Page 6 of Fighting the Lies

CHAPTER THREE

This wasn't how Kas’ day was supposed to go. He should be back in his office right now, while the youngsters of his pride partied the night away. He should have a beautiful dish of seal blubber with Jane's secret spice mix on it in front of him and also a glass of wine, preferably a two thousand and thirteen, Napa Valley red from the Dominis Estates. But no, he was in Berlin, in the Reichstag, trying to get one of his pack off a murder charge. Emma, a murderer, it was laughable. She was the least likely of his pack to kill in cold blood. He wasn't a happy bear. In fact, he was at the point of wanting to rip the next person in half who spoke to him with a stuck up air of stupidity or unearned confidence. He could imagine the scene, blood pouring, people screaming, half a puppet in his right hand and the other half swinging around to his left. He didn't have murderous thoughts like this. What was going on with him! He was the mild mannered, happy go lucky bear that liked nothing more than to wander off into the snow for a few hours. Ok, he could be moody, some would even say brooding, but he'd never wanted to remove a person’s head from their body. Not even his pain in the arse twin brother and that was saying something!

He plodded through the corridors of the upper level of the Reichstag towards Ethern's office. He knew Jessica would still be there collecting the information he needed to ascertain what was really behind Emma's arrest, because it certainly wasn't that she'd killed her father. He'd done all he could do for Emma to ensure she was comfortable and safe. He would ask Jessica to do a protection spell before they left and maybe they could take it in turns to check on her throughout the night. Ethern had ensured her safety,but he wanted to check for himself.

The corridor was suddenly flooded with light through the modern central dome of the building. He shielded his eyes against the glare but wished he hadn't when his spitting image came into view. That was all he needed, his brother.

"Kas." His brother smirked with a superior eye of triumph, a far cry from the last time he'd seen him. Defeated, flat on his back and ready for death.

"Brother." He indifferently replied. "I'm surprised to see you here. I didn't think you agreed with the council's mantra."

"That was before..." His brother's beta, a corrupt and demonic Druid called Ciaran, materialised between them with another man. One prolonged inhalation told Kas that the mysterious newcomer was a lion shifter. And not a good magical traveller judging by the fact that he was a little green around the edges. "Ciaran, I was just talking about you." Nuka beamed from ear to ear. The pit of Kas' stomach dropped. “As I was saying, Ciaran has become the magical advisor to the council, so I’ve found that my services have been required here also. It seems that people think they can just project themselves into where ever they want to and use their powers to make the stays of prisoners more comfortable.” There was a knowing smile on his brother’s face that Kas wanted to wipe off. No, that hewouldwipe off, but for Emma’s sake, he would bite his tongue for now. Especially as his prized fighter had probably just lost all of her privileges.

Kas turned his head to Ciaran, ignoring his brother.

"Congratulations on your promotion. I hope the investigation into your part in the attack on a member of my pack does not impact on it in any way." Ciaran laughed, not a small giggle but a cackling bellow. His body shook with great delight. Kas didn't need to be told, there had never been an investigation. It had been buried, most probably under a mountain of paperwork that he'd inherited from his previous incumbent.

"I can see that my faith in democracy and the truth of the law has been misplaced again." Gone was Mr Nice Polar bear that plodded along with a long sleep in the snow on his mind, in its place was a polar with murderous intentions akin to a mother when her offspring is threatened. "Selene is settled and aligned with my pack by way of mating. That cannot be overruled. I suggest you leave her alone, or I will find a way to bring you to justice."

"I think I've rattled my mild mannered brother's cage." Nuka popped his tongue in his cheek before turning his own countenance as dark as the black of a raven's coat. "She would have made me the most powerful shifter on the planet. I would have ruled. I'd have avenged our family’s deaths." Kas winced at the mention of a father and grandfather he no longer mourned. Their lives ended to prevent the death of so many more. The ancient walls of the Reichstag echoed with the malevolence of a previous occupant, one who held the key to single biggest ethnic cleansing the world had ever seen. If his father had survived his grandfather, would life had been that way for so many? All for a plot of land. For wealth. For fame. When he looked at his brother, Kas saw the same venom and hostility. The walls started to close in, the high vaulted dome suddenly seeming to take all the air out of the room. Nuka placed a hand upon his. The searing heat of it burned his ice cold flesh.

"Your precious little multi shifter is worthless now she is mated. She has nothing to fear from me now. Well not until it is her time." Kas pushed his brother's hand away and brought his own around the thickly corded neck of his reflection. Nuka's eyes bulged a little bit then sparkled with malignant humour.

"Ciaran."Kas no longer had control over his hand. It removed itself from around his brother's neck, a red ring of pressure evident. The large hand unnaturally turned and gripped itself tightly around his own throat. He choked out a gasping breath. Spots were appearing before his eyes where the oxygen no longer flowed to his brain. The area they were in was empty so nobody would be there to witness his final moments except his brother, Nuka’s beta, and a strange lion shifter who he still hadn't been introduced to.

“Let him go.” Jessica’s determined voice appeared from behind him. “I mean it.” An energy ball appeared in her hand.

“Put your insipid display of power away, my little dove. It’s really not worth it. I can kill your alpha and stop your tame energy ball at the same time.”

Jessica held her other hand out and a second energy ball glowed in her hand. “Who said I would aim at you. I’m more than happy to go to prison for using magic to cause chaos. Even if it means displaying it to humans. Now let my Alpha go." Jessica gracefully pulled her arm back ready to throw. Nuka flicked his head, and Ciaran broke the link with a reluctant moan. There was nothing that the evil druid would like more than to kill him, but today,he would not get his way. Jessica extinguished the flames on her magic.

"You win this round brother. But I will come for you and every one of your pack." Nuka sneered. “I will not stop until I have destroyed each and every one of your pack and taken what is mine. You are complicit in the death of my family, as far as I am concerned,and as a result, will die like the rest." The stare that bore into Kas' eyes was meant to make him scared, but instead, he pitied his brother's deluded fantasies. Ciaran, get us out of here.”

"Wait." The lion spoke now for the first time. Nuka growled. "I do believe we need to be introduced first." Kas regarded the cut of the lion's sharp designer suit as he stepped forward and held his hand out. It was Armani, there was no doubting that, because it fitted like a second skin. This was a man who wore this type of clothes all the time. Stupid waste of money, really, because at some point, it would get ripped. Clothes never stayed intact for very long on a shifter’s body. Cheap and cheerful was the way to go. Walmart was his saviour. The suits only came out when he needed to look powerful. Lucky he was already in one for the mating ceremony. Kas took his hand.

“Kaskae Lincoln. I’m sure you’ve ascertained that I’m Nuka’s twin brother. I'm the alpha of the Glacial Blood." He always used his full name when intimidating. After all, it meant leader. Unlike his brother's name which meant second.

"Good to meet you Kaskae. Your brother has been telling me a lot about you. It seems we will soon be meeting in court." The words were spoken with such derision that it left Kas in no doubt as to who this man was. It also conveyed a stark warning to him. Nuka was starting with Emma. This man in front of him was Emma’s brother. “I’m Phillip Bryant. Alpha of the Las Vegas pack.” Money. He stank of it. It was Nuka’s favourite smell and his path to power. He hardened his face to show no fear; even though, he could see the pale colour of Jessica's.

“It is nice to finally meet the infamous brother. I'm sure we will see each other in Court. If…" He stressed and word and left a dramatic pause. "…it get's that far. I'm sure we both know the day that Emma last saw your father, and it certainly wasn't the day he died. She was four years old and about to be given to my pack by a true saviour."

Phillip let a soft roar reverberate in his throat, “Alas, I have evidence to the contrary. My sister entered my home, while my father slept and used a family heirloom sword to remove his head from his shoulders. I found his body the next day. When the sword was examined, her prints were all over it." He spat out the last words, with a self-righteous triumph.

“Prints can be forged especially by magic.” He was not going to let him win.

“That is for the Courts to decide. I’ll see my sister suffer the full power of the law. She will die for her crime.”

Kas shook his head. This was a witch hunt...well a lion hunt. Emma would be guilty, before she even walked into the Court.

"What does your mother say? Her daughter killing her husband?" Phillip’s confidence faltered; it was momentary, but Kas had seen it. Was it a weakness he could exploit?

“My mother died after my birth. If Emma had been loyal to her family, rather than a pack of misfits, then she would be aware of this and mindful of the fact that she had a brother. But no, she chose to stay with you. She was blinded by your evil." Nuka placed his hand on the lion's arm. At first, he went to shake it off but then quietly stood back and smirked. His fangs protruding from his gums.

“One by one, brother. I promise you that.” Nuka proclaimed as Ciaran reached out for his alpha and their friend, and in a puff of smoke, they all disappeared.

Kas stood there for a moment. His breathing was fast as he tried to get his temper under control.

“I have a copy of all the evidence and the charges.” Jessica placed her hand on his shoulder. He didn’t answer her. He still needed to process everything. “Kas?”

“Get us home!”

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