CHAPTER Twenty
The driver let me off next to the Clapham Common station. I paid him with the money that Alex had given me, noting that thankfully there was still some left to pick up some food and pay for a cheap B&B to rest my head before I had to head back to the College. There were several people, families and groups of friends, milling around the entrance to the park area, so I headed deeper inside to find somewhere quiet.
It was a beautiful day. Judging by the sun in the sky, it was already around midday. The cold brush of winter remained in the air, but it was a crisp and clear day. Perhaps the sun’s rays would have some magical healing properties that would allow me to regain some of my energy and strength, I thought hopefully.
Before too long, I found myself next to a nook of trees, shaded from prying eyes. In theory, I’d call Solus as I had done back in Inverness, and he’d materialise himself somewhere in my vicinity. I briefly wondered how he managed to avoid transporting himself into a tree or a building. It would definitely be handy being a Fae though.
I settled myself down against a small hollow and tried. It was different to using the Voice but it had worked last time. I spoke aloud. “Uh, Solus?”
Nothing happened so I tried again. “Solus?”
A few birds twittered but again nothing happened. I wasn’t so egomaniacal to assume that the Fae was at my beck and call, but I was on a clock. I hoped he wasn’t going to be long. I closed my eyes and tried to summon up some bloodfire to reduce the pain from my cheek and leg. Some weak flames flickered inside me and began to get to work, taking away the edge if nothing else. In the distance, there were some shouts and drifting laughter. I opened one lid to check that they weren’t heading in my direction and then scrambled to my feet in alarm. Oh shit. Stood scant feet away were five figures. It didn’t take a genius to work out from their clothes and their stances that they were shifters. I didn’t recognise any of them but it didn’t really matter. They clearly recognised me.
“Hey,” I said weakly. “Can I help you?”
“Mackenzie Smith?”
“No, that’s not me. My name’s Jane.” Like that would work. “You must have mistaken me for someone else.”
One of the shifters bared his teeth in what some cultures, but not many, might call a smile. I swallowed.
“Look, guys, I don’t know what you’re doing here, but I’m busy.”
“You don’t look very busy.”
As a group they moved towards me. My hands involuntarily dug under my jacket to my forearms but, of course, my daggers weren’t there. F*cking mages, I thought. Would it have killed them to let me leave with some protection? I concentrated on my hands, willing the green flames to ignite. I flicked out a stream at the nearest shifter, but it was sluggish and he dodged it easily. I felt a small glimmer of satisfaction at his surprise at my attack, even if it hadn’t worked. My bloodfire was clutching itself round my heart now, not just a small flicker but instead a raging blaze. I let the flames flood my body and race through my pumping veins then smiled back at the group.
“The boss wants to see you.”
“I told you, I think you have me mistaken for someone else.” I watched them carefully, seeking out their weaknesses.
“No, I don’t think we do.”
Two of them separated from the group, flanking me. I knew I wasn’t at my best but there was little I could do about it now. Abandoning the green fire for now, I tensed my muscles and waited for them to make the first move. It didn’t take long.
The shifter on my right, who was wearing some ridiculous Matrix inspired full length leather coat, made a small gesture of acknowledgement to his partner and they both rushed me. That gesture was their undoing, however. I leapt up in the air and scissor kicked out, first left and then right, connecting with both of their heads. They snarled, and I heard the ripping of material.
My eyes widened slightly. The three in the middle were in the middle of a shift. Denim and cloth was scattering the ground as their bodies and muscles bulged out, and fur began to form over their skin. F*ck, they were taking a few chances, transforming out here in the open. It occurred to me that finding a quiet spot to wait for Solus hadn’t been such a good idea in the first place. I very much hoped that the Fae would show himself very soon.
The two shifters who I’d kicked were moving backwards. Ah, I thought, the lookouts. No doubt, since their initial rush had failed so abjectly, they’d stay human and make sure that no passersby happened by, whilst the others took advantage of their were strength to best me. The shifter in mid-transformation nearest me started to slather and drool, his skull creaking as it elongated into a grey muzzle. I took advantage of the moment to rush him, lashing out with a punch to his head. I knew that this would be their most vulnerable moment. I connected, feeling a shattering pain in my fist. For his part, however, he howled in agony, as his shift continued involuntarily. He was clearly a wolf. I grinned without humour. Even in my current state, I had no problem besting a wolf. Patches of fur were appearing on his hands. I grabbed both his wrists and twisted hard, snapping each one. He howled again. Yeah, whatever, he’d have healed himself by the time I was back with the mages.
I jumped back and focused my attention on the other two who were now fully transformed. One was a were-tiger and the other some kind of strange were-wolf/lion hybrid. Huh, that was a new one on me. Each took a step towards me. I tensed, waiting to see what they were going to do next.
The tiger raised its head, baleful yellow eyes staring at me. It sniffed the air cautiously. Panic flooded me. Oh, f*ck, it would easily be able to scent the fact that I was human. I had to get out of here - and right now. I quickly turned on my heel, ready to dart through the trees and try to make my escape. I’d never be able to outrun two transformed shifters, but all I had to do was to get in sight of some humans and I’d be safe. They’d never dare to let themselves be seen by the public. Standing in front of me, however, leaning casually against a tree, was Corrigan. He was examining his fingernails, as if mildly bored. He started to open his mouth to speak, and then jerked his head up, eyes widening. He was smelling the same as the were-tiger.
The bloodfire inside me was starting to choke my system. Involuntary tears were springing to my eyes and I could feel myself losing control in a way I never had before. I tried to turn back towards the other shifters, but I stumbled and lost my footing. Fire was roaring in my ears. I worked on summoning the green flames to my hands again; this time it was less of slow sluggish stream of light and more of an explosion. From a distance away I heard Corrigan calling my name, but the heat was so over-powering and all-encompassing that it barely registered. The dry grass around my feet was on fire, keeping the shifters at bay. I wasn’t going anywhere though. Through the haze of green flames and smoke, I could see them circling me, waiting for a moment to douse the flames and grab me. My blood felt as if it was boiling. I let out an agonised scream and then, for the second time in less than twenty-four hours, the world went dark.
When I came to, everything was completely black. I began to panic, feeling claustrophobic and stifled, realising that there were was a blindfold over my eyes and my hands were tied securely behind my back. I concentrated on my fingers, attempting to ignite a small spark to loosen my restraints, but there was just an unpleasantly familiar numbing sensation. I tugged hard, trying to see if there was any give, but whatever had been used to secure my wrists wasn’t going to budge. I wanted to dig inside myself, to find my bloodfire and use it to my advantage, but a large part of me was too afraid. The all-encompassing fire that had lit inside of me had been so strong and had smothered me so completely that I had no idea what would happen if I tried to summon it again now.
Realising from the vibrations underneath me and the sounds outside that I was in some kind of moving vehicle, I pushed myself up against the side of whatever I was in so that I was at least in a sitting position. My ankles had been bound together too and I found a faint glimmer of humour in the situation. The thought that Corrigan was so intimidated by my suggested powers that he’d send five shifters, not including himself, to grab me, and that he’d then make sure that I was trussed up like a chicken and virtually unable to move an inch, was vaguely satisfying. Of course, I comforted myself, if I hadn’t been feeling already so weak after my round with the Ministry, then I could have made my escape.
Then I remembered that he and his cronies had scented me. The cat was well and truly out of the bag now. I wondered if it had always inevitable that he would find out that I wasn’t a shifter. Probably. That didn’t make me feel any better though, and I had to warn Cornwall. After apparently being able to initiate Voice contact with Corrigan himself, in theory I should be able to do the same with other shifters. Hey, if the Lord Alpha could do it, then why couldn’t I?
I clenched my teeth and concentrated, focusing on Julia first.
Julia? Julia? Can you hear me?
Deep silence hung in my head as an answer. That was okay, I thought, taking a deep breath. Perhaps the physical injuries that she’d sustained when Iabartu’s minions had attacked the keep had affected her mental powers too. I aimed for Johannes next.
J?
Nothing. I tried again, screaming with all my might this time.
Johannes!
The only thing that answered me was my own panic. F*ck. I’d have to get Anton instead. As alpha of the Cornish pack, his Voice would be stronger so it would stand to reason that he would be more likely to hear me. I tried to calm myself. All I needed to do was warn him that Corrigan knew that I was human, not that I really was human but it’s what he’d think, and that he’d have to prepare the pack for the Brethren. Maybe he could concoct some sort of story? He wouldn’t be able to lie to the Brethren though, they’d scent that out in heartbeat. The thought of the shifters’ watchdogs storming down to Cornwall and taking their vengeance out on my adopted family was almost too painful to even consider. Anton would have to listen to me and would have to do something. I curled my nails into the palms of my hands.
I was tentative at first, not wanting to anger or surprise Anton so much that he’d push my Voice straight out and erect mental barriers that would stop me form communicating with him.
Uh, Anton?
Okay, that was too quiet. I tried again, a bit louder this time.
Anton?
F*ck it.
ANTON!
The answering silence was devastating.
I could feel my heart thudding hard against my ribcage. There had to be something I could do. I thought of Tom and Betsy. Okay, that might work. I wasn’t Lord Alpha, there was nor reason why I’d be able to communicate over long distances. In fact, as far as I knew, Corrigan was the only Lord Alpha who’d ever been able to manage that feat. But Tom and Betsy were in London. And whatever vehicle I was in right at the moment was probably taking me closer to them, rather than further away. I acknowledged to myself that Tom had given up my presence in London to Corrigan, but you wouldn’t be able to fake the shock that had registered on the Lord Alpha’s face when he worked out that I was human. Tom hadn’t completely deserted me. It might have been the geas but I would choose for now to believe otherwise. He was no doubt aware that Corrigan had been coming to capture me; perhaps he’d thought I’d be able to get away before that happened. There was no way that he’d have been able to contact me to warn me of course. But if I could contact him then he could telephone the Cornish pack and…I straightened my shoulders. I could do this.
I focused on Tom’s face, imagining it in my mind. In my head, he winked warmly at me. Then I threw out my Voice.
Corrigan caught me, Tom.
There was a big fat nothing.
Tom? Tom? Tom? TOM!
Why the f*ck wasn’t it working? I tried Betsy but got exactly the same response. Nadda. Nyet. Zip. I was getting more and more worked up.
There was only one other person I could think of, and that hadn’t exactly worked for me back at the park.
“Solus? I really need you. Please?”
My voice echoed against the metal walls of the vehicle.
“Solus?”
Something thumped against the wall next to me and a muffled voice shouted out. It wasn’t Corrigan. “Shut up back there!”
Damnit. I was completely out of options. Perhaps the shifters had gotten hold of some kind of nullifying spell from the mages? The numbing around my hands would certainly suggest that. To be sure, I gingerly tried Corrigan.
Hello?
For a moment there was silence and I thought my suspicions had been confirmed about the spell. But then he answered, flatly.
You’re awake.
I cursed. Why could I use the Voice on him but not on the people I actually wanted to talk to?
We have a lot to discuss, kitten.
I didn’t bother answering. He sighed in my head and I felt the mild pressure of his Voice vanish. I realised that my fingers were still digging into my hands. I uncurled them slowly, stretching them out as I did so. Think, Mack, I thought. There had to be something I could do that would keep the Cornish pack safe. Corrigan just had to ask any of them directly whether they’d known I wasn’t a shifter and they’d be compelled to answer in the affirmative. Hell, he didn’t even have to use his Voice or travel to Cornwall to do so. He’d just have to walk to the next room and speak to Tom and Betsy. No, pretending that they didn’t know wasn’t an option.
I thought hard. I could go down the geas route. And that was actually true – the entire Cornish pack had been physically forbidden from revealing my true nature. If I could appeal to Corrigan’s better side then he might just be lenient. It wasn’t their fault that they hadn’t informed the Brethren of my presence. Leniency was not something that I’d ever heard of the shifter overlords practising, however. I tried to formulate arguments in my head. It occurred to me briefly that I wouldn’t have much time to persuade Corrigan and the whole of the Brethren not to maim or kill the Cornish pack and to release me. I was pretty sure that because we were still travelling that I’d not been knocked out for long, but I still didn’t have much time before I was bound to return to the mages. I had absolutely no doubt that they’d leave Mrs Alcoon to rot without a second thought if I didn’t get back to them before the twenty four hour period was up.
The vehicle lurched over a bump in the road and I went flying onto my face, scraping the very same cheek that the stupid mage guard had earlier attempted to torture. I yelled involuntarily out in pain. I rolled onto my back and struggled to lift myself back up. I was damned if I was going to let them open the door and find me flailing around on the floor like a bloody fish out of water. The uneven floor gave me an idea, however, and I tried to scrape my face against it to pull the blindfold off of my eyes. If I could see at the very least, then I’d have something to start with. It was unfortunate that opening up the wound on my cheek and allowing it to bleed would have no effect on my prisoner status this time, however. All my experience thus far had proven that whatever strange powers my blood had, they had little effect on the real world. The shifters rarely had to use magic to get their point across – they had sharp teeth and claws to manage that.
I kept trying to snag the blindfold on something and get it off. My cheek scraped painfully against something sharp and I winced in pain as I felt the warm trickle of blood against my face. I did my best to ignore it, however, and tried again. Eventually I managed to pull it halfway up my forehead, revealing one eye.
“Probably look like f*cking Captain Hook,” I muttered to myself.
At least I could see now though. I took in my surroundings, realising that I was in the back of what was some kind of small van. In the corner were some pots of paint and boxes but other than that it was empty. I wondered if I should take some small hope from the fact that the Brethren didn’t seem to have a regular prisoner transport vehicle.
Kicking out with my legs, I managed to manoeuvre myself back to a sitting position. I could feel the van braking slightly and slowing, and then the crunch of gravel under the wheels. We came to a complete stop. My stomach flip-flopped but I kept the flames away. It was showtime.