Shadowed Blade (Colbana Files Book 6)

by J. C. Daniels

  “A…” I frowned, looking between the two men. William was probably in his sixties, easy.

  “Things aren’t what they seem with him, Kit. He’s lived far longer than you would believe. Now go. I must think and you…need to be gone.”

  There was a car parked at the side of the road.

  My heart sped up when somebody climbed out and stood there.

  Somebody—

  Fuck.

  “It’s a state trooper,” I said, fear boiling at the back of my throat.

  “State line is five miles away.” Doyle looked at me. “We run for it.”

  The man took a few steps and placed himself in the middle of the road, as though he’d read our thoughts.

  “Pull over.” I shot Doyle a look when he didn’t slow. “We can’t risk a chase with Justin in the shape he’s in; and if he’s a trooper out looking for NHs, then he’s got firepower in that car.”

  He hissed out a breath but put his foot down on the brake.

  “Just…stay inside,” I said, shaking my head as I worked my way around them and climbed out.

  The trooper was staring at the ground, hands on his hips, but as I started toward him, he lifted his head and weary blue eyes met mine. “I’m to understand that you folks need an escort to the border.” He paused a moment, then added, “William says hello.”

  “You…” Reluctant just yet, I moved no closer. “You know William.”

  “He’s my father.” His jaw tightened. “That is something kept very, very quiet, ma’am, for understandable reasons. I would appreciate your discretion.”

  “Discretion on what?” I said, wide-eyed. “I don’t know any William.”

  He managed a tired smile and then nodded to my vehicle. “If you’d return to your vehicle, I’ll get in mine. I’m providing escort from here to the Florida/Georgia line, lights, no sirens. Several troopers do patrol this area as it’s becoming increasingly popular for those who want to easily slip back and forth.”

  “And if you get questioned…?”

  “That’s easy. You’re a family rushing to get back to Tallahassee because you got word that your sister was attacked by a stone cold killer werewolf.” His mouth went tight. “I heard rumors of a shifter attack; girl thought she’d walk on the wild side and it didn’t go well. Kid was just moving into his spike. He pushed her away when she tried to kiss him. He’s already been put down.”

  He sounded so disgusted and pissed off, I wanted to hug him even as I wanted to howl.

  “Come on, ma’am. Y’all need to go.”

  I nodded and retreated to my car. “Be careful,” I said as I slid inside.

  “He okay?” Doyle asked.

  “That’s Will’s boy,” Nova muttered, still half-asleep “David. He’s good people. Let’s go.”

  “He’s fine,” I said to Doyle when he continued to wait.

  Lights went on. Doyle put the SUV into drive.

  The last few miles sped by.

  Once we crossed into Florida, I took what felt like my first free breath in months. It had only been a few short days, but it sure as hell didn’t feel that way.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “You’re not doing this.” Damon had his hand around Chang’s throat and the slimmer man was pressed against the wall.

  “I am. She needs a solid reason that Banner will believe she wasn’t anywhere near these…alleged events in South Carolina. This is one certain way to make that happen.”

  Sitting on the couch, head in my hands, I tried to think of another way to get around this. I had been trying for the past ten minutes. Because I really, really didn’t want to take this route—it was going to suck. But I couldn’t think of anything.

  Justin and Colleen were safe.

  They were tucked inside the safe room of the House of Witches, and those were sanctuaries. Even Banner wouldn’t violate the safe rooms in the House of Witches. The bad news? You had to be in bad, bad shape to get inside there.

  The witches guarding those rooms would say nothing of their wards, and most people wouldn’t even think to ask about them—I hoped that meant Banner, but I wasn’t going to bet on it.

  However, that left me in a bad position.

  As long as I could be accounted for, everybody else on my team didn’t need to worry because I was the one they were after.

  So, I had to be accounted for.

  Chang had a way. I had to give it to him; he had come up with a hellishly diabolical way to make sure Banner believed I’d been nowhere near South Carolina.

  He was one cagey bastard.

  “Damon.” I waited until he swung furious golden-green eyes my way and then I stood up. “Let him go. This is my choice. It’s the only way.”

  “The hell it is. Banner wants you? They can try to come in and take you.”

  “We’re not starting a war over this if there’s another way!” I shouted.

  “I’m not—”

  “It’s my choice.” Taking one step toward him, I wished to hell that wasn’t the case, but we didn’t have time to think through other options. “You know as well as I do that this will work.”

  “I know it will hurt.”

  “I can take it.” I moved closer and stared up at Chang. “Let him go.”

  Damon looked like he wanted to eat nails.

  Or shove them down Chang’s throat. But slowly, he lowered his second in command—and his best friend—to the floor. “There’s got to be another option.”

  “They are already on their way,” Chang said, getting impatient. “I convinced them to let her recuperate until morning.”

  “And just who was it that supposedly do this? Because everybody knows I’d kill anybody who tried this.” Damon clenched his big hands into fists, so enraged, just being close to him was painful—the very air stung my skin.

  “It’s already been done.” Chang offered a cool smile. “Adam proved to be very…reluctant in coming to terms with your relationship with Kit. After he called her a bitch several times, I decided I’d had enough and dealt with him. Quite messily, as you would. We’ll simply make it clear that after the events that took place here the other day, he lay in wait for her and attacked her yesterday while you were out attending to Clan affairs. He was stopped by Scott and myself and detained. Upon your return, you killed him. You know how to sidestep the truth well enough to avoid an outright lie—so do it.”

  Damon’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Why wasn’t I informed about Adam?”

  “You’ve been busy.”

  “Enough.” I shoved Damon back. “We’re doing this.”

  He said nothing else so I went to the dresser where I stored my clothes. “Who is doing the healing?”

  “There’s a man from Green Road who owes me a favor. He’ll only be able to accelerate it by roughly twelve hours. You’ll hurt for a while.”

  “Kit.” Damon stared at me, his face twisting in a pained grimace. “Don’t. Banner can’t take you from here. ANH law doesn’t allow it, not without proof.”

  “But they can make things hard. We need Banner on our side, Damon.” Ducking into the bathroom, I pulled on a loose pair of pants and a shirt that bared my belly. When I ducked back out, there was a third man in there and he looked about as miserable about this as I felt. Of course, in a few minutes, I’d feel worse.

  I moved over to the bed.

  “Could we get some towels?” The healer looked at Chang before meeting my eyes. He gave me a tight smile. “This is fun, right?”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  Chang had several towels in his hand as he came back to us. “I’m not enjoying this either.”

  “I oughta fucking rip your head off,” Damon said from across the room. “I can’t believe I’m letting this...”

  “Do it.” I stared into Chang’s eyes.

  I felt the hot wash of blood first. The pain a second later. Then Damon’s arms.

  There was a crashing noise as well, but I was already shaking and shuddering, fighting not to c
ry out as the healer went to work on the four, gushing gashes—gut wound. Deep, ugly…so painful.

  “Let me see if I can make this any clearer for you…she’s hurt. She’s resting. Now if you insist on asking your fucking questions, then you ask them. But if you upset her?”

  I came awake to see Damon snarling down at the man clad in the familiar black and silver uniform of the Banner unit.

  “Then I’m going to be upset—really upset.”

  “Alpha Lee.” The calm voice from the woman next to her counterpart drew Damon’s eyes.

  She was a shifter of some sort. I hurt too much to think, but I could see the energy inside her. “We won’t upset her. But it’s…best if these questions are asked now so we can put this matter to rest.”

  “What questions?”

  I only surprised the human.

  He had been staring at Damon with a mix of disdain and dismay and he hadn’t realized I was awake.

  Now, stepping around Damon, he started toward me with such arrogance, I would have laughed. Except it would hurt too much.

  His partner was the one to draw him back.

  I bet she had to do that a lot.

  “Timothy, remember what I said about courtesies,” she said, smiling at him before offering Damon a nod.

  He was looking at Timothy with contempt.

  I cleared my throat.

  Damon was at my side in a second. “How are you?”

  “I hurt.”

  His mouth tightened.

  “Help me sit up?”

  He nodded and I bit my lip to keep from crying out at just how much it hurt. I really, really wanted to make somebody else suffer for this. Once I was no longer about ready to pass out from the pain, I focused on the two Banner cops. It took a few seconds. I had to blink hard a couple of times, because I kept seeing four of them.

  Finally, my vision cleared and I managed to ask, “What does Banner want?”

  “Why haven’t you returned the calls from Detective Hargrave?” Timothy demanded imperiously.

  “Calls…” I didn’t even have to fake it. For a minute, I totally forgot that I’d been bombarded with calls from Banner. Sweat beaded on my brow and I reached up, swiped at it.

  “You’re running a fever,” Damon said gruffly. “It’s the virus.”

  “Excuse—”

  “Timothy.” This time, the female voice wasn’t quite so polite. “How long ago was she attacked, Alpha Lee?”

  “Don’t worry, she won’t change. She can’t.” Damon pressed a cool cloth to my brow. “Can you do this right now?”

  The last question was directed at me and I took a moment let the cool chill of the rag seep into my skin before I answered. “I can do it. I’ve had worse.”

  The miserable fact was that I wasn’t lying. The bitch of it was that I’d never had to do worse on purpose.

  Nudging him back, I made myself focus on the irritating man next to the shifter. “Calls.” I’d remembered the calls, but I really couldn’t let him know that, now could I?

  “Yes. He called you no less than six times last night. You weren’t at your legal residence.”

  “I’ve moved in with Damon.” I pressed a hand to my belly and felt the heavy pad of bandages. “As to calls? Well, I was kind of, sort of otherwise engaged.”

  “I need details.” He started to tap his foot.

  “Hell, Okay.” Damon had helped me get into a propped position, leaving the bandages where anybody could see them. If that idiot would look, he’d figure it out. Although…well, this was what we wanted him to see. “Damon? Would you?”

  The look in his eyes made it clear he was still very, very pissed off but he carefully eased the edge of the bandage back, bit by bit until half the wound was bared. When I looked down, I could see the pink meat of my healing belly. Chang had gone all the way through and he’d been very, very neat.

  It still hurt like a bitch.

  The healer had closed up the internal damage, something that wouldn’t be obvious without an exam, but that was the only good news.

  “Is that detailed enough?” Damon asked, his voice scathing. “She’s been pretty much flat on her back ever since some piece of shit decided to take a swipe at her.”

  And every last word rang true. He was so very furious with Chang.

  Timothy was still staring, a fine sheen of sweat on his upper lip now.

  His partner stepped forward, nudging him back. “Has a healer looked at you, Ms. Colbana?”

  “My best friend normally provides my healing. She was kidnapped,” I said, disgusted.

  “I don’t let witches in my Lair unless somebody I trust can vouch for them. With both Colleen and Justin missing, my options are decidedly limited,” Damon said, sounding like the biggest asshole he knew how to be.

  “So you’re just letting her…suffer?” Timothy said, sputtering.

  “She was sleeping until you pricks showed up.” Damon came to his feet and moved closer. “She heals fast and the virus in her blood makes her heal faster. She would have slept until nightfall and woken up almost pain-free. But you…you had to come in here—”

  “Alpha Lee, we apologize. But we have a job to do.” Again, the shifter stepped in between them.

  “Yes, Aretha. Exactly, yes.” Timothy wagged his head up and down. “We…ah…we have questions.”

  “They aren’t needed,” Aretha said. “She was attacked by a shifter. Going by the healing and the progression rate of the virus I can smell in her blood, it was a good twelve or fifteen hours ago. Could I…is it possible to talk to the attacker?”

  “Can you talk to ghosts?” Damon asked, sidestepping the question neatly.

  Timothy paled.

  But I saw the speculative gleam in Aretha’s eyes. She’d noticed the non-answer, too.

  But she didn’t push.

  “Very well. Unsurprising, I must say.”

  They were dismissed without another word from Damon. He simply turned his back on them and Aretha shot her partner a look that clearly said, We’re done.

  Damon sat down next to me and took my hand as we listened to the door close. For the longest time, neither of us spoke.

  Finally, he stretched out and laid his head on my thigh. “I’m debating on whether or not to kill Chang or just go after Whit—”

  “Don’t say his name,” I said, covering his mouth with my hand without fully understanding what drove me.

  Damon gripped my wrist, his grasp almost painful. “This…fuck, Kit.”

  “I know.” Closing my eyes, I tried to find something else to think about besides the pain, but that pain was so very intense, it tried to eat me alive.

  There was a discreet knock at the door.

  “Enter.” Damon bit the word off.

  Doyle slipped inside, soundless.

  He held a mug in his hand and came to me, careful not to look at Damon.

  Chang must have made sure everybody knew he’d gone and pissed off their Alpha.

  Too bad.

  I was probably going to piss him off more before long.

  Wrinkling my nose, I stared at the mug. “Am I expected to drink that?”

  “You probably want to,” Doyle said, looking only at me. “You’re hurting.”

  “Throwing up will make me hurt worse.”

  Damon lifted a hand and closed it over my thigh. “Drink it, Kit. Save what’s left of my sanity.”

  I smoothed a hand down his short hair. “If I drink it, will you try to rein it in, Demon?”

  “Demon…” He almost smiled. “I’ll tell you what, little girl, if you’ll drink that tea, I won’t kill Chang the second I see him.”

  “You won’t hit him or threaten to kill him or anything else.” I still couldn’t stop my lip from curling as I eyed the mug. That stuff was going to be horrible, I could tell from the smell. How was Doyle even holding it without gagging? And why couldn’t they make any sort of healing brew that wasn’t like death and piss all mixed together? “And you’ll al
so owe me a favor.”

  The noise that left him was long and disgusted. “Leave the damn tea, Doyle. She’s going to wring me dry.”

  “That’s what you get for falling for somebody who isn’t a shifter,” I said, reminding him of a discussion we’d once had. I winked at Doyle as he slid back out. Sensing the storm was slowly passing, I picked up the tea. It was close enough that I could reach it without stretching, and as long as I didn’t inhale...

  “What’s this favor?”

  I drank the tea, burning my tongue in the process. “Too late. I drank it. You now owe me the favor, which I will collect upon my own convenience.” Already, I was exhausted.

  “Kit…” The edge of a growl crept into his voice and he flipped over onto his hands and knees, staring at me.

  “No growling.” I wasn’t ready to tell him about my aunt. I’d already told the others I would inform him about our mysterious…helper. Pilar was too dense to get the undertones. but Mike had sensed that something strange was going on, and he’d said that the job had been completed. That both he and Pilar would remain quiet on the details, speaking about it only with me present. He was certain their Alpha would understand. Given the nature of said job, I was pretty sure that Alistair would rather know nothing about it.

  Mo and Roper were a bigger issue, but Doyle had advised them that I should handle certain details. If they liked their throats as they were, they’d do best to just leave it alone.

  I wasn’t so certain I was helping anybody by not spilling everything right away, but there was something decidedly…odd about Rana’s abrupt reappearance in my life.

  Odd in a number of ways—I wasn’t overcome by the urge to take off running. I could call my weapons. I could hear my weapons. She’d aided me.

  When it came down to it, I couldn’t find it in me to see her as a threat.

  But Damon would want her blood.

  Cupping his cheek, I asked, “Can you get news? I need to know how they are.”

  “That’s how you’re going to play it.” Gray eyes studied mine and he curled his hand around my wrist. “I’m not going to like this favor, am I?”

  “No. I’m sorry.”

  “Kit…” His teeth scored my lower lip, then he kissed my forehead. “You are forever tangling and twisting me up. You know that?”