Tarnished

by Rhiannon Held

  He dragged himself from that downward spiral with a force of will and slowly lifted his head to take stock. The scent of silver metal fought with the tang of iron that was more rust than metal. They were inside a metal outbuilding, the one he’d approached with Felicia, Andrew presumed. The whole building was filled with rusty farm equipment, though organized in piles to provide generous walkways.

  Raul stood against the bed of a broken-down old pickup, so weathered and dusty that it was impossible to tell the original color under indeterminate tan. His eyes rested on Andrew, lips quirked in amusement. He apparently wanted Andrew to have the chance to assess his situation, because he made no move on seeing him look up.

  Arturo scrambled out from under a new ATV and wiped a pocketknife on a rag. Andrew couldn’t figure out what he’d been doing, but oil smell seeped slowly into the air. Felicia perched on the ATV’s seat, a beam from a window painting floating dust over her hair. She’d managed to hook her heels on the edge of the seat with the rest of her, knees to her chest. Her expression was tight with distress, but Andrew couldn’t bring himself to believe it. She’d brought him here. She had to have known what she was bringing him to. Damn her. Damn himself for believing her.

  Andrew’s wrists were chained behind his back to the axle of some rusty two-wheeled contraption with a curved metal comb along the length of it. When Andrew tried to move to a more comfortable position, several of the teeth poked him in the back. His ankles were chained to the far side of the wheel beside him. He bucked to see how heavy it was. It moved about an inch to the side, so not too heavy, but seated with his legs stretched out, he couldn’t move it more than that.

  Raul’s smile widened fractionally when the contraption jittered with Andrew’s efforts. Andrew flexed his wrists, but he already knew what was binding him. More of the silk-covered silver chains. Didn’t want the prisoner breaking them, but didn’t want to scar him too badly either. They were popular all over Europe.

  “If you wanted to talk privately, you could have just asked nicely,” Andrew said. He wondered if Raul would bother with the charade of Arturo’s translations, but Raul just snorted.

  Arturo strode toward him, face darkening, then stopped, blocked by Raul’s extended arm. “I wished to discuss a bargain with you.” Raul’s grammar was as good as Felicia’s, but his accent was much thicker. He used it with flair, like a foreign soap opera star.

  “Let me go and my mate, beta, and allies don’t break every bone in your bodies before they escort you to the airport?” Andrew used the edged humor to drive back the burn of helplessness at being chained up, but Arturo’s rolling growl promised later pain.

  Arturo stomped to the edge of the room and picked up a worn pile of rope. He snapped a length taut between his hands, and then started coiling it into his hand with sharp, deliberate movements. In a North American, it might have been meaningless tidying, but Andrew knew better. That was exactly how Arturo would have coiled a whip.

  “Pledge that you won’t attempt to take over Roanoke, or any other pack, and we’ll give Felicia here the choice whether she wants to stay.” Raul took a few steps toward Andrew, hands spread. “Can’t ask for more than that, no?”

  Andrew watched shock flash onto Felicia’s face. It appeared so sincere. He wanted to believe that she hadn’t been in on that part, but he couldn’t allow himself that. His daughter had chosen where she stood.

  But even knowing that, Andrew wanted to shout yes. For Felicia, he’d do almost anything. Even knowing all the reasons why Roanoke needed a strong leader, if he thought it would free her from that pack of cats in Spain, he’d swear it off in a heartbeat. But he kept the word locked inside. Felicia had more than proved she’d make that choice exactly the way Madrid wanted.

  If he made that pledge, he’d be giving up everything he worked for, and gaining nothing but the certainty that his daughter was no longer his.

  “Madrid…” Felicia slid down from the ATV. “You never said—”

  Raul silenced her with a jerk of his hand. “Go. You should get back before they notice all of us are gone at once.”

  Betrayal seeped across her face, and Andrew smiled internally. Good. Let Raul have the fun of dealing with a teen who thought she’d been wronged.

  Arturo set his rope down and put his hand on the back of Felicia’s neck, comforting. He murmured something in her ear as they walked to the door, too low to catch. Andrew wondered if he was assuring her it was all going according to plan, just as she’d agreed to. He tried to catch one last glimpse of her face, but she didn’t look at him as she darted out of the building.

  Arturo waited until the door clanged shut and then slammed a savage kick into Andrew’s stomach. Andrew folded with it as much as he could, though it still hurt. The metal teeth stabbed into his back again. This was what he’d expected right at the start of the hunt. Had they been holding back in front of his daughter?

  Raul seemed to see Andrew’s thoughts in his face and smiled. “Do you think she would have felt sympathy for you, if she saw this? I guess you’ll never know.”

  Arturo switched angles and dislocated one of Andrew’s knees with the next kick. Andrew locked his jaw so he didn’t make a sound. At least with his back against the axle they couldn’t discover the weakness there by chance. He clung grimly to that thought as he jerked his leg into a flare of agony so the joint would heal right.

  “Well?” Raul asked Andrew. “Do you accept my offer?”

  Andrew drew in a deep breath and snarled in contempt, the same as Felicia had on seeing him. “You’re shaking under a bush, anticipating I’ll take the course you would take. I’m no empire-builder, whatever you seem to think. But my daughter has already made her choice. No deal, Raul.” He drew the name out, disrespectful and as American as he could make it.

  “You always were a fool, Dare.” Raul shrugged and turned to the door. “Spend some time with your brother-in-law. Reconsider your position a little.”

  Andrew clenched and unclenched his hands where they couldn’t see. He’d been in the hands of a master torturer before, when the man who killed Silver’s pack had captured him. Arturo didn’t rate in comparison. He had to keep reminding himself of that. “You forget I have a pack who will soon be tracking me.”

  “You’ve also been making a habit of missing Convocation sessions. Why should they look for you yet?”

  Andrew kept his face blank with an effort. Raul was correct, but damned if he’d let the man see it. Timing was the key. Maybe they wouldn’t notice his absence for a couple hours, but Silver was smart enough to know something was wrong after that. What was a few hours of beating?

  Raul drew a cell phone from his pocket. The way he turned his back and stepped a few feet away when Andrew could hear perfectly well made it even more obvious that he wanted to be overheard. “You’re safe to join us now. Bring everyone in.”

  He closed the phone with a snap. “Some company, should you get tired of each other. Have fun.”

  Andrew closed his eyes against a feeling of falling. Of course Raul had brought more of his pack. Why have just one goon to do your dirty work when you could have half a dozen? They must have been on the next flight in after Raul’s, carrying Raul’s silver weapons and waiting out of scent range until needed. Andrew had no doubt the group would include those in charge of Raul’s punishments. A few hours with them would be a whole different beast.

  And it was Felicia who had led him here. Maybe she would have felt sympathy, seeing him being hurt, but maybe she so believed in Raul’s plans she would have set it aside anyway.

  Still, doubt lingered, and with it hope. Maybe that reaching out had been based on some germ of something true. The opportunity to speak with her still seemed almost worth it, Andrew reflected as Arturo slammed a fist into his jaw. Maybe that would change when the others arrived.

  31

  Silver was surprised by how abandoned she felt when she arrived back at the temporary den and found Dare still wasn’t among the
people there. She was the one who had run off in the first place, after all. She couldn’t expect him to sit there, waiting for her. She checked their bedroom, in case the scents had gotten confused, but his scent was even staler there. He hadn’t been in there since the morning.

  She reached for Death’s ruff to steady herself with the touch, but of course he’d run off earlier. Silver clenched her teeth as her heart started to pound at the empty feeling. Death had business of his own. He was never with her every second. Silver tossed the bedding aside in frustration, as if Dare could ever hide underneath.

  “You could wait for Dare. Pine a little, maybe. You have the coloration for pining.” Death nosed the tumbled bedding out of the way so he could stride past to investigate some flicker of a shadow in the corner.

  “Shut up.” Silver made her tone extra sharp to camouflage her relief. Death was arrogant enough as it was.

  She strode away in search of Susan and the baby. She didn’t need Death anyway. She’d distract herself so she didn’t wallow or pine. Susan didn’t know enough about the Lady to look at her sideways for any resemblance.

  Silver’s cousin caught her halfway to Susan’s room. He put out a hand to curve beside her arm, giving the feeling of touch without the reality. “Silver, I hate to ask it—but the lunch break’s over, and I can’t for the Lady’s love find Dare. Someone has to attend the afternoon session for Seattle. It can’t just be the beta.”

  Silver’s stomach soured. She hadn’t realized quite how much time had passed. That made it even more worrisome that Dare wasn’t here. Look at how much trouble they’d had making him put his duties aside this morning. There was no way he’d just forget and wander off now. “Someone needs to track him.”

  “I’ll put Tom on it.” Her cousin ushered Silver outside. He sounded like he was just saying it to shut her up, so Silver smacked his shoulder, hard. Tom was too young to be much of a tracker yet. They needed someone experienced.

  “I know Dare, and this isn’t like him.” Either her tone or the smack must have convinced her cousin, because he growled under his breath and stopped trying to herd her to the Convocation.

  “Maybe it’s not. But you have to admit, you’ve never seen him halfway to berserk dealing with his daughter before, have you?” Her cousin raised his arm in anticipation of another blow.

  Silver did lift her hand, but she let it fall. Was he right? Yes, she’d never before seen Dare act the way he had yesterday, but he’d still been the man she loved. She knew that temper was a part of him, the same as he did. “I’m the one who runs and hides,” she said on a weak laugh. “Not him.”

  “When the session finishes for dinner, I’ll look for him myself. What danger can he get into in a couple hours? Roanoke and Madrid will be right there where we can keep an eye on them.” Her cousin hesitated, then drew her into a sideways hug, her good shoulder against his chest. “I’m sorry he’s dragged you into his shit.”

  “I’ll hit you again,” Silver warned him, but on a ragged laugh.

  He laughed again, the sound a vibration against her side. “I’m sorry you both got dragged into this by Madrid and Roanoke. Better?”

  “Mm,” Silver agreed. However much she hated to admit it, her cousin had a point. As long as Roanoke and the others were in sight, she couldn’t imagine what danger Dare could be in around here.

  * * *

  Susan woke to Edmond crying. She sat up in semidarkness and her novel slid off her chest to crunch its pages on the floor. Her light-based time sense was off, south of home, but it seemed later than it should be. It had been nearly dinnertime when she put Edmond down and tried to read a little. She’d expected the Were back with food soon.

  Susan flicked on the lights and checked her watch as she picked Edmond up. Seven already? Damn, the baby would never sleep tonight! She’d only planned to read and let Edmond nap until the others got back. John had said they usually broke at five, sometimes earlier when an issue was settled without time to finish another. The cabin was silent except for her son. Where were they? She laid Edmond down and changed his diaper with practiced motions as she tried to think what might have kept everyone, that they wouldn’t have sent someone back to get her.

  The door slammed. “I told you! I told you something was wrong!” Silver’s voice filled the whole cabin. It wasn’t hard, given the size of the place. Susan winced and Edmond began wailing again. She carried him out to join the others.

  Susan had apparently missed John’s response while dealing with their son, as when she opened the door to their bedroom, Silver was shouting at him again. “If we’d started earlier, maybe the trail wouldn’t have been destroyed. I don’t care if you break Convocation rules and shift, we need to find him.” Silver swept her hand in a broad gesture, glowering at John. She looked worn and thin. The planes of her face couldn’t have gotten sharper since lunchtime, but some combination of her flush with pale skin made it look that way.

  Susan immediately counted noses to find the missing man. John, Tom, the guy from Roanoke … Andrew? Andrew was missing? Edmond’s crying wound down to whining and sniffling that grated on Susan’s suddenly raw nerves. Someone who could make Andrew disappear had to be a heavy freaking hitter. Susan trusted Silver if she thought it had to be the result of foul play rather than Andrew’s mood.

  “It does Dare no good if I get myself shot as a wolf or coyote around here!” John’s voice was even, though Susan could see his tension in the wrinkles his fingers created in his shirt at the elbows of his crossed arms. “It’s not just a Convocation rule. We’ve had plenty of injuries in past years from trigger-happy ranchers. Who knows, maybe that’s what happened to him. Another wolf showing up at that scene would cause even more trouble.”

  Silver drew in a breath for another outburst and Susan stepped into the pause. Maybe she could short-circuit some of the yelling before Edmond started screaming too. “What do you mean, the trail’s been destroyed?”

  “I thought I found where he entered the woods, but someone drove over the place on an ATV leaking oil. I remember hearing it during the meeting this afternoon. Some kid trespassing from the highway, I assume. I can only smell so much in human, and it stirred everything up. Without even a starting point, we can’t try to find where the trail picks up again.”

  Edmond tried to squirm out of her arms, awake enough now that he wanted to be crawling around. She set him down, watching him carefully for whatever unknown materials he might find on the floor, despite several earlier baby-proofing sweeps. “Who saw him last?” Silence greeted her at that, and she looked up. John looked blank.

  Susan laughed, a little punchy from the tension in the room. These Were really did need a human around sometimes. “Humans have figured out a strategy or two for finding people when you can’t magically track them by scent. You ask around. Who saw him? What direction was he going? Did he talk about a destination he had in mind?”

  John nodded, slow at first, then sharply, perhaps as the implications of the strategy dawned on him. “When he left here, he was going to talk to Roanoke. But Roanoke’s not going to tell us a thing.”

  That was a good point. Susan stooped to turn Edmond around and set him crawling away from the space under the couch. Who knew what was hiding back there. The pause shook an idea free and her heart sped with a sudden surge of excitement. “Roanoke has a daughter, though. I’ve met her. Tom. You’re friends with her, right? Would you be willing to come call her away from her parents innocently for a while?”

  Tom bounced to his feet from his seat on the rock bench in front of the fireplace. “I’ve known Ginnie since she was like that.” He pointed to Edmond, now pulling himself up on his father’s pant leg. Tom was out the door before Susan could say anything else.

  Edmond wobbled and thumped back on his bottom and John scooped him up. He looked down at the baby and back to Susan, as if he’d just realized he couldn’t go around intimidating fearsome Were for information with a baby squirming in his arms.

&n
bsp; Susan took a step over to put her hand on his arm. “More flies with honey than scary Were threatening to beat the information out of them, I think. Let me try first?” She meant that to be a statement, but it came out as a question. She strengthened her tone at the last minute, trying to make it like Silver and Dare talked to each other: equals asking for ideas, not an underling asking for permission.

  John looked disgruntled, but he only tightened his grip on the baby. “I’ll watch Edmond,” he said. Susan decided now wasn’t the time to push him about his tone. She’d gotten what she wanted.

  “I can’t just wait here!” Silver burst out with the words as if in answer to some long argument. Maybe they were, just one that Susan couldn’t hear.

  Susan took Silver’s good hand and laced their fingers together. Andrew grounded Silver in this world, she’d seen that, the same way Silver helped ground Andrew from his temper. Maybe Silver needed someone else to do that for her for a while. The desperation did fade a little from her expression at Susan’s touch. “Come on. The more of us there are, the more people we can talk to,” Susan told her.

  Silver nodded and dropped Susan’s hand to make it easier for them to make it out the door. Tom, who had been waiting impatiently outside, bounded ahead and Silver followed him.

  “What about me?” The guy from Roanoke caught Susan on the step. He looked like he was trying to prove he could be intimidating too, but his slight frame made it impossible for him to pull it off the way John could.

  Susan hesitated. Andrew and Silver apparently trusted this guy enough to let him stay with them in the cabin. “Can you ask about Andrew without giving it away that he’s missing under mysterious circumstances?” Susan used her best Were authority voice.

  The man’s head dropped, perhaps in response to the voice, and he nodded. Just because he thought he could be subtle didn’t mean that everyone couldn’t see through him, but at least he’d be thinking about it. Susan pointed to the cabin across the way. “Roanoke’s down at the other end. Work your way up asking whoever you run into if they’ve seen Andrew. If we don’t get anything from Roanoke, we’ll work down.”