Authors: Sheryl Nantus
“And they can’t go rogue.” Jess put her mug down. “Before you even contemplate that option. You know they can go to another Pride, they can go anywhere they want as long as they stay registered. But they can’t disappear, they’ve got to stay on our radar.”
“Which allows their families to know where they are at all times,” Bran added. “Which sort of makes it pointless because they’ll be grabbed anyway and their new Pride will probably let it go because they don’t want to be involved with the politics.”
Jess nodded. “Yes.”
Bran sat back, crossing his arms with a smug smile. “See. I can be taught.”
Jess chuckled.
I rolled my head around, hearing various pops and snaps. “I’m getting him a new leash for Christmas.”
“Good. Just remember to use a safe word,” she answered without missing a beat.
“What makes you think we don’t have one already?” Bran smirked.
“Duly noted,” Jess said dryly. “And before you toss the idea out of getting the Council involved, we all know the feud isn’t official and that the Grand Council ruled it an accident. Doesn’t mean the families involved don’t think it’s as real as the pie we just ate. They won’t kill anyone but you know now how far they’ll go to do what they think is right.”
“Duly noted,” I repeated. “But I have an idea.”
Jess motioned me onward. “Go ahead.”
“I want a meeting with the leaders of the two families. Here, neutral ground. I want to get this settled and settled now.” I touched my skull, wincing as my fingers ran over the invisible bruise. “This can’t go on.”
“I can have them here within a few hours.” Jess moved her mug to the tray, now holding the empty plates. “Let me make the calls. You two rest here—she’s safe now. There’s a bedroom upstairs that you can use.”
Her last two sentences were directed at Bran, who had shifted closer to me and who now pulled me into his lap, my head resting on his shoulder.
As Jess left the room with the dishes I let out a sigh. “I don’t know if I can fix this.”
“Then why try?” Bran mumbled. “It’s not your life. They’re not going to kill Evan and Lisa. They’ll just separate them.”
“If they’re really in love, pulling them apart isn’t going to work. They’ll find a way to communicate and run away again.” I sighed and closed my eyes. “Good pie.”
“Excellent pie. Now let’s go to bed.”
“No, no.” I stifled a yawn. “I’m going to just lie here and think until they arrive. ‘Kay?”
Bran didn’t say anything. His arm tightened on my waist, keeping me close and warm.
I closed my eyes and tried to think.
* * *
I woke up in a strange bed, my feet tangled in an ancient-looking quilt. For a second I panicked before my senses took in the familiar scents and sounds.
The farm.
Safety.
The pillow under my head gave a rumbled noise, rising and falling with a familiar rhythm. I stirred, then realized I’d drooled on Bran’s shirt.
He chuckled as I brushed at the damp fabric. “Won’t be the first time you leave me with the wet spot.”
I poked him with my index finger and sat up, yawning.
The mattress sagged in the middle and I’d ended up almost atop Bran, rolled against his side with my arm draped over his waist.
“How long was I out?”
Bran glanced at his watch. “About two hours. Which obviously you needed badly, given your cute snoring.” He winced as I pushed his shoulder to give myself enough leverage to swing my legs out over the side of the bed.
“Cute snoring?”
“Cute snoring. Snoring that’s cute. Actually, totally adorable.” He paused as the sound of car engines roared up the stairs. Multiple vehicles spun wheels on gravel and skidded to a stop.
“They’re here.” I spotted a bathroom through an adjoining door. It took two bounces to get off the bed and stagger toward the sink.
I wasn’t going to face down two angry family leaders with sleep in my eyes.
Bran rolled onto his side and watched me as I gave myself the once-over, splashing the cool water on my face and attempting to tame the wild mess of blond hair.
A come-hither beauty I wasn’t. The best I could do was pull my hair back into a ponytail and hope the dark circles under my eyes didn’t have people mistaking me for a raccoon.
“What’s the worst that can happen?” he asked. “I mean, how pushy can they get? We’re on neutral ground, sanctuary for Felis—right?”
I paused and studied myself in the mirror. “Possible scenario. They demand I tell them where the kids are. I say no, they issue me a challenge. I win, I get to stay quiet. I lose, I tell them where the kids are.”
Bran bounced off the bed and stood up. “You can’t Change. You can’t accept a challenge.”
“I wouldn’t have a choice.” I swiped at the edges of my mouth. “It’s not a voluntary thing. You don’t refuse challenges. If I do I risk being declared outcast again.”
“And that’s different from what?” he snapped. “It’s not like they’ve embraced you as of late.” He shook his head. “You don’t owe them anything.”
“I have to answer.” I waved a hand over the sink. “Any credibility I have left, any status I have gained over the past few months will be gone if I don’t respond.”
“How much status are they going to get for beating up a cripple?”
I looked at Bran.
He stood there, his mouth hanging open and shock on his face.
I swallowed hard and felt the invisible door slam shut between us.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “You know I don’t think of you like that, I’d never think of you like that.”
“I know.” I turned back to the mirror and lifted a finger to trace my reflection. “But it doesn’t matter. It didn’t matter decades ago when Jess challenged me and it doesn’t matter now.”
Bran shook his head. “Then I’ll fight for you. You allow proxies, right?” His voice rose a note. “You allowed it in Penscotta.”
“No. Not here.” I walked back out to where he stood. “You’re challenged, you fight. No switching, no tag teams.”
“But they can’t force you to talk. They can’t force you to tell them where the kids are.” The words came out faster and faster, a runaway train as he fought for control.
“No, they can’t. The question is how many challenges I can survive before giving them what they want.”
Bran’s face went scarlet as he understood what I was saying. His lips moved without sound, the rage building inside him.
“This, this is how Felis society works.” I didn’t try to make apologies for what I didn’t agree with. “It’s not right and it’s not perfect but it’s how it’s worked for decades, centuries.”
“Will Jess just stand there and let them beat you down? Because I sure as hell won’t.” His fists were clenched at his sides, his breath coming out in pants. “I beat one of your kind once and I’ll do it again.”
I touched his cheek, feeling the tension under my fingers. “We’re not going to let it get to that point. It’s not going to go that far.” The truth was he’d gotten lucky and had beaten Carson because the corrupt police chief had been concussed and out of shape.
It was hard to keep my hands from trembling. My options were limited and while Jess wouldn’t let them kill me, it wasn’t a guarantee I’d walk out unscathed.
The scars on my back were testament to that.
Bran grabbed my hand and pressed it between his own, lowering his forehead to touch mine. “You know I’ll do anything for you, right? Anything.”
The voices grew in intensity downstairs.
Bran continued. “Say the word and I’ll call Hank. Hell, I’ll call the entire police force, the
National Inquisitor
and the CBC. Bring in the SWAT teams and blow this place wide open, bring the media down on their heads with God’s vengeance.”
“You can’t do that,” I whispered.
“To save you—yes. And a whole lot more I haven’t thought of yet. I’ll be damned if I let your family destroy who you are.” The steel in his voice strengthened me, replenished my flagging resolve.
I kissed him, drawing strength from his strong heart and soul. “Let’s give this a try first.”
I drew a deep breath and headed for the stairs, trying to calm myself. Bran followed close behind, his body heat trying to wrap around me like a security blanket.
Showtime.
As we descended the stairs I caught the different scents and automatically catalogued them into sides—Middleston, Chandler and other.
Jess stood at the bottom of the staircase, firmly in the other category. Arms crossed, she surveyed the group now filling the room. Her stern expression set the tone for the meeting.
The muttering and muted voices stopped at my appearance. All eyes turned to me and not a friendly pair among them.
Jake Middleston stood up from his chair, watching me approach. Behind him Eddie nodded at me, an unknown man standing beside him. Another enforcer or family friend, I couldn’t tell.
Mary Chandler stayed seated in the opposite chair and glared at me. Nathan McAllister allowed himself a snicker as I drew closer, his beady little eyes flicking to Bran every few seconds. There was still a reckoning between these two waiting to happen.
I didn’t need it to be here.
This was the first time I’d seen Mary Chandler. A thin woman in her thirties, there was nothing outstanding about her other than her long black hair flying loose over her shoulders. Her eyes were red and swollen and she gave me the stink-eye of all stink-eyes as I moved closer. The man standing beside Nathan was barely an adult, his hands jammed in his pockets and wearing a rock band T-shirt. The similarities between Mary and Evan and the mystery man were evident.
Evan’s older brother. Second-in-charge of the family, in theory.
Given the commanding posture his mother took I figured it’d be a long, long wait for his ascension to the throne. He shuffled his feet, the grating against the wooden floor scratching at my ears.
I felt Bran behind me, his low measured breathing brushing against the back of my neck.
Jess didn’t look at me as I stepped down beside her.
“This is Rebecca Desjardin.” Her eyes traveled around the room, finding and locking with each Felis in a display of command. “You will hear her out and give her your respect.”
Bran stayed behind me. I was sure he noticed he hadn’t been introduced.
Thankfully he stayed silent.
I stepped forward. “Jake, you hired me to find your daughter. I’ve found Lisa—she’s a smart and beautiful young woman.” This earned me a natural smile, a father’s love for his daughter clear.
I turned toward Mary. “Mary, you hired me to find your son. He’s a strong and mature young man, a proud future leader of your family.”
Her face didn’t change, a stoic mask hiding her feelings.
“The two of them are safe and adapting well to their new situation. I spoke to them regarding their relationship and they told me they’re in love.”
That earned a few snickers from both sides.
I spread my hands, putting a sheepish smile on my face. “Hey, I know how it goes. One day you’re madly in love with this guy or girl and a week later you can’t remember his or her name. But you all have to admit that it’s a powerful, strong force of nature that can’t be denied. Once you’re bitten by the bug you’ll do anything for the one you care about, anything and everything.”
Behind me Bran cleared his throat.
Jake shifted in his chair. I suspected he had a few of his own stories hidden away.
“Evan and Lisa love each other. If they return here, willingly or not, you will separate them and they’ll never see each other again. Now I’m not psychic but I can guess those two are going to move heaven and earth to get to each other no matter where you put them.” I drew a breath, hoping they wouldn’t hear the shakiness in my voice. “They want to be together and soon enough they’re both going to be legal adults. This could be the best chance for you both to heal the rift between your families, close this gap keeping both sides apart. We are Felis, we are one family. Your children deserve better than to be shackled by the past. Let’s make it so that they can come home to a united front and a future together, if that’s what they choose.”
The words were thick in my mouth. Felis ceremony dictated more formal conversation but I wasn’t sure what applied here.
Jess’s lack of interference told me I was doing fine. So far.
Jake looked over at Mary and gave a slight nod of the head, offering her the first chance to reply out of politeness.
She narrowed her eyes and glared at him.
No one moved.
Jess placed her hands on her hips. “If someone doesn’t say something I will. And you don’t want to know what I’m going to say.”
Chapter Ten
Jake got to his feet and cleared his throat. “You’re the one who referred me to her.” He pointed at me. “You told me she was a good tracker, she’d find my girl and bring her home.” Spittle flew from his lips as his voice rose. “All you had to do is find her and bring her back. Is that too hard for you to comprehend? Was that too hard for your simple mind to get? Even a freak like you should have been able to do that.”
I felt rather than heard Bran’s huff behind me.
Jess waited a second, making sure Jake had finished saying his piece before she gestured at Mary.
She stood up and brushed her hands over her black jeans before speaking. “I went to you for help, for advice on how to find my runaway boy. Jess told me she had faith in your abilities to find Evan and deliver him back here safely, back to the bosom of our family. You’ve failed to do so.” She glanced over her shoulder at Nathan. “I took other measures to ensure my wishes were being followed because I didn’t believe an outcast could do the job and do it right. You still haven’t done what I asked and brought my boy home.”
The thin Felis enforcer sneered, his lips twisting up into a warped grin.
My turn.
“You didn’t give me much time before setting your dog on me. I had your son under observation and was about to make contact. Then your pup hit me and not only revealed himself to me but also caused a major incident involving the police.” That changed Nathan’s grin into a snarl, exposing teeth. “He put me in the hospital and missed his chance to get your kit. I wouldn’t be giving him any gold stars.”
Mary pressed her lips into a straight line. I suspected Nathan hadn’t been as honest as she expected about his actions.
“And as for your daughter—” I turned to Jake. “She’s going to be an adult in a few days and has the right to make her own decisions, be they right or wrong. I promised to find her but I never promised to drag her back to you in chains. She’s alive and well and still cares for her family.” I glanced over at Mary. “As does your son.”
“Do not speak of them in the same breath,” she whispered. “Evan is a good boy obviously enticed into this folly by his slut of a daughter.”
I winced inside as Jake bunched up his fists, his face flaming scarlet. There weren’t many words that could push a father’s buttons but that was one of them.
Jess threw up her hands just as Jake took a step around the circular table, his enforcers moving with him.
“We are not going to do this,” she warned. Her piercing stare hit Mary. “Apologize. Now.”
Mary squirmed for a second under her inspection before muttering something under her breath. It was enough to stop Jake’s approach and allow him a respectful retreat back to his chair.
Jess looked at me.
I steadied myself and continued.
“Let me get this straight. This, all of this, this feud is all over one woman dying because of an accident.” It probably wasn’t the most sensitive way of saying it but I’d worn out my reserve.
Jake scowled. “Maureen Middleston was a good woman. She deserved better than to die through deceit and treachery from Laura Chandler.” He shot an angry look over the table. “It was murder, plain and simple.”
Mary began to speak but I shot my hand up, stopping her. “The Grand Council ruled it was an accident. Why didn’t both families accept the ruling at the time? Why has this gone on for two more generations of hatred and mistrust?”
This got me mumblings and mutterings, the enforcers shuffling their feet and looking to their respective leaders for a response.
Jess looked at me and raised an eyebrow.
“Anyone? Anyone?” I prompted them.
“It’s not like Laura walked away unscathed,” Mary said quietly. “She was crippled, limped for the rest of her life. She never got over it until the day she died.” She glanced at Jess. “Long before her time. And you took her place.”
Jess said nothing.
“She got over it enough to take the spot on the Board,” Jake said. He turned his head to one side as if to spit before catching Jess’s glare and stopping.
“Better she take it than leave it empty for someone else to fight over,” Mary replied. “She would have won the next challenge, if there’d been one, anyway.”
I put my hand up again. “What’s done is done. Once the kill’s been picked clean there’s no use in fighting over dry bones.”
That earned me an approving look from Jess. I hadn’t forgotten everything from being on the farm.
“Your mother chose that field ’cause she knew it was full of rabbit holes.” This came from the unidentified Middleston Felis standing beside Eddie. My guess was another enforcer, another family associate standing by in case Eddie couldn’t close the deal. “She knew it gave her the advantage in the fight.”
“And what if she did?” Mary replied, a definite edge to her words. “The old woman should have watched where she stepped. She wasn’t a kit out for her first challenge. Not our fault if she was blind as well as dumb.”
Jake jumped to his feet, his mouth opening and closing in a series of silent curses. The two men behind him surged forward, pressing against the back of Jake’s chair.
Mary rose as well, her son moving around to stand beside her. Nathan stayed where he was, watching and assessing his potential targets.
“I love diplomacy,” Bran muttered behind me.
The two camps ignored him and glared at each other. I could smell the challenges about to be tossed out, the blood boiling on both sides.
Jess didn’t say anything. She stood there with her arms crossed and watched.
I cleared my throat loudly before raising my voice. “No offense, folks—but this isn’t about you,” I said.
Both parties turned and studied me as if I was covered in raw meat. I resisted the urge to take a step back.
“You want to beat each other senseless through challenges and screwing each other out of business deals, that’s your right as a family and as Felis. But we’re talking about the lives of two young adults who don’t want to play your game anymore.” I pointed at Nathan who continued to wear his smirk proudly. “And neither do I. Next time either of your enforcers come at me I won’t be as nice about it.”
Nathan chuckled and tucked his thumbs under his thick leather belt. “Easy enough to knock you on your ass.” He looked around the room at the others. “She’s a lightweight. All talk and no go.”
“Wasn’t no go when I put you down.” Bran stepped forward. “Still got that mark on you, kit?”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. This was the last place for Bran’s machismo display.
Part of me couldn’t blame him however—we had to draw the line somewhere and Bran’d stepped up and thrown the proverbial gauntlet in their faces.
I hoped it wasn’t going to come back at us with lethal force.
One edge of Nathan’s mouth curled up. “You’ve got no place here, human. The only reason you’re even present is because you’re hooked up with her.” He spat the last word out like a curse.
From the heads bobbing in agreement it was one of the few things they could all agree about.
“Good thing we’re not a democracy here,” I replied. “He’s got as much of a right to be here as I do.”
“Outcast.” This came from the Chandler son. “I’m not sure if you have the right to be here among us.” He ignored Jess’s warning glare. “Freaks got no place in our family.”
I sized up the pup. He had black hair like his younger brother, the disorganized mop hanging over his ears. The black T-shirt advertised some heavy metal rock band while his jeans were headed southward, allowing me to see his Fruit of the Looms.
I motioned him on with one hand. “Is that a challenge?”
Bran let out a low growl. I ignored him.
Jess shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She bit down on her lower lip but said nothing.
“I guess it is.” He smiled at his mother as he approached me, his cocky walk showing major attitude. He stopped in front of me and tucked his hands into his pockets, turning his head back toward the waiting Felis to give them a wide grin. “Yep, I think it is.”
“Good.”
My right knee slammed up into his groin. I followed up with an elbow jab to his nose, now that he’d dropped his head to the right angle.
The kid dropped to the ground, mewing. His hands flew back and forth between cradling his balls and trying to stifle the blood flowing from his nose.
I took a step back, almost unable to stand. It’d taken the last of my strength and I was done.
Jess put her hand up to her mouth, something akin to a chuckle escaping.
Jake let out some sort of cough.
Mary didn’t move toward her son but the clenched fists told me I was a whisper away from dealing with her.
“Challenge—” the young man groaned from between his hands.
“Well challenged and met,” Jess said. She glanced at me before turning her attention to the young man curled up in a ball. “When you challenge, the game is on. You don’t pose, you don’t vogue for your buddies.” Her gaze went to Mary. “I thought you’d been trained properly.”
I nudged the moaning boy with my foot. “You’ll survive. Next time don’t underestimate your opponent. Felis, human or outcast.”
Mary locked eyes with Jess, silently appealing the outcome.
Jess shrugged.
The young man pulled himself back to his mother’s side, coughing and snorting blood out his nose. Nathan pulled out a handkerchief and dropped it next to the injured Chandler without comment.
“Now that we’re done with that.” I paused for another few seconds to let Mary console her son. “Let’s get back to the issue at hand. What’s best for these two young people?”
Jake looked at Jess before turning his attention to me, picking his words carefully. “I want my daughter home. She wants her son. I’m not seeing what the problem is here.”
“The problem is that they’re not coming home unless you let them be together,” I said. “Simple as that. End the feud or you’ll never see them again.”
Jake’s eyes narrowed. “You’d keep me from my kin?”
“I’ll keep your daughter free to make her own decisions. And mistakes.” I caught Mary’s attention. “And your son. I’m appealing to you both to let bygones be bygones and put this feud behind you. I won’t tell you where they are and I won’t deliver them to you like lambs to the slaughter. If you want them you’ll have to go to Toronto and start ripping the city up.”
This brought a low cough from Jess, signaling her disapproval of the option.
“They’re ready to go rogue. Are you ready to let them do this if you truly love them?” I looked at her son, busy trying to casually check his family jewels without shoving his hands down his baggy jeans. “Let that be the last of blood spilled for this feud.”
Jake rolled his tongue around his mouth before wetting his lips. “I need some time to think about this. What you’re suggesting, well—I can’t give a decision right now.” He gestured toward the Chandlers. “I’m thinking you’ve got the same thought. It’s a big thing, what she’s asking and I ain’t going to jump without thinking it through.”
Mary nodded. Her son had managed to stand up and now resumed his spot beside her, wobbling a bit. His nose was red and swollen but I didn’t think it was broken. He held the handkerchief to his mouth as if sucking on a lollipop. “We agree. Let’s take some time to consider all our options.”
“I want both parties back here by—” Jess checked her watch. “It’s more or less one o’clock now. Let’s be back by eight. That’s more than enough time for everyone to get dinner and make up their minds.” She paused and looked at each family leader in turn. “This is going to be finished tonight, one way or another. So don’t come back without a solution you can live with.”
The two groups filed out of the living room, one after another alternating between families. Mary Chandler linked her arm with her son’s, helping him leave with as much dignity as he could. Jake Middleston didn’t look at me but muttered at Eddie, who bobbed his head up and down.
Jess waited until the screen door had slammed behind the last person before letting out her breath in a long, measured gasp.
“Woman, you know how to flip people on their heads. I was shitting nickels trying to figure out how to get you out of that one.”
“Tell me about it.” Bran spun me around and hugged me, his arms tight around mine. “Especially when that little punk came up to you. I’m assuming that’s not how you usually handle challenges.”
Jess let out a snort. “Not by a long shot. Ceremony says you declare the challenge and then choose an arena and so forth but those are just the bells and whistles. He should have realized we didn’t have the time for that and Reb was full in her rights to take him on right there.” She chuckled. “Full of piss and vinegar and wanted to show off in front of his mother and the Middlestons. He’ll think twice about doing that again.”
“If his balls ever drop again,” I said, leaning into Bran. “Damn, I need a drink.”
“Sit down and I’ll get something.” Jess headed for the kitchen. “First let me make sure they all got out of the parking lot without killing each other.”
As she left the room Bran helped me to the couch, urging me to stretch out with my legs across his lap. “You scared me something awful. Thought we were going to get into it right here with the fighting.”
I sighed as he rubbed my bare feet, his hands rubbing over the skin. “Close call there. If the little shit had Changed I probably wouldn’t have gotten the drop on him.” I winced as he hit a sensitive spot.
“Whiskey times three.” Jess came back with the same tray that had previously carried the pie, now carrying three glasses with a whisper of booze at the bottom. She handed me a glass and let Bran pick his own before settling into the chair so recently vacated by Jake Middleston. “Well played.” She lifted the glass in a toast. “You might want to consider a Board position if you ever come back to the Pride full-time.”
I sniffed the amber liquid. The good stuff. It tasted as smooth as silk and burned all the way down to start a fire in my belly.
I sighed, feeling the warmth rush through my aching bones and muscles. “I’m not sure if the doctor at the hospital would approve of me drinking.”
Bran tossed his back in one shot. “He wouldn’t have approved you getting into a full-fledged fight.” He put his glass down on the tray. “How ’bout I whip us up some lunch?”