by Lisa Olsen
“Hey, he’s helping us out, that’s all that matters.”
“I still say he’s not to be trusted.”
Mathis slipped out a few minutes later, his forehead covered in a sheen of sweat. “It’s done,” he reported, tossing the comm onto the desk before me. “But we’re gonna keep this between us, right? If my pack found out I was doing favors for you vamps, I’d never hear the end of it.”
“No worries, of course. Thanks for doing this,” I smiled, snatching up the ear piece and slipping it into my pocket for the time being.
“Yeah. Remember, you owe me one.”
I stood and gave him a regal nod. “I, Anja Evans, Elder of the Western lands, am humbly in your debt, Detective Mathis.”
“Don’t you think I’ll forget it neither,” he said, pointing a bony finger at me. “Now would you guys get out of here? I still have a shit-ton of paperwork to do. There’s a killer on the loose in case you’ve forgotten.”
“I can pretty much guarantee you we won’t forget.”
Chapter Eight
Once we returned to the house, Mason laid out an old school paper map and we divided up the areas to focus our search on, giving everyone something to do. It was agreed I’d keep to the house with Maggie and Jenessa and our usual security detail, but pretty much everyone else went out to begin the search in the remaining hours of the night.
“Hey, Gunnar, can I talk to you for a moment?” I asked, drawing him aside while Rob went downstairs to arm up.
“Sure, boss. What is it you need?”
“I want you to promise to stick by Rob’s side the entire time tonight.”
“I can do this, but why? It is Rob, he doesn’t need my looking after.”
“I know,” I agreed, lowering my voice as I remembered his hearing would be nearly as good as mine now. “While Rob might be tougher now, he’s still getting used to this whole vampire thing. You remember how it was, right? The overstimulation, the mood swings, not knowing your own strength. I’m not sure how he’ll react if he’s exposed to any bloodshed.” I recalled his reaction to the bagged blood. “And God forbid he finds himself falling asleep well before the dawn. I’m not asking you to babysit him, I just want to make sure he’s with someone who’ll get him home safely if need be. Can you understand that?”
Gunnar nodded as comprehension dawned. “I am understanding, yes. But I think you will not have long to worry with Rob. He has been in this life for many years. He was born for this.”
“That might be so, but this is his first night and if I can’t be with him, I want it to be someone I know and trust.”
His chest swelled with pride. “I will not fail you, my lady,” he declared with a click of the heels and then turned and strode away, but not before I saw the mist behind his eyes.
I caught Rob at the top of the stairs, tugging on his leather jacket. “Be safe out there, okay?” I said softly, pretending to fix his collar.
“Ain’t I always?”
“I know you’re a badass vampire and all, but the city’s full of badass vampires.”
“Most of whom know not to tangle with the likes of me,” he smirked.
“And one who’d like nothing better than to take you away just to hurt me.”
His gaze held mine for long seconds as we both relived his narrow escape from a permanent death. “I’m the one on the prowl tonight. I won’t let him catch me unawares again,” he vowed.
“Just come home to me. I’m not done with you yet for the night,” I whispered and his eyes dropped to my lips, a hunger coming into his gaze.
“The things you say…”
Gunnar popped his head around the corner before we were stupid enough to take it any further in semi-public and we stepped further apart. “We are going, yes?” he asked.
*
Maggie, Jenessa and I played cards in the parlor, but after a while I excused myself to go take a hot bath. Bringing another mug of blood with me while I lounged, I began to process everything that had happened over the past twenty-four hours. It was enough to make my head spin and I got up before the water had much chance to cool, taking no comfort from the soak. Not when my friends and family were out there all exposed.
I wondered – if I called Hanna, could I reach her? We’d been in contact fine before the last night, was it possible to track her that way or was that only something you saw in the movies? Either way her line went straight to voicemail, and so did Jakob’s when I tried him as well. I left Jakob another message, pleading for him to contact me and let me know where he was and if he was safe. Okay, so I might’ve made it sound like I was sincerely worried about his personal safety because of my supposed feelings for him, but I had to use whatever tools I had to work with.
When the familiar melody sounded from my laptop, I flopped onto the bed so fast the towel wrapped around my head fell off, sending my damp hair into a messy tumble as I scanned the page to see who the Skype call was from. Not Hanna, to my immediate chagrin, but I brightened to see Bishop’s name there. Maybe he had an update for me?
“Hey,” I smiled when his face came into view, etched with concern. “You’re up late. Or is it early?”
“Late,” he answered readily, some of the worry fading when he saw me there. “Are you okay?”
“That depends on your definition of okay,” I quipped. “I assume Jenessa filled you in on all the haps?”
“She did,” he nodded. “I wish you’d called me yourself.”
“I’m sorry, things have been kind of hectic. I had to do some delegating and I didn’t know how long it would take for her to reach you.”
“It sounds like things are pretty hectic. Do you need me to come home?”
I should’ve known the offer would come, but it still managed to surprise me. “No, I don’t want you to be a target for Lodinn too. I’ll be fine. He doesn’t want to kill me, he’s already had his chance. What he wants is for Jakob to suffer…”
His brows drew together in anger. “By hurting you.”
“Yes, but I’m stronger than I look.”
The corner of his mouth tugged higher. “I know. I still can’t believe Jakob didn’t come right out and tell us about this guy when he had the chance. If I’d known you were in that kind of danger this whole time I would’ve… I never should’ve…”
“Hey, what’s done is done,” I interrupted before he worked up too much steam over something that couldn’t be changed. “I don’t think what happened between us would’ve shaken down all that differently given the set of circumstances we found ourselves in, do you?”
“Is that your polite way of saying I’d have been an ass in any case?”
“Something like that,” I teased, glad to see him smile in response. Besides, I wasn’t so sure things hadn’t worked out for the best in the end. “You heard about my having to turn Rob?”
He stiffened, and I could see the effort it cost him to reply with little more than a nod. “I did.”
“I guess it’s a good thing I’m the Elder, huh? Otherwise you’d have to send your goons out to round me up for turning him without a license.” I tried for a joke but Bishop was earnest when he replied.
“You have all your paperwork settled, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do. Marcus took care of all that for me. It’s one less thing I have to worry about, though I have to admit, I’m worried about trying to teach Rob control after my spectacular failure with Ellie.”
To my surprise, Bishop was quick to offer another comforting word. “Hey, that wasn’t you, that was all her. Rob’s entirely different, I’ve never seen anyone with so much self discipline. I’m sure he’ll get the hang of it in no time. You’ve got this.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” It was nice to hear him cheering me on for once instead of immediately seeking the worst case scenario and assuming I was halfway on the road to it.
“That doesn’t mean I won’t come home to give you a hand if you need me to. Say the word and I’ll hop on a plan
e.”
The offer was sweet in theory, but I couldn’t see it working in practice. “Something tells me you’re the last person Rob wants to take any advice from on how to be a better vampire,” I smiled.
“I guess that’s true enough. I could just come there to be with you.” The vulnerability in his green eyes was enough to make my heart turn over, but what could I say?
“That’s really sweet of you, but…”
“I know, I get it,” he cut me off. “The bond between Sire and progeny is…” He let out a long sigh. “Whatever there was between you, it’s magnified now. You don’t have to spell it out for me.”
Maybe it was cowardly of me, but I let him believe that. That I hadn’t chosen Rob over him before I’d had to turn him. There was no sense in making him feel any worse than he already did, was there? “I’m sorry, I never wanted to hurt you.”
Somehow he found a faint smile for me. “It’s fine, Anja, he needs you right now. You wouldn’t be who you are if you didn’t devote yourself to him, and I probably wouldn’t love you half as much as I do.”
“Bishop, I…”
“I’d better go, there’s plenty to keep me busy here and it’s pretty late.”
Only I couldn’t let him go on that note. I found myself throwing out another question. “How is it? Running the Order?”
“It’s good,” he replied, seizing upon the neutral topic despite mentioning that he should get going. “A lot more paperwork and bureaucracy than I’m used to, but I’m good at it. There’s not as much enthusiasm for the changes as I’d hoped based on the reaction from our people. But it’s not for them to like, it’s for them to do.”
That didn’t sound so good. “What don’t they like about it?”
“Well, you have to remember, the Order’s been top of the food chain for a long time. We don’t like having to kowtow to anyone. It helps that the Ellri haven’t been too vocal about making any changes over the past couple hundred years, that tends to make us… convinced in our own infallibility. Here we are daring to suggest that the Order doesn’t necessarily know best – it’s bound to ruffle a few feathers.”
“Yes, but all the changes were sanctioned by Jakob. Shouldn’t that count for something?”
“I think you’re forgetting just how progressive the rest of the world isn’t compared to the States about certain things. There’s a reason why we’re the New World.”
“You mean we’re the New World. You’re definitely Old World now if you’re making Rome your home.”
“That’s just geography, it has nothing to do with what’s in my heart.”
There was more to that statement than the words let on, I could see it in his eyes, but I wasn’t going to touch it. “Listen, the Order’s been pretty crippled out here. When can they expect the resources you promised?”
“I’m taking care of it.”
“If you’re waiting on Frost, I think it’s a big mistake. He’s a nice enough guy, but he hasn’t done squat to pull them together since you left. They’re still meeting at the Hart for Pete’s sake. I offered to let them use my offices as a temporary HQ for a while if you need to. Or whatever you need, let me know.”
“Thanks, but he’s supposed to be putting together a proposal for me of possible locations for a permanent facility.”
“Maybe you should lean on him a little? But Mason and I took care of re-establishing the link with the local police department today, so at least that’s done.”
His brows twitched closer together. “Why did Mason involve you with that? He should’ve handled it himself or brought in Cage.”
“Because he’s still in pretty rough shape from the crash and I’m the one who needed immediate intel. It’s okay, I had Rob with me.”
“It’s still not your responsibility. But you’re right, Frost should’ve taken steps a while ago. I’ll have a few words with him. How did it go?”
“It went fine. Actually, we met a werewolf cop who offered to help us.” Maybe offered was a tad strong of a word, but it amounted to the same thing. “That’s where everyone is right now, trying to track Lodinn and Jakob down.”
“I’m sorry about your sister. Mason’s got to be pretty torn up about it too.”
“He’s holding up okay. I keep trying to remember that Lodinn’s had her under his influence for weeks now and he hasn’t hurt her. Well, beyond the fact that he’s made her his groupie.” I swallowed uncomfortably, trying not to think too much about what that entailed. “But we’ll get her back,” I said confidently. I had to, I couldn’t let myself doubt that outcome for even a second.
“And how are you holding up? You know none of this is your fault, right?”
I smiled at the care and concern I saw there, he knew me well. “That’s debatable.”
“No, this one’s all on Jakob and you know it. I still can’t believe I never knew the truth about Carys’ death this whole time. I spent hundreds of years carrying that guilt with me for driving her to meet the sun and it turns out it was all bullshit.”
“I’m sorry, Bishop. But at least there’s some peace in knowing that she wasn’t suicidal and blaming you at the end.”
“I don’t know what to believe anymore.” He shook his head and my fingers inched closer to the screen, wishing I could comfort him. Bishop caught the movement and his lips curved into the hint of a smile. “So please, try not to take too many chances out there. Lodinn’s best shot at revenge on Jakob is by taking you out.”
“I’m telling you, he’s already had plenty of opportunity. Whatever his agenda is, it doesn’t include killing me, at least for now.” That was the hope I clung to at any rate. My eyes lit upon one of the bouquets of white carnations that Bishop had sent for my birthday. Maggie must have brought down some of them while I was in the bath. “Listen, thanks for the flowers, they were really sweet. You didn’t have to, you already gave me your present.”
“I wanted you to feel special on your day.”
“You did.”
“And it made me happy to think of putting a smile on your face for once.”
“Don’t say that. There were plenty of smiles between us. It just didn’t…”
“I know.” He looked away, his shoulders squaring as his posture shifted. “Look, I’d better go, it’s crazy late here and I’ve got to be up at dusk. Take care of yourself, Anja, and don’t hesitate to call if you need me for anything.”
“I will. And don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything from the West.”
The slam of the front door reverberated through the house, Rob’s angry voice floating down to me. “Leave off, I said I’m fine!”
“Uh oh…” I murmured, straining to hear more. It was only Gunnar and him from the sound of it, and I took comfort in the fact that I couldn’t scent any blood. Though that didn’t mean there weren’t injuries.
“Trouble?” Bishop’s eyebrows rose in query, but I waved him off.
“Nothing I can’t handle. Thanks again, I’d better let you go.”
Bishop gave a short nod and then he was gone. I didn’t waste any time getting out into the hall in time to see Rob clutching the stair railing as he lost his footing. Gunnar was there to give him a steadying arm, which Rob promptly shook off. At first I thought he actually was injured, but then I realized the time. No wonder he was so grouchy, his body had failed him again, rendering him clumsy and out of sorts.
I climbed the stairs swiftly, giving Gunnar a short nod. “I’ll take it from here, thanks, Gunnar.” Rob didn’t say a word as I helped him down the stairs and into his room. Once there, I sat him on the edge of the bed and knelt between his legs to untie his shoes. “You’ve been smoking,” I observed aloud. “What’s wrong?”
“Apart from the obvious?” He sounded dead tired, hardly bothering to keep his eyes open now that he was in the sanctity of his own room.
“No luck tonight then, huh?”
Rob let out a long breath. “Not a sign of either of them. Course, we could be going about
this the wrong way. If they’ve healed up, there’s no reason why they’d still be tied to the same neighborhood. They could be halfway to China by now.”
“Is that why you’re so grumpycakes?” I asked, working his t-shirt up and over his head.
“Look at this.” He gave an unhappy snuffling sound. “You’re practically my mum now, undressing me for the night like a bloody infant.”
“I wouldn’t quite say that…” I smoothed my hands down the front of his bare chest, delighting in the muscled ridges of his abdomen, only stopping to wrestle with his belt buckle and his hands clamped over mine.
“You shouldn’t start something I can’t finish.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t take advantage of you in your sleep,” I teased, easing his pants off with gentle care. “I make no promises about tomorrow though.”
Rob let me tuck him into bed, the tension still furrowed on his brow despite his exhaustion. “I hate this… this weakness. I’m no use to you like this,” he grumbled and I laid a hand to his cheek.
“It’s okay, Rob. What’s a couple of lost hours every night? We have all the time in the world now.”
His hand pressed mine close, but quickly fell away as he slipped closer to oblivion. “Don’t deserve you.”
“That’s debatable.”
“Lovely as the sun…” he murmured, his chest going still as he slid completely under.
I smiled over that spot of poetry, tucking the quilt around him. “Good night, Rob. Sleep deep.” My night wasn’t quite over yet.
The others came straggling in close to dawn and we closed the drapes, recapping what they’d found – which was mostly a whole lotta nothing. But things were slowly moving into place. Members of The Order were only too pleased to help out, according to Mason, and grateful for the office space I’d offered. Marcus said he’d contacted some of the local trackers to continue the search during the day too. As long as we were willing to pay, the local shifter community didn’t mind getting involved in our business, contrary to what Mathis had led me to believe.
Gunnar reported that Jarrod and Leander had volunteered to put out the discreet word not only in their clubs, but had reached out to some of the other more prominent businesses in town. Everyone seemed to be at once fascinated and afraid of the prospect of another Ellri in our midst and keen to help locate them. All we could do now was wait for either of them to show up somewhere or make their next move.
