Unbinding by Eileen Wilks Page A

Agent Derwin Ackleford was not happy. He probably wouldn’t have been happy about following any hunch handed down from on high, but one that took him away from his regular caseload and put him at the disposal of someone who wasn’t even Bureau set a whole new record in asininity, in his opinion. Kai knew this because he’d told them so.
    He wasn’t seriously angry, though. The amount and shade of red-orange winding through his thoughts suggested aggravation, not rage, and the patterns his colors formed spoke of an orderly mind. “If it makes you feel any better, Special Agent,” she said, “Nathan does have law enforcement experience.”
    Ackleford snorted. “Yeah, as some kind of legal hit man for his queen.”
    “Here on Earth, actually. He was a deputy when I met him.”
    Ackleford gave Nathan a level look. “Where?”
    “Texas. The Bureau has a dossier on me,” he added helpfully. “They pulled it together when State was figuring out how to get me a visa. I imagine you can have a look at it, if you ask.”
    “Huh. I’m betting it’s not complete.”
    “Not very, no.”
    Ackleford scowled and reached inside his suit jacket. “Mind if I smoke?” he asked Isen.
    “Not as long as you do so outside.”
    Ackleford sighed and withdrew his empty hand.
    The door at the front of the house slammed. A moment later a beautiful man stomped into the room. “I’m here. I don’t know why, but apparently this is more important than my doing delightful things with and to Cynna—who falls asleep pretty damn early these days, so I hope this won’t take too long.”
    “Cullen,” Isen rumbled, “complain about your sex life later. You’re needed.”
    “There’s nothing wrong with my sex life, except that it keeps getting postponed.” But the grumbling was more pro forma than heartfelt, and Cullen’s eyes took quick note of the others at the table as he joined them.
    A couple more people had arrived right after Ackleford. Altogether, there were six people present—seven if you counted Dell, who’d fed again after they got back to Clanhome and was impersonating an oversize house cat, sleeping off her meal in front of the fireplace. Isen sat at the head of the table, flanked by Benedict and Arjenie, with Nettie Two Horses next to Arjenie. Nettie was a physician, a healer, and a shaman of the Diné. The People, that meant, that being how those called Navajo traditionally named themselves. Nettie had been out of the hospital about a month after being shot by someone taken over by Dyffaya. Kai had been told that Nettie’s hair used to be very long, but they’d had to shave part of her head at the hospital, so she’d chopped it all off. What remained was a feathery pixie-cut.
    And now, of course, there was Cullen Seabourne. “Does anyone have any idea why I’m here?” he asked plaintively.
    “Ruben Brooks gave me permission to assemble what I’d call a hunting pack,” Nathan said. “The Special Agent here would likely call us a task force. Your Rho wants you to be part of it.”
    Cullen glanced at Isen. “That’s all right, then.”
    “I’m pleased you think so,” Isen said dryly. “I’m concerned that this Dyffaya might wish revenge on Nokolai in general. Even if he doesn’t, he wants to harm Lily. We can’t allow that.”
    “I get that.” Cullen looked at Nathan. “But I’m not sure why you need me. You know ten times more about magic than I do.”
    Nathan made the
tch
sound that could mean anything from disgust to amusement. “I know things you don’t, true, but you can likely perform ten times as many spells as I could. Think about it. When I lived in the sidhe realms, I was a hellhound. How many spells do you suppose a hellhound learns?”
    “Ah . . . not many?”
    “No. Plus I lack the Sight. If chaos erupts nearby, you’ll see it. That could be more than a bit handy. Now, what I want to do first is get each of us caught up on what the others know. We’ll start with what you