Darkness Unbound

  I frowned. “But I talked to them at the hospital, and they made no mention of threats. And Stane’s letter didn’t threaten him”—I paused and glanced at him—“did it?”

  “No, but maybe the threats came after Hanna’s death. You know the type—this is what we can do. If you don’t want your husband to die as well, sign the papers.”

  Maybe. I glanced at Stane. “Anything else?”

  He shook his head. “The Directorate is handling Handberry’s case, but I can’t find much information on it.”

  Stane probably couldn’t find anything because Uncle Rhoan was the guardian in charge, and he only ever wrote reports when he had something to report. “What about Handberry’s true identity?”

  “Ah, now that is interesting.” He scrolled the screen over. “A month after his appearance in his current—and last—identity, Handberry was involved in an altercation and was arrested. He was never charged, but they did take print and iris scans.”

  “And you found a matching print in the system?”

  “Not in the police system, and not in Australia.”

  “Really,” I said. “Then where?”

  “In England, in the cached files at the Criminal Records Bureau.”

  “Meaning it’s an extremely old record? As in, several hundred years?” Tao asked.

  Stane nodded. “There’s no iris scan, and they’ve been around for a very long time now. The matching print belonged to Gordon March.”

  “Who is obviously more than just a criminal if your sudden smugness is anything to go by.”

  Amusement crinkled the corners of his honey-colored eyes. “I did a background check on him, and discovered his father wasn’t listed on the birth certificate. Which wasn’t an unusual thing for unwed mothers at the time. So I checked his mom’s background, and discovered she was placed in a sanitarium by her parents not long after Gordon’s conception.”

  Sanitarium being a polite term for “loony bin” back then. “Did the records say why?”

  The little crinkles at the corners of his eyes grew. “Now, this is where it gets really interesting. It seems our unwed mother claimed to have been visited by an angel, and that Gordon was the result.”

  I blinked as the information hit me. Gordon March—the man we knew as Handberry—was a half-Aedh.

  One I hadn’t sensed, even though I’d been close enough to touch him.

  It was a fact that might be unrelated to anything else that was going on, but I had a strangely bad feeling that things had suddenly gotten ten times worse.

  “THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE,” I SAID, EVEN THOUGH I HAD no doubt it was very possible. After all, I only knew one half-Aedh, and Uncle Quinn had an energy force as fierce as any full blood. But that didn’t mean all of us half-breeds did.

  And Lucian had thought I was a full blood, which in itself implied that half-breeds didn’t always get the Aedh powers.

  “They’ve recorded her statements,” Stane said. “You can read them if you want, but it’s the same type of story I’ve found recounted hundreds and hundreds of times.”

  Meaning he’d been doing some research on the Aedh. Interesting. “So why the hell would a half-Aedh disguise his identity, come to Australia, then buy a dump like the Phoenix?”

  “If we find the answer to that, we might just have our first real clue as to what the hell is going on,” Stane commented.

  I knew what was going on—if Azriel and Madeline Hunter were to be believed, that is. And right now, I wasn’t exactly trusting either of them. There was more running under this than what they were saying, and until I discovered just what that was, the only people I was going to trust were the people I’d trusted all my life.

  But by the same token, I couldn’t tell them too much or ask any more than I already had. It was just too dangerous.

  “I’ll ask Lucian if all half-Aedh inherited the Aedh gifts, or whether it was just a few.” Which wouldn’t tell us much more than whether Handberry had been disguising his powers or not, but at least it was a start. I hesitated, then added, “I don’t suppose Tao asked you to run a search on an investment adviser named Lucian, did he?”

  Stane snorted and glanced up at his cousin. “I told you she’d ask. You owe me a fiver.”

  Tao glanced at me, expression sorrowful but eyes amused. “And here I thought you knew me better than to think I’d do something like that.”

  “If something happened to me, Ilianna would insist on taking over the accounts, and we both know what a disaster that would be. So, naturally, you’re protecting your investment by looking after me.”

  “Something like that.” He half shrugged, and I knew without asking he was thinking about Jak Talbott, the reporter who’d hurt me so badly.

  “There’s a Lucian Dupont registered with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission,” Stane said, “and his address has recently been changed from Brisbane to Melbourne. Everything I can find about him seems to indicate he is who he says he is.”

  Which didn’t mean that he actually was. After all, he’d been earthbound long enough to be good at deception. Not that I actually thought he was deceiving anyone; every instinct insisted he was one of the good guys. And this was one time I’d be right royally pissed off if instinct proved to be wrong.

  I glanced at my watch and stood up. I needed to go if I was to be at the café on time. “Given he told me he was a politician before he was an investment adviser, I’m guessing his registration records don’t go back too far.”

  “No. He only registered five years ago.”

  “Then keep looking, and let me know if you find anything.”

  “I certainly will. Oh, Ilianna said to mention that another parcel arrived for you last night.”

  Trepidation ran through me. I forced a smile and headed back to my bedroom—and wasn’t surprised to hear Tao following. He knew the first parcel had resulted in the Dušan. Besides, he would have smelled the rush of my fear.

  The box was sitting on my dresser like before, but this time it was far smaller—the size of a folded letter rather than a book. I picked it up gingerly. It was heavier than a letter should be, and there was a slight bump in the middle of the envelope. And, like before, there was little in the way of postmarks on the outside.

  “You want me to open it?” Tao said. “Whatever magic is aimed at you isn’t likely to affect me.”

  I was shaking my head even before he’d finished. “We can’t take that risk. Stand back.”

  He didn’t. I didn’t argue, but simply slid my nail under the tape and sliced it open. Nothing jumped out at me. No magic, no creatures, nothing.

  Inside was a piece of paper wrapped around something small and heavy. I slid it out onto my palm and waited a heartbeat to see if anything happened. When nothing did, I carefully unwrapped the paper.

  It turned out to be a key. A small silver key—the type that came with post office boxes or gym lockers.

  “Well, that doesn’t look too dangerous,” Tao commented, peering over my shoulder. The warmth of his body seeped into my back but did little to erase the chills still rolling down my spine. He added, “There’s something written on the letter.”

  I glanced at it. Unlike before, the writing was plain English. “Locker ninety-seven, Southern Cross Station.”

  “Well, that’s a pain,” Tao commented.

  “Totally.” I glanced at my watch. “And it’s going to make me late for my lunch date.”

  “You want company?”

  I shook my head. The last thing I wanted was to put Tao in front of anyone who might be keeping an eye on the locker—especially given I had no idea who this key was really from. Certainly there was no evidence that any of it had come from my father, even if Azriel’s suspicions pointed that way.

  I shoved the key into my pocket then turned around and dropped a quick kiss on his lips. “Thanks for the offer, but they’re hardly going to try anything in the middle of a busy train station.”

  Tao snorted, his ex
pression concerned. “Until we know who is behind either parcel, I think you need to expect the unexpected.”

  That might be true, but it still didn’t alter the fact that he wasn’t coming with me. “You could do me a favor, if you’ve got the time.”

  He half smiled. “That depends on what it is.”

  “Go through the security tapes and get a picture of the delivery guy. We might be able to trace him back to the company. If we get that, Stane might be able to raid their system and hopefully get the sender’s name.”

  “I’ll do it before I head to the Blue Moon.” He hesitated, then added with a grin, “You do realize that if you keep giving him stuff like this to do, he’s going to become a permanent fixture in your life? I don’t think he’s ever enjoyed himself as much as he has in the last few days.”

  I smiled. “Just tell him my life isn’t always this exciting. And don’t forget you’re working tonight. If you don’t show, I’m walking down to the Blue Moon to drag your ass back.”

  He grinned. “Jackie’s in the kitchen. She’s more than capable.”

  “Jackie is, but the Lisbornes come in tonight, and they want your special burgers. And don’t say Jackie’s capable of making them, because you’re Mrs. Lisborne’s favorite chef—and if she wants you, she gets you. She’s bringing in a lot of customers.”

  He rolled his eyes. “The old dear gets very touchy-feely. You know that, don’t you?”

  “Most of our other customers do, too. We cater to werewolves—it goes with the territory.” I dropped another kiss on his lips, then added with a grin, “And you can thank your lucky stars you’re such a good chef, or we’d have you out there charming the customers at every shift.”

  “Thanks, but no thanks.” He half spun around, then waved me forward. “You’d better get going, or your mom is going to be calling to see what the delay is.”

  He had that right. I grabbed a cardigan to put over my semi-transparent shirt, then headed out.

  After doing a quick check for bugs, I climbed onto my bike and started her up. It didn’t take me long to get into the city, but parking was hell. Ever since they’d made the inner-city area a car-free zone, the outer streets had become more clogged than ever, which meant parking had been banned twenty-four/seven. So parking lots were like gold. I ended up in one outside the central-city area—past Jeff’s Shed, in fact—then jogging back.

  Southern Cross Station, with its undulating roofline that always reminded me of mounds of snow, came into view. I found the information desk and, through them, the locker area. But I didn’t go over there immediately, instead hanging around the station to see if there was anybody—other than me—lurking about suspiciously.

  No one seemed to be, and I couldn’t sense or smell anyone who set off internal alarms. After taking a deep, somewhat shaky breath, I headed in.

  There were several other people present, either retrieving or depositing goods. I ignored them, though my nose registered their scents and I was hyper-aware of every move they made. Locker 97 was easy enough to find, and there was nothing outwardly suspicious about it.

  I shoved the key into the lock and opened it. Inside sat a folded piece of paper. I opened it. Explanation at one A.M., it said, Sandpiper’s Inn, Charles Street, Seddon. The back door will be unlocked. Come alone, or I won’t appear.

  And that was it. No name and no clue as to who had sent it. But it was in the same bold writing as the letter that had held the key, so I guess that was something.

  I closed the locker, pocketed the note and the key, and headed out. If I wanted an explanation as to what was really going on, then I had no option but to do as the note asked. But it was risky given I had no idea just who might be behind it.

  And the whole come-alone thing only emphasized the danger.

  It also meant I’d have to rebook my date with Lucian, and that was something I was sorry about. And not just because I hungered for his touch, but because I actually enjoyed his company.

  I blew out a frustrated breath, then got out my phone and called him.

  “Risa,” he said, his bright eyes crinkling with warmth. “I wasn’t expecting to hear from you so soon. Anything wrong?”

  “I’m afraid I can’t make our date tonight. Something’s come up that I can’t get out of.”

  He tsked. “That, my girl, is completely unacceptable. Especially given the challenge you threw out only yesterday.”

  “Yeah, I know, and I’m sorry—”

  “What about this afternoon?” he cut in.

  I blinked. Talk about eager! “I have a lunch date, and I start work at five.”

  “Which, presuming lunch will be finished by two, gives me at least two and a half hours for my sexual performance to match our kisses.”

  I laughed. I couldn’t help it. “With a promise like that, how can I resist? When and where?”

  “Well, the restaurant is open today, so my place won’t be very private.”

  “And mine is never private.” Which was a lie, because all the bedrooms were soundproofed. But there was still the possibility of the building being watched, so the fewer people I brought there, the better. Stane was risky enough. “We could go to Franklin’s, which is a very discreet, very exclusive wolf club on Lonsdale Street. It offers both private dining and privacy booths in the main dance area.”

  “I take it exclusive means it requires membership?”

  “Which I have, so no problem.”

  “Oh yeah?” Lucian said idly, a smile teasing his lips and a dangerous light in his eyes. “And do you have a regular partner there?”

  “And what if I did?” I said archly. I did, of course, because that was what Franklin’s specialized in—providing partners for those who didn’t have them, or for those who wanted nothing more than unemotional, mind-blowing sex. And Zane had certainly provided that. Although right now, he was off visiting his pack. Hence my frustrated state pre-Lucian.

  “Meaning you do,” Lucian said. “I’ll have to size up the competition.”

  I laughed. “Franklin’s is a service club. No one employed there is going to get emotionally involved with customers. It’s against the rules.” I glanced at my watch and saw it was nearly twelve. I really needed to get moving. “Shall we say two, then, out front?”

  “Done. Eat well at lunch, dear Risa. You’re going to need the energy.”

  I laughed again and hung up, my body humming with expectation as I jogged back to my bike. I sped through the traffic and quickly reached Brunswick Street, but by the time I found parking, I was still twenty minutes late.

  “About time,” Mom said, her expression critical as I walked through the tables to one they’d marked as their own. She was, as always, dressed simply but elegantly, and her dark blue suit made the blue of her eyes seem even brighter. Her silvery white hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and it oddly gave her face a sharpness that I hadn’t noticed before. “Where have you been?”

  “I got delayed by a hot man with an even hotter body,” I said with a grin, and gave her a hug and quick kiss.

  “About time,” Riley said. “I was beginning to think I’d have to drag you down to one of the clubs myself.”

  I laughed as I perched beside her. She smelled of soap and sunshine, and the vivid orange nail polish had been replaced by a more subtle red. “I always have other options. I just don’t always take them,” I said.

  “Franklin’s isn’t really an option when it comes to a relationship.” Mom crossed her arms on the table—a none-too-subtle warning I was about to get interrogated. “So, is this hot man the Aedh I warned you about?”

  “Yes.” I reached past Riley, swiped my credit card, ordered a Coke, a burger, and a piece of banana cake, then glanced at Mom again. There were shadows under her bright eyes, and concern slithered through me. She obviously wasn’t getting much sleep, but I bit back the need to ask why. She’d just wave away my concern, like she had the other few times I’d asked what was worrying her. “What did you see abou
t Lucian?”

  “Nothing. He may exist, but the universe is giving me very little about him.”

  I couldn’t help feeling a little more secure about the fledgling relationship. Although Mom wasn’t infallible. She’d never seen the havoc Jak could cause, although she had warned me that the relationship wouldn’t last. “Maybe you’re getting zip simply because there’s nothing much to tell. Maybe he is what he says he is, nothing more.”

  “Maybe.” She shrugged and gave me a rueful smile. “I’m too used to grabbing bits of information about people from the cosmos. It always disturbs me when nothing is forthcoming.”

  “Well, the cosmos might not be forthcoming,” Riley said, “but I’ll bet the Directorate’s computers could cough up something. Give me the juicy details, and we’ll run a check.”

  I doubted she’d get much more than Stane, but just in case I filled them both in on how’d we’d met and what he’d told me about himself.

  My cake, burger, and Coke arrived, so I ate that while they fired yet more questions my way—some of Riley’s explicit enough to have me choking. She laughed and thumped me on the back.

  “A man can be as hot as he likes out of the bedroom,” she said philosophically, “but if he can’t perform in it, he’s not worth keeping.”

  “Trust me,” I wheezed, “he can perform.”

  “Good,” she said. “Now on to more serious stuff. Rhoan’s been questioning the dog shifter who attacked you, and he hasn’t given us much at all. Interestingly, DNA tests show he is fully human. Whatever has given him the skill to partially change, it’s not nature or science.”

  I wrinkled my nose and glanced at my mom. “Is magic capable of something like that?”

  She shrugged—an elegant movement, like everything else she did. “I’m no expert, but I doubt whoever is bringing the soul stealer into this world would be powerful enough to alter the basic nature of life. It would have to be someone far more powerful.”

  “But this Charna is practicing blood magic—”

  “I doubt even that would be enough,” she commented, “but as I said, I am no expert.”