his head and looked as though he were about to speak, but Cain interrupted. ‘Find her, Jürgen. Make her talk. If you can’t do it, then bring her back here and I will.’
Jürgen stilled, in that strange way only a predatory animal can, and for a moment Cain wondered about him, what he was thinking and if his loyal general would stay as such. A legere intus spell would tell him without a doubt. Alas, delving into the minds of his most trusted supporters would in itself be a significant breach of trust. Cain prided himself on being a man of honour, and use of the legere intus spell could be tantamount to torture. He dismissed the thought, and waited for Jürgen’s response.
‘It will not be so easy to find Maggie. She’ll probably have shifted form, and who knows what she will look like?’
‘Locate her by scent then; you’re an Aufhocker, too. Or perhaps I should get Christy to do it for you?’
The mention of Christy’s name made Jürgen’s face contort, and an animalistic visage shimmered over his features. Every muscle in the bulky German tensed. Jürgen did not like Christy, Cain’s second-in-command, who was currently out surveying the perimeter of the territory.
‘A…werewolf could not hunt an Aufhocker,’ Jürgen growled.
‘Could it not?’ Cain shrugged. ‘Why is that?’
‘An Aufhocker’s sense of smell is better than a were’s by several million times.’
‘Ah…’ Cain felt his lips curl with a smile. ‘The old aufhocker-versus-werewolf. I thought you two would have got over that.’
Again, Jürgen bristled and his face contorted, revealing his twisted true features. Aufhockers really were quite ugly. Canid features erupted pale and hairless from Jürgen’s face. His snout lengthened and Cain could hear muscle and cartilage pop and stretch with the change. Jürgen’s white teeth grew and sharpened. His little eyes sank and moved back on his head and his ears lengthened.
Cain dug in his pocket for his smart phone, observing his shifting guard with dispassion. ‘I see you’re having some issues with all this.’ Cain paused. ‘I understand the conflict of interest you may be suffering here. I’ll call for Christy, shall I?’
Jürgen growled, and somewhere in the depths of his small blue eyes Cain could see he was baffled by his own reaction. It had been many years since Jürgen had shifted into his true form without willing it.
‘I can track Maggie,’ he growled, sounding more dog-like than human.
It was true, Jürgen could track Maggie, and probably much quicker than Christy could. Aufhockers had some basic magic skills but a werewolf had none, and as such, Christy would have to be accompanied by one of Cain’s other magicians.
There was little doubt in Cain’s mind that Maggie would know where Sabra was. It seemed that she stuck to Sabra like shit to a sneaker. Jürgen would be able to sniff her out — if he wanted to.
Jürgen looked uncomfortable but his temper was calming, allowing his features to twist and return back to the usual ruddy, unattractive Aryan he chose to appear as.
Cain knew what he was asking Jürgen would be a betrayal amongst his traditional community. There were very few Aufhockers still in existence; those who’d survived the European Middle Ages had been swiftly executed in post-holocaust Germany for their ties with the fascist regime of Hitler. Jürgen himself had barely escaped the Hague alive.
Jürgen, Maggie and a small number of others had escaped, some to Brazil, others to Mexico and Canada. Jürgen had headed to South East Asia, where he’d met Cain, and Maggie fled to Australia, where she’d probably ingratiated herself with the Australian chapter of the Magical Mafia and eventually the government.
They were a fragmented group of magical beings to be sure, but Cain didn’t doubt for one moment that the ties amongst them were strong. He’d seen Jürgen’s instant reaction when Maggie had come up to him in that bar in Vientiane.
Jürgen stilled, in that strange way only a predatory animal can, and for a moment Cain wondered about him, what he was thinking and if his loyal general would stay as such. A legere intus spell would tell him without a doubt. Alas, delving into the minds of his most trusted supporters would in itself be a significant breach of trust. Cain prided himself on being a man of honour, and use of the legere intus spell could be tantamount to torture. He dismissed the thought, and waited for Jürgen’s response.
‘It will not be so easy to find Maggie. She’ll probably have shifted form, and who knows what she will look like?’
‘Locate her by scent then; you’re an Aufhocker, too. Or perhaps I should get Christy to do it for you?’
The mention of Christy’s name made Jürgen’s face contort, and an animalistic visage shimmered over his features. Every muscle in the bulky German tensed. Jürgen did not like Christy, Cain’s second-in-command, who was currently out surveying the perimeter of the territory.
‘A…werewolf could not hunt an Aufhocker,’ Jürgen growled.
‘Could it not?’ Cain shrugged. ‘Why is that?’
‘An Aufhocker’s sense of smell is better than a were’s by several million times.’
‘Ah…’ Cain felt his lips curl with a smile. ‘The old aufhocker-versus-werewolf. I thought you two would have got over that.’
Again, Jürgen bristled and his face contorted, revealing his twisted true features. Aufhockers really were quite ugly. Canid features erupted pale and hairless from Jürgen’s face. His snout lengthened and Cain could hear muscle and cartilage pop and stretch with the change. Jürgen’s white teeth grew and sharpened. His little eyes sank and moved back on his head and his ears lengthened.
Cain dug in his pocket for his smart phone, observing his shifting guard with dispassion. ‘I see you’re having some issues with all this.’ Cain paused. ‘I understand the conflict of interest you may be suffering here. I’ll call for Christy, shall I?’
Jürgen growled, and somewhere in the depths of his small blue eyes Cain could see he was baffled by his own reaction. It had been many years since Jürgen had shifted into his true form without willing it.
‘I can track Maggie,’ he growled, sounding more dog-like than human.
It was true, Jürgen could track Maggie, and probably much quicker than Christy could. Aufhockers had some basic magic skills but a werewolf had none, and as such, Christy would have to be accompanied by one of Cain’s other magicians.
There was little doubt in Cain’s mind that Maggie would know where Sabra was. It seemed that she stuck to Sabra like shit to a sneaker. Jürgen would be able to sniff her out — if he wanted to.
Jürgen looked uncomfortable but his temper was calming, allowing his features to twist and return back to the usual ruddy, unattractive Aryan he chose to appear as.
Cain knew what he was asking Jürgen would be a betrayal amongst his traditional community. There were very few Aufhockers still in existence; those who’d survived the European Middle Ages had been swiftly executed in post-holocaust Germany for their ties with the fascist regime of Hitler. Jürgen himself had barely escaped the Hague alive.
Jürgen, Maggie and a small number of others had escaped, some to Brazil, others to Mexico and Canada. Jürgen had headed to South East Asia, where he’d met Cain, and Maggie fled to Australia, where she’d probably ingratiated herself with the Australian chapter of the Magical Mafia and eventually the government.
They were a fragmented group of magical beings to be sure, but Cain didn’t doubt for one moment that the ties amongst them were strong. He’d seen Jürgen’s instant reaction when Maggie had come up to him in that bar in Vientiane.
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