by Helen Harper
Giving up on him, I walked round the edge of the keep, almost colliding with Betsy as I rounded the corner. She jumped back.
‘I’m so sorry!’ she babbled. ‘I wasn’t looking where I was going!’
‘Don’t worry about it.’ I gave her a curious look. ‘Where are you off to?’ She actually seemed rather embarrassed. Given that this was the shifter who’d tried to very obviously flirt with me in the canteen, I was suddenly curious.
‘I thought I’d just go and do some gardening,’ she told me.
Something inside me clicked. She was interested in Tom. Except Tom was apparently with Mack. I wondered whether Betsy’s enthusiasm to join the Brethren was solely to do with the opportunity to snag him while he was far away from any other influences. If that was the case, then she was definitely signing up for all the wrong reasons. I couldn’t care less whether she was trying to swipe the werewolf from under Mack’s nose or not – in fact, the thought was oddly pleasing – but she shouldn’t be changing her life based on a romantic possibility. Frankly, she shouldn’t change her life on a romantic certainty either. I wanted committed shifters, not lovelorn idiots. I was curious about Mack, sure, and I very much enjoyed the idea of seeing more of her. I’d certainly not move here to do it though.
‘So why do you want to join the Brethren, Betsy?’ I challenged. ‘I get the feeling it’s not because you want to help feed me from any buffets you come across.’
She laughed, although it came across as awkward. ‘No. I mean, I do admire you, my Lord,’ she added hastily, ‘but it’s always been a dream of mine to live in London and be with the Brethren. I know I’m not the strongest fighter but there’s a lot I can offer.’
I cocked my head towards her, going for the direct approach. ‘Tom and Mack are together.’
She swallowed. ‘Yes.’
‘Do you think their relationship will last if he also comes to London and she stays here?’
Her eyes met mine. ‘It’s only a few hours away. They’re very much in love.’
I had the distinct feeling she was lying. I didn’t know, however, whether it was to me or to herself. ‘They must be in love,’ I commented. ‘He even has a pet name for her.’
‘Red,’ she nodded, ‘I know. It’s because she has a really fiery temper. She’s not the sort of person you want to cross. Because when she sees red…’ her voice trailed off and she glanced away anxiously.
I stared at her. Interesting. It did make sense that Tom wouldn’t reveal the real reason why he’d given Mack the nickname – especially to someone who had an obvious crush on him. It was even possible that Betsy knew the real reason and was too embarrassed to say it aloud to me. But I was sure they were both lying. Much like the motives behind John’s murder, the more I found out about Mack, the more it didn’t seem to fit. I moved aside to let Betsy past, but I made a mental note to tell Mel to investigate her reasons for wishing to join us more closely. As frustrating as all this was, I was starting to enjoy the side show that Mack and her buddies were providing. It was a damned sight more light-hearted and entertaining than gruesome death, anyway.
***
I walked through the pretty streets of Trevathorn, hands in my pockets, as I mulled everything over. Something big and nasty had killed John and we were still no closer to finding the culprit and dealing out justice than we had been when we’d arrived. One of the more technically gifted shifters had helpfully broken the password on John’s computer, without requiring the tardy mage’s assistance, and was already going through the files. There were some interesting reports about a quinotaur but nothing yet that would actually have been strong enough to bring him down. In any case, a quinotaur wouldn’t have stopped to carve fetching runes into a bunch of trees. It would just have ripped them from the roots and scattered them across the dunes. There was apparently an odd notation on one document pertaining to ‘black diamond stones’, which I could only think had something to do with the ring of coals close to the trees themselves. Unfortunately, it only added to the mystery, rather than doing anything to solve it.
Leaving the tiny police station and its tight-lipped occupants behind, I sighed heavily and crossed the street, wandering disinterestedly down the row of small shops. The phone in my pocket buzzed and I pulled it out. It was a text message from Staines. The wizard was finally here. About bloody time. I picked up my pace to head straight back to the keep and was almost past the quaint-looking pub when, through the misty panes of glass, I spotted a familiar-looking figure. I pursed my lips. Well, I’d wanted to catch her unaware and now I had my chance.
I backtracked a few steps to the door and pushed it open. It was definitely Mack. I didn’t, however, recognise the man she was with. He was leaning towards her with a stance that screamed intimacy. He was just a human though; I couldn’t possibly see what he could offer that even Tom couldn’t. Whoever he was, he winked at her flirtatiously. I strode up. I might be interrupting her little tête-à-tête, but if a shifter was consorting with a human, then I had to know about it. How could she possibly keep her true self hidden under those kinds of circumstances? Telling myself that she’d want to be present for the mage’s little spells anyway, I decided I had no qualms about interrupting.
‘Well, well, well,’ I said. ‘You’re just breaking hearts everywhere you go, aren’t you?’
The human, who was good-looking in a rather bland sort of way, appeared remarkably vexed, ignoring me and focusing on her. ‘Who’s this, Mack?’
Good question. ‘I’m her employer,’ I answered, pulling up a nearby stool and perching myself on it uncomfortably to join the action.
‘Where’s John?’ he asked.
I felt relief quiver inside me. He didn’t know very much after all. ‘He’s gone away on business,’ I said dismissively, staring at Mack who looked as if she wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole. I could see no reason not to play every hand I had. ‘So, Mackenzie, does Tom know that you are out here meeting another man?’
‘Tom? Mack, you said that you and he had nothing going on.’ There was a whiny note to the man’s voice.
Mack threw me a dirty look and focused on him. ‘I’m sorry, Nick. I didn’t want to hurt your feelings.’
‘And dinner next week?’ he spat. ‘Were you going to come along and continue to lie to me?’
‘Nick, I’m sorry, I…’
‘Fuck off.’ He sprang up, knocking over his chair and storming out like an upset teenager. The barman was patently enjoying the show so I glared at him until he got the message and disappeared. Mack, meanwhile, looked even more furious.
‘Playing around with a human behind a shifter’s back, eh Kitten?’ I taunted softly. ‘You’re dangerous to know.’
‘You idiot – he’s the local policeman.’ Amusement flooded through me at the thought of how Staines would react if he knew I’d just been called an idiot by one of my own shifters. Mack’s eyes narrowed. ‘I was trying to find out what he knew about John,’ she hissed.
Except he didn’t even know her alpha was dead. I gave her a puzzled look. ‘And why would he know anything about John? He’s just a human.’
Her shoulders dropped abruptly and I realised I’d managed to say something very wrong. I didn’t want a depressed Mack; she was far more fun when she was spitting fire. Chancing it, I laughed. ‘I’ll have to think of something that you would want from me so that I can get you to come round to my place for dinner too.’ As soon as I’d said it, it occurred to me that I wasn’t actually joking. I’d even be prepared to cook.
Mack looked stunned. She stared at me with her wide, expressive eyes and I felt a twist in my guts. Surely the Lord Alpha of the Brethren would be a better option than a human bloke? I put my hand on hers, feeling the same heat in her skin as I had before. She flinched, which merely stiffened my resolve. ‘You need to come with me,’ I said.
‘I don’t need to do anything,’ she answered, pulling at her hand to free herself from me. I let her go.
/> ‘The mage is here. We need all of the pack back at the keep.’
It was her turn, apparently, to do the taunting. ‘So you came to get me yourself? Couldn’t the Lord of all the Brethren find someone to run his petty errands for him?’
I smirked. This was finally starting to be fun. ‘Oh, believe me, Kitten, I enjoyed doing this one on my own.’
She stood up. ‘I thank you for your diligence. I’ll see you back at the keep then.’
I watched her leave, pushing open the pub door with such force that I was surprised it managed to stay on its hinges. I wasn’t about to let her run away just yet though, so I quickly followed her, catching up to her ramrod-straight body as she marched stiffly away. ‘You’re a rather prickly person, aren’t you, Mack?’ She didn’t answer, instead choosing to hasten her steps. ‘In fact, you’re the least pack-like shifter I’ve come across in some time. You appear to have a stubborn streak of independence that is – unusual – for our kind. The thing is, not only do you appear to be absolutely terrified every time I come near you, there appear to be some anomalies in your story.’
‘What do you mean?’ Mack suddenly sounded nervous.
I went for broke. ‘You told me, very clearly I might add, that your nickname is Red because you wear red clothes.’
‘Yeah? What of it?’
‘Your boyfriend, well the pack one at least, not the human, told me quite categorically that it was because it was a private joke between the two of you. That when you are, er – how shall I put this delicately – intimate with him, you blush a particularly attractive pink colour.’ I smiled. ‘And then, your charming little friend who fought first told me that it was because you have a fiery temper. Which doesn’t surprise me in the least, I have to say. What does surprise me is that at the very least two members of this pack have lied to me. And I will not condone that sort of attitude. Now I could compel them – and you – to tell me the truth, but I’d rather have it voluntarily from you.’
She gazed at me in resignation. ‘My hair is red. I dyed it. That’s it.’
‘I see,’ I said. Even if I hadn’t already had an inkling about her hair, I could tell she was actually telling the truth. It had taken a bloody long time to get there though. ‘And why would you do that?’
She shrugged. ‘I wanted a change. Girl’s prerogative.’
‘That still doesn’t explain why your friends – and you – lied about it.’
‘It’s, uh, a sore point, to be honest. I’d rather not talk about it.’
Looking for more honesty, I softened my voice. ‘You can trust me.’
‘I’ve, um, always hated the colour. I was teased about it mercilessly when I was a kid and I’ve been trying to forget that I’m ginger. My friends understand that.’
Damn it. She had reverted back to dishonesty again. ‘To the point where they would lie to the Lord Alpha about it to protect your delicate sensibilities?’
‘They’re good friends,’ she sniffed.
‘So, let me see if I can get this straight. You’ve lied about your hair, you’ve lied about the wolf to the human, and the human to the wolf. Can anything that you say be trusted?’
She marched on, not even daring to look in my direction. ‘I’ve been under a lot of pressure lately. John was…he was…dear to me. If I’ve lied to anyone, it’s only so I can find out what happened to him.’
‘I could compel you to tell me everything.’ I didn’t want to do it but I was starting to think I’d have to if I was ever going to get anywhere with her.
She licked her lips. ‘I suppose you could, yes. That’s much what I’d expect from the leader of the Brethren, use brute force to get what you want. Are you going to?’
I avoided answering her question. Probably because I wasn’t entirely sure of my answer yet. ‘You don’t seem to have much regard for us.’ Given our reputation when Brady was Lord Alpha, I was saddened, but not surprised. ‘It doesn’t matter though,’ I continued. ‘I have no doubt that you’ll tell me the whole truth eventually, one way or another.’ I’d make her do it, sooner or later.
‘You are only here for another twenty-four hours,’ she pointed out.
I laughed. Now that I knew there was a woman like Mack in the world, I was pretty certain I wouldn’t forget her. I’d be back here again, even if I had to make up a reason for doing so. ‘Yes, but I somehow think our paths will cross again.’
She gulped audibly just as I was starting to wonder who was more crazy – me or her?
Chapter Ten
Virtually the moment I stepped back over the threshold of the keep, Staines moved in and leaned towards me.
‘There’s a problem in London,’ he said, keeping his voice low to avoid being overheard. A worried frown etched his face and I could feel my stomach dropping. The last thing I needed right now was to have to deal with troublesome issues in the capital as well as Cornwall.
I jerked my head in the direction of the office and started walking. Is it urgent?
He nodded imperceptibly, keeping stride with me. I closed the door behind us and he immediately rubbed his forehead, deep lines etched into his brow. ‘Four of our shifters were attacked last night.’
‘Brethren?’
‘Yes.’ Staines’ expression was grim. ‘Two are dead. One is in intensive care. The fourth is talking but only barely.’
‘Who?’
‘Lola is talking. Chambers is in hospital.’
I momentarily closed my eyes. They were amongst our strongest. ‘And the ones who died?’
‘Annan and Shah.’
I sucked in a deep breath, allowing myself for one fleeting second to feel the pain of their passing. Then my insides hardened. ‘Do we think it’s related to what happened to John?’
He shook his head. ‘Different modus operandi. Lola said it was a small man, possibly Fae. He was covered in green moss, had black hair and was wielding some kind of Celtic sword. We think it was the Ghillie Dhu.’
I coughed. ‘Excuse me?’
‘The Ghillie Dhu. He was…’
‘I know what he was,’ I interrupted. ‘He’s not been seen for over two hundred years. And whoever he was, he wasn’t in the slightest bit violent. Quite the opposite, in fact.’
Staines shrugged helplessly.
‘Is Lola awake?’ I demanded.
‘She’s expecting you.’ He touched my arm. ‘She’s in London though, my Lord. Perhaps the phone? The Voice doesn’t usually work over such long distances.’
‘Well, this is as good a time as any to test that theory, isn’t it?’ The phone was fine if all I wanted to do was talk to her. The Voice was capable of a lot more.
I opened a connection immediately, doing my best to be gentle. Lola? Are you there?
It took a second but she replied. My Lord Alpha.
The link was strong, despite the waver and pain in her answer. I tipped my chin at Staines to let him know it was working. Surprise flickered in his eyes but he withdrew to the nearby chair set aside from the interviews to await the outcome.
How are you feeling?
I have to tell the truth, my Lord, compulsion or not. I’ve had better days.
Can you shift?
It hurts too much. The tears in her answering Voice were clear. It happened sometimes when a shifter’s injuries were so severe though. It took more energy than we often realised to make the shift and, even though it made healing much faster, it often wasn’t possible. Not without some help, anyway.
I widened the link, testing its boundaries and hearing her gasp in my mind as I absorbed as much of her pain as I could. Even from this distance, I could feel the moment when she was freed enough to shift. The sensation of her changing into a lithe, if battered, werecivet was extraordinary and the hair across my body stood on end. Then, oddly delayed, I felt the rush of agony flood through my system and I staggered back. Staines jumped up from his seat and grabbed me, his worry and anger equally obvious. I shook him off.
Thank you, Lola sen
t. Thank you so much.
She was on the verge of passing out, her Voice wobbling while my awareness of her was fading in and out. Show me what happened, I urged.
All at once, my mind was filled with blood-laden images. They were jumbled up and it was difficult initially to make sense of them. They’d been out for a few late-afternoon drinks and were walking back. There was a lot of rain, making the streets awash with puddles and their senses dampened. The man appeared out of nowhere, brandishing a huge sword. I tried to focus and see more of him – the glimpses I caught certainly looked like old drawings I’d seen of the Ghillie Dhu. Unfortunately, however, I could only see what Lola had seen. And most of that had involved an attack with sickening speed as her comrades fell. In the images she sent me, she started to spin, doubling over as the sword sliced through her. Then everything flickered and she was gone, the connection between us broken as she finally slipped into unconsciousness. The body does what it has to in order to survive. Being out for the count would provide the rest she required to fully recover.
Staines was glaring at me. ‘That was a bloody foolish thing to do! You had no idea what could have happened by taking away her pain like that. It’s irresponsible, Corrigan.’
I looked at him, something in my face apparently stalling him from speaking any further.
‘I’m sorry, my Lord, I didn’t mean…’
‘It’s fine,’ I said grimly. ‘Let’s sort out this bloody mage and get back to London as quickly as we can.’
His jaw tightened and he nodded, even going so far as to dip into a bow. I felt awash with dizziness but, more than that, the rage that filled me was almost overwhelming. First John, now them. I wasn’t going to stand for my shifters being picked off one by one, no matter who the culprits were. I paced up and down the room like a caged cat, pausing only when there was a jovial knock at the door, which did nothing to improve my mood. Before I could say or do anything, it opened to reveal a grinning, blond man with messy dreadlocks.