I nodded and walked away from Tellek, from Brina, from all of them. They gave me space, Rylen and Aaron taking over the questioning. I hoped that Tellek would confess to stealing and delivering the chela. Then we could report to the WPC that the kelpie had confessed and we could turn our attention to the Catalina wolves.
I was disgusted with myself because I was more like Kennet than I ever imagined, even in my worst nightmares. The lust to cause pain…I couldn’t…
Shuddering, I leaned against the wall, wrapping my arms around my body. This wasn’t the time to fall apart. Ivy survived and I’d helped. That was what I needed to focus on.
Rylen was able to get the information needed to close the case on his end. After a thirty-minute trial, Tellek was executed in a brutal way, stomped to death by any steed who wished to participate. Many did: Chieftain Marea had been well loved. I watched as penance, Brina on my right, Aaron my left, hoping the sight would make me ill. But when my anger had dissipated along with my unnatural thirst for violence, I was only numb.
The funeral was next, all of us staying the few extra hours as representatives of our various species, making the occasion a diplomatic event. Marea was not buried. Instead he was wrapped in moss and a blanket of woven cloth that was decorated with scenes depicting moments in his long life. Then he was released into the sea, a fitting end for a kelpie royal.
Rylen was crowned immediately in a short ceremony. There was a feast and then a long discussion about the future of the kelpie race and its relationship with the outside world. Like his father, Rylen Marea would respond to the call from Faerie.
I sat and listened, contributing very little, even though they often looked to me for a response. I had nothing to give them.
Rylen would stay with his people, but Ivy wanted to come back with us. “I think it’s better she stays here where she’s safe.”
“She’s safe with us.” Jay protested.
“No one’s safe.”
Jay ignored me. “We’ll leave her here while we take care of the wolves, then she can meet us back at the house in a few days.”
“After Aaron straightens out the wolves, I’m disbanding the team.”
“What? You can’t do that.” Jay sat beside me on the bench.
“I enjoyed hurting him.” I was only able to whisper my confession.
“No, Char.”
“More than enjoyed. I was in heaven. I was lapping up his fear like it was whipped cream. His pain was the cherry on top.”
“You were pissed off, that’s all.”
“If Brina hadn’t stopped me I would have tortured him for hours and loved every second.”
“No, because Aaron would have stopped you. Or me. You need people around to ground you. The team will be that for you.”
“What if I’m so into what I’m doing that I hurt you or Ivy? I already hurt Brina.”
“That was an accident.”
“I wouldn’t mean to hurt any of you, but it could happen. No one’s safe around me. I’m a fucking time bomb waiting to go off.”
“You would never hurt me, Char.” I couldn’t bring myself to tell him that I was no longer sure that was true. “Hey. He hurt Ivy. Almost killed her. She’s ours. I would’ve killed him if they’d let me. Don’t…”
I had to whisper the next part, my confession, “I wanted him to be in agony, eternal pain, and I wanted to be the one to make him hurt. It felt so good to make him hurt. This wasn’t the kind of anger you feel. This was…this was like…”
“You’re not like him.”
“For a few minutes, I was, Jay. I’m scared.”
Jay twisted his mouth in thought. “When we’re done with the Catalina criminals, we’ll get in touch with Fin again, or Isaiah. I think that’s where you gotta go to sort this out. But don’t forget, this was the first time this happened and you’re just getting used to what you can do. What happened today might be a fluke.”
I sure wanted to believe that was true. “Thanks.” I took a cleansing breath and changed the subject. “Brina wants to join the team.”
“Yeah? Awesome.”
“You think?”
“Uh…lets see…a fae warrior with a shitload of magic and amazing fighting skills wants to join our team as we investigate violent supernaturals. What a dilemma.”
“It’s a different situation for me, having her around all the time.”
“If different is another way of saying terrific, I agree.”
“Jay… “
“She grounds you. You’ll feel more in control.”
He had a point. “I’ll think about it.”
“Cool. I think we’re leaving in a few.”
We’d decided to head immediately to Catalina Island. Do not pass go.
IVY
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
When I opened my eyes, Rylen was beside my bed, holding my hand. “Hi! Where’s Jay? I kept dreaming that he was reading me a story or something. I kept hearing his voice.”
“He was here for a long time.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean it to sound like I wasn’t happy to see you, too.” It was unexpected, but nice.
“Don’t worry.”
“You look sad—or really tired.”
“Both.”
“How did you find me?” I asked.
“Charles went into Tellek’s mind and found out what he’d done. Tellek was the man who delivered the chela to the wolves.”
I looked him over for the first time. “Why are you all dressed up?”
“I’m chieftain now. My father was murdered by Tellek.”
“Holy…um, I’m so sorry.”
I tried to bow, but it was hard in the bed. “Don’t worry about bowing when we’re alone. We’re friends.”
“Thanks.”
“I have a surprise for you.”
“Yeah?”
My sisters came running in first, followed by my dad. I started to cry. We hugged and kissed and laughed. When I could finally talk again, I thanked my new chieftain.
“Your debt is paid. You need never mate if that’s your choice, or you may find a male to love. The females of our species are free to choose their mates as long as I am ruler. There will be no more scheduled matings.”
“Thank you.” I was crying. Crying from relief and joy.
“Your father is now my chief advisor.” If I could have hugged Rylen, I would have, Chieftain or not. “He is of my line, the royal line, as are you and your sisters. Your family will never want for anything again.”
My sisters had crawled up onto my bed, one on each side. I hugged them, wiping the tears from my eyes. “But will you let me…can I ever go back?”
“You’ve suffered so much, Ivonne. You’re free to make your own choices.”
“Then I’m going back.” My sisters whined. “I’ll visit. I promise.” That seemed to cheer them up. “One more request?”
“Yes?”
“Can I be known as Ivy? I hate Ivonne.” Everyone laughed, even the grumpy doctor. “But where are my friends?”
Rylen took her hand. “Battling the Catalina wolves, I’m afraid.”
“I have to help.”
“You must rest. Think of the power they wield. All will be well.”
CHARLIE
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
We arrived fifteen minutes early. The night was cloudy and it was dark on Catalina, but most of our species were able to see perfectly well in pitch-black conditions. I added a touch of ghostly fae light for Ginamarie and Aaron, just to make sure. Kaera and Farrell had also agreed to stay, so we had plenty of heavy hitters on our side.
“Told ya it would come in handy,” I teased Jay, who only grunted a response. He was upset that he had to leave Ivy before she’d regained consciousness, even though the doctor had assured him that she was going to be okay. I told him he could’ve stayed, but he’d just growled at me.
An hour ago, Ms. Turner told Aaron she would meet him at the dock, but no one was around and she wasn’t ans
wering her cell phone. I sent out my magical sensors, just to see if I could locate any traps. “There’s some flux about a hundred feet up the path.”
“Douse the light.” Aaron suggested. We did. No reason to become rifle targets.
Aaron stepped forward a few paces. “I can smell a lot of activity in that area, the scent is still strong, but they’ve made themselves scarce, apparently.”
“I’ll go.” I stepped forward.
“Not alone.” Aaron clutched my forearm.
“No one will see me or scent me.”
“You’re dealing with wolves with excellent hearing. You’re not exactly silent.”
Brina stepped beside Aaron. “Kaera and I will create a small distraction. They will think it is a natural occurrence, not something brought on by an attack. Charles knows how to use his magic to the best advantage.”
Aaron started to protest, but I interrupted, taking charge. “Uncle Aaron, you’re back-up until we’re able to speak to the alpha. Then I’ll defer to your authority as members of the WPC. Farrell will remain here with you. I can communicate with the fae mentally, so you and Ginamarie will be kept up to date.”
“We are on packlands.”
“Territory stolen from my allies, the kelpies.”
He laughed. “I’ll expect regular reports. The pack’s a small one. Only around thirty-five, at last estimation.”
“I see a few cameras. I’ll disable them.” Jay said, jogging over to the first one.
I crept into the woodsy area to the right, keeping down, sensing the terrain even before I came to it. I wanted to get as far from my group as possible before I really began exploring. There were a few places I’d visited before: the stable, where they’d held Rylen, the far dock, a place I’d passed in our rented boat, and the morgue building. I chose the stable first.
I explored, checking the loft and looking under the straw for a possible hidden basement. I came up empty. “Nothing at the stable.” I gave the sisters a mental picture and they arrived a heartbeat later.
“You know of more places?” Kaera asked, looking around. Even though it was dark, there was still some light from the half moon and the stars. We were crouching just inside the tree line.
“Two.”
“Show us.” Kaera insisted.
“There’s a building they used for a temporary morgue, where they kept what was left of the two dead bodies. I’ll go first.”
The smell made me want to gag all over again, but the building was deserted and the wolves’ remains had been removed. The sisters joined me behind a large oak.
“Nothing.”
“No one else is in this vicinity. Is there another location?” Brina asked.
We huddled in the brush of the beach I’d seen from the boat, watching a group of wolves busily at work, loading a large cruiser with crates. There were also a few humans with dark hair and tanned skin, nudged onto the craft by males holding rifles.
Ms. Turner was there, giving orders. “Quickly. They could be at the dock already. ”
We were hidden behind some blackberry bushes that had crawled up a tree trunk, the berries long gone. “You go and get the others. I’ll stay.”
They disappeared without an argument. Wow: first time for that.
Someone was moving through the woods, four feet, not two. A growl froze in place. My heartbeat speeded up. There was a lot I could do to hide myself, but I couldn’t stop my heart from pounding in my chest.
“Wolves in wolf form at south location. Moving to north side,” I sent, taking the lines to the woods on the other side of beach. Sometimes running made sense.
The WPC had no intention of being stealthy. This was official business.
The whole crew landed on the beach as a unit. It was pretty impressive and it scared the crap out of the wolves. Some of them took one look at Aaron, who was working his I-Am-The-Alpha vibe, and knelt on the sand, submitting completely to his authority. Franklin and Farrell gathered up their weapons while the sisters drew their swords. Jay had already shifted to his grizzly, and brother, if I didn’t know for sure he wouldn’t kill me, I’d be peeing myself.
I made myself useful by staying invisible and prowling for snipers. This was WPC business and now I was playing backup.
“What are you loading on the boat, Staci?”
“Alpha Green, I was just coming to greet you at our regular dock. There’s nothing of interest, here. Two of our families are moving to the mainland for medical reasons. These are their possessions, nothing else.”
“Tell your people to lower their weapons or my companions will use force to disarm them. Some may get injured.”
“We’ve done nothing wrong.” She was backing up as she spoke.
His voice grew in resonance and volume, the commanding power of a top alpha was difficult to ignore. “Lower them. Now.” She waved her hand and every wolf we could see dropped the handguns and rifles they’d been carrying. “Knives too.” The clatter and thumps were evidence of his control.
“Where is your mate, Alpha Turner?” Ginamarie strode closer to the boat. She was tall and olive-skinned with dark waves that fell to her shoulders. Kaera walked beside her, an even taller beauty.
“He…passed. I have not had a chance to announce the tragedy.”
“The council wasn’t informed.”
“He was ill. It was a difficult time for all of us.” She pretended to look submissive before Aaron, but we caught the real story.
“A lie.” Brina said. She stood next to Jay.
“Did you murder him?”
“No.” She was suddenly wide-eyed with panic.
“Truth.”
“Did you have someone else murder him?” Franklin asked. As Aaron’s second, he’d dealt with the worst of his kind.
“No, of course not.” Another step backward.
“Lie.”
“Take her into custody, Franklin.”
I heard a growl in the woods up ahead, followed by a male’s whispered voice, “Sh. I can get a good shot at Alpha Green from here. But you need to shut your trap.”
I moved closer, the wolf growling once more. Hopefully the two werewolves weren’t strong enough to communicate mentally. All I’d need was the wolf in animal form telling the other guy he heard me sneaking around.
Just a little bit farther…
Sending a jolt of demon magic to burn his hands the way I’d done accidentally with Brina, I hissed, “Drop it.” He screamed and his buddy in wolf form sprang, sensing my direction based on my voice. I easily avoided him by taking the lines to the other side of his now kneeling and whimpering companion.
Kaera showed up a second later, knocking the wolf out with the hilt of her sword. “Such a racket, Charles,” she teased.
“I’m checking for snipers.”
“Excellent. I will come along.”
She was able to follow me in complete silence. If I could only master that skill, my invisibility-scentless-incarnation would be perfect. “How do you do that?” I decided to try sending my question. I’d never spoken to Kaera mind to mind and wasn’t sure I could.
“What?”
“You don’t make any noise at all when you walk.”
“That’s a fae secret,” she teased.
“Yeah…and?”
“What is your point?”
“I’m half fae.”
“And yet you choose to deny it at every turn, using your demon magic to harm my sister.” She stood in front of me now, blocking my path.
I winced. “I apologized. It was an accident.”
“If you’d disarmed her with fae magic she would not have been burned. She would still have been hurt and angry, but not harmed.”
“It was an instantaneous decision. I reached for what was closest.”
“No, you reached for what was most familiar, easiest. Demon magic is naturally more destructive. You were still angry that Tellek had harmed your kelpie. Your anger fed your choice.”
”Brina tells you e
verything?”
“We feel each other’s hurts.”
“I told her she could beat the crap out of me and I wouldn’t fight back.”
“She would not stoop to such a thing, however I am tempted to give you a sharp reminder so that every time you sit you might muse over the way you use your magic.”
I laughed at the thought of her stabbing me in the butt—not lethal, but definitely uncomfortable. “I deserve it.”
“Do you know that Liam shares your ability to destroy someone’s mind?”
“Liam?”
“Yes. It is a rare gift passed from King Finvarra to two of his children: Liam and Kennet. And now only one grandchild—you. Liam rarely uses it, although Kellaine mentioned he destroyed the Brownlow Alpha with his magic. He is also half fae and a healer. Talk to him.”
“Liam sees me as a thorn in my mother’s side. I’m Kennet’s son. He can’t forgive me for that fact.”
“You are not your father.”
“Everyone says that, but I see similarities.”
“Would I have allowed my sister to take you to her bed if this were so?”
My face heated like a brick oven. The fae had no filters when it came to talking about personal stuff. Good thing Kaera couldn’t see me. “I’m sure Kennet wasn’t so bad when he was young. He must’ve gotten worse as an adult.” Oh god, what would happen if I got worse?
“My father told me that as a child Kennet would steal the demi fey and keep them in cages—experimenting on how long he could deprive them of food or sunlight.”
I shuddered. The demi fey were creatures of light and joy, surrounding themselves with beautiful flower gardens. To think of them trapped in cages or hidden from the light was appalling.
“I will say this one more time and you will believe me or no. You are not your father. You are who you choose to be each day you rise from your bed. Make the correct choices and I will support you in everything you do. Hurt my sister again, and I will hurt you in return.”
“My guilt is worse than anything you could do.”
She laughed at me. “You are a child and cannot know the depths of my anger.”
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