Summon (22 page)

Maeve would ask for my help controlling him, and
that could get messy. Relations between our races would deteriorate from tense
to downright hostile.

Skipping backwards, I sidled into his path.
“Where’s the fire?”

He stopped.

Our chests bumped.

Neither of us backed up. Giving ground was a signal
of obedience. He stepped left, so did I. He feinted right, and I swerved to
match it.

At my resistance, his brown eyes darkened to solid
black. Most shifters’ eyes were reflective jewel colours in vivid tones. Baako
contradicted that tenet. His irises were gloomy brown that turned flat black
when his bear roused to peer at the world beyond its cage of human flesh.

“Move.” The gruff rumble implied he expected
nothing but absolute submission.

But, I was Alpha now.

Kick.
Bear. Ass.

Conceding to another shifter would be weakness.
Doesn’t mean I have to be a barbarian.
“She’s my friend.”

“Move.”

Breathing out hard through my nose, I checked the
surge of aggression flooding my body. The beast hissed, and the edgy sound
ripped past my lips as I bared my teeth.

Head cocking as if I were crazy, Baako’s snarl sent
seismic tremors through the earth. Roaring in my face would have been subtler.

“I need to know she’s alright.” My voice was rough,
and I pulled the fury back, swallowing the waves of hostility threatening my
human shape.
Don’t shift. Shift and
you’ll fight. He’s a Familiar siphoning energy from a god. A bear. You’ll lose.
Badly. Don’t shift. Don’t shift.
When I spoke my timbre was on level.
“
You weren’t the only one who felt the
pull toward her. I knew I was capable of becoming her Familiar the moment I met
her.”

Baako’s hackles rose with repressed anger. “Stupid
enough to challenge
me
for prior
claim, Cat?”

“No.” I let my eyes partially shift. Pupils
narrowing to vertical slits, they’d glow brightly. It was a tricky control over
the Change only an Alpha displayed. “I want to know Rae’s safe. Stalking her
and demanding attention she can’t give will stress her out. Friends don’t do
that to each other. She feels obligated to make everyone feel safe, so she’d
see me, but I don’t want to put pressure on her.”

Respect softened his rigid composure. He let me see
the real reason behind his short fuse. Frustration. “Twitch took off.”

My mouth curved at the pet name.
I bet she hates it.
“Breandan and Rae
left?”

“See, there’s the fire.” Baako’s face transformed
from pissed to worried. “She and the vamp-ghost-argh! She and the
thing,”
he flailed his arms,
“
left the Wyld.”

“You let her leave with Tomas?” My voice rose with
my incredulity. “
Alone
.” The beast
inside screamed in outrage. “You’re that stupid?”

Nose flattening, Baako jerked and roared in my
face. A vein in his temple bulged. His body shook, and his nails lengthened to
ridged talons. “Twitch
ordered
me
away. Gave me a story about
protecting
her interests at the Wyld.” His voice fluctuated higher mimicking Rae’s voice.
“Keep Breandan safe until the time is right.”

All at once, I cooled, and my beast’s whining
ceased, reverting to the monotonous droning of before.

Mate.
Maeve. Mine.

Studying Baako’s livid expression, I realised
though he’d stood up for Rae and her mate, he didn’t understand the importance
of the task she’d appointed, and the faith she showed.

I slapped his shoulder, happy to be friendly since
he hadn’t messed up. “He dies she dies.”

Visibly shuddering, Baako’s body deflated. He
brushed my hand off him. “Come again?”

“In Rae’s world there are two things.” I spun
circles in the air with my forefingers, one significantly larger than the
other. “Breandan,” I bobbed my head to the largest circle, “and the rest of the
world.” My rotating hands dropped. “Whatever she does he’s at the centre of it.
If she asked you to protect him ultimately you’re defending her.”

Head turning slightly on the thick column of his
neck, he fixed me a shrewd look. His mouth bowed in scepticism. “I shouldn’t be
mad?”

“Feel honoured. Without him, her level of function
plummets way down here.” I chopped the air at my lower thigh. “Suck it up.”

Head fully turned to glare down the path, he
eventually sighed. His panicked manner switched to optimistic. “So finding
Lochlann, tattling, then going after Twitch with an army is the wrong thing to
do in this situation?”

“Considering she placed her trust in you, and as
her Familiar you’re bound to serve her wishes, yeah, pretty much a bad idea.”

He flicked his nose then looked at me with a
comical expression. “Shit.”

“She would’ve ripped you a new one if you’d done
that.” I laughed in his face. Pounded his shoulder again, smug this time. “You
owe me.”

“Nah.” He rolled his shoulders and cracked his
knuckles. “Where’s Breandan?”

Lazy bear.
I tapped my nose and sniffed. “This way.” We
travelled down the path in the direction I headed earlier. Apprehension fused
my shoulder blades and hunched my back.

“Feeling tension off you, Cat.”

“I’ve laid Claim to a fairy.” I shot a proud look
his way. “The green one with red hair. One of her brothers is not taking it
well.”

A large hand landed on my chest. Skidding back into
my tracks, the next breath was knocked clean out of me. “Wasp?”

“Maeve.” I indicated her height at my shoulder.
“Uses a bow. Cutest face you’ll ever see with beautiful red eyes and flowing
hair to her waist.”

“Ah.” He flashed a grin. “Just checking.”

I coughed and rubbed my sore skin. “You do know
Wasp was Devlin’s consort.”

“So.”

“He died a few weeks ago. She’s twisted about it.”

“She’ll get over it.”

I stopped us that time. “I don’t think you
understand. Her grief is way beyond passive bereavement. We’re talking full on
rage. She wants vengeance. She’ll die for it.”

“Not if she’s shown there’s another way. I pine for
a strong female to bear my cubs.”

“You’re going to Claim her?”

“Possibility is there.” He strutted again. “I can
try, right?”
 

Opting for silence, I followed Maeve’s sweet
honeysuckle scent, annoyed when Breandan’s earthier smell diminished it. My
palms sweated seeing a fairy Warrior pacing at the entrance of the clearing.

Raised voices echoed from inside.

Baako and I stopped at a respectful distance.

I smiled without teeth. “Hai. Have you seen Maeve?”

“How did you find this place?” Conall asked without
looking our way.

“Followed my nose.”

“You should not be here.” His glower lacked
commitment. “The Wyld is designed to confuse outsiders and conceal this place.
Our dwellings are sacred.”

I nodded in respect. “I understand. I’ll leave as
soon as I’ve seen Maeve.” A decidedly loud curse ripped through the air. “She
was looking for Lochlann. Naturally, I’m worried.”

Conall’s gaze skimmed us. A gleam of unknown
emotion made his gold eyes shimmer. “He will not agree to her leaving the
Wyld.”

“Neither do I, at least, not right now. That’s why
I’m worried.”

He styled a jolt of surprise as a stretch. “You
wish her to stay?”

“I’ve gotten word goblins settle on the Pride.” My
lips pressed together until they turned white. “Without permission. I need a
better report of what’s happening before I make a final decision, but leaving
Maeve here whilst I go…. I’m not sure if I can do it.”

“Has a delegation arrived yet?” Conall queried.
“They were called to the Meet before Cael attacked.”

“The crazy one says the vampire Queen destroyed the
Chief corralling them here. I’m assuming survivors of that Horde plunder my
territory.”

Puzzled, Conall motioned me to elaborate. “Crazy
one?”

“The one with the dreadlocks.”

“Ah.” Conall’s eyes lit with amusement. “Wasp.”

Baako punched my bicep. “She’s not crazed.”

My entire arm deadened, but I deserved it. I
blinked away the water that gathered in my eyes and let loose the laughter
bought with the pain.

Another angry holler came from the glade.

“Listening to Lochlann and his siblings argue hurts
my head.” Conall grimaced. “Truth? I dawdle. I cannot find the courage to speak
to Rae though I have wished to for days.” Guilt weighed heavy in his voice.

He seemed tired, and I wanted to offer comfort. I
was curious enough to wonder what was wrong, but voicing my interest was
something I’d never presume. Conall was one of the few fairies respected by the
Pride.

Byron called him a friend, and I wanted to too.

Baako had no such scruples. “Why?” he demanded,
voice gravelly. His eyes flashed bear. “What did you do?”

Conall stealthily shifted his weight onto his
knees. His hand reached for the sword latched to his back. His eyes narrowed,
intensity hawk-like.

Avoiding touch, I held up both hands to calm Baako.
“Easy. Remember that bad idea we discussed? The second worse thing you could do
is get into it with this fairy.”

“Brother,” Baako grunted, struggling to articulate
since he was close to embracing the Change.

Chary, Conall eyed him. “Yes, I am Rae’s Elder,
Familiar.” He paused. “I have been meaning to speak with you. My sister can be
too accommodating. Ignorant of certain commitments and their true meaning.” He
shot us stern looks. “Through no fault of her own. Rae has come far but has
much to learn.”

“I didn’t deceive her,” Baako said, outraged. “My
conversation with Twitch was above-board.”

Conall stroked his chin, lips pursing as he
deliberated. “Still she agreed to your protection?”

Baako’s chest bowed, and his body swelled. “She
did.”

Conall slumped. “Perhaps it is for the best.” He
scrubbed a hand over his face, reinforcing my suspicion he suffered exhaustion.
“More protectors can only be good.”

“When did you last sleep?” I asked.

He blinked. His gaze swung out of focus at the
question as if he had no answer to give. He glanced at Baako, who studied him
with returned interest, and seeing distinct signs of wear became increasingly
concerned judging by the grooves furrowing his forehead.

It was rare for a fairy – especially a
Warrior – to look anything but fierce and unstoppable. In brutal honesty,
I doubted Conall could take the both of us on without suffering serious damage.

Conall smiled tiredly. “I was to beat you the next
time I saw you.”

“Because of Maeve?”

He nodded.

I snickered “Now?”

Lips quirked, his expression turned wry. “I am too
tired.”

My voice quietened with concern. “When, Conall?”

“Over a week ago.” He sounded bleak. “I think.
Perhaps it has been longer.” He shook himself and drew strength from somewhere
because the deeper shadows obscuring his features eased as he regarded us both
with hard eyes. “It matters not. Since you are family by the connections you
share, you may know I failed her. Facing Rae will be hard.”

“What the hell happened up that damn tree?” Baako
asked. “I get it was tough, I fought too, but everyone who went up there came
back different. Broken.”

Conall and I shared a stricken look.

The things I’d experienced in the last month would
haunt me for the rest of my life. Watching Maeve burn made my entire world
shake, but watching Brenadan cradle Rae as she sighed her last breath, and he
begged her to let him follow in death resonated powerfully within me.

Rae’s my
friend, but Conall is her kin. If I feel as I do, he must totter the brink of
desolation.

Eyes pinging between us, Baako didn’t bother to
hide his annoyance.

“Cael defeated us with ease,” I mumbled past the
blockage of emotion clogging my throat. “His power was like nothing I’d
imagined. Much greater than Rae’s.”

“When Lochlann fell I had no choice but to dive
after him,” Conall added.

“One by one our group was peeled from her.” I
shivered remembering how it felt when I lifted my bloodied maw to scan for new
prey noticing everyone including Breandan fought at the base of ClanTree.

“We all realised at the same time she was alone,”
Conall whispered. “Rae was alone despite so many vows to protect her.” His chin
dropped to his chest. “Including mine. And he killed her.”

“She died because we failed,” I choked, fully
understanding why Conall procrastinated in facing her.

Had I been doing the same by giving her a wide
berth? I thought I gave her space to acclimatize, but was there the selfish
motivation of self-preservation behind my actions?