by D D Mathews
“Ha, well done my boy,” said Sarah as her granddaughter returned to the sitting room.
“That might be the most unpleasant woman I have ever met,” Colleen announced, speaking as herself for the first time all night.
Colin didn’t understand Sarah’s reaction, he had failed.
Sarah spoke to all, “Thank you, everyone, for coming. I hope you enjoyed the meal. Sorry for the company. I must speak with my Colleen. Please enjoy the drinks, I will return shortly.” Sarah took Colleen aside like she had done Colin earlier in the evening. Colin joined Aiden and they talked for a while before Maire and Cary joined them.
Maire was finishing a thought, “I wish you could visit the children. Maybe we could ask Osmund for permission.“
Cary shook his head ‘no.’ “That’s probably not a great idea daughter. He was still thorny for capitulating to Sarah, allowing me to come in for Colleen’s Rise. I don’t think he’ll let me visit.“
“I will ask anyway,” she beamed at him. His face said it would never happen.
“Colin, I must say jumping into McCarthy politics and scoring a point is tricky, but scoring the winning point. You should be proud. Mr. Nygaard might have found a diamond with you lad,” Cary said to Colin as he took a seat on a chair opposite from the younger men.
“Thank you, sir.“
“Call me, Cary.“
“Thank you, Cary, but I still don’t know exactly what happened?“
Aiden tossed in a joke, “You’re probably out of the running for Mr. Gretchen Zimmermann.“
Cary and even Maire laughed. Maire added, “Imagine her as a mother in law, yikes.“
Colin was surprised by the relaxed feel of the remaining McCarthys. He always saw such an icy cold group from afar, from the outside. Now, sitting by the fire with the family in their home was strangely exactly the same as sitting with the Dalys or the Rileys or even his dad. He might not be a McCarthy, but, right now, he felt like it.
Colleen returned, “Sarah has decided to head off to bed,” she announced still playing the servant. “Mr. MacDermott, your ride is here.“
Colin said his goodbyes and allowed Colleen to walk him to the door, she never broke character. It was an impressive display. He had grown to like Cary and Aiden and Maire. He was still afraid of the McCarthy matriarch and Colleen still confused him. Overall he considered the evening a win.
***
After finishing with the Rite of Judgement and doing a little busy work at the office, everyone headed over to Nuri’s house. She had started a bi-weekly dinner at her home. It was amazing how quickly Nuri changed her thinking from a guest to co-occupant, to head of the home. She knew Gretchen owned the house, but it was her home and she invited Nox, Justine, and Tamara freely. Gretchen loved to cook and never fought any changes; she was submissive to a fault.
The dinner was pork tenderloin with a bunch of vegetables on the side. Gretchen was on a veggie kick this week. She handled most of the cooking with a little assistance from Justine. Tamara and Nuri discussed the meeting and their plans moving forward, before dinner. They discussed everything again during the fine meal Gretchen had prepared. Nox set the mood by selecting the music for the evening. She started with a bit of rock, which magically turned to jazz when the meal was served. As the evening drew on pop music and show tunes played between jazz songs. Nuri hadn’t expected the esoteric music choices by Nox.
During dinner, the women discussed past lovers between pork recipes and thoughts on the current song playing. Nox was surprisingly heated talking about music and quiet about past lovers. While Justine was the opposite, she enjoyed music but enjoyed reliving past lovers more. She was more crass and explicit than even Tamara who had no filter. Nuri had little experience with either so focused her louder moments on food or shopping. She felt like a girl with women when taboo topics came up. The conversation changed to thoughts about the women she had met and who might back her political moves. Each of her sisters tossed in comments and tidbits she could use. Her plans formed in her head while the evening passed from dinner to drinks. Nox said her goodbyes and so did Justine after a single drink. These evenings were precious to Nuri.
Tamara took a glass of red wine and plopped down on the sofa in the living room, “The Queen won’t last much longer; I hear she’s barely there mentally.”
“For our sake, the longer she lives the better. Everyone not tied tight to her side are starting to look for the next Duchess to cling to.” Nuri added as she joined her aunt in the chair opposite her.
“You’re right but she won’t live through summer.” Tamara reiterated her point shaking her head. Tamara had backed the queen when she took over.
Gretchen poured a glass of wine for Nuri first and then herself. She sat down on the sofa with Tamara. Nuri pounced, “What was that little secret nod with Nox the other day when we were discussing Piotr Kozlow?“
“You never miss anything, do you?” asked Tamara, stalling.
“No compliments. I don’t mind little unimportant secrets to protect me, but I have had an entire day of important little secrets that almost destroyed those women. I will not allow it to happen to us if I can stop it. Cough it up, sister.“
Gretchen tried to escape. “Stay right where you are, Mädchen,” Nuri threated.
Tamara started explaining, “I had to make some leadership decisions over the past twenty years and I made them. I regret nothing.“
“Really, then why are you so scared of telling me? You’re ashamed,” Nuri accused.
Tamara tried to explain, “It’s not that simple. When something happens a leader must react. Sometimes they screw up. But admitting the fuck up is sometimes worse than just plowing forward. You see, Gretchen has been our eyes and ears in multiple locations around the city. Mostly powerful people in the government or crime bosses like Piotr Kozlow and anyone else I felt needed to be monitored.”
“Doing what?” Nuri asked concerned.
Her aunt answered nonplussed, “Relationship stuff. Some think she’s a girlfriend, some think she’s a friend with benefits, Piotr Kozlow thinks she’s just a prostitute.“
“Stop, wait. How many people are you “in a relationship” with?” Nuri asked Gretchen.
“About twelve, maybe fourteen,” she answered like this was normal. Nuri stayed calm and tried to understand why Gretchen would do this and how her aunt could ask her to prostitute herself.
Tamara continued “This is an effective and cheap way to have eyes and ears with all the human power players that could cause issues for us. Also, we are insulated from attacks by them. When Gretchen asks for a favor, they believe it’s from a girlfriend or prostitute, someone who can’t hurt or threated them.“
This explanation helped Nuri understand everything she saw on Tamara’s face. It probably was easy at first; however over the years trying to stop this arrangement would have been hard, if not impossible. Nuri thought it made sense; put a spy in with the powerful, even if it was a bit hard on the spy. But Nuri knew something was missing from this story. She knew Gretchen was the weak link so Nuri asked a couple of questions of her.
“Are you okay doing this?“
“I’ve been doing it so long; it’s easy and sometimes fun. I feel special. I’m helping my Duchess and family the best way I can.” Gretchen normally didn’t speak much around Nuri and Tamara, when they were together. Nuri’s radar went off.
She asked another question, “How long have you been doing this?“
“I’ve been doing this for Tamara for seven years and for…” She stopped herself.
Nuri didn’t have to coax much she simply said, “Tell me everything sister.“
“And for five or six years before that for my mother in Dresden.“
Nuri’s back stiffened, “Your mother made you do this? How old were you when it started?“
“Sixteen,” answered Gretchen. Nuri was disgusted but hid it from these two.
“Heidi used you to spy on connected humans around Dres
den even before you became a werewolf?“
Gretchen nodded afraid to let the whole story come out. Nuri didn’t want to push anymore but she had to know everything, this was important. “Did she make you do anything else?” Gretchen was about to burst, “It’s okay sister. I’m not judging you for anything, I’m not judging Tamara for using you as she saw fit. I want to know what my favorite sister has been through and how best I can help you help the clan.“
Gretchen spoke quietly, “She also had me sleep with werewolves.“
“Are you still having relationships with Weres?“
“Sometimes,” Gretchen answered even more quietly.
Nuri took a deep breath to keep herself in check and calmly thought about how to proceed. She changed tactics and put her hands out and waited for each woman to take her hands. After both Tamara and Gretchen each took one of her hands she said, “I’m sorry that happened to you Gretchen, I can’t even imagine. I want to erase those things from your past, but I can’t. None of your sisters can. But the incredibly strong and beautiful wolf I see in front of me is amazing and I want her to do what she can to become stronger for herself, her sisters, me and the clan. What do you want to do? Is there something I can change to help you?“
Gretchen looked at Tamara and Tamara said, “It’s okay, this is between you and Nuri now. If I pressured you into something you find objectionable, tell Nuri, she’ll fix it.“
Gretchen burst. “I don’t like sleeping with male wolves, it reminds me of when my mother forced me to sleep with them, sometime they would have sex with me in their wolf or Were form. I hate it. I always have. I’m sorry Tamara. I’m sorry Nuri. I don’t want to let you down or my sisters, but I hate it.” Her voice never got loud; it became more and more desperate.
Nuri’s heart broke hearing her roommate describe a horrible thing she had to hide. Nuri couldn’t make everything stop; she saw the intelligence of having a spy close to the human operators. But what Gretchen wanted most she could make come true.
“My sweet beautiful kind sister, you never have to sleep with another wolf you don’t want to. And if someone tries to pressure you to, come to me and I with kill both the pimp and the john. Even if it’s Tamara or your mother.“
Nuri said this more for Tamara than for Gretchen’s benefit. She dropped Tamara’s hand and moved over to her roommate and gave her a long tight hug. She kissed her forehead and said, “Now go get some rest. Goodnight and thank you for the lovely meal,” Nuri dismissed the girl from her own living room.
Gretchen set her half-full glass of wine on the coffee table and left for her room. Nuri smiled at her, waiting until she heard the bedroom door close, “Jesus fucking Christ, Tamara!“
Tamara was still trying to justify her actions, but Nuri stood and cut her off, “Quiet. I have to rage at someone and it’s your job today. That poor girl has been abused by her mother horribly and you picked up right where she left off, we have to be better than that fucking dog bitch, Heidi Zimmermann. If we act just like her, then nothing good comes to our clan if either of us is raised Queen. Fucking Shit.“
Nuri paced in anger back-n-forth in front of Tamara who wisely said nothing. Nuri sighed, “Thank you sister for letting me vent, I have a feeling I might need you to listen to me rage again especially with Ms. Zimmermann around. Now down to business. You were right to have Gretchen do what she was trained to do. However, you should have made things better for her. I guess now I get to look like a saint when I ask her to continue to do something I find revolting. Are they any complications you can see?“
“Just one, Alek,” Tamara answered promptly.
“Who is Alek?“
“Alek is the wolf prince from the Viking north. He is demanding and hot-tempered and cruel. He loves Gretchen, well he loves fucking her and beating her. He comes through five or six times a year. I’ve needed his clout and connections up north to combat Heidi’s moves against Poland and us.“
“Well from here on out, Alek will have to find a new whipping post.”
Chapter 17
Colin had never flown before. It was exciting. He spent the entire flight with his face mashed against the cool window. Each new experience had expanded his mind including flying. The world was so much larger than he thought it was. Not simply physically, but emotionally and spiritually. He felt like an adult for the first time.
After baggage claim, he walked out of the terminal into the airport lobby. He passed the group of chauffeurs in their black hats and coats, thinking nothing of it; even though a man stood holding a sign with the name MacDermott on it. Luckily, the chauffeur had been given a description. Colin was at the automatic doors when a tall, thin, bearded man about ten years older than him grabbed him. He was about to get defensive, when the man asked, “Are you Colin MacDermott?“
“I am, why?“
“I’m your ride. I’m to take you to the hotel. Are these your bags?” the man asked kindly, grabbing them before Dolin answered, leading him out of the airport.
Colin didn’t know what to do, so he followed. He also didn’t know what to say so he said nothing.
On the ride, the man engaged in a simple polite conversation. “How was the flight?“, “First time in Stockholm?“, and “You should see such and such.” Colin answered but his mind was elsewhere. He wasn’t comfortable with his new status, Celt hero and stud. He didn’t have any clue how to act like either.
At the hotel, Colin tipped the chauffeur after he handed the bags to the porter. Colin stood in front of a beautiful building right on the water. The hotel was tall too, six or seven floors. The lobby was a lavish affair with clean lines, square tables, and counters of marble. He checked in at the front desk. A cute girl about his age helped him and provided a key. She was friendly and smiled a lot. After she explained the key and the breakfast, Colin asked, “Is a guest by the name Colleen McCarthy staying here?”
She took a moment with the computer and found the name, “Yes sir, she is. She hasn’t checked in yet. Do you wish to leave a message?”
“Sure, please tell her I’m in room 510, and to call me when she is able.“
“Will do, please call me here at the front desk if you need anything and I mean anything.“
Missing her meaning, Colin headed to his room. It had a large window overlooking the water, eastward. Boats floated along below him and the sky was red and purple. The room was painted with wide vertical stripes of white and blue. The bed was a king bed with a white comforter. Colin had never slept in a bed so grand. He fell back onto it and the soft mattress enveloped him. He lay there for a few minutes thinking about how much his life had changed and how much more it was going to.
***
Before dealing with Alek, Nuri had a few things to accomplish. First, Tamara recommended an “open house” for Nuri; she explained it was a way to introduce Nuri to many more Amazons all at once. The entire week had been making phone calls, setting up the party, and confirming invitations. All hands on deck. The “open house” was a traditional way a new Duchess introduced herself to her Amazon sisters. Nuri needed to find friends and allies to counter Dresden’s rise to leadership of the entire clan.
Dresden was a strong city for Amazons because every other city in Germany was ruled by either the Vandals or Goths. Heidi received status from taking and keeping Dresden. Also, most Amazons or lone female wolves who spoke German moved under Heidi Zimmermann’s influence.
Nuri sat in her modest office with modern furniture. The desk was a simple glass table top on four light wooden legs. A computer dominated the right side of the desk, papers the left. The rest of her office was minimalistic; two chairs, some art on the wall, and an etched glass privacy window. Here she worked on the second part of their plan, recruitment.
Nox and Justine were reporting on the best wolves for recruitment. The first wolf they mentioned was young; she was a computer hacker whose skills weren’t being utilized in Kiev. Neither had been able to get her legal name yet, but everyone in Kie
v said she was bored and needed a new home. Nuri would have to spend some money on tech to get the girl. But if her plan for Alek worked, her profile would increase and she would need computer people anyway. “Might as well aim for the best,” she thought.
Another woman Justine thought was ripe for the taking was Katia, from Lutsk. The woman was a natural leader who had been shoved aside by the Duchess in Kiev who didn’t trust her and couldn’t control her. Nuri wasn’t convinced but Justine said she was a strong fighter and had a hero aura which could help the Krakow clan push for queen. Nuri still didn’t know enough about the extra abilities wolves had. She had personally felt Gretchen’s hypnotic effect and definitely felt her aunt’s groupthink ability. She needed to learn more.
The third possible target for acquisition was Hanna who lived in Poland on the Czech Republic border. She was already inside Krakow’s hunting grounds. She used to be a power player in Warsaw many years ago then retired when a power struggle sixteen years ago had killed her favorite Amazon sister. Nuri felt strongly this was the place to start.
She walked Nox and Justine out of her office, she told them to keep searching. They both headed to the spare office Tamara had set up for any woman to use. Nuri caught her aunt after she hung up the front desk phone and asked her to join her in the conference room.
The conference room had a similar style to her office with a long skinny table instead of a desk. Five chairs were on the left side of the table, while a whiteboard and a corkboard dominated the opposite wall. The room was good for explaining ideas or working with small groups.
Tamara sat in the center chair while Nuri walked around on the other side of the table, explaining her thinking, “I want to start with a sister who won’t devastate our plan right out of the gate, but getting her to move back to the clan will show everyone something. I also think going to her could help and since its close, we won’t be away too long, I can’t afford that.“