Before Dawn

by Olivia Hutchinson

  “It was.”

  “No,” Camila bit out, her face red and her dark, glossy wings expanding behind her, making her appear larger and mildly threatening, “it wasn’t. You’re accusing Roarke, one of your very own Council members, of treachery.”

  “Perhaps Camila,” Robert Iverson, the shifter faction leader, declared, “you could ask Roarke directly as he’s not here to defend himself against these charges.”

  “Are you suggesting that Roarke is planning an attack on New Freedom as this woman suggests?” Jacqueline demanded, face red with anger.

  Robert shook his head, his silver hair staying perfectly in place as he regarded the two fae women carefully. “Of course not. What I’m suggesting is asking him about the current climate in Péine. If there is talk amongst the locals about an attack on New Freedom, Roarke should be alerted so that he may be given the opportunity to intervene and stop it before it can begin. Give him the chance to take control of these rogue fae who you’ve already suggested may be a problem.”

  The two fae women stared at him, twin blue eyes boring into him.

  Robert leaned forward in his chair slightly and spoke. “Collum, what of your McIntyre dragon? Has he reported any altercations between New Freedom and Péine?”

  The dragon stretched his long burly legs, clearly uncomfortable at being confined to his throne. “There are always altercations between Péine and New Freedom. Their war has been going on for much longer than either Mordecai or Liam McIntyre have lived in the area.”

  “Has Liam reported anything?” Robert asked, apparently not happy with Collum's noncommittal answer.

  A long silence stretched on as Collum’s eyes narrowed on Robert. “Nothing that indicates a direct attack on the shifter town.”

  Declan didn't miss the flash of fury on Robert's face. It was apparent to him, even sitting in the back of the Council chamber that Collum knew more than he was willing to publicly report, as did Robert. Collum wouldn't be pushed around by the shifter faction leader, however. No one cornered a dragon, which was what Robert had been trying to do. There was nothing larger, nothing more lethal, and the dragons knew it.

  What wasn’t Collum divulging to the rest of the Council?

  Declan's curiosity piqued, he studied the dragon faction leader, as well as Kieran, the dragon Council member who sat behind him, looking as if there were ten thousand other places he'd rather be at the moment. Collum was only a few years older than Declan, but he ruled over his faction easily. The dragons respected him, which said a lot about him and much less about some of the other faction leaders who were detested by their own.

  “This Council is a joke,” Veronica declared with venom in her voice. “If you won’t help us we’ll be forced to help ourselves.”

  "Ms. Wood, we've heard your concern, but we will not tolerate your blatant disrespect," Camila challenged. "I don't think I'm the only one who will agree that any action on the part of the New Freedom shifters against the fae of Péine will be condemned by the Council."

  “Meaning what?” Veronica Wood asked.

  "You will receive no aid here," Lucretia, the vampire faction leader, said after a long, drawn-out yawn. "Best of luck to you and yours, Ms. Wood, but you have overstayed your welcome."

  The vampires didn’t mince their words. The ancient vampire appeared bored by the goings-on in the Council room. She toyed with the edge of her armrest to her throne, her pantsuit still crisp, most likely because the vampire faction leader probably hadn’t moved in hours.

  Veronica Wood stepped away from the table, a scowl on her wrinkled face as she went out the door and into the dark hallway outside.

  "Who is next?" Declan's father asked, clearly tired and ready to finish the day. He'd glanced at Declan and Natalie as they entered the chamber, but since they walked in initially, he avoided eye contact with either one of them.

  A tall man stepped up to the table, his hand firmly wrapped around a much smaller, timid woman. He cleared his throat as he stood in front of the Council members, before announcing, "My name is Reed Wilson, and I'm a werewolf." Malcolm sat a little straighter in his seat. "I'm from District five. Vastag Territory."

  “What are you doing in Boston, Reed?” Malcolm asked.

  “I am here to request permission from the Council to mate a shifter.”

  “This is her?” Malcolm nodded toward the female who was clutching her werewolf’s arm.

  “Yeah. This is Crystal Jensen.”

  “You’re from Willow’s Pass, then?”

  The woman nodded her head in response to Malcolm’s question. “Yes, sir. I am.”

  "Do you have a family?" Robert asked her.

  Crystal nodded again. “Yes, sir.”

  “And what do they think of your wanting to mate a werewolf?”

  Crystal hesitated. “They don’t like it, but they say they will not stand in my way if the Council agrees to a mating.”

  Natalie tensed beside Declan, and he couldn't help himself when he took her fingers in his hand.

  Robert rubbed his chin. “Do you wish to mate this werewolf?”

  “Yes sir, I do.”

  Robert glanced at Malcolm and nodded his head one time. “You have the Council’s permission for a mating,” Malcolm declared. “We’ll draw up the appropriate paperwork.”

  “Any child you conceive will need to be brought before the Council for approval,” Cosmo, the lone warlock, declared from his seat in the back. Dis and Lukas were both blissfully absent from the Council today, leaving Cosmo to represent warlock interests by himself.

  “Approval?” Crystal asked, her voice shaky.

  Cosmo nodded, his smile twisted on his face. “Yes, girl. Approval.”

  Crystal shook her head and looked up at her werewolf who looked back down at her with a sad look in his eyes. “I don’t—”

  Lucretia rolled her eyes. “It’s not in your best interest to attempt procreation.”

  Declan felt sick. It was as if Natalie sensed his discomfort when she gave his fingers a light squeeze, reminding him to keep it together.

  He made the phone call the night before as Ruby suggested. He alerted his mentor to what was going on with the Masons and that he was heading to Boston with a witch. The reaction he received was one of reluctance and caution, but Declan was satisfied since he hadn’t just been shot down.

  The remainder of the afternoon proceeded as he expected. One case after another, but none quite as concerning as the issues they first heard when they arrived. There was no word of bringing Zachariah up to face his charges today, so Declan assumed it would take place the next day. That bought him a little more time to talk to Zachariah privately.

  By the time the large clock over the door struck five, his limbs were aching from sitting. When the Council members stood, so did the audience. They shuffled out of the chamber with the crowd who were dispersing in the hallway. Declan took Natalie’s hand so she wouldn’t get lost in the fray and led her down the hall to the staircase.

  “My father’s office is upstairs.” He didn’t want their initial greeting to be in front of people and potentially cause a spectacle.

  She didn't say anything, but when he loosened his grip, she didn't drop his hand. Sensing her apprehension, he gave her a light squeeze as she'd done for him earlier and they climbed up to the third floor of the building.

  The large windows had been darkened over so the vampires could freely roam the entirety of the Council House during the day without the threat of sunlight. Sconces hung on the wall, casting a dim glow in the shadows as they made their way up the stairs.

  His father's office door was slightly ajar, but Declan still knocked even though Malcolm most likely knew they'd be coming up to see him.

  “It’s open,” Malcolm snapped.

  Declan pushed the door open and stepped inside before closing the door behind Natalie. Malcolm was alone in the small office, sitting at his desk and glaring at Declan. He took a deep breath, rubbed his large hand over his fa
ce, and leaned back in his chair, his blue eyes narrowing.

  “A witch?” he snarled. “Do you have any idea—”

  "Dad, I'd like you to meet Natalie," Declan interrupted, not willing to stand there while his father started lecturing him as if he were some unruly teenager who hadn't made curfew. Whatever insults Malcolm was about to begin hurling, Declan wouldn't stand for it. Natalie was doing him a favor – a huge one – and he was already putting her through enough. She didn't need to listen to his parents' tirades because he brought home a girl they didn't approve of.

  Malcolm growled. “I don’t need to know her name. You shame me bringing her here.”

  “I’m here because I wanted to introduce her. I felt it was only right for you to know who was staying with me.”

  “How many females of our kind have thrown themselves at you? You know as good as I do that if you want a woman, you have plenty to pick from, and yet you show up here with a witch. How do you think this looks? You are my son—"

  “You’re a jerk,” Natalie said plainly, her hand tightening around his wrist.

  Declan had just taken a deep breath, ready to tell his father they were leaving when Natalie opened her mouth. Had this human really just called his father a jerk? As far back as he could remember, no one had dared to put Malcolm in his place, except for Declan's mother.

  His father’s face reddened. Natalie’s irritation was written plain as day on her face. Her mouth was a thin line as she glared at him. He knew she’d be upset about what Malcolm was saying. He treated her as if she wasn’t there and as if she were nothing, just as his mother had. Any logical being would be furious by this point.

  He couldn't help the swelling of pride in his chest. The woman was fearless even when facing down his father, who was no weakling. She kept her spine straight and didn't let anyone walk on her. She gripped Declan's arm, her fingertips biting into his forearm as if to make sure he was still next to her.

  “I reckon I shouldn't have called you that,” she grumbled, “but there's no reason for you to talk about me as if I'm not here. As if I'm not a person and I don't have feelings. It's rude, and I'm not going to tolerate it, regardless of who you are or what position you hold. Declan is a nice man, a handsome man, and I enjoy being around him. We’re not mated or even so much as thinking about it. We’re just…just spending some time together.”

  “Spending time together?” Malcolm asked her, one thick brown brow raised in question.

  She nodded once. “Yeah. I like being around him, he likes being around me. We talk and hang out.”

  Declan shook his arm from her grasp and caught her hand. He took a protective half-step in front of her. “She deserves an apology.”

  Malcolm shook his head as if he didn’t know what to do with either of them. “That wasn’t my intention. You caught me by surprise.” He focused back on Natalie. “I’m sorry, young lady. I’m sure you’re nice and all, but you understand some of the dynamics here just from what you witnessed in the meeting chamber.”

  “Yeah.”

  His father smiled weakly at Natalie and then at Declan before saying, “There’s a reception in the second-floor ballroom tomorrow night if you and Natalie would like to come.”

  It was his father's way of trying to move past the awkward and hostile introduction. It was also one of the invitations Declan had been wanting. Unmated males were rarely invited to those kinds of social interactions except the unmated Council members. “We'll be there,” Declan replied.

  Malcolm cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject. “What are you two up to tonight? Will you be by for dinner?”

  “Probably not. Natalie's never been to Boston before so I was considering taking her to Slugger's tonight. She wanted to see the fights, and I heard McLeod was supposed to be fighting.”

  “Last fight before the Toronto finals in a few weeks," Malcolm said. “Keep an eye out for Hannah. Koskinen challenged Bowinger last week, and last I heard that fight is supposed to be tonight as well.”

  “I heard they were dating,” Declan commented, taking a step toward the door.

  Malcolm closed his eyes and shook his head, clearly exhausted. His shoulders sank. “The best news I heard all week was that he ended things. I think your mother got to him somehow. Whatever happened, I’m just happy he’s moved on. He was the last thing Hannah needed.”

  Declan couldn’t help but point out the obvious. “She’s still upset.”

  “I’d rather she be upset now than tied to that son-of-a-gun for the rest of her life.”

  They left Malcolm’s office a few minutes later. They spent more than enough time in the Council House for one day.

  Declan couldn’t bring himself to drop Natalie’s hand as they walked down the dim hallway and out the front door. There was something about knowing she was right there that soothed his inner beast. He’d been all but clawing to get out since they arrived in Boston.

  Once they were in the car and on their way back to Declan’s parents, Natalie asked, “What’s up with Red Bowinger? Y’all talk about him like he’s pond scum.”

  He suppressed a growl and said, “He's not much better. He has the ‘love them and leave them’ reputation, but on top of that he works for Council Enforcement.”

  “Which is?”

  "The guards by the door? They're Council Enforcement. The people tracking down Everleigh are Council Enforcement. Werewolves, shifters, all the factions have their own separate enforcement officers, but Council Enforcement is different in that they work directly for the Council. Most are hybrids who have been forced to work for them, but some join on willingly, like Bowinger."

  “Ah. Didn’t you want to try to talk to Everleigh’s father today?”

  He shook his head and stopped for a red light. "Tomorrow. I figure tonight we'll go to the fight at Slugger’s, and then tomorrow I'll go down and talk to Zachariah alone, find out when they're bringing him in front of the Council, and then, later on, we can go rub elbows with some Council members.”

  “That works for me.”

  “Hey,” he said when the light turned green.

  “Yeah?”

  “I'm sorry my parents were jerks.” He glanced over at her. Her eyes softened, but she still had a small frown on her face. "I'm happy you're here, even if this—", he gestured between them, "—isn't a real thing. I like you. I enjoyed spending time with you yesterday and today. I just wanted you to know that.”

  5

  Declan was going to make it impossible for her not to have a crush on him. He was easy on the eyes, he was nice, and she liked being around him. And then he had to go and take it a step further by being all sweet with his little declaration in the car. If she wasn't careful, she was going to start giggling around him, and she couldn't allow that to happen.

  They went back to the apartment and hadn't said very much to each other after that. Natalie changed her clothes into a pair of skinny jeans, high-heeled boots, and a short-sleeve burgundy tunic-style shirt. It was the coolest shirt she brought with her that was still casual, and Declan had warned her that it would get hot where they were going.

  She was going to go watch a werewolf cage fight.

  Natalie was buzzing with excitement by the time they parked across the street from a downtown bar. The word Slugger’s was scrawled on a worn-down wooden sign that hung crooked above the door. Half the lights beneath the sign were burned out, making it almost impossible to read unless you were standing directly underneath it. This wasn't a place she'd go into on her own or even one she'd really notice unless she was looking for it.

  When they stepped inside, Declan nodded his head toward a few of the people milling about inside the door. There were several sidled up to the bar, placing drink orders from the single bartender. Most of the men were big bouncer types, and all were looking at her. She was quickly growing uncomfortable with the large number of eyes on her.

  “Hey there, Azarov,” the bartender said with a nod of his head, smoothing his
dark gray beard so it would lay flat against his chest. The guy in front of them took his change and his beer before heading toward the back of the bar. “Whatcha having?”

  Declan glanced at her. “Hard cider, if they have it,” she told him softly. Natalie was cursing herself internally. Usually, she had a bit of a backbone, but there was something about being in a bar in the small space surrounded by giants who were definitely not human that made her a bit timid.

  Declan’s chin raised a fraction of an inch. “Guinness and a hard cider.”

  Even though the bartender saw her the moment she walked in the door, his near black eyes scanned over her once again. He wasn’t the only one checking her out, but she was definitely on display. “Who’s this?”

  “Teddy, this is Natalie. She’s a friend of mine.”

  Teddy nodded in greeting, his mouth a thin line as he regarded her as if to determine whether or not a woman like her belonged in a place like this.

  “Hi.” Natalie reached her hand out to shake his, but a hard cider was thrust into her hand instead. She cocked a brow but took it with a polite smile and held it to her lips as Declan went to pay.

  “How long you in town for?”

  “A few days.”

  “Always good seeing you,” Teddy said, handing Declan back his change. “Go on down.”

  He kept a hand on her and ushered her through the unlocked dented metal door at the back of the bar. They went down the creaking stairs into the basement of the bar where a few other people were standing around, drinking. Most people ignored them as they went down a long hallway only to be greeted by a man so jacked she was sure he was about to go into ‘roid rage. He glared at both of them, arms crossed in front of his massive chest.

  “Ten a head,” he told Declan in little more than a growl. Declan pulled a twenty-dollar bill from his wallet, slapped it in the bouncer’s outstretched palm, and then grabbed hold of Natalie’s hand as soon as he slid his wallet back into his pocket. “Have fun,” he said dryly as he opened the door he was guarding.