Hunted By The Others (11 page)

Throughout the rest of the day, things settled down into an uneasy peace. Chaz and Arnold threw a few verbal salvos at each other, but never outright clashed or degenerated into anything physical. They were actually civil to each other over dinner on the deck, sitting across from one another at the picnic table. I wasn’t sure if it was for my sake, or for the sake of blending in with my family. Probably the latter, since the survival of the Others had depended upon their ability to pass for human prior to their announcing their existence to the world. Hard to believe that happened less than ten years ago.

Once Angela woke up and joined us, she had, as predicted, chattered up a cheerful storm about the case her boss had won against Mikey. He groaned and complained and tried to get her to shut up about it, smiling the whole time. She also took a keen interest in Arnold and managed to glean some interesting tidbits from him, like the fact that he had graduated from a very upper-crusty institute of technology, was from a well-to-do family from Seattle, moved to New York just over a year ago, and was overly fond of cheese fries.

Fortunately, he didn’t say anything about magic or dice or Dungeon Quest or whatever the heck it was he played.

Damien cracked up over the movie when he unwrapped it, and I promised to come over and watch it with him soon. Once the cake was eaten and the last of the presents unwrapped, I said it was time for us to go back to Sara’s.

Chaz was the only one who protested, though only mildly. I think he knew he was pushing my buttons by hanging around tonight. The good-byes were quick and relatively painless, my dad making it a point to invite Arnold over to watch the game on the big screen the next Sunday with him and my brothers.

Weirded out by the strain and awkwardness of the day, I slid into the back seat of Arnold’s car and shut my eyes, too tired and drained by two nights of almost no sleep to think anymore. Sara offered to put my car in the garage and grab my stuff, and I was quick to take her up on it.

A few minutes later, she tossed the bag into my lap, waking me from my stupor as she slid into the front passenger seat. Arnold had already started the car, and the faint sound of rock music drifted out of the speakers. I shifted around as much as I could to get comfortable, closing my eyes again as he pulled out.

“So, Shia,” he said, “that was remarkably awkward. You dated a Were?”

I growled a curse under my breath before answering. “Yes, I did. Not that it’s any of your business.”

“Your life is my business right now. Anything else like that I’m going to have to field if I’m hanging around you the next few days?”

Sara cut me off before I could speak. “Of course there is. This is Shia we’re talking about.”

I flipped her off, not that she could see it. “There is a lot I need to tell you. But you promised to tell me something once we got in the car. You go first. Spill it.”

His grip tightened on the wheel so hard I could hear the leather squeak. Touchy.

“Okay. Veronica asked you to find an object called a focus, which grants powers to the holder. Depending on what type of creature is using it, the powers it grants are different. It’s never been in the hands of magi so far as I know, but when a Were uses it, he can summon and force the transformation on other Weres around them. It augments the strength of the pack in possession of it, and can actually bind other packs temporarily into one much larger force, all working toward whatever the holder’s goal may be. When a vampire uses it, he or she can also summon, control, and force transformation on a Were. However, it doesn’t do much else for vamps and they have a harder time calling more than a few Weres at a time.

“This thing was supposedly destroyed before World War One. I have no idea how Royce found it, but we got a tip that he was using it about four months ago. Veronica was in Acquisitions. She was assigned to get it from Royce at any cost, but quietly and discreetly. Before she got in touch with you, she had tried contacting Royce directly. When he refused to sell, she sent someone in to steal it.”

He muttered a faint curse, coming to a smooth stop at a light and once more throwing me a quick glance.

“The focus was hidden and the mage who tried to get it was killed. It was hushed up and a directive came down that Veronica needed to find a way to smooth things over with Royce and a different method of locating it and getting her hands on it without any more losses to the coven. Hence her hiring you. I’m assuming Royce found out somehow that you were working for us, and that he’s the one responsible for Vero’s death.”

Though I’d been on the verge of falling asleep when he started speaking, by the end of his little speech I was bolt upright in the cramped back seat. What he’d just said meant that spilling my guts to Royce about working for The Circle effectively sealed Veronica’s death warrant. I don’t think it was possible for me to feel more heartsick or guilty than I did at that moment.

Knowing it would come out sooner or later, I gritted my teeth and just said it. “I was the one who told him I was working for The Circle. He knew about it before I said anything, but I confirmed it. Some girl named Allison came in, the one who works reception at your office. She told him about the belt you gave me and after that he thought I was sent by The Circle to kill him. I didn’t go in there intending to tell him anything, but when he looked like he was about to go for my throat, I couldn’t help it. I spilled and told him what I was really there for.”

Arnold didn’t move and didn’t look back at me. His gaze seemed faraway and his attention elsewhere, because the light had turned green and he hadn’t taken his foot off the brake. Since we were still in the ’burbs, no one was behind him honking for him to get a move on yet. Eventually he came back to the present, flooring it and jolting me back.

“He knew before you even came to his office? That you were working for us? You just confirmed it for him.”

“Yeah. And let us not forget Miss Bitchy Receptionist of the Year who came in and blew my cover story out of the water.”

Irritation cut through his voice. “I heard what you said. I knew Allison was up to something with Royce’s business, but I didn’t think she had a direct line in to him. Two-timing corporate whore. I told the CEO to fire her months ago.”

Sara actually laughed at that, though it was more incredulous than amused. “You knew she was a mole?”

“Well, yeah. She was kind of hard to miss. For some reason people don’t listen to me in that place. I mean, I told them we needed a better screening process ages ago, but that never went anywhere. I was lucky to get them to update the security system on our vaults. They never do anything until something actually happens and they have no choice.”

Recalling that “security system,” I shivered and pressed on. “Anyway, you need to hear the rest of this. I already told you I’m banned from working with The Circle now. Royce wants me to sign papers and get them to him by Monday night.”

He cursed, eyes glued to the road and thoughts obviously racing. “And turn over the belt, right? Well, you know what, he has to purchase it from you. It was gifted, so it belongs to you. And if you put it on, he can’t take it from you anyway.”

“What does that mean, exactly?” Sara asked, quicker than I to ask the question.

“Once the belt is put on, the wearer can’t remove it until the next sunrise. It also gives the hunter an edge, granting things like strength, speed, stamina, and heightened senses to put the wearer on par with the things they’re hunting. We’ve since lost the spelling instructions on how to make them, but The Circle was gifted with a couple of them a few years ago in payment from another coven for services rendered. Courtesy of a very pissed-off mage who lost a family member to a vamp ages ago.”

I couldn’t see her expression from this angle, but Sara sounded pleased. “Really? That’s handy. Especially since I doctored the papers to read that Shia will be able to hurt or kill Royce, too, not just the other way around.”

“Smart, I like it,” he said, grinning at her as he gunned the engine and pulled onto the expressway. Once he’d merged into traffic, he turned to me.

“Looks like you get to be the fearless vampire hunter after all.”

When we got back to Sara’s place, I took her up on the offer of a comfy guest bedroom. Arnold, very kindly, had decided to take a week of vacation time to work with us, and he and Sara were going to stay up and work on the contract. Comforted by the fact that I had some friends solidly at my back, I was finally able to get a good night’s sleep.

The next morning, feeling much refreshed if a bit groggy without my coffee, I stumbled down the stairs to find Arnold sprawled on the couch snoring away. He really took his guard duty seriously. Smiling at that, I tiptoed by into the kitchen to make coffee and breakfast for the three of us.

The smell must have roused them both, since Arnold soon came in rubbing his eyes and yawning, followed a few minutes later by Sara, and we sat down at the table to toasted English muffins and coffee.

“So, Sara,” I asked, taking a bite of muffin. “Are we actually going into the office, or are we really playing this out like we’re leaving town? If we are, we need to tell Jenny.”

If our receptionist was even still working for us. After our meeting on Friday afternoon, I was willing to bet she’d gone job hunting over the weekend. Yet another reminder to talk to Sara—later, privately—about our finances.

“Yeah, I’ll take care of it. I’ll tell her to come in to answer the phones and that we’ll be out this week.”

I nodded. “I guess I should find a notary. ETA on the contract?”

“It’s done,” she said, sipping her coffee. “I just have to print it, and you should manhandle it a little so it looks like the same one you walked out of his office with.”

Sighing, I looked to Arnold next. “You going to play chauffeur so I can get this done?”

“Sure. I can’t go with you to see Royce tonight, but I’ll drop you off and stay close in case you need help.”

That was a relief. I smiled at him, grateful that he was willing to come save the day. My good cheer faded when I remembered what he’d said yesterday—he was doing this for his own reasons. I had to wonder what was on his agenda.

“What about me?” Sara asked.

Arnold and I stared at her like she’d grown two heads. “You can’t be serious,” he said at the same time I sputtered out, “Are you nuts?!”

With a scowl, she leaned forward on the table and pointed at me. “You shouldn’t be going in there alone. I haven’t signed anything and he doesn’t have any leverage against me, so there isn’t much he can do to hurt me. You, on the other hand, could use all the help you can get if you expect to get out of this alive.”

In a sudden panic, I shook my head, curls flying wildly before I pushed them out of my face. “Sara, no! You don’t want to do this, trust me. I didn’t think he had anything on me either, but he still put me in this spot. He told me I should tell you to consider signing a contract with him, too, and believe me, you don’t want that!”

Her eyes narrowed and I wanted to throttle her, knowing she was thinking about doing just that. I held my breath, waiting for her to answer. Arnold looked like he was biting his tongue to keep from adding his own thoughts to the conversation, though I don’t know why he chose to stay out of it. After a moment she relaxed and slumped back in the chair.

“You’re right, I don’t want to get involved. Not yet. Royce would get suspicious if I showed up with you now, ready and willing to sign.”

That was not exactly why I didn’t want her involved, but hey, at least she wasn’t going to try to face him head on.

We all got quiet for a few minutes. I stared at the table, Sara sipped her coffee and looked thoughtful, like she was planning something, and Arnold just cleared his throat and scuffed his feet a little. It was an awkward silence, and I really didn’t want to be the first to break it.

Eventually, Arnold stood up, the sound of the chair scraping over the linoleum sounding overly loud. “I’m going to shower and get dressed. Shia, you might want to think about what you want to do with the rest of your day. We can’t be seen by anyone you know if we’re going to stick to the cover story that you’re out of town. I only hope that ex of yours carries the word back to any packs looking for you.”

I gaped at him, realizing all of a sudden what his behavior of yesterday was all about. “You really wanted them to think I was out of town so they wouldn’t come after me? Or know where to look?”

He nodded, a wry grin slowly suffusing his lips. “Of course. I told you that you have a tail. That should throw them off the scent for a little while at least.”

I felt about a thousand times more stupid than I had a moment ago for not realizing it sooner. Here I’d thought he might actually be trying to save me from Chaz’s affections, not his pack.

That thought made me frown. I was hesitant about sounding dumb or egotistical, but I needed to know what was going on if I was going to save my skin. So I asked the question.

“You really think Chaz was there because of something to do with this mess I’ve gotten into? Not because of me?”

“I don’t have any doubts about it.” The touch of sympathy in his tone made me want to sock him. He didn’t have to rub it in. “He might want you, but he must have known he was taking a risk contacting you after revealing himself. He hid what he was, didn’t he? Never gave you a contract before…”

“No.”

I knew where he was going with his question and wasn’t interested in hearing him finish it. I didn’t think I could bring myself to press charges against Chaz for initiating a relationship with me without a contract, but if he persisted, I sure as hell wouldn’t stick around to see what other laws he was willing to break. Vamps and werewolves, considered too dangerous to interact with people without some kind of safety net, were required to keep
any
physical contact to a minimum until their partners signed contracts. Embarrassing as it was to look back on, Chaz and I had been intimate plenty of times without my spotting any signs of danger. It didn’t mean they weren’t there—only that I hadn’t seen them.

Arnold nodded, giving a helpless shrug. “That just leads me straight to the conclusion that he was sticking his neck out in the hopes of getting close to you again in case you might have a lead on the focus.”

So much for my thoughts of Chaz having a heretofore-unknown romantic streak.

He continued, apparently unaware of, or ignoring, my sudden sour expression. “Anyway, I’m going to go take that shower. Let me know if there is anything else you need to get done or pick up before tonight.”

Once he was out of earshot, Sara turned to me, brows raised and expression wry. “You really believe that?”

I slouched back in the chair, folding my arms across my chest and glaring with helpless rage at the cheerful, sunny day shining through the kitchen window.

“I don’t know what to believe. Chaz could be a dick, but he was never that slick or conniving before. I have a hard time believing he wasn’t just there to see me again.”

He wouldn’t have given me all those flowers, sent all those cards, or left all those messages if he hadn’t truly wanted to get back together. Right? Of course, it didn’t matter since I wasn’t exactly planning to jump in the sack with him. As far as I knew, he’d been honest with me about everything except what he was. Even now, thinking about how he’d looked and felt in those moments before he shattered that perfect image with fur and fangs sent a pang of regret through me for kicking him out. That had been an act of necessity and self-preservation, though. I wouldn’t have changed my actions if he’d been Don Juan incarnate. At this point, it was nothing more than an ego boost to think he still cared.

“Well,” Sara said, slathering some jam on her English muffin, “you can always call him and ask. Maybe he’ll play it straight with you this time.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, and maybe tonight Royce will say this whole mess was just a mistake, so sorry for the inconvenience.”

She grinned at that, blue eyes glinting with mirth. “You never know.”

Oh well. At least we could make light of the situation.

Taking a bite out of her muffin, she mumbled at me through her mouthful, “So what’s the plan for today? I’m going to work some more on the missing persons case, that Borowsky kid, while you guys are out. What about you and Arnold?”

I rubbed my chin, thinking about it. What exactly did one do on (probably) one’s last day alive?