Savannah caught the sleeve of his leather jacket. “Before we go rushing in,” she said, “I think I should scout ahead. I can use astral projection again and take a look around to make sure the coast is clear.” She pulled out her phone and set the timer on it. “Just give me ten minutes. I’ll have a full report when I wake up.”
“Are you sure?” he asked, and in the dim illumination from her phone’s screen she could see the concern on his face.
“I’ll be fine,” she assured him. She set the phone on the dashboard. Reaching down to her seat’s controls, she angled the back so she could recline comfortably. Justin took her hand and she smiled; he remembered that she needed physical contact with him to access his memory of the complex’s layout. “Back in a bit,” she murmured.
Taking several deep, even breaths, Savannah cleared her mind and allowed herself to slip into a trance state. Her astral spirit rose up, passing through the car’s roof. She flew over the wall and into the compound and took a moment to look around. Following Justin’s thoughts, she found her way to the manor house she had visited before. She could see lights on in the window to the study, and the shadows of people moving around inside. She frowned. Upon slipping through the wall, she saw three people – the same two men who had been here last night, and a willowy older woman wrapped in a long coat, her white hair cascading down her back in a long braid. Savannah marveled at the bright, glowing light that surrounded the woman. Her aura is so pure…I can feel great power coming from her, too.
“Lady Dauphine,” one of the men said with a smile and a respectful bow of his head. “I wasn’t expecting to see you until the end of the week, or at this late hour.” He glanced at the other man, who had been in the car outside the restaurant earlier this morning. “Thank you for escorting our guest in, Samuel. I’ll call for you again to see her out.”
With a silent nod, Samuel turned and left the room, pulling the door shut behind him. Savannah could see his dark energy outside in the hall, standing guard. She grimaced. We may have to create a diversion to get him out of the way, she thought.
“I hope you will forgive this unannounced intrusion,” Lady Dauphine said. She had a refined manner of speaking and an accent that sounded vaguely Irish or Scots. “I have been beside myself with grief over the shocking news of Randall’s untimely passing. And yes, I have every intention of returning for the funeral service on Friday. But I was compelled to come sooner, to discuss a very important matter.”
“It’s always an honor to be in the presence of a Caledonii priestess, and one of my late uncle’s dearest friends.”
Savannah inhaled. ‘Uncle?’ She looked at the thin, pale man with the tinted glasses and blinked. Then that means this is Justin’s cousin – the “mousy” one who testified against him at his trial. Her eyes narrowed and she felt her anger start to rise. Going by her first impression of him – the terse, domineering man giving orders to his lackey – Savannah suddenly understood. He’s got everyone fooled with that weak-ass nerd act...wait ‘til I tell Justin!
“Thank you, Warren,” Lady Dauphine said, and then seemed to catch herself. “Forgive me, I am so accustomed to my informal relationship with your predecessor…he insisted I address him by name and not title.”
Warren smiled. “Yes, I’m still trying to get used to being called ‘Alpha,’” he said with a chuckle. “And you’ve always known me as ‘Warren.’ I see no reason why that should change.” He gestured to one of the chairs. “Please – have a seat.”
Lady Dauphine held up a slender hand, each of her long fingers adorned with jeweled rings. “With all due respect, I would prefer to remain standing.” She turned and glided over to the fireplace. “Do you know how I learned of Randall’s death?” she asked, as she gazed into the flames. “I had been asleep, and his spirit visited me in a dream. He told me he had been murdered.” She closed her eyes. “When I woke the next morning, I knew it had been no dream.” She pressed her fist to her heart. “I could feel it, even before I received a call from Gerard, informing me…”
“Yes, it was terrible,” Warren said, pouring on the solemnity. “We really should have seen it coming, too. My cousin Justin, as I’m sure you know, was a deeply disturbed individual.”
“While I must admit he has led a very troubled existence,” Lady Dauphine said, “I would not call him ‘disturbed.’ He and his father may have had their differences, and Randall often confided in me about this, but there is no force in this world or any other that could drive his hand to take his father’s life. Which brings me to the reason for tonight’s visit.” She turned to face Warren. “I have come on behalf of Randall Waylan, at the urging of his spirit, to allow him to use my voice and speak through me in naming his true killer.”
Warren’s smile faded. “What do you mean?”
Lady Dauphine took a step toward him. “In the breast pocket of your coat, you carry the proof – something you lost that night, but have since recovered. It bears the blood of your kin…your victim.” As she spoke, she raised her hand, and Savannah could see magic spark from the crone’s fingertips. “In the name of the Tuadha D’Anu, I command you to confess to your crime!”
At that moment, Savannah saw the door open. Samuel slipped back into the room and came up behind Lady Dauphine, a gun visible in his hand. “Look out!” Savannah cried. Normally, no one would be able to hear her from the astral plane.
But Lady Dauphine, a witch in her own right, did. She whirled around in the direction of Savannah’s voice, and looked right at her. Then she swung her arm, pointed at Savannah, and shouted something that could have been ancient Pictish. Suddenly, Savannah found herself unable to move, her spirit locked in a kind of astral stasis.
A second later, Samuel struck Lady Dauphine over the back of the head with the butt of his pistol, dropping her with one blow.
Somewhere in the distance, Savannah heard the alarm on her phone begin to chime. But she couldn’t leave and return to her body. The only person who could release her now lay on the floor, out cold.
Chapter Fifteen
The timer went off. Reaching out, Justin picked up Savannah’s phone and silenced the alarm. “So, are we good to go?” he asked.
Savannah didn’t reply. She didn’t even stir. Justin frowned. He lifted their joined hands. Her arm felt limp and heavy. His concern mounted. “Savannah?” he called to her, a little louder and sharper. He twisted in the driver’s seat and placed his free hand on her shoulder, giving her a light shake. Her head rolled to one side and stayed there, her hair hanging across her closed eyes.
“Oh, god,” Justin said. He released her hand and cupped her face in both hands. “Savannah. Come on, baby, you’re scaring me. Wake up.” He waited but she continued to remain still and silent. “Savannah!” he shouted at her. He began to feel a crawling sensation at the back of his neck. Something’s not right, he thought. Something’s keeping her from coming back. His heart began to beat faster. He looked out the window at the ivy-covered brick wall surrounding the compound. Without Savannah to tell him what awaited him on the other side of that fence, he knew he could be walking to his death.
He closed his eyes and tried to focus on that sensation inside him, the one that felt like a tether, something he never felt before he met Savannah. It was the Familiar Bond, as she had called it, and while he still didn’t really understand how it worked, he could feel it…and through it, he could feel her. Savannah was alive, but she was in trouble. She needed his help.
“Fuck this,” Justin muttered. He stripped off his jacket and covered Savannah to give her extra warmth. He hated having to leave her physical body out here like this, alone and vulnerable in the woods, but he had no choice. I have to go in. Leaning over, he kissed Savannah’s cheek. “Hang on, baby,” he told her softly but with determination. “I’m coming.”
He managed to get to the main house without incident. At this hour, Clan members would be in their houses, finishing up their evening meals, watching television, and pre
paring for bed. He knew the location of every security camera and alarm which made it easy to dodge them. Another reason I know I didn’t kill Dad, he thought with a snort. There’s no way I’d just waltz in past the full view of the cameras. I’ve been sneaking in and out of this place for years without ever getting caught – even drunk.
He knew the chinks in every brick, the position of every drainpipe. Using them now, Justin climbed up to one of the gables and slipped in through a window to the attic. Quietly, he made his way down the stairs to the main floor. He could hear voices coming from the study, identifying them as his cousin Warren and one of the Betas, Samuel. His nose picked up their scents, and a third – the soft, sweet aroma of Scottish bluebells. Lady Dauphine? He frowned. What’s she doing, here?
“She knows,” he heard Samuel say. “Just give the word. I can kill her right now.”
“There’s been enough bloodshed within our gates,” Warren said. For the first time in Justin’s memory, he didn’t sound meek – he sounded cold-blooded. “As much as I’d love our first broadcast to the Humans to include an execution of one of their own as a show of Werewolf power and dominance as a species, it should be someone a little more important, like a public official. Not some old witch.”
“What about the Council?” Samuel asked.
“You don’t worry about the Council. That bloated old hound Thompson thinks he can use me as his poster boy for preserving the race… I’m looking forward to seeing his face when I announce the complete reformation of the Council at the end of this week, replacing him and all his cronies with a new breed of Werewolf – one meant to rule.” He sighed. “You know what? I think I’ll just kill the hag, myself. Years of watching my uncle hang on her every pseudo-mystic word…you have no idea how many times I wanted to just crush her skull with my bare hands. But not here. Go bring the car around. I don’t want her stinking up my home any longer than necessary.”
Justin ducked back as Samuel emerged from the study and headed off in the other direction. Justin set his jaw and moved in. He stalked into the room and saw Lady Dauphine lying on the floor, unconscious, with his cousin standing over her. “I always knew you were a rotten piece of shit,” Justin muttered.
Warren looked up, startled at first, but then a cold smile stretched his mouth into a thin line. “Well, well,” he said. “I guess it’s true what they say about Prodigal Sons. You know, when they told me you managed to elude them, we figured you were well on your way out of Chicago.” Warren looked Justin up and down. “But here you are. So, where have you been hiding yourself? How did you manage to throw the best trackers in the Clan off your scent? And how did you ever get back in here without anyone knowing?” He shook his head and chuckled. “Such amazing stealth and cunning…you would have made a great Alpha.”
“Cut the shit,” Justin snapped. He could feel Savannah nearby, her energy so strong in this room. Where are you, baby? “I knew I was set up. I just never thought you would be the one to do it. Now you’re making plans to, what? Take over the world? I guess you had everyone fooled.”
“Oh, not everyone,” Warren said, stepping away from Lady Dauphine. He strolled over to the desk, running his fingertips along the edge. “When your father told me he was demoting you to Omega, I thought he was going to name me Alpha Successor – but then he said he was just going to test your humility before handing over the title…to you. He went on to explain how he was going to move forward with your plan to integrate with Human society, breaking with our long-held traditions. Because of you.” Warren smiled. “You poisoned his mind. So I did what I had to do, for the good of the Clan, for the Pack.”
“Jesus,” Justin breathed, numb with shock as he listened to his cousin’s confession. “You murdered him. It was you on the cameras, wearing my clothes.”
“You made it easy,” Warren admitted with a grin. “Funny how two people can be the same size, but if one has a weaker personality everyone automatically sees him as smaller. All I had to do was make sure to get plenty of blood on your hands to go with the blood on your clothes.” He spread his arms outward. “Instant suspect.”
Grief welled up inside Justin. He gulped to choke back the rage that threatened to erupt from his throat in a roar and blinked back the tears burning in his eyes. “After all he did for you,” he whispered. “Taking you in after your parents died – giving you everything you could ever want.”
“Not everything,” Warren corrected. “Not the one thing he should have given me, the one thing I deserved.” He glared at Justin, his own anger becoming more visible. “I worked my ass off to learn everything about being an Alpha. While you were out getting stoned, I was here, by your father’s side, listening, studying. I was a faithful Beta. He had the power to name me as Alpha Successor, overriding the whole ‘First-Born Son’ law. I thought for sure that’s what he’d do, seeing what a complete fuck up you are, and all your stupid ideas. ‘Integrating with Humans?’” He snorted. “Please. Werewolves are superior to Humans. With our physical strength alone, we could easily conquer them.” He gave Justin another icy smile. “Which is how I plan to introduce our race to Humans – as their masters.”
“Over my dead body,” Justin growled.
“That’s what I was going for,” Warren replied – and without warning, he launched himself over the desk at Justin. In mid-leap, he transformed into a gray wolf, his yellow eyes glowing.
Justin jumped back. He landed in a crouch, his own features changing to match his cousin’s. Teeth bared and ears flattened back, they snarled at each other before charging at each other in another attack. Claws tore through clothes as they swiped at each other. Justin got up under Warren and lifted him up high before slamming him down again. Dropping on top of him, Justin pinned him to the floor and began slugging him in the jaw with powerful, furred fists. “This is for my dad!” he snarled.
Samuel burst into the room, causing Justin to look up. In that split second, Warren took advantage of the distraction and surged up, closing his mouth on Justin’s throat. Justin’s eyes widened as he felt teeth sink puncture into his neck, the pop of flesh followed by the heat of blood welling up inside his mouth. He blinked, stunned, as Warren released his hold and shoved him back. Justin’s features returned to their human shape as he landed on his back in the middle of the floor. He lay there, gasping, one shaky hand rising to clutch at his throat. He could feel the holes, and the warm fluid gushing out. He choked, his vision blurred…and just before the world began to gray out, he saw Savannah hovering over him.
Chapter Sixteen
Savannah’s astral body hovered over Justin where he lay on the floor, blood soaking into the Persian rug beneath him. No, she thought, horrified. She had watched the whole exchange between Justin and his cousin, unable to intervene in any way. Now, she could feel his life force waning, his heartbeat growing weaker by the second. Oh, god – this can’t be happening! He can’t die!
She knew of only one way to save him. Hang on, Wolf-Man, she told him, it’s about to get a little crowded… Using their spiritual link of the Familiar Bond, Savannah’s astral energy pushed through and entered Justin’s damaged body. I’m here, Justin! I’m with you!
Savannah? Justin answered weakly. While she could feel his spirit occupying the same space, he sounded far away. What are you doing? You should get back to your own body, before it’s too late!
I can’t, she told him. Lady Dauphine put some kind of hex on me to hold me in this room.
Justin’s remorse was palpable. Aw, baby…I’m so sorry for getting you mixed up in this…
Shut up, she chided him. We’re going to get through this together. Just hold on, baby. Stay with me, please. Pooling her strength, Savannah willed Justin’s body to respond to her command. His eyes opened and she could see through them. She looked around. Warren stood a few feet away, wiping blood from his mouth with the back of one wrist. As she watched, he reverted to human form while Samuel pulled out his phone and called for backup.
W
ithin moments, two other men came running. Warren moved toward them, pretending to be shaken. “Gerard! Phil! Thank god you’re here.” He pointed a trembling finger. “Justin came back – h-he attacked me. I did what I could to defend myself before Samuel got here.”
“Good job,” Gerard said. He looked at Warren. “You just saved the Council the trouble of having to execute this piece of shit.”
The hell he did, Savannah thought, enraged. Come on, Justin – we can’t let this asshole win!
With Savannah controlling him from within, Justin stirred and opened his eyes. He rose from the floor, pulling himself up to his full height, and turned to face Warren. A smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. “Sorry, cousin,” he rasped, shaking his head, “but it’s gonna take a lot more to kill me.” He lifted his chin, and the wound in his neck began to seal up, healed by Savannah’s magic. Justin’s eyes glowed as he leveled his gaze on Warren again. “You may have killed my dad, but like me he didn’t go down without a fight. I’m gonna guess he knocked your glasses off and one of the lenses broke. You were able to get a temporary replacement but it didn’t fit quite right. You figured it would do until you could come back here and find the original, knowing that if anyone else came across it, they’d know what you did.”
Warren snorted. “You’ve been watching too many Human police dramas,” he said.
“Maybe.” Justin rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a moment and then shrugged. “Of course, you can always prove me wrong and let someone check your pockets.” He looked over at Gerard. “Care to do the honors?”
Gerard eyed Justin for a moment. Finally, he turned to face Warren. “With all due respect to the Alpha,” he said, “I’m going to ask you to empty your pockets. Sir.”
Samuel was the one to speak out first. “You’re going to question the word of the Alpha?” he demanded, stepping up beside Warren.
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