by Eileen Wilks
He took the phone off mute and spoke crisply. “Ruben.”
“Still here.” There was an uncharacteristic edge to the man’s voice.
“Your hunch was correct. Do not call in the Army or the National Guard. We’re dealing with a being who can affect minds en masse—up to about five hundred at a time that we know of, based on the number of people who failed to see, smell, or hear this being’s agent last night. Lily was the only exception. Her Gift blocked the illusion.”
“Yet it allows her to be silenced by this geas.”
“As I said, the geas is inherent in her Gift, though it wasn’t triggered until now. But the geas doesn’t delude Lily’s senses, which this being can do to almost everyone else.”
“Including you?”
“Yes. It’s not mind control, but sensory control. People see and smell what she tells them to. We don’t know her range, either. She may be able to affect even more people than she did last night. Since she thrives on the fear of others, calling in the Guard could precipitate the very crisis we need to avert. The Guard might begin shooting at what they thought were monsters, and instead kill innocents.”
“You said ‘she.’ What being is this?”
“I won’t speak of that at this time.”
“Won’t or can’t?”
“Lily can’t. I won’t. Nor, I’m afraid, will I explain that decision.”
Ruben was silent for a long moment. “This has something to do with the treaty you spoke of before muting the phone. Treaties are the purview of the government, not your clan.”
“The treaty I spoke of predates the U.S. government.” He paused, considered options. “I believe that’s all I will say about it.”
“Does this have something to do with the one you lupi don’t name? The one who tried to open a hellgate last year, and whom Lily and you ran up against in Dis?”
Ruben was amazingly bright—and was reaching for precisely the conclusion Rule intended. A stupid man would not have arrived at the wrong answer so quickly. “I’m not going to answer that question.”
“That’s not satisfactory.”
“We aren’t in a satisfactory position at the moment. I have to gather more information before I know what’s safe to tell you—or anyone else.”
“You have to gather information. Not Lily?”
“We’ll both be doing so, of course. But since she’s involuntarily mute on the subject, it falls to me to decide what to tell, who to tell, and when. We’ll stop this enemy, Ruben,” he added quietly. “But I’m not sure how yet. The situation is extremely fragile.”
Ruben spoke very dryly. “That much I already knew. Let me speak to Lily.”
“Very well.” Though he wasn’t at all sure Lily would back him on this, he handed her phone to her.
“Lily,” Ruben said, “are you able to tell me anything at all?”
She scowled. “Not really.”
“Can you tell me if what Rule has said—what little he’s said—is accurate?”
“Yes.” Surprise wiped away the scowl. “Apparently I can. He hasn’t told you enough, but what he’s said is true.”
“You disagree with his decision to withhold information.”
“I do, but . . .” She glanced at Rule. “But I understand his reasons, and they’re valid. He’s doing this his way, which pisses me off, but he’s got the right goal in mind. I can see where the scenarios you dreamed about could happen. I can see that all too easily.”
“What do you need?”
Rule almost closed his eyes in relief. Ruben was keeping Lily in charge of the investigation.
“I don’t know yet. No, wait. A car. I need a car. Mine’s still being fixed.”
“With the fate of San Diego and possibly the world hanging in the balance,” Ruben said dryly, “I think that can be arranged. What will you be doing?”
“Looking for the perp. The, ah, one Rule mentioned, whom apparently I can’t mention—no, wait; I can say that he tried to kill Cullen. That perp. He’s . . . Shit, it’s closing me down again.”
“This is frustrating for both of us. Ida will arrange for your car. Where do you want it delivered?”
“The Medical Examiner’s office. That’s where I’m headed.”
“Very well. It may be there before you are. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“What? You’ll see me?”
“I’m flying out there,” he said serenely. “I’ve a strong feeling I’m needed. Goodbye for now.”
Lily took the phone away from her ear, staring at it blankly. “He’s coming out here.”
“Good.”
“You want him here? When you won’t trust him with the truth?”
“He’s a strong precog who interprets his Gift with rare accuracy. I can’t think of anyone better able to help us navigate this maze.”
“But you won’t tell him what maze we’re navigating!”
He glanced at her. She was still deeply angry. Some of that was directed at him, but he wasn’t the cause. “It’s difficult to put my reasoning in words, since it’s largely non-verbal. The wolf wanted . . . No, I wanted Ruben to have enough information so he wouldn’t act blindly, but there was a good chance he would tell others what I told him. That feels extremely dangerous. Those others might react in too many different ways, ways that Sam couldn’t have foreseen and accounted for.”
“But now Ruben just has guesses and speculation to pass on. How is that better?”
“That’s why I led him to believe we’re dealing with the one we don’t name.”
“You what?”
“I didn’t lie, but I encouraged that conclusion. You and I wondered the same thing last night, before we knew about the Chimei. It wasn’t hard to steer him in that direction.”
“You deliberately deceived him.”
“Ruben will be more likely to trust us to deal with this if he believes it has to do with her. Lupi are the world’s only experts on her.”
“That only makes sense if I accept your starting point—that it’s better not to tell him the truth.”
His decision was so obvious to him now it was hard to understand why she didn’t see the same thing he did. “Sam needs the number of decision points kept as low as possible. Otherwise he loses control of the possible ways the treaty could be broken.”
“You’re letting Sam call the shots? You pulled a Rho on Ruben, but you let—”
“I did what?”
“Pulled a Rho on Ruben. You weren’t making suggestions—you were telling him how things were and what he needed to do, then manipulating him like your father would. If he hadn’t been on the other side of the continent, he’d have felt your mantle pushing at him.”
“Humans don’t feel the mantles.”
She snorted. “Go right on believing that. I’ve seen you pull the mantle on a former Marine, and I saw him back down. Never mind—we can argue about that later. The point is, you’re dancing to Sam’s tune. We need to call Ruben back, fill him in.”
“Sam knows the tune. We don’t, not yet.”
“So you’ll just cede him the right to call the shots? That’s not like you.”
“I’ve ceded nothing,” he snapped. Clearly his nadia partook of dragon nature in more ways than one—which gave him new insight into how difficult it had been for her to accept the mate bond, but he’d consider that another day. When she wasn’t driving him crazy. “Sam and I are allies in this. You’re overreacting.”
“I’m damned well not! I’m not going to be shut out, shut down, by this—this—”
“At the moment, the treaty is controlling more of you than your speech. You’re like an animal trying to chew off its leg to escape a trap. You’re reacting, not thinking.”
“I’m thinking just fine. I think I hate misleading Ruben.”
“Ruben is a good man, but he acts for the government. If Sam’s actions indirectly cause a separate power—a governing body—to move against the Chimei, that’s likely to break the treaty. “
“I act for the damned government, too.”
“And you weren’t allowed to speak to Ruben. To bring that government in on this.” He let that sink in a moment. “You can’t tolerate having something imposed on you. I understand that. Sam understands even better, I’m sure, but he’s had time to adjust. He doesn’t allow his rage to dominate his thinking.”
“His what?” She shook her head. “Sam was fine. Cool and collected as always.”
“He doesn’t allow his emotions to impinge on his mindspeech. That doesn’t mean they don’t exist. This treaty binds him even more tightly than it does you. How do you suppose the most sovereign race in existence feels about being constrained?”
Her fingers tapped on her thigh. She frowned off into space.
They were well back into town and traffic now. He gave her the silence to think through what he’d said for a few more blocks, then said, “This body you need to see. Why did the tip come from a deputy? Is it a county case?”
“Hmm? Oh. No, but Cody heard about it. He used to be city, plus he’s second generation on the job. He’s got a lot of friends in the PD still.” She grimaced. “More than I do, apparently, since it was him—”
Her phone sounded. He recognized this ringtone, too—the theme from Alien versus Predator—and knew whom it belonged to.
Lily frowned at her lap, where the phone still rested. Sighed. And picked it up. “Hello, Mother. Thanks for calling me back.”
“Of course I called you back. You said it was important. He hasn’t backed out, has he? Changed his mind?”
The blank look on Lily’s face made Rule grin in spite of everything. “Who?”
“Rule, of course! Who else would I mean? Is he getting cold feet? Did you have a fight? If so, well, you leave it to me. He and I are supposed to meet tomorrow to discuss the location for the ceremony. I’ll make it clear your family expects him to—”
“No. No, Mother, this isn’t about Rule, who is firmly committed to getting married. No cold feet. I understand Grandmother gave you a charm.”
“You called about that? Eh! It’s an odd little thing, a little black dangle on a chain. Very shimmery, like an opal, and pretty, but odd. Have you seen it? I never had, not until she gave it to me. Though she didn’t precisely give it to me. She told me it was rare and valuable and I was to wear it at all times. Of course she couldn’t just give it to me—she had to issue instructions. I’m not sure she considers it mine. You know how your grandmother is. She may think of it as a loan. You are sure Rule isn’t going to back out?’
“I’m sure. When did she give it to you? Or tell you to wear it,” Lily added hastily. “When was that?”
“The day before yesterday, I think. Yes, that’s it, because I was about to go to see your Aunt Mequi, but of course your grandmother just dropped by without calling first, so I had to call Mequi and tell her I would be late.”
“Are you wearing the charm now?”
“Now? I’m wearing my rose dress. You know the one I mean, with the white trim. That necklace would look very odd with this dress.”
“You aren’t wearing it.”
“The charm is black, Lily. An odd sort of black, because it has other colors in it, but still, black would not go with my rose dress. Don’t worry, though. I’ve put it up safely. I wouldn’t allow anything to happen to one of Grandmother’s treasures.”
Lily took a breath, let it out. “It’s vital that you wear the charm all the time. There’s some—some bad magic stuff going on. Grandmother gave you the charm to protect you. Father and me and the girls are protected because we’re related by blood to Grandmother. You aren’t.”
“That does not make sense. Your grandmother must be pulling your leg, telling you stories. She tried to tell me something of that sort, too—something about the charm having great magic. But if so, why have I never seen her wear it? If it were a powerful talisman, she would wear it. You are too credulous, Lily. You know how she is.”
“Mother, please, I need you to believe me. Just this once, and even though I can’t prove it, I need you to believe that your life could depend on wearing that charm.”
There was a brief silence, then: “You’re very serious about this.”
“Completely.”
“Oh, very well. You will have lunch with me on Monday so we can decide about your wedding dress, and I will wear the silly charm. I suppose it will go with something in my wardrobe. I’ll have to change clothes, but I’m willing to do that.”
Lily exhaled in relief. “Thank you, Mother. I know this seems odd, but it’s extremely important. But, uh, about Monday—”
“We must make some decisions about your gown, Lily. You can’t buy something off the rack. It will have to be ordered, and there will be alterations. All this takes time.”
“Maybe I could do it a week from Monday. I think I could do it then.”
“Then I will begin wearing the charm a week from now.”
“You can’t! You can’t put your life at risk just to blackmail me into doing—”
“Then I will see you on Monday. This Monday. We will meet at your Uncle Chen’s place at noon. I know you like his orange chicken.”
“But—”
“Monday, Lily.”
Lily’s eyes squeezed closed. Her voice sounded tight, too. “Monday. Noon. Uncle Chen’s.”
“Good. It will be fun, you’ll see. I have to go now, since I must change clothes. Black slacks, I think. They’ll go with the charm, and I have a pair that isn’t too heavy for summer.” With that, Julia Yu gave her daughter a cheerful goodbye and disconnected.
Lily’s hand fell to her lap. She shook her head. “How did that just happen? How does she do that? One minute I’m trying to stop a demon from taking over the city. The next I’m agreeing to have lunch with my mother so we can talk about wedding dresses. Wedding dresses,” she repeated, as if this were the most trivial thing in the known universe.
“The dress matters to most women,” he said mildly. “Clearly it matters to your mother.”
“It’s not her wedding. It’s mine, and . . .” Lily scowled. “What am I doing? I’m arguing with her now that I’m not talking to her. I hate it when I do that. And what do you mean, it matters to most women? It matters to me, too. Just not now.”
They’d reached the complex of county buildings which included the Medical Examiner’s office. Rule slowed. “You were putting off making these decisions even when there was no Chimei in the picture. You don’t want to set a date. You don’t care where the ceremony is held. My ring isn’t even on your finger. It’s under your clothes. Hidden.”
“Because we haven’t made the big press announcement yet, and you wanted to keep it secret until then so you could spin things your way.”
“I’m ready to make that announcement. I’ve been ready. You keep finding other priorities.”
“Now? You want to do it now? Sure, let’s hold a press conference. It won’t interfere with stopping the Chimei all that much.”
“You’re missing the bloody point. You feel about marriage somewhat the way you did about the mate bond when it first hit. The way you do about the treaty geas. You feel it binds you, robs you of choice.”
“I do not! God, where is all this coming from?”
“You need to find out why you want to marry me. I had to come to my own understanding of marriage. I know why I want this. Why I want your ring on my finger, and mine on yours.”
“I agreed because I love you, you damned idiot!”
“You do, yes, but you agreed to marry me because I pushed.” He’d known that at the time. He didn’t regret it. But he still hit the brakes harder than necessary as he pulled into a parking space at the back of the visitors’ parking lot. “You agreed because marriage is what you’re expected to do. You don’t have a clue why you want it for yourself.”
“Thanks for the psychoanalysis. If you’re through—”
“Not quite. You aren’t comfortable without reasons,
without knowing the what, when, and why of things. You need to figure out why you’re marrying me.”
“Sure. Fine. In my spare time, in between saving the city and wringing your neck, I’ll figure that out and get back to you about it.” She threw the door open and grabbed her laptop. “I’m getting another car, and it’s more efficient for us to split up, so you don’t have to hang around.”
He knew when he’d been dismissed. It infuriated him. He’d meant to stay with her. She’d intended that, too. But maybe they’d best cool down separately. “Fine. I’ll be at the hospital. I need to arrange for Cullen to be moved.”
“Right.” She slammed the door.
Rule pulled out of the parking space without screeching the tires. He allowed himself one long glance at the front of the parking lot, where a burly, dark-skinned man in khakis leaned against a sheriff’s car.
Deputy Cody Beck.
Rule did not stamp down on the accelerator when he left the parking lot. He was not a hormonally impaired adolescent.
But he wanted to.
TWENTY-TWO
HE was calling himself Johnny Deng these days. He liked the juxtaposition of East and West, and Johnny was a friendly name, much more so than John. He considered himself a friendly man.
Over the years he had had many names. He often used one of the characters from his original name in some form, for it is good to remember one’s roots. Often, but not always. His current surname spoke of those origins only in the most general way.
At times he missed China, but it wasn’t the China of today he missed, so he didn’t indulge in nostalgia often. No point in making himself unhappy, was there?
He’d liked Europe. They had some appreciation for the past there, and the open borders and jumbled web of law enforcement agencies had made it easy to engage in his trade. But his beloved could not be happy in Europe while her enemies lived and prospered in the U.S. When the Turning hit and the level of magic began to increase, she had needed to put her plans in motion.
He didn’t begrudge moving here. There was much to appreciate about the U.S. and California and the modern world. He loved video games, especially Grand Theft Auto. While he might have preferred San Francisco to San Diego, there were enough people here to feed his beloved, even now when she remained attenuated. There was a large enough Asian population for him to blend in, and he could make use of the established gangs. His profession gave him an in there.