Shadow's Curse

by Jami Gray

  She blinked away the press of tears, her gaze caught by an unmoving couple standing in the sea of attendees. Gavin Durand and Raine McCord.

  Some of the crowd stopped to offer condolences to the eye-catching couple, but not many. Most kept a safe distance from the dark-haired woman standing silent and cold at Gavin’s side. Wise of them. Ryan’s niece, Raine, made no secret of her intention to find the one behind her uncle’s death. Or her suspicions of Natasha’s involvement.

  Her wariness made Natasha secretly proud of the girl. Granted, Raine was looking in the wrong direction, but that would soon change.

  A flash of color caught Natasha’s eye as a tall, regal redhead stopped in front of the couple. Carys Iver, the newly named Head of Fey House and Ryan’s predecessor.

  Gavin’s distantly polite expression relaxed as he took Carys’s offered hand. Even Raine’s remote expression regained some life. Too far away to hear their conversation, Natasha had no doubt her name was being bandied about. A fact confirmed when Raine lifted her head and caught Natasha’s gaze.

  Meeting that predatory speculation, Natasha dipped her head in acknowledgement, surprised when she got one in return. What stories was Carys sharing? When Natasha stepped in to fill one of the many holes left by Ryan’s death in the Northwest Kyn power structure, pesky whispers began to circulate—whispers that the one behind his death existed closer to home. She hadn’t stopped them. Why bother? They provided such a lovely distraction for her to work around. There were other, much more important things to focus on.

  “Who’s that?”

  The question came from the young man standing at Natasha’s side. Turning away from Raine, Natahsa looked to where her protégé, Jamie Ryder, indicated. Spying the man standing at the edge of the clearing, her lips curved with anticipatory glee. Deep inside, a low, dangerous purr rumbled to life as her demonic nature stirred. Ah, seems she wasn’t the only one interested in replacing Ryan.

  The stranger’s appearance signaled the entry of a new player. Finally, it was time to play. She kept her malicious satisfaction out of her voice. “Seems the Council has decided to pay us a visit.”

  The man was garnering quite a bit of attention. He ignored it all, his lazy perusal touching on each attendee before moving to the next. Something in his regard brought to mind a lion choosing his next meal.

  “You know him?” Jamie’s question interrupted her contemplation.

  “No,” she murmured. Placing her hand on his linen covered arm, she decided to change that. “Let’s introduce ourselves, shall we?”

  The stranger watched them approach.

  She did a little evaluating of her own. Dark-blond hair, liberally laced with gold, with a hint of curl. Composed of sharp angles with the shadow of a beard over burnished skin, his face spoke of a bloodline found in the far eastern deserts. The tall body, impeccably draped in silk and linen, whispered of subtle strength. And yet…

  She drew closer, giving Jamie’s arm a light squeeze when only a few feet remained between her and this visitor. Heeding her signal, Jamie stopped. She continued forward on her own and held out her hand. “Natasha Bertoi.”

  With an old world elegance, too natural to be feigned, he brought her hand to his mouth. A spark of male appreciation glinted in his unusual gold irises. The thin ring of red around them marked him as surely at it marked her and Jamie. He was Amanusa, a demon. His lips brushed against her skin. “Zayn Aimeric.”

  There was a faint accent to his name, one hinting at spices and shifting sands. Intriguing. “Were you friends with Ryan?”

  Wry amusement flashed. “Some days, others it was questionable.” He looked beyond her and, when his attention returned, his amusement had vanished, replaced by a more serious demeanor. “His loss is far reaching. The Council sends their condolences. They are concerned the repercussions may echo for a long while.”

  “They certainly will,” she murmured. “Although we are honored—” She managed not to choke on the word. “—by the Council’s attention, sending a personal emissary wasn’t necessary.”

  His smile was full of mocking edges. “That remains to be seen.” He sketched a small bow. “I’m here to help the Northwest Kyn.”

  “Help?” She raised an eyebrow. “Or evaluate?”

  “Whichever proves necessary.”

  “Hmmm.”

  She considered her options. Kicking his interfering ass out of Portland would cause more problems than it would solve. However, maneuvering her own players would be challenging enough without adding in this rogue piece who’d been set into play by the Council. He could upset her entire game.

  Holding his gaze, she wondered if he knew who was behind Ryan’s death and what it might cost to retrieve it. Dropping her lashes to break their connection, she set the question aside. There would be time to find out, and then, well…

  Anticipation fired through her blood, curtailing her frustration at his possible interference. Perhaps his presence could prove useful. “How long do you plan on staying?”

  “Until I’m no longer needed.” An ambiguous answer. His attention drifted behind her.

  She knew who stood there before she turned. Their approach had hardly been quiet. She stepped aside, turning to greet the advancing couple. “Gavin Durand, Raine McCord, may I introduce Zayn Aimeric.” Deliberately, she placed her hand on Zayn’s arm. A deterrent or warning? Even she was uncertain. “He’s here to extend the Council’s condolences.”

  Appearing unruffled by the deriding edge underlying Natasha’s announcement of who he represented, Zayn held his hand out to Raine’s companion. “Mr. Durand.” The two men made quick work of the handshake. Zayn turned and offered the same to Raine. “Ms. McCord, my deepest sympathy on your loss.”

  The breeze played with long strands of ebony while icy silver eyes remained cool. It wasn’t until Gavin subtly nudged her that Raine unfolded her arms and, with obvious reluctance, took Zayn’s offered hand. “Mr. Aimeric.” Her steely gaze slid to Natasha and narrowed. “I was unaware the Council was expected today.”

  “My apologies, I was asked to stop by on my way back from another meeting,” Zayn said and reclaimed Raine’s attention. “Your uncle had friends among the Council. His passing poses questions we would like answers to.”

  She stiffened noticeably at his words. “Yes, answers would be nice.”

  Inwardly, Natasha sighed. Did the silly girl think her familial relationship to Ryan had been hidden from the Council? Sometimes, she forgot how young these lethal children were. Gavin and Raine had no true concept of the power behind the eleven-member Council of the Kyn. The group held their authority in tight fists because they made sure to know everything.

  Oblivious or uncaring of who she faced, Raine pushed, “Are you here to help uncover the one behind his death?”

  A practiced frown creased Zayn’s brow, but Natasha didn’t miss the flash of cunning Raine’s question triggered. “I was under the impression your Lycan leader disposed of the one who set the spell that killed Mr. Mulcahy.”

  Natasha let her lips curl. An apt cue if she ever heard one. Time to set things in motion. “Vidis is not one to take betrayal lightly. That particular traitor is no longer anyone’s concern. However, we have discovered some interesting developments.” Developments she was in no rush to share with this not-so-ignorant man.

  “The Council is here to serve their people.” His polite response contained intriguing layers of implications, ones she would love a chance to explore, but first, rules must be set.

  “As much as we appreciate your offer, we’d be happy to discuss business at a more appropriate time.” Falling back on her recently announced position as Chief Executive Officer of Taliesin Security, the public corporate front housing the Kyn, she offered, “Perhaps tomorrow afternoon around three at the office? I’m sure I’m not the only one with questions for you.”

  Taking her clear dismissal in stride, Zayn inclined his head in acknowledgement. “Until tomorrow.”

&
nbsp; He took his leave of Gavin and Raine. When he reached the edge of the clearing, another man stepped from the shadows. Hmm, seemed their Councilman didn’t feel entirely safe alone.

  Natasha and the couple beside her remained quiet, watching the two men walk away. Once they were out of sight, Gavin turned to her. “What the hell is going on, Natasha?”

  Suspicion darkened his eyes to jade, while fury sketched thin white lines around his mouth. Next to him, Raine fairly vibrated with tension.

  Unruffled by their hostile attitude, she motioned Jamie over. Raine and Gavin had good reason to doubt her motives. However, it was time to make sure they understood she wasn’t the threat they should be worried about.

  “The Council wants to play in our sandbox.” Taking the arm Jamie offered her, she held Gavin’s gaze with her own. Needing to impress the seriousness of what was happening, she let her demonic nature slip its leash of flesh and rise like a mirage around her. A stark visual reminder of what made her the Northwest Demon Queen. “It’s our turn to remind them who they’re playing with.”

  Chapter Three

  Later that afternoon, back at their hotel, Darius settled into a chair across from Zayn. He stretched his legs, watching the gas firelight dance over his faded jeans and heavy sweater. On Zayn’s lap was a paper file. “That from the Council?”

  Zayn raised his glass, the warm colors of a good brandy swirling in its depth. “All the important information on the four Northwest Heads of House—Warrick Vidis, Cheveyo, Natasha Bertoi, and their latest addition, Carys Iver.”

  Darius considered the thin folder. “Seems a little light.”

  Zayn tipped his glass in acknowledgement before taking a sip. “Someone slacked on their homework.”

  “Or the Northwest is better at keeping secrets than our Council.”

  “Don’t underestimate Natasha Bertoi, my friend. There was a reason she and Ryan worked so well together.” Zayn kept his focus on his glass, his thoughts hidden. Finally he asked, “Have you sent out the summons?”

  “An hour ago.” Darius’s hands, scarred with a myriad of thin lines from old scrapes and cuts, folded over his stomach. Firelight glinted off the silver ring on his right hand.

  “There will be challenges,” Zayn murmured, swirling his drink.

  “I expect nothing less.” Challenges he could handle, but it had been interesting to watch Mulcahy’s funeral. The undercurrents floating through the gathering had been hard to miss. “The little queen’s decisions are causing quite a stir.”

  “I would expect nothing less of her.” A pause. “Anything of interest?”

  Darius shrugged, thinking through what he heard. “Perhaps, but I want to listen a bit longer.”

  Zayn set his glass aside and rubbed a hand over his face. “We’re entering a dangerous game.”

  Darius smiled. “Ah, but those are the best kinds.”

  “They didn’t waste any time.” Warrick Vidis, the alpha wolf of the Northwest Lycan House, prowled the length of the seventh-floor conference room. His unsettled presence lent a feral edge to the tense atmosphere, making the spacious room feel crowded.

  Against the windows of the building housing Taliesin Security, the rain promised earlier washed the early evening light in a watery curtain.

  Natasha heaved an internal sigh. Too bad the rain couldn’t wash away the volatile tempers circling the room. Zayn Aimeric’s presence stirred up an already-simmering pot. Not for the first time, Ryan’s absence cut deep. His ability to juggle the tempestuous natures of the other heads of house had been remarkable, and admirable. Now, everything and everyone was off kilter, including her.

  “What did you expect?” she asked, genuinely curious of their answers.

  In the chair across from her, Cheveyo, the most powerful witch in the Northwest and head of the Magi house, drummed his fingers against the table. His obsidian gaze switched between her and Vidis. “We’re under scrutiny.”

  And this surprised them? Natasha fought not to roll her eyes. “I warned you both this would happen.”

  Vidis spun around, his wolf obvious in the bared teeth and amber lightning streaking his eyes. “We do not need your ‘I-told-you-so’s.”

  His snarled challenge roused the more savage aspect of her nature.

  Must not kill the dog. Her mental reminder didn’t do much to reign in her frustration, but the minute breathing room allowed her to reach for a calm she didn’t feel. “Look beyond your anger, Vidis. Engaging with the Council requires a level of ruthless practicality beyond claws and teeth.”

  “Although those may come into play later,” murmured Carys, drawing their attention. Their newest member didn’t even blink under the combined stares.

  “Perhaps.” Natasha agreed. “But until then, we’ll have to play this Zayn Aimeric carefully. He may not only be our key to uncovering the real power behind the spell that killed Ryan, but we can’t afford to be seen as weak.” She deliberately leaned back in her chair. “The last of Ryan’s responsibilities must be filled.”

  Cheveyo studied her with wary calculation. “You’ve made your position quite clear, Natasha.”

  His intense regard didn’t faze her. She knew what he saw—a cold, ruthless bitch wrapped in a small, blonde package. A perception she encouraged. It would do no good for him to see beyond that. For anyone to see beyond that.

  She let her lips curl. “Neither you, nor Vidis, wanted the chains of running Taliesin Security,” she reminded him. “Or did I miss something?”

  Instead of answering her question, he posed one of his own. “How long do you plan on balancing your roles?” His question was valid. “We agreed that as a founding member of Taliesin, the CEO position should fall to you, but between that and your own House, you have your hands full. Too full to balance the marketing demands our company requires. Especially now. Without Mulcahy, our standing as the premier provider of corporate and private security services may suffer. We need to name a new Chief Marketing Officer before these small fires turn into a raging inferno.”

  The normally taciturn witch made a valid point. As the curtain between the humans and the magical race of beings, known as the Kyn, frayed, maintaining Taliesin’s public image was more crucial than ever. Even though a small number of humans knew of the Kyn’s existence, recent events and the prevalence of technology made it difficult to stay in the shadows.

  Before Ryan’s death, Natasha held Taliesin’s Chief Marketing Officer position, a job she enjoyed immensely. She spent years cultivating connections and building the reputation of the security company. She hadn’t wanted to take on the CEO role, something Cheveyo didn’t understand, and she refused to explain. Unfortunately, no one else was strong enough to hold the company together, and she’d be damned before she let Taliesin falter.

  “I have some candidates in mind.” Individuals groomed as carefully as her connections, ones who could slip into her stiletto heels quite smoothly. “But that is not the position I’m talking about.”

  Vidis slammed his hand on the table, causing Cheveyo to jerk in surprise.

  Natasha refused to react. If the big, bad wolf thought he could intimidate her, he could think again. What did he think existed in her house? Tame little devils? Of the four Kyn houses, her Amanusa held the most dangerous and treacherous creatures in the Kyn. And they were all hers.

  “Do you think we would let you take over all of Mulcahy’s duties, Bertoi?”

  Why must he always growl? It was such a stereotype. Using the distracting thought to maintain her temper, she stood, slowly. Placing her hands directly across from his, she stared into his furious gaze. For a long moment, they engaged in a silent battle of wills, neither willing to back down.

  Needing the alpha wolf to understand who and what he faced, she allowed the creature inside her to come out and play. “All? No. The important ones? Yes.”

  Her voice took on an unearthly depth and, on the table, her manicured nails thickened and grew, an edge of black coloring her impecc
able crimson manicure. “If you disagree, find me a better replacement, Vidis. Taliesin Security must remain the powerhouse Ryan built. It is all that protects the Kyn from the humans. You and Cheveyo have both made it abundantly clear you did not want the responsibilities of CEO. I will not have the fate of the Northwest Kyn or Taliesin left in an unknown’s hands. Nor will I leave any openings to be exploited by a Council tool. Not one.”

  “Including the Wraiths?” Cheveyo’s voice cut between them, garnering both of their attention. A power in his own right, he didn’t even flinch as he continued, “Will you try to control them as well?”

  She blinked. Was he serious? Control the Wraiths? No one controlled the Wraiths, not really. The twelve-member, highly elite team of Kyn, gathered from every house, were the last bastion of justice between the humans and the nightmares lurking in the shadows. They spanned the width of the United States and Canada.

  Until his death, they answered solely to their captain, Ryan. They remained fiercely loyal to him, out of love or fear—she didn’t know which, nor did she care. What mattered was that they were a very lethal, useful instrument, one not publicly acknowledged, even though stories abounded of their possible existence. As far as she knew, the only ones outside of the Wraiths who were aware of their existence were sitting in this room.

  And on the Council.

  She straightened, dismissing Vidis. “I am not looking to control them, Cheveyo.” Having such a group at your beck and call was…seductive. “Yet, if we don’t replace their captain, the Council will. I am not willing to put such a decisive weapon in their hands, are you?”

  Cheveyo inclined his head in acknowledgement. “Then don’t stand in Gavin’s way.”

  She arched a brow. “You would hand the reins to a child?”

  Red rushed up to color Cheveyo’s sharp cheekbones. “He’s a grown-ass man,” he snapped, his legendary control disappearing under her constant cuts.

  Her laugh carried a mocking edge. “Compared to who? You? He’s what? Thirty?”