Motor City Mage

by Cindy Spencer Pape

  “That’s a gorgeous bracelet,” Elise commented while Lana brushed out her hair. “I don’t remember seeing it before.”

  Lana swallowed hard. Shit, she’d forgotten all about the wedding bracelet. “It’s a long story,” she said, hoping desperately that Elise would just let it be.

  “And none of my business,” Elise said with a kind smile. “Though the engraving is beautiful—and I did notice that it matched the one my brother has on.”

  Oh crap, Des had forgotten to take his off. Of course everyone had noticed. Lana rubbed her bracelet with her thumb. It was beautiful. Once she’d had time to think about it, Lana had been a little shocked that Des hadn’t chosen the plainest, cheapest bracelets available. Well—not silver, that would have been bad on a werewolf—but brass or bronze had also been available, and some much thinner gold ones. This one was beautifully engraved with a pattern similar to a Greek key or Celtic knot-work. It was one of the prettiest things she’d ever owned and she was going to hate to give it up. Maybe she could get a jeweler to replace the locking clasp with a regular one. That way she could wear it as a reminder of Des and no one would know the difference.

  “Hey, there, are you okay?” Elise shook Lana’s shoulder lightly. “You looked like you zoned out for a minute. If it’s about the bracelets, don’t worry, I won’t say anything.”

  Lana shook her head. “Just the magical equivalent of jet lag, I suppose. Hell, I don’t even have any idea what time it is here. We were in so many different places—jeez, even you guys aren’t going to believe it. And I’ll never be able to tell anyone else. Other worlds—actual other dimensions. Besides Underhill, I mean. I’ve kind of gotten used to that one.”

  “I can’t wait to hear more.” Elise got up and went to the door. “Come on, let’s go have lunch. It’s not quite noon here, by the way.”

  “Yikes.” Lana padded after her on her stocking feet. “We’ve been up for hours already. To me it feels like three or four o’clock.”

  “You can catch a nap after lunch.” Elise tucked her arm through Lana’s as they descended the stairs. “But there’s been trouble with the demons and the League while you were gone, and you and Des need to know about it. Besides, everyone will want to see in person that you’re all right.”

  * * *

  “So what’s with the bracelet?” Aidan asked as Des unloaded their gear, including the maps into Aidan’s private office.

  Des looked down at his wrist and mentally kicked himself. He’d forgotten to remove the engraved gold cuff. “Long story, but in one of the worlds we went through, it was safer to pose as married.” Des removed his bracelet and tucked it in among his things. “That’s their equivalent of rings.”

  “Probably smart. In any of the more primitive societies, unattached females can attract a lot of attention.” Aidan let it go at that. “Look, there’s some serious shit going down with your boss, and with the demons, but I don’t want to have to explain it twice. But that’s why we called the major war council for lunch. You’re in a damn messy situation, and you need to be prepared for it.”

  Des nodded. “I was afraid of that.”

  Before he could say anything more, there was a clamor in the hallway and Des’s father’s booming voice asked, “So where the bloody hell is my son?”

  “Ah, hell. Somehow I was hoping you hadn’t called him.” Des scrubbed his face with his hands and yelled, “In here, Dad.” He set his half-empty Scotch on the table.

  “Actually I think the League did.” Aidan’s expression sent a chill down Des’s spine. Yeah, there was trouble in River City, all right. Huh. That movie he knew. Somehow he didn’t think Lana would be impressed. “I told you things were fucked up.”

  The door burst open. In a flurry of blue silk, Des’s mom ran in and hugged him around the waist. She was barely five feet tall, but like Elise, she was strong and full of energy, so Des steadied himself to keep from falling. He returned her hug and met his father’s eyes over her shoulder, happy as always to see his parents and feeling like a louse for making them worry. Still, given the situation, he wished to hell they were back in Vancouver.

  “I’m fine, Mom. No injuries, I promise. We just got stuck on the other side of a portal and had to find a roundabout way of getting home.” Des patted his mother’s shoulder.

  Lien Sutton sniffed even as she backed away from him. Her dark eyes twinkled, though, letting him know she was teasing, at least partly. “Just like you to rush into something without proper backup. And you dragged that poor girl with you.”

  “That poor girl is a werewolf,” Ted, Des’s father, reminded his wife. “And she’s all right, too, son. Isn’t she?” His bright blue eyes studied Des carefully, making Des squirm. His parents both had a knack for seeing right through him.

  “Lana is just fine.” Elise said as she and Lana appeared at the door of the room. “Mom and Dad, let me introduce my dear friend, Lana Novak. Lana, meet my parents, Lien and Ted.”

  Des couldn’t help being proud of the way Lana faced his parents without flinching, her gaze warm, friendly and full of confidence. “It’s a delight to meet you at last,” she said. She held out her hand to shake, but Ted engulfed her in a bear hug. He was a big man, taller than Des and twice as broad, with a shock of graying red hair and a ready smile. “Elise has talked a lot about you.”

  “But not my son, eh?” Lien followed with a more restrained embrace. The two white streaks in her black hair, framing her face, had widened since the last time Des had seen her, but her skin was still almost as smooth as her daughter’s. She reached up to pat Lana’s cheek. “I have heard of your fierceness in defending our granddaughter. Our family owes you a great debt.”

  Des picked up his Scotch and sipped, waiting to see how Lana responded.

  “There’s no debt involved—only friendship,” Lana said, taking Lien’s hands. “I adore Dina. She’s a great kid. And your family has come through for mine as well. I wouldn’t want to begin keeping track of who owes whom.”

  “This is a smart girl,” Lien said to Des. “You should consider marrying her.”

  Des spewed Scotch out his nostrils. The burn made his eyes water, but that gave him a moment to think before he spoke.

  Elise saved him the trouble with a laugh. “Oh, the League would just be thrilled about that. They’re having enough of a hissy-fit over me marrying an elf, and I’m not even active anymore.”

  “We have some talking to do about the League,” Ted said seriously. “But we’ll wait for your other friends to arrive.”

  “Full-on war council,” Aidan agreed. “If I’m not mistaken, that’s Ric and Meagan now. The Novaks shouldn’t be far behind.”

  Within the next fifteen minutes, Lana’s parents, Julian and Helen, arrived along with Greg, Fee, George and Jase. That was a long and loud family reunion, with Lana forced to repeat over and over that she was undamaged and perfectly fine. Her father sniffed and glared at Des, then Greg did likewise.

  Des mentally cringed. Oh no, I forgot about the scent thing. Too late to worry about it now, but Julian and Greg both cast him a look that said they’d be discussing it later.

  Meanwhile, Elise herded everyone into the dining room where the massive table was laden with full bowls and platters of food. Aidan had asked Toby Bootle and his head of security, Wallis Silverwood, to sit in, and even Vin was there, in human form, having been brought down from the guest suite Aidan had stashed him in. The only one noticeably absent was Dina, who was safely tucked away in her room. In other words the place was crowded, and of course everyone tried to talk at once.

  “Quiet,” Des finally thundered. “First, I want to know why the League is causing problems.” He gestured to his father, who was a past director of the Vancouver branch. “Dad?”

  “Brewer has accused you of being in league with the demons plaguing the city with their drugs.”

  Lana gasped but Des just nodded. Trust Ted not to bother with sugar-coating anything. Besides, this wasn’t unexp
ected. He’d considered the possibility that Brewer would cover his own ass by blaming Des.

  “He’s telling the regents that your consorting with Lupines and Fae is proof you can’t be trusted. Obviously it was just a matter of time before you took up with demons as well.” Ted tipped back a swallow of Aidan’s Scotch.

  “Which is utter nonsense, of course,” Lien added. “The League has grown far too insular over the years. It’s past time to relax their opinions on other races.”

  “My question is who put them in charge in the first place?” Of them all, Meagan was the newest to be introduced to the supernatural world and likely had the most objective viewpoint. “What gives the League the right to claim authority over other races?”

  “That’s a very good question,” Elise said. “And one I never thought to ask when I was a member.”

  “I believe the Wyndewin have always seen themselves as the protectors of humanity against those with more innate power,” Lien said. “And, contrarily, as the defenders of magic against those with an agenda against it. There are many of us who see that as a contradiction. But like any other large organization, political factions have come into and out of favor, and right now, many of the people in charge are older, conservative…”

  “So the League essentially missed the civil rights movement.” Lana made a face. “Figures. Add in male and white and they’d actually sound a lot like my grandfather.”

  “And some of the Fae,” Meagan added. “They don’t even like halflings.”

  “I think the tendency to keep to one’s own is pretty ingrained in all the supernatural communities,” Ted said. “For centuries it was all about trying not to be hunted and burned. But we’ve all taken it too far, and forgotten that we can strengthen each other as well. Not all of us, but enough to cause trouble. I was going to add, though, that several newer directors and even regents have come on board within the last few years. A few of them are open-minded and ready to make a difference. If we can expose Brewer, prove he was the one in bed with the Gravaki while loudly espousing the racial superiority of humans, I think it will go a long way toward establishing the need for new ideas within the League. Also, the work you’ve all done here in Detroit hasn’t gone unnoticed. The regents are watching your mixed-up group very carefully as an example of what can be accomplished when various races work together.”

  “But first we need to deal with the situation in Detroit.” Aidan’s voice rang out from the head of the table. “While you were gone, the drug trafficking has increased by an order of magnitude. Dozens of homeless people have gone missing and even more people in the city have died from overdoses. The police are calling it an epidemic of drug use. The FBI is involved. There have been half a dozen armed conflicts between dealers and cops, with several police officers being killed. Detroit is essentially a war zone right now. Getting in and taking care of things without being seen is going to be even harder than usual.”

  “Shit.” Des and Lana spoke at once.

  “Exactly.” Greg tunneled his hand through his hair. “So far, the cops don’t seem to know about the salt mines, so a frontal assault there might be our best alternative. I can round up some more pack members and Aidan’s crew did a damn good job on that warehouse a few months ago.”

  “Sounds like a suicide mission to me.” Vin shrugged. “But what the fuck, I’m in.”

  Chapter Eleven

  About an hour into the planning, Lana felt her mother shake her shoulder, waking her up. “Crap.” She rubbed her gritty eyes. “Sorry about that. Where were we?”

  “Figuring out if we should strike tonight or wait until tomorrow,” Des answered. “I’m voting for tomorrow, but sooner is probably better.” He looked as exhausted as she felt.

  “Don’t forget we also need definitive proof of Brewer’s complicity,” Ted reminded them all. “Without that, Des is still in trouble with the regents, and through them, maybe even with the human authorities.”

  “Right. What can we do to make sure Brewer’s there when we show up in the mines?” Aidan asked.

  “What if Des called him and offered to make some kind of deal,” Lana suggested. The idea seemed reasonable to her but drew a mixed reaction.

  “What we really need is for Mandrake to call,” Meagan said. “Then he’d have to show up, wouldn’t he?”

  “Yeah, but even with an illusion spell on our voices, I’m not sure we could fool another Wyndewin,” Ted said, his bluff, friendly face glum.

  “Maybe I can.” Before their eyes, Vin transformed into a Gravaki—but not the same one Lana had seen in Sheila’s apartment. This was Malen—the demon they’d met in the mines. “My people are true shifters. We can take on any other form, including voice.” He rapidly morphed back into the pleasant-looking black man he normally posed as.

  “That could work.” Ric said what they were all thinking. “We use a burner cell phone—arrange a meeting for them somewhere, get some photos—then we take on the mines after Brewer is already in custody.”

  Everyone seemed to agree and began to talk at once, making suggestions and plans. “Lana and Elise can coordinate from here.” Aidan gave his fiancée a doting smile. “Which will free up Wallis and his team to come with us.”

  “Not happening,” Lana said. “Meagan, Elise and Fee can man the computers and communication. I’m going with you.”

  “Likewise,” Elise said. “Mom can help here. I’ve been practicing my combat spells and you might need an on-site medic.”

  “But…” Greg started to growl something and Lana held up her hand.

  “No. Don’t even think about being as sexist as the old man. I’m a fully competent lupine and this is my fight as much as it’s anyone else’s. I’m going. End of statement.”

  “She’s right.” Des spoke quietly but with authority. His eyes were bleak. “Lana has as much invested in this as any of us. I don’t like the idea of Lana or Elise going into a life-or-death situation either. But the same is true for any of us. I’d rather not lose any of my friends or family. Period. But if we’re going to do this—all risk our lives tonight—then it should be each person’s choice as to whether or not they go, assuming they’re physically capable.”

  “Meaning not pregnant.” Ric glared at Meagan who rolled her eyes.

  “Duh,” she said. “But Lana’s right. Fee and I can work coms.”

  “I can operate Aidan’s computer system in my sleep, as can Mairead.” Fee had been Aidan’s private secretary at one time, and Dina’s current nanny had been her predecessor. “With Meagan, we will not need any additional help.”

  “My fighting days are mostly behind me.” Lana’s mother tapped her manicured pink fingernails on the table. “But I can still drive and I have lupine sight and hearing as well as reflexes. I could act as a lookout and driver.”

  “You’ll need at least two,” Lien added. “Even with large vans or limos. And that way I’ll be nearby in case you need another healer. Plus I can hide the vehicles. I’ve always been good with illusion spells.”

  Julian and Ted shared a look of horrified resignation but neither could seem to marshal a reasonable argument for their wives to stay behind.

  “Well, if this is going to happen tonight, then we have preparations to make. And Lana and Des have been up for far longer than the rest of us. They need to get some sleep.” Elise could be quite authoritarian when the situation warranted it, but Lana didn’t disagree. She needed a nap if she was going to be in top form later that evening. Des did, too, whether he’d admit it or not.

  “She’s right.” Des’s ready agreement was something of a shock. “I also need to go get some things from my place. Did anybody get our cars back, by the way? Lana’s was at the apartment where we met Vin and mine wasn’t far from the mine entrance.”

  “We did. Vin showed us where they were.” Aidan nodded at their Gravaki ally. “They’re both here in the garage.”

  “Good. I’ll head home, grab some sleep and a real shower then be back by
dinner.”

  “Brewer’s having your place watched,” Greg said. “You might not want to do that.”

  Des snarled but nodded. “You’re right. Mind if I catch a nap here?”

  “Of course not.” Elise smiled. “Use the same room you had last time you stayed.”

  “Lana, you want a lift to your place, or is here okay?” Greg studied her as if she was about to break in half.

  She shook her head. She didn’t want to answer his questions—not yet. She was so tired her defenses just might crack. “I think I’ll crash here, too, if that’s okay, Elise?” Since she wouldn’t be wearing clothes into the conflict, it didn’t matter that she was still in borrowed garments.

  “We have lots of rooms. Pick an empty one.”

  “Mind if I go up with you?” Helen asked.

  “Of course not, Mom.” Lana cringed as she and her mother headed to the stairs behind Des. As soon as the two lupines had rounded the bend in the staircase, they turned right, while Des turned left and disappeared into a room. Lana looked back at her mother. “So what’s up?”

  “Oh, I think you know.” Helen wrapped her arm around her daughter’s waist. “His scent is all over you, darling. And there’s a fang mark peeking out from under his collar now and then. Didn’t you think any of us would notice?”

  Oh, fuck. “Apparently, I didn’t think much at all,” Lana muttered. “Try to keep the males from going ape-shit, okay? It’s not serious. We were together, and we’re attracted to each other, but it’s over now that we’re home.”

  “Now that’s a shame.” Helen chuckled, a low, feminine laugh of appreciation. “I know you, sweetheart. You love him. He’s a good, strong male and he obviously cares deeply for you. If he’s what you want, dig in your claws and hold on.”

  “If I thought I had a chance, I would.” Lana walked into the decadent guest room she’d used on her last visit, and turned to face her mother who lingered in the doorway. “Just—don’t let Greg or Dad hurt him, okay? None of this is his fault.”