“Mary Beth was the girl who died?”
She nodded and went on. “Astor was engaged in an experiment: the effects of metal on Werewolves in human form versus wolf form, and the best and worst material to use against each. He’d mapped out a great deal for us about the second spirit of a Werewolf, and how metal was such an absolute killer. Some of our best weapons against Werewolves come from his research and discoveries. Well, his and your father’s.”
“Astor worked with my father?”
“For a time. After the accident, Astor pulled away, but your father kept going. It was just as well. Even with the priceless discoveries, CHAS never would’ve accepted it if it’d had Astor’s name on it.”
“Why? What exactly happened to Mary Beth?”
“As I understood it, Mary Beth offered to be a guinea pig of sorts. They injected each other with a serum Astor developed. It gave her all of the characteristics of a Werewolf, so I’m told.”
“Like the serum Miles gave George?” I asked, trying to keep the excitement out of my voice. I didn’t care how unstable or loopy this guy was if he had answers.
“Similar, except Astor’s version made sure Mary Beth retained her humanity and control over her shifting. I don’t know the details. After the injection, Mary Beth offered to test some of the metals they were working with. There was an accident in the lab and Mary Beth was killed.”
“How did she die?”
“I don’t know the details. The entire thing was kept quiet. CHAS investigated but they couldn’t do much because of the conflict of jurisdiction. Astor was under contract with them, to provide findings for his weaponized use of metals, so they voided the contract, but they couldn’t charge him under CHAS law, since he’s a Werewolf.
“After the noise died off, he retreated from the public eye. His lab was shut down and no one heard much out of him. I think CHAS might’ve issued a hit on him for what happened to Mary Beth, except that his victim had been a Werewolf at the time of her death. Again, not under CHAS’s jurisdiction. And Werewolves have no laws governing each other like we do, so he was largely ignored from that point on. Still, there are stories of his, shall we say, quirks and eccentricities. It’s said he is unstable. And as a Werewolf, that is never a good thing to be.”
“Why are you telling me all of this? I mean, I’m grateful, but no one else would say anything except tell me to stay away and warn me what a horrible idea it would be to seek him out. They made it sound like he killed Mary Beth in cold blood.”
“Some say he did. That the metals drove him crazy and he lost his mind.”
I remembered what Logan said about the side effects of using metal as a Hunter without proper training. I never thought of the adverse effect it could have on a Werewolf handling it over time. “You still haven’t answered my question,” I reminded her, “about why you shared all this with me.”
“It’s always wise to understand all of your options.”
“According to everyone else, this isn’t an option.” My eyes narrowed as I tried to decipher the real meaning of her words. “You think I should go see him, don’t you?”
“I think you’re going to do what you think is necessary to save your friend, consequences be damned.” She shrugged, her petite shoulders rising and falling fluidly. “At least that’s the Tara I’ve come to know.”
She sounded amused, affectionate almost. It reminded me of our conversation at Wood Point. She’d opened up and told me she wanted to spend time getting to know me before her illness overcame her. She’d told me then how strong she thought I was, how I’d make such a great leader, if I didn’t screw up and choose the wrong path.
I thought of my conversation with Wes the previous night and his insane idea. The same one Vera seemed to be suggesting. “You think I should go see him, regardless of what everyone else thinks? Regardless of how mad they’ll be?”
“I think you wouldn’t have asked me if you weren’t already considering it.”
I cocked my head. “And if I asked you where I could find him, what would you say?”
“DeLuca Manor is in Nevada, about 100 miles outside Las Vegas. A small town called Garth.”
“How do you know he’s there?”
“He hasn’t left the house in fifteen years. He’s there.” Her eyes twinkled with something unspoken.
“You still haven’t told me why you’re encouraging me to do this.”
“I’m simply giving you the information necessary to make a decision. I believe a good leader is self-reliant and is able to decide for herself, even when it means going against the majority.”
I bit my lip. “You think I’d make a good leader?”
“That depends entirely on the choices you make.”
“I hate it when you talk in riddles. Wait. When you talk like this, it usually means you’ve had a vision about me.”
“Not a vision, exactly. I’ve had... images,” she said slowly.
“Isn’t that the same thing?”
She frowned. “Your future has holes, dark spots, moments where the picture is no longer clear. We both know my gifts are no longer reliable, but my instincts tell me it’s something else that blots you out.”
“Like what?” I asked, my fingers picking at the edges of my shorts.
“I can’t say.” Her eyes landed on mine and held in a piercing stare. I was too afraid to look away; to do so felt like a confirmation of guilt. I wondered, though, with the way she looked at me if she didn’t already know. “The holes have always been there, but they are growing larger, darker. Is there anything you’d like to share with me? I could help you, if you let me.”
I shook my head. “No,” I whispered.
A long moment of silence passed, and still Vera held my gaze. The clock on the wall ticked out a rhythm that seemed to get louder and louder, until the deafening click made me blink.
“Well, then. You might be interested to know, Fee is preparing a burial service to be held two days from now,” she said, finally breaking the silence. “Immediately following the service, the pack will shift and run. It’s a ritual in the death of a pack member. No one else is invited.”
“Um, okay, thanks for telling me.” I was trying to catch up, unsure what had brought on the sudden change in topic.
“The house will be empty of all Werewolves at that time. That will leave only the two of us, Cordelia, and your two young friends.”
I sat up straighter as her implied meaning dawned on me. Did she really mean for me to take George and run away? To the doorstep of a mad scientist who might’ve killed a girl?
Then I remembered: “Grandma will be here. She’ll want to come to the service.”
“Edie received a call from CHAS this morning. They need her to come in and consult on some sort of school fundraising business. She’ll be back next week.”
“Oh.” I sat back, my head spinning a little with the possibilities. I couldn’t believe it. Vera was the last one I’d suspect of sneaking around behind the others’ backs. The last one besides Wes, that is. And hadn’t it been his idea in the first place? Had he actually been serious? I chewed my bottom lip, contemplating the chances of it actually working. I sighed at the futility of it. “They’ll know.”
“Pardon?”
“As soon as I disappear, they’ll know where I’ve gone. They’ll only follow me and haul me back.”
“Hmm. Yes, that could be a problem. Unless, of course, they think you went somewhere else. Somewhere they wouldn’t easily question or wouldn’t be able to easily verify.”
“Like a diversion?”
“Precisely.”
It wasn’t the worst idea. Okay, it probably was. But I couldn’t think of anything better. And that was the problem, wasn’t it? Besides Wes, I was the only one even trying to do anything about George’s impending shift.
To be fair, the rest of them were a little preoccupied. Bailey’s death hit them hard, and I couldn’t exactly demand they stop mourning to help me fix my own probl
ems. It was up to me. And this was the only option I had. And though I’d like nothing more than to crawl into bed until I could blink without seeing Bailey’s face in my mind, I wasn’t going to let George down. I’d made a promise and I intended to keep it.
“A diversion,” I repeated, my thoughts wandering as I considered possible scenarios. “But where else would I want to go? Everyone I care about is already here …”
Vera’s eyebrows rose. That was it. She didn’t have to say a word. The answer came immediately.
Slowly, I got to my feet. “Thank you for your time.”
A smile ghosted Vera’s lips. “Of course. Happy to help.”
Halfway to the door, I turned back. “Vera, I, um, I know we haven’t spent a lot of time together, but you’ve been a big help. I couldn’t have done this without you. Maybe when things calm down, we could spend some time together?”
She smiled. It lit her eyes in a way that diminished the shadow of illness that hung on her. “I would like that very much.”
“Great. I’ll see you soon, then.” I turned the knob and was almost out the door when she stopped me.
“Tara?” She waited until I looked back at her. “To be accepted, one must first accept oneself.”
I blinked and slipped out.
*
I made my way back to the kitchen and found a plate and cup by the sink, but no Cambria, no Fee. I wandered from room to room, each one empty and still. It was an odd sound, the quiet. Jack and Fee’s house always seemed so full—of bodies, conversation, motion. Silence was something new.
I decided to take advantage of the alone time and test the waters on my developing plan. I slid my phone out and dialed a number I’d been convinced I’d never dial again. As I listened to it ring, I slipped into the storage room and closed the door.
Alex picked up on the fifth ring. For a second, I thought it was his voice mail. “Make it quick, I don’t have long.” He was breathless and grunting. The beep-beep of some sort of machinery sang in the background.
My heart pounded at the sound of his voice, gruff and terse as usual. “Um, sorry, I can call back if it’s a bad time.”
“Tara?” The beeping stopped. His breathing slowed a little. “No, it’s fine. I’m just getting in a workout before patrols. Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine.” I hesitated. Part of me wanted to tell him I missed him, to ask about his new job, what he’d been doing, everything that’d happened since we’d been apart. I couldn’t bring myself to ask, though, when the answers included his love for hunting Werewolves. “I, um, need a favor,” I said instead.
“A favor,” he repeated. He didn’t exactly sound thrilled.
“Yes.” I held my breath, sure he’d say no, sure I was the last person he wanted to hear from right now.
The background noise died off abruptly as if he’d closed a door on it.
“What is it?” he asked warily.
“I need to get away for a while, and I can’t let the others know where I am. I’m going to leave word that I went to see you. I have no doubt they’re going to call you to verify, and I was hoping you could sort of mislead them for a bit.”
“You want me to lie so you can run away?”
“It sounds really bad when you say it like that.”
“If there’s a better way to say it, I’m all ears.”
“I’m not running away, I’m running to someone.” I winced as I realized how that sounded and hurried to explain. “It’s for George. He was injected with the hybrid serum by Miles before he … you know, and now he’s turning. I know of someone who might be able to help him, but everyone else thinks it’s a lost cause.”
“You mean, they think it’s too dangerous.”
“I wouldn’t be going if I had another choice. I know I’m the last person you want to hear from right now, especially after the way we left things—”
“Why can’t you tell Wes?” he demanded. “He’s your boyfriend. He’s supposed to be there for you, helping you, standing by you.”
“Wes knows. It was his idea.”
He didn’t respond right away. Maybe he’d been hoping for a different answer.
“Look, if you can’t—”
“I’ll do it,” he said, interrupting me.
“You will?”
“On one condition.”
“What?”
“Tell me everything.”
“Alex, I have—”
“Don’t lie to me, it’s insulting. I want to help you, but I can’t do that if I don’t know the whole story. And don’t try to tell me you had no idea about George’s predicament until you got home. This has obviously been going on since before you left school. Start from the beginning and tell me everything.”
“The beginning of what?”
“Of you.”
“Um, that’s kind of a long story.”
“I have time.” He sounded smug. I could easily picture the smile he’d be wearing: self-assured, more than a little condescending, and reveling in the win. I wished I were there to see it—and knock it off his face. “I’m waiting.”
Somewhere in the house a door slammed.
“I don’t have time,” I said, dropping my voice to a whisper. “Please, Alex. I will, but not now.”
“Fine, tell me this. Where are you going?”
“To see a relative. Astor DeLuca. He lives in Nevada.” I could hear Wes calling my name. “I gotta go.”
“Tara!”
I snapped the phone closed and returned it to my pocket just as the storage room door opened and Wes stuck his head in. His hair was flattened and a sheen of perspiration coated his face and neck.
“There you are. What’re you doing in here?” he asked.
“I had to make a call,” I said. “What happened to you?”
“Cord decided she wanted to build her own casket, which translates to me chopping wood.” He held out his calloused hands.
Grief pricked at me like a thousand tiny needles. “Wow. She’s going to build it herself?”
He shrugged. “She needs to channel her energy somehow.”
I thought about that. “Yeah, better woodworking than harassing.”
His brow lifted. “Anyone in particular you’re thinking of?”
“Nope, just concerned for the general welfare.”
He shook his head and started to leave. “I’m gonna hit the shower.”
“No, wait!” I yanked him back inside and closed the door as quietly as I could.
“What is it?” Alarm colored his features and he looked me over more closely, as if searching for damage.
“I’m fine,” I said, waving away his concern. “I need to talk to you. I had an interesting conversation with Vera earlier.”
“About?”
“Astor DeLuca.”
That got his attention. “What did she say?” he asked, lowering his voice.
I repeated the conversation, making sure to tell him the about the girl, Mary Beth, and the serum. “He found a way to turn her into a Werewolf without making her a monster. He’s got to be able to help us,” I finished.
“She told you to just go there and see him?” he asked.
“Basically.” I shrugged. “She even told me where he lives.”
“Wow.” He blew out a breath and leaned against the wall. Outwardly, he looked calm, but I could see the racing thoughts beneath the surface. His eyes scanned the shelves of equipment, not seeing any of it, I was sure.
“I want to do it,” I said softly, “but only if you’re okay with it.”
He met my eyes and nodded very deliberately. “I’m glad you talked to me about it first,” he said. “I’m in, but there’s something else.”
“What?”
“Cord was telling me about a friend of hers who works at CHAS headquarters.”
“Cord is friends with someone working for CHAS?”
“They were in a foster home together at some point and the girl owes Cord a favor. Apparentl
y, she works in the research office and told Cord she could get her hands on some sort of hard drive that holds information about DNA samples they’ve gotten from some of the hybrids.”
“DNA samples?”
“CHAS took them from the group recovered at the school. I guess they’re studying them, trying to figure it all out.”
I frowned. “Even if the hard drive could help us, I wouldn’t know a thing about it. I don’t speak ‘science geek’ and neither do you.”
“But this Astor guy does, right?”
“Right.” Adrenaline coursed through me. I had to fight the urge to pace. There wasn’t room for that in here. “We need to get that hard drive, and we need to get George out. Vera says the best time will be during the pack run. Everyone will be gone.”
He nodded. “She’s right. They’ll be out for at least a couple of hours, which will give you a head start.”
“Me? Aren’t you coming?”
He hesitated, as if it pained him to say the next part. “I don’t know if George has that kind of time. It would probably work best if I drive north for the hard drive and you head west, to Astor. I’ll be right behind you.”
I bit my lip, knowing how hard it was for him to let me go on my own, even for a day or two. “Are you sure?”
“No,” he said on a sigh, “but it’s the best thing for George.”
“What about the run? You’ll miss it.”
“Bailey would understand, especially since your plan holds the possibility of a good fight.” He smiled, sadness tugging at the edges. “He hated missing the action, you know.” He shrugged. “I can run for him when I get back—if Cord doesn’t kill me first for bailing.”
I stared at him, not wanting to break the silence when he seemed so far away. I waited until he blinked, clearing the shadows in his expression, and looked at me. “We’re really doing this?” I asked. “You’re not going to tell me it’s dangerous or a bad idea?”
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