Page 39 of Blood and Bone

“I’m sure this isn’t the first rogue vamp or shifter whose tried this kind of shit,” the chief said. “What does the I.S.R. usually do about it? I know you’re not a policing authority as such but you’re the closest thing to it.”

“Normally, we call the Agency, and they give us the resources and go ahead to deal with this type of thing,” Eoghan replied. “It involves a lot of marshals and whatever authorities on the individual reservations that we can trust.” He pointed to his phone. “This time when Chief Deputy Priest called the Agency, she was told to turn Townsend over to Bradshaw’s minions and close the case. Basically, throwing him to the wolves. They wanted nothing to do with thesituation even after she relayed what Townsend told us about his imprisonment in a coffin for three months, chained up, and being left to starve to death.”

“And this is when she found the listening devices in her office and in her home?”

“Almost the very next day, yeah,” Ari said. “Look, Chief, what Eoghan’s saying is that there is danger afoot for all clans, vampires and shifters alike. Not only is the distribution of drugs going to be a problem but think about it, there could be more serious consequences. With more territory, Bradshaw’s going to need more vampires to help run his business. He certainly can’t be in ten places at once. When it comes to more vampires, you and I both know they can crank those out literally overnight.

“Vampires don’t procreate like you and other shifters and they don’t have to wait until their recruits grow up. They just turn people left and right. No one wants to be overrun by crazed, newly-made, starving vampires and no one wants the Agency cracking down on all shifters and tightening a noose around the necks of other clans. You gotta think long term here but not too long,” Ari emphasized. “Bradshaw’s been in power almost six months now. Who knows how strong he already is and he’s getting stronger every day.”

When Two Trees sat forward and looked over at his deputy with wide eyes, Ari knew his words had hit home. “Shit!” he exclaimed, looking over at them. “All right. What can we do anyway? It doesn’t seem possible for us to help but tell me what we can do.”

“Thank you,” Eoghan said.

Two Trees shook his head. “Don’t thank me. You still have to convince the tribal council to help and if they say no, which they very likely will, there’s not a goddamned thing I can do about it.”

“You’re going to have to be convincing,” Uwaite said. He looked scared and determined all at the same time. To Ari’s shock he held out his hand to Eoghan. “I’m sorry for being combative. I know you came here with our safety and wellbeing in mind, just as much as you need our help.” After they shook hands, he looked at the chief. “Can we take this to the tribal council?”

Two Trees cracked a smile and nodded before looking at Eoghan. He stood up. “Let me make a call and see how soon we can get a meeting with the council. I take it that time is of the essence?”

“You know it,” Eoghan said, standing along with Ari and the deputy. “The sooner we come up with a game plan, the better off we’ll be.”

“You know what a huge ask this is going to be. I hope you’re ready to be convincing.”

“Are you convinced?”

He shrugged and then smiled. “I’m convinced.” He indicated his deputy with a tilt of his head. “You convinced Alo and that’s a nearly impossible task, so I think that’s a good head start.”

“But you don’t know the tribal council,” Uwaite said. “Some of them are assholes of the highest order.”

“Alo!” the chief chided.

“Come on, Joe. You know they are. Convincing Blackwood is going to be next to impossible and they have to be unified or it’s a no go.”

“I know,” Two Trees said. “Why don’t you all let me make some calls. Alo can show you the break room.”

“That sounds good. Thanks so much, Chief,” Eoghan said.

Ari followed him and the deputy out of the office, shutting the door behind him and crossing his fingers for a positive outcome.

Twenty minutes later, the chief walked into the break room where the three of them were sitting at a small table finishing their earlier cups of coffee. He looked harried. His hair was sticking up on top of his head as if he’d either been pulling it or running nervous fingers through it. When he walked over, stopping at the table, he smiled. “Well, that was a conversation I want to forget,” he said.

“Bad?”

He set his hands on his hips and twisted around looking behind him for something. When he looked back in their direction, the relief on his face was palpable. “Well, at least it’s all there.”

“What?” Alo asked.

“My ass. It was doubtful after Blackwood got finished chewing on it.”

“Who is he?” Eoghan asked.

“He thinks he’s the tribal chief,” Uwaite said. “He’s not, for the record. He’s just the biggest blowhard and the most unpleasant jerk you’d evernotwant to meet.” He thinned his lips before looking over at Two Trees. “Why was he chewing your ass? Did you tell him?”

“I had to tell him something. He wanted to put off the meeting for a week because of budgeting deadlines. I’m pretty convinced he says that shit just to get under my skin. The damned budget isn’t due until the end of June.”

“That’s not good,” Eoghan said. “How’d you put it exactly?”

“Like you did. That we could soon be overrun by vampires and drugs and all kinds of poisonous shit that threatens our very existence. And that we, as one of the strongest shifter clans in California with close friends in several Nevada clans, have a responsibility not to ignore this.”

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