by Helen Harper
“But your instinct was that he’d agree?” Lucy asked.
I nodded. “Yes.”
The waiter came over with large menus. I glanced quickly down. “Eggs benedict with the apple-smoked bacon and asparagus, please. And coffee.”
Everyone apart from Staines and Mara ordered the same. When he asked for blueberry pancakes with maple syrup on the side, and she requested a full English, I could see at least three others glance at them wistfully. I gritted my teeth together. I had thought I’d been making inroads into the bow and scrape mentality. I clearly wasn’t being quite as successful as I’d thought.
I nodded to the waiter and, once he’d moved away to take our order to the kitchen, continued speaking.
“It’s not particularly the gathering that concerns me. You see, I…”
Tom abruptly stood up. Everyone, including myself, stared at him. “I … er … I don’t feel well,” he stammered. “I have to go…”
“Go,” I said concerned. He did look remarkably pale. I hoped it was merely a dodgy tummy and not anything else.
He rushed off, weaving in between tables. He missed the turn off for the nearest restroom and it occurred to me that I should have pointed it out. He’d be heading for the one out by the entrance. I’d had the feeling the last thing he’d wanted, however, had been company.
“Anyway,” I said, turning back to the others, “he took the blood on our first meeting and said he would look into it.” I outlined both what Aubrey had said during our second meeting and what his attitude had been while they listened.
“You already told us he was capricious, my Lord. Perhaps it was just a ruse from the start. He was having fun wasting your time.”
I shook my head. “No. There was definitely something else behind his words.” My mouth thinned. “A kind of glee.”
“I’ve never seen a gleeful vampire,” Lucy said.
“I have.” Mara’s voice was grim. “It generally happens when blood and barbaric death is involved.”
Everyone lapsed into silence, glancing to each other from time to time. I waited for a few moments then focused on Logan. He possessed many good attributes but he’d be the first person to agree that logic and emotion-free thinking weren’t usually among them. One of the things I’d learnt was to listen first to those who were unlikely to be quick-witted or to look for complications that didn’t exist. If he ended up drawing the same conclusion I had then it had to be true because it was simply the most obvious. Occam’s Razor.
“What do you think, Logan?”
He raised his eyes to mine and I realised there was a baleful yellow sheen to them. It wouldn’t necessary follow that he’d shift right here in the restaurant but he wasn’t far from it. “Something’s wrong with the blood, my Lord. Something that’s going to be catastrophic for us. He doesn’t care about the gathering now because he thinks we’re going to be wiped out.”
“That’s what I was thinking too,” Lucy admitted. “But we’ve got lots of people looking into those blood samples. No-one’s come up with anything yet to suggest things are going to get worse. I know five shifters have already died but doesn’t Doctor Higgins have things under control?”
I took a deep breath. I really had hoped that I’d just been overthinking things. But the people around me only knew half the story and they were already thinking the same. “More of them are sick,” I said with a heavy voice. “In Somerset. No-one else has died and the last update I had a couple of hours ago from Higgins was that things were getting better again. Julia, the woman who had been Alpha in Cornwall came up with some herbal medicine that seems to be working.”
To my right, Staines was as still and frozen as a statue. “What happened to the Cwnn Annwn hellhounds, my Lord?”
I couldn’t prevaricate any longer. “They’re dead. All of them.”
“The Eggs Benedict sir?” interrupted the waiter, arriving at the worst possible moment.
I nodded and he set my plate down, before moving round and doing the same for everyone else.
We all stared at the beautifully presented, delicious smelling food in front of us. No-one ate and no-one moved.
“I’m not very hungry,” Philippa whispered.
“Me neither,” Logan agreed.
Tom reappeared, smiling faintly at us all and patting his stomach as if to indicate things were better. He picked up his knife and fork and began shoveling food into his mouth. “Mm, this is good,” he said between mouthfuls. Everyone simply stared at him. “What? What’s wrong?” He jerked his head around the table as if to gauge what the problem was. It was the sudden movement that was his undoing. There, floating just above the aroma from the plates and yet clinging to his clothes, was an unmistakably familiar scent. It seemed to be slightly altered by Tom’s own pheromones but I’d recognise it anywhere. Nm hjI growled under my breath.
“There’s a bruise on your neck, Tom. Where did you get it from? Did you knock yourself on the door on your way into the restroom?”
His eyes widened in alarm, confirming my suspicions. Mack was here in London. In fact she’d apparently just been here in this damn restaurant and rubbing herself all over my werewolf. I started to stand up, throwing my napkin to the table.
Staines tugged me back down and leant into my ear. “Voice, now, my Lord.”
Leave me alone.
I smell her too, my Lord. But we’re in a very public place right now. Wait until we get back home and then question him. Torture him for all I care. Just don’t do it in Alcazon.
She could still be here.
She’s not.
I growled again while Tom again began to grow pale, flecks of worry appearing in his eyes. Everyone else just continued to stare at their plates.
Chapter Eleven
I held myself back in the car on the way home. It was mainly because Tom was in the vehicle behind us rather than right in front of my face but, still, I was impressed by my own forebearance. Eventually, however, the silence grew too uncomfortable for Staines.
“She’s clearly taunting you, my Lord.”
I hadn’t told him about the fact she’d managed to use the Voice to contact me. There was now the distinct possibility she’d done it from here in London, rather than from the unfathomable distance of Scotland, but it didn’t change how terrifyingly remarkable it was that she’d achieved such a feat in the first place. I didn’t think Staines would take to the news particularly well so I didn’t respond, focusing instead on the far larger problem.
“Do you agree with the others?” I asked. “That the vampires have discovered something potentially lethal about the red fever?”
“It’s already lethal,” he reminded me.
“You know what I mean. Lethal for the rest of us.”
Staines sighed. His large hands twitched uncomfortably at the shoulders of his suit. “Maybe,” he said finally. “Despite yesterday’s relapse, things seem to be getting better again in Somerset though.”
“Mm.”
“Talk to Higgins again. See what he says.”
“He’s going to call with a sit. rep. in the next couple of hours. I promised I wouldn’t interrupt him again. If he’s in the middle of tending to a patient, it’s not fair for me to use the Voice and cause him to lose focus.”
“What about the lab? Anything back from them yet?”
I shook my head. “Nada. Bloody science. They want to test every variable and double check every damn thing. Normally, it’s commendable but this is an emergency.”
He watched me for a moment. “You feel impotent.”
“I can’t do this, Staines.” I balled my fists up in frustration. “I can’t fight a disease.”
“There are smart people working on it. And the vampires might just be bluffing.” He didn’t sound like he believed it. “It’s difficult to believe the Cwnn Annwn have completely gone.”
I nodded in heavy agreement and we lapsed into silence again.
When Mara pulled up outside the Brethren headquart
ers, and we all piled out, it was apparent that Tom was terrified. I’d thought he’d been pale before but now he looked as if he was a dead man walking. I was bitterly angry but I wasn’t about to hurt him. As much as it rankled that he still thought I was capable of such an action, I decided it might not be a bad thing. It would be nice to get the truth out of him without having to compel him first.
I jerked my head in his direction, indicating that he should follow me. The others, including Staines, hung back. It was probably for the best. Tom trailed after me, his head hanging. I strode to my office and slammed open the door then pointed inside. He walked in before me, then stood in front of my desk, hands clasped and posture submissive.
It took a lot of effort to control myself. I made a point of sitting down first and shuffling through a few bits of paper. It was only when I was sure I could keep a rein on my emotions that I spoke.
“What do you think your fiancée would say if she knew you’d been meeting secretly with Mackenzie Smith?”
Confusion flashed in Tom’s eyes. It made me feel slightly better. “Betsy likes Red. I mean Mack.”
“Her scent,” I said, picking up a fountain pen and rolling it slowly through my fingers, “is all over you.”
“We, uh, we hugged.”
“Did you now.”
“I didn’t know she was in London!” he burst out. “She was sitting in the restaurant when we entered. No-one else noticed. I didn’t think it was a big deal.” That last part was obviously a lie.
“You didn’t think it was a big deal? Her face has been plastered all over the Othernet for weeks. We’ve been searching for her high and low. Don’t you know how dangerous a rogue shifter can be?” Not to mention one who might possess the potential to cause all out civil war precisely when we could least afford it.
His face turned red. “I’m sorry, my Lord.”
“Where is she now?”
He met my eyes. “I don’t know.”
“What is she doing in London?”
He hung his head. “I don’t know.”
“Was she alone at Alcazon?”
His chin jerked up. “No. She was with a faerie.” His mouth downturned at the edges to highlight just what he thought of that salient little fact.
“Let me guess. Blond hair?”
Tom nodded. I gritted my teeth. Bloody Lord Sol yet again. Just what was his deal? Was that why Mack hadn’t been bothered by Tom’s engagement? Was she moving up in the world? Fae royalty would certainly be considered a coup by many young women. The pen in my hand snapped. I carefully laid down the two pieces.
“What is she really?”
Blind panic flashed across Tom’s face so quickly I wondered whether I’d imagined it. “My Lord?”
“You can’t continue with the fallacy that she’s a werehamster. She’s far too strong. And her scent is off. Tell me what she really is.” I should have had this conversation long ago. I’d just wanted both Tom and Betsy to feel relaxed and welcome. I hadn’t wanted to compel them immediately and make them feel uneasy here in London. I was trying, after all, to make the Brethren a better place, not somewhere shifters had to slink around feeling terrified of what I might demand next. When I’d done this to Julia, she’d affirmed that Mack was just a werehamster. It was bullshit though. Mack wasn’t ‘just’ anything. I used the Voice. Tell me.
Tom swallowed. She’s a werehamster. There were lines of taut tension across his jaw and his cheeks were suffused with even more red than they had been previously. He gave off every impression of a bad liar. But unless every damn shifter from Cornwall had the ability to break my Voice, then he was telling the truth.
“If she contacts you again, if you see her again, you tell me immediately. Got that?”
He nodded. “Yes. Yes, my Lord.”
“Get out of here.”
He almost tripped in his haste to leave. If I hadn’t been so filled with frustrated anger, I’d probably have found it amusing. The only good thing about all this was that now Mack was in London, I could contact her more easily. I stood up and paced around the room several times as I thought about the best way to approach her. Then I straightened my shoulders. I was the bloody Lord Alpha. Her Lord Alpha, even if she thought she could disavow me by turning rogue. I’d simply speak to her with the full force of my authority.
Why are you in London? There. No ‘how are you’ or ‘hello kitten’. I’d let her know who was really boss.
She shrieked in my head and I felt a flash of pain. She’d hurt herself. Shit.
Kitten? The word was out before I could stop it. I winced and tried again. I know you can hear me. Mack didn’t answer but I knew she was there. I could still feel her. Perhaps I could goad her into answering. Don’t be upset at your little wolf friend. He had a bruise on his neck. I compelled him to tell me who had given it to him. The last thing I wanted to tell her was that I knew her strange scent well enough to recognise it on him. I’m disappointed that you didn’t come over and say hello, I continued. Or introduce me to your new … friend.
Really, my Lord? She finally answered. Underlying the spite, was a note of pure hurt though. Are you really going to continue to imply that I spend all my spare time shagging every male I can get my hands on?
I smiled to myself. Gotcha. I shrugged to myself and sat down, swiveling round in my chair to gaze out the window. Screw it. Hello kitten.
Get lost, Corrigan.
You don’t need to stay out there in the cold, you know. Tell me where you are and I can help you out. It’s not too late to still be one of us. It was a long shot. But I had to try.
Mack sniffed. You should stop this stalker-like behaviour. It’s most unbecoming for the Lord Alpha. Surely you’ve got better things to do.
Probably. But… I concern myself with every member of the Pack.
Well, I’m not part of the Pack, my Lord. Get over it.
It occurred to me that she most definitely wasn’t going to come to me and most definitely wasn’t making any plans to leave London. I thought about the red fever. Civil war aside, she’d still be a damn sight safer in Scotland. Mackenzie, it’s not safe here. You need to–
Staines opened my door without knocking and stared at me with wide eyes. “It’s Higgins,” he said. “He’s on the phone and says he’s got something important to tell you.”
Chapter Twelve
“It’s good news, my Lord.”
I sank down in relief. “Tell me.”
“The relapse I thought they were experiencing has all but gone. This morning, three of the remaining affected shifters sat up in bed and said they were hungry. We’re in the clear.”
It felt like a huge burden had been lifted off my shoulders. “You have no idea how pleased I am to hear it, Dr Higgins.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
I hung up and glanced over at Staines who was waiting in the doorway. When I gave him the thumbs up and grinned, he exhaled loudly and fist-pumped the air. “I’ll go tell the others. They’re all waiting to hear the news.”
I nodded, unable to keep the smile off my face. “Please do. I’m heading out to get some well deserved fresh air.” I stretched and cricked my neck. It might also help assuage the emptiness I felt at losing contact again with Mack. “It’s about time I let loose.”
“Go for it, my Lord.”
I quickly changed into a pair of sweats and set out. The streets of London were only really suitable for running in human form but it didn’t hurt to keep all aspects of my body fit. I pounded the pavement, enjoying every minute. It was more because of the anticipation of finally being about to be able to shift in peace than because of the exhaust fumes though. I ignored the catcalls from a group of young women, clearly heading out for a night on the town, as well as the annoyed glances from a few pedestrians as I swerved by them. Less than two hours later, I was at the gate to Hampstead Heath.
I skirted down one path towards a copse of trees I knew was rarely disturbed by humans. When I was sure I was a
lone, I pulled off my clothes and hung them on a nearby branch. I stood there for a moment, stark naked, enjoying the sensation of the cool breeze across my skin. Then I closed my eyes and allowed myself to transform. It took less than three seconds but, then again, it had been some time since I’d had the freedom to come out here and do this. I didn’t count my vampire session in the alley.
Now that I was safely under the cover of darkness, and clothed in my black werepanther fur, I knew it would be easy to enjoy the moment. It would take very keen eyesight indeed to spot me and I was planning to stay well away from any of the regularly traversed paths. I stretched out my front paws, then my hindquarters, finishing with a long satisfying arch of my back. I was ready.
I bounded forward, weaving in and out of the trees. I could feel my muscles bunching up when I emerged into the open and sped up. Soon I was flying across the grass. I leapt over a small stream, ducked through the veil of green of a weeping willow and powered up a small hill. When I reached the summit, I paused, permitting myself a brief respite. Then I was off again. Tingles of delight rippled through my body and all my worries and cares slipped away. This was how I was meant to be.
The different scents added to the experience. There were some late-blooming wildflowers only just dying out now with winter’s fast approach which tickled my nose and an errant urban fox who had gotten lost but spooked when he registered my approach. Catching the faint whiff of bonfire smoke to my right, I veered left, almost colliding with a curious cat. I pulled up short, making myself freeze. Come on, kitty.
It was a bold creature, padding right up next to me and sniffing cautiously. Its coat was as dark as mine, apart from a white patch just under its chin. Miaowing just once, the cat circled round me. Then, when it reached my shoulder for the second time, it head-butted me, purring. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see a small pink tongue darting out for a friendship lick. I allowed it, then widened my pupils deliberately to engage the cat in some play. It immediately understood, keeping its claws sheathed but pouncing forward with a swipe. I was about to carefully attempt the same manouevre back when the cat jerked up its head in sudden alarm. Then it raced away into the night, a streak of black against black.