Psyche Shield (33 page)

He watched Glenn diligently while focusing all of his
attention on me. Cold fury began to overshadow his terror and he spoke to me in
a low defensive tone. "I’ll make you a deal. Leave me alone and I’ll mind
my own business. Okay?”

“What are you talking about?” I asked him, looking at Glenn
to see if he understood. The Wolf only shrugged, mystified by the man's words.

His gaze never left Glenn, and I only knew he spoke to me
because I could sense the direction of his thoughts. "I don't want any
part of this, but I don’t get involved. Don't follow me and don’t try
anything.”

From a Human, the statement made no sense. Glenn looked at
the man curiously. "What do you think we're going to do?”

He waved his arm indignantly at Glenn but answered as if I
asked the question instead of my packmate. "I don't do this.” He started
to walk away without offering a sensible explanation.

Human or not, he knew something. My patience grew thin and I
challenged him one more time, speaking more firmly than I intended. "You
don't do what?”

He turned back and looked directly at me for the first time,
his eyes burning indignantly. "Claiming.” He spat and walked away briskly.

Glenn looked as shocked as I felt. Neither of us sensed
Mage, but with that one word the man confirmed that he knew about Mages. He
knew about claiming. Our mental powers gave Mages the ability to twist
another’s mind to our will. Mages called it claiming, but Wolves called it
collaring. This practice lay at the center of the ongoing conflict and distrust
between the races. For a Wolf it was a fate worse than death.

Glenn trotted after him and I followed a heartbeat behind.
"Hang on a second. Wait up.” My packmate insisted eagerly, touching the
man's arm lightly to get his attention.

Panicked by the contact, the businessman spun around with
wide eyes. Magepower gathered around him as he turned, filling the air. He held
it stagnant, brandishing it like a weapon against Glenn. His voice raised,
shrill with desperation. “Get him away from me.”

Sensing the magepower, Glenn backed up two steps and raised
his hands as if the man held a gun. From such a close range, Glenn didn’t have
to back off. He could reach the Mage before the man had time to think.
"Whoa. Take it easy. We just want to talk. Um. Sadie, a little help here?”

I could gather magepower and stop him from hurting Glenn
easily, and I was ready. I didn’t believe it necessary and spoke urgently
before the misunderstanding escalated. "He's not claimed.” Slowly I
stepped forward until I stood side by side with Glenn.

The Mage stared at me doubtfully before releasing the
magepower, crackles of energy around him dissipating. Glenn blew out a breath
and lowered his hands, composing himself. He poked at the tense situation
humorously. "Now he smells like a Mage.”

“I noticed.” I said before introducing myself to the wary
man in front of us. “I'm Sadie. This is Glenn.”

“He's a Wolf.” The Mage stared in disbelief at my packmate.

“I noticed.” I repeated.

“What's your name?” Glenn asked, the simple question
disarming the Mage considerably.

“Silas,” he replied, still ready to bolt. His face screwed
up in confusion as he scrutinized me. He didn’t read me despite the clear
temptation. "I sensed mindspeech and thought you were a Mage.”

“I am a Mage.” I assured him, just as baffled but for a
completely different reason.

He looked at me like I belonged in a straightjacket.
"And you're with a Wolf? Are you crazy?”

The absurdity of the entire conversation caught up with me,
and I laughed uncontrollably. "Probably.”

The Mage continued to study us. Finally he spoke directly to
Glenn, “She’s telling the truth, isn’t she? You’re not claimed.”

“It’s true,” Glenn assured the man. “Sadie’s Pack. None of
us are collared.”

“She’s Pack? You mean you live with Wolves? How did that
happen?” He believed us but couldn’t wrap his brain around it.

“My girlfriend’s Wolf. I was raised Human and I’ve only
known a few Mages. You’re the first I’ve met who doesn’t claim.”

Glenn pointed towards the restaurant and suggested,
"Why don't we go back to the steak house and we’ll tell you over dinner?
I'll buy you a beer. Or another meal since you didn't finish yours.” Silas
hesitated only a moment before agreeing.

He's a Mage!
I told Billie excitedly.
He didn't
want anything to do with me because he thought I'd collared Glenn. He was mad
at me for it! He's joining us for dinner.

“Who are you talking to?” Silas noticed Glenn's absence in
the conversation and his suspicion returned.

That's amazing, love! Good luck.
She blew me a mental
kiss.

“Billie. Let's get back before they take our food away.”
They hadn't cleared our plates, to Glenn's blatant pleasure. Silas ordered the
beer Glenn offered him, and he looked like he needed it. A simple illusion
allowed us to talk freely without anyone overhearing, and I enlightened Glenn
of our privacy. "No one can hear us unless they're right next to us.”

He nodded gratefully and addressed the Mage. "We knew
something was up even before you bolted. We didn't mean to scare you.”

Silas let out a sharp breath. "I sensed you when you
came in. Wolves are hard to miss. I thought it would look suspicious if I left
right away. When I sensed her mindspeech I assumed you were claimed. I don’t
want any part of that.”

“You couldn't tell she's a Mage?” Glenn asked one of the
questions on my mind.

Silas shook his head. "She hasn't used magepower
recently enough to be obvious. To know for sure would have given me away.” That
explained the nagging feeling I'd had about him.

“Every Mage I’ve met so far has claimed. Do very many Mages
think like us?” I eagerly asked about others of my race.

“That's a peculiar question to hear a Mage ask. You were
raised by Humans, though? That doesn't happen very often. Yeah, a lot of us
think claiming is wrong.” Silas informed me, his eyes darting repeatedly at
Glenn as if expecting him to suddenly sprout claws. "But we don't go
anywhere near Wolves. It's too dangerous. I've never been this close to a
Wolf.” The server delivered a beer and the conversation stalled briefly. Silas
drank deeply, the action settling his nerves a little even before the alcohol
had a chance to take effect.

Glenn ate casually, as if he had dinner with strange Mages
regularly. Schooling his posture deliberately, he tried to intimidate the poor
man as little as possible. It didn't help much, reminding me that I understood
very little body language before I came to the pack. Up to that point I’d
relied solely on mental abilities to read people. Glenn bobbed his head in my
direction and said. "Sadie's the first Mage I've associated with.”

“How did this happen? How are you still alive?” He asked me
incredulously.

“I was adopted and raised Human. I didn’t know Mages and
Wolves existed at all until recently. A couple months ago I started dating
Billie. She and I were already mates when it all came out. The Alpha was
reluctant to let me live, but by some miracle we convinced him to let me stay.
Gaining the Wolves’ trust and becoming part of the pack has been an uphill
battle.”

Glenn laughed loudly at the understatement, startling Silas
with his outburst. "Uphill battle. More like scaling a sheer cliff without
a safety line while we threw rocks at you from above.”

“What he said.” I poked a finger at Glenn affectionately.
"He disagreed with our Alpha's decision to let me live.”

“Loudly. I offered to take care of the problem myself.”
Glenn added, his laughter mellowing into a chuckle.

Initially one of the most vocal Wolves against me, he’d
surprised everyone with his change of heart. I grinned at his honesty. "He
thinks I'm okay now.”

“You're a real member of a real Wolf Pack?” I sensed a
multitude of questions rise in Silas, too many to choose from.

“I really am.” I assured him.

“This is unbelievable. No one is going to believe me.” He
declared. "I don't know anyone who's survived meeting a Wolf unless they
claimed him.”

“By the smell of it, you're not sure you're going to survive
meeting me.” Glenn pointed out.

Silas's fingers peeled the label on the beer bottle
nervously. "I'm not, and if I survive you my wife’s going to murder me.
More than one person has told me curiosity will get me killed.”

“Wolves think that all Mages are out to collar them. Claim
them. The only ones bold enough to enter Wolf Territory are. They're doing what
they think is necessary to protect themselves and their pack.” I explained why
Wolves routinely killed any trespassing Mage.

“If that’s what you think of us, why are you here?” He
probed Glenn.

“Sadie would have said something if you were dangerous. Why
are you here?” Glenn threw the question back at him.

“You stepped back.” He elaborated when he sensed Glenn's
confusion. "You could have killed me out there. When you backed down, I
knew you wouldn't.”

Glenn smiled and nodded, pushing the empty plate away so he
could lean his elbows on the table. “You didn’t like Sadie because you thought
she collared me. That makes you different from every other Mage I’ve met. It
was worth the benefit of the doubt.”

“You said Sadie’s the first Mage you’ve associated with.”
Silas challenged him apprehensively.

“She’s not the first one I’ve met.” Glenn elaborated. “The
others didn’t get the benefit of the doubt. Looking back, I don’t think they
deserved it. I hope I’m right about that.”

Silas looked like he would ask what happened and then
quickly shut his mouth. Instead he turned to me. “Boise’s the nearest pack that
I know of. Is that where you’re from?”

“Yes. You live here in Ontario?” I asked eagerly.

Silas nodded briskly, the jerky movement shifting his
glasses and he adjusted them. "I grew up here. I’ve never been to Boise or
anywhere near it. I had to drive home from Salt Lake once. It took an extra
five hours to avoid Wolf Territory.”

“Then other Mages live here too?” The idea of an entire
community of Mages so close to home thrilled me.

“Sure, quite a few. I probably shouldn't have said that.” He
blanched a little.

“None of us will come after you.” Glenn promised. "We
don't go looking for Mages unless they have one of our packmates.”

“He's telling the truth.” I assured the skeptical Mage.
"Can I meet some of them? My entire life I've been alone, and you were
just an hour away.”

He hesitated, his eyes darting towards Glenn again. This
time he made himself hold the Wolf’s gaze for several seconds and I admired his
fortitude. "I can ask. But I don't think anyone's going to come with a
Wolf around.”

Excitement burned through me and I forgot about getting home
as quickly as possible. "Mind if we stay a little longer than planned?”

Glenn sat back in his chair again and lifted a single
shoulder. "I don't mind if Jason doesn't. But we have to go soon if we're
going to do the job we came for.”

I wanted to stay with Silas longer, but we’d put too much
into the convention to abandon it. "We should finish the job, and I really
shouldn't stay away from home too long. Can I meet them tomorrow?”

“I'll see who's willing. I can't promise anything.” Silas
warned me.

Glenn pulled out his cell phone, the movement causing Silas
to flinch automatically. He punched speed dial and waited for our Alpha to
answer. "Jason. Sadie and I met a Mage here in Ontario. We’re having
dinner with him.” I listened to only one side of the conversation, but I could
imagine the Alpha’s response. "It's not like that. He's a lot like Sadie.”
He glanced at me comically. "No, he’s not a disrespectful pain the ass. I
meant he doesn’t collar Wolves. Sadie wants to stay a little longer so she can
meet others. I think it's a good idea.” He listened again and then spoke to me.
"He wants me to stick close to you.”

“No one's going to come if I bring a Wolf.” I spoke towards
the phone, knowing the Alpha could hear me.

I couldn't hear him, and Glenn relayed the message. “He says
to quit arguing and do what you’re told.”

I sighed, knowing Jason would hear it and correctly assume
the look of annoyance on my face. “Would you put him on speaker phone?”

Glenn pressed a button and Jason's harsh voice emerged. “Do
not leave Glenn behind unprotected in Mage territory!” Silas jumped, his face
draining of color.

“Do you really think I'm going to put Glenn in danger? You
know me better than that,” I snapped before reining myself in. “I just want to
meet a few of them. If I have to I'll come back alone, but Silas is here right
now and he's willing to introduce me. They're not like the others, Alpha. This
is my chance to meet Mages like me.”

“The Mage is listening?” Jason asked, his voice lowering.

“Yes. He's sitting right here, and his name is Silas, not
Mage,” I reminded him stubbornly. Calling me Mage instead of by my proper name
was a common insult from him. I smiled secretively at Silas.

Jason ignored my remark and directed a menacing question at
the wide-eyed man. “Mage, are you planning on messing with my packmates in any
way?”

Silas opened his mouth twice before any sound came out. I
gave him a reassuring nod and he squeaked, “No.”

“Will anyone else mess with them if I allow this?”

Silas gathered courage as the conversation continued. “I
doubt it. No one I know would go anywhere near a Wolf. That's suicide.”

“Not good enough. Give me your word none of your people will
try anything.” He insisted, and I stared hard at the phone, biting my lip to
keep from saying something I’d regret.

He shook his head. “I can’t promise that. I don’t have that
kind of control. But I promise I won’t invite anyone who claims.”