Authors: Shelley Munro
“What the hell are you doing here?” She turned her attention to Saber and glowered. “Check him for weapons.” Tomasine’s face went hard, her expression flat. Unforgiving. Her hand tightened on the knife. This man was part of her secret. She knew this man. Felix gave him a careful look instead of the polite first scan he’d normally reserve for a stranger. Jealousy followed swiftly when he wondered at the man’s identity. Tomasine had said her husband was dead but what if he were still alive. What if she’d lied to him all along?
“I have,” Saber said in a mild tone, his eyes on Tomasine. “His gun is in my office. I’ve searched him. He’s unarmed now. You can put the knife down.”
Felix narrowed his eyes at his brother. There was something…
“I mean you no harm, Your Majesty.” The man bowed his head and waited.
“Your Majesty?” Felix repeated, full-out staring and unworried about the rudeness aspect now.
Leo gaped at Saber. “Who’s he talking to?”
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“Not me,” Emily said. “And I know none of you guys have a drop of royal blood. That leaves Tomasine.”
“Tomasine?” Shit, this was the secret she’d been keeping from them?
“I suppose Joseph sent you,” Tomasine spat at the man. At a hard stare from Saber, she slapped the knife down on the table. But not far enough away that she couldn’t grab it again. “He’s too much a coward to do the job himself.”
“This is Lucas Kombu,” Saber said. “Emily, perhaps he’d like a cup of coffee?”
“Take a seat,” Felix said, indicating a seat at the far end of the table, away from Tomasine. It was more for Kombu’s safety than Tomasine’s. Felix saw the man nod at Emily and his gaze skirt over Sylvie and Gina but he didn’t sit.
“Oh for goodness sake.” Tomasine plunked her butt on a chair and immediately the man sat.
Protocol, Felix realized. Shit, he’d made love to royalty—probably a huge lapse in the protocol stakes. Would they want his head for the crime?
“This is Queen Augustus from the Tanzanian clan in Africa,” Saber said, obviously deciding Tomasine wasn’t going to tell them anything.
“That person no longer exists. I am Tomasine Brooks. What’s with the sudden appearance in Middlemarch?” Tomasine’s eyes narrowed on the man and Felix blinked at her imperious manner. Royalty through and through and somehow he’d missed it.
“Why are you confronting me face to face? Why didn’t you just shoot me and hie back to Joseph to tell him you’d done the deed?” She paused and Felix could almost hear her brain ticking. “Did you have something to do with the body?”
“What about the mystery blonde?” Felix added, claiming the seat beside Tomasine and placing a proprietary hand on her shoulder.
The man—Lucas—blinked, his gaze on Felix for an instant before returning to Tomasine. “It was Robert. I don’t know who killed him but I couldn’t leave him with 134
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the authorities and let them discover he was a shifter. It would raise questions. I stole his body and disposed of it in the proper manner.”
“What about the blonde?” Leo asked.
“You’re fixated with the blonde lady,” Gina said, her cheekiness earning her a glare from Tomasine. Gina shrugged unconcerned but Felix noticed she was listening carefully to everything said.
“None of us like surprises,” Felix said. And ain’t that the truth. Bloody royalty. A queen. Where the hell did that leave him? Quick answer—in exactly the same position he’d been in before Lucas had arrived. If Tomasine thought she could take off to parts unknown without him, she could bloody well think again.
“We don’t even know if she’s a danger. She helped Sylvie avoid detection yesterday when she could have harmed her if that was her goal,” Emily said. Enough of the chitchat. Tomasine wanted real answers. “You haven’t said why you’re here.” She used every ounce of her royal blood, lifting her chin in a haughty manner and arching her brows.
Lucas didn’t hesitate. “Joseph is a dictator. He’s taken over and a lot of us don’t like the way things are going. It’s worse than when Bernard was in power.”
Dissent among the traitors—the only surviving members of the clan. How apt. Then, a pang of regret softened her glower. She hadn’t been strong enough to deal with Bernard, to make him see sense and rule with firmness yet kindness. On the mysterious death of her parents and older brother, she’d been thrust into a role before she was ready for it or received the correct training. “I regret what happened with Bernard. I was too young and inexperienced to rule the clan on my parent’s death. Bernard charmed me. By the time I realized I’d invited Joseph into the palace along with Bernard, it was too late.”
Saber claimed a seat near Lucas and Leo took the empty one on the other side. Silent sentinels, willing to protect her should the need arise. In that moment, she realized she’d found a family, a real family, even though it wasn’t what she’d been 135
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searching for. It warmed Tomasine, chipping away at the icy-cold demeanor she currently projected and the barriers she’d erected around her heart. Despite being unable to stay, she’d treasure the memory of their kindness.
“Joseph ordered the ethnic cleansing with Bernard’s approval. They didn’t like the half-breeds who had come into our clan group over the years.” Lucas swallowed painfully. “They also used it as a way to rid themselves of their detractors.”
“But the assassins killed everyone—men, women and children.” Horror echoed in her voice. “They shot anyone who moved. It wasn’t only clan members who spoke out against them.”
“They killed a whole clan of shifters?” Emily said faintly.
“They killed everyone who lived in the savannah village. Bernard and I had stopped there on the way home from Kenya. Joseph had arranged the visit as a goodwill stop to try and halt the dissent among the clan. We went along with his suggestion, not knowing it was a deathtrap. Several of the elders tried to hustle me away. They managed to get Sylvie to safety but the elders with me were shot. One fell and knocked me off my feet. The other sheltered my body and was killed by flying bullets. I lay under their bodies for hours, praying they wouldn’t search the bodies and realize I was alive. I could smell the blood, the…” Tomasine broke off to swallow. Memories crowded in on her bringing back everything in frightening detail—the moans of the dying, the excited cries of the animals, the cruel laughter of the assassins and the smells. “I…I waited until I thought they’d gone before I tried to move. God, the stench was horrible and the wild animals, the scavengers arrived.” Tomasine shuddered, and when Felix drew her against his chest, she didn’t fight him. Instead, she savored his quiet comforting. “When I crept out of cover, I found one of Joseph’s minions trying to interfere with Gina. Joseph was very free with his wandering hands when Bernard wasn’t present,” Tomasine muttered. “Sly. And some of his men copied his example. I hit the scum over the head with a rock. We found Sylvie, salvaged what possessions we 136
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could and left. Joseph sent assassins after us. They’ve come close but so far we’ve managed to elude them. Until now.”
Felix’s arms tightened around her. “No one is going to get near either you or the girls.”
Lucas cleared his throat. “That’s what I wanted to tell you. I’ve sent a message to Joseph saying that Robert and I found and disposed of you and your child. I said we found you in North Auckland. Kerikeri.”
“Big of you.” A flare of rage burned in Tomasine. “I hope you collect a big reward.”
“I’m not going back,” Lucas said with quiet dignity. “I intend to go to South America and start over. I don’t want anything to do with Joseph’s regime. Too many good people have died.”
“Joseph isn’t stupid,” Tomasine said. “He’ll want proof I’m dead.”
“Yes, he does. I’m here to ask you to give me that proof.” Lucas shifted uneasily, but went against tradition and maintained eye contact.
“My head?” Tomasine said, her tone dry.
Emily frowned. “I think I have a suitable platter.”
A snort escaped Leo.
“Emily,” Saber chided, looking at his mate.
“Well if he thinks we’re going to turn Tomasine and the girls over to him, he needs his head seen to by a specialist,” Emily snapped. “Do they think we’re dummies?”
“If I send Joseph the royal seal, he’ll believe me,” Lucas said.
“The royal seal?” Felix said. “But if he has an official seal, won’t that cement his position?”
“I don’t have it,” Tomasine said slowly. Even if she’d had the seal in her possession, she wasn’t sure she would have handed it over. Yes, it might save her life and give the girls a shot at normal but it would also condemn the surviving members of her clan to a 137
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life of pure hell. “Bernard took it from me not long after we mated. He hid it—I don’t know where since I never saw it again.”
“Hell.” Lucas drew a hand through his hair. “That’s the only proof Joseph will accept. He’ll pay people to make sure you don’t surface. And I hate to tell you this but there’s at least one assassin—a female—who hasn’t checked in for some time.”
Felix’s hands tightened on her shoulders. “How long?” he asked. Exactly what Tomasine wanted to know, especially with the mystery blonde woman appearing on the scene so often.
“Since the day of the attacks,” Lucas said.
“What does she look like? Blonde?” Felix demanded before Tomasine had a chance to ask herself. Her eyes narrowed when it hit her that the Mitchells had taken her under their wings. They were taking her relationship with Felix seriously and treating her as part of their family. Theirs to protect. The fit was uncomfortable, troubling and exhilarating all at the same time. No one had cared for her in this way since her parents and brother had died. She cleared her throat and concentrated on Lucas and his motives instead. What if he were lying?
“She was tall, slim and had long dark hair. She was striking to look at yet still managed to blend into the background. Good at her job,” Lucas added.
“That’s comforting,” Tomasine said.
“If she’s an assassin, she probably is adept at disguises,” Leo added. Lucas shrugged. “We suspect she’s dead because she hasn’t checked in or touched the last payment we sent.”
“But it might be the mystery blonde woman,” Emily said, worry shading her voice. Felix frowned. “Sylvie said the woman helped her. She’s had the perfect opportunity if she’d meant to hurt either of you. Why would she hesitate if that’s what she wants?”
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“I agree with Felix,” Saber said. “If she is an assassin, she’s not in it for the money. She has another agenda. All we can do is watch and wait.”
“Well, things just keep getting better.” Tomasine lifted her chin and concentrated on remembering everything her mother had told her about being a royal. If she needed to keep one eye looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life, then so be it. She refused to go back.
“What does the seal look like?” Felix asked. “Would it be possible to make a good enough copy to fool Joseph?”
Tomasine shook her head. “It’s made of solid gold and studded with tanzanite, a deep blue gemstone found in the clan lands. It would cost a fortune to reproduce and Joseph would call in experts to have it authenticated.”
“Okay, as I see it, there’s one more option you need to consider,” Felix said. “Is there someone else you would consider suitable to rule your clan.” He massaged the tight muscles at the back of her neck and she wanted to moan out loud. It felt that good.
“Who is next in line?”
Tomasine frowned in deep concentration, sifting through the possibilities if she and Sylvie were taken out of the equation. She stilled before lifting her head to stare at Lucas. “Lucas is next in line.”
“Which is probably why he’s moving to South America,” Saber said. “Have attempts been made on your life?”
Lucas nodded. “I don’t like what’s going on and made the mistake of sharing my doubts.”
“Would you like to rule?” Tomasine couldn’t contain her suspicion. It leaked into her words and showed as a furrow between her eyes. He
had
been on Joseph’s side once.
“I’d prefer to breed polo horses in South America but I would make a better and fairer ruler than Joseph.”
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Tomasine sifted through what she knew of the male and had to concede. He’d never treated her badly and most of the clan had liked him.
“I have an idea. Put out a contract on Joseph,” Felix said. “Use his own weapon against him and get rid of the despot.”
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Chapter Ten
Tomasine stared at Felix for a long drawn-out moment. She closed her gaping mouth and gave him a slow smile. “I like it.”
“That’s my girl,” Felix said, hugging her briefly before sitting back in his chair. He turned to Lucas. “How much will it cost? Can you arrange it for us?”
“I can arrange it.” Lucas’s frown was troubled. “But it will be expensive. Joseph is well protected and it may take time. If Joseph is eliminated, you can take back power and rule,” he added.
“I don’t want that—not for me or for Sylvie. Besides the only clan members left are as rotten as Joseph.” Her eyes narrowed on Lucas and he returned her gaze without flinching.
“How much money?” asked Saber.
Lucas named a figure that made Tomasine blink in shock. “There’s no way I can raise that sort of money. God, no wonder so many of the clan is suffering. Joseph must be bleeding the clan resources dry in his determination for absolute rule.”
“I have a little I can contribute,” Lucas said.
“We will contribute too,” Saber said.
“Of course we will,” Emily said, reaching over the table to cover Tomasine’s hand with her own. “Wow, to think I didn’t know any of this stuff went on before. My eyes are open now.”
Tomasine didn’t know what to say. A suspicious moistness coated her eyes. She blinked rapidly but it only made it worse.
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“And meanwhile, you and I and the girls will go to live at Saul’s uncle’s station. I can help with work on the farm while you can write your articles and help out with the home schooling if you want.”