Desire Unchained

After that, he’d explored the immediate area around every Harrowgate in Northern Ireland. He’d found nothing, but tonight he was going back to check out the southern part of the island. He would find Roag, and when he did, his brother’s suffering was going to become legend. Something that centuries later, the most evil demons would tell their spawn at bedtime.

The door swung open, crashed against the wall. Shade strode in, chomping on gum, completely encased in black leather, including his hands. He must have come in on his Harley.

And, Wraith noted with jealousy, he sported a new dermoire around his neck. He’d gone through The Change.

“Where’s Runa?” E asked.

“MRI.” Eidolon’s eyebrows shot up, and Shade shook his head. “No, I didn’t leave her with any males. Dr. Shakvhan is handling the tests you wanted done.”

Wraith blew out a stream of smoke. “Is this a bond thing?”

Eidolon nodded. “For some reason, right after bonding, you get a little overprotective.”

Yet another reason Wraith was never, ever going to bond with a female. Nope. He was looking forward to losing himself to the posts’genesis world. He wanted to spend his days with no concerns save one. Screwing his brains out. And if he went stark-raving mad, his brothers would kill him.

“So what’s up? Is it time to get rid of Runa?”

Shade’s gloved hands formed into fists. “Knock it off.”

“Shade?” Eidolon asked softly. “You okay?”

His fists unclenched and clenched again, and Wraith got the distinct impression he was hiding something. “I’m good. I just want to be rid of this damned lycanthropy. Now I know what mutts chained in backyards go through. Did you get anything from the tests?”

“Nothing yet. Be patient.”

“Patient, my ass. I don’t want to go through another full moon.” Shade sank down on the couch. “But I might have something that’ll help. Runa was experimented on by the military. They were trying to cure her, and whatever they did gave her the ability to shift at will.”

Eidolon got that excited look on his face, the way he always did when he was working on a medical mystery. “That explains a lot. Some of her DNA was so abnormal that I was starting to think she had demon somewhere in the family tree. But if experimentation is responsible … you just saved me a lot of time.”

Shade leaned forward and braced his forearms on his knees. “We might have another problem. Our favorite Aegi-turned-doctor.”

“Kynan? What about him?”

“Apparently, her brother and Kynan were both in the Army. Probably a secret division. Runa is involved as well, and she was sent to find Kynan. They know about the hospital, and I think Kynan told them.”

“Fuck.” E glanced at his watch. “He’s on shift now. Wraith and I will have a little chat with him. Did you hear about Ciska?”

Wraith scowled. “What about Ciska?”

“She died right after you brought her in.”

Ciska? Dead? Shock and grief collided with confusion. “What? How?” Wraith had been with her just last night. In his office. On his desk. He was supposed to meet her in the on-call room in an hour.

“What do you mean, how can she be dead?” Eidolon asked. “You saw her. She was mutilated.”

Wraith flicked his cigarette butt into the sink. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You handed her off to Gem. You don’t remember?”

“Do you really think I’d forget something like that?”

E stared at him for a moment, his gaze contemplative, as though he was working out how much to believe. Finally, he shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled something out. “There was a message on her. It’s addressed to you.”

Wraith took the bloody cloth from his brother. I know what you did. The writing sent a chill up his spine.

“Hell’s rings,” Shade growled. “It was Roag who brought her in.”

Wraith’s stomach bottomed out. “Roag was here? In the hospital?”

“That bastard. That fucking bastard!” Eidolon snarled and slammed his fist into a cupboard. For a long time, he stood there, hands braced on the counter, head hung low. Wraith recognized that position, the I’m-going-to-compose-myself-before-I-kill-my-brother stance, except for once, he wasn’t the brother in question. “What does the message mean?” E finally asked, his voice tight with barely contained rage. “What does he know?”

Wraith’s first instinct was to lie, but not to protect himself. The truth would hurt Shade, and he’d already experienced more than enough pain over the last few days. And Eidolon … this might be the last straw for him. Wraith wasn’t stupid—he knew E kept him on staff to keep an eye on him, to keep him out of trouble. But after this, E probably wouldn’t give a shit anymore.

“Wraith?” Shade’s voice was low, soothing. “You need to come clean.”

Eidolon swung around, his expression confirming everything Wraith had been thinking. Already disappointment swirled in his dark eyes. Nothing new, there.

Wraith cleared his throat because some big-ass lump seemed to be stuck in it. Both brothers went taut, as though bracing themselves for whatever he’d done this time.