wrong?” He jerked his head around the table as if to gauge what the problem was. It was the sudden movement that was his undoing. There, floating just above the aroma from the plates and yet clinging to his clothes, was an unmistakably familiar scent. It seemed to be slightly altered by Tom’s own pheromones but I’d recognise it anywhere. Nm hjI growled under my breath.
“There’s a bruise on your neck, Tom. Where did you get it from? Did you knock yourself on the door on your way into the restroom?”
His eyes widened in alarm, confirming my suspicions. Mack was here in London. In fact she’d apparently just been here in this damn restaurant and rubbing herself all over my werewolf. I started to stand up, throwing my napkin to the table.
Staines tugged me back down and leant into my ear. “Voice, now, my Lord.”
Leave me alone.
I smell her too, my Lord. But we’re in a very public place right now. Wait until we get back home and then question him. Torture him for all I care. Just don’t do it in Alcazon.
She could still be here.
She’s not.
I growled again while Tom again began to grow pale, flecks of worry appearing in his eyes. Everyone else just continued to stare at their plates.
Chapter Eleven
I held myself back in the car on the way home. It was mainly because Tom was in the vehicle behind us rather than right in front of my face but, still, I was impressed by my own forebearance. Eventually, however, the silence grew too uncomfortable for Staines.
“She’s clearly taunting you, my Lord.”
I hadn’t told him about the fact she’d managed to use the Voice to contact me. There was now the distinct possibility she’d done it from here in London, rather than from the unfathomable distance of Scotland, but it didn’t change how terrifyingly remarkable it was that she’d achieved such a feat in the first place. I didn’t think Staines would take to the news particularly well so I didn’t respond, focusing instead on the far larger problem.
“Do you agree with the others?” I asked. “That the vampires have discovered something potentially lethal about the red fever?”
“It’s already lethal,” he reminded me.
“You know what I mean. Lethal for the rest of us.”
Staines sighed. His large hands twitched uncomfortably at the shoulders of his suit. “Maybe,” he said finally. “Despite yesterday’s relapse, things seem to be getting better again in Somerset though.”
“Mm.”
“Talk to Higgins again. See what he says.”
“He’s going to call with a sit. rep. in the next couple of hours. I promised I wouldn’t interrupt him again. If he’s in the middle of tending to a patient, it’s not fair for me to use the Voice and cause him to lose focus.”
“What about the lab? Anything back from them yet?”
I shook my head. “Nada. Bloody science. They want to test every variable and double check every damn thing. Normally, it’s commendable but this is an emergency.”
He watched me for a moment. “You feel impotent.”
“I can’t do this, Staines.” I balled my fists up in frustration. “I can’t fight a disease.”
“There are smart people working on it. And the vampires might just be bluffing.” He didn’t sound like he believed it. “It’s difficult to believe the Cwnn Annwn have completely gone.”
I nodded in heavy agreement and we lapsed into silence again.
When Mara pulled up outside the Brethren headquarters, and we all piled out, it was apparent that Tom was terrified. I’d thought he’d been pale before but now he looked as if he was a dead man walking. I was bitterly angry but I wasn’t about to hurt him. As much as it rankled that he still thought I was capable of such an action, I decided it might not be a bad thing. It would be nice to get the truth out of him without having to compel him first.
I jerked my head in his direction, indicating
“There’s a bruise on your neck, Tom. Where did you get it from? Did you knock yourself on the door on your way into the restroom?”
His eyes widened in alarm, confirming my suspicions. Mack was here in London. In fact she’d apparently just been here in this damn restaurant and rubbing herself all over my werewolf. I started to stand up, throwing my napkin to the table.
Staines tugged me back down and leant into my ear. “Voice, now, my Lord.”
Leave me alone.
I smell her too, my Lord. But we’re in a very public place right now. Wait until we get back home and then question him. Torture him for all I care. Just don’t do it in Alcazon.
She could still be here.
She’s not.
I growled again while Tom again began to grow pale, flecks of worry appearing in his eyes. Everyone else just continued to stare at their plates.
Chapter Eleven
I held myself back in the car on the way home. It was mainly because Tom was in the vehicle behind us rather than right in front of my face but, still, I was impressed by my own forebearance. Eventually, however, the silence grew too uncomfortable for Staines.
“She’s clearly taunting you, my Lord.”
I hadn’t told him about the fact she’d managed to use the Voice to contact me. There was now the distinct possibility she’d done it from here in London, rather than from the unfathomable distance of Scotland, but it didn’t change how terrifyingly remarkable it was that she’d achieved such a feat in the first place. I didn’t think Staines would take to the news particularly well so I didn’t respond, focusing instead on the far larger problem.
“Do you agree with the others?” I asked. “That the vampires have discovered something potentially lethal about the red fever?”
“It’s already lethal,” he reminded me.
“You know what I mean. Lethal for the rest of us.”
Staines sighed. His large hands twitched uncomfortably at the shoulders of his suit. “Maybe,” he said finally. “Despite yesterday’s relapse, things seem to be getting better again in Somerset though.”
“Mm.”
“Talk to Higgins again. See what he says.”
“He’s going to call with a sit. rep. in the next couple of hours. I promised I wouldn’t interrupt him again. If he’s in the middle of tending to a patient, it’s not fair for me to use the Voice and cause him to lose focus.”
“What about the lab? Anything back from them yet?”
I shook my head. “Nada. Bloody science. They want to test every variable and double check every damn thing. Normally, it’s commendable but this is an emergency.”
He watched me for a moment. “You feel impotent.”
“I can’t do this, Staines.” I balled my fists up in frustration. “I can’t fight a disease.”
“There are smart people working on it. And the vampires might just be bluffing.” He didn’t sound like he believed it. “It’s difficult to believe the Cwnn Annwn have completely gone.”
I nodded in heavy agreement and we lapsed into silence again.
When Mara pulled up outside the Brethren headquarters, and we all piled out, it was apparent that Tom was terrified. I’d thought he’d been pale before but now he looked as if he was a dead man walking. I was bitterly angry but I wasn’t about to hurt him. As much as it rankled that he still thought I was capable of such an action, I decided it might not be a bad thing. It would be nice to get the truth out of him without having to compel him first.
I jerked my head in his direction, indicating
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