Then again, bringing Gina might not be wise. However, he needed information, and Gina was the way to get it. He met her gaze and she held out her hand. They were in Preston’s office in a second, her sitting in a chair.
Preston looked up. “What the hell is going on?”
Robert gave him a brief rundown of everything he’d learned about Mark’s previous life and everything about the doppelgangers he could remember.
Preston’s eyes widened. “Right, I remember that case. I just don’t remember Mark being Anders, but he was in bad shape, and Tremaine said he’d died.”
Robert sighed and lifted a shoulder. “Mark wanted to start fresh, and let’s face it, I was too much by the book back then. Tremaine did what he could to protect him.”
Preston nodded.
“And I don’t think Mark knew we were there,” Robert answered.
“Probably not. I remember the mess the witch was.” He rubbed at his face. “Hard to see him as that same man now.”
“Right?” Robert half-laughed.
Gina rolled her eyes. “We should get there before Kindra does.”
“Are you going to manage to let her live?” Preston asked, half teasing.
“For now. We need information. And unfortunately, I don’t think Druciela can give us everything we want.”
“Druciela is crafty. If anyone has the capability to get the information and get out safely, it’s her. Let’s hope Dacia doesn’t learn about this yet. She’d try to watch, and she’s very pregnant.” As an air Fae, she could fade into air and watch without anyone knowing. However, he wasn’t sure how that would affect the baby.
“Which doesn’t make her an invalid,” Gina blurted out, but looked surprised by her words.
That gave Robert pause.
Preston’s gaze swung back to Gina. “Was that Badb?”
She lifted a shoulder. “I’m not totally sure. I mean, I think so.”
He nodded slowly. “Interesting.”
Preston shook his head. “Toryn is asking his mother about Badb, and what we should expect, but I haven’t heard back just yet.”
“That’s okay. I don’t imagine we’ll have all the answers right now.”
Chapter 9
The drive lasted thirty minutes, and she had to wonder how Robert had found this woman so fast, unless he was watching her for a reason. Then again, the Council had taken all sorts of information from each of the captives before allowing them to leave. No doubt to keep records of everything potentially suspicious.
The coven had stayed out of the Council’s sights since Anders had involved them decades ago. That didn’t mean the coven was in the clear. If it weren’t for the doppelgangers ability to pull them all through portals, the coven may not exist after the Council got done with them.
She parked in front of the beach house and found no other cars, which seemed odd. Though, perhaps they used a portal like they had when they got everyone out of the chaos of that underground bunker, or whatever the hell it was the vampires had kept them in.
Kindra climbed out of the car and closed her eyes, sensing for any magical presence. She sensed feral magic and mage magic. At least two powerful mages.
She needed to tread carefully.
Kindra walked to the door and knocked, wondering if she had made a giant mistake. But then again, she needed to do something, or risk losing her son.
A well-dressed man with blond hair opened the door. Goose bumps broke out across her skin as she smiled at him. “Robert McCallister?” She didn’t expect the man to be the magister of the Silver Council. He was far too attractive, possibly perfect.
He nodded. “I am, and I presume you are Kindra Woeller.”
“That’s me.” She looked past Robert but didn’t see anyone.
“You’ll meet my associate and the woman I believe is the one you mentioned. The one kept away from the rest of the captives.”
“Thank you, I’ll feel better knowing she’s safe.”
“Why wouldn’t she be safe?” Robert asked.
Kindra looked around. “It’s probably nothing, but the wolf who was with her seemed dangerous.”
“The wolf with her was her mate,” Robert answered. “I happen to know him well, and he is no threat to his mate.” He stepped inside. “Follow me.”
She followed him into the beach house. The blinds were closed, the lights were dim. He motioned to the table in the kitchen. “Take a seat, and I’ll bring her in.”
Fear had her halfway to turning around when Robert left the room. However, she needed to know more about what happened to Anders. Why was he a werewolf? Who was the mate?
The blond woman entered the room, her face a blank mask. Another man followed. This one with tattoos on his inner forearms that seemed to move. Then she looked into his piercing pale blue eyes and froze.
Something inside her recoiled, but she couldn’t fathom what.
Bad idea. Worst idea. She shouldn’t be there, and she needed to act as if she should.
Kindra focused on the woman. “Thank you for meeting me. I’ve been so worried about you and all you went through. I needed to know you were all right.”
“I’m perfectly fine, thank you.”
“Where is your mate? Why isn’t he here?”
The blond woman smiled. “Work.”
“What does he do?”
“I’m sorry, I don’t know you. Why does that matter?”
Kindra dropped her gaze. “Let me start again. I’m Kindra Woeller.” She held her hand out.
The woman eyed her hand, then looked into her eyes. “Jada Tolon.” They shook.
Something prickled along Kindra’s nerves. Unfamiliar magic. But werewolves shouldn’t have magic.
“I’m sorry to pry, but can I ask why you were so scared when the mages brought you to your mate in the cafeteria?”
“I’m sorry, but what are you implying?”
“You were scared of your mate. Has he hurt you before?”
She laughed. “I’m sorry, I had just witnessed a dark ritual. They had tried to force an ancient entity into my body, and I was freaking out from the ordeal.”
Kindra nodded slowly. “I see.” Not what she’d expected.
“My mate was the one thing I needed to finally calm me down.”
Kindra frowned. The essence lingering on her from the male was Anders. She was certain. And still, she knew there were no answers to be gained. She offered a smile. “I see. Well, I’m glad you are well.” She didn’t know what else to ask.
Robert moved closer and touched Kindra’s shoulder. Everything went black.
* * * *
Robert cast a sleep spell on Kindra and situated her upright in the chair. Meeting Gina’s eyes, he asked, “If I bring you into her mind, you have to promise to control your anger.”
Her eyes slid closed as she nodded. “We need to stop them all. I won’t touch her.”
“You’ll have to touch her and me. In order to slip into her mind, we need physical contact.”
Blinking wide, she asked, “Right, okay. Why me?”
He made a face. “A hunch.”
“You’re not known for going with hunches,” Preston stated.
“No, but in this case I will. Gina may notice something we need.” Robert looked at Gina. “Touch her face and take my hand.” As soon as she did, he took her into Kindra’s mind.
He dove far back, to Kindra’s early childhood on instinct. He knew there was more to the story, and something insisted he go deep into her mind.
They reached a point where Kindra sat outside a room, her ear pressed to the door as she mouthed a spell that helped her eavesdrop on her parents and Anders’. She was only a child.
Her mother said, “Anders will be our future. He’s the one who can pull us out of the downward spiral Germaine has dragged us down.”
Anders’ mother sighed. “You can’t put all of that in his head. He’ll do far bet
ter if we train him without the pressure.”
“That helps no one. He will fight harder if he knows,” Kindra’s father insisted.
“He’s our child, not yours,” Anders’ father countered. “We will raise him the way we believe is right. If you cannot accept that, you can bet your ass I’ll ensure Anders hates Kindra. So knock it off.”
“Fine, fine. We only want to ensure the future of our coven. I thought you wanted the same,” Kindra’s mother hissed.
“We do, but I’m sure your goals benefit you more than the coven as a whole.”
“We want what is best for our families. Isn’t that good enough?” Kindra’s mother all but shouted.
“I’ve heard enough,” Anders’ mother hissed. Footsteps drew closer. Kindra rushed to the alcove, hiding out of sight as the Woellers stormed out.
Her mother glared at the retreating pair as she stepped out. As soon as the front door slammed, she turned to find Kindra. “Don’t worry, precious. You will marry that boy and ensure he becomes our savior. He’s already been promised to one of the little people who can turn our coven into what it was always meant to be.”
“Little people?” she asked.
“Never mind that for now, darling. You’re too young to worry about that.”
Robert pulled Gina down another path, away from the memory. Images of Mark/Anders filled the expanse. Robert led her through frozen scenes of memory.
They stopped when Kindra and Mark were teenagers. Anders, not Mark. He looked so full of hope and happiness, sitting near the beach with Kindra.
Kindra’s thoughts flowed through Gina’s head. She desperately wanted Anders’ love. Her parents had promised he would become the high priest, and she would become the high priestess. They would bring the coven back into prosperity. And he was oh so handsome.
She leaned closer, capturing his gaze. “I love you, Anders.”
Blushing, he looked away.
Threading her fingers through his, she leaned closer. “I do.”
He looked into her eyes and smiled. “You too.”
Kindra pressed her lips to his, cupping his growing erection and squeezing.
His eyes closed. “Kindra, we shouldn’t.”
“Doesn’t this feel good?” she murmured against his ear.
A groan escaped his lips. “Yes.”
Gina walked away from the memory. She didn’t want to watch his feelings develop for another person. She didn’t need that in her head.
They came to another flashback. One directly after Kindra’s marriage to Anders.
After Anders and Kindra’s first dance, she made her way to the bathroom. All the eyes on Kindra made her nervous. They watched her, not Anders. As if they blamed her for something that had happened.
Kindra stopped at the door when she heard her mother’s voice.
“Your daughter and your pushing ruined his chances to make this coven what it could be. You guaranteed he will never lead us because you insisted your little tramp seduce him too young.”
“They have always been in love,” Kindra’s mother insisted.
Tears filled Kindra’s eyes. She did love Anders. She had since she’d been little. And part of her didn’t care that he wouldn’t rise to high priest. But there was a part of her that wanted to be high priestess, not that she had any idea what to do once she became that. She’d spent all her life trying to make Anders fall in love with her.
Fear set in. Was it her fault she kept him from his destined role? Had she ruined his chances at happiness?
Footsteps approached the door and she moved into shadows.
Robert pulled Gina down another path, past images of her with Mark, and her growing depression and doubts. Then came the meeting of Gerard, the creepy little ancient man who promised her she could have everything she wanted with someone who looked like Mark, only it would be him.
That twisted relationship grew as Gerard fed from Mark.
A growl left her lips as she pulled free of Kindra’s head. She moved to the window, staring out, her back to the woman she wanted to slaughter.
Badb’s voice drifted through her head. He must die.
“Who?” Gina barely whispered.
Gerard. His people are vile, nasty creatures who seek to rule, then ruin one community at a time. He’s why I had no body of my own for so long.
She gasped. “Had?”
We’ll discuss that later. Away from a mage who can walk in your head.
Right. She blew out a breath and turned back to Robert, who had stayed in Kindra’s mind.
Gina met Preston’s gaze. “What’s next?”
He glanced at Kindra and back. “Well, after Robert finishes looking, he’ll alter her memory of this encounter, and we go home. We’ll figure it out from there.”
“Why not follow her?” she asked.
He lifted a shoulder. “Let’s see what else he finds. There may be more clues.”
“I couldn’t stay in there. Not without killing her. She threw everything she had away because she was promised power. And fine, that thing got in her head, but that leads me to believe she didn’t really love Mark.”
“Or maybe she wasn't strong enough to resist everyone’s brainwashing?”
“You didn’t see her thoughts. Yes, she was manipulated, but she didn’t know what she wanted.”
Preston’s eyes popped wide. “What else did you learn?”
“That Mark was on the path to becoming the coven’s leader. But her parents pushed her into taking things too far with Mark and ruined that for him.”
“Interesting,” Preston said slowly.
“Mark has never mentioned his parents, but then again, he only just told me he was a witch. What happened to them?”
“I have no idea, but Robert may be able to find out, if Mark will agree to let him in his head.”
She glanced back at Kindra. “He didn’t ask Kindra to go in.”
“No, but we suspect she’s going to bring that thing to feed off Mark, and likely find other people for the rest of the doppelgangers, right? We have enough reason to suspect she’s plotting a conspiracy to murder. Mark isn't the threat. In the time I’ve known him, he’s never done anything but good.”
Gina shot a glare Kindra’s way. “Would rather kill her now, but Badb mentioned that Gerard was the reason she didn’t have a body.”
“Didn’t?” Preston asked.
She lifted a shoulder. “I don’t know. That’s what she said. She’ll tell me more later.”
Preston blew out a breath. “Well, things for you may become very interesting. Mark too. I’m not sure how that’s going to work out.”
“What do you mean?”
He sighed. “Badb was one of three Storm Mistresses. Some of the rarest and most powerful Fae, and they were triplets. Morrigan, Badb, and Macha. Morrigan is still alive. In fact, she’s my grandmother.” He let out a strained laugh. “I guess you have my great aunt inside you. But here’s where it gets interesting. There was a prophecy Macha made before her death. Badb would lose her body and kingdom to the doppelgangers but would be reborn protecting another town from them.”
“How?” she asked.
“Story goes, she will be reborn.”
“A baby? Werewolves don’t carry babies,” Gina blurted out.
“If I understand correctly, it’s not a normal pregnancy. I mean, it takes a man and woman to create the child, but magic is involved, and it’s going to happen fast.”
“Fast?” Gina asked.
“I don’t have those answers, but I’m sure Morrigan will want to talk to you once she learns what you have inside of you. In fact, Toryn probably already talked to her after everything that happened.”
“Me?”
Preston nodded slowly. “I would imagine she would like to communicate with her sister. You’ll give birth to her sooner than not.”
“I should talk to Morrigan. Any information is better than non
e.”
Badb chose that moment to speak up, I’ll tell you more than she can. You will be safe. And after you give birth to me, your body will be ready to carry children later.
Gina wasn’t sure how to process that tidbit.
Robert moved, his gaze locking on her. “You’re going to have a baby?”
“Uh…I’m not sure if Badb counts as a baby,” Preston answered.
Robert shook his head before focusing on Gina. “We definitely need more information. And I need to ensure Kindra has no idea where she was or what she was doing. Give me ten minutes.”
He disappeared with Kindra.
Preston let out a breath. “I wonder what he learned in there.”
“Not sure I want to know,” Gina admitted. Something told her Kindra was at least partially a victim. She’d been pushed and pulled in too many directions over the years. But she didn’t choose love and Gina couldn’t understand.
“We need to, though. More we understand, the better off we are. The less Kindra knows about you or Mark, the better. So it was smart for you to give her the wrong name.”
“Think Robert will let her believe she met me?”
“In case she told anyone, most likely. He’ll alter where that was and who was with you.”
“That seems like a violation,” Gina said.
“Sure, in most cases. But we know what they will do if given a chance. You tell me, is it wrong to prevent her from doing worse than she already has? There is a chance that the whole coven will get sick and die.”
Robert cleared his throat. “Normally, I would agree with you, Gina. I most often ask before jumping in. However, we needed the answers, and we can’t trust a word out of her mouth. She tried to claim Mark was abusive to you too get information about him and you. She wants to break away from Gerard and what will happen to her and her son if she doesn’t, but she thinks he loves her. The sad thing is, she’s been manipulated by her parents, and mentally by the doppelganger. She doesn’t know what’s real and what isn’t anymore.”
“So we can’t trust her memories?” Gina asked.
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