“I’d like to see the council report.”
“We didn’t contact the local council.”
“Then who…?”
“We take care of pack matters ourselves, Mr. Cuvier.”
Uncle Aaron had told me that even though there was a pack council to take care of these matters, a lot of werewolf packs considered their people to be above the law, choosing to govern themselves. Wolf societies were mostly military in nature, the virus that caused loupism wreaking havoc with a wolf’s control. Strict rules were in play for a reason. A three hundred pound wolf on a rampage could do a whole lot of damage.
“The Western Pack Council was informed?”
“Of course. That’s how I got in touch with you and your associate, although Mr. Greenway mentioned nothing about you having a female assistant.”
“She’s a recent hire.” I smiled the most charismatically loaded smile appropriate for a business meeting I could manage, and suddenly all of her attention was back on me.
“Lucky girl.”
I managed to keep myself from blushing by imagining I was in the freezing ocean. It worked. “Could I see a sample of the slime you mentioned?” I tossed Jay a pair of gloves and a couple of evidence jars.
“Certainly.”
We followed Ms. Turner and her three bodyguards into the living room of an unassuming one-story house that was empty of furniture except for a boardroom-sized table surrounded by a dozen chairs. The walls were bare of pictures, the wooden floors pristine. The whole place smelled of disinfectant, affecting both Jay and me, two species with an excellent sense of smell. We’d need all of our senses if we wanted to do our job.
I glanced Jay’s way and he made a waving motion in front of his nose. I nodded.
“Could we open a window? Shifters have trouble with chemical smells.”
She stopped and arched an eyebrow, a look that spoke volumes. This female was used to people following orders and not making waves. She was waiting for me to say, “Never mind,” but that wasn’t happening. I waited too.
“Gerald, please open three windows.”
“Yes, Alpha.” Like a trained dog, Gerald did as he was told.
“Will that be sufficient, Mr. Cuvier?”
“It should be, Ms. Turner.”
We continued through a large archway, and entered a kitchen. The smell was even stronger in here. Without asking for permission, I gestured to Jay. He opened the sliding glass door that led to the small patio, taking in a couple of deep breaths.
Ms. Turner made no comment. With a tilt of her head her main flunky, Gerald, opened the fridge, taking out a plastic container filled with a pink gelatinous substance. Ivy made a small sound in her throat, beginning to type furiously on her phone.
Jay put on his gloves and took the container from Gerald, placing it on the counter and opening it. The smell that wafted out was not unpleasant, a combination of seaweed, salt, and sea life.
“Where was this found? I’d rather have gathered the evidence at the actual site. This could be contaminated.”
“We are perfectly capable of collecting scientific evidence.”
“I apologize if I’ve offended you, but we can’t help you if you don’t allow us to follow procedure.”
“It was found along the shore where our private ferry docks each evening.”
“Your private ferry?” I hadn’t realized they didn’t use the public ferry.
“Yes.”
“Have you seen this substance before?”
“Oh, yes. We know the exact species this came from. We’ve had problems with them recently.”
“And what species are you referring to?”
“Kelpies.”
“Kelpies?” Jay echoed. “Sounds like a case of hives.”
The female alpha frowned in his direction. “They are dangerous, not a species to be made light of.”
I glared at Jay, who only shrugged and went back to his analysis.
“Could you tell me about them, please?”
“Their shape is most similar to horses when they are on land, although they grow poisonous claws that kill almost instantly if their victim is scratched. They live in large compounds underwater and also on land and are disdainful of the rights of other supernatural creatures. Some are said to be able to take on the shape of humans, although it is very rare.”
“Finding this substance on your shore is not proof of any crime.”
“They are unseelie.” She spat on the counter near the sample. “Unclean. They are murderers who rip apart my people and then complain about their rights. They should be exterminated.”
Her three bodyguards had begun to growl, their alpha’s intensity exciting them. Ivy had backed up against the wall, her face ashen. I joined her there, blocking her from the others with my much larger body. She handed me her phone with a shaky hand. “Read,” she whispered, holding my arm to steady her trembling.
“Wolves r lying. My people dnt harm. There is stndoff re ancient terr. rights. They took away. We dont kill unless attacked.”
“I typed in, “Ur people?”
“We r peaceful clan.” She met my gaze with courage, daring me to call her a liar, daring more than that.
“We’ll get more info. Figure out. U’ll help?”
“Ys.”
But we have wonderful news. “We caught one last week.”
“A kelpie?”
“He was sneaking around near our residential area. We don’t believe he’s responsible for the murders because he can prove he was out of town at the time, but there is no doubt as to what his people have done to mine.”
“May I speak to him?”
“I’m afraid not. He’s to be executed in two days.”
“For trespassing? Harsh.”
“For spying, threatening one of my pack, trespassing on sacred ground: I can add more if you wish. ”
“And the Council’s given you permission to execute a member of another sentient species?”
“Sentient, perhaps, but unworthy. And I need no one’s permission. The alpha and myself have jurisdiction here.”
“There are some who might disagree with your assessment of the Kelpies. Particularly in the DR.”
“The Demon Realm has no use for an unseelie species that admires the creatures of Faerie. Some of them even worship the fae.”
“Since you’ve already made up your mind as to who is responsible for the deaths, why am I here, exactly?”
“To report back to your Uncle that we have followed protocol.”
“And if I don’t?”
Ms. Turner shrugged. “The beast who trespassed will be dead, and the ones responsible for the death of our pack mates will be hunted down.” She glanced at Ivy. “Perhaps this female wasn’t the best choice as an assistant. Our conversation seems to have sickened her.” The female wolf glided closer. “What species are you, dear?”
“She’s a leopard.” I covered Ivy lightly with a leopard scent, hopefully confusing the wolves. “May I see the bodies, please?”
“Of course, but you may want to leave her and the other outside.”
“They stay with me.”
“Of course, but it’s rather gruesome.”
IVY
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
The bitch didn’t get that I wasn’t upset about her random bloody pieces of dead wolf. I was freaking out that one of my people had been captured and was about to be executed. Whoever it was we had to get him out of here. Tellek hadn’t told me that any of the clan had been taken. Why not? Was he hiding something, or was he protecting me?
“You okay?” Jay had his hand on my shoulder in a protective way.
“Sure. I’m not freaked out by dead bodies.” I lied.
“How about dead body parts?” he teased.
“I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to handle it.” No way was I fainting in front of that lying witch.
“Well, if you start to feel sick, I’ll help you find a bucket.”
“G
ee, thanks.” I rolled my eyes.
Charlie was walking ahead, chatting with Ms. Liar while two of her goons, Gerald and no name were bringing up the rear. Maybe they thought we were gonna go running off somewhere. Maybe start searching for…
Holy crap—I was such an idiot. I could reach him myself. I stopped Jay in his tracks with a hand on his arm. Wow. That boy had some serious muscle. Focus, Ivy. I whispered as quietly as possible, knowing a shifter would hear me without any problems. “Jay. Can I ask you a stupid question?”
“The usual kind?”
“I’m not playin’ around right now. I need your help with something.”
“Sure. Ask away.”
“Can you block me from the two goons? I need to try to contact their prisoner, and I can’t let them see what I’m doing.”
“I doubt they left him with his cell phone.”
“No, you doofus, I can talk to him another way.”
“Um, so you’re one of those vicious kelpie creatures?”
“We’re not vicious. We’re peaceful.”
“That’s not what she…” I pinched his arm. “Ow. Why’d you do that?”
“Because you’re trusting that witch and not me.”
“You’ve been lying to us all this time.”
“I know, I know, but now I need your help. You can yell at me later.”
He smiled—pretty cute look for the big guy. “Deal. And bears don’t forget.”
“Thought that was elephants.”
“Them too.”
We’d come to a wooden structure no larger than a small hunter’s cabin. Like a good puppy, Gerald opened the door for his master. She and Charlie walked up the porch steps.
Jay called out. “We’re staying out here. The kid doesn’t feel too good.”
Charlie took a look, waited a moment, and nodded.
“Mark. Stay with them, please.”
“Yes, Alpha.” Mark stood by the door and watched us.
I grabbed Jay’s arm. “Now take me over to that tree and pretend to come on to me.”
“You sure?”
“Yes. We need some privacy.”
“We’re gonna stand in the shade, Mark. That okay?”
The wolf chuckled. “Yeah, sure kid. Go at it, only I think you can do better than that scraggly little twit.”
“Hey!” I took two steps toward the asshole who’d dissed me, meaning to stomp on his oversized foot, but Jay clutched at my shoulder and steered me away. “Wait…”
“C’mon.” He dragged me to the oak. “Think about what we’re doing out here.”
“Fine.” I leaned my back against the trunk and pushed him in front of me. “Don’t freak out when you see my eyes change.”
“Please, I associate with just about every species you could imagine. They all go into eye warp when they use magic.’
“We’ll see. “ The best way to contact one of my kind was in the ocean, but it could be done on land if the other party was close enough. I reached out with my energy, speaking mind-to-mind in my language, hoping he was strong enough to answer me.
“Who is here?”
“Can you help me?”
“Where are you?”
“In a land structure, wooden.”
“Give me coordinates.” The knowledge of what plain we occupied, where our spirits existed in each moment, was one of our gifts. The prisoner sent me his star coordinates along with longitude and latitude and like a GPS I was able to zero in on his exact location, 1.23 miles southwest of the tree I leaned against.
“We will come. Do not give up heart. I am in the company of Charles Cuvier.”
“The prince? He is dangerous.”
“He is not as we thought. He will help me find you.”
I swayed for a moment, coming out of the trance, but Jay was there to steady me. “Your eyes weren’t freaky at all. They were kind of a shiny green, like the sea.”
“Disappointed?”
“Nah, I liked watching you.”
“Jay. We have to dump this guy now and get my clan member back to his family.”
“That’s not happening.”
“Why?”
“Lots of reasons, but the obvious one is the lump under his jacket. He’s got a gun.”
“You’re a grizzly, right? You could knock out a wolf with one good swipe of your paw.”
“Okay, little girl, you need to listen to me. If I attack a wolf who hasn’t shown any aggression toward us and whose alpha has officially extended us her hospitality because of an agreement both parties accepted, then I will be brought up before the Western Pack Council and probably thrown in jail for a couple of years. If I really hurt the guy I could be executed. Even worse, it could start a war.”
“But he’s innocent and he’s going to die.”
Jay sighed, scratching his head. “We’ll talk to Charlie after we leave the island.”
“No. That’s too late. I know where he is right now and they might decide to move him.”
“Iv, take it easy. You’re not helping the guy by freaking out.”
I scowled at the big dope. “Fine.” I pushed away from the tree. “I’ll take care of it myself.”
I quickly puzzled out a plan. If I walked over there and got really flirty, maybe I could get close enough to kick him in the nuts. That would definitely take him down.
Someone tugged on my ponytail. “Forget it.” Jay said.
“You just try to stop me, Yogi.” I shouted, trying to dislodge his hand.
“I love a challenge,” he whispered. His other hand was moving around to my back.
“What’s going on over there?” Mark asked.
“Lover’s quarrel.” Jay laughed, pulling me against him, leaning down and kissing me. It was a mega shock–something I’d never imagined he’d do in a million freakin’ years. My body was suddenly paralyzed, my mind trying to order it to do something. Kick him. Hit him. Scream. Or maybe kiss him back. His lips weren’t moving and his tongue hadn’t made an appearance like in those romance books I read late at night. No, he wasn’t rough or demanding. His mouth was soft against mine: gentle but firm.
This close I was able to take in a good dose of his scent, woodsy and minty, a combo I liked. I realized pretty fast that I didn’t want to hit him or scream at him. Shifting my balance I took half a step closer and relaxed, leaning in the tiniest bit and kissing him back. My mind understood that he was kissing me so the goon wouldn’t think we were up to something bad, or maybe to keep me from hurting the stupid wolf, but still…
No guy had ever kissed me before, and it felt nice. Nice to be held in someone’s arms, so close that you were practically breathing the same air. I could smell the shampoo we all shared and taste the salt on his lips from the corn chips he’d been snacking on in the boat. The kiss was simple, sweet. I liked it and I wished it’d been real.
‘Course I couldn’t let him know that.
I shoved against his broad chest and he backed away, smiling again. “You’re an asshole.” But he knew I didn’t mean it.
“I’ve heard that before.” He licked his lips, grinning. “But did it work?”
“I’m not going to kick that guy if that’s what you mean.”
“Smart girl.”
“You know—I’m a grown female, not a girl. Especially not a little girl.”
“Soon, maybe.”
“Woman enough for you, bear.” He laughed out loud, a real belly laugh this time.
CHARLIE
CHAPTER THIRTY
“You’re asking for something that might get us killed.” The boat was bobbing in the water, anchored in a secluded inlet on the opposite side of the island from where we’d originally landed, not far from the touristy town of Avalon. I’d told the captain of the Sea Stone that we’d decided to stick around on the island, maybe spend the night, and would like him to drop us off at an island marina where I might be able to rent a sailboat. The rental process had gone smoothly, although the marina manager had asked to
see our IDs even though I was paying in cash.
Ivy was stressed to the max, worrying about her clansman and what that guy Tellek would say if she didn’t immediately report what she’d found out. She kept looking down at the water, as if some dude was going to catapult out of the ocean and land on the deck. I mean, who knew what these sea creatures could do?
Right now her entire focus was on rescuing the other kelpie, and she was being all “do it now” and nothing normal like “lets figure out a plan.” I was afraid that short of us tying her up and forcing her back to LA, she was going in with or without my help.
“I told you. You don’t have to come.” She grunted and turned away, kneeling on the deck cushion and leaning too far over the edge.
“Can you sit down like a normal person? You’re making me nervous and I can’t think.”
“I won’t drown if I fall in.”
“That might be true, but I’d probably still jump in after you out of instinct and then we’d both be sitting here soaking wet.” I frowned, raking fingers through my overlong hair. This was a royal mess. Aaron should be told immediately about what I’d found out after examining the wolves, a disgusting job that had me gagging in the restroom. Seeing my reaction, Ms. Turner had gotten smirky, but after a few bad minutes I was able to get myself focused back on the investigation. Jay and Ivy were lucky to have missed that scene.
But now what? Ivy said he was innocent. Ms. Turner said he was a murderer. Because she was a powerful female alpha, it was really hard for me to tell if she was lying or not. Ivy had lied to me plenty of times. So who do I listen to? If I could talk to the prisoner, I’d know for sure.
I traced the scar on my hand, something I found myself doing a lot lately. I had the means to get to the truth, but was it ethical to use it? I could have gone into Ms. Turner’s head and made her tell me what she knew. I’d be taking away her freedom, but if I saved a life by doing it, did that make it okay?
Ivy was looking at me with those enormous eyes, hoping I’d agree to help, assuming I’d come up with some stellar plan to sneak in and rescue this creature I didn’t even know. I’d be risking my life and Jay’s, because if we were caught trespassing, they had the right to shoot both of us.
Breaking Out Page 14
