Page 74 of Of Flame and Fate

I hop up the stacked stone steps when we reach one of the original structures. This building was always a dorm and used during the time of war to housewerefamilies fleeing to safety. I try not to think about how fast it will fill back up, especially if the shapeshifters do come a-calling and try to bust down the doors.

“Any word on the shapeshifters?” I ask as we step inside. “Or their nematodes?”

“Neophytes?” he offers.

“Same difference,” I say.

He smirks. “No just more chatter linking them as the probable leaders of the Dark Alliance.”

I pause as we reach the bottom of the steps. “Like what?”

The wolves turn to face him, scenting the same thing I sense, that we don’t know everything.

Gemini crosses his arms. “We were going to brief everyone this afternoon,” he says, more to them than me. “The Chinese Imperial coven killed a shapeshifter early yesterday, an old one by the name of Shakur.”

My jaw drops. “He went after Genevieve?”

“Not exactly.” Gemini doesn’t seem to want to answer. “He targeted Ines’s daughters. They’re teens and not as formidable. He would have succeeded had the Imperials not been guarding them.”

“Are the Imperials all right?” I ask.

“Four didn’t survive the onslaught. They were too young and not as experienced,” he explains, his jaw hardening. “The others were more mature and strong witches in their own right. They were close to destroying him when Ines arrived. She finished him off, then cut out his heart and burned it.”

“Why?” I ask. It’s not that I’m surprised a head witch would be so brutal, it’s more like I recognize her actions as a message.

“Shakur tried to rape and kill her daughters. If it weren’t for the Imperials, he would have brutalized them.” He watches me carefully. “Burning the heart was a warning meant for his mate.”

No wonder I’m just now learning of this. He was trying to spare me from the gruesome details, not his pack.

“The shifter was mated?” I ask.

“Yes.”

Except for my lips, I’m not able to move. “That means the mate will seek revenge.”

“And make Ines her first target,” he replies, finishing for me. “More Imperials have been summoned, in addition to severalwerepacks in Europe.”

His head jerks up, almost at the same time the wolves growl in the direction of the second level.

My arm twitches as Johnny’s magic spills into the foyer. “What is it? I ask.

“Blood,” he replies, racing up the steps.

Everyone bolts past me, I don’t think I’m even to the fourth step when the door at the far end of the hall is thrown open.

“Son of bitch,” I say, my heels stomping as I race forward.

The wolves huddle outside the room which is odd. I expected everyone to storm in and, I don’t know, carry out Johnny’s broken and limp form. I don’t realize what’s happening until I move closer and see Gemini with his arm out, keeping everyone back.

A large wolf with a heavy coat of brown fur steps in front of me when I snake my way around the otherweres. He must have been assigned to guard the room.

Deep creases form around his eyes when he frowns, making it clear I’m not allowed through. I bend and pat him on the head. “You must be new here,” I say, my smile as friendly as his scowl. “If you weren’t, you would know that’s my mate and you don’t get to keep me from him.”

He exposes his fangs when I straighten. My right arm flares with blue and white flames. “Two things,” I tell him. “You’re pissing me off and more importantly, you’re pissing off Sparky.Get out of my way.”

“Let her through,” Gemini says, his voice oddly hollow.

The otherweresrub their arms as if itchy. Something is off. I reach the door, jerking my chin in the same way I would if I smelled something bad. But there’s no bad smell.

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