by Gwen Rivers
“Changing.” His vocal cords were in mid-shift, and it was the Alpha beast voice that grated what he desperately needed to tell her. “Don’t run from me.”
“You mean your transformation?” Her eyebrows drew together. “Can I call someone? Gray or Autumn?”
He shook his head violently. Having another werewolf in the alley while the acrid scent of his mate’s desolation filled the enclosed space would be a death sentence for another. The pack couldn’t help him. Bringing them in would only make things worse.
Don’t run. He begged her with his eyes.
“I won’t.” Emma answered as though she had heard him.
His strength gave out and he passed the wolf as it surged to the fore.
My hands hovered over Liam’s shifting body. I wanted to touch him, to soothe him but the way his muscles spasmed and the snap of bones that broke and reformed told me there was no safe place to lay hands on him.
His change was nothing like it had been after he was stabbed. The half-beast form had simply melted away. This was like a late-night creature feature, except it was Liam in there being broken to bits.
My throat had gone completely dry. It was horrible to watch, to see him in such agony. One minute we were talking and the next he was writhing on the ground. What had brought it on?
I took my cell phone out of my back pocket. Liam had seemed insistent that I couldn’t call Gray for help. But I couldn’t just let him come apart in the alley. Some instinct told me he hadn’t transformed on purpose, that the change had been forced on him.
I needed more information.
Before I recognized the intent, I opened the Do North app. A Russian nesting doll cracked open, followed by another and then another. The smallest one turned a circle and asked for my name and to put in my request.
I typed, Emma. Followed by Liam’s shifting in an alley.
Three dots appeared and then the last doll cracked open to reveal a fortune cookie style message. Help is on the way. Stay put.
“Hurry.” I stowed the phone and glanced back at Liam. And blinked.
All traces of the man were gone. In his place, a massive wolf was rising to his feet, fangs bared.
I fell back in shock and landed hard on my ass. He didn’t growl, but he moved closer.
His irises were the same two-tone hue as Liam’s. But there was no spark of recognition in them as he stalked closer.
“Liam?” My inquiry came out like a squeak. “You know who I am, right?”
He’d told me not to run, said it twice in the middle of his transformation. And I had to trust that my friend the Alpha had said it to protect me. Because right at this moment? I wanted to sprint out of the alley and never look back.
The wolf was massive. If he turned sideways, his nose would touch one side of the alley, his tail the other. His gaze was intent on me and he snapped once.
I flinched and turned my face away, putting my hands up to ward him off. “Don’t kill me, Liam.”
In that moment I understood a fundamental truth about myself. I didn’t want to die.
The wolf poked my outstretched hand with his nose. My eyes flashed open. And I stared at my hand, surprised to find it still attached.
The wind whipped up, blowing bits of paper and dried leaves through the alley. Liam turned, putting me at his back. All the hackles rose along his spine. Whatever the new threat was, it had gotten his unnerving attention off me, for which I was grateful.
A swirling silver vortex appeared in the far wall. I could feel the magic that had created it, wind and spirit. I could smell pine and ice and snow emanating from the other side. A portal. Was this North’s promised help?
Three darts flew out. Liam turned, shielding me with his body. The darts sank into his hide. He snarled and then staggered before falling over.
I gasped and moved to his side, relieved to see his chest rising and falling.
Two giant…things loped out from the portal. They were massive and looked to be constructed mostly of rock, like badly done carvings. “Move mortal. We are here for the wolf.”
North hadn’t sent these beings. I was sure of it. They had shot Liam up with some sort of immobilizing toxin. That meant they were my enemies.
I bared my teeth. “If you want him, you’ll have to go through me.”
The two exchanged a glance and then shrugged. “If that is your wish.”
Then the nearest creature backhanded me. I flew through the air and then crashed against the wall in almost the same spot where Liam had left a dent.
All the breath rushed out of me as I fell to the ground. By the time I recovered enough to look up, the creatures were heading toward the portal, one limp werewolf being dragged behind them.
My lips parted. They were taking him away, to whatever lay on the other side of that gate. To the person who commanded the strongest magic I had ever felt.
Before I could think twice, I pushed myself to my feet and sprinted for them. Taking a running start, I launched myself at the nearest creature’s back just as it took its first step over the threshold of the portal.
A shivering sort of sensation went through me as we passed from the alley into…somewhere else.
Above me, pinpricks of light dotted the blackness of nothing. Below me was an arch of ice.
“Hey,” my ugly ride said. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
The one dragging Liam turned to look. Its lumpy features contorted into what might be a scowl. “She won’t like this.”
I didn’t give a flying rat’s ass who these things worked for or what she would or wouldn’t like. I wasn’t about to let them haul Liam off to be some tart’s wolfskin rug. “Where he goes, I go.”
Another one of those looks passed between them, then they proceeded across the ice.
Poor Liam’s body slid back and forth across the cold ground. All the fur would be rubbed off by the time we got to wherever it was we were going. “You’re going to hurt him like that.”
The creature dragging Liam paused again and then considered the inert wolf.
After a moment, he stooped down and scooped Liam’s limp body over its massive shoulder like an enormous stole. I winced at the rough treatment.
“Better?” It asked me.
Not really, but at least they’d demonstrated a bit of concern for Liam. That and the fact that they’d tranquilized him instead of killing him told me that whoever they worked for wanted the Alpha alive.
I nodded. “What are you guys?”
“Trolls.” They continued on their way.
I stumbled a step. “Trolls?”
“Careful.” The one that wasn’t carrying Liam warned. “You don’t want to fall off the bridge.”
“Why not?” I dared a look over the side into the uninterrupted blackness.
“There’s no bottom.”
“So I’d fall forever?” That was a terrifying thought. And if it was so dangerous, why weren’t there any guardrails?
We trudged on. Half of me wanted to see Liam come to and shred the troll carrying him. Another feared he would and be pitched off the ice bridge and into the all-consuming void beyond.
We slogged onward, farther and farther until a light appeared up ahead. An archway filled with pulsing pink and blue tendrils wreathing the framework.
I sucked in a breath. “Is that?”
“Underhill.” The troll who wasn’t carrying Liam grunted.
The realm of the fae. Or it had been, before they’d been evicted. Which meant this place was an in-between. My mother had told me about the crossings. She’d taken a ferry when she first came to the human realm, which the fae called Midgard. But why were the trolls bringing Liam to Underhill?
The troll carrying Liam crossed through the archway and a moment later, his cohort followed. I glanced back over my shoulder to the path we’d taken. There was no sign of the crossing on the other side.
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Only one way to go.
&
nbsp; I took a deep breath and crossed the threshold.
15
The first thing I saw was a roaring fire burning in a massive hearth that was larger than my entire apartment. The second was a woman with hair so blond it was almost white. She wore faded jeans and a pink and black plaid shirt. She was small and demure and the power that radiated from her almost sent me scurrying back through the archway.
“We’ve brought the Alpha.” The troll who’d been carrying Liam plunked him down at her feet.
“Easy,” she snapped. “Try not to break his bones.”
“Sorry, lady.” The troll ducked its head.
“Any trouble?” The blond crouched down and examined Liam’s still form. She plucked the darts from his hide one at a time.
“Only her.” The one who’d struck me pointed in my direction.
The woman looked up and our gazes locked. I stifled an involuntary shiver under her icy scrutiny. She was dangerous. A killer.
I was beginning to recognize the signs.
She frowned at me. “What happened to her face?”
My hand flew to my cheek. I’d forgotten all about the blow they’d doled out.
“The lady said we would have to go through her to get the wolf. So we go through her.”
The blonde rolled her eyes and stood. “That will be all, thank you, Hort. Thank you, Drap.”
The trolls lumbered off.
“Sorry about that.” She rose to her full height, all of five foot two or three and moved forward. “Trolls tend to be literal in their interpretations.”
Translation, the rockheads were a few bricks shy of a full load. “I guess I’m lucky they didn’t literally tear through me.”
“You don’t even know the half of it.” She cast the darts into the fire then circled around to me and extended a hand. “I’m Underhill, but you can call me Nic.”
I took the offered palm. “Emma Slade.”
Her blue eyes widened. “The Savior? North told me about you.”
“You know North?”
“He’s one of my closest friends.”
So this was the help North had sent. “What did they do to Liam?”
Nic snapped her fingers and two easy chairs appeared in front of the fire. “Elf darts tipped with a fast-acting tranquilizer. He’ll be fine in a few hours. Tell me what happened.”
She lowered herself into the chair but I wasn’t about to make myself comfortable with Liam passed out on the floor.
In spite of her friendly demeanor, I knew Nic wasn’t making a request. “Liam and I were trying to pick up a trail for the twisted ones. We were talking and the next thing I know, he was on the ground. It looked like his body was breaking apart. He told me not to run, so I used the app to contact North. He told me to stay put, that help was on its way. And then your trolls showed up with no explanation, shot Liam, and bitch-slapped me into next Tuesday.”
Nic didn’t flinch. “It was the best we could do under such short notice. I can’t leave here,” she gestured around the cavernous room. “And Aiden won’t leave me. So we had to bring Liam to us.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m the only one who can help him regain control,” a voice said from the doorway.
I looked up to see an astonishingly handsome man with shaggy dark hair. He moved with the kind of preternatural grace that told me he was a werewolf. Though his eyes were both a vivid green the color of new spring leaves. He approached Liam first, putting a large calloused hand over the wolf’s muzzle. Liam sighed.
I stared as Liam’s body seemed to relax. “What did you do to him?”
“Just let him know I was here.” The newcomer rose and offered a hand. “Aiden Jager. I see you’ve already met my mate, Nic.”
“Mate?”
“She doesn’t know,” Nic said quietly.
She and Aiden exchanged a silent glance.
“Know what?” I asked.
Aiden moved to Nic’s chair and perched himself on the arm. “It’s like Plato’s Symposium.”
I gave him a blank look.
Nic rolled her eyes. “We don’t all have your classical education, Aiden.”
“Sorry. Basically, Plato surmised that all of us started out as more than we are and were content. The gods, jealous of our happiness, split mortal souls apart to keep them from attaining the same status as the gods. A mate is the lost half of one’s soul, embodied in another person.”
“So, everyone has a soulmate?”
Aiden nodded. “It’s not always a romantic connection and often it goes unrecognized by one or both parties.” The corner of his lip curled up as if some private thought amused him.
Nic slapped him playfully on the midsection. “Beast.”
He caught her hand and brought it to his lips.
“While it’s a nice story I don’t understand what this has to do with what happened to Liam.” I ran my fingers lightly through the brown and white fur on his ruff.
Instead of answering my question, Aiden asked one of his own. “How long have you known Liam?”
“A few days.”
“What exactly were you talking about when he wolfed out on you?” Nic asked.
I glanced to the fire. “It’s private.”
“We’re not trying to pry,” Aiden’s tone was gentle. “Or upset you. Liam lost control, something the Alpha cannot do. Ever. Part of this is on him. If he’s under strain, he needs to transform more and give in to the wolf’s instincts. I know a bit about the situation in New York, with the unrest. We need to know why he lost it and what we can do to prevent it from happening again.”
“Can’t you just, I don’t know, come back with us?”
Aiden’s green eyes seemed to glow. His whole body stiffened and his knuckles turned white. It was Nic who answered. “No. Aiden stays here with me.”
“Forever.” The wolf sucked in a shaky breath.
My gaze turned to the fire. Telling Liam about my past was hard enough. I’d only done it so he would understand. But no matter their intentions, I wasn’t about to trot out my dirty laundry in front of these two.
“I want to help him.” I smoothed the wolf’s fur. It was an amalgam of textures, soft in places, wiry in others. “He’s been so kind to me.”
“It’s okay.” Nic got up and paced around Liam once more. “We won’t force you to reveal anything to us. Your secrets are yours to keep.”
Aiden moved to stand beside her. “If you don’t talk to us, at least talk to Liam. Really talk. Once he’s leveled out. And if you have any questions about the werewolves, we’ll do our best to help you understand.”
“Would he have hurt me?” I asked, remembering the snarl in the alley.
“Never.” Nic and Aiden spoke in unison.
I frowned up at them. “What makes you so sure?”
They exchanged another of those indecipherable looks.
After a beat Aiden said, “Alpha means protector. That’s his first instinct, to protect those closest to him.”
Then, arm in arm, they left me alone with the unconscious werewolf.
Nic returned a few hours after she and Aiden departed. “The males need some bonding time. Let me show you to your room.”
I cast one final glance to where Liam lay on his side before following her out into the corridor.
“What is this place?” I couldn’t help but gawk at the moonstone floors, the intricate carvings. There were no signs of life and my magic felt closer than ever before.
“It used to be the Unseelie underground palace. Not the most welcoming digs. Now it’s just a weigh station for our friends to cross back and forth through the Veil.”
My “room” was a full-blown suite that my entire apartment building could probably fit into lengthwise. I started at the magnificence of it. “Kiesha will never believe this.”
“Kiesha is your ward?” I expected Nic to disappear. She didn’t seem like the most sociable sort. To my surprise, she propped herself in the doorway looking like she
was willing to chat.
“Technically she’s Liam’s ward, since I’m not a werewolf.”
“Liam’s a good role model. He helped me raise my daughter.”
My lips parted. “You’re kidding.”
She shook her head. “Nope. Aiden couldn’t be there so Liam stepped in. He’s a great guy.”
I snorted. “You don’t need to do that.”
“Do what?”
“Sell me on his qualities. I know Liam is a great guy. And just FYI, he’s the one who keeps shutting me down.”
“Liam has turned you down? Repeatedly?” Nic blinked. I got the impression that was as close as she ever came to a gasp of astonishment.
I sank down onto the soft petal pink bed. “Well, except for the last time.”
But now that he knew, I doubted there would be a next time.
“Sorry. I’m what Aiden has dubbed ‘chronically socially awkward with just a hint of bitchy’. What I meant was, that if he’s been taking his time with you, it means he really likes you.”
“Yeah well, it’s probably for the best.” After what I’d revealed to him about my past, I’d probably driven the final nail into the coffin of our doomed non-relationship.
“For what it’s worth, werewolves are… complicated.” Nic stepped farther into the room. “They bond deeply and not in the same way that people do. It takes more time but it lasts longer.”
“How about the fae?”
Her blond brows pulled together as she considered my question. “Most of them don’t bond at all.”
“My mother did.” I stared out the window at the blight-stricken land beyond the palace. Nothing grew. Nothing moved. It was like looking at the surface of the moon. “My life would have been so much better if she hadn’t.”
“Trust me, I know all about mommy issues.” Nic’s tone was dry. “If you want to compare maternal battle scars, I’m game.”
“You don’t need to babysit me. I’m sure you have duties to attend.”
Nic shrugged. “It’s a slow and steady sort of thing, healing the land. And we don’t have company very often.”
I got the impression that she was lonely. “You said you have a daughter?”