《Burning Both Ends (Guardian Witch #3)》


 Page 1

    Chapter One


    Fangs flashed where her cheek had been an instant before. Ari whirled, crouching to meet the vampire¡¯s return charge, and her fingers sparked, witch blood clamoring for action. Refusing its urgent call, she threw the magic powder as he wheeled and sped toward her in a blur.


    Green particles sparkled. A loud thump. The vampire recoiled from the invisible barrier and took two staggering steps. A direct hit. Before a smile more than touched her lips, the dark figure recovered and leaped. Ari backpedaled, but his weight drove her to the hard ground.


    He grinned down at her, a lock of dark hair falling across his forehead. Trapping her arms above her head, he leaned close, his dark eyes glittering. He brushed her lips with his and whispered, ¡°Better¡ªbut not yet good enough.¡± Andreas shifted his six-foot, muscled body, sprang up, and offered her a hand.


    Ignoring the courtesy, Ari scrambled to her feet. Getting pinned by your boyfriend wasn¡¯t always a good thing. ¡°Back off, bloodsucker,¡± she grumbled. She shook out the fallen leaves and pine needles that clung to her long, honey-colored hair.


    Andreas chuckled. A rich, warm sound. ¡°Touchy tonight. Did I put your nose out of joint, little witch? And here I was, trying to help with your training.¡± Andreas glided across the forest clearing with the smooth grace of a natural predator. He collected their cell phones from under a park bench where they¡¯d stashed them earlier in the evening and handed her one.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Ari avoided his eyes. Damn right she was annoyed. She was competitive, and second place wasn¡¯t good enough¡ªeven against a master level vampire. Especially one who wasn¡¯t really trying to kill her.


    Andreas studied her face, his voice pragmatic. ¡°I am glad you are taking this seriously. Other combatants will be less charitable than I, less mindful of breaking your pretty neck. I can almost guarantee Sebastian will continue his fight with Prince Daron, and next time he may lead the attack. You might have to face him again.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on. You can¡¯t really believe he¡¯d come to Riverdale. He¡¯s too comfortable lording it over everyone in Toronto.¡±


    Andreas shrugged. ¡°It is unlikely, but a sobering thought. With Sebastian, anything is possible.¡± He frowned, obviously thinking about the brutal vampire leader. ¡°He has grown more aggressive, erratic, perhaps less sane, as sometimes happens with the elder ones. Our defeat of his minions will only fuel his rage and make him more determined.¡±


    ¡°Minions? What kind of word is that?¡± Ari demanded. ¡°You really should update your vocabulary. Being born in seventeen hundred and something is no excuse for using words no one understands.¡±


    She was just being bitchy. In truth, she wouldn¡¯t change a thing about Andreas¡¯s speech or sexy voice. The archaic words, the faint accent of Italian aristocracy, and the shivers of sensation it produced were all part of him. She never got used to the seductive effect¡­even when she wanted to be annoyed.


    ¡°As for Prince Sebastian,¡± she said, allowing her sarcasm free reign before turning toward the path that led home, ¡°if he attacks me, there won¡¯t be any rules against using my witch fire. Or calling upon the fire spirits to destroy him.¡± She flicked a glance at Andreas. ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing for better control of all the magics, but the fire would be enough. Even princes aren¡¯t immune to flames.¡± She couldn¡¯t resist adding, ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t be so cocky. Pissing off a witch might be sufficient grounds for breaking my witches¡¯ oath.¡±


    When this only elicited an amused quirk of his lips, Ari sighed. It was an empty threat, and not even much of a sarcastic joke. She would never use her witch fire on anyone except for defense, and certainly not on Andreas. Twitching her shoulders to relieve the tension, she made an attempt to recover her sense of humor by producing a half grin. ¡°Watch out for the barrier dust next time. Tonight was only a test dosage. I didn¡¯t want to risk hurting my sexy boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you are too kind.¡± A small laugh escaped his lips. ¡°I will take heed and be more wary in the future.¡±


    Yeah, right. Both of them knew it would take something far more powerful than magic dust, her latest witchcraft concoction, to stop Andreas De Luca. Besides his two hundred years of experience, he was second-in-command to the local vampire prince and had all the power to prove it. Not to mention abilities mostly unexplained: being up and about before the sun went down and his resistance to her bracelet of protective charms¡ªincluding the silver cross and a miniature vial of holy water.


    ¡°You worry too much about me,¡± she said, following up on his earlier comments. ¡°Whatever Sebastian plans next, I¡¯ll be ready. I¡¯m not exactly helpless.¡± She rolled her eyes, thinking about the years of martial arts and weaponry training. Sheesh, what did he want? ¡°Besides, now I have the Book of Shadows to help with the magic.¡± A small glimmer of satisfaction touched her lips.


    The Calin Family Book of Shadows, filled with the history, spells, and potions of her witch clan, had recently returned to her care after being lost for eighteen years. She made a point of spending an hour or two every evening poring over its pages. Sometimes she even studied at Andreas¡¯s supper club while he sang on stage or handled business matters.


    ¡°I do not discount any of your skills, but I know how devious and ruthless Sebastian is. He plays by nobody¡¯s rules except his own, and he will not forget or forgive our interference. We must not become over-confident.¡± Andreas reached out his long fingers and plucked a leaf from her hair.


    ¡°Which means we should train longer and harder.¡± Ari sighed, knowing he was right. Her skills always had to be at their peak to fulfill her Guardian duties as the supernatural cop for Olde Town¡¯s population of vampires and other magic users. But having an enemy like Sebastian, who was close to a thousand years old, made her fitness more urgent. She didn¡¯t need to be reminded of his power. When she¡¯d visited Canada on a prior case, she had barely escaped Sebastian¡¯s attempt to control her mind. If not for her magical witch defenses¡­


    Sebastian¡¯s obsession with power and his fervor to continue his long-standing feud with Daron had led to two attacks within the last year. Ari and her friends had helped the local vampires win those rounds, but not without a cost. Ari still grieved for Yana, her former mentor, who¡¯d been ambushed and killed by Sebastian¡¯s werewolf assassins.


    She sighed again. Under the circumstances, a little extra honing of her vampire fighting skills was probably a good thing. Not that she minded spending time with Andreas¡ªnot at all. It was the losing that wasn¡¯t fun.


    ¡°It was a good hunt tonight,¡± Andreas said.


    ¡°I almost got away. If you hadn¡¯t made that last leap from the tree¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, your tracking and evading skills have improved, and the magic dust was an interesting touch.¡±


    ¡°Surprised you, didn¡¯t I?¡± Ari couldn¡¯t stop the hint of satisfaction that crept into her voice. It wasn¡¯t often she caught him off guard. Her eyes lit remembering how he¡¯d stumbled from the impact. ¡°I found the recipe in the Book of Shadows. Recorded by a great-great aunt, who used it against werewolves. A couple of adjustments upped the wattage.¡±


    His lips crooked into a grin. ¡°It does have an initial punch. The barrier dissolved too quickly to stop an assailant for long, but it should throw any vampire off balance. A nice addition to your craft.¡±


    Music to her ears. A few months ago Andreas had urged Ari to trust in her inner magic, instead of relying on her physical skills for everything. And she had done that, but it was sometimes trial and error. Today¡¯s magic powder was a coup of sorts, much better than the cloaking potion she tried last month. The cloaking elixir had worked fine against her werewolf friends; she¡¯d been invisible, but it hadn¡¯t fooled the vampire for a second. That failure made today¡¯s success even sweeter.


    ¡°Um, thanks. I¡¯ll take that as a compliment. You don¡¯t give many.¡± Ari was still pouting.


    And he called her on it. ¡°Need an ego boost, Arianna?¡± He hid a smile. ¡°I am sure I can oblige. Let me see, what are your greatest accomplishments? How about excellent cooking?¡± He ignored the small punch on his arm and continued. ¡°Perhaps not, considering the many meals you consume at Club Dintero and the take-out cartons in your trash. Although you do pour an acceptable glass of wine. Ah, I have it. Interior decorating. The bare walls of your apartment are done with such style.¡± He put a hand to his forehead as if deep in thought. ¡°Hmm, what else? Stitchery? Of wounds, perhaps.¡±


    ¡°Stop it,¡± she said, finally laughing. ¡°We both know I don¡¯t do much domestic stuff. Except for brewing potions. But one of these nights, I¡¯m gonna kick your butt.¡±


    ¡°Ah-ha. I thought I saw a lust for vengeance in those green eyes.¡± He easily sidestepped when she took a half-hearted swing at him.


    In spite of failing to defeat Andreas or evade his pursuit during the training session, Ari knew she was making good progress. She was getting better at fighting vampires every night they trained. If Sebastian was planning another attack, she would be ready this time.


    As they headed toward the west gate into Olde Town, both of them seemed content with the companionable silence. Their course wound along the tree-darkened paths toward the swan fountain on the edge of Goshen Park and in the general direction of their separate residences: Ari¡¯s studio apartment, where her cat Bella would be waiting, and Andreas¡¯s Victorian mansion, which he shared with a weretiger staff and six vampires of his lineage.


    Despite the mild temperature earlier in the evening, a cool wind blew through the dense pine trees, chilling Ari¡¯s back. The Midwestern fall season was quickly slipping away, and she zipped up her leather jacket. Her companion had no such problem. His immunity to temperature changes was one of the few vampire perks Ari envied.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been learning my witch family history,¡± she finally said. ¡°Read through The Book twice. It made me feel¡ª¡± She halted suddenly. Her skin prickled with awareness of approaching Otherworld power. She scanned the forest, as Andreas¡¯s body stilled beside her. Whatever inner radar warned him, their magics seemed to be on synchronized alert systems.

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    A long moment passed, then a fox-colored wolf trotted into view, a small, taupe bag attached to his collar. He paused, gave them a brief doggie grin and disappeared behind a bush. Ari let out her breath, and she felt Andreas relax. She recognized that grin, even if the wind at their backs had pushed away his familiar scent. A few seconds later, a redheaded man in his early thirties stepped out of the woods and walked toward them. He shrugged into a gray T-shirt that matched his faded jogging shorts.


    ¡°That¡¯s the only real inconvenience about this werewolf thing,¡± the man complained, clipping the collar and empty bag to his shorts. ¡°Having to carry your damn clothes around with you.¡±


    ¡°Good evening to you too, Steffan,¡± Andreas said. He smiled broadly at the local werewolf leader.


    Steffan returned the grin, throwing his arms out in an all-encompassing gesture. ¡°It is a super evening, isn¡¯t it? Do they still call it Indian summer in October? Or did that stop in September?¡± He scratched his head. ¡°I called the Club, but they said you were training in the park. And I tried both cells. When no one answered, I decided I¡¯d let my nose find you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s rather persistent,¡± Ari said. ¡°Not that I¡¯m sorry to see you, but is something wrong? Has something happened?¡± When people went out of their way to look for her, it usually meant trouble.


    ¡°Uh, nothing. Not really.¡± He flipped his red curls out of his eyes. ¡°Mostly it was a good excuse for a run after being cooped up in the office and attending meetings all week.¡± Steffan stretched his shoulders, still adjusting to the sudden shift from wolf to human form. Only the strongest lycanthropes could shift back and forth at will. Lesser wolves required a lengthy recovery time to avoid the debilitating consequences of muscle weakness and nausea.


    ¡°Are you going to explain the ¡®not really¡¯ part?¡± Andreas prompted.


    ¡°Oh, uh, sure. An unknown pack of wolves blew into town. Only five or six of them, at least that¡¯s all we¡¯ve seen, but they¡¯re acting too much like that bunch a year ago for me to be OK with it. They haven¡¯t reported in to any of our leaders and are keeping to themselves. Sound like a familiar pattern?¡±


    ¡°Not Sebastian¡¯s wolf assassins again.¡± Ari frowned and looked at Andreas. Hadn¡¯t they killed most of that pack last year?


    ¡°I can¡¯t prove it.¡± Steffan shook his head. ¡°No one¡¯s even talked to them. They¡¯ve been running in the park three nights in a row. I thought maybe I could spot them tonight and have a chat, but no such luck. I made a complete circuit before stopping here.¡±


    ¡°They could be strangers just passing through,¡± Ari said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be an enemy pack.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, anything¡¯s possible. I¡¯m just saying.¡± Steffan¡¯s voice was tight, defensive, more than was warranted by her comment, and concern narrowed his brown eyes. ¡°I¡¯m still wary of newcomers who don¡¯t follow protocol by making themselves known to pack leaders. It¡¯s an insult. If we had responded more quickly last time, maybe we could have prevented some of the deaths.¡± He glanced at them. ¡°Are you sure there are no other signs of trouble?¡±


    Andreas gave his characteristic shrug. Ari shook her head, but stayed focused on Steffan¡¯s face. Tension rolled off the werewolf leader out of all proportion to his words. That alone was enough to put Ari on alert.


    ¡°No premonitions,¡± she said slowly, ¡°but sometimes the beginnings are subtle.¡± She replayed events of the last week in her head. Had she felt anything unusual? Unexplained tingling of her skin, portentous dreams? Nothing stood out. She¡¯d been rather distracted by her relationship with Andreas since July. Maybe too distracted. Lovers could have that effect. ¡°I¡¯ll pay closer attention and ask around about new wolves in town. Have you talked with Martin?¡±


    ¡°I just did, earlier this evening,¡± Steffan said. ¡°He didn¡¯t even know they were here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not good. He¡¯s usually the first person to notice new lycanthropes. They have to be in hiding.¡±


    Martin was her counterpart, the Guardian for the eastside of Riverdale, the modern city and the suburbs, where many of the werewolves lived among the human population. Because of the risks from constant interaction, Martin kept close tabs on them, especially strangers.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel right,¡± Steffan said. Tired lines etched his face, as he scratched his chin. ¡°You both should be careful. Maybe I¡¯m over-reacting, imagining trouble, but I don¡¯t think so.¡± Even the long breath he released was weary. ¡°Ah, dammit, I¡¯ve been involved in some difficult negotiations the last few weeks. Could be that¡¯s affecting my perceptions.¡±


    ¡°What negotiations? Anything I should know?¡± she asked, immediately interested. If negotiations meant disputes, she didn¡¯t want a wolf feud erupting without warning.


    ¡°Just some tricky wolf issues,¡± Steffan answered vaguely. ¡°You know lycanthropes, we can¡¯t agree on anything. It¡¯s making all of us a little jumpy.¡± He gave a short bark of laughter, as if ridding himself of an unwelcome load. He put his nose in the air, sniffing the wind eagerly. ¡°Weather is changing. Could be a good omen. Race you to the fountain if you give me a minute to change.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re on,¡± Ari said. She hadn¡¯t missed his vague explanation, his eagerness to drop the discussion, or his shuttered look that said he wished he hadn¡¯t brought it up, but his reaction wasn¡¯t enough to alarm her. Otherworlders were private. Hell, Andreas was downright secretive. Steffan was better, but he rarely shared pack business, unless it was necessary. If she needed to know, he¡¯d tell her in time.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to claim any handicaps for this race,¡± Andreas called to the wolf, as Steffan disappeared behind the bush again. ¡°I do not want to exert myself.¡±


    ¡°Not bloody likely to need any concessions from you,¡± Steffan shouted back. Like many lycanthropes that interacted frequently with humans, he didn¡¯t shift physical forms in front of others, if he had a choice. It was personal. From experience, Ari knew the sight of metamorphosis¡ªthe stretching and tearing, the shedding and growing of fur¡ªwas disconcerting to an observer.


    Andreas¡¯s smile faded as he turned to Ari while they waited. ¡°Our friend is tense. He is concealing something.¡±


    Before she could respond, Steffan emerged from the brush in wolf form and pricked his ears in their direction. Without warning, Ari took off running. Surprise was her only chance. The three of them streaked through the park, a wildness racing through her blood. As Ari¡¯s long hair streamed behind her, she welcomed the cool breeze on her face. The wolf and the vampire caught her within the first seconds and could have pulled ahead, but Andreas matched her stride for stride. Steffan dropped into a steady pace beside them until the fountain was in sight. Andreas and Steffan suddenly sprinted ahead, the vampire claiming a close victory.


    Even a Guardian witch couldn¡¯t beat a master vampire or an alpha werewolf in pure speed. The outcome was ordained from the beginning, but the run was exhilarating. When Ari pulled up, both men grinned and razzed her about running like a girl. Old joke. She wouldn¡¯t let just anybody get away with that, but these two had special dispensation. At least until she figured out how to beat them.


    Steffan parted from them at the fountain and headed for his home in the suburbs. Ari and Andreas continued through the park. She sent soft tendrils of magic to absorb the sounds and smells of the evening. Dried leaves rustled in the breeze. An apple tree¡¯s fallen fruit emitted a cider scent. A night bird called. Something slithered over the pine needles near the path. Goshen Park, which separated Olde Town from the modern portions of Riverdale, was closed to humans after sundown. Otherworlders, including the more predatory races, were allowed to run free once dark descended, but its current inhabitants were simply wild creatures foraging for supper or seeking shelter for the night.


    When they exited the park gate and turned onto Ari¡¯s street, Andreas broke the silence. ¡°I think we should trust Steffan¡¯s instincts. This pack will warrant watching. I will inform Prince Daron at our court meeting tomorrow. If it does not run too late, I will join you on patrol afterward so we can discuss any precautions we should take. Perhaps there will be time for another training session.¡±


    ¡°Good idea. And I¡¯d love a re-match. Be prepared for anything,¡± she warned, giving him a teasing glance. ¡°I have other secrets up my sleeve.¡±


    ¡°Do you now?¡± His tone changed, deeper, richer, and she felt the subtle touch of his magic curl around her. ¡°Perhaps I should search you and see what I can find.¡± His hooded gaze briefly ran over her, and Ari suppressed a shiver of anticipation.


    ¡°That was just a figure of speech. A body search is not necessary,¡± she said loftily, then flashed him a grin and broke into a sprint toward her apartment. ¡°But you¡¯re welcome to look if you can.¡± Andreas grabbed her around the waist within a half dozen steps of her door. Swinging her around, he covered her mouth with his. Ari¡¯s pulse spiked, but she shoved him away, nipping his lower lip as they parted. She tugged on his arm, dragging him with her, and they entered the building laughing.


    Dawn was fast approaching when Andreas left to seek his own sleeping quarters for the day. As Ari curled under the covers, her thoughts returned to Steffan¡¯s visit. Surely it was too soon for Sebastian¡¯s wolves to be back. Most of the rogue pack had been killed last year, including their leaders, and the authorities had deported the rest. Of course, wolves reproduced in litters, and the young grew up quickly. It wouldn¡¯t be hard for four-legged creatures to slip unnoticed across international borders.


    Despite her late night, Ari was up shortly after 8:00 a.m. Dating a vampire interfered with her normal sleep hours, but her witch constitution was strong. It was also handy that her bosses at the Magic Council tolerated, even expected, an irregular schedule.


    During her morning shower, she¡¯d decided to bring her human cop partner up to speed on the werewolf threat as soon as possible. The pack might not pose a danger to the human population yet, but if something happened, she didn¡¯t want to deal with an outraged Lt. Ryan Foster over not being forewarned.

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    At midmorning the Olde Town annex of the Riverdale PD buzzed with cops in uniform and citizens streaming into the information area. Once housing the entire police force, before the new downtown law center was built, the annex still held a full complement of units. This morning¡¯s civilian visitors were a mixture of witnesses meeting with detectives for on-going cases, people inquiring about friends or relatives incarcerated overnight, and minor offenders looking for the right place to post bail and pay fines. Ari by-passed it all and headed straight for Ryan¡¯s office on the third floor.


    The thirty-four-year-old ex-Marine looked out of place hunched over his keyboard, clicking away furiously. Even for supervisors, police reports never seemed to end. Ryan Foster was the senior member in charge of the Inter-Community Division (ICD) that handled the PD¡¯s end of human-Otherworld conflicts. Ari¡¯s bosses, the Magic Council, held exclusive jurisdiction over Otherworlders, except when both communities were involved. Joint jurisdiction meant Ryan and Ari worked together as equals, and both of them were fine with that¡ªexcept for a few philosophical glitches. Ari abhorred rules; Ryan lived by them.


    ¡°What brings you out so bright and early?¡± Ryan¡¯s blue eyes crinkled in welcome as he automatically picked up the phone and called for an extra cup of coffee. Black, no cream or sugar. Ari was addicted to caffeine; Ryan enabled her habit.


    ¡°Things have been pretty quiet. Can¡¯t a gal drop in to say hello?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve done that without being on a case.¡± The cop leaned back in his chair and eyed her with speculation. ¡°How is Andreas?¡±


    No subtlety there. The comfortable relationship she¡¯d shared with Ryan had changed when she¡¯d become seriously involved with Andreas. Nothing big she could put her finger on. They certainly weren¡¯t unfriendly, but Ryan was almost wary around her. It was clear he didn¡¯t approve of her boyfriend choice, but hell, she didn¡¯t hold that against him; sometimes she wasn¡¯t sure she approved either. Vampires and witches were a volatile combination.


    Since she wasn¡¯t there to discuss Andreas or the ups and downs of that relationship, she kept her answer short. ¡°He¡¯s fine. We¡¯re fine, but I¡¯m here because of Steffan. He thinks we have trouble brewing.¡±


    Ryan leaned forward over his desk. ¡°Why? What¡¯s happened?¡±


    The door opened, and Ari waited until the balding, male clerk delivered the coffee. As soon as the door closed, she answered his question. ¡°There¡¯s a new wolf pack in town.¡±


    ¡°I assume we¡¯re talking werewolves, not the kind I could let Animal Control handle.¡± When she rolled her eyes, Ryan added with obvious resignation, ¡°Toronto again? Doesn¡¯t that guy ever give up?¡± Being cops, their minds often thought alike, but being suspicious of Sebastian was a no brainer.


    ¡°Can¡¯t say for sure, but Steffan¡¯s worried history could repeat itself. He hunted us down last night to pass on the warning.¡±


    ¡°Based on what? Have they done something?¡±


    ¡°Violated wolf protocols. Just like last time.¡± She repeated what Steffan had told them. ¡°He seemed pretty up-tight, but he admitted there¡¯d also been some clan trouble, something he didn¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± She lifted a dismissive shoulder. ¡°His business, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Frankly, it doesn¡¯t sound like you have much.¡± Ryan rocked back in his chair.


    ¡°And you sound like a skeptical cop. This is a trusted friend we¡¯re discussing. Steffan is worried, and that¡¯s good enough for me.¡±


    ¡°If I was just a skeptical cop, I¡¯d say you¡¯ve got nothing, and our discussion would be over.¡± Ryan ran a hand through his light, curly hair, a characteristic sign of frustration. ¡°But, we¡¯re talking about werewolves, and Steffan should smell trouble faster than anyone.¡± He heaved a long sigh for her benefit. ¡°Can¡¯t the Otherworld stay quiet for more than a few months at a time?¡±


    ¡°If it did, you and I would be out of a job. But cheer up, nothing¡¯s happened yet.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the way you said that, like you¡¯re hoping it changes.¡±


    ¡°You know me, I get bored easily,¡± she said, leaning back and crossing her jeans-clad legs.


    ¡°I wonder if I do,¡± Ryan said. ¡°Know you, I mean,¡± he added in response to her quick frown. ¡°You¡¯ve changed in the last three months.¡±


    Ari¡¯s throat tightened. Uh-oh, here it comes. She didn¡¯t like the sound of this. ¡°Don¡¯t get started,¡± she warned. ¡°I know how you feel about Andreas, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not Andreas,¡± he interrupted. ¡°It¡¯s you and Andreas¡­together. He¡¯s OK, for a vampire. I¡¯ve got nothing against him personally, and he¡¯s helped the department twice now. But dating him?¡± He studied her face. ¡°I thought you and I were on the same page with this.¡±


    ¡°You just don¡¯t know him. He¡¯s a lot different than I expected.¡± Ari paused, searching for a way to explain it. She¡¯d grown up with the normal wariness toward vampires. They were no longer human¡ªwere in fact often accused of being devil¡¯s spawn. Their unique need for blood to survive set them apart from other species, making their behaviors, beliefs, and emotional capacity a mystery. Trust had not come easily. She still struggled to understand the magical link she shared with Andreas, and the control issues involved were downright scary. It was complicated, and she couldn¡¯t explain her feelings to herself, much less someone else.


    She didn¡¯t try. ¡°This is getting us nowhere. Can we just drop the subject?¡± She gave him a fixed stare.


    Huffing with impatience, Ryan leaned back. ¡°I just don¡¯t like it. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to get hurt by expecting something he can¡¯t deliver. OK, I¡¯ll quit. But if you ever do want to talk, I¡¯m here.¡±


    She gave a brief nod, but it wouldn¡¯t happen. What she shared with Andreas was private, too private to discuss with Ryan.


    He threw down a paperclip he¡¯d been playing with for the last five minutes. ¡°So what do we do about these damned wolves?¡± he asked, reverting to the hard-nosed cop.


    ¡°Wait until they tell us why they¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Cute, Ari.¡± He crossed his arms. ¡°Do you have a serious answer to go with the comedy?¡±


    Huh. Still grumpy. She resisted saying so. ¡°I was serious. As you pointed out, we don¡¯t know much. Until they surface and do something, we wait. And we hope that Steffan is wrong.¡±


    Chapter Two


    Yeah, waiting was a good idea, but not something programmed into her DNA. On patrol that evening, Ari started looking for the wolves or at least for some answers. She searched Olde Town for any sighting of the strange pack and listened to community chatter. Nobody had seen or heard anything out of the ordinary. In fact, she finished her patrol of the bar and club districts in record time. It all seemed quiet tonight. The Second Chance Saloon had its normal evening fight, but nothing the bouncers couldn¡¯t handle.


    Entering Goshen Park, Ari paid special attention to the paths and open clearings where she might spot the wolves out for a run. She paused to scan a heavily wooded area, sniffed the air, and moved on. No musky scent of werewolf. The air was nippy, smelled clean and increasingly cool. It would snow within the next month. Heavy black clouds drew jagged lines across the moon. It fit her mood. She¡¯d been reviewing her morning discussion with Ryan. In some ways he acted jealous. Not a boy-girl thing so much as a best friend thing, like he felt replaced by Andreas. Although she¡¯d love to find a way to ease the tension, nothing had come to mind.


    She¡¯d covered most of Goshen Park, but Andreas hadn¡¯t turned up as promised. The court meeting with Prince Daron must be running long. A twinge of disappointment nagged at her. Not only for the obvious reasons, but she itched for a return match of wits and skills during another training session. One of these nights she intended to really impress him.


    Nearing the park gate, Ari whirled at the rustle of pine needles. A sudden spike in her witch senses flooded her system with adrenaline, but before she could do more than register the smell of lukos anthropos, the first werewolf slammed its head into her legs. Her leap into the air was a second too late to avoid the impact entirely. Although the wolf skidded under her, she was knocked off balance and landed hard on her knees. She yanked the silver dagger from her waist sheath, but three more wolves, yipping and growling, leaped onto her back. Toppled forward by their combined weight, she landed with her knife arm pinned under her body. Ari was in trouble.


    She jerked her head back hard, smashing the face of one of her attackers. The wolf grunted, snarling, but pulling back, shaking its head. She caught another wolf with the heel of her foot in a backward kick and rolled to one side far enough to free her dagger. She sliced the blade across the chest of the gray wolf straddling her side; the creature sank his teeth into her knife hand. Sharp pain shot up her arm, tearing a scream from her throat. Ari smelled blood¡ªher blood¡ªand knew the wolves did too. If she didn¡¯t break free soon, it would be a short fight.


    Amid the deafening sounds of snarling and growling wolves, she bucked, kicked and twisted with a strength born of desperation. Momentarily rolling free, she flipped to her feet, and brought up her hands to use witch fire. Claws slashed the back of her legs, catching and ripping her jeans, pulling her off balance. Ari stumbled, spun away to avoid going down, and fired a blue-flamed stunner, sidestepping another set of deadly claws. She bled steadily now. The sweet aroma filled the air and would soon trigger a feeding frenzy in the pack.


    Turning in time to see a black wolf leap toward her, she backed away, shooting lethal witch fire from her fingertips. The crimson arc caught the wolf in mid-flight. Howling, he burst into flames. Other claws dragged her down from behind, and a second attacker¡¯s needle-sharp fangs reached for her throat. She punched him in the nose with a hard jab. Blood spurted and the wolf pulled back, only to be replaced by another looming over her. The second attacker suddenly released her and was ripped away.

 Page 4

    Andreas shook the attacker repeatedly before tossing it into the nearby bushes. He grabbed Ari¡¯s arm, yanked her to her feet, and they turned together to face the remainder of the circling pack.


    Breathing hard, Ari lifted her fingers again, hitting the closest wolf with a stun-level blue flame. The creature whined and stumbled. She gave it a second blast for good measure¡ªand because she was really pissed.


    Andreas took care of the other two. The loud crack of a broken neck sealed the fate of the dark gray wolf that had bitten her. The last wolf turned tail and ran. Shaken and bleeding, Ari was content to let it go, but Andreas had other ideas. He reached the creature in four long leaps and dispatched it with a twist of its head. The only wolf alive was unconscious from the witch fire stuns.


    Andreas gave the fallen wolf a brief look and turned to Ari. ¡°How badly are you injured?¡± He eyed a scratch on her cheek, her torn blouse, then dropped his gaze to her hand.


    ¡°The damn thing bit me.¡± She peered at the bite wound. The blood ran across her palm and dropped onto the ground; she held her hand away from her. ¡°Other than this, just scratches. I¡¯ll heal.¡±


    ¡°Is the bite a concern?¡± he asked, taking her hand to examine it.


    Ari knew what he was asking. In a small percentage of cases, the bite of a werewolf infected a human with lycanthropy. If that happened, she would find herself howling and running through the woods on the next full moon. But Ari was only part human. Except for her great-grandfather, her witch bloodlines were pure.


    She shook her head. ¡°No. My witch blood is dominant. It protects me.¡±


    ¡°Good to know. Nevertheless, we need to stop the bleeding. The bite is deep.¡± Still holding her hand, his voice held a question. ¡°My saliva will stop the bleeding by coagulating the blood.¡±


    ¡°You want to lick it?¡± Ari made an effort to keep her voice neutral, as if this was a perfectly normal development. But, ew! Wake up call. Boyfriend was a vampire.


    Her efforts at nonchalance didn¡¯t fool him. His face clouded in impatience.


    ¡°OK, the hand only.¡± Ari felt the blood from the leg injuries oozing down her calves. ¡°But you¡¯re not licking my legs.¡± Entirely too creepy.


    ¡°But that would have been the fun part,¡± Andreas said, a smile tugging at his mouth. He¡¯d clearly decided to be amused by her discomfort.


    In spite of Ari¡¯s doubts, his temporary first aid to her hand wasn¡¯t at all nasty. Andreas touched his lips to the injured area, and his tongue slowly traced the wound. She thought he prolonged the process longer than necessary, but the sensation was kind of sexy, sending shivers down her spine. Disturbed by her reaction, Ari jerked her hand away, and he let go. What was she thinking? She¡¯d insisted on a strict agreement between them about no bloodletting. And now a vampire had his teeth next to her skin, tasting her blood, and she thought it was sexy? No way. Not going there.


    ¡°Now what is wrong?¡± Andreas asked, frowning again. ¡°Do not try to tell me that hurt.¡±


    ¡°No, not at all. But does the blood¡­ I mean, does it tempt you?¡±


    His eyes narrowed. ¡°Are you asking if I am going to drain your blood in my uncontrollable bloodlust?¡±


    ¡°Well, no, I didn¡¯t mean exactly that.¡± Tongue-tied, Ari bit her lip. Despite all the Guardianship training and their current dating status, she didn¡¯t know much about what vampires felt or thought, except what she¡¯d been told or read in textbooks. None of those accounts had been from a vampire¡¯s point of view. She was still stumbling along in the dark about rather ordinary things. It was disconcerting, embarrassing at times like this. ¡°Does it make you uncomfortable?¡± She finally added bluntly, ¡°Is it hard not to bite me?¡±


    Andreas sighed. ¡°I apologize for my annoyance, little witch.¡± He reached out, briefly touching her cheek, as he tucked a stray lock of her hair behind one ear. ¡°Too often, I forget how young you are. No, you are quite safe. I have lived a long time as a vampire. The smell of your blood is pleasant, but it does not tempt me to feed from you. Of course,¡± he added, with a devilish gleam, ¡°there are certain times when even an experienced vampire is tempted to bite. It is very pleasurable for my kind. Enhances other enjoyments. The state of your unbroken skin should be testimony enough of my control.¡±


    ¡°You could have stopped with ¡®it does not tempt me,¡¯¡± Ari said. ¡°The rest isn¡¯t very reassuring.¡± He was still holding her injured hand, and she pulled it away. ¡°I better get home and clean up.¡±


    ¡°Not tonight, cara mia. It should be obvious even to you that your apartment is not safe. If this is the same wolf pack we¡¯ve dealt with before, they already know where you live.¡± When she started to shake her head, he interrupted. ¡°Why do you always have to argue?¡±


    The bloody scene of her mentor¡¯s death outside her apartment building flashed through Ari¡¯s head, cutting off further protest. She raised her chin. ¡°If I can¡¯t go home, then what do you suggest?¡±


    ¡°The Chantilly Suite is always available.¡±


    She should have known he¡¯d say that. Hadn¡¯t she tried hard to avoid that trap? The beautiful guest suite in his Victorian home was both tempting and forbidden. Blue and white. And frilly. It was decorated with genuine Queen Anne antiques and equipped with every modern convenience. Kind of like the ultimate spa. But agreeing to sleep in his home¡ªnot just falling asleep on the couch¡ªseemed like a bigger commitment than she was ready to make. It was an argument they¡¯d had before. At least twice.


    Before she could defend her position one more time, Lilith and Russell, husband and wife werelions employed as security at Andreas¡¯s supper club, burst onto the scene in a full run.


    ¡°What the hell happened?¡± Lilith¡¯s voice was brusque as she caught her breath.


    ¡°How did you know to come here?¡± Ari looked at them bewildered.


    ¡°I phoned for reinforcements,¡± Andreas explained. ¡°Your magic warned me. I was already on the way when I heard your scream.¡±


    She shot him a troubled look. Not again. ¡°You heard me? Saw the fight?¡± Her magic seemed to have a mind of its own when one of them was in trouble by sharing mental images of the danger involved.


    He nodded. ¡°Yes. Almost as if I was here.¡±


    Ari turned her face away, her mouth suddenly dry. This telepathic thing had worked to their advantage twice before, once by design. Always when one of them was at risk. So far, Andreas had been the receiver of the magical warnings. But she couldn¡¯t shake her fear of having the magic go the other direction, of having a vampire capable of mental manipulation inside her head. ¨¹ber creepy.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± Russell demanded, looking at his boss.


    Andreas shifted his attention, and Ari was glad for the diversion. ¡°Yes, I am fine, but Arianna¡¯s hand needs attention.¡± He glanced at the motionless wolf on the ground. ¡°I will take care of her injury, if you and Lilith will transport the wolf back to the house.¡± He glanced at Russell¡¯s angry face. ¡°Keep him alive, Russell. I have a few questions I want answered as soon as he wakes. Once you have him secured, send Lilith to assist Arianna in the Chantilly Suite.¡±


    ¡°Sure. No problem.¡± Grinning, Lilith stepped forward, her golden-brown eyes flashing. ¡°I¡¯d love to babysit.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need a babysitter,¡± Ari snapped. Inwardly she groaned in frustration, fuming at Andreas¡¯s easy assumption she would give in and stay in his house. She bit her tongue and swallowed her protest. It would only give Lilith and Russell entertainment at her expense. Lilith had unabashedly promoted a permanent ¡°togetherness¡± with Andreas for more than a year, claiming they were dynamite together. Ari took that to mean the lioness enjoyed the fireworks that often flared between two such dominant personalities. Lilith was very aware Ari had doubts about the match and took delight in Ari¡¯s every defeat. Until she could get Andreas alone, Ari satisfied herself with a fierce glare at Lilith. Predictably, the lioness laughed.


    Ari wheeled and stalked up the street. The claw marks on her calves had tightened the muscles so much she limped, making her departure less than impressive. Andreas caught up and offered to help, but she curtly declined. At the moment, she didn¡¯t want him to touch her, didn¡¯t want to be babied. Enough was enough.


    Andreas put up with the slow, limping pace for about a block, then he simply scooped her into his arms.


    ¡°Hey, put me down, dammit! I¡¯m not helpless.¡± She pounded on his chest, but he acted like he didn¡¯t feel the impact.


    ¡°I know you are not, but we do not have time for this,¡± he said. ¡°If the wolves have friends, I do not want them to find us out in the open.¡±


    After those sobering words, Ari stopped struggling but continued to sulk over the undignified treatment. He ignored her irritation and talked with Russell until they arrived at the house. To Ari¡¯s increasing embarrassment, two members of his home security force met them at the door. About to reissue her demands to be put down, she was distracted when Andreas ordered them to take the wolf to the secure room in the basement. Secure room? She hadn¡¯t known he had such a place. Exactly what he was hiding down there? A full-fledged dungeon? A medieval torture chamber?


    When they arrived at the Chantilly Suite, Andreas finally dumped her on her feet. She backed away and glared at him. ¡°About time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re covered with blood,¡± he observed matter-of-factly. ¡°Into the shower. Unless you want me to do that too?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you wish,¡± she retorted. ¡°Out.¡±


    ¡°Your hand and legs need treatment as soon as you have showered.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Send someone back in fifteen minutes.¡±


    ¡°I will be here in ten,¡± was his parting shot as he pulled the bedroom door closed behind him. ¡°I still have other work to do.¡±


    ¡°So who¡¯s keeping you?¡±


    ¡°Nine,¡± she heard from the hallway.


    Ari scurried into the shower and turned the water to hot. It stung her hand and legs, but otherwise felt like heaven. When finished, she wrapped a hand towel around the bite wound, and slipped on a fluffy white bathrobe hanging on the back of the door. She was thankful to see the hem was high enough to avoid the bloody lacerations on her legs. It would be a shame to stain the fancy cover-up. Taking two more towels to wipe the oozing blood and to stand on, she opened the bathroom door. Andreas sat on the edge of the bed with gauze and tape and ointments spread out around him.

 Page 5

    Her hand was throbbing by now, her legs tight and raw.


    He frowned at her. ¡°You have a bruised eye.¡±


    ¡°Do I?¡± She lifted her good hand to her forehead. ¡°It¡¯ll be gone by morning.¡±


    ¡°I do not like seeing you injured.¡± Andreas released a heavy sigh, opening a jar of ointment. ¡°Turn around and stand still. This will stop the bleeding.¡± He knelt on one knee behind her and smeared a jelly-like substance over the backs of her legs. The stinging stopped immediately. Ari craned her neck for a look at the jar. It had no label.


    No longer concerned she would leave blood all over the furniture, Ari dropped into one of the armchairs while Andreas gave his attention to her hand. The bite had gone deep enough to reach the bone. His long fingers gently massaged the area, forcing the ointment into the wound and bringing instant pain relief.


    ¡°Is this a vampire home remedy of some kind?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You could say that.¡± He set the jar aside and began to wrap her hand with gauze.


    ¡°You should market the stuff. Make a fortune.¡± Ari was making small talk to alleviate her discomfort with the situation. She wasn¡¯t used to being the helpless one.


    ¡°It would be difficult to mass produce,¡± Andreas said dryly. ¡°The main ingredient is saliva from a master level vampire.¡±


    ¡°From you?¡±


    ¡°In this case, yes. Does that bother you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Somehow a saliva ointment out of a jar didn¡¯t have the same ick factor as licking. Mind tricks again. This time her own brain, not vampiric manipulation. ¡°Does it work on vampires too?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It would, if needed. How quickly do you heal?¡±


    ¡°Not as fast as you do, but a few hours¡¯ sleep will probably do it.¡±


    ¡°Good. Depending on what the prisoner has to say, we may need to respond to this attack swiftly. If this is Sebastian¡¯s doing¡­¡± His jaw clenched.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be ready. When are we going to question the wolf?¡±


    Finished with the bandage, he swiped a little of the ointment on her facial and arm scratches, set the supplies aside, and finally answered her question. ¡°I am going to question him now. You are going to bed.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. He tried to kill me. I have a right to be there.¡± Ari started to get up, but Andreas firmly pushed her back into the chair cushions and rose. She glowered up at him.


    ¡°Bad temper will not win this argument for you. You are injured and need to heal. Besides, it would be best if you were not present during his questioning.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get to make those decisions for me,¡± she snapped, pushing him away and standing. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I be there? What are you going to do?¡± Ari was annoyed by his high-handed attitude, but she was even more upset at herself. How could she have let the wolves catch her off guard? Not wanting to think about what could have happened, she concentrated on being angry with Andreas. ¡°You¡¯re obviously planning something you think I wouldn¡¯t like.¡±


    He looked at her, his expression unreadable.


    ¡°What kind of torture are you planning?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± His look hardened. ¡°I will do what is necessary.¡± Coldness edged into his voice. ¡°A concept you do not always understand, except when it suits you to break the rules.¡±


    Ari blinked. She¡¯d definitely gotten past his armor.


    ¡°I will lock you in, if necessary.¡±


    They glowered at each other, and this time Ari backed down.


    Even in her present sour mood, she wasn¡¯t stupid. They were on the verge of an all out fight, a fight she couldn¡¯t and maybe shouldn¡¯t win. He was wrong in thinking she didn¡¯t understand the practical side, but she was a cop. It made times like this one very complicated. She sat down and crossed her arms.


    ¡°Lilith will be outside if you need anything,¡± he said. ¡°I will not be back tonight.¡±


    Holy crap! He was angrier than she¡¯d thought. ¡°Then how am I to know what the wolf says? Or what needs to be done tomorrow while you¡¯re snoozing away?¡±


    ¡°Lilith will tell you in the morning.¡± With those words, he left, closing the door more firmly than required. One irritated vampire. Not a good sign for the werewolf below.


    In spite of her determination to stay awake until somebody told her what was happening, Ari woke with the sun streaming through the window. She flexed her fingers on the injured hand. A little stiff, but otherwise strong. She¡¯d slept soundly, thanks to Andreas¡¯s ointment and she suspected a little something in the bedtime hot chocolate from Lilith. Their assumption she needed to be taken care of was annoying, but she felt too good to complain. Ari stretched and sat up, suppressing a startled gasp when she saw the lioness lounging in a chair, watching her. As usual, Lilith¡¯s short, black hair stood on end, and she had a bored expression on her face.


    ¡°Have you been here all night?¡± Ari demanded.


    ¡°No. Just the last hour. I came to see if you were going to sleep all day.¡± Lilith yawned and flexed her shoulders.


    ¡°I don¡¯t snore, do I?¡±


    ¡°More like heavy breathing.¡± Lilith gave her a sly look. ¡°If you¡¯re worried, no doubt Andreas would think it was cute.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please.¡± Ari grimaced. ¡°I¡¯m not sure he thinks anything about me is cute right now.¡±


    ¡°Lover¡¯s spat? I thought he was feeling murderous because of the wolf attack.¡±


    Oh, no. Ari¡¯s gaze flew to Lilith¡¯s face. Had her bad temper been responsible for the captive¡¯s death? She didn¡¯t need that on her conscience. ¡°Is the wolf dead?¡±


    Lilith shook her head. ¡°No, but he spilled his guts, figuratively speaking. Your Lt. Foster is picking him up this morning.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Ari sat up straighter. ¡°When was that arranged? How¡¯d Ryan get involved in this?¡±


    ¡°Something had to be done with the prisoner and the dead bodies in the park. Andreas talked with Foster and with Steffan last night. Several times, I think.¡±


    Ari took that all in, relieved the wolf was still alive, but annoyed she¡¯d missed so much while she¡¯d slept. ¡°Tell me what the wolf said.¡±


    Lilith smiled without humor. ¡°It takes only one word¡ªSebastian. That vamp freak doesn¡¯t know when to quit. He lied to the wolves to get them to come after you. Some cock-and-bull story about you and Andreas ambushing their leaders in an unprovoked attack last year. And that you mutilated and tortured the she-wolf before killing her. Andreas was furious when he heard that one.¡± The lioness paused and snorted in disgust. ¡°Sebastian¡¯s not only after Prince Daron now. He¡¯s targeting you and Andreas, maybe all of us.¡±


    Ari ran a finger over the edge of the silken comforter. Damn. She should have anticipated Sebastian would use the wolves again. After the pack killed her mentor and attacked the vampire compound, Ari and Andreas had cornered and killed one of the wolf leaders; the other had died at Sebastian¡¯s hands because Ari had discovered their partnership in drug trafficking. Even if Sebastian hadn¡¯t skewed those facts, the surviving wolves would have blamed them, and avenging fallen packmates was instinctive to most lycanthrope clans.


    Still, Sebastian might have overplayed his hand this time. By sending them back so soon, scarcely a year since the pack was decimated, they had been weak with only five adult leaders. They had caught Ari by surprise¡ªwhich was her own damned fault¡ªbut thanks to Andreas, the pack had now suffered a second major defeat. It might take years this time for the wolves to adequately fill such a power loss. Due to his haste, Sebastian had lost one of his most effective weapons.


    ¡°So what¡¯s the plan?¡± she demanded. Andreas would be plotting a response. He wouldn¡¯t let this incident go unchallenged.


    Lilith cleared her throat. ¡°Andreas spent much of the night conferring with Prince Daron and the vampire court. They decided Andreas should go to Toronto with a formal warning from this court to Sebastian¡¯s.¡± Lilith dropped her eyes. ¡°Russell and two vamp guards are going with him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it? Just a warning? No way! And while we wait here? Like that¡¯s going to happen.¡± Scowling, Ari hopped out of bed. ¡°I¡¯m going to Toronto to confront that nasty toad. Give him a warning of my own. He¡¯s gone too far this time.¡±


    ¡°Thought that¡¯s what you¡¯d say.¡± Lilith smirked. ¡°I¡¯ve brought the essentials.¡± She stood and picked up several items that had been laying unseen behind her chair. She slipped a plastic bottle of holy water into a waist holder, grasped a pistol in one hand, and tucked a second handgun into her shoulder holster. Lilith and her semi-automatics were notorious. The holy water was a nice addition.


    Ari slowly smiled. Now that was her idea of appropriate luggage.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to tell Samuel to add us to the air and hotel reservations,¡± Lilith added. ¡°I tried, but he won¡¯t take my word for it.¡±


    Even at Ari''s urging, Samuel, the weretiger in charge of household security, hesitated. He knew his boss wouldn¡¯t like it but finally gave in when she said she¡¯d deal with the fallout. Samuel couldn¡¯t quite hide a mischievous grin. It made her stop and think about how she should approach Andreas. Maybe confrontation wasn¡¯t the best way.


    As soon as Andreas appeared that afternoon, Ari told him her travel plans. She kept her voice matter-of-fact. If the staff had hoped for ringside seats at a big blow up, they were doomed to disappointment. Andreas¡¯s only reaction to the news was a small quirk of his mouth, followed by a brief nod.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem surprised,¡± she said. It might have been smarter to leave it alone, but if he was still pissed with her, she wanted to deal with it now. If left to fester, grievances between them tended to erupt at the most inconvenient times and places.


    His dark eyes studied her with amusement. ¡°I assumed I had done all the masterful pushing you were going to tolerate.¡±

 Page 6

    ¡°Damn straight. This is my fight, too.¡±


    ¡°We are not going there to fight, Arianna.¡± His face lost its humor. ¡°We will have four guards with us. Do not start anything we cannot finish.¡±


    She grinned at him, but said, ¡°I¡¯ll be good.¡±


    ¡°Try to keep that in mind. Considering your last meeting with Sebastian, I doubt if he finds your temper as¡­intriguing as I do.¡±


    When she gave an indignant snort, he laughed. ¡°Let us not fight with each other. We need to pack.¡± He slipped an arm around her waist, pulled her close, and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.


    And that was the end of it. Andreas had turned off his annoyance, put it behind him. He¡¯d known she would insist on going. Sometimes he was overly protective, and Ari didn¡¯t understand that. She was a cop, for Goddess¡¯s sake. No one else treated her with kid gloves¡ªexcept Ryan, on rare occasions. Maybe it was an alpha male thing. In any case, she and Andreas had worked well as partners in the past, and she figured he wasn¡¯t really opposed to her joining the delegation.


    Once the decision was made, they hurried to finish preparations. The flight left at 6:03 p.m. and would put them in Toronto a little before midnight. She didn¡¯t call Ryan until they arrived at the airport and was relieved to avoid his questions when she reached phone mail. She left a message stating she¡¯d be out of town a couple days and not to worry. It wouldn¡¯t stop him from wondering where she was, but suspecting she was up to something versus knowing she had gone into the enemy camp were two different levels of concern. Either way, there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it.


    The flight was uneventful. Andreas only flew first class, and Ari was curious how much he¡¯d paid to get them all onboard at the last moment. He sat next to the window and brooded at the dark sky outside. Ari read the in-flight magazine and dozed for a while. Russell and Lilith chatted in low voices one row ahead of them. Ari couldn¡¯t see the other two vamps, but she heard Marcus giggling over his video game from a couple rows behind. The flight attendants, aware of the number of weapons they had declared, gave the six members of their party a wide berth.


    It was nearly 1:00 a.m. by the time they checked into the Toronto hotel. While Ari and the werelions settled into the suite, Andreas and the other vampires left to explore the city and locate Sebastian¡¯s court. They still hadn¡¯t returned by the time Russell, Lilith, and Ari decided to go to bed. Ari was tempted to stay up, but she needed to be fresh to guard the vampires while they slept during the day. Yawning, she crawled into her bed. Since they never slept together, Andreas¡¯s room was next door. He had understood when Ari made it clear she never wanted to wake to find his ¡°dead¡± body lying next to her. Way, way, way too creepy.


    Around dawn Ari awoke to find a single rose next to her pillow. She sat up, instantly awake, picked it up, and sniffed the sweet fragrance. Slipping out of bed, she blew a kiss toward the connecting door and smiled all the way to the shower.


    When Ari wandered into the suite¡¯s common room half an hour later, Lilith was already there.


    ¡°Coffee¡¯s made, and we have reading material.¡± The lioness swept her hand toward the kitchen table.


    Ari glanced at the pile of maps and brochures stacked there. First things first. The hotel coffee was only passable, but it held the essential ingredient, caffeine. After several quick sips, she began to feel human again. As human as a witch ever felt.


    The werelions and Ari spent the morning chatting about the upcoming meeting with the vampire prince and studying maps of the city. Andreas and his companions had located Sebastian¡¯s Court, and someone had drawn a map with directions. A note from Andreas suggested they should be ready to leave by sundown.


    ¡°They won¡¯t be up for hours yet,¡± Ari said, picking up the map. ¡°I¡¯d like to check out this place. Get my bearings.¡±


    ¡°Good idea.¡± Russell jumped up. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± He paused as if suddenly remembering someone needed to stay behind. ¡°Unless you¡¯d rather I stay here.¡± He looked at Lilith.


    She gave him an indulgent look from her relaxed pose on the couch and put her feet on the coffee table. ¡°Fine by me. I¡¯ll watch the sleepers. I¡¯d rather have you two out of here than pacing all day long.¡±


    Russell gave his wife a sheepish look, but joined Ari in plotting the route on the city map. Fifteen minutes later they were out of the hotel and hailing a cab. As they road in the taxi, Ari noted city landmarks that would mark there way if they had to get in and out in a hurry. Just in case. Exiting their ride several blocks from the vampire compound, they continued on foot.


    The entrance to Sebastian¡¯s court masqueraded as an abandoned storefront. Vamps always seemed to pick isolated areas, probably a reaction to being hunted with stakes for thousands of years. Choosing a vacant second-story room in a building across the street, Ari and Russell settled in to watch.


    According to Andreas¡¯s notes, Sebastian¡¯s compound was dug under the basement of the former garment factory behind the defunct clothing outlet. Although Ari didn¡¯t see any signs of life right away, she knew the area would be heavily guarded. Andreas¡¯s status as the visiting representative from another vampire court was the only thing that would get their group beyond the front door. They watched the adjacent buildings in the area for the next half hour.


    ¡°Sniper,¡± Ari said, nodding toward a building on the left.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Russell acknowledged. ¡°There¡¯s a second one behind the building with the girlie sign.¡±


    ¡°I see him. They¡¯re both wolves.¡±


    They waited another ten minutes. Finally satisfied she¡¯d seen all there was to see and that they¡¯d successfully whittled down two hours of waiting time, Ari motioned to Russell. They exited into the alley behind them and returned to their hotel.


    Andreas appeared by mid-afternoon, strolling in, wearing his usual Armani casuals¡ªblack T-shirt, black jeans. The slight flush to his skin indicated that he¡¯d already had his bag of blood for the day. He smiled when she told him about the surveillance trip.


    ¡°Sebastian knows we are here. I called him before dawn. We are invited to his compound at eight o¡¯clock.¡±


    She told him about the snipers.


    ¡°Not surprising. There will be more tonight.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to think it was significant.


    Ari wished the meet was earlier. Her whole body was tense, and she wanted to get on with it. Russell had resorted to some shoot-¡¯em-up game on the laptop. Lilith had caught their edginess and was cleaning her guns. For the third time. They all knew the dangers of walking into any unfamiliar vampire court, especially one with a prince noted for his unpredictable violence.


    Ari kept thinking of her prior visit. Sebastian had turned his vampiric power on her and attempted to destroy her mental defenses. At the last moment, her magic had formed an inner firewall, stopping the invasion, but it had been close and not an experience she wanted to repeat.


    Sitting and waiting added to the tension.


    By 7:00, they¡¯d given up any pretense of normal activities, like reading or eating or watching TV, and were merely killing time. Lilith had been filing her nails for the last half hour. The vamps were up, darkness had fallen outside, and still they waited. The other vampires had dined on bottled blood they¡¯d brought with them, a hassle to get through airport security, but easier than dealing with the hotel kitchen. Russell and Lilith had utilized room service. The greasy smell of their cheeseburgers and fries was tempting, but Ari was too keyed up to eat. Her stomach growled; she ignored it. Her outfit wouldn¡¯t look good with telltale grease spots on the front.


    At Andreas¡¯s urging, Lilith and Ari were in feminine attire, considered proper for a court appearance. Lilith had dressed in dark blue: short skirt, boots, silk blouse. Ari chose a long, loose black skirt, with concealed pockets, and matching boots, white low-necked top and a black ribbon around her throat. Regular party girls, except for the weapons and magic potions. Ari had concealed most of her normal arsenal¡ªderringer with two silver bullets, knife, potions, magic dust¡ªin her pockets but left the charm bracelet with its protective trinkets on conspicuous display. Lilith¡¯s weapons were in plain sight by design. Sebastian would expect them to be accompanied by armed bodyguards.


    Strung too tightly to sit for long, Ari wandered restlessly around the room, looking at the pictures on the walls, watching her companions, thinking about the night ahead. An hour ago, Andreas had changed into elegant, black leather with a black silk T-shirt under his jacket, no doubt custom-made by his favorite designer. Oliver and Marcus sported jeans with brown leather jackets; Russell had favored all denim. Like Lilith, Russell displayed his weapons: an eight-inch knife in a sheath and a sawed-off shotgun slung over his shoulder.


    Ari shot a quick peek at Andreas¡¯s still form. He had been standing at the window at least twenty minutes, staring out over the darkened city. The man had nerves of steel. What did he see? Even though the moon was almost full, a dense cloud cover blocked its glow, and only the city lights provided any illumination in the darkness. Ari was glad she had viewed their destination earlier in the day.


    ¡°Will you please sit down?¡± Andreas said quietly without turning around.


    Ari came to a halt, realizing she¡¯d been pacing the hotel room like a caged animal. It probably wasn¡¯t helping anyone else. She plopped in a chair, picked up a magazine and began leafing through it. The turning of pages was the only sound in the room.


    She looked up in time to see Andreas turn to look at her. His eyes widened, and he threw back his head with a laugh. ¡°Today¡¯s Bride?¡±


    Ari looked at the magazine she held but was obviously not reading. Sure enough, Today¡¯s Bride. She blushed, dropping it on the coffee table. ¡°Isn¡¯t it time to go?¡±


    ¡°Patience, madam witch. I intend to be late. They will expect it, and they will be late as well. The trick is to time it so everyone arrives together and no one gains an advantage or loses face.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be simpler if both sides stuck to the original time?¡± she said.

 Page 7

    ¡°Yes, but that is not the point.¡± He returned to staring out the window.


    So what was the point? Ari didn¡¯t know whether this was a guy thing or a vampire thing. She looked at Lilith, and the lioness shook her head. No one else seemed bothered by this waiting game, not even Russell. Must be a guy thing. Testosterone based.


    ¡°So-o, when do we go?¡± Ari ventured. ¡°I mean, how do we decide when it¡¯s time?¡±


    When no one else spoke, Oliver, the older of the two vamp guards, said, ¡°Andreas will sense when Sebastian is ready to move.¡±


    ¡°Um, I don¡¯t understand. Are we talking telepathy?¡± Was it the same thing she and Andreas shared?


    ¡°Not exactly.¡± Andreas spoke this time. ¡°Master level vampires can read other vampires, pick up on impressions and feelings. It requires constant blocking to prevent readable leaks, even in the oldest vampires. Sebastian is so arrogant, he is careless in guarding his thoughts.¡±


    ¡°How will he read you? You wouldn¡¯t be that sloppy.¡±


    ¡°He is more powerful.¡± Showing no discomfort with this admission, Andreas turned his attention back to the view outside the window.


    Ari¡¯s gut clenched at his words, her fear meter bouncing wildly upward. Maybe it was his matter-of-fact tone, his easy acceptance of Sebastian¡¯s superior power. Andreas was always so confident; Ari was used to thinking of him as nearly invincible. In her head she knew that Sebastian was much older, but she hadn¡¯t considered how that might play out in a contest of wills. If Andreas thought they were out-gunned, they should be running for the hills. But what options did they have?


    She didn¡¯t know much about the inner workings of the secretive vamp community. Much of their life¡ªespecially court maneuverings¡ªwas hidden from the rest of the world. Take tonight, for example; none of her education and training had prepared Ari for what might happen when two master vampires met under the current circumstances. If it turned into a fight, would they use weapons? Hand-to-hand combat with strength and teeth? She didn¡¯t think it would be that simple, and not knowing what would happen next gave her goose bumps.


    She studied Andreas¡¯s rigid back. He was different tonight, unapproachable, remote. The indefinable, mystical link between them barely flickered. Andreas was blocking her out. A part of her, a very small part, wished she¡¯d stayed home in Riverdale.


    Ari stood and joined his eerie watch at the window. The moon chose that moment to pop from behind the clouds. ¡°The Hunter¡¯s Moon!¡± she said, startled she hadn¡¯t remembered before now. The coincidence made her uneasy. This was the night when hunters of the past had killed the meat for the long winter. Also known as the killing moon, it boded a night of terror for prey. Otherworlders of all kinds, including vampires, were attuned to the ancient call of this night.


    ¡°Yes, a night to be wary,¡± Andreas said without inflection. ¡°I could wish our timing was better, but it cannot be helped. Our errand is urgent.¡±


    She studied his profile. Was he worried? Her witch blood stirred sending tiny barbs across her neck.


    Another half hour passed.


    At last Andreas turned away from the window. ¡°It is time to go.¡±


    Chapter Three


    The clouds had covered the moon again and left the area outside Sebastian¡¯s headquarters in total darkness. The storefront seemed as deserted as before, but Andreas didn¡¯t hesitate. He strode to the door, tapped once and announced his name. It opened immediately, a werewolf beckoned to them, and the delegation from Riverdale filed inside.


    Andreas halted at the sight of a dozen heavily armed vampires and werewolves. A large, black-haired vamp detached himself from the group. ¡°I am Francois. Your servants will remain here.¡±


    The big guy looked impressive, but he was no more than a hundred years old. Ari sensed his limited power.


    Andreas arched a brow. ¡°I think not. Surely, this is not how Sebastian treats a visiting court.¡± Andreas was at his most commanding and arrogant. He allowed a hint of his power to leak over everyone in the room. ¡°These are members of our delegation. I am sure you do not intend to disrespect them. Take us to your prince.¡±


    The other vamp took a step back but remained adamant. ¡°My orders do not include your party.¡±


    ¡°If you do not have the necessary authority to admit them, then find someone who does. We will wait.¡±


    The younger vamp hesitated this time. ¡°You can ask Jerome. Follow me.¡±


    Round one to Andreas. The group was in, but it had been a shallow victory. The vamp sent to meet them was so low level his presence was an insult. Sebastian would not expect him to stand up to Andreas¡¯s greater authority. Their host was being pissy. Not a good start.


    Andreas moved forward, and the others followed, crossing an open space to the back of the original store and down the stairs into a basement area. A wall panel slid open on the right. Stone steps descended into man-made, or vampire-made, subterranean tunnels. Branches spiraled in all directions, similar to Prince Daron¡¯s compound in Olde Town, except much older. As the area had not been modernized with electricity, their escorts took torches from the walls. Two of Sebastian¡¯s party went ahead; the others, more heavily armed, followed behind.


    A gradual upward slant in the path preceded their arrival at the inner chambers. They entered a small, nondescript room of bare stone and concrete walls. Two giant werewolves guarded the massive, iron, double doors at the other end. Although both wolves were in human form, they didn¡¯t look or act human. Their eyes were the distinctive, golden-brown common among their kind, and one of them had furry tuffs on the back of his hands. To retain such wolfish features, the men had to have been infected by lycanthropy, not been natural born, and spent way too much time in wolf form. Both had the physiques of weight lifters, and their faces betrayed a feral look.


    The furry-handed guy glared at their escort. ¡°Why are the others here? Your orders were clear.¡±


    ¡°But Jerome, I¡­I mean, he¡­¡±


    Andreas interrupted. ¡°As a representative of a visiting court, I have the right to bring my delegation with me.¡±


    Jerome looked them over, then ordered the big vamp back to his post. The wolf pointed at Ari but spoke to Andreas. ¡°Why is this female wearing a holy item? It will do her no good and is an insult to the prince.¡±


    Which item was he objecting to? The silver cross or the holy water? They weren¡¯t big enough to do much damage. The amulets were much more powerful, but he hadn¡¯t mentioned those. In any case, she wasn¡¯t handing over the gift from her grandmother.


    ¡°It is mere jewelry,¡± Andreas responded in an even tone. ¡°Surely the great Prince Sebastian would not be bothered by such a trifling thing. As you can see, I am not.¡±


    ¡°She must leave it behind,¡± the wolf insisted.


    Ari tilted her head. ¡°No, but I will take it off.¡± She looked at Andreas. ¡°Perhaps you could keep it for me?¡±


    ¡°My pleasure.¡±


    Ari unfastened the clasp and slipped the bracelet into a pocket of Andreas¡¯s jacket. She had anticipated her bracelet would raise an objection. In fact, she¡¯d counted on it to distract him from other possible weapons.


    The giant werewolf wrinkled his nose with displeasure, and for a moment Ari thought he would try to confiscate the charms. She tried her best to look like a spoiled but helpless female. Not something she had much practice in, but her blonde hair and slender frame often conveyed that impression. She offered a slightly apologetic smile and dropped her lashes submissively. Argh. The wolf sniffed her once, sneered, and promptly lost interest.


    ¡°If this one is your chosen consort, she may come. Select one other. The rest will remain here.¡±


    Ari kept her eyes down but was amazed they were allowing her to enter the court chambers without a thorough search. Had Sebastian¡¯s court grown complacent, too sure of their power? Didn¡¯t they know she was a cop and likely to be armed? Maybe the big wolf had so little respect for females that he didn¡¯t think of her as a potential threat. Whatever the reason, it was a serious breach of security. Ari would have fired him on the spot.


    That Jerome had mistaken her for a consort kind of rankled, because she didn¡¯t like the implications of servitude tied to the word, but if the deception would get her inside Sebastian¡¯s court, Ari was willing to play along. She waited to see what Andreas would say.


    He lifted the other brow, as if in disbelief at Jerome¡¯s impudence, then turned his back on the wolves. He spoke to his companions as if Sebastian¡¯s people weren¡¯t there. Andreas kept his voice bland, but his eyes glittered with mischief.


    Ari suddenly realized he was enjoying this test of wills.


    ¡°I am afraid Sebastian is having some kind of security problem,¡± Andreas said. ¡°Otherwise, they would not be restricting visitors. Under the circumstances, we will honor their request. Oliver, you will accompany us. Marcus and the werelions shall remain here, prepared to assist the wolves with this unknown peril.¡± The corner of his mouth twitched. ¡°I would not want Sebastian to be endangered while his people are concerned with offering us their hospitality. Understood?¡± He waited until everyone nodded, then he flashed a brief smile and turned back toward the wolves. ¡°We are ready to proceed.¡±


    Jerome¡¯s whole body bristled with suspicion. He glared at Andreas, clearly thinking he¡¯d been insulted¡ªbut not quite sure. Andreas looked back at him with studied indifference. Finally the giant wolf mastered his temper and turned away, jerked his head at his partner, and together they pulled open the double doors.


    Andreas wrapped his cool fingers around Ari¡¯s left hand, and they entered the court chambers together. Oliver walked on Andreas¡¯s left side.


    Ari¡¯s immediate impression was they had transported through time and space to a high school gymnasium, poorly decorated for a Roman or Grecian-themed school prom. Walls were draped with white cloths; white columns and statues stood here and there. If it was intended to be elegant, it had failed. Tacky came to mind. The Riverdale delegation crossed a wide polished wood floor and stopped in front of a raised platform at the far end. The stage was carpeted in black velvet with a white, pillowy couch placed in the center.

 Page 8

    Lounging on the couch, as if posed for a photography shoot, was a squat figure clothed in a voluminous black robe, trimmed in vivid red. Sebastian, the vampire prince. Since Ari had seen him before, his comic appearance didn¡¯t startle her, but she still had to stifle an urge to snicker. Maybe it was nerves.


    Sebastian was short and thick, with a ridiculous mustache, reminiscent of the brushy appendage once favored by Hitler. In a further attempt at dramatic effect, he¡¯d surrounded himself with bright red pillows. Larger pillows, matching in color, lay around the floor, occupied by four human females. Ari stiffened as she took a closer look at the women. Each girl¡ªfor they were very young¡ªwas dressed in a red, low-cut gown, displaying budding cleavage. Gold chains draped from their throats, ankles, and wrists. It was degrading, but Ari didn¡¯t see any obvious sign of pain or discomfort in their placid expressions. On either side of the sofa, and behind it, stood eight vampires.


    A bitchy-looking vampiress in black leather with a human male at her side stood closest to Sebastian and was probably his first lieutenant. The blond male next to them might have been good-looking if he¡¯d lose the frown. He and an older male muscled like a wrestler gave off strong power vibes. Ari chalked off the two female vamps in short skirts and skimpy tops as decoration. Three additional males who looked so similar they were either brothers or clones had to be court guards. The entire group was unnaturally silent. No one spoke, smiled, or gave any indication of welcome.


    Except Sebastian. His toothy grin spread from ear to ear in a chilling parody of the Cheshire cat. ¡°Greetings, my friends! We are delighted to see you. We so rarely have guests, especially esteemed visitors from the United States of America.¡± After this grandiose greeting, the Toronto prince scooted off the couch and strutted toward them with his hands extended. Ari didn¡¯t want him to touch her and fought the urge to back away.


    Andreas dropped her hand and glided forward. ¡°I bring you Prince Daron¡¯s compliments,¡± he said, inclining his head a token amount. ¡°Our goals are peaceful, and we ask for safe passage in your territory.¡±


    ¡°It is granted,¡± Sebastian said, sweeping his arms in a magnanimous gesture. ¡°Come, Andreas, why so formal? Are we not old friends?¡±


    ¡°We are certainly old acquaintances.¡±


    Sebastian paused at the implied difference. He heaved a dramatic sigh. ¡°Do I detect a problem? Have you come on an unhappy errand, old friend?¡±


    The two vampires stood almost ten feet apart, but tension rippled between them. They were surrounded by auras of power, invisible to most but with such substance it seemed as if Ari only had to put out her hand to touch the vibrating threads.


    ¡°Not so much unhappy as tedious.¡±


    Sebastian tilted his head. ¡°How so?¡±


    Andreas seemed to ponder his answer. ¡°A matter of protocol, I believe. Certain representatives of your court have visited Riverdale without presenting themselves to Prince Daron. In each case, their behavior has resulted in acts that might be interpreted as hostile. Even challenging. Of course, these incidents and the resulting need to eliminate some of your associates have caused Prince Daron great distress. I have come on his behalf to request your assistance in preventing further similar activities.¡± Andreas¡¯s face remained bland throughout this formal speech, but no one listening could have missed the not-so-subtle warning.


    Sebastian regarded him in stony silence. The bitchy-vampiress behind him snarled and took a step forward. Sebastian¡¯s head snapped in her direction. ¡°Quiet, Marta! Did I ask you to interfere? Keep your place.¡±


    Marta made no verbal protest, but the minute Sebastian looked away, her jaw hardened.


    The rest of the room waited.


    Sebastian stepped over to one of the seated human girls and ran his fingers over her face. ¡°I must admit, Andreas, you have surprised me.¡± He drew out his words as he leisurely bent forward to stroke the girl¡¯s throat. When she dropped her gaze and sighed, Sebastian continued. ¡°I was sure you were coming to me with an apology. We too have had unfortunate incidents, and I was almost certain I could smell Daron¡¯s stench on the offenders.¡±


    Ari barely breathed as she waited with everyone else to see where this ominous beginning would lead. Although Sebastian¡¯s tone was mild, almost uninterested, with a singsong lilt, his eyes glowed with dark malice. Something truly evil lurked inside his somewhat silly fa?ade.


    Andreas gave a careless shrug. ¡°Supposing that were true, would it not be all the more reason for us to clear up any misunderstandings, resolve potential conflicts?¡±


    ¡°Such diplomatic words. Is this the way of your new vampire community?¡± Sebastian sneered. ¡°Flowery language with no substance? Come now, Andreas. The game grows tiresome. Daron owes me. He has been the offender.¡±


    ¡°Tiresome, maybe, but I disagree with your conclusion. In what way does Daron owe you? What exactly is your complaint?¡±


    Hmm, this was getting interesting. The diplomacy in the room had grown thin. If the two vampires continued down this road, the Riverdale delegation would soon find itself in big trouble. Hadn¡¯t Andreas said this was a peace mission? No fighting allowed.


    Sebastian gave up caressing the girl and slowly turned his head toward Andreas, his mouth curling into a sneer. ¡°Was I not plain? How remiss of me. I consider myself a plain-speaking man. I was accusing Prince Daron of sending saboteurs against my court. That would make you a hostile delegation. Not worthy of, or entitled to, hospitality.¡±


    Sebastian drew the edge of his fingernail down the girl¡¯s throat, and a small trickle of blood appeared. Eight pairs of eyes riveted on her throat as Sebastian¡¯s vampires reacted to the sight.


    Good Goddess. Ari¡¯s throat tightened watching their response. Hadn¡¯t they fed recently? Would Sebastian starve his own vampires just to gain an edge?


    It was extremely painful for vampires to go without blood. And it made them vicious and even more unpredictable than usual. This was a bad sign. A very bad sign. Andreas stiffened beside her; he¡¯d drawn the same conclusion. Sebastian had never intended to engage in peaceful negotiations.


    Her witch blood began to stir, fingers tingling. If there was killing to be done, she silently vowed that Sebastian would be the first to go.


    ¡°Any actions by Prince Daron were the result of serious provocation, originating from this court.¡± Andreas¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°An assassination attempt, the murder of one of his lieutenants, attacks on others. Not to mention the demon.¡± His voice held an edge, a bare shadow of the tension cloaking the room.


    In the stark silence that followed, Ari watched the Canadian vampires standing in back of the prince¡¯s sofa. Marta looked ready to spring; the blond male watched Sebastian and Andreas with a deepening frown. The gloves had come off, and if it turned into a fight, she¡¯d have to keep the rest of them busy while Andreas dealt with Sebastian. She slipped her hand into her pocket to find the hilt of the dagger. Until she was attacked, her oath denied the use of witch fire. Her fingers closed on the cold handle.


    Then Sebastian giggled, a sound as inappropriate as unexpected, and his deceptive grin returned.


    ¡°Daron is alive, and so are you. Why the complaints, Andreas? These small disagreements have been going on for centuries.¡± Sebastian turned his head, his beady eyes focusing on Ari. ¡°We have neglected our manners, Andreas. Please introduce your companions. I believe I have previously met your lovely female.¡± He glided forward again and stopped about five feet away.


    Ari¡¯s witch blood clamored with alarm bells. She clenched her fists to hide the magical sparks threatening to burst from her fingers. Sebastian was too close. Way too close. Not even an instant away in vampire speed.


    ¡°Your memory is accurate,¡± Andreas said, his jaw clenched so tight it would have hurt a human. He followed the elder vampire¡¯s lead. ¡°Ms. Calin is the Guardian for Riverdale¡¯s Olde Town district. She visited Toronto about a year ago. I think you also know Oliver.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, Oliver and I have met,¡± Sebastian said dismissively without looking at the other vampire. Sebastian¡¯s focus remained fixed on Ari. ¡°I remember the Guardian very well. Very well indeed. We shared a few interesting moments. Does she belong to you, Andreas?¡±


    ¡°I belong to no one,¡± Ari snapped before Andreas had a chance to speak. Sebastian was the same bully she¡¯d seen before. Still a nasty, annoying toad.


    ¡°How very fortunate. I am delighted to hear that.¡±


    What did he mean? Why would Sebastian be delighted? It didn¡¯t sound like she was going to like the answer.


    ¡°Without a master, you are fair game, my sweet guardian. It might be fun to play with you.¡±


    ¡°Not interested,¡± she shot back. Even though she was appalled at the idea, she schooled her face into indifference. Inside, her stomach churned. The thought of hooking up with Sebastian, of having his hands on her, was repulsive. She could only imagine what he considered ¡°play.¡±


    Andreas stepped between Ari and Sebastian. ¡°She is under my protection.¡±


    So quickly Ari barely saw him move, Sebastian glided around him and stopped in front of her.


    ¡°I do not think that is true,¡± Sebastian purred. ¡°She claims no master.¡± He reached a hand toward her. Ari stepped to one side, and Andreas moved to separate them again. He was stopped by Sebastian¡¯s out-flung arm. The prince¡¯s other hand flashed out, closing like a vise over the hand Ari had instinctively raised in defense. Sebastian laughed. ¡°Peace, Andreas. I will not harm her.¡± He looked at Ari with scorn. ¡°You are interesting, my dear, but someone needs to teach you your proper place.¡± Sebastian¡¯s voice grew deep and richer as it filled with power. ¡°You will kneel in my presence,¡± he boomed.


    His hand forced her arm down. Not a hard thing to do considering his superior strength. But instead of kneeling as commanded, Ari bent toward him in a strange caricature of a formal bow, until they were staring into each other¡¯s eyes. She¡¯d learned a lot from Andreas about strengthening her mental blocking in the last three months. A year ago, Sebastian had rolled the outer defenses of her mind fairly easily, but that was when she was inexperienced and unprepared. Not today. She met his gaze long enough to surprise him before she glanced away.

 Page 9

    He yanked her arm roughly downward, and she had to give way or have it break. She crashed to her knees, but he suddenly released her hand with force, flinging her backward. Her head smashed against the floor; the lights dimmed as dizziness took over. For an instant Ari was too stunned to move, only vaguely aware that Andreas had grabbed her attacker and spun him around. Sebastian¡¯s power flared, and the two vampires were thrown apart, their auras repelling each other. They froze in place, knees bent, hands up, curled into claws. Predators with fangs fully extended.


    ¡°You claim this female?¡± Sebastian snarled.


    ¡°I do. She is under my protection, and the protection of Prince Daron.¡±


    What the hell? Surely they weren¡¯t going to use her as an excuse to fight? ¡°Stop this,¡± Ari demanded, struggling to sit up. ¡°I¡¯m not a bone you can snarl and fight over.¡±


    Ignoring her, the alpha vampires remained riveted on each other. Testosterone hung thick in the air, but the sudden rush of vampiric power was far more alarming. Ari¡¯s skin crackled with Andreas¡¯s energy, but it was nothing compared to the storm emanating from the older vamp. If this turned into a real fight, Andreas would need an army of help. A big army.


    ¡°Your claim is not good enough,¡± Sebastian said, speaking only on Andreas. ¡°This is my territory, my rules. Do you wish to test me? Is that the real reason you are here? To try your hand for my throne?¡±


    Uh-oh. They¡¯d dropped the last pretense of diplomacy. Sebastian had looked for a reason to start something. Maybe that had been his plan from the beginning. In any case, she doubted if anything would stop them now. Sebastian¡¯s body shimmered with growing energy. Hadn¡¯t Andreas told her the old ones didn¡¯t do their own fighting? Guess that didn¡¯t apply if they were pissed enough. Sebastian¡¯s circle of power expanded with each passing moment. Not a physical change so much as an invisible field that built around him.


    ¡°I did not come seeking your crown,¡± Andreas said. ¡°No challenge was intended. Ours is a diplomatic mission.¡± His words sounded reasonable, but the look on his face was anything but conciliatory.


    ¡°You lie.¡± Sebastian curled his lips, his disdain raking Andreas from head to toe. ¡°You have grown stronger since we last met, but no wiser. Do not make the mistake of thinking you can take me.¡±


    ¡°Paranoia clouds your perceptions. But if you force a fight, you leave me no choice. I will not walk away.¡±


    That tears it, Ari thought. Some diplomat! Someone was going to die in the next few minutes. And things weren¡¯t looking good for her side. She glanced at Oliver. He was focused on Sebastian¡¯s lieutenants, who seemed as stunned by developments as Ari.


    Ari was still lying on the floor propped up by her arms, too dizzy and mesmerized by the mounting hell storm to move. Andreas¡¯s defiant words broke the spell. She pushed to her feet, her magic coming to life as she slipped the silver dagger from her pocket. It was cool, reassuring in her hand, although she questioned her ability to successfully use it against the prince. Considering his massive recuperative powers, the blade would have to be held in his heart until it stopped beating. That would take incredible strength.


    Her greatest weapon, the lethal, crimson witch fire, was limited by her oath. Was she justified in using it if Andreas was attacked? Would that be close enough to self-defense? It certainly wouldn¡¯t fit defense of the helpless. Would she have to break her oath?


    And what of the risk to Andreas? How could she turn the fire on one combatant without endangering the other?


    As Sebastian¡¯s power expanded, his vampire court began to stir, not moving toward the confrontation, but shifting with nervous uncertainty. His last orders to the vampiress Marta had been to stay out of it. Given his reputation of brutality against his own people, would they choose to support him or stand clear? For now, they simply watched, apparently shocked by the mere idea that someone would challenge him.


    Sebastian and Andreas began to circle, pushing their power outward against each other, ill-matched in many ways. Experience against youth. Power against athleticism. The first advantage went to Sebastian as Andreas staggered under the vise of Sebastian¡¯s energy squeezing him like a huge, iron fist. He managed to shake it off, but in a pure energy struggle, Andreas would eventually lose to Sebastian¡¯s superior power.


    The air crackled. Pressure levels rose, pouring over everyone in the room with a shrill whine. The human girls clapped their hands to their ears in apparent agony, crawling and stumbling away toward the edges of the room. Sebastian¡¯s vampires hissed and snarled, eyes rolling with fear and primal urges.


    Ari heard automatic weapon fire in the hallways and was vaguely aware that Lilith and Russell had burst into the room. She clutched her dagger, wishing it was in Andreas¡¯s hands rather than hers. He would have the greater strength to wield it.


    So why not try? Maybe she could get the idea across to him by using this mystical bond. If their magics were so determined to link up, this would be a damn fine time.


    Ari ignored the wild energy scalding her skin and concentrated on forming mental images of the silver dagger, showing it flipping through the air from her hand to his. Could the images penetrate the powerful fog created by their battle? Would Andreas understand?


    She stole a quick glance at him, looking for some sign. The pressure of the competing powers had flushed his skin and eyes to an unnatural red. Heat shimmers rose around him, as if his blood was starting to boil. Horrified, Ari¡¯s concentration faltered.


    Sebastian suddenly flashed forward, his fat fingers stretched toward the younger vampire¡¯s throat, but Andreas launched himself into the air. With an athletic twist gymnasts would envy, he flipped over Sebastian¡¯s head. The vampire prince screeched with uncontrolled rage and whirled in pursuit. As Andreas landed on his feet, he turned his head toward Ari, and she pitched the dagger to him. He snatched the hilt in one hand and turned in a fluid movement to meet the onrushing prince.


    As soon as she released the dagger, Ari shot the blue flames of a heavy stunner toward Sebastian, followed by a handful of magic dust from her pocket. The double whammy was just enough¡ªSebastian¡¯s focus flickered to Ari for one fatal instant. Andreas took advantage by plunging the dagger into the elder vampire¡¯s heart. He rode the body to the floor, using his strength to hold the dagger in its lethal position. Sebastian bucked and writhed, but before anyone else could react, it was over. Sebastian¡¯s power exploded outward, knocking people and furniture against the walls. And then was gone.


    Oliver leaped forward to place his body between Andreas and Sebastian¡¯s vampires. Lilith and Russell raced to the front with their guns ready. Ari had already lifted her hands toward the stage, not to use the witch fire, but to call upon a greater magic. She chanted the summons that would bring the sentient fire spirits, the ancient salamanders.


    Fire poured from her fingertips, not the lethal streams of witch fire, but snake-like flames that responded to her bidding and formed a ring around the stage. Sebastian¡¯s vamps halted in place, trapped and confused.


    Tails flickering, the glowing eyes of the ageless fire spirits hovered, awaiting Ari¡¯s command.


    She was almost as shocked as the vampires. She¡¯d only called the fire salamanders once before¡ªby accident. Since that time she¡¯d studied her magic books, talked with her witch mentor, practiced the summons, but she hadn¡¯t been positive she could do it again. The proof crackled before her.


    Now that Ari had the upper hand, she took a deep breath and searched her brain for some way to end this. There were eight enemy vampires inside the room, countless numbers beyond the closed doors. She had the two werelions, Oliver, and Andreas, who was down on one knee, covered with blood. If she wanted to avoid a bigger bloodbath, whatever she did next would have to be good. She took a confident step forward.


    ¡°Acknowledge your new prince,¡± she said in a loud, firm voice. ¡°Prince Andreas!¡±


    Chapter Four


    ¡°Prince Andreas!¡± Oliver¡¯s voice echoed in the silent room, as he followed her lead by turning and bowing to Andreas.


    Shock quickly turned to confusion and fear, as Sebastian¡¯s people realized their prince was dead and they were at the mercy of Ari¡¯s fire.


    ¡°Sebastian is dead,¡± Ari said, fighting to calm her pounding heart. ¡°Defeated in battle by Andreas. You were all witnesses. You have a new prince. Acknowledge him.¡±


    The fire crackled ominously as the spirits lashed their tails. She didn¡¯t need to add the ¡°or else.¡±


    ¡°Wait. No one else has to die tonight.¡± Andreas slowly got to his feet and straightened. He was soaked in blood, his and Sebastian¡¯s, but he stood on his own without wavering. ¡°Sebastian alone was responsible for what happened here.¡± With one hand he pushed the hair off his forehead. ¡°Release his people, Arianna, so that we may discuss this.¡±


    Ari bit her lip, deciding what to do. She couldn¡¯t tell how badly Andreas was injured or whether he was thinking clearly. Was he making a big mistake? Yet she understood it was necessary for him to take command of the situation. She glanced at him again, and he gave a subtle nod.


    With all eyes upon her, Ari decided to put on a good show, reminding them of the ability she held. She lifted her arms over her head and centered her thoughts. Once ready, her lashes fluttered and closed. In a clear voice she thanked the fire spirits for coming to her aid. She gathered the fire images in her mind, and when she announced, ¡°Go now,¡± she envisioned the fire going out.


    Ari opened her eyes. The circle of flames had vanished.


    Sebastian¡¯s vampires, more confused than ever, glared around them, heads whipping from side to side. Two of them circled the stage, hissing, as if expecting a new attack. When nothing more happened, their focus settled on Andreas. Ari couldn¡¯t tell whether they were ready to attack him, afraid he would attack them, or were simply attracted by all the blood. She pulled her derringer from her pocket. She always felt safer with a weapon in her hand.


    In a sudden move that caused Ari¡¯s finger to tighten on the trigger, two of the vamps began to argue over the human girl¡¯s trickle of blood. Since the donor appeared agreeable to them licking and sucking on her neck, Ari eased off the trigger and ignored them, for now. Plenty of time later to worry about the niceties when the current crisis was over.

 Page 10

    Andreas pulled his remaining power around him like a cloak. His skin tone was returning to normal, the dark gleam back in his eyes. ¡°All of you witnessed Sebastian break his pledge of safe passage. We claim the right of self defense.¡±


    The female vampire dressed in leather was the first to speak. ¡°I am Marta, Sebastian¡¯s first lieutenant.¡± The human male companion at her side handed her a short sword. When she gripped the handle and raised the weapon, the blond vampire came around the couch, as if he might interfere. Ari wasn¡¯t sure what he had in mind.


    Her finger tensed on the derringer¡¯s trigger again. Maybe she should shoot the vampiress now. Andreas didn¡¯t move. Taking her cue from him, Ari waited.


    Marta glanced at Ari briefly, acknowledged the derringer with an indifferent look, and walked slowly toward Sebastian¡¯s prone body. In one swift motion, she brought the sword up and slashed down on Sebastian¡¯s throat. The severed head rolled across the stage. His body began to smoke and shrivel, releasing a putrid odor. Ari managed not to throw up or shoot anybody.


    ¡°With the crown now empty,¡± Marta said in a measured tone, ¡°I grant your claim of self defense, and extend the continued protection of this court. The crown is a different matter. Your consort¡¯s claim for possession is premature.¡±


    Andreas gave a grave nod. ¡°The right of succession will be discussed. In the meantime, thank you for your hospitality.¡± His gaze roamed over the group of vampires. The blond male took a step forward and eyed Andreas with a tentative smile. ¡°Gabriel, I am surprised to see you here. I thought you were on the continent.¡±


    The blond¡¯s smile broadened into a grin.


    Now that Ari had time to really look at him, he was gorgeous. Compelling eyes, flaxen hair in a modern, tousled style, muscular physique. Adonis come to life. And Andreas seemed to know him.


    ¡°A recent recruit,¡± the Adonis said easily. ¡°I would greet you more enthusiastically, my friend, but frankly, you¡¯re a mess, and I am hungry. We are all hungry. Our prince¡­uh¡­¡± He looked at the headless, decaying body. ¡°Our former prince was rather heavy-handed in his edicts. Also, your companion still has a gun in her hand. May we put off further discussion until we are all more comfortable?¡±


    In spite of the blood, Andreas and Gabriel slapped each other on the back, as men will do, and hostilities were over. At least for the present. Andreas, Oliver and Ari were shown to a small suite where the rest of their delegation joined them, including Marcus. He had remained in the front hallway watching the wounded werewolves after Russell and Lilith had shot their way into the audience chambers. After everyone was brought up to date on the current situation, Andreas excused himself to clean up. Ari found a quiet corner to sit and pull herself back together. Her head hurt, her left shoulder was bruised, but they¡¯d gotten off cheaply.


    When Andreas came out of the bathroom, he looked spotless again and totally unruffled by all that had happened. How did he do that? He walked straight over to Ari and dragged her into his arms.


    ¡°Cara mia,¡± he whispered. ¡°You are something else.¡±


    Ari leaned back and looked up at him. ¡°Me? Look at you. I still can¡¯t believe you killed Sebastian.¡±


    ¡°Impossible without you.¡± Andreas¡¯s eyes darkened, saying everything his words were not in front of an audience.


    ¡°Whatever. However we did it, it¡¯s done. We won.¡± Ari smile was tentative. ¡°That¡¯s what really matters, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like your use of fire,¡± Oliver interrupted, coming up to them. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you burn Sebastian? Burn them all? Wouldn¡¯t that have been easier?¡±


    Ari pushed away from Andreas and sighed. No conversation is private when Otherworlders are in the room.


    ¡°It¡¯s forbidden,¡± she said. ¡°Those who can call fire have an unfair advantage over most creatures, but vampires in particular. If we work with or around vamps, especially in law enforcement, we are sworn to use the lethal fire only under certain conditions and only as a last resort. I consider the oath sacred.¡±


    Oliver shook his head. ¡°I¡¯d like to know what you consider a last resort.¡± His voice was dry, but he regarded her with new respect. Whether it was for her keeping her oath or the power of her witch fire, Ari figured she¡¯d never know.


    ¡°Besides, it wasn¡¯t safe,¡± she said, ignoring his comment. ¡°I might have hit Andreas.¡±


    Oliver turned toward Andreas. ¡°Nice catch on the dagger. How did you know she would throw it?¡±


    Andreas¡¯s mouth quirked as he looked at Ari. ¡°A lucky guess. I know my witch by now. It is what I would expect her to do.¡±


    Ari had nothing to add. Long before tonight, they had agreed not to reveal their telepathic link. A few¡ªlike the werelions and Marcus¡ªprobably had a pretty good idea, but Andreas and Ari had never confirmed it. Whatever magical thing was going on between them, whatever it might mean, they weren¡¯t ready for the rest of the world to know it existed.


    Oliver looked doubtful over the vague explanation, but all he said was, ¡°It all went down so quickly that I don¡¯t think Sebastian knew what was happening.¡±


    ¡°At least not in time,¡± Andreas agreed. ¡°Now I think we should join the others. I do not anticipate more fighting tonight, but stay alert. We are badly outnumbered.¡±


    When Ari and her companions arrived in the court hall, no one appeared to be in a mood to fight. In fact, Sebastian¡¯s former court members, looking fed and contented, were celebrating with music, jugglers, and wine.


    Gabriel approached them with a wide smile on his beautiful face.


    ¡°Gabriel and I have been friends a very long time,¡± Andreas explained, before turning to greet his friend. He introduced everyone.


    ¡°Welcome to you all.¡± Gabriel¡¯s eyes danced at their reaction to the scene before them. ¡°The entertainment was already scheduled, and we saw no reason to send the performers away. Um, except for the donor girls,¡± he added, giving Andreas a sideways look. ¡°As you can see, Sebastian was obsessed by feudal court functions.¡± Gabriel waved his hand. ¡°Come, allow me to introduce you to the others.¡±


    ¡°You have not changed much,¡± Andreas murmured with amusement. ¡°Always ready for a party.¡±


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen,¡± Gabriel announced, raising his voice to gain everyone¡¯s attention. Even the musicians and jugglers paused and waited. ¡°May I present Andreas and his lovely lady, Arianna. This fellow here is Oliver, and Andreas, you will have to introduce the rest of your company as I don¡¯t remember all the names.¡±


    Andreas did so. When he finished, everyone remained quiet, clearly expecting something more. He did not disappoint them.


    ¡°Tonight¡¯s events have been as surprising to us as to you. Sebastian¡¯s defeat was not something I sought or foresaw.¡± He paused and looked around the room. ¡°Over the next few days many decisions will be made that affect you. I am sure you have opinions about those decisions, and I am interested in hearing them.¡±


    Murmuring started among the crowd. Ari could see the surprise and confusion on their faces. Having been under Sebastian¡¯s dictatorial thumb, Andreas¡¯s style of politics would be foreign to them. It remained to be seen whether they would embrace the new freedoms or see them as a sign of weakness.


    ¡°Perhaps I should clarify,¡± he said as the murmuring turned to chatter, ¡°I do not want to hear all your ideas tonight.¡± A laugh erupted, followed by several others. ¡°For now, just enjoy your evening.¡± He smiled and turned to Gabriel. ¡°I think it is time we met some of your friends personally.¡±


    Ari couldn¡¯t remember most of the names she heard throughout the next hour. She wasn¡¯t good with names, but Andreas more than made up for her deficiency. He appeared to assimilate and use the name of each vampire or werewolf, as if he had a teleprompter. Maybe a photographic memory was a secret vampire trait. Or Andreas had inherited the talent of group socializing from his well-bred family, along with the Italian estates and vineyards. In his genes, so to speak.


    Ari watched his aristocratic figure move around the room and imagined how his life had been as a wealthy landowner, caring for the land and the people. He must have been good at it. His estates were still intact, and he¡¯d earned such loyalty that his weretiger families had followed him to America. Their descendants were still in his employ. He had a gift for managing businesses and the people who made them work. Club Dintero, his supper club, was clear evidence.


    Ari almost choked on the wine she was sipping when the truth suddenly hit home. Andreas really was the prince here. He wouldn¡¯t be returning to Riverdale. By killing Sebastian, they¡¯d created a power void in Toronto, making this court his responsibility. Andreas would never shirk his duty. Her chest tightened. Duty would keep Andreas in Canada, and duty would return Ari to Riverdale.


    She found his tall, beautiful figure again and studied his features, consigning them to memory. The dusky Italian complexion, the raven black hair, the inscrutable eyes with their long dark lashes. In mere days, their time would run out, and she wanted to remember every detail.


    She watched him work the room, a casual smile on his face. He hadn¡¯t yet realized what this situation meant for them. She¡¯d stay in Canada for a while, of course, until his court was established. Two or three weeks at most, and then she¡¯d quietly slip away. No big good-byes, no tears. She¡¯d be a grown-up about this. No matter how hard it was.


    He glanced over, his smile broadening when he found her, and he beckoned for her to join him. Mustering a return smile, she crossed the room.


    Andreas¡¯s eyes brimmed with mischief. ¡°Gabriel tells me Sebastian¡¯s consorts are mine now, if I wish to keep them. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± she blurted, then caught herself. What would he do after she left? She gave him a serious look. ¡°How many are there?¡±


    ¡°He had four,¡± Gabriel said, suppressed laughter in his voice.

 Page 11

    ¡°They all survived the breaking of the bond? How? I thought they usually died.¡±


    ¡°Only when there¡¯s a deep bond. Can you imagine anyone being genuinely fond of Sebastian? I doubt if any of these bonds were by choice.¡± Gabriel discarded his serious tone, the mischief returning to his voice. ¡°Would you like to inspect the ladies?¡±


    ¡°No, but maybe Andreas should. I mean, what else are they going to do?¡±


    The humor left Andreas¡¯s face. He looked perplexed, clearly at a loss to understand her.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I like, an accommodating girlfriend,¡± Gabriel said. He grinned and threw an arm across Ari¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re a lucky man, Andreas.¡± Gabriel stepped back and offered Ari his arm. ¡°Come with me, my lady. Let me show you around the place, including the royal bedchamber.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps later¡­¡± Andreas began. He questioned Ari with his eyes, but she looked away.


    ¡°Oh, no. You can¡¯t deny me,¡± Gabriel protested. ¡°You and Marta need time to talk, and I¡¯ll see that Ari is suitably entertained. My lady?¡±


    Relieved to avoid further discussion of the consorts, Ari nodded and allowed Gabriel to lead her away. Andreas¡¯s gaze followed her, a trail of awareness running across her back. She ignored the urge to return to his side. They could talk later¡ªwhen they¡¯d both had time to adjust to the situation.


    Gabriel turned his head to look at Ari as he led her across the room. ¡°A fascinating display of fire tonight. I thought the ancient salamanders were merely a legend.¡±


    ¡°So did I, in the beginning. They¡¯re pretty awesome.¡±


    ¡°May I say I hope I never make you angry with me?¡±


    ¡°If you play nice with Andreas, you won¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll remember that.¡±


    Their conversation turned to more general topics regarding the compound, the staff. As Gabriel showed her from room to room, Ari gave in to an urge to pump him for information on Andreas¡¯s history. Ironic, now that they wouldn¡¯t be together in the future, she wanted to know everything about his past.


    ¡°How long have you known Andreas?¡± she began.


    ¡°Since London, early 1800s. Hasn¡¯t Andreas talked about me?¡±


    ¡°No. But we haven¡¯t talked much about his past. How did you meet?¡±


    Gabriel cocked his head. ¡°We were both living in London and were sired by the same vampiress. Apparently she liked the begetting part but not the idea of having a family. She abandoned us on the streets of London, and we found each other shortly after I was turned. Andreas was transformed only two months earlier and knew little about being a vampire, but together we got by. We stayed close for almost fifty years before going our separate ways. Since then, we¡¯ve run into each other from time to time, kept in touch.¡± He grinned. ¡°Christmas cards, you know, that sort of thing.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, right.¡± Ari chuckled, envisioning Andreas or Gabriel poring over Christmas card lists.


    ¡°I find it curious you haven¡¯t heard this story before.¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t dated long.¡±


    ¡°You just met?¡± Gabriel¡¯s face registered surprise. ¡°I didn¡¯t get that impression.¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯ve known each other a year.¡± When Gabriel kept waiting for more, she added, ¡°There were¡­still are¡­issues.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± He gave an exaggerated sigh. ¡°The bane of any romantic relationship I¡¯ve ever had.¡± He made a woeful face, and Ari laughed.


    ¡°There,¡± he said with satisfaction. ¡°I knew I could make you laugh. You¡¯ve been looking way too somber.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long couple of days.¡± Not wanting to elaborate, she looked for a safer topic. ¡°Is Gabriel a given or chosen name? I know Andreas kept his name because of the family estates.¡±


    He stopped and stuck a thoughtful pose for her. ¡°Do I look like an Edmund? That was my birth name. When I woke up as a vampire, naming myself after an archangel struck me as amusing.¡± He smiled angelically and flashed his fangs. ¡°By the time I grew embarrassed by my noir humor, it was too late. The name stuck.¡±


    Ari grinned at his light-hearted approach to life. He was the most entertaining vampire she¡¯d met. And maybe just what she needed tonight.


    He led her down a hallway on the right. Sebastian¡¯s compound was much larger than Ari had suspected. In addition to the immense audience chamber where the prince held court, more than twenty rooms had been built underground. Most were bedrooms, including the rather ornate chamber that had been Sebastian¡¯s private retreat. It contained several coffins. Sebastian¡¯s was the largest and most decorative, with red satin cushions. Ari had kind of expected it, since Sebastian had been so old school, but the sight made her flinch. ¨¹ber creepy. When she said so, Gabriel laughed aloud.


    ¡°An affectation. And vastly outdated. No one uses a coffin anymore. They were never used until Bram Stoker wrote his ridiculous novel, then suddenly everyone had to have one. Mine had carved angels on the lid,¡± he admitted. ¡°It¡¯s long gone now. I got rid of it about the time I realized my name was a mistake.¡± He produced a sheepish grin.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with the name Gabriel. I hadn¡¯t even thought about angels until you mentioned it.¡± But, jeez, no coffins. Never? It was almost disappointing. Another vampire myth destroyed¡ªalthough she already knew that Andreas didn¡¯t sleep in one.


    Ari and Gabriel completed their tour and returned to the audience chamber. Andreas must have been watching for them, for the moment they walked in the door, he stood and waved them over. He took Ari¡¯s hand and drew her close.


    ¡°Are we interrupting?¡± she asked, while Gabriel plopped himself down in a chair next to Marta.


    ¡°Not at all. We had finished for tonight and were waiting for you. Marta has filled me in on how much needs to be done. Sebastian has sadly neglected his people.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re going to fix everything.¡±


    ¡°Not all at once,¡± he said, turning to include Marta. ¡°But we will work together to improve what we can.¡± His attention returned to Ari. ¡°What have you and Gabriel been doing?¡±


    Marta stood abruptly. ¡°Sorry, but I have things that must be done before dawn. I will see you tomorrow.¡±


    Andreas watched her leave, a thoughtful look creasing his forehead. Turning his gaze to his companions, he asked, ¡°Now, where were we?¡±


    ¡°You asked what we¡¯d been doing,¡± Gabriel said promptly. ¡°It was nothing you could possibly take exception to.¡± His tone implied the opposite, matching a wicked glint in his eyes. ¡°We poked around. The usual tour of the bedrooms. Bounced on the beds. Exchanged intimate secrets.¡±


    Andreas gave Gabriel an enigmatic look. ¡°Not too intimate I hope.¡±


    ¡°I hear someone calling me,¡± Gabriel said. ¡°Arianna, it was delightful to meet you, but I believe I¡¯ll go someplace where I¡¯m wanted.¡± With a wicked wink at her, he left.


    ¡°Trouble-maker,¡± Ari said to his departing back.


    Andreas smiled, shaking his head. ¡°He is irredeemable.¡±


    ¡°And then some. But we did make the rounds. This is a huge compound. And guess what? Sebastian has a room full of coffins!¡±


    ¡°What did you expect? He was a vampire.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t give me that. Gabriel spilled the beans about the coffin myth. We chatted about a few other things, too. I guess you guys go way back.¡±


    ¡°We do. To 1815 London. What exactly did he tell you?¡±


    Did she see a flash of concern? Intriguing.


    ¡°Not much. Is there something he shouldn¡¯t tell me?¡±


    ¡°Many things,¡± was his cryptic response. ¡°Those first years were hard. And violent. We did not know any other way to live.¡± Andreas gave a weary sigh. ¡°I would rather talk of something else tonight. There is too much to do to be thinking about the past.¡±


    ¡°It is getting late. The sun will be up in less than three hours. Are we staying here or going back to the hotel?¡±


    ¡°The hotel for tonight. Until the court has time to settle, the hotel will be more secure. If you and the werelions can pack during the day tomorrow, we¡¯ll move tomorrow evening.¡± He shifted so he could see her face. ¡°Formal meetings with Marta, other key vampires, and representatives from the local werewolves will take place tomorrow night. I would like you at my side.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be there.¡± For as long as she could stay. Knowing he was securely established would make it easier when she had to leave. Already their hours together were shrinking into nothing. ¡°Can we go now?¡±


    Andreas¡¯s face creased into lines of concern. ¡°Are you tired? You should have told me. I could have shortened my discussion with Marta.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. I¡¯d like to get somewhere I can let down my guard a little. I¡¯m not used to being around so many vamps I don¡¯t trust. My witch senses are edgy, and I¡¯ve been blocking like crazy. It¡¯s hard work.¡±


    Andreas held out a hand. ¡°We will tell Gabriel goodnight and get out of here.¡±


    Five minutes later, they stepped into the cool night air. Ari was bundled into her leather jacket with a black scarf securely wrapped around her neck. Toronto was not enjoying the same Indian summer they had left behind in Riverdale. The air was nippy, but the wind had swept away the dark clouds and the stagnant city smells. Ari took a deep breath. It helped to clear her head of the sensory overload of the last hours.


    As they walked to the top of the hill to catch a cab, the vast city skyline loomed ahead. The business district stood like a row of razor sharp teeth contrasting against the backdrop of the full moon. The Killing Moon had once again lived up to its reputation. A night of violence and death. They¡¯d had a narrow escape. Ari shivered, glad it was almost over. Mistaking her shiver as a reaction to the wind whipping around them, Andreas drew her into the shelter of his body.


    Instead of going straight to bed when they reached the hotel, Ari dropped onto the couch to unwind. An hour later, she fell asleep in Andreas¡¯s arms watching late, late-night television. When she woke, she was tucked into bed, and he had gone to his own bedroom for the day. Not for the first time, she regretted he couldn¡¯t stay. Her sense of loss would soon be a reality.

 Page 12

    Chapter Five


    While they waited for that first critical meeting, Ari and Andreas made numerous calls to Riverdale to confer with his staff, Prince Daron, and the Magic Council. Ari had been granted temporary leave, and Martin, the suburban guardian, would be covering the patrols in her absence. Prince Daron was sending reinforcements. He¡¯d been generous in his support, pleased with the end of the centuries-long feud with Sebastian.


    Ari was especially excited that their old friends, werewolf Mike and werelion Benny from Daron¡¯s personal security team, would arrive in the morning along with five weretigers from Andreas¡¯s personal staff. By tomorrow night a dozen and a half Riverdale vampires would join them.


    As Andreas had pointed out in private, his biggest challenge would come from ambitious vampires who perceived a power vacuum at the top. Someone was bound to issue a challenge, a fight to claim that spot. Ari was eager to have their friends and recruits around them before that happened.


    In the meantime, they had to survive tonight¡¯s initial meeting. By 8:00 p.m., the audience chamber filled with vampires and wolves eager to get a look at the vampire claiming to be their new prince. Although uneasy with the uneven numbers, Ari was prepared to respond to the first hint of trouble. In addition to her usual weapons, she carried several packets of barrier dust and even a sneezing powder that would give the wolves fits. Lilith and Russell were stationed outside the chamber doors, and both were armed with automatic weapons.


    Gabriel was an unexpected help. He was well-liked by Sebastian¡¯s vampires, and his history with and loyalty to Andreas appeared to calm some of their suspicions. He assumed the role of making introductions, added a witty remark or two, and the meeting got off to a good start.


    Throughout the passing hours, Sebastian¡¯s former associates continued to listen to Andreas, asking questions, arguing now and then. Ari stayed quiet, keeping the focus on Andreas, while she watched for covert signs of hostility, especially from the wolves. At worst, they remained neutral. A new head wolf had taken over the pack, and his respect for power seemed to have outweighed any desire for revenge. Ari still didn¡¯t trust any of them.


    The meeting wound down. The vampires seemed confused by Andreas¡¯s democratic approach, patterned after Prince Daron¡¯s rule in Riverdale, but they were happy to be free of Sebastian¡¯s brutality and most of them didn¡¯t raise much objection. Given time, Andreas would win their loyalty.


    Andreas finally stood and declared the meeting over. Ari sighed with relief.


    Once the doors had closed behind the last stragglers, Andreas and Ari, Marta and her human consort Percy, and Gabriel gathered in the lounge, a comfortable room of plush chairs and sofas located off the audience chamber. The vampires drank wine; Ari curled up on the sofa next to Andreas. As usual Percy¡¯s hand was touching Marta¡¯s shoulder. The vampiress seemed genuinely attached to him despite a past injury that had left him with a permanent limp.


    The group rehashed the evening¡¯s progress. Marta thought most of Toronto would celebrate Sebastian¡¯s death. Of course, she could be prejudiced. Marta had rather forcefully expressed her feelings by cutting off Sebastian¡¯s head.


    Ari grew sleepy. The evening had ended smoothly, and the worst was over.


    ¡°Have you told him of the bigger threat?¡± Marta asked, turning to Gabriel.


    Bigger threat? Ari was suddenly wide-awake.


    ¡°Not yet.¡± The blond vampire grimaced. ¡°I thought it could wait, but maybe not. I suppose now is as good a time as any, since you¡¯ve already brought it up.¡± He gave Andreas an apologetic look. ¡°I hate to put a damper on things, but Sebastian wasn¡¯t acting on his own. He had support from the Continent.¡±


    ¡°The O-Seven.¡± Andreas¡¯s voice was quiet.


    Gabriel nodded. ¡°You knew?¡±


    ¡°Knew what?¡± Ari straightened and looked from Andreas to Gabriel. ¡°What¡¯s happening that you¡¯re not telling me?¡±


    ¡°Only suspected,¡± Andreas corrected, meeting her look. ¡°Sebastian was a brutal bully but not very inventive. I feared he was not nearly as obsessed with Prince Daron as his behavior would suggest. Yes, they were enemies, but that was not a new development, and Sebastian was too self-indulgent¡ªtoo lazy, if you will¡ªto mount such a determined series of assaults. I presumed someone was encouraging him. As you might say, pushing his buttons.¡±


    She remembered the portrait of the O-Seven that hung in the staircase of his Victorian home. ¡°You think the old ones are behind this? What do they want with you?¡±


    ¡°I am not their primary target,¡± Andreas said, his look swinging back to Gabriel. ¡°Daron is.¡±


    ¡°Very true,¡± Gabriel agreed, ¡°but I¡¯m not sure that will matter when they¡¯re breathing down our necks. They won¡¯t mind taking out Daron¡¯s friends along the way.¡±


    ¡°But why? What¡¯s he done to them?¡±


    ¡°It is not what he has done,¡± Andreas said. ¡°It is what he stands for, his social and political beliefs.¡± When Ari frowned, he added, ¡°I explained some of this to you before. Do you not remember?¡±


    ¡°I remember seeing the picture of the first seven vampires, and that they had disapproved of Daron.¡± She hesitated. Should she mention one of them was Daron¡¯s sire? Probably not. That seemed to be some kind of secret. Gabriel might know already, but what about Marta? Ari chose to play it safe. ¡°I guess I didn¡¯t pay much attention to the details. Are you thinking they¡¯ll come after us now? Why?¡±


    ¡°It is complicated.¡±


    ¡°How complicated?¡± she said impatiently. ¡°Explain.¡±


    ¡°The Original Seven, the eldest and most dominant of our kind, rule over the European countries from a hidden stronghold in Germany and adhere staunchly to the old ways. They are formidable, their power absolute, ruling through intimidation and brute power. Their word is law.¡±


    ¡°Meaning, if you don¡¯t agree with them, you die,¡± Gabriel interjected. ¡°And that is only after they¡¯ve made you suffer.¡± He gave an exaggerated shudder. ¡°Not fun fellows,¡± he said to Ari in an aside.


    Marta threw Gabriel a disgusted look and loudly cleared her throat. ¡°It¡¯s hardly something to joke about,¡± she said.


    ¡°The human and Otherworld authorities let them get away with that?¡± Ari demanded, focusing on Andreas and ignoring the by-play from the other two.


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine who would want to take them on,¡± Gabriel said, looking at her in surprise. ¡°But presuming someone did, the O-Seven¡¯s activities are shrouded in secrecy. They no longer leave the streets awash in blood and body parts.¡±


    Ari cocked her head at Andreas. ¡°Is that true? No one opposes them?¡±


    ¡°Essentially correct,¡± Andreas said. ¡°But not the entire story. When Daron broke away from the autocratic beliefs of the elders, they were irate and many wanted to have him permanently terminated. They feared his democratic vision was a threat to the power they had held for centuries.¡±


    ¡°Democratic, as in voting? Does he plan to abdicate the crown?¡±


    ¡°He has not, nor do I believe he will give up the throne. But he does listen to his people, responding to community concerns. As much as is practical, he rules by consensus.¡±


    Diverted, Ari wanted to ask a hundred questions about Daron¡¯s beliefs. She¡¯d never thought much about how unique the Riverdale vamp community was, and now she wanted to know everything about them. At the moment, however, they needed to focus on the threat from the O-Seven. ¡°If the O-Seven wanted him dead, how did Daron survive?¡±


    ¡°An order of termination of a prince or any first generation descendant of an elder must be approved by all seven members. One of those members refused. Soon after that, Daron disappeared, living underground for hundreds of years and eventually escaping to America at the time of the Revolution. He brought a small band of like-minded followers with him. When the O-Seven realized he had established a princedom based on his beliefs, their hired assassins attacked and killed many of his followers. He relocated several times, but they have kept his court from growing large enough to present a threat.¡±


    ¡°This is an ongoing thing? They¡¯ll never stop?¡±


    Andreas sighed. ¡°I am afraid so. Along with long lives come long memories. Unless the dissenter changes his vote, they cannot kill Daron, but there is nothing to prevent them from destroying anyone who follows his ways.¡±


    ¡°Then why did they wait until last year? Daron has been in Riverdale for eight years.¡±


    ¡°To my people, a few years is nothing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more than that,¡± Marta interjected. ¡°Daron was smarter this time. He chose a small city and built a court without attracting attention from Europe. They kind of forgot about him, and he might have remained unnoticed if Sebastian hadn¡¯t intervened. When he heard about Daron¡¯s growing community in Riverdale nearly two years ago, he contacted the O-Seven. They provided him with gold and incentive.¡± She laughed, a harsh sound. ¡°They fed his enormous ego. He actually believed the O-Seven would allow him to join their council. That is when he became obsessed with destroying Prince Daron. Regardless of the cost to the rest of us,¡± she muttered bitterly.


    ¡°Now that he¡¯s dead, what will they do?¡± Ari asked.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be pretty,¡± Gabriel said. ¡°I can safely predict that the mood in Europe will be gruesome. Not that they¡¯ll care about Sebastian¡¯s death, but a majority of the council members wanted to see him succeed. I agree with Marta, they were stringing him along with promises of membership, but they wanted Daron and his court eliminated. They¡¯ll still want that.¡± He produced a crooked grin. ¡°I¡¯d like to hear their horrified reaction when it dawns on them that Daron¡¯s influence has spread to Toronto.¡± Gabriel sobered and gave Andreas a thoughtful look. ¡°You can expect to feel their wrath, unless you renounce Daron¡¯s politics.¡±


    Silence followed Gabriel¡¯s chilling words. Ari tried to envision what the O-Seven might do next. Andreas¡¯s people hardly had a chance to celebrate Sebastian¡¯s defeat, and already there was a new threat to think about. What the hell had they gotten themselves into?

 Page 13

    ¡°Daron¡¯s beliefs are my own. I will not turn my back on them.¡± Andreas frowned at his long-time friend. ¡°If you were aware of the O-Seven¡¯s intentions, why did you come to Toronto? Were you supporting Sebastian¡¯s efforts?¡±


    ¡°God, no!¡± Gabriel held up his hands in protest. ¡°How could you think that? Don¡¯t you trust me?¡±


    ¡°I can explain,¡± Marta offered.


    ¡°No,¡± Gabriel said, his voice sharp as he turned to face Andreas. ¡°I want to hear your answer first. Don¡¯t you trust me?¡± he repeated.


    Meeting Gabriel¡¯s gaze, Andreas seemed to pick his words carefully. ¡°I do not question our friendship, but I have not seen you in some time. I do not know your current attitude toward Daron and his beliefs.¡±


    Gabriel looked somewhat mollified but before he could comment, Marta stood and came to his side.


    ¡°I invited Gabe to Toronto,¡± she said. ¡°We knew each other before I came to Canada, and I figured I could trust him. Some of us saw how Sebastian¡¯s obsessions were threatening our community.¡± Her face hardened. ¡°It was bad enough he¡¯d nearly decimated our wolf partners, but when we learned he¡¯d consorted with a demon¡ªeven brought the creature into the compound, placing us all at risk, we decided to gather recruits to mount a challenge. I immediately thought of Gabriel.¡±


    ¡°And you came? You volunteered to get in the middle of a fight?¡± Andreas gave his friend a skeptical look. ¡°Not exactly like you.¡±


    ¡°I admit I had an incentive. The situation in Europe was getting a little hot for me. You may not have known my sympathies lay with Daron¡¯s movement, but the O-Seven did. I¡¯d been under surveillance for months.¡± He lifted one hand in a dismissive manner. ¡°Helping Marta seemed like a good opportunity to make myself scarce for a while, so I came over six months ago.¡± His characteristic grin appeared. ¡°I hoped if I got as far as Canada, I¡¯d run into you sooner or later.¡±


    Some of the stiffness left Andreas¡¯s figure. ¡°So you have, and I am glad to have you here.¡± He slapped Gabriel none too gently on the back. ¡°How does Sebastian¡¯s death affect your plans, Marta?¡± he asked too casually. ¡°Do you still desire the crown?¡±


    Ari¡¯s eyes flashed to Marta¡¯s face, but the vampiress gave away nothing.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t turn it down. If you¡¯re asking if I will challenge you for it, the answer is no. Not if you change things around here, and if you can successfully hold off other challengers. You have a legitimate claim to the crown, but I will not have another outsider come in and take it. They¡¯re bound to come, you know. Toronto is a coveted prize, and the crown has not been available for dozens of decades.¡± She looked him up and down. ¡°You have proven powerful, Andreas, but you are also inexperienced in running a large court, and your challengers will have Europe¡¯s support.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your candor,¡± Andreas said, ¡°and will keep your reservations in mind. There is much still to be done before matters are fully settled.¡±


    A clever woman, Ari thought, to admit her ambitions. According to Gabriel, Marta was over three hundred years old¡ªolder than Andreas. A formidable adversary if she changed her mind. She would bear watching.


    In the awkwardness that followed her declaration, Marta soon left them. Ari was tempted to follow her to see where she went and who she talked to. The vampiress had said she wouldn¡¯t challenge Andreas, but she hadn¡¯t said she would support him against other challenges. Ari thought it was a big omission and brought it up.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re worrying too much,¡± Gabriel said. ¡°Marta will be fine. She¡¯s the cautious type, and she doesn¡¯t know you yet. She¡¯ll be there when you need her.¡±


    Predictably, Andreas shrugged. ¡°We will find out soon enough. I believe part of her assessment is accurate¡ªone or more challenges are certain to come. I look forward to our people arriving from Riverdale. Even then, we will be greatly out-numbered, and it is too soon to rely on the promises of those we have just met.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Ari said, feeling an instant sense of relief that he wouldn¡¯t take anyone at face value. ¡°Just because they didn¡¯t like Sebastian doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ll like us.¡± She turned to Gabriel. ¡°Who are these dissenters she talked about? If it comes down to a fight, where will they stand?¡±


    ¡°I can identify most of those Marta met with over the last six months,¡± Gabriel said, ¡°but I¡¯m not confident they¡¯ll be of much use. As soon as I got here, it was obvious no one was willing to take the lead in standing up to Sebastian. They were too intimidated, and rightfully so, I might add. He was vindictive and had spies everywhere. We can¡¯t forget those spies are still out there¡ªsomewhere¡ªand the dissenters may still be afraid to act.¡± He spread his hands in a doubtful gesture. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t predict what most of them will do.¡±


    ¡°So be prepared for anything,¡± Ari said.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    The conversation soon turned to room arrangements for the troops yet to arrive, and Ari lost interest. She watched the two men¡¯s comfortable interaction. Gabriel¡¯s presence was proving indispensable, both for his knowledge of Sebastian¡¯s court and his long-standing loyalty to Andreas. She would be more confident of Andreas¡¯s ultimate success, knowing Gabriel was at his side¡ªif Gabriel¡¯s friendship was genuine. People change.


    A wolf appeared at the door, motioning to Gabriel.


    While he was away, Ari voiced her concern. ¡°You trust him, don¡¯t you? Gabriel, I mean.¡±


    ¡°I trust his allegiance to me. Why do you ask?¡± Andreas frowned. ¡°Has he done or said something that makes you doubt him?¡±


    ¡°No, but you questioned him about his reasons for coming to Toronto.¡±


    ¡°Would you have done less?¡± When she shook her head, he echoed her earlier thoughts. ¡°People can change over time. I had to be sure, but I was satisfied with his answer.¡±


    ¡°It sounded OK to me, too, but you know him a lot better. I wanted to be sure I was reading him right. You¡¯ll need his support in the coming weeks.¡±


    Andreas¡¯s quick turn of the head indicated he¡¯d sensed an unspoken meaning in her words, but before he could pursue it, Gabriel returned.


    ¡°News travels fast,¡± the blond vampire said, dropping back into the cushioned chair.


    Andreas cocked his head. ¡°A little more information would be helpful.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry. I was thinking about our unexpected visitor. Never known this to happen since I¡¯ve been here. The local Guardian has come calling. Says her name¡¯s Zoe.¡± He turned to Ari. ¡°She claims to know you.¡±


    ¡°She does.¡± Ari popped to her feet, an instant smile on her face. ¡°Where is she?¡± This was the best news she¡¯d had in the last twenty-four hours. She hurried out of the lounge, crossed the audience chamber, and threw open the doors. ¡°Zoe!¡±


    A slender, leggy woman with short brown curls waited rigidly in the hallway with a vampire standing on each side of her. Her pixy face lit at Ari¡¯s greeting. Like Ari, Zoe was a mixed-species witch, but her family had bred with the elves rather than humans. The elf blood accounted for her nearly six-foot height. When Ari dismissed the vampire guards, Zoe relaxed, beamed from ear to ear, and enveloped Ari in a smothering hug.


    ¡°I had to see for myself if it was true. Is Sebastian really dead? Let me look at you. Are you all right? How long are you staying? Who is this hunky new prince I¡¯m hearing about?¡±


    ¡°Whoa!¡± Ari said, laughing and trying to extricate herself. ¡°In order, I think. Yes, Sebastian¡¯s dead. I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll be here.¡± Ari dragged the other woman across the chamber toward the lounge, with Zoe twisting her head from side to side, gaping at the decor.


    ¡°God, this is awful,¡± Zoe said, peering at one of the statues. ¡°It looks like something out of an old Hollywood epic movie.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah,¡± Ari conceded. ¡°Sebastian¡¯s taste was really bad. But you¡¯re going to like this.¡± She opened the lounge door. ¡°Let me introduce you to the hunky prince, Andreas De Luca.¡±


    Ari grinned as Andreas glided forward. ¡°This is my friend, Zoe Vesper, one of the¡ªI believe it¡¯s six¡ªToronto Guardians.¡± Blushing, Zoe nodded, confirming Ari¡¯s count. ¡°Zoe helped me when I came to Canada on the drug case.¡±


    ¡°I remember. My pleasure.¡± Andreas bowed over Zoe¡¯s hand, causing her to blush again. When they had murmured polite words, Ari introduced Gabriel. The guys were on their best behavior, quite charming, in fact, and Zoe¡¯s expression proved she was suitably impressed.


    ¡°How did you hear about this so quickly?¡± Ari asked when introductions and civilities were completed.


    ¡°You, indirectly. You notified your magic council, your president talked with mine this afternoon, and it eventually trickled down to me. But everybody¡¯s talking about it now. So here I am.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re still up.¡± It was nearly 2:00 a.m. and most Guardians had a regular day schedule. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me you were normally getting up at dawn, which is only about four hours from now?¡±


    ¡°You got me there,¡± Zoe admitted. ¡°I am a bit of a sleepy head at this time of night, but this is big news and a friend called and woke me up. I got dressed and rushed over because I couldn¡¯t wait to see you. And meet the new prince. Was that too pushy?¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding? I¡¯m glad to see you. So what do you think? Aren¡¯t these guys a lot different than Sebastian?¡±


    ¡°They are certainly nicer looking,¡± Zoe whispered behind her hand.


    Ari grinned. She¡¯d have to remind Zoe about vampiric hearing. Due to Sebastian¡¯s closed-door policies, the Toronto guardian wasn¡¯t used to dealing with vampires. Ari glanced at the men to see their reaction. As expected, Andreas remained unruffled, but Gabriel was smiling broadly. Not a good sign from a man who¡¯d already shown a tendency to be a Casanova. Zoe wouldn¡¯t have a chance if he chose to turn on the charm.

 Page 14

    As the four settled down to talk, Ari and the vampires recounted for Zoe the wolf attack in Riverdale that had brought them to Toronto and the details of Sebastian¡¯s demise. Ari skipped over any mention of the telepathy, but Zoe drank in every word, appearing not to notice the omissions. When the two vampires grew restless with the approaching dawn, Zoe rose with obvious reluctance.


    ¡°I should go. I¡¯d love to chat later today. Andreas, I hope we meet again. Sebastian shunned the Magic Council. I¡¯m hoping you will change that.¡±


    ¡°Count on it. I meant it when I said it was a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Vesper. Please give my regards to your president, and advise him I am eager to meet. Perhaps you could arrange a suitable time and place.¡±


    Zoe¡¯s face lit. ¡°I¡¯ll do that. The sooner, the better.¡±


    Andreas bowed even more elegantly this time, and Zoe flashed an approving smile at Ari. He¡¯d made another conquest. Not to be outdone, Gabriel kissed Zoe on both cheeks with a grand flourish, and the elf-witch left with a silly grin on her face. Ari and Zoe definitely needed to talk.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to take in how fast things are changing. Until Arianna, I don¡¯t think a Guardian had ever been inside these walls,¡± Gabriel said once the doors had closed behind Zoe. ¡°Now we¡¯ve had two in twenty-four hours.¡±


    ¡°It is a change long overdue. Ms. Vesper and the Magic Council can be helpful to us.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that,¡± Gabriel said, smiling. ¡°After all, I see how valuable Arianna is to you. In so many ways.¡±


    Andreas loudly cleared his throat.


    Gabriel turned an innocent face to him. ¡°Yes? Were you going to say something?¡±


    Andreas¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Get out of here before you get yourself in trouble, my obnoxious friend. Dawn will be here in a couple of hours, and I wish to spend time with Arianna. Alone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± Gabriel gracefully eased from the chair. ¡°I have an uncanny sense of knowing when I¡¯m not wanted.¡± He exited the room with a breezy wave of the hand.


    Ari enjoyed their interplay. They reminded her of squabbling siblings, with Andreas in the role of the elder brother. ¡°Is he ever serious?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Occasionally, but not if he can help it.¡± Andreas took her hand, and turned her to face him, his smile fading. ¡°Is something wrong? Earlier, you seemed troubled, cara mia. Is it something Gabriel said or did?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing like that. My funky mood has nothing to do with him. I¡¯m trying to absorb everything that¡¯s happened to us.¡± She debated whether to bring up the one issue they hadn¡¯t discussed¡ªher impending return to Riverdale. The weariness in his eyes convinced her to wait for another day. If his responsibilities had kept him from realizing her departure was coming, that was a good thing. He didn¡¯t need another distraction.


    She produced a coaxing smile. ¡°Don¡¯t pay any attention to my mood. It really is nothing. Come on.¡± She grabbed his arm and tugged. ¡°Help me find the way to my room. It¡¯s late, and as you said, dawn is coming soon.¡±


    He held back an instant, apparently not satisfied with her answer. When she tugged again, he gave her a lazy smile. ¡°Finding a bedroom is the best idea I have heard all evening,¡± he murmured. ¡°Dawn may have to wait.¡±


    Chapter Six


    The lycanthrope reinforcements arrived before Ari crawled out of bed the next morning. Lilith and Russell had taken charge, and most of the recruits were settled into temporary quarters.


    While looking for her morning coffee, the first new arrival she ran into was Mike, a werewolf friend from her stint a year ago with Daron¡¯s security team. He gave her a shy grin¡ªeffusive for Mike. A big man, even in human form, in a prior life he had been special ops in the military and was not someone to be messed with. He was also an amateur chef. He¡¯d found the kitchen occasionally used by Sebastian¡¯s lycanthropes or for visitors and was cooking breakfast. The mouthwatering aroma led Ari straight to him. Sizzling bacon. Scrambled eggs. And, bless him, coffee. If any of the locals had been around when Mike arrived, they must have left when the Riverdale recruits started to wander in. He had drawn a noisy crowd, and the hungry group jostled for spots in line, clutching plates and forks.


    A delicately handsome werelion at the center of the commotion abandoned his place in line to give Ari an enthusiastic hug. Benny, another member of Daron¡¯s security team, was a big flirt. In spite of that, he was also a favorite with Ari. The grin on his face and his excited chatter proved how exited he was to rejoin his former colleagues. The remainder of the crowd drooling over Mike¡¯s feast were weretigers whose family had been in service with Andreas for two hundred years. Relieved to be surrounded by friends, Ari¡¯s spirits lifted immediately.


    As soon as the initial greetings were over, everyone dug into the stacks of pancakes and platters of steak, eggs, bacon and potatoes Mike placed on the tables. Ari headed straight for the coffee pot. Except for clanging forks and smacking lips, the room was quiet for several minutes as the food steadily disappeared.


    Eventually, appetites were sated, and Benny demanded to be told the story of Sebastian¡¯s defeat.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I missed the excitement,¡± he said. ¡°I want to hear every word that was said, every detail.¡±


    ¡°Every detail?¡± She sighed. ¡°OK, I¡¯ll try. Maybe Russell and Lilith can fill in anything I miss.¡±


    Ari repeated the story, some parts several times, as their questions brought new facts to mind. She described the awesome power in the room and Andreas¡¯s athletic flip over the older vamp¡¯s head. She described Andreas catching the knife and talked about the barrier dust, a weapon most of them had never seen. She downplayed the appearance of the fire spirits as just an anomaly of her witch fire. Gabriel or someone else might question it, but she wouldn¡¯t encourage the speculation. For now, the questions began to wind down.


    ¡°So does that really make Andreas the new prince?¡± Benny asked.


    ¡°He has the best claim,¡± she said. ¡°So far he has taken charge, and Sebastian¡¯s vamps have accepted him.¡± She went on to talk about Gabriel, Marta, the potential challenges, and her concerns that they didn¡¯t know the real loyalty of anyone. ¡°Andreas thinks he can trust Gabriel. I just don¡¯t know. On the other hand, for sure keep an eye on Marta. Oh, hell, keep an eye on everyone, and stay close to Andreas no matter what he says.¡±


    The kitchen door banged open and a female werewolf entered. The she-wolf stopped when she saw the assembled group, then headed straight to Ari.


    ¡°There¡¯s a call for you,¡± she said. ¡°On the lounge phone.¡±


    Ari looked at her sharply, immediately wary of anything that separated her from her companions on this first morning inside Sebastian¡¯s compound. The she-wolf was a stranger, and Ari didn¡¯t know if there was anyone they could trust among the wolves. Sebastian¡¯s pack of wolf assassins had set up two ambushes in Riverdale. The first had killed her mentor; the most recent had almost killed Ari. She wasn¡¯t about to give their friends a third try.


    Still, a landline call wasn¡¯t unusual. Cell phones were forbidden within the compound due to the threat of GPS tracking, and she had turned hers off last night. To reach her, anyone would have to call the main lines.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked. ¡°And, who¡¯s on the phone?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just the girlfriend of one of the vamps, and I didn¡¯t ask who it was. Do I look like an answering service?¡± The wolf¡¯s tone was indifferent rather than hostile.


    ¡°No,¡± Ari said, rising from the table. ¡°You look like one of Sebastian¡¯s wolves, and I don¡¯t trust any of you.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself. I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m just delivering a message.¡±


    ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t mind waiting here until I get back. Mike, will you watch her?¡±


    ¡°Sure, no problem.¡± The big werewolf waved his spatula in the air. ¡°I¡¯ll even feed her.¡± He pulled out a chair and motioned for her to sit. She sat.


    ¡°Russell, Lilith, with me.¡± Just in case a surprise waited beyond the doors, Ari was taking backup.


    The only person they saw in the hallway was Marta¡¯s consort, Percy. He passed them without speaking. Maybe Marta was OK with the new establishment, but this guy seemed less accepting. Another person she needed to watch¡ªin a place filled with potential enemies.


    When she entered the lounge, she found nothing except a phone with its hold light blinking. The precautions hadn¡¯t been necessary. This time. Ari sighed. It was so hard to identify the enemy these days.


    She picked up the receiver. The familiar voice of Riverdale¡¯s Magic Council president got her immediate attention, and he didn¡¯t waste time on preliminaries.


    ¡°Something has come up. I need you to return to Riverdale. We have a situation.¡±


    ¡°What kind of situation? I thought we¡¯d agreed I¡¯d stay in Toronto for a while.¡±


    ¡°I know, but this is urgent. Steffan is missing.¡±


    ¡°Missing?¡± Her heart skipped a beat. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®missing?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Exactly that. He didn¡¯t return from a run night before last. He separated from the pack to conduct what he described to them as private business and failed to rejoin them. Since he has a habit of hunting alone part of the night, they didn¡¯t report his absence to the Council until late yesterday afternoon.¡±


    Two nights ago. The night they¡¯d fought Sebastian. The night of the Hunter¡¯s Moon. It was like a bad omen.


    ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s not sleeping it off somewhere?¡± It was a big night for the Otherworld. All the wolves would have been running, followed by feasting. A time of over-indulgence, especially for wolves, the werecreatures most susceptible to the moon¡¯s persistent call. Ari understood the power of the moon. Not in the same way, but the magic of the moon goddess was at the root of all witchcraft.


    The President sighed, as if surprised by her question. ¡°He missed a council meeting, Arianna.¡± The wizard¡¯s answer was firm, chiding. ¡°How often does that happen?¡±

 Page 15

    Ari understood. Never. Steffan was too conscientious. Although he wasn¡¯t natural-born from wolf parents, he had accepted and even embraced his new condition after he was infected with lycanthropy. He¡¯d quickly become a respected leader, headed the largest pack in Riverdale, and was the lycanthrope representative on the Magic Council. He honored his responsibilities.


    Anxiety made her clutch the phone a little tighter. ¡°What¡¯s already been done? Any leads? Theories? Have the woods been searched?¡± Hearing the stress in her voice, she made an effort to slow her racing pulse.


    ¡°We¡¯re making inquiries. Naturally Steffan¡¯s pack has looked everywhere they could even remotely imagine he might be, and they¡¯ve asked questions all over town. Everyone has pitched in, with no results. You have to come home, Arianna. If he isn¡¯t found soon, or if he has been killed, you will be needed to help Martin keep the wolves under control.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll be on the first plane I can get, sir.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m sorry I had to do this. I know you¡¯re leaving things unsettled up there, but it can¡¯t be helped. The Toronto Council has assured me they will keep us informed, and perhaps you can return as soon as Steffan is found. For now, your duty is here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll contact you as soon as I land.¡± She wanted off the phone. She¡¯d already gotten the message and needed time to think and plan.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for your call.¡±


    After she disconnected, Ari sat a moment, staring across the room at nothing. What could have happened to her friend? Even though she¡¯d brought up the possibility, Steffan wouldn¡¯t be sleeping it off. He never let himself get that out of control. He also wouldn¡¯t disappear on his own, not for more than a few hours. Someone¡ªor something¡ªhad kept him away, and she¡¯d already lost too much time.


    But damn. What about Andreas? The situation here was far from stable. He needed all the help he could get. Instead, she was taking off, leaving him to face the situation alone. Even worse, she couldn¡¯t stay long enough to explain. Her plane would leave before he woke. Ari bit her lip to hold back the frustration that threatened to spill over into tears. She¡¯d accepted their separation was inevitable, but it shouldn¡¯t have come so soon¡ªand not like this.


    She turned a stricken face to the waiting werelions. ¡°I have to go home.¡±


    Russell nodded. ¡°We heard. Steffan¡¯s missing. What¡¯s happened to him?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°They don¡¯t have any idea, and it¡¯s been two days. He could be injured and waiting for someone to find him. But what about the situation here?¡± Ari swallowed. She couldn¡¯t seem to wrap her head around her next move.


    ¡°Andreas will be fine,¡± Russell said. ¡°I¡¯ll see to that. He has friends around him now, and the vampires from home arrive tonight.¡±


    Lilith started for the door. ¡°I¡¯ll make our flight arrangements and pack.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Lilith.¡±


    The lioness looked back. ¡°I¡¯m going with you. Somehow I¡¯ve taken on the job of bodyguard. Or was it babysitter?¡± she added with an attempt at humor.


    ¡°But your place is with Russell,¡± Ari said. She wanted Lilith with her but didn¡¯t want to separate husband and wife. It wasn¡¯t fair. It was bad enough she was being torn away from her boyfriend¡­her lover or whatever he was to her.


    ¡°Not this time. My place is with you, and Russell¡¯s is here. It¡¯s what friends do.¡± She spoke to Ari, but she looked at Russell. ¡°When I get back, think of the great reunion sex.¡± Lilith left laughing.


    Russell watched his wife¡¯s retreating figure with a shake of his head. ¡°She¡¯s making the right decision, you know. Think about it. Whatever is happening in Riverdale, you¡¯ll need help from someone. The old team won¡¯t be there, Andreas won¡¯t be there, and Daron¡¯s vamps are already stretched thin. Your human cop friends won¡¯t be much help with Otherworld affairs, and Steffan¡¯s pack may be too disorganized to think clearly. You¡¯ll need a cool head at your side, and no one can do that better than Lilith.¡±


    ¡°OK, OK, I know you¡¯re right,¡± Ari conceded. She didn¡¯t admit how relieved she was. ¡°And I promise you, I¡¯ll keep her safe.¡±


    Russell chuckled. ¡°I think she¡¯s already claimed the babysitter role. She might try to kick your butt, if she heard you talk like that.¡±


    Two hours later Lilith and Ari were on a plane. They¡¯d explained the situation to the rest of the lycanthropes, and Ari had left a much-rewritten note for Andreas. It had grown shorter with every version. In the end, she included only the facts and a promise she would call him later. She signed it ¡°Love, Ari.¡± Pathetic, but the best she could do.


    They made their connecting flight in Chicago and were only an hour out of Riverdale when Ari first noticed the disturbance near the front of the plane. Loud voices from two human males drew everyone¡¯s attention. Lilith and Ari glanced at one another in surprise, but Ari returned to thumbing through the on-board magazine. It had ads for the weirdest things. Who needed an electric back scratcher? Or bunny clips to pair your socks?


    The commotion from the front grew louder. An older man lunged to his feet and demanded in a precise British accent, ¡°Take that back, sir. I declare, I have never been so offended.¡±


    Ari watched as the flight attendant hurried to calm the irate passenger. The portly older man brushed off her restraining hand and pointed a chubby finger at his seat companion. ¡°You must remove this insufferable person. I refuse to sit next to him the rest of this flight.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, but the flight is full. There isn¡¯t another seat available. What is the problem?¡±


    ¡°We were having a perfectly civil political discussion when he called me the most inexcusable names. So offensive, I dare not repeat them.¡±


    ¡°You were offended? What about me?¡± the other man demanded, huffing out his cheeks.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, gentlemen, but you¡¯ll have to stay in your seats and lower your voices. If you¡¯ll both stay calm, I¡¯m sure we can work something out. Perhaps you can avoid talking about politics.¡± The flight attendant was doing her best, but the two passengers weren¡¯t being cooperative. Although they lowered their voices, the strident tones carried throughout the plane.


    ¡°He¡¯s not sitting with me,¡± the man still seated declared. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of his fascist theories. I paid good money for this seat, and I¡¯m not moving.¡±


    ¡°Fascist?¡± was the indignant response. ¡°That does it. I wouldn¡¯t dream of sitting beside you. In the interests of civility, I will move,¡± the portly man announced. He looked around at the other passengers and finally his gaze stopped on Lilith. ¡°You,¡± he pointed at her. ¡°I¡¯ll change places with you, young lady. Perhaps you can tolerate sitting next to this¡­this¡­¡± During his speech, the man¡¯s focus shifted to Ari. He regarded her with such purpose that she laid her hand on Lilith¡¯s arm to stop her automatic protest. This performance had been planned for Ari¡¯s benefit, and she wanted to know why.


    ¡°Perhaps you should humor him, Lilith. We don¡¯t need an onboard fight, and it can¡¯t be for more than forty-five minutes or so.¡±


    Lilith looked surprised, then wiped her expression and unfastened her seat belt. ¡°OK,¡± she agreed. As she stood, she leaned over Ari and whispered, ¡°You owe me an explanation.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long to make the exchange, since both Lilith and the portly man held aisle seats. The flight attendant fussed over Lilith and offered to bring her anything she needed. The man settled next to Ari, nodded pleasantly in her direction, then opened his laptop and became absorbed in its contents. Ari returned to her magazine without comment. In less than two minutes, her patience was rewarded.


    ¡°Sorry for the dramatics, but I wanted to speak with you before we got off the plane.¡± The man kept his face turned toward the computer screen and spoke softly. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that other poor fellow is convinced I¡¯ve escaped from some lunatic asylum.¡± He expelled a sigh. ¡°He doesn¡¯t offend easily, and I became quite outrageous before he grew tired of the verbal abuse. I don¡¯t like being so uncivil, but it couldn¡¯t be helped.¡± He chuckled softly. ¡°In the end, it was effective, for here we are.¡±


    What a bizarre person. The old guy certainly had a fertile imagination. If meeting Ari was his goal, she could think of a dozen easier ways, like introducing himself. He was lucky flight security didn¡¯t take him into custody. Or Homeland Security. Weren¡¯t air marshals on flights these days? She kept a wary eye on him and waited to hear what he wanted.


    He glanced sideways at her face. ¡°You¡¯re thinking I¡¯m a stalker, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m not. Just a little rusty at this sort of thing.¡±


    ¡°What sort of thing are we talking about? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time you got to the point?¡± Ari kept her voice low and appeared to study her magazine. She was intrigued enough to play his game for now.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting there. Young people are so impatient. Horatio Jones is the name. At one time¡ªmore years ago than I care to remember¡ªI worked for your CIA. Retired long ago, but then this little problem came up. They needed someone to blend in, someone no longer official. That¡¯s how I got involved.¡±


    ¡°Involved with what? What would the CIA want with me?¡± Ari almost called a flight attendant. Maybe Jones had escaped from an asylum.


    ¡°Not the CIA. Not this time. I¡¯m here on behalf of Homeland Security.¡±


    Ari measured him with an appraising look. He wasn¡¯t an air marshal. No way. CIA? Homeland Security? Come on. The man needed a keeper.


    ¡°I understand your doubts,¡± Jones said, seemingly unruffled, ¡°but surely you didn¡¯t think the federal government was unaware of you? Perhaps you¡¯ll believe me when I tell you this involves your friend Steffan.¡±

 Page 16

    Ari¡¯s blood turned to ice. This was no longer even faintly amusing. How would some random psycho know about Steffan? She¡¯d never doubted Steffan was in serious trouble, but this man¡¯s presence proved she didn¡¯t have any idea what was happening. This wasn¡¯t just a pack thing. CIA, Homeland Security, kidnapper or shyster¡ªJones¡¯s appearance doubled her concern for the missing werewolf.


    ¡°What do you know about Steffan?¡± she whispered through stiff lips.


    ¡°I know he¡¯s missing. I know that you¡¯re going home to look for him, and that your Magic Council and Homeland Security are alarmed over his disappearance.¡± Jones glanced at his watch. ¡°We haven¡¯t much time. Why don¡¯t I tell you why I¡¯m here? You can verify my credentials later.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°Your friend has been working with the US government. In light of the increased terrorist activity around the world, they hope to establish a network of werewolf clans to pass and gather intelligence, operatives who have the ability to travel quickly and unobtrusively over any terrain, and who are able to defend themselves without detectable weapons. Steffan was in secret negotiations to create a North American coalition to provide trained recruits.¡± Jones changed his computer screen with a finger click to some YouTube video. Ari was amused by his attempt to cover their conversation. ¡°Two nights ago,¡± he continued, ¡°Steffan was supposed to attend a critical meeting. When he failed to arrive and could not be found, his disappearance not only raised concerns for his safety but placed the future of the coalition in jeopardy. The negotiations are stalled.¡±


    The flight attendant¡¯s voice interrupted over the intercom to announce their approaching touchdown and to turn off all electronic devices.


    Jones made a show of packing his laptop in a carrying case, winding the cords of his earphones before stashing them inside. His actions were casual, unhurried, and in stark contrast to his next words. ¡°National security has been compromised, Ms. Calin. Your government wants to find Steffan as badly as you do¡ªwhether he is dead, held captive or has simply changed his mind and pulled out of the agreement.¡±


    Ari flushed with indignation. She turned her head to glare at him. ¡°Never. Steffan wouldn¡¯t just drop out without telling someone. He¡¯s too dedicated.¡±


    ¡°Lower your voice, Ms. Calin. Discretion, please. Your loyalty to your friend is touching, and I hope it is not misplaced. I will remain in Riverdale to assist you in any way I can until this matter is resolved.¡± He handed her a business card with a number scrawled on the back. ¡°You can reach me at any hour. Consider me your liaison. But I must caution you to be circumspect with what we have discussed. If this information leaks, the network¡¯s future effectiveness will be compromised, destroying the work your friend has already done.¡±


    Ari scowled, while she ran the possibilities through her head. Jones¡¯s story was fantastic, but parts of it rang true. She saw the potential for Homeland Security to use the wolves. What better spies than furry, four-legged creatures that were incredibly strong, swift, and could go anywhere in near silence? A coalition was the sort of thing Steffan would support. And he had told her and Andreas about some mysterious meetings.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need a liaison with the feds. I have my own sources. Otherworld sources.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. That is why the government allowed, even requested, that you join the investigation.¡±


    Ari stiffened. Did he think he or the government could dictate to the Magic Council?


    Jones must have realized his mistake. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to imply Homeland Security would intrude on Otherworld business, but this is also their business. Because of the sensitivities involved, Homeland Security is offering to stay out of any direct involvement, if they can be confident you are handling this and will keep them informed. Cooperation will prevent misunderstandings that otherwise might further endanger your friend.¡±


    ¡°Assuming I believe what you¡¯ve said, why you? Why call someone out of retirement?¡±


    ¡°You mean an old man?¡± Jones chuckled under his breath. ¡°If you wanted to keep official interest a secret, can you think of anyone who looks less like a government agent?¡±


    Ari surveyed his brown slacks, cardigan sweater, loafers, and benign countenance. He had a point. A retired professor, perhaps.


    He added, ¡°I could be your favorite uncle from out of town.¡±


    Ari smothered a laugh. Didn¡¯t he know she was a witch? Non-human. What kind of briefing had he been given? None of the people who knew her would accept his uncle story. On the other hand, she wasn¡¯t worried about her friends. His cover might be acceptable for the rest of the world. She didn¡¯t expect to see him again anyway.


    By the time the plane touched down, Jones and Ari had agreed on their cover story. They walked together on the way to baggage claim. She wasn¡¯t sure she trusted him, or even believed him, but he was involved somehow. She wanted to know if he was friend or foe. When Lilith joined them, Ari couldn¡¯t resist introducing him as Uncle Horatio. Lilith showed little reaction to the story, but Ari knew she¡¯d get the third degree as soon as she and the lioness were alone.


    Jones¡¯s former seatmate came by and made a large detour around them. She smiled at his hasty departure. No doubt the man believed he¡¯d successfully avoided a certifiable nut case and would never suspect his former seatmate dabbled in national intrigue. Wouldn¡¯t believe it if she told him. Jones as a secret agent? Ridiculous enough to be true.


    Chapter Seven


    ¡°Uncle Horatio?¡± Lilith¡¯s face was incredulous. As soon as Ari retrieved Andreas¡¯s Lexus from airport parking, Lilith refused to wait any longer for an explanation.


    Ari grinned and launched into her story. Chuckling and sometimes imitating Jones¡¯s rather stuffy manner, she told Lilith all about the man who claimed to be a retired government spy.


    ¡°No!¡± Lilith chortled. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to tell Russell, but no one is going to believe this happened.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell him,¡± Ari said. ¡°At least not over a regular cell phone. It¡¯s actually pretty serious business.¡± As soon as Ari finished telling the rest of what Jones said, she placed a call to the Magic Council president. If Steffan was working on secret negotiations of some kind, the old wizard who headed up the Council should know. Why hadn¡¯t he told her?


    ¡°Sir, I¡¯m in town, and I think we need to talk. In private,¡± she said stiffly, as soon as he answered. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a strange story I would like to discuss with you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back.¡± The wizard¡¯s normally unruffled voice sounded relieved. ¡°I will be at the Magic Hall for the next hour or two. Come anytime.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s got to know you¡¯re pissed about something,¡± Lilith said when Ari disconnected. ¡°Dead giveaway. You were way too polite.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always polite.¡± Ari spun the steering wheel through a sharp corner and slid her gaze at Lilith. ¡°At least to the wizard. He¡¯s much older and smarter than I am, and he¡¯s the president.¡±


    Lilith grabbed the seat with both hands. ¡°Uh, can you watch the road?¡±


    ¡°But he could have told me about Homeland Security, Jones, and the meetings. I don¡¯t like secrets.¡± Ari accelerated, shooting past a slower-moving vehicle.


    ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a good reason why he waited. If you go in there all mad, he¡¯s not going to like it.¡±


    ¡°Give me some credit.¡± Ari pulled the car to a sudden halt in front of the Magic Hall. ¡°Wait here. This shouldn¡¯t take long. Call your honey. He¡¯s probably waiting to hear you arrived safely.¡± Ari checked her cell phone messages for the third time since they¡¯d landed. ¡°Maybe you can find out how much trouble I¡¯m in with Andreas. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s awake, but he hasn¡¯t called. I¡¯m thinking it¡¯s not a good sign.¡±


    Lilith nodded. ¡°You go play nice with Mr. President, and I¡¯ll find out about Andreas.¡±


    Ari hated Lilith¡¯s too-understanding look. She also hated worrying about this relationship stuff. If she hadn¡¯t gotten involved with Andreas, she wouldn¡¯t be suffering this sense of loss. Or feeling anxious about his reaction to her rushed departure. Or even worse¡ªworrying about all the reasons he might not survive another night. What if Sebastian¡¯s vampires revolted or betrayed him?


    Ari took a deep breath to steady herself. Determined not to think about those possibilities right now, she exited the Lexus. The cold gust hit her. The weather had changed sharply while they¡¯d been gone. Winding a scarf around her neck and tossing one end over her shoulder, she lifted her chin into the wind and headed into the Magic Hall to get some answers.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Arianna,¡± the president greeted her. ¡°I trust your flight went well?¡±


    She nodded and took the offered seat. They were meeting in the wizard¡¯s private chambers attached to the Magic Hall. The governing council of forty members, representing the major and minor races, met next door each Friday morning. In contrast to the ornate opulence of the Hall, his office was sparse and utilitarian. The only concession to his importance was the gold wand in its crystal holder. She shifted her attention to the wizard, whose faded blue eyes were benevolent and questioning. He waited for her to begin.


    Ari took a deep breath. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ll get straight to the point. I was approached by a man on the plane who claimed to be connected with Homeland Security. He said Steffan had been involved in secret negotiations for them. If this is true, I¡¯d like to know why you didn¡¯t tell me.¡±


    ¡°I must say, Arianna, you become more direct every day. Steffan is part of the discussions, not for Homeland Security, as that would be improper, but the federal authorities are very interested in the outcome.¡±


    That made sense. Under the McFarland treaties, US government agencies were required to go through the Magic Councils. In some ways the Otherworlders operated like a separate country.

 Page 17

    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you because it wasn¡¯t the right time,¡± he finished.


    ¡°What?¡± She struggled to moderate her tone. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you realize it may be related to his disappearance?¡±


    The wizard¡¯s expression never changed. ¡°Are you questioning my judgment, Ms. Calin? If so, I¡¯m not sure I like it.¡±


    Oops. Ari noticed he¡¯d slipped into formal address, putting some psychological distance between them. Perhaps a more subtle approach was in order. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, if I seemed rude. I¡¯m worried about Steffan, and this stranger¡¯s story came as a total surprise. If you can¡¯t tell me about the negotiations, can you at least verify that Horatio Jones is a government representative?¡±


    ¡°No, because I¡¯m not familiar with this man, but I will ask Homeland about his credentials. In case they ask, perhaps you should provide me with a description.¡±


    ¡°Seventy-plus, white hair, brown eyes, stocky build. Dresses like a professor. Carries a cane. He said he worked for the CIA before retiring.¡± She thought about her conversation with the old gentleman. ¡°He claimed to be my liaison with the federal government and gave me a number to reach him. He¡¯s rather eccentric. Nearly caused a fight on board the plane in order to move to the seat next to me.¡±


    The president looked taken aback. ¡°A colorful character.¡±


    ¡°You could say that. Not very spy-like.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you should avoid him until I confirm his status. If he checks out, make your own decision how much you want to use him. Your only orders from the Council are to find Steffan. Quickly. Whatever that takes. In furtherance of that goal, I¡¯m prepared to give you any details you want on the negotiations.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir. Anything you can share could be helpful.¡±


    When the wizard had finished relating the weeks of meetings, the volatile reactions of some of the wolves, and the every-changing support and opposition, Ari could see what had made Steffan so tense that night at the park. According to the president, Steffan believed a coalition was the best future for the wolves, bringing a united voice to their concerns, decent career opportunities for their youth, and more than lip service to government recognition. He had fought hard to make it a reality. It wasn¡¯t such a leap of imagination to believe someone opposed to the scheme might have wanted Steffan out of the way.


    ¡°As for the night he disappeared, I can tell you very little except he was expected at a 3:00 a.m. meeting with four other wolf leaders at a resort north of here. They kept waiting to hear from him, thinking he¡¯d been delayed by something urgent.¡± The wizard sighed. ¡°I wish they had told someone, but no one said anything until we contacted them after the pack reported him missing.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem right,¡± Ari said. ¡°Why would they wait so long? Are we sure they¡¯re not involved?¡±


    ¡°Something about a heated argument the day before, and they thought he might be cooling off.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s bogus.¡±


    The wizard nodded. ¡°In their defense, they don¡¯t know Steffan as well as you or I do. I don¡¯t doubt the argument occurred¡ªthey¡¯ve done very little for the past two weeks except argue¡ªbut Steffan would never stay away and sulk. If they think so, it might say more about them than him. In any case, I think that is all I know. Except¡±¡ªhis eyes began to twinkle¡ª¡°it was never my intention to conceal Steffan¡¯s assignment from you. I¡¯d planned to inform you when we met today. When we spoke on the phone I didn¡¯t think it was wise to entrust such sensitive information to the airways.¡±


    Ari nodded, somewhat chastened. ¡°I should have considered that.¡± She stood, assuming their meeting was over. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to find him, sir. You can count on it.¡±


    He inclined his head. ¡°Before you leave, update me on the situation in Toronto. Is our friend Andreas in trouble? Is similar trouble likely to come to Riverdale? Toronto¡¯s problems have spilled over onto us before. I don¡¯t welcome a repeat.¡±


    ¡°Andreas has control at the moment, but I assume you¡¯re referring to potential interference from the O-Seven. If the elders try to bring down Daron and Andreas, protecting two courts may place both at risk by stretching our resources too thin. But right now I¡¯m more concerned that Andreas could face a revolt from the local vamps.¡±


    The wizard tapped his desk with a boney finger. ¡°Until I read your latest emailed report, I¡¯d not heard the O-Seven mentioned in many years. It is disturbing to see them taking such an active interest in affairs on this side of the world and to know they were encouraging Sebastian¡¯s activities. I will be talking with some of the other American Magic Councils about this. To have any of the O-Seven¡¯s attention on Riverdale is quite alarming. I expect you to keep me informed of developments in Toronto. If the situation grows worse, perhaps there is some way in which our Council or the Toronto Council can assist. We certainly support his goals for a civilized and cooperative vampire community.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell him you said so, sir.¡±


    ¡°Do that, but keep in mind my primary concern is for Riverdale¡¯s safety. If trouble is coming here, I want to know about it.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Ari took a deep breath when she stepped outside the hall. Although she knew little more than when she arrived, she was reassured the wizard was playing it straight with her. Vampires weren¡¯t the only Otherworlders who could be secretive and a little bit paranoid. After so many centuries of minimizing or hiding their affairs from humans, individuals hadn¡¯t automatically changed their behavior when the McFarland treaties were signed. Ari understood the reticence, but cops couldn¡¯t function without all the facts. Still, it hadn¡¯t been a wasted visit. It looked like Steffan¡¯s disappearance was tied to the summit meeting. It was the obvious place to start.


    Lilith was half asleep when Ari opened the car door and climbed in. ¡°About time,¡± the lioness growled. ¡°I began to think I was going to miss supper. Can we find some place to eat now?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing. Did you talk with Russell?¡±


    ¡°Yep, he¡¯s fine. Everything is pretty much like we left it. A lot of talk going on behind closed doors, whispering, everybody watching one another, but no fighting. What you really want to know is what Andreas said.¡±


    When Lilith stopped talking, Ari looked at her. ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s going to call you.¡±


    ¡°But what did he say?¡± Ari demanded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think he said much. At least Russell wouldn¡¯t say much. Andreas found your note, asked Russell a couple of questions about the flight and arrival time in Riverdale. He wanted to know if you¡¯d gone alone. That sort of thing. Nothing else, really.¡±


    ¡°No reaction at all?¡±


    Lilith shrugged. ¡°Sorry. When I tried to pin Russell down, he said he couldn¡¯t tell what Andreas was thinking, except he seemed worried. Which would be natural. You¡¯ll just have to wait for his call.¡±


    Ari was confused by his reaction. He didn¡¯t seem angry, but was he thinking she¡¯d chosen Steffan over him? Had she hurt her normally cool, collected vampire? She frowned at the thought and considered calling him now. But if she caught him in a meeting, when he couldn¡¯t talk, that would only make it worse. She blew out an uneasy breath. She¡¯d have to be patient. He¡¯d call; he said he would. She needed to concentrate on solving Steffan¡¯s disappearance. Get this over and fly back to Toronto. Maybe she¡¯d still be in time to help.


    The person she should call right now was Ryan, but she hadn¡¯t decided how much she could tell him. He couldn¡¯t help with the wolves, which meant he didn¡¯t need to know private wolf business. And Homeland Security, if that¡¯s really who Jones represented, wouldn¡¯t appreciate interference from the local police officers. Ryan wasn¡¯t exactly the type to sit back and do nothing. Better to wait until there was something he could do.


    ¡°Change of plans,¡± Ari said, making a sudden decision. ¡°I¡¯ll drop you off at your place. You can eat, get some sleep, whatever you want. Be ready when I need you. I¡¯m going to talk with Steffan¡¯s wolf pack, and they won¡¯t want a lioness present. You don¡¯t have to worry, I know most of them. I won¡¯t have any trouble.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense, but can we pick up burgers on the way? I¡¯ll check in with Daron¡¯s staff. See if they know anything we don¡¯t.¡±


    Ari turned the car toward the condo where Russell and Lilith lived. She knew a drive-through on the way, and once she dropped Lilith at home, she¡¯d head to Steffan¡¯s house. She hoped his pack had made some progress in finding their leader or could at least give her the name of his enemies. Maybe they knew who was opposing the coalition. With any luck, those opponents had been vocal about their opinions.


    Steffan¡¯s suburban home was lit up like a big party was in progress. As Ari approached the front door, she realized the atmosphere inside was far from celebratory. Raised voices, most of them angry. The argument sounded on the verge of erupting into a physical fight. Ari knocked twice, pounding the second time, before someone answered.


    ¡°Guardian.¡± The large man filling the doorway was second-in-command of Steffan¡¯s home pack.


    ¡°Gilbert, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ari had only met him a time or two, but at least he knew she was a friend of Steffan¡¯s.


    ¡°Come on in. You might as well join the fun.¡±


    She figured he was being sarcastic.


    Gilbert stepped aside to let her pass. Close to four dozen angry, gesticulating wolves jammed Steffan¡¯s living room. The nearest stopped talking and turned to scowl at her. Silence gradually spread throughout the room. Hostility bristled. Maybe it had been a bad idea to come here without Lilith. Of course, two to forty wasn¡¯t much better than one to forty. There were a lot of angry wolves in this room.


    Gilbert spoke quickly. ¡°For anyone who doesn¡¯t know her, this is our Guardian, Ari Calin. She and Steffan are friends.¡±

 Page 18

    ¡°About time she got here,¡± someone said.


    ¡°Where¡¯s she been?¡± one of the younger wolves demanded.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± another voice called from the back. ¡°Isn¡¯t this her job?¡± There were murmurs of agreement.


    It was a fair question. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Ari said. ¡°It is my job, and I should have been here two days ago. I was out of town, and nobody told me about Steffan until a few hours ago. But I¡¯m here now. He is my friend, and that makes this more than a job to me. I¡¯m hoping we can find him quickly, but I need your help. Can someone bring me up-to-date? Do you have any idea where he is?¡±


    ¡°If we did, I wouldn¡¯t be standing here,¡± the same young wolf snapped.


    Ari looked at him. ¡°Then let¡¯s figure out something useful for you to do.¡± She raised her eyes to the larger group. ¡°Steffan was doing some private work for the Magic Council.¡±


    ¡°What kind of private work?¡± a balding man from the back interrupted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have all the details,¡± she hedged. ¡°But he was talking with other wolf clans about some joint business. You can ask him after we find him. Has he said anything about any problems he¡¯d been having? Or somebody who¡¯d made threats? Anything you know about his activities over the last couple of weeks might be helpful. I¡¯ll be around for a while this evening to hear any ideas you have. If you know or suspect anything, please talk to me or to Gilbert.¡± She glanced at the angry young wolf again. ¡°I promise this case has my total attention until Steffan is found. I need the rest of you to report even the smallest piece of information.¡±


    ¡°Are you telling us to back off on the search and let you take over?¡± The beefy, balding man who¡¯d shouted out a question before was working his way toward the front of the room. His aura was charged with hostility. ¡°Somebody¡¯s responsible for this insult to our pack, and I ain¡¯t going to wait around, hoping to hear something.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting that¡ªin fact, the very opposite. We can use everyone. Eventually we may need a search party, but for now we need information, a trail to follow. Haunt the bars and clubs, talk to anyone and everyone you can. This is an Otherworld problem, and I believe there¡¯s an Otherworlder out there who has the answer.¡±


    ¡°Just what are you not saying?¡± the balding man asked, coming to a halt in front of her. ¡°This business stuff sounds fishy to me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to take that up with Steffan. My job is to find him, and time¡¯s passing as we argue. You want answers? Get us a lead.¡±


    ¡°Back off, Fagan,¡± Gilbert said, eyeing the man. ¡°She¡¯s right. We don¡¯t have time for this. Let¡¯s split up into groups and get it done.¡±


    During the general commotion that followed as the wolves organized, Gilbert leaned over and whispered in Ari¡¯s ear. ¡°We need to talk before you go.¡± He turned away to speak with a young wolf tugging on his sleeve, leaving Ari staring after him. What the hell was that about? If he knew something, why didn¡¯t he just say so?


    If she hadn¡¯t been so busy the next hour listening mostly to fears and theories rather than hard facts, she might have tracked Gilbert down and demanded an explanation. Instead, she heard the same story over and over. On the night he disappeared, Steffan had been hunting in the hills east of Riverdale with a dozen other pack members. Around one o¡¯clock in the morning he told them he was going solo for a few hours, and he veered off on a side trail. No one had seen him since.


    The story at least gave her a time frame. Whatever happened, it was between 1:00 and 3:00 a.m., when he failed to appear for the early morning meeting.


    Dispensing encouragement with a liberal hand and using her best witch skills to project calm, Ari worked on redirecting the wolves¡¯ frustrations toward potential avenues of information. As they began to disperse, she finally went in search of Gilbert.


    She found him waiting near the front door. Ari nodded at him as she passed, and he followed her outside. They fell into step, strolling toward her car as if he was merely seeing her on her way.


    ¡°OK, what gives?¡±


    ¡°A couple of things. Both could be nothing, but you never know. First of all, a heads up. Fagan, the guy who was so vocal toward the end, is Steffan¡¯s biggest opposition for control of the pack. He¡¯s always thought he should be leader. I can¡¯t say for sure that he¡¯d harm Steffan, but I don¡¯t trust him, and you shouldn¡¯t trust anything he says. He¡¯s a sneaky bastard.¡±


    ¡°Gotcha,¡± Ari said. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my eyes open around him. What else?¡±


    Gilbert hunched his shoulders, looking uneasy. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get false rumors started, but I think Steffan has gotten into something funky.¡±


    ¡°Define funky.¡± Like national security funky? Or was he referring to something else entirely? She wasn¡¯t going to reveal the Homeland Security connection until she heard what Gilbert had to say. And maybe not then.


    ¡°Some kind of trouble. He was keeping secrets, even from me. Private calls, and he was meeting someone. At first I thought he had a new girl, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that. He¡¯s been short-tempered, really impatient. No woman makes you feel like that, at least not one you keep around. When I asked him what was going on, he blew me off.¡±


    ¡°It may be related to his work for the Magic Council. A few days ago he implied his meetings for them were pretty shaky.¡± Maybe she should have pushed Steffan for answers¡ªas if that would have worked. Frankly, she didn¡¯t know anyone who responded well to nagging, but this would be a whole lot easier if he had talked to them that night in the park.


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right.¡± Gilbert sounded doubtful. ¡°Do you know what he was doing? Why the need for secrecy?¡±


    Ari hesitated. She¡¯d like to confide in Gilbert, but she didn¡¯t know enough about him to cross him off the suspect list. Maybe the reason he¡¯d told her about Fagan¡¯s ambitions was to conceal his own. Still, Steffan had trusted him enough to make him second-in-command.


    She compromised. ¡°I know he was involved in high level negotiations with several out-of-state wolf clans. It¡¯s all hush-hush, but I¡¯ll try to find out more, if it looks like we need it.¡± She changed the subject. ¡°Have any strangers been hanging around? Anyone suspicious?¡± A sudden thought occurred to her. ¡°How about an elderly man with white hair and a cane?¡±


    ¡°No, no one. I would have noticed. Who¡¯s the old man?¡±


    ¡°Probably not important. Just someone I talked to at the airport.¡±


    Gilbert frowned at her. Ari didn¡¯t wait for him to come up with further questions. She opened the Lexus¡¯s door and got in, saying she¡¯d be in touch. Even if Gilbert hadn¡¯t been a suspect, she wasn¡¯t going to share anything about Jones unless his credentials were verified. Just because the negotiations were legit didn¡¯t mean Jones was, or the rest of his story, except what the Council president had confirmed. She didn¡¯t want everyone running off in the wrong direction.


    Ari steered through thinning traffic as she entered the Olde Town district. Her lashes were drooping but her stomach churned with the lack of progress. Steffan had been missing almost forty-eight hours. If he¡¯d been kidnapped, why no ransom demand? What did his captors want? She refused to consider there might be no captors. That would mean his dead body was lying out there somewhere.


    Ari closed her apartment door, kicked off her shoes, and walked straight toward the shower. She could almost feel the hot water pulsing against her skin, when the ring of her cell phone stopped her. Caller ID confirmed it was Andreas. She hesitated for an instant before hitting connect, suddenly nervous about how this would go.


    ¡°I miss you,¡± he said.


    Ari¡¯s tired shoulders relaxed. ¡°Me, too.¡± She walked over and plopped on the couch. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I left without talking to you, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Arianna, I understand,¡± he interrupted. ¡°Have you located Steffan?¡±


    ¡°No. And worst of all, I¡¯m not sure where to start. I spent the evening with his wolf pack, and they haven¡¯t a clue what happened to him. They didn¡¯t even know what he¡¯d been doing the past few weeks, but I met the strangest man on the plane who did.¡± She hesitated, remembering the Council president¡¯s concerns about the airways. Andreas had spent a mint two months ago on the ¡°secure¡± units they were using, but nothing was foolproof. Still, why would anyone be listening to her? She told him everything: Jones, Homeland Security, the wolf coalition, her meeting with the Magic Council president, and the frustration of Steffan¡¯s wolves.


    ¡°You have been busy. When you first mentioned Jones, I thought his story had to be phony,¡± Andreas said when she finished. ¡°It seemed odd that Homeland Security would have an interest in Riverdale, since there is nothing strategic there. But a worldwide werewolf organization is a brilliant idea. A breakdown in those negotiations explains Steffan¡¯s behavior at the park.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. Fantastic as it seems, Steffan might be caught up in some national security plot. I¡¯m not sure where Jones fits.¡±


    ¡°Let us hope the Magic Council can answer that question. If not, perhaps Lt. Foster. You know he¡¯d try.¡± Andreas chuckled. ¡°He can be so persistent that Homeland Security might give him the answers in order to make him go away.¡±


    ¡°Yep, he¡¯s a bulldog, but I don¡¯t want to call him unless I have to. He wouldn¡¯t stop with just bugging Homeland. He¡¯d get involved. And the Council wants to keep this quiet. They¡¯d be pissed if I brought in the human police force.¡±


    ¡°What if you need help to rescue Steffan? More than Lilith can provide. I cannot be there, and Lt Foster would do whatever he could. Use him, if you need backup.¡±


    Considering Ryan¡¯s attitude toward Andreas, the vampire¡¯s words showed how worried he was for her and Steffan. It made her feel better and more guilty at the same time. Here she¡¯d been going on about her own problems and hadn¡¯t even asked about his. ¡°I will, but I hope it doesn¡¯t come to that. This is an Otherworld thing.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°Sorry to whine like this. I need sleep and a fresh start in the morning. Tell me what¡¯s happening on your end.¡±

 Page 19

    ¡°Cara mia, you never whine, and you can tell me anything.¡± He hesitated before going on. ¡°The situation here is unchanged. I am pleased to have our people around me, and Gabriel has been especially helpful. Among other things, he keeps us from becoming too serious.¡±


    They talked for nearly an hour before disconnecting. By the end, Ari was fighting to keep her eyelids open. Still, she¡¯d hated to end the call. It was their only tie at the moment. She refused to dwell on the odds against sustaining a long distance relationship. At the moment, they both had bigger problems to solve, and their love life would have to wait.


    Ari yawned. Her bones ached with exhaustion. She needed at least two or three hours of sleep, and worrying about Andreas and Steffan wouldn¡¯t help either man. Ignoring her heavy heart and the constant tingling of her witch senses, Ari headed into the shower. She held onto hope. The urgency of the magical nagging made her believe Steffan was still alive.


    Chapter Eight


    Ari studied the old gentleman seated across the table while she sipped her hot coffee. It would take more than one cup this morning. Horatio Jones had gotten her out of bed before seven o¡¯clock with an invitation to breakfast at the coffee shop in the Fremont Hotel. He¡¯d offered to buy. More importantly, he promised information.


    Today he was wearing a dark blue, nondescript outfit. When she¡¯d arrived, he¡¯d heaved himself to his feet, his paunch gently straining the buttons of his sweater. She¡¯d been impressed with the gesture. Younger men didn¡¯t stand like that, except for her very proper vampire, and he didn¡¯t really qualify as a younger man. It was a little odd to have Jones make the effort. He poured a fresh cup of coffee as soon as they were seated and watched with a benevolent smile as she savored her first sip.


    ¡°So,¡± Ari said, giving him a direct look. ¡°You said you had news.¡±


    ¡°No preliminaries, huh?¡± He raised his white, shaggy brows. ¡°All right. Since we spoke, I have been briefed and updated. I am authorized to provide you with certain details.¡± He set his cup down, picked up a spoon and added several scoops from the sugar bowl. ¡°The meetings were held at a resort near Galena. It¡¯s quiet this time of year before the snow skiers arrive. You understand their need for privacy.¡±


    Ari nodded, trying to be patient. Galena, got it. Would he please get on with the details?


    ¡°Your friend Steffan was one of five North American leaders of his¡­ah, specialty, who were scheduled to vote this week on consolidation. The other representatives have agreed to remain at the resort until tomorrow night. At that time, a final vote will be taken, with or without Steffan, and a simple majority will prevail. In case of a tie, nothing will be done.¡± Jones paused to pour cream into his coffee. ¡°Not only does my employer need his vote, Steffan must be there in time to support or influence the others.¡±


    ¡°What if I can¡¯t get him there? What if he isn¡¯t alive?¡±


    Jones looked surprised. ¡°You haven¡¯t spoken with your council president this morning?¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding? It¡¯s not even 8 o¡¯clock,¡± she protested.


    ¡°He should have called you by now. More coffee?¡±


    She frowned but held out her cup. ¡°What¡¯s he going to say?¡±


    ¡°Protocol, young lady.¡± Jones refilled her cup and his, before returned the pot to its spot on the table. ¡°One must observe protocol. I was instructed to wait until you had received instructions from your president.¡±


    ¡°Oh, for Goddess¡¯s sake. This is ridiculous. And then what?¡±


    ¡°Then we will proceed.¡±


    Disgusted, Ari munched half-heartedly on a slice of buttered toast. Humans and all their boring rules¡ªand now spy games on top of it all. But Jones wasn¡¯t a man she could rush. Although he was being unnecessarily cryptic, she¡¯d understood she had thirty-six hours or less to find Steffan and get him to Galena. She didn¡¯t have time to waste, and sitting here waiting for a phone call was frustrating. She was ready to badger Jones for more information when her cell phone rang. About time.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Ari?¡± The doubtful voice didn¡¯t belong to the Council president.


    ¡°Gilbert?¡± Ari grinned. ¡°Obviously I was expecting someone else. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Fagan and five or six of his friends disappeared over night.¡±


    Her grin vanished. Fagan was the belligerent wolf from last night, the one who wanted to be pack leader. ¡°To where?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing¡­nobody knows. It doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re involved with Steffan¡¯s disappearance, but I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I agree. We may be looking at the wrong angle by focusing on his work for the Magic Council. Are you positive they¡¯re missing?¡±


    ¡°Fagan was supposed to lead a group in checking out the lower woods. When he and his buddies didn¡¯t show, someone went to their houses. Found one guy¡¯s girlfriend. She said they¡¯d taken off for a few days, but she didn¡¯t seem to know where.¡±


    ¡°This is maddening. I hate not knowing what people are doing,¡± Ari said, barely containing her frustration. ¡°Let¡¯s have someone talk to the girlfriend again.¡±


    Jones set down his coffee and gave up any pretense he wasn¡¯t listening to her end of the conversation.


    ¡°Can do, and I¡¯ll get out the word that we need to talk to Fagan,¡± Gilbert said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t scare him off,¡± she warned.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll be careful. I¡¯ll act like we¡¯re making sure he wasn¡¯t kidnapped too, but if he¡¯s done this, I¡¯ll strangle him myself.¡±


    As she disconnected, Jones immediately asked, ¡°News?¡±


    Her phone rang again, and she held up a forefinger for him to wait while she answered.


    ¡°Are you having breakfast with Horatio Jones?¡± the Magic Council President asked.


    ¡°Yes. What¡¯s the big mystery he won¡¯t tell me?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it a mystery, but Steffan¡¯s captor called about five this morning. He offered to release him, unharmed, once the vote on the coalition was final. On the condition there was no interference from us and that Steffan would not be replaced prior to the vote. Seeing no alternative, I agreed to his demands.¡±


    ¡°But, sir¡ª¡±


    ¡°Allow me to finish. When the vote goes through¡ªand it must, for this proposed alliance is too important for us all¡ªI believe Steffan becomes expendable. They will kill him. Believing that, I am authorizing you to disregard the promise I made and to continue your search. But please be discreet. Steffan¡¯s life depends on how unobtrusive we can be. If you can¡¯t locate him by noon tomorrow, I will send a new representative to participate in the vote. We cannot delay longer.¡±


    That shortened the time frame by five or six hours. ¡°I understand. Sir, are you familiar with a werewolf named Fagan? Would you recognize his voice?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the man but never spoken to him. Why do you ask? Is he involved in this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I¡¯ve heard he wants to take over Steffan¡¯s pack. I don¡¯t know how that figures in with the coalition, but Fagan and some of his friends have suddenly gone AWOL. Maybe he¡¯s using the negotiations as an opportunity to discredit or kill his opposition.¡±


    ¡°That is discouraging. A personal motive makes it even less likely we¡¯d get Steffan back alive. How does this change your investigation?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure it does, but it gives us a suspect. While the wolves look for him, I¡¯ll look at the actual negotiations. Am I allowed to speak with the delegates?¡±


    ¡°Certainly. By the way, I checked on Jones. He is the man he says he is. I don¡¯t know why we need him, but the human authorities decided it was necessary. Maybe you should talk with him to arrange a meeting with the delegates.¡± The old wizard paused. ¡°Arianna, I¡¯m counting on you.¡± He disconnected.


    Nothing like a little pressure. He didn¡¯t need to remind her again of the subtext: Steffan¡¯s life depended on her. She was all too aware.


    Jones leaned over the table. ¡°I gather we have complications. At my age, I am no longer helpful in a fight, although I can still handle a gun, if it comes to that. But anything else you need, I will try to supply.¡±


    ¡°Can you get me in to see the delegates?¡±


    Jones spread grape jelly on his second piece of toast and cut it in four squares. She watched as he popped a square in his mouth, washed it down with coffee, and dabbed the corners of his mouth with a napkin.


    ¡°I can let them know you¡¯re coming and provide you the directions to the resort.¡± He dropped his voice. ¡°I was told if I get you in the vicinity, you can find and identify them as¡­what they are.¡± His eyes sparked with interest.


    Ari nodded, ignoring his inquisitive look. It was apparent he hadn¡¯t been briefed on the details of her abilities. Maybe they¡¯d decided he didn¡¯t need to know. It was fine with her to leave it that way.


    When she didn¡¯t elaborate, Jones added, ¡°The delegates already know we called in the Guardian from Steffan¡¯s district.¡±


    Ari perked up. ¡°That¡¯s good to know. It may make it easier when I attempt to question each of them within the next few hours. If I¡¯m to locate Steffan in time, I need more information than I¡¯ve got now, and I hope the delegates can help.¡±


    ¡°Very good. One more thing, if you¡¯re successful in finding him, you may need an extraction team. If so, you have my cell number. Use it freely. But I feel compelled to warn you, if things go badly, you¡¯ll take all the blame. At least publicly. Homeland Security will deny any involvement or connection with you.¡± He added with a cheerful smile, ¡°Or with me, for that matter.¡±


    Now why would that amuse him? Strange man.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think an extraction team will be needed. When I find Steffan, his people will help. This is an Otherworld issue, Mr. Jones. A human team wouldn¡¯t be much use to us. Not if magic or supernatural powers are involved.¡±

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    ¡°Unless the kidnappers are human,¡± Jones added, his tone measuring the possibilities.


    ¡°Not likely.¡± Her response had been automatic, and she stopped to think about it. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s possible. Humans have the most to fear from a coalition. I¡¯ll keep that thought in mind.¡± She took another sip of coffee. ¡°Do you have a reason to suspect human involvement? Has Homeland heard something?¡±


    Jones pursed his lips in thought. ¡°Many groups would be opposed to such an Otherworld network. If they knew about it. Some private, some not, and probably a number of foreign terrorist organizations. But I don¡¯t think we have any specific knowledge.¡±


    Finished with his meal, Jones patted at his mouth again and placed the napkin on the table. ¡°Breakfast is my favorite meal,¡± he said with satisfaction. He looked at her nearly empty cup and poured refills.


    ¡°What are you going to do next?¡± he inquired.


    ¡°Interrogate the delegates. Um, I mean, have a little chat.¡±


    Thirty minutes later, Ari swung by Lilith¡¯s condo to pick her up, and they were on their way.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a car of your own?¡± Lilith asked. ¡°A cute little Mini Cooper. I thought you were really fond of it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I am. Why?¡±


    ¡°Just curious why you¡¯re still driving Andreas¡¯s Lexus.¡±


    Ari resisted squirming in her seat. She wasn¡¯t about to admit the weird attachment she¡¯d developed for his things. She kept her focus on the road. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to be a passenger in the Mini. Too cramped for long drives.¡±


    Lilith snickered. ¡°Good answer. I¡¯m sure it wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with feeling closer to its owner.¡±


    ¡°That would be juvenile.¡± She shot a sideways look at the lioness. ¡°Concentrate on Steffan. Use that vivid imagination to come up with a plan to keep him alive.¡± That wiped the grin from Lilith¡¯s face. Ari was sorry she¡¯d been so abrupt, but she couldn¡¯t allow either of them to be distracted. That meant Lilith had to stop talking about Andreas.


    Galena was normally a forty-five minute drive, depending on traffic, but they had a stop to make first. For that, she needed Lilith focused on the job. Ari pulled the car over on the gravel road, stopping next to the woods where the wolves had made their Hunter¡¯s Moon run.


    ¡°This is it. Steffan left these woods by some route. Maybe we can pick up his trail. You want to give it a try?¡±


    ¡°Sure. Why not?¡±


    It was a long shot. The pack had already been there, but Ari couldn¡¯t afford to skip any potential lead. As an experienced tracker, Lilith would handle most of the job, but Ari wasn¡¯t so bad, especially with her recent training.


    ¡°Where would you like to start?¡± Ari had parked in the exact spot marked on the map: next to the gate and directly opposite two maple trees. Gilbert had given her precise directions, including where the wolves had entered and exited the woods. Any scents or trails veering from those paths would be potential intruders.


    ¡°Let¡¯s walk along the road,¡± Lilith said as she opened her door and got out. ¡°It would help if we knew whether Steffan left on his own or was carried away.¡±


    Ari grabbed Steffan¡¯s red jacket from the back seat and tossed it to Lilith. Not being as familiar with the wolf as Ari was, Lilith needed a scent sample, and Ari had brought an article of clothing from his house. They covered at least a mile in each direction, dead-ending at a creek on one end and a busy highway on the other. Lilith found plenty of wolf smell, but nothing matched the exact scent on Steffan¡¯s jacket.


    ¡°You take the creek. I¡¯ll drive the highway and look for access points. We¡¯ll meet on the other side and walk it.¡± Ari climbed in the car as Lilith nosed around the creek bed.


    It took another hour of time they didn¡¯t have, but when they drove away Ari was positive nothing had been overlooked. Steffan must have been carried from the woods, probably unconscious. Sorry she¡¯d wasted the time, but knowing she¡¯d have worried otherwise, Ari finally turned onto the highway that led north to Galena.


    They drove into the resort area only minutes before noon. Their destination, the Mountain Top Inn, was composed of a large, rustic-looking main lodge and numerous log cabins scattered throughout the grounds. Assuming the delegation would be far away from other guests, she drove well beyond the main lodge before stopping and getting out. It didn¡¯t take long to locate the wolves in the largest and most remote cabins. Ari¡¯s witch senses clamored, telling her an enormous amount of Otherworld power was present. She scanned the four cabins ahead of them.


    ¡°Which one?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°I guess we pick a door and knock.¡± Ari marched up to the nearest lodge. The smell of wolf was strong. ¡°Here goes.¡± She knocked.


    At first nothing happened, then the door opened and a young male wolf in jeans and sweatshirt stepped outside, closing the door behind him. ¡°Are you the Guardian?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She held up her credentials. When he looked at the lioness, Ari simply said, ¡°She¡¯s with me.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°They¡¯re waiting in cabin 57.¡± He pointed. ¡°Over there.¡±


    As Ari and Lilith approached the designated building, the door swung open, and a brown haired she-wolf stepped out. Forties, fit, suspicion written across her face. The aura of power that shimmered around her said she was one of the leaders. As soon as Ari introduced herself, the wolf beckoned them inside.


    Ari counted eight adult wolves. The leaders were easily identified, branded by their confident stances, a we¡¯ll-do-it-my-way look in their eyes¡ªand the power auras, of course. The other four proved to be bodyguards and quickly retired to the back of the room.


    Ari and the four leaders took their measure of each other.


    On second look, the brown-haired she-wolf appeared more worried than suspicious. In fact, all four negotiators showed signs of stress¡ªsomber faces, tired and edgy attitudes. The other three returned her scrutiny¡ªthe thin, sinewy man with long dark hair and hawk features; a younger man in his mid-thirties with a slightly ruddy complexion; and an even younger woman with silver-blonde hair and bright blue, wary eyes. A rare silver wolf. And with two auras. Interesting.


    Ari tightened her sensory blocking. Wolves tended to be careless about power leaks, but the current high levels in the room were deliberate. Marking their territory. She screened it out to avoid the distraction. Feeling the extent of energy in the air, Lilith moved up to stand beside Ari.


    The thin man smiled. ¡°Your arrival is a welcome improvement. I¡¯m feeling damned uneasy about Steffan. We¡¯re also away from the safety of our own packs.¡± He waved a hand toward the back of the cabin. ¡°The guards are only for show, not real trouble. Do you have any news?¡±


    ¡°Robert, you might at least introduce yourself.¡± The silver-blonde woman regarded him with mild reproof. ¡°Perhaps we could sit down?¡± She motioned toward a lopsided circle of stuffed chairs in the middle of the room. ¡°I¡¯m Vita, this is Robert, and the others are Warren and Jena.¡±


    Ari introduced herself and Lilith, who then moved away to lean against the front wall. Ari looked at Robert. ¡°I¡¯m just getting started and don¡¯t know much. I hoped you could help me.¡±


    Sighs and groans of frustration greeted her words.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how,¡± Robert said. ¡°We don¡¯t know anything. Steffan never reached the resort that night.¡±


    ¡°Go on,¡± Ari encouraged. ¡°Tell me what was supposed to happen that night.¡±


    ¡°We were meeting at 3:00 a.m. to take the final vote. It was the full moon, the middle of the night, and we figured we¡¯d have total privacy. Everyone had already talked it out, and we each knew how we were going to vote.¡± He paused, frowning at the floor. Ari waited for him to continue, but he seemed lost in thought. Thinking about what? Was he filtering his words? Or reviewing the past days or weeks for clues to their current dilemma?


    ¡°Can I ask how the vote was going? For or against?¡±


    No one said anything.


    ¡°I realize this is a sensitive matter, but if you expect me to help, I need to know what was going on.¡± Perhaps coming here had been a waste of time. If they wouldn¡¯t talk to her¡­


    Finally, Jena, the brown-haired she-wolf, spoke. ¡°I believe the four of us are split two to two. Steffan was the swing vote.¡±


    ¡°Was he in favor of the alliance?¡± Ari asked, wanting to see what they¡¯d tell her.


    ¡°Yes, I think he was,¡± Jena said.


    Vita, the silver wolf, shifted her feet. ¡°We don¡¯t know for sure. Everybody indicated he or she had decided, but no one had declared a choice. It wasn¡¯t final. Not for sure.¡±


    Before Ari could follow up, her cell phone rang. She glanced at caller ID: Claris. Probably calling to chat. An instant pang of guilt reminded her she hadn¡¯t talked with her best friend since returning to town. Claris didn¡¯t know about Steffan¡¯s disappearance or the events in Toronto, and this wasn¡¯t the time to explain. Ari switched the phone to vibrate and put it back in her pocket. She¡¯d call her later.


    ¡°Sorry about the interruption. Who might want Steffan out of the negotiations?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re looking at us as suspects, I guess Robert and I would be first in line,¡± said Warren, ¡°except we were here all night in plain sight of the others.¡± He was a soft-spoken man, but tension vibrated in his voice.


    ¡°Good to know, but all that really means is that none of you participated directly in the kidnapping. It doesn¡¯t mean you didn¡¯t order it.¡± She watched as Robert¡¯s face darkened. Jena and Warren seemed taken aback. Only Vita remained composed. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to offend you,¡± Ari added to soften her statement, ¡°but I have to consider every possibility. I need answers to a lot of questions, and because we¡¯re short of time, I¡¯d like to do this as a group. If anybody prefers privacy, just tell me. Any objections?¡±

 Page 21

    Robert waved an indifferent hand, and no one said anything.


    ¡°OK. Warren, you said the leaders were together that night, but what about the bodyguards? Were they with you all that time, from say midnight to dawn?¡±


    Warren nodded, but it was Robert, the obvious spokesman, who answered. ¡°Yes, and our other wolves, too. No one left camp. It was the first thing we checked when we realized something had gone wrong. We needed to be sure there wasn¡¯t an enemy among us.¡± He stopped, a frown marring his face. ¡°I think you have the wrong impression of our negotiations. We weren¡¯t having a heated dispute over the vote. Major differences were worked out weeks ago.¡±


    Ari studied his face. Why was he glossing over the disputes? Steffan hadn¡¯t been that stressed over nothing.


    ¡°The only remaining issue is one of timing,¡± Robert continued. ¡°Warren and I feared we were rushing into an arrangement that needed months or perhaps years of thought and planning. And, I believe the others were motivated by a sense of urgency. I understood their position. I didn¡¯t think it outweighed the necessity for caution.¡± He stopped and studied his hands. ¡°All four of us agreed to support the results of the vote. Regardless of the outcome.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easy to say now, but would that have been your position two nights ago?¡±


    Robert¡¯s face clouded over, then he gave a short laugh. ¡°You¡¯re wasting time on us, Ms. Calin. No one here wanted to harm Steffan.¡±


    Yeah, like she was going to take his word for it. He might believe it, like he thought the fight on the issues was over, but how well did these four leaders know each other? A guilty person wasn¡¯t likely to step forward and say, ¡°Hey, look at me. I¡¯m the one that wasn¡¯t happy about this. I¡¯m the one who would do anything to stop it.¡± Every wolf in the room might have a reason to lie to her, and they might lie for each other. She didn¡¯t intend to trust any of them.


    ¡°If not one of you, who would want to stop the coalition badly enough to kidnap Steffan?¡±


    ¡°We were discussing that when you arrived,¡± Vita said. She dug in her pocket. ¡°I made a list for you. It¡¯s short.¡± Her eyes dropped to the slip of note paper. ¡°Uh, I guess the categories are somewhat broad.¡± She looked apologetic, as she held out the paper.


    Ari looked at the two penciled columns, entitled ¡°Packs Opposed¡± and ¡°Others.¡± Under ¡°Packs Opposed¡± was a list of three: Chicago; Toronto; and Unknowns. She did a double take at the inclusion of Toronto. Had Sebastian had his dirty mitts in this, too? Of course, Unknowns was a given¡ªmeaningless.


    Under ¡°Others,¡± they had let their imaginations run: terrorists, hate groups, foreign governments, US covert operations, domestic militias. She didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry, but she figured neither would go over well.


    ¡°OK,¡± she said, keeping a bland face. ¡°Tell me about the Chicago and Toronto packs. Exactly why do you suspect them?¡±


    ¡°Chicago has made no secret of their opposition,¡± Robert said. ¡°They¡¯re organized rather like the old mobsters from their city, and control is power. They don¡¯t want to see a coalition unless Chicago has direct control. The rest of the North American leaders have told them that won¡¯t happen, but I could see them testing our resolve.¡± He clasped his hands and relaxed into the chair¡¯s cushiony back. ¡°And Toronto? The way I hear it, you would know more about the pack than we do. The vampire prince runs that wolf pack, and he doesn¡¯t want to see any kind of organization. Last week Steffan said he thought some of that pack was in Riverdale, so I¡¯d take a look at them.¡±


    ¡°They were here,¡± Ari admitted, ¡°but it had nothing to do with the coalition, and the pack is no longer under the control of Sebastian. Nor are the vampires.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Vita broke in, her eyes going wide. ¡°What has happened?¡±


    ¡°There is a new prince. Sebastian is dead.¡±


    Chapter Nine


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! Who?¡± The wolves broke into a barrage of questions. Ari waited for the first rush of surprise to pass, then summarized events.


    ¡°Andreas has taken control?¡± Robert asked.


    ¡°For the moment. They¡¯re working it out, but that situation doesn¡¯t involve the coalition or Steffan¡¯s kidnappers.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s twice you¡¯ve mentioned kidnapping. You think that¡¯s what happened?¡± Jena asked.


    Puzzled, Ari searched their faces. She saw nothing except questions. ¡°You haven¡¯t been told about the demands?¡±


    ¡°What demands?¡± Robert roared.


    ¡°From a phone call early this morning.¡± She told them the basics of the conversation and the kidnapper¡¯s demands. She didn¡¯t mention the president¡¯s intention to send in another representative. Nor did she bring up her noon deadline.


    ¡°Holding Steffan won¡¯t stop the coalition,¡± Warren growled, his soft voice turned gruff. ¡°Robert and I talked this morning. This whole mess has convinced us the need for such an organization is more urgent than we first thought. We¡¯re both changing our votes to yes.¡±


    Vita¡¯s mouth dropped open; Jena smiled, showing no surprise.


    ¡°If this is how you feel, do we even need to wait for Steffan before we vote?¡± Jena asked. ¡°Let¡¯s do it now, so they don¡¯t have any reason to hold him.¡±


    ¡°Wait. Let¡¯s think about this,¡± Ari cautioned. ¡°The longer you delay, the more time you give me to find and rescue Steffan. The minute you vote¡ª¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll kill him,¡± Vita completed.


    Robert rose and strode across the room to peer out the window. ¡°Then we must wait, of course. But I don¡¯t see how we can extend the time beyond the current deadline of 5:00 p.m. tomorrow. The kidnappers would realize something was wrong. Besides, the longer we stay here, the more likely it is these terrorists or criminals will take further action, like attack the rest of us.¡± He turned around, angry lines creasing his face. ¡°Where¡¯s the government while all this is happening? They¡¯re so hot for this coalition. Why aren¡¯t they taking care of this?¡±


    ¡°What do you want them to do?¡± Ari countered. ¡°Bring in an army equipped with big guns and silver bullets? I¡¯m sure they¡¯d be happy to do that, because that¡¯s how humans think. But the kidnappers are Otherworlders. I¡¯d bet on it. We¡¯ll have to outsmart them, convince them their plan won¡¯t work. Otherworlders are practical. They don¡¯t play if they can¡¯t win. Right now, they think they have the upper hand. We need to show them they don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°How? They are in control.¡± Vita said, skepticism dripping from her words. She gave a negative shake of her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about how,¡± Warren said, once again calm and reasonable, ¡°but I understand what Ari¡¯s saying. If holding or killing Steffan would achieve nothing, the sensible thing would be to abandon the plan. We need to make the right move that would force them into the open or force them to contact us again. Every contact increases their risk, not ours.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Ari said, reminded by his clear thinking that a very smart wolf leader hid behind Warren¡¯s laid-back demeanor. The quiet ones get you every time. ¡°We need our own plan to lure them out of hiding, while not placing any of you at further risk.¡±


    They put their heads together and held a vigorous debate for the next hour. Even the guards and Lilith had suggestions and pointed out obvious flaws as the plan unfolded. The discussion became heated once they decided they needed to leak certain information to the kidnappers. That raised the biggest and most sensitive obstacle: identifying the source of the original leak that had allowed the kidnappers to know about the pending vote, then to find and snatch Steffan. As Ari expected, each of the leaders denied the leak came from their packs.


    A plan finally came together over a dozen combo pizzas and a case of beer. Not enough beer, but the wolves had already scoped out the nearest convenience store and were prepared to make as many runs as necessary. All in support of making a better decision. Since wolves metabolized beer as if it was water, Ari didn¡¯t care how much they drank as long as it produced a workable solution.


    By four o¡¯clock, they had the elements of what they wanted to do: a couple pieces of misinformation, a little misdirection and false trails, maintaining absolute secrecy, and a whole lot of luck. They were setting two possible traps¡ªone physical, one electronic¡ªhoping the kidnapper could be captured or at least lead them back to Steffan. It wasn¡¯t a perfect plan, and there were lots of ways it could go wrong, but it was the best they could do within their limited time frame. Now came the execution¡ªand the waiting.


    The first phase involved convincing the kidnapper that negotiations had been moved to a secret location. The leaders were preparing to make some very important phone calls to set the plan in action, when loud, angry voices erupted outside in the campground. Two bodyguards rushed to the front door, two covered the back. ¡°There¡¯s new wolves out there,¡± a guard said, peering out the window. ¡°Big guy in charge. They¡¯re armed.¡±


    Robert and Vita pushed their way past the two bodyguards. ¡°Out of the way,¡± Robert growled. ¡°I want to see what¡¯s going on. Oh, hell, this isn¡¯t good,¡± he said, after taking a look outside. He strode to the door and yanked it open. ¡°Tobias, what are you doing here?¡± he shouted.


    Ari wiggled around the guards and reached Robert¡¯s side. A heavily built man with a short, red beard, pinstripe suit, and Gucci loafers was flanked by a tough-looking group of ten or twelve wolves, some in human form, others not. Many were carrying rifles. The wolves belonging to the delegation were blocking their way.


    ¡°Robert, tell these men to let me pass,¡± the stranger bellowed.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Ari demanded.


    ¡°Trouble. Tobias is the head honcho of the Chicago pack. He¡¯ll ruin everything.¡± Robert¡¯s shoulders slumped as he called out the door, ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d leave if I ask, so you might as well come inside.¡±

 Page 22

    ¡°Bet your last dollar I¡¯m not leaving. You¡¯ve made a mess of everything, just like I knew you would. I warned you this coalition thing was a bad idea, and you see what¡¯s happened.¡± While he talked, Tobias strode forward, shoved the delegation¡¯s pack aside, and climbed the steps. He halted at the door and glared at Robert and Ari standing in the doorway. ¡°Are you going to get out of the way and let me in or not?¡±


    Robert huffed but stepped aside. Ari made room for the big man to pass and waited to see what developed. Tobias¡¯s presence seemed to suck all the air from the cabin. Even the walls appeared to shrink inward a couple of steps. Or maybe it just seemed that way. Tobias was a large man, but it was his over-blown personality that smothered everything else.


    Robert turned to Ari. ¡°Let me introduce Tobias. He¡¯s the alpha of the Chicago wolf pack.¡± Robert rolled his eyes when only Ari could see. ¡°Tobias, Arianna Calin, the Guardian from Riverdale, who came to update us on the search for Steffan.¡±


    ¡°What progress have you made?¡± Tobias looked down his nose at her.


    Ari studied the newcomer while she decided how to handle this. As Robert had implied earlier, Tobias looked the part of a mobster. Or maybe a loudmouthed car salesman. In any case, she had to get rid of him. They needed to set things in motion within the next three hours. Most importantly, the disinformation they would be spreading had to be believed. That couldn¡¯t happen with Tobias around to observe the truth. She wouldn¡¯t even consider telling him their plans. Even if he wasn¡¯t a suspect, she could already tell they¡¯d never control his behavior or his mouth.


    ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t release information in an ongoing investigation.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± he snorted. ¡°If I¡¯m going to clean up this mess, I need to know exactly what you¡¯ve done. Or haven¡¯t done, which I suspect is more the case.¡±


    Ari smiled sweetly. ¡°This case is in the hands of the appropriate authorities. Unless you have information that can help me, you need to return to Chicago.¡± When he scowled at her, she added, ¡°If you persist, you¡¯ll be interfering with local officials.¡±


    The scowl deepened. ¡°Young lady, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to, but in Chicago, we¡¯re not in a habit of letting others do our job.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my point, sir. Finding Steffan is my job, not yours.¡±


    ¡°Humph, we¡¯ll see about that.¡± He strode over, lowered his massive body into one of the chairs, and looked around expectantly. ¡°If someone doesn¡¯t tell me what¡¯s going on, I¡¯ll be sitting right here for the foreseeable future.¡±


    Realizing she couldn¡¯t get rid of him without shooting him, Ari threw up her hands and stalked out the door. Maybe the wolf leaders would have better luck without her. Lilith and Jena followed. Robert, Warren, and Vita remained behind and engaged in an earnest and sometimes volatile conversation with Tobias. The raised voices carried to Ari and everyone else standing outside, and she didn¡¯t have much hope he¡¯d listen to reason.


    ¡°What now?¡± Ari asked Jena. ¡°Any ideas how we get rid of him?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be tough. Tobias is bullheaded.¡±


    ¡°We have to do something,¡± Lilith said. ¡°Do you want me to shoot him?¡±


    Jena looked shocked until Ari laughed. ¡°If it comes to that, I¡¯ll shoot him myself. But let¡¯s see if we can think of a better option.¡±


    ¡°I have one idea,¡± Jena said. ¡°We wanted everyone to believe we¡¯d left here, so maybe we should actually leave. It would be to our advantage for Tobias to report that. In the process, maybe we can figure out a way to lose him.¡±


    ¡°Good thinking,¡± Ari said. ¡°We should be able to make that work.¡±


    ¡°Awesome,¡± Lilith agreed. ¡°But where would everyone go? They can¡¯t go home.¡±


    ¡°How do we escape from Tobias and stop him from tracking us down?¡± Jena added.


    Ari grinned. ¡°Oh, I can stop the tracking. Wolves track with their noses, and one of the first things I learned as a young witch was how to make stink spells. His nostrils won¡¯t work right for a week.¡±


    Jena clapped her hands. ¡°I¡¯d love to see that, but I hope I¡¯m far away.¡±


    ¡°You will be.¡±


    Lilith came up with the idea for their escape. ¡°Wolves love to drink. What if we get them drunk enough they have to sleep it off? We¡¯ll all sneak out and then Ari can set off her stinky stuff.¡±


    Jena shook her head. ¡°There isn¡¯t enough beer in Galena to put them under.¡±


    ¡°No, probably not, but I was thinking about a case or two of high-proof Kentucky bourbon,¡± Lilith said with a grin.


    ¡°That might do it.¡±


    Ari listened as Jena and Lilith debated the possibilities. She didn¡¯t have much to add because they knew a lot more about lycanthrope constitution than she did.


    ¡°It would work for his pack,¡± Jena finally conceded, ¡°but it won¡¯t work for Tobias. He¡¯s smarter than he looks. He¡¯d see right away what we were doing.¡±


    ¡°You two figure out what to do about Tobias,¡± Lilith said, ¡°while I stir up interest in a party and locate some prime liquor. I¡¯m betting it won¡¯t take long.¡± She winked and strutted away.


    Ari suppressed a laugh as she watched Lilith¡¯s hip-swaying approach to the visiting wolves. She didn¡¯t doubt for a moment the lioness could have them swinging from the trees. If Lilith set her mind on anything, it happened. She had a way with men. It might have something to do with the sexy cat eyes and her double-D breasts.


    Jena turned back to Ari. ¡°Tobias won¡¯t be that easy. Do you have a spell for him? Maybe a nice vanishing spell?¡±


    ¡°Only if he is a demon. Sorry, inside joke,¡± she confessed, thinking about last summer. ¡°I think we can sneak most of the group away without Tobias knowing, once we have his wolves out of commission. He won¡¯t care if I leave. Probably encourage it. Your outside staff could leave. The real problem will be the four of you and the guards inside the cabin. We could physically restrain him, if we can¡¯t think of anything else.¡±


    ¡°Oh, we can¡¯t do that. It would cause a permanent feud within the wolf nation,¡± Jena warned.


    ¡°Not if I do it alone. The only wolf pack I have to deal with is Steffan¡¯s, and they won¡¯t care what I do if we get Steffan back.¡± When Jena still looked worried, Ari said,¡± I won¡¯t do that unless I have to.¡±


    Jena lifted a shoulder, and they moved on to the details of the escape and where the wolves would go.


    An hour later, Ari was back in the cabin, arguing with Tobias about his continuing presence. Lilith and her cases of bourbon were partying with an increasingly inebriated group of Chicagoland wolves. Jena had sought out each of the wolf leaders and made them aware of the modified plan. The only possible snag was ditching Tobias.


    While Ari was willing to take the blame for holding him at gunpoint, shooting him in the foot or whatever else it took, the Chicago pack would be outraged. They might take their anger out on the other packs, who had allowed it to happen. At a time when Steffan was trying to bring the wolves together, her actions might be counter-productive.


    For the last twenty minutes, Ari had leaned against the cabin wall, watching and listening as the others took turns trying to convince Tobias that his help wasn¡¯t needed. Jena was right. Tobias was smart. He noticed everything that went on around him and heard each nuance in the conversation. But like most people, he had a flaw that made him vulnerable. His was obvious¡ªego. If she could find some way to use that¡­


    Ari¡¯s smile turned into a grin. She almost laughed just imagining the scene. It should get everyone safely away. Almost everyone.


    She slipped outside to make an urgent phone call. When she looked at her message screen, she saw she¡¯d missed a second call from Claris. What could be so important? Whatever it was, she didn¡¯t have time for girl talk. Ari placed her intended call, and as expected, the answer was ¡°yes.¡± She went back inside and awaited developments.


    It took forty-five minutes for the cavalry to arrive, disguised in the unlikely form of Horatio Jones. He marched up to the cabin door, dressed in a black suit, carrying an expensive leather briefcase, and demanded to see the person in charge.


    Tobias lumbered to his feet. ¡°What¡¯s your business here?¡±


    ¡°My name is Horatio Jones. I am here as a representative of Homeland Security.¡± He looked Tobias up and down. ¡°Are you in charge here, sir? I am authorized only to speak to the person in charge.¡± Jones¡¯s tone was so pompous, his British accent so pronounced, that Ari had to cough to cover a giggle. She hoped he wouldn¡¯t overplay his part.


    She shouldn¡¯t have worried. Tobias was so impressed by the words ¡°Homeland Security,¡± he was fairly bristling with importance. ¡°Whatever you have to say can be said to me, Agent Jones. I can speak for everyone.¡± He puffed out his chest. ¡°Happy to discuss the situation with you.¡± Tobias looked pointedly at the other wolves. ¡°I¡¯m sure Agent Jones would prefer to talk in private. Why don¡¯t you give us a few minutes alone?¡± Having dismissed them, Tobias immediately turned a beaming smile on Jones and waved him to a seat.


    Ari couldn¡¯t believe it was this easy. She¡¯d never expected Tobias to send them away, but what a stroke of luck. When Robert opened his mouth to complain, Ari gave him a hard elbow.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you recognize a rescue when you see one?¡± she whispered.


    Robert looked at Jones, then at Ari, his face asking a question. She nodded. The corners of his mouth started to curl upward. Vita and Warren appeared puzzled but followed Robert¡¯s direction when he waved them out the door. Jena met them outside where Tobias¡¯s wolves were passed out or singing on the lawn; the delegation¡¯s wolf pack was already gone.


    As the last of the leaders and their guards drove away from the resort, Lilith started the Lexus and waited while Ari stayed behind to release the stink spell:

 Page 23

    ¡°Take the rancid sewer smell, bind it in this magic spell. Where I point, set it free; as I ask, so mote it be.¡±


    She ran like hell for the car.


    It came off without a hitch. By the time Tobias figured out the wolf leaders were gone, they¡¯d be miles away. Even if he managed to rouse his drunken crew, the stink spells would obliterate the trail for days. Ari was sorry Jones was stuck with the mobster and the stench, but she¡¯d warned him. Surely he¡¯d find a way to muddle through. After all, he was ex-CIA.


    Ari continued to let Lilith handle the wheel on the drive back to Riverdale. Ari spent her time on the phone, arranging her pieces of their elaborate plan. She was increasingly conscious of the passage of time. Although the ruse to get rid of Tobias had worked, they were behind schedule by three or four hours and having to play catch-up.


    Time wasn¡¯t her only concern. The strain that came whenever she risked the lives or futures of others washed over her. She watched the fields and fence posts pass outside the car window, worrying if the hastily formed plan would work. Were the risks too big? Or the assumptions too optimistic? Everything hinged on the kidnappers believing the disinformation and reacting in certain ways. What if they didn¡¯t? Instead of walking into a trap or calling to demand what was going on, what if they killed Steffan?


    She sighed and made the next call. This wasn¡¯t the time for second-guessing. All she could do now was move forward. If she didn¡¯t, Steffan would die anyway.


    Long before the city was in sight, Ari sat back, satisfied the plan was taking form. With her phone still in hand, she scrolled through her messages. Nothing from Andreas. She noticed again the two calls from Claris. Maybe she should take a moment and find out what was on her best friend¡¯s mind.


    Claris answered on the second ring. ¡°Where¡¯ve you been? I¡¯ve been trying to reach you all day. He¡¯s gone, Ari! I¡¯ve looked everywhere.¡±


    Ari jerked straight in her seat. Gone? Was someone else missing?


    ¡°Who¡¯s gone? Calm down, Claris! Is Brando missing?¡± The only person Ari could think of that would make Claris so frantic was Brando, Claris¡¯s wizard boyfriend, a friend of both women since elementary school.


    ¡°No, of course not. Why would Brando be missing? It¡¯s Hernando.¡± With those words Claris burst into tears.


    Ari was speechless. She could count on her fingers the times she¡¯d seen her best friend cry. In spite of her fragile looks, Claris had always been the steady one that others relied on in a crisis. While she might spend her time communing with nature, working among the herbs and home remedies she sold in Basil & Sage, her Olde Town shop, she also listened to people¡¯s problems. She was easy to confide in, and she definitely wasn¡¯t a crier. Now she''d fallen apart because of Hernando? He was a cat, for Goddess¡¯s sake. An important cat, a sweetie with oodles of sentimental value, but still a cat. And Ari was up to her ears in vampire and werewolf affairs.


    It was hard to relate.


    Since it was Claris, she tried. ¡°Have you checked the greenhouse? Under the bed in the guest room?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course, I looked in all those places. He¡¯s not anywhere.¡± Claris struggled to steady her voice.


    ¡°Well, hon, he is a tomcat. He¡¯s probably out, uh, catting around. He¡¯ll show up and probably be extra hungry.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think so? It¡¯s already dark.¡± Claris sounded uncertain but hopeful.


    Ari fed the hope. ¡°It¡¯s not that late. Give it a little more time. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll turn up if you¡¯re patient.¡±


    ¡°OK. I¡¯ll call you as soon as he comes home.¡± The fact that she hung up without asking how Ari was or what she was doing showed just how upset Claris was. Ari was selfishly relieved she didn¡¯t have to go into a long explanation of Steffan¡¯s disappearance or how she¡¯d abandoned Andreas.


    Ari heaved a weary sigh. Life just got better and better. Now she¡¯d added the recovery of a missing cat to her list of things to do.


    Chapter Ten


    As a result of her earlier calls, Steffan¡¯s house was rocking with a noisy party when Ari, Lilith and the werewolf delegation arrived. Beer kegs and laughing lycanthropes carrying red plastic cups dotted the lawn. Lilith parked the Lexus in front, and the other vehicles pulled alongside. Everyone piled out in full view, making themselves as conspicuous as possible for potential watchers. The four wolf leaders joined the party on the lawn in a game of volleyball. Luggage was hauled inside, leaving the impression the newcomers were settling in for the night.


    Ari watched with approval. If the plan was going to work, it was important the kidnapper believed the delegation had relocated to Steffan¡¯s house.


    Over the next hour, many of the partiers moved inside, and the leaders disappeared into private rooms to make the rehearsed calls to their home packs.


    Robert, Vita, and Warren huddled together. They¡¯d agreed to monitor each other¡¯s calls to insure the same information was dispensed. It wasn¡¯t a lack of trust, although that was always an issue with Otherworlders, but misunderstandings can ruin plans, too. The monitoring would prevent inadvertent miscues.


    Since Jena and Ari were together, Ari monitored her call, as Jena talked with her second-in-command, back home in Minnesota.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, we¡¯re in Riverdale now. Steffan¡¯s being held by kidnappers until we vote the way they want. What?¡± Jena listened for a while. ¡°No. We think they knew where we were. If Tobias found us, they could too.¡± She listened again. ¡°That¡¯s right, Steffan¡¯s house. Five bedrooms, it¡¯s pretty crowded with all of us.¡± More listening. ¡°Not long. We vote tomorrow night, and I¡¯m not changing my mind. The coalition will be approved.¡± Ari heard a protesting voice on the other end. ¡°I know, but we¡¯re convinced they¡¯ll kill him either way. In fact, some of us think he¡¯s already dead. We¡¯d all vote no, if it would save him. But it won¡¯t.¡±


    Ari had heard all she needed to hear. Jena had covered the important points: the leaders were at Steffan¡¯s, the vote was tomorrow night, and the only thing that would change the vote was proof of Steffan¡¯s safety. Since no one knew which pack was leaking information to the kidnapper, all four leaders were giving out the same information. For now, they¡¯d quit worrying about the identity of the leak. There simply wasn¡¯t time to find him or her. That meant providing the same disinformation to everyone and hoping someone took the bait.


    Gilbert met Ari as soon as she emerged from Jena¡¯s room.


    ¡°What next?¡±


    ¡°We get the leaders out of here, without being seen, and into the safety of the Magic Hall. Once that is done, it¡¯s up to the kidnappers.¡±


    ¡°What do you think they¡¯ll do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Gilbert. I¡¯ll be happy if they go either way. If they attack the house, you and your people can hopefully capture someone to lead us to Steffan. If they call any of the leaders¡¯ cell phones or the Council president again, we¡¯ll hope the trace works.¡±


    ¡°Where can I find you?¡±


    ¡°With the leaders, waiting for that call.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re ready to do our part,¡± Gilbert said. ¡°I¡¯ll feel better about a potential attack on the house once the leaders are gone. Protecting an empty house should be easy. If something goes wrong, we can back off, let them come in and then surround them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in charge. Handle it however you want, but try to keep one person alive so we can question him.¡±


    Gilbert grinned.


    Ari¡¯s cell buzzed. Claris. Hernando must be home. She clicked the button.


    ¡°Is Hernando all right?¡± Ari asked.


    ¡°No, I mean he didn¡¯t come home, and it¡¯s been dark a long time. He¡¯s got to be hungry and cold.¡± Claris¡¯s voice was laced with worry. ¡°What do I do now?¡±


    Ari smothered an impatient sigh. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Clare. But he¡¯s a big, healthy tomcat. It won¡¯t hurt him to be out all night.¡± Ari frowned as Gilbert snorted in amusement. Apparently he saw the irony in the situation. ¡°If he¡¯s not back by morning, maybe you should call the shelters. Anyone who¡¯s taken him in will start looking for his owner by then.¡± She hesitated. ¡°I promise that as soon as I can I will be there to help you look. I just can¡¯t right now. OK?¡±


    Gilbert snickered again, but Ari ignored him.


    Bella, Ari¡¯s cat, would be upset if Hernando was lost. They were buddies. In fact, that was how Ari ended up with a cat. The flirtatious female had come calling on Hernando and never left. When Claris decided she couldn¡¯t keep two, Ari became an adoptive mom. A picture of Bella¡¯s big green eyes flashed through Ari¡¯s head, and her expression softened. Before disconnecting, she did her best to reassure Claris.


    Ari looked at Gilbert. ¡°Don¡¯t say a word.¡±


    Minutes later they met with the four leaders in Robert¡¯s room. ¡°Ready?¡¯ Ari asked.


    ¡°Messages delivered,¡± Robert said. His face relaxed into a smile. ¡°I can imagine how fast the gossip is spreading.¡±


    ¡°Anyone ask any difficult questions?¡¯


    ¡°Nothing we couldn¡¯t handle,¡± Vita said.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s time we get on our way. I don¡¯t want anyone trapped inside this house if the kidnappers attack. Did everyone memorize the way to the Magic Hall?¡± When they nodded, Ari added, ¡°You¡¯ll be met at the back door. The code word is Horatio.¡±


    Jena laughed. ¡°Nice touch, Ari. The old gentleman strikes again. You think Tobias is still bending his ear?¡±


    The smiling faces indicated they were all enjoying Tobias¡¯s defeat. Ari wondered how soon the blustery wolf would realize he¡¯d been had. Too funny. A secret video of the moment of revelation would be priceless, guaranteed to go viral.


    Ari sobered and nodded at Robert. ¡°It¡¯s time. Be careful.¡± Her words chased any humor from the room, replaced by spiraling tension. This was the most dangerous part of the plan, and Robert had volunteered to go first. As each leader left, they would be alone, unguarded, vulnerable to attack during the transition from here to the Magic Hall.

 Page 24

    Robert morphed into wolf form, and the group exited into the main hall, where the lights were now off. Robert trotted to the back door, scratched twice. It was opened from the outside, a signal the area was clear, and Robert slipped into the dark. Ari and the other wolves joined Lilith on the porch. Fifteen minutes later, Jena left them and repeated Robert¡¯s actions, then Warren and finally Vita. The rest of the party spilled into the yard and grew louder, as Lilith and Ari wandered toward their car.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay, Ari? The night is young,¡± Gilbert called, as she neared the Lexus.


    ¡°Another time. I still have evening patrol. Take good care of our friends,¡± she shouted back. If anyone within five miles didn¡¯t know she was leaving, they were deaf.


    ¡°Same here,¡± Lilith yelled. ¡°I¡¯m all partied out.¡±


    They waved a cheery good-bye and jumped into her car. Andreas¡¯s car. She really should return it one of these days.


    To Ari¡¯s immense relief, the Magic Hall looked dark and deserted when she and Lilith approached on foot a half hour later. They¡¯d left the Lexus outside Ari¡¯s apartment, about ten minutes away. The large medieval-style hall towered among the trees, its commanding presence caught at the edges of the street light. Ari had worried that too many lights inside the building would attract unwelcome attention, but the others had obviously thought of that. She pulled out her passkey, unlocked the door and they slipped inside. A weretiger loomed out of the darkness to block their path. The tigress relaxed as soon as she recognized Ari.


    ¡°Did everyone arrive safely?¡± Ari asked.


    ¡°Yes. The last came almost an hour ago. You¡¯ll find them in the Deliberation Room with the wizard.¡±


    ¡°What about security? How many guards do you have?¡±


    ¡°Nine of our best weretigers. Several of the Magic Council members also stayed to provide additional protection, so we have a couple of elves, some dwarfs, and two or three panthers scattered throughout the building. Four tiger sentries and a troll are outside.¡± Her demeanor said the added security from the Council wasn¡¯t necessary. The tigress was young, yet steady and confident. Perfect type for an operation like this. The tigers were good. On the way in, Ari hadn¡¯t seen any of the sentries. Of course, she had sensed them all.


    Before Ari reached the Deliberation Room she could feel the agitation. ¡°Has something gone wrong?¡± she asked, as she and Lilith entered.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Tobias,¡± Jena said with disgust. ¡°He¡¯s ranting and raving. Calling Chicago, calling Wisconsin, calling each of our packs and who knows who else about our running out on him. We¡¯re afraid someone¡¯s going to tell him where we said we¡¯d be, and he¡¯ll show up at Steffan¡¯s house. That would blow our cover pretty quick.¡±


    ¡°Where is he now?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know. He¡¯s tried calling each of us. No one answered when we saw who it was,¡± Robert said. ¡°But he¡¯s going to keep trying. What if the kidnappers can¡¯t get through because he¡¯s tying up the lines? Should one of us answer? What would we say?¡±


    Ari thought about it. She could ask Ryan to arrest him, except she wasn¡¯t sure where Tobias was and Ryan would demand a whole hell of a lot of explanation. Maybe Homeland Security would do them another favor. Unless she could think of a good enough story to distract him. ¡°Jena, can I see your phone? I need Tobias¡¯s number.¡±


    Once Ari had the number, she used her own cell to call him. She wanted him to see her name pop up on his caller ID. He answered immediately.


    ¡°What the hell have you done with the wolf leaders, Guardian?¡±


    She ignored his question and asked her own. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? I heard you were interfering with my investigation. Agent Jones told me he¡¯d get your cooperation. Are you reneging on the deal with Homeland Security?¡±


    Tobias stopped sputtering for a moment and asked, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m simply trying to verify that we have a deal. ¡¯Cause I¡¯m sure not seeing it.¡±


    ¡°What deal? What agreement? I think you¡¯re making this up.¡± Tobias¡¯s voice was wary but uncertain. Ari chose her words with care, for she had no idea what he and Jones had really discussed. It wasn¡¯t likely it had much to do with Steffan. Something else, then. Maybe if she stayed vague enough¡­


    She searched for a topic that would catch his attention. ¡°I¡¯m sure he explained the problem, your problem. The CIA, and the records?¡± Ari hoped it wasn¡¯t just profiling to figure that gangsters kept a second set of doctored books or other illegal records they were hiding from authorities.


    ¡°What records are you talking about? My records? The CIA is interested in my records?¡±


    Now he sounded more than uncertain. Frightened. Ari grinned at the panic in his voice. Was he choking over gang records or personal documents? Tax forms? Pay-offs? This might actually work. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t make the deal? Your cooperation for calling off the audits?¡±


    ¡°Audits? I haven¡¯t heard about any audits.¡± Tobias was no fool, and he was getting angry. Ari would lose him if she pushed further.


    ¡°OK, never mind. I wonder why¡­ Uh, sorry I brought it up. My mistake, I guess. But it doesn¡¯t change the fact that you need to stay out of my case. You should pay more attention to your own business.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? What business?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I told you, I must have been mistaken. Forget I mentioned the records, but stay out of my hair.¡±


    ¡°What records are they after?¡±


    Ari smiled when she heard the hint of desperation creeping into his voice.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Tobias.¡± She hung up and rang Jones, repeating her recent conversation.


    Jones¡¯s laugh was unrestrained. ¡°You are quite an inventive young lady, Ms. Calin. Would have made a good agent. I take it you want me to call Tobias and feed the flames. Convince him the feds are after his hidden records. I believe I would enjoy that.¡± He chuckled again. ¡°He may forget all about you and go running for home.¡±


    ¡°That would be perfect, but I¡¯d be satisfied if he spends the rest of the night arranging to hide or destroy his files. I bet he has a lot of things he doesn¡¯t want the government to find.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t bet against you.¡± Jones¡¯s voice grew speculative. ¡°He¡¯s shrewd, that one, and greedy. I¡¯d kind of like a look at those books myself. Hmm, yes, I think you can leave Tobias to me.¡±


    She read off Tobias¡¯s phone number. Considering the job as good as done, Ari ended the call with a feeling of accomplishment. Horatio was probably right. Within the next hour Tobias would be hotfooting it for Chicago to protect his precious records.


    She turned to look at the waiting wolf leaders and Council president. ¡°I think that crisis is averted. Next?¡±


    The old wizard nodded his head with approval. ¡°Nicely done. I believe we¡¯re back to our chess game with the kidnapper. It¡¯s his move.¡±


    ¡°I wish he¡¯d hurry up,¡± Jena grumbled. ¡°This has been a long day already, and we¡¯re just getting started.¡±


    Jena was showing the stress of waiting. Following Ari¡¯s suggestion, the leaders had designated her as spokesperson for the kidnapper¡¯s calls. She was the most easy-going, and Ari was counting on her to follow instructions without going off on some tangent of her own.


    When Ari¡¯s phone rang, everyone turned to look at her. She hoped Tobias wasn¡¯t calling back. She checked caller ID.


    ¡°Private,¡± she said. She stepped into the hallway, closed the door behind her, and clicked the phone button. ¡°Hi. Everything OK?¡±


    ¡°Hello, cara mia. You sound tired.¡± Andreas¡¯s beautiful voice floated across the airwaves like the calm in the midst of a hurricane.


    ¡°I guess I am,¡± she admitted. ¡°As long as there was something to do, adrenaline kept me going, but now we¡¯re just waiting for the kidnappers to call.¡±


    ¡°Kidnappers? So you have heard from someone? What do they want?¡±


    She went over the events of the last several hours, from breakfast on, including Tobias and the drunk wolves, the great escape, Horatio¡¯s help. Andreas was still chuckling over Tobias¡¯s audit fears when she finished.


    ¡°An eventful day,¡± he said. ¡°I wish I were with you, cara mia, but I cannot leave Toronto until the transition is settled.¡±


    ¡°I know you can¡¯t, but it would be nice.¡± Ari¡¯s voice held a wistful note.


    ¡°Do not lose heart. I know you will find Steffan soon.¡±


    She¡¯d better. Noon was less than twelve hours away. Even thinking about it seemed to make the clock sprint forward.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re right. Now tell me what¡¯s going on with you. How bad are things?¡± she asked. She almost missed his slight hesitation.


    ¡°Nothing I cannot handle. I met with the nest leaders and am slowly learning the varied backgrounds of those who reside inside the court. Sebastian collected an unusual group around him.¡±


    ¡°Are they still accepting your leadership?¡± His hesitation was more noticeable this time, and she jumped into the silence. ¡°Andreas? Has something gone wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, you do not need to worry. A few vampires have left the court, which was probably a good thing. The rest are waiting to see what I do next, and I am surrounded by friends. Gordon and six more vampires arrived from Riverdale, so I sent Marcus home to manage Club Dintero.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s awfully young for that much responsibility,¡± Ari said, picturing Marcus¡¯s youthful face.


    ¡°Listen to who¡¯s talking.¡±


    ¡°You know what I mean. Can he really run it by himself? Long term, I mean?¡± Until a year ago, Marcus had been one of a group of young waiters at the club, new to vampirism, eager but inexperienced. Then he¡¯d become a target of Sebastian¡¯s tangled plots and suffered a near-death experience. He¡¯d come out stronger and had grown up a lot since then, but it still didn¡¯t give him the years of hands-on practice to run a major supper club.

 Page 25

    ¡°He has been a good student. There will be mistakes, but he is honest and will try to do the right thing. Eventually I will make permanent arrangements. I do not know whether those will put Marcus fully in charge, but for now he will do fine. The Club is not my top priority at the moment.¡±


    ¡°When this thing with Steffan is over, I¡¯ll check on him and do what I can. Maybe offer moral support, if nothing else.¡±


    ¡°I am sure he would appreciate that, but I hope you will return to Toronto.¡±


    Andreas¡¯s words sat there like the elephant in the room. Ari didn¡¯t know what to say. He must know she couldn¡¯t return on a permanent basis. Of course she¡¯d return to help for a while, if he needed her. And then maybe visits¡ªor maybe not. Phone calls were hard enough. Would a clean break be better?


    ¡°Arianna, are you still there?¡± The magic of his voice curled around her, offering unspoken promises, asking for promises in return. And her magic reached across the airways, until she pulled it back. How could he do that over so many miles?


    ¡°Stop the magical stuff, Andreas, or I¡¯m going to hang up. I¡¯ll be back, but you know I can¡¯t stay. Even you can¡¯t weave a fairy tale for us to live in. Real life doesn¡¯t work that way.¡±


    ¡°It would, if you let it,¡± he said. ¡°I do not want you to hang up, so I promise to behave, but I will not deny that I want you here with me.¡±


    Oh, Andreas. Her throat tightened. ¡°What can I say? I want to be with you, too, but my job, my life, is here. People depend on me. When Steffan¡¯s found, I¡¯ll come but only until things are settled. Riverdale is where I belong.¡±


    His sigh echoed across the phone. ¡°Let us not worry about that decision now. It is enough that you will come. Sometimes time and circumstances have a way of taking care of these things.¡±


    Or they build insurmountable obstacles. ¡°I hope¡ª¡±


    The sound of a phone ringing in the Deliberation Room interrupted.


    ¡°I have to go,¡± she said. ¡°A call is coming in, and it could be the kidnappers.¡± Her words tumbled over one another, as much from relief at the interruption as urgency to pursue the in-coming call. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll have to call you back tomorrow. We¡¯ll talk more then. I promise. Take care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°You, too. Good luck to us both.¡± The line went dead. Ari frowned, suspicious his last words might have meaning beyond the obvious. Was he keeping something from her or was she over-analyzing?


    The door opened behind her. ¡°It¡¯s him,¡± Vita whispered. ¡°The kidnapper¡¯s on the phone, and Jena¡¯s talking to him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡± Ari forced her concerns about Andreas to the back of her mind and stepped inside the council room, her cell phone already at her ear as she set up the trace.


    Jena¡¯s end of the phone conversation was heated.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t think we would sit and wait for you to kill or kidnap the rest of us, did you?¡± Jena listened a moment, then snapped, ¡°A safe place.¡± Then came a series of short responses: ¡°Yes¡­ I get it¡­ I¡¯ll try¡­ One hour¡­¡± And finally, ¡°I said I¡¯ll try but I can¡¯t guarantee anything.¡±


    The voice on the other end yelled so loudly that everyone in the room heard his chilling words: ¡°You damn well better try. If not, Steffan is a dead man.¡± The loud click as he disconnected brought an ominous silence to the room.


    Jena looked at Ari. ¡°Was it long enough?¡±


    ¡°I sure hope so.¡± She waved her phone. ¡°Gilbert¡¯s checking. He¡¯ll call as soon as he knows.¡±


    Three minutes later they heard the good news.


    ¡°We have the location, and I¡¯ve sent two scouts to see what we¡¯re getting into,¡± Gilbert said. ¡°The call came from fairly close, no more than fifteen miles from here. Our people can cover that amount of ground pretty quickly. What did the kidnapper have to say?¡±


    Ari put her phone on speaker and they listened as Jena repeated her conversation to the wizard and wolf leaders.


    ¡°He wanted us to know Steffan was unharmed.¡± Jena grimaced. ¡°I guess he got the information we spread. Anyway, he promised Steffan would be released immediately if we agreed to drop the coalition, completely abandon the idea.¡±


    ¡°And how did he hope to enforce that once Steffan was released?¡± Ari demanded.


    Jena shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I think he meant it when he said he¡¯d kill him. He sounded frustrated, like he was running out of patience. I¡¯m not sure he¡¯s going to agree to anything else. Should we give him what he wants?¡±


    ¡°Goddess no!¡± Ari said, frowning at Jena. Why was she caving to his demands so quickly? ¡°It¡¯s too early to make that kind of decision. Let¡¯s see what happens during the next call.¡± She gave Jena a pointed look. ¡°Are you sure you can go through with this?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I can. I¡¯m just worried about Steffan.¡±


    ¡°Did he say anything else?¡± Robert demanded.


    ¡°Not really, but I thought it was odd he didn¡¯t push me to tell him where we are. He asked, and then let it drop. I expected him to try harder.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised. He thinks he already knows,¡± Vita offered. ¡°If the decoy plan worked, he believes we¡¯re at Steffan¡¯s house.¡±


    It was a reasonable explanation. In fact, that had been part of the plan, but somehow it didn¡¯t feel right. It was too easy. Her witch senses were twitching, but why wouldn¡¯t they be? The air was charged with tension, Otherworld energy, and negative vibes.


    ¡°Are you hearing all this?¡± Ari asked, taking the phone off speaker and moving to a quiet corner to talk with Gilbert privately.


    ¡°Most of it. Jena seems worried.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and I¡¯m not sure why,¡± Ari said. ¡°But we¡¯ll proceed as planned. When he calls back, Jena is going to refuse his terms and make a demand of our own. I can¡¯t tell you what it will be right now, but it may piss him off. So expect anything, and be extra careful.¡±


    ¡°No sweat. I¡¯m always careful, and everyone is out of the house now. If he comes here, he¡¯ll find it empty until we close in on him.¡±


    ¡°Good. Have you seen anyone yet?¡±


    ¡°Only neighbors. Which is weird. If he thought they were here, wouldn¡¯t he have sent someone to check?¡±


    Good point. Ari rubbed her neck. If the kidnappers had fallen for their ruse, they would at least be watching Steffan¡¯s house. ¡°Maybe we¡¯ve figured this wrong.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, Ari, my line¡¯s beeping. Could be our scouts reporting back.¡± He clicked over to the incoming call.


    Ari walked back toward the others. ¡°We may have our answer coming now,¡± she said.


    Gilbert was back thirty seconds later. ¡°Found ¡¯em. GPS location was accurate. Farm house on Fuller Road, about fifteen miles east of town. Lots of activity. At least a dozen wolves, maybe more. My scouts don¡¯t recognize anyone so far¡ªno Fagan or his friends¡ªbut that doesn¡¯t mean they aren¡¯t inside. They don¡¯t see Steffan either.¡±


    ¡°Tell your scouts to sit tight and watch for now. If anyone leaves, call me ASAP.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    ¡°Leave someone to watch Steffan¡¯s place, and meet me by the Willow Creek Bridge in¡­um, half an hour.¡±


    When Ari ended the call, she turned to find Robert putting on a jacket.


    ¡°You heard?¡±


    Jena and the wizard nodded. The others were grabbing coats and jackets.


    ¡°You can¡¯t go,¡± she said to Robert.


    ¡°Try to stop me.¡± He put his hands in his pockets. ¡°Look, Ari. We¡¯ve allowed you to run things for the last several hours. Now it¡¯s time for us to take action. We know where the enemy is. Let¡¯s go confront the bastards and finish this.¡±


    Ari shook her head. ¡°What if something goes wrong? We can¡¯t lose any more of you. Jena has to come, because the kidnappers are calling her cell phone, and I need to be part of that conversation. The rest of you have to stay here, where we can guard you.¡±


    They broke into loud protests.


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous,¡± Vita spat. ¡°I¡¯m going.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any authority over us,¡± Warren added, his voice softer but no less determined. ¡°You don¡¯t get to decide.¡± He stood tall, hitched his pants and glared at Ari.


    The Magic Council president intervened. ¡°Friends. Friends, please.¡± When their voices grew quieter, he said, ¡°I must support Arianna on this. No, you need to listen, Robert. The risk to all of you is simply too great. If you went, you would distract and divide our forces, in order to keep you safe.¡±


    ¡°Nobody has to protect me,¡± Robert growled. ¡°The others can stay, but I¡¯m going.¡±


    ¡°Who protects the Magic Hall, the president and the others?¡± Ari asked. ¡°What if the wolves come here while we¡¯re gone? Are you willing to leave everyone unprotected?¡±


    That stopped him for a moment. ¡°Then all the wolves go with us and everyone else goes home,¡± he suggested. With a hint of triumph, he added, ¡°If the kidnappers attack the hall, no one will be here.¡±


    Ari heaved a deep sigh. She was going to have to play her ace in the hole.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said, glancing at Vita and apologizing before she exposed the woman¡¯s secret. ¡°I¡¯m not willing to let Vita take an unnecessary risk with her unborn child.¡±


    The wolves stared at the she-wolf in shocked disbelief.


    "Extraordinary," the wizard murmured into his beard.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± Vita demanded, automatically laying a defensive hand on her stomach.


    ¡°I can sense wolves, see their auras,¡± Ari explained. ¡°You register on my radar as two.¡±


    ¡°Damn. I didn¡¯t expect that. OK, it¡¯s true,¡± she said, a stubborn pout on her lips. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant, but that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t fight.¡±

 Page 26

    ¡°Yes, it does,¡± Warren said. ¡°Full-blooded, silver wolf babes are too rare. I¡¯ll stay here with her.¡±


    ¡°Derik knows this?¡± Robert demanded.


    ¡°Naturally,¡± Vita snapped. ¡°I hope you¡¯re not implying anything with that question.¡±


    ¡°Only that you two have been very secretive. This is a cause for celebration. Why hide the news?¡±


    ¡°It was early in the pregnancy. We wanted to wait until the critical period was over. But,¡± she said with a budding smile, ¡°last weekend we passed three months."


    ¡°Since she can¡¯t go, we all must stay.¡± Robert dropped his hands in resignation but gave Ari a bitter look. ¡°Our duty is clear. The future of our species takes precedence. That leaves Steffan¡¯s rescue in your hands. Don¡¯t blow it.¡±


    Chapter Eleven


    It was almost 4:00 a.m. by the time Lilith, two of the weretigers, and Ari reached the bridge near the enemy camp. Ari¡¯s companions were heavily armed; she had the usual silver dagger and derringer, with her pockets full of spells and potions. Her witch blood hummed, her fingers tingled, ready for action.


    At first glimpse, the area seemed deserted, but she could feel the power of Otherworld beings. She spotted Gilbert and several wolves huddled in the shadows under the bridge structure. Some were in creature form, but Gilbert had retained his man-shape to handle the assault rifle clutched in his hands. It was equipped with a night scope. He walked over to join her.


    ¡°Any news?¡± Ari kept her voice to a whisper.


    Gilbert showed her his cell phone and put it on mute. ¡°We¡¯re keeping an open line with the two scouts near the farm. No change there. They¡¯ve counted at least sixteen, with more inside. Still no sight of Steffan or Fagan, but we can¡¯t get close without risking exposure.¡± He pointed to his nose.


    Yeah, she got it. The wolves¡¯ sense of smell worked for and against both sides. It made sneaking up on them an iffy proposition.


    ¡°How far away are your people?¡± Jena asked.


    ¡°About half a mile and using long-range night scopes, but even that¡¯s risky.¡±


    Ari frowned. ¡°An acceptable risk, I gather? Would they pay any attention to the scent of two lone wolves, even if they picked it up?¡±


    Jena and Gilbert looked at each other and shrugged. ¡°Under normal circumstances, probably not,¡± he said. ¡°But I¡¯d guess they¡¯re being super vigilant tonight.¡±


    ¡°What if we switch them out with tigers?¡± Lilith broke in with the suggestion. ¡°It would be a different scent. They¡¯ll notice the new arrivals, but as long as the tigers move around and don¡¯t approach the farmhouse, it may not seem suspicious. Lots of Otherworlders hunt in these woods. And the kidnappers will be looking for other wolves, won¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thought,¡± Gilbert said, looking at Ari. ¡°Can¡¯t hurt, and they might fall for it.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s do it.¡± She gave Lilith an approving nod. The lioness had a good head on her shoulders. Andreas should consider a promotion for her when this was over and Lilith returned to Toronto. Ari would miss her.


    Time moved with an erratic tempo in the early morning hours. Either it crawled at a snail¡¯s pace or forged ahead at blistering speeds, depending on the stage of events. The first fifteen minutes slowed to an eternity. Ari and her companions huddled under the bridge, waiting for the kidnapper¡¯s next call or updates from the tigers watching the farmhouse. They couldn¡¯t make a move until they¡¯d verified Steffan was present and could approach without putting him at greater risk. The wind was cold, and everyone was strung tight. Ari shivered, stomped her feet, and pulled her jacket collar up around her ears.


    Jena, who had been leaning causally against a bridge support, jumped to attention when her phone rang. She hit speaker.


    ¡°What¡¯s your decision?¡± The caller¡¯s voice was masculine, gruff.


    ¡°How do we know Steffan¡¯s still alive?¡± Jena countered.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to take my word on it. Quit stalling.¡±


    Jena took a deep breath, glanced at Ari, then continued with the prearranged script known only to the two of them. ¡°I can¡¯t do that. We¡¯re prepared to agree to your demands, but only if we see for ourselves that Steffan is alive. If you won¡¯t do that, we¡¯ll know he¡¯s dead and any deal is off.¡±


    The kidnapper was silent for a moment.


    Good. They¡¯d caught him off guard. Ari held her breath. Jena¡¯s breathing was ragged. It was an enormous risk, but beyond the obvious need to verify Steffan¡¯s safety, Ari wanted a look at the kidnapper. And, if she could pull enough of the wolves out of the farm house, Gilbert¡¯s group might be able to take the rest of them down. She didn¡¯t have time to wait or starve them out, and storming the farmhouse under current conditions would turn into a scene of carnage.


    ¡°Unacceptable,¡± he said. The phone line went dead.


    ¡°Well, shit,¡± Jena squeaked.


    Ari let out her breath with a whoosh. ¡°He¡¯ll call back. He must be deciding what to do.¡± She wished she was as confident as she sounded. But his hesitation made her think he was uncertain, a little rattled by their demand.


    She paced the small area under the bridge. Gilbert and his wolves were more stoic as they all waited.


    Jena kept checking her phone, as if she could make it ring by force of will.


    ¡°Heads up,¡± Gilbert said. ¡°They¡¯re on the move.¡± He held the phone glued to his ear. ¡°Four men¡­ No, five, six¡­uh, nine came out of the house. They¡¯re shifting into furry form and leaving. Headed south toward town.¡± Gilbert¡¯s attention swung to Ari. ¡°What do you want the tigers to do? Follow or let them go?¡±


    ¡°Follow, but tell them to stay well behind. Send your original wolf team in to cover the farmhouse, and let your team at Steffan¡¯s place know they may have visitors soon. And Jena, call Robert, just in case they¡¯d headed toward the Magic Hall.¡±


    While Jena and Gilbert were following those instructions, Ari¡¯s phone buzzed. Unknown caller? What the hell?


    Almost expecting to hear the kidnapper¡¯s voice, she answered with a cautious, ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Ari, this is Gabriel.¡±


    Aw, hell. Talk about bad timing.


    ¡°Sorry, Gabriel, I can¡¯t talk right now. I¡¯ll have to call you back.¡±


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t hang up. This is important.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be more important than a man¡¯s life. I¡¯ll call.¡± She put her finger over the disconnection button.


    ¡°More important than Andreas¡¯s life?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that mean? What happened to him?¡± Ari¡¯s pulse went into double-time.


    ¡°Nothing yet.¡±


    ¡°Dammit, Gabriel.¡± Relief nearly buckled her knees. She¡¯d been sucker-punched¡ªmaybe several times. ¡°Then spit it out, and be quick.¡±


    ¡°He needs you here. We¡¯ve got multiple challenges. Andreas won¡¯t ask you, but I will.¡±


    Holy crap! ¡°How many is multiple? It¡¯s happening now, tonight? Dammit, why didn¡¯t he call me?¡±


    ¡°He knows you¡¯re tied up on this search for someone. No, it¡¯s not tonight, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯ll have to wait.¡± Ari hung up, taking deep breaths and muttering curses on Gabriel, his ancestors, and the sire who¡¯d made him a vampire so he could hang around long enough to nearly give her heart failure. He rang back within seconds, and she ignored the call. She grimaced as it stopped abruptly, imaging his reaction when he reached voice mail.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Lilith whispered.


    ¡°More trouble.¡± She explained the call. ¡°I¡¯ll call him back and get the details later. And possibly apologize for hanging up,¡± she added ruefully. ¡°First, we have to get Steffan back alive.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Russell.¡± Lilith glanced at the clock on Ari¡¯s phone screen. ¡°He should be up in a couple hours, and by that time the vamps will be safely asleep until tomorrow night.¡± She glanced at Ari¡¯s face. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll stay on top of this. Keep your focus on Steffan.¡±


    Ari wanted to do that, but despite the relatively calm face she showed to Lilith, her head was spinning. What if Andreas was in real danger right now? What could she do from here?


    Not one damned thing.


    Her palms turned clammy, and she fought the urge to run to the nearest airport. Could she abandon Steffan? Damn, damn, damn. Before Ari could marshal her thoughts around an answer, the kidnapper called.


    She snapped into focus, waiting to hear what he¡¯d say.


    Jena had forgotten to hit the speaker button and listened for several seconds, while Ari and the wolves hovered. ¡°Give us a minute,¡± Jena finally said. She handed the phone to Gilbert and motioned for Ari to follow her. When they were several feet away, Jena whispered, ¡°He agreed to one of us seeing Steffan, but alone, and at a place of his choosing. It sounds like a trap. He may just snatch another hostage. What do I tell him?¡±


    ¡°Tell him I¡¯m coming, and make sure he knows I¡¯m a Guardian. If he hoped to kidnap another wolf leader, he¡¯ll probably object to your choice. Don¡¯t give in. I want him to know the Magic Council¡¯s involved. It might make him think twice about how far he carries this.¡± When Jena looked like she wanted to protest, Ari added, ¡°I can handle this. Tell him, before he gets tired of waiting and hangs up.¡±


    Jena delivered the message. Standing next to Jena, Ari heard his loud, negative reaction. At first he flat out refused, threatening to break off contact. They argued back and forth a couple of times, but with Ari waving her hands and mouthing encouragement, Jena brushed off his threats. She reminded him this was the only way to get what he wanted.


    When he suddenly agreed, setting a time and place, a reluctant smile tugged at Ari¡¯s lips. It had come too easily, too quickly. He must have a really good trap in mind.


    So be it. Two could play. She tapped her lips with one finger, already planning how she could get the upper hand. She was developing a grudging respect for his abilities. Despite their efforts to outsmart him, he kept adapting, staying one step ahead. Still, she¡¯d made a couple of observations. He didn¡¯t indulge in unnecessary violence¡ªor hadn¡¯t so far, and he was a control freak. He¡¯d handled every contact himself. Either he found it impossible to delegate or he didn¡¯t trust his followers. Whichever was the motivation, Ari could almost guarantee he would come to meet her in person. She looked forward to it, and she planned to have a surprise or two of her own.

 Page 27

    Ari stopped to scan the area. She was fifteen minutes early by design. Time to get the feel of the place, filter out the normal sounds and smells. The kidnapper had chosen the east shelter in Riverdale¡¯s Goshen Park, 5:30 a.m. Since the park didn¡¯t open for ordinary traffic until 8 o¡¯clock, they had plenty of time to conduct their business. The location was an odd choice for a stranger. How did he know they¡¯d have privacy, that the area was restricted to Otherworlders at night? If Steffan had made the suggestion, it would mean her friend was not only alive but interacting with his captor. An encouraging fact. Or maybe she was grabbing at straws.


    All the way to the park Ari had struggled to make sense of this case, but she¡¯d come up with more questions than answers. Wasn¡¯t kidnapping a strange way to influence the vote? It seemed like a poorly conceived last minute act of desperation. Yet, their access to inside information would seem to require a certain amount of pre-planning.


    Why had no one been harmed? Despite the threats and dire warnings, nothing bad had actually happened. The kidnapper grumbled and yelled every time his demands weren¡¯t met, but he ultimately accepted everything. That didn¡¯t sound like any hardened criminal or terrorist type she¡¯d heard of.


    So maybe they were normally law-abiding wolves who were trying to make a statement and had gotten overly zealous. Genuine believers in a cause. Not hired killers. Not pros. Would that make them more or less dangerous? What about a coalition could rouse that kind of passion?


    Ari sighed. Fitting the right pieces together wasn¡¯t an easy task, and her judgment might be impaired. Her head was in two places, her loyalties divided. Andreas. Steffan. She had responsibilities to both. On the way over, Lilith had tried to convince her that Andreas wasn¡¯t in immediate danger, but she couldn¡¯t be sure. How could she leave him to face the challenges alone? Whatever they were to each other, she belonged at his side. If she didn¡¯t get there in time, she would have let him down.


    Damn, she was tired. Ari massaged her temples and forced her attention back to the present scene. She needed to get this over with quickly, so she didn¡¯t let either man down.


    She slowly turned around, releasing tendrils of magic into the surrounding woods. The only being she found was Lilith, hidden about fifty yards away. Ari had done a masking spell to cover the lioness¡¯s scent and given her a vial of the cloaking potion. The potion was about eighty percent reliable. Not perfect, but hopefully it would be enough until Ari needed her.


    Gilbert and his pack waited at a local bar two blocks from the park. No one had heard from the two weretigers who were tracking the first splinter group of nine wolves. A man bundled in a cloak and the remaining wolves, another eight or nine, had left the farm, with Steffan¡ªor someone covered in a blanket¡ªnearly half an hour ago. They had piled into two vans and disappeared into a traffic snarl on the freeway.


    She tapped her watch. Still running. The kidnapper and Steffan were nine minutes late.


    She was poised to call Gilbert and discuss the situation, when her witch senses roared to life. Werewolves. Five distinct scents, and she recognized one of them. The hairs on her arms quivered. The wolves were approaching from two separate directions. Three from behind her; two in front. One of the two was Steffan.


    ¡°Ari?¡± It was Lilith on the open cell Ari held to her ear. ¡°We¡¯ve got company. I¡¯m behind three, headed toward you, and they¡¯re armed with sawed off shotguns.¡±


    ¡°Did both potions work?¡± Ari whispered.


    ¡°Yep. They seem oblivious.¡±


    ¡°Atta girl. Steffan and another wolf are approaching from the south.¡± Ari turned to face the direction where Steffan should appear. ¡°You know what to do.¡±


    ¡°We should be with you shortly.¡± Lilith disconnected.


    Less than three minutes later, a heavily cloaked figure appeared at the southern edge of the clearing. In the dim moonlight Ari saw a reddish-brown wolf with an uneven gait trotting beside him. Ari stiffened, smothering an angry protest when she saw the muzzle, collar, and leash. Rope hobbles restrained Steffan¡¯s front paws. The kidnapper wasn¡¯t taking any chances. Although Steffan didn¡¯t appear to be in pain, the humiliation was infuriating to Ari. She locked down her temper, knowing losing it would give her opponent an advantage. The situation demanded a clear head.


    She strained for a glimpse of the man¡¯s face, but the long cloak covered him from head to foot. The hood was pulled up and over, keeping his face in shadow. An effective disguise. Her witch senses and nose confirmed he was a wolf, with a significant power aura.


    ¡°Guardian, are you satisfied?¡± It was the male voice from the phone.


    Actually, she was very satisfied. She¡¯d guessed right. He hadn¡¯t trusted anyone else to handle the meeting. She noted his earthy scent, the feel and strength of his energy. She¡¯d recognize him if they met again.


    Ignoring his question, she spoke to Steffan. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Even though he couldn¡¯t speak to her while in wolf form, he could understand her words.


    Steffan nodded. His intelligent brown eyes were clear of pain.


    Ari finally addressed the cloaked figure. ¡°OK, I¡¯ll report to the others that he¡¯s alive. Is there anything else?¡± When he raised his head to answer her, she caught a momentary flash of intense, steel-gray eyes before his features were once again shadowed by the hood.


    ¡°There is something else you can do.¡± His voice held a smile. ¡°Place your weapons on the ground. The knife, the gun. Then lie down on your stomach while your hands are bound.¡±


    Ari kept her voice expressionless. ¡°What makes you think I¡¯m going to do that?¡±


    ¡°Look behind you,¡± he invited.


    She twisted enough to look over her shoulder. Approximately ten feet away, three wolves in human form pointed very business-like shotguns at her. She¡¯d heard them arrive, but knowing Lilith was right behind them, she¡¯d let the game play out. Ari gave a furtive glance at her watch. If Lilith had used the cloaking potion when they last talked, it should be wearing off about¡­now.


    Nothing happened.


    That wasn¡¯t good. She had miscalculated. Now what? Thinking rapidly for some way to stall, she looked at the kidnapper. ¡°I guess you got me.¡±


    ¡°Not quite.¡± Lilith suddenly spoke aloud. ¡°I¡¯ll shoot the first wolf that moves.¡±


    ¡°What the hell?¡±


    At the gunman¡¯s startled words, Ari turned to look. Lilith had appeared a dozen feet behind the three wolves. One of her automatics was pointed at the closest wolf¡¯s head; her other handgun moved between the other two. The wolves froze, looking to the cowled figure for guidance.


    ¡°Guns on the ground,¡± Lilith ordered.


    When their leader nodded, the wolves complied. Lilith stepped forward to kick the guns out of reach, and one of the wolves lunged at her. Lilith shot him in the head; a second bullet hit another wolf in the shoulder. Ari knocked the third wolf on his haunches with a stun as the wolf leader shouted, ¡°Stop or I¡¯ll kill him.¡±


    Ari spun to see the kidnapper holding a pistol against Steffan¡¯s head.


    ¡°Tell your lion to disarm.¡±


    ¡°She has a touchy trigger finger,¡± Ari warned. ¡°Steffan has value to you. Your men mean nothing to us, dead or alive. Your choice.¡±


    His grey eyes met hers. ¡°A standoff then. I may not want to kill your friend, not yet, but I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to shatter his spine.¡±


    ¡°Shall we stop this useless game?¡± she snapped. ¡°Let Steffan go. Holding him won¡¯t help you. You¡¯re fighting a lost cause. The negotiators will never meet your terms.¡±


    ¡°Does Steffan¡¯s life mean nothing to them? Or to you?¡±


    She heard his growing irritation but ignored the threat. She wasn¡¯t going to let him make this personal for her. ¡°You can still stop this. Right here, right now.¡± She pointed to the dead wolf. ¡°There¡¯s no help for this one, but no one else has to die.¡±


    The kidnapper lashed out in anger. ¡°Talk, talk, talk. I¡¯m sick of talk. Go back and tell them he¡¯s alive, but his blood will be on their hands unless they abandon this unholy alliance by the five o¡¯clock deadline. No later. I will call for their final decision on whether he lives or dies.¡± He raised the pistol. ¡°We¡¯re leaving now. My wolves are coming with me. All of them.¡± He moved the gun barrel toward Steffan¡¯s rear haunches. ¡°I can make his waiting most painful.¡±


    Ari heard the truth in his voice. He might be reluctant to take a life, but that didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t carry through on this threat. She¡¯d heard enough to know they were facing a zealot, a man with a cause. She hated dealing with fanatics.


    ¡°I¡¯ll deliver your message, but don¡¯t expect it to change anyone¡¯s mind. Lilith, let them go so they can tend to their dead and wounded. There will be another time.¡±


    The kidnapper¡¯s laugh was short, without mirth. ¡°I almost hope you¡¯re right, Guardian. It would make an interesting match.¡±


    Chapter Twelve


    ¡°Then we¡¯ve accomplished nothing,¡± Robert said, throwing up his hands. ¡°You made a mess of it. Now what do you propose?¡± He turned an angry look on Ari.


    She tried not to take his words personally. Not that she didn¡¯t want to. A punch or two in his face might have made her feel better. But they were all frustrated, and fighting among themselves wouldn¡¯t help. He was right about one thing; they needed a new plan.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just vote the way they want,¡± Vita said. ¡°The coalition can wait. What¡¯s the rush anyway? A few months, a few years. Maybe it really doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°I know I said that earlier, but I was wrong. It does matter.¡± Jena confronted the other female leader. ¡°The coalition matters for the future of all wolves. We¡¯ve been over all of this a dozen times, and I thought we had reached an agreement. Now you¡¯re changing your mind again?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not worth Steffan¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°Actually, it might be,¡± Jena said. ¡°Don¡¯t look so shocked. I don¡¯t want anything to happen to Steffan, but this coalition is an incredible breakthrough. The humans came to us¡ªthe wolf nation¡ªfor help. Isn¡¯t this exactly what we¡¯ve wanted, waited for? To be accepted? Respected?¡±

 Page 28

    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m not so sure I agree with that assessment. Vita makes some sense,¡± Warren said. ¡°Maybe we¡¯ve been too hasty in approving this thing. We have to think about Steffan.¡± He looked at Robert.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this terrific?¡± Jena¡¯s voice vibrated with anger. ¡°Are we back to two weeks ago? Three against one.¡±


    Ari listened in silence. This was the first she¡¯d heard that the coalition was in danger of failing as recently as two weeks ago. So the kidnapping had been planned since then. Interesting. Was it also useful? It proved the kidnapper had learned the details of earlier negotiations and that one of the four leaders was involved in the leak, but she¡¯d already known that.


    ¡°Now, Jena.¡± Robert tried to calm fraying tempers. ¡°Nobody said they¡¯re changing their vote. We¡¯re only asking questions. Weighing the pros and cons.¡±


    ¡°You too?¡± she snapped.


    ¡°No. This whole affair has cleared up one of my major concerns. I¡¯ve been impressed that the government has allowed our Otherworld authorities to handle this instead of pushing their weight around. I was afraid they¡¯d ignore the mandates of the treaties when it suited them. Their actions speak well for future cooperation.¡± He glanced at Ari. ¡°I suspect you deserve the credit for that, but the point is it happened. So I¡¯m standing pat and voting in favor of the coalition.¡±


    ¡°Warren?¡± Jena asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I see both sides.¡± His mouth twisted in a grimace. ¡°It seems to me you¡¯re all being too careless with Steffan¡¯s safety. You¡¯ll get my final answer at 4:59.¡± He turned his back on them and walked away.


    Jena¡¯s shoulders slumped, as she looked at Ari. ¡°We¡¯re split. Steffan¡¯s the deciding vote and without him there won¡¯t be a decision.¡± She plopped into one of the chairs and drew her feet up on the seat. Her body language raised an immediate No Trespassing sign.


    As much as Ari wanted to step in, this wasn¡¯t her decision to make. The coalition seemed like a good idea, especially if Steffan was for it, but she wasn¡¯t a wolf. She couldn¡¯t possibly relate to all the issues.


    The door to the hallway opened and one of the weretigers stuck his head in.


    ¡°Ms. Calin, there¡¯s a human male asking for you at the front door. Says he¡¯s with the Riverdale police.¡±


    With the coalition falling apart around her, Ari wanted to scream in protest. Now what? It had to be Ryan, but what was he doing here? And how did he know she was here?


    Aware of the sudden suspicious silence, she hid her own irritation. ¡°It¡¯s OK,¡± she said to the tiger. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    Even the Council president looked at her with disapproval.


    Robert glowered. ¡°See you do. We can¡¯t have some local cop mucking around in this.¡± His nasty mood wasn¡¯t getting any better.


    Ryan stood inside the doors of the Magic Hall, two guards nearby. His back was to Ari, as he seemed to be examining the ornate gargoyle over the front door. The bunched shoulder muscles straining his jacket and his stiff stance betrayed his discomfort with being watched so closely by two large weretigers. She dismissed the guards with a wave of her hand and eyed her friend.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, Ryan? Why are you here?¡± she asked as soon as the tigers were gone. He turned, giving her a cold look. His tension was obviously caused by a lot more than the weretigers.


    ¡°You know, I asked myself that same question all the way over here. Your boyfriend called and woke me early this morning. Said you might need help.¡± Ryan¡¯s blue eyes seemed to darken like storm clouds. ¡°And what does he tell me? Steffan has been missing for days. Imagine my surprise that my partner hadn¡¯t called to tell me. Maybe you''d like to fill me in now. Huh, Ari? What the hell is going on?¡±


    She hadn¡¯t seen him this upset in a long time. Annoyed, irritated, angry even, but this went beyond angry. He was hurt. She needed to tread carefully.


    ¡°It¡¯s Otherworld business, Ryan. No humans are directly involved. I¡¯m so sorry Andreas called you when there¡¯s really nothing you can do. Don¡¯t you think I would have asked for help if I needed it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think. I guess your boyfriend doesn¡¯t feel I¡¯m as useless as you do.¡±


    ¡°Dammit, that¡¯s not fair. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re useless. Far from it. But this is werewolf business and they don¡¯t want any police involvement. It¡¯s a sticky diplomatic thing.¡±


    This drew a sarcastic laugh. ¡°And they called you? You¡¯re going to need a better story than that.¡± He poked his chest so hard, Ari grimaced. ¡°Even as oblivious as I am of what¡¯s going on under my nose, I¡¯m not going to believe that. No one would call you because they needed a diplomat.¡±


    She propped one hand on her hip but tried not to be too offended. ¡°I¡¯m not that bad. Besides, it¡¯s negotiations, werewolf style. The kind you wouldn¡¯t understand. Which sometimes calls for leverage, Otherworld leverage. The kind you don¡¯t have.¡± Ari was unloading now; her angry words came spilling out. ¡°I¡¯m trying to save Steffan¡¯s life, dammit. And people keep distracting me. Gabriel. Claris. And now you. I don¡¯t have time to stand here while you yell at me like some jealous lover. Steffan¡¯s going to die if I don¡¯t figure out how to save him in the next few hours.¡± Her tone was nasty, and maybe she¡¯d want to take it all back later, but she didn¡¯t have the will or the energy right now. Ryan was complicating an already complicated situation.


    He flushed, indecision and anger flitting across his face. He gave her his cop stare, and Ari suspected he was on the verge of stomping out the door and ending their partnership. A part of her was stressed enough to hope he¡¯d go. The rest of her screamed for her to repair the damage.


    ¡°Ryan, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop right there.¡± He held up both hands like a concrete wall. His teeth clenched and unclenched. Finally, he expelled a loud breath. ¡°Let¡¯s start over. If I quit yelling, will you? And explain to me whatever you can?¡±


    Heart beating fast, Ari nodded and swallowed.


    ¡°OK. Let¡¯s sit down.¡± He pointed to the stone bench. ¡°Forget I¡¯m a cop. And a human.¡± He attempted a wry smile. ¡°After we¡¯ve talked, if you¡¯re still convinced I can¡¯t help, I¡¯ll go away, and I won¡¯t repeat anything you say to me.¡±


    Ari met his somber look. She could use a friend about now, and she could count on Ryan to keep his word. She looked at the hard, stone bench with reservations, but finally sat down on one end. She began from the beginning. From the first wolf attack, to Sebastian¡¯s death and now her search for Steffan.


    When she¡¯d been through it all, including Gabriel¡¯s last call and Claris¡¯s distress over the missing cat, Ryan was silent for a moment. ¡°Let me guess. You want me to go find the cat.¡±


    Her eyes cut to his face to make sure he was kidding and caught his cynical grin. ¡°Think you¡¯re up to it? But no, I¡¯ll handle Claris¡¯s problem when everything else is settled. It¡¯s just another piece of my complicated life right now.¡± She sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t get upset again, but why did Andreas call you?¡±


    ¡°Guilt, I think. He feels he should be here. Just like you want to be in Toronto. What he said was to make sure you were all right, to watch your back.¡± He hesitated. ¡°Frankly, I don¡¯t want to worry you any more than you are, but I got the impression things weren¡¯t quite right up there. He mentioned the O-Seven were stirring things up. Should I know that name?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the vampire authorities in Europe.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it. Knew it seemed familiar. Anyway, he¡¯s worried his troubles could spill over onto you. He wanted me to warn you.¡±


    Ari looked surprised. ¡°Me? Why would they come after me? I¡¯d think they were busy enough harassing Andreas and Daron.¡± Her face fell. ¡°Now I wish I¡¯d questioned Gabriel when he called.¡± As guilt swept over her¡ªnot for the first time since she¡¯d left Canada¡ªshe continued doggedly. ¡°I hung up on him. I¡¯ll leave for Toronto as soon as Steffan is safe, but I can¡¯t run out on him now. It¡¯s not just that Steffan¡¯s a friend, but this is Council business, my sworn duty.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to convince me. I¡¯d still like to help if I can.¡±


    Ari would have kissed him if he hadn¡¯t been so attractive and so eligible. And so vulnerable. The old Ryan, her partner, was sticking with her. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Wait, yes, I do. Someone in this leadership group is in direct contact with the kidnapper. There¡¯s no other explanation. The only possible way is through their cell phones, which means the phones have to go. I was going to demand they turn them over, but that¡¯s going to make everyone stop trusting me.¡±


    ¡°So you need me to be play the heavy.¡± Ryan grinned. ¡°Sure, I can do that. But it would be nice to have a plausible excuse for such an action. Never mind legal.¡±


    The banging of a door drew their attention, as Lilith came running down the hall. Her flushed face sent Ari¡¯s fears spiking.


    ¡°Russell¡¯s on the phone,¡± the lioness said, catching her breath. ¡°Andreas and Gabriel left the compound together last night and haven¡¯t returned.¡±


    Ari paled, as icy chills ran across the back of her neck. ¡°Give it to me.¡± She snatched the cell phone from Lilith¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Where are they?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°Honestly, Ari, I don¡¯t know anything more than I told Lilith.¡± Russell¡¯s voice was strung tight, which alarmed her even more.


    ¡°Repeat it to me. Everything.¡±


    ¡°They left without telling anyone. As near as I can figure, it was about 9:00 last night. I didn¡¯t know they were gone until this morning when the night guard mentioned they hadn¡¯t returned. He saw them leave and they seemed in a hurry, but that¡¯s all he could tell me. I don¡¯t think Andreas planned to be away all day or he would have told someone.¡±

 Page 29

    ¡°Yeah, he would. I talked with both of them over night. First Andreas, and later Gabriel. They didn¡¯t mention they were away from the compound or in any kind of immediate trouble. Then Andreas called Lt. Foster about dawn, so we can assume he was fine as late as six o¡¯clock. Whatever they¡¯re up to, they must have been caught too far from home to get back before dawn.¡± But why hadn¡¯t he called her? Ari¡¯s voice came out smaller than she intended. ¡°Andreas is all right. I would know if he wasn¡¯t.¡± Brave words, but her stomach churned.


    After an awkward pause, Russell promised he¡¯d call as soon as he heard from Andreas, and they disconnected.


    Willing herself not to panic, Ari sat motionless and fidgeted with a broken fingernail on her ring finger. Where was he? He knew they¡¯d worry when he didn¡¯t return. Why hadn¡¯t he called someone? She pulled out her cell, and punched his number on speed dial. Voice mail, as expected. Damn, that was stupid. At this hour he¡¯d be asleep, wherever he was. She needed to get a hold of herself.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t sound like he was hurt or in distress,¡± Ryan said softly. ¡°Only worried about you. It wasn¡¯t the kind of call you¡¯d make if you were in a tight situation. There must be a good reason he¡¯s gone underground.¡±


    ¡°Good thinking,¡± she said, nodding. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll call when he can.¡± She had to stop imagining the worst. Andreas was a clever and resourceful vampire, and the indefinable magic link between them was still there. She¡¯d learned to sense it, magic speaking to magic, even when he was sleeping. It reassured her he was alive¡ªor the acceptable vampiric version of alive during their sleep cycle.


    But it worried her that Gabriel was the only one with him. Andreas was so sure about Gabriel¡¯s loyalty, but they hadn¡¯t seen each other in a long time. Had Gabriel betrayed him? And what about Gabriel¡¯s call to her? Genuine or part of some devious plan?


    ¡°The sooner I find Steffan, the quicker I get to Toronto and figure this out,¡± she finally said.


    Ryan seemed to recognize her need to focus on the here and now. ¡°That brings us back to a believable story for collecting the cell phones,¡± Ryan reminded her.


    ¡°Make up something.¡±


    ¡°Since these are, in fact, hostage negotiations you¡¯re involved in, let¡¯s treat them that way. As law enforcement, we would ordinarily cut off all possible ways the hostage takers could contact the victims, except through us. I¡¯ll insist on following protocol.¡±


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t explain your sudden presence. We¡¯ll have to deal with that first.¡±


    ¡°Blame it on the feds?¡±


    Ari shook her head vigorously. ¡°Huh-uh, I¡¯d rather not. If the coalition goes through, the wolves have to work with them. Robert¡¯s been praising the feds for their restraint.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s got to be the old anonymous call,¡± he said with a tinge of amusement in his voice. Ryan was trying his best to lighten the mood. ¡°It¡¯s worked for police agencies for a couple centuries. Why pass up a good thing?¡± She managed a smile, encouraging him to go on. ¡°I¡¯ll say I got a call that Steffan had been kidnapped, and I came to find you before I assigned officers to follow up. That should explain why I¡¯m the only cop involved. I¡¯ll threaten to call in more cops, if you don¡¯t include me. That¡¯s when I¡¯ll demand the cell phones.¡± Ryan ended on an upbeat note, obviously warming to his role.


    It was such a bad script, it just might work. If official chutzpah was all it took, Ryan could handle it. She gave him the thumbs up, and they started down the hall to spin their tale to the others.


    When they walked into the room, Robert speared Ari with an accusing look. She could almost hear him thinking, ¡°And this is how you take care of it?¡± She avoided meeting anyone¡¯s direct gaze. After she introduced Ryan, they went into their dog and pony show. They argued; Ari rolled her eyes at him a couple of times. Without a rehearsal, it wasn¡¯t bad, but the demand for the cell phones still didn¡¯t go over without an argument.


    ¡°You have no jurisdiction here,¡± Robert said. ¡°This is exactly why we didn¡¯t want the police involved. You start pushing people around.¡± He glared around at everyone.


    Ari looked at the wizard, hoping his more pragmatic instincts or the plea on her face would win his support. His returned gaze gave nothing away, but he cleared his throat and asked, ¡°Why fight about it? We didn¡¯t ask for the police, but they¡¯re here now, and we don¡¯t have time to waste arguing. Ari has worked with Lt. Foster before and trusts him to protect our privacy. If the lieutenant wants my cell phone, he can have it. I¡¯m not going to fight over the little things.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something you¡¯re not telling us,¡± Robert said, eyeing the two cops.


    ¡°Quit being so suspicious,¡± Jena said. ¡°Here. You can have mine, too. It¡¯ll be kind of nice not being bugged all the time.¡±


    ¡°And mine,¡± said Warren. ¡°On one condition.¡± He looked at Ryan. ¡°No one turns them on or checks any private information stored on them. They should be locked up until you return them.¡±


    Huh. Taking a peek at those call lists would have been nice to see who the leaders had been talking to. Ari sent Warren a furtive look. Was he being cautious, paranoid about his privacy, or concealing his guilt?


    ¡°Not a problem,¡± Ryan agreed. ¡°I have a small gun safe in my car. I¡¯ll lock them inside. Since I have no interest in your private information, that condition is good with me.¡±


    The phones were quickly collected and locked out of sight¡ªand Ari¡¯s reach¡ªin Ryan¡¯s off duty car. They¡¯d pulled off the deception, but it left the wolves disgruntled. At least most of the animosity was directed toward Ryan¡¯s broad shoulders.


    It was almost fun letting someone else take the blame.


    Walking Ryan out to his car a few minutes later, Ari heard Lilith call her name. The lioness was jogging after them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare leave me alone in that toxic atmosphere,¡± Lilith said, falling into step. ¡°You guys sure know how to make friends.¡±


    Ari gave her a quick look. ¡°We didn¡¯t have much choice.¡±


    ¡°I know. The kidnapper was learning too much about our activities. The rest of them know it, too. That¡¯s why they¡¯re so snarky.¡± Lilith nodded at Ryan. ¡°Nice to see you, Lt. Foster, but I don¡¯t think the others feel the same.¡±


    Blinking in the early morning sun, Ari pulled up her jacket collar as a cold wind whipped around the corner. ¡°Where¡¯s your car?¡± she asked.


    ¡°On the next block. Since I didn¡¯t know what was going on, I left it out of sight.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s walk. I¡¯m not eager to go back inside.¡± Ari hunched her shoulders against a chill that was more mental than physical. She had to get away from the overwhelming anxiety in the Magic Hall.


    ¡°Do you mind if I ask why you¡¯re really here?¡± Lilith asked, looking at Ryan. ¡°The anonymous call didn¡¯t work for me.¡±


    ¡°Andreas asked him to come,¡± Ari said, with an instant frown. ¡°But let¡¯s not talk about Andreas or what¡¯s going on in Toronto. Not right now.¡±


    Lilith accepted the brush off on that topic but came back with a new one. ¡°OK, then who¡¯s working with the kidnapper? It¡¯s one of the wolf leaders, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Ari elbowed the lioness. ¡°You¡¯ve been itching to ask that, haven¡¯t you? But it sure looks that way. I don¡¯t know which. Every one of them has done something suspicious but nothing decisive.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t like Robert¡¯s attitude,¡± Ryan said.


    ¡°Vita was really pissed about the phones,¡± Lilith offered. ¡°And Warren seemed worried about what we might find on his. Didn¡¯t you think that was odd?¡±


    "I don''t suppose we could take just a quick peek?" Ari suggested, glancing at Ryan.


    He gave her his cop look. "That''s why they''re going in my trunk."


    Ari sighed and silently scuffed her boot against the sidewalk. They were going over the same facts and speculation, getting nowhere. She looked up at the cloudless sky of a crisp, fall morning. It was close to eight o¡¯clock. Even if the Council president brought in a new negotiator at noon or took over the negotiations himself, the kidnapper wouldn¡¯t know since she¡¯d taken the phones. That should give her nine hours¡ªuntil the 5:00 p.m. phone call. So far he¡¯d been prompt.


    Her cell rang, and Ari sworn under her breath when she looked at caller ID.


    ¡°Is it too early to call?¡± asked a familiar voice. ¡°He still isn¡¯t here. I went outside and looked all around. What do I do now?¡±


    ¡°Claris.¡± Ari grimaced. Ryan gave her a sympathetic shake of the head and took off for his car, which was only a dozen yards up the street.


    Ari covered the phone with her hand. ¡°Hey, Ryan! Don¡¯t get lost. OK?¡± With all the men in her life missing¡ªfirst Steffan, now Andreas, even the damned cat, she thought a little caution was called for.


    He looked startled, then grinned and waved.


    She turned her attention back to the phone. ¡°Have you called the shelters yet?¡±


    When Claris admitted she hadn¡¯t, Ari bit her lip to stop herself from snapping at her friend. ¡°Then try them first. Have you asked Brando to help you look?¡± If he wasn¡¯t helping her, he should be. That¡¯s what boyfriends were for. Then Ari wouldn¡¯t keep getting these calls.


    ¡°He¡¯s out of town at one of his wizard conventions. Oh, Ari, when will you be home? I¡¯m really worried. What would Yana think if she knew I¡¯d lost her cat?¡±


    So that¡¯s what was making Claris crazy. Guilt that she¡¯d let down a dead friend. A sense of responsibility. Ari understood the responsibility part, and she heard the misery in her friend¡¯s voice, but she couldn¡¯t abandon the men to go looking for a cat. Even Hernando. She had to tell Claris the truth.

 Page 30

    ¡°You know Yana would understand. Cats wander off. Don¡¯t make yourself sick over this.¡± She took a deep breath and kept her voice matter of fact. ¡°Actually, Claris, I didn¡¯t want to worry you, but I¡¯ve been back in town since yesterday looking for Steffan. I can¡¯t go into all the details, but he¡¯s been kidnapped by a rival wolf pack.¡± Close enough to the truth. She didn¡¯t mention Andreas or that he was also missing. She didn¡¯t want Claris frantic with worry over so many things she couldn¡¯t do anything about. On the other hand, she didn¡¯t want her best friend to feel she was being ignored.


    ¡°Kidnapped? Oh God, Ari, you should have told me. I keep bothering you about Hernando. You must think I¡¯m a heartless ninny.¡±


    In spite of the really bad timing, her terminology made Ari smile. ¡°Never heartless, and far from a ninny. You had no way of knowing about Steffan. As soon as he¡¯s found, I¡¯ll call you, and we¡¯ll look for Hernando together. In the meantime, keep checking around, and don¡¯t give up hope. He¡¯ll turn up. Hernando knows how to take care of himself.¡±


    Not a bad pep talk, Ari thought, as she ended the call. She should remember it when she started obsessing about Andreas. He, too, knew how to take care of himself. Of course he did, didn¡¯t he?


    Chapter Thirteen


    Having successfully dealt with Claris and refusing to dwell on her fears for Andreas, Ari switched gears back to Steffan. She called Gilbert for an update. ¡°Any word from our trackers?¡±


    ¡°The van went back to the farm house to meet the other van. A big argument took place, then they got back in the vans and left. Steffan seems to be in a van with five wolves, including the guy in the robe. For now the vans are staying together, and my guys are following them in two Jeeps. If the vans split up, we¡¯ll try to follow both.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re forced to choose vans, follow Steffan.¡±


    ¡°That order is already given,¡± Gilbert said. ¡°Steffan is our main interest.¡±


    ¡°What about the tigers tracking the third group on foot? Did they ever go to Steffan¡¯s place?¡±


    ¡°No, and we don¡¯t know where they are. In order for the tigers to call us one would have to stop and shift into human form. I don¡¯t figure they¡¯ve had a chance, so that group of wolves must still be on the move.¡±


    ¡°I guess they figured out Steffan¡¯s house was a decoy.¡±


    ¡°Or maybe someone told them, like Fagan. We still don¡¯t know where he is or if he¡¯s working with them.¡± She heard Gilbert shuffling his feet on the other end of the line. ¡°I don¡¯t like the guy, but I never figured he¡¯d get involved in something like this.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know that he is. No one¡¯s seen him with any of the groups of kidnappers. Gilbert, these guys act really disorganized, as if they¡¯re making it up as they go along. The only thing I¡¯m sure of, is that part, if not all, of our plan was compromised. If they¡¯re aware we¡¯re watching them, what looks like erratic behavior may be false trails.¡±


    The shuffling feet stopped. ¡°But which ones?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, and that¡¯s exactly what they intended.¡± Ari pursed her lips. ¡°They¡¯re hoping we¡¯ll chase the wrong group. We have to stay focused on Steffan¡¯s van, and be careful they don¡¯t pull a switch on us.¡±


    Gilbert suddenly sucked in his breath. ¡°Unless they want us to follow Steffan. Could they have a bigger plan in mind? If they know everything, including where the leaders are staying, would they attack the Magic Hall?¡±


    Holy crap! Watching Steffan¡¯s van might not be enough!


    ¡°We¡¯ll warn the tiger leader at the Hall. Just in case.¡± Ari glanced at Lilith, who was already thumbing her phone. ¡°Lilith¡¯s doing it now. I hope this guy isn¡¯t a step ahead of us again. Could that be where your buddy Fagan fits in? He¡¯d be familiar with the Magic Hall.¡± If the Council was attacked and the occupants harmed or captured, the consequences would be shattering to the entire Otherworld community.


    While Lilith was on the phone issuing the warning, Ari and Gilbert talked it over.


    ¡°Got an extra team itching for action.¡± Gilbert¡¯s voice was harsh. ¡°We¡¯re leaving for the Magic Hall now, and will meet you there. If it¡¯s Fagan, I have first dibs on his traitorous hide.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s all the same to you,¡± Ari said, ¡°I hope we don¡¯t get that kind of action today.¡±


    Lilith and Ari covered the block and a half toward the Hall at a ground-eating lope. Ari¡¯s breathing and her legs settled into a regular rhythm, and for the first time in hours, she was in tune with her body again. She stretched her muscles to increase the speed and sensed a responsive steadying of her witch blood. Like Gilbert¡¯s team, she was itching for action.


    As they reached the hall doors, her cell rang, and her plans changed again.


    ¡°The vans have separated,¡± Gilbert reported. ¡°The one carrying Steffan is headed north taking the back roads, and one of the Jeeps is in pursuit. The other van seems to be driving around aimlessly but the other Jeep is right behind. And I just heard from the tigers. Their group transferred to a pickup truck and is also headed north in a hurry. They took the interstate, and that¡¯s where the tigers lost them. But, Ari, it seemed timed and coordinated.¡±


    ¡°Not so erratic after all. North. Where are they going?¡± she muttered to herself. The second van could be trying to shake their trackers, but Steffan¡¯s van and the pickup were driving north.


    Obviously the wolves knew the farmhouse was compromised and had abandoned it. So where would they take Steffan? Not too far, in case they had to produce him again, but somewhere the kidnapper thought she wouldn¡¯t look¡ªsomewhere north.


    Yes, that could be the answer! She wouldn¡¯t be expected to look where she¡¯d already been. The resort at Galena. The cabins were empty, remote¡ªand paid for. It was worth a look.


    ¡°Gilbert, keep two men with you and send the rest of your team to the Magic Hall. Right now I can¡¯t see that anyone is headed there, but until we know what van two is doing and where Fagan is, I¡¯d rather play it safe. Lilith and I will pick you up in a few minutes. Watch for a silver Lexus. I think I know where we can find Steffan.¡±


    They arranged to meet at an exit on the highway. Ari was risking a lot on a gut feeling, but it was more than that, her witch senses were humming. The magic was never wrong.


    About the time the Lexus and its five occupants reached the interstate, Ari¡¯s cell rang yet again. Zoe, the Guardian from Toronto, this time. Ari stifled a spark of irritation. By the Goddess, now what?


    ¡°I know you¡¯re busy,¡± Zoe started, ¡°but Russell insisted I call.¡±


    Great. Couldn¡¯t anyone wait today?


    ¡°I think I know where Andreas and Gabriel are or rather what they¡¯ve been doing. It would explain why he failed to attend an emergency meeting of our Magic Council, even after he promised me he¡¯d to be there.¡± Zoe expelled an impatient huff. ¡°Sorry, I should start at the beginning. Early last night I told Andreas about two murders from the night before. Humans. They¡¯d been drained by vampires. The kind of thing we haven¡¯t seen in years. He agreed to discuss it with the Council, but when I called the compound two hours later with the time and place of the meeting, I learned he¡¯d gone out. I left a message; he never showed. He must have gone after the rogue vampires. If there was a fight¡­maybe something happened to him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not dead, Zoe.¡± If Ari said it enough, she might rid herself of that niggling doubt. She paid little attention to the rest of the conversation, trying to keep her head and her heart from jumping to wild conclusions. She clung to that tiny spark of magic she could still feel.


    The sun was high overhead and the Lexus was thirty minutes from the resort, when Gilbert¡¯s cell rang. The caller¡¯s news brought an immediate scowl.


    ¡°Is anyone hurt?¡± Gilbert demanded. ¡°We¡¯ll be right there.¡± He disconnected. ¡°They lost Steffan¡¯s van. A black truck deliberately broadsided them, but it sounds like everyone¡¯s OK.¡±


    ¡°The other wolves,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yep, looks that way.¡±


    With Gilbert providing directions, Ari followed the country roads until they found his wolf pack pulling the Jeep out of a ditch. The vehicle had been hit at the driver¡¯s side front wheel, spinning it out of control. Now the engine refused to turn over, and the Jeep would have to be towed. Considering the amount of damage, it was surprising the pickup had been able to drive away.


    Once Gilbert was assured no one was seriously injured, the wolves pointed out the direction where the van had gone, and Ari¡¯s car took up the chase. The only bright spot in her morning came a few minutes later when they passed the disabled pickup truck about five miles north. From the looks of the fluids pooling under the engine, the wolves sitting on the side of the ditch were out of the fight. Ari debated whether to stop and try to question them, but her decision was made when the wolves began to haul rifles out of the truck. Lilith gave them a one-fingered salute; Ari swung the car wide around them and tromped on the gas.


    Her momentary satisfaction over the wolves'' plight vanished when she realized Steffan¡¯s fate now rested solely on her hunch. The truck had done its job. The van with Steffan inside had gotten away clean, and if Ari was wrong, there wouldn¡¯t be enough time to correct the error. The leaders would be forced to bow to the kidnappers¡¯ demands or let Steffan die. And he might die anyway.


    Ari¡¯s heart was pounding in her ears. She pulled over and rested her hands and head on the steering wheel. ¡°I need a moment,¡± she whispered.


    Lilith gave her a sympathetic look, but the three wolves in the back seemed mystified by her behavior. Ari didn¡¯t care. She needed to get in touch with her inner witch, to be confident in what her senses were telling her.


    Entering the trance she¡¯d been performing since childhood, she found the light, the center of her witch magic, and absorbed the calm, drawing from deep inside.

 Page 31

    Forty minutes later, Ari and her companions approached the log cabins by hiking through the surrounding woods. The dry leaves underfoot and the roll of chains they''d purchased at a local hardware store made stealth difficult. When they spotted two wolf guards, Ari''s group froze, and she smothered a gasp of satisfaction. She¡¯d counted on them being here. Still.


    She motioned Gilbert toward one of the sentries, waited until he was in position, then hit the first guard with two rapid stuns of witch fire. He keeled over without a sound. The other guard was simultaneously subdued by Gilbert, and both were securely chained.


    Ari, Lilith, and Gilbert crept quietly toward the five cabins, leaving the other wolves behind. Gilbert pointed to the familiar van parked behind one of the cabins. Steffan was here. Since it was the only vehicle in sight, the number of kidnappers would be small. Four wolves had entered the van with Steffan along with their leader; two were now in custody. Three against three. Good odds.


    Gilbert slipped inside the nearest cabin and exited promptly, shaking his head. He moved toward the next, when a window shattered on cabin four. The barrel of a shotgun appeared.


    Ari and the lycanthropes scrambled for cover.


    ¡°Is that you, Guardian?" the wolf leader called through the broken window. "Damn persistent, aren¡¯t you? Take your people and clear out. You can¡¯t shoot your way in here without risking Steffan¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s over for you,¡± she responded. ¡°We have your guards in chains, and the cabin is surrounded.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°Surrounded by three? I have the advantage¡ªI have Steffan.¡± He was unruffled. The man had a cool head, not easily rattled. If he wasn¡¯t a kidnapper, she might have liked him.


    ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡± Ari asked. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere, and we can wait all day.¡±


    He made no immediate response. Was he assessing, adapting again? It¡¯s what he¡¯d done every step of the way. A full minute passed, then two. Maybe he was through talking. The idea of a prolonged standoff was not appealing.


    ¡°Guardian? Are my wolves alive?¡±


    ¡°I told you they were.¡±


    ¡°If I send Steffan out, will you let them go?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see that you¡¯re in any position to bargain,¡± she countered. She and Lilith exchanged looks. What was he up to? Was he actually agreeing to a peaceful resolution?


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to save lives here,¡± the kidnapper said. ¡°You said it yourself in the park. No one else needs to die.¡±


    ¡°Then we agree on something. So you¡¯re willing to surrender and return Steffan unharmed if we let the others go? Is that the deal?¡±


    He laughed, a deep roar of genuine amusement. ¡°I don¡¯t believe I said anything about surrendering. You¡¯ll have to come and get me, Guardian. But only after the others, including Steffan, are safely out of the way. Do we have a deal or not?¡±


    She frowned. Did he really think he could get away? Or was this an honor thing, a suicide by cop? Her first thought was to ensure the safety of her friend and worry about the bad guy later. To hell with it. She didn¡¯t need a second thought.


    ¡°Deal,¡± she said. ¡°When we¡¯re both ready, you send Steffan out first.¡±


    ¡°Bring up the prisoners and unchain them,¡± Ari told Gilbert. He motioned to his pack mates, and the two chained wolves shuffled forward until they stood sullenly beside her. While Gilbert unlocked the chains, Lilith drew her guns to cover the prisoners.


    ¡°We¡¯re ready,¡± Ari called.


    The cabin door opened, and Steffan stepped out. He was in human form, his face set in tired lines, his red hair rumpled. He looked unharmed. A black wolf stood on either side.


    ¡°Stop right there,¡± the kidnapper shouted. ¡°OK, Guardian, send my wolves over.¡±


    Lilith guns stayed trained on them as they started walking toward the cabin.


    ¡°Now, my men are going to shift into wolf form,¡± the voice continued, ¡°and the four of them will leave unharmed. Steffan will join you.¡±


    ¡°Works for me.¡±


    By the time she finished talking, the enemy wolves were already trotting into the woods, and Steffan was half-way across the clearing. As he drew close, Gilbert pulled him to safety behind a tree. Ari looked over and gave Steffan a big thumbs-up. He grinned back.


    The crash of breaking glass jerked her attention to the cabin, and she charged forward, dashing around the back corner of the building in time to see a large grey wolf, his fur tipped with white, disappear into the brush. Ari sent a blue stunner arcing after him, but it thudded harmlessly against a maple tree. Gilbert and his wolves ran past her, racing toward the woods. They spread out in a v-shaped chase pattern, but Ari doubted they¡¯d find anything. The four guard wolves had too much of a head start, and the leader had timed his departure to the instant Steffan reached them, giving him a second or two of advantage. It would be enough. Did a tiny part of her think that would be OK? Not really, but he¡¯d revealed a strong, pragmatic side that made her think he would no longer be a danger to Steffan or the coalition. He¡¯d lost the war of wills. A bitter punishment for such a man.


    ¡°They won¡¯t catch him,¡± Steffan said, verbalizing her thoughts as he came up beside her. ¡°Now I know what he meant when he pushed me out the door. He said he was sorry he wouldn¡¯t get to meet you.¡±


    By the time they reached the Magic Hall, the others had heard of the rescue and waited in the main council chambers.


    ¡°Any problems here?¡± Ari demanded, preempting the questions soon to be showered on Steffan. ¡°We still have a missing van.¡±


    The weretiger leader stepped forward. ¡°They might have been here. I had my eye on a black van idling down the street for a while, but it finally drove away about an hour ago. No sign of it since.¡±


    Ari absorbed the information. Had the kidnapper called them off once he lost Steffan? Maybe. It would fit the realistic way he¡¯d handled everything else, but they might never know. She¡¯d didn¡¯t plan to lift the protection teams or surveillance until the vote was finalized.


    The wizard produced a can of beer from somewhere, and Steffan related his story while downing the contents. ¡°You can''t imagine how happy I was to hear Ari¡¯s voice outside the cabin,¡± he finished.


    ¡°So the culprit got away,¡± the president said. ¡°He caused a lot of fear and anxiety to walk away unscathed.¡±


    ¡°Too bad you didn¡¯t see his face,¡± Vita said. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to identify suspects without a decent description.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Steffan pursed his lips, as if reviewing his days in captivity. ¡°The guy was very careful to reveal nothing about himself. Always kept his face covered. It was his insistence on anonymity, the care he took to insure it, that gave me hope I would survive.¡± He smiled at Ari. ¡°That¡­and the fact I knew Ari was hot on his trail.¡±


    Chapter Fourteen


    With the kidnapper on the run and Steffan safely returned to the protection of his pack, Ari¡¯s only thought was to get to Toronto. But last minute tickets were hard to find¡ªat any price. Passenger-lists were filled, with many names on stand-by.


    Ari and Lilith hung around the airport, harassing airline agents to the point of drawing a wary eye from airport security. After numerous phone conferences with supervisors from the airlines, after Ari heard ¡°no¡± and ¡°sorry¡± more times than she could count, the Global Connect ticket desk suddenly found them tickets. They weren¡¯t seated together for the first leg of their trip, but they were on the same flight. Ari didn¡¯t care where she sat. She would have gone alone or in the luggage compartment, if necessary.


    Ari let out a pent-up breath as they hurried toward the gate, knowing she was lucky to be on a flight less than three hours after Steffan¡¯s rescue. She was grateful for whatever ticket miracle had occurred, but all she could think about was reaching Andreas.


    She called Zoe while standing with Lilith in the boarding line. The Toronto Guardian had no news. Thirty minutes earlier, Lilith had checked with Russell, with the same results. Ari hadn¡¯t expected to hear anything else, but she couldn¡¯t stop from checking. Most vamps were still asleep. Most. But Andreas was an early riser, often up as early as mid-afternoon. About now. Surely, he¡¯d call someone soon.


    The boarding line onto the plane proceeded at a snail¡¯s pace. Every passenger ahead of them appeared to have multiple bags and parcels they needed to stow. When Ari realized she was tapping a toe, she shifted her weight. When they finally reached the cabin, Lilith slipped into row eleven. Ari¡¯s ticket was in seventeen. She boosted her carry-on into the overhead bin and turned to sit down. Her portly seat companion lifted his head from the magazine he¡¯d been reading.


    ¡°Good afternoon.¡±


    Despite her consuming worry about Andreas, Ari stifled a laugh. ¡°Why, Uncle Horatio, I had no idea you¡¯d be on this flight.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you, my dear? You must be terribly distracted.¡± He twinkled at her and patted the empty seat. ¡°Please, sit down. You¡¯re blocking the aisle.¡±


    She apologized to the waiting passengers and took her seat. ¡°Do I have you to thank for getting us on this plane?¡±


    ¡°Not me personally,¡± he said. ¡°But my employers do have a bit of clout. We might have managed first class seats, if you had called me,¡± he mused. ¡°But all is well that ends well, as my fellow countryman would say. How are you, my dear?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when I catch my breath.¡±


    He gave her a knowing smile. ¡°And your friend Steffan, is he well?¡±


    ¡°He is now.¡±


    Horatio nodded his head as if he had expected nothing less. ¡°You do look tired. I¡¯m sure you would like to catch a short nap, but first, can you indulge your old uncle by giving me the details of your recent adventure? My employer is curious, as am I.¡± He peered at her from under lowered brows. ¡°I understand you¡¯re anxious about affairs in Toronto, but there is nothing you can do during the flight, and my friends did find you the tickets.¡±

 Page 32

    A debriefing. No matter how gentle the questioner, the government wanted an accounting. For the next half hour, she related the events of the past forty-eight hours. The numerous calls, the false trails laid by both sides, and eventually the recovery of Steffan.


    ¡°You say the kidnapper just let him go?¡± Horatio¡¯s face was impassive.


    ¡°He did.¡± Ari frowned in thought. ¡°I don¡¯t think he ever intended to kill anyone, and he ran out of other options.¡±


    ¡°And you traded his freedom for Steffan?¡±


    Her response was clipped. ¡°I traded the other four wolves for Steffan. The leader wasn¡¯t part of the deal. He escaped on his own.¡±


    ¡°I see. My employer may take a skeptical view of your solution. But I suppose you know that.¡± She didn¡¯t like the knowing quirk of Horatio¡¯s bushy brow.


    ¡°Are you suggesting I allowed him to escape, that it was deliberate?¡±


    ¡°Was it?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± When Horatio waited for her to elaborate, she added, ¡°He¡¯d planned ahead. But I¡¯m not too worried that he got away. I don¡¯t think Steffan was either. This guy¡¯s not a terrorist, Horatio, and he didn¡¯t kill anyone. I hold him responsible for Lilith killing one of his people, but he¡¯ll have to live with that. Your boss should let the wolves handle it from here.¡±


    ¡°I heard Steffan could not identify him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. He didn¡¯t get a look at the kidnapper¡¯s face. The guy was careful, kept his identity hidden.¡±


    ¡°I almost hate to ask, but do you know who he is?¡±


    Ari sucked in her breath. She didn¡¯t want to answer that. ¡°I have some ideas¡­¡±


    ¡°That you¡¯re not willing to share,¡± he finished.


    ¡°Not officially. I don¡¯t think this is a matter for your agency to settle. They¡¯d only be interfering¡­but I could use a favor, a personal favor. Nothing official, you understand.¡± She handed him a slip of paper with a name on it. ¡°I¡¯d like you to check out this name, see if it appears anywhere it shouldn¡¯t. In particular, I¡¯d like to know this person¡¯s movements during the past two weeks.¡±


    Jones glanced at the paper, folded it, and placed it in his pocket. ¡°What do I receive in return?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m right, you¡¯ll have the personal satisfaction of knowing the answer. And my thanks.¡± She gave him a steady look. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll share the name with the wolf authorities who can protect the interests of the coalition.¡±


    ¡°A fair solution. In my day, I¡¯ve done favors for less.¡± Horatio smiled and patted his pocket. ¡°Leave it to me. Now, what¡¯s happening with the vote? Is Steffan still the tie breaker?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re still split. Steffan could break the tie, but he¡¯s worried that will leave the coalition in a weakened position, without full support from everyone. So they¡¯ve taken a break. Steffan is resting up, and the other leaders have gone home to discuss and consider their vote. They¡¯ll be back in Riverdale on Monday for a final tally.¡±


    Horatio patted his pocket again. ¡°Will this make a difference?¡±


    ¡°I think it will.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll make sure you have an answer before Monday.¡±


    ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn. I want to hear everything about your meetings with Tobias.¡±


    Punctuated by a lot of chuckles and hand gestures, Jones regaled her with Tobias¡¯s posturing and blustering, his red-faced explosion at the wolves¡¯ escape from the resort, Jones¡¯s pretense to share his indignation and finally the last phone call that resulted in Tobias¡¯s scurrying off to Chicago to protect his files.


    ¡°I have made a call to the IRS. They¡¯ll be contacting him about a review of his last three years of tax returns.¡±


    ¡°Awesome,¡± Ari said with a satisfied smile. ¡°No less than he deserves. You were a champ to step in like you did.¡±


    ¡°A pleasure. I rather enjoyed myself and am sorry our adventure is over.¡± He glanced at her. ¡°But it isn¡¯t for you. Now you¡¯re off to rescue your vampire friends.¡±


    She let out a short laugh. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that. They¡¯ve survived for centuries without me. But I¡¯d like to be there to see them win.¡± All true, except this time Ari sensed she was needed.


    She lay back and pretended to sleep. Already swamped with guilt, she didn¡¯t want to discuss Andreas or Toronto with Jones. But the moment her mind wasn¡¯t actively engaged with other things, an overwhelming urgency enveloped her. Couldn¡¯t this plane go any faster?


    Horatio seemed to understand. He left her alone, and the monotonous droning of the plane allowed her to doze off and on. Ari woke and said good-bye to him when she and Lilith deplaned to switch flights. They had a two-hour layover. Lilith grabbed something to eat, and Ari fidgeted until it was time for the next flight. Once on board, Ari finally fell into a deep sleep for the last leg of the trip.


    One moment Ari was sleeping on board a plane at 35,000 feet; the next instant, she was looking at the dark, unfamiliar streets of a large metropolis. Somehow she knew she was tracking someone, a primordial hunt, and the creatures she sought were about a block ahead. She sensed her prey, three of them, but most clearly she could smell them. Vampires.


    For a moment Ari was confused. Why weren¡¯t her witch senses sounding an alarm? Why could she hardly feel her magic? Yet, magic was all around her. And why was the scent of the vampires so overwhelming from a block away? With a start, she realized other senses were uber-heightened, too. Her eyes saw a kaleidoscope of things she¡¯d never noticed before. A spider on the wall. She heard the legs scraping against the brick. The sound of the wind made music on the spider web.


    She forgot about the spider as her blood grew heated and a potent urge drew her down the street. She heard furtive movement beside her and realized she had two companions, friends she sensed, who moved as swiftly, as silently and with a similar sense of purpose. They covered the ground in flashes of speed, darting into cover to avoid detection.


    The street was crowded. Bar crowd. She had entered an entertainment district. Flashing neon lights, loud music spilling out whenever doors opened. People celebrating. A drunken individual here and there, smelling of cheap whiskey. The mingled odors of human sweat and yeasty beer floated from the doorways. The growing street crowd finally forced her and her two companions to slow their pace in order to avoid attracting too much attention.


    The vampires ahead of them turned into a narrow side street, and Ari¡ªor the body that was Ari but not Ari¡ªslowed, as she approached the corner.


    Her confusion was turning to fear. What the hell had happened to her? Where was she? Who was she?


    Stopping abruptly, she edged forward to peer around the corner and saw her prey. Yes, three male vampires. They hadn¡¯t noticed her presence yet. But why was she tracking them? She waited until they disappeared around the next corner, then she and her companions followed.


    She flew down the alley, feet barely touching the pavement, moving with a blinding speed she¡¯d never experienced. Doorways rushed past in a blur. She halted at the next street to check the vamps¡¯ current location.


    Ari spotted her quarry crossing the pavement into a small city park, filled with trees, mostly barren at this time of year. The leaves on the ground gave off a musty odor. She heard the mice in the dead grass, the birds fluffing their feathers as they settled in the trees, their hearts beating: a-rat-a-tat-tat. The vamps ahead slowed their pace, moving in and out of the park¡¯s trees. Her nostrils flared. Her mind spiked hot with a rage that was more than her own. The vampires were blood-hunting¡ªtracking humans.


    The rogues were so intensely focused they still didn¡¯t know they were also being hunted. Ari and her companions fanned out, slipping from cover to cover, following behind the vampires¡¯ steps, yet forming a larger net.


    Voices rose from somewhere ahead, and a new scent wafted in her direction. Humans. Hearts thudding, blood pumping, a male and a female. The vampires had found their victims.


    She saw the young couple enter the park and walk directly toward the rogue hunters. Ari took advantage of the overpowering human scent to cover her approach and lengthened her stride, pulling up short of the walkway. Her companions circled through the trees to the other side of the developing scene.


    The tall, blond, male vampire approached the couple, and they stopped. The other rogues moved in from behind, trapping them in a triangle. Suddenly alarmed, the young humans tried to ease past the blond, but he stepped directly into their path.


    ¡°Going somewhere?¡± he asked.


    ¡°We don¡¯t want any trouble.¡± The young man grabbed the girl¡¯s hand. ¡°We¡¯d just like to pass.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I can allow that. What do you think, Barnabas?¡±


    The dark, more muscular of his two companions was the one who answered. ¡°I think they should stay. It¡¯ll be fun.¡±


    ¡°At least for us,¡± the third vamp added with a mocking laugh. He was shorter and stocky. His broad face was dominated by a wide, flat nose. Becoming a vampire had not improved his looks.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± the young man asked, a crack in his voice betraying him. ¡°If it¡¯s money, I don¡¯t have much, but you can have it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, not money.¡± The blond¡¯s smile was cold, calculating. ¡°You have something much more precious. My friends and I are thirsty.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not funny. Leave us alone.¡± The young woman spoke for the first time and tried to push forward.


    The blond blocked her path again, and Barnabas grabbed her from behind.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± she shrieked, flailing her arms and trying to kick him.


    Ari stepped out of the shadows. Before the young man had a chance to react and get himself into real trouble, she spoke¡ªin a voice that definitely wasn¡¯t hers.


    ¡°Damion. What a surprise to run into you tonight¡­and in the company of Norton and Barnabas.¡±


    The vampires whirled toward the voice, then froze as Ari¡¯s companions stepped into view from behind them. She was startled to see the new faces. Gabriel! The vampire with him was an unknown. How had she known to call the blond vampire Damion? She tried to wrap her head around the situation. Another person or part of her was talking with the rogues. Had she been possessed? Transformed in some way?

 Page 33

    The voice was still talking.


    ¡°I have been anxious to speak with you.¡± The words came from Ari, but they sounded like¡ªAndreas! ¡°What I have to say is best said in private. Perhaps these young people should be on their way.¡±


    She smiled at the young pair, but they didn¡¯t look at all reassured. Not surprising. Bizarre as it seemed, she was now a vampire. Or she was Andreas. Or something else equally terrifying. How would the humans know a good vampire from a bad one?


    While Ari the witch was starting to panic, another part of her was totally immersed in the tense scene. She and her friends closed in, surrounding the rogues. Barnabas released his hold on the human girl and stepped back before realizing Gabriel was only inches behind him. No one else moved as the young couple edged out of the enclosure, breaking into a run after their first steps. When the humans were out of hearing range, Andreas¡¯s voice spoke again.


    ¡°Hunting humans is forbidden, Damion, and the murders from last night cannot go unpunished.¡±


    Damion looked toward Ari, darting a smirk at his companions. ¡°So judgmental, Andreas. What do you intend to do about it?¡±


    Andreas? No, oh, no. This strange vampire had confirmed her worst fears. By some terrible glitch in the magic she¡¯d become Andreas¡ªor she was in his freaking head. And she wanted out!


    ¡°You know the penalty.¡± Andreas¡¯s voice was cold as ice. ¡°A life for a life.¡±


    Until that moment, the three rogues didn¡¯t seem to realize he was serious. Now fear swept across Norton¡¯s broad face, and he whirled to confront Andreas¡¯s unknown companion, snarling with exposed fangs. Barnabas crouched in front of Gabriel.


    Damion didn¡¯t move for a long moment, but a slow grin appeared and his fangs grew to a formidable length. ¡°Then let us have at it,¡± he said.


    Ari saw a blur of those fangs flash toward her. Her body whipped aside, grabbed Damion¡¯s arm and flipped him onto the ground. He sprang up instantly and flew at her. The legs under Ari felt like pistons as she vaulted over his head, landing behind him on two feet. Her arm coiled around the rogue¡¯s neck. She could smell his fear and tightened her arm on his throat. The sound of tiny bones crushing brought a primitive rush of power as her teeth sank into flesh. She tasted sweet, metallic blood flowing into her mouth.


    ¡°Ari! Arianna!¡± She heard Lilith¡¯s voice from far away and felt a sharp elbow in her ribs.


    Ari bolted upright in the seat, prevented from erupting into the aisle by the airplane seatbelt. Her heart raced out of control. By the Goddess, what had just happened to her? She scrubbed her face with an unsteady hand.


    ¡°That must be some dream you were having.¡± Lilith frowned at her. ¡°You made some weird, sucking noises.¡±


    Ew. Ew. Ew. She remembered the blood.


    ¡°I¡­um¡­sorry about that,¡± Ari said, trying to gather her scattered wits. ¡°I guess I haven¡¯t been getting enough sleep. Must have been a nightmare.¡±


    But was it? Or had she really been in Andreas¡¯s head? Was any of it real? The sounds, the smells. The horrible taste of blood. She grimaced as her stomach revolted at the thought. Gabriel had been there, and someone else she hadn¡¯t seen before. And three rogue vampires. Damion, wasn¡¯t it? Ari shivered, remembering the crushing bones. Whatever had happened was really, really creepy. She¡¯d almost gotten used to the idea of a link between her magic and Andreas¡¯s, especially when it had proven helpful, but if this was some freaking new manifestation¡­


    She shivered again. Her skin itched like tiny ants were crawling all over her. She rubbed her arms and leaned her head back, listened to the pounding of her heart. Because she didn¡¯t want to face Lilith¡¯s questions, she pretended to doze, but sleep had fled for the night. If she had experienced a nightmare¡ªand at this point she still hoped it was¡ªshe wasn¡¯t going to risk returning to that awful scene. Her breathing gradually evened.


    Yeah, it must have been a horrible dream.


    When they landed in Toronto, it was nearly midnight. Both women looked tired and rumpled, but Ari had regained her composure and was determined to start their search immediately. When she found Andreas, there were more than a few things they needed to talk about.


    She tried his cell one more time. It went to phone mail again. Lilith called Russell to tell him they¡¯d arrived, but he didn¡¯t answer either. She tried again with the same result. Exchanging worried looks, they dashed to the cabstand.


    Impatient with traffic, they abandoned the cab ten blocks from the vampire compound and ran the rest of the way. Ari pounded on the door until a weretiger peered at them from a two-way surveillance camera. Although his face wasn¡¯t familiar to Ari, he must have recognized her, because the door opened immediately.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Russell?¡± the women demanded in chorus as soon as they stepped inside the door. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he answering his phone?¡± Lilith added.


    ¡°Uh, I think he¡¯s in the audience chambers,¡± the tiger said, apparently perplexed by their fierce tone. ¡°I don¡¯t know about his phone. Maybe they don¡¯t want their meeting to be interrupted.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just too damned bad,¡± Ari said, stalking down the hall. ¡°I¡¯m getting some answers from someone.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think we should announce you?¡± the tiger called. ¡°I can ring someone.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll announce ourselves.¡± Ari wasn¡¯t waiting for anyone.


    She didn¡¯t pause when she reached the chamber doors. With Lilith at her side, she shoved them open and burst into the room. Russell and six vampires sprang to their feet. Ari only had eyes for one.


    Chapter Fifteen


    ¡°Andreas.¡± Ari halted and stared at him. Speechless. Fighting off an urge to fling herself into his arms. After all the worrying, all the fears, here he was. Safe and sound. Dark, hooded eyes, incredibly sexy.


    And she wanted to murder him.


    ¡°Arianna.¡± He recovered first and glided toward her, taking her hands in his. Andreas raised his brows at the scowl on her face, but it didn¡¯t deter him from brushing her lips with his. ¡°I did not expect you tonight. And Lilith. Russell, I am sure your wife is anxious to speak with you after her trip. You may leave us.¡±


    Russell shot Andreas a harassed look but stood and hustled Lilith out of the room.


    Andreas¡¯s gaze never left Ari¡¯s face. ¡°Please join us, madam witch.¡± His speech and manner were formal, and his eyes warned her they were not free to talk.


    Still stunned, Ari looked over his shoulder to see who ¡°us¡± referred to. Gabriel, three vampires¡ªone of whom seemed vaguely familiar, and Marta, who for once was without her consort.


    How normal things looked. But all Ari wanted to know was where in the hell Andreas had been for the last twenty-four hours. An explanation, right this minute. But she¡¯d gotten his warning and swallowed her angry demands. Answers would have to wait, but it wouldn¡¯t be easy.


    Andreas led her toward the vampires, who were watching them with open interest. Gabriel made room for an extra chair next to Andreas. Wrapping a semblance of composure around her, Ari did her best to follow Andreas¡¯s lead. She smiled at the visitors. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt like this. I was impatient to let Andreas know I¡¯d returned.¡± She was pleased her voice sounded casual, revealing none of the turmoil inside.


    ¡°You are not interrupting at all,¡± Andreas said, still in his best host voice. ¡°Let me introduce you to our guests. This is Raphael, master vampire and nest leader. His lieutenants, Lewis and Etienne. Gentleman, this is Arianna.¡±


    When she took a moment to really look at the visitors, her eyes widened, and she quickly looked away. No wonder Raphael had looked familiar. He was the other vamp from her scary episode on the plane.


    ¡°This is your consort we have heard so much about?¡± Raphael asked. Ari looked up, and his eyes held speculation. What was he thinking that made him look at her that way? It couldn¡¯t be the dream, so something else. She felt like she¡¯d walked into the middle of a movie without knowing the plot or the characters.


    ¡°Some have called her that.¡±


    Raphael swung his gaze to Andreas. ¡°A strange choice of words.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the word,¡± Ari interjected. ¡°Consort implies so much personal information, like we¡¯re sleeping together. Which, of course, is nobody¡¯s business.¡±


    ¡°Outspoken, I see.¡± Raphael gave her a once over. ¡°No doubt that spirit is welcome in the bedroom. Outside of that context, it could become a reason for sympathy.¡±


    Ari bristled. She resented him talking about her as if she was a piece of furniture. Before she could say something she¡¯d regret, Andreas laughed and put an arm around her shoulder.


    ¡°I assure you, Raphael, I have no need of your sympathy, and I would be careful what you say. She has a notable temper. Arianna, would you care to join us in a glass of wine or do you prefer coffee?¡±


    She gave him a saccharine smile and chose the wine. She was too wired for coffee. The atmosphere in the room was puzzling. It wasn¡¯t friendly or hostile, and her witch magic remained quiet. Each person seemed to be sensing his way. The vamps were blocking, concealing their powers and their thoughts. That included Andreas. She wasn¡¯t sure what was happening, except the vampires were only pretending to be relaxed and civil.


    While her wine was poured and other glasses refilled, Ari continued to watch the behaviors around her, hoping for some clues. She didn¡¯t waste her time on Andreas. Unless he lifted his blocking, he would remain totally inscrutable. Gabriel scowled whenever she looked at him. That could be because she¡¯d hung up on their last conversation. Marta appeared nonchalant, even bored, but Ari sensed an underlying unease.


    The three visiting vampires were no more informative. The leader, Raphael, a dark, Latin-type, was talkative, too talkative. The other two looked more like bodyguards than court members. They remained uninvolved in the conversation, their faces deadpan, remarkably similar, except for the long scar on the left cheek of the older vamp. Ari was speculating on what kind of weapon would leave a scar on a vampire when she heard her name.

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    ¡°Arianna?¡± the voice repeated.


    ¡°Huh?¡± She looked up to see faces turned toward her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did I miss something?¡±


    Andreas picked up the slack. ¡°Raphael asked if you had a good flight from the States.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. It was fine.¡± Unless she wanted to talk about the nightmare. Which she didn¡¯t.


    ¡°I was explaining you have been away on business,¡± Andreas prodded.


    ¡°Um, yes, an emergency on behalf of my Magic Council.¡± Could this conversation get any lamer?


    ¡°I hope you were successful,¡± Raphael said in a bored tone. At least he was speaking to her this time, rather than talking about her.


    She gave him a polite smile. ¡°Thank you. It had a good outcome.¡± What was this with all the small talk? Talk about dull. She looked at Andreas and frowned. Get on with it already.


    As if he took the hint, Andreas said, ¡°We have been discussing Raphael¡¯s future relationship with this court. It would be extremely advantageous to have the support of another master level vampire. Raphael has been in charge of the northern division of Sebastian¡¯s territory for twenty years.¡±


    ¡°Division? I didn¡¯t know there were divisions.¡± She waited for him to explain. When he didn¡¯t, she added, ¡°Have you gotten things settled?¡±


    ¡°We are making progress,¡± Raphael said. ¡°There are still details to be ironed out. And,¡± he said, looking at Andreas, ¡°the night is not growing younger.¡±


    ¡°A good reminder. Perhaps you and I can finish. I hate to bore our companions with the details. If I am not mistaken, there is live entertainment in the lounge.¡±


    Gabriel immediately got to his feet. ¡°I, for one, am happy to be excused. Arianna, would you and Marta care to join me? I¡¯m sure Lewis and Etienne would like something more satisfying than wine to drink.¡±


    At Raphael¡¯s nod, the two male vamps broke their stone-faced watchfulness and lumbered to their feet. Ari cast a questioning glance at Andreas but allowed herself to be led away. She¡¯d get her answers from Gabriel. Or he¡¯d die at her hands. Painfully. Maybe not, but she was feeling pretty persuasive.


    The lounge teemed with a live band, bottles of wine and carafes of blood on a corner table, and swaying dancers. The moment they entered the room, Gabriel grabbed Marta¡¯s arm and walked away from Ari. Ari glared at his back, certain he was deliberately keeping his distance. Ready to drag him off to a dark corner for an intense interrogation, she spotted an alternate source of information. She made a beeline for Lilith and Russell, who were already sitting in the requisite dark corner.


    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± she asked, standing over Russell with one hand on her hip.


    ¡°Shh. Not here,¡± he cautioned. ¡°Andreas will explain later. Besides, I don¡¯t know much, and I can¡¯t talk about what I do know.¡± Until that moment, Ari hadn¡¯t noticed Russell¡¯s stiff pose or how sullen Lilith looked. They¡¯d been fighting. The subject was obvious. Lilith wanted to know the scoop, and Russell wasn¡¯t cooperating. ¡°I mean it,¡± he whispered desperately. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me.¡±


    Ari plopped in a chair and glared at him. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that. We¡¯ve moved heaven and earth to get here, and now you can¡¯t tell us what¡¯s going on? That¡¯s bullshit,¡± she hissed. Russell winced. ¡°At least tell me about Raphael. Andreas said they were working out some kind of deal, and they seem to be getting along. If the problem¡¯s been settled, why is everyone still so tense? Or isn¡¯t it over yet? Surely you can tell me that without revealing any deep, dark super secret.¡±


    Russell shook his head and avoided meeting her gaze. ¡°What can I say? They¡¯re vampires. Nothing¡¯s ever over until it¡¯s over. Besides, Raphael isn¡¯t¡­¡± He stopped. ¡°I just can¡¯t talk about it.¡±


    ¡°Raphael isn¡¯t what?¡±


    Russell shook his head.


    ¡°He¡¯s not going to tell us anything,¡± Lilith said with an ill-disguised flare of anger.


    ¡°I told you not to ask,¡± he grumbled. He made a zipping motion across his lips. No amount of threats, glaring or cajoling got him to reveal anything else.


    When Ari looked around for another victim, Gabriel and Marta had disappeared. Unforgiving, but knowing none of this was really Russell¡¯s choice, Ari unbent enough to help Lilith fill in the news from Riverdale.


    Less than an hour later, Andreas and Raphael appeared in the lounge doorway, but Raphael didn¡¯t linger long. Andreas, Ari, and Gabriel were soon bidding their guests good-night. The private talks had apparently been productive; Andreas and Raphael were relaxed and smiling as they shook hands at the door. At the last moment, Raphael turned and gave Andreas a pointed look that might have held a warning.


    ¡°I will let the others know that the witch has returned. It may buy you additional time. But if I were in your position, I would be prepared for anything.¡±


    Andreas inclined his head, and the other leader left.


    ¡°What did he mean by that?¡± Ari demanded.


    Andreas sighed, but before he could answer, Gabriel stepped in front of her. The look on his face, the look that had been there all evening, wasn¡¯t exactly friendly. ¡°A group of master vampires broke away from Andreas¡¯s command. They¡¯re a bunch of traitors, but they¡¯re also cowardly and would never have been this bold if you had stayed here instead of running off to Riverdale.¡±


    ¡°Gabriel, that is enough,¡± Andreas said brusquely.


    But Gabriel was on a roll. ¡°If you had come back when I called, that would have helped. But what did you do? I try to tell you we¡¯re in trouble, and you hang up on me.¡± He threw his hands in the air.


    ¡°Is that what you¡¯ve been so pissed about all evening? That I hung up on you?¡±


    ¡°Not just that. But it didn¡¯t help,¡± was his heated reply. ¡°You were needed here. Obviously, you didn¡¯t care enough to show up until now.¡±


    Andreas had been trying to get Gabriel¡¯s attention and finally grabbed his shoulder. Gabriel swatted his hand off, and Andreas pushed him back a couple of steps, away from Ari.


    ¡°If he¡¯s got something more to say, let him finish,¡± Ari said, glaring at them both. ¡°It¡¯s about time somebody said something. First you¡¯re gone, then you¡¯re back. Everyone was in a panic. And now no one¡¯s telling me what happened.¡±


    Andreas turned and reached out a hand, but she stepped back, crossed her arms and frowned at him. ¡°No more secrets. I don¡¯t care how bad it is.¡±


    Andreas spoke quickly as if to preempt anything Gabriel would say. ¡°Gabriel does not understand our relationship or your Guardian responsibilities, and he has reached some false conclusions. You¡¯ll have to forgive his ill-chosen words.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be apologizing for me.¡± Gabriel tried to interrupt, but Andreas kept on talking.


    ¡°The situation here is not unexpected, nothing more than ordinary vampire politics, which I can handle. It has nothing to do with you.¡±


    ¡°The hell it doesn¡¯t,¡± Gabriel said hotly. He refused to be intimated by Andreas¡¯s look this time. ¡°She allowed everyone to believe she was your consort, then she took off. That¡¯s what sparked the revolt.¡±


    ¡°Explain that,¡± Ari said. Her eyes locked with Gabriel. Had they been wrong about him all along? Was Gabriel finally showing his spots trying to drive a wedge between her and Andreas?


    Andreas stepped between them again, facing the other vampire. ¡°You are trying my patience. Our friendship means a great deal to me, but it may not survive if you continue down this path.¡±


    Gabriel glared back. ¡°How can you be so blind? My God, man¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop it. Both of you,¡± Ari said. She placed a hand on the arm of each, urging them apart. ¡°Nothing is worse for me than not knowing.¡±


    ¡°She deserves to know, Andreas.¡± Gabriel turned back to Ari. ¡°After Sebastian¡¯s death, the word spread quickly about the power of the new prince and his fire-witch consort. Sebastian was hated by most of the vampires, and it looked as if Andreas¡¯s authority would be accepted. Then you left without warning, no public explanation. The whispers started and spread rapidly that you had deserted him, and he was vulnerable. As a result, seven vampire leaders left the court that night.¡±


    ¡°Deserted him?¡± Is this what the vampires thought? Who had fed that rumor? Gabriel? She opened her mouth to protest until she noticed Andreas¡¯s rigid, silent form. Oh, no. Is this what Andreas thought? It never occurred to Ari that anyone would see her departure in that light. She hadn¡¯t left because she wanted to. Riverdale was her city, her responsibility.


    ¡°Andreas, is this true?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I swear, Gabriel¡­¡± Andreas¡¯s words were low, his voice stretched tight, shimmering with anger. With sudden insight, Ari realized he was angry with Gabriel, not disappointed in her. His silent moments had been the vampire equivalent of counting to ten. He whipped around and grabbed his friend by both shoulders. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you are saying.¡±


    Gabriel tried to wiggle free; Andreas¡¯s hands tightened.


    ¡°Don¡¯t I?¡± Gabriel¡¯s gaze locked on Andreas¡¯s face. ¡°What have I said that was incorrect? Tell me you haven¡¯t received word of multiple challenges. That they aren¡¯t saying you¡¯re weak because you can¡¯t even command the loyalty of your own consort.¡± When Andreas dropped his hands and stepped back, Gabriel broke off, as if he realized he¡¯d said too much. He sighed and looked at Ari. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but there are many vampires here who are as old, or older than Andreas. They will only bow to superior power. He cannot hold this court without you by his side.¡±


    Her eyes flashed to Andreas again. ¡°Andreas?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer her but continued to look at Gabriel. ¡°All right, you have had your say. Now get out of here.¡± Andreas¡¯s face turned cold, but his angry energy spilled into the room. ¡°You and I will talk another time, Gabriel, but not now. I do not trust what I would say.¡±

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    Gabriel started to add something, thought better of it and turned away. He strode stiffly out the door. Ari did a quick check of the room. They were alone now. Marta had left before Raphael, when her consort Percy had appeared at the door. At least the vampiress hadn¡¯t witnessed this fiasco.


    Ari hoped Andreas would speak freely now without an audience. ¡°Talk to me, please. Tell me how we fix this.¡± She studied his shuttered face. ¡°What else don¡¯t I know?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, Arianna. Nothing we need to talk about now.¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± Ari snapped out each word as if it had personally offended her.


    Andreas threw his arms around her and pulled her close. She stiffened and tried to shove him away, until she realized he was whispering in her ear.


    ¡°Patience, little witch. This room has ears.¡±


    Ari froze, then relaxed against him. That explained why he wouldn¡¯t talk. She was suddenly intrigued by the prospects. Was he talking bugs? Like in spies? Jeez, Horatio Jones had gotten to her. She didn¡¯t know whose ears they were avoiding, but she was all for ridding themselves of eavesdroppers.


    ¡°I am sorry, Arianna,¡± he said in a normal voice. ¡°Nothing that has happened is your fault. Gabriel should not have said those things to you.¡±


    She pulled back slightly and looked up at him. ¡°Even if some of them are true?¡±


    ¡°Especially if they are true.¡± His gaze met hers, and he lifted a hand to draw a finger down her cheek. ¡°I am weary of all the talking.¡± He drew her close again. ¡°I am glad to see you, little witch.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to change the subject?¡± she murmured into his chest.


    ¡°Yes, is it working?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, maybe. If we were a little more private¡­¡± This seemed as good a way as any to get them out of this room. An understandable excuse, and one a lot more pleasurable than most. ¡°But we still need to talk,¡± she whispered.


    Andreas was nibbling at her ear and moving them toward the door. She found it hard to remain interested in any kind of spoken conversation.


    By the time Andreas and Ari reached her bedroom door, she¡¯d had time to start thinking again. Spotting the weretiger guarding the hallway hit her like a cold shower. Security hadn¡¯t been that tight when she left for Riverdale. As soon as they were inside her room, safely behind closed doors, she turned to confront him.


    ¡°Although I¡¯m very happy to see you, explanations first. Where you¡¯ve been the last twenty-four hours? I was going crazy.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry.¡± His eyes held regret. ¡°I never meant to worry you. I thought I would return before you knew I was gone. Apparently, I misjudged how quickly someone would call you.¡±


    ¡°Several someones,¡± she corrected.


    He flipped a lock of hair off his forehead, sat on the edge of the queen bed, and patted the spot beside him. She looked around for alternate seating but didn¡¯t find it. The bed, with its green comforter and white pillows, was the only furniture except a triple dresser. Even her apartment wasn¡¯t this Spartan.


    He followed her gaze. ¡°You room is not completed. We were starting to redecorate, but I had not expected you back this soon.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, but I¡¯m not coming near that bed until you tell me about the last few days.¡±


    He sighed, piled several pillows against the headboard and made himself comfortable. ¡°You should join me. This will take a while.¡±


    Ari continued to stand, waiting for him to begin.


    ¡°Suit yourself. So I do not repeat unnecessarily, perhaps it would be helpful for you to tell me what you know.¡±


    Putting one hand on her hip, she frowned at him. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been missing in action for umpteen hours. That you and Gabriel both called me during that time period¡ªbefore I knew you were missing¡ªand never mentioned you were out doing¡­whatever you were doing. Since then, you¡¯ve refused to take my calls, but I¡¯ve heard from Russell and Zoe and even Ryan, and I¡¯ve been scared to death. That¡¯s what I know. Not very damn much!¡±


    He met her outburst with an unreadable expression, except when she said she¡¯d been scared. His eyes flickered with something dark. He held out a hand to her. ¡°Cara mia, I have not refused your calls. My cell was turned off most of the time because we were looking for someone. By the time I turned it on, events were happening too swiftly to call. I did not know you were worrying.¡± He patted the bed again. ¡°Please sit down. Standing there glaring at me will not hurry the telling.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said, plunking herself on the far corner of the bed. ¡°Happy?¡±


    ¡°I would be happier if you were here beside me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t push it.¡±


    He raised a dark brow. ¡°I am not sure I deserve all this anger, little witch. I was busy; you were busy. Both of us were doing what we needed to do.¡± When she didn¡¯t respond, he went on. ¡°When I spoke with you the first night, the seven master vampires had not yet left the compound. To be precise, I did not discover their absence until Wednesday afternoon when I woke. Even then, I was not too concerned, thinking maybe their departure was a good thing. Get the dissenters out of the nest. When I heard of the intended challenges, I still wasn¡¯t alarmed. The risk did not appear immediate. Only after Zoe called about the human deaths did I suspect some of the splinter group had gone rogue.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Ari started to interrupt. ¡°Never mind. Go on.¡±


    ¡°The challenges were something I had anticipated. The murders were not. They required an immediate and decisive response. I could not permit humans to become prey within the boundaries of my territory. Beyond the legal and moral issues, the rogues¡¯ actions were a disrespect of my authority. Gabriel and I set out to take care of the problem, and during the course of the evening, we met and enlisted Raphael¡¯s assistance. When we had not found the rogue nest by dawn, we spent the day under the protection of Raphael¡¯s staff.¡±


    ¡°Why there?¡± she demanded. ¡°You should have called Russell or some of your own people.¡±


    He started shaking his head. ¡°I could not. The compound phone lines are accessible by everyone. They are not secure. When the seven masters departed in such secrecy, it was clear they had help, and it was likely that sympathizers remained within the compound. We did not want the rogues forewarned we were searching for them, nor did we think it was a wise idea to reveal our location.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why you didn¡¯t call me.¡±


    ¡°I thought I explained.¡± His tone revealed a note of exasperation. ¡°As far as I knew, you were unaware of my absence, and you were in the middle of rescuing Steffan. What could you have done, except be distracted?¡±


    ¡°Just go on.¡± She was beginning to see his point, but he didn¡¯t need to know that yet.


    ¡°Very well.¡± His words were clipped. ¡°While we slept, Raphael¡¯s werepanthers located the rogues¡¯ nest and kept an eye on it until we woke. Raphael, Gabriel and I joined them and kept watch until three of the group left the hideout together. We followed, and it didn¡¯t take long to realize they were blood-hunting.¡± Andreas¡¯s mouth creased with obvious distaste. ¡°When they cornered a human couple, we intervened.¡± His expression clouded. ¡°The fight was brief but decisive.¡±


    Ari stilled, focused on his face. ¡°The fight was in a park. One of the rogues was a blond named Damion.¡± Her voice held no expression.


    He frowned, an odd expression on his face. ¡°Yes, how do you know?¡±


    ¡°The other two were Barnabas and¡­and¡­¡±


    ¡°Norton.¡± Andreas moved quickly to sit by her side. He trapped both her hands in his and scanned her face. ¡°You were there. I sensed your presence.¡±


    Ari was too stunned to move. Her voice was barely above a whisper. ¡°I saw it all. Felt it. The hunt, the fight. Up to a point. What is happening to us?¡± She searched his face, hoping to find reassurance. Her stomach was queasy, like a bad spell had backfired. Her fears about the magical link with this man appeared to be coming true¡ªbut in a way she never imagined. A whole new level of scary.


    ¡°I do not know, cara mia. I have heard of shared experiences between bonded couples, but even then, not to this extent. You seemed to be a part of me. Was it similar for you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, a dawning sense of guilt making her grow even quieter.


    ¡°Mio Dio! You should not have seen or experienced that.¡± Andreas stared at her, regret flooding across his face. He must have been reviewing the entire scene.


    Ari was more concerned with why she¡¯d seen it. What had the pact between her ancestor and her goddess done to them?


    ¡°I think it¡¯s me,¡± she said in a small voice. ¡°I did this to us.¡±


    He cocked his head. ¡°Why would you say that?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t told you everything about me, because¡­well, because I didn¡¯t believe it. Or didn¡¯t want to believe it. Or thought I could escape it. But now I¡¯m not so sure.¡± Ari resisted looking at his face for fear of what she might see there. Disappointment, dawning accusation. She focused on their joined hands. Could she have changed their fate if she¡¯d been honest from the beginning? What would he say when he heard the truth?


    ¡°Tell me,¡± he insisted.


    ¡°There¡¯s a story in my family,¡± she began. ¡°The Legend of Ramora. It¡¯s about this curse¡ªor favor¡ªfrom the Goddess, depending on your viewpoint, I guess. As a consequence of the Goddess helping an ancestor, every Calin witch is subject to an enchantment. She is shown her one and only soul mate through a dream. The witch and her mate are supposed to have a strong and unusual bond¡­for eternity.¡± She swallowed, but finally looked at him. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve never heard of the bond working like this. I didn¡¯t know it could. But no one¡¯s ever bonded with a vampire before. I kept denying it would affect us. It seemed like such a silly story.¡± She stopped. A part of her had known the legend was real. It had been proven through multiple generations of her family. This really was her fault.

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    ¡°Arianna¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have warned you long ago, when it might have made a difference.¡± She tried to pull her hands away, but Andreas held on tightly.


    He was quiet for a moment. ¡°I wish you had trusted me sooner, Arianna, but we are in this together. I do not believe your legend is entirely responsible, and even a powerful witch cannot stop fate. I grant you the ability to share in this fashion is unexpected and rather disturbing, but I believe it can also be a gift. Like any ability, it must be developed and controlled.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still partly my fault,¡± she said, stubbornly refusing to accept fate as an excuse.


    ¡°Fault? I thought you were going to insist on taking credit.¡±


    Ari heard the lightness in his voice; her gaze rose to his face and found the beginning of a smile.


    ¡°I like to think my charming ways had something to do with it.¡±


    ¡°So maybe this is your fault after all,¡± she said, unable to resist his mood.


    Andreas kissed the top of her head. ¡°There is no fault. Whatever brought us together, the bond has been there a long time. Perhaps from the first night we met. If tonight was any indication, it is growing stronger. Our magical defenses are no longer protecting us from one another. At least not under extreme emotions. We need to work on that. I am no more willing than you to have our magics sharing so freely.¡±


    Ari pulled away so she could see his face. ¡°How do we stop it?¡±


    ¡°We begin by strengthening our blocking. Eventually we will test the limits of this shared power, but not tonight or anytime soon. Not until we can control it. It would be wise to learn more about your legend, but my own history may be part of this puzzle.¡±


    ¡°Your history? But we¡¯re not formally joined by a vampire bond. How can we share your abilities?¡± Bonded vampire couples, who had entered a formal, documented bonding ceremony, were committed for life. Among other things, the human partner shared a vampire¡¯s strength, an extended life, and some capacity to sense their mate¡¯s emotions.


    ¡°An excellent question which we shall explore, along with other possibilities. I believe we are in unchartered territory. Quite a new experience for me.¡± His voice was upbeat, exuding a lack of concern with the situation.


    She wasn¡¯t convinced but loved him for trying. He had to be thinking about the changes this would make in both their lives. They¡¯d have to struggle to maintain their independence from one another, to control the magic. It would be hard to work on control once she returned to Olde Town, but maybe it would be a good thing for them to be apart. She was suddenly very tired.


    ¡°The legend is recorded in my family Book of Shadows. I¡¯ll study it as soon as I get home, and I¡¯ll talk with Rosalina, our family seer. I¡¯ll find out everything I can.¡±


    And she would. She was through with the denial. She¡¯d try to see it from his point of view, a new power to be controlled and used. Yeah, maybe. It was still pretty scary. She thought back to the scene she¡¯d witnessed in her dream state and shivered. What would she have seen and felt if Lilith hadn¡¯t woken her?


    ¡°Are the three rogues dead?¡± She concentrated on the question, not the imagery.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Lilith woke me shortly after the fight started.¡±


    His face showed relief. ¡°I am thankful for that, although it did not last long.¡±


    ¡°The bodies, or maybe bones by now, are they lying around for someone¡¯s dog to find?¡± Decomposition was rapid in vamps. A matter of minutes or hours, depending on their true age. She¡¯d rather dwell on these details than talk about how the vamps died or how Andreas felt about it. She already had too much information on that score.


    ¡°Give us more credit than that. The bodies were hidden. By now nature will have taken care of the problem.¡±


    ¡°What happened after the fight?¡±


    ¡°We came here to discuss the situation. Being cautious about what information we chose to share and with whom, we used the excuse of negotiating a treaty. In fact, Raphael has already pledged his loyalty. To verify our story, he called his two lieutenants to join us. Marta and Russell met us at the door, and it was only a few minutes later that you arrived.¡±


    ¡°If the treaty negotiation wasn¡¯t real, why was everyone so tense?¡±


    He tightened his arms around her, resting his chin on the top of her head. ¡°The challenges, the spies. An air of suspicion hangs over everything and everybody. Every person in the room was dealing with his or her own dark thoughts. Marta and Russell, and perhaps his lieutenants, knew we had not told them everything. Marta was angry. I was trying to dispel everyone¡¯s fears.¡± He chuckled and Ari looked up at him. Laughter danced in his eyes. ¡°That hope was out the door the moment you and Lilith came busting in ready to shoot someone. On the positive side, I think we can count on Raphael¡¯s lieutenants to spread the word that the witch is back.¡±


    ¡°Oh, stop laughing. I wasn¡¯t going to hurt anybody. Not unless I had to.¡± She straightened to look at him more directly. ¡°But what about the other masters who left the court?¡±


    ¡°We will hear from them soon, no doubt.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s who Raphael meant when he said my return might delay them.¡± Ari was thinking out loud, trying to put the pieces together. ¡°They¡¯re afraid of the witch fire?¡±


    ¡°They respect your ability, yes, but it is not that simple. Their ambitions have been stirred. They won¡¯t abandon those plans easily.¡±


    ¡°They''re still going to try to kill you?"


    ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you hunt and kill them like the others? Isn¡¯t that the vampire way?¡± Her voice had an edge. She hadn¡¯t shaken the scene in the park. It had been so primal.


    Andreas drew back. ¡°They had not committed murder. Surely you see the difference. Are you upset about the rogues¡¯ deaths? What would you have us do¡ªallow them to hunt humans?¡±


    ¡°No, of course not. They were destined for execution as soon as they killed the first human, but you could have let the Magic Council handle it.¡±


    ¡°And lose the respect of my court?¡±


    Ari gave him a long look while she thought about it. What would she have done? She dropped her gaze. ¡°OK, I get it, but what are you going to do about them?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, for now. They may be rebelling against me, but they haven¡¯t killed anyone. A chance remains to negotiate.¡± His fingers gently began to rub the tense muscles at the back of her neck.


    Ari tilted her head just enough to see his face. ¡°Do you really believe that?¡±


    ¡°Let us say, I am hopeful. If I keep killing vampires who oppose me, how am I any different than Sebastian was?¡±


    Chapter Sixteen


    Early the next morning while Andreas and the rest of the vampires slept, Russell, Lilith and Ari left the compound and met Zoe for coffee. No one in the small coffee shop paid much attention to the group, and after a while, Ari shook off the feeling of being watched that followed her everywhere she went inside the compound.


    She¡¯d asked her friends to join her, because¡­well, because she needed their help. She needed more information than Andreas had given her, and she wanted some non-vampire opinions. There had to be a way to head off the bloody confrontations that seemed inevitable. She wanted a solution that might not occur to the vamps, who usually thought in terms of blood and death.


    She gave her companions the abbreviated version of what Andreas had told her. Nothing about the personal stuff, of course. With the killers now dead, Zoe said she would find a diplomatic way to close her case on the human deaths. The Magic Council was used to secrets, and they were free to read between the lines.


    ¡°So what about the other challenges for the vampire crown?¡± Zoe asked. ¡°Will Andreas have to defeat them all? If all four challenge him, will they work together or alone?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± Ari admitted. ¡°Andreas still hopes to negotiate a treaty, but I¡¯m not counting on it.¡±


    ¡°I thought challenges were a nice word for assassination attempts.¡± Zoe paused with the coffee cup halfway to her mouth. ¡°No warning. No negotiations. Sneak attacks.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how Sebastian acted when he went after Prince Daron, hiding behind his would-be assassins,¡± Ari agreed. ¡°But apparently it doesn¡¯t always work that way.¡±


    ¡°They sent a messenger to deliver the news this time,¡± Russell said. ¡°Gabe said it was an old-world courtesy thing.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ari gaped at him. ¡°They already issued the formal challenges?¡± She fumed with temper. The arrogant bastards! And Andreas hadn¡¯t told her.


    ¡°They sent someone to tell Andreas they were going to kill him?¡± Zoe sounded incredulous.


    ¡°Not in those exact words, but something like that. I saw it happen. A werefox came into the audience room, bowed, and read from a piece of paper. Something about being required to defend his crown against each of them at an appointed time and place. Then he handed Andreas a paper that had been signed by the seven rebels and left.¡± Russell¡¯s mouth quirked. ¡°I guess we can forget about three of them. But Gabe told me the wording is ambiguous enough that they might attack together or one after another, until they wear him down. There don¡¯t seem to be any rules to follow.¡±


    ¡°Then why can¡¯t we prevent this? No rules for them, no rules for us,¡± Ari declared. ¡°And just to be sure they don¡¯t do something sneaky, we¡¯ll see that he¡¯s never alone.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that should help. But I¡¯m more worried about an attack while the vampires are asleep. Sebastian tried that, and these are his people.¡± Russell gave her a sheepish look. ¡°I know I¡¯m paranoid, but can we trust any of the lycanthropes in this compound? Sebastian recruited them all. I wanted to kick them out, but Andreas refused. Every one of them knows where the vampires sleep.¡±


    ¡°How many are there?¡± Zoe asked.


    ¡°Maybe four dozen, possibly a few more.¡±

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    ¡°That seems excessive. What do they all do?¡±


    ¡°Beats me,¡± Russell said. ¡°I think Sebastian used them for all his dirty work¡ªassassinations, intimidation, bringing in blood donors. Now they''re not really doing anything. It leaves them too much time to cause trouble, if you ask me."


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we kill most of Molyneux¡¯s wolves?¡± Ari asked.


    ¡°Sure did. In fact, I haven¡¯t found anyone that admits being part of that clan, but they¡¯re all wolves, and they at least knew one another. I think we have to think of them as potential enemies.¡±


    On that sober reminder, they began to plan strategies for handling outside attacks or uprisings from inside the compound. Mostly it involved juggling schedules so a healthy representation of their own people was on duty at any given time and identifying critical places that could be defended to keep any rebellion from spreading. The brainstorming was like old times to Ari, similar to when she¡¯d worked with Lilith and Russell to fortify Daron¡¯s compound against attack. Only this time, they had more enemies, fewer friends, and a large population whose loyalty was unknown.


    Finally, Russell stood up. ¡°I have to get back. I don¡¯t like being gone so long, and we¡¯ve come up with some changes I can make. I¡¯d like to get started on redeploying our people.¡±


    Since security during the daylight hours was his responsibility, Russell had been antsy for the last half hour. His urgency was catching, and they wound up the conversation. Assuring Zoe they¡¯d keep in touch and that Andreas would reschedule a meeting with the Magic Council, Ari, Lilith, and Russell returned to the compound.


    As soon as they entered the door, the young Riverdale wolf on duty handed Ari a white envelope. ¡°Just delivered,¡± he said. ¡°I thought it might be important.¡±


    Ari turned the envelope over. Plain four-by-six. No return address. No recipient either. Hmm. ¡°Did they say it was for me? Who delivered it?¡±


    ¡°A male fox. He refused to give his name. Said it didn¡¯t matter but to give this to someone from the inner court. I figure that¡¯s you.¡±


    Ari started down the hallway, turning the sealed envelope over in her hands. She shook it, held it up to the light. No scent, no tingle of magic. OK, Andreas could shoot her later for reading his mail. She ripped the end open, and a small card fell out. When she picked it up, Russell and Lilith peered over her shoulder.


    ¡°What¡¯s it say?¡± Lilith was impatient.


    ¡°Give me a second.¡±


    It looked like an invitation, but was instead a beautifully penned note stating Ezekial, Jamal, Edward, and Bartholomew would be calling on the court at ten o¡¯clock that evening.


    ¡°Are these the four challengers?¡± She looked up to see Russell nod. ¡°What¡¯s with the fancy card?¡± She shoved it at Russell. ¡°What¡¯s it mean? Are they coming to fight tonight or is this a vampire social call?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Russell said, as he read it through again. ¡°They¡¯re all older vamps. Remember what Gabe said about the old ways. Maybe this is how things have been done for centuries. Andreas will know. We¡¯ll have to wait until he¡¯s up.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like good news to me,¡± Ari said. ¡°How can they just come waltzing in here? Can¡¯t we refuse?¡±


    ¡°Good luck with convincing Andreas. You already said he hopes to negotiate. Maybe that¡¯s why they¡¯re coming. We don¡¯t want to interfere with anything that could strengthen Andreas¡¯s position.¡±


    ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s an attack,¡± Lilith growled. ¡°I¡¯m with Ari. Let¡¯s not let them in.¡±


    It was a good thought, but Russell was one hundred percent correct. Andreas would be a hard sell. Probably impossible. He¡¯d want to give diplomacy a chance. Besides, if the four master vampires were intent on fighting, denying them entrance would simply delay the inevitable, and they might resort to a sneak attack. Not a good alternative.


    They had to be prepared for a showdown that evening.


    With that in mind, they implemented all the security measures discussed that morning, and Ari left the compound to make several calls to the States: Prince Daron¡¯s security team, the Club, the Magic Council back home, Steffan. And Ryan, of course. He¡¯d been waiting since yesterday afternoon for an update.


    Since this would be the hardest call, Ari avoided it until last. She should have called Ryan last night, but she¡¯d forgotten. Not something she was going to admit. She rubbed the tension in the back of her neck as she punched in his number. He was bound to be grumpy.


    As expected, Ryan¡¯s voice was terse, and Ari promised herself she¡¯d keep it short. Whether she answered or avoided his long list of questions, both of them would be frustrated. Ryan liked answers in black and white. She didn¡¯t have many.


    ¡°What took you so damned long?¡± he demanded. Caller ID eliminated all that unnecessary conversation, like ¡°hello.¡±


    ¡°Well, let me see. I had to get my nails done. And then there was the shoe shopping,¡± she said, shaking the ponytail that had confined her hair that morning. ¡°Haven¡¯t you had your coffee?¡±


    ¡°Hours ago. I¡¯ve been waiting for you to call. Is everything all right? Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. It was Andreas who was missing. But by the time I got here he¡¯d returned, so the alarm was for nothing. That was last night. Tonight¡­is not looking so good.¡± She went on to give him the details, and by the time they hung up, she was glad she¡¯d called. Ryan not only got over his snit quickly, but he offered to facilitate plans on that end, which was a big help. She needed as much time as she could get to collect her thoughts for the coming discussion with Andreas. He wouldn¡¯t be happy with some of the things she¡¯d already done.


    By three o¡¯clock Andreas was awake. By 3:05, Ari and Andreas were engaged in a heated argument in his chambers. She had waited impatiently outside his door until she sensed the power surge as he woke, then pounded on his door. She¡¯d planned to ease into the conversation, but his first words were: ¡°Now what?¡± And she blurted it out.


    The vampires¡¯ announcement card, the planning, the preparations for war.


    Luckily the walls were thick and the majority of their angry words remained between the two of them. The tension of the last days exploded. Ari was still stinging from his failure to confide in her, and Andreas said he was tired of hearing about it. They might have continued like that indefinitely, but when Ari burst into frustrated tears, Andreas threw up his hands.


    Ari was appalled at her behavior and at his reaction. She hadn¡¯t meant to gain an advantage by doing something so girlie. In fact, she hated it, but sometimes winning in a good cause was all that was important. Wasn¡¯t that what she told herself every time she stepped over the line?


    It wasn¡¯t that Andreas gave in and agreed to everything. He refused to bar the entrance of the rebel vampires. That idea was an immediate non-starter. He was determined to establish a treaty if he could and reminded her of his determination to be different than Sebastian. Ari had expected to lose that argument and gave in quickly. What caused all the drama was a hitch Ari hadn¡¯t expected. In fact, she was so confident he¡¯d approve that she had started out by telling him she wanted to bring in reinforcements. His opposition had been a total surprise. She¡¯d thought it was a no brainer to surround themselves with forces they could trust¡ªand told him so. In particular, she wanted as many as she could get of the weretigers from Riverdale and a large number of Steffan¡¯s wolves.


    ¡°How can you make that kind of demand on Steffan? He has his own trouble right now.¡± Andreas had given up any pretense of calm. A lock of hair had fallen over his forehead, and he smoldered with annoyance. He paced the room as he argued. ¡°The final vote is yet to be taken, and the kidnappers have not been apprehended. What if he is attacked again? How can you justify asking him to send any of his people?¡¯


    ¡°Steffan and I talked about it. We both think the danger is over. Besides he has other affiliated packs he can rely on and the entire Magic Council.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me, if I do not think it is so simple. I am not willing to take the risk, and I do not understand why you think it is acceptable.¡±


    He also argued that bringing the pack to Toronto might escalate the situation. Ari had thought about that, but she couldn¡¯t see how it could get much worse. They needed help, and they needed numbers.


    ¡°I¡¯m not willing to do nothing. The challengers outnumber us, and we have friends eager to even the odds.¡±


    That¡¯s when Andreas said the fatal words: ¡°I forbid it.¡±


    ¡°Forbid it. You forbid it!¡± The blood rushed to her face. Her hands balled into fists. She might have punched him if she didn¡¯t have a trump card to play. ¡°That¡¯s too damn bad! It¡¯s already done.¡±


    Andreas whirled to confront her, his eyes sparking with anger.


    Ari glared back, both fists on her hips. Her defiant stance was somewhat marred by swiping a tissue at the occasional angry tear that dripped from her chin. She¡¯d held off telling him she¡¯d already arranged for help, hoping he¡¯d come around to her point of view. Gilbert and a mix of twenty wolves and tigers had left Riverdale that morning and should arrive within the next two hours.


    Andreas turned on his heel, his voice cold. ¡°You can stop sniveling, Arianna. You have left me little choice in the matter.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sniveling,¡± she snapped. ¡°I¡¯m blowing my nose.¡± And she did, angrily, noisily.


    He finally turned and looked her over with a critical eye. ¡°Your nose is red. Your eyes are swollen and puffy. And you have that mulish look on your face.¡± He cocked his head and sighed. ¡°Why is it you still look appealing to me?¡± When she didn¡¯t answer, he walked toward her. ¡°I cannot agree with you on this, but I understand your actions. Let us be done with this, Arianna. Fighting never solves anything for us. Your wolves and tigers will be welcomed. I only hope their presence does not cause unnecessary complications.¡±

 Page 38

    His final remark made her want to argue the point, but she swiped at her cheek again and got in a last comment of her own. ¡°You¡¯re too willing to take risks.¡±


    ¡°Am I? Some things are worth the risk. Like this.¡± He kissed the tip of her nose, wiped away the last tear with his knuckle, and covered her lips with his. Ari leaned into the kiss, not only willing but eager to end the disagreement. Andreas had that kind of charm; not a vampire thing, a man thing. When they broke the kiss, she rested against his chest several moments, just drinking in the feel and smell of him. This wouldn¡¯t be their last disagreement, or the last on this subject. If he kept taking risks, she¡¯d keep finding ways to protect him.


    Now that they had come to a reluctant understanding on security arrangements, Ari had a thousand questions about protocol for the evening. She and the staff needed some idea of what was likely to happen, so the next step was a meeting with select individuals¡ªOliver, Russell, Lilith, Gabriel, Marta and of course Percy hung around¡ªto talk about the possibilities.


    At five o¡¯clock, they met in the conference room attached to the audience chambers.


    ¡°Why are the rebels coming?¡± Ari asked as soon as everyone was seated. ¡°Are there rules about this?¡±


    Marta snorted. ¡°There are always rules. It doesn¡¯t mean anyone will follow them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not very helpful.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I thought you wanted the truth.¡± Marta leaned back and eyed Ari. ¡°We play it by ear. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll know their intention until they get here.¡±


    ¡°The card meant nothing except they were coming? OK, so, guess.¡± Ari absently flipped a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°Are they coming to fight?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a given?¡± Lilith frowned, unconsciously resting one hand on the gun at her belt.


    ¡°It is certainly one possibility. I am sorry to be so vague.¡± Andreas looked at Ari and the werelions. ¡°You want answers, but anything we say is pure guesswork.¡±


    ¡°At this point, I¡¯ll take anything I can get. Give us some idea of what could happen.¡±


    The vampires looked at one another and shrugged. ¡°Almost anything,¡± Gabriel admitted. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s easier to say what won¡¯t happen. They won¡¯t bring weapons. They might have lycanthropes with them that are armed, but I think we can justifiably deny their entrance.¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t coming to surrender or beg for mercy. They would lose too much respect,¡± Marta added. ¡°They¡¯ll only negotiate if they don¡¯t see another way to win.¡±


    ¡°And if it comes to a fight?¡± Ari asked.


    ¡°They won¡¯t do anything to trigger a group response because they¡¯d be seriously outnumbered,¡± Gabriel offered.


    ¡°Unless they try to storm the place,¡± Russell warned. ¡°Come at us with bigger forces.¡±


    Marta gave him a disparaging look. ¡°They would never make it past security. I know these vampires, and I think they will challenge you one at a time. That will keep the rest of us out of the fight, including Arianna.¡±


    Ari¡¯s gaze flew to Andreas¡¯s face. ¡°Can you take them?¡±


    He smiled without humor. ¡°One, yes. Two, maybe. If they continued to challenge one after another, my magic would be sufficiently depleted to make the third and fourth combats difficult.¡±


    ¡°If by difficult, you mean impossible,¡± she said, giving him her best cop look, ¡°then we have to find a way to avoid that.¡±


    ¡°I could make a counter proposal to the consecutive challenges. We would then negotiate the rules until both sides were agreed,¡± Andreas said. ¡°But we are getting ahead of ourselves. They may be coming in a mood to talk. Either to find a way to reconcile our differences or arrange a future time and manner of resolution.¡±


    ¡°There is precedent for other means of resolving this,¡± Marta said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be a fight. Courts have been won and lost by a throw of the dice.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Ari turned back to Andreas. ¡°Would you do that?¡±


    He gave a brief laugh. ¡°I prefer better odds. I believe Marta¡¯s point is there are endless possibilities. We can speculate and plan, but we will only know their proposal when it happens.¡±


    Ari sat back and crossed her arms. They were left with the impossible task of preparing for anything and everything. How could they do that?


    Gilbert and the band of lycanthropes from Riverdale reached the compound by six o¡¯clock. They had flown to the Canadian border, come across by twos and threes in werecreature form¡ªthe tigers requiring the greatest degree of stealth since they weren¡¯t native¡ªand made their way to Toronto via rented vans. Ryan, true to his word, had used his police connections to get them on several standby flights and had the rental vans waiting at a park on the Canadian side of the border.


    Lilith and Russell met the reinforcements at the compound¡¯s back entrance and smuggled the entire group into the cellars. To minimize potential tension and conflict with existing compound staff, the new arrivals had been hidden until they were needed or the meeting with the rebels was over. Ari had easily agreed to this as one of Andreas¡¯s conditions because she liked having a secret weapon. She didn¡¯t trust anyone who hadn¡¯t come with them from the States. Even Gabriel. He¡¯d yelled at her and tried to stir up trouble with Andreas. Petty maybe, but it paid to be careful.


    By eight o¡¯clock Andreas dismissed his court staff to prepare for the coming visit. This was a dress-up affair, which for vamps meant lots of black and red; silk, fur, or leather; piercings, jewelry, and decorative chains.


    As soon as everyone else was out of sight, Lilith and Ari brought Gilbert, the wolves, and the weretigers out of the basement and hid them strategically throughout the compound. It came in handy that the complex was such a warren of small rooms. It allowed Ari to station them behind closed doors but still near the audience chambers¡ªclose enough to respond quickly to a crisis.


    Once they were situated, Ari walked the hallways, releasing cleansing spells to clear the passages and adjacent areas of the telltale odors of the lycanthropes. Each member of their defense forces had his or her instructions already. All that remained was for everyone to stay alert and adapt to whatever situation developed.


    Ari checked her watch. An hour to go. She¡¯d have to hurry to be ready.


    She found Andreas waiting in her room. He¡¯d already changed, and he looked good. Good enough to give a gal ideas. Soft black leather, molded against his thighs and topped with a long-sleeved black silk shirt, top seven or eight buttons undone, showing glimpses of bare skin. The custom-made Armani leather vest hung open, restrained only by four silver chains that dangled loosely across his chest.


    He looked up when she shut the door. ¡°Everything ready?¡±


    Ari nodded, staring at his chest. ¡°Why the chains?¡±


    ¡°Because I can.¡±


    Yeah. She sucked in her breath. Considering the painful and debilitating effect of silver on most vampires, the chains were a powerful statement. And oh, so sexy. She looked away.


    ¡°Will they be on time?¡± she asked. ¡°Or is this one of those ¡®nobody wants to get there first¡¯ times?¡±


    ¡°They will be exactly on time. This is different than our meeting with Sebastian.¡±


    ¡°Different how? Oh, never mind. We don¡¯t have time.¡± She shook her head, glad to be diverted from thoughts of Andreas¡¯s intriguing body, but not wanting to get caught up in an extended discussion of weird vampiric protocol. ¡°I don¡¯t see the difference, but I¡¯ll take your word for it. Um, I still need to change. Did you want something?¡±


    His lips twitched, and his eyes sparkled for a moment. ¡°Such a loaded question. But I was bringing you these.¡± He held up a white gold necklace with a large emerald pendant. Matching earrings and bracelets lay in a box on the dresser top. ¡°I hoped you might wear them tonight.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re beautiful, but I¡¯m surprised Sebastian had such excellent taste.¡± She took the necklace and held it to her throat as she looked in the mirror.


    ¡°They are not from Sebastian¡¯s coffers. The emeralds have been in the De Luca family since the time of my great-grandmother. They were originally fashioned to match the emerald worn by the male head of our family, a ring that has since been lost.¡±


    ¡°A family heirloom? I can¡¯t wear this.¡± She shoved the necklace back in his hands. ¡°What if something happened to it?¡±


    ¡°It is only a necklace, cara mia. I am much more concerned about the neck it will adorn.¡± His face softened. ¡°It will please me to see the emeralds worn again. Turn around. Let me fasten it for you. Then I will leave you to complete your toilette.¡±


    Ari smiled at his language. She¡¯d grown to like the quaint words and phrases that popped out from time to time. He made the process of getting dressed sound so elegant.


    As she watched him in the mirror, he lifted her hair and slipped the chain around her neck. The emerald¡¯s fire glittered against her bare skin. His hands touched her throat briefly, and her pulse jumped. She kept her eyes on the necklace. It would look spectacular with the ivory outfit she intended to wear. She turned in his arms and planted a quick kiss on his lips. ¡°Thank you for thinking of this.¡±


    ¡°My pleasure always.¡±


    Ari pushed him out the door soon after that, before they both forgot the rebel vampires were on the way.


    Turning back to the dresser with a smile, she picked up the curling iron. It took her longer than it should, but when she finished her hair was up off her neck with long, dangling, spit curls framing her face. It was an approximation of Claris¡¯s creation on another occasion. Claris was so much better at the girlie stuff, but Ari decided her efforts weren¡¯t too bad. She stepped into the ivory silk pants, full and flowing at the bottom, and matching blouse. Slipping on the strappy heels and adding the other jewelry, she surveyed the results in the mirror. She hoped Andreas would be pleased. The off-the-shoulders top showcased the sparkling emerald, and the femininity of the flowing sleeves and pant legs fit the overall delicate style of the jewelry. Once she added her arsenal, concealed in pockets of the flowing fabric, she was as ready as she could be.

 Page 39

    Walking down the hallway toward the audience chambers, smiling at the soft swish of her fabric, she was caught off guard by the vibration of her cell phone. She dug it out of a pocket and checked the ID. Defying compound protocol, she¡¯d kept it turned on since her return so she wouldn¡¯t miss this call.


    ¡°Horatio, what did you find out?¡±


    ¡°Told you I¡¯d call in time, didn¡¯t I? That name you gave me? It appeared on a flight roster out of Galena into Chicago on the same day you left for Toronto. It showed up again on an incoming flight a week earlier. Is that what you expected?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± A part of her was sorry she¡¯d been right.


    ¡°Going to make this official?¡±


    ¡°Nope. That¡¯ll be up to Steffan and the others. Thanks, Horatio, I owe you.¡±


    ¡°I have something else of possible interest. When you got off the plane to make your connecting flight, a man was tailing you. Dark red hair, medium build, maybe 35 years old in a blue shirt and jeans. Had a slight hesitation in his walk. I spotted him quite easily, so I believe he is an amateur. He waited and took the flight after yours to Toronto. Do you need me to follow up with an identification?¡±


    Ari stopped in the hallway outside the audience chambers. A clear image of Percy, Marta¡¯s human consort, popped into mind. His awkward gait. The unruly auburn hair. Come to think of it, he hadn¡¯t been with Marta when Ari had arrived yesterday. That would be consistent with taking a later flight. A fascinating development. Why would he be following her? Was he doing this for himself or for Marta? Did the vampiress even know? Maybe he was acting on his own to make certain his lover became the next Toronto prince¡ªor would Marta be called a princess?


    Ari returned her attention to the phone. ¡°No, Horatio, don¡¯t do anything. I¡¯m sure I know who the tail was. Unexpected news, but thanks.¡±


    ¡°Glad to help, my dear. Anytime. Have you taken care of your vampire problem yet?¡±


    ¡°Just about to do that.¡±


    Chapter Seventeen


    Ari took a deep breath and opened the chamber doors. Andreas, Gabriel, Marta¡ªand her redheaded consort¡ªand several other vampires and werecreatures were already gathered. As planned, Lilith and Russell weren¡¯t present yet, as they were patrolling the hallways to keep anyone from wandering in on Gilbert and the other hidden reinforcements. The werelion couple would join them as soon as the rebel group arrived.


    Andreas¡¯s smile sent a shiver of pleasure through her the moment he saw her. He started forward but Gabriel reached her first, grabbing her hands in his. ¡°You look marvelous.¡± Gone was the sour mood of last night. Gabriel bowed over her hands. ¡°Please forgive my doubts,¡± he said softly. ¡°I was blind to everything except Andreas¡¯s needs.¡±


    She could hardly fault him for that. In fact, hadn¡¯t she counted on him to watch Andreas¡¯s back? ¡°Forget it,¡± she murmured.


    Gabriel flashed his brilliant smile. ¡°Allow me to seat you, my lady.¡± He pulled on one hand, urging her toward the raised platform area. It had been covered with dark red velvet for the occasion. Eight elaborately upholstered chairs in a similar red and muted gold were arranged in a row.


    ¡°I believe this is my privilege,¡± Andreas said, smoothly cutting in and taking her hand from Gabriel. ¡°Go find your own lady.¡±


    When he gave Gabriel an approving eye, Ari knew he¡¯d overheard the apology. Good. The last thing she wanted to do was come between old friends.


    ¡°Spoil sport.¡± Gabriel wiggled his eyebrows in comic fashion and stepped back. ¡°You never were any good at sharing.¡±


    ¡°I do not intend to start tonight.¡± With a quirk of his lips, Andreas turned his back on Gabriel and his smile broadened. ¡°He is right about one thing. You look delightful, Arianna. But your hand is cold. Nervous?¡±


    ¡°A little. I feel naked without my derringer. It¡¯s too heavy for my pockets, and there was no way to make an ankle holster inconspicuous with these strap heels. It would kind of ruin the friendly image.¡±


    Gabriel peeked at her over Andreas¡¯s shoulder. His face was puckered in a puzzled frown. ¡°Why do you need a gun? You have the witch fire.¡±


    ¡°The derringer allows me to be proactive.¡± When he still looked confused, she clarified. ¡°It¡¯s not limited to defense. I can shoot first and ask questions later.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get this witch¡¯s oath. What¡¯s the good of having a magical advantage if you don¡¯t use it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a white witch thing. At least in America. It''s because vampires have no defense against fire. It always kills and is capable of widespread destruction. All American fire witches are required to enter an oath to use it only for defense." Ari didn¡¯t know how to explain it any better. It was a matter of fairness. Maybe Gabriel couldn¡¯t relate to ethical restraints, that some things were just wrong. Maybe that¡¯s the part vampires lost¡ªthe spiritual stuff. Yet the moment the thought crossed her mind, she rejected it. Andreas understood. Wasn¡¯t that why he was insisting on diplomacy tonight? Maybe Gabriel had spent too much of his life around vampires like Sebastian and the O-Seven.


    Andreas led her toward the covered stage, where the chairs were arranged in a semi-circle for easier conversation. She¡¯d be able to see each of them, judge body language and facial expressions. Yeah, sure. Not much to see among a bunch of vampires. Except for the eyes. Sometimes the eyes gave them away. Yeah, she¡¯d watch for that.


    Andreas guided her to the third chair in the row. He took the seat on her left, Gabriel and Marta on her right. Oliver stood behind Andreas, and Russell would soon join him. The other four seats awaited their guests.


    It was 9:59 when Lilith and Russell slipped into the room. The rebels were within the compound. On the stroke of the hour, the chamber doors opened, a flare of power flowed into the room, and the guests were announced. Ari studied each vampire as they entered. Only one of them had been in Sebastian¡¯s court that first night.


    The tall, dark-skinned vampire with a shiny, bald head entered first, indicating his rank. Ezekial had been Sebastian¡¯s second lieutenant, right behind Marta in the chain of command. He mounted the stage with an air of command and took the chair next to Andreas, assuming the role of spokesman for his group. He was accompanied by a fierce-looking, female werewolf, who took a position directly behind his chair.


    The other vampires were newcomers to Ari. Jamal, not as dark as Ezekial, but not a product of the northern European countries, wore his black hair long enough to touch the shoulders of his gold leather jacket. He walked with a swagger, a female vamp with red hair and black leather by his side. She was content to retire and watch proceedings from the far side of the stage. Obviously not a player.


    Edward was European, and, in fact, spoke with a London accent. Brown hair, hazel eyes, a suit of tweed and leather, and an easy manner. He produced an engaging smile. Under other circumstances, Ari might have considered him charming. He, too, had an escort: a vampiress, regally draped in a full-length black gown. She joined the other female on the sidelines.


    Bartholomew was the last to enter, but decidedly not the least. A bear of a man, Bartholomew easily reached six-and-a-half feet and three hundred pounds; most of his bulk looked like muscle. His brown hair was shaggy and his face bearded. Intelligent and assessing dark eyes flashed from under all that hair. A man to watch. The male vamp with him paled in comparison¡ªsmall, wiry, but she noticed the sheath of a stiletto at his waist. He faded into the shadows next to the platform. An assassin. Ari caught Lilith¡¯s gaze and gave a nod. The lioness moved in his direction.


    None of the extra personnel were introduced, and Ari assumed they were emergency muscle rather than dates.


    She turned her attention back to Andreas, waiting for this strange meeting to begin. The audience room door suddenly opened again. Two human women entered. Young, attractive, and discreetly covered in long, flowing capes of black and silver, they seated themselves on the edge of the stage, directly in front of the visiting vampires.


    Ari looked at Andreas. His magic had flared for an instant. He wasn¡¯t happy the women were here. Not his idea, then. Why would the rebels bring them? They didn¡¯t look like bodyguards. She shifted in her seat, uneasy. She hoped the rebels hadn¡¯t brought their own brand of entertainment. That could mean trouble.


    When Andreas spoke, his voice and manner were free of the tension she¡¯d felt in that brief flare. ¡°Welcome, my brothers. You and your guests are most welcome in this court.¡±


    Ari found the next ten minutes pretty boring. Andreas said all the right things; they had all the right responses. Eventually, Andreas asked them to state their business. At least that was Ari¡¯s interpretation of Andreas¡¯s much more formal and circumspect words.


    Ezekial spoke up, as expected. ¡°We thought it was time to discuss the future of the Toronto Court.¡±


    ¡°How kind of you to express an interest in my affairs,¡± Andreas said, his tone feigning mild surprise. ¡°But hardly necessary. There is nothing that should concern you.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there?¡± Ezekial¡¯s face assumed a harsher aspect, jaw jutting. ¡°I¡­¡± He looked at his companions and started over. ¡°We have heard otherwise. Several have deserted your court¡­¡± He left the sentence open, inviting comment.


    ¡°Only seven have left,¡± Andreas corrected. ¡°The four of you, plus three others who unfortunately are no longer with us. No one else has followed your lead. While I regret losing your support, it is of little significance to my future plans.¡±


    Ari¡¯s hand tightened on her wine glass. That was rather blunt. But apparently no one thought it was offensive; they didn¡¯t react. Weird vampire politics again.


    ¡°Are you also unconcerned about the reaction from Europe?¡± Ezekial bit off his words, his manner barely falling short of rudeness. ¡°The ruling council doesn¡¯t support your claim to the crown.¡±


    ¡°If you are accurate, and I have seen no proof, you are better informed on the subject than I am,¡± Andreas said. ¡°I have heard nothing from Europe. No concerns or complaints. Have you initiated contact with the O-Seven regarding my affairs? That would be carrying your interest beyond the limits of friendly concern.¡±

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    More inflammatory talk. She was still trying to get the hang of vampire diplomacy. Maybe if you made it sound polite, anything was OK?


    ¡°What is or is not appropriate interest depends on your point of view,¡± Edward offered in his soft British accent. ¡°I believe we have a legitimate concern about the future of such a large community of our brethren. A community to which you are a virtual stranger.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the heart of it,¡± Bartholomew bellowed. His voice was as large as his person. ¡°You¡¯re not one of us.¡± He eyed Andreas with a dubious look. ¡°You¡¯re too young. I don¡¯t think you have the power to rule.¡±


    Andreas¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°Your concern is noted.¡± He seemed to gather his next words. ¡°Since you have all given formal notice of a challenge, I assume you intend to go beyond merely expressing your concerns. Therefore, I must digress long enough to make my own position clear.¡±


    No one stirred.


    ¡°I will not abdicate the throne to any of you. Nor do I intend to share its management with you.¡± He held up one hand as Bartholomew started to speak again. ¡°I am willing, even eager, to discuss an alliance and to participate in a larger community where all of you have an equal voice. A united Ontario province would be a much stronger territory. There is room for us all.¡±


    ¡°With you in the capital city.¡± Jamal¡¯s mouth twisted in a sneer.


    ¡°Yes, that is a given.¡±


    Ari didn¡¯t like Jamal¡¯s tone or his general attitude. He slouched in his chair, arrogant, disrespectful. He had not been prepared to listen to anything Andreas had to say.


    Andreas wasn¡¯t finished. He turned his head to pin Jamal with a daggered look. ¡°This court is mine, Jamal, to handle as I choose. Rightfully won. I must insist you respect that.¡± He paused, as if prepared to force the issue, then seemed to change his mind. ¡°Let us not squabble so early in the evening. There is always time enough to argue. Perhaps refreshments will clear our thoughts.¡±


    At his words, several lycanthropes appeared with three large, round tables which they set on the main floor in front of the stage. Gold tablecloths were spread over each, glasses and bottles of wine, beer, and blood placed on top. Crackers, cheese and fruit were provided for those who ate such things. To Ari¡¯s surprise, the vampires rose without protest and gravitated toward the tables. She joined them at what appeared to be an anticipated intermission. How come everyone but her seemed to know the program schedule? She watched as each of the bodyguards came forward and tasted the wine or blood before any of the four master vamps indulged. Not very trusting, these guys, but it was exactly what she would have done under similar circumstances.


    She considered it just short of miraculous that conversation turned to mundane matters while drinks were served. Another part of vampire protocol? Or maybe the discussion was tabled simply because serving people were within the room. Despite the casual conversation and the bland, even friendly, faces, Ari sensed the tension in the room. She kept a wary eye on the rebels and their guards. Would the oh-so-polite hostilities reopen as soon as the servers disappeared?


    ¡°Have you no entertainment for us, Andreas?¡± Bartholomew¡¯s voice rose above the noise.


    ¡°What, Bartholomew? You expected jugglers? I had not envisioned a social event. I could arrange a little music, if you like.¡± Andreas¡¯s voice had grown careful, putting Ari on immediate alert.


    ¡°That will not be necessary. We brought our own amusement,¡± the giant vampire rumbled. He gestured toward the two robed human females. ¡°Come, my dears.¡±


    Ari tensed. This was trouble. She couldn¡¯t imagine any amusement that involved human females was going to be acceptable to Andreas. Or to her. Keeping an eye on Andreas for his cue, she edged toward the door. Whatever happened next, she wanted Gilbert and his recruits available to back up Andreas¡¯s position.


    The women walked toward the bear-like vampire. With brittle smiles on their faces, they opened their cloaks and let them fall to the ground. The women were naked, except for a red lace ribbon around each of their throats.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Andreas asked, his face expressionless.


    ¡°We have arranged a blood-letting,¡± Bartholomew said, watching his host. ¡°An ancient tradition. As you can see, these women are willing donors.¡±


    ¡°Not tonight,¡± Andreas said quietly. ¡°Not here. I have forbidden the sport within the confines of this court.¡±


    ¡°We had heard that,¡± Jamal said, swaggering forward. ¡°But I, for one, thought someone was kidding. Such practices have been common for us throughout history. Are you actually forbidding one of our most sacred rights, the taking of human blood?¡±


    ¡°In this manner? Yes. You do not have the right to defy the treaties or demean another being. Blood-letting is punishable by execution.¡±


    Jamal¡¯s harsh laughter echoed in the silent room. ¡°Are you afraid, Andreas? We¡¯re not breaking any laws. These lovely creatures are here by their own choice. It¡¯s no different than consenting sex. Not like the old days when our people took by force whatever they wanted.¡± His voice was wistful, yet taunting.


    Ari froze in place. Jamal was deliberately picking a fight. She looked at the faces of the rebel group to confirm her suspicion: they had orchestrated this confrontation. She tipped her head at Lilith, and the lioness nodded. Trouble was about to erupt.


    ¡°We have a different view of willing,¡± Andreas said. He glided toward one of the women and stopped to study her face. ¡°These women have been drugged or enthralled. Even if they were not, I still would not condone the entertainment you propose. Like consenting sex, consenting blood sharing should be private. It is not a public sport.¡±


    ¡°You are more foolish than I imagined,¡± Ezekial said. ¡°No one will follow a leader who ignores the old ways.¡±


    ¡°It does seem a bit radical, old boy,¡± added Edward.


    ¡°Some of the old ways are no longer useful, they are merely old. Tell your women to cover themselves. There will be no blood-letting tonight.¡±


    ¡°Is this you speaking, Andreas? Or your witch?¡± Ezekial waved a hand toward Ari. ¡°Are you bespelled? I have heard this one has great influence over you and is opposed to many of our rituals.¡±


    Ari¡¯s witch power flared. She ordered herself not to react, to allow Andreas to handle this. Her intervention would only prove the rebel leader¡¯s point. He was right in saying she wouldn¡¯t like vampires drinking blood from drugged, human women, but she couldn¡¯t take credit for Andreas¡¯s prohibition. He¡¯d made the decision without any help from her.


    And he told them so. ¡°Whatever Arianna might think of this arcane practice, the decision was mine. Bloodletting is outdated and barbaric. It serves no practical purpose in today¡¯s world.¡± Ari heard the steel in his tone. Andreas was on the verge of losing patience. She was afraid that was exactly what their visitors were waiting for. While she was deciding what to do, Gabriel must have read the same signs and plunged into the conversation.


    ¡°So true. Many other practices have passed out of usage from time to time. Take coffins, for instance.¡± He began a long, drawn-out litany of antiquated fads and protocols, some abandoned over time, others serving no purpose. Garlic sniffers, decorative whips, kneeling in court, gold fang caps. Ari turned a laugh into a cough as she saw boredom grow on the rebels¡¯ faces. One or two tried to interrupt, but Gabriel refused to yield the floor. By sheer tenacity, his vampire version of a filibuster managed to avert a crisis. The atmosphere in the room was no less hostile, but Ezekial and his rebel group were thrown off their game plan.


    As Ari checked the faces in the room, she couldn¡¯t find Marta or Percy. Ari hadn¡¯t seen either of them leave, but they weren¡¯t here now. After Horatio¡¯s phone call, Ari didn¡¯t trust them out of her sight. She caught Lilith¡¯s eye again and strode toward the door.


    ¡°You¡¯re not leaving us, are you, witch? I hope it was nothing I said.¡± Jamal¡¯s drawling voice brought her to a momentary halt.


    ¡°Not at all. I¡¯ll be back shortly. Enjoy your drinks.¡± Ari smiled sweetly. Trying to look innocent was hard for her, and she hadn¡¯t had much practice in the last ten years. She grew up looking so much like the wholesome, blonde kid next door that she¡¯d worked hard on perfecting a tougher image. A witch in law enforcement had to look competent, command some respect. Now she found herself trying to reverse the process. She widened her eyes and blinked her lashes at him.


    ¡°Are we boring you?¡± he pursued.


    OK, so he wasn¡¯t going to make it easy for her to check on Marta. He was deliberately trying to keep her here. Or delay her. Ari¡¯s witch senses went on alert, adrenaline spiking. She needed to get out of here, find the vampiress. ASAP.


    Everyone in the room was watching by this time. Ari couldn¡¯t think of anything better, so she gave him another vacuous smile and said, ¡°Oh, no, not bored. But I¡¯m going to have an accident if I don¡¯t visit the little girls¡¯ room very soon.¡±


    Jamal¡¯s mouth snapped shut. Lilith snickered, although she tried to smother it. Why does any mention of a woman¡¯s bodily functions have that effect on men? Ari was afraid to look at Andreas. Laughter would be so inappropriate right now. But Gabriel wasn¡¯t so inhibited. He burst out laughing.


    Ari ducked her head as if embarrassed and hurried toward the door.


    Most of the crowd lost interest immediately, but Jamal continued to watch her. Aware of his intent gaze on her back, she kept her head lowered and her mouth shut until she and Lilith escaped the room.


    ¡°Something¡¯s going on,¡± Ari whispered. ¡°Marta¡¯s not here.¡±


    ¡°I saw her consort leave, and then Marta followed him. Is that a problem?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you while we look.¡± As they started checking the hallways, Ari related what Horatio had told her about the tail at the airport.


    ¡°Why would he follow us?¡±


    ¡°Makes me think he¡¯s plotting something on his own or Marta¡¯s not as supportive as she acts. I¡¯ll feel better when I can lay my eyes on them.¡± When she did, she intended to keep them under surveillance. Better yet, maybe she¡¯d lock them in an empty room until the rebels were gone. If they¡¯d just stepped out for a innocent quickie, she could apologize later.

 Page 41

    ¡°I don¡¯t like anybody spying on me,¡± she said, as she turned into another hallway. ¡°When we find Marta¡¯s boy toy, I¡¯m going to ask him what his problem is.¡±


    Ari and Lilith sped through the maze of hallways. As Ari became more anxious with each turned corner that failed to reveal the missing pair, her witch senses started to tingle, adding to her unease. Too much time had passed since she left Andreas. Anything could be happening back in that room while she was on what looked like a wild goose chase. Not to mention that her failure to return would soon be noticed. She was on the verge of giving up the search, thinking Marta might have returned to the meeting. One last passage, the one closest to the rear entrance, then she¡¯d go back.


    As they neared the corner, a rush of Otherworld power sent energy shooting down her arms and across her neck. She stopped without warning; Lilith narrowly avoided a collision. Hushed voices and furtive footsteps approached them from the hallway ahead. Ari and the lioness slipped into the nearest room, leaving the door open a crack. Ari could smell them long before she saw them. Wolves. Marta, Percy, and a group of a dozen or more wolves passed the door. It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out their mission. As Andreas or Gabriel might put it, a coup d¡¯¨¦tat was underway.


    As soon as the enemy was out of sight, Lilith and Ari came out of hiding and split in opposite directions, alerting their own troops. Ari fought off her instinct to race to Andreas¡¯s side. Stick to the plan, she told herself grimly. They needed Gilbert¡¯s help to contain any disturbance, keep it from spreading beyond the audience chambers. The battle would be won in that room or it might not be won at all. If the fight reached the other vampires and lycanthropes spread throughout the compound, no one could predict what would happen. She couldn¡¯t let it get that far. If Sebastian¡¯s people turned on them en masse, the numbers would not be in Andreas¡¯s favor.


    Ari chafed at the time it took to collect their forces and kept urging everyone to hurry. Groups of two and three took off at a sprint to man the strategic stations in the hallways. Gilbert and a dozen or so followed Ari. When they arrived at the chamber doors, they weren¡¯t more than a minute or two behind Marta¡¯s band of assassins, but they heard nothing from inside. Ari held up a hand to stop her companions, before opening the door a crack to peek inside.


    Andreas and Gabriel stood back to back, surrounded by a circle of enemy wolves and vampires. Oliver knelt in a pool of blood, held tight by silver chains round his throat, a gun to his head. Four of Andreas¡¯s lycanthrope staff, including Russell, lay bleeding on the floor. Ari heard Lilith¡¯s quick intake of breath behind her. Off to one side, two staff members who¡¯d served the wine and refreshments appeared to be dead.


    Andreas was talking with the rogue vampires, but Ari couldn¡¯t make out what was being said. She considered her options, but with Andreas at risk and Russell lying injured or dead on the floor, she wasn¡¯t looking for a diplomatic solution. She signaled her troops to take their positions, and she did it the old-fashioned way.


    She kicked open the doors, and they exploded into the room.


    As soon as Andreas saw Ari, he slammed his power into Ezekial, knocking the other vampire to his knees, and leaped over him, punching Jamal in the mouth. Bartholomew, apparently left to guard the door, grabbed Ari from behind, lifting her in a bear hug. ¡°Now play nice, witch. It¡¯ll all be over soon.¡±


    ¡°Is this nice enough?¡± She twisted in his arms, punching him twice in the nose. ¡°I want it over now.¡± She punched him again; blood spurted, and he cradled his damaged snout in both hands, releasing her. Ari landed on her feet, ducking under the giant¡¯s arms in time to see Percy hand his mistress the sword that had decapitated Sebastian.


    Marta launched herself into the air toward Andreas. Gabriel yelled a warning. Without hesitation, Ari raised her fingers and released the lethal witch fire. Crimson flames arced between them, catching the vampiress in midair with a direct hit. Marta screamed, bursting into a blaze of fire. The sword clattered to the floor.


    Traitorous bitch. The vampiress had gotten off easy.


    Gilbert and his band of wolves and tigers swarmed over the rest of the combatants. Marta¡¯s forces fired a half-dozen shots, but the heart had gone out of the rebellion with her dramatic death. The fighting was over in a matter of minutes, but Ari wheeled to face a new potential threat as high-pitched keening rent the air.


    She relaxed her stance when she saw Percy kneeling in the vampiress¡¯s ashes. The eerie wail that erupted from his throat was a terrible mixture of physical and mental pain. Lilith crouched beside Russell, running her hands over her husband¡¯s body. She finally looked up and nodded. Andreas stood with one foot on Ezekial¡¯s throat and the rest of their forces soon had the others under restraint. When the room was quiet, except for Percy¡¯s occasional wails, Andreas allowed Ezekial to stand and the other rebel leaders were released.


    ¡°What do you want done with them?¡± Gabriel asked. Everyone looked at Andreas, waiting for his decision, except for Jamal, who seemed afraid to look at anyone. Ari turned her back on him. He should be worried.


    Before Andreas could answer, Percy¡¯s strident voice interrupted. ¡°You,¡± he screeched, a world of accusation in the word. He lifted a trembling finger to point at Ari. His entire body was shaking from the effects of the bond breaking. ¡°Oathbreaker! They said you¡¯re forbidden to use witch fire on vampires. I told her she¡¯d be safe. Marta! Marta!¡± He frantically scooped the ashes into a pile. Even he probably didn¡¯t know what he intended to do with them.


    Is this what he¡¯d traveled to Riverdale to learn? He¡¯d have been better off to ask. Ari would have told him. She wondered who ¡°they¡± had been, but the source didn¡¯t really matter. No one who knew Ari very well. Otherwise, he would have learned the truth.


    She did whatever had to be done.


    She had no sympathy for traitors. Not for Marta, and not for Percy, whose death had been set in motion the moment his mistress died and the vampire bond broke. When he finally collapsed over Marta¡¯s ashes, Ari winced but turned away without a comment.


    No one else died that night. Once initial hostilities were over, the vampires turned into consummate pragmatists, including Andreas. She¡¯d been around them long enough not to be surprised. While most of the company retired to the lounge to celebrate¡ªalthough a party seemed odd to her with four people dead¡ªthe rebel leaders met with Andreas and Gabriel. Ari sat in on the proceedings. Deals were made, treaties were signed in blood, and the defeated leaders eventually departed with their supporters. World leaders could take lessons from the vampires. It was hard to figure out their rules of diplomacy and engagement, but you couldn¡¯t fault the results.


    ¡°I am glad tonight is over, madam witch. We were fortunate we did not lose more, but I doubt the friends of the two fallen wolves feel that way.¡± Andreas had one arm around her as they turned away from the chamber doors that had closed behind their former enemies, now allies.


    ¡°Will the treaty hold?¡±


    He favored her with an unreadable look. ¡°For now. For a while. Until something or someone else triggers their ambitions.¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting they¡¯ll be back? That they might change sides again?¡± Maybe world leaders didn¡¯t have any lessons to learn from the vampires after all. Not if Andreas had to fight the same battles over again. The world already knew how to do that.


    ¡°If it suits their purpose,¡± he said wearily. ¡°Not soon, but I cannot speak for the future. You should know by now that vampires are as changeable as circumstances warrant. Tonight they are our allies. It is enough for now.¡± He surveyed the disorganized room. The bodies had already been removed but the floor was covered with blood, broken bottles, and scattered pieces of tableware and chairs. ¡°I will send for staff to clean up this mess. Shall we join the others in the lounge and thank our friends?¡±


    Arms around each other, they strolled toward the door, but Gabriel stopped them.


    ¡°I have something I need to say to Ari, and I¡¯d rather do it here. Keep this among us.¡±


    Andreas¡¯s look might have been a question or a warning, but he didn¡¯t say anything. His arm tightened around Ari in a reassuring squeeze.


    Good Goddess, what now? Had she done something else wrong? She¡¯d hoped Gabriel was through being pissed at her. Bracing herself for whatever was coming, she stepped away from Andreas and gave Gabriel a weary look. ¡°OK, say it.¡±


    ¡°I was wrong about you. I shouldn¡¯t have questioned your loyalty to Andreas.¡± When she frowned, he said, ¡°I know I said that before, but it was because Andreas wanted me to. Now I¡¯m speaking for myself.¡±


    For a moment, Ari was dumbfounded, then she was irritated he¡¯d pretended the first time he apologized. It might be important to Andreas for her and Gabriel get along, but enough was enough. She narrowed her eyes. ¡°So you lied to me?¡±


    Gabriel flinched at her unexpected response. ¡°Yes, I guess so, but it was for a good reason. Now I¡¯ve seen how you came through. When we needed you, you were on our side and took Marta out. I¡¯m sorry I¡ª¡±


    ¡°You still don¡¯t get it, do you?¡± Ari interrupted. ¡°I¡¯ve always been on Andreas¡¯s side. I shouldn¡¯t have to kill someone to prove it. I guess I don¡¯t act the way you think I should. And knowing me, I probably never will. Until you accept that, we¡¯re going to be constantly butting heads.¡±


    Openly disconcerted, Gabriel regarded her for several long moments. Then he threw back his head and laughed. ¡°Touch¨¦. I stand corrected.¡± He gave a courtly bow and dropped to one knee. ¡°In the future, I hope to meet your high standards for always speaking one¡¯s mind. In the meantime, I beg your forgiveness, Lady Arianna. Can we be friends again?¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re overdoing it, and I¡¯m not sure there¡¯s much hope for you. But¡­¡± She paused, pretending to consider her response. ¡°Friends,¡± she agreed, promptly turning away to hide the grin on her face and walking toward the door. ¡°But a little begging and kneeling from time to time would be nice.¡±

 Page 42

    Chapter Eighteen


    Reluctant to cut her time short with Andreas, Ari delayed her return to Riverdale as long as possible. She and Andreas were inseparable whenever he wasn¡¯t involved in vital court business. Sometimes they just enjoyed being together, but often they held serious discussions on the situation in Toronto, her responsibilities in Riverdale, and how they were going to reconcile the two. And they talked about the magic.


    In public, they worked hard to dispel any rumors by openly discussing Ari¡¯s plans to fly back and forth from Riverdale to Toronto. She also tried to meet the vampires¡¯ expectations by acting more like a consort, even allowed Andreas to give her an order or two, which she meekly accepted. He ruined the performance by laughing.


    When Andreas was busy, Ari became better acquainted with his inherited staff, hoping to win their trust. This included spending time with Gabriel. He was rather amusing company, and, best of all, a great source of information on her favorite vampire.


    On Sunday, her last night in Toronto, Ari and Gabriel met in the lounge for drinks while Andreas dealt with some last minute business, something to do with finances.


    Gabriel had commandeered two upholstered chairs near the stone fireplace, and Ari sipped her glass of wine while watching a group of wolves playing pool. Gilbert and his friends had returned to the States, so these had to be locals. They acted happier, more carefree than they had under Sebastian¡¯s dictatorship. But then maybe her interpretation was biased.


    Gabriel had fallen into an uncharacteristic silence.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± she finally asked.


    ¡°No, just something on my mind. I¡¯ll figure it out.¡±


    Ari decided it was none of her business and changed the subject. This might be her last chance to interrogate Gabriel on Andreas¡¯s early life in England, and she didn¡¯t intend to let it get away from her.


    ¡°Tell me what it was like when you lived in London. I know you and Andreas were sired by the same vampiress, and you can spare me those details, but did you know each other before you became vampires?¡±


    Gabriel gave her a crooked smile. ¡°Afterwards, but I had seen him once before.¡± He warmed to his subject. ¡°It was the night of London¡¯s Spring Ball. I probably wouldn¡¯t have noticed him, except he was the fashionable young buck dancing with Miss Charity Worthington. And I very much wanted to be dancing in his place.¡± Gabriel sighed. ¡°She was such a lovely thing.¡±


    ¡°Did you get to meet her?¡±


    ¡°Alas, no. She only had eyes for Andreas. I never saw her after that evening, and a month later I was a vampire. The memory of Miss Worthington and that missed dance still breaks my heart.¡± He clapped a hand to his chest. ¡°I¡¯m sure it left me scarred for life. Tragic, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I might think so,¡± Ari chuckled, ¡°if I believed a word you said.¡±


    ¡°You wound me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please. But tell me, was Andreas already a vampire? The night of the ball, I mean?¡±


    ¡°He was. I didn¡¯t know at the time. How could I? I¡¯d heard the whispered tales of vampires, but who really believed such fantastic stories?¡±


    Ari had a sudden horrible thought. ¡°That isn¡¯t what happened to your Miss Worthington, is it? Did Andreas kill her that night?¡±


    Gabriel looked at her in mock horror. ¡°Shame on you. Of course not. Even at our worst, Andreas and I didn¡¯t prey on beautiful women. No, she married a wealthy lord and left the London scene. I suppose she had a dozen aristocratic babies.¡± He sounded a little wistful.


    ¡°So Andreas was leading a normal life, going to balls and whatever else you guys did back then? Didn¡¯t people notice he was a vampire?¡±


    ¡°Andreas, Andreas. Can you talk of nothing else?¡± Gabriel shook his head, dislodging a shock of blond hair. He finger-combed it back in place. ¡°I know he¡¯s a fine fellow and all that, but sometimes a guy wants to talk about himself, you know? Why don¡¯t you ask me about the great accomplishments of my life? Or, heaven forbid, even my failures?¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll bite,¡± Ari said. ¡°No pun intended. You can tell me all about yourself, and then you can tell me about Andreas.¡±


    He gave her a prissy look. ¡°I give up. A man has to admit when he¡¯s beaten. You have a one-track mind.¡± He gave her his lop-sided grin, but when he spoke again, the carefree lilt was missing from his voice. ¡°You¡¯d have to understand London at that time to understand Andreas¡¯s behavior¡ªand later, mine. Society, at least the part we belonged to, was a constant swirl of parties and dinners. Almost everything happened at night, so it wasn¡¯t remarkable that no one saw Andreas during the day. And remember, no one believed in vampires, not really. No one suspected that Andreas and I were different. Without an older vampire to guide us, we didn¡¯t know how vampires were supposed to act, so for a while we kept doing the things we¡¯d always done as humans. At least most of the time. The rest of the time¡­ It was almost as frightening to us as we were to our victims.¡± His voice drifted away, and he gazed pensively into the fire.


    Gabriel¡¯s face reflected pain, and Ari was sorry she¡¯d pushed him into talking about the early years. She didn¡¯t know what she could say to make it better, so the silence lengthened. Gabriel finally looked at her. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough of the history lessons for tonight. Maybe it would be better if you talked to Andreas about those first months and years.¡± He smiled ruefully. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to turn gloomy, but some of my memories aren¡¯t so good.¡± He took another sip of wine. ¡°I think it¡¯s time to tell you why I wanted to have a drink tonight.¡±


    ¡°That would be good, but I don¡¯t understand your hesitation. I thought we¡¯d become friends.¡±


    ¡°We have, but I¡¯m not sure how to say this, without there being another misunderstanding. It¡¯s about your leaving tomorrow. I won¡¯t pretend I like it or agree with your decision, but I want you to know that up here,¡± he tapped his head, ¡°I understand your reasons. You have a job to do, and Andreas has his own life to live, but you two belong together. Not for romantic reasons¡ªthat¡¯s none of my business¡ªbut you¡¯re stronger together. Your magics are stronger.¡± He shifted to sit forward in his chair, resting his arms on his legs and gave her a direct look. ¡°I¡¯m worried about what happens to him and to you after you leave.¡±


    ¡°Worried about what?¡± Although he meant well, Ari wished he wouldn¡¯t do this to her. ¡°Believe me, this magical thing is a two-edged sword. It isn¡¯t all good.¡±


    ¡°I can see that.¡± Gabriel shrugged.


    ¡°What is it you want from me?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°I guess what I really wanted was to say you won¡¯t get further grief from me. When you¡¯re not here, I¡¯ll keep a close eye on everything¡ªincluding your boyfriend, and if he gets into trouble, I¡¯ll call.¡± Gabriel grinned and leaned back. ¡°You better not hang up on me again, even if I deserve it.¡±


    ¡°Deal. I can drink to that.¡± Ari lifted her glass.


    ¡°What are you two toasting so early this evening?¡± Andreas was smiling, obviously pleased at seeing them so comfortable with one another.


    ¡°Long lives and pretty women,¡± Gabriel said glibly. ¡°At least, I was.¡±


    ¡°A worthy toast,¡± Andreas said. ¡°I wish you luck with both, but I am going to take this particular pretty woman away with me.¡±


    ¡°Such is my life,¡± Gabriel grumbled. ¡°Destined to drink alone.¡±


    ¡°I hardly imagine that will happen,¡± Ari predicted, rising from her chair.


    As they left the lounge, she glanced back and smiled to see Gabriel had already found other company. A dark-haired vampiress was regarding him with a sultry look over the rim of a glass of dark burgundy liquid.


    Ari looked up at Andreas. ¡°Did your meeting go OK?¡±


    His lips tightened for a moment. ¡°Finances are not particularly enjoyable but necessary to the running of an operation this complicated. I must admit, I was unpleasantly surprised by the large amounts of money Sebastian squandered. Another few years and he would have run the court into disastrous debt.¡±


    ¡°That bad? But then he seemed to do everything to excess. I suppose he had expensive tastes.¡±


    ¡°Very. Speaking of that, I wanted to discuss your return trip to Riverdale. When do you have to be there?¡±


    Ari shot him a quick look. How did finances bring up her trip? He couldn¡¯t be that worried about flight cost. Besides, the Council would reimburse her. But his question reminded her how short their time was, and she struggled to keep the regret from her voice. ¡°The vote¡¯s tomorrow afternoon. I can¡¯t risk missing it, so I should probably get a flight out late tonight. I haven¡¯t checked connections yet. I guess I¡¯ve been putting it off, not wanting to cut into our time.¡±


    Andreas¡¯s face broke into a boyish smile. ¡°Forget about the connections. One of Sebastian¡¯s extravagances was the sweetest little jet you will ever see. I have decided to keep it, and it will be at your disposal whenever you feel you must go. Flight time to Riverdale¡¯s small airport is approximately three hours, which means we still have until dawn.¡±


    Ari returned his smile. Andreas loved to spring things on people and watch their reaction. Usually she didn¡¯t share his enthusiasm for sudden revelations, not unless she was the one making them, but this was fantastic news. ¡°You mean I¡¯ve been catching these commercial flights for nothing? Why haven¡¯t I heard about this plane before now?¡±


    ¡°If you had checked with me before flying here and there, I would have told you.¡± A twitch of his lips assured her he was teasing. ¡°Shall I have its galley stocked with champagne or coffee?¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding?¡±


    ¡°Yes, as a matter of fact, I was. I am working on that sense of humor you value so much. My special blend of coffee from Club Dintero is already on board.¡±


    ¡°You seem to have thought of everything. Since I don¡¯t have to fly tonight, we have quite a few hours with nothing planned. Do you have thoughts about that, too?¡± She sure hoped so. Something that would shut out the real world for a few more hours.

 Page 43

    He drew a finger across her jaw line and followed it with a brush of his lips. ¡°I might have one or two.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, me too.¡±


    Chapter Nineteen


    Promptly at 4:58 the following afternoon, Ari walked unannounced into the Magic Hall conference room. She and the Magic Council president had agreed on the phone that her appearance would be more effective if no one knew she was coming.


    Startled faces swiveled in her direction, proving the secret hadn¡¯t leaked. She noted the variety of emotions that chased across their features. Annoyance. Surprise. Suspicion. No fear, not yet. Chairs scraped as two of the men pushed back from the conference table and stood. Steffan was one of them, and the first to speak. ¡°Ari. What are you doing here? Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Sorry to interrupt. But I have information for you.¡±


    Steffan walked toward her, frowning as he searched her face. ¡°Can it wait? We¡¯re about to take the final vote. This ballot must be taken in privacy, even from you.¡±


    ¡°No, it can¡¯t wait. What I have to say might make a difference in the outcome today. I wouldn¡¯t be here otherwise.¡±


    Steffan still seemed hesitant. ¡°OK. Do you want to talk to me privately? Or is this for everyone?¡±


    ¡°All of you. It affects everyone.¡±


    His eyes widened in surprise, and he parted his lips as if he was going to demand an explanation. Instead, he turned to his colleagues. ¡°Anyone have an objection to hearing her out before we vote?¡±


    ¡°What is this? Another delay?¡± Vita¡¯s tone was belligerent. ¡°Nice timing, Steffan, but it isn¡¯t going to work. Oh, don¡¯t look so innocent. You set this little scene up. But the votes are against you this time.¡± With a sneer on her face, the pregnant wolf leaned back in her seat and crossed one leg over the other. ¡°I suggest we proceed. Whatever she wants will have to wait.¡±


    So the she-wolf had claws. It sounded like some drastic vote switching had occurred while Ari was in Toronto. The balance of power had shifted again. Not that she hadn¡¯t anticipated this would happen. After all, that¡¯s why she was here. She¡¯d come to level the playing field, force the last big revelation.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true, Vita. I have no idea why Ari¡¯s here.¡± Steffan was indignant and annoyed.


    Vita¡¯s face flushed, but she repeated her accusation, and Steffan¡¯s denial was stronger this time. Ari waited while they argued it out. She was in no hurry.


    The other wolves seemed confused, taken aback by Vita¡¯s strong objections. Jena scowled, clearly unhappy with the renewed bickering. Warren fidgeted in his chair and looked embarrassed when the voices grew loud. As she might have expected, Robert kept a wary eye focused on her, perhaps speculating on what she had to say, but he sat down to wait.


    Ari cleared her throat loudly. ¡°Steffan didn¡¯t know I was coming today. I deliberately kept it a secret from everyone except the president, so you¡¯d all learn the findings of my final report at the same time. I¡¯m sure Steffan will be as surprised as anyone, except, for the one person in this room that knows more than I do.¡±


    She had their full attention now. Despite the suddenly heightened tension, no one spoke right away. Some, if not all of them, had to suspect a traitor was among them, and four of them were wondering who.


    ¡°What¡¯s that mean, Guardian?¡± Robert shoved his chair back from the table as if prepared for sudden action. ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re accusing one of us of something. Whatever it is, just say it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m getting there. But I need to cover some old ground first. It¡¯s important for you to see exactly what happened.¡± She began by reminding them how votes and opinions had swayed back and forth over the intervening months. Of the five leaders only two votes had never changed: Steffan and Jena, who had been in favor of the coalition. As recently as two weeks ago, they had been the sole supporters.


    ¡°Then Warren changed his vote to yes. It seemed like the coalition would pass. One of you panicked and set events rolling that led to Steffan¡¯s kidnapping.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Robert demanded. ¡°Why? We¡¯ve all had our say in this. No one was against the idea of a coalition, only the timing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Vita agreed, scowling. ¡°You¡¯ve got your facts wrong.¡±


    ¡°It only seemed like everyone agreed. One of you was strongly opposed to the basic concept and was willing to do almost anything to stop it.¡± She held up a warning hand. ¡°Let me complete the story before you ask anything else.


    ¡°Steffan¡¯s kidnapping was already planned when Warren switched his vote, setting up a coalition loss by three to two. But the conspirators wanted a guarantee against Warren or someone else switching again, so their plan went forward. Suddenly Vita changed her vote, and even without Warren, the coalition would now win. Steffan disappeared that very night, bringing the negotiations and vote to a halt.¡± The wolves were growing restless. Chairs creaked, feet shuffled, but Ari also picked up the scent of fear that was growing in the room. One person knew the end of this story and was beginning to realize that Ari might have figured it out.


    ¡°Yes, yes, we know all this,¡± Robert grumbled, finally interrupting and glaring at her. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to think Vita¡¯s right; you¡¯re stalling for some reason. This is all ancient history. Is there a point you¡¯re trying to make?¡±


    ¡°You bet there¡¯s a point. To influence the vote, one of you lied, conspired in a kidnapping, betrayed every secret held by this group, and changed her vote in an attempt to throw everyone off her trail. Actually the vote switch was your first mistake, Vita. I have a good idea why this all happened, but I¡¯d rather hear it from you.¡±


    Jena gasped. ¡°Vita?¡±


    The other leaders jerked to attention, heads turning toward Vita. As if frozen in place, the she-wolf barely moved. She gripped her hands tightly in her lap; her face revealed nothing of what was going on inside her head.


    Shock and disbelief written on her face, Jen turned to Ari. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. You just said she was going to vote in favor of the coalition. This must be a mistake.¡±


    ¡°I wish it was, but she fooled us all for a while. Later, when I thought about it, her switching votes was the only thing that didn¡¯t make sense. Not until I considered what the switch actually did. It didn¡¯t change the fate of the coalition, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°It left me and Warren as the only suspects in the kidnapping,¡± Robert interrupted. ¡°My God! Why?¡± He came around the table and dropped on his haunches in front of Vita¡¯s chair. ¡°You¡¯ve said nothing, Vita. Why would you do this?¡±


    At first, it seemed as if she still wouldn¡¯t answer, then she met Robert¡¯s look with a defiant one of her own. ¡°She can¡¯t prove a thing. All I¡¯ve heard is a lot of talk and speculation. It¡¯s some game she and Steffan are playing on behalf of the government. If she could prove any of this, I¡¯d be under arrest.¡± Vita pushed to her feet, forcing Robert to stand and step away. ¡°It¡¯s all lies, Guardian. You and Steffan are obsessed with this coalition. You¡¯ll accuse anyone, do anything, to make it happen. Maybe you think it¡¯s a good thing, but you¡¯re not a wolf. You either can¡¯t see or don¡¯t care how bad such a federation would be for us. Steffan,¡± she spat his name, ¡°doesn¡¯t have any excuse.¡± Vita shook her head, anger turning her aura an orange-red.


    Ari crossed her arms. So the role Vita had chosen was the injured innocent. So be it.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, up to a point,¡± Ari conceded. ¡°Your part in this conspiracy is circumstantial, an assumption based upon other facts.¡±


    ¡°Then why¡ª¡± Robert began, his face flushed with sudden anger.


    The anxiety in the room grew as the other wolves reacted to the anger and fear radiating from Vita. It was instinctual behavior but could get out of hand if Ari wasn¡¯t careful.


    ¡°Because those facts are rather damning. While the leak might have been anyone, the extent of knowledge narrowed it to the four of you very quickly.¡± She pointed her finger at each as she spoke. ¡°Robert and Warren were obvious suspects, as we already noted. Jena seemed unlikely due to her unwavering pro-coalition stance, but in the beginning I suspected everyone. Vita¡¯s switch in position eventually drew my attention. It was the timing. This sudden change of heart occurred just before the kidnapping. I couldn¡¯t figure out why, until I realized she must have known she¡¯d never have to follow through.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s taking a big leap,¡± Steffan said. His face wore a worried frown, as if he thought she¡¯d made a mistake.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that was just the first clue. Then she mentioned it was too bad Steffan hadn¡¯t seen his captor¡¯s face.¡± Ari looked at the she-wolf. ¡°How did you know about the kidnapper¡¯s efforts to conceal his identity?¡±


    ¡°I remember when she said that.¡± Jena looked at Vita, shock still evident on her face.


    ¡°No!¡± Vita stomped a foot. ¡°Steffan told us. You all heard him.¡± She swept her angry gaze from colleague to colleague and lied through her teeth. Watching her, Ari decided her act was really quite convincing. Warren appeared more confused than before.


    ¡°That¡¯s wrong, Vita, I didn¡¯t.¡± Steffan¡¯s voice held regret, even sadness. ¡°Not until later¡ªafter you brought it up.¡±


    ¡°Then I made a lucky guess, a natural assumption. It still proves nothing.¡± Vita appealed to her colleagues for support, but no one said anything. Indecision flitted across her face, as she turned her back and stalked across the room. When she reached the far wall, she spun on her heel, crossing her arms. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m seeing this. You¡¯re taking an outsider¡¯s word over mine?¡± Her voice was scathing.


    ¡°That¡¯s not how I see it.¡± Robert bristled, pulling himself to his full height. ¡°Steffan is not an outsider, and I want the truth.¡±


    Warren shuffled his feet again. It was time to end this. She¡¯d given Vita every opportunity to come clean. Now Ari would have to do it for her.

 Page 44

    ¡°Nice try, Vita. It might have worked if not for your close, or should I say, intimate association with the actual kidnapper.¡± Vita¡¯s face paled. For the first time she seemed to realize Ari knew too much for her to bluff her way out of this.


    Sudden voices in the hallway drew everyone¡¯s attention, but Ari hurried on before they were interrupted. ¡°Which one of you put this scheme together? You or Derik?¡±


    The kidnapper¡¯s name landed like a bomb.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? Derik?¡± Robert¡¯s entire body seemed to reel with the shock. Doubt, followed by anger, flashed across his face and was reflected by others in the room. ¡°What makes you think her mate did this?


    ¡°Airline records show him flying in and out of Riverdale and Galena twice in the past two weeks.¡±


    ¡°He had business in the area,¡± Vita said before Ari could finish. Eyes burning a golden orange and fists clenched at her thighs, she stalked toward her accuser. ¡°Any law against that? I didn¡¯t think we had to report our every movement to you.¡±


    ¡°I can prove it was him. His scent, his voice, his aura. I can recognize them all, and even if Steffan didn¡¯t see his face, he¡¯ll remember the sound, the smell of him too. Is that what you want? Derik in a line-up?¡±


    Vita came at her, raising her hands as if they were already claws. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare treat him like a common criminal,¡± she screeched.


    ¡°Back off, Vita.¡± Ari kept her voice level. She placed a hand on the she-wolf¡¯s shoulder and firmly pushed her away, as Steffan tried to step between them. Both women ignored him. ¡°If you think I won¡¯t smack a pregnant woman, you¡¯re wrong.¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t touch me!¡± Vita recoiled, concern flashing across her face, as she clutched her belly and Ari had one of those ¡°ah-ha¡± moments. Robert growled and took a step forward.


    Tension spike in the room. The other wolves formed a half-circle around them, and Ari¡¯s magic grew uneasy. An involuntary spark of energy pricked her fingertips. She wasn¡¯t sure if the wolves intended to defend Vita or were simply aroused by the Otherworld power swirling around the room.


    A crash in the hallway, shouts erupted, the door splintered and burst open. A large, silver wolf leaped into the room, his claws skidding across the floor. Ari shot a blue stun, knocking him off balance, then threw up a barrier, using the magic dust. Scrambling to his feet, the wolf lunged against the invisible wall, clawing at its surface. Armed tigers poured through the door with guns trained on the intruder.


    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Ari¡¯s gaze locked with the wolf¡¯s, never breaking contact. ¡°And nobody¡¯s going to hurt her.¡± He snarled but appeared to be listening. ¡°Don¡¯t make another mistake. Your child needs both a mother and father.¡±


    The wolf snarled again, shaking his head from side to side. As the magical barrier began to shatter, he crouched to spring. When a claw reached through the particles, he howled in triumph.


    ¡°No!¡± Vita ran forward, flung her arms around her mate, and began to sob.


    Ari watched to see if Derik could regain control of his instincts. His mate was doing her best now to calm him and avoid a bloody outcome. Ari spoke to the weretigers. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll need any guns. Everything will be fine if you wait in the hallway.¡±


    The tiger leader looked uncertain but nodded. When the door closed, Ari cocked her head at the two silver wolves. ¡°That¡¯s the real issue here, isn¡¯t it? The pregnancy. That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t attack the meeting at the resort or the Magic Hall. Derik couldn¡¯t risk harming his unborn child. This baby has been the motivation for everything you¡¯ve done¡ªI can see it in your faces, but I don¡¯t know why.¡±


    Vita¡¯s nostrils flared, as she stood to face them. Derik sat on his haunches, his fangs bared and his grey eyes fixed on Ari. His ears flicked back and forth to catch any hostile movement from the others. Vita gave a sullen look to everyone and placed a hand on her mate¡¯s head.


    ¡°All right, it¡¯s true, and I¡¯m not sorry we tried. Our baby¡ªthis baby,¡± she pointed to her belly with her free hand, ¡°is destined to be a great leader. The first full-blood born to silver wolves in seventy-five years. A natural leader, destined for greatness.¡± Her fingers absently stroked Derik¡¯s fur. ¡°You¡¯re trying to vote away our son¡¯s birthright. Don¡¯t you understand? If we agree to this coalition, he will have no one left to lead.¡± She dropped both hands protectively over her stomach. Vibrating with passion, Vita was the picture of outraged motherhood.


    She ignored Ari and spoke directly to the other wolves. ¡°The humans are an inferior but arrogant and fertile species. If we join them as allies, they will insist we change our ways to suit their needs. They¡¯ve done it before¡ªeliminated entire species that were inconvenient, and they have the numbers to do it again. They don¡¯t know our ways. They fear us, but they don¡¯t respect us. How can you wish to ally yourselves with a parasitic race? In twenty years, there won¡¯t be any true wolves left of any color. Just tame pets.¡±


    The sadness underneath her rage filled the room, and for a moment, no one answered. There was a grain of truth in her impassioned speech.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be that way.¡± Jena broke the silence. ¡°Not if we¡¯re smart.¡±


    ¡°There is time for compromise. We can establish safeguards,¡± Steffan added. ¡°I would join with you and Derik in seeing your concerns are addressed in any coalition we formed.¡±


    ¡°I think we all want that,¡± Robert said.


    The silver male finally broke his intense focus on Ari, turning to look at Steffan and the other leaders. He began to shift, skin and bones rearranging, fur disappearing. In less than sixty seconds a muscled male with intense grey eyes and shoulder-length, white-blond hair stood before them. He was naked.


    While most lycanthropes prefer privacy for shifting, they are completely at ease with nudity. No one seemed to notice his lack of clothing except Ari. She tried to keep her eyes on Derik¡¯s face.


    ¡°What kind of safeguards are you proposing?¡± he asked Steffan.


    ¡°I¡¯m open to suggestions. Perhaps we should sit down and talk.¡±


    As the hostile atmosphere in the room eased, Ari stepped back and dropped out of the discussion. She¡¯d done her part. It was up to them from here. After listening for several minutes to the tentative proposals, she edged toward the door.


    Nobody was yelling and screaming at Vita and Derik. Most of wolves were still stunned by the revelation, but the outcome was easily predicted. The coveted pregnancy would protect the pair from serious retribution. That, and the fact Derik hadn¡¯t killed anyone. He¡¯d played his hand with skill, even in defeat.


    She stepped outside and turned when she heard the door open again. Steffan joined her. ¡°What will happen now?¡± she asked him.


    He lifted a shoulder. ¡°We talk, and we vote. I think the coalition will pass. That¡¯s the important thing. We¡¯ll put more restrictions into the agreement, now that we¡¯ve been reminded of the dangers from within and without. That¡¯s a good thing. As for Vita and Derik, many will see them as heroic. And she is carrying precious cargo.¡±


    Ari zipped her leather jacket against the brisk air. The breeze caught her hair, and she brushed it aside in order to see Steffan¡¯s face. The pair of misguided parents-to-be had put him through a lot.


    ¡°What about their treatment of you? If they¡¯re not punished, if they¡¯re allowed to walk away, are you OK with that?¡±


    He laughed softly. ¡°Derik and I will have a discussion, but I wasn¡¯t seriously harmed. They aren¡¯t so different from the rest of us. Isn¡¯t that the point of everything we do? It¡¯s all about planning and hoping for the next generation.¡±


    An hour later, Ari slowly climbed the stairs to her apartment. She was drained. A lot had happened over the last days. She¡¯d like nothing better than to sleep for a week. But she had one more mystery to solve. The missing cat. Claris hadn¡¯t called with an update since Ari had told her about Steffan¡¯s disappearance. Maybe Hernando had returned on his own, but she wasn¡¯t counting on it. Things hadn¡¯t been that easy the last week or two. She¡¯d had to work hard for the results she¡¯d achieved. Even then, nothing had been perfect. Steffan still needed to work out a compromise on the coalition, and Andreas had a less-than-solid hold on the Toronto crown. No, not perfect, but both were out of immediate crisis. Once she found the damned cat, she could relax, call Andreas, curl up with the Book of Shadows, and even get that longed-for sleep.


    With those pleasant thoughts in mind, Ari hauled up the last few steps to drop off her travel bag before she tackled the feline search. At the top of the landing, Mrs. Morgenstern, her seventy-eight year old neighbor, called her name.


    Ari dredged up a smile.


    The sweet, grandmotherly woman was the unofficial manager of the complex, which meant she knew everyone¡¯s business and had keys to all their apartments. When tenants were away, she watered plants, fed animals, and brought in the mail. Her usual jogging attire was pale pink today, and a matching sweatband held back her silver curls. Ari had never seen her jog or indulge in any physical activity, but she enjoyed the look.


    ¡°You¡¯re home early, dearie. Did you have a nice trip? That cat of yours was raising a ruckus last night. Got locked outside somehow. I figured he wanted his supper, so I let him in. Bella was sure glad to see him. Nice they get along.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, nice.¡± For a moment her weary brain didn¡¯t absorb what the neighbor was saying. ¡°What cat?¡±


    Mrs. Morgenstern continued in that patient voice one uses with a child. ¡°The white one you and Claris showed me a few months ago. Bella¡¯s the gray, isn¡¯t she? Or is that the Rileys¡¯? No, theirs is striped. I don¡¯t know the white kitty¡¯s name¡ªI didn¡¯t even know he was staying here¡ªbut he¡¯s pretty as a picture.¡±


    Ari gaped at the elderly woman. The only cat she and Claris had brought around was¡­ No, it couldn¡¯t be.

 Page 45

    The creases in Mrs. Morgenstern¡¯s wrinkled face deepened. ¡°I hope I did the right thing, letting him in. He sure acted like he belonged.¡±


    ¡°Uh, yes. That¡¯s fine.¡± Ari was eager to get inside and see for herself. ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Morgenstern!¡± She only knew one white cat.


    She shoved her key in the door and turned it. It was quiet inside.


    Bella didn¡¯t greet her by winding around her legs. Nor was the cat curled in her favorite spot on the sofa. Ari quickly scanned the rest of her efficiency apartment and breathed a silent hallelujah. Two sets of cat eyes glittered at her from the middle of her bed.


    ¡°Hernando, you old rascal. Come visiting the girlfriend, I see.¡±


    The snowy Siamese blinked his baby blues at her. Ari shifted her gaze to Bella. Worldly wise green eyes returned a sleepy stare, reinforcing the satisfied smirk on Bella¡¯s face.


    Uh-oh. What was the gestation period for cats?


    Epilogue


    ¡°Sixty to sixty-seven days is the normal length of pregnancy.¡± Claris sat at the kitchen table, her laptop open in front of her. Coffee cup in hand, Ari peered at the screen over Claris¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Does it say how many?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t call them litters for nothing.¡±


    Bella¡¯s owner groaned. ¡°That¡¯s multiple, right? Like more than one.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but don¡¯t worry. It¡¯ll be fun. They¡¯ll be beautiful kittens, and it should be easy to find good homes. I¡¯ll put up a sign in the store window as soon as we know for sure she¡¯s pregnant. Start screening potential adoptive parents.¡±


    ¡°I already know for sure,¡± Ari grumbled. ¡°So does he. Look at him.¡±


    Hernando, the white Siamese male, sat washing his paws and privates in the greenhouse window. The door between Claris¡¯s living quarters at the back of her shop and the attached greenhouse had been left open, and Hernando had trotted past a few minutes earlier and was enjoying the morning sun.


    Ari had been at the shop door, cat in hand, thirty minutes before Claris opened at 8:00. Bella was at home sleeping it off. Only this wasn¡¯t like getting over a hangover. Ari intended to have a serious talk with Bella about future behavior. Abstinence or the vet. As far as she knew, there was no safe sex for felines.


    ¡°If this is the worst outcome from the last few days, you should consider yourself lucky,¡± Claris said, as she looked up from the screen. While Claris had searched for the cat info, Ari had brought her up to date on events in Toronto and Steffan¡¯s rescue. Claris wasn¡¯t pleased with Ari¡¯s secrecy, and her lips formed a slight pout. ¡°You should have told me sooner. I could have worried with you, and I wouldn¡¯t have been bugging you about Hernando.¡±


    ¡°It all happened so fast. How would it help to have you worry over something you couldn¡¯t fix? I didn¡¯t even tell Ryan. Andreas did that.¡±


    Claris closed the laptop, got to her feet and refilled the coffee cups. ¡°Sometimes I feel like you shut me out.¡±


    Surprised, Ari sat down and thought about it. ¡°If I do, it¡¯s because you¡¯re the sane part of my life. I¡¯m not sure I want you involved in the chaotic Otherworld stuff. I certainly don¡¯t want you involved in the risks.¡± She produced a wry grin. ¡°I¡¯ve got to have some place to go when the fighting¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t act like it¡¯s over this time. You¡¯re edgy. I see little worry lines, and fussing about Bella¡¯s condition isn¡¯t like you.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Ari let out a heavy sigh. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be this way. Andreas and Steffan are both fine. In fact, Steffan¡¯s thrilled that the coalition was approved late last night after everyone made some adjustments. I should be satisfied how everything ended. Yet it feels unfinished.¡±


    ¡°Because of Andreas.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. ¡°I can tell you miss him, and I know how much I hate it when Brando goes to his conferences.¡±


    ¡°It feels like a part of me is still in Toronto.¡± Once she started talking about Andreas, Ari let it all spill out. The effects of the legend on their bond, the moments she¡¯d spent in Andreas¡¯s head, the on-going concerns about his safety in Toronto, and her belief that long distance relationships couldn¡¯t survive for long.


    Claris argued with her, reminding her that three hours wasn¡¯t that far away. ¡°You could fly up there every weekend if you wanted.¡±


    But when Claris was called up front to take care of customers in the shop, Ari still wasn¡¯t convinced. It wasn¡¯t as simple as Claris thought. Ari couldn¡¯t be gone from her responsibilities that often.


    She leaned forward in her chair, propping her head up with one hand and elbow on the kitchen table. She felt out of control. Ari was used to fixing things, but her personal problems were defying solution.


    Short of dimension-hopping, which was a demon thing, there wasn¡¯t any way to bring Toronto and Riverdale into close proximity. They¡¯d just have to live with that. But if she understood the bond better, perhaps they could gain some control over it. Andreas was taking everything better than she was, but neither of them was very happy about their unpredictable link or the current separation.


    Ari sighed and got up from the table. Why was that always the way with them? Pulled together, torn apart.


    After the conversation with Claris, Ari spent more time researching the legend and talked with Rosalina again. Since no one had bonded with a vampire before, the seer wasn¡¯t much help. Ari called Andreas and read him the story from the Book of Shadows. Ari was intrigued to finally learn that Ramora, the witch whose indecision had begun the legend, had chosen the good father from among her three suitors. It didn¡¯t provide any insight into the powers of the bond, however, and no matter how many times she read it, the legend still decreed an unbreakable link would be forged between a Calin witch and her soul mate.


    At first, Andreas was skeptical any witch¡¯s curse or spell could have that kind of long-range effect. For a vampire, he held an inexplicable belief in self-determination. After Ari explained Rosalina¡¯s interpretation¡ªthat the bond merely strengthen an existing attachment¡ªhe began to see the similarity with a vampire bond. It was very possible they were dealing with some unique linking of the two magical enchantments.


    Ari kept digging for more information, turning to her own family history in the cedar trunk she used as a coffee table. Among the mementoes, notes and papers that belonged to her deceased relatives was a packet of her mother¡¯s letters, and she finally located a passage that seemed significant. The letter had been written by her mother, a practicing Calin witch, to her father, a non-practicing descendant of another witch clan:


    Dearest,


    I miss you and long to be home. Yet you were with me today. When I was at the door of the crypt, you stayed my hand. How did you know? Without your warning, the demons inside would surely have killed me and your unborn child. Your touch was so real! As if your hand held me back. I don¡¯t know how that was possible, but I thank the Goddess for it. Gran said the strength of the Ramora bond is greatest when both mates are witch born, but it can manifest in many ways. This must be our way. I will light a candle of gratitude. We must speak of this again when I return.


    After reading the letter, Ari and Andreas experimented long distance with sharing thoughts or pictures of what they were doing by using the gate. The concept wasn¡¯t quite so scary to Ari when they put a label on it. The real difference was knowing her parents had also shared some form of telepathy. Still, there were moments when she remembered her vampire soul mate had powers of his own, powers she didn¡¯t yet understand and couldn¡¯t predict.


    Despite their mutual concerns, they made progress in sharing only what and when they chose. When it worked right, they could turn the gate on and off at will. Andreas mastered it quickly. Ari was frustrated by her early attempts but was getting better. She kept reminding herself that he¡¯d had a lot more experience with this telepathic thing. It might have been easier if they weren¡¯t working over so great a distance.


    Her failure to control the gate had only been one source of Ari¡¯s funky mood over the last week. Olde Town had been free of serious crimes or disputes. With too much time on her hands, she¡¯d been feeling a little sorry for herself. She almost wished dispatch would call with a new murder. Not that she was eager for someone to die, but if another murder was on the schedule anyway, this would be a good time for it to happen.


    Ari settled back into a regular routine of counseling Otherworlders during the day and patrolling every night. She and Ryan were called out one night when a couple of drunk college students got overly friendly with a young vampiress, but it was settled before anyone got hurt. Afterward, she and Ryan went for coffee.


    Ari stirred her black coffee, stalling before bringing up the strain between them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she finally said. ¡°Claris tells me I push people away, but I don¡¯t mean to.¡±


    ¡°You do,¡± Ryan agreed. ¡°Sometimes I feel pretty useless, but it really was my fault this time. This wasn¡¯t a joint case. I had no right to insist on being included.¡±


    ¡°But that wasn¡¯t the point, was it?¡± She widened her eyes in question, but he just shook his head. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad Andreas had the good sense to call you.¡±


    Ryan grinned. ¡°I always knew he was a smart man.¡±


    Ari laughed. Somehow Andreas¡¯s appeal to Ryan for help had made a difference. She didn¡¯t pretend to understand men, but was glad her relationship with Ryan seemed to be on the mend.


    Two days later, the werewolf Fagan and his friends finally surfaced. They claimed they¡¯d been unexpectedly called out of town. Steffan figured they¡¯d been laying low, refusing to be involved in the search and hoping he wouldn¡¯t be found¡ªor that he¡¯d be found dead. When Fagan proposed leaving the pack to start his own group, Steffan gave him his blessing.


    By the end of two weeks, Ari still hadn¡¯t figured out how to handle the pieces of her own life. It was Thursday night, the night Andreas used to sing at the club. A few weeks ago, she would have been looking forward to the evening, sipping a little wine, chatting with Lilith or Russell, and watching the show.

 Page 46

    Instead, she and Bella were settled on the couch with the TV on¡ªsome late night host, but Ari wasn¡¯t paying much attention. She¡¯d been more unsettled than usual this evening. She ran her hands up and down her arms to discharge the energy tingling on her skin. Sometimes her thoughts of Andreas were so strong she felt his magical power as if he was beside her. Powerful stuff. She often hoped it meant he was thinking of her.


    Sometimes her imagination was more persistent than others. Tonight it began during patrol and hadn¡¯t gone away. Now she was on edge, faint shivers skimming over her skin. It was self-delusional, annoying. It also made her want to hear his voice. To re-establish that magical connection.


    So why not? Wasn¡¯t that what phones were for? It was late, the middle of the night, perfect time to call a vampire. The worst he could do was say he was busy. She¡¯d still hear his voice.


    She thumbed the number. He answered on the first ring.


    ¡°Good evening, Arianna.¡± His voice warmed her instantly. ¡°Your timing is impeccable. I am delighted you called.¡±


    His magic reached out to her, and the funky mood dissolved. She sighed, no longer worrying about the things she couldn¡¯t change. This was enough; it had to be.


    ¡°I called to hear your voice,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°I would rather see you, hold you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, me, too.¡±


    ¡°Then perhaps you should open the door.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ari bolted off the couch, dumping an offended cat on the floor, and froze. She focused on the apartment door, as if it would magically open. ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Open the door, Arianna,¡± he prompted.


    She flew over, fumbling with the locks. The second she had the door open, she leaped into his arms, knocking his cell phone to the hallway floor.


    Andreas laughed as he swung her around. ¡°Glad to see me? Perhaps we should step inside.¡±


    Suddenly self-conscious, she dropped her arms and wiggled to get down. Andreas was having none of it. He trapped her against him with one arm and snagged his cell phone with the other.


    ¡°What are you doing here? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± She craned her neck to see his face, winding her arms back around him.


    ¡°I wanted it to be a surprise. It seems I succeeded.¡± He maneuvered them into the apartment and used his foot to close the door.


    ¡°Now,¡± he said, allowing her body to slide down his until her feet touched the floor, ¡°for a proper greeting.¡±


    His lips met hers with a gentle feathery touch¡ªnot overly demanding at first¡ªbut with a simple sense of belonging. He deepened the kiss, taking possession of her mouth, and she met him stroke for stroke. When they drew apart, breathing heavily, the last two weeks had melted away.


    ¡°How long can you stay?¡±


    ¡°So anxious to be rid of me already?¡±


    ¡°You know better than that. If not, maybe I need to kiss you again.¡±


    ¡°A fine idea.¡± He dropped onto the couch and held out his arms. ¡°I do feel I need further convincing.¡±


    Ari laughed, sliding onto his lap. She ran her tongue over his lips and worked on convincing him. It wasn¡¯t quite as chaste as before. With a quick intake of breath, Andreas flipped her over, pressing her body with his hard contours. She reached under his shirt and skimmed her fingernails over the muscles of his back. Andreas groaned, grabbing her T-shirt and pulling it over her head. He looked at her a long moment, then began a trail of kisses down her throat.


    Later, when they were cuddled on the couch, her head resting against his bare chest, and when Ari could think again, she started wondering why he was there. Wasn¡¯t it too soon for him to be away from the situation in Toronto? Would someone take advantage of his absence?


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call and tell me you were coming?¡±


    ¡°Until the last minute I was not positive it would be today. And¡­I really did want to surprise you.¡±


    He threaded his fingers through her hair, his touch distracting her. In fact, everything about him was distracting. How had she let herself get this involved with someone destined to come and go from her life? She sighed, determined to be satisfied with what they had.


    ¡°Why the heavy sigh?¡± He sat up and studied her face. ¡°Would another surprise help?¡±


    ¡°What kind of surprise? Did you bring me something?¡±


    ¡°No. Yes, in a way.¡±


    She gave him an indulgent look. ¡°Am I supposed to guess? Or can you be a little more specific?¡±


    ¡°I am back in Riverdale to stay.¡±


    Ari¡¯s mouth dropped open. Her emotions warred between thrilled and horrified. Had something awful happened in Toronto? He¡¯d been overthrown? She couldn¡¯t have heard him right. She finally found her tongue. ¡°How? Why? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Watching her face, his expression turned guarded, uncertain. ¡°Daron is the new Prince of Toronto, and I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Daron?¡± This time there was no doubt of the emotions that swamped Ari as she leaped to her feet. Rage. Betrayal. ¡°How could he do that to you?¡±


    Andreas rose and frowned at her. ¡°Arianna, cara mia, why are you so upset?¡± He reached out, and his hands closed around her shoulders. ¡°Daron did not do anything. I gave him the crown.¡±


    ¡°Why? Why would you do that?¡± Surely it wasn¡¯t because of her. No, dammit! Andreas wouldn¡¯t do that without talking to her. Something had gone very wrong. Why didn¡¯t he call her? Follow the plan. It was only three hours by jet. She didn¡¯t know what to say to him.


    ¡°You¡¯re disappointed?¡± he asked quietly.


    ¡°Disappointed?¡± His understatement broke her restraint. ¡°I¡¯m pissed as hell. What about the others? Russell, Lilith, Gabriel. Tell me what happened.¡±


    Please Goddess, don¡¯t let any of my friends be dead.


    Andreas¡¯s face paled, his eyes hooded. ¡°I thought you would be happy to have me in Riverdale,¡± he said. ¡°Apparently I misjudged the situation.¡±


    ¡°I am, or I would be if things were different.¡± She scowled at him. ¡°How could I be happy when you gave up so much? I¡¯m not that selfish.¡±


    His eyebrows shot up. ¡°Cara mia, I do not know what you mean. Are we talking at cross purposes? I have given up nothing, except a huge headache.¡± The cloud on his face began to clear. ¡°All of us have returned safely. Daron and I formed an alliance, a business deal, and traded territories. You are scowling so disrespectfully at the new Prince of Riverdale.¡±


    She was speechless for a long moment. ¡°Really? Truthfully? Why didn¡¯t you say so?¡±


    ¡°I just did.¡± His chuckle was low, as his knuckles gently rubbed across her chin.


    Ari peppered him with questions, and he filled in the pieces of the story, including his secret negotiations with Daron. While Ari had known Andreas and Daron had been talking, she hadn¡¯t known an exchange of territories had been under consideration since the night Sebastian died. Although Ari was annoyed he hadn¡¯t shared this sooner, she was beginning to know her vampire. He wouldn¡¯t understand her irritation. In his mind, it was vampire business and didn¡¯t need to be shared until it affected her. And she was too happy to have him home to start a fight that would gain her nothing.


    She nodded absently, wiggling closer to his side on the couch, as he listed all the thinking that had gone into their final decision. Very solid and extremely practical choices. Quite businesslike, in fact. He pointed out that the Toronto court was too large and had too many older vampires for him to hold it indefinitely, that Daron was older and more experienced, that Daron''s age and experience would gain him automatic respect from Sebastian''s people, especially when the word circulated that Daron was the first son of an elder. Andreas also mentioned something about Daron¡¯s presence in Toronto might slow down the O-Seven. They''d have to think of some clever way to oust him, because his sire would never agree to an assassination. All good, sensible arguments, Ari thought, leaning her head against his chest. Blah¡­blah¡­blah. The rest of it went in one ear and out the other.


    She listened to the rich vibrations of his voice, savored the familiar scent of his cologne. His magic cradled her, entwined with her own, shutting out the rest of the world. The words were simply lost in the process. Maybe she¡¯d care about the details later and make him repeat it all¡ªespecially the part about the O-Seven. The vampire elders weren¡¯t likely to leave Prince Daron or Andreas alone forever. Not after the death of Sebastian and taking over the Toronto court. They¡¯d need to plan for the possibility that bigger and better monsters would come. But not tonight.


    When he finished the lengthy explanation, they remained on the couch, wrapped in each other¡¯s arms. Bella hopped up and curled beside them, her loud purr signaling her contentment. Ari¡¯s smiled to herself. She wanted to purr too.


    ¡°I¡¯ll miss one thing,¡± she whispered just to tease him. ¡°The private jet. I was beginning to get used to it.¡±


    Andreas stirred and murmured against her hair. ¡°Then consider it yours. Because I brought that with me, too.¡±


    Ari turned her head to look into his dark, fathomless eyes. Her own mysterious vampire and a private jet. What more could any witch desire?