Corrigan Rage (7 page)

We all rose at once. The Summer Queen apparently decided that this was the optimum time to take her leave, winking out of the room with an imperious click of her fingers. The Arch-Mage looked at me as if to say,’well, monsters are your problem, not ours’. I thought of Mack and Tom and the other assembled shifters. I didn’t need their blood spilled. Not here. Not anywhere.

I shoved my way out.
Tom! What’s going on?

There was an animalistic roar of rage. I sprang forward.

No need to worry, my Lord. We have it under control.

I relaxed fractionally, slowing my pace. His tone was calm and he wasn’t about to lie.
What is it?

Some strange furry thing with big teeth. We took it down. It vanished pretty quickly once it realised we meant business. I don’t think it’s coming back.

We?

The shifters. No-one else seemed to want to get involved.

I rolled my eyes. Typical. Then another thought struck me.
Only the shifters? Not Mack?

Sudden silence greeted me. The very last person in the world to miss a fight was her. I sprung into the room, taking in the collection of dazed looking Otherworlders. Tom was in the corner, his head hanging. If he’d been in wolf form, his tail would have been between his legs. I should have known she wouldn’t let him keep her from her real mission. Whatever the hell that happened to be. If she had brought a monster here to cause a diversion, even if it had been easily taken care of, then I’d wring her bloody neck.

I was no longer in the mood for teasing.
Where the fuck are you, Mackenzie?

In the bathroom,
she answered back almost immediately.
Powdering my nose.

I snarled in anger. Like hell she was. I could see the damned bathroom from here and it was empty. She was messing around with something – and it was probably something to do with the vampires that was going to end up causing me even more headaches with them than I already had. I thought about the blood that had been sitting on the table and wondered whether she’d gone in search of any human victims who were being hidden in the kitchens to be bled dry as and when was required. It was the kind of stupidly noble thing she’d try – even if I knew the bloodsuckers made contracts with those people that were unbreakable.

I pushed past a waiter and decided to try to see if she was there anyway. The closer I got to the back of the house, the stronger the smell of blood got. It turned my stomach. I cursed Mack for complicating everything.

There was only one human in the kitchen – a young man in his early twenties smiling dreamily at the ceiling. I strode over and grabbed his wrist.

‘Have you a seen a woman around here?’

His eyes drifted down towards me. ‘I’ve seen many women, mate.’

‘You’d remember this one,’ I growled. ‘Bald head. Unusual eyes. She would have tried to free you.’

He frowned. ‘I don’t want to be freed. I chose to come here.’

‘That wouldn’t make a difference to her.’

He just looked at me blankly. I cursed again and spun on my heel. Maybe she’d gone upstairs.

I was just about back at the main hallway when I finally spotted her, oddly barefoot. Aubrey was standing in front of her, his red eyes firing spite – and something else – in her direction. I felt a sudden ripple of fear. If he’d caught her doing whatever in the world it was she’d been doing, I wasn’t sure what I could do to help her. We were in his house and under his rules. Even the Arch-Mage wouldn’t stand in the vampires’ way if they wanted to take vengeance for some slight she’d caused. Like encouraging some Otherworldly nastie to gatecrash.

My heart pounding, I called out. ‘Honey! There you are! Did you find the bathroom?’

I walked up, looking as casual as I dared, and placed a proprietary hand on her arm.

‘No,’ she answered in an entirely uncharacteristic girlish tone, ‘it’s not up there. That creature out there has almost made me wet myself.’

I almost snorted in laughter. Whatever it had been, I very much doubted it would scare Mack. Then I realised she was barely breathing. Aubrey was watching her like a hawk, sniffing the air as if trying to scent out her real identity.

‘Aubrey, this is Mackenzie.’ Using the thought she’d already planted, I took her lead. I needed him to think she was nothing more than my date. No-one powerful or important. I prayed that she’d continue to play along instead of letting her famous temper get the better of her. ‘Say hello,’ I told her.

‘Hello, Aubrey,’ she cooed, batting her eyelashes. ‘I love your eyes. They’re so ... red.’

‘You’re not human,’ Aubrey declared.

‘No, no, I’m not.’

I forced my way back into the conversation. ‘She’s a werehamster,’ I said, amazed at how easily the lie came. It was probably because I’d heard it so many damn times, of course.

‘Fascinating,’ Aubrey drawled. ‘I’ve never come across one of those before.’

‘Aubrey, do you know where the bathroom is?’ She asked.

He pointed down the corridor. I was tempted to tighten my grip on her arm and refuse to let her go again but she slipped out easily and almost sprinted off. Aubrey gave me a strange look.

‘There’s no way she’s a werehamster.’

I simply shrugged and tried to steer away the conversation from her. ‘Did you call that monster here for entertainment?’

‘It wasn’t a monster,’ he told me. ‘It was just a wendigo. And no, we did not conjure it up. Perhaps it was one of your people.’

‘I can assure you,’ I said stiffly, ‘it was not.’

‘Then it was the Fae or the wizards. Either way we have been insulted. I demand retribution.’

‘Of what sort?’

His eyes gleamed. ‘Of the Albus seal sort, of course.’ He patted my arm. It took everything I had not to recoil.

‘The seal belongs to the Tower now. We’ve been through this.’

‘I don’t care,’ he hissed. ‘We want it.’

‘Tough.’

Aubrey bared his teeth, his long white fangs elongating over his bright red lips. ‘Sooner or later, you will get it for us.’

‘Look,’ I said annoyed enough by now to tell him the truth, ‘I know you think it will give you power over us, but it’s only symbolic. It doesn’t do a thing.’

He threw back his head and laughed. ‘Oh, you’re so very young, Corrigan. Don’t worry though. One of these days you’ll learn.’ He walked away, still chuckling in amusement, leaving me staring after him.

Tom came up and stood by my shoulder. ‘Most of the shifters have left,’ he informed me. ‘They needed new clothes and it seemed better that they left instead of affronting the mages’ delicate sensibilities.’

I looked down at his own attire. He appeared to be wearing a table cloth. ‘Sound reasoning,’ I told him. ‘You should leave yourself.’

He nodded. ‘Will do. Mark and Mike were out the back and didn’t get the chance to shift so they’re good. They’ll wait around for you in case there’s any more trouble. That first monster appeared out of nowhere.’

I had the sneaking suspicion that if any more trouble was going to occur, it would be as a result of either the vampires or Mack, not a wendigo. I smiled in reassurance anyway though and watched him leave. The two werewolves, Mark and Mike, wandered out of the first room and stood obediently ahead. The pair of them seemed upset that they hadn’t joined the initial fray so I smiled at them too. Then I leaned against the wall and reached out telepathically for Mack, all my grinning coming to an abrupt halt.
You’re a fucking idiot.

What do you mean?
She immediately answered, her returning Voice calm and measured.
I was simply a bit scared of that incredibly loud roaring sound from outside, and needed to hide somewhere in case its owner came into the house.

I gritted my teeth. Vampires like Aubrey were more dangerous than she realised. And she apparently thought I was born yesterday
. Funnily enough,
I drawled,
I know enough about you to know that you are not the type to run away from a fight. You’re far more likely to run headlong into one and get yourself killed.

She was suddenly concerned.
Did anyone get killed?

No. The thing vanished into thin air before anyone could do anything.

Well, I guess it’s just lucky that all you big, strong shifters were around to keep everyone safe.

I ignored her obvious jibe. I still wanted to get to the bottom of what she’d really been up to
. Mackenzie, have you done something that I need to know about? Something that is going to cause problems with the vampires?

Nope.

I’m not sure that Aubrey bought that story about the werehamster,
I cautioned, wishing for once that she would trust me enough to tell me the truth.

I appreciate you doing that. Sticking up for me, I mean. I know it might have potentially made things difficult between you and him.

I was taken aback. Her words actually seemed genuine. Warmth spread through me.
You’re welcome.
I reminded myself that she was still hiding something and I pushed the feeling away.
Now get the fuck out of there so that we can leave.

I’m actually a little bit busy.

Now, kitten.
I didn’t want to hang around here any longer.

I turned towards the door. I wouldn’t put it past Aubrey to make every damn Otherworlder stick around until it suited him. Any hopes of a successful meeting between us were long shattered, however. Fortunately, the way out seemed clear. For now.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and glanced back to see Mack. I blinked rapidly. Her face, which had been carefully covered in make-up that had done little more than hide her real beauty, was now smeared with black smudges. It was an improvement on the thick mascara and caked on eyeshadow even if it did give her the appearance of a grubby urchin.

She grinned. ‘Hello gorgeous.’

I frowned. This whole evening had turned into a complete waste of time and now she was cracking jokes.
You are not funny.

Suit yourself, my Lord.

You look better without that stuff anyway.

I gestured towards the two werewolves waiting for us up ahead. They peeled themselves away from the wall and fell in behind us.

‘Where are the rest of your obedient servants?’ Mack sniped.

‘Strangely enough,’ I said, eyeing her carefully, ‘there was a rather large, angry, bellowing creature outside that conveniently appeared out of nowhere. They felt the need to shift so they could attack it and protect the likes of you. Now they’re a bit too naked for this crowd.’

‘Thanks for the reminder,’ she said lightly. ‘Although you’d think that you lot would learn to come better prepared and bring a change of clothes.’

Her flippancy annoyed me. This gathering was supposed to be a serious affair. It might have already descended into chaotic arguments by the time the wendigo showed up, but that wasn’t the principle. ‘You’d think that us lot could attend a party without being attacked by a monster suddenly materialising.’

I stalked forward, passing the Fae, Solus, who ignored me completely in favour of doffing an imaginary hat to Mack. I hadn’t realised he was here too and the sudden knowledge pissed me off even more. I growled. ‘He’s a fairy. I’ve seen him before.’ Several times in fact. He was always annoying but on the one occasion that I’d seen him with Mack, he’d provided his utmost in irritation. ‘In my bedroom.’ Mack didn’t respond although I did note two high spots of colour on her cheeks. ‘Why is he here?’

She sighed. ‘It’s a party, Corrigan. Why is anyone here?’

I didn’t bother immediately answering. I was afraid of what I’d say if I did. I was angry at Solus for showing up, angry at Aubrey for his constant harping on about the seal, angry at the meeting that had been nothing more than a farce and, most of all, angry at Mack for more things than I cared to even think about. I’d been hoping for so much more out of this night. When we walked outside and she sighed happily to herself, her naked toes squirming in delight against the cool tarmac, something inside me snapped.

Leave us,
I said to Mark and Mike.

They bowed their heads and turned to walk away. I stopped dead and looked at her. ‘I have no idea why everyone else bothered to show up, but you can bet that you’re now going to tell me exactly why you did.’

I grabbed her arm, twisting it and lifting her up in the air. She weighed next to nothing and I was angry at that too. I flipped her down onto the road, spinning her slightly so that she didn’t hurt herself too badly. ‘I don’t like being used, kitten.’

Mack thrust out one closed fist, catching me on the jaw. For someone so light, she certainly packed a powerful punch. ‘Then why did you let me come along in the first place?’ she snarled back, jumping to her feet.

‘I mistakenly thought that it might be entertaining,’ I said, lunging for her again and twisting her round. I pulled her body against mine and tried to hold her there, enjoying the flare of heat emanating from her skin for a brief moment, before she kicked backwards and forced me to release her.

A spark of fun lit up her eyes and she punched me again. This time, however, it was in the stomach. A shock of pain rippled through me and I doubled over. It took considerable effort to stand up again and pretend like it had barely winded me.

She quirked up an eyebrow. ‘Aren’t you being entertained now?’

I actually was. It was about time. ‘Having the time of my life,’ I grunted, a tiny smile playing around my lips. This was definitely one way to work out my anger.

I thrust forward, snaking an arm round Mack’s waist and flipping her again. It was a move I shouldn’t have repeated, however, because she was already expecting it. She somersaulted over me then snapped a blow to the back of my neck. I grinned to myself. She’d have to hit me harder than that. I wondered if it would be worth throwing the fight completely. I rather enjoyed the idea of submitting to her. That was until a dark shape materialised in front of me. It wasn’t a wendigo this time though. It was something far, far more dangerous. A wraith.