. Let’s see if we can get the quiet word out to all our supporters. I want to pack the house with Hunters on our side. They don’t need to be full partners. I’ll be telling some truth and I want to tell the most people I can at once. I’m done waiting. It’s time to move.”

  Everyone set about doing their part. Susan and Rex would head into the office and Rowan would show up right before the meeting to hopefully catch Roth by surprise.

  “Déesse,” David said quietly, halting her progress out the door.

  Goddess. He called her that from time to time to underline his respect and also her responsibility.

  “Yes?”

  “What are you going to do?”

  She leaned in the doorway. “What do you think I should do?”

  “I would follow you anywhere, you know that. Hunter Corp. needs you and I think you need them. I know you can make it better. Don’t let him steal the home you’ve made for yourself there. Don’t let him win.”

  “I’m going to kill him,” Rowan warned.

  “If you expect me to do anything but say, ‘good riddance’ you’ll be disappointed. Did you think I’d be shocked? After all we’ve gone through?”

  He was no longer the green, slightly wary guy who could barely be in the same room with a powerful Vampire without some serious nerves. He’d experienced an awful lot since she’d taken him on. Too late to regret or worry that she’d put him in danger. She had, of course, but he’d chosen it.

  “I guess I don’t. Let’s get ourselves ready to go. Call the car around. I think a driver would be handy today. We’ve got some exterminating to do.” She got a few steps away before turning to look at him over her shoulder. “I don’t know just what I’ll do yet. But you’ll be with me either way.”

  He bowed deeply. “I’m honored to be so. I’ll meet you back here shortly.”

  * * *

  She dashed up to her room to call Genevieve to see if she’d learned any other details and to share a bit about what she was about to go and do before she grabbed her blade and strapped it on.

  Rowan didn’t normally wear her blade to the office. It tended to panic people. But that was her goal, so once they arrived at the Motherhouse, she’d remove her light blazer.

  Before she went to meet David, Rowan paused, kneeling, closing her eyes and opening the way between her and Brigid.

  Rowan didn’t know what choice to make. Just two weeks before she’d been so sure she was going to walk away from Hunter Corp. But right then she wavered. Because Susan and Rex, along with David had all made great points.

  She could make a difference if she stayed. If they were able to reorganize Hunter Corp. into something far better than what they had right at that moment. Which was a very big if.

  There wasn’t time to fall into that place where she and Brigid were one, apart from the physical body they shared. It had been too long since she hadn’t been hunting something or someone.

  On the way back to Las Vegas maybe she would make a quick trip to Kildaire. To the shrine where she could refresh and reinvigorate herself as a Vessel. It was necessary to manage and take care of that part of herself.

  But that didn’t mean Rowan couldn’t use whatever brief union she could have with Her. Reinforce their connection and bond.

  Rowan let that surety of purpose fill her up from head to toe. This was her path. She was meant to be right where she was right at that moment. Warmth. Power so sharp it nearly hurt, filled her slowly and completely.

  There were no words. None were needed. Just connection, sure and strong. A knowing settled in and Rowan let it.

  After leaving a quick note on the desk near Clive’s bedchamber, Rowan rolled her head on her shoulders to test her freedom of movement and to crack her neck, and she headed to David.

  He bowed to her again as she joined him at the car. She’d expected him to wear a suit like Clive, but instead, he looked—for wont of a better word—trendy. Not douchey trendy, but like a young person in touch with popular culture would look.

  Another reminder that she needed to remember her valet wasn’t the timid barely man they’d sent her.

  And he wore it all with a sense of confidence she approved of a great deal.

  When he handed her a to-go cup of coffee just how she liked it, she sat back against the seat with a satisfied sigh.

  “I’m so relaxed I won’t even comment about how it would had been a lot quicker if we’d taken the Tube.”

  “Technically, you just did.”

  “You’re very lippy, David.”

  He laughed. “Apologies.”

  “Puhleeze.” She waved a hand and turned to watch London out the window. “If I do this thing the way you and Susan want me to, I’ll be back here a lot more often.”

  “You have a nice house and in-laws in the city.”

  “You’ve met my mother-in-law so you know that’s a mixed bag.”

  “Hmm. I got the feeling you quite like her. Does Clive see it, do you think?”

  “Does he see what?”

  “The resemblance between you and his mother.”

  “Ew! David, I can put up with that funky ass shirt and those shoes, but I can’t have this sort of thing. I have to do naughty things of a carnal nature with Clive and you just put that into my head. Why do you hate me so much?”

  He laughed until his ears were pink, making her laugh too.

  “Stop it now or I won’t be super scary when we get there. No one would take me seriously if I giggled all the time. Sheesh.” She finished her coffee and he took it and did something with it.

  “If you managed it in a creepy, inappropriate way I think it would be quite terrifying,” David said.

  “I was just talking to Clive about the efficacy of the unexpected laugh. I might have to look into it as a thing.”

  “I believe that would take you into supervillain territory.”

  That only made her laugh again.

  By the time they arrived she’d had to dab her eyes a few times and freshen her lipstick.

  “Take us through to the private entrance at the back,” Rowan told their giant boulder of a driver. People called him Stewie but Rowan couldn’t manage it. At some point she needed to come up with an appropriate nickname for him because she couldn’t keep calling him hey and there was no way she could call him Stewie without snickering.

  They were stopped at a new gatehouse stationed at the base of the narrow back lane leading to the Motherhouse. “You’ll have to turn around, mate. This here’s a private drive.”

  Rowan rolled her window down. “I’m Rowan Summerwaite. I work here. So does my valet.”

  He gave her a startled look that quickly went indecisive. It made him look even more chinless than he already was.

  “Are you going to let us in or what?” she finally asked with deadly calm.

  “You don’t work here on the regular,” he managed to stammer out.

  Rowan leaned out the window a little more. “I think you’ll find me at the end of my patience with this silliness so you’ll need to open the gate or I’ll have to get out.”

  “You don’t want that. Mate,” the driver added.

  “I...”

  Rowan opened the door and flowed out to stand next to it. At a little before nine in the morning, the streets and sidewalks teemed with commuters. The car waited like a plug at the entry so people needed to walk around the bumper even though they were pulled up, nearly touching the gate.

  “You what?” Rowan said. In two steps they were nose to nose.

  “I can only let in employees. How do I know you’re still an employee here?”

  Her hand caught his throat, squeezing enough to get his attention. “You know who I am. I’m not playing games with you. Open. The.
Bloody. Gate.”

  One snap of her wrist had her accentuating the last word with a rap of the back of his head against the ridiculous guard shack.

  “You can’t do this!” he screeched, struggling.

  “David, do get out and open this gate.” Rowan said this without turning or loosening her hold.

  Soon enough the sound of the slide of metal on a track met her ears. “Drive through, I’ll walk behind you.” Dragging the guard along, she walked the short distance to the portico where the entrance to the building was.

  Rowan recognized the guard at that door. He looked to her with a smile and then saw the whole of what was going on.

  “What’s happening, Ms. Summerwaite? Is everything all right?” he asked, rushing forward. “Should I sound the alarm?”

  “Hey, Reggie. No need for that. This gentleman saw fit to refuse me entrance. I need you to watch him as he cleans out his things. I’ll have Ms. Foster handle his last pay.” She shoved the guard at Reggie. “He’s not to be left alone until he’s left the premises.”

  “You can’t do that! I was just doing my job,” he squawked.

  “Here’s the coolest thing about my day so far; I totally can. You’ve been let go, chinless. Kindly fuck off.”

  She walked past with David at her back. Reggie had been there thirty years. He’d handle things.

  “Stewie said he’d be waiting for us, ready to be a getaway car or to provide backup,” David told her quietly as they ascended the marble stairs to the main level of the London Motherhouse of the Hunter Corporation.

  “Stewie is a dumb name unless you’re a big fat baby or a basset hound.”

  David managed to prevent a full guffaw, and Rowan appreciated his restraint.

  Sarah Foster, the person who kept the Motherhouse running, caught sight of Rowan, rushing over to give her a hug.

  “Ah, you’re the reason Roth came in here this morning like he was being chased by the Wild Hunt. It’s lovely to see you, by the way.”

  “I’ve just fired someone, a guard manning the gate out back. I don’t know his name but he has no chin. I’m sure you know who I mean.”