by E. S. Moore
“I’ll be back,” I told him as I headed for the stairs. Ethan stayed behind.
I found Jeremy waiting for me in the garage.
“I’ll take my bike,” I said. “You lead.” I started for the motorcycle, but instead of getting on, I turned back to Jeremy. “How did he die?”
“The body was found in front of the Den.” He swallowed, looking paler and paler by the minute. Whatever had happened had really shaken him up.
“He wasn’t just killed,” he went on. “He was crucified.”
2
Jeremy pulled into the Luna Cult garage ahead of me. I followed him down as a feeling of dread crept into my gut. I kept thinking about what he’d said. No matter how I looked at it, I kept coming to the same conclusion.
The werewolf had been crucified.
The Left Hand had to be responsible.
I didn’t have any actual proof that they were involved, but it was too much of a coincidence not to be them. While I’d never heard of the Left Hand crucifying anyone, I wouldn’t put it past them either. They wanted to show the world what they were capable of. They didn’t hide the bodies. It just wasn’t their style.
I knew they’d been working their way into Columbus ever since I’d killed the woman who’d nearly killed me. She’d been near insane as far as I could tell and I seriously hoped they all weren’t that way.
But despite the certainty that they were involved, I kept hope alive that someone else was responsible. I hadn’t heard about any bodies popping up lately bearing the Left Hand’s mark, but that meant little if they’d just arrived.
Jeremy parked on a lower level, deep down where anyone who managed to wander into the garage was unlikely to go. I pulled into a space next to him and shut off the engine. He got out of the car looking pale and shaky.
“You okay?” I asked. There was still a tightness to his eyes that told me he was just barely holding on.
“Yeah,” he said as he started walking. “I’m just a little shaken up by the call is all. I’ll get over it.”
I could relate. You didn’t simply get over stuff like this, especially if you knew the victim.
The night was clear and bright as we exited the garage. If it had been any other night, I might have chosen to ride the streets for a few hours, content to breathe in the fresh air. I’d found that doing something as simple as going for a ride helped me relax, helped me control the monster that lurked beneath the surface. Some nights, I needed it more than others.
“Did Jonathan tell you anything else about what happened?” I asked.
Jeremy glanced at me, looking worried and maybe a little scared. I remembered that look. I’d seen it when I’d held him down and threatened to drip blood into his mouth. He was young enough back then that he hadn’t known it would have taken a lot more blood than that to taint him any more than he already was.
He’d come a long way since then. It was almost like looking at an entirely different person now. He’d grown a little harder, a little more cynical, but I often saw the scared kid he once was beneath the tough-guy persona he was trying to use as a shield against all of the cruelties he faced on a nightly basis.
“All he said was that one of our newest recruits was crucified outside the Den. He wanted me to get both you and Ethan here as soon as possible. I think he wanted you both to stay until he figured out what to do.”
I bristled a bit at that. I knew why Jonathan wanted us there. He thought he could protect us even though I’d done a good enough job of keeping us safe for years without him. Sure, I’d been screwing up pretty badly recently, but I was better now. I could do this.
I bit my lip and forced away the anger. Jonathan was only trying to do what he thought was best. I couldn’t blame him for that. It was my fault I was in the mess I was in. If I hadn’t done so many stupid things recently, then perhaps my life wouldn’t be so damn fucked up that he felt I needed protection.
“Did you know the wolf?” I asked.
Jeremy slowed his pace. It was as if he wasn’t looking forward to reaching the Den. And really, I didn’t blame him.
“Not well,” he said. “Philip came to us scared out of his mind. He didn’t know what was happening to him. He wasn’t attacked or anything as far as he can remember. He just woke up one night with blood in his mouth and . . .” He shrugged. “You know.”
Damn, this was going to be hard. It sounded like this guy was new in more ways than one. He might not have even known much about werewolves outside what he’d seen on the news. The media tended to portray them solely as violent killers, so he probably had a pretty terrifying view of himself by the time he got to the Den.
I felt an odd pang in my chest thinking of the dead wolf. I never knew him, yet a part of me wished I had. I’d just started to learn that not every werewolf was a bad guy. I’d always been so closed off, so stubborn about accepting anything but my own personal view of things, I’d missed out on a lot of would-be friendships. I wasn’t going to let that happen again.
We fell silent as we approached the Den. The old library looked abandoned from the outside, though I knew it was anything but. Jonathan wasn’t just a werewolf and the leader of the Luna Cult; he was also a sorcerer. He claimed he could only cast glamours, and he used his ability to hide not only the look of the building, but his own damaged face. From the outside, you’d never know there were lights blazing inside.
We ascended the large concrete steps with Jeremy in the lead. I glanced around, hoping to catch a glimpse of the scene of the crime, but wherever the wolf had been crucified, they’d either removed the evidence or I wasn’t looking in the right spot. I scanned the trees and upper reaches of the building in the hopes of spotting one of the many hidden cameras, but I couldn’t find them. I was hopeful they’d caught the culprit in the act.
Jeremy hesitated just outside the doors and I nearly ran into him. He gave me a nervous look before taking a deep breath and holding it. He opened the doors to the Luna Cult Den.
I closed my eyes to the light I knew was coming. I could still see it through my eyelids as I crossed over the threshold, but the effect was dampened enough that I only had to blink a few times to clear my vision. When it did, I was met with more people than I’d ever seen in the Den at one time.
There were Cultists everywhere, many I’d never seen before in my life. Groups were huddled together, talking in loud voices so they could be heard over the next group. There was hardly an inch of floor space that wasn’t occupied, and I realized that the buzz of what had happened was still fresh.
Jeremy reached a hand back and touched my own. I recoiled out of pure reflex as his fingers touched mine. He turned wild eyes on me and held out his hand as if my grip was the only thing that would help him get through this.
I grimaced and took his hand. He looked so frightened, I would have felt horrible if I hadn’t done something to ease his mind. There was something about his posture that told me he was just barely holding on. I often forgot how young he really was.
He led me through the crowd, though it wasn’t easy. There were just too many people crammed into the room. One guy in particular refused to move. He stood in our way, clearly defiant, as if challenging us. I wasn’t sure if he knew what Jeremy was because most Cultists wouldn’t do anything disrespectful to one of the creatures they worshipped, yet here he was, muscled body blocking our path.
If things had been different, I would have jammed an elbow into his ribs, or worse, broken a few of them for him. I didn’t have patience for idiots who thought they were better than everyone else.
But I held back. Tonight was not the night to start a fight.
The stairs leading up to Jonathan’s sitting room weren’t as packed as the floor below. We were able to go up without having to push our way through. The only time we stopped was when a girl stopped Jeremy, leaned in close, and whispered something to him. She was pretty in a way, though the bald head detracted from her beauty and the tattoo on her forehead looked as if
she’d spent some time scratching at it when it was new.
Jeremy’s hand tightened on mine as he gave her a quick nod. She glanced at me and her jaw tightened before she looked away. It was clear she wasn’t happy to see me.
I wanted to pull my hand free of Jeremy’s grip in the worst way. I knew he needed the comfort, but I was far from the best person to give it. I could tell that quite a few of the Cultists weren’t comfortable with me being there. Not everyone thought of me as their savior.
We reached the top of the stairs and Jeremy led me through the gilded doors to Jonathan’s rooms. Two large men I didn’t know stood outside them, arms crossed. Neither had a tattoo, which meant they were both more than likely werewolves.
I pulled my hand from Jeremy’s own as the two wolves stepped aside and opened the doors for us. Jeremy entered first and I followed quickly behind, not really liking the idea of being alone with the two unfamiliar werewolves. As soon as I was through, they closed the heavy doors, remaining outside to stand watch.
The loud voices from the main room were cut down to a faint murmur. My ears were ringing with the sound of it as I glanced around the room, quickly taking in those present.
As soon as we entered, Jonathan rose from where he’d been sitting on his couch. A woman I didn’t recognize remained seated next to where he’d been.
She was tall, even while sitting. Her hair was cut short and gelled so that it stood out in spikes all around her head. Her eyes were a deep, chocolate brown, as was her skin. Both her left eyebrow and upper lip were pierced in a way that told me the jewelry would stay in if she shifted into wolf form. At one look, I knew she was a werewolf.
And I instantly didn’t like her.
“Where’s Ethan?” Jonathan asked, crossing the room.
I glanced behind me and frowned. Nathan was nowhere in sight, which I found odd.
“At home,” I said, turning back to Jonathan. “Where he belongs.”
“You should have brought him.”
I narrowed my eyes. “He’ll be fine where he’s at.”
Jeremy walked past me and went to stand awkwardly by a chair. It was obvious he didn’t know what to do with himself. He’d been living with me for so long, I don’t think any of us knew what his place in the Den hierarchy was anymore. He’d done his job in bringing me here, but now he wasn’t sure if he should sit or stand or go wait outside.
The tall woman stood and walked over to stand beside Jonathan. She was wearing black, knee-high boots with heels that made her even taller. She towered over everyone in the room, including Jonathan.
I paid her a quick glance and felt my insides boil. I turned back to the Denmaster, angrier than I should have been.
“Who’s she?” I asked, a little sharper than I intended.
Jonathan looked startled, as if he’d forgotten the woman was even there. He glanced at her and a small smile lit the corners of his mouth, which only irritated me more.
“This is Keira Emery,” he said, gently touching her wrist. “She came to us last week.”
I clenched my jaw and stared her down. I really, really didn’t like her and she had yet to say a word. I gave her the hairy eye for a good couple of seconds before turning back to Jonathan. “Another wolf?” I asked to be sure.
He nodded. “Keira and three other weres came to us after the fall of one of the Minor Houses. They were able to escape before what would have become their new master could establish control.” He gave her a smile so sickly sweet, I just about puked.
“So, you’re Kat?” She made it a question. Her voice was deep, warm, and reassuring. It was the sort of voice that would be right at home in a room lit only by candlelight.
I pointedly ignored her.
“Why am I here?” I asked, crossing my arms.
Jonathan gave me a strange look before gesturing toward the couch. “Please, sit,” he said. “We might as well get comfortable.”
I kept my arms crossed as I stormed past him to sit in the chair farthest from the couch. I knew I was being sulky and knew it had to do with Keira. I just wasn’t sure why she bothered me so much.
Jonathan nodded to Jeremy who took the other chair, looking relieved. I think he’d expected Jonathan to ask him to leave.
Keira and Jonathan resumed their seat on the couch next to each other. Her hand immediately went to his wrist.
Jonathan spoke as soon as we were all seated, clearly unaware of how uncomfortable they were making me.
“The Left Hand has struck close to home.”
“Are you sure it’s them?”
“As sure as I can be.”
“How?” I asked, frowning. “You still have security cameras, don’t you? Couldn’t you have stopped them before they finished the job?”
He sighed. “We do. Whoever did this managed to disable the cameras without anyone noticing.”
My eyebrows rose at that. “All of them?”
He nodded.
My gaze flickered to Keira and she stiffened. She knew as well as I did that the newest members of the Cult would be the most likely suspects. To disable all of the cameras, someone would have to know where they were all placed around the campus, or at least, how to remotely shut them down. To me, that screamed inside job.
I turned back to Jonathan. “Why are there so many people here? Are you asking questions?”
“We’re calling in all of our members, even the ones who have never been inside the Den before. Over the last few days, five Cultists have turned up dead. I don’t believe all five were killed by the Left Hand, but I don’t want to take any more chances. We’re being hunted.”
I shuddered as I thought about the cross I’d picked up off the last Left Hand victim I’d seen. His throat had been cut and he’d bled to death without much of a fight. I’d even felt the pinch of a Left Hand syringe, the helplessness as the concoction went to work, paralyzing me and thinning my blood so that it wouldn’t clot.
“I didn’t think they went after Purebloods,” I said. “Not even those that worship wolves.”
“Neither did I.”
I really didn’t like where this was heading. Were the Left Hand expanding their reach, killing anyone and everyone who had any sort of contact with supes? That would leave everyone I knew as a potential target.
“How can you be sure it was the Left Hand?” I asked, hoping it had to be someone else. “Crucifixion doesn’t seem to be their style. And if they’re killing pureblooded humans . . .”
Jonathan spread his hands. “I can’t be sure of anything, but it’s the most likely scenario. Philip was crucified, and a cross was burned into his forehead, and he . . .” Sudden pain lit up his eyes and he looked down at his hands. Keira squeezed his wrist.
“He was branded?” I asked, trying my best to pretend I didn’t see her touching him.
“No.” Jonathan shook his head. “The metal was heated and pressed into his forehead where it burned away the flesh. It was fused with his skull when we found him.”
I felt sick. Since Philip was a werewolf, chances were good he’d been conscious throughout the entire process. I was pretty sure that anyone who went to the trouble to burn a cross into his forehead would have done it while he was alive and aware. It would have hurt like hell and more than likely would have driven him insane.
I found my gaze once more traveling to Keira. I wondered how well Jonathan actually knew her and if he’d shown her where the cameras were.
“Where’s Nathan?” I asked, never taking my eyes off her. It seemed awfully convenient that a new wolf showed up just about the same time as people started dying. And now Jonathan’s second wasn’t around while we were talking about the murders? It didn’t make sense. He wouldn’t have missed something like this.
Jonathan was silent long enough that I turned my gaze back to him.
A sudden fear gripped me. “Is he . . . ?”
“He’s fine,” Jonathan said with a heavy sigh. “In a manner of speaking.”
“What�
��s that supposed to mean?”
Jonathan shook his head, telling me he wasn’t going to get into it. I turned to Jeremy who shifted uncomfortably in his chair under my scrutiny. I wasn’t sure if that meant he knew something or if he was as concerned as I was. If I thought about it later, I’d have to ask him. He wasn’t going to talk about it now.
“Fine. So why am I here exactly?” I asked, forcing myself to stare at Jonathan and not the girl hanging on to him.
He flipped a hand over and took Keira’s in his own, which only served to make me steam even more.
“I wanted to know that you were safe,” he said. “I wanted to make sure the Left Hand could not get to you or Ethan.”
I laughed. It was a bitter, angry sound. “And this place is supposed to be safe? I don’t recall anyone getting crucified outside my front door.”
It was cruel and I regretted it the moment I said it. It was obvious I wasn’t in complete control of my anger. As much as I wanted to say and do the right thing, I sometimes couldn’t help myself.
Jonathan winced and pulled his hand free from Keira’s grip. She glowered at me, and rightfully so. I was being a bitch. Her presence was rubbing me the wrong way and with everything else that was happening, having her there was only making it harder to control my vampire-induced anger.
“Now that we know the Left Hand is here and that they know where we are, we can watch for them,” Jonathan said, adopting a businesslike tone to his voice.
“But how did they find you?”
Jonathan shrugged. “I do not know. But this is still the safest place I know, especially now that we know to be watchful.”
“I’m not staying here.” I wanted to say it before he asked.
Jonathan actually smiled a little. “I knew it was unlikely you would, but I had to at least try. I had hoped if Ethan was here, he might have been able to convince you to stay.”
“If I may?”
My fists tightened as Keira spoke. I really didn’t want to hear anything she had to say.
