Mitch knew the former queen had several valid points. He couldn’t argue with anything she’d said and an idea was beginning to form for the ceremony that wouldn’t cost the Clan anything but might go a long way toward demonstrating his true power to those he would invite to attend. Now that he’d accepted he was going to be Tig’Ra, he had to cement his position. He wouldn’t let any perceived weakness on his part reflect poorly on the Clan.
The other shifters had to understand he was much more than a jumped-up Guard. He was Tig’Ra by right of challenge and forbearance of the Lady. He’d proven the first part by defeating Gisli. Proving the Goddess’s blessing was harder, but he had an idea of how to demonstrate it beyond the shadow of a doubt.
“Gina?” Mitch turned to his mate. He loved her so much, it was a special moment each time he looked at her and realized she truly was his mate. “I’m up for it if you are. What do you think?”
She smiled at him and stole his breath. “I think it’s a good idea. Mom and I can plan the party. Do you want to handle the ceremony?”
How did she know what he had in mind? He tilted his head and smiled at her. His woman never stopped surprising him. She gave him an answering grin and held his hand through the chorus of approvals coming from around the table. It seemed everybody liked the idea of a party.
Chapter Fourteen
They set a date a little over a month away so they would have time to invite dignitaries from the other big-cat shifter Clans. Matings among royals were few and far between. It was customary to at least invite the other big-cat shifter royalty to bear witness to a royal match. In this particular case, it would also give Mitch and Gina a chance to get to know the other monarchs. They were new to their roles as Tig’Ra and Tig’Ren. The other monarchs didn’t know them and needed to understand that things in the tiger Clan were going to change radically from here on out.
The phrase about two birds, one stone fit, Gina thought. She’d get to meet the other monarchs—if they came to the wedding—and take their measure. At the same time, the guests would get to see Mitch and Gina in action. They’d soon learn that Gisli’s corrupt management style was over.
Mitch spent his mornings over the next week working out with the Guard—Old and new—making sure they were integrating and learning from each other while he kept himself in shape. Gina joined them, since keeping fit was important to her. She had to be sure she could help defend herself if it became necessary. Monarchs were natural targets for enemies who wanted to destabilize the Clans.
And the tiger Clan was already in chaos from Gisli’s poor handling of everything. After lunch, Mitch and Gina would spend hours going over the books with her parents’ help. The long-standing investments in the biotech conglomerate called Phelix Corporation was of particular concern. Phelix had multiple smaller companies under its corporate umbrella such as Phelix Genomix, Phelix Scientifix, Phelix Pharmex and a slew of similarly named hi-tech companies.
Most of the specialty areas of these smaller companies were deeply grounded in medical, scientific and pharmaceutical research. That was where Gina’s background really came into play. She helped by going over the scientific reports of the company’s divisions while Mitch sorted out the financial statements. Between the two of them, they were able to discover some serious mismanagement and possible embezzlement of huge amounts of the Clan’s money.
The problem was so bad and the executives so unresponsive via phone and videoconference that they decided to visit the corporate offices in person. A surprise inspection from the main shareholder ought to shake them up a bit.
So only a week after arriving in Iceland, Mitch and Gina were on their way back to the States—to the very city Gina had lived in and Mitch had been poisoned in—to corner a few very skittish executives in their high-rise ivory towers. They brought along a contingent of Royal Guard with them. Gina supposed her days of traveling alone and incognito were at an end.
But having Mitch in her life was a more than fair trade-off. She didn’t really care about being queen. The only thing that was truly important to her was Mitch. It hadn’t really hit her that she was the Tig’Ren yet. Her mother had tried to tell her a few things about the position, but Gina didn’t really feel it. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
She’d just have to adjust as she went along. She’d do her best to make the position into something she could live with—a compromise between the formality of the past and the more or less regular life she’d tried to make for herself before meeting Mitch.
Gina had used up all her leave from the hospital and now that she was back in the city, she’d set aside some time to go down there and end her employment for good. It was a big step but one that she felt okay about taking. She’d enjoyed her job and her freedom to live and work in the human world, but she loved Mitch. He’d given up his relative anonymity and his job as Royal Guard to be with her. She had to show the same willingness to bend.
They’d discussed it at length and had come to the conclusion that they were both starting fresh. Neither of them really knew what to expect, but they would face whatever came together.
She went to the hospital without Mitch. He’d wanted to come with her, but having him in tow would’ve made the trip a lot longer. She would have had to introduce him to nosy coworkers at every turn. Better she make her exit as quietly as possible. Paul Miller went with her. The hospital staff was used to seeing him—another doctor—from time to time. His brother Tad and his mate, Mandy, were pre-arranged to meet them there. They would all help to keep Gina safe for the hour or so it took to clear out her things and tender her formal resignation.
Everything went off without a hitch, and while Gina was sorry to see that part of her life end, she was looking forward to the next step. Mitch had arranged an emergency board meeting at the Phelix headquarters building downtown. Paul stayed by her side and Mandy and Tad came along with them. The more doctors she had to consult with on some of the more questionable of the experiments she’d uncovered, the better. And she wanted to get to the bottom of the nectar’s reaction with the poison Mitch had been given, if she possibly could.
Mitch met her in the lobby of the office building Phelix Corporation owned. It was a marble and glass monstrosity that dominated the downtown skyline and Gina had to shake her head at the enormous expense of both the design and the décor. It had been built in the last decade and the Clan had paid for all of it. She was disgusted. The gaudy building looked more like a monument to somebody’s overblown ego than a serious place of business.
Their little entourage took an express elevator to the penthouse where the board was scheduled to meet. Security couldn’t stop them, but she knew there were some fast and furious phone calls being made the moment they stated who they were and where they were going.
When the elevator door opened at the top level of the building, the first thing she smelled were shifters. Lots of them. Not just tigers, though there were a few distinct tiger scents. She also smelled the wet-dog scent she associated with werewolves, the subtle differences of other big cats and one or two that she couldn’t quite place.
“Magic,” Gunnar hissed, moving to take point. “There’s at least one mage here. Possibly more.” Mitch had decided to bring Gunnar. He’d proven himself to be both loyal and brave.
Mitch growled and the rest of their group bristled. In addition to Gunnar and two more of their new friends from Iceland, Paul, Tad and Mandy were still with them.
Their small group of eight advanced steadily toward the board room. Everyone was on guard and the few workers who saw them pass took visible steps back. So far, so good. Nobody was fool enough to challenge their right to be there.
Gunnar led the way to the board room that was situated on the east side of the building. It was a large room with a bank of windows that displayed the city skyline and streets far below. It was quite a view, but what interested Gina most as they barged in were the reactions of the various board members sitting around the giant, oblong table.
“Who are you?” a tiger shifter nearest the door asked in a snotty tone. Gina didn’t like the look of the man, but she’d give him the benefit of the doubt before making up her mind about him.
“My name is Mitch and I’ve just recently become your biggest shareholder.” His tone was just casual enough to convey the true meaning of his words. He left them in no doubt of his position as he continued. “Gisli is dead. I’m in charge now.”
“You’re the new Tig’Ra?” the same tiger asked in a disbelieving voice. He wasn’t showing the least bit of respect for either Mitch or his new position, and Gina watched to see how her mate would handle the situation. The Guards with them bristled but wouldn’t move until Mitch gave the word.
Their group moved farther into the room and Mandy and Tad closed and locked the doors, standing in front of them.
“Now then,” Mitch took control of the room. “I’d like you all to identify yourselves and what your role is here. I’ve had a hell of a time getting any of you to videoconference with me the past week, so I’ve had to come all the way here. I’m not happy about it.”
Silence reigned for a long moment before one of the two humans in the room stepped forward.
“I’m Norbert Grange, corporate secretary.”
Even Gina felt the wave of magic that leapt from the man. Gunnar growled even as Mitch casually repulsed the subtle magical attack. They’d learned by trial and error that even a thousand miles away from the Grim, Mitch could still use the magic of the earth to protect himself and others. He truly was the Tig’Ra and had powers like the tiger kings of old, seen only in history books until now.
“Your sorcerer’s tricks have no effect on us, so you might as well back off, Norbert,” Mitch informed the man. “The very fact that you’ve tried to attack rather than talk, puts you under arrest.”
Mitch wiggled one finger and the heavy braided silk that bound the drapes to one side untied itself from the curtains and wound itself around Norbert’s resisting hands. It continued snaking around the struggling mage until he was completely immobilized—bound and gagged. Mitch crooked his finger one last time and the man fell back into the chair behind him, well and truly quelled for the time being.
“Now, who else here wants to test me?” Mitch turned on the remaining people in the room. Heads shook and one woman burst into tears. Mitch sighed even as Gina’s gaze traveled from person to person, sizing up their reactions.
“Are you a mage or a tiger?” one brave werewolf asked.
“Yes,” Mitch answered with a grim twist of his lips.
“You’re a fraud. I recognize you. You were part of the Nyx’s household. You’re nothing but a jumped-up Royal Guard.” The man who spoke was smaller than Mitch but not by much. His scent said he was one of the other big-cat species. Gina figured pantera noir by the fact that he’d mentioned the Nyx.
“Horace van Cleef,” Mitch intoned flatly. “Imagine finding you here. Looks like you’ve been up to your old tricks since the Nyx threw you out.”
Outside the bank of windows, the sky darkened with storm clouds. Gina knew enough by now to realize that Mitch’s anger was affecting the weather. He had that ability now—though it seemed to manifest only in moments of intense anger.
“It was a misunderstanding,” Horace tried to defend himself, but it wasn’t very convincing.
“Oh, so she misunderstood that you’d drained the accounts you’d been in charge of to buy yourself a mansion on a hundred acres of prime real estate? Interesting. Seems to me she thought you were setting up your own little kingdom, even though you have absolutely no right to a throne of any kind.”
“The old system is corrupt!” he shouted back, clearly agitated by the way his whole body shook. “Look at you—the Tig’Ra simply because you defeated a wimp like Gisli.”
“My uncle was a lying, cheating bastard,” Gina stepped in, unable to hear her mate insulted. “He never should have ruled anything. And he was never the Tig’Ra.” She looked around the room to press her point, meeting each set of eyes. “Mitch is Goddess-touched. You’ve seen his magic. He is one with the Grim.”
Shocked silence greeted her words and at least a few of the board members sat back, defeat written on their faces. Chief among those was the man who’d sat in the chairman’s seat at the head of the table.
“I’m Walter Sorenson, the CEO,” he said with great dignity as he stood and adjusted his suit jacket. “I was appointed chairman of this board by Gisli and I’ve never been comfortable in the role he made me play. I recognize the new Tig’Ra and resign my position with the company.”
Mitch seemed to weigh the man’s words and then finally nodded. “I accept. Do any of you feel the same?” A few hands went up around the room, including the woman who was still crying. “Good. You may all be excused to the next room, where you will remain until we have talked with each one of you. Do not leave the building on penalty of death. I know who you are and the Grim can reach you wherever you try to hide.”
The woman started crying even harder and the others looked either hostile or whipped. Slowly, they exited the room, Mandy showing them the way to the chamber next door. Not a single one of them tried to make a run for it. Wise choice, Gina thought.
That just left the trussed-up mage, the mutinous pantera named Horace and one other person…a werewolf if Gina sniffed correctly. And he was growling at Mitch as they faced off across the table.
“You’re the slimy bastard that poisoned me,” Mitch said in a lethal tone.
Gina was shocked. Mitch had come face-to-face with the man—wolf—who had almost killed him. He was utterly calm on the surface, but Gina knew there had to be a firestorm brewing beneath his placid exterior.
“You should be dead.” The werewolf sealed his own fate with those words of acknowledgment.
“Why? Why did you target him like that? He was only a Royal Guard back then,” Gina wanted to know.
“Because of what he’s become, of course. Foresight is rare, but my friends knew what could happen. They knew Mitch Thorburn would be a threat. They wanted him out of the way and sent me to do it.” The werewolf’s eyes weren’t quite sane.
“Your friends in the Venifucus?” Mitch asked quietly. “It’s no use denying it. I see the evil glyphs on your face, Victor.”
Gina did a mental review of the list of board members she’d studied on the plane ride here. Victor French was listed as the Chief Financial Officer of the company. He had ready access to the billions of dollars at Phelix’s command. The implications were horrific. A Venifucus agent with that kind of entrée could do—and had probably already done—a lot of damage.
The big-cat Clans had been organized into their current political structure during the Renaissance in Europe. The Venifucus went back even further than that. They had once been led by a fey mage named Elspeth, who had come to be known as the Destroyer of Worlds. She and her followers had almost won the last war, but the forces of Light had defeated them and sent Elspeth into the farthest realms, never to return.
Or so everyone hoped. Recently though, the Venifucus—thought gone for centuries—had been making a comeback. The few agents who had been caught all professed one alarming goal. They wanted to rescue Elspeth from the farthest realms and bring her back to the mortal world to wage her evil war once more.
The fact that the Venifucus had someone in its ranks that could see the future was very, very disturbing. The fact that they’d felt so sure of the foreseer’s information as to send someone after Mitch on the theory that he might be important later, was even more alarming. They were acting on the foreseer’s visions. Who knew how many innocents who might’ve done good things were now dead or derailed because of that evilly placed gift of foresight.
The werewolf growled and leapt onto the table in a single bound, baring his fangs and brandishing his claws at Mitch. Everyone reacted in a split second, even as Mitch sprang over Gunnar’s head to meet Victor on the surface of the heavy table. Mitch’s hands
were partially shifted, just like the werewolf’s.
The werewolf tried, but he was no match for Mitch without what he now realized had been the magical support of the mage. A group had ambushed Mitch that night when the dojo had burned. He’d only seen the one he’d fought up close and personal—this werewolf—but he’d known there had been at least one or two more behind him. One of them had wielded the needle filled with poison that had almost killed him.
Mitch needed to know more. He leapt at the werewolf, grabbing him around the throat as he slammed the bastard clear off the table against the heavy glass of the large windows. The werewolf whimpered as his head connected hard with the thick glass. Mitch squeezed his airway and though he tried to fight free, he was immobilized. The moment Victor understood that little fact, he stopped fighting.
That was the moment Mitch had been waiting for.
He took a quick glance around. The mage was still immobilized, but Horace had risen and tried to head toward the door. He’d been intercepted and Gunnar and Paul had one arm each. Horace wouldn’t be able to get away from both of them.
“So is this the evil triumvirate?” Mitch asked in a disgusted tone. “The three that jumped me near the dojo. If you knew who I was, why didn’t you skip town the moment I took over as Tig’Ra? You’ve known for a week that I was in charge.”
“We thought you were dead,” Horace spat from across the room. “We killed Mitch Thorburn. We didn’t know Mitchell Gustavson was the same guy. We figured he was just some lucky Icelandic bastard who had managed to kill Gisli.”
“You should’ve taken my calls.” Mitch smiled, knowing their own hubris had been their downfall. They’d thought they were too good to talk with the new Tig’Ra. They’d been too sure of themselves and their superiority. How the mighty had fallen.
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