Bradley growled, snatching up a pot. He wanted to smash the things, then thought of Morgan’s words. The fairy dogs were plants much like this and he would probably feel badly if he hurt one, even if they were stupid creatures. After a few minutes of working side by side, his jaw hurt from the effort to stay silent and angry. “I felt him die, Morgan. Felt the acid burn of silver in my own chest.” He couldn’t believe the words came from his own mouth. Still, they kept flowing in a poisonous river. “You said that he didn’t need my help. I felt my brother die, damn it. How could he not need that help? How could you lie to me like that?”
“Your presence would not have altered the circumstances leading up to your twin’s death. But it would have hindered the events needed to bring him back.”
Bradley paused. “So, he isn’t dead now? How?” He’d known it, but the confirmation was a huge relief.
Morgan deftly smoothed dirt over another plant’s delicate roots. “The how and all the details aren’t your concern.”
“I want to see him. Where is he?” Impatiently, he nudged a fairy dog away from the hole it was digging. Bradley stuck the plant in the hole. He covered the roots as an afterthought. “Where do I find him?”
“Once again, that is not your concern right now. Completing your task is.”
Bradley narrowed his eyes, shooting an angry glace at Morgan. “I came in here with the intent to kick your fairy ass.”
“I know.” Morgan was calm, smoothing dirt around another plant. “But you cannot. The terms of your service will not allow it.”
“I know,” Bradley grumped. “You explained all that in the beginning. Makes me sorry I married Nicole. I had no idea that wedding vows were that powerful.”
“It would have been worse had you stood in a church and said the complete vows.”
Bradley nodded, remembering only the haze of hurt and resentment from being rejected that day. “After Karen broke our engagement, I wasn’t promising to love anyone.” He’d seen the power of the emotion in action enough times not to doubt its strength and purity. “Fifty bucks in the break area at the courthouse while I promised to honor in sickness and in health was about as much as I was willing to give.” He was a bit calmer as he buried the next plant. “Nicole was always angry that I never promised to love her.”
“If you had, then she would have had access to your soul. You would have never been able to transfer your service elsewhere.” Morgan began checking the leaves. For what, Bradley had no idea. Nor did he particularly care. “They need extra nutrients. I’ll give them a drink of plant food after we’re done. Word of advice, never use knockoff plant food. Miraculous-Growth works best with fairy fauna.”
Bradley shook his head. The lord of the fairys bought his plant food at the super discount store by the bulk. “So how would I break the service that started with Nicole?”
A chuckle of amusement escaped Morgan. He stood up, not bothering to dust off the dirt from his knees. Green eyes danced with ironic mirth. “And lose my best servant? No, my wolf. You’ll have to figure that out on your own. Now, back to work. You have prisoners to free and a ruby egg to collect. Try not to bleed on this one.”
Chapter Nineteen
Matthew floated in the dark coldness of nothing. He had no idea how long he’d been here or how to get out. He’d tried walking, but the feeling of drifting through the nothing made him more disorientated. He’d tried contacting the other cats through the magical link, but the connection was lost. He was completely alone in what amounted to one of those sensory deprivation chambers. Except for the cold. He felt that fine.
With nothing but the cold, his thoughts turned to his life. Now that was depressing. Matthew had time to review every remembered slight that he’d ever given to his mother and sister. He remembered every failed attempt to reach his father. The half-brother that he rarely spoke to. Hell, he didn’t even have any real friends. His job had only turned out to be a way to spy on his mother and her family. On his own, he’d been valuable only as a potential laboratory experiment. Now that sucked.
What kind of life was that? He didn’t want to die a complete loser that drifted through life. He could see his headstone with his name and dates in the cheap county cemetery plot reserved for transients. His father wouldn’t care or show so long as no one tried to stiff him for the bill. How was that for an epitaph? Nothing. Unless they didn’t even have a cemetery for transients. Maybe they cremated them. Then he wouldn’t even get the headstone. It was no less than he deserved.
Finished feeling sorry for yourself?
At first, Matthew thought that the voice was his own imagination. Then a pinprick of light appeared in the darkness, growing steadily in both form and intensity as it took shape. The sight was so welcome that he refused to close his eyes against the pain of the unfamiliar brightness. Anubis shook himself from head to toe then turned his attention to Matthew. Grinning, Matthew restrained himself from hugging the dog god. “I thought I’d finally gone crazy.”
Anubis reclined into, well, nothing. But he looked as if he’d just sunk into his favorite recliner. You never answered my question, little Leo. Are you finished with the pity-party?
“Yeah.” He wondered if he could sit in nothing too and tested the theory, pretending that he was about to sit in his own recliner. He missed it, remembering how much he liked the feeling of being surrounded by leather. The scent of it would no doubt be much stronger now that he was a werecat. Or was that plural? He opened his eyes, surprised to be sitting, with his feet propped up and the scent of leather surrounding him. “Am I dead?” he asked Anubis. “Have you come to take me to the ever-after?”
Anubis chuckled. You did die, but you got over it. For the moment you’re stuck in between. Apparently, my lady-love hasn’t decided if she wants to keep you or not.
That irritated Matthew. “You can’t do that. It’s not right. People have a choice. It’s like…a basic human rule or something.”
You are no longer human. You are the Leo.
“I’ve heard that before. Naomi and the cats keep calling me the Leo. Why?”
You are the chosen leader for the cat clans. As to why my Bastet chose you, I have not a clue.
“I’m not exactly leader material.”
That was my argument. Before she gave me the boot…again. He sighed. That woman can be so frustrating. One moment you’re in the heat of…Anubis glanced at him and cleared his throat. Uhhhhh, talking. Then, you’re buried up to your neck in sand in the middle of the Gobi desert. Lizards and camel spiders looking at your nose like a tasty morsel.
“Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?”
Ask away. I’ll answer if I feel like it.
Matthew thought that fair enough. “What are you? I mean, I remember Egyptian history enough recognize the names Bastet and Anubis. But you don’t really look or act like what I figured based on that.”
Anubis considered the question, then inclined his Irish Setter head. We are from far before Egyptian history. We are the embodiment of certain aspects of creation.
Matthew could understand that. Ancient civilizations would depict their gods as they saw them, depending on how much they understood. “How do we fit into that? The shape shifters, I mean.”
Anubis’s smile was more a feeling than anything. But not for him. Bastet’s voice startled Matthew. His invisible recliner disappeared from reality and he fell to the floor.
You are our children. Her voice was stern. Willful children. She appeared, far more feminine that her original incarnation, but still with the same spotted and striped features and the cute pink kitty nose. I am not, cute. I am Bastet. Protector and advocate of the feline. Bastet was completely confident in herself.
Matthew didn’t argue the point. She was a powerful, deadly creature, comfortable with being worshipped. And thus far, he’d refused to pay homage. Still, she was adorable. He stood up, noticing that Anubis had taken a hike. Oh, well. So much for getting any more answers from the chatty
dog god.
Your questions should be reserved for me. I am your goddess. Bastet circled around him, the glowing warmth of her body soaked into the coldness of his inner being.
“Yes, ma’am.” He answered, going back to the politeness of his youth. Bastet seemed to appreciate the thought without focusing on the details. Thank Go—whatever. “Where am I?”
In between life and death. You haven’t chosen which you prefer yet.
“Life. Definitely.” Matthew waited. When nothing happened, he frowned, holding out his arms. “Why am I still here, now?”
You reason that life is the appropriate choice. But do you wish to go back to your cold, lonely life? Do you have something to truly live for?
Matthew’s thoughts returned back to his life. No. He really didn’t want to continue on the way he had. “What about the Leo and the cat clans? Why did you pick me to do that?”
My children have been wandering without a leader for more than two thousand years. Once they were a great people with their own cities. Fairys, humans, and Weres all respected the power and generosity of the cat clans.
Then in a foolish war, all was lost. Their king, defied me and my laws and died for his choice. Now, my cats have lost even the reason behind the constant searching. Nomads, who have lost their sense of society.
Even from my tower, as the dog calls it, I can see that the world is coming into a new era. The secrets of the supernaturals are being brought to the knowledge of the human world. Your brothers and sisters must adapt or die. It is the way of evolution.
“What was the war over?”
What else? A woman. She sneered her distaste for the female for whom the leader of the werecats had tossed everything aside for. She was as beautiful as she was forbidden. My Leo had his choice of mates but was obsessed with an unsuitable choice. He stole her away from her human husband to his own island. The war lasted for many years, ending when the Leo was killed and his human captive fled.
“And the cat clans stood for that?”
He was their king. He grieved for the loss of his first mate. They loved him. Her voice softened in sadness. As did I. Foolishly, I allowed too many disobediences. That I had to betray my own child to save the others was…
Horribly unfair. “Why pick me?”
A second chance, my beloved Leo. Her scent enveloped him with warmth. He liked the feel of the cat goddess as she sidled close to him, her head rested on his shoulder, bringing him a peace he’d never felt before. Now, you must choose.
The extreme selfishness of his life disgusted him. He touched the warm fur on Bastet’s arm, felt the tickle of her whiskers on his neck. That she grieved over having to put down one selfish king to save the rest of her people moved him. She could have justified the action.
Now for some reason she wanted to give him everything the last Leo had thrown away. Matthew could make amends. He turned his head, meeting Bastet’s beautiful green cat eyes. The black markings that outlined her features made them both huge and delicate. “I want to do it,” he blurted against the emotion building in his chest. “I want to help the clans.”
Bastet rumbled a pleased purr and bumped the top of her silky soft head against his cheek. It will not be an easy task, Matthew Ridley. The clans will be resistant to change. The idea of a leader is much more pleasant than actually bowing to one. The humans have never wanted the supernatural races as neighbors.
“Are you trying to talk me out of it?”
No. I want for you to choose with your heart. Not with your emotions. Pick your life-task wisely. I would see you with a proper mate and heirs, my Leo. Remember, that while the king chooses his mate, she is the one who ultimately accepts or rejects his suit.
The Lia will be a powerful asset or liability, depending on her loyalties. Now, choose. The clans have waited too long already.
As career choices went, being king of the cat clans sounded like a lot of hard work. He thought of Naomi’s need to believe, Nathan’s stout loyalty, and Morrow, who was as lost as anyone could be. Then there was Brandon. How were the wolves going to be about accepting a cat-canine cross-shape shifter? “I pick my people. The cat clans.” The words felt right.
Bastet purred louder. Good. Now be careful of that sneaky dog, Anubis. He thinks that you’ve entered into some kind of silly treaty with him because of your foolishness with the wolven. A cat-canine. What do I do with that?
“I think you of all people, would like Brandon, if you gave him a chance.”
Hmmm. Use your second chance wisely. There will not be a third.
Chapter Twenty
Matthew woke up exhausted and thirsty. He appreciated the electric blanket that warmed the cold places deep inside him. God, he’d thought that he would never be warm again. He shivered at the memory and the bed shifted. Blinking against the light that peeked in around some basic black curtains, he sat up, then froze.
Nathan, a strange guy, and strange woman both looked at him sleepily. Matthew had never considered himself particularly puritanical, but he was very thankful that the guys wore boxers and the woman at least had on a gown, even if it was sleeveless and very, very short. “Nathan,” he croaked. He decided to save the interrogation for later.
“You’re awake!” Nathan bounced up, dislodging the other man, and startling the woman. Matthew rubbed his head at the flash of superhero boxers. Of course. Why would Nathan wear normal boxers? He glanced at the other two, recognizing both the scents of lion and tiger as well as the ‘taste’ of the magic inside them both. He prayed to whoever was listening that the boxers he wore were brand-new out of the package. He did not want to be wearing another guys underoos.
“I am Simon, my Leo.” Simon hazarded a happy smile that felt very un-lion-like, to Matthew and very much like a subject seeking approval. Then again, they weren’t just cats, they were people too.
“I am Leslie.” The woman crawled practically into his lap and rubbed her head on his shoulder. Disengaging himself from her grasp, Matthew patted her on the shoulder when her face fell. He tried to slip from the bed and tilted sideways. Simon and Leslie came to his aid, before he fell on his butt.
“You must rest. You have been very ill, Leo.” Simon tried to urge him back. While Leslie nodded earnestly in agreement.
He disagreed. He had a hell of a lot of work to do and very little time to do it in. What if the human government decided against the supernaturals before he could get the cats on board? Brandon’s shooting was an excellent example of what could happen to them all. “No thanks. I’ve been out of it long enough.” He glanced at Simon. “How long have I been out?” he needed to find out where he was. Get a shower. The thought of food made his stomach rumble. “And call me Matthew. I keep waiting for someone in the room named Leonard to speak up every time you call me Leo.”
“Two weeks,” Nathan said from inside the doorway. Behind him, Naomi smiled brilliantly. More people crowded behind her. Nathan moved aside as Brandon moved past the crowd. There was no reason for him to shove. They moved willingly, fearful of what they did not understand.
“You two, out.” he told Simon and Leslie. They went on edge, their attention all on Matthew for his approval.
He nodded, waving him out with a pat on each shoulder. “It’s okay. I need to talk to them. Do you think someone could scrounge me a sandwich and a soda? I’m starving.” They scurried out of the room. Matthew wasn’t sure how he felt about how glowily happy they were at having the Leo’s approval. He reminded himself that he’d asked for the job. Practically begged Bastet to give him a chance. So, he’d take it and try to be fair with his people. But first, he needed to talk to his core group and find out what was up.
Brandon shut the door behind Morrow as the tiger slipped through. Matthew frowned and wobbled to the door. Opening it, he was surprised at the crowd that stared back at him in expectation. “Uh…Naomi?”
She turned away from the two women she was sitting with. Surprise lit her delicate features. Her short fawn colored hai
r still stuck out in tufts and spikes with a will of their own that added to the effect. For a change, he saw her in real clothes that fit. Her jeans hugged a slim but curvaceous figure. Her golden eyes were fixed on him. “Yes, my Leo.” Great gods and goddesses, her voice was as husky as he remembered. Matthew swallowed.
“Do you think you could join us for a moment?”
She nodded, not meeting the gazes of the other two women, who looked as shocked as her. Matthew didn’t know why. Naomi had been with him from the beginning. Loyalty counted for a lot. He closed the door on the crowd, resisting the urge to wave and smile.
“Okay,” He eyed his little group. “Want to give me the four-one-one?” there was as shy knock on the door. Matthew made a face, then opened it to face Leslie bearing a plate of hastily assembled sandwiches and a canned lemon-lime soda. He took them with a word of thanks. Shutting the door with his heel, he sat on the edge of the bed. It was either that or fall down. He popped the tab on the soda, grabbed a sandwich, and began eating. Bologna and cheap soda never tasted so good.
“You’ve been in a coma for two weeks,” Naomi was hesitant in a way she’d never been before. Matthew didn’t like that. He thought of those he’d escaped with as his friends. He didn’t want them acting like Simon and Leslie. If he was to be a leader, he was going to need people who weren’t afraid to tell him how things were.
Matthew finished another sandwich. “Where are we?”
“My place,” Nathan said. “The wolves kicked us out after their alpha female got pissy with Naomi. It wouldn’t have ended any other way,” he assured Naomi. Her expression told Matthew that they’d been over this several times while he was out of it. Nathan was more than a little smug as he turned his attention back to Matthew. “Our Lia kicked butt, of course.”
“Okay.” Matthew looked at Brandon to see his take on events.
The wolf-cat shrugged, his expression neutral. “Adam has closed Anderson County against any non-wolven supernaturals, excluding the fairys. The wolven and the fairys have a long-standing alliance.”
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