by Jami Gray
Gavin quirked an eyebrow. “Waiting for you or on clean up duty?”
“I think I interrupted his clean up duty.” Xander used a bare foot to nudge the body. “I don’t think whoever sent him thought anyone would be looking for Zeke so soon.”
“Gavin, help me turn him over.” Raine duck-walked until she was at the body’s shoulders. Gavin squatted down and helped flip the dead weight over.
Xander winced as the extent of the damage was revealed.
His arm was nothing but torn tendon and bone. There was a gaping hole under his chin, and his nose was obviously broken. Even the moonlight couldn’t soften the impact of the deep furrows along the sides of his head.
Gavin let out a low whistle. “Damn, Xander. For such a little thing, you pack a hell of a punch.”
Before Xander could react, Raine reached out and smacked him on the arm. “Don’t be such a male.”
Gavin caught her wrist and gave her a small tug. “It was a compliment.”
“Whatever,” Raine muttered.
Xander caught the hint of a blush running under Raine’s skin and wondered what she missed.
Raine got to her feet, her hands going to her hips. “What do you need from me?”
Now came the tricky part. “I need you to read his magic.”
Raine watched her. “Are you going to tell me what I’m looking for?”
Xander looked back at the body, thinking. “I think there’s a connection between this wolf and Neil.”
“What kind of connection?” Obviously, Raine had filled Gavin in on the situation.
Xander shrugged. “I’m not sure yet.” She forestalled Raine’s impending question by raising her hand. “Look, I found traces of someone who shouldn’t have any connection with this.”
Raine tilted her head. “How does my reading the magical traces help?”
Xander blew out a breath, trying to still the roiling of her stomach. “I’m going to see if we can match it to someone else.”
“You suspect someone,” Gavin said flatly.
Xander dipped her head in a short nod. “I do, but until I’m certain, I’m not naming them.”
Silence fell. Xander paced a couple steps away then came back. Maybe her personal feelings were finally getting in the way. While she waited for Raine, she turned the situation around and around, trying to connect the faint threads to actual reasons. Sebastian could be a real bastard. His opinion on the female gender was outdated—Neanderthal, at best—but being a chauvinistic dick didn’t automatically make you a betrayer. There was a slight chance that a reasonable explanation could be found—maybe. The thought of accusing a trusted member of her pack made her ill, but it wasn’t going to stop her from following this. Wherever it led.
“Fine.” Raine broke the quiet, sharing an unreadable look with Gavin. Xander got the impression she was missing parts of a conversation. “I’ll do what I can, but you’re going to do something for me.”
Xander stilled. “Like?”
“You’re coming with us and meeting with Cheveyo.”
Xander instantly started shaking her head. “Oh hell no, Raine. You don’t know what you’re asking.”
“I know exactly what I’m asking.”
“Do you?” Xander bit out. “You’re asking me to go behind Warrick’s back and share pack information with someone he doesn’t trust.”
“No,” Raine countered, “I’m asking you to protect the stubborn ass that you love and start using the resources available to you, since he won’t.”
A coldness, that had nothing to do with the night chill and everything to do with the fragile line she walked with Warrick and their relationship, crawled across her heart. “No,” she repeated, her voice hoarse.
“Xander,” Raine said with a conciliatory note. “You’re not betraying him. You’re protecting him.”
“That’s not protection,” she argued.
“Isn’t it?” her friend asked with brutal practicality. “You don’t want to name your suspect, probably because he’s someone close to Vidis. But you need something to tie this all together if you want to find Zeke. Not only that, but chances are Cheveyo can offer some valuable insight into why someone would hire a wizard to assassinate an alpha. You know as well as I do, that Cheveyo had nothing to do with it, but from what you’ve said, there’s not a chance in hell that Vidis will ask for his help.”
Xander spun away as Raine’s words hit with unerring accuracy. Damn it, Raine was right. The problem was if Xander did this, if she reached out to another head of house without talking to Warrick, he’d never forgive her. He was so concerned with not looking weak and protecting those he considered his from any and all threats that he isolated himself. And that was another conversation, which would end in an argument if their first one was anything to go by.
Plus, she couldn’t talk to Warrick without revealing her suspicions of Sebastian, and the gods knew she better have some solid damn proof before she set Warrick on his Third. If she was wrong, it would destroy more than her relationship with Warrick. It would devastate their entire pack.
But she couldn’t let this go, not so long as there was even a slim chance there was something to this.
Choosing between her need to protect the man she loved and her desire to honor his trust was going to tear her apart. Either she did her duty, following every lead to protect her pack and alpha, or she bowed to her mate’s demands. Rubbing her fist against the dull ache in her chest, she admitted she was screwed either way.
The last time she put her emotions before duty the end results had cost the life of her best friend and her unborn cub. Memories pressed close—her friend’s tear-stained face as she cradled her stomach in a futile attempt to protect her unborn child from her mate, who’s sanity was lost to the feral nature of his wolf, and Xander, hesitating to do what needed to be done.
She brushed her fingers over the scars hidden under the ink on her face. Her wolf rose, offering what comfort she could, crowding the painful memories back so Xander could think. As Tracker, she knew what her decision had to be, but it left that hidden part of her raw and torn.
Gently, she closed the door on those softer emotions and took a deep breath. She couldn’t let her pack and her mate pay for her inability to make a decision. There was no way to prepare for the fallout when Warrick found out. When he did, because there was no doubt he would, he would be furious. That she could handle. It was the other reactions he may not admit to that worried her. After demanding he be honest with her, did she have the right to ignore his concerns? Even if she was convinced it would keep him safe? Keep their pack safe? She reached out to her wolf, needing comfort and strength as she considered her options. Protection of their mate was paramount.
And if we lose him? She buried her face in the familiar fur of her wolf as she whispered the heart-rending question.
Her wolf’s answer was clear. Protect our mate.
Tears burned and her shoulders hunched as the dread in her stomach left bile rising. She was going to risk it all because the thought of harm coming to Warrick was more devastating than watching him walk out of her life.
Sucking in a breath, she shoved her emotions back, straightened her spine, then turned around. Hollow pride rose when her voice didn’t shake. “Fine. Let’s get this done.”
Chapter Twenty
“How long do you think you can keep Vidis out of this?” Ryuu asked, all business.
Xander pressed the phone to her ear, grateful for her friend’s temperate disposition. Which was kind of an oxymoron when you thought about it. Instinctual by nature, a shifter being able to maintain a level head was nothing short of a miracle. And you’re doing a wonderful job of avoiding his question, a snarky mental voice that sounded a lot like Raine’s piped up. Except Raine was standing with Gavin just outside the range of the SUV’s headlights.
“Just a little while longer, Ryuu.” Xander rested her head against the SUV’s window. Tucked in the back seat, she was trying to keep
this conversation somewhat private. “I may have something, but it’s not making sense.”
The sound of Ryuu’s sigh echoed down the line. “I can give you an hour then I’m heading over to get the scene cleaned up, that’s it. He’s already called once.”
She closed her eyes, her fingers tightening around the phone. “I know. He’s been trying to reach me as well.”
“You’re blocking him?”
“I’m trying.”
“Fan-fucking-tastic,” Ryuu muttered. “That will make things oh so much better.”
She choked back the snarl threatening to escape behind gritted teeth. “Dammit, Ryuu.” Like this was easy for her.
“Don’t,” her friend snapped, no longer her friend but the Second of the Motoki Pack. “I don’t know what the hell’s going on, Xander, but you better be damn certain that whatever you’re hiding won’t threaten our alpha or pack when it comes to light. Because, mate or not, I’m done watching you two tear at each other.”
The urge to smash the phone into the glass until one or both shattered made her hand shake. But it wouldn’t accomplish a thing. Even she could hear her wolf in her voice as she said, “This isn’t me being pissed at my mate. I’m doing my job as Tracker. Threaten all you want, but I will not make an accusation without proof.” Her teeth were clenched so hard she had to drag air in through her nose. Forcing her jaw to unlock, she continued, “Right now, I need a little room to follow this lead with Raine, then I will meet you at Warrick’s in two hours.”
“Fine.” Obviously, Ryuu had reached the end of his patience because he bit the word out like his teeth were wrapped around her neck. “I’ll see if I can get ahold of Sebastian and get him to help. Then we’ll discuss this entire mess at Vidis’s.” He hung up before she could respond.
She choked back the bile rising in her throat. If her suspicions were right, Ryuu would be showing up alone. Jerking the door open, Xander fairly leapt from the SUV. She could feel the press of fur under her skin. Her volatile emotions and the lure of the moon made for a potent combination. Stalking over to where Raine and Gavin were waiting near Zeke’s truck, she clenched her phone.
“My, Grandma, what big eyes you have,” Raine said, her arms folded across her chest as she stood shoulder to shoulder with Gavin.
“You should see my teeth,” Xander growled, literally.
A small smile flashed over Gavin’s face.
Raine pushed off the truck and studied her with a critical eye. “You sure you can handle the ride back to Taliesin?”
Taliesin, where, at Xander’s request, Cheveyo was going to meet them. Xander winced. That would be a fun meeting. She blew out a breath. She must look a little rougher than she thought for Raine to ask. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.” Because really, she had no choice.
The sound of plastic cracking had her looking down to where she held her phone. She made a concentrated effort to relax her fingers and get a damn grip—emotionally speaking. What she wouldn’t give to be able to lose herself to her wolf. A long, hard run under the light of the moon would do more to help her find her balance than what was waiting for her tonight. Ryuu’s attitude might ruffle her fur the wrong way, but if she was being fair, and she was the one on the outside looking in, she’d have to wonder about her critical thinking skills when it came to Warrick. Hell, the emotional roller coaster of the last couple days would rival any amusement ride.
It took a moment for Raine to give her a slow nod. “All right, let’s go see what your little friend can tell us.” She turned and headed back toward the body.
Gavin waited for Xander to follow Raine before falling into step beside her. “How long do we have?”
“An hour.”
“Should be more than enough,” Raine threw over her shoulder. Coming up to the body, she stepped around until she could crouch at his head. “So you want me to match his magic to Neil’s?”
“Pretty much.” Finding a spot on a fallen log, Xander went to take a seat. Her thigh was still one big throbbing ache, which made bending down awkward. Not to mention the number it played with her balance. Before she could face-plant, Gavin was there with a steadying arm. “Thanks.” She settled on the log with his help. “It won’t be exactly the same.”
Raine cocked her head. “What do you mean?”
Xander flicked her fingers at the body. “I think this one isn’t a Bitten, but a Born. His change was too fast.”
“So then, why do you think Raine will be able to link him to Neil?” Gavin moved over to Raine’s side.
“Same scent of wrongness.” When they both looked at her, she gave a small shrug. “His scent was just…wrong. I’m not sure how else to explain it.”
“Works for me.” Raine turned her attention back to the body. “Okay, let’s see if my eyes can back up your nose.” She slid Gavin a quick look. He moved behind her then crouched down until he could brace her back, his hands resting on her waist. Only then did she close her eyes.
It was weird watching Raine do her thing. Xander had been through this with her before in Arizona, but it was still fascinating. Being around Raine was like hanging out with a lightning bolt, the sense of roiling energy she carried like a second skin, and you never knew when it would sneak out and shock your ass. Yet, when she did this…whatever it was…all that energy just disappeared. As a matter of fact, if Xander hadn’t been sitting right across from Raine, she wasn’t sure she would have even known Raine was there.
Every shifter possessed enhanced senses—smell, hearing, sight—but none of them would help her track Raine when she was pulling on whatever magic she used to examine someone’s magical signatures. It was as if she stepped out of the physical world and melded into the psychic one. Very weird. Xander wondered if she should tell Raine about the strange phenomena. Maybe later. Right now, they had other things to worry about.
Wind blew through the branches, chasing leaves and trailing chilly fingers against her skin. The faint sounds of traffic from the highway interrupted the night’s natural chorus, a reminder that no matter how thick the trees were they were a fragile protection from prying eyes.
Long minutes passed before Raine finally spoke. “Okay,” she said, her voice low as if she was concentrating on something. “I’ve found what I think is his normal weave.”
The way she phrased that left Xander puzzled. “You can’t tell?”
Raine opened her eyes and turned her head toward Xander, her normal gray eyes now glowing silver. “It’s a mess in here.” She dropped her gaze back to the body. “And he’s dead, in case you’ve forgotten. Means his traces are starting to fade, which makes it harder to figure out what the hell’s going on.” She went quiet, her fingers moving in a restless pattern. “Need to move a little deeper,” she muttered.
The hair on the back of Xander’s neck began to rise. She struggled to her feet, ignoring the twinge in her thigh and rushed to her friend’s side, her hand out as if that would hold her back. “Raine, stop!”
Gavin’s posture turned from supportive to protective in an instant. Whether in response to Xander’s warning or because he was acting as Raine’s psychic shadow, Xander had no idea. He wrapped Raine in his arms, pulled her to his chest, then dragged her a few inches away from the body, but Xander knew he was mimicking the move on the psychic plane. It was there, in the fierce concentration etching his face in harsh lines and in his coiled muscles.
“Raine!” There was no mistaking the sharp command in his voice. “Step back, now!”
Xander found she was holding her breath as she fought back a frustrating sense of helplessness at not being able to protect her friend from whatever she faced.
Raine’s body jerked in Gavin’s arms then her eyes flew open. The strange glow wasn’t there. Instead, the normal gray was back, a fact that helped Xander breathe. Her abused thigh finally gave out and she sat down hard. Whatever had tripped her warning system into shrieking life was gone. “What the hell happened?”
Raine leaned back into Gavi
n, one hand gripping his wrist as if she needed an anchor. Her face was even more pale than usual. “Got too close.”
“To what?”
“A big, psychic black hole.” Her grin was forced. “Apparently, if your magic is too damaged when you die, it starts to disappear into bits and pieces, leaving nothing behind.” Raine turned her head away and buried her face against Gavin’s chest, a shudder visibly running over her.
Confused, Xander just looked from her to Gavin.
“Think of magic like a piece of cloth.” Gavin’s voice was even, but traces of anger lay just under the calm tone. “Every aspect of who you are and what you can do makes up the threads that, in turn, create the material. His material was ragged and torn. When Raine went closer to examine it, it began unraveling faster than she expected. It left her with nothing to hold on to.”
“That can’t be good,” Xander said.
“It’s not,” Raine’s voice was muffled against Gavin. She turned her head to look down at Xander. “But the good news is you were right. Whatever’s behind the new and so-not-improved version of your wolves leaves a distinctive destructive pattern behind. He and Neil were definitely linked.” Raine straightened and pulled away from Gavin’s hold. He dropped his arms and let her move.
Proving the connection should have made Xander feel better. Instead, her disquiet became louder than ever. “So it’s a spell? No science involved?”
Above her, Raine offered Xander a hand. “Spell, yes. Science? I don’t know enough to be sure.”
Xander grabbed Raine’s hand and let her friend pull her to her feet. She brushed the collection of dirt and detritus from the stretchy material of her borrowed pants. “Would Cheveyo?”