by Eden Ashley
Orrin didn’t bat an eye. “Callan, naturally. As Gabriel’s host, his life source is stronger than any of ours combined. He was, and is, the closest replacement to feeding from the limitless spark of an immortal.”
York swore under his breath. “I knew he didn’t come to the airstrip just to warn us out of the kindness of his heart.”
Orrin was silent.
“Were you at least careful tonight? The job was clean?”
He nodded. “The job was clean.”
“Anyone dead?”
Orrin winced. “Hospital maybe.”
“Okay. Tell me what else she’s hiding. It’s obvious to me now that you know.”
“It is not my truth to tell.”
“Orrin.”
He shook his head. “I cannot.”
York whistled long and soft. “You’re just like your old man, loyal to a fault.” His voice grew quiet, taking on a warning note. “With Rhane gone, I am your alpha, your superior. Your loyalties lie with me. There should be no secrets between us.”
“The secret is not between you and me. It is between you and Kalista.”
A frustrated sigh wheezed from York’s lips. Orrin was being stubborn and borderline insubordinate. “Your brother is missing, and I know that hurts you. I’ve cut you a lot of slack. But you’re forgetting your place.”
“Respectfully, I believe it’s you who have forgotten yours.” Moving away a few paces to sit on the bed, Orrin began removing his shoes and jacket. Throughout the conversation, his voice had yet to change its composed, almost monotonous tone. “Rhane is our warlord. We all swore an oath to him. Kalista is the mate of his choosing. In his absence and until his death, our fealty must remain as strong to her as it was to him, superseding all else. My foremost duty is to protect and defend her, no matter the cost, no matter the cause. We safeguard what belongs to our warlord.”
“I am trying to do that.”
“Perhaps you should reexamine your methods.” Stretching out onto the king-sized bed, Orrin folded both hands behind his head and closed his eyes. The matter was closed to him. York needed to step outside of his own hurt and uncertainty, and place himself in Kalista’s shoes. Until he did so, nothing would change.
Chapter 14
The walk from their shared suite to hers afforded about ten seconds of reconsideration on his current course of action. York’s fingers hovered above the brass doorknob, extending the opportunity to maintain the fragile peace. Part of him wanted to give Kali the chance to come to him on her terms and when she was ready. But a bigger part of him knew that wasn’t going to happen. She would never be ready.
This late visit to her room wasn’t just about the secrets she and Orrin were keeping. The unauthorized outing to a seedy club for a midnight snack on participants who really had no idea what they were getting into had to be addressed. One more renegade stunt like that could blow their cover and hamstring the mission to find Rhane. Unfortunately, he seemed to be the only one who saw things that way. Orrin stood behind him even now, but he wasn’t there to support York or his valid concerns. No, Orrin was there to defend Kali. He was her knight. Her protector. Her sentinel. Practically Rhane’s friggin’ surrogate.
Perhaps that realization should have been sufficient to make York turn around, go back to his room, and climb in bed for a good night’s rest. But he couldn’t. He also couldn’t be sure why he was being so dogged about the matter. Before Rhane left, he was much more laid back than this. He could roll with the punches and laugh off setbacks better than anyone. What had happened to that guy?
York shook his head. He knew. It was impossible to be so cavalier when everything rode on his shoulders. The weight was his burden now. The drama was his to deal with. The impossible choices were his to make. It was his job to keep everyone alive. Carrying the world on his back, every day he reminded himself not to shrug. Maybe Rhane’s absence had hit much harder than he’d thought. “Missing the bromance,” he muttered, shaking his head.
He opened the door with a duplicate key and came face to face with an incredibly beautiful, but very annoyed looking woman. She wasn’t in her underwear exactly, but damn close enough. The biker shorts she wore were of the extremely abbreviated variety. A touch of lace and York would have been comfortable calling them panties. A light gray and skintight camisole completed the outfit. Her hair, loose and plump with thick curls, flowed over her shoulders like waves, framing both the smooth lines of her face and stubborn set of her jaw.
York swallowed a sigh. Did the pretty ones always have to be hellcats?
He shoved both hands in his pockets, trying not to appear so big and looming. Everything about Kali’s posture said she was ready for a fight. It was a better move tactically to keep things civil for as long as possible. He cleared his throat. “I hope I didn’t wake you.”
“No.” The expression she followed the answer with fell short of a smile. “I got a hunch you might stop by.”
“Alright.” He resisted the urge to cast a reproving glare in Orrin’s direction. “We need to talk.”
“I’m listening.”
“I was actually hoping you would do the talking.”
She folded her arms. “Since you’re the one who barged into my room at two a.m., I’d say you’re the one who has something on his mind. So, spit it out.”
York thought about that. She was right. Perhaps this could have held off until later, when everyone had gotten much needed sleep. Well, I’m here now. There’s no unringing the bell. “What happened tonight can’t happen again.”
Her eyes shifted ever so slightly over York’s right shoulder. No doubt she was looking for some kind of cue from Orrin. Her gaze settled on York again. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play games, Kalista.” He tried and failed to keep the edge from his voice.
“I’m not playing games. I’m asking for clarification.” Her eyes sparked, then grew even darker in the dimly lit room. “A lot of things happened tonight.”
“Orrin took you to The Red Cellar. You picked up a few guys and fed from them, probably put them all in the hospital. Is that enough clarification for you?”
Whatever her first reply was going to be, Kali clamped down on it. “Yes,” she bit out instead.
“Don’t do it again. You placed us all in danger by going there. You jeopardized the mission.”
She countered with immediate consent, catching him off guard. “Fine. I won’t go back.” Shrugging, she slipped a thin elastic band from around her wrist and pulled her hair back into a low ponytail. “So what do you propose I do instead?”
“We have a job to do here. Try focusing on that.” The suggestion was supposed to be flippant, made with a shrug that matched hers. But it came out gruffly, a reflection of the underlying bristle in York’s defenses.
“I have to feed, York. The hunger has been worse since Rhane…” Letting the sentence trail, she finished with another. “Every time I use my abilities, the urge to feed almost takes over.”
“You didn’t seem to have any trouble staying in control back in the States. Just do what you did there.”
“You know I can’t do that,” she said quietly.
“And why is that, Kalista?” Hands slipping from his pockets, he took a step closer to her. So much for not looming.
But she wasn’t intimidated. Didn’t yield an inch. “I think you know why.”
“Maybe I don’t. Why don’t you explain it to me?”
Her eyes narrowed. “So, that’s what this is really about?”
The words tumbled out, and all of his frustrations came with them. “We decided to come up with a plan to get Rhane back together. But then you went off on your own and made a deal with the very guy who got us all into this mess. You overstepped me once. I let it slide. And we agreed—no more secrets. Five seconds later, I find out you’re keeping a whole lot more of them.”
“It’s no secret what I am and what I have to do to stay in control. I tried taking what
I needed from you. Surely you remember how that turned out.”
York flinched. Hell yeah, he remembered. Lots of pain. On his knees. Weak for days. “That’s not the point,” he said, at the same time knowing it was.
“That is the point. For the better part of a year, a piece of me has been missing. And this thing inside me—the thing that I am—is only getting stronger. She remembers. I remember. But I’m not whole because he’s not here. Rhane is gone.” Her voice got louder and angrier with each sentence. Tears filled her eyes but didn’t spill over, and were already drying as she continued. “He’s gone, York. And I have to exist without him. I have to survive without him. I’m doing that the best way I can, without hurting you or anyone else I care about. Callan was the only logical choice. He and I still have a connection from our past. And the strength from being Gabriel’s host lets me drink deeply enough to at least make it through a few more days.”
“You should have told me.”
“Why?” She threw her hands up. “You wouldn’t have approved. And we would have spent every day fighting about it.”
He was still angry, but could feel a part of him relenting. The girl made a good point—at least about her choice in leeching energy from Gabriel. But still…
“You’re not the only one having a hard time here. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m the one who has to fill Rhane’s shoes. And the guy doesn’t have small feet.” York took a breath, searching for the best way to make her understand. “As Rhane’s second, it’s my responsibility to keep his possessions safe in his absence. Kali, you are what he values the most. If I let anything happen to you, best case scenario is I get banished from sight forever and he forgets he ever knew me. Worst case scenario: I still get banished. But he hunts me down and rips my throat out. I don’t like either scenario. So if you would just tell me what I need to know, I could do my job, stop this sudden onslaught of gray hairs, quit smoking, and heal several stomach ulcers recently developed in the past few months.”
Kali’s mouth twitched. At first, York thought she was on the brink of laughter. But when she smiled, it was a miserable expression. A single tear slipped from her left eye. Trailing down her cheek, it clung to the rim of her jaw for two precious seconds before falling to the carpeted floor. “I can’t tell you. Not what you want to know.” Folding her arms around herself, she turned away.
York wasn’t dense. It was plainly obvious that something terrible was eating away at Kali. He saw the pieces but wasn’t exactly sure how they fit together. Sure, River had been a great asset this past year. He seemed to have made an extra effort to fit in, supporting York’s decisions, mentoring Rion and Matthias, even somehow easing tense liaisons between Ian and Gabriel. But Kali was hurting, and if Rhane’s little brother had anything to do with it…Mothers, help him.
He made his tone as gentle as he could. “I’d have to be blind not to notice things aren’t right between you and River.” He watched her shoulders stiffen, but plowed on. “Kali, if he did something, I have to know.”
Orrin cleared his throat. “Maybe that’s enough.”
York ignored him. Stepping forward, he reached for Kali’s arm, intending to make her face him. Looking into her eyes, he would at least have some idea of what emotion was driving her. Anger, fear, sadness…anything would be another clue.
But his forward momentum came to an abrupt halt as Orrin’s hand clamped over his bicep. Instinctively, York whirled, barely stopping the growl that bubbled in his throat. No challenge existed in Orrin’s countenance, but his expression, like his grip, was unyielding. “That is enough,” he said.
York looked at the hand that held his arm and then back at Orrin. The young kin didn’t blink. He nearly matched York in mass now and basically stood at eye level. Searching his brain, York couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken Orrin down in a fair fight. Not that he anticipated a brawl in their near future, but if he was honest with himself, York wasn’t sure what would happen if the issue was pushed any further. Snatching his arm away, he fixed a stare at Kali’s back. “I hope this secret is worth it.” Then he turned on his heel and stalked out of the room.
Chapter 15
They sat atop yet another rooftop in Beijing, surveying a bank on the opposite corner. This was the location of “water,” the fourth pair of coordinates where their enemies had supposedly searched and found nothing. But according to the captured rogue, this bank was where they needed to be. It was the temple, the source of “water.” And maybe it was the crucial piece of a puzzle they desperately needed to solve.
Really, the outside surveillance was only a precaution. To discover anything truly useful required them to venture inside during normal business hours. Returning at night would be useless. The target was highly secured, equipped with state of the art alarm systems, around-the-clock security, and dozens, possibly hundreds, of cameras. The easiest way to scale this modern fortress was the direct approach.
Kali peered at Orrin from around the binoculars. “Do you know when we’re going in?”
Orrin replied without breaking his gaze from a section of glass wall directly beneath one of four upturned eaves topping the bank’s roof. “It shouldn’t be long now.”
Inside, York was finishing up casual recon done under the guise of an American tourist. Kali checked the time. She and Orrin were to pose as a wealthy transplanted couple seeking to open a new account. The bank’s systems were airtight, but Rion’s skills were good enough to input false identities that would hold up under careful scrutiny and then disappear without a trace within the hour. The number of zeros added to their portfolio guaranteed Orrin and Kali would be treated like royalty. “Don’t be surprised if someone kisses your feet, big guy,” Rion had warned.
The distinct buzz of a vibrating cell phone came from Orrin’s pocket. Fishing it out, he checked the tiny display. “We’re up.”
As they crossed the street, arm in arm, Kali’s heart thudded with anticipation. She had an important role to play, all the while looking for a vital clue that would lead them to the artifact possibly hidden at these coordinates.
She and Orrin had definitely dressed for the part. The skirt and jacket combo she wore was all white, an expensive silk blend that hugged and accentuated every curve. Her shoes were patent leather, black with white stripes and red soles. Black gloves and oversized sunglasses completed the outfit. Beside her, Orrin’s long and muscular legs stretched the fabric of fine linen trousers, complemented by a suit jacket tailored to perfection. They must have made a gorgeous pair from the way most heads turned in their direction, some even doing double takes.
“Orrin,” Kali said his name hesitantly. “Last night…thank you for standing up for me. I don’t think I would have lasted much longer.”
He bent his head to her ear. “Anything you need,” he whispered.
The guy they were to meet was Mr. Shen, the executive manager of the branch. Shen was expecting Katherine and Owen Bowen at two p.m. sharp. At one fifty-five, Kali and Orrin entered the lobby. Clearing security as the affluent Mr. and Mrs. Bowen, they were ushered into a private lounge to await their host. They didn’t have to wait long.
Most likely in his mid-thirties, nearly six feet tall, and sporting an athletic build most girls would be happy to get ten fingers on, Shen was nothing like Kali imagined. He was much younger, more handsome, and less bald. He opened his mouth and revealed two rows of perfect teeth, perfectly straight and perfectly aligned. Kali wondered how many yen and years it had taken to produce such a flawless bite.
Orrin stood, refastening his suit jacket as he crossed the room to accept Shen’s welcome. “Mr. Shen,” he said, adopting an easy southern drawl as he clasped the manager’s hand in a firm shake. “It’s a pleasure to finally have your acquaintance.”
Kali buried a smile while resisting the urge to raise an eyebrow. He really should have warned her about his plan to use an accent.
“Likewise, Mr. Bowen,” Shen said. His English was as flawless as his t
eeth, spoken in a lilting baritone. “The pleasure is mine. Please, call me Shen. To Americans, my grandfather is mister.”
“Alright then, you can call me Owen.”
Shen gave a slight bow. “Very well.” Appraising eyes settled on Kali and didn’t leave her form as he addressed Orrin. “Your wife is quite lovely. Even more exquisite than the photographs in your client portfolio.”
“Thank you.” Orrin embraced the praise with exactly the right amount of gentlemanly swagger and grinned smugly. “She was the pick of the litter if I do say so myself.”
Uncrossing her legs as if she’d received her cue, Kali rose from the couch in probably the falsest display of grace anyone had ever accomplished. Shen took her proffered hand, pressing his lips to the expensive black suede of her glove. “Mrs. Bowen, this is the utmost privilege.”