Dire Wants (25 page)

Chapter 40

“W
hat were you thinking?” Stray demanded of her, and Kate fought to keep her composure.

She didn’t answer him immediately. Instead, she checked on Killian, who looked pale from the exertion. His abilities obviously took a toll on him, and because of her, he’d need longer to recharge. Or at least that’s what Stray told Kate on the ride back as his brother slept in the very back of the truck and Vice pretended he wasn’t in the middle of a very big fight.

“If Kill hadn’t been there,” Stray started.

“But he was.”

“You distracted him—and me. Dammit, Kate—”

“Rogue told me—”

“He’s wrong, Kate. Dammit, I don’t know what he was thinking, but there’s no way you can do much against this ghost army. It makes no sense at all.”

“You don’t believe in me. Have you been blowing smoke up my ass just to make me work harder? You keep telling me how strong and powerful I am.”

“I guess you proved me wrong,” he yelled and then he softened. “You’ve been at this only a little while. Seb’s had centuries.”

“I’m not strong enough to help you. Seb knows all of Lila’s weaknesses, obviously. And I’m a big one.”

“Kate, come on.”

She turned away from him. She was ashamed and angry—at herself and him.

Thankfully, they pulled into the garage. Vice got out and helped Killian to do the same, leaving her and Stray alone in their misery.

She slammed out of the truck as well, but Stray was right behind her. He took her by the elbow. Even though her body yearned for his touch, she forced herself to pull away, to fight back against the one person who’d saved her life several times over the past few days. “You resent being tied to me.”

“We got past that.”

“You don’t have to. I almost got you killed, and you’ll never trust me again.”

“That’s not what this is about at all,” he told her. “You call me for protection. You call me when you need me. Only then. What about when I need you?”

“You don’t,” she burst out. “You need me for helping your brother, but you don’t need a damn thing from me for you.”

He blinked, a predator’s gaze as he considered her words.

“Maybe you’re the one who doesn’t give a shit about me,” she finished, hating to hear the raw emotion in her voice, hating that she cared so much.

When he didn’t say anything further, she knew she needed to leave before he saw her cry. There was a lot she could handle, but her tears . . . she would not give him those. She’d given too much already. “Please, I just want to be alone now. I don’t need you nosing at me every five seconds.”

“Maybe you picked the wrong familiar,” he said, his voice oddly quiet.

“I didn’t pick you—”

She stopped, but not quickly enough.

“I get it, Kate. You don’t have to spell it out.”

“Stray—”

She quickly realized his name had never seemed so apropos as now.

He simply stared at her. “Stop. Quit while you’re ahead.”

* * *

It was a turning point—one that turned Stray’s stomach as well. All the closeness they’d had over the past days seemed to crumble.

He thought about how close he’d come to being in the trappers’ clutches—both of them—and how Killian had been the only thing preventing that.

He’d hated his brother all these years and all the man had done was save his life. And he’d done it again.

“I don’t need you nosing at me every five seconds.”

“Maybe you picked the wrong familiar.”

“I didn’t pick you—”

The look on her face told him she knew she’d gone too far. What he couldn’t decipher was if she cared. But he did. You didn’t back down from a blood oath promise and the worst part was, he still didn’t want to.

You’re a beast . . . and that’s just how she sees you.

He’d never minded being a wolf—but the fact that he could possibly bring so much trouble to the packs nearly killed him.

He walked out without another word.

His brothers were shocked at the amount of power he and Killian wielded together. Maybe they weren’t scared of him but they had to be afraid of what kind of destruction he could cause.

He wondered if they were thinking about caging him, putting him in silver chains the way they had Harm at first.

And then he decided that if they were, he didn’t want to know.

He was a fucking witch’s pet. Reduced to an animal.

You’re nothing but a beast.

In Kate’s eyes, that’s all he would ever be, and even though there was no escape, his Brother Wolf ran until Stray couldn’t see or hear himself thinking anymore, until he was all wolf.

It rarely happened that the two weren’t working together in tandem. During these times, Brother Wolf had to be especially vigilant to keep Stray safe.

Brother Wolf had taken over many times for Stray, especially on his first several shifts when he was still dying from the polar bear attack. He’d been too weak to deal with anything. As Kill watched over him, Brother Wolf shifted over and over until Stray came back out.

Stray didn’t plan on coming back out ever. And Brother Wolf would watch out for him until the end of time.

Chapter 41

C
ain couldn’t take the fed to the mansion, but with Cyd’s help, he got Angus to the apartment they rented near town for cover, in the building next to where Jinx was staying.

Cyd left them there to report back to the Dires, and Cain called Jinx, who arrived at his doorstep in record time, with the vampire in tow.

“What the hell is going on here? You don’t owe him shit—we discussed this,” Jinx told him.

Jez was circling the unconscious man. “Human?”

“Not to be touched,” Cain said.

Jez frowned and retracted his fangs. “You take all the fun away.”

“I know.” Cain shrugged.

“Hear you wolves are in trouble. Too much pack shit. Stay solitary; you’re better off.”

“A little late for it, but I’ll pass that advice on to Rifter,” Jinx told him.

Jez smiled. “I like Rifter, but Vice . . .”

“Yeah, yeah, he brings the party. I know,” Jinx muttered before turning his attention back to Cain. “I don’t know if we can let the fed live.”

“I know that.”

Jinx paused for a long moment and Cain swore his fucking heart stopped beating for a split second. “See what he knows. If he’s useful, he can live.”

He left, taking Jez and Cyd with him.

“Stupid, stupid human,” Cain muttered, his touch much gentler than his words. “What were you thinking?”

* * *

Angus couldn’t form the words, was pretty sure he was dying.

Just as before, the young wolf was touching him, hands over his throat and chest. Angus felt the heat radiate through his body, overriding the pain and somehow intensifying it at the same time. He groaned, despite his best efforts to be stoic, but hell, he’d been literally thrown to the wolves.

“Why are you doing this?” he asked, and it took nearly all his strength.

“I made a promise to help the innocent.”

“I’m not.”

“I know. You’re lying to me about who did this. Why?”

“Have to. Your safety.”

Cain looked like he was going to say something angry—his mouth twisted and Angus braced himself, but all the wolf said was “Stay still.”

“Trying.” And he was, until Cain put his hands on Angus’s chest and it burned worse than any beating could’ve. The wolf was killing him, it seemed. How would Angus know the difference at this point?

“Stop moaning and it’ll be done faster. Fucking humans,” the wolf muttered, but Angus couldn’t say anything back. At first the pain seemed to eat at his mind until he couldn’t form a coherent thought, never mind speech. And then, when the pain receded slightly, he was too fascinated by the fact that Cain was glowing again, the way he’d been the night Angus had rescued him. Holy hell, he guessed this was calling in the favor chip big-time.

He thought momentarily about what Shimmin mentioned earlier, about omegas and who could see their glow and he decided it must be bullshit.

Cain put a hand on his neck and the fresh, ripping pain began anew.

He managed to wind a hand around Cain’s wrist. “First . . . in case . . .”

“You’re not going to die.”

Sure felt like it. By this point, he was either in pain or floating away into some white light. Neither option was great news. “Shimmin . . . said . . . wolves . . . so busy . . . with magic that they . . . won’t do . . . what’s . . . obvious.”

Jesus H. Christ on a stick, that nearly killed him. He wanted to double over, but he couldn’t move.

Shimmin would kill him for leaking this, once he found out Angus hadn’t been killed by the wolf. Either way, Angus figured he was a dead man.

“What’s obvious, Angus?” Cain demanded.

“Fight. Supposed . . . to . . . fight them. Battle. Like . . . old . . . times.” After he finished, he closed his eyes and knew he’d pass out again. But he’d given Cain more than enough.

He heard Cain make the call with the intel, leaving someone a detailed message. And then he hung up and continued healing Angus’s broken body as Angus finally let himself slip into unconsciousness.

* * *

The wolf and the vamp roamed the night. Jinx’s Brother Wolf stopped protesting when he realized that the bloodsucking deadhead wasn’t going to be eating innocent humans.

In fact, Jinx wasn’t sure how or when he fed, but as long as he didn’t see it, he was cool with it.

Even though Brother Wolf was dying to come out, Jinx had to keep him tamped down, promising that he’d shift for a much-needed run later. Now he strode into the cemetery, Jez behind him in a long black leather coat and a buzz cut reminiscent of a military one, although a series of tattoos showed through, intricate patterns that reminded Jinx of the ones that had shown up on Rogue’s face recently.

He really had more to learn about this deadhead. This could all be a trap. But Brother Wolf was the best judge of a supernatural’s character and, so far, no hells bells were ringing.

Except for you.

“You ever go out during the day?” he asked Jez.

The vamp shook his head. “Not unless there’s an emergency. But the sun’s not going to hurt me. Neither will cutting off my head, so don’t get any ideas, wolf.”

“So nothing can kill you?”

Jez shook his head. “Sucks to be us, doesn’t it?”

Yes, it certainly does
, Jinx mused as he approached the newly smashed mausoleum, care of Vice. The spell had been broken by screwing with its origins, but Seb hadn’t let it go.

The ghost army hadn’t been defeated, just momentarily delayed, but it bought them the time they needed.

“Are you just saying it sucks, or do you really feel, vamp?”

Jez smiled. “When we came back, we were given souls. Stupid little buggers, if you ask me.”

“
That’s
gotta suck.”

“You have no idea. But at least I’ve also now got an appetite and needs.”

Jinx looked out the window and wondered how the hell this was all supposed to work. “We’ve got to kill this Dire ghost army, and the witch won’t let me near her.”

“We’ve all got some repenting to do,” Jez told him. “Suck it up and move on. What’s happening with the Dire ghost army is nothing.”

“That’s why you were brought back?”

“You can’t do it alone.”

Jinx snorted. “The Elders think we should.”

“Hey, I’ve got my own problems with higher beings. Let’s just get this started.”

Jinx didn’t see any ghosts except for the few odd ones that hovered around the gates of the cemetery. The Dire ghost army had already blown through here for a practice round, and the news of desecrated corpses was just one more thing New York was buzzing about.

“It’s too damned quiet,” the vamp said.

“Anyone here?” Jinx called, his voice echoing eerily. Usually, there were stray ghosts nattering in his ear at any opportunity, and this was a prime one.

He heard marching—an overpowering sound that echoed through his brain, made him cover his ears in the vain hope of blocking it out.

It only made the sound louder. It was like every single literal thing from purgatory had decided to march.

He managed to stand, wheeled around, expecting to see his ancestors marching toward him, but there was only . . . nothing.

And that was worse than anything.

“Jinx, move.” Jez’s voice boomed over the other sounds. Brother Wolf forced Jinx to drop and roll just in time for the vamp to slice through a demon with a long silver blade that glowed with an eerie light, similar to the ring around Jez’s eyes.

The demon screeched, stared at Jez like he was a devil the thing hadn’t seen before, but one in particular it feared. It burst into flames and then disintegrated into a pile of ash.

The vamp stared at Jinx, who asked, “You gonna share your heritage now? I’m thinking you’re part demon.”

“No, but I am from hell.” Jez stared at him. “I can take down the possessed ones, and there are a lot of them.”

“You were really sent here to wait and watch for thirty years for purgatory to open?”

“For however long it took. I’m a patient thing. I knew it would happen. No matter how much I tried to find a way around it, you had to do what was meant to be.”

Jinx studied the vampire and wondered if trusting him was the stupidest thing he could’ve done. “Tell me more about yourself.”

“I’m from an entirely different race of vampires. An ancient one that none of these young, vulnerable fangers remember,” Jez told him. “You already know I can’t die. I can influence humans and other supernatural beings except Dires. I can influence you, but I can’t force you to take my advice. And I can kill. Well. But I can’t get rid of your Dire ghost army problem. I will, however, fight with you and then force you to deal with the purgatory issue. And yes, I’ll keep your secret until you decide your kind should know about it. Is that enough sharing? I typically like to play this a little closer to the vest, but considering we slept together—”

“Next to each other,” Jinx told him. “Are you king?”

“There are twelve of my kind left, scattered about.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“I know.”

Jinx sighed. “I think you need to come back to the house and talk to Rifter.”

“I can do that, if he’ll listen.”

“Am I possessed?”

“No, but you’re purgatory’s conduit. The spirits that emerged are going to keep track of you, make sure you don’t try to close their passageway. The ghost army was just there temporarily—some of those other spirits had been there for years, and they can’t just rush out. Many of them have to claw their way to the opening, which is why we need to close it before everything manages to escape. Because that would be . . . horrific.”

Meaning, if Jinx thought the ghost army was angry, he hadn’t seen anything yet. And with that thought, he threw up, heaved his goddamned guts out. When he stood, Jez handed him a bottle of water.

Where he’d gotten it, Jinx hadn’t a clue.

“Looks like I’m going to severely disappoint them,” he managed. “So what, you’re like my big, bad vampire guardian angel?”

“Something like that, wolf. Hell knows you needed one.”

“I need my twin back.”

“Can’t help you there. But once the Dire army’s defeated, there’s a whole new presence to deal with.”

“What if I hadn’t come to the apartment and talked to you?”

“You have an interesting way of talking, wolf. But I would’ve worked on my own,” Jez said. “I’m helping you, but we didn’t need to be a team. The walls are coming down. We’ve got to build them back up again, and the Dires are the closest thing to us there is.”

“I’ll call Rifter on the way over.”

An unlikely alliance would be forged between vamp and wolf. There was already one between wolf and witch, but that had gone so badly before.