Magic Bleeds

by IIona Andrews

  Lenient Beast Lord. That would be the day.

  Aunt B leaned in and fixed me with a stare. “Suppose you become the alpha. What is the minimum acceptable distance between a female shapeshifter and Curran?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Three feet, unless it’s a battle. Any closer and she’s challenging you. You walk into a room at a formal gathering, do shapeshifters rise or stay down?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “The alphas rise to demonstrate that you acknowledge their power, the rest stay down, showing submission. If a shapeshifter shows you his teeth, is he smiling in greeting or is he trying to intimidate you?”

  “I don’t know.” Broken record, that’s me.

  “If his head is bowed, he’s smiling. If he’s holding himself erect, you need to be snarling.”

  I’d had just about enough. “What is the point of all of this?”

  “I have no doubt that you’ll become Curran’s mate. You love him, you nearly died for him, and you won’t be able to let him go. When that happens, you’ll be in over your head, dear. You must play by our rules and you don’t know them.” She smiled triumphantly. “Here is my offer to you: I’ll give you two of my kids. They’re very good, steady, and skilled. They won’t go crazy unless you give them permission. Their loyalty is to you alone and they’ll have your best interests at heart. They’ll keep you from making any big mistakes. You’ll still make small ones, but that can’t be helped. In return, you promise to hold the bouda clan in special regard. I won’t ask you to break the rules, but I may ask you to stretch them once in a while. It’s a very good offer, Kate.”

  I met her gaze. “You don’t have to bribe me. I wouldn’t let anyone touch Andrea anyway.”

  “You may think so now, but friendships end and wither, while business arrangements persist. I’m an old-fashioned alpha as well, and I’d prefer to make the bargain.”

  Was there a downside to this? She was right, I knew nothing of the customs. If I chose to accept Curran’s offer . . . What the hell was I thinking?

  “If I do end up being his mate, we have a deal,” I said. “That’s one colossal ‘if.’ ”

  Aunt B’s eyes lit up. “Excellent, dear. Excellent.”

  “I’ll tell him about this.”

  “I expect you to.”

  “You do realize that he could change his mind? We didn’t part on good terms.”

  She pursed her lips. “Mating is a volatile time for our kind. Newly mated shapeshifters are jealous, possessive, and prone to violence. Their instincts are in overdrive. You want to hole up with your mate somewhere safe, and if anyone looks at him for longer than two seconds, you have to fight with yourself not to sink your claws into her throat. It’s not the most rational time in one’s life, which is why the Pack Law makes provisions for the mating frenzy.”

  She reached into her bag and pulled out a small leather book with a clasp. She unlocked the clasp, revealing pages protected by clear plastic. A tiny photo album.

  “These are all of my hooligans.” Aunt B flipped through the pages and held the album out to me. A young man smiled back at me from the photograph. Thin to the point of skinny, he had glossy dark hair and a kid’s grin: wide and happy.

  “Alejandro,” she said. “We call him Mouse, because he was always so quiet, you wouldn’t know he is in the room. Five three, a hundred and twenty pounds wet. Arms like matches. Eats like a horse but nothing sticks to him. He’s a shy sweet kid. Look at that grin.” She smiled. “Not a mean bone in the boy. He got married last year to a very nice rat girl. Girls joked a bit: mouse got married to a rat. At his wedding, Curran remarked that his wife was very pretty. Alejandro jumped on the table and tried to cut Curran’s throat with his dinner knife.”

  I blinked. “What happened?”

  “Well, what do you think happened? Curran grabbed him by the neck and we had to go and get a loup cage to put the groom in until he calmed down. That’s how he spent his reception, in the loup cage in the other room, screaming curses. His bride sat by the cage until he cooled off enough to be reasoned with and then got in there with him. He didn’t scream after that.” Aunt B rubbed the photo with her thumb. Her eyes were warm. “He’s very embarrassed by it all now.”

  I didn’t know the Pack law well, but I knew enough to recognize a challenge. “Curran could’ve killed him.”

  “Oh, yes. Would’ve been well within his rights, too. The Pack law is very careful. It doesn’t say you can’t punish a shapeshifter during the mating frenzy. It just says that you don’t have to punish him. If you want to overlook his infraction, it won’t be seen as a sign of weakness on your part. Mind you, Curran wasn’t trying to rile Mouse up. He has to come to every wedding, because they always invite him, and he hates it. He’s usually very careful with what he says, but he was tired that day and he said the first polite congratulatory thing that popped into his head. ‘You have a beautiful wife, Alejandro.’ ”

  “That was it?”

  She nodded. “Yes, that’s all that was said. This is the kind of insanity you’re dealing with, dear. Except for you, it’s much worse. Curran has a harder time controlling the possessive urges than most. He is . . . damaged.”

  “What do you mean?”

  She grimaced. “It’s not my place to explain this to you. What you need to know is that his protective drive is very strong. I’m amazed he hasn’t rolled you in a blanket and dragged you off into the Keep. He’s been insufferable since you had your falling-out. He loves you, Kate, and that’s why he’s waiting patiently for you to make up your mind.”

  “I know it may come as a shock, but it’s sort of considered polite to wait for the consent of the woman. In fact, I’m pretty sure that if you don’t wait, you may have to deal with pesky criminal charges like kidnapping and rape.”

  Aunt B rolled her eyes. “The boy isn’t a maniac—no is no and he’ll understand that. To force you would be going against everything he stands for and you know it as well as I do. For everything, there is a price in this world. His price is us. Ask yourself, is he worth becoming an alpha to the Pack? Do you love him enough? And take it from someone who buried two of her mates: you might want to decide fast. We live in a dangerous world. If you see a chance to be happy, you have to fight for it, so later you have no regrets.”

  CHAPTER 23

  AUNT B LEFT. I WAITED A FEW BREATHS, FOUND my shoes, and climbed up the stairs. And ran into Jennifer on the landing. Jennifer looked like she devoted her life to the god of running: long legs, long body, long face. Long teeth. Especially in the beast form.

  Jennifer and her husband, Daniel, ran Clan Wolf. From what I’d heard, of the two, Jennifer was more aggressive and more likely to twist the head off your shoulders. Daniel could be reasoned with, but if you pissed off Jennifer, it was all over.

  “Going somewhere?” The wolf alpha crossed her lean arms.

  “Out.”

  “I can’t let you do that.”

  I looked into her blue eyes. “You might want to rephrase that.”

  Jim wandered out of the kitchen and leaned against the door frame.

  Jennifer raised her head. She had a couple of inches of height on me and she milked them for all she had. “You are the Beast Lord’s mate and under my protection.”

  “Where did you hear that?”

  “The wolf clan has its sources.”

  Well, wasn’t that special. “Then the wolf clan also knows that my mate status is still in question. I haven’t said yes.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “You dumped catnip on his bed and welded his weight bench together.”

  Jennifer two, Kate zero. “That’s a private matter between me and His Furriness. Even if we were mated, I have my own name and I made my own rep. I don’t think the term ‘mate’ should trump everything I’ve done. I’ve earned more than that.”

  Jim chuckled softly.

  Jennifer took a step back and sized me up. “Point taken,” she said finally. “But if you wa
lk out of that door, I’ll have to explain to Curran that I had you secured and let you go. I have enough to worry about as it is.”

  She had a point. “I have work to do. The magic is down, so it’s unlikely Erra is still running around. She doesn’t like technology much, and the last time I saw her, she was trying to redecorate the snowdrifts around my place in a lovely shade of red.”

  “No.”

  I looked at Jim. “I’m a bit fuzzy on my status within the Pack.”

  “Technically, you have none,” he said. “Sleeping with a shapeshifter doesn’t grant you Pack privileges.”

  I smiled at Jennifer. “Since I have no official Pack status, you have no power to detain me. I’m a lawful agent of the Order and I need you to step aside.”

  She looked at Jim. “Would you like to weigh in on this at any point?”

  Jim shrugged. “If you get yourself fucked up and it gets out that Jennifer had you here and let you get hurt, it won’t look good for the wolves. And you have a record of getting yourself seriously fucked up.”

  Thank you, Mr. Helpful. “Look, I appreciate the difficulty of your position, but I’m not going to sit here all cozy while my dog freezes to death.” And as of now, I was my aunt’s primary target. The more space I put between me and the shapeshifters, the safer they would be.

  “Take an escort,” Jim said.

  “Are you offering to babysit me, Ms. Poppins?”

  “Nope. I’ll give you a vehicle and you can take Jennifer’s wolves with you.”

  Brilliant. If I was attacked, I’d have some homicidal werewolves to protect.

  Jennifer looked at Jim. “Why, thank you for volunteering my people, cat. Any other orders for me?”

  Jim gave her his hard stare. Jennifer’s upper lip rose, showing a glimpse of her teeth.

  I stepped back. “Please feel free to settle your differences.” And while you’re doing that, I’ll quietly go on my way . . .

  Jennifer paused her glaring for a second. “The cat is right. Take my wolves.”

  “I don’t know your wolves.” I looked at Jim. “Why can’t you go if you’re so concerned?”

  He sighed. “Because certain people aren’t altogether rational at the moment. If I came with you, I’d have to answer uncomfortable questions. I ask questions, I don’t answer them.”

  “What kind of questions?”

  “Why were you in a vehicle with Kate, alone? What were you wearing? What was she wearing? How long were you there? Did you do something or did you talk? What was the nature of your discussion? Could this trip have been avoided?”

  I rubbed my face. “So basically you’re scared that His Lordship might get his panties in a bunch?”

  “That’s one way to put it. The other way would be that I’m dedicated to observing the Pack’s social protocol. If you were ‘officially’ mated and installed in his rooms in the Keep, it would be less of an issue. However, technically you’re still available, since you have yet to commit.”

  I made an effort to enunciate my reply very carefully. “Available?”

  “Up for grabs. On the market. Ready for action. Putting out the vibe.”

  He was just jerking my chain now. Two could play that game. “Fine, I don’t care, give me an escort, send me in a car or a cart or whatever. Just don’t send your girlfriend as a chauffeur.”

  A stunned silence issued. Jim’s eyebrows came together. Judging by his expression, if Jim had been in cat form, every hair on his back would’ve stood up. “My girlfriend?”

  Jennifer kept a perfectly straight face.

  In for a penny, in for a pound. “You know, short, glasses, Indonesian, drives like a demon from the lowest bowels of hell?”

  “She isn’t my girlfriend.”

  “Oh, so she’s still up for grabs? Fair game?”

  “Putting out the vibe?” Jennifer added.

  Jim turned and walked away without a word.

  Holy crap, I’d struck a nerve. I had no idea that there was anything there. It was a total shot in the dark.

  Jennifer looked at me. “I’ll give you three wolves.”

  “Why three?”

  “If there is trouble, one will take custody of you and execute a retreat, while the other two will run interference.”

  My jaw tried very hard to hit the floor. If it was physically possible, I’d be picking up my teeth from the carpet. “We’ve met before, right?”

  “I do believe so, yes.”

  “Then you do know that if your wolf tries to carry me from a battle, I’ll cut her arms off?”

  “What are we chatting about?” Aunt B came out of the kitchen. “I just saw Jim and he had a peculiar look on his face.”

  “Jennifer wants to saddle me up with an escort. They’re supposed to grab me and run like a bat out of hell if someone sneezes in my direction.”

  Aunt B raised her eyebrows. “There is no need. The boudas will provide the escort.”

  Jennifer’s eyes turned flat like two chunks of ice. “Are you implying there is something wrong with my people?”

  Now I knew why Curran was crazy.

  “Of course not, dear.” Aunt B’s smile was so sweet, you could spread her on toast. “But Clan Bouda and Kate have a special bond.”

  Jennifer’s voice turned equally sweet. “Clan Wolf and Kate have a special bond as well.”

  Steel slipped into Aunt B’s smile. Her voice remained sugary sweet. “You should let me take the escort.”

  Jennifer’s eyes flared with yellow. She gave Aunt B a big happy smile. “Take care, Beatrice. You’re in my house.”

  “Why, goodness me, is that a threat?”

  If you couldn’t hear what they were saying, you’d think they were two Southern women catching up on local gossip at a church picnic.

  Jennifer rocked forward. “I’m tired of you coming around here and poking your nose into everything.”

  A ruby glow sheathed Aunt B’s irises. “You’re young and you want to assert yourself. But don’t think for a moment you will do it by taking me down. On your best day, you’re only as good as I am on my worst with one arm tied behind my back.”

  “Is that so? Maybe we should test that theory.”

  I took three steps back and slipped into the hallway. Behind me a vicious growl announced someone going furry. I jogged to the end of the hallway. Two shapeshifters stood guard by the door.

  “Aunt B and Jennifer are about to have a showdown,” I told them.

  They took off. I waited a couple of seconds for them to reach the stairs, opened the door, and walked out into the snow. If they wanted to fight, that was fine. I had a poodle to rescue. Jim’s safe house was only thirty minutes from my place. Even with the snowdrifts, I’d make it in forty-five. Hold on, Grendel. I’m coming.

  I TRUDGED UP THE STAIRS TO MY APARTMENT. My feet refused to move, as if filled with lead. My back hurt. I was so tired. In the last twenty-four hours, I’ve fought for my life twice and been healed with magic both times. Medmages accomplished miracles, but they used the body’s own resources to heal, and whatever Doolittle did had drained me down to nothing. I was spent.

  My eyes kept wanting to close and a couple of times I almost pitched over into the snow, because it looked soft and inviting. If it weren’t for a Biohazard van I flagged down, I might have taken a nap along the road and frozen my ass off. As it was, the Biohazard medtechs gave me a ride, cutting my travel time down to a third. I’d scored fifteen minutes of half-sleep in the van on the way, safe and warm. My luck had to be turning for the better. One flight of stairs and I’d be home.

  The splinters of my front door littered the landing in front of it. Fatigue vanished, burned in a rush of adrenaline. I stepped through the gaping doorway and stopped breathing.

  Chunks of furniture and fabric lay scattered across my floor. Wooden shards protruded from the wall, marked with gashes and holes. The door to the library had vanished. The bookshelves inside had been pulverized. Four dozen glass bottles lay smashed, t
heir contents staining the floor, mixing with torn pages of rare books and Greg’s prized artifacts, now crushed and shattered. Herb dust swirled in the draft from busted windows.

  My house wasn’t just trashed. It was obliterated, as if a tornado had swept through it.

  The bathroom door had been torn off its hinges. Deep gouges scoured it, too big for Grendel. Erra must’ve brought the Beast in. I checked the bathroom. No Grendel. No blood either. If she’d killed him, she would’ve left the body on display for me.

  In the kitchen, holes gaped in the plaster where she’d ripped the cabinets from the wall. The wood was broken, not cut. She’d kicked them to pieces.

  I stepped back into the living room, walking over the floor filled with mutilated books. One of Greg’s dirks protruded from the wall, piercing Julie’s pictures. Cuts sliced the photographs—Erra had stabbed Julie’s eyes and face, again and again. Ice climbed down my spine. If she could’ve found Julie, I would be cradling my kid’s corpse with her eyes sliced out.

  I had to do the world a favor and kill the bitch.

  When Greg died, he’d left the apartment and everything he owned to me. The books, the artifacts, the weapons. I couldn’t let it go. I’d moved here, to Atlanta, to keep his memory alive. He was my last link to anything resembling a family. I assumed his place at the Order, and made his apartment into a home. This was my space. My corner of the world where I felt safe and secure. A shelter for me and Julie. And Erra had violated it. She’d torn it apart.

  There was no coming back from this. It was all gone. No matter what I did now, I couldn’t restore the library or the apartment to its previous state. She had destroyed it so completely, it would never be the same.