CHAPTER NINE
“I shall visit Glitterbug. Why do you not go see Divij and Penny?” Nico asked.
Nate agreed. As much as he enjoyed going to the fairy palace, as there was always such merriment and fun despite Dare’s unfortunate lack of emotions, he knew they didn’t have time to waste.
Nico turned into mist and traveled that way, as it was faster for a vampire, while Nate steered Ada back through the main city square. They crossed the square, lots of creatures out and about on their way from work or to activities, a lot pausing to watch them curiously. Five blocks from the square and they were in the busy business district where Divij owned and ran a business that assisted creatures with the transition into the Outside. Div’s company helped them set up legitimate work, passports, birth records, bank accounts, businesses, and whatever else they may need.
“I’ve heard of this business,” Ada stated as Nate held open the door for her. “By reputation, it is said to provide an invaluable service. A lot has changed the last few decades.”
“Yep, and we’ll keep developing, just like the Outside.”
“Do you honestly believe so? I am not convinced. Yes, there has been a great many changes that I can easily see.” She hastened to add when he went to interrupt. “But creature natures will always dictate the amount of change they can withstand.”
“So what, you’re exempt?” Nate scoffed. Man, his brownie could be narrowed minded! “Bet you didn’t know that Nico loves nothing more than to play the stock markets without influencing any minds and that we have one of the biggest companies in the Outside of any creature. And Sev the Snarl specifically designs ornaments and objects for the Outsiders—”
“I can see where you are headed with this, Nathaniel, but that does not necessarily mean that a few can make the changes that are truly needed by Galdorcwide creatures to fit in with the Outside.”
Nate snorted. “Man, brownie, listen to you! Who says we creatures have to make all these needed changes. We behave as per the rules and customs in Galdorcwide, just like we do on the Outside. What it comes down to is cultures and differences. We respect each of those, nothing more, nothing less. Give creatures more credit.”
Striding across the upstairs office, leaving the brownie stewing over his words, he gave a sharp rap on a corner office door then pushed it open.
“Nathaniel, good. I heard that you, Nico and Ada had arrived home. Come in and shut the door.”
Power vibrated around Divij naturally, and to Nate, it shone in an icy blue. Not a lot of creatures, and certainly not humans, saw the vibrating color of Div’s power and Nate was often amused when Div got annoyed by someone and revealed that power. Scared the shit out of them.
“Firstly, Ada.” Div turned his ice-blue eyes on the brownie who sat beside Nate stiffly. “I have spoken to the Galdorcwide High Council and enquired as to why your services have not been called in. You are a highly skilled creature which the High Council needs, especially during these difficult times of Revmiras and the threat of Grydern. Expect a formal letter requesting your attendance within the next day or so. Of course, there will be time given while you search for your friend. Now, -”
“I do not see what business it was of yours whether I provide my services to the High Council or not, Grand Duke.” Ada’s tone was pure ice. “In the future, if you have a concern, discuss this with me.”
Nate winced. Not many would contradict or deem to put Div in his place, after all, a pissed off immortal sorcerer was a frigging scary sight. But Nate was finding his brownie was fearless when it came to her personal interests and beliefs. These two would cross swords heavily if they were not on the same side.
Div’s brows rose. “As my position dictates, it is my duty to draw the High Council’s attention to what is needed, as it is every sentinel’s. Take up your objections with them.”
“I do believe I will.” Her expression fierce. “I will also lodge some other concerns, such as creatures interfering in others business and why it is Galdorcwide has no brownies as guards, sentinels, or on the council. Perhaps they could explain the prejudice.”
“Perhaps times need to change in that regard, Ada. I am sure you will be the one to make the changes, and with your future position—”
“Div,” Nate growled.
“What do you mean, my future position?” Ada demanded.
“If you work for the High Council or join their ranks.” Nate glared a warning at Div who immediately nodded. Now was not the time to bring up the fact the brownie was his mate, and how that would change her future considerably. Sheesh, that would likely set him back ten or so years in his dealings with her.
“Yes, this is what I mean. Shall we move on to the matter of Grydern?” He didn’t wait for ascent. “Penelope and I went over the witch’s house and her files. While we found a great deal of worthwhile information, which we returned to the witch’s kind, we unfortunately could not find anything that would direct us to the imp who was taken, or to Grydern.”
“So the bastard is still untraceable,” Nate snapped.
“He hides himself very well.”
“Maybe then we should find the bowl,” Ada said thoughtfully. “If pieces are collected, this will bring Grydern out.”
“You are right.” Div agreed. “He needs the pieces to work the ceremony. Without them, his activities are worthless.”
“And what about this Myles Byrnes who blew up the vamp car?” Ada turned to Nate. “Didn’t you say he was probably tipped off by Grydern?”
“That’s the general concessive. Grydern will use whoever to aid his own cause.”
“So how did he contact this Byrnes? What more does he know and can tell us?”
“We’ll discover that when we find him,” Nate said. “Hopefully Ace’s research into the disloyal immortal will help us out.”
“There isn’t much to go on,” Div said quietly.
“Nope, but that hasn’t stopped us before…” Nate frowned. “I have an idea.”
“Your ideas cause a great deal of mayhem and worry.” Div sighed. “But they are usually successful. What is it?”
Even the museums around the Outside world couldn’t possibly hold as much history as was housed in the archives of Galdorcwide.
All were very neatly cataloged on the computer and extremely well taken care of. Each item was priceless and had been accumulating for thousands of years. There were three museums in Galdo, yet the archives held far more than they did, or even could. The staff of Galdorcwide archives was a mix of creatures with all the same mindset. To preserve and care for Galdorcwide past, present and future.
A female vampire glided over to them. “How may the archives assist, my lords?”
Nate knew the protocol and for once used it. The archivers had no bleeding sense of humor, especially a vampire one. Or, as he was stunned to see a moment ago when she approached them, a halfling vampire. Shit, that was extraordinary. Halflings were extremely rare.
“The sentinels formally request the Tremor Hammer.”
The vampire’s eyes widened, but that was all the expression she showed. Her eyes were peculiar, one violet, the other a hazy gray. Perhaps that was because she was a halfling. There was something about her niggling at him. His instincts were telling him something. He’d have to look into this creature when he got a moment.
“Please be seated.”
As soon as they sat in the lounges of the waiting room, Div questioned him.
“The Tremor Hammer? That has not been used for a millennium, and only then to aid in unearthing victims of an earthquake. What is your plan, wolf?”
“You use some of that magic of yours to direct the Hammer, then we give it a whack and see if a piece of the bowl pops up somewhere.”
Ada frowned. “I do not understand.”
“Ah, I do. Hmm, possibly…” Div rose and began pacing as he thought, hands crossed behind his back and panels of his pale gray tunic flowing to the sides and behind him. When in Galdo, Div’s attire was normally always strictly formal for his position of sentinel, grand duke, and successor to the immortal throne.
And he was just stick up the ass rigid at times.
“The Tremor Hammer has a specific use, or can be directed to a specific use by magic. We don’t know where the bowl pieces are so we need something that’ll unearth them in a hurry, without us having to scour every square inch of the earth.” Nate explained to his brownie. “What I’m thinking is, with Div’s magic as a directional force, we can hit the ground with the Hammer, and it will search the world for us. The first piece of bowl it comes across will be thrust from the soil for us to collect.”
Ada nodded, eyes holding his. “That’s brilliant, werewolf. I’m beginning to see why you’re a sentinel, and not just for your strength and werewolf skills. But I have a concern. Once the bowl is unearthed, how will we know where to collect it from? Or them from?”
Two compliments in one day! Wowee. It wasn’t too often he received compliments that had nothing to do with his sexual expertise or fighting skill, and he smiled. First the one from Nico and now his mate, neither of whom were prone to flowery sentiment and displays of affection. He wasn’t either, for that matter, but Nate tended to be much more open and affectionate than either of them. It touched him greatly and surprised the hell out of him. He smiled and sniffed her, ignoring the way she automatically rejected this, and he picked up on the slight tremors of response she couldn’t quite hide. It gave him a semi.
“Div or Chase said in the meeting that when a piece of the bowl surfaced or was found, a few highly magical creatures would feel this, like a cold draft ripping through them.”
“I see. Divij or Penny will feel it.”
He smiled at her firmly stated opinion. “Sure, I’d say they would. So may Dare, Ace, Ruine, and Chase. So could dozens of others, like the imps. We can use anyone of them to feel where the bowl is and retrieve it.”
Ada frowned. “What of Grydern? He is highly magical and may very well feel the bowl surfacing also. He can shift himself to the location.”
“True. But we’ll be prepared for the sensations the bowl coming to the surface evokes.” He shrugged. “He’ll have to figure out what it means, and that gives us a few minutes’ head start. Mind you, I wouldn’t be against him turning up while we’re there so I can grab the bastard—”
“It would be better if you can follow him back to his lair. Then we can get Remi.” His brownie glared him down.
“I guess I could hold off for that.” Nate glanced up as Div rejoined them. “Solution?”
“We do not want any mistakes. I will consult with Chase, Dare, and Ace.”
“Penny has a great deal of magic,” Ada added. Though she hadn’t shown it, she must have acquired a liking for the immortal Penny.
“My cousin does, yes. I will ask her to join us.”
They all stood as the female archive vamp came into the waiting room holding a black locked box. Div took it and signed all the necessary paperwork, which Ada checked, shaking her head on a few points.
“Outdated.” She murmured.
“This is why we require your expertise, brownie Ada.” Div led the way out of the archives. “Are you joining us for the meeting?”
“I will not. I must see Remi’s family; she would want me to speak to them personally.” Ada checked her watch. “Where shall we reconvene?”
As much as he would like to stick close to his mate, not wanting her out of his sight during this time with all the shit going down, he had duties. The first of those was checking on what Nico may have found out from the research Ace was doing into Grydern.
“Where’s the meeting being held, Div?”
“For fairness and to stop quarrels, a High Council meeting room.” Div’s light brown brows rose a fraction, and he gave a rare smile. Div was renowned for his seriousness though occasionally a wicked sense of humor emerged. “The fairies would of course state their abode was where the meeting should be housed as, after all, they are pure magical essence. This will incite the demons who do like a good challenge. Without a doubt, this will then have the imps in an uproar.” He looked like he relished the thought, then his eyes narrowed, and his expression became studious once more. “I do expect you there, Nathaniel.”
“Yeah, yeah.” At times Div could be far too strict on protocol. “I’ll meet you there. One day though, I’m gonna discover what it is about you and imps.”
Div inclined his head and shifted away. Nate turned to his brownie.
“We’ll only be half an hour. Come straight to the High Council, I’ll have a wolf waiting to show you through to the meeting room. You’ve got your phone?”
“Yes.”
“Good. I’ll call if there’s a change in plans.” He leaned down, snagging her around the waist and pulling her firmly against him. “Don’t pull anything, brownie. Go straight to the imp’s family, then the High Council.”
Not giving her a chance to back chat, he covered her sharp, soft mouth with his and enjoyed kissing her silent while eliciting a few brownie sighs and groans. He planted one hand on her fine ass and pulled her hard against his pelvis, ensuring she knew they were going to start what he’d put off earlier. She met him head on.
Wishing they could go somewhere and continue this, he felt a sharp prick in the middle of his back and loosened his hold on Ada. Half turning and swiping out at the creature who pricked him, he was stung all over, and his wallet was lifted from the back pocket of his jeans.
“Ow, shit!” He swatted his wallet but missed, and it zipped through the air to a brownie who stuck out his tongue and took off fast.
“Keep your hands to yourself, dog.” A brownie yelled at him in passing.
“I’ve got to go.” Ada rolled her eyes at the antics of her kind and hurried away.
“Yo! Stop brownie!” A dozen brownies stopped what they were doing to glare at him. “Well hell.”
“What do you want, wolf?” One snapped irritably.
“Well hell,” Nate grumbled. He could kiss his wallet good-bye. “Hey, Duncan!”
A young werewolf cousin jogged over to him. “You want me to track down the brownie who stole your wallet, cuz?” Duncan looked keen. “I can beat the heck—”
“You will respect my mate’s kind,” Nate instructed sternly, then grinned. “But if he accidentally fell in a hole, that ain’t our fault.”
“Cool!” Duncan took off.
Remi’s family lived just outside the imp palace grounds in a lovely two story old Tudor house. Unfortunately, none of them were home, so she wrote a note and slipped it through the letter box on the door. Ada would have liked to speak to them in person, but she did not have a clear idea of her schedule and couldn’t guarantee she could meet with them at a set time anyway, not with so much up in the air at present. She should get to the meeting and see what they were going to do about retrieving the bowl pieces.
With that in mind, Ada hurried along the garden path toward the road. Preoccupied, she didn’t notice she wasn’t alone until something hit her on the back of her head, the force of the blow so hard she fell to her knees, and her head spun.
She’d been mugged once in New York, but this hit was nothing like what the human mugger had given her, much more like what she’d given him back but double the force and power. She blinked, her vision blurry and head throbbing, and reached a hand to the ground to steady herself. Someone leaned over her, Ada tensing. But she didn’t have the senses or strength to stop her assailant from grabbing a fistful of her hair and using it to drag her around the side of the Albertses’ house and out the back toward the field beyond.
Though she was still dazed and in a great deal of pain from the assault, she suspected her assailant had used a steel shovel, she was an immortal creature and was already healing. Though that was slower than she would have liked. It was enough to begin gaining awareness of what was going on around her and help Ada to prepare herself to put up a struggle when the opportunity presented itself.
Somehow, through the blind pain and the twisted position she was in, she managed to see where she was, and who had her. A werewolf, a big one, had hold of her hair and was moving with great speed toward the forest beyond the imp palace. She had no idea what the werewolf had against her, or why he would have attacked her, but wasn’t about to let him get away with dragging her about and assaulting her. Very slowly and carefully, keeping an eye on the now running werewolf, she placed a hand around her hair near her scalp. All the while she cursed the fact that every step pulled her over rocks, sticks, and shrubs, her pant legs protecting her only so much. She tightened her hand, getting a bit of leverage and taking some of the painful pressure off. Tears were streaming down her face, but she ignored them and did what she could to block the tremendous pain.
Then she struck, digging the heels of her boots into the soil and using the strength of her legs and upper body to pull back and throw him off guard. The werewolf would think she was incapacitated and hopefully stop. With a snarl and growl, he tore at her hair, but as Ada had been prepared and placed a hand between her scalp and his hand, she jerked her hair back. Angered, the dog struck out at her, getting her around the inside of her upper right arm. His long werewolf nails sliced like razors, tearing her flesh, tendons, muscle, and tissues. Ada cried out in agony but did not let go of her hair and kept herself stiff and immovable.
“Bitch.” He stopped pulling and moving and instead threw her away from him, stalking toward her when she hit the ground and rolled three times before she slumped.
She knew how easily he could tear her to shreds with those claws and werewolf strength, but she wasn’t going to let him. Ada managed to sit up and got ready to face him.
This wasn’t a time she’d back down. “Bastard. What the hell do you think you are doing, attacking me like this?”
She found a large rock and dragged it behind her back.
“I’m the bastard who’ll make my old buddy Nate howl at the moon in pain and wither away to nothing.” The dog’s eyes were yellow and glowing. “He’s behind the times, they all are. They don’t see the way they should—”
“Oh for the love of the Gods, you’re one of them.” Ada rolled her eyes, one bruised and swollen. “Save me the Revmiras speech or any ‘poor old you’ rubbish. You want power, and this is the cause you use to obtain it. Pathetic.”
She had deliberately baited him, knowing that in his current state of anger and aggression he’d lash out at her and not take precautions, hopefully. Which would give her the opportunity to strike back and get away. She tensed in readiness when he blinked in shock a split second then he let out an ear piercing howl of rage and charged her with deadly razor sharp claws outstretched.
Jumping up just as he made to pounce on her, Ada swung the large rock she’d hidden behind her back and smacked him with enough force to throw his head back and to the side. She heard the crack of his skull from the impact and saw and felt the blood spurt out. Like in slow motion she watched him stumble back then crumble to the ground.
She landed with a thump on her butt and only then noticed the aches, pains, and blood gushing from another wound. He must have got her before she got him with the rock. She gingerly touched her side, wincing at more pain. She was fortunate though. If he had changed into true werewolf form, she never would have stood a chance. She guessed it was pure arrogance on the dog’s behalf that saved her from that, werewolves were incredibly arrogant when it came to their strength and the belief that females were weaker.
He just forgot she was a sneaky, calculating, thieving brownie! Gods, she was thankful for being a brownie now!
“Here!”
Ada jerked her head up which caused another wave of dizziness. She ignored it as best she could and struggled onto her hands and knees while looking around for another rock. There was no telling how many accomplices this Revmira had. She needed to get out of here and struggled to stand, a rock in one hand. She stumbled back as three big men appeared. Relief flooded her at recognizing them, and the adrenaline faded so quickly that she sagged to her knees.
Blaine rushed to her, bending down and wrapping an arm around her back. “How bad?”
“He got a few hits. I could do with a rabies shot, some stitches, and a large painkiller.”
“He’s out cold.” A black haired demon she recognized as Ruine, a prince, rumbled quietly. “I’ll take him to the High Council. Can you carry three, Sev?”
“Yeah.” Severo Galindo was studying every inch of Ada carefully. “She needs medical attention. We’ll have to go to the hospital. Inform Nate.”
“Who is he?” Ada allowed Blaine to help her to her feet. “He said something about enjoying making Nate howl at the moon and wither away.”
“Ex-sentinel Myles Byrnes. He has a hard on for wanting Nate to suffer.” Sev said with venom. “I have to pick you up, brownie, to shift us.”
Ada nodded. “Do it. Just make it quick.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Blaine stepped aside as Sev swept her up in his arms. “Good job with Byrnes, Ada. Next time though, it’d be best to avoid confrontations.”
She was too exhausted and in pain to correct him, but she would, just as soon as she’d cleaned up and healed. Confrontation? As if she purposely went around confronting and fighting Revmiras!
It took less than a second to shift, and they appeared in the hospital. A moment later Nate crashed through the small hospital emergency room doors and streaked over to tear her out of Severo’s arms and sniff her. Behind him were Nico, Div, and Penny.
“Do be careful, werewolf.” She snapped irritably. “I’ve had enough manhandling by your kind to last me the rest of the day.”
“Sorry, lufu. Blaine, heal her.” He nudged her cheek with his nose, his heat easing some of the deeper aches and niggles she was suffering. “My poor brownie—”
“I am not your anything. You can put me down now.”
He ignored her and turned to his cousin. “What happened out there? How’d she get in this condition?”
“Byrnes had her in the trees before we were called,” Blaine said quietly. “Sorry, cuz.”
“She clobbered him good,” Severo put in, shoulders hunched and hair a mess as though he’d been dragged out of bed to come to her rescue. “Knocked him out cold with a rock.”
“If I had been able to, I would have kicked him in the nuts, too,” Ada said wearily.
Very soon she was in a room and on the mend. And thankfully clean and given pain killers. Blaine was a healer, apparently, and as she discovered, a very good one.
Now knowing who it was that attacked her helped her understand why it had happened. It wasn’t a random attack. She probably hadn’t done anything to tick the werewolf off. Rather, he probably believed that killing her would adversely affect Nate. In some ways she could see it would—he wanted her, and she was under his protection. Byrnes was wrong though. Not for a moment did Ada think her demise would cause Nate much pain at all, and certainly not as much as Byrnes assumed.
The combination of herbs and magic was used in the promotion and to hasten natural healing in creatures, and she immediately felt the results. Blaine left her to finish healing in a quiet room where Nate paced and Nico lounged in a seat beside the bed where she lay.
“How did Blaine, Severo, and Ruine find me?” She asked Nico.
“Remika Alberts’s sister, Clancy, was just arriving home when you were snatched by Byrnes. She reported what she saw to the High Council immediately. As Nate and I were in a meeting, they called Blaine. He tracked you via your scent.” Nico stroked a finger over her bruised cheek. “You handled Byrnes remarkably well, cara.”
She may not have fought before, but every creature’s, and probably human’s, instinct was to fight in those circumstances. Ada was very glad she had managed to cause Byrnes some pain after what he’d done to her.
“From now on you go nowhere without protection.” Nate snapped, stalking to the bed.
“There is no need for you to feel responsible for what Byrnes does, Nate.”
He glared down at her looking like he would argue, then those meadow green eyes softened. He leaned down and hugged her, fortunately without crushing or hurting her just healing bruised and battered body. He was very confusing.
“We’ll just do things my way, honey. Your grandparents are outside demanding to be let in, so we’ll give you a few minutes alone.”
She winced as her grandparents rushed in, both scowling at Nate and Nico then petting and fussing over her. She glared at the retreating wolf and vamp who made a hasty retreat, leaving her alone to deal with the brownies.