The Bringer of War (The Sheynan Trilogy Book 2)

by Dylan Birtolo

  “Hey Sean, it’s Wendy. Sorry for calling so late. Look, I know I already owe you a favor for helping me out of that scrape with the Arm a while back, but I can make it up to you. I’m this close to giving you the opening you need to attack the Shadow’s conclave. But, I need something. I’m at the Doubletree downtown. I need the night manager to pull this guy in the lobby aside for a few minutes and keep him busy for a bit. Just make up some excuse. Thanks. You’re awesome.”

  Bridget hung up the phone and shifted once again. This time she matched Darien’s appearance. Bridget walked back to the entrance of the hotel and peered through the front doors, waiting to observe her handiwork. After a few minutes, the worker behind the desk stopped typing and walked over to the pair sitting on the couches. Bridget couldn’t make out the words that were exchanged. But, she did see Darien escorted behind the counter and brought into the hotel offices. With a grin, Bridget waited for half a minute before walking out from behind the corner. Susan’s back faced the desk and front entrance, so Bridget walked all the way next to her before Susan noticed. She plopped into the couch and placed her arm around Susan.

  “What was that about?”

  “Nothing, really. Apparently the manager was told about my appearance and didn’t approve. He said something along the lines of it not being up to the standards of the hotel. I think it’s the jacket that smells like a sewer.”

  “I can see his point.”

  “Sorry to offend you, Susan, but I was crawling around the sewer while you got to rest above ground.”

  Susan pushed the arm off so she could turn and look in the face she thought belonged to someone else. Bridget kept her expression stony and cold.“What’s the hell?”

  Bridget needed to keep it believable in order for the ruse to work. She looked away and down to the side like she had seen Darien do before.

  “Sorry, that came out harsher than I meant. It’s just been a long day, that’s all. I’m lucky to be in one piece, and I really owe it all to Bridget. If she wasn’t there, I doubt I’d have made it out at all.”

  “It’s a good thing that she was following and spying on you.” The sarcasm in Susan’s voice was almost palatable.

  “I think someone might be a little jealous.”

  “You’re on crack.”

  “She and I have a lot in common, more than I can go into since she asked me not to share. I just find her easy to trust because of our connection.”

  Susan froze for a moment, staring in wide-eyed wonder for a couple of seconds. She punched Bridget in the arm, and the blow was far from playful.

  “You were just saying you don’t trust her! You just met her. You can’t possibly be serious.”

  “I know what I said, Susan. I didn’t mean that I trust her with everything, just that I want to give her a chance. I’m trying to let you know more about everything without going into details about what we talked about. I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.”

  “You mean your little secret?” Susan took a deep breath and looked away, focusing on the floor as she gathered her breath. With a sigh, she stood up and smoothed out her clothes. “I think it’s been a long enough night. I’m going upstairs and going to bed. We can talk about this later. Right now I want to get some sleep so we’re ready to find Richard in the morning.”

  “You’re right. I’m sorry. We’ll talk about it later.”

  “Are you coming?”

  “I think I’m going to stay for a little bit. My mind is running too fast for me to sleep peacefully.”

  “Even though you were just asleep?”

  Susan turned around and marched down the hallway. As soon as she was around the corner, Bridget stood up and sprinted back to her car. She looked around and quickly changed her clothes into the ones Darien had last seen her in. She shifted back into her regular form and stumbled, catching the edge of the car for balance. She was more exhausted than she realized. The air felt cold and clammy on her skin, and the soft breeze made it prickle.

  Just when she thought it was safe to let go and walk back into the hotel, her stomach rolled. She bent over and vomited on the pavement, gripping the car frame to keep from falling in it. After several heaves, she began to cough. When that subsided, Bridget fumbled in the trunk for a rag to wipe the edges of her mouth. Keeping her eyes closed, she cleaned herself as best as she was able.

  Confident that the moment had passed, she raised herself to a standing position, keeping one hand on the car for balance. She wiped her mouth one final time, and then tossed the rag back in the trunk. Her knees were weak as she stumbled to the car door and bent to look in the mirror. The eyes were bloodshot and the hair disheveled, but she otherwise looked like Darien expected.

  The image in the mirror began to fade and grew transparent around the edges. The hair shortened and grew darker, then grew long again. Bridget dropped to her knees, clutching the door in an attempt not to fall all the way to ground. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. One hand dropped off the mirror and wrapped around her abdomen as she writhed in pain. She coughed, deep spasms that sounded wet and raspy. A mixture of blood and mucous splattered against the pavement. She gritted her teeth and squinted her eyes shut. A few more painful seconds ticked by, and then Bridget stood up once more on shaking legs, wiping the blood from her chin.

  She spoke to her reflection. “Get a hold of yourself.”

  After taking a few deep breaths, she groomed herself as best as she could. Confident that she was presentable, she left the parking lot and walked back into the front hall. Darien stood by the couch and looked around. When he saw her, he walked over.

  “I thought you were going to be asleep. Have you seen Susan?”

  “I saw her heading back to the room. She looked less than pleased to see me, not that I’m surprised. She’s very…”

  “Protective?”

  “I was going to say smothering. I’m sure my presence made her uncomfortable. To be honest, I didn’t feel safe sleeping in that room with her staring daggers at me the whole time we met.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Susan wouldn’t do anything to hurt you.”

  “Are you sure about that? She seems awfully violent.”

  “I’ve known her for a long time. Trust me.”

  “I do, but I don’t trust her. In my experience, anyone who learns what we can do only wants to use us to their advantage.”

  “That’s not Suz. She’s very understanding.”

  “Can she ever really understand what you’re going through? Can even someone like Richard? You’re a Sheynan. Just something to think about.”

  She paused to let Darien consider her words before she reached out and rested her hand on his shoulder. She smiled and let the weariness that she felt show through the gesture.

  “I don’t want to be a bother. I’ll get my own room. See you in the morning.”

  Chapter 17

  Before the clock chimed six, Gregory was in his meeting chamber and listening to the complaints and reports of those underneath him. Most of it was administrative, and required very little interference on his part. When the doors opened and Cameron walked into the chamber, Gregory leaned forward enough for the leather of his chair to creak. This was a report he would be interested in.

  Cameron walked forward with his chin up and stood in the circle of light with his hands clasped together behind his back. At this hour, there was no sunlight filtering from above, but the shaft had recessed lights to make sure the interrogation circle was always lit regardless of time of day or weather. Cameron stood in the center of the glow and waited for his superior to speak.

  “I assume you have a mission report? Hopefully, for your sake, the update is positive.”

  “I think you’ll be pleased with the status, sir.”

  “Enlighten me. But my time is short. Give me the highlights and I will expect your full report on my desk before noon.”

  “I returned from my mission with two captives in my custody. We recovered the trait
or, Twitch, as well as an independent shifter named Richard.”

  “The bear-shifter companion of Darien?”

  “None other.”

  This was much better news than Gregory was anticipating. He wasn’t sure how he could use this new piece to his advantage, but he was sure there was a way. Darien would do anything to get his friend back. The important thing was to show Darien that the Shadows were the answer, that they kept their kind safe and strong. Richard needed to be more than a bargaining chip, he needed to be a playing piece.

  “I would say you have excelled to the level that I have grown to expect of you. You have my congratulations. Now we simply need to decide what to do with our honored guest.”

  “I have already put a plan into motion. I am using him to get someone close to Darien, someone who would be loyal to us. Just this morning, Richard managed to escape due to a convenient lackadaisical performance of our guards. Jason assisted him during the escape, hoping to atone for his previous failure. His punishment also set the groundwork to generate sympathy.”

  What a fool! Gregory repressed the urge to clench his fists or grip the table. He must not lose composure. Cameron wasted what could have been one of the most powerful pieces on the board in the game to win Darien over. Not only that, but using Jason would spur them into action, especially since they would know the location of the conclave. The months of research and careful orchestrating could come crashing down around them from this one maneuver. Gregory had no doubt in his mind that his superiors reached out to Cameron in an attempt to accelerate the time table. Apparently, they were no longer satisfied with his approach.

  When Gregory spoke, he made no attempt to hide the displeasure in his tone. “I believe my instructions were to keep yourself completely free from the Darien situation. Correct me if I am wrong, but I recall a conversation when I told you it was being handled.”

  Cameron bowed at the waist and allowed his eyes to drop to the floor. He raised them and stared straight into the darkness beyond the desk from his bent position.

  “I was not attempting to interfere. I believe my plan should have no effect on yours. It will merely serve as an augmentation and another possible way to reach Darien.”

  Perhaps it was a mistake not to include Cameron in his plans. If he had, this whole situation might have been avoided or handled better. But it was too late for that now. Besides, all was not lost. Darien might still be convinced. And the situation did give Gregory some precious insight into the opinions and actions of his superiors.

  “I look forward to reading your complete report this afternoon. Keep in mind you will be held directly responsible for Jason’s success or failure. And remember to maintain an adequate distance from the Darien situation. Your interference, or anyone else’s, could prove disastrous to the carefully constructed plan in motion. That would place me in a difficult situation. We need all the strength we can muster. Darien will come to us, when the time is appropriate.”

  “I place my faith in the Dark, as always.”

  “You are dismissed. There are other matters which we must discuss at a later time, including the behavior of your protégé.”

  Cameron bowed a final time before turning around and leaving the room. The doors slid shut behind him, and Gregory had a momentary reprieve from the people requesting his attention. It was just as well, because he needed a moment to gather his thoughts and decide how best to proceed. He stood up from behind his desk and paced in the back of the room, surrounded by darkness. Considering the amount of time he had spent in this room over the years, he didn’t need to see the walls to know where they were.

  The plan with Darien still seemed like a solid one. The young man was receptive to the dream images that Gregory was putting in place, and he was starting to earn Darien’s trust. Adding Jason to the game did not necessarily negate that. Regardless, Jason was on the board now and could not be removed. Doing so would generate too many questions, both with Darien’s friends and among the Shadows in the conclave.

  Bridget was still a variable he needed to know more about. He considered giving her Darien’s name as the life she needed to trade, but he wasn’t willing to give up on Darien yet. He needed to know her plans and her actions to decide best how to proceed. He needed to have a little chat with their other honored guest and returned member: Twitch.

  Chapter 18

  In the early morning hours, Darien woke with a start when he heard someone fumbling at their door. Susan was still asleep beside him, albeit on the far edge of the bed. She shifted at the noise and kicked underneath the blankets. Moving as quietly as he could so as not to disturb her, Darien folded back the sheets on his side. He slid out of the bed and placed a hand on the floor for balance. Whoever was coming into the room was fumbling with the key. The lock for the door slid back with a click. Susan stirred once again, but didn’t wake. With a deep breath, Darien shifted into a wolf, back legs tense and ready to jump. When the door opened, the gap grew about an inch at a time.

  Two people stood on the other side of the door with the one in front filling up the majority of the entrance. The light from behind them cast shadows over their appearance, making it impossible to tell any features. Darien didn’t wait to see if he recognized them. As soon as the door opened, he lunged forward, aiming for the larger of the two men. He jumped off the ground to land against the man’s chest. The impact drove the intruder to the ground in the hall with a grunt.

  Darien wasted no time to savor the small victory and turned from the first opponent to the second. He snapped at the man’s leg, but his jaw closed on fabric as the man pulled his leg back. It ripped when Darien pulled, making his adversary fall to the ground. The young man brought his hands up in front of his face and neck for protection. Darien jumped on top of the stranger, only to feel a thick hand grab him by the scruff of the neck and pull back. He yipped just before his assailant wrapped his other arm around his neck.

  “Knock it off, kid!” Richard hissed in his ear.

  The voice made Darien go limp. Richard let go. As soon as his feet touched the ground, Darien turned around and checked to make sure he heard correctly. When he recognized Richard, he shifted back. By this time, Susan had woken up and rushed to the door. She almost knocked Richard over as she rushed out and embraced him.

  “Richard! You’re okay!”

  “Despite the fact that someone tried to maul me when I opened the door.”

  “Damn, Richard. I was worried when we got separated in the tunnels. I thought the Shadows might have caught you.”

  “They did.” He held up his hands to stop their questions. He stepped to the side to give a clear view of his companion. The young man was curled up in the fetal position and had his head tucked underneath his arm. Richard reached down and helped him up.

  “This is Jason. I found him in the Shadow’s hideout. He’s a little overwhelmed right now. He just met the Shadows for the first time.”

  Darien spared a glance at Susan. They needed to be careful what they said around him. He remembered when he was going through the gauntlet of discovering his powers. The shock was almost more than he could handle. Darien was lucky to have Richard ease him into the world of the shifters. Jason snapped his head from side to side and peered through the doorway.

  “What happened to the dog?”

  Darien breathed an internal sigh of relief. Jason didn’t see him shift. If he was new and just discovering his powers, that was a good thing. Too much information too soon could be catastrophic. Judging from the mark on his hand, Darien guessed the Shadows were trying to use the binding ritual they attempted on him.

  Susan stepped around Darien to stand between him and Jason. “Probably cowering under the bed after Richard grabbed him. He acts tough, but he’s really a big softie. I wouldn’t go looking for him though. He doesn’t like strangers and might snap at you.”

  Jason nodded, his eyes still wide. “Gotcha.”

  “Enough chatting in the hallway. It’s been a long
night for us and I need some proper rest.”

  Richard stopped the conversation as he walked into the room and collapsed on one of the beds. The others followed suit. Jason went to sit on the floor between the two beds and then stood up, changing his mind and sliding down the opposite wall to collapse on the floor. He closed his eyes and let his hands drop down to his sides. Susan inspected Richard’s wounds as he rested.

  “I’ll be fine. Mostly bruises.”

  “What the hell happened to you? And who bandaged you all up if you got caught by the Shadows. Did you stop at a hospital?”

  “When we got ambushed in the sewers, I got taken. I was filled with more drugs and shocked more times than I care to remember. When I came to, I was in this cell. The Shadows came in to drop off Jason and I got another beating. That guy in charge, Cameron, called them off. Said I was supposed to be uninjured and sent in a nurse to take care of my wounds.

  “The second time she came in, I grabbed her and used her as a hostage to get out of the complex. Jason came with me and helped carry me out. I couldn’t leave him behind to get picked up by the Shadows. On the plus side, I wrote down the address.”

  Throughout the entire recounting, Richard kept his head on his pillow and his eyes closed. The words were slow and the monologue often broken up with a yawn. While he talked, Darien moved to take a seat next to Susan. When the story was over, Susan turned to face Jason.

  “What about you? How’d you find yourself in that cell?”

  “Not sure really. I just remember blacking out, and when I woke up, a bunch of guys were carrying me to some medieval torture chamber. That’s where they gave me this. They said there’d be more, but thanks to Rich, I got out.”

  “Now that we know where it is, we finally have something we can act on.”

  “You’re going back there? After what it took to get out, you’re just gonna walk back in? Are you insane? Those guys are psychos.”

  “Relax.” Susan’s voice was light and soothing. “This is what we do. We work against the Shadows to try and make sure they don’t hurt others. You won’t be going back.”