Iron Master

by Jennifer Ashley

  Jaycee rolled her eyes. “Anything to get out of, you know, actual work.”

  “Hey, this is work. I’m a tracker. I’m tracking. Doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a beer at the same time.”

  “Whatever helps you sleep at night, sweetie.”

  Peigi hid a smile as Dimitri drove on, speeding up to get around the traffic. Jaycee and Dimitri were so easy with each other, good friends, and obviously deeply in love. True partners.

  Would Peigi ever achieve that with Stuart? Or might this journey bring them to the end of whatever it was they had?

  Stuart would never turn his back on his people if they were in true danger, Peigi knew, and she wouldn’t let him. No matter how much his departure might hurt her, she could never force him to make that choice.

  Kendrick’s ranch lay in a fold of dry land that hid it from all roads. Dimitri turned in at a white gate that lined the highway and drove slowly over a low hill.

  The hill’s crest showed Reid a sprawling single-story ranch house at the bottom of another hill and a scattering of smaller houses behind it, culminating in a barn at the top of the next rise. Cubs, in both human and animal form, ran between the large house and the smaller ones, or up to the barn, outside of which a horse patiently grazed.

  Contentment, Reid decided. It looks like this.

  Kendrick had established a safe place for his un-Collared Shifters, and they were thriving. They had to hide out, true, which meant the cubs were home schooled, and venturing far was dangerous. But within Kendrick’s territory, the Shifters were safe and happy, free to live their lives.

  Dimitri drove around the big house, waving at Shifters and cubs in passing. He maneuvered the truck to a halt in front of what Reid knew was these days called a “tiny house”—a compact but clean-lined home with a door and a window on the ground floor, and a window above suggesting a loft or small second floor.

  A loft, Reid saw as he ushered Peigi inside, following Dimitri and Jaycee. While the interior was incredibly small, it had been filled with comfortable chairs, a table under the window, and a niche kitchen. An open door behind the kitchen revealed a minute bathroom. A ladder-stair in the corner led to the loft, likely the bedroom.

  The interior was painted a soft white, making the space airy, with brightly upholstered chairs, pillows, and throws plus gleaming appliances in the kitchen lending color.

  “This is lovely,” Peigi said in delight.

  Jaycee flushed, modest, but pleased at the same time. “Had to do something with Dimitri’s bachelor pad. He didn’t even have sheets when I moved in.”

  “Now it’s a department store,” Dimitri growled, but Reid could see he didn’t mind very much.

  “When the cub comes, we’re building on,” Jaycee said firmly. “The house is cute, but we constantly run into each other.”

  “Not that it’s a b-bad thing.” Dimitri winked at her.

  “Cubs need a lot of room,” Peigi said, her tone feeling. “Trust me on this.”

  “I do,” Jaycee said. “It’s an ongoing debate between Dimitri and me. Again, he just doesn’t want to do the work.”

  Dimitri’s spirits wouldn’t dampen. “Red wolves were made to laze in the sun. Speaking of—let’s have that brew and chat, Reid. We’ll go outside so the ladies can t-talk about us behind our backs.”

  He moved to the refrigerator and drew out two long-neck bottles, motioning Reid to follow him out the back door. Reid glanced at Peigi, who was busy admiring the little house, her expression longing.

  Maybe Reid could convince Eric to let him build on to the house in Las Vegas—Reid would offer the funds. He knew Peigi didn’t have the hidden riches other Shifters did, DX Security did well, and Reid’s salary wasn’t bad. Getting around regulations about Shifter houses wasn’t easy, but Eric could manage it—his mate’s family owned a home construction company.

  Stuart left Peigi with reluctance, but the two women were already chattering about kitchen towels, for some reason. Peigi returned Stuart’s glance and smiled. He wrapped the smile around him and followed Dimitri outside.

  The afternoon was warm. While South Texas could have cold snaps, it lay on a latitude that let the temperatures stay in the 70s and even 80s in the dead of winter, the sunshine nice. Dimitri led Reid to a pair of lawn chairs set up in a sunny patch of grass, dropped into one, and popped open his beer.

  “Just out of Shifter hearing range from my neighbors,” Dimitri said, handing Reid the second bottle.

  Reid twisted off the cap and sipped the beer he’d learned to like as he lived in the human world, and contemplated the spread of land. The Shiftertown in Las Vegas was crowded, the houses close together. In turn, that Shiftertown was surrounded by city, which encroached into the desert a little farther every year. This ranch allowed plenty of space between the small homes, acres in which Shifters could run without restraint.

  “Nice place.” Reid took another sip. Human beer tasted a little like dokk alfar ale, giving him a nostalgic feeling.

  “It’s home.” Dimitri lounged back in his chair, the man able to relax anywhere.

  “As long as Shifter Bureau doesn’t find you all.”

  “Exactly.” Dimitri lifted his beer in a toast. “Here’s to Shifter Bureau stumbling over its own shoelaces.”

  Reid clicked his bottle to Dimitri’s. In theory, Reid didn’t have to worry about Shifter Bureau, because humans weren’t much aware of Fae, and they assumed Reid was another human. He was watched because of his close ties with Peigi and Shiftertown, but mostly left alone apart from that.

  “Tell me everything you can about Cian,” Reid said after they’d drunk in companionable silence a few minutes.

  “Don’t know much. The Fae general who captured me tried to make me kill Cian, but Cian and I decided to join forces and fight our way out instead. That idea did not work at all.” He grimaced, and Reid saw the memory of pain his eyes. Dimitri had a pale scar on his throat, where a Collar had briefly scorched him.

  Reid had heard some of the story. “You were put into a cell, but you helped each other escape.”

  “Cian did most of the helping.” Dimitri took another pull of beer. “He knew how to bandage ribs—I wondered if he was a doctor.”

  “Could be. Dokk alfar make good healers. Have to, to survive against the hoch alfar.”

  Dimitri nodded in sympathy. “And then Cian did this weird thing—he dug his fingers right into the rock and started pulling a hole in the ceiling, around the grate. Craziest shit I’ve ever seen.”

  Reid’s heart beat faster. He hadn’t heard this part of the story. “A ghandeltraum,” he whispered. “Bloody hell.”

  Dimitri blinked. “A what now?”

  “There isn’t an equivalent word in English, as far as I know. A ghandeltraum can move through solid substances—rock, metal—anything not living.”

  “Sort of like you can teleport?”

  “It’s a different gift but similar. I can’t teleport when I’m inside Faerie, but there, I can make iron do whatever I want.”

  “Yeah? Must be handy when you need to fix a hinge.”

  “It is. It also scares the crap out of the hoch alfar, which is truly satisfying.”

  Dimitri chuckled. “I’ll bet. I take it this ghan—whatever thing is—is rare?”

  “They are,” Reid answered. “I’ve never met one before. They’re even more rare than iron masters.”

  “Which is what you are.”

  “Yep.”

  They fell silent. Wind danced across the grasses and whispered through the large tree that lent shade to Dimitri’s house from the harsh summer heat.

  A ghandeltraum. Reid digested that. Cian had to be more than just a tracker or a scout—the ghandeltraum ability was passed down through the great families of ancient lineage. His interest in Cian rose.

  “So,” Dimitri said after a moment. “Guess we need to contact Cian and see if we can k-kick some czul ass.”

  Reid nodded with appreciation. Dimitri use
d the word the dokk alfar reserved specially for the hoch alfar, roughly translated as bastard, but with deeper and more enraged connotations.

  Laughter drifted from inside the house. Peigi leaned back on an open windowsill, amused at something Jaycee was saying. Dimitri, whose hearing ability beat Reid’s, listened, his eyes going soft.

  “My mate is an amazing woman,” he said. “She goes out of her way to make my life hell. I am one lucky Shifter.”

  Reid studied the lines of Peigi’s back, her sloppy tail of dark hair dancing as she laughed. She kept herself calm and reasonable most of the time, but with Jaycee, was letting herself unwind.

  Dimitri raised his bottle of beer to Reid, a knowing glint in his eyes. “You have it bad, my friend. Take my advice.” His infectious grin spread across his face. “Surrender. Don’t even fight the fall. The landing is hell-a worth it.”

  Peigi slid from the windowsill as Jaycee handed her a bulbous glass of red wine. Jaycee had served herself water in deference to her pregnancy, but had readily poured the wine for Peigi, saying she wanted to see it enjoyed. Peigi knew little about wine, but Jaycee was reputed to be an expert, and Peigi agreed when the smooth liquid rolled over her tongue.

  “Nice, isn’t it?” Jaycee asked, watching Peigi’s expression. “So, what about you and Reid? You shagging yet?”

  Peigi coughed. She sucked in a ragged breath then took a larger gulp of wine. “No.”

  “She says with regret. What’s stopping him? Or is it you?”

  Peigi sighed. “Me, probably. Or maybe him. I don’t know. Stuart isn’t pushy. Gives me plenty of space.”

  “He knows you went through a lot of bad shit. Seriously bad shit you don’t just get over. But maybe if you hint that hitting the sheets with him will help …”

  “We also live in a houseful of cubs.” Peigi glanced pointedly at Jaycee’s abdomen. “They tend to have crises during intimate moments. You and Dimitri will have to get used to that.”

  “True, but the kids in your house are Shifter cubs. They know adults do it to produce more cubs, and they leave you to get on with it. Sex isn’t a terrible, scary thing.”

  “Mmm-hmm. Hold on to that thought when you and Dimitri are getting hot and heavy, and your cub bursts in with some interesting fact they’ve discovered about frogs. Bringing one with them for demonstration.”

  Jaycee stared at her, then her peals of laughter rang out. “Did one of yours …?”

  “Noelle, yes. She has no sense of timing—or maybe she does, because she manages to get plenty of attention. But no, Stuart and I weren’t, as you say, hitting the sheets. Just taking a moment.”

  “A moment with a frog.”

  Peigi remembered Noelle’s joy in showing them the frog she’d caught—the desert was full of them—when Stuart and Peigi had been standing close together in the hall, Stuart just starting to touch Peigi’s face. He’d come out of his room as Peigi headed for hers, and they’d stopped.

  As they’d gazed at each other in silence, Peigi’s heart had banged as though it would break through her chest. She’d hoped, prayed, that Stuart would take her by the hand and lead her to her bedroom.

  Noelle had run in from outside, bubbling over with excitement, Donny and Kevin behind her. The cubs always came first, so Stuart and Peigi had broken apart, Stuart explaining that the frog needed its freedom and should be put back where they found him. He’d gone with Noelle to do that, leaving Peigi restless and frustrated.

  Jaycee listened in sympathy. “What you do is set up a babysitter, and then you and Stuart find someplace far away and private. Dimitri and I look after Addie and Kendrick’s cubs so they can steal away together. Kendrick doesn’t get a lot of down time, and from what you’re saying, you and Stuart don’t either.”

  “But we aren’t together,” Peigi said quickly. “Hard to justify asking Shane to babysit so I can run off to a cabin with Stuart.”

  “Aren’t you together?” Jaycee’s tawny were eyes full of insight.

  “No. Like I said.” Peigi started to set down the glass, then changed her mind and took another swig of the fine wine. “He’s worried about what’s going on with his people, as he should be.”

  “I know. It sucks being with someone important. Dimitri and I are two of Kendrick’s top trackers and sometimes we have to be caretakers instead of enjoying our lives. Still….” She lowered her voice conspiratorially. “Tell you what you do. Once Reid has figured out what Cian wants, and you two are back in Shiftertown, take him aside and tell him you want to jump his bones. Or just jump them without informing him. That man is hot for you—I see it. If you need cub watchers, call me. Dimitri and I will house- and cub-sit for you while you two get it out of your system.”

  “If Stuart wants to go back to Shiftertown after this.” Peigi’s exuberance vanished. “He’s been stuck on this side of the gates for decades. If he has the chance to go back home, to become what he was—why wouldn’t he want to stay in Faerie?”

  Jaycee wrinkled her nose. “I wouldn’t worry about that too much. I’ve been to Faerie, and I’ve been in Shiftertowns, and I’d pick a Shiftertown, even with their restrictions, any day. Reid isn’t Shifter anyway—he has plenty of freedom in the human world, can go anywhere and do anything he wants. Faerie seemed sparse with regard to restaurants, nightclubs, great kitchen stores …”

  “You’re Shifter,” Peigi pointed out. “So am I. Stuart’s going to regard Faerie differently. To him, it’s home, the place he can be what we was meant to be, with the people he loves.”

  Jaycee’s expression held sympathy. “I think you might be wrong about where the people he loves are.”

  “I’m not—”

  Peigi broke off as the porch vibrated with Dimitri and Stuart returning. Dimitri leaned in the open back window, resting his arms on the windowsill.

  “Reid and I d-decided we’d drive to New Orleans and see if we can find the doorway through the haunted house. Want to come?”

  Chapter Six

  Reid knew Peigi was skeptical about the trip to New Orleans, but instead of arguing, she began to help Jaycee pack an overnight bag and snacks for the road.

  Dimitri said he had to run the idea past Kendrick and get his okay, and he dashed out with wolf swiftness to the main house, leaving Reid at a loose end while the two women packed what seemed like a lot of food and clothing for a short trip.

  Reid stepped off the porch and made phone calls. First to Eric to let him know what was going on, then to Diego, explaining he’d need a little more time off from work. Then Nell, who told him he worried too much—she and Cormac, with Brody and Shane to assist, could take care of the cubs just fine. He heard the cubs making a hell of a racket in the background, and he resisted asking what they were up to. Probably better not to know.

  Last he called the current caretaker of the New Orleans house, leaving a voice mail when he didn’t answer.

  By the time his calls were done, Dimitri had returned. “Kendrick says we’re to lend you whatever you need, including more backup if necessary.” He gave Reid a look of respect. “Which means you’ve made a big impression on him.”

  “Or on Dylan,” Peigi pointed out. “Dylan regards Stuart as a secret weapon, and Shifter leaders take their cue from Dylan.”

  She sounded disapproving. Reid knew she didn’t like how he often had to drop everything and teleport off to help Dylan, or Dylan’s sons, or Eric, or whatever Shiftertown leader in any part of the country, with their problems.

  Reid readily assisted, because he owed Shifters—they and Diego had saved his life. Ironic, because the death of a Shifter was supposed to have been inevitable in Reid’s quest to return home. One Shifter had died, though not by Reid’s hand, and he still felt horrible about it. Assisting Eric, and through him, Dylan and others, was the least he could do to make up for it.

  “Can I ask the obvious?” Jaycee said. “There’s a ley line in the Austin Shiftertown, with a Fae sympathetic to Shifters guarding it. Why not just go ther
e?”

  She meant Fionn Cillian, a Fae warrior who had fathered the mate of Sean Morrissey, Andrea, who was half Shifter, half Fae. Fionn camped just inside the ley line so he could see Andrea and his grandson whenever he liked as well as to keep other Fae from pouring through and killing Shifters.

  “Dimitri already asked me the same question,” Reid answered. “And I said no. It’s one thing for Fionn to help Shifters, but dokk alfar are another matter. Fionn might be the most angelic hoch alfar ever born, but I can’t trust him with dokk alfar secrets. Or that Cian wouldn’t try to kill Fionn on sight. Safer if I meet Cian alone.”

  Jaycee nodded, conceding. “I see your point.”

  Reid noticed Peigi sag relief. It was still hard for her to be among large groups of Shifters she didn’t know. Better for them to do this with only Dimitri and Jaycee.

  Dimitri studied the group stuffed into the small house, Jaycee with bags packed and ready to go, Peigi with two large coolers and her own bag.

  “Think we’re taking enough?” Dimitri asked. “Want to shove in the stove, or maybe the kitchen sink?”

  Jaycee hoisted one of the duffel bags. “When you’re yelling, why the hell didn’t I bring a change of underwear? You’ll thank me.”

  Dimitri flushed. “It was only the one time.”

  “Which is why I started packing for you. Can we do this?”

  Reid watched Peigi smother a smile as Dimitri sighed and ushered them out the front door. He didn’t lock up behind them, because no Shifter would invade his territory, as small as it was.

  Dimitri led them out past his pickup to the barn and a black semi-truck cab that rested behind it, out of sight.

  Peigi eyed the semi doubtfully as they approached it. “You can drive that?” she asked Dimitri.

  “Sure. Can’t you?”

  “Ignore him,” Jaycee said as she opened the passenger door. “He’s very proud.”

  She and Dimitri tossed in bags, which he and Jaycee arranged under seats and the storage area behind the curtain in the back. That area also contained a bed, Reid saw as Dimitri stuffed the luggage back there.