by Jami Gray
Shaking her head, she tied the belt on her chenille robe and made her way to the small desk tucked into the corner of her bedroom. This room was her haven. She wasn’t kidding when she told Darius no one entered unless by invitation. The only other person to see this room had been Ryan, and never in the capacity of a lover. Sitting behind her small desk, she let her gaze fall on the two chairs positioned in front of the fireplace…
“They will come for her,” Ryan said, unusual lines of stress bracketing his mouth. He leaned forward, his arms on his knees, his hands curled into fists as he stared into the fire.
“You knew she would wake up one day. You’ve prepared her for this.” Small comfort, but all she could offer him.
He sighed and sat back, his fingers drumming on the armrest. “She hates me, thinks I hate her. She doesn’t know…” He trailed off, but he didn’t need to finish, she understood.
“But she’s right in one aspect.”
He turned to her.
“She’s your creation, your weapon.”
He winced but didn’t deny her words.
She leaned forward and covered one of those hands with her own, waiting until he met her gaze. “Catriona would have approved, Ryan.”
A deep, hidden pain rose, drawing his skin tight over the bones of his face. “Would she, Natasha?” He turned back to the fire. “I’m not so sure anymore.”
In all their years, she never witnessed him questioning himself as much as he did tonight. Tonight, when old decisions collided with new consequences, and secrets tore open hidden wounds, his niece’s accusations cutting too close to home.
He gently tugged free of Natasha’s touch and rubbed a hand over his face. It did nothing to erase his exhaustion and haunted expression. “Things aren’t as clear as they once were.”
Things never were. An unexpected lump made swallowing difficult. As much as she wanted to help him shoulder this, she couldn’t. All she could offer was the same harsh slap he once dealt her. “You would abandon those who are counting on you now?”
Instead of the offended anger, his lips curved. He caught her hand and brushed a light kiss across the back of it. “Touché. No, I won’t leave,” he murmured, then sat there holding her hand. “So long as I have a choice.”
The sharp snap of popping wood brought her back to the present. She wiped away an errant tear. Blowing out a hard breath, she gently pushed the memories away.
There were no answers to her current dilemmas in the past.
In minutes, her sleek laptop was up and running as she wound her way through the hidden paths of the Internet, into files she shouldn’t have access to. Her first stop was one of the humans’ many alphabet groups and Division’s Sector Chief, Victor Osborn’s reports.
She was keeping a close eye on these reports. So far, nothing serious had come up, despite Osborn’s dire warnings, but it never hurt to double check. Following her normal routine, she did a search for that damn, sneaky geneticist, Brant Sutler. A brief mention of the murder Jamie mentioned was noted, but nothing else. Every damn lead on the human link behind Ryan’s murder came up empty.
Undaunted, she switched angles. Maybe coming at the problem from a different direction would give her something. Whether Darius wanted to admit it or not, she knew the division in the Council was coming to a head. Those ripples would spread in to the human world. As she told Raine, some on the Council had no qualms about using the humans to do their dirty work. Even going so far as to use one to hide behind as they plotted the death of one the Northwest Kyn was not out of the question. Deviousness was not limited to demons.
Moving into the memos and minutes of various committees, she checked a few other files. In the last one, she found a suggestion for a panel to discuss “developing concerns regarding existing partnerships.” The panel included some names familiar to the Kyn community—a local general, a senator and his lobbyist lackey, and two politically active business leaders she’d dealt with in the past.
She tapped a nail against the desk as she considered what this would entail. The incident at the nightclub had rattled more cages than expected. The humans were piecing together their defense against the Kyn and their dealings. It would not be beyond the Council to use this to their advantage. Checking the time, she mentally adjusted for the difference. One a.m. There was a chance the person she needed would be coming in from an early night. Or preparing for a late one. Regardless.
She picked up the phone and dialed a number by heart, then listened to the other end ring.
“Natasha, I wondered when I’d have the pleasure of your call.” The smooth, cultured voice drifted across the line.
“Thaddeus, did I catch you coming or going?” Leaning back in her chair, she closed her eyes, a trick she found better enabled her to focus on subtle vocal fluctuations.
“Coming home, for once.” The faint sound of ice bouncing off glass filled his pause. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to make it to Mulcahy’s wake.” Genuine sympathy tightened his words.
“No apologies needed. It was well attended.” She made small talk, giving him a chance to settle in with his scotch. Maybe she should mention how routines made one sloppy? Bad, Natasha, no lecturing the Eastern Amanusa Head.
After a few minutes, he finally asked the question he really wanted to know, “Who did the Council send?”
“Zayn Aimeric.”
A low whistle came across the line. “They sent the Diplomat?”
“I had forgotten your insistent need to name everyone,” she said. “Dare I ask what you’ve labeled me?”
He chuckled. “I think it’s better I don’t answer that question on the basis it might cause me bodily harm.”
She grinned. “Smart man.”
“Is that why you’re calling?” A sharp edge lay under the casual question. “Do you need insight into your visiting Council member?”
Her amusement faded, and she recognized his question for the trap it could be. Best to throw him off balance. “No, he’s fairly transparent. What can you tell me about the discovery panel General Matthew Cawley is serving on?”
“Ah, now, if I didn’t know better, you and I would be engaging in a discussion of boundaries, love.” Anger skirted politeness.
“Relax, darling, there’s no need to panic about in-house rats.” Not this time, at least. “It was mentioned in passing during one of Division’s investigations we’re assisting with.”
The distinct sound of him taking a healthy drink preceded his, “And which one would that be?”
“Does it matter?” Her voice took on a lethal note.
“No.” He sounded disgruntled. Probably pissed she wouldn’t share. “The panel is in its infancy. It wouldn’t even be necessary if—” He cut himself short.
Her eyes snapped open then narrowed. “If, what?” Her soft question urged him to tread carefully.
He blew out a harsh breath. “Dammit, Natasha, your people left a noisy mess in Arizona. One that followed them home. Add in Mulcahy’s death—”
“Murder,” she corrected sharply.
“Murder,” he amended, “and the humans are starting to panic. Those in the know are concerned the monsters are starting to make too much noise. As much as they want to believe they have an upper hand, they’re scared shitless. And when they get scared, they strike first and ask questions later. This is them getting ready to cover their asses while trying to take ours out.”
There was too much truth to Thaddeus’s words. No matter what the Kyn did, they would forever frighten the humans. No amount of treaties and good will, profit sharing, or hand slapping would change that. “You have someone in place.” A statement, not a question.
“Should I be insulted in your lack of belief?” The cultured tone slipped and took on a powerful depth. “This is my territory, Natasha. I’ve been at this game long before their symbolic house on the hill was envisioned.”
His chest-pounding reaction left her fighting back a sigh. Navigating male egos took a tricky
touch. Time for some metaphoric stroking. “I’m not questioning your ability as a leader, Thaddeus, I was simply stating the obvious. Your people are vital to our future, without them when we step forward, the push back will be bloody and brutal.”
“Yes,” he grumbled, regaining his smooth intonation. “There are individuals in place. So far, nothing of importance has been decided. They are still in the idea phase.”
“How long before they move forward?”
“If your people can keep it down, months.”
His continued digs rubbed her the wrong way on every level and, this time, she let him hear it. Her voice deepened to warning levels. “My people are not the ones creating issues. They are the ones cleaning up the messes of those who want to see us trapped in the shadows. Remember, if the humans turn on us, you and yours are in the direct line of fire.” She didn’t wait for his answer, but gently disconnected.
A shiver of awareness crept over her, but she refused to look at the corner it emanated from. It took her a few seconds to loosen her grip on the phone. One by one, she relaxed her fingers until they were no longer bone white. Too many challenges left her temper, and demon, riding close to the surface. To combat the need to vent some of her frustration, she closed out the browsing windows and shut down her laptop, taking her time to focus on the minute things.
A few months, at best, to get ahead of what was coming. Not a lot of time. She rose to her feet and began to pace, clasping her hands behind her back. There were too many loose ends. For now she would let Thaddeus run interference with the humans. In the meantime, she needed to narrow her attention to the individuals causing her the most trouble: Brant Sutler, Zane Aimeric, and Darius Abazi.
As she hit the edge of the carpet, that tingle of awareness swept over her again. Again, she refused to acknowledge it.
Things were progressing, just not as fast as they needed to. It helped that Gavin was now the Wraith’s Captain. Initially she’d thrown her hat into the captaincy ring as a test of sorts, a subtle push to see who would step forward. Sullivan’s bid was no surprise. The surprise was discovering Raine had enough self-awareness to realize Gavin, not her, would be the stronger leader for the group. Although Natasha was certain Raine wouldn’t remain a silent partner. No doubt the two would become a very pivotal couple, and in turn, a source of strength for the Northwest Kyn.
Granted, claiming that position as her own would have been quite delightful, but Natasha had enough on her plate. Especially since she was now dealing with someone’s attempt to frame her for Sullivan’s death. She needed Gavin to step up the pressure on running Sutler down. Stopping the geneticist and his drug cocktail before someone else got to him was crucial. What he created took money, time, and power—three things the human did not have. It shouldn’t take much to get the sneaky human to give up his backer. Chances were good the name would match the same person currently behind her problems.
Of course, the out-of-touch Council would be more than happy to jump at a chance to get rid of her and, by extension, the Northwest Kyn.
While Darius’s presence was understandable from a political standpoint, was it a more personal threat? A way to remind her that the Council had not forgotten what sent her and Ryan to the new world? Either way, having both a member of the Order and the Council in her territory needed to be addressed. Most leaders wouldn’t hesitate in their retribution, but she didn’t have that luxury. The sticking point remained, who sent them?
Retracing her steps across the thick rug, she continued her musings, ignoring the shadows hanging in the far corner. Ryan, once part of the Order, held close ties to some of the Council, strong enough to call them allies. However, it didn’t mean that those alliances would transfer to her, not until they could be reassured as to what her goals were, regardless of the fact that the Northwest Kyn were the only ones strong enough to stand against a fracturing Council.
So the true question became—which man truly answered to the Council, Darius or Zayn?
Darius intrigued her, which could be dangerous if she wasn’t careful. He wasn’t a simple man. She didn’t need her trips to the Side to confirm that. She could taste the depth of secrets inside him, and exploring those secrets could be addicting. He was a distraction she could ill afford. Was that distraction a deliberate ploy on someone’s part?
As for Zayn. In previous Council meetings he appeared to be neutral, more concerned with playing his private games. What did he expect to gain with his visit? How deep did the division in the Council actually go? She needed to know who sat on each side and where the Order fell. There was one person who could set her on the right path. He could help. It was just a question of would he?
Quickly running through the pros and cons of her next move, she decided the risks were well worth it. Striding to the desk, she picked up the phone and dialed.
“What kind of trouble are you bringing me now, Natasha?”
The disgruntled, grumble brought a smile to her face. “You love trouble, Rio.”
Rio Castle, the Southwest Kyn’s Amanusa leader, gave a laughing bark. “Are you sending your little instigators down my way?”
Walking over to the bay windows with the cordless phone, she curled up on the window seat. “Are you bored?”
“Humph, not yet,” he groused. “But they certainly shook things up.”
“For better or worse?”
“Tala’s facing some heat from her motley crew of witches and wizards for bringing in Cheveyo.”
Natasha gave a delicate snort. “Let me guess. They think it makes her look weak.”
“The actual word was ‘ineffective.’ Of course, once she got done with the first one stupid enough to say it to her face, it hasn’t been mentioned aloud again.”
Rio’s voice held a grudging note of respect. Of course, gaining the respect of a demon as old as he was took a certain amount of cold-blooded ruthlessness, a trait the Southwest Magi Head, Tala Whiteriver, carried well.
“And Tomás?”
“He’s a mess.”
“Are you certain, Rio?”
“What do you really want to know, Natasha?” His question was sharp.
Rio was not a demon she would trifle with, not if given a choice. “I fear he may be hunting on his own.”
“I doubt it,” he grumbled. “Damn wolf has lost what little was left of his mind. He can barely function. His Second has been covering for him.” Rio paused, a sly note sneaking in his voice. “You might want to warn Vidis to watch his ass because Tomás isn’t going to let go of this once he gets done tearing out his fur over his dead wife.”
“He knows,” she said. “If Tomás is stupid enough to come at him, you’ll be looking for a new alpha.”
“Would be a definite improvement,” Rio muttered softly, then cleared his throat. “Now that we’ve caught up on all the little things, why the phone call, girl?”
She didn’t take offense. Rio could call her a girl all he wanted. Compared to him, she was. She was damn grateful to have him generally on her side, because going against him would be fatal. “Heard anything new about the Council lately?”
He chuckled. “Who’d you get?”
“Zayn Aimeric.”
He clicked his tongue. “If he was all they sent, you wouldn’t be calling, so there’s something to the rumors you have another, much more troubling visitor.”
She frowned. “Considering the amount of gossips we have, I’m surprised our presence hasn’t been posted all over the human news.”
Rio’s voice sharpened. “Why are you stalling?”
Thank the hells he couldn’t see her wince. “The Order sent in a proxy.” Darius would not be pleased if his identity was shared far and wide. Although Rio was more than likely hoard the information for later use.
“Ahh, interesting,” he said, then went quiet.
“Why?” she pushed.
“What do you know of the relationship between the Order and the Council?”
Was this a test? “Not
much. The Order is to the Council what the Wraiths are to us. They’re supposed to protect us a whole, not serve as personal enforcers for the Council. However, some Order members have close ties to specific Council members.”
“And you think that has changed?”
She nibbled on her lower lip. “No, but could the current division seep into the Order?”
Would it sink deep enough to encourage a partnership between the Order and the Council? Together the two groups could arrange things to weaken the Northwest. Like set her up against her own house, the Wraiths, Cheveyo, and Vidis. Those were not comforting odds.
“So long as revealing the Kyn doesn’t include revealing the Order, they may choose to remain observers,” Rio said.
She found no comfort in his answer. “Yet, the Order has long held ties to the Council.” She tapped her finger on her knee, dragged in a deep breath, and dove in. “Rio, would the Council use the Order to hunt us?” Hunt me?
A heavy silence spun across the line, until only her pulse sounded. Finally he said, “I don’t know, Natasha, but if they did, you best watch your back, because you and yours won’t stand a chance against that kind of combined power.”
In the darkest shadows of Natasha’s room, Darius stayed hidden, watching, thinking. The little demon queen looked a bit pale as she set down the phone. Interesting that Natasha would actually reach out to the other Amanusa leaders. It spoke to an unusual relationship, one that did not exist within the European houses. Perhaps there was something to the Council’s concerns about the Northwest Kyn. Still, observing her had proven quite enlightening.
He came in halfway through her first conversation with Thaddeus. Even smiled a little when she rolled her eyes with exasperation as she soothed the other demon’s prickly ego. Her ability to manipulate was admirable. Few others wielded that indefinable…tact.
