by C. D. Hersh
Table of Contents
BLOOD BROTHERS
Acknowledgements
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Epilogue
BLOOD BROTHERS
THE TURNING STONE CHRONICLES
BOOK TWO
C. D. HERSH
SOUL MATE PUBLISHING
New York
BLOOD BROTHERS
Copyright©2014
C. D. HERSH
Cover Design by Fiona Jayde
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, business establishments, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.
Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
Published in the United States of America by
Soul Mate Publishing
P.O. Box 24
Macedon, New York, 14502
ISBN: 978-1-61935-615-3
www.SoulMatePublishing.com
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
This book is dedicated to Imogene Christy,
our surrogate mother
who went to be with the Lord
while we were finishing the book.
See you again someday “Mom.”
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Debby for believing in our books enough for purchasing this book, to our editor Kim for helping polish the story, and to our cover artist, Fiona Jayde, who took our vision and made it better. Thanks to our family and close friends who have been so understanding and supportive when we’ve said we can’t, we’re writing/editing. Thanks also to our SMP Soulies who have been so supportive.
Prologue
Sylvia Jordan Riley winced as Falhman dug into her shoulder and extracted a bullet. He dropped the bullet into the trash and swabbed the wound. “You want to tell me how you got injured?” he asked as he reached for the needle to stitch the gaping hole.
“Chasing Promised Ones.” And the man who murdered my ex-husband.
“I hope it was worth this.”
“It was.” She’d torn Baron's killer to shreds, but that wasn’t the best part of her news. “I’ve found someone who shifted with me by using the power from my ring.”
Falhman stopped stitching and stared intently at Sylvia, his eyes glittering with undisguised interest. “Is he a rogue shifter?”
“I don’t think he’s any kind of shifter. He seemed startled when the shift occurred.”
“A non-shifter who can use the ring without the incantation? What’s his name?”
“Temple. Rhys Temple. There’s only one problem.” Sylvia paused then continued. “He’s in love with Baron Jordan’s niece, Alexi.”
“I thought that whole family was dead.”
“She’s the last one left, and I think she's on track as a Promised One.”
Falhman went back to stitching Sylvia’s skin with practiced ease. “Get rid of her and get him. If we can control someone with that kind of power, we can control the world.”
Sylvia looked at her superior. He made it sound simple. Kill Alexi Jordan and lure Rhys to the dark side. Piece of cake? Not if a Jordan was involved. From her recent dealings with Alexi, she knew there would be one heck of a fight if she tried to take her man.
Chapter 1
The telephone jangling woke Delaney Ramsey out of a deep sleep. Moving the digital clock on the nightstand closer to her, she squinted at the bright green numbers. Three a.m. She fumbled for the receiver.
“If you’re calling at this ungodly hour, someone better be dead,” she mumbled into the phone.
“Delaney, ’tis Eli McCraigen.”
Sitting up, she pulled the duvet cover with her. “What’s wrong, Eli?”
“Dinna worry yerself. ’Tis good news.”
Slumping against the headboard, she yawned, the adrenalin draining away with his words. “If it’s such good news, why couldn’t you wait until tomorrow?”
“I need ye tae set up a special meeting o’ the council afore they get away from the city.”
“All fifteen?”
“Nay, only the senior council. I’ve a new Promised One tae present.”
“Why wasn’t he presented last night at Samhain?”
“He hadnae committed tae the cause, and he dinna have a ring until minutes before midnight.”
“This is highly irregular, Eli. I don’t know if I can get the council to agree.”
“Ye have tae. He’s a verra special man.”
“A Promised One who hasn’t even had his ring more than a few hours. That’s unheard of. How can you expect someone like that to pass even one proof test?”
“He’s already shown me two, and they’re nae the paltry tests most Promised Ones have failed. He has the elusive, legendary powers, and he did them using the power o’ other shifters’ rings.”
She snapped awake. “Other shifters’ rings? Whose?”
“Mine, Alexi Jordan’s and Sylvia Jordan’s.”
Delaney switched the light on, knocking her reading glasses to the floor with the motion. Great. She’d just bought those. Leaning over the edge of the bed, she retrieved them and put them on. “Sylvia Jordan Riley?”
“’Tis that what the she-witch is calling herself now?”
“Seems so. Her name has come across my des
k in her official capacity with Homeland Security.”
“That’s the other thing I need from ye. Sylvia’s butting intae Rhys’ and Alexi’s jobs and personal lives. I’m pretty certain she knows what he is, too. I need reinforcements.”
In all the years she’d known Eli, he’d never asked for assistance. And he comes to me now. At the worst possible time. “I’m honored you’d think of me, but I can’t do more than contact the council for you. Ask one of them to get your reinforcements.”
“Fine, the council can arrange that, but I need ye on a mair personal mission.”
“I’m in the middle of something very important and time consuming. I can’t help.”
“Dinna ye know who’s asking ye, lassie?”
She knew all right. The most powerful man in the entire Turning Stone Society. She was crazy to even consider refusing him. Her position on the council rested on his approval. However, finding her daughter meant more to her than anything else. “Normally I’d be willing to die for you, Eli.”
“Let’s pray dying won’t be what we’ll be needing. But I could be putting ye in a verra dangerous position.”
That did it. No way could she help if it might cost her life. Not now. Not until she found Lila. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”
“I need ye, Delaney. Come tae University Hospital and see me. I’m in ER.”
“ER? Are you all right?”
“We had a little run-in with a panther.”
“We?”
“Aye, me, Alexi, and The Promised One I mentioned. How soon can ye get here?”
Eli was hurt? Beyond a scratch or two, Eli never got injured in a battle. Were his powers failing him? Or something worse? She couldn’t lose him, too.
She flung the covers aside and shoved her feet into her slippers. “I’ll be there as soon as I can get in touch with the council. Where should I tell them we’ll meet?”
“Alexi Jordan’s house. Today at three o’clock. I’ll text ye the address and directions.”
“You text?”
“I may be auld, Delaney, but I’ve conquered every newfangled thing that has crossed my path, including the horseless carriage and electricity. Glorified typing isnae hard. ’Tis imperative all the senior council comes. Don’t take nae for an answer.”
A little after six, Delaney parked in the hospital lot and headed for the entrance to the ER. “Can you tell me where Eli McCraigen is?” she asked the nurse at the reception desk.
“McCraigen.” The nurse ran her finger down the list of names on her admittance sheet. “I don’t see a McCraigen.”
Maybe he’d used an alias. “Scottish accent. Came in with panther wounds.”
“You don’t mean the DOA?”
“Someone died from panther wounds?” She’d talked to Eli only three hours ago, and he’d said his Promised One was alive. That left Alexi Jordan. Was she dead on arrival? Why hadn’t Eli said that?
The nurse’s head bobbed. “Tore him to pieces. Who’d ever think we’d see that? But then you see a lot of weird stuff in ER around Halloween.”
Him? The DOA wasn’t Alexi. “The patient I’m searching for is definitely alive.”
The nurse checked again. “I’ve got someone who was admitted at the same time of the DOA. But not a man.”
“Alexi Jordan?”
“Yes, Room Five B.” She buzzed the door open. “Don’t stay long. Miss Jordan is in pretty bad shape.”
Eli greeted her with a bear hug Delaney did not return. “You tricked me,” she said, frowning. “I expected to see you lying in bed.”
“I dinna say I ’twas the injured one. Ye jumped tae yer own conclusions.”
She did that a lot, especially when she was emotionally invested. “You could have said who was hurt.”
“Aye, I could have, but then ye wouldnae come, would ye?”
“No. Since I know you’re okay, I’m not going to stay.” As she started to leave, Eli placed his hand on her arm.
“Stay.” His eyes pleaded with her.
Shaking her head, she replied, “I told you I can’t.”
Eli grasped her other arm with his free hand and peered into her eyes. Against her will, his piercing stare held her captive, searching her soul.
“I can help ye with whatever yer problem is,” Eli whispered. “But ye havetae stay and let me.”
Breaking his hold, she moved out of reach. What she had to do no one could do for her. She wouldn’t let them. Since she was here, she might as well find out what Eli wanted and then she’d refuse. Again. If she listened, maybe he’d stop hounding her.
“The nurse warned me not to stay long.”
“I’ll make the introductions, tell ye what I want, then let ye think about it,” Eli said.
Didn’t sound like he’d be backing off any time soon. She might have made a tactical error.
Motioning to the bed, he said, “This ’tis Alexi Jordan.”
Alexi extended a pale, bandaged arm. “Eli told me all about you, Delaney. I’m glad to meet you.”
Moving to the bedside, Delaney gently grasped Alexi’s hand. “I hear the other fellow didn’t fare as well as you. How are you feeling?”
“Better, now that Rhys has joined me.” She pointed toward the tall, dark-haired man. “Delaney, this is my partner.”
“Fiancé,” Rhys interjected.
Alexi blushed. “Fiancé,” she said. “Secret fiancé, Rhys Temple.”
“The Promised One I told ye aboot,” Eli said.
“Secret?” Delaney asked.
“A long story, one I’ll tell you later,” Alexi said, smiling. “If you stay around to mentor me.”
“Is this what you wanted me to do?” Delaney asked Eli.
“Aye. Ye did such a fine job with yer daughter I thought ’twould be guid tae have ye mentor next year’s Promised One.”
Choking back a response, Delaney clamped her lips together to keep her chin from trembling. If Eli knew what her relationship with her daughter had become he’d never ask her to mentor anyone. She couldn’t tell him, because that would mean letting him and everyone else know she’d failed as a mother. Now, when she’d had a chance to fix the relationship, Lila had disappeared.
Apparently oblivious to her pain, Eli prattled on. “She has the loveliest bairn, Alexi. Ye’ll love her the minute ye meet her. About yer age, isn’t she, Delaney? I remember once when-”
“Eli,” Alexi said quietly, tipping her head toward Delaney.
Turning, he studied Delaney. She loosened her grip on her mouth, trying to appear as if nothing bothered her, but the trembling refused to go away. Can’t let them know. Willing her jaw still, she cleared her throat and spoke carefully to keep out the tremor.
“Lila’s thirty. When’s your birthday?” The small talk didn’t help. A rush of emotions flooded over her, and she knew what followed. No way would she give in to her emotions in front of strangers. She patted Alexi’s arm. “It was nice to meet you, dear,” she said, abruptly changing the topic. “I’ve got to go. I’ve things to do before the council meeting this afternoon.”
Nodding to Rhys, she glared at Eli and rushed out of the room. Before she rounded the corner, Eli grabbed her arm.
“Ye canna run off like that,” he said.
Whirling around she faced him. “I can and I will.” She shook off his grip. “What was all that business about Lila?”
“I thought Alexi might find it interesting.”
“No you didn’t.” He’d plucked the very thing she tried to hide straight from her heart. “You are the one who found it interesting.”
He shrugged his broad shoulders. “Sometimes I havetae do what I havetae do.”
“No fair peering into my heart, Eli.”
“I canna s
ee anything ye dinna want tae share.”
Legs suddenly weak, she leaned against the ER wall and stared at the symmetrical design in the linoleum. She was off kilter, terrified, and desperate. Everything used to be as straightforward and simple as the pattern on the floor. But since Lila’s disappearance nothing made any sense.
I should have stayed away. Somehow, he’d always been able to see things no one else could. But was he right? Did she really want him to know about Lila?
“What’s the matter with yer daughter?”
Delaney’s head jerked up. “Don’t you know?”
