by RJ Blain
Whatever I was, I understood two-leggers far better than I did squirrels. Hopping off the bed, I scurried to him, jumped up, and caught hold of his clothes, climbing until I found a pocket.
With a little work, I fit inside. I turned until I could poke my head out and watch from my new vantage point.
“If I were a better man, I’d try to identify who you belonged to,” my two-legger confessed. “Maybe Danielle’s right, and I’ve lost my mind.”
“You can’t lose what you’ve never had, Elliot. Come get your coffee,” Richard said, poking his head through the doorway. “It’s been a bad few weeks for all of us, and you’re the one who’s been hit the hardest.”
“Richard,” my two-legger protested.
“Don’t start. It’s not a pissing contest for who gets to be the most miserable, and unlike me, you have to pretend everything’s all right when it isn’t. It’s a good thing you invited me, else Alex and Lisa were going to force me out of my own house. I’m astonished the Inquisition hasn’t demoted you as a safety precaution.”
“I tried to resign.”
“Excuse me?”
“I tried to resign. They wouldn’t let me. I even told them there were personal reasons it wasn’t wise for me to remain in my position. I forced the vote. The Archeons told me to fuck off and get back to work.”
“Unanimous in favor of you remaining the Shadow Pope?”
“Unfortunately. I told them it’d serve them right if I developed a severe case of witchcraft or lycanthropy.”
“Lycanthropy? Really? You really went there?”
While Richard sounded annoyed, his scent betrayed the lie; he found my two-legger amusing, although I didn’t understand why.
“They gave me your name and suggested I talk to you if I was interested in contracting a severe case of lycanthropy.”
Richard laughed. “And the witchcraft threat?”
“One of the Archeons manifested water over my head and told me I needed to go cool off.”
“I see. Anything else of interest?”
“One of them proposed a motion to strike the ban on the Shadow Pope being a null. It passed unanimously. The motion included a new method of selecting a Shadow Pope.” My two-legger spat curses and ran his hands through his hair. “They want to continue bloodline inheritance of the role with no limitations on successor’s magic. To make matters worse, the eligible successors can be drawn from the best suited candidate of the current line.”
“When did this happen?”
“Yesterday morning, about an hour after I finished my research.”
“What do you have for me?”
“Not nearly as much as I’d like. I gave Desmond what I have, and he said he would put together a few ops and check the west coast installations. I told him to bill me after his work was done to cut down on the red-tape bullshit.”
“You realize if he gets his hands on whoever took his daughter, it’s going to be a bloodbath, right?”
My two-legger shrugged. “If I thought I’d get away with it, I’d be giving you the same exact orders, Richard. I proposed a different motion to the Archeons, and it passed unanimously.”
“Dare I ask?”
“Basin is to be eliminated, no questions asked. We find them, and we wipe them out. They started this war, but we’re going to finish it. I have three approved objectives. First, we wipe Basin out. Second, we locate and take possession of all blood diamonds. If…” My two-legger sighed, and the stench of his grief surged. “If we find Dante alive, we’ll restore the victims we can. Otherwise, we’ll destroy the stones and hope for the best. Third, we destroy all research material and equipment associated with the creation and use of blood diamonds. Everyone agreed we can’t let Basin continue to strip witches of their power and use their stolen magic. It’s only a matter of time before Basin targets Normals.”
“But Normals make up the majority of Basin’s operations.”
“I’m aware.”
“The US and Canadian governments aren’t going to be happy with the Inquisition killing a bunch of Normals.”
“I already notified them. I’ve also spoken with representatives from the UK, the European Union, China, and Russia.”
“And?”
“I was honest. I told them it was personal. I told them about my brother’s daughter, my brother, and the thousands murdered for being born a witch. They won’t interfere.”
“Good. Come have some coffee, and we’ll make plans. Our pack’s ready to move, and we’ll stop at nothing to get our bitches and your brother back. They’ll pay for everything you’ve done, that I swear.”
My two-legger said nothing, but I could smell his doubt.
Chapter Three
My two-legger pulled me out of his pocket and set me in my basket in the kitchen, petting me before taking a steaming mug from Richard. “Have you had any luck nailing down the timeline leading up to their disappearance?”
“Are you going to blow your lid if I mention her name?”
Heaving a sigh, my two-legger hunted down a stool and dragged it close to me. He sat down, placing his mug on the polished countertop. “Probably.”
“It wasn’t her fault.”
“I know that. If there’s any blame, it’s mine. I authorized it, I didn’t check it over as thoroughly as I could have, and I let them go. I just—”
“Elliot.”
My two-legger fell silent and shrugged before taking a sip of his drink. It smelled strong, and I peered over the edge of the basket to investigate. Black liquid filled the steaming cup.
“I should’ve insisted they take a few special ops with them.”
Richard grunted and fetched a steaming mug for himself before sitting beside my two-legger. “Lisa and Amber both looked over the plan, our blueprints of the place, and every bit of intel we had. Both agreed it was low risk. Until we find out what actually happened, we’re pointlessly speculating. Lisa’s been running special ops ever since she became a Fenerec. I know very few fire witches as talented as Amber, and she’s no stranger to special ops. Between the two of them, if there was any evidence of danger, they would’ve found it.”
“I know that.”
“Amber’s convinced Nicole’s alive somewhere. Evelyn’s likewise convinced your brother is still alive, too. I can’t feel anything from my mate at all, but I trust Amber. Evelyn’s so damned sensitive to Dante I can’t tell if she’s picking up echoes or if she’s right. But, if Nicole and Dante are still alive—and I see no reason to gainsay either Amber or Evelyn—then there’s a chance we can rescue them all.”
“I’ve sent witches of all types to the place, Richard. There isn’t a trace of their kidnappers nor any sign of where they were taken. We found some of Dante’s blood and evidence of a firefight, but that’s it. They even took the fucking bullets out of the trees. Police have questioned everyone in the area, and no one knows anything. We don’t even have the description of a single vehicle as a starting point. It’s like they disappeared into thin air.”
Frustration added an acrid bite to my two-legger’s scent, and I perched on the edge of my basket, stretching my paws towards his mug. He shifted it out of my reach, and I chittered a complaint.
“Coffee isn’t good for squirrels.”
“You said you fished her out of your pool?”
My two-legger nodded, rising long enough to fetch an apple from the fridge and a knife. I accepted his offering, nibbling while I listened.
“She fell in sometime after it started snowing. I went out to check the pump was still running when I heard the splashing. Poor thing was about frozen solid. I dried her off and fed her an apple, and she’s been happy to sit in her basket the rest of the time.”
“She lets you handle her?”
“Didn’t even try to bite me. I figure she’s someone’s pet. I don’t think I’ve seen squirrels this color around here before.”
“Now she’s your pet?”
“She was in my pool, so she’s n
ow my squirrel.”
I kept eating my apple, pleased I had manipulated my two-legger into understanding he would share his nest with me, like it or not.
Richard laughed. “You’re almost as bad as Lisa and that damned cat of hers. I count my blessings Cindy has decided she owns the lodge rather than my house. It shames me our pack is terrified of a cat.”
For a long time, the two two-leggers sat in silence. Finally, my two-legger mumbled, “I don’t know what to do, Richard.”
“That makes two of us. Let’s start at the beginning. When did she approach you about the op?”
My two-legger groaned and slumped over the counter. “She had another fight with that fucking shaman. The asshole took the kids, managed to convince one of the uppers she needed to focus on company business, and got custody revoked. Since she hadn’t told me about the situation, I didn’t learn about it until after the paperwork was finalized. She talked me into letting her have a copy of the Basin database my brother had acquired. She found the connections and wanted to do something about it.”
“It’s hard telling her no, isn’t it?” Richard muttered, his tone wry.
“I don’t think she was going to give me a choice. She’s incredibly stubborn.”
“Stubborn and old-fashioned. There’s a silver lining, Elliot. The asshole shaman’s out of the way. You can court her properly without her guilt getting in the way. Where is he? I know some people. If he steps out of line with the puppies, I’ll make sure they’re taken care of. I can’t promise he’ll live to regret it, though.”
Groaning again, my two-legger covered his head with his arms. “That’s a huge part of the problem. She’s convinced she’s the worst thing to happen to the kids.”
Richard’s scent soured, and I identified the smells as surprise and dismay. “The puppies adore her.”
“Good luck convincing her of that. I’m at my wit’s end, Richard. I’d bet my entire fortune that shaman knows she was holding on because she didn’t want to hurt him or the kids, and he took advantage of it.”
“Was she sleeping with him?”
My two-legger snorted. “That’s none of my business.”
“Like hell it’s not your business! She’s your mate.”
“Accidental and in name only. She smelled Evelyn on my brother and lost her mind over it.”
“I’ve told you this before, and I’m telling it to you again. Accidental or not, it takes a sorcerer to break a mating bond, and I know damned well you won’t ask one to do it. It won’t stop male Fenerec from trying to break a weak bond, but right now, she’s your mate, and you know it. When you don’t think anyone’s looking, you’re a smug bastard about it. She’ll be yours in all ways as soon as you get your head out of your ass and compete with that low-life shaman for her.”
“I don’t want to hurt the kids.”
Richard growled and slapped his palm against the counter. Squeaking, I darted for the safety of the basket, jumping inside and burrowing beneath the blanket.
“You’re scaring my squirrel.”
“Sorry. Look, Elliot. She can’t help her instincts. She hasn’t been properly mated yet, she’s been taking care of another bitch’s puppies without the help of the pack, and she’s old-fashioned—and I mean really old-fashioned. She’s so old-fashioned it’s painful to watch. I’ve been doing some research.”
“Research? What sort of research?”
“About Fenerec from her era. I had to ask Desmond for help. I tried asking Evelyn, but she told me to pester someone else. She’s not getting involved. All she’ll tell me is to remember that she’s Queen Victoria’s little girl.”
The name resonated, and I stiffened in my hiding place.
Victoria. Vicky.
It had to be a coincidence.
My two-legger snorted. “Trust me when I say I still have a very difficult time imagining her as a princess.”
“You and me both. Anyway, I talked to Desmond to verify some things. He’s older than her, though he refused to say how much older. Back then, Fenerec approached mating in a completely different fashion.”
“How different?”
“From my understanding, every mating was a full courtship, and when a couple mated, that was it. There was no trial and error like now. Mating bonds were always approached systematically—very traditionally, complete with betrothals.”
“You betrothed your little brother to Lisa.”
“Desmond and I put that together so the packs would stop sending all their unmated males after his puppies. Okay, so I sacrificed my little brother so Desmond wouldn’t kill me. They decided to mate entirely on their own, and they bonded when they underwent the ritual together. That’s as traditional as we get nowadays. Your mate grew up believing the first man she slept with would be her mate for life.”
I peeked out from beneath the blankets. My two-legger got up and paced the kitchen. “So, you’re saying on top of all my other problems, I have to figure out how to seduce the absolute shiest female on the entire fucking planet?”
“I can’t help you with that, Elliot. Sorry. I’m used to bitches who can’t keep their teeth to themselves, not the other way around.”
“It still amazes me you were able to hide your mating bond for so long.”
“Desmond flipped when he figured it out, which was sometime after my mate bagged herself a pair of sorcerers. He hunted me down, Elliot. When he caught me, he locked me in his basement for almost a week.”
The grief, frustration, and anger in my two-legger’s scent eased. “I know. He called me about ten minutes after he locked you in the silver cage I had made at his request. He told me, and I quote, ‘I have kidnapped Yellowknife’s Alpha. That rat bastard slept with my daughter!’ Then he made a bunch of incoherent noises and hung up on me. I thought I was going to get a call you’d been skinned for your pelt. I thought it wisest to just keep my nose out of Desmond’s business. I did request he leave you alive.”
“You could’ve rescued me.”
“You’re joking, right? Me? Get between Desmond and the male who stole his puppy from him? I think not. For the record, I knew a week after you married her. I waited years for that call.”
“You knew?”
My two-legger’s scent sweetened from satisfaction. “I knew. The Canadians notified me when your marital status changed. I wasn’t expecting you to mate with one of Desmond’s daughters, but I can’t say I’m upset about the results. You two are a good match, and I enjoy how close Seattle’s pack, Yellowknife’s pack, and the Desmonds are. I regret I hadn’t thought of betrothing you to one of Desmond’s daughters before you eloped. Then again, I doubt your mate would’ve been quite as eager to put up with you if she’d been forced.”
“Truer words have never been spoken. I’d convinced myself I’d be stalking the woman for the rest of my life.”
“I understand. Trust me, I understand.”
I twisted my ears back and twitched my tail. I had competition for my two-legger, and I didn’t like it. Maybe he wasn’t in my memories, but I wanted him all to myself. I liked him.
Unwilling to draw attention to myself and end their conversation, I kept quiet.
“Just how long have you been after her? I know you’d sent Dante a picture of her when Basin first started making their move. Beyond that? You’ve been pretty quiet about her. I’d figured you liked her, since you’d actually mention her sometimes on calls with me, but I wasn’t holding my breath, considering I knew the Inquisition’s rules regarding who an Anderson could marry. I’m still amazed you convinced them to let Dante marry the first time.”
“Not long after I first talked to her,” my two-legger grumbled, sliding back onto his stool and grabbing his coffee mug. “I didn’t actually meet her face-to-face for almost two years. Originally, I started working for her company while checking a lead on rogues. When I figured out what she was doing, I stuck around and decided to aid her efforts from the inside. Not all rogues deserve death, and the ones in
her company? They’re just in a bad spot. She gives them purpose, and her company essentially functions as a pack for them.”
“Your predecessor would’ve had them all killed for breaking the rules, your mate included.”
“She’s the reason I’m not just like him.”
“Bullshit, Elliot. You were born a nice guy like your brother. You just hide it a lot better than he does.”
My two-legger shook his head. “I’ve killed a lot of people for breaking the rules, Richard. There are a lot of rogues alive right now because of everything she’s done. She showed me a different way things could be done. Once I saw what she was doing, I used her and her company to keep track of the rogues and get them sanctioned.”
“I know you have. I’ve helped you kill many of them, remember? We’re both guilty. You give the order, I make it happen. The world just isn’t ready for the supernatural yet. Groups like Basin would come out of the woodworks. A lot of people will die—or worse.”
“It’s getting harder to hide us, Richard. It’s going to happen one day.”
“And it’ll be business as usual. That’s the beauty about how you run the Inquisition. Even if the entire world knows we exist, we’ll still hide. We’ll still slip under the radar. We’ll still be careful about who we bring into the fold. But it’ll be easier to find new witches and protect them—and others—from their powers. Fewer people will die. We’ll still have to hunt rogues, and the military will still want witches and Fenerec to work as special ops. There’ll still be a need for people like you and me. It won’t change that much. We’ll just have a lot more enemies like Basin.”
“I know.”
“I’m willing to bet you know better than anyone else. Let the Inquisition help you for a change. Let them stretch their wings and put all those skills you shoved down their throats to good use. Let them go on a warpath to find your mate, my mate, and your brother. You need her as much as I need Nicole.”