Eli pulled at his hair with a wince. "She knows. She's seen me in the dream of her accident a million times. If she doesn't choose to acknowledge the truth, I can't help her with that. She must accept it in her own time."
"You also engineered the events that led her to Alena," Davin accused.
"Yes. Again, it was necessary. Mather was closing in again, and Eden needed a safe place. The path from Alena led here - to the safest place she could be. Her spirit guide needed her to be around other mages before he appeared, and Gideon was the best chance for destroying the locket."
"I knew Gideon was a spirit guide and not a familiar."
Eli nodded. "You're very perceptive."
Despite herself, Jenira enjoyed the unexpected praise.
Davin frowned but continued. "Did you also torch her apartment? It cost me a lot of money to bribe the police department and distract Guthrie."
Eli smiled. "That actually wasn't me, but it's not like you can't afford it," he said simply. "Once we kill the Magitech, you'll have access to his research. It will make Rennert Industries a fortune."
Davin scowled. "I don't want to make killer automatons."
"Oh no, not that research. I'll stop anyone from making more automatons. There are - other things - Mather discovered which will make you a pretty penny. Additionally, his established trade deals with other countries will influence the fate of the Eastern Territory. After this is over, Magitechs will slowly rise to their place in our culture. You need to represent the Eastern Territory."
"I have no desire to be in politics," Davin snarled even though they'd already realized it was the best route.
"No?" Eli asked. "No desire to be in politics, but every desire to integrate and make sure Magitechs can live as equal citizens? There are a lot of Magitechs being abused and used right now, especially in the Western Territory. You can't have everything you want without giving a little in return, Dr. Rennert."
Davin would be stubborn and not admit Eli was right, so Jenira took over. "If you can't tell us the location of the factory or the identity of the traitor, what can you tell us?" She tried to make her voice less confrontational than her lover's, but her personality wasn't usually conciliatory.
Eli plopped into a chair, recovering from his anger of a moment ago. His demons clearly rode him. He'd made difficult decisions and sacrificed much of his life for his sister. She wondered if his motives were genuinely altruistic or if Eli wanted something out of this that she couldn't see.
"I can tell you how to kill the automatons. When the time comes, I will help you enter his fortress. I will tell you how best to use the team gathered here."
Jenira raised an eyebrow. "We can do those things ourselves."
"Then keep me around because I'm handsome," Eli responded with a smirk.
Davin scowled. "We already know how to kill the automatons."
"No, you don’t. You killed six, but you didn't neutralize them before they transmitted useful information to Mather. The six you encountered were old models." Eli waved a scarred hand. "Improvements have been made since that batch. Mather learns more all the time and pours his knowledge into his creations. For example, the latest batch can't be affected by water."
Jenira scowled, her fingers tightening around her blade. Fighting the automatons had been more frustrating than fighting a living man. She didn't have to live with the guilt of ending a life, but their metal skin didn't yield easily. She'd nicked her best blade and spent a considerable amount of time re-enchanting the weapon.
"What's next?" Jenira asked.
Eli didn't answer right away. She guessed it was just a ploy to annoy Davin. She rolled her eyes but managed to wait patiently. "Mac can neutralize all the automaton parts and the locket so they can be transferred to the castle and studied safely. She just needs to zap them with her unique magic. That's one thing Mather hasn't been able to and won't be able to figure out how to counter. He didn't count on Mac." His lips twisted in a smile Jenira recognized as appreciative. "Studying the creations will educate our brilliant scientists on the best defense. If we don't retrieve the parts, Mather will send minions to whoever is watching over them right now."
Davin swore. Rock was guarding the parts, a close friend and one of his most loyal men. "How do I get Mac to the parts safely so she can do that?"
"You should do it quickly before his minions find them. Take her there, tell her to zap them with her magic, and transport the parts here. It should be a fairly simple trip, although you should send protection. Mac needs to improve her fighting skills. Her magic is excellent, but it takes a lot out of her."
Jenira nodded. "She and Alena both need training so they don't rely entirely on their magic."
"How do you know so much?" Davin asked.
Eli smiled humorlessly. "Funny, Mac asked me the same thing this morning. Some of it I make it my business to know." He traced a scar on the back of his left hand with a fingertip. "Other things I just sense on the wind. Besides being a blood mage, I happen to be in tune with objects. The castle speaks to me. You might find your friend Rock responds the same way. Could be very helpful."
"Most blood mages don't possess any latent magic," Jenira said with surprise. "You can do this without cutting?"
Eli nodded and smiled crookedly. "I'm one of a kind. Now if you don't mind, it's getting late, and I need a drink." He rose from his chair with a flourish.
Jenira scoffed. It was barely past noon. She didn't understand why Davin, and apparently Eli, felt the need to drink alcohol when it didn't affect them. Her lover said it relaxed him, but she noticed no change when she drank.
Eli paused before he opened the door. "I would recommend taking Mac out tonight. You might be running out of time."
Davin watched him leave before running a large hand over his face. "I've never seen anyone get under your skin so easily," she observed.
He shrugged massive shoulders. "Yes, he does rub me the wrong way. I think he's telling the truth about most things, but he isn't telling the whole truth."
"Maybe you're too much alike," Jenira suggested, standing in front of him.
Davin's eyes widened. His magic reached out to hers, and she embraced it with comfort. "Alike? Me? Like him?"
She trailed a finger along the bunched muscle of his forearm, smiling in smug satisfaction when his skin rippled in response. "You're both used to manipulating things to get what you want."
"I don't like him sniffing around Mac."
"Your niece is, what, twenty-one? She can make her own decisions about men, even if she regrets it later. I think he has her best interests in mind, as much as a man can. Eli's attractive and he possesses a certain kind of charm..."
Davin's eyes bored into her, and his arms wrapped around her. His body was wound tightly with tension. "You think so?"
Jenira shrugged; baiting him wasn't the best idea. "Maybe for Mac," she commented. "He's too skinny for me. I like my men a little - bigger." She grinned, unable to resist her next words. "Cat, Alena, and maybe Eden are convinced you're on steroids."
Davin gulped. "Don't those do things to - you know…” He looked down at his crotch.
"Yes, they do," Jenira purred. She flattened her palms on his chest, enjoying the muscles moving under her hands. "I could tell them there are no concerns."
He chuckled darkly, his mind already distracted from Eli. Jenira could manipulate Davin with ease, but she rarely did. His interests aligned with hers.
"Let them think what they want," he said. "Your opinion is the only one I care about." He claimed her lips and pressed his body to hers, determined to prove to her he didn't have any deficiencies in that area whatsoever.
Chapter Seven
Eden
Surprisingly, Eden found her morning in the lab riveting and fun. Cat was quiet but brilliant. Andrew was sweet and eager to explain anything she didn't understand. His personality was similar to Alec's, humble and compassionate. The puppy eyes he directed at his oblivious lab partner amused E
den.
After their kiss, Alec was more relaxed. They enjoyed the subtle flirting they hadn't engaged in before. Every brush of his body against hers created a simmering desire for more.
"Once we get the parts from the robots, we can look into this further," Andrew repeated for the hundredth time. Most of their theories consisted of conjecture. They needed the parts to do more as none of them had been involved in the attack. Cat's strength was finding obscure connections, and Andrew possessed a knack for research that ensured they never ran out of ideas.
Finally, Eden stood and stretched stiff muscles. She couldn't ignore the growling of her stomach anymore. "I'm starving."
Andrew grinned crookedly. "The Brownies refuse to serve us food here. They want us to escape the lab from time to time. If we had food, we might never leave." The group chuckled, realizing the truth in that.
The lab itself was a huge room with several different stations. The stations were a mix of computers, tools for analyzing or mixing specimens, chemicals, or compounds, and separate tables for assembly or disassembly. One wall was filled with books. Before her tech powers were awakened, Eden wouldn't have recognized any of the subjects. Now, she understood what each book referred to even if she couldn't immediately guess an application. Once Andrew learned she possessed proficiency in nearly every scientific aptitude, he'd drilled her with questions, utterly fascinated.
Andrew turned to his lab partner. "Come on, Cat, we should eat something."
She frowned at the molecular model on her monitor, but nodded absently and reluctantly slipped off her stool.
The group found its way to a large, sunny room with one full wall of windows. The other wall displayed large paintings. Eden recognized Ilona immediately; she looked just like the woman in the dreamwalk. A younger version of Davin hung next to his sister. His body had always been massive, but his characteristic menace was softened by Ilona's obvious compassion. The painting to the other side of the siblings portrayed an older couple that shared their children's eyes. Another portrait was a painting of a couple dressed in the style of the past, probably Davin and Ilona's grandparents. All the pictures showcased the family's apparent wealth.
Eden turned away from the paintings and toward the table. Just like at the safe house, several dishes waited for them, hot and ready. She slipped into a seat next to Alec and began piling food on her plate.
Eli walked in as she bit into a juicy strawberry. His grin begged a nervous smile. His presence still left her feeling unsettled, especially after their morning conversation.
"How goes the teaching?" he asked the group, leaning over the back of a chair instead of sitting down. A beer and a couple berries seemed to qualify as his lunch.
"Slow," Andrew admitted.
Cat's apparent relaxation seemed to have steadily declined the farther they walked from the lab. She ate with her head down, obviously listening but not participating.
"It will soon go faster," Eli announced. "The parts of the automatons should arrive soon. You can dissect and study them all you wish."
Cat looked up at that, pushing her glasses back up her nose. "Really?"
"Yes. Mac will get them tonight and neutralize any tracking devices or latent magic on them so they can be studied safely," the blood prophet explained.
"I will?" The surprised voice spoke from the doorway. All eyes swiveled in Mac's direction. Cat squeaked like a mouse and jumped, nearly launching herself into Andrew's lap. When she realized where she was, she sprang back with a cute blush. Eden restrained a laugh, recognizing her own shyness in the young techie. She looked around Alec to see what had caused Cat's sudden fright.
"Oooh," Eden breathed happily. "He's so pretty!"
Mac smiled, obviously proud. The lynx beside her watched them all with interest as he sniffed the air. Mac said something under her breath, and the cat put aside his predatory, protective instincts and focused on the food smells. "This is my familiar." She looked at Cat. "He won't hurt anyone." Her eyes flickered to Eli. "Unless I tell him to."
"What's his name?" Eden asked, still smiling.
Mac's irritation flickered through the air. "Lightning," she said through gritted teeth. The cat preened when it heard his name and started padding forward. She sensed that Mac thought it was a silly name, but she liked it.
"I like the name," Eden murmured. The big cat looked at her thoughtfully, intelligence sparking in his eyes. "Can he understand us?"
"Just you, my dear," Eli whispered in her ear.
She jumped. He'd snuck up on her. A glance in his direction reminded her how alike his eyes were to hers. The network of scars on his face almost glowed against his dark skin. She wanted to point to each one and ask what spell he'd cast for them. She forced her attention to the present. "He can understand me?"
Eli lifted his bottle in a toast. "Part of being a dreamwalker," he said, just as quietly. "Animals, especially familiars, like you. It's part of the reason for Zar's interest."
Eden wondered if Alena knew. As if her thoughts conjured the woman, she slipped past Mac into the room. Eli pulled out the chair he'd been leaning over. Alena gifted her with a smile before she sat, squeezing her shoulder.
"Beautiful beast," the redhead commented.
Mac chose a seat further down the table, away from Cat who seemed to be the most skittish around him. Lightning's attention had focused with single-mindedness on the bowl of meat that appeared on the floor for him. His mage grinned. "Thank you. It wasn't easy." Her eyes shot to Eli again. "Eli mentioned you might have an interesting story about your first meeting with Zar."
Alena chuckled after a searching look at Eli. On the other side of her, Alec groaned; Eden sensed embarrassment and amusement. She sat back in her chair so she could observe the couple.
"Alec and I were on a camping trip. We'd only known each other about three months at that time, so he was still getting used to me being a mage. The night was beautiful with a gorgeous full moon. We were gathering firewood." Alena paused and laughed to herself, obviously remembering. "I've been in and out of the wilds since I was a kid, but Alec was a city boy. Just as I was returning to camp, I heard a low growl. I dropped the sticks and climbed a tree because that's what I'd been told to do. Height wouldn't protect me from a cat like Mac's, but it would from a bear or wolf and the growl reminded me of a wolf. Zar is half wolf, I think. But the growling continued, and I remembered Alec - a poor city boy facing a wolf. Although I hadn't heard any signs of a fight, I worried the wolf might have attacked him.
"I climbed down the tree and crept back to our campsite. I'll never forget what I saw. Alec had climbed onto this massive tree stump, about six feet off the ground. Zar prowled at the base of the stump, staring at Alec like he was playing with his food. And Alec was talking to it." She laughed.
The techie set his glass down, his cheeks reddening adorably. "I thought it was Alena."
"What?" Mac's eyes were wide. Eli stood to the side, his eyes dancing with laughter. Andrew and Cat appeared riveted by the story.
"He was talking to the beast because he thought I'd somehow shifted into a wolf."
"Or that you'd turned into a werewolf. We techies tell all sorts of stories about what mages can and can't do."
Andrew cleared his throat. "He's right; I might have thought the same thing."
Cat's mouth formed a wide O, reminding Eden that she and her sister were raised in the West.
"So what did you do?" Mac asked Alena.
"Well, once I realized what Alec was doing, I decided I needed to distract the wolf. I didn't want him to get eaten. I shouted and tried to call a firebolt. But I hadn't used my magic in so long, and I was still scared of this huge beast. What I thought was a fireball turned out to be a blast of water."
Several laughs erupted, Cat's included. Eden pictured it in her mind: Zar angry and soaking wet, Alena and Alec shaking in fear.
"I couldn't gather enough focus to do anything else. The beast ran at me and knocked me to the ground. Just
when I thought he might eat me, he licked me."
Eden laughed, and Mac looked down at her lynx. He sat on the floor, contentedly licking his paws. "He did the same thing to me - knocked me over and licked me." She scrubbed at her cheek, although it was clean at the moment.
"I guess it's a familiar greeting," Alena said with a shrug. "Familiars don't recognize us unless we use our magic. I assume you needed to do the same?"
Mac relayed the meeting with the lynx. Eden's heart beat faster thinking about those fierce claws and fangs.
"It wasn't like that at all with Gideon," Eden said.
"Because he's not your familiar," the younger girl said with a shrug.
"What?"
Eli nodded. "It's true. Gideon's a spirit guide, not a familiar."
"What does that mean?"
"Later," her brother said, not unkindly. "I'll explain it to you later. I need to take care of some things now." He started to leave, but Mac's voice stopped him.
"Not so fast, Eli. When I walked in the room, you said something about me getting the parts. What did you mean?"
Eli looked back briefly but didn't stop walking. Eden could sense his urgency, and she usually never felt any of his emotions. "Your uncle will tell you," he shot over his shoulder and disappeared, leaving them all to frown after him.
"No offense, Eden, but your brother is strange," Mac said, biting into a thick sandwich.
"No offense taken," she replied, also bemused by his behavior.
"How did your morning go?" Alena asked Eden quietly. Her emotions, blessedly open, held no jealousy.
Eden smiled. “Really well. I didn't understand half of what we did, but Alec is right. I needed tech time to balance my magic. It felt good.” She grinned. "I didn't fry anything."
Cat returned her smile shyly. She seemed entirely comfortable with the lynx's presence now. Eden got the impression she adjusted very quickly to new situations.
"If it's really true we're going to get the parts tonight, we can do so much more," Andrew gushed, nearly shaking with his excitement.
Enemies Allied Page 7
