Breaking Out

by Gayle Parness

  “The wolves could bring in the WPC. A war could be declared between your two species if the murderer isn’t found.”

  “Follow me.”

  On display in an enormous room were fossils of extinct sea creatures: skeletons of giant whales, swordfish the size of yachts, eels the length of a football field. In one display case were spaces for three enormous chela. One was missing.

  “I will call my advisors. We will find who has taken the artifact. We will get the answers you require, but it may take days.”

  “I can get the information much faster.”

  “When we find a suspect, I will contact you.”

  “Thank You.”

  Ivy, Jay and Rylen met us in the hallway. “Ivy and Rylen will return you to shore. Rylen may stay if you wish it.”

  “I don’t need a hostage.”

  “He has declared himself your steed before all at court. He would be shamed if you rejected him.”

  I met his gaze. “I wouldn’t send you away. I just won’t always be near the ocean.”

  Rylen shocked me by speaking English. “In horse form, I do not require the sea to sustain me, although I will miss it. In this form a lake, a pond or even a bath is enough.”

  “We have an office with an apartment attached. It’s not large.”

  “I can sleep anywhere.”

  “Even standing up, right?” Jay joked.

  “Jay…”

  “Yes, standing up in steed form, certainly.”

  “We don’t have a stable.”

  “Then in human form on the floor.”

  “We’ll get you a sleeping bag.”

  The trip back was uneventful, but when we unlocked the office door, I was shocked to see my Uncle Aaron.

  IVY

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  My father had greeted me warmly, but there was such sadness in his eyes.

  “Ivonne, I have missed you terribly.”

  “Me too. I’m doing my best, Father. I’ve got a new job and I’ll be making enough money to pay off the debt really soon.”

  “I know you are working hard for us, but your safety is more important than the debt. Do not spend any time alone with Tellek. He has petitioned for your first mating, but if he is turned down, he may take you against your will.”

  “I have two powerful friends now. I’m safe. Truly. But I worry for you and my cousins.”

  They are safe. I’ve sent them away. Only I am here to face the wrath of our master.” He noticed Jay for the first time. “Who is this young male?”

  “This is Jason. He’s a grizzly shapeshifter and he’s the young prince’s second in command.”

  “Your magic must be very strong young man.”

  “He doesn’t speak Rux, Dad.” My dad translated into basic fae so Jay was able to understand.

  “I don’t have much magic, but I can hold off half a dozen werewolves in my animal form.” Jay boasted.

  “A prodigious feat. You have battled that many?”

  “Not exactly, but I know I could if I was protecting someone.” He cleared his throat, meeting my dad’s amused gaze. “Ivy’s safe with me, sir. I respect her and I won’t let anyone hurt her.”

  “I believe you, son, and I thank you.”

  We were all tired, so the trek up the hill to the house took longer than usual.

  Charlie looked super shocked to open the office door and find his uncle sitting behind Charlie’s desk. “Uncle Aaron. Um, I didn’t expect to see you.”

  “So I see.” He turned to Jay. “Jason.” Charlie’s uncle was a good looking, rugged outdoorsy type with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes that were currently focused only on Charlie. He was wearing a button down shirt and needed a shave, although I liked the scruffy look.

  “Mr. Green.” Jay stuck out his hand like a shifter and they shook. Charlie had once told me that his uncle was the head alpha of four packs. Usually an alpha had trouble managing one pack, but Charlie had often described his Uncle Aaron as force of nature. Cross him and you regretted it for a long time, if you survived your punishment.

  “And who are your friends?” Aaron asked, giving both Rylen and me a quick scan. Charlie introduced us to his uncle, whose eyes had grown really big. “Kelpies?” Charlie nodded. “The chieftain’s eldest son?”

  “Yes sir,” Rylen answered for himself. “It is an honor to meet you, sir. Even my people have heard of your accomplishments.”

  Aaron smiled, but it wasn’t all that warm. “Charles, could we speak privately?”

  “I’ll make us something to eat,” I suggested, not missing how Aaron had called Charlie, Charles. When adults did that, it was never a good thing.

  “Rylen and I’ll go out to get him a sleeping bag and some spare clothes.”

  “You got enough cash?” Charlie asked, feeling his pockets and coming up empty.

  “Yeah, I’m good. There’s a discount store two blocks from here,” Jay said.

  Aaron tossed him his credit card. “Don’t go crazy. And make sure you buy some healthy food. If I go back to the kitchen and only find nacho chips, soda and cold pizza, I’m going to be pissed.” They scurried away, and I made my way down the hall.

  So now I was in the kitchen looking at the assortment of food and wondering what I could possibly make that an alpha wolf would eat. I ate meat on rare occasions, like the steak the guys had made for me that first night we were together, but it wasn’t something I cooked. I usually ate those small frozen dinners and a salad.

  Grunting in frustration, I pulled out the ingredients I thought might work together and started chopping. One good thing, after tonight, they’d probably never ask me to cook dinner again.

  CHARLIE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  “Sit down, Charlie.”

  “I think I might rather stand up.”

  “I’m not turning you over my knee, although my wolf would like nothing better.”

  “Are you at least going to let me explain?”

  “Yes. Take as long as you need. I can be here all night, if necessary.”

  “That’s great.” I tried really hard to make it sound like I wanted him to stay.

  “How did you meet them?”

  I explained about Ivy first. “And the heir, Rylen?”

  “He came after.” I explained that too.

  “Staci Turner called me in a rage this morning.”

  I winced. “She did?”

  “I went out on a limb when I recommended you to her.”

  “I know that. I’m sorry you think I screwed up.”

  “You don’t think you did?” I shook my head. “Did you help her prisoner escape?”

  “Yes. I couldn’t let them execute him.”

  “They were going to execute him without clearing it with the WPC?”

  “She said Rylen had been spying on her people and trespassing. She felt she had the right to kill him even without a trial. The pack knows he had nothing to do with the murders.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “I…um…went into a wolf’s head. The one guard they had on duty by the stable.”

  Aaron didn’t bat an eye. “Will the wolf remember you or what you did?”

  “No. I suggested he go to sleep. He was snoring the whole time.”

  “But they must have seen you. They have security cameras.”

  “They couldn’t have. Or scented me.”

  “That’s not possible. Wolves have amazing noses.” He wrinkled his. “You’re coming in strong right now.”

  I opened the window to air out the room a little. “Scent me now.”

  One sniff and he was in my face sniffing my hair then my hands. “That’s some trick.”

  “Isaiah and Sinlae taught me. Isaiah also taught me this.” And I blended into the wall like I’d never been there. Of course as soon as I started to move, Aaron heard me. When he reached out and grabbed me, I reappeared.

  “Wolves have great ears, too.”

  “Well no one was ar
ound to hear me except the one wolf guard and he was sleeping.”

  “Do Garrett and Jackie know you can do this?”

  “No. Can we keep it that way?”

  “I’m not lying to them.”

  “No, but you don’t have to tell them anything about what happened here. Tell them I’m healthy and doing fine, which is true.”

  “There’s one little problem.”

  “What?”

  “You’ve defaulted on the agreement with Staci.”

  “I’m still working the case. I was in the grotto and the chieftain and I discovered a missing chela.”

  “Like a lobster claw?”

  “Yep, only huge—big enough to chop wolves or anyone else into pieces. We’re working on finding out who took it, but it can’t be a kelpie who used it. Under water they have fins like fish. They don’t have hands so they can’t use the chela against anyone. One of them must have given it to someone else who used it against the wolves.”

  “Makes sense. So there’s a traitor in the court who’s working with someone else.”

  “Looks that way. When we get a report back from the chieftain, I’ll call Ms. Turner.”

  “You have to keep your client in the loop. I’ll call her now and tell her you’re still investigating the case. Then when you find something out, you call me first, then Staci. I’ll get a hotel room and stick around for a few days.

  “Fine, but you know I don’t need a babysitter. I just spent the day with a species no one knew existed. We’re on almost friendly terms now.” That wasn’t a complete lie.

  “What are they, exactly?”

  “I rode on Rylen, the prisoner. In the water he was fishy in some ways but flatter so I could sit on him. He protected me so I was able to breathe underwater and I didn’t even get wet. They can even mind speak if you touch them. On land a few of them can take human form, but all of them turn into steeds.”

  “Horses?”

  “Yeah. You know the mural on the ceiling of Dad’s villa in Carmel?”

  “Sure.”

  “They’re like the horses the fae are riding on in the picture. Finvarra rode one into battle against the demons in the last war. They want me to call on them when…” I stopped myself before I could say it out loud.

  “When the war starts?” Aaron’s voice had gone quiet. He knew how I felt.

  “Forget it. There’s not gonna be a war.”

  Instead of arguing with me, he put his hand on my shoulder. “I hope you’re right.” He sniffed again. “Is something burning?”

  “Oh no. We shouldn’t have asked Ivy to cook.”

  We ate out that night at a local steak house. Ivy kept apologizing and Aaron kept laughing at the mess she’d made.

  “Why can’t an omelet be stuffed with peanut butter?”

  “And jelly,” Aaron chuckled.

  “Did you see that frying pan? We’re going to need a new one and we just bought that one. I’m sorry, guys.” She really did look guilty, so I tried to lighten the mood.

  “Adding sprinkles was the final straw.”

  “I did not…” She laughed when I did.

  Jay opened his mouth to comment, but Ivy pinched his arm. “Don’t even.”

  “My mouth is sealed.”

  Aaron punched Jay in the shoulder. “Not so fast, there’s another round of steaks coming.”

  When they arrived, Jay sighed in ecstasy at the first bite. “Thank you, Mr. Green.”

  “You must know you can call me Uncle Aaron. I’ve known you since you said your first word.”

  Jay had been silent for a few months after being adopted. It was hard for me to imagine any parents leaving their two year old alone in a house so they could score drugs. Peter and Kyle rescued him from a life in foster care. “I can?”

  “Yes, unless I’m pissed off at you. Then Alpha might be your best choice.”

  “Are you pissed off at me now?”

  “No.”

  “Cool. Thanks, Uncle A.”

  We all knew that was coming. “You’re welcome, Jay.”

  “What was his first word?” Ivy asked.

  “The first one I heard was hungry.”

  “What about Charlie?”

  I answered. “According to Mom, Sinlae hovered beside me coaching me to say her name, but all that came out was Laylay. She still insists it was my first word. Dad vows it was Da.”

  Everyone laughed, enjoying the food and the break from decision-making and crime fighting. When we finished, Aaron paid the check and the two of us walked behind the others so we could have a few private words.

  “Staci lied to me about the job when we spoke on the phone. I might not have recommended you.”

  “She did?”

  “She told me two of her wolves had been hurt, not murdered, and she neglected to mention she’d taken a prisoner her pack was about to execute. I’m sorry I threw you into the middle of this. Your dad will wring my neck when he hears.” Garrett and Aaron were first cousins and best friends.

  “He’ll probably only give you a time out,” I joked.

  “Yeah, but those suck, right?”

  I stared straight ahead, gathering my thoughts. “I want you to know I appreciate your trust, but I don’t need you to hang around. I can take care of Staci, Ms. Turner. I’ll find the killer and we’ll get paid and then she’ll recommend me to other supes. Our business will take off and I’ll be able to pay you back. We’ll be fine.”

  “And in the meantime…”

  “Nothing. We’re good.” I wouldn’t meet his gaze. Even with the retainer, we were pretty broke.

  “I just watched you eat dinner like you hadn’t had a decent meal in days.” Let me help.”

  “I can’t.”

  He took hold of my shoulders and spun me around to face him. “You can’t run a business if you’re run down. You can pull on the magic all you want, but if your body’s weak, you won’t be on your top game. Jay likes to cook and he’s pretty good. Use him. As a leader it’s important to draw on your team’s strengths, even off the job. You can pitch in and help him out. Eventually you’ll have the skills to trade off. It’s the way we run the kitchen in the pack. Even I have my night to run the kitchen every month.”

  “Okay. Makes sense.”

  “You want to be independent and run a business, then you have to be responsible for the people who work for you. That girl looks like a good breeze will blow her away.”

  He was right, but it was just hard to hear. “I’ll do better.”

  “I’m not criticizing you. You’ve done great so far and I know money’s been tight the last week or so.”

  “It ran out faster than I thought it would. Thanks for dinner.”

  “Can’t let my favorite nephew go hungry.”

  “I’m your only nephew.”

  He stretched out his arm. He was holding a credit card. “Take it. Use it for what you need to run your business.”

  “I can’t take any more of your money.”

  “Your dad’s parents saved my life. My father used to beat the crap out of me, tell me I was his worst mistake. Your grandfather took me in every time my dad kicked me out and he had to work long hours to put food on the table for his own family. He told me I was a good kid, not a worthless lowlife. Garrett was my only friend for a long time. I owe your family more than I can ever pay back. Let me do this for you, Charlie.”

  A debt of honor was something I understood. “I won’t buy a Harley.” I took the card and put it in my jeans pocket.

  “You better not, ‘cause I’ll catch you with my Ducati.” He winked. Aaron was loaded, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to pay him back every single cent.

  I hugged him then stepped away. He went home that night and I put in a call to my dad. You know, just to catch up.

  IVY

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  Someone knocked while I was soaking in the tub. “If you open that door, I’m going to drown you the next time we’re in the ocean.”
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  Jay laughed. “Hey, I’ve seen plenty of naked females.”

  “And I needed to hear that?”

  “I mean ‘cause I’m a shifter. We strip before we shift so we don’t rip our clothes. In high school…”

  “Yeah, I don’t need the details. But thanks. Why did you knock?”

  “I wanted to remind you that you’ve been in there for an hour.”

  “I need to soak in water everyday for at least thirty minutes.”

  “I repeat. One hour.”

  “I’ll be out soon.”

  “And your suggestion is that in the meantime I go pee on a tree?’

  “I thought bears were used to going in the woods.”

  “Ha ha. Funny.”

  “What’s up with the other bathroom?”

  “Rylen just got in the tub.”

  “You can pee in there. You’re both guys.”

  “If it was Charlie, yeah, but Rylen’s the heir to the throne and our guest. It wouldn’t be cool.”

  “I’m getting out now.”

  “Can I watch?”

  “If you want to die today.”

  “I’ll be right here in the hall. Waiting.”

  Two minutes later I was wrapped in a large towel with another towel around my hair. I opened the door and he was leaning against the wall, looking all sexy in his jeans and that tee shirt that I might have thought was a size to small if he didn’t have the kind of body that made my body tingle all over. I didn’t say anything as I passed him, the distance between us only a few inches, but I felt his gaze on me the whole way down the hall until I entered my room.

  What the hell was I thinking? My dad and my sisters needed me to keep my head on straight so I could pay off their debt. I couldn’t crush out on a shapeshifter. I had my life planned out with my own people.

  And what a great life that was gonna be. The chieftain would pick a mate for me, and I’d have to breed with the guy whether I liked him or not. It was my duty as a female member of a species where females were rare. And what if Tellek got his way? No way was I letting that guy touch me, let alone…

  I shuddered and slid to the floor, one sob leading to another. It was great that Jay said he’d protect me and all, but he had no power at court. It would take less than a second for Jay to be tossed out and crushed by the water pressure. He wouldn’t even have time to drown. No, Jay might not know it, but he needed my protection more than I needed his.