by C. D. Hersh
“Aye. The one and only, and ye dinna need tae be concerned with me age.”
“How did you know?”
“Yer surprise shows clearly on yer face.”
Hugh made a note to keep his poker face on around the man. Nodding in turn to each one, he shook hands with Rhys and Eli.
“And this,” Delaney pointed to the last man, “is my husband, Harry Williams.”
“You got married?” he asked as he shook Harry’s hand.
“Last year. I left the life, too.” She indicated he should give her his hat and coat.
As he removed them, Hugh said, “Should I not have called you then?”
“It’s fine. My official duties don’t end until I’ve presented my mentee, Alexi, to the council. She’s a potential Promised One this year. She and her husband.”
“Still hunting for the elusive savior of the shifter world?” Hugh asked.
“Nae any mair, lad,” Eli said. “In the two o’ them, we’ve found what we need tae defeat the rogues.”
“Is that what you meant about not knowing what was going on?” Hugh asked.
“In part.” Delaney waved him toward an open doorway. “Come into the living room and sit. We’ve a lot to discuss.”
“Beginning with why ye were following a shifter.”
Hugh sat in the overstuffed chair offered. Rhys leaned against the doorjamb off to the side of the chair. The rest of the group parked themselves around the room. A fire crackled in the hearth, but did nothing to take the chill off Hugh. Talking one-on-one with Delaney was easy. Ten eyes on him raised the nervous factor. Even though she pronounced them okay, he’d never seen this many live shifters at once. He usually got called in for clean up after some battle.
Delaney must have seen his disquiet. “It’s okay, Hugh. We’re all friends here.”
“But not all shifters,” Harry said.
Harry’s comment eased his discomfort. “You’re human?”
“Last time I checked.”
The disarming smile Harry flashed put Hugh a bit more at ease.
“I married one. How’d you come to know them?”
“I stumbled on a shifter during one of my cases. Delaney worked the case with me and recruited me when I didn’t freak out. Said they needed some regular people on occasion to help with things.”
“Which bring us tae the reason why yer here.”
The impatient rumble in Eli’s voice prompted Hugh back to the subject at hand. “Sorry.” He reached in his pocket and withdrew the Turning Stone ring. “I took this off the dead shifter.” Rising, he crossed to Eli and gave him the ring.
Closing his eyes, Eli cupped the ring between his palms, fingers interlaced as if he prayed. After a couple of moments he opened his eyes. “He wasnae one o’ ours, but we can use his ring fer our purposes. Thank ye fer returning the ring.”
“You’re welcome.”
“What aboot the others ye mentioned tae Delaney. Have ye any idea who they were?”
“No. The woman came back to the scene, without the man, but she wasn’t there long enough for me to tell if she came back for the ring.”
“Then she could be a shifter,” Alexi said.
“Or not,” Rhys added. “Why were you there?”
“I tracked the dead guy from Atlanta. Part of a terrorist cell we’re hunting.”
“Terrorist?” Alexi turned to Eli. “Could Sylvia’s talk of terrorists be on the level?”
“Who’s Sylvia?”
“A high ranking rogue council member.”
“And a Homeland Security official who stuck her nose in Cleveland police business.”
“Who tried to murder Alexi.”
“And ambushed Rhys.”
“Daughter o’ the Moonless Night. Spawn o’ the devil.”
The rapidness with which the quintet spat out the description of Sylvia made their words sound like a single sentence. His gaze swung around the group as he absorbed what they said. “Holy crap! If she’s done all that, why haven’t you arrested her?”
“The she-devil is harder tae catch than a wisp o’ clean air in Beijing.”
“And we can’t prove any of it,” Delaney said.
“Except fer the she-devil part. But we’re getting off the subject. Tell us mair aboot the killing o’ the rogue shifter.”
“I followed him from Atlanta because we think he had something to do with the shipping of the chemical warfare ingredients used in the last terrorist attempt planned for D.C. He had a meeting with the man in the alley, and it must have gone south. They argued, and the guy pulled a gun. My suspect went ballistic and changed into a bear.”
“Grizzly or black?” Eli asked.
“Does it matter?”
“Mayhap. If he had any special markings we might be able tae help ye track him. I ken some o’ the animal egos o’ a few high ranking rogues.”
“Black. Big black bear. The bear started mauling him, and he shot the bear. Then the woman entered the alley just as another shot hit the bear and took him down. She stopped for only a second in front of the animal before she ran to the man. Then she hustled him out of the alley. About two hours later she came back, but I think I spooked her and she took off.”
“Did she see you?” Alexi asked.
“Don’t think so.”
“Maybe she left because she expected to see a bear and found a man instead,” Harry suggested.
“Possibly. If these two are involved with shifters though, why didn’t they take the ring? Delaney told me you always take the rings whether you’re a rogue or a good shifter.”
“’Twould make one wonder, wouldnae it? A guid Turning Stone member would take the ring tae keep it outta the hands o’ the rogues, but might nae take the time to get it if another’s life ’twas in peril. A rogue kills tae get the ring and wouldnae worry aboot another. Since they dinna take the time, mayhap neither the lad o’ the lassie dinna ken anything aboot us.”
“Except he saw the man change. She probably did, too,” Hugh said.
“Mayhap he killed what he dinna understand. But the lassie . . . it dinna make any sense why she would save the lad then come back. Mayhap she’s the one we need tae focus on. She could have the answers tae all the questions.”
“If you could describe her, the precinct sketch artist could draw a picture of her. Could you come downtown tomorrow and talk to him?” Alexi asked.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I need to keep what I’m doing here in town quiet. I don’t want to alert anyone in the cell.”
“At least come down and ID the body they brought in tonight. We had an anonymous tip on a vic. Might be your guy.”
“I’m the tipster, Captain Temple.”
“Alexi. Call me Alexi, please. Can you come down tomorrow?”
“Sure. As long as we keep my presence quiet.” He rose and rotated his neck, working out a kink. “I’ve had a long night, preceded by an even longer day. All right if I come down in the early afternoon?”
“Perfect.” Alexi rose. “I’ll see you to the door.” Delaney joined her and they walked Hugh to the foyer.
As he put on his coat, he said, “Not a word about why I’m here, Captain. If anything gets out about the cell I’m tracking it could cost me months of undercover work and put the entire operation in jeopardy.”
“Do you know what they’re planning?”
“Only that it involves chemical nerve agents coming into the US illegally. A lot of them.”
“And shifters,” Delaney added, “which puts whatever you’re investigating on a bigger scale than you might imagine.”
“Terrorism is as big as it gets, as far as I’m concerned.” Hugh put on his hat, swiping the brim between his thumb and middle finger. The w
orried glance Delaney cast at Alexi caused him to pause. “What aren’t you telling me, Delaney?”
Alexi opened her mouth and promptly clamped it shut when Delaney touched her arm. “I need to talk to Eli first. Maybe I’ll have an answer tomorrow.”
“Answers would be nice now,” Hugh said.
“I don’t know if you have the clearance for what I think I need to tell you. I’m sorry.” She shrugged and pursed her lips into a frown. “Chain of command and need to know.”
“With the amount of toxins coming into the country, I need to know anything that will help me find these guys. I’m worried an attack is imminent.”
“If shifters are involved in this, I’m afraid it’s more than a localized attack,” Delaney said.
“Are you talking citywide? Statewide?” When she didn’t reply, boulders jostled in his stomach. Was the nation at risk? He grasped the door handle and turned it. “Go talk to Eli. I want answers. Tomorrow.”
“You’re scaring me,” Alexi said to Delaney as she locked the door behind Hugh. She didn’t scare easily. Shouldn’t scare easily since she was one of Eli’s long awaited Promised Ones, savior of the Turning Stone Society. The very definition of who she was would put her in the middle of whatever trouble the Society encountered.
“Makes two of us, but with a rogue showing up in Hugh’s case, and toxins smuggled into the US, we have to consider the possibility evil is getting ready to make a major move.”
“A major move on what?” At the sound of Harry’s voice, the women turned. Harry, Rhys, and Eli emerged from the living room and formed a semi-circle around them.
“World dominance, or at least the beginnings of a takeover,” Delaney replied. “We’ve battled them for eons.”
At the scoffing expression that crossed Harry’s features, Eli said, “There’s an ocean o’ things ye dinna know aboot the war betwixt the guid and evil Turning Stones, laddie.” He crooked his finger and lumbered toward the kitchen. “Come on. I’ll make a pot o’ tea and tell ye a story or two tae fill in the blanks.”
“Should I go after Hugh?” Alexi made a motion toward the door. “He ought to hear this.”
“He knows the basics,” Delaney said. “Harry, not so much.”
Harry looped his arm through Delaney’s. “I like it that way. Makes it easier to sleep at night.”
“If what I suspect is right, none of us will sleep well,” she said.
Alexi fell into step beside Rhys. “I don’t know if I’m ready for the war to start. I hoped we’d have more than a year together before we had to start defending humanity.” A zing of electricity shot through her as she tucked her hand in his, the same energy she’d felt ever since he’d become a shifter. Lately, the sensation had been getting stronger. He squeezed her hand, and without saying a word, she knew he recognized it.
“Not going to happen,” Rhys said. “They don’t have a Promised One. Falhman isn’t going to try to make a move without one.” A pensive shadow crossed his face.
“You miss Roc, don’t you?”
“How can I miss a brother I never knew existed until last year? A rogue shifter.” Steel laced his expression. He was bucking up so he could appear strong. He hated looking weak.
Meant for his ears only, she whispered, “A brother who stepped in front of a bullet for you.”
Eli thought the rogue’s Promised One’s death good riddance. Delaney hated him because Roc was responsible for her daughter’s death. Only she understood her husband’s grief, because she’d lost her brother. Lost her whole family.
Unlacing his fingers from hers, Rhys stepped away. “We’re going to miss Eli’s story if we don’t hurry.”
She trailed him into the kitchen. “It would be a sin to miss a Scotsman’s tales.”
“I’ll nae be starting at the beginning o’ the history, fer there’s nae enough time fer the telling o’ that,” Eli said as he turned up the heat under the teakettle. “Suffice it tae say that ever since the splitting o’ the three families entrusted with the magic Turning Stone rings, the linage o’ the Jordans and the McCraigens have fought with the Falhman family. Guid agin the evil.”
“As a former cop,” Harry said, “I know that’s an uphill battle.”
“Aye, ’tis true. When ye have nae scruples tae abide by, yer willing tae do most anything tae achieve yer ends. But we have the edge now with our Promised Ones. The rogues havenae anything tae match our Alexi and Rhys.”
“We would have had Roc, if he hadn’t died,” Alexi added.
Eli frowned. “I canna be certain o’ that, lassie. ’Tis difficult tae draw pure water from a dirty well.” The teakettle screamed, and Eli took it off the fire and poured the water into the waiting teapot. “Besides, ’tis water under the bridge and nae guid will come o’ the mourning o’ it.”
“Story,” Harry prompted.
“Aye, I’m coming tae that.” Eli took the milk from the refrigerator and set it and the sugar bowl on the table. “From the beginning we were meant tae use the rings in a benevolent fashion, using the powers o’ shifting tae make a better life. Tae understand the animal world around us and the other side o’ our humanity. But after the split, the three families battled tae possess the rings and the power within them. As they killed tae possess mair and mair rings, the power began tae corrupt and the shifters formed alliances-guid and evil. Rogues agin those wishing tae protect humanity, nae exploit them.”
“There’s nothing unique about that,” Harry said. “Evil always wants power and exploits others.”
“True, but yer world dinna have the prophecy. The one aboot the Promised One.”
“Ones,” Alexi said. “No way are Rhys or I doing this alone.”
Eli smiled like a proud parent. “Which is why I dinna believe we havetae worry sae much. You two ’twill unite the shifter factions. As the Promised Ones ye’ll bring aboot the long awaited peace.”
“How?” Harry asked.
“I dinna know fer certain, but they will.”
“If what Hugh says about the rogues working with terrorists is true, we’ll be in a battle soon,” Delaney said.
“Aye. Rogues always work their way intae troubled areas. Filtering in like polluted water intae the stream. Whenever I hear aboot a rise in crime I suspect the rogues have moved in, greasing the seedier side o’ life with their mimic shifters. Exploiting them, offering money, and killing them when they’ve nae mair use fer them. ’Tis verra possible they could be mixed up in terrorism. There’s some o’ the council who believes the rogues even had a hand in the 9/11 bombings.”
“What do you believe?” Harry asked.
“If I had a nickel fer every rogue who had a hand in criminal acts I’d be rich as Midas.” He pulled the tea ball out of the teapot and set it in the sink. “Who wants tea in the cup afore the milk?”
Alexi shoved her cup toward Eli, her pulse beating erratically at her jugular. Rogue terrorists? Isn’t the war supposed to be between us? “How can you remain calm after what you just said?”
“Because anything else dinna help the situation.” Eli poured and then looked around the table, his gaze stopping at Delaney. “Under the circumstances I think ye should bring in the laddie, Hugh. We need tae know everything he knows.”
“How much should I tell him?”
“Do ye trust him?”
“As much as I trust any of you.”
“Then tell him whatever he needs tae know.” He faced Alexi. “I want ye there when Delaney talks tae him.”
“Why me?”
“Because yer a Promised One, and he’ll havetae deal with ye when Delaney has gone home.”
“You don’t need me here?” Delaney asked.
The statement surprised Alexi as well. She thought Eli would surely want his highest ranking council member beside
him if war broke out. Even if Delaney had decided to leave the shifter life.
“Nae. I promised ye could leave the life after ye present Alexi tae the council, and I’ll nae be going agin my word. We can handle whatever comes without ye.”
He raised the teapot, silently asking whose cup he should pour next. Alexi thought she saw Eli’s hand tremble. Not a good sign. Scanning his face, she looked for some hint of his true emotions. A flash of intense red flickered in his aura.
He was worried.
About what?
And why was he trying to hide it from them?
Chapter 4
Katina’s boss, the county coroner, directed her to a body on the examination table when she walked into work the next morning.
“We got a John Doe who was found based on an anonymous tip late last night. I want you to start the examination while I finish some paperwork.”
When she saw the face of the man on the table she stopped abruptly then started forward, hoping her boss hadn’t seen her hesitation.
The corpse was definitely the man she had seen in the alley the previous night. She snapped on her blue latex gloves and examined the body, looking for signs of fur. Pulling the lighted magnifying glass attached to the table closer to the body, she saw a tiny hair in one of the bullet wounds. Glancing around to make sure no one watched, she surreptitiously extracted it with her forceps and dropped it into a vial. Then she clipped a long strand of the man’s hair, added it to the vial, and pocketed the evidence.
“See anything?” the coroner asked as he approached the stainless steel table. His rubber soled shoes squeaked on the tile floor.
