Blood Kin (3 page)

“Never. She simply told me that if I was stubborn enough to stay behind, then I’d have to accept the consequences.”

“What’s going to happen now?” Adam’s words held a mix of curiosity and concern. We’d never really discussed the possibility of me becoming the heir, nor much about specifics of the Change, other than that once it happened, I’d settle into my primary Talent. I’d expected to become
a shapeshifter, like my six elder brothers and my father or, perhaps, a healer, like my aunts. This? So not on my agenda … at all.

As to what was ahead of me? No bloody clue.

Sure, I knew about our rules of succession and what it meant to be the heir in the same way an American knows about the British Royals—that is, what one sees on TV or in books or in the news. Ours was more than legend, but a story, nonetheless, something a Clan member learns about in our own home-school classes and stories told by others. History, not reality. Something that happened to someone else, in a time and place long ago and far away. Despite the fact that my own branch of the Clan produced the last heir, Minerva Kelly—somewhat affectionately known as Gigi to my generation (thanks to my inability to say “Minerva” as a child)—the stories were no more real to me than any other family tales. Gigi became the heir centuries ago, and had ruled the Clan for nearly that length of time. Frankly, she was a fact of my existence and I had never asked about the transition from the former Clan chief to her. It never occurred to me that I would need to know. Now, I did. Problem was, no one had any answers but Gigi herself.

Between my newfound position and my Aunt Isabel’s information that Gideon was dying, I had to leave.

“What time will the pilot be here?”

“She’s flying into San Antonio International, to the private aircraft terminal. Supposed to be there around six-thirty or so in the evening.” I took a deep breath. “I’ll need to head out around four o’clock so I can be on time to meet her.”

Adam kissed my shoulder. “I will miss you.”

I looked into his eyes, their clear green troubled with the words he wouldn’t say. His fear echoed mine. We were
both afraid now that I was heir, I’d be required to stay with the Clan chief and not return.

“I will come back,” I promised, echoing my earlier words to Noe. “I swear to you. Whatever happens with Gigi, I will figure something out and come back.” I leaned over and kissed him, a light peck that became deeper. This was what I wanted.

“You know, you could come with me.” I murmured the words against his mouth, reluctant to let go of our connection.

He cupped my chin in his hand and stroked my cheek with his thumb. “Will you take your brother with you?”

I leaned into the touch, nipping at his thumb. “Yes. Tucker came here to watch over me,” I said. “He wants to come back with me.”

“And Niko?” Adam asked, referring to Tucker’s lover and Adam’s own second-in-command of the vampire tribe.

“I don’t know,” I replied. “Tucker was going to ask him. For my part, he’s free to come, if you can spare him. It’s a private plane. Plenty of room. Easy enough to leave after dark. Vancouver’s only a few hours flight.” A possibility crossed my mind. “Adam, you should
both
come.”

“Vancouver? I thought you said your family was north of there.”

“Yes, but we need to stop there first. Customs. After that, it’s just a short trip north. There’s a private airstrip. So come. The place is huge, plenty of accommodations. Gigi won’t bite.”

I mentally crossed my fingers at the last. I knew what I was doing—trying to bring reinforcements. Adam, Niko and Tucker. Three on my side. Not that I knew sides would be taken, but anything could happen around Gigi, and often did. My goal was to get there and take care of
business, where business meant Gideon’s incipient death first and figuring out my heirship duties second. Then it meant offering Gigi a deal of some sort for her to let me come back to Texas for a few decades or so, until I was technically of age, say fifty or sixty. Then, I’d return to the family fold. After all, I’d changed at thirty-seven; I wouldn’t even be thirty-eight for a few more months. Normally, the Change didn’t come until our fifth or sixth decade. I hoped, because of that, I could buy some time. This thing—
relationship
—with Adam was practically brand-new. I wanted to know what it could become.

Adam answered me with another deep kiss. Everything else left my head as I let myself respond. Before we could get much further, my phone went off.

I smiled at Adam ruefully. “Just a moment and hold that thought,” I said and reached across him.

“Isabel?” I answered my cell phone, wondering why my aunt was calling so soon. She’d taken a commercial flight back to Vancouver earlier today—a sort of advance guard. By this time, she should have been on the road to the family enclave.

“Keira, sweetheart,” she nearly gushed at me. “You are well?”

I moved away from Adam and sat up, puzzled. “As well as I was say, oh …” I looked at the clock. “Seven hours ago, when you left. What’s up?”

“Well, I wanted to be sure to contact you before the phone signal got crazy.”

“Contact me about what?” Phone signal? What was she going on about? Granted, the road going north from Vancouver went through mountains and such, but most phones did okay for at least most of the trip.

“Well, honey, I’m not actually sure of the details yet,
but Minerva left a voice mail for me whilst I was on board the plane. Told me to tell you to stay in Texas for a day or two longer.”

“Stay? What’s going on, aunt? Why on earth didn’t Gigi call me directly? It’s not like she doesn’t have my number.” In more ways than one, I thought.

“Sweetie, I have no idea. All the message said was that she wanted me to tell you to hang tight and that the pilot would ring and let you know when it’s time.”

Adam looked at me in concern. I was sure I was throwing off all sorts of anxiety vibes. This was extremely odd. “So I should stay here? What about Gideon? If he needs to be—”

“I’m sure Minerva wouldn’t ask you to stay if Gideon was any less than stable,” Isabel answered. “Look, honey, I’m sorry I don’t know what’s happening. I’ve been trying to phone Minerva but the signal here is pretty erratic. I’m going to try again now that I seem to be in a place where the phone is working. I’ll ring you back if I get through. If you don’t hear from me right away, don’t worry. We’ll get this sorted and someone will let you know—”

The call cut off. I looked at my phone—still connected. “Isabel?”

Nothing. Damn it. She must have lost the signal.

“I heard most of that,” Adam said. “Any thoughts?” Thank goodness for preternatural hearing. Saved me from recapping the conversation.

“None whatsoever,” I said as I flipped the phone closed and stashed it back on the nightstand. “Typical freaking Kelly MO—it’s odd, but hey, that’s the way we do things sometimes; first it’s all rush, rush, then hurry up and wait.”

“Shouldn’t you call?”

“I suppose so,” I said. Getting it from the horse’s mouth
and all that. I dialed the main number at the enclave. Gigi didn’t have a cell phone as far as I knew. After several rings, the line switched over to voice mail.

“This is Keira, calling for Gigi and trying to figure out what’s going on. Please let her know I called.” I snapped shut my phone.

“Is that normal?” Adam asked.

“Voice mail, you mean?”

He nodded. “I have someone answering our main line clock round.”

“There’s often someone answering the phone at the enclave during standard business hours, but it’s after eight p.m. there. I’m sure they’re just letting voice mail get it. I’ll try Dad.”

Once again, I got voice mail and left a message.

“Do you think something’s happened?”

“I doubt it. I think Gigi’s message to Isabel would have been more intense if there’d been something wrong. I think it’s just the Kelly usual. My family’s not the best in the world at being connected with the modern technologies. Dad’s been known to go weeks without checking his messages. Usually Rhys or Ianto or one of the others makes him do it.”

“And so about your Gideon?”

“Not mine,” I grumbled and moved closer to Adam. “Hasn’t been in a long time.” I snuggled into Adam’s embrace. “I’m sure he must have stabilized. There’s no way Gigi would have delayed me if he were truly dying.”

“Do you think that Isabel was exaggerating?”

“You mean earlier, when she said he was dying?”

“Yes, could that be the case?”

“I don’t think so,” I responded. “Isabel isn’t one to exaggerate. I think she was passing along information
from Jane, who may have done. Remember, Isabel was on walkabout, hadn’t been home in a while. She never actually saw Gideon.”

“You don’t think this ‘Gideon is dying’ scenario was concocted by your Gigi, do you?”

“It’s unlikely. Gigi may be a lot of things, but as far as I know, she’s never felt the need to make something up. She’s our matriarch. If she wanted me to come back that drastically, she’d have issued a command.”

“Would you have gone?”

I thought about it a moment. Would I have? When I’d returned to Texas with my emotions in shreds, I’d balked at leaving the only place I’d known as a refuge. I’d argued with Gigi and she’d eventually relented. She hadn’t insisted, nor even come close to commanding that I join them. She’d only suggested that it was in my best interests to do so.

“Yes, I would,” I answered. “The reason I’m going now is because even if he’s stable, Gideon’s situation could change at any moment. I was and still am an Escort, Adam. If it’s his time, I could be needed.”

“To help him die.” It wasn’t a question. Adam was perfectly aware of what my duties as an Escort once were … to help family members pass through to death.

“I’ll help him die if that’s his choice, but that’s not the only reason I’d go. Gigi’s my leader, and ultimately …” I smiled as I tried to explain my point of view, even though Adam more than likely understood, being a leader himself. “Honestly, Adam, to her, my decision to stay behind in Rio Seco when they all left was nothing more than a silly adolescent rebellion. Don’t forget, in her eyes, I’m only just past childhood. Now that I’ve Changed, I’m technically an adult, but still with a lot of learning to go. I’ve inherited all the abilities of the Kellys, but have no freaking idea how
to use any of them. The only good thing about all of this is that I don’t anticipate having any unexpected visions or episodes like I experienced pre-Change. No, I don’t think Gigi or anyone concocted a story about Gideon dying to entice me home. They all know what’s happened by now, at least the ones at the enclave do, and they absolutely expect me home soon. It wouldn’t occur to them that I wouldn’t come home—all recent Changelings do so they can work with a mentor to learn to use their new Talent.” I gave him a quick kiss. “Something’s off about this, but I’m happy to have a while longer here.” Another quick kiss. “With you and—” I shut my eyes a moment.

“Bea,” Adam said in a whisper. He kissed my eyelids. “You want another chance to make amends.”

“Yes,” I whispered back. “We’ve been friends for thirty years. I don’t know where to even start, but I have to try.”

A
FEW HOURS LATER
, misery had been replaced with sheer joy as I ran—for the first time in my short-by-family-standards life—on four legs in the bright sunshine of a Texas day, wolf fur rippling in the breeze. This,
this
was part of what I’d just inherited, this freedom and elation, the pure brilliance of ability. No wonder my brothers loved it so much. I hadn’t known what I was missing.

I turned to look at the wolf loping along next to me, in all his red, furry glory, mouth open in what only could be called a shit-eating grin. C’mon then. I jerked my muzzle in the direction of the small copse of oak trees across the clearing, and nudged my brother’s flank with my own furry nose. With a sharp yip he bit playfully at my pale fur and took off running. I followed, barely a few paces behind, soon to catch up.

Being a wolf was so
easy
.

Tucker and I had agreed this would be my first foray into the realm of the Changed, to learn to shift. He could teach me to be wolf: to run, to hunt, to simply exist in the moment. Existing in the moment wasn’t something I’d been able to do a lot of lately … or, well, ever. Since our departure had been delayed and we had time, I figured I might as well learn how to use at least one of my Talents. Since Tucker was a shapeshifter, he could mentor me. Eventually, I’d have to find other teachers for other Talents, but for now, I could learn to be a wolf and
run
.

The oppressive heat wave that had marked most of the last few weeks was gone in the blustery blow of a blue norther, a wave of chill wind that had sent the temperatures plummeting not two hours ago, leaving behind near winter conditions—despite the fact that it was March in the Hill Country and, ostensibly, spring. Just yesterday we’d been sweating in the shade; right now, I’d be surprised if the mercury hit forty. Texas weather: giving a whole new meaning to the term bipolar.

Tucker howled in delight as his nose crossed the imaginary finish line a hair before mine. He capered like a cub, teasing and nipping as he entreated me to play some more. It had been a long time since I’d seen my brother so carefree and happy.

A sharp sensation at the end of my tail made me whirl, ready to jump on my brother. I stopped and let out a sound that was part growl, part wolf for “what the hell?” Tucker had obviously bitten at my tail, but was now shifting back to human. I had no idea why. We were comfortable enough in wolf shape, but in human form, we’d freeze out here. Taking an early afternoon while all the vampires slept to wander the Wild Moon, we’d gone exploring the area around the main ranch. I wasn’t sure exactly where we’d ended up, but I knew we were at least a good half-hour lupine run from where we’d left our clothes.

“You make a beautiful wolf, cousin.” The melodic tones came from behind me. Daffyd ap Geraint, cousin to me on my mother’s side and Seelie Sidhe, stood next to a gnarled oak, his silver hair and flowing robes at odds with the rustic beauty of the Hill Country land. His companion, Gary Pursell, stood beside him. Although Gary was also clad in the flowing white robes of the
Sidhe, he could never be mistaken for anything other than what he was: human.