by RJ Blain
The moonstone sighed. ~None.~
Snowflake whined and crawled out from beneath Nicole’s bed, slinking to my feet and lowering his head, his ears pinned back. Bending over, I picked him up, sighed, and buried my nose in his fur. “Do you think I should call Richard now?”
~Give it a day. If nothing changes, yes. You went through all the trouble to provide for your pack, so provide for them. Remember, liquids, given slowly and carefully. If they can’t swallow on their own, I can help, but it’s best if they drink on their own.~
“I’ll do my best,” I promised. “You rest. I’ll take care of them for a while.”
The stone didn’t reply. I sighed, set Snowflake on the bed, and bit my lip so I wouldn’t cry from my growing sense of hopelessness at the situation. “Watch over her, okay?”
The fox yipped, bounded to Nicole’s pillow, and curled up beside her head, flicking his bushy tail over his nose.
Time had, once again, come full circle. Once upon a time, Samantha had done what I did for Nicole and the two others, watching over me while my battered and broken body healed. She had sacrificed months watching over me, waiting until I could resume life among Normals, shepherding me every step of the way.
If only Samantha still lived, she would’ve known what to do, but Basin had taken her from me, too. The plague had taken root in her, but Basin had struck the final blow.
I missed Samantha, her guidance, and her wisdom. She’d been logic, wit, and brilliance in a world dark and gray. In my shoes, what would Samantha do?
It was so simple it was enough to make the tears escape, and I angrily wiped them away. She’d do whatever was necessary.
She’d pretend to be a mother. She’d pretend to be a nurse. She’d be anything I needed her to be, without doubt or hesitation.
I had no choice but to do the same. If I had to play nursemaid for Nicole for the rest of my life as penance for involving her, I would. If I had to give up all my wealth to bring her back, I would.
There was no room for any excuses. Whatever needed done, I would do it, somehow.
I would begin with firewood, then I would do as the moonstone recommended, and try to rejuvenate their bodies to the point they could wake up from the hell Basin had inflicted on them.
Breathing deeply, I lifted my chin, gave a single nod, and went to work.
Everyone had their limit, and I found mine sometime after learning the nightmare of caring for the bedridden, who couldn’t handle the basic necessities on their own. The moonstone helped with the worst of it, for which I was grateful, but the effort of trying to be everything for them exhausted me to the point of tears.
I’d only begun, and the helplessness of the situation already choked off my breath. I’d gotten them to drink vitamin-laced broth, which their nutrient-starved bodies absorbed so fast the moonstone laughed—and cautioned me to begin feeding them low amounts. Low meant less than a cup each, and it told me when I could give them more.
Their time in captivity had been physically destructive, and their stomachs had shrunk. In Nicole’s case, only her wolf had kept her from death, but she recovered faster than the other two, who the moonstone confirmed were witches.
~You need rest, too.~
I sank down onto the chair beside Nicole’s bed, crossed my arms beside her, and slumped forward, closing my eyes, and concentrating on my breathing. “I can’t take her home to him like this.”
~She’s already recovering. Her wolf thrives and sees to her needs with your help. The witches will have a harder battle ahead of them, but they should survive, too. In two or three days, she won’t seem so gaunt. By then, he should be protective, but not murderous over her condition.~
“Murderous is fine,” I mumbled. “Basin needs to be murdered. All I’ve done is steal three people from them and kill two assholes.”
~Don’t forget the diamonds you took.~
I had, and I sat up, pulling out the collection of tiny stones, glaring at them. “I had. I should break them.”
~Outside,~ the stone suggested. ~And when you’re done, sleep. You need the rest as much as they do, or you’ll be useful to exactly no one.~
I hated that a rock had more common sense than I did when tired. The moonstone’s amusement warmed me, and I grabbed a hammer from the Mike’s worn tool box, took the stones outside, and found a rock.
The first one I smashed shattered into fine powder, although the hammer somehow survived. Like the larger stone, the diamond bled when broke, splattering me with crimson. It smelled real, and I shuddered at the thought of how the vile things had been made.
It took me an hour to destroy them all, and when I finished, I swore as soon as I found somewhere safe for Nicole, somewhere Basin couldn’t touch her ever again, I would begin what I had started with Markus and destroy them all.
The only blood left to be shed was theirs.
Chapter Thirty-One
I fell asleep at Nicole’s side, my head resting on the bed beside her, trusting the moonstone to wake me if something went wrong or if it needed my help.
The hand clamped over my mouth convinced me something was wrong, but my exhausted, traitorous body refused to cooperate. I couldn’t even open my eyes, the ultimate but unsurprising betrayal.
I had run from Yellowknife to Georgia, stopping only to care for Snowflake, driven by the moonstone’s magic and the surge of power from my awakened witchcraft. A Normal, or even a normal Fenerec, would’ve fallen over dead long before finishing the journey. I’d lost track of the days I’d run without slowing.
On second thought, I was impressed I was coherent enough to realize someone kept me quiet with their hand, not that I had the strength to protest. Quitting without trying bothered me, but what could I do?
“Damn it, she’s out as bad as they are,” a distinctively deep voice growled, whisper soft yet full of frustration. The pressure against my mouth eased, and a warm hand slid along my cheek and stroked my hair.
Richard.
I had to give him credit for his method; a hand over the mouth would send most Fenerec up a wall, and he could win a fight against most without breaking a sweat. How the hell had he found me?
I really wanted to give him a piece of my mind for scaring me so much, not that I was capable of doing anything other than listen and feel. I couldn’t even detect my annoyance and fading fear in my own scent. Exhaustion had a scent, and I reeked of it.
~Blame the one who carries your scent,~ the moonstone grumbled, its tone a match for my Alpha’s. ~I tried to wake you, but I underestimated the toll you’d taken getting here. I’m sorry. I didn’t think. I should’ve known better. The signs were there, and I had ignored them.~
Elliot. Of course. I should’ve known he wouldn’t stay down and cooperate like a wise man. I was torn between relief I wouldn’t have to tuck my tail and call Richard and wanting to bite my mate for interfering with my plans.
“Should we call him?” Alex—not my puppy—asked. “He’s going to flip.”
“I’m going to flip,” my Alpha growled. “That sneaky, conniving, stubborn bitch!”
“He’s already flipping because you locked him in the hotel. What’s a little more flipping? What’s one more person in this pack flipping out going to do? And no, you’re not going to the hospital until you calm down. I’ll sedate you if you even think of trying it.”
Poor Alex.
“I trust Frank with Nicole.”
“And Lisa, and Amber, and those three henchmen of Dante’s, all of whom insisted on making sure there are no more incidents. Also, I’m not sure who scares me more: Lisa or the henchmen. I don’t even know who those other two women are.”
“I already said I’d make them Yellowknife’s responsibility. I don’t care who they are. Vicky brought them, so she had a reason for it.”
“She’s an Alpha. She brought them because they’re victims in need of protection. I thought this was obvious.”
“Alex,” Richard snarled.
“Richar
d,” our pack’s Second mocked. “First you clamp your hand over Vicky’s mouth like you think that’s actually going to work when she’s out like a light, now you’re petting her. Get your shit together, because I’m really not letting you go to the hospital until you’re able to control yourself. She doesn’t smell sick. She smells tired, and no wonder, looking at how fast she hauled ass to get here. She did her part, now get your head out of your ass and do yours.”
The brothers bickered, which bought me enough time to dig myself out of my semi-conscious daze. I blinked to discover I hadn’t been moved at all although Nicole was gone. If I hadn’t heard the part about them sending her to the hospital, I would’ve panicked. I still worried, but I concentrated on gathering my wits. “Noisy,” I complained.
“Vicky,” Richard breathed, and the Alpha pounced, hugging me from behind and nuzzling the back of my neck. “You crazy bitch.”
“How’d you get here?”
“Blame your mate. I’m pleased to inform you that your mating bond is strong enough now to allow him to stalk you at his leisure. He picked up on the direction you were headed, and as soon as the weather cleared enough we could move, we guessed where you were headed, so we took a flight. We weren’t sure exactly where you were going, but Elliot kept tabs on you and told us when you’d stopped moving. For the record, he has an extensive file on you. That man’s appropriately obsessed with you. I approve.”
“She’s too thin.” With Richard still embracing me, I couldn’t force myself upright; I didn’t even try. “Sorry.”
“Sorry? Why are you sorry?”
“I think she wanted to return Nicole to you in good health,” Alex said.
“You’re a ridiculous bitch. You’re fine. Did you think I’d be upset at you over what Basin did to her?”
I clenched my teeth, as I had. “She’s in a coma.”
“I know. We’ll figure it out. I’ll take care of her for however long it takes for her to wake up.” Richard sighed and released me, and when I sat up, he kissed my cheek. “I’ll never be able to thank you enough for finding her. How did you do it? We’ve cleared out every outpost in this area without finding her.”
The farmhouse hadn’t been discovered? I frowned. Yawning, I blinked and regarded my Alpha with furrowed brows. “I found one.”
“Trust me, we noticed—we noticed when His Eminence got a very excited phone call about a burst blood diamond; the damned thing had a quarter mile radius. It’s a horror show. I’ve never seen so much blood in one place in my life. I caught a hint of your scent at the site, so I assumed you’d somehow been responsible.”
“I shot the stone. It was huge—the size of my fist. I couldn’t let anyone use it. I broke the smaller stones I found here.”
“I know. We saw where you’d done it; Amber threw up. It seems the burst stones are really hard on her. Honestly, I sent her with Nicole to the hospital in case she needed help.” Richard sighed, and it sounded like the weight of the world lifted from his shoulders. “And before you panic, it’s an Inquisition-run hospital, and everyone there has been vetted several times. They’ll be safe until I can take them home. I’ll find out if Nicole can come home later today.”
“You’re not mad at me?”
“Why would I be mad at you? You gave me my heart back.” Richard stared at me as though I’d grown a second head, then his eyes widened as realization dawned on him. “Oh. You mean running off with one of my snowmobiles—which I found completely trashed. Yes, I’m utterly mad at you. I’ll come up with a suitable punishment later for that stunt. Now, that said, I’m utterly proud of you for your strategy. That was very well done.”
I narrowed my eyes at Richard’s sarcasm. “And my puppies?”
“Howling for their mother and driving their father completely up a wall. They’re very useful for keeping him contained because he’s possessive for some reason. Honestly, that’s probably my fault. He’s pretty sensitive to the pack bonds, and he’s a water witch. When I’m feeling possessive, he tends to mirror me. After things settle down, I’ll teach him how to shield himself against me. With Nicole safe, it’ll be easier. Elliot’s with your puppies guarding them. Amber even loaned him her fully automatic Glock in case anyone was stupid enough to come near him and the puppies. I bribed the puppies to feign being tired to keep him at the hotel. I’m not sorry.”
“Bribed them with what?” I growled.
“Amusement park trips with you and Elliot. Little Alex wants to learn to water ski, too. Emily wants to take cooking classes. Later, I’m going to properly complain about their negotiation skills. They’re vicious.”
Smiling, I stretched and yawned again. “They’re at a hotel?”
“The hotel is under tight guard in case Markus shows up, don’t worry. We’ve also figured out how Basin was working within the Inquisition, so we’ve identified two additional operatives, who are in custody and talking trying to save their asses. They led us to five new outposts, so the Shadow Pope might even give a merciful verdict this once. Neither were directly involved in any killings. They had been fed a pretty story about helping witches with unwanted powers get rid of them. They had no idea it was an attempted genocide.”
I growled, “Markus.”
“He won’t bother you ever again. I’ll hunt him to the ends of the Earth if I must, but he dies.” Richard clacked his teeth together. “He’ll pay for what he did to the North Fork pack, you, and your puppies—and everyone else he’s murdered.”
“Paid in full.” Admitting the truth hurt. His death wouldn’t bring back the dead or heal my scars, but Richard was right. Markus would never both me again.
“What?”
Alex sucked in a breath. “Vicky, was he there? Was Markus at that farmhouse?”
“He got a far more merciful death than he deserved. Like the man who was with him, I went for his throat. I snapped his neck. He’s dead and gone.”
“You’re sure?” Richard demanded. “You’re sure it was him?”
“I’m certain. I got my revenge after his death,” I confessed.
“How?”
“I put the blood diamond on his chest when I shot it. I missed a few times.”
With a low laugh, Richard kissed my cheek again. “You never cease to amaze me.”
Richard escorted me to the Beast, and I growled at the vehicle, shaking my head in refusal of getting anywhere near the damned thing. “Not happening. That thing’s a death trap.”
“It’s the only vehicle we have left. The faster vehicles took the ladies to the hospital. You’re going, and you’re going in the Beast.”
I snarled and snapped my teeth at him, and he bit me in retaliation, hard enough I took an unexpected and unwanted nap. I woke up growling over his duplicity—and the fact I wasn’t alone in bed.
A warm body cuddled close against my back, and Elliot chuckled. “Good morning, my princess. I’m so very angry at you.” According to his scent, my mate was a liar, an amused one who’d pay for enjoying my misfortune. He nibbled on the back of my neck, pulling me closer to him. “I’ve already come up with several ways to punish Richard for biting you.”
I liked the sound of that, so I decided to put my retaliation on hold. “You snuck into bed with me.”
“Actually, Richard dumped you with me, so you’re the invader. The puppies thought it was hilarious. They laughed so hard I kicked them out.”
With Elliot, I was learning anything was possible and not to take his words at face value. First, I’d listen to his explanation. Then, if I didn’t like the answer, I’d judge him. “You kicked them out?”
“Someone had to babysit Richard for a while, and Alex hasn’t cleared him to go to the hospital yet. He’s a bit snappy. By a bit, I mean, if he doesn’t stop biting people, I’m going to have to collar and muzzle him. I’ve gotten two nips, Alex’s neck looks like a chew toy, and the only people untouched by His Crankiness have been the puppies, and I’m pretty sure that’s because Emily stared him down. She may hav
e suggested her mommy would start with killing people—starting with him—if he bit her. For a submissive, she can be delightfully vicious. You’ve worked miracles with her. She stood him down like you do on a grumpy day.”
Good behavior needed to be rewarded. “Richard’s taking her to every amusement park in the country for that.” I stretched and yawned. “How’s Nicole?”
“Improving. She’s gained five pounds since they started treatment in the hospital yesterday; the doctors said they weren’t sure what you’d done, but whatever you did, you did it exactly right. When she got to them, she was already showing signs of physical recovery. The witches weren’t doing as well, but that’s no surprise.”
“Any idea who they are?”
“Not ours, so likely fledgling witches with no idea what they are. We haven’t gotten any hits from any missing persons databases, but it’s possible they slipped through the cracks.”
“Or nobody’s missed them.”
Elliot sighed and tightened his hold on me. “That, too. How did you find Nicole? We haven’t been able to figure it out. Richard and Amber couldn’t sense her until they were in the room with her, according to him.”
“Nicole’s moonstone.”
“Ah, that thing. Alex told me Richard got zapped by it when he spotted Nicole and went to her. They noticed you after he scraped himself off the floor. You slept right through the fuss, even when they took Nicole to the hospital. Richard told me why he’d bitten you; you looked wobbly, and you weren’t cooperating about my truck.”
“Death trap,” I replied.
“But it’s a manly, sexy death trap.”
“You weren’t in the death trap, so it wasn’t sexy.”
Elliot grinned at me. “That was smooth. There’s hope for you yet. I won’t argue, as it isn’t to my benefit. How are you feeling? Still tired?”
I thought about it. “A little. More hungry than tired.”
“And what would my princess like for breakfast this morning?”
“Not soup.” I escaped his embrace and rolled off the bed, sighing as I smacked into the floor. “Damn it.”