Hidden Trump (Bite Back 2) (24 page)

“He’s gorgeous. Hot as…hot as hell. And he does seem to understand a lot about Athanate.”

“He’s the liaison with the Denver werewolves. Bian’s equivalent, if you like. She would have briefed him quite thoroughly about us to ensure there are no misunderstandings.”

I felt a spike of irrational jealousy. The dreamy wolf, Bian called him. Thorough briefings, Diana said. Did that mean what I was afraid it did? There would be a lot of teasing if I tried getting that information from Bian, and Diana didn’t seem about to tell me either.

“Is it unusual?” I asked. “Alex and me—Athanate and Were?”

“For entertainment, no, it’s quite common. For a relationship, yes, it is unusual. And for kin, you need to understand, his Blood will not fully sustain you.”

Alex had said as much.

Diana turned her face up to the sun and stood for a moment with her eyes closed.

“As for relationships…” she said. “Understand, I am not warning or advising you, Amber.” Her eyes opened and she turned back to me. “Traditionally, we find the bad boy attractive. It’s a thrill. It’s a challenge. We think we can control him. Silly, really. If we control him, it’s no longer a thrill, is it?”

“Never analyzed it myself,” I said. It wasn’t just a bad-boy thrill. There was something about him.

As if she read my mind again, Diana took my arm. “But the thrill. You seek it out in every part of your life, and I can see you looking for it here.”

I shrugged. I found Alex exciting. I couldn’t argue with that. “Okay, so?”

“Werewolves can’t be controlled. Violence is part of what makes them werewolves. They can be managed, after a fashion, and that’s what the pack does for its members. That’s what the alpha provides. Take a werewolf out of the pack and it will almost certainly end up as a rogue.”

What if Alex were kicked out of the pack? For that matter, what if I were kicked out of the Athanate? The thought of the two of us being together, somewhere else, without all the fear and worry was tempting, until the image of the pair of us going rogue surfaced.

“But what about the alpha?” I said. “How is their violence controlled?”

Diana laughed. “Clever question. I have no clever answer. Alphas are different.”

We passed some shrubs thick enough to provide cover and I distracted myself enough to make a mental note for my security review.

“The advice I have is to settle these issues in your mind before the Assembly. You’ll take the oath there, and that will make us associated. But how we proceed after that will depend on the risks, and there are risks in being so close to a werewolf. It’s not as if it’s contagious, but werewolves are disinhibited when the wolf is in the ascendant. And that profile is closer to Basilikos than Panethus.”

What if Alex and I ended up as half and half, but he was Basilikos and I was Panethus? The more I thought about what was happening, the more apprehensive and unsettled I became.

Diana was silent for a long while after that. We strolled into a hot conservatory and her hands automatically reached out to caress flowers or carefully remove dead blooms.

“Regardless, we must proceed extremely carefully with you,” she said, almost to herself. “But I have an idea. Yes.” She paused and absentmindedly picked a dramatic spray of lilies of the valley to weave it into my hair. “There,” she said, smiling. “That’s for sweetness, you know, in the language of flowers. So pretty, people forget the danger. They’re poisonous.”

I huffed. I did
not
wear flowers in my hair, but I could hardly tear them out in front of her.

“Please, Amber, no biting or being bitten at the moment. Nothing with Jennifer, blood or sex, for her own safety. I suppose whatever has happened with Alexander has already happened. If Alexander behaves strangely, call…” she stopped. “Well, no. There’s no one available this week.” She sighed. “This is such an awkward time until we get the Assembly out of the way. Perhaps you should avoid Alexander.”

I felt my heels digging in like a donkey’s hooves, but I said nothing.

“The project I have in mind will tell us why your Blood had such an effect on David,” she went on. “I will find a volunteer and we’ll see what happens when you try to change them.”

What? What if I succeeded? Would they become House Farrell? Was I going to have responsibility for some random person? If I didn’t like them, would my Athanate instincts override that?

Diana didn’t give me time to ask all those questions. She went on so quickly, I almost lost the next thing.

“Next week, bring your colonel and his wife to Haven if you wish, securely, of course. It will be up to Skylur whether they can stay and whether the colonel will help us. And whatever conditions he may impose. I make no promises.”

“Thanks.” What if Skylur said the colonel had to become kin? Eww. Not to mention what the colonel might think of that. But again, Diana didn’t give me a chance to dwell.

“None of that has me as concerned as the changes that you and Alexander brought about in your marque. Without the benefit of all of Remy’s equipment, I feel the Athanate is in the ascendant. The trouble is, I’m not sure which way around is less dangerous.”

“The other way around, surely? That’s the dangerous way, from what you’re saying, if the wolf becomes stronger.”

“I don’t know, Amber. Athanate influenced by wolf might go to Basilikos, wolf influenced by Athanate might go rogue. The only positive thing, as I mentioned, my Athanate senses still approve of your marque. My instincts are still saying sharing would be a benefit.” She smiled. “Meaning, I still want to bite you. More, if anything.”

I snorted. “It seemed to have that kind of effect at the ball as well, before I met Alex.”

“Don’t put it all down to your marque.”

I folded my arms.

“Even Skylur likes it,” Diana said.

“You’re joking! He’s so damn…superior, when he isn’t pissed at me. He sure as hell doesn’t let on, anyway.”

“No, he doesn’t.” She smiled and brushed the topic away. “Don’t overemphasize the changes the Athanate brings in you. Imperatives is too strong a word. Being Athanate does not so much make you do anything, or be anything, as it might urge, it might suggest, it might enhance…”

“It makes me drink blood.” I stopped and corrected that. “It will make me drink blood.”

She nodded. “Granted. That it will.”

“Is it different for others? Does it affect Bian? I mean the way she…”

Diana turned her huge, dark eyes on me. “No. There is a reason Bian behaves the way she does, believe me, and it’s nothing to do with the Athanate.” She closed her eyes again, let out a long breath. “One day, she will tell you her story.”

We left the conservatory for the gardens again.

“You realize that you are making Bian’s job even more difficult? Although you haven’t taken your oath, she accepts you as an affiliate. That means, as Diakon, she is responsible for your safety in our mantle. And at the moment, she cannot protect you from Matlal outside of Haven. This is a responsibility you must bear. You must be extra vigilant.”

Diana paused at an ornamental pond, looking down at the fish swimming beneath the surface.

It would all make more sense if they told Bian what they were doing, but I couldn’t get a feel for whether Diana approved of Skylur’s plans or not, and really it all revolved around what Skylur wanted.

“Skylur doesn’t really like me, does he?” I asked. “He doesn’t believe there’s anything in the rumors. He just thinks I’m trouble.”

She shook her head. “You don’t do him justice. And not only in this. A younger House would not tolerate your behavior.”

I raised my eyebrows in a question.

“They would have seen the way you act as a challenge and responded. And deadly as you are, Amber, you aren’t ready for that.”

“So, he’s ‘older.’ Just how old is Skylur?” I asked.

“Get him in a good mood and ask him yourself.”

I should have known it wouldn’t be that easy getting an answer.

We had come around the other side of the house, next to the entrance to the underground garages. That reminded me.

“I should mention, there are some weapons and equipment in the back of my car.”

Diana nodded. “I would be surprised if there were not. Do you need to get them out?”

“A couple. I was going to ask to leave the rest here in a storeroom, but my car will do fine if I’m using yours. But it’s not just a couple of handguns. I have shotguns, a machine gun, grenades and ammunition as well as surveillance equipment, a parachute, Kevlar vests and so on.”

“Whatever are you planning on doing?”

I started to laugh and it cut off. The premonition I’d had earlier in the week returned.

“What?” Diana said.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s just that all the people I think of as friends or allies, all the institutions that I used to trust, everything, everyone, has different agendas. Their aims are just too wide. Some things aren’t what I thought they were. I can’t be on everyone’s side, and I’m just me. I’m more expendable than someone’s principles, if those principles are really important. Someone is going to betray me soon. Or I’ll betray them. It’s inevitable.”

Diana went pale and quiet. The air seemed suddenly much colder.

“One of your…no, you and Skylur remind me, I must say ‘our,’ we must be American now. One of our great American city’s founders once said to me: ‘only trust thyself, and another shall not betray thee.’”

Chapter 23

I got to see David and Pia briefly while I waited to drive Diana to DIA.

I was so wrapped up with what being House Farrell might mean to me personally, I’d forgotten what it meant to them. Or for that matter, what it meant to us. This was scary; a commitment that had just happened, with needs and boundaries and limitations I didn’t fully understand. Not only that, it worked at a deep level on all of us—they came in and we simply and wordlessly met in a three way hug, however awkward I felt about it.

They looked tired, which was fine; I probably did too. David had his optimistic good humor back, but Pia was unsettled. Very slowly she calmed, and as she did, that tranquility lapped out gently over all three of us.

“They’re keeping you busy,” I said.

“Yeah. Can’t talk about it,” David said. “Specific orders.” His eyes flickered to where Diana was talking to an aide. “Brought you some fruit, sis.” He held up a bag. “Bet you haven’t had lunch.”

I chuckled. “You know me too well, bro.” I bit into the apple, and put the rest in Diana’s car.

“Mistress—” Pia began.

I winced. “Ah, Pia. House rules. I’m Amber.”

She gave me a weak smile. I could only guess at how distressing it had been for her to have her hardwired loyalties to Altau suddenly transferred to me and then have to come back and work here.

What would Top have done? I gave her another job. “Pia, I know you’re stretched already, but I need something from you.”

She looked up at me, if not exactly eager, at least focused on something else.

“A charter; I think that’s the word,” I said. “At least a draft. What you and David should expect from House Farrell, and me. And what I should expect in return. Athanate obligations and traditions. Can you do that?”

“Oh. Of course.” She actually looked pleased.

“Temporary rules: Diana doesn’t want me to bite or be bitten until we figure out what happened. Are you two going to be okay with that?” Gods, what a calm, organized Athanate I was, talking about them needing to bite me.

“We’ll manage,” David said and changed the subject. “Hey, really cool flower arrangement.”

We laughed and untangled the lilies and transferred them to Pia. They did better against her striking mane of wavy, black hair than against my auburn.

Too soon, Diana was ready and it was time to go. It was frustrating. We’d have to have security with us and there was no privacy, no time for my request of her.

I drove her hard body Jeep Wrangler up the ramp and stopped outside the front door to wait for the guards who would be joining us.

“Why not stay with David and Pia tonight?” suggested Diana. “It doesn’t need to involve anything other than your presence. It will be beneficial for both of them.”

“Not tonight, maybe tomorrow,” I said. “Aren’t you supposed to have another car of guards following us?”

“Yes, but I’ve elected to do this quietly. We’re just having one team come with us.”

The guards came out the door.

“Hey! It’s the Fang team again.” I smirked. The four of them had unsuccessfully jumped me down in LoDo in the first attempt at trying to get me to come in and meet Skylur.

Diana introduced them to me, and I explained my system of pet names. They enjoyed that.

One of them was missing. I found out his name was Marlon Pruitt and he was missing because he’d broken his leg when I’d tossed him down a flight of stairs. He was the leader of their little team. In his absence, Tom Sherman, the one I’d met later on guard duty, took over.

He was the one I’d nicknamed Fang 3. The complete ban on information I’d had last week was lifted and he confirmed he’d been a marine. I’d guessed that, when I promised him a sparring rematch. He’d seen service in Vietnam and I judged him to be about seventy. He looked no older than me, of course.

Fang 2 was Jason Newberry and Fang 4 was Paul Samuels. They were also ex-military, and younger, Athanate-wise, than Tom. I liked them immediately. They shared Tom’s sunny outlook and completely ignored the fact that we’d been fighting when we first met. And they’d lost. Heh.

Tom took over the driving and I sat with Diana and Jason in the back, where she started to brief me more fully on Athanate politics. Before I faced the Assembly and Matlal, and committed myself irrevocably to Skylur and Altau, I needed to know what I was getting into.

“The basic view which I gave you before is there are two creeds, Panethus and Basilikos. Skylur is the leader of the Panethus and president of the Assembly. Matlal is his equivalent in Basilikos…”

If only it were that simple. Both creeds apparently embraced a variety of subgroups. Panethus’ major subgroup maintained the status quo—no fighting among Athanate, no open contact with humanity. Basilikos’ major subgroup were represented by Matlal—hard line domination of humanity, with the inevitable megalomaniac goal of ruling the world. But the Basilikos subgroup represented by Arvinder Singh was large and powerful, which was why Skylur and Diana had been so pleased when it turned out that he was behind the secret communication that I had collected at the charity ball. Arvinder’s group’s opinion was that Athanate formed an elite and humanity’s appropriate position was to worship them. Not a view I agreed with, but more palatable than Matlal’s.