Family Bonds

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Even though Sean complained about having to drive all the way across town again to the Cauldwells’ home, he insisted on going alone. Dane was fine with that; it gave him a chance to dig out his last clean clothes from his apartment and drive to Sean’s. When the professor pulled up, he transferred the snake to his house and the boxes to Dane’s car.

“Hazel gave me an address,” he said as he buckled up.

Dane put the car into reverse.

“We’ll compare,” said Ned, suddenly in the back seat. The ghost propped himself up against the boxes like they were pillows. “Elder Tash wants us to speak with her and Alpha Stone.”

“Turns out one of the boxes is for Elder Tash.”

Dane tuned out as Sean and Ned discussed the boring s**t, bracing himself for the werewolf hostility he was bound to come up against when they met with a Pack Alpha. The Order and Packs got along on paper only—they had agreements with one another and generally respected the terms, although tension was high. Back in Minnesota, Dane had tracked down and handled a lone werewolf who’d taken out a couple of schoolkids, and it wasn’t unheard of for a Pack to rip apart a Decrypter who went too far. Weirdest f*****g thing was, both the Order and Packs tended not to escalate over that sort of violence. It was like the occasional killing was what kept the peace between them.

Still, Dane had no intention of being the next Decrypter casualty. And he technically had every right to check up on a Pack after a murder, make his own report to the Order. He reminded himself of that as he pulled up to an old farm house outside of town and parked.

“This is it?” asked Sean as he got out.

He opened the door to the back seat and pulled out a box while Ned drifted through the roof and descended to the ground. The ghost made himself look solid enough and kept his feet on the ground, although he didn’t bother to change clothes.

“What were you expecting?” asked Dane.

He checked his gun and nodded at Sean, who opened his mouth and then closed it.

“You first, professor. They actually want to see you.”

Sean sighed and went up the porch to the door, Dane and Ned lingering behind him. He only had to ring once before an older woman pulled the door open. She took one look at Sean, then raised an eyebrow at Ned and Dane.

“Elder Tash? I have your order from Cauldron Cosmetics.”

“You’re a new one,” said Tash.

She grinned, showing fangs, and stepped back to let them in. It was almost too easy, but then, Ned had said she wanted Order contact. Still, when she led them into the living room, Dane remained standing behind the chair Sean took. Ned kept by the door.

“What is it now, Tash?” asked a very annoyed sounding woman, who entered from the kitchen with two steaming mugs. Her eyes narrowed as they caught Dane.

“My herbal shipment,” said Tash, gesturing to the box at Sean’s feet.

The woman, dark haired and middle-aged, passed a mug to Tash before taking a seat where she could keep the three of them in her line of sight. Dane figured this had to be Alpha Stone and he returned the look she gave him sizing him up.

“I didn’t want the Order involved with this, Elder Tash.”

“I can’t help it that the new witch dragged his mate in here with him,” said Tash.

“Knowing you, this is your doing.”

“Get the local Guild to take in a new witch? Who happens to be mated to a Decrypter? Please, Lenora.” Tash rolled her eyes and sat. “I’m too old to meddle that much.”

“Name, Decrypter, and take that smug look off your face. I still might tear your throat out.”

“Don’t I f*****g know it,” said Dane, watching her smile a little as she leaned forward. “Dane Sanders. You’re the Alpha?”

“Lenora Stone. And if I didn’t think it’d ruin the deal I made with the Guild, I’d shift and spill your guts. Elder Tash could use the extra pile of entrails.”

“Yeah, I’m pissing myself.”

“We’re not here for trouble,” said Sean.

Lenora didn’t even glance at him.

“How did you know he and I…”

“They can smell it on us,” said Dane. “Probably can tell who topped last.”

Sean flushed so thoroughly Dane could see it on the back of his neck. He grinned despite Lenora’s warning, glad he’d had Sean’s ass last. He wouldn’t want werewolves thinking a Decrypter took it from a witch, after all.

“Not here for trouble,” said Lenora, wrinkling her nose. “And you bring a Decrypter and a ghost along?”

“Hey, I got a right to contact you now and then, keep up with things,” said Dane.

“Technically. But none of us play strictly by the rules, do we?”

“Lenora,” said Tash, voice calm. “I know you shot the suggestion down before, but our situation is unusual. We have a worse relationship with Falls Blue Pack than the Order, and if you want to find Rod’s killer…”

“I’m not sure I do,” said Lenora, and gestured to Ned with a flick of her chin. “You run into him, ghost? He wants his death avenged?”

“I’m afraid I can’t contact him,” said Ned. He eyed Lenora coolly, arms crossed. “As far as I can tell, the manner of death resulted in a somewhat damaged spirit.”

“The hell does that mean?”

“Rod is moving about frenziedly,” said Tash. “When I tried to locate him, I ran into Ned here. Neither of us could find his spirit.”

“It’s possible he’s found a way to pass on,” said Ned. “But if I were you, I’d be concerned the murderer might kill again. And if he hasn’t passed on…werewolves tend to return to the Pack, don’t they?”

“Lenora.” Elder Tash’s voice was gentle, but firm. “I’ll need to spend time focusing on Rod. You know the damage a wild shifted spirit can cause. Much as I dislike the idea of interference from the Order, we could use the assistance.”

Dane wasn’t stupid. If the two Packs really were at each other’s throats, Elder Tash was asking the Order to get in between and take the damage if violence broke out. And of course, she knew if the Alpha asked, Dane would have to accept—letting werewolves tear up the countryside, even someplace as out of the way as Bleu Falls, could result in termination and mind wipe. Dane wasn’t up on the politics of it all, but he knew when he was being screwed over by everyone. f*****g werewolves.

But Lenora’s pride was too great.

“No,” she said. “This is a Pack matter.” She leaned back, tapped the side of her mug with a fingernail. “I understand you have to make a report on the matter, Sanders. I’m having my secretary draw up something official for your records. Feel free to tell your superiors there’s been a murder and we’re handling it.”

“Can I get some specifics?” asked Dane. “If they don’t think I’ve done a good enough job they’ll just send out some poor bastard to check on me, then you. Probably an actual agent.”

“They sent one for me not long ago,” said Sean.

Dane glanced down at him, wondering why Sean would volunteer that before realizing the professor had to be actually interested in the murder. Typical of him. Dane wanted to get this over with, keep the Order off his back, maybe find some problem he could actually shoot for a change. He’d be all for putting a silver bullet through Roderick Wolff’s rampaging werewolf ghost if he thought he could get away with it, but get into a situation where a whole Pack might come down on him? Dane wanted to live, too.

Lenora waved a hand at Tash and picked up her mug.

“Go on,” she said.

Elder Tash nodded once to Sean and Dane gritted his teeth. Friggin’ werewolves, treating this like Sean was the one they should thank, probably just because he was a witch.

“Roderick Wolff was in his forties,” began Tash, then glanced at Ned. “He probably told you those specifics. When I asked for help, I let Ned know a few things.”

“You should have asked me first,” said Lenora.

Tash actually frowned.

“I have complete control over how to handle measures with the dead, you know that.” Tash paused for a swallow of tea. “He was in human form when he was stripped naked and bound to a tree with silver-treated rope.”

“Exposure. Ned said.” Dane couldn’t help but be impatient with Lenora Stone’s eyes not leaving him once. “You keep that silver s**t around here?”

“Of course not,” said Lenora. “No one in the Howl Ridge Pack is responsible for this.”

“Right,” said Dane. “Can I see the tree?”

“It’s in Falls Bleu territory,” said Tash.

“They found the body?”

“No. Markus did.” Tash shook her head. “He’s Roderick’s son. We’re taking care of him now. I doubt they would have been so keen to release the body if it hadn’t been his son who found him.”

“We don’t need to give the Order the ins and outs of Pack politics,” said Lenora. “We’re handling it. What more do you need to know?”

“Is this a one-time thing?” Dane asked. “Someone just hated the guy? Order’s not going to like a serial werewolf killer.”

Lenora curled her lip.

“Roderick was not well liked, no,” said Tash. “He argued with everyone.”

“Including members of the other Pack,” said Lenora, cutting in. “No, it’s not going to be the start of a serial killing, and no way in hell do we need the Order’s help finding who did it.”

“I wasn’t offering help. Do I look like I care?”

“Another werewolf less is probably just what you want.” Lenora stood. “I think it’s time you left.”

Dane thought so, too. He was getting itchy standing around, pretending to be diplomatic. Werewolves were a mess. The less he had to deal with them, the better. He waited for Sean to get up first, then followed him to where Ned stood. At the door, the professor turned back, caught Elder Tash’s eye.

“One last question,” he said. “Are there any magic nexus points nearby?”

At the look on Lenora’s face Dane knew he had to cover for Sean.

“Order’s got me out here mapping them all,” he said.

“The Order can deal with not knowing everything. This is our territory. Now get out.”

Dane glanced at Sean on the way out, the look in the professor’s eye confirming what Dane suspected. There were definitely magic source wells on Howl Ridge territory.