Valen stood just outside the interview room, steeling himself for the man on the other side. After a deep breath, he lifted his hand to the knob and turned it slowly. The human sitting at the table turned and met his stare for a moment before quickly looking away. Brief as it was, Valen still felt the pull.
It’s not real. Ignore it.
He’d scanned the file from the last two encounters with these humans. The five of them worked on a show that worked to expose beings like them to the human world. That in and of itself was enough for his scorn. The fact they might be colluding with the vampires was even more.
Slowly walking in a circle around the table, he watched the human closely. The man scooted in his seat, uncomfortable under Valen’s scrutiny.
Good. Let him squirm.
Valen finally sat down across from the human, pinning him with a glare. He placed the thick file on the table and opened it, scanning the page again before lifting his stare. “Why were you in the field outside our portal?”
“Searching for people we lost.”
Valen frowned. “Who did you lose?”
The human sighed. “I… don’t know.”
Valen watched the man closely. “You. Don’t. Know.”
The man lifted his stare. “Look… we woke up in that field a few days ago with no idea how we’d gotten there or why. All three of us were freaked out… but we got a rental car and we headed home. And on the way, we started remembering little bits and pieces… and it felt like there were supposed to be others with us. We came back to the last place we remembered and looked for clues to figure out what the hell is going on.” The human sat back and glared at Valen. “It sounds like you have the answers.” He paused. “Where are we?”
Valen saw nothing but truth in the human’s eyes, but he refused to be swayed. “You want answers… so do I.”
“I don’t know that I’ll be much help. I appear to have lost a few days.”
Start simple. Get him talking. “Your name?
“Jeph.”
“And you’re from?”
“Pennsylvania. Jonestown.” Jeph eyed him again. “Well north of here.”
“And what brought you to Mississippi?”
“I told you. I don’t know.” He sat up straighter. “Nick, Griffin, and I have… a hobby… we’re ghost hunters, so maybe that’s why we were here in the first place.”
“For your show.”
Jeph lifted a brow. “What show?”
Valen held the human’s stare. Had the mind wipe gone so deep that it had taken away the man’s very living from him? Looking back on the page, he searched for the name of the show. “Paranormal Prowlers?”
Jeph looked as if he searched his own mind, seeking the answers trapped within. “That sounds… familiar.” He winced, as if in pain.
Valen turned a few pages in the file and saw that Hart and Reese had been completely wiped off the face of the human world. It was strong magic… and it likely had come from the king himself. Since Hart and Reese had played a part in their show—apparently that had been a part of the wipe.
The three had not only lost their friends but their very way of life.
I won’t feel pity for this man. He could be our enemy.
“I answered your questions, how about some of mine?” Jeph asked. “Why do I have pieces of memories I can’t fully remember?”
“Straight for the heart of things, hmm?” Valen leaned forward. “I can do the same. Tell me about the vampires.”
Jeph frowned, looking completely lost. “Vampires? What the hell are you talking about?”
“If you want out of this room, you’ll answer my questions,” Valen said firmly.
“I don’t know any vampires. They’re not real, dude.”
Valen growled.
“Unless you’re talking about—”
Valen focused on the words coming from the human’s mouth.
“—those goth kids who think they’re vampires. Dress all in black. Moody little assholes. Still… I don’t know any personally.”
“Do you think this is some kind of joke?” Valen demanded.
Jeph’s frown deepened. “Trust me. I do not think this is funny in any way.”
“Admit it. You’re a distraction, aiding the vampire attacks, are you not?”
Either the human was one of the best actors on the planet or he truly did not know anything about the vampires.
It still didn’t stop Valen’s ire.
He would have his answers. Slamming his fist on the table, he half shifted and screamed across the table. “Tell me what you know!”
Jeph fell back in his chair and scrambled across the floor until his back hit the wall behind him. His eyes were wide, his lips quivering. “Wh-what are you?”
Valen drew his gorilla side back and returned to full human. “I’m the stuff of your nightmares. And I’ll have my answers one way or another.”
* * * *
Hours later, Varian was in custody. His cousin sat in a lone chair in the dark room, a spotlight above his head as several king’s guardsmen surrounded them. Adriel stared at the warlock, now bound and unable to use magic for seven days. Adriel could feel pure rage emanating from the man, but he also sensed fear. Considering the trespass, his cousin had no right to feel anger.
What does he fear?
“Why?” Adriel asked. He didn’t need to elaborate. He couldn’t, not without the answer hurting him.
Varian remained silent, looking anywhere but Adriel.
Adriel allowed magic to cull within one hand. He lifted it, the waves of violet energy almost the same shade as his eyes. “I don’t wish to harm you… unlike what you might’ve planned for me.”
“I planned nothing,” Varian said. “I only placed a tracking spell on you.”
“For the vampires,” Adriel said, testing to see if his guess was right.
Varian’s silence spoke volumes.
“And what did you think they would do to me if they tracked me?”
“I couldn’t think about that,” Varian said. He lifted his stare to Adriel. “I didn’t want to harm you. I had no choice.”
No choice? Adriel frowned.
“They have my father.”
Ralnur? “He was just at dinner with me a few days ago.”
“I didn’t act fast enough, so they took him as collateral. They claim they would kill him unless I placed a tracer spell on you. I attempted several times at the dinner, but that damned bear shifter stuck to your side like glue all night.” Varian paused. He lifted his head.
Adriel stared into his cousin’s eyes and sensed the truth. Yet there was still a chance it was a lie and a means for another trap. He had to tread carefully. There was no one he could completely trust. “You could’ve come to me instead. We could already be searching for Ralnur.”
“I asked for your help at dinner. I told you I had something important to discuss with you. But you blew me off. And then your secretary didn’t have an appointment open for weeks. Your call to the palace was my last chance… either give them what they wanted or lose my father.”
“You sacrificed me for him.”
Varian shook his head. “With all your guards and your power… I knew you had a chance to stop the assassins. They have my father. I have no one to stop them from killing him.”
“Placing that spell could’ve meant the end of Midnight.”
“What if it had been your father?”
Adriel blanched.
Varian’s face fell. “I only wanted to save him.”
Adriel knew there was some kind of twisted logic in Varian’s thinking. In the same position, what would he have done to save his own father?
Or Eilam?
Noah?
The fact the two shifters were never far from his mind troubled him. He shoved the thoughts aside. He spied his cousin and met the man’s gaze. Varian had tried to talk to him several times the night of the dinner, but he’d been too busy having fun. If this was true—he was just as much to blame for what happened.
Adriel turned to Theis. “Gather as much information from him as possible. Check in with the Midnight police and let’s push the team searching for Ralnur. Make sure they have everything they need to do their job.” He wouldn’t bear the weight of Ralnur’s death if the pair weren’t truly a part of the conspiracy. “Wait… I haven’t seen Valen these past two visits.”
“He’s checking in on an issue at one of the terminals.”
“My gods, is the whole city falling apart?” Adriel asked.
“There was a problem at one of the portals. Valen went down to check it,” Theis said, frowning. “Though we likely should’ve heard back from him by now. I’ll check in on him and find out what’s wrong.”
“Good. Update me if you learn of anything.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Theis said before Adriel swept from the room.
Adriel headed for his cauldron. He shouldn’t have expected Varian to do what he should’ve done in the first place.
It was time to brew a locator spell.
* * * *
Hours passed. Dawn broke outside the window, but Noah couldn’t be sure what time it truly was. He watched the outside, the water lapping against the shore, worried about the king. “What if he doesn’t come back for us?”
“He’ll come back,” Eilam said, rising to his feet.
Noah turned and watched as Eilam stretched his body.
“I’m going to head down to the shore and shift. It’ll help repair a few things. Come with?”
“Yeah,” Noah said. “Anything to get out of this house for a few minutes.”
Noah walked before Eilam, careful to protect his brother bear from a fall. Eilam appeared to be good on his feet, but Noah wasn’t risking it. Once they reached the beach, Eilam peeled off his clothing and shifted.
Fur sprouted over his arms and legs, his limbs twisting. His face became a maw, teeth elongating. When the shift was complete, Noah shifted as well before they padded down the soft beach. With every step, Noah sensed Eilam was nearing full strength. The shift would likely be the last key to get him the final bit.
Noah was forever thankful for a shifter’s speedy healing, never more than now. He remembered how his human father had broken a leg and something as simple as that had taken weeks of healing.
A human would’ve never survived what Eilam had experienced.
After a good thirty minutes of walking, Eilam shifted back into his human form and walked naked into the sea. He turned, smiling, and urged Noah to follow. Noah peeled off the pants the king had given him and then trudged into the water.
Eilam drew him close. “A bear in pants is one of the silliest things I’ve ever seen.”
“Beats throwing away clothes every time I have to shift on the fly,” Noah said, wrapping his arms around Eilam’s waist. “I can’t believe you didn’t share that info with me before now.”
“An animal in clothing is like having a beacon turned on them. An advertisement that something is strange.”
“But we’re in Midnight—where we can be who we are without worrying about humans seeing us shift.”
“For how much longer?” Eilam asked, worry filling his expression.
“You worry for him.”
“You don’t?” Eilam asked.
Noah nodded. “Of course I do.”
Silence grew between them, and Noah realized he knew so little about their mate. “What’s his name?” Noah asked. “I’ve only heard you refer to him as the king.” Eilam had gone into so much description about the king’s appearance but hadn’t shared something as simple as a name.
“I suppose I never shared it. I’m sorry. It’s Adriel,” Eilam murmured. “Adriel, Son of Theral. But you are not to speak his true name in his presence. Something about magic and a name holding power. It’s why no one calls him by name.”
Adriel. Noah liked the sound of the name. “Perhaps if we called out to him, he’d hear it somehow? He’d return here so we know he’s alright?”
“I suppose it couldn’t hurt,” Eilam said. “I’ll leave any yelling to you. My throat is still somewhat sore.”
Noah stepped away from Eilam slightly and lifted his hands. “Adriel… Son of Theral! You can’t imprison us here!” Noah paused, waiting to see if the king would answer. He called out the king’s true name a few more times, but nothing happened.
Dropping his hands, Noah turned back to Eilam. “We are good and stuck… with no way to know if he’s okay. What if something happens to him in Midnight? Will we be trapped here forever?”
“I don’t know,” Eilam said.
“When he comes back, we need him to give us an emergency exit of some kind.”
“A good idea,” Eilam answered, drawing Noah back into his arms. He laid a gentle kiss on Noah’s lips. “We should get back up to the house, in case he arrives.”
They made their way back to the shore. After grabbing Eilam’s clothing, they returned to the house. Eilam lay across the bed, still seeming not completely himself. A niggle of worry entered Noah’s chest.
He needs to be checked by a healer.
Noah lifted his stare and caught sight of the mirror. And then he remembered the king had asked Theis to write a message on the mirror in his study. Noah turned to the buffet still laid out. Above it, was a large mirror. He walked over to the food and dipped his finger in a rich, red sauce before lifting it to the mirror. Across the surface, he wrote Adriel’s name… along with the word help.
Within seconds, the king appeared inside the room, worry on his face. “What’s wrong?”
“We need to get home,” Eilam said. “There’s no way out.”
“You need to heal,” the king replied.
“I’m nearly myself,” Eilam said. “And there’s much to do. I need to lead the security team… all of Midnight could be in danger.”
“I’m handling security,” the king said. “I need you whole, Eilam. Not weak. Now is a time for strength. Until you’re fully healed, you’re a liability.”
“I can lead operations from behind a desk. I know I’m not physically ready to jump into the fray quite yet,” Eilam said.
“I have a team myself,” Noah said. “The illegal portals being closed are even more important right now. If the vampires are planning a full-scale attack, then we need as many boots on the ground as possible.”
“I can handle things,” the king admonished.
“You’ve been the focus of both attacks,” Noah said. “You need to go underground. If anyone needs to remain in this space, it’s you.”
“I will not show weakness now,” the king cried. “I will lead the charge against this threat.”
“We don’t even fully know what the threat is,” Eilam growled, rising to his feet. “And I won’t allow you to be harmed.”
“Won’t allow?” the king asked, looking incensed. “You have no right over me.”
“As the head of your security, I would think he does,” Noah spat.
Eilam took a step toward the king. “As your mate, I will protect you. Regardless if you’re willing to accept our claim or not, it changes nothing. I would die to protect you.”
“You almost did,” Noah muttered.
“And I won’t let there be a second time!” the king cried. “I cannot lose you, Eilam.”
Eilam grew quiet. Noah felt the tension between the two of them. All the months they’d been in close proximity… when he’d been forced into semi-exile… they’d forged a bond. No matter that the king had pushed Eilam away, they’d still spent hours together.
Time Noah had lost.
He watched as an outsider as Eilam cupped the king’s cheek.
“I heard the things you said as I lay dying on that floor,” Eilam said. The huskiness in his voice wasn’t from his injury. It was pure unadulterated lust. Noah felt his own body react to the sound of it.
Yet he couldn’t help but feel he didn’t belong.
He took a step back, feeling as if he witnessed a moment he shouldn’t. The king was theirs… not only Eilam’s, but the bond between Adriel and Eilam was unmistakable.
His heart clenched in his chest, wondering if he’d ever have that same connection to their mate… or would he continue to feel like the third wheel?
On the outside, looking in.
* * * *
Eilam held the king’s gaze as he cupped the man’s cheek. For once, the warlock wasn’t pulling away from him. Fear almost made him freeze where he stood, scared to push any farther. “I heard the things you said as I lay dying on that floor.”
A hint of panic crossed the king’s face.
“I heard the words I love you.”
“You didn’t,” the king said… but he didn’t back away. “I never said that aloud.”
Eilam lifted a brow. “Aloud?”
The king’s face turned red again. He took a step back.
“Adriel,” Eilam murmured and the king froze before moving any farther.
“You push too far, Eilam.”
“Perhaps I haven’t pushed enough.”
The king lifted his stare. Eilam captured it and took a step closer to close the gap. “I love you, too,” he whispered, caressing the back of his hand against Adriel’s face. “And all we want to do is protect you.”
“And who protects me after you’re gone?”
“I don’t plan on going anywhere. Do you, Noah?”
Noah didn’t respond.
Eilam turned. He paused, sensing not all was right with his brother bear. And then, when he caught Noah’s stare, he sensed it. He urged Noah over, but the male didn’t move.
They were three. Noah had been left out too long.
“Together, we are stronger,” he murmured, holding Noah’s stare. He turned to the king. “Together.”
“No,” the king murmured, backing away. “Not together.”
Eilam sighed, dropping his hand. Months of denials were tearing him apart.
“You don’t understand… there’s a reason I can never surrender to you,” the king said.
Eilam met the male’s stare.
The king sighed. “If the witch surrenders, Midnight will fall…”
“You can’t think that old mumbo jumbo has anything to do with you surrendering to us,” Eilam said. “Surrendering the city is one thing… yielding to a lover is another.”
“Every king of Midnight before me has been the dominant lover. They were bound to other witches, men like themselves. They did not surrender. Now I have two strong bears and all I desire is to yield.” The king lowered his stare. “What if my surrender takes my focus away from where it needs to be? The vampires have been a threat since you arrived in Midnight… the two coincided.”
Eilam shook his head. “Coincidence.”
“My desire grows untenable, and I consider giving in… then suddenly, I’m attacked,” the king continued. “You’re nearly killed and it sends me running to save you both instead of standing up for my city. So, yes, I fear surrendering to you will bring Midnight’s downfall.”
Eilam looked away and captured Noah’s stare.
“I will return Noah to Midnight to lead his team. You’ll remain here another day, at the very least,” the king said, an invisible veil coming over his face. No emotion showed through it, leaving Eilam more confused than ever.
He had promised the king he would do everything in his power to protect the city. Walking away from his mate wasn’t a sacrifice he planned to make.
“I should be at your side, trying to protect Midnight,” Eilam stated.
The king ignored his comment. “I’ll return to check on you tonight and make sure you have all you need.”
With that, the warlock spun his hands and created another portal. The king entered it without another look to either of them. Noah stepped forward to follow, avoiding Eilam’s stare.
Eilam captured Noah’s arm and forced him to stop.
Noah turned to gaze at him.
“He’s ours… ours. Protect him.”
“Is he ours?” Noah asked, a frown etching his handsome face.
“Yes!” Eilam said.
Noah was silent. “I should go before the portal closes.”
Eilam released his hold on Noah, feeling like he’d just lost them both.