“Now push the soles against the points.”
Swallowing hard, she followed Anton’s direction. The metal prongs expanded with a whoosh, slicing the toes off her shoes. She yelped and dropped the mangled shoes. Her body trembled, along with her hands. She held them behind her to hide how much Anton’s little show-and-tell had affected her.
“It’s best known as a death collar. If you took your jaguar form while wearing this collar, these prongs would’ve severed your jaguar’s neck. It’s thicker than yours.” Anton swiped his finger over the flat edge of one of the expanded prongs. Liquid coated his finger. He held it in front of her eyes. “But you never would’ve gotten the chance to take your own life. This smells like a popular sedative used in our prisons. Had this entered your bloodstream, you’d either be too dopey to comprehend what was happening or possibly knocked unconscious in seconds.”
Anton wiped his finger on his shirt, then tossed the metal ring with its interlaced prongs that would’ve no doubt severed her neck as easily as it had sliced her shoes. “That male lying dead on your bedroom floor intended to rape you or mate you against your will. He deserved to die.”
Nyx looked from the death collar on the hallway floor to her bedroom’s closed door. She could no longer see Harvey’s unmoving body, but the scent of death remained.
Anton had saved her from a horrible fate. She should be happy about that. Avoiding mating Harvey had been one of her motives for coming here. Not the only one. Anton was too dangerous to lead the Council. She’d make a better councilperson. That was what Boris had said. The proof lay just beyond her bedroom door. Anton was dangerous. He had no issue with murder.
She inched her way down the hall, keeping her back to the wall, until several feet separated her from Anton. “You killed him.”
“To save you. He meant to hurt you.”
“Did he even get the chance to defend himself?”
“The moment he shifted, the death collar fell from his hands. His reason for coming here was clear. There was no reason to fight. He sealed his fate.”
“Sealed his fate.” She repeated Anton’s words. No other response came to her. Anton had killed a man to protect her.
Anton crossed his arms over his chest, assuming a haughty stance of superiority. “Do you think I lied when I said I’d kill to protect what belonged to me?”
“I’m just your secretary.”
Anton dropped his arms and walked toward her. She matched his steps backward. With his hands fisted and hanging loosely at his sides, he stopped. “You’re mine. Don’t question it. Accept it.”
“Yes, I accepted the job. I’m—”
“You’re mine, Nyx.” Anton’s voiced boomed, echoing in the confined space of the hallway. “Mine to protect. Mine to kill for. Mine to hold close.”
Her thoughts from yesterday morning returned. She’d blamed her irrational fear. It hadn’t been a foolish response. Her instincts had tried to warn her. Anton did mean to keep her. Why?
Had he said the same things to Bianca?
“You killed for me, Anton. That makes no sense. I’m just your secretary. You can fire me tomorrow, or I can quit and that’ll end our obligation to each other.”
Anton worked his jaw, an obvious sign of discomfort. Or maybe he was buying time, trying to figure out what to say. All she knew was that her statement bothered Anton. Good. The fact that he claimed she belonged to him bothered her.
“You won’t leave me that easily. I’m sure I can convince you to stay.”
“What if I don’t want to stay?” She held her breath, waiting on his answer.
“I’m a Royal feline shifter. My instincts and drives are enhanced by not just one animal, but three.” Anton flexed his hands. The tips of modified claws replaced his human fingernails. “My cats are stubborn, and my lion especially is intensely protective of his pride mates. Since mine are hundreds of miles away, he has been known to direct his protectiveness elsewhere. I can’t help feeling this way, but I swear to you, I’d convince you to stay of your own free will. I’m resourceful.”
Nyx motioned to her bedroom—Bianca’s old room. “Did your lion want to keep Bianca too?”
Anton pulled a phone from his rear pocket that hadn’t fallen out despite the seams of his pants splitting down the sides. “I need to report this incident to security and have the intruder’s body removed.”
Nyx licked her lips. “I think it’s best if Boris picks me up while you handle this. I should—”
“You should keep yourself busy while you’re waiting for me. Eat, rest, explore the main part of the house, whatever you want. But do not go into my tower. And do not leave. We’ll talk more later.”
“What if I don’t want to stay in this house with you or work for a killer?”
The hard snap of Anton’s teeth made her flinch. “Don’t test me. Not about this. If you try to leave, I will bring you back.” He focused on her. “Then convince you to stay. Willingly. Of your own free will.”
The stony look was back on Anton’s face. There’d be no arguing with him. He meant his words. She didn’t doubt him.
Nyx nodded sharply and turned away. She had much to think about. Nothing was as clear as it had been yesterday. Not Anton. Not his actions. Not Boris’s reasoning for wanting to remove Anton from the Council. Not even her own thoughts.
Anton had killed to protect her. Promised she’d never leave him. That she belonged to him. She should think him barbaric or crazed. She didn’t. She liked knowing a nobody like her had triggered Anton’s primitive instincts.
Now she just had to decide how to leverage them to serve her best interests. And his. She never wanted this man to die. That realization should make her feel guilty. It didn’t. It triggered every primitive instinct she posed.
Chapter 10
Clouds had rolled in over the course of the day, blocking the warmth from the sun, but the atrium off the library still appealed to Nyx. Maybe the exotic plants and flowers in this space relaxed her. Or the sound of the water bubbling in the fountain calmed her. Heck, it could be the lingering scent of Anton that settled her nerves. Nyx couldn’t pinpoint the reason, but she valued the peace she found here. She needed it. Especially for this conversation.
Nyx took a seat on the bench opposite her uncle Boris. The man who’d raised her looked no older than thirty, but the signs of his age showed in his jaded eyes. At nearly four hundred years old, her uncle had lived through several human wars and the advancement of technology. His experiences didn’t mean he’d grown as a person. They just helped him manipulate the world around him, including her.
“You lied to me.”
Boris raised a brow. “About what?”
At the moment, she feared nothing he’d ever said held any truth. That was the problem with liars. Once you caught someone in the act, you questioned everything about them. “Harvey, for starters. I was under no legal obligation to mate him, yet you made it seem like I was.”
“Did Anton tell you that?”
“Yes. He explained how it’s illegal for you to force me into a mating.” And it was quite convenient Boris didn’t have any books pertaining to this aspect of mating law in his library at their family home.
“An arranged mating, niece. Let’s be clear about this law you seem intent on acknowledging. According to the law, I can’t force you into an arranged mating if it’s not something you want.” An amused smirk twisted Boris’s mouth. “I can, however, continue to introduce you to men I find acceptable. In fact, depending on how successful you are in securing evidence against Anton, I’ll have no choice but to find you a mate. You can’t stay here working as a secretary forever. That’s demeaning. You’d be better off raising some babies.”
Nyx gripped the edge of the stone bench. “Arranging for me to meet potential mates alone, right? Now that I’m mature, I’m basically free for the taking.”
“Not free. The price on your head is very high. There aren’t many jaguar breeding females left. If I allo
wed you to run free, men would be fighting over you.”
“Asshole.” Nyx spat the word.
“Now, now, it’s not nice to call your guardian names.” Boris gave her a chiding look. “I did feed, clothe, and protect you for a quarter century. Somebody had to since your parents got themselves killed. It’s simply time I recoup my investment.”
“Unless I earn my keep.” He’d said that once. Her intelligence and innocent aura were dangerous weapons to be exploited. Nobody would view her as a threat. Especially not the most powerful men of their species. She could wrap the councilmen around her little finger if she wanted.
Or had Boris lied about her worth? Maybe he did see her as nothing more than a female to sell to the highest bidder.
“Enough.” All trace of Boris’s amusement faded, leaving the calculating expression she knew so well from the many heated discussions he’d gotten into with her other uncles. “How is your assignment going? Have you found any evidence to link Anton to murder?”
“Sure.” Nyx motioned in the general direction of the service corridor. “There’s a dead body in my bedroom. Anton might still be there with security. You can take him into custody along with the evidence at his feet.”
“Harvey doesn’t count. He deserved death for what he planned to do to you.”
Nyx leaned forward and lowered her voice. “A plan you encouraged. Don’t deny it. Harvey wouldn’t have known I was here otherwise.”
Boris matched her stance. “Of course I did. I even supplied him with the death collar.”
“What?” Nyx sat back. “You admit to it?”
“Yes.” Boris rubbed at the back of his neck and focused on her shoes. “It might not have been the best plan. I admit that. There were a lot of unpredictable factors involved. I had even considered calling the stunt off, but I’m glad I didn’t. This worked out better than I had hoped.”
Nyx stared at her uncle, the man she’d looked up to all her life, and didn’t know what to say. The sense of betrayal choked her.
“Don’t look so shocked, Nyx. I didn’t get where I am today by playing by the rules. Harvey outlived his purpose. He needed to die, and Anton’s instincts needed to be triggered. I accomplished both with a couple of phone calls.”
“What purpose did Harvey serve?”
“As I said, my sweet niece, unmated female jaguar shifters are in high demand. Everybody and their damn brother was standing in line for a shot at claiming you. As if your only value stemmed from the spot between your legs.”
Rage contorted Boris’s features, making her question her uncle’s true opinion of her. Did he see her as expendable? Or a chance to make history? She couldn’t tell.
“I never knew there were males waiting to mate me.”
“Of course not.” Boris stretched his legs out and crossed his arms over his chest. “I couldn’t take the chance you’d meet one you liked and let your hormones cloud your brain. That’s what happened to your mother. She met some chump with no money and a worthless family name at a grocery store in town. His only redeeming quality was his strength.”
“So you picked a man you knew I’d never consider.”
“Yes. By picking Harvey, I guaranteed your safety until you matured. It didn’t hurt that you found the little weasel repulsive. The possibility of mating him helped convince you to follow the path I’ve chosen for you.”
Nyx spread her fingers on her bent thighs and concentrated on keeping her breathing even. “You didn’t have to convince me. I want to be the first female on the Council. Have dreamed about it ever since you suggested it.”
“Then you need to make sure there’s a seat to claim, because you’re not getting mine. I’m not old enough to die. I have too much left to accomplish.” Boris pressed his palms into the cushion of his seat and leaned forward. “Which brings me back to my question. Have you uncovered any evidence against Anton?”
“I’m not so sure there is any to find.” Nyx studied her wrists. No marks showed from when Anton had held them firmly above her head yesterday morning. He could’ve lost his temper and hurt her. She had been snooping where she didn’t belong, but he hadn’t. He’d remained calm in the face of her hysteria. He hadn’t even complained that she broke his sifter. “Perhaps the rumor about him killing Bianca is just that. A rumor. Nothing more.”
“Anton had—”
“The opportunity and the motive.” Nyx sighed. “I know. It’s just that—”
“Anton killed Bianca because she betrayed him. He learned she found the founder’s book directly from the head librarian. The same day she went missing. You can’t possibly tell me that’s a coincidence.”
“What happened to the book, then?” Nyx raised a hand, compelling her uncle to let her finish. “I mean…how did Anton not know she had it? They shared the same house.”
“Bianca never physically touched it. She took the call from the agent Anton had hired and arranged for the book to be delivered to me instead of Anton.”
“Why?”
Boris stared at her for so long, she didn’t think he’d answer. Finally, his shoulders slumped. “Bianca had secrets. I knew one of them. A very damning one. In exchange for my silence, she entrusted me with the book’s safekeeping.”
“What secret?”
Smiling, Boris shook his head. “Sorry, niece, I made a promise to the young woman. I can’t betray it.”
“You let Anton think the book was lost. How is that right?”
“As I said, I didn’t get where I am today by playing by the rules.”
“Thanks for the reminder, Uncle. I almost forgot to question the rest of your reasoning for sending Harvey to his death.” Nyx narrowed her eyes. “Why did you want to trigger Anton’s instincts?”
“You need to trust me. I want to see you become the first female on the Council. I want you to stand among my peers and make them listen to you like you made me do when you were little. I was always proud of you for that.” Boris beamed at her as he’d often done when she was little. “I looked at you then and saw a leader. I still do. You’ve got balls, my sweet niece.”
“Answer me.” The growl to her voice betrayed her loss of control. She’d had about enough of her uncle’s games. His praise wouldn’t deter her.
Boris grinned, looking pleased with her outburst. “If you haven’t noticed, Anton’s a cold-blooded bastard. You needed help getting past his barriers. Triggering his protective instincts gives you that in. Now use it and find out how he got Bianca’s body off the campus grounds. That’s the last piece of the case I need.”
“Triggering his protective instincts.” Nyx growled the words. “How about his possessive ones? Were you hoping to trigger those too? Because if you did, you succeeded. Anton refuses to let me go. I’m now his secretary.”
Nyx made air quotes around the word “his” even though she no doubt looked childish doing so. Anton’s behavior certainly counted as juvenile. “I’m pretty sure he thinks of me as his possession now, not just his employee.”
“Good. He was about to kick you out of his house. I heard about how he begged to get you a job at the library.”
“Good!” Nyx stood, then looked around the room, half expecting Anton to come running in to see why she’d raised her voice. After a moment where nothing moved, she took her seat. “How is that good? The man is unhinged with mood swings even I can’t comprehend. One minute he’s…”
“One minute he’s…what?” Boris prompted her.
Looking at her as if Anton wanted to undress her, loving her until she careened into a mind-blowing orgasm. Nyx couldn’t voice the truth. Boris might suggest she seduce Anton. Anything to succeed. He’d taught her that.
She shook her head. “One minute, he’s fine…or normal for Anton, I guess. Grumpy and off-putting. The next, he’s flipping out.”
“Exactly.” Boris dropped his elbows on his knees and steepled his fingers. “He’s unstable. That’s not the sort of man we can just allow to step into the most powerful role
in shifter culture. Eldest on the Council is supposed to be the oldest and wisest councilman. The eldest acts as the mediator. He adds the insight of his long life to the issues discussed in chambers. In rare cases, he overrules the Council in order to ensure the ancient laws are interpreted the way the founding fathers intended.”
Boris pushed to his feet and moved to the glass door leading into the library. After a moment, he faced Nyx. “Anton won’t be content with those limitations. He’ll push the boundaries of the position, forcing through the policies he supports and rewording the laws he doesn’t agree with. He’ll make all the decisions affecting our society, not the assembled councilmen. Anton will redefine our very existence. He’ll topple our values. Replace them with his!”
Nyx looked past Boris’s lean frame. Still no sign of Anton. He had told her it’d be hours until the incident in her bedroom was closed. Pictures had to be taken, reports filed, calls made. Anton knew the protocol of disposing of a dead body by heart.
She turned her attention to Boris. “What policies are those?”
Boris linked his hands behind his back and walked to the opposite side of the room. He studied the garden as intently as he’d surveyed the library before once again turning his back on the full-length windows. “Anton believes there is a disproportionate number of single shifters to Royals on the Council, which in turn favors the single shifters.”
Boris had already mentioned this fact, numerous times. Nyx took a deep breath and willed herself to remain calm. The spell this room wove slipped through her. The tightness in her chest eased. “What else?”
“Isn’t that enough? Anton wants to kick single shifters from the Council, smothering our voice.”
“Or he wants to make things fair, giving equal votes to both Royals and single shifters. It depends on how you look at it, I suppose.”
Boris made an annoyed sound. “There are an equal number of seats on the Council for Royals and singles. The Royals have passed on the opportunity to fill them. Rather than allow their seats to remain unoccupied, singles have claimed them. It shouldn’t be our fault the Royals don’t care enough about the Council to ensure their voice is heard.”
Forbidden Mate: Shifter World: Royal-Kagan series book 8 Page 9
