by Anh Leod
“How?” Julian asked, blood pouring from his face. The other three ran for Magnus’ car, slamming the doors behind them.
Magnus heard the door locks click. He was amused. Shape-shifters should know that a werewolves like themselves could break into a car. Hell, he could crush the damn thing. What cowards. They were outcast from this day. The engine came to life. Later, he’d report the car stolen, have them thrown into a human jail where they’d never see the moon.
When the car moved away, Magnus felt the change overtake him again. Did the magic know the threat to him was over? Or had Bijou’s strength given out? Soon, he stood in human form and had returned to the limited strength he’d had before the change.
Thank Jupiter, Julian was an old man and a tactical threat, not a physical one.
“You must have Greek blood in you,” Julian sneered.
Julian didn’t know about the magic. As far as Magnus knew, only alphas and elder advisors did. Julian’s brother, the alpha before the elder Pompey had successfully challenged him, had guarded his secrets well. Thank the gods.
“Perhaps,” Magnus said, hoping to keep the confrontation short so he could get to Bijou. “Your nephew is dead.”
“Murderer,” Julian gasped.
Magnus chuckled grimly. The bastard would feign shock now? “No, the gods took his life from him before he could take mine. Your lust for power will never bear fruit now, Julian.”
The old man put a hand to his bleeding face as if just now noticing it.
“Yes, you are marked forever. Leave now. You are no longer welcome in my territory or anywhere else the Legion has allies.”
Julian pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and held it to his face, then walked slowly around the side of the house. A minute later, Magnus heard an engine start. He retraced his steps into the farmland, looking for his fallen cell phone. Bijou needed his help and he had to report Brutus’ death.
He jogged back into the field, again a naked, vulnerable politician. Never had he felt so weak and what if his pregnant, vulnerable mate was in worse condition? Had she been able to call her brothers? When it began to rain, he shook his fist at the sky with a grim expression. “C’mon, Jupiter. You give me victory, now offer me pneumonia as a reward?”
There was a thrashing in the undergrowth to his left, then two huge wolves with reddish-tinged pelts tipped by copper bounded into the grass ahead of him. Brotherhood. He had a sense of déjà vu. This was how that night in the park in July had begun. Had they come to help or to harm? Calmly, Magnus stood his ground, looking for a weapon. He might not have the strength to fight if necessary, but he still had his brain.
One of them had a pack in its mouth. It dropped it to the grass. Magnus recognized it as an emergency pack. The Legion had the same, though they didn’t need them as often, since they only shifted at the preordained time.
These wolves must be friends. The larger of the two began to shift. Magnus watched in fascination. It wasn’t a sight a Legion shape-shifter saw often, since they were shifting at the same time as everyone else.
When the shift was complete, a large red-headed man with a workman’s muscular form stood in front of him. The eyes were familiar.
“You’re a relative of Bijou? Is she okay?”
“I’m Asta,” he said, as the other wolf shifted to human form. “She’s fine. Why wouldn’t she be?”
The light dawned. His mate hadn’t just cast a spell, she’d been able to call for help too. Thank Jupiter she hadn’t suffered from her spell-casting. “You’re Bijou’s older brother.”
“Right.” He gestured to the other young man, unsmiling. “You’ve met Duke before.”
“I’m afraid so.” Magnus nodded coldly at the youth.
Asta pointed to the pack. “I didn’t know your sizes, so I just grabbed a men’s large pack. Hopefully it will get you through for now. Do you have transportation?”
“I’m looking for my phone. I was betrayed by my driver.” He grabbed the pack and pulled out a pair of jeans.
“Bummer. So what’s the deal? I expected to find you being chewed on.”
“I’m not sure,” Magnus said. Would Bijou have told her brother what happened? Did she even know she’d transformed him? As much as his pride made him want to spin a tale of brave deeds, especially considering his history with Duke, his honesty forced him to share the truth. “It was a comedy of errors, really. I was challenged for leadership of the Legion, but the challenger fell and hit his head on a rock.”
“Did it kill him?” Duke asked, sounding impressed, despite the accidental way Magnus had won.
“Yes.” He pulled out a t-shirt next and put it on. A pair of sandals was at the bottom. Not seasonal footwear, but of course they would fit more men than any given pair of shoes.
“Do you want us to take care of the body, or do you want to leave it for the human authorities?” Asta asked.
“I genuinely didn’t touch him. As long as I get my cell phone and the scraps of my clothes out of here, my presence shouldn’t be detected.” He slipped his feet into the sandals and picked up the now-empty pack.
Asta nodded. “Duke, retrieve what’s left of his clothes.”
Duke’s head bent, clearly irritated by the command. Magnus suppressed an urge to laugh at his tormenter’s comeuppance. Being nineteen was tough. You thought you knew everything but there were still so many who thought they were the boss of you.
“Thanks again,” Magnus said. “I’m going to keep hunting for my phone.”
Asta nodded. “I’ll check on the body, just in case.”
“Thanks.” Magnus walked forward again, keeping his eyes on the ground. A moment later, a wolf bounded past him, following bent grass from his earlier footsteps.
Chapter Nine
Asta wasn’t the only shape-shifter next to Brutus’ cooling corpse when Magnus arrived, slightly out of breath after a long jog. Bijou’s red-pelted brother had been joined by two other wolves who must have come from the opposite direction across the farm. One was older, his pelt gone gray, the other still in the peak of life, with silver-tipped fur.
Barkley and King, the Brotherhood’s alpha, he suspected. What did they want? They both held aggressive postures. Ears and tails were erect, their bodies stiff. Had Julian and Brutus allied with the Brotherhood? Was his mate’s clan against him? If they were to attack now, he had little hope, no covering other than the items of clothing Asta had brought, no weapons but his weakened human body.
The older wolf growled and sniffed the air. He put his nose to the ground, then his shoulders, before rolling his entire body on the ground near Brutus’ corpse, as if to absorb some substance into his fur.
When he rose, he hissed at Magnus, eyes flashing. Asta turned sideways, as if he would protect Magnus from Barkley’s attack. Barkley yipped at King, then they turned, bounding away.
Magnus let out a breath he hadn’t been aware he was holding. Barkley had been very angry and he was dangerous shape-shifter to cross. Well over a hundred years old, he had the respect and fear of all, as well as arcane abilities that were rare in today’s shape-shifters. No one knew the full extent of Barkley’s powers. Had he sensed the spell Bijou placed on him?
Asta barked inquiringly at him as the others receded into the distance. Behind them came pounding paws but it was Duke with his mouth full of the remains of Magnus’ clothing. Magnus opened the empty pack and Duke spat the clothing scraps into it.
“I think Bijou may be in danger,” Magnus said. “I’ve never known the Brotherhood to get in my business before. They certainly didn’t investigate when my father was murdered, not that I’d have welcomed them into Legion business.”
Duke growled, clearly asking a question.
“Bijou used magic,” Magnus explained. “I don’t know how she did it, but she cast a spell on me. I shifted without a full moon, probably right where Barkley did his scent-roll. He didn’t attack me though. What if he’s going after Bijou next?”
Asta�
�s eyes widened as Duke howled and leapt into the air. Then they both took off at top speed in the direction that Barkley and King had taken.
Magnus ran too, still searching for his cell phone. He found it two minutes later and called Bijou with shaking fingers.
She answered on the fourth ring.
“Are they there?” he demanded.
“Who? Are you okay?” His mate sounded listless, like she was half asleep.
“I’m fine, the spell worked.” She didn’t sound quite right. What if her brothers hadn’t realized the spell had affected her?
“You’re kidding.” Magnus could hear the wonder in Bijou’s slurring voice. “Who would have guessed it, me, a sorceress? If I’m translating properly, not anyone could do the chants and actually make a spell work. You need to have an innate ability too.”
“Are there any defense spells in this book you’re reading?” he asked. There was no time for idle chat.
“Why?”
“Barkley knows what happened somehow. He was here along with King, in wolf form and very unhappy. They took off without communicating their intent. Your brothers are behind them but still, I’m worried about you. Can you shift me again?”
There was a pause on the line. “I don’t think so, to be honest. It took a lot out of me. But I can try.”
“Don’t, you might hurt the baby. Are you inside? Lock down. Your brothers aren’t too far behind King and Barkley.”
“They won’t hurt me,” she yawned.
“You aren’t Brotherhood anymore, Bijou, you’re Legion. Their age-long enemy.”
“They let me in their archives.” Another pause. “Oh.”
“What?” he barked.
“I broke into a locked cabinet to get this spell book.” She sounded sheepish. “Barkley’s mother caught me with the cabinet open, but I don’t think she knows I took the book.”
“Bijou!” Magnus exclaimed.
“I wanted to help you. I was worried. I need to understand mate magic. How do the tattoos work? And that door in your bedroom? I need to know.”
“You need to be safe.” His pride in his mate’s stubbornness and achievement paled against his fear. “Are you inside?”
“Yes. I didn’t know where you were when you called or I’d have come to you. I’m glad my brothers figured it out.”
“You’ve done enough. Are the doors locked?”
“I think so.” She sounded vague.
“Make sure,” he ordered. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
He continued to talk to Bijou as he ran back to the farmhouse. King and Barkley didn’t arrive, but her brothers did, so he disconnected, telling her he’d be there soon. Brutus had left his car parked behind the old farmhouse and since he wouldn’t need it again Magnus searched it, finding a key hidden in a little magnetized box under the car. He started it up and drove to Bijou’s house while calling his secretary and canceling all meetings.
Then he called his own advisors and told them to arm five of their trusted prime-of-life sons and send them to Bijou’s home. He or his spouse might need a guard.
Magnus pulled Brutus’ car into the alley behind Bijou’s house and parked alongside her neighbor’s garage. He had a feeling Brutus would have an arsenal in his car, so he checked the glove box and the trunk. He found a silver dagger with a wooden safety handle in a case hidden in the glove box and a shotgun with a box of silver bullets in the trunk. He loaded it gingerly, careful not to touch the bullets, then got out and opened the gate into Bijou’s backyard. It was deserted.
He stepped onto the porch, senses on alert. The curtains were drawn across the glass doors. Pulling his cell phone out of his pocket, he called Bijou.
“Hey, I’m on your back porch. Everything okay?”
“So far. Hold on.”
Footsteps clattered behind the door as the phone went dead, then he heard a click as she undid a lock. He drank in the sight of her tall form as she opened the door.
Her eyes looked large and bright in her pale face. Underneath were shadows he hadn’t seen below her eyes before. She held out a hand, a tentative smile on her lips. He stepped through the door and locked it behind him, setting the shotgun against the wall.
Ignoring the weapon, she locked her arms around his waist and put her head against his heart. He made sure the dagger at his belt was covered so it was no danger to her. “I was so worried about you. I knew there was a chance you’d be challenged but I hoped if we kept your shaming a secret it would be okay.”
“It’s okay,” Magnus soothed. “Brutus is dead. I doubt I’ll be challenged again and every moment we’re together I grow stronger. I just wish you hadn’t risked yourself.”
“I’m okay, just a little tired. A nap is all I need.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She raised her troubled face to his. “I shouldn’t have demanded we take a break from each other. At the very least I should have let you court me. I was selfish, thinking only of my work.”
“I understand. I focus on mine too much too,” Magnus said, running his hand down her hair. “It’s hard to give up what you love, but we have files, you know, including the results of espionage targeting generations of the Brotherhood. You have a lifetime of research ahead of you.”
He felt her smile. “Can you believe it? I should have known magic really exists. Otherwise how would the mating tattoo be created? But no one ever talks about magic.”
Duke and Asta stepped into the kitchen in front of them, both in human form. They looked serious. Bijou left Magnus’ embrace and moved toward her brothers.
“What happened?” Asta asked. “We’ve been too busy checking the house to ask.”
“You need to decide loyalties,” Magnus said. “You’re Brotherhood but your sister is Legion now. That’s going to matter.”
“You really think there’s going to be a battle?” Duke asked.
“You saw Barkley. He was furious. The only question is where did they go after they left Brutus’ body?”
“They could have gone to the police to accuse you of murdering him.”
Magnus shook his head. “Barkley isn’t stupid. He knows they’d never get away with it. There’s no evidence. No one saw Brutus die and it’s going to be clear no one touched him and that the rock killed him.”
“Are you injured? They could find your blood. And why would he have fallen in an open field?”
“It will be a mystery. I’m not bleeding anymore. The shift I made healed the wounds from Brutus’ initial attack in front of the farmhouse. And we picked up all my clothing scraps.”
Asta shrugged. “Then what might King and Barkley be after?”
“I stole something from them,” Bijou said.
Asta raised a red eyebrow. “You what?”
“Nana caught me with a locked cabinet I’d broken into and I instinctively hid the book I was reading, a spell book.”
“Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to mess with Nana? I know you’ve always felt close to her, but most of us find her terrifying,” Asta said.
“This was important. I wanted to understand mating, why we’d die if we were apart. There are also the tattoos and some other things I wanted to make sense of.”
“Where is the book now?” Magnus asked, wondering if she’d hoped to break their true mate bond. Personally, he didn’t believe it was possible to do so. Did she still want to leave him if it were possible?
“In my bedroom.”
The doorbell rang. Bijou’s face went even paler. As Magnus reached for her, she swayed on her feet. He grabbed her, realizing she wasn’t as well as she claimed. She needed more than a nap to set her straight. Asta took a step forward as Duke’s hands curled into fists.
“We need to call Cere,” Duke said. “We should stand together.”
“He’s fifty miles from here rebuilding a mountain road. There’s no phone service,” Asta said.
Magnus released Bijou from his embrace after ensuring she was steadier. “
I called in some backup. It might be them.” He grabbed the gun.
“But they’d be Legion,” Duke protested. “Why would they help us?”
“Loyalties,” Magnus reminded him. “Your sister is Legion now. You need to choose. This might be time for you to leave.”
He walked out the kitchen and down the hall toward the front door. Duke followed him into Bijou’s large living room. The jewel-toned drapes matched similarly colored area rugs. Her furniture was comfortable loveseats and painted pine tables, covered with books and magazines. The art on the wall was vibrant and abstract.
Resting the shotgun against his shoulder, Magnus opened the front door. A dozen men and one aged woman stood on the front porch. Barkley, King, Nana. Their advisors plus his men too, the five guards he’d ordered. Everyone’s eyes were narrowed, their faces hard and battle-ready. At least the Brotherhood representatives were back in human form.
He stepped aside, allowing only the first three to enter. Both he and King told the others to wait outside for now. When Magnus walked back inside he saw Asta and Bijou had moved into the living room along with a brown-haired woman who must have entered from the back. A human, though he smelled another shape-shifter on her, a mate.
“Legion alpha,” King said.
Magnus turned back to him.
“You are a thief and deceiver,” King accused.
“Why?” Magnus said. Because he hadn’t died on that field? Had they been allied with Julian?
“I smell Brotherhood magic on you,” Barkley said. “That magic is forbidden. How came you by it?”
Oh that.
Bijou stepped beside Magnus. She slipped her hand into his. “My thirst for knowledge made me a thief and a deceiver, but I’m not sorry.”
“Child, you don’t need to be a part of this,” Nana said.
“Of course I do! I took the spell book. I said the spell.”
Nana pointed at Magnus. “Did he force you to?”
“Of course not. I was curious. I wanted to understand mate magic. At first, I was hoping to break the bond between us, but it was so obvious Magnus was suffering and I wasn’t.”