Midnight Shift, page 8
Damn. The pop she’d heard when they’d all climaxed—had the sound traveled to every OW? The thought mortified Benie. And the marks. Shit. The marks definitely meant something. Dr. Gray shook his head. “Most of our kind will have no idea what they experienced. But Garrick, he not only knows what it means, he will do everything in his power to stop you from usurping his throne.”
“I am not interested in usurping anyone’s anything. Can’t someone just tell him that? I haven’t even heard of him until now.” Except…Benie remembered the dream. The one Ian and Trace had snatched her from. Had it been a real? Could it be a memory long forgotten like so many she’d repressed after the fire?
Yes. She’d been in that closet alone when her father had talked to someone he referred to as ‘gray man.’ But could Dr. Gray really be the same person?
“You remember, don’t you, Benie?” asked Dr. Gray gently.
She nodded, afraid to speak. A sick feeling burbled in her stomach. Blinking, she looked at Dr. Gray.
“Garrick is your father. One of two who sired you. He’s also the ruler of Caledon. In mythological terms, he is the equivalent of the Seelie king.”
The blood drained from Benie’s face, and she swayed as she fought a rush of vertigo. “It’s not true. It can’t be.” She’d fought so hard against OWs her whole life, and she was suddenly supposed to believe she was the daughter of the OW king.
“Calm yourself and your mates. I’ll explain what I can,” he said.
His serene demeanor unsettled her. She needed to fight. It was the only way she knew how to solve problems. She walked numbly to the couch and plopped down. The wolf that had once been Ian cantered over and placed his muzzle in her lap.
“Is he going to turn back into Ian?” she asked. Trace took a seat next to her on the other side. He’d shifted back to human. With the immediate threat passed, Trace’s complete nakedness in front of a Gray and his bodyguards made Benie uncomfortable.
Trace didn’t seem to be a bit bothered. He leaned until his shoulder brushed hers. “Yes,” he told her, but his eyes held an uncertainty that scared her.
Dr. Gray shifted his gaze between Ian and Trace. “The right and left,” he mused. “Appropriate.”
Benie fidgeted anxiously as she thought about the first time he’d studied her with his unnerving stare. “You’re not going to break out your little yellow notepad are you?”
“No, no.” He smiled. “Not this time.”
Trace put a protective arm around Benie. Her entire body sighed in relief at his touch. When Ian picked up his furry head and broke contact with her legs, the tension returned. She reached out and put her hand on his back, surprised at how soft and cool his fur felt. The tension eased again. Touching Trace and Ian made her feel better.
Her mates. The words clicked in her mind. She hated feeling so needy, but she kept her contact with both of them. Ian’s eyes had lightened to almost his normal blue. Whatever else Gray had to tell her, she could take it. She was a tough girl. She’d survived her parents’ death in a fire, four years in a mental hospital, and four years on her own tracking and killing the monsters when they threatened human life. So why did these revelations feel so petrifying? Unfortunately, she couldn’t wish this problem away. My father is a royal asshole.
She still couldn’t quite believe it. But wouldn’t having OW blood answer questions about her own abilities?
“Okay,” she finally said. “Just lay it all out on the table. No holding back. Tell me what the hell you think you know about me, and no messing around. Just say it.”
Dr. Gray crossed his legs and folded his arms. “Benoica, you’re special.”
Oh, God. Not this bullshit again. She was getting pretty damned sick and tired of being so special. But she kept her mouth shut. For one thing, not wanting something to be true wasn’t the same thing as it being a lie, and for another, the little doctor intimidated her.
When she didn’t argue, Dr. Gray nodded. “Good. Some acceptance. We need that.” He pushed his heavy glasses back up his nose again. The man really needed contacts or something. “Your real parents…”
She interrupted him. “Daniel and Elise Dilian were my real parents.”
His gaze held an empathy that made her uneasy. “Your biological parents,” he corrected, “were the Triune of Caledon.”
“You said Caledon is some kind fairy realm Seelie something or another.” She knew most human myths were based on OW facts, and she rummaged around in her head for what she could remember of fairies and elves. Two words came to mind. Noble and devious. “What’s a Triune?”
“The Triune creates a power dynamic that has not been rivaled by a single other species on earth. Their leadership has traditionally helped maintain a balance between humans and others. The power to form a Triune is maternally inherited. Your mother, Marta, bound two men—Dar, an earth elemental Caledonian, and Garrick, born to fire. They were the leaders of our people, the same as Marta’s mother and her two husbands before them.”
“Like a monarchy?”
“The Caledon are high-born creatures filled with true earth magic. They are relatively human in appearance for the most part. They’ve always been ruled by a royal female and her two mates. Only direct female heirs have the genetic ability to choose and bond with two mates.”
Trace, who’d been quiet until now, said, “Neither Arent or myself are Caledonian. I am lupinus of the Sharashock Pack, and,” he looked at Ian. “I’m not sure what he is, but I know that we don’t fit the criteria for the Triune.”
“Just because it’s never been done, doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Obviously. Benie’s magic chose.” Gray’s eyes softened. “I personally think it chose wisely.”
Benie couldn’t get her head around all the information levied at her. How was any of this possible? Though, it was hard to deny the evidence. “How did this happen?”
Dr. Gray knelt a few feet in front of Benie. “Your mother and first father were assassinated by a team of humans—led by Daniel and Elise Dilian. They were supposed to kill you as well, but Elise couldn’t bring herself to do it.” He shrugged. “Instead, she snuck you out of the palace and took you home.”
“The people who raised me, who loved me, they killed my real parents?” Lies. He was lying. She didn’t know why, but her fury built hot and fierce.
“They killed Marta and Dar,” said Dr. Gray, “but only because they were paid to do so by Garrick. He wanted the crown, and he couldn’t have it unless he annihilated his entire family.”
As Benie grappled with this terrifying information, Dr. Gray continued lobbing word bombs at her. “When you began to evolve, as is your inheritance, Garrick could sense the change. I think he sent out trackers as a precaution. But now he knows you’re still alive—and you’ve created a Truine. You have more right to rule than he does now, and he won’t stop sending people after you until you’ve been neutralized.”
“Keane?” Trace asked, his voice bitter.
“I don’t believe so,” Gray said. “Not yet.”
Benie turned to Trace. “Who’s Keane?”
Trace gritted out the words. “He’s the current leader of the wardens.”
“Oh. Them.” The incubus had thought Benie was a warden until she’d cut his throat. They were a policing group for the OWs. A bunch of bad-ass warriors. Benie could almost respect them if it wasn’t for the issue of them not giving a shit about human life. It didn’t mean she wanted to tangle with them though. “Why wouldn’t this Garrick want the wardens to know about me?”
“Loyalty and trust are commodities Garrick can ill afford. The less people who know about you, the rightful heir to the throne, the better for him.”
“Benie,” Ian said.
Startled, Benie looked down at her best friend. He was naked, kneeling next to her, and completely fur-free. She still had her hand on him, but hadn’t noticed when he’d shifted back.
She could see the question in his expression, and heard the apprehension in his voice when he’d said her name. He knew how she felt about OWs, and somehow he’d managed to get himself turned into one. She’d exposed him to the dark world, and he’d changed from human to something else. Was she at fault? Benie didn’t know how to process everything, so she shook her head and stroked a dark curl back from his face. “We’ll talk about this later.”
“The essence of a Triune is to make three…” Dr. Gray held up three knobby fingers. “…into one.” He folded his middle and ring finger. “Once you learn to control your abilities, you will be a force.”
Three into one? “I still see three of us here. Unless we’re going to meld into a big old blob.” When Dr. Gray didn’t respond, Benie tensed. “Please don’t tell me we’re going to melt into each other. I don’t know if I could take being a six legged freak.”
“There will be no melting. The three into one is a power meld. You will change them into more than what they are.” He gestured to Ian and Trace, and Benie worried that she’d already done so with Ian. “And they will help you to become everything your birthright demands,” he continued. “If you survive long enough to carry your child to term.”
Trace and Ian looked as confused as Benie felt. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“You’re pregnant.”
“What?” Maybe she could buy all the other crap the doc was spinning, but pregnant? Not a chance. She’d had sex with Ian, and then sex with Ian and Trace, and neither of them had used condoms, but she was on the Pill goddamn it. It was 99.8% effective, according the box. Because of her supernatural healing, she’d never worried about sexually transmitted diseases, but pregnant? No way.
“How do you know she’s pregnant?” Ian asked. Benie could almost see him putting his scientist hat on, and his question made her wince.
He pointed to Ian’s naked back, at the circle with the line. “The marks prove it.”
“Oh, my God,” breathed Benie. “Are you saying these marks are like the equivalent of a positive symbol on a pregnancy test?”
Dr. Gray blinked. “I suppose. The power of the Triune lies in the child being created,” Dr. Gray addressed the both men. “And since the power has shifted to you three, Benoica is most certainly pregnant. And just like Garrick and Dar fathered Benoica, both Ian and Trace are equally the father of this child. Unfortunately, the marks make you easy to find. The symbols act as homing beacons for Garrick because Benie is his direct descendent.”
Ian and Trace each turned their gazes on Benie. Trace on the left. Ian on the right. The left and the right, echoed in her mind. She shook her head. “That’s impossible.”
“My dear,” Gray said. “I think you’ve seen enough in your short time to know that the impossible is often possible in our world.”
“Fine,” she conceded. “Let’s pretend this is all true. If I decide to go along with your plan, what needs to happen next?”
“Garrick fears you will overthrow him for the leadership of the Caledon. He will keep sending people after you until he has killed you, your men, and your child. Do you understand?”
“What if we just tell her people who she is?” Ian asked. “Wouldn’t they rally around their rightful queen?”
Judas! Benie glared at Ian. She didn’t want to be anyone’s queen, and he damned well knew it.
“It’s too dangerous,” Trace said, a low growl in his voice. “Especially if Benie is pregnant.”
Gray stepped in before Benie could object one way or the other. “The people of Caledon are too afraid to have that kind of hope right now. Garrick has made certain of their obedience. Once the child arrives, the power of the Triune will be too great for anyone to deny—even you, Benie. Whether you believe in your destiny or not, your father does. And he won’t rest until all of you are dead.”
Trace put a protective arm around Benie’s shoulders. “That’s not going to happen.”
“So what do we do for the next nine months?” Ian asked.
“Twelve actually. The gestation period for a Caledon is longer than that of a human,” Gray said. “You’ll have to keep her safe for the next year.”
Dr. Gray smiled at her. “There is good news. Now that you are Triune, you’ll have a better grasp of your abilities. They will continue to grow as you’re exposed to more of our kind. You need to practice those exercises I taught you.”
Benie’s stomach twisted into an ugly knot. Less than a week earlier she’d been a single, monster slaying bad ass, and suddenly she had two lovers, a baby on the way, and she was not only an OW, she was the daughter of the psychopath in charge. She looked from Ian to Trace. Could they do this? Could she? She was plagued by a mixture of doubt and confusion.
Dr. Gray stood, obviously readying to leave. “The way I see it, Benoica, you have three choices. You can run away and hope that Garrick doesn’t hunt you down and kill the three of you, or you can stay and fight off every mercenary and assassin he sends.”
“What’s option three?”
“We regroup, craft a strategy to track and trap Garrick, and then kill him before he can kill you.”
Benie lips pulled back from her teeth in vicious smile. Garrick had changed the course of her life when he’d killed his mate and her other husband. His actions had shaped Benie into who she was today. She was a fighter. A killer. One of the best. Focusing on sinking her blade into the bastard was the only thing keeping her sane. “He’s mine. I get to take him out.”
Gray smiled back with the same amount of ferocity. “Of course.”
She clenched her fingers, flexing as adrenaline coursed through her veins. “Where do we start?” She itched to fight, and whatever happened after they got rid of Garrick…well, she’d cross that bridge when the time came.
Rubbing his balding head, Gray peered around the large loft living room before moving his gaze back to Benie. “It’s not the same comfort you’re used to, and there won’t be any modern conveniences, but I’ve a place we can use as a home base to formulate a plan. Caledon is fluid. In constant motion, which makes it very hard to find when you don’t live there. I have men who are still loyal to me, but none Garrick will trust.”
Ian snapped his head up. “My work…”
Of course, Ian would be concerned about his experiments. Benie forced down her old fears. She had more to worry about then coming in second place to science. As Trace squeezed her hand, she tried to push the dread away and not give it weight.
“Your work will be moved to another location, Ian, but I’m afraid you won’t have access to it for a short while. In order to give us the time, we need to be completely untraceable.”
“You’ve been sitting on this plan for a while.” Benie examined the elderly OW. Doctor Myron Gray was turning out to be much more complex than she’d imagined.
“Yes,” he replied quickly and without apology.
His small stature commanded respect, but even so, she didn’t understand why he would want to be involved in such a dangerous design. “How come you’re not afraid of Garrick?”
Dr. Gray shook his head as he walked to the door. He opened it, but turned back briefly. “Marta was my sister. I stopped being afraid of Garrick the day he had her murdered. I don’t care what happens to me.”
“Jesus. Bury the lead, Doc,” Benie said. “So, you’re my uncle?” She appraised the small man and couldn’t find a single family resemblance.
“I take after my father.” Gray smiled, but didn’t reply. “We’ve already wasted too much time. I have a car waiting. Eustan and Destan,” he gestured to the two men behind him, “will drive you. I have a few more stops to make, but I will meet up with you at the safe house. Will you come?”
Benie looked to Ian. He nodded. She turned her gaze to Trace next. He knew the world better than Ian or herself. When he nodded his agreement as well, she blew out a shaky breath and looked at Dr. Gray. “Okay.”
*
Ian Arent, still aching and light-headed, fought against the impulse to shift back into a wolf. They’d traveled for more than three hours of highways and rural roads, crammed into the back of an SUV with Benie between himself and Trace Calder. Thousands of stars illuminated the cool night sky, blazing brighter than he’d ever seen them. He hadn’t bothered to grab his glasses. He hadn’t needed them since returning to a human form.
His vision was even better than it had been when corrected with glasses. It was as if colors were more vibrant, contrasts sharper, and he could see farther than he knew it was possible for the human eye. The ability to smell everything—the decaying fall leaves, the heavy moisture hanging in the air, and the strong scent of the four other people in the car with him—astounded him. Trace smelled like dry wood mixed with an undercurrent of pepper. The two men in the front both had the same warm, burnt sugar fragrance. He couldn’t be sure if any of it was natural or cologne. However, none of the aromas drove him to distraction like Benie’s. It washed over him—a strong heady musk with mossy undertones and hints of citrus. It made the wolf inside him want to claw its way out.
Ian stared at his lengthening nails, unable to believe even as it happened, what he witnessed. He curled his fingers into his palms and dug the nails in until the pain and blood forced his wolf back. For many reasons—most of which were on account of what he’d read in books—he’d expected the change to be excruciatingly painful. It hadn’t been. The exhilaration and thrill of the turning had caught him off guard. He wondered at the science behind the shifting and reforming. Maybe the transformation triggered a rush of endorphins that blocked the pain receptors in the brain to make the process easier. Pleasurable even.
But transforming from wolf to human had verged on torture. He’d had a bone marrow aspiration performed four months ago for a baseline before he’d began experimenting on himself. The pain of becoming human again was much like the pain of that procedure. Only, instead of having the discomfort limited to his iliac, he ached all over. His mind sizzled with emotion. All logic washing away with each second he denied himself the relief shifting would bring.
