by Kaye Draper
We rushed upstairs to find Con and Kai in the kitchen. Con had just gotten home a little bit ago, and the place smelled like pizza. Pans and plates were stacked in the sink and I almost cried over missing Con's homemade food. But I had more important things to do.
The others stared at us as Oisin went to get a glass of water, gasping like a flounder. Another first, seeing him so winded by a simple few blocks of running. "You okay, old man?" Kai asked helpfully.
Oisin flipped her off.
So, at least he was feeling more like himself every day.
I braced my hands on the table. "Where's Halstad?"
"Right here, gryphon," he said, strolling in to put his plate in the sink. "What's got your big 'ol panties in a twist now?"
I growled. "Hisashi. He wasn't there when we went to change shifts with him." I paced, wanting to punch something. "I'm pretty sure he went back home to his clan."
Oisin had stopped panting, and he slipped off his coat, tossing it on the back of a chair and straightening out his clothes. "There was a large magical discharge. We think he lost control of his power and decided he needed to be bound."
Halstad whistled. "I knew that boy was walking trouble, but I thought we were making progress."
Oisin straightened, his emerald eyes narrowed. "That 'boy' was depending on you to help keep his magic in check."
Halstad raised a blond eyebrow. "Do I look like a God to you, fae? We all knew that was a damned band-aide over a severed artery."
My phone started ringing and I snatched it up, seeing that it was Orion's number. "Where is he?" I answered.
Orion sighed. "Hello, Gesa. Have you read through that contract?"
I growled into the phone. "Fuck the contract, where is Hisashi?"
I could practically see the incubus wrinkling his brow at me. "Miss Lionheart. I am not allowed to interfere with the events that are playing out with you and the mage. But I will tell you once more—read the contract."
I rolled my eyes. "Sure. Fine. Whatever. Where is my fox?"
"California," he said. "I was able to track his energy there. I don't know how he got there so fast, but I suspect it has to do with his kitsune heritage or nine-tail abilities." He cleared his throat when a little purr escaped him. Gods, he had it bad.
"Do you know what town?" I asked.
He chuckled. "I'm not entirely certain. The kitsune are very private and elusive people, the Miyamoto clan especially. But there is a very small town called Foxfire in the area. It sprang up after the population shift."
"You have got to be kidding," I said tiredly.
"I assure you; I am serious. Sounds like a good place to start, yes?"
"Got it, thanks," I said, impatient to get on with planning. I was not asking White for help with the transportation to go get one of my pride members again. That hadn't worked out so well last time.
Besides, this wasn't exactly a rescue mission. More of an intervention. It wasn't like we were going to be going in fighting.
"Miss Lionheart?" Orion asked, pulling me back from my mental planning.
"Yeah?" I said distractedly, already wondering if we had enough money to buy so many plane tickets.
"Read your contract papers."
I growled and pressed end call. I stuffed my phone back in my jeans pocket and ran a hand through my hair. "Okay. We need to figure out who's going and who's staying. Then we need plane tickets. I think we can go easy on the weapons, so that shouldn't be a problem on the plane. Gods, I hope that little shit hasn't already done something stupid by the time we get there."
"You're not leaving me behind," Con said immediately.
I narrowed my eyes at him. But I knew why he was jumping right into this. It was the same fight we always had. But this time, there really wasn't much danger. We were just going to a village of little foxes to yell at Hisashi. How bad could it be? "Fine."
He had puffed himself up in preparation for a fight, and it was comical how he deflated like a popped balloon. "Really?"
I waved him away.
Oisin was pacing, and he kept reaching for his worry stone—the long hair that wasn't there anymore. "I need to go with you," he said, pausing in his pacing to shoot me a sharp, challenging look. "I need to tell him to come home."
I put my hands on my hips and gave him a "well, duh" look. If I knew Hisashi, it was going to take every weapon I had in my arsenal to talk him out of his self-sacrificing ways. And the beautiful redhead about to come apart at the seams in my kitchen was the most powerful weapon I had.
Oisin continued his pacing.
Kai stood and stretched. "Of course, I'm coming too. I haven't even gotten to play with his dicks yet." I scowled at her and she grinned. "I'll go pack for both of us."
I shook my head as she sauntered off to the bedroom. "Moron," I muttered under my breath.
"You aren't wrong," Halstad agreed.
I met his mismatched eyes. "Shut up."
He heaved a sigh and approached Oisin, who was still pacing and muttering to himself in elvish. "Come here, you little twit, and I'll weave you a ward."
I watched in horror as Halstad closed a big, blue-veined hand around Oisin's upper arm, his magic flaring out to wrap around the fae without warning.
It was well meant. I think.
But for Oisin, it was like someone had just set off a bomb. The fae bared his sharper-than-human teeth and growled, jerking his arm away and leaping back a few steps in a show of fae grace, his back to the far wall, what little magic he had flaring up in warning.
Halstad stood there staring at him with a confused look on his face.
"How dare you fucking touch me, you steaming pile of hound shit!" Oisin hissed.
"Oisin," I said with a sigh.
"How dare I?" Halstad scoffed. "You know, your fucking princess routine is gettin' real old, real fast, cupcake."
Oisin resumed his pacing along the wall, his sparkling green eyes pinned on the mage. This time, his movements reminded me of a cat, all grace and twitching tail. About to pounce. "If your magic touches me again, I will gut you and leave your carcass for the crows, mage."
I rolled my eyes.
Halstad laughed. "In your state? I'm not afraid of the claws of a kitten. I was trying to ease your fear about walking into a fox den weaker than a newborn, leaf-dweller."
Oisin's eyes narrowed.
"Halstad," I warned. Leaf-dweller was not a nice term for fae. And Oisin was defensive about showing weakness on a good day. What were we, in middle school now, throwing insults around the playground?
"I am not afraid of a bunch of foxes," Oisin spat. Although, I could tell that was a big, fat lie, even without using my gryphon senses. Oisin was terrified of walking into the seat of an unfamiliar and powerful supe clan without his magic.
"Oh," Halstad drawled, fingering the vials on his utility belt in a casual way that was anything but casual. "Well then…that means it must be me you're afraid of."
Oisin lifted a hand and a sword dropped into it out of thin air, blade winking with blue fae magic. "I'm not afraid of a filthy human receptacle. It's your ugly eyes that piss me off."
Oh, now were being hurtful. Receptacle. Like a dumpster for magic. Ouch.
"Guys, really?" I said, crossing my arms under my chest and letting out a huff. And did Oisin have to pull his fae blade? So much posturing. Maybe I should just let them fight it out, get it out of their systems. The idiots.
"Of course," Halstad said with a bitter twist to his lips that I really didn't like. Oisin's words had cut him. And he'd just been trying to help with the magic. But I didn't think he realized how much Oisin was struggling with what had been done to him. Or how violent the fae could get.
The mage flicked his fingers, sending sparks of magic arcing toward the fae. Not enough to touch him, but the threat was there, all the same. Oisin's pacing grew smoother, more slow and easy. His shoulders dropped as he relaxed, spinning his blade with the flick of his wrist.
Fuck.
"Uh, H
alstad," I said, trying to keep calm. Oisin looking all relaxed and smiling like he was just now was a very bad sign. "Maybe come over here and stop poking the bear."
The mage ignored me. "Fae and their fucking mind games. You have a problem with me, just say it, you pointy-eared fairy."
Oisin was in front of him in the blink of an eye, the tip of his blade just touching the mage's throat. "I do have a problem with you," the fae whispered. "The problem is, you are still breathing."
"Oisin!" I said with a bit of growl in my voice. "Knock it off already."
"Who did you murder for all that power?" Oisin hissed. "Did you make their loved ones watch as you cut them apart? While you dug the eyes out of their skulls and used your dirty magic to make them yours?"
Oisin's head snapped back with the force of Halstad's right hook, his nose spraying blood as it broke.
Shit.
I danced back, hoping now they'd finally be satisfied.
But of course not. I expected Oisin's cold rage. But I expected him to fight back with snark, or with what was left of his magic.
I didn't expect him to stab Halstad.
"Oisin!" I ran into the fray. Son of a bitch. I expected them to beat each other up and get it out of their systems like normal men with testosterone poisoning. Not fucking kill each other.
The fae yanked his long, blue blade free of Halstad's torso and wiped the blood off on his pantleg. "No one draws Silverleaf blood without punishment," he said in the cold tone of an ancient king.
I shoved him. Hard. "What the fuck, Oisin?"
I spun to Halstad, grabbing a dishtowel to staunch the bleeding. He just stood there, bright blood flowing over his fingers as he stared at Oisin. "I never asked to be a receptacle," the mage ground out in his gravelly voice. "I'd rather have died in the slums where they found me, than be the mage guild's slave. It's not like I was given a fucking choice."
I shoved his hand away and pressed the towel against his side, where Oisin had slipped the blade in just below his ribs—hopefully he'd missed vital organs. "Fucking sit down," I ordered.
He refused to sit, dropping the towel and pressing his hand to his side as he muttered something and sent a flare of magic out of his fingertips. The smell of burning flesh filled the air as he cauterized his own flesh. Like it was no big deal.
Like maybe he'd done it a million times before.
His eyes left Oisin and moved to my face. "I guess I'll be stayin' here, since we wouldn't want a mage to taint his Majesty's air by breathing it.
"Halstad," I said tiredly.
He shrugged one burly shoulder. "I'll fix your wards while you're gone, like a good tool."
I grabbed his face in my hands, forcing him to look at me. "You are not a tool, you asshole." I sighed as I felt green eyes burning holes in my back. "But maybe you should stay here this time."
Oisin stalked by me. "Oh, don't mind me, Gesa. I'll just be out here, getting ready to go save my pride mate. You have fun in here, fucking the enemy. Just make sure you keep all your body parts."
I watched him go, my jaw clenched so hard I was surprised my teeth didn't crack.
"Maybe it's for the best," Halstad said, his gruffness falling away as he slumped in his chair. "Even if you had managed to get my contract sorted out, I'd just be causing trouble if I stayed. It'd ruin what you have here. With the others."
I looked at him, confused. "What do you mean? I'm still planning on buying your contract."
He gave me a sad look. "You have to petition for me in person at the mage guild, Gesa. A week before the contract is up."
I blinked at him. "What?"
He sighed. "Did you even read the contract?"
Oh.
"Uh…sort of. Maybe."
He closed his eyes in a slow blink. "I thought you wanted me."
The pain in that statement cut like a knife. Like an orphan being kicked out by his potential adoptive parents. Stabbed me right through the heart.
"Of course I want you, you jackass. Even though you threw a fit about it. I'll go do the petition thingy. I'll read the contract. I've just been a little…preoccupied."
He stood and pressed a kiss to my cheek, his rough stubble rasping against my skin. "Darlin' I doubt you can make it to California, get your fox, and make it back here in three days."
My stomach clenched and my blood went cold, then hot all at once. "What?"
"My contract expires in a week and three days."
I growled. "Why the fuck didn't anyone tell me that?"
He sighed." I thought that demon went over everything with you."
I pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes as I remembered Black insisting I read the contract. Repeatedly. "Fuck me," I groaned.
Halstad chuckled and ruffled my hair. "I had hoped to. But looks like we won't get the chance. Besides, my magic's bad enough, I don't think your little fae would let me off with just a stab wound if I got anywhere near you with my dick."
I watched him try to hide disappointment under his stupid attempt at humor. "We'll figure it out," I said firmly. "I'll…get back here. Or we'll find a loophole or something. Derek fucking White is my best friend, didn't you know? He'll pull strings if I sign my life away to him."
He closed his eyes in another long blink. "Girlie, if that demon pulls one more string for me, the yarn ball's gonna run out."
I blinked at him.
"I'll explain someday," he said with a wave of his hand. "Go pack. Round up your pride. Hopefully I'll be here holdin' down the fort when y'all get back."
I kissed him, rough and demanding. Trying to make my point. Stay right there, damn it mage.
I would find a way to fix this.
Chapter 9
Hisashi hit the ground hard. His breath hitched as he dug his fingers into green grass and dirt. The change from indistinct gray to full color always left him feeling disoriented when his vision switched between realms.
Hanging his head, he drew in a shaky breath, glad for the afternoon sun that beat down on him, baking away the cloying feeling of chilly mist. He'd made it.
He pushed himself to his feet and stood, swaying. A part of him was anything but relieved that his panicked, last ditch effort to stay connected to this reality had actually worked. After all, it meant imprisonment. It meant leaving behind everything he cared about. But the desire to survive was just too strong.
Besides, if he went off like a bomb there in town, he would have taken the whole block with him—and that was the best-case scenario.
He pushed his hair back and to the side, running a hand over the ward on the shaved side of his head. That was what had helped him get back here. The old draw that reminded him he belonged to his clan. Even though he'd weakened the ward by altering it with his own kanji, the magic tie was still there.
He dusted off his leather jacket and jeans, reaching behind his neck to pull up the hood of his sweatshirt so it covered his hair. He didn't have to worry about glamouring himself to hide from humans. He'd landed smack-dab in the middle of clan territory. The humans here were mostly sighted and in the know. His clan kept tight control over who was allowed to come and go. They were just as rigid about that as everything else.
No, he hid his white hair and skin because in a Japanese-dominated settlement of kitsune, he always stood out like a sore thumb.
He made his way to a gravel road that led up, toward the forested hills at the base of the mountain. The scenery was beautiful here, away from the bustle of the metropolitan areas of California. He'd forgotten just how beautiful, in his rush to get away. Now, he stared up at the lush landscape and misty mountaintops that he'd never leave for the rest of his long life. He hoped like fuck it still looked as pretty to him a few hundred years from now.
His feet were heavy as he climbed the path toward slavery. What was Gesa thinking now? The big gryphon would be pissed, of that he had no doubt. She was probably cursing his name, calling him a fucking idiot. But she had the rest of her pride. She'd be okay.
And Oisin…well, the fae hardly remembered Hisashi anyway, so no loss there.
His chest ached and he swallowed hard to stop himself from crying like a damned baby. His feet scuffed over the path and he closed his eyes. He would be twenty-one years old as of tomorrow. He'd spent the last six years of his life on his own. He was done feeling like a helpless kid.
After what felt like ages of climbing, the steep path ended in an even steeper set of stairs, flanked by a Japanese-inspired archway at the top. White paper talismans fluttered from the brightly painted archway. Hisashi slipped out of his jacket. It wasn't winter here. Not the way it was back home. The word home made him long for cold, pine-scented air and snow, not sunshine and greenery.
He stopped at the top of the stairs, not surprised to find his sister waiting for him. Hisashi came to a halt before her and she craned her head back to meet his eyes, since he towered over her. Her long, straight hair was as dark as her eyes, the almond shape of which was accentuated as she narrowed her eyes at him. Her nose wrinkled in distaste. "Brother. The elders said you'd be coming home today."
He stared down at her, wishing his life had been different. What would it be like to have an older sister who adored her little brother and united with him to fight back against the stodgy old adults? He'd never know. He was pretty sure Kira hated him for being born with the gifts that should have been hers.
"And you came to make sure I wasn't going to cause a fuss," he said tiredly. "How sweet of you."
She snorted, her dark eyes raking him from head to toe, showing every bit as much displeasure with what she saw as the rest of them would. "You need to change your clothes before you see the elders. And mother and father will want to see you. They came home when we got word you'd be coming back."
Hisashi let out a long breath. Of course, the whole clan knew he'd be back. The elders had precognition, just like Hisashi. Though, they had to work together and use a bunch of rituals to access it.
"Lead on," he said, knowing it was no use arguing. After all, it was his own choice to come back here.
She led him to a small cottage at the outskirts of their little village. Everything was just as perfectly ordered and manicured as he remembered. Everything in its proper place at all times. There wasn't a blade of grass that would dare risk the displeasure of the elders by growing at an angle.
