Claimed

by Sarah Fine

  “Tell Eli you’re taking care of it, okay?” Eli would go crazy when he found out about this, and she didn’t want him to do anything to get himself in trouble.

  “I’ll handle this. All of it,” Dec said, leaning down and touching her forehead with his. “You’re going to be all right.” He took her face in his hands and gave her a quick, unbearably sweet kiss on the lips, and then he turned away, stuffing her Scope into his pocket. “Detective, if I find out she’s been mistreated in any way—”

  “I know, Mr. Ferry. I know what your family can do. Just know that I’m on the side of justice here, okay? That is the only thing I care about.”

  Dec’s jaw was rigid as he allowed two police officers to escort him from the room.

  “Ready to head to booking, Doc?” asked the detective. “Might as well get used to the idea of being here. No judge in his right mind is going to grant bail.”

  Galena didn’t bother responding. She hadn’t felt this out of control and helpless in a while, but it settled on her like a heavy, suffocating blanket. Her hopes that she would be spending the afternoon with Dec, letting him closer, getting to know him, it all seemed like a stupid, naive dream, something from a life that had never been hers, not really. She knew she should be focusing, thinking carefully about how she could get out of this, defend herself, refute their evidence. But as the detective took her arm and guided her out into the hallway, so long that she could barely see the end of it, all Galena felt was numb.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Dec slammed his way through the doors of Psychopomps and stalked over to Walter, whose eyes went wide as he looked up from the screens in front of him. “Mr. Ferry, are you all r—?”

  “I need to see Aislin,” Dec snapped. “Right the fuck now.”

  Walter blinked and tapped at one of his screens. “Aislin’s in a meeting with the French ambassador at the moment and—”

  “Now.” Dec leaned forward. “I don’t care who she’s in with. Call her and tell her I’m coming up.”

  Walter glanced over at the guards at the elevators, and Dec gave him a hard-edged smile. “They could stop me, Walter, but how would it look? Guards taking down the CEO’s brother in the lobby? I don’t care, but Aislin would. You want to set her up for embarrassment? Go ahead. Because I would fucking love to punch somebody in the face right now, so bring it on.”

  Dec unfastened the top button of his shirt and then began to roll up his sleeves. He’d had to leave Galena in the fucking police station, in handcuffs. The look on her face . . .

  Walter, who had gone pale, poked at his earpiece. “Uh, Ms. Ferry? Yes. I’m so sorry to disturb you. But I have your brother here, and he’s quite agitated.”

  “Agitated?” Dec chuckled. “You haven’t seen agitated yet.” He flexed his fingers and rolled his head on his neck.

  Walter’s lips barely moved as he spoke quietly, like he was afraid the people queuing up behind Dec would hear him. “He’s threatening to make a scene, and—okay. Thank you.” His eyes met Dec’s. “She’ll see you.”

  “Perfect.” Dec turned on his heel and strode toward the elevators. The sun shone through the glass facade of the building, stark against the polished granite floor. Outside, the canals and sidewalks were bustling with people, barreling through their lives, trying to survive each day. And somewhere in the Veil, a soul was calling to him. Dec ignored the pull, though. Yes, he was taking the risk that the soul would become rabid while it waited. Yes, he almost never took that risk. But today? There was only one person on his mind, and she was very much alive, and he was determined to keep her that way.

  The guards made way as Dec walked into the elevator that would take him to Aislin’s office. He folded his arms as he ascended, trying to calm down. Going in hot was Cacy’s style, and one of the reasons she and Aislin didn’t get along. He was usually mellower. But again, not today. Somehow, in the last twenty-four hours, Galena’s well-being had become his number one priority. And not just because he was honoring his father.

  Because she was unique. Stunningly smart, dangerously beautiful, and hauntingly vulnerable, all in one. Brave, too. Braver than she gave herself credit for.

  He didn’t know her well. And he probably shouldn’t want to, since they were together only for convenience, to make a physical connection that would provide her with the protection she needed. He couldn’t help the longing he’d felt as he held her this morning, though, the pride at being the man who got to put his arms around her, the man she trusted enough to fall asleep with. And he couldn’t help the raw rage and panic he felt now, knowing she was going to be locked in a cell and charged with crimes she had absolutely nothing to do with.

  The elevator door slid open, and Aislin was standing there with two women and one man, all attired in perfect business suits.

  “À tout à l’heure, Ambassador Tailler,” Aislin said, ignoring Dec as he stepped out of the elevator. “Encore une fois, je suis désolée pour l’interruption.”

  “À la prochaine,” the oldest of the women replied, eyeing Dec suspiciously. Then she and her people got on the elevator.

  Aislin waited to speak until they heard the quiet whir of its descent. Her nostrils flared slightly as she turned to Dec, her blue eyes cold. “Threatening to make a scene? Really, Declan.”

  “I’ve just come from the Boston PD. They arrested Galena. They’re charging her with the murders of all those people who died in the bombings.”

  Aislin went very still. “That is a significant negative development.”

  “That’s an understatement,” Dec ground out, heading for her office.

  Aislin followed, her high heels clicking. “My contact was unaware—”

  “Obviously. The detective’s a guy named Amil Botros. Heard of him?”

  Aislin moved behind her desk and tapped at the screen embedded in its surface, then spent a moment gazing at the results. “He recently transferred from New York. A distinguished record.”

  “Yeah. He seemed like he’d be happy to defy us. He produced all this ‘evidence’ that Galena was threatening the guy who made the bombs.” Dec raked his hand through his hair. “As if Jian only did it because she forced him to. And he’s dead, so I’m sure the cops would be happy to find a live person to pin this on.”

  “What kind of evidence?”

  Dec rolled his eyes. “In his suicide note, Jian Lee said a woman was forcing his hand. They’ve also got threatening messages that were supposedly sent from a computer that only Galena had access to.”

  “What kind of threats?”

  “The one I saw seemed to be saying the Marburg virus would be unleashed if the guy didn’t take some action.”

  “So the threat involved a deadly, contagious disease.” Aislin’s gaze was steady on him. “Are you sure she didn’t have anything to do with this?”

  “What?”

  Aislin sat down in her chair. “Galena Margolis has been severely traumatized. She has also been thrust into the limelight, a lot of pressure for someone who’s been through so much. And she is extremely intelligent. Are you absolutely certain that she didn’t arrange this as a way to have this responsibility removed from her shoulders?”

  The rage and frustration ran hot across Dec’s skin. “Yeah, I’m sure. She was completely distraught at the deaths of her volunteers and her lab assistants.”

  “Are you sure that wasn’t guilt?”

  “Of course she felt guilty,” shouted Dec. “Innocent people died just because they were connected to her research. But it wasn’t because she actually killed them!”

  Aislin was silent, and Dec closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. “All right,” he said slowly. “If Galena’s so intelligent—and trust me, she is—why the hell would she send messages from a machine only she had access to?”

  He opened his eyes to find Aislin looking thoughtful. “She didn’t try to cover her tracks at all?”

  “The detective said there was a lot of security around the messages, but st
ill. Galena would know better.”

  “Was the message sent at a time that her presence in the lab could be confirmed?”

  “Yes. At a time she was the only one there. But—”

  “Declan, what do you expect me to do?” Aislin rose from her chair. “It sounds like they’ve built a fairly strong case against Galena, and although we do have pull within the department, we can’t stop Detective Botros from pursuing this right now. People are in an absolute uproar over these bombings, and our board is equally upset over my consenting to make Galena a Ferry. Put those two things together. We’ll have to let the wheels of justice turn for a little while.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me. The ‘wheels of justice’? The PD is underequipped and understaffed. They’re virtually irrelevant. We go around them all the time. Hell, don’t we own them?”

  “I’ve been the CEO for a week, Declan. I’m working to form alliances with all our subsidiaries, including the police, and to earn the board’s trust. If I overuse my leverage, especially in a way that draws more negative publicity, there will be consequences. Rylan had many allies, both human and supernatural, and I need to show that I can control both the company and the empire.” She clasped her hands in front of her. “And meanwhile, we’ve had two dozen unauthorized Markings, and any day we’re going to hear from the Keepers about the time of the summit. It could go either way. They could punish Moros for losing control of his Kere, but they could punish us, too, for not being able to stop them.”

  “So you’re willing to sacrifice Galena?” Dec asked, his voice shaking.

  “Don’t put words in my mouth. I consented to her Claiming, didn’t I? We took responsibility for her, and now she’s immortal. What else do you want from me?”

  Dec couldn’t help but squirm. Galena wasn’t immortal, but now didn’t seem the time to tell Aislin that he hadn’t held up his end of the deal. “She won’t exactly be able to do her research if she’s in prison.”

  Aislin tucked a wisp of blonde hair behind her ear. “It is not my responsibility to remove all possible obstacles between Galena Margolis and her mysterious, magical vaccine. Moros has indicated that she is not fated to die in the near future, and now I have done my part in preserving the fabric of what is meant to be.”

  “That’s bullshit,” said Dec. “And it sounds a bit like Ry. You want Galena to live, but you don’t want her to be able to finish her research?” He studied her face. He’d thought she was done with Rylan. She’d stripped him of his Scope and locked him up. But now . . . “Have you talked to Rylan lately?”

  “I’ve spoken to him. I will not decide his sentence until after we meet with the Keepers. He seems remorseful for what he’s done.”

  Dec shook his head. “It’s an act. Don’t fall for it.”

  Her face was blank and her voice was flat as she said, “I daresay I’ve known Rylan a bit longer than you have, Declan, and I’ve been here at Psychopomps since I graduated from college. More than two decades before you were born. I have no doubt you are an excellent paramedic, but don’t you dare come here and tell me how to conduct my business.”

  The condescension in her voice made his teeth clench. This was the first time Aislin had pulled that card, and it burned. And it was also the first time Dec wished he had joined the corporate world, because maybe he’d be doing a better job of helping Galena if he had. “I’m not telling you how to do your job, Aislin, but are you so certain Rylan doesn’t have some rogue Ker buddy on the outside, doing his dirty work?” Like Luke? The blond Ker obviously hated Galena, and with disease as his weapon of choice, he had better reason than any other Ker to want her out of the picture.

  “If Rylan had communicated with a Ker, we would know. He’s closely guarded both here and in the Veil. I think we should assume, therefore, that the rogue is working on its own. However, we should also be willing to consider the possibility that Galena is not completely innocent.”

  “If you knew her, you wouldn’t be saying that,” Dec said, his voice gravelly.

  Aislin arched a pale eyebrow. “Are you certain that you know her, Declan? I acknowledge that the bond has brought you close to her, but knowing a woman’s body isn’t the same as knowing her secrets.”

  Dec looked away from his sister’s penetrating stare. “She’s dead set on completing that research, Aislin. She has zero reason to destroy it. If she did, all she’d have to do was quit.”

  “Harvard spent billions of private investor dollars to make a lab for her. Her speech at the fund-raiser was in every single news feed in the world within a few hours. It would be a highly publicized and damning humiliation if she even tried to quit.”

  “So is getting charged with murder!”

  Aislin nodded. “I regret supporting your Claiming of her. I will do what I can to keep this from reflecting poorly on you.”

  “I don’t give a fuck about how it reflects on me. I need our best lawyer, and I need you to pull every string you can. She shouldn’t be in there.” His throat suddenly tightened. “She’s probably scared out of her mind.”

  Slowly, Aislin approached him. “I thought you were only doing this out of obligation, Declan.” Her face softened into a gentle smile. “After all, you’re one of the most honorable men I know.”

  He didn’t feel honorable now. He felt desperate. “You’re honorable, too, Aislin. And you know that the honorable thing to do is to help her.”

  Except—the Ferrys and Kere would be delighted if Aislin had found a way to neutralize Galena without starting a war or violating the treaty. It would put Aislin in a doubly powerful position as she faced the Keepers of the Afterlife. Hell, it was even better than Rylan’s strategy had been. Dec eyed his beautiful, poised sister. She was one of the most powerful people in the world. And that was no accident. All the heat inside Dec turned to ice.

  She put her hand on his arm. “You care for Galena.”

  Damn straight, but he wasn’t about to admit that to someone he didn’t fully trust and have it used against him. He looked out the window, at the sun reflecting off the high-rises of downtown. “I just think she has important things to do. I want to fulfill my obligation.”

  She gave his arm a quick squeeze, and then her hand fell away. “I cannot make you any promises right now,” she said, returning to her desk, all softness gone. “But you may engage the services of Nan Drummond. She is our best defense attorney.”

  “Can’t you use your contacts at the PD to quash this, though?” It wasn’t like the Ferrys didn’t do that all the fucking time.

  But none of them had ever been charged with murdering fifteen people and destroying several city blocks, either.

  Aislin’s look said she was thinking the same thing. “If Galena is innocent, then Nan will be able to get her out of this. It may take time, but—”

  “She may not have time,” Dec snapped. “It can’t be good for her, locked in a cell in the city jail. Do you have any idea what could happen to her in there?”

  “Nothing that could kill her, obviously. But I will call and request additional protection for her. It would cause an uproar if she was hurt and healed right before people’s eyes.”

  “That’s what you’re worried about? Do you know how fucking heartless you sound?”

  She glared at him. “I have no doubt Nan will do everything possible to free Galena. For now, that is all I can do.”

  “Thank you,” he forced himself to say. He turned and headed for the elevator.

  “Declan?”

  He looked over his shoulder at her.

  “Do not consider taking matters into your own hands. It would only make things worse. The game is at a critical point.”

  He met her ice-blue gaze with one of his own, then walked stiffly to the elevator and jabbed his thumb against the “Down” button. The game is at a critical point. As he stepped into the elevator and the doors slid shut, he couldn’t help feeling he was Aislin’s pawn. He stared at his reflection in the metallic doors, the certainty bu
ilding inside him that he was being used.

  Fine. Let Aislin think he was playing by her rules. But if this lawyer couldn’t get Galena out, Dec was ready to make a few moves of his own.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  The cell door slid shut with a heavy clang, and Galena winced. She was dressed in the most expensive clothes she’d ever worn, a pink silk blouse and a black pencil skirt, both probably picked out by Cacy, brought to her so she could look the right part for her arraignment.

  It hadn’t helped much.

  Her limbs heavy, wobbling on her heels, Galena took a few steps toward the bed, which was nothing more than a thin mat laid on top of a metal panel bolted to the wall. It wouldn’t have mattered if it were the most comfortable mattress in the world, though. As long as she was here, she wouldn’t be able to sleep. She stared down at it until its hard edges blurred and softened.

  She’d just pled not guilty to over a dozen counts of murder, plus numerous other charges that Galena hadn’t even tried to remember. And true to Detective Botros’s word, the judge had immediately denied bail. Her lawyer, a tall, stern woman named Nan Drummond, had argued ferociously on her behalf, but the prosecutor had simply stated two facts that seemed to seal Galena’s fate: Galena was widely acknowledged as a genius. And she had just married into the most affluent family in Boston. Together, that equaled a flight risk too great to allow, especially in light of the severity of the crimes.

  The judge also set her trial date at the arraignment—eight months in the future. With her heart in her throat, Galena had turned around to find Eli and Dec staring back at her. They were sitting together, both dressed up, looking more like businessmen than paramedics. She wondered if the horror in their eyes matched her own. She could read Eli like a book—she knew he didn’t believe for a moment that she was guilty. But Dec was unreadable; his glacier-blue eyes were riveted on her face as the guard pulled her to her feet. Did he think she coerced Jian into planting the bombs?

  Why wouldn’t he? The evidence was damning. And there was more of it than Botros had initially showed her. Jian had apparently received a whole string of vile messages, threatening to unleash a virus, threatening to make his wife victim number one, threatening to find his family and hurt them, too. No wonder he’d been so desperately angry when he’d found her in the Veil. No wonder Botros seemed determined to see her put away for life.