Lunar Bound, page 19
part #4 of Sky Brooks World: Ethan Series
He continued, telling me nothing I didn’t already know about Maya and Sky. She’d obviously confided in him. When he turned back to her, I drew my phone from a pocket. Before I could call Dr. Baker, he called me.
“Sebastian’s awake,” he said, relieved.
As Sky took in her surroundings, I saw her eyes had returned to normal. Relieved, I informed Dr. Baker, “On my way,” and pocketed my phone.
Forcing myself between Quell and Sky, I gently took her hand. This time, she let me guide her to the Maserati. I eased her into the passenger seat, put on her belt, then drove toward the retreat. Afraid to let go, my hand gripped hers between the seats. She stared out the window, silent until I parked in the retreat driveway.
“I want her out of me,” she whispered, surprising me as I removed the keys from the ignition.
The leather seat squeaked as I turned toward her, studying her closely. There were still too many questions to answer about Maya’s link to Sky. I’d hoped that finding the Tre’ase who transformed Maya into a spirit shade would answer some of those questions. At the least, we’d know if Sky could survive separation from Maya. At this point, I wasn’t sure Sky could survive with her, either. Any risk was better than helplessly watching the spirit shade take control.
“Okay.”
“Don’t just say it. Please, I want you to do something about it.”
Releasing her hand, I climbed out to open her door and help her out. Determined, she climbed out on her own. Relieved, I remained close while she lingered, gripping the top of the door for balance. After a moment, she closed it, took a cautious step toward the house. After a few steps, her confidence returned. She was exhausted, frightened, but her eyes were alert. She’d pushed Maya back, but the fight had been closer than I cared to contemplate.
Just short of the porch, she hesitated.
I sighed, worried. “What is it, Sky?”
She drew in her bottom lip, slowly shook her head, then started up the porch. “I want to see Sebastian.”
Each of the recovery rooms was painted a different, single color. Sebastian was in the blue room. I hesitated at his door, worried what I would find. Now that he was awake, a decision had to be made. I opened his door to find him sitting up in bed, reading. He was shirtless, revealing barely a hint of the wound that had torn his chest open. As talented as Dr. Baker was, I knew of very few were-animals who could’ve survived Sebastian’s injuries. Gavin and I had helped some, but not enough to explain our Alpha’s recovery. He gave every impression of restored strength.
Next to me, Sky’s silent relief was palpable.
My own relief quickly faded as he looked up to greet us. The muscles in his neck were taut, creating a slight stutter motion when he raised his head. There were other signs. He leaned to the right, favoring that side, which meant he was probably hiding a great deal of pain.
Our eyes met, both conveying normalcy, both sizing each other up—the predators in us never slept.
Steven watched the silent communication with deep interest from the chair beside the bed.
I forced my lips into a smile. “How do you feel?”
He shrugged and set his book aside. Slipping his legs from under the bed sheet, he stood, not bothering to hide the effort. His physical wound had healed, but he was going to need time to recover his strength. My smile faded, the consequences of his condition settling like a cancer in my gut.
Reading my expression, he said casually, “I may need a couple of days, but I understand.”
Sky glanced between us, horrified. “No.”
“Sky,” I said.
“No,” she insisted.
Sebastian held my gaze with an almost compassionate understanding. I couldn’t count the number of times we’d sparred. At the time, I’d happily contemplated his vulnerabilities, anticipating a moment such as this. But that was just an intellectual exercise. Facing Sebastian now, with violence so close to reality, the thought of challenging him gave me an ill feeling at the pit of my stomach. He was my mentor, my friend. I’d die for him, and I knew he’d die for me. Fighting each other was beyond foolish. Sky and Josh were right. If the pack needed Sebastian’s blood to hold together, then it deserved to fracture. There was no better Alpha for the Midwest Pack. In time he’d make a full recovery. Until then—as always—he’d have my support. If anyone else was fool enough to challenge him, I’d make sure they never showed up for the fight.
Eventually, Sky couldn’t take the silence. Assuming the worst, she started to leave.
Before she reached the door, I declared my confidence in Sebastian. “I feel very comfortable with you as my Alpha.”
She gasped behind me. Steven blinked, glancing between us.
Sebastian remained still, seemingly unmoved. I’d known him long enough to notice the slight drop of stress from his shoulders, the mild tip of his chin. For a moment, he battled his relief. Eventually, he nodded once, betraying nothing. Before I could say more, Winter burst into the room. Her car hadn’t been in the garage when I’d arrived. She’d probably raced to the retreat as I had, once she’d heard that Sebastian was awake. Her eyes wide with joy, she took in the sight of him standing in front of her like it was a miracle. It was. Not many were-animals could survive his wound.
His lips spread into a smirk. “Hi.”
Tears welled in her eyes as she stared back at him, almost in disbelief. Her breath was quick. Her lips twitched, but she couldn’t find words to express the intensity of how she felt.
His smile softened. He placed his hands on her shoulders and she uttered a small sob.
“I’d like to be alone,” he said to the rest of us. Winter started to turn, and he said, “No, you stay.”
Sky gestured for Steven and me to leave. Turning back to close the door, I saw Winter’s tears starting to run as he embraced her.
Sky and I walked quietly for a moment in the hall. I could feel the questions bubbling up in her.
“Not now, Sky,” I whispered.
Overwhelmed, I needed to do what all tough guys did to process their emotions; I changed into workout clothes and hit the gym.
Word spread fast. By the time I’d finished with the weights, gossip wafted through the gym like a wildfire. From the seat of an elliptical machine, I assessed the pack’s mood—relieved, for the most part. Some concerns remained. That neither Ethos nor Ares had followed up with a second attack helped their mood. Fear was the enemy of reason. For the moment, the pack felt safe again. Sebastian and I would keep it that way.
For myself, I felt a dense, oppressive weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
My phone rang from beneath my towel on a nearby bench. Though muffled, I recognized the tone—Stacey, my legal assistant. I’d told her I was taking a few days off, which wasn’t unusual. At times, I’d take weeks off with no more than a few days’ notice. My bosses accommodated my unorthodox work habits because I made them a lot of money and didn’t bug them to make me a partner. Stacey wouldn’t call me now unless it was important.
I got up with a sigh and retrieved my phone. “Yes?” I said, using the towel to mop sweat from my brow.
“Hey, boss. Sorry to bother you. I just wanted to make sure you were on your way to your meeting.”
“I cleared my calendar for the week.”
“That’s what I thought,” she said, confused. Her voice lowered to a conspiratorial whisper. “There’s something off about this guy. I’d swear he’s a vampire.”
When I’d met her, she’d been an assistant to one of the lower-level attorneys at the firm. A Russian-American vampire Seethe from New York that specialized in cybercrime and identity theft had threatened her family, forcing her to siphon money from clients’ retainers. I’d discovered the theft and confronted her. She expected to go to jail. That I’d actually believed her story was a surprise. I’d put Demetrius onto the vampires—he didn’t appreciate that they’d reached into Chicago without his permission—and made her my assistant. She was a hard worker and her cyber skills came in handy on occasion.
She still saw vampires around every corner.
I rubbed my fingers into my temple, wondering if I’d forgotten someone important. “What’s this guy’s name?”
“Mr. McClintock.”
I froze.
“He’s here with a Ms. Snell. They’re from a law firm called Devlin, Cheatum, and Howe. Oh,” she said, suddenly confused. “That’s a joke, right? Is it April Fool’s Day, because I’d swear it’s September. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called you. I’ll send them away.”
“No,” I snapped, working hard to keep my rising anger from my voice. I needed her to remain calm. If McClintock thought she was on to him…but he already knew. He’d given her his name, knowing I’d ask for it. He was taunting me. He’d gone to the one place in my life that was fully human. He’d walked right in and plopped his ass onto my cover, daring me to stop him. I took a calming breath, fought the urge to smash my phone.
“Boss? Is there a problem?”
“Where are they now?”
A nervous edge crept into her voice. “In your office. I feel like something is wrong.”
“Keep them there.”
She stammered, “Am I in danger?”
I rubbed my forehead with my fingers, debating what to tell her. She knew what I was, but not much else about the supernatural world. I didn’t want to tell her that she’d walked a couple of killers into my office. Some people could be soothed by lies. Stacey wasn’t one of them.
“They’re not vampires,” I said.
“Oh, good.”
“But they are dangerous.”
“Oh shit.”
“You’re in a public place, and you’re not the reason they’re there. I’ll be there in a few minutes. Just treat them like any other clients. You’ll be fine.”
“Okay,” she said, unconvinced.
I killed the call and made another, this one to Matthew, the Worgen. Once those arrangements were made, the urgency conveyed, I gathered Gavin, Steven, and Josh in Sebastian’s room. Winter was already there when we arrived, seated next to his bed. Before closing the door, I made sure no one—Sky, in particular—was lurking to eavesdrop. Explaining the situation left Gavin confused, but getting him up to speed wasn’t an option. There wasn’t enough time.
He was the first to object. “This is another attempt to draw you away before Ethos makes a second attack.”
His anxiety was warranted. Sebastian wasn’t strong enough to lead our defense. If an attack came, my leadership would be needed to hold the pack together. If they thought I’d fled, fear might once again take hold. Until Sebastian was stronger, the pack was fragile.
“Ethos is no longer interested in controlling the pack,” I explained. “His attention has shifted to Maya.”
Gavin sneered. “Dozens of were-animals died in that attack, and it was just a whim?”
Sebastian asked me, “Are you certain?”
“When Anderson came for Sky, he said my protection had been withdrawn. Regarding Maya, Ethos told Sky directly. He showed up at her house last night, tried to bargain with her for Maya.”
Josh’s expression darkened at the reminder that his blood wards weren’t enough to stop Ethos.
Steven’s eyes widened. “She faced him alone?”
“She attacked him,” I said matter-of-factly.
“Wow,” Winter said dryly, glancing at her nails. “I don’t know whether to give Baby Spice a medal or a spanking.”
I skipped through some of the details, gave them the quick version. “He fled when I arrived, probably thought I had the pack behind me.”
Josh scrutinized me. “There’s more you’re not saying.”
My gaze flicked to the clock on the wall. I didn’t have time to tell them how Maya had nearly taken control of Sky. “I need to deal with this situation before it gets out of hand.”
Gavin remained firm. “Anderson and Ethos could both be playing you. We have to assume he’ll make another attempt on Sebastian.”
“I’ll go alone. If there’s an attack, Josh can transport to me. He can have me back here in less than a minute.”
“I have a better idea,” Josh proclaimed. “I’m going with you.”
I held his defiant gaze. “I go. Alone.”
Gavin insisted, “It’s not worth the risk. We need you here.”
“He’s not going to harm anyone else in my name.”
“If this hunter attacks your office,” Gavin said, “he’d be a fool. The building is full of cameras. The police would have his name and picture within an hour. The manhunt would be immense.”
“He could still do damage there. He could even out me.”
Gavin sneered. “You’re being played.”
“He still has Artemis,” I growled. “He’s looking for more leverage. If I don’t go, he’ll hurt someone.” I turned to Sebastian. “I have to stop him.”
Sebastian studied me for a long moment, seemingly oblivious to the rising tension in the room. “He expects you to come alone. It’s your way, Ethan. After losing Marko, there’s no chance you’d risk anyone else’s life.”
“Exactly.” I shot a glance at Josh. “That’s why I’m going alone.”
“So far, McClintock has gotten the better of you.”
His statement stung, but I remained respectfully silent as he continued.
“If you’re going to subvert McClintock’s plan, you need to defy his expectations. You need help.”
My jaw clenched until I thought the bones had fused together. The weak needed help. The strong provided it. I’d spent my entire life relying on my strength. I wasn’t about to swap roles now because an old hunter had temporarily gotten the best of me.
Eventually, Josh interrupted my fuming. “There’s no time for debate, Ethan. I can transport you there.” He showed Gavin his phone. “If anything happens here, I’ll have Ethan back before your call goes to voicemail.” Back to me, he promised, “I’ll stay out of sight, but if McClintock does get violent, you’re going to need me.”
I hated that he was right. If the old man did decide to go out in a blaze of glory, Josh’s magic could save lives. Not to mention, magic would be much easier to explain away later than my wolf.
I accepted his offer with a begrudging nod. “You remember the last time you were there?”
His lips thinned as he thought, tapping his chin with his index finger. “Was that Bring-Your-Helpless-Little-Brother-to-Work Day?”
This wasn’t a time for jokes. “The bathroom outside the firm, can you transport there?”
“No problem.” He gestured to my jeans and t-shirt. “I’m pretty sure Wendell, Harper, and Holmes has a dress code.”
Growling, I hurried upstairs, changed into a dark-grey suit with a black tie. Within minutes, I was dressed and ready. The moment Josh touched my arm, I felt his magic rush through me. My surroundings shifted. The retreat became a sterile-smelling bathroom. Expecting the men’s room, I was momentarily confused by the lack of urinals.
He answered my accusatory look with a smug smile. “It’s better you don’t ask.”
I checked each of the stalls. Fortunately, we were alone.
Josh started ahead of me toward the exit until I stopped him.
“McClintock will recognize you. Wait here. If you hear screaming”—I added before he could object—“come running.”
His arms folded over his chest while he glared at me. I figured I had a few minutes before he came wandering into the firm. I had my hand on the door when I stopped.
“I’m sending Stacey to you. Get her out of here before trouble starts, somewhere safe.”
“The peppy young lady that thinks I’m a vampire?”
“Exactly.”
He gestured toward a wall, presumably at my firm on the other side. “I’m not leaving you alone here for—”
“She gets out of here,” I commanded.
He held my gaze long enough to register his protest, then nodded.
On my way out the bathroom door, Josh loudly declared, “I’ll just be here playing with the paper towels.”
The large glass doors to my firm were at the end of a short hallway, the large cherrywood reception desk just beyond. Behind it, Aaron patiently took instructions from Mr. Holmes, who was showing off for two of his best clients.
Four.
I pushed through the glass doors, stopped in front of the desk to count bodies. To my right, four Japanese men with briefcases emerged from a conference room. Through the glass walls, I saw Ms. Gerard chatting with two more of the Japanese contingent.
Seven.
Near the conference room were the paralegal cubicles. The three that I could see were occupied.
Ten.
To my left was the hallway that led to four offices, including mine. All of the glass walls had blinds, only Ms. Wendell’s were closed, which meant she was in an important meeting, which meant a powerful client who likely came with two assistants.
Fourteen.
Pavita Everett had the office adjoining mine. She was at her desk with a young couple in front of her. I cursed at the sight of a baby draped over the woman’s shoulder, staring in my direction.
Eighteen.
Too many bodies.
The blinds behind Ms. Everett, which draped over our shared glass wall, were mostly closed on my side. I could just make out two shapes inside, seated in front of my desk. Stacey stood in the open doorway, nodding to someone—McClintock or Tonya.
Glancing around for an idea, I noticed the fire alarm on the wall halfway down the hall. Pulling it would clear the firm and the entire floor within minutes, giving me plenty of opportunity to deal with McClintock. They’ll have guns, I reminded myself. Gunshots would be difficult to explain later.
I noticed Aaron’s half-full coffee mug on the desk. Reaching over the counter, I picked up the mug and carried it toward my office. The mug was lukewarm in my hand.
Unaware of my approach, Stacey began an apology. “Again, I’m so sorry for the wait. This has been such a waste of your time. I’d be happy to follow up with your office and reschedule at your convenience.”
McClintock’s slow drawl answered. “My time is valuable, but I expect this meeting will be sufficiently worth the wait.”
