by Erin M. Leaf
“Unnatural hobbies?” Guy stared at the old man. “I’m not Theo’s hobby, Mr. Fraser. I’m his soulmate.” He held up his hand and jiggled his ring.
The old man ignored Guy. “Theo, your mother has been worried sick about you. I told her that your Council duties kept you from us, and I didn’t mention that you haven’t changed your ways. You will, though. You will have no choice but to find some nice young woman and marry. It’s expected, after all, coming from the Fraser family, and even more now that you will be Head of Council.”
The older man’s expression was that of a fanatic, and Guy stared at him in disbelief. Theo’s father is in complete denial. He looked at Theo, and his soulmate’s expression of exasperation told him he wasn’t far off the mark. “I think this conversation is over,” he said, blocking the older Fraser’s view of the bed.
“Stand down, Guy. I’ve got this.” Theo struggled to sit up, and Guy sighed, but gave him a hand, still amazed that his soulmate could sit up after major surgery. Theo pulled Guy down next to him on the bed, and then leaned into him. “Dad, you’re being deliberately obtuse. I’ve been a Council Delegate for six months. I’ve been gay my entire life. Those two things do not have anything to do with each other,” Theo pointed out.
Mr. Fraser stepped closer to them. “As your father, I can file a claim with the Council that details your mental instability. Everyone knows Empaths are prone to breakdowns.” He stared down at his son with such anger that even Guy, who wasn’t an Empath, could feel it.
“Over my dead body,” Guy said, under his breath.
“Now, I don’t want to declare you unfit, Theodore, but if I have to, I will,” the older Fraser said, giving Guy a look that could wither a lesser man. “And I’ll have your so-called spouse thrown in jail for fraud.”
Did he just threaten me? Guy stared back at him until Mr. Fraser looked away.
Theo glared at his father. “It’s been said that Empaths who are not bonded have more difficulty dealing with their abilities, yes. From my research, I’ve learned that most of them don’t have breakdowns, as you so charmingly put it. They simply need more space and quiet in order to ground their emotions. However, I’ve never been ‘unstable’.” He used air quotes to emphasize his point. “I’m a strong Empath, and always have been. And I’m bonded. There’s no possibility of any emotional, mental, or Craft incapacity. The Council knows this.”
Guy put a hand on Theo’s arm, offering support. “Now that you’ve said your piece, Mr. Fraser, Theo needs his rest.” He glanced to the doorway, wondering how the hell he was going to get the old man out of Theo’s room. He could physically throw him out, but he was really hoping he wouldn’t have to. He stood up, and loomed over the older man. “Please leave.”
“How dare you!” Theo’s father turned his anger on Guy. “You disgusting fag—”
Whatever else he intended to say was cut off when the window near the bed shattered. Guy reacted instinctively, grabbing Theo and rolling them to the floor. Shots hit the wall, and he looked around for Jonathan, relieved when he found his son on the floor, shielding Rose.
“Shit! What the hell is going on?” Theo said, trying to shove Guy off of him. “Fuck. That hurts.” He groaned, hand at his chest.
“Oh my God, are you okay?” Guy asked, pushing Theo further into the corner behind the bed. “You’re not hit, are you? Did you tear your stitches?”
“I’m fine, just pissed. And not completely healed, so that hurt like a bitch,” Theo said in a pained voice. He shoved at Guy. “Let me up.”
“Hell to the no,” Guy said, still shielding him. “Stay down. We have no idea what’s happening.”
Theo gave up shoving. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, and Jonathan and Rose are okay,” he said, knowing that would be Theo’s next question. He chanced another glance, then grimaced at the sight of Theo’s father on the floor, bleeding from what looked like a minor leg wound. “Your father’s hit, though. Looks like just a scratch. Nothing serious.” Unfortunately.
“He’ll live,” Theo said bitterly. “He always does.”
Guy was much more concerned with Theo’s safety. He was about to suggest leaving the room, when another barrage of gunshots hit the walls. “Shit!” He protected Theo with his body, hoping that someone outside the room had the presence of mind to call the cops. “Someone obviously wants to kill you, and they don’t seem to care how many other people die along the way.”
“Dammit! Where the hell is Nick?” Theo said, pushing at Guy so he could see. “Rose?”
“Jonathan has her,” Guy said, ducking down again as another hail of bullets spread destruction through the room. Then, as suddenly as the bullets started, they stopped. Guy and Theo exchanged glances.
“Is it over?” Theo asked after a long minute had passed.
Guy grimaced. “No way to know.” He tentatively raised his head, coughing at the dust. Nothing happened. Do I get him out now, or do we wait? he wondered. He looked at his soulmate. Theo’s face was set in a frown, and Guy knew his lover was in pain. Yeah, that’s it. No more waiting around. “Okay, time to bail,” he said, helping Theo up.
“Fuck.” Theo grunted. “No, don’t stop, I’m okay. Just hurts,” he said, when Guy moved to put him back down. “Nothing’s torn. It’s just aching.”
“This is bullshit,” Guy hissed. His soulmate should be sleeping and recovering from surgery, and here they were, in the middle of a war zone.
“Into the hall,” Jonathan said, urging Rose across the room at a crouch. “Keep your head down.”
“What about my father?” Theo asked Guy.
Guy sighed, then grabbed the older man’s arm, yanking him to his feet. “Out, now,” he said.
The older man stared at him in shock, then nearly crumpled. “Are you okay?” Guy asked, catching him. Mr. Fraser was a bastard, but he was Theo’s father. When the man didn’t reply, Guy turned them all towards the door. All of his instincts screamed at him to get everyone out, but before they got far, the last man Guy expected to see barreled into the room. Nick, Theo’s bodyguard, looked like hell. “What happened?” Guy asked, supporting Theo with his right arm while Mr. Fraser slid back down to the floor. “Fuck,” Guy muttered, and let him go.
“Theo! Jesus.” The bodyguard rushed over.
Guy tried to block him, but Theo gripped his arm. “He’s okay. I can tell.”
He’d better be, or I’ll rip his heart out with my bare hands. Guy let Nick through.
Theo coughed, then groaned as Nick took his other arm. “Shit. That fucking hurts.”
“Easy,” Guy said, helping Theo’s father back up.
“There, over by the door,” Nick said, helping them over to the two chairs set just inside the room. “You’ll be safe here.”
“We weren’t safe before.” Guy eased Mr. Fraser down, and then helped Theo sit. “What about the shooter?”
“I got him. It’s over.” Nick reached out and squeezed Theo’s shoulders. “I got him.”
Theo grabbed Nick’s arms. “What? Are you okay? How?” He shook his head. “Who?”
Guy eyed Theo’s old man. Mr. Fraser was pale and shaking. Dammit. “Sit there. Don’t move.” The distant sound of sirens punctuated the chaos. He glanced out the door to find a mess just inside the hall. Some of the bullets had penetrated through the wall and shattered lights. Debris littered the tile floor. He glanced out. Nurses rushed towards them. “He’s fine,” he told them, then turned back to Theo.
“—the bastard. He’s down. I put a bullet in his head myself,” Nick was saying.
“Who?” Guy crouched down and wrapped an arm around Theo. His soulmate didn’t look all that steady.
“My other bodyguard, John. Apparently, he went rogue or something,” Theo said, rubbing his face. “God, I’m tired.”
Guy wasn’t feeling all that great himself. “Shit. But why would he want you dead? That doesn’t even make sense.”
Nick shook his head. “I’ll expl
ain when we get you both somewhere safe. I’ve had my eye on him for a while.”
“How do I know we can trust you?” Guy bit out, not particularly confident in anyone’s ability to keep Theo safe at this point.
“I know him, Guy,” Theo said.
Guy opened his mouth to argue, but a wave of dizziness passed through him. “Aw, fuck,” he muttered, abruptly sitting on the floor. He looked down. No blood. “What the hell is wrong with me?”
Theo’s concerned face loomed over him, but Guy pushed him back. “No. You’ll fall out of the chair.”
“Nick?” Theo asked.
Guy looked around, fighting dizziness. “Where’s Jonathan?” he mumbled, slumping against Theo’s legs. “He’ll know what to do.” His son was a Healer.
“Dad?”
Guy blinked slowly, watching through a fog as Nick punched into the damaged wall and pried some sort of canister out of it. The cylinder was dented, and Guy shook his head, trying to clear it. It didn’t help. He watched Theo’s bodyguard throw the canister out of the window, as if in slow motion. Guy blinked again, needing to know what was happening. He tried to call out to Theo, and to Jonathan, to anyone at all, but someone shoved a hand against his face, and he fell into darkness.
****
Theo woke slowly. He was warm, and his fingers tingled. Someone pressed up against his right side, strong and comforting. That’s Guy. The thought woke him up further. Where are we? He opened his eyes. A dim light set on the top of a small nightstand tucked into the corner barely lit the room. I’m in bed. I’m not dead. Guy is safe. He swallowed, grimacing when the dryness in his esophagus made itself known. His back hurt, and he felt weak.
“Hey, you’re awake,” Nick said.
Theo turned his head. “Nick?” He coughed, then cleared his throat. He felt awful. “What the hell happened?” He remembered the gunshot, the surgery, Guy and his father confronting each other in his hospital room, and then … nothing.
Nick sighed, running a hand over his face. “Several of John’s rounds hit a canister of sevoflurane stored in a closet next to your room.” He grimaced. “Sleeping gas. People with Craft power are much more susceptible to its effects than regular humans. The gas isn’t widely used for surgery anymore because it’s so volatile.”
That’s why I felt so groggy. “Why didn’t it affect you?” Theo asked, looking over his clearly exhausted, but very healthy bodyguard. “You dug it out of the wall like it was nothing.”
“I held my breath.” Nick shrugged. “My training kicked in as soon as I smelled it. And I think it affects some Craft powers more than others. Empathy, WoodCrafting, Healing. Active powers. My gift isn’t active.”
That’s right. He never did tell me what his power is, Theo remembered. His mind felt like it was still waking up. “Wait, it affects Healing? Guy’s son is a Healer vet. Is he okay?” he asked, trying to sit up. Nick stood up and shoved some pillows against the headboard for Theo to lean against. Beside him, Theo felt Guy stir, and he placed his palm on the older man’s shoulder. He hoped to reassure Guy that everything was fine, even though he didn’t know for sure that it was. But we’re here, together, and we’re both alive. That’s something, right?
“Jonathan is fine. He got a little woozy, but he wasn’t trying to recover from surgery, like you,” Nick said. “He and Rose are sleeping it off in the next room over.”
Theo grimaced. “What about Guy? He wasn’t injured. Why is he still passed out?” He distinctly remembered Guy slumping down at his feet. Theo didn’t lose consciousness until after Guy had gone under. “Shit. And my father?”
“You and Guy share energy. You both instinctively fought off the effects of the gas, but because you were still healing from surgery, and you had fewer reserves, it still took you down.” Nick lifted a shoulder. “You and Guy are actually two of the strongest Craft wielders alive. It’s simply bad luck that you were already injured, or you would’ve been able to fight off the gas better.”
“Sleeping gas?” Guy croaked.
Theo turned to his soulmate. “That’s what Nick says.”
“Shit. That’s some weird bad luck.” Guy groaned, hands going to his skull. “I feel like someone scooped out my brain and then put it back in my skull all wrong.”
Theo snorted, then winced as his head began throbbing. Yeah, he knew exactly how Guy felt.
“Is Jonathan okay? Rose?” Guy asked.
“Jonathan is fine. And so is Rose, I’m assuming.” He cocked an inquiring eyebrow at Nick.
“Rose is fine,” Nick assured him. “She went down when Jonathan finally passed out.”
“Definitely soulmates,” Theo murmured, wondering how long it would take the two to realize their affinity.
“Yeah,” Nick said, glancing at the door.
He’s waiting for someone, Theo realized.
“Where the hell are we?” Guy asked.
“Looks like a tomb,” Theo said, but he had a feeling he knew where they were. “Beneath the Council building?”
Nick nodded, looking surprised. “How did you know?”
Theo shrugged. “I’m a strong Empath. I always knew there were more sub-basements than what I was told about when I became a Delegate.” He frowned. “In fact, I have a lot of questions for Brechek. Something is going on, and John going rogue proves that my suspicions were correct. That old man has a lot of explaining to do.”
The door opened, and Brechek walked in. “Good. You’re awake.” Brechek’s assistant, Jack, followed him into the room, then shut the door.
Theo waited a moment, sampling Brechek’s emotions before he trusted himself to speak. The older man was resigned, and worried, and Theo sensed that most of that worry was because he didn’t know how Theo was going to react. He decided that a non-confrontational approach might be best. People responded better to that, and he needed Brechek to talk to him. “Brechek? What’s going on?”
Brechek sighed, then sat in the chair set near the bed. “Nick filled you in?”
“He told us about John trying to kill me, yes, but he didn’t tell me why the man went rogue.” Theo sensed Guy’s wariness, and he didn’t blame his soulmate one bit. It wasn’t every day that you woke up in the presence of the Council Head after being attacked.
Brechek nodded. “We had no idea that anyone was planning an assassination attempt.”
“Hmm. Are you sure about that?” Theo asked. “You’re the one who insisted I have bodyguards, remember? I didn’t think the threats were valid, but you insisted.”
“Yes, I’m sure,” Brechek said, pausing for a moment.
Theo waited as Guy shifted impatiently. He knew Brechek wasn’t finished, and he’d had time to cultivate patience over the last few months on the Council. Brechek often chewed over his words before he spoke, which wasn’t a bad characteristic for a Council Head. And I’ll wait a long time if I have to, especially if Brechek is going to cough up some light on this clusterfuck. He put a hand on Guy’s arm to calm him.
“What you don’t know is that there is a faction of Craft wielders who want to overthrow the Council and subjugate the non-gifted,” Brechek finally said. “Unfortunately, this isn’t a few disgruntled folks bitching in their living rooms about missed opportunities. They’ve organized.”
Theo stared at the older man. He’d sensed Brechek holding back information over the past several months, but he’d never imagined this being the reason. “That’s insane.”
“To what end?” Guy asked, voice thick with caution. “We’re a minority. What would be the point? We’re all human. Those with Craft are no different than people born with brown hair or dark skin.”
“To take over. To make people born without power suffer. To cause chaos. What else do terrorists want?” Brechek offered. “Honestly? I have no idea. I’ve been grappling with this for over a year, but I suspect it goes back decades. And I had to wait and see how you handled the Council before I told you about it.” He turned and gestured to his assistant. “I’ve b
een Council Head for over twenty years, and I only recently began to suspect what was happening.” He shook his head. “That’s on me. It was my responsibility to keep our people safe, and I failed.”
This is why he’s been so secretive? Theo thought, mind racing. Much as I don’t want to admit it, it makes sense. But can I trust that Brechek is telling me the truth?
Jack walked over. “We knew the anarchists existed, but we didn’t know who they were.”
Theo frowned. “You used your retirement announcement as a prod, didn’t you? You leaked the information that you were stepping down as Head, and put out my name as your replacement, didn’t you?”
Brechek nodded. “Yes. We hoped that this would push them into action. I knew they wouldn’t want a young, strong Craft wielder as Head.” He shifted on the chair. “I didn’t expect them to try and kill you, however.”
“What the hell were you expecting?” Guy asked, sounding angry.
Theo put his hand back on Guy’s shoulder. Tension vibrated through his soulmate.
“We didn’t know,” Jack said. “But we had to do something. We don’t know if the murders in Massachusetts are related. We don’t know how many of them are out there. We didn’t know who was running the show.”
“But you do now?” Theo asked.
“Unfortunately, yes.” Jack held out a folder.
Theo took it and flipped it open. The picture staring up at him was a shot of his father sitting at a coffee shop. “You aren’t serious?” He paged through the rest of the file. It detailed information about his father’s involvement with a loosely organized faction of Craft wielders. He shut the folder, feeling a migraine coming on. “Where did you get this information?”
Brechek sighed. “Your youngest brother.”
“What?” Guy leaned forward. “Theo’s brother spied for you?”
“Yes. Jamie Fraser came to us, actually,” Jack said, taking the folder back. “Thank God.”
“That’s absurd. He’s in college,” Theo said, already knowing that his brother’s student status proved nothing. He remembered playing cards with Jamie and teaching him how to ride a bicycle. His brother had been only ten when their father had disowned Theo, and even though he’d tried, he’d never been able to get in touch with Jamie after that. “He’s only twenty.” Theo frowned. “And I remember he didn’t have any Craft power. My father treated him like shit. So did my other brother, Robert.”