She knew – this time, she was able to grasp some slight understanding of the mate bond, and her movements weren’t curious. They were the beginnings of a dance of sexual attraction that was going to fucking kill me. She was exploring that feeling that weighed down her eyelids and parted her lips even as it slithered up my nostrils to seep into the crevices of my brain.
“…You do not fight to prove anything. You fight to win – to kill your enemy or create the circumstances in which someone else can kill them. I have killed innumerable enemies, and if you do not believe me, I have many ways to show you.” Finally tearing her eyes off me, Linne held my attention captive even as hers turned to Rachel. She spoke so confidently, so assuredly, that it was hard to believe that she was the same person that had acted so childish only hours ago. “Your Alpha has requested that I do not kill you. Even he acknowledges how inferior you are. Why is that not enough for you?”
“Linne – ” Speaking up as a wave of animosity flowed like a waterfall over the balconies, I grimaced when Linne’s narrowed eyes met mine. “She’s not going to give you the answers you want.”
“Yes.” Her gaze flickered to Alpha Jackson, and she pursed her lips thinly before addressing him. “I will show you what I did. I do not owe you anything.”
Linne’s sleek, shiny feathers twitched, and my cock ached fiercely as I watched them grow. Easily spanning thirty feet, the wings shimmered just the same way Muss had done, and when they solidified, she stretched them high. The tips reached the balcony railing, but they were too far for me to touch. Clenching my hands into fists, I licked my teeth as shock assaulted my fingertips.
I wonder if I could choose between her ass and her wings.
“Those are impressive…I – ” Cutting Rachel off, Linne tilted her chin with a sharp smirk. She was so incredibly sexy when she was in her element, and it took me a few seconds to get over the way the light played off her feathers.
Flickering to Rachel, my eyes widened slightly as she just stood there, staring with horror into space. Her fingers twitched, cheek spasming, and shoulders tensed, but she couldn’t move any more than that.
And then she started itching her thigh where her fingertips could reach.
“What’s she doing?” My ears barely caught the murmur before Linne flung her arm out in that direction. Whipping over, I couldn’t help but scowl at the stupid expression on my clan-mates’ faces. Twisting to find Alpha Jackson just as out of the loop as me, I turned my gaze back to Linne to find her already staring at me.
“I am not going to kill them.” Slow, serious, Linne’s declaration sent a hard breath from my lungs that I didn’t realize I’d been holding. “This is not bad.”
“What are you showing them?” Gesturing with a sweep of her arm gracefully to the second floor, she blushed bright red before even opening her mouth to answer me. Arching a brow, my scowl lightened some as affection wiggled into my chest.
“The human entertainment.” Only she knew what that meant, but I nodded anyway, and Linne rolled her lips between her teeth before spreading her wings wide. They dominated the foyer, and the shifters around me snapped out of her induced visions to send a thick plume of discomfort and confusion into the air. “Now, I will show you what I did to the wolf shifters.”
All eyes, including my own, turned to Rachel, and tension thrummed just above my head. The eagle shifter was slower than everyone else in recovering, and I pursed my lips together tightly. She must’ve seen something different than the rest of the clan. Holding the bannister, my palms ached slightly from the force as realization slammed into me.
Linne could make anyone see or feel anything, and it didn’t necessarily have to be the same scene. The amount of finesse, the training required even for someone not of this realm, was mind blowing. I wonder how old she is…
Snapped from my thoughts by a shriek, my gaze flew to Rachel as she crumpled to the ground. Holding her abdomen, she banged her forehead against the marble floor twice, and the stench of her blood filtered through the atmosphere to curl my nose hairs. She rolled, writhing as she clutched her belly and red bubbled up from the gash across her head. Her screams echoed around me, and she flopped onto her back to scratch at herself with her sharp, artificial nails.
This wasn’t the same as the other night, though. Rachel wasn’t consumed by pain so fully that she couldn’t try to stop it. She itched and threw herself, desperation leaking from her pores as blood seeped from her self-inflicted wounds.
“As you can see – ” Drawing my attention, Linne gestured calmly to Rachel and spoke above the sound of her pain. “I have warped her senses to think she is in the extreme pain of insects eating her – I understand this is one of your favored methods of torture.”
I couldn’t stop the grin that stretched my lips at how nonchalant Linne was – as if she was just giving a presentation and not ruining someone’s mentality. It was beautiful to behold, and she perked up when her gaze met mine. Triumph blazed from her eyes, and I nodded a bare tilt of my head before the screams suddenly stopped.
“Are you able to mind control people?” Alpha Jackson was the first to speak up into the stunned silence, and Linne shook her head to send her hair whipping across her cheeks. I couldn’t tell if she wanted these shifters to like her, or just to understand that she wouldn’t use her gifts on them unless they did something to deserve it.
Like Rachel’s dumb ass.
“No – no. Even in my realm, it is impossible to control another person’s mind. I can only control senses – eyes, ears, taste, feeling. I can not read your thoughts or memories.” Answering quickly, Linne rolled her shoulders as her wings shrunk once again, and some of the mountainous tension in my own shoulders slithered away. “You have nothing to fear.”
‘Unless you ask for it.’ Muss’s voice was becoming increasingly, irritatingly familiar, and I tore my eyes off Linne as he materialized on the balcony between my forearms. ‘I take back my earlier words. She is not becoming stupid like a human. Why did the female think this would not end disastrously?’
“Because she’s a dumb bitch? I don’t fucking know, bird.” Ruffling his feathers at my grumble, Muss cocked his head as he blinked two of his eyes at me. The sight was unnerving, and my eyelid twitched in agitation before his voice echoed between my ears.
‘You should instruct your superior to kill her. She will not recover from Linne’s treatment, no matter how gentle.’
“Why do you care so much?” Curiosity pulled up my brow, and the bird straightened to snap his beak. His own irritation leaked into my brain, as if the answer should’ve been obvious, and that he thought it was stupid to ask in the first place.
‘Dead enemies are less hassle than living ones, Derek the Lion. If not taken care of, the female will come back to haunt your waking times. I have seen it happen many times, and this is no different.’ Muss’ ominous, wise tone had me rigid all over again, and I swiped my hand through his shimmering body with a slight snarl. ‘Linne knows this. I am sure she agonizes over not being able to destroy the female along with the others. Do not let her childish antics in this world lull you to the fact that she has been trained to kill, with and without magic, since the time she could understand what killing was.’
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Linne
Groaning softly in pleasure, I chewed my bite of whatever it was and savored the tingling of my taste buds. Rough fingertips kneaded my lower back underneath my shirt, and it only added to the sense of euphoria that swept through my veins.
“I love the human food. So good.” Mumbling around my mouthful, I swallowed roughly as a smile stretched my lips. To my left, Derek sat and ate leisurely, and I grinned at the warmth that radiated from his gaze. “You eat this all of the time – surely you must find it difficult to maintain health?”
“It’s all about moderation, Linne – eat too much, and you’ll regret it later.” My eyes widened at that, and I shoved my forkful in my mouth with a shaky nod before turning to A
lpha Jackson. “I’m sure that’s the same in your realm, no?”
“I was only allowed minimum sustenance. I did not have access to amounts that required moderation.” Several pairs of eyes landed on me, but I ignored them as my mind turned back to my home realm. “Fatness is something I did not notice when I was instructed out of the Pen.”
“The ‘Pen’?” Nodding again, I swallowed my bite roughly before grabbing Derek’s hand absently under the table. Alpha Jackson’s expression tightened, his mouth grim even as he chewed his bite. Rolling Derek’s middle knuckle between my thumb and forefinger, my smile dimmed slightly as images flashed in my mind’s eye.
“Yes – where the slaves are housed. We are not allowed to leave unless we are on assignment. It is where we sleep and train. Kaslni – my master – is very considerate. Her Pens were very nice when compared to other Courtiers.” A pang twisted my heart, and I frowned as my brows came together sharply. “I miss her – I am fortunate that she became my master.”
“How did she become your master?” Twisting at Derek’s question, I smiled at the troubled expression he wore, and my heart soared with happiness. Squeezing his hand, mine tingled from our touch, and heat flooded my veins when he squeezed back.
“My magic is very strong, and my wings sprouted when I was very young. My parents did not have the money to send me to school, so they contacted Kaslni. She is known among the lower Unseelie for being nice to her slaves. I was not her favorite, but she still treated me with kindness. It is because of her that I was banished here, but I do not fault her for the decisions she made. If Bareiijnr knew that Kaslni sent me to spy on him, he would have her killed. I will protect her, even if it means I can never see her again.”
“Why were you sent to spy on him?” The probe pulled down the corners of my lips, and I pursed them into a thin line. Glancing around, nervousness replaced the happy feelings in my belly; there were many people and many conversations. Bareiijnr couldn’t send anyone to the human realm without my sensing it. There wasn’t enough wild magic to hide.
But that didn’t mean a human – or shifter – couldn’t find a way to contact Bareiijnr. It had been done before when the Veil was thin.
Leaning closer to Derek, I cupped my mouth to whisper in his ear, and he sat rigid with expectation.
“He is mutilating wings of powerful Seelie and selling them to try to start a war with the Unseelie.” Pulling back, tingles slid down my spine at the scowl that took over Derek’s expression, and I squeezed his hand gently. “Why do you make that facial contortion? It does not matter here in the human realm. The Unseelie war cannot spill beyond the Veil – it takes too much magic to get even a single person across. That is why Muss has no physical form.”
“If this Bareiijnr guy is that powerful, though…he could come after you.” Even now, I couldn’t deny Derek’s point, and I nodded hesitantly. His eyes narrowed into slits, his scowl growing into a dark sneer, and he released my palm to wrap his arm around my waist. “What would happen then?”
“He would not come after me without going after Kaslni first – she is much more dangerous than I am…but…if Bareiijnr did cross the Veil, he wouldn’t do it alone. He would need power to sacrifice to get back to the Unseelie realm. I do not believe I could hide from him, just as he could not hide from me. There is not enough wild magic to disguise us. I would have to fight him.” Turning to stare at my half-empty plate, I twiddled my fork between my fingers as I contemplated that notion. “It would be difficult to beat him.”
‘You mean it would take what the humans call a ‘miracle’…’ Twisting around to find Muss perched on the back of my chair, I frowned deeply even while Derek tightened his grip on me. His five eyes watched me closely, sparkling with concern, and I pursed my lips tightly. ‘I have news from Kaslni, as we are on the subject. She wants to give you this.’
Excitement raged through my chest, and I reached out my hands greedily as Muss began to heave. His body shimmered in protest of his regurgitation, but the object inside him traveled up his throat.
“Kaslni has allowed you back?” Ruffling his wings in a silent answer, Muss held the tiny object in his beak, and I flexed my fingers in anticipation. My mind raced, eyes narrowing as I tried to figure out what he’d brought me from my master.
My former master – who might now be considered my friend.
‘No. She has not. I was only instructed to deliver this to you, Linne. Kaslni said nothing more.’ The solid object Muss dropped into my palm was opaque, a cloudy grey that swirled like contained atmosphere. From under furrowed brows, I frowned slightly as I rolled the smooth thing in both my hands. ‘I do not know what it is.’
“Me either – ” Looking to Derek, my frown deepened when he only shook his head, and I sighed softly in discontent. “It does not feel like magic.”
“Maybe that’s the point? Maybe it’ll help shield you. If things are getting bad in your realm, maybe your old master is worried this Courtier guy will come after you. She banished Muss, but still thought you needed whatever this thing is.” Humming softly, I ducked my head in a nod as my eyes went back to the object. “What are you supposed to do with it? Keep it in your pocket or something?”
“No.” Rolling the little thing between my fingertips, I pulled down my shirt to press the cool surface to my skin. “It will reside inside me – pockets are not necessary.”
The object dissolved into my body easily, and I rubbed the spot absently before turning to Muss.
‘I will leave you now. The stupid female is awake, and I will keep one eye on her – although I do not think she deserves even that.’ Disgust laced Muss’ tone, and I nodded a second time before he disappeared. For just a second or two, my mind turned to Rachel, and a frown dragged down my lips as I turned back to my plate. Loading my fork with the leafy, drenched greens, I glanced over at Alpha Jackson before opening my mouth.
“I should kill her – it would be the merciful thing to do. She will be of no use to you now.” Alpha Jackson only grimaced at my declaration, and I shoveled my forkful beyond my teeth to hum in satisfaction. “Your weak minds cannot endure my ability.”
“I’ll consider it.” That was the only answer I would get, and Alpha Jackson swiftly changed the subject as the atmosphere became light once again. “So, is there anything you want to know about the clan?”
“Yes – ” Swallowing roughly, I stabbed a piece of what was called chicken before continuing. “Why do you live in such diversity? How do you maintain order with those equal to you when it would be easier to eliminate them?”
“Safety and convenience is what it boils down to. Up until recently actually, shifters were segregated by type – wolf, lion, avian, and all the others – but it’s getting harder and harder to find ample space. Humans are creating overpopulation, which makes it difficult to keep ourselves secret unless we find places like this town. The humans here know we’re shifters, even if they choose not to acknowledge it, and for the most part, they’re fine with cohabitating.”
Leaning back in his chair, Alpha Jackson cast his gaze out to the tables around us, and I did the same. People sat and chatted happily, some inebriated, some fostering arguments, but they all were comfortable. “There’s two ways to deal with leadership. One way – the way we use – is that the alphas in the clan choose who’s best to lead the group, and they advise and assist as needed. I make the final decisions, but I take Derek’s thoughts and contributions into consideration.”
“But you do not suffer from power disputes?” Alpha Jackson’s explanation boggled my mind, and I twisted to Derek with brows high in surprise. “You do not get frustrated when he makes a bad decision? When he orders you around?”
“Yeah, I do – but I don’t want to lead the clan. I can suffer with the few things Jackson wants me to do, like patrolling the park the other night, because he’s better at leading a group than I am. He’s a wolf – he’s built to do this on a larger scale than I am.”
Derek’s word
s pulled an ‘oh’ from my mouth, and he reached to brush my jaw as affection blazed from his eyes. “This clan is unique in that I am the only person Jackson has to contend with. There are no other alpha males. The wolf pack that you destroyed had several, including the Alpha Female Liza, and her twin brother. That’s not even considering the rest of the clan.”
“That’s the second type of leadership…” Drawing my gaze, Alpha Jackson stroked his chin thoughtfully as disdain painted his expression. “Having a council – a group of alphas all with equal power in decision making. It’s honestly a terrible idea, especially if the clan is big and has many kinds of shifters. The wolf pack that you took down acted on their own, without consulting the council, and essentially crippled the clan.
Now, they went from 250 members to just over 100 in one night. We could easily wipe them out and take all of this land for ourselves.” My eyes widened at that, and Alpha Jackson offered me a grim but blood-hungry smirk. “Since we’re on the subject, too – Jordan is refusing to meet with me, and gave his permission to execute his pack members.”
“He sounds like Bareiijnr.” The observation just slipped out of my mouth, and I frowned deeply under furrowed brows. Alpha Liza’s brother was much too similar to the Courtier for my liking, and my fingers flexed around my fork while my mind raced. “He must be dealt with before he becomes a problem.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Derek
Rubbing Linne’s smooth skin with my palm, I ground my teeth absently as we stood staring behind the glass window into the hospital room at the dozens of wolf shifters lying in beds. She stared up at me in anticipation and I nodded my head for her to go ahead, and her body started forward as she left my side, slowly making her way towards the door and into the room behind the glass.
She walked down the main aisle and stopped and stood in the middle of eight dozen occupied beds. There were so many bodies that the tiny hospital that served the town had to convert the basement to hold them all. Luckily, this place didn’t see much action, so there were enough beds and a few to spare.
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