The Curse

  Tzader chuckled, sitting back. "That wasn't a hallucination, bro. That's called a fantasy." Then he sobered and heaved a sigh. "Trust me, I understand about wanting someone you can't have. You said you two met when you were really young. One time. Your mind and body will never forget her. That's all. Nothing to feel guilty about, and I know you're loyal to the Beladors."

  Quinn allowed a smile, albeit sad. "I wish this was only about lust, but there's much more going on. When you arrived afterwards at my hotel room and woke me up, I didn't recall everything about Kizira immediately, but I kept having a feeling that something was wrong. That someone had been inside my hotel room."

  "I couldn't get past your warded Triquetra until you moved it from the doorknob, and no one even knows how to figure out which hotel room you'll be in on any given day but me and Evalle." Tzader added quietly, "What are you saying, Quinn?"

  "That Kizira did come to my hotel room and we did make love."

  Rarely surprised by anything, Tzader squinted in disbelief. "Based on what proof?"

  "I had scratches on my back from her nails." In the precise spot where she'd left them on his back years earlier.

  "She's a witch. They have ways to make you believe something that's not real. She could have put a spell on you when she saw you in Conlan's mind."

  "She did something to me during the probe, but not a spell. In that split second when I dropped my shields and she saw me, she slipped inside my mind."

  Tzader muttered a particularly nasty curse, the impact of that not lost on him. "Okay, but that still doesn't mean she was in your room."

  Quinn fished a strand of woven hair in the shape of a bracelet from his coat pocket. He'd have to share what he'd never told another soul. Holding up the bracelet, he said, "This is hard evidence. She made this when we were together back when we met thirteen years ago. It's my hair. She showed this to me at that time right before admitting she was Medb and telling me she had to return to TAmr Medb. I warned her not to take it with her, that she'd regret keeping the bracelet. She put it on her wrist and said if she ever did regret her time with me, she'd give it back to me. Then she teleported away."

  "How'd you end up with the bracelet?"

  "Found it on my bathroom vanity right after you left my hotel room. I tried to call out to you telepathically, but my mind exploded with so much pain I passed out again. When I came to, I found out Evalle had been taken into custody."

  Tzader said, "Figured when I didn't get an answer even on your cell phone that you'd gone into a deep sleep to heal. I could have used more in your e-mail than 'Leaving US. Contact you later.'"

  "Sorry about that." Quinn had plenty of reasons to be disappointed in himself these days. "I sent you and Evalle the only words I could type. I was losing my ability to communicate verbally on the way to the airport. By the time I could speak again, I was deep in the mountains, on another continent."

  "I understand."

  He trusted Tzader but didn't specify what mountains or what continent because he'd given his oath many years ago not to tell where he went when he had to heal. "With Evalle out of VIPER prison and safe from Kizira--"

  Tzader cut in, "If not for that bastard Tristan, Kizira wouldn't have had a shot at Evalle."

  "That's not entirely true."

  "Why not?"

  "I'm the one who told Kizira she would find Evalle with Tristan. At least, I think that's what I told her. I spent much of the time I was gone dredging through my memories to determine how much damage I might have done before leaving." Quinn had spent long nights ferreting out pieces of information and even longer nights trying to come to terms with his guilt.

  Tzader hadn't shown any reaction to that news, but the Belador Maistir seldom allowed his emotions to surface. "Go ahead and get it all out, Quinn."

  "I convinced myself I had to leave immediately to keep from endangering you, Evalle, Brina and the Beladors. Looking back, I don't see myself in quite so altruistic a way." Quinn had been afraid of what he might do involuntarily if Kizira tried to control his mind, but escaping without a word still felt cowardly. "As I healed and my mind strengthened, I managed to piece together what I believe truly happened. Kizira was in the hotel room with me, we did make love and she did convince me to tell her that Evalle was with Tristan."

  "I hear ya, Quinn, but know this. No real harm done as far as Evalle is concerned, because she outsmarted Kizira in the Maze of Death, but it does bother me that Kizira can get to you in a room you've warded. How'd that happen?"

  "I think she was able to teleport into the room because she accessed my mind and found a way to move the Triquetras by using my kinetics."

  "Can she still do that?"

  "No, at least not the part about getting through my security. I had someone different ward new Triquetras and told him to ward them in a way that the blades can only be moved by my hand, no kinetics."

  "Good."

  "That protects me ... but not everyone else."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Kizira is still inside my mental walls. I can feel where she's been and that the pathway is open." He wouldn't admit that a part of him enjoyed having a sense of her being near. What kind of person was he to feel that way about an enemy of the Beladors?

  A fool.

  Tzader asked, "Has she come back into your mind?"

  "Not since that night. I would know immediately now if she tried." He'd expected her to try again but hadn't felt a thing in three weeks, maybe because of where he'd been while healing. "Doesn't matter. I'm still a security risk. That's why I stopped you from telling me anything about what was discussed at headquarters or with Brina."

  "You said you'd know if Kizira entered your mind again?" Tzader continued, stuck on that for some reason.

  "Yes."

  "Then this isn't as bad as it sounds. Evalle will understand about what happened. You know she'd never hold that slip against you."

  "No, she wouldn't. I do feel strong enough to keep Kizira from taking control of my mental abilities again, but that doesn't change the fact that she still may be able to slide inside unexpectedly. There's too much at risk to ..." Quinn paused. "Allow her this level of access to the Beladors."

  It took about ten seconds for Tzader to understand what Quinn meant. "You expect me to have you executed?"

  "I expect you to do whatever is necessary for the safety of Brina, Evalle and the Beladors. My mind has been one of the most powerful weapons in our tribe since I learned how to control it. Now I fear that weapon might be used against everything I've spent my life protecting."

  Contemplative would be a good way to describe Tzader, which Quinn had expected. He never anticipated Tzader's next words.

  "We can use this to our advantage."

  "Come on, Tzader. You're only delaying that which is inevitable."

  "I'm not delaying a damn thing." Tzader could boom his voice without raising it loud enough to be heard in the next room. "I. Will. Not. Kill. You."

  I would never ask that of you, my friend. "You won't have to make that decision. I intend to turn myself in to VIPER, and the Tribunal will hand me over to Macha."

  Tzader pushed to his feet, moving across the room, his brow creased with heavy thinking. He turned back and crossed his arms in a way that meant he would not be swayed from some decision. "I need you and your mind to fight what's coming. These Svart trolls are most likely a sign of the Medb stepping up their game, but I don't know how. You're right about one thing. Your mind is one of our most powerful Belador weapons. Brina can't afford to lose you. I can't afford to lose you, and neither can Evalle."

  The desire to survive was a strange bedmate for honor when faced with duty.

  Quinn had spent the past twenty-four hours getting prepared to face the Tribunal and Macha. He'd been sure everyone who mattered to him would be safer from the Medb with him out of the picture. Tzader made Quinn's sacrificial death sound as though he would be turning his back on everyone.

  Enticing, but Quinn
still had one deadly problem. "What about Kizira?"

  "Can you vow to me that you will put Brina and the Beladors before Kizira, even if it means Kizira's death?"

  The insult Quinn felt must have shown on his face, but Tzader owed him no apology for asking the blunt question. Quinn said, "Without hesitation after what Kizira did to me and Evalle."

  Tzader nodded. "That's good enough for me. You aren't going to tell anyone what happened with Kizira, but you will tell me immediately if she makes any unexpected appearance in person or in your mind."

  "I can do that. What if I'm wrong and--" Quinn couldn't imagine what might happen because he'd put his mind up against the powerful druids who had trained him and they believed Quinn to be stronger than before. He still woke at night with what ifs pounding his skull.

  "I'll stop you before you can do any damage, Quinn."

  Quinn would trust that vow only from Tzader, who, Quinn knew, would do whatever duty demanded, no matter the personal loss. "This changes everything ... except for still having to confess my betrayal to Evalle."

  "You can't do that."

  "I have to, Tzader. I have been tormented for weeks with guilt."

  "Hate it for you, bro, but she can't know about what happened with you and Kizira. No one can. Telling Evalle would put her at risk and implicate her down the road."

  That put only Tzader in the position of losing everything he'd lived for his whole life if anyone found out what had happened between Quinn and Kizira.

  Quinn could still turn himself in.

  Tzader must have picked up on his thoughts. "This isn't really any different than the agreement you, I and Evalle made after the night we were caught by the Medb in Utah. We've all protected each other's confidences out of honor and friendship. Nothing's changed. Brina and the future of the Beladors will always come first, but you and Evalle are right behind them."

  "I will do my best to assure that your trust is not misplaced."

  "No chance of that." With the decision of Quinn's death apparently settled, Tzader drew a deep breath and changed subjects. "About the Svarts."

  "You were going to tell me about a conversation with Sen."

  "If you want to call Sen's rant a conversation. He's popping off about not having time to constantly come out to clean up our battle messes."

  Quinn pointed out, "He tends to only complain about the ones involving Evalle."

  "I know. That's why I'd like to get dickhead out of our hair if I can. We need a weapon that will kill something like a Svart without harming a human or drawing unwanted attention. Something that can be used at close range."

  "There's only one person who would have something of that nature. Isak Nyght."

  "Yeah, I thought about that, but I haven't figured out how to get one from him without Isak's bunch realizing these battles involve nonhumans."

  "Nyght sells to the military. Any chance your government contacts could get the weapon?"

  "How? They'd have to tell him they needed a weapon for nonhumans, which would expose our Beladors in the government since humans aren't supposed to know about us." Tzader ran his hand over his head, thinking. "That's all we'd need to draw Isak's attention. He'd have been in the middle of these gang battles already if he'd known trolls were involved and had any idea of when the battles were going down, but the fights erupt with no warning. There's no way to approach Isak without alerting him to VIPER, and that would turn his sights on our people."

  On his way to get Tzader another beer, Quinn had an idea how to acquire a Nyght weapon. A suggestion Tzader would not like. "There is one person who can ask Isak for a weapon without drawing his attention."

  "Who?"

  "Evalle."

  "Oh, hell no."

  "She knows him better than any of us, and he likes her."

  "That's the problem." Tzader started pacing again. "Isak likes her a little too much."

  Quinn pulled another Guinness from the small refrigerator. "She's a big girl who can take care of herself. And Isak would give her a weapon if he thought she needed it for protection."

  Tzader stopped at the massive window, looking out at Atlanta twinkling against the night sky. He turned around, accepting the cold brew, and leaned against the windowsill. "He won't hurt her as long as he doesn't know she's an Alterant, but Isak and his men drew down on Evalle once already."

  "When did that happen?" Quinn hadn't seen that in in any e-mail briefings.

  "After I left your hotel room that night you were out of it. Isak and his men saw Tristan's green eyes and wanted to blast him and his group, but Evalle protected them."

  "Of course."

  "Then Sen showed up out of thin air, which didn't help."

  "So Isak realized Evalle was an Alterant?" That changed everything. Quinn had missed a lot.

  "I don't know if he knew for sure that night or not, but his entire team fired when Sen just appeared."

  "Bad move. Did Sen vaporize them?"

  Tzader chuckled, a dry, sarcastic sound. "Not even Sen is going to kill a human and face the Tribunal. He stopped the bullets with his hand."

  "He teleports, vaporizes bodies, materializes whatever he wants out of thin air, wipes minds and probably hasn't even shown us all that he can do. What is that guy?"

  Tzader lifted the bottle when he shrugged. "Wish I knew."

  "So now Isak knows that Evalle associates with Alterants? Or does he know that she is one?"

  "No on both accounts. Sen wiped the minds of all the Nyght men before he teleported Evalle away, so Isak and his men shouldn't remember anything."

  "Sen probably regrets having wiped those minds with Evalle free again."

  "Bet on it," Tzader said.

  Quinn returned to their original topic of finding a weapon to kill trolls. "Then Evalle can still ask Isak for the weapon."

  Tzader growled, but an agreement surfaced in the midst of the sound. "I guess she can do that--"

  "If Isak's interested in her as a woman, she should be safe enough."

  "I don't want to hear that. Bad enough that she's been in such a foul mood with Storm missing that she's become a one-woman demolition crew in battle."

  Quinn kept his face neutral, but secretly smiled at Evalle's budding social life. He didn't want her harmed any more than Tzader did, but she needed a chance to have a real life. "What's the story on Storm?"

  "We don't know, and Evalle hasn't told me anything other than Storm helped her when the Tribunal sent her to hunt down the missing Alterants."

  "Oh?" Quinn lost his battle not to laugh at Tzader's flat don't-go-there gaze, which only pissed off Tzader that much more.

  "What's so funny, Quinn? You okay with all these guys sniffing around her all of a sudden?"

  "You are the epitome of the overprotective big brother. Let's just say that I think we'll know if anyone gets out of line." Quinn did admit, "I'd enjoy sending someone into the next world if they hurt her physically, or emotionally, but I'll place my money on Evalle dealing them as much pain as we would dish out if someone dared to harm her."

  Tzader finally relented and smiled. "Yeah, guess I need to accept that she can't be protected from everything." His phone buzzed. Lifting the small cell phone from his pocket, he read the screen. "Damn. Got a battle going on in south Atlanta."

  "Another cemetery? Let me get my key."

  "It's a cemetery, but a small battle. They have a local troll in hand. Told them to call me when we had someone to interrogate. You stay here and talk to Evalle. Explain to her about getting the Nyght weapon." Tzader shoved the phone into his pocket, then snapped his fingers and stopped, giving Quinn a pained look. "One more thing."

  "Yes?"

  "On the way here, I got a call from one of our Beladors who'd been trading for intel with a Nightstalker. He picked up a tip that a woman was asking around about you early this evening. I'll break loose a couple of agents as soon as I can to see what they can find out."

  Quinn had no idea who it could be. "Did you get a na
me?"

  "Just a first name. Lanna."

  "Bloody hell."

  Tzader had started for the door and swung around, his gaze sharp with concern. "The Medb?"

  "Worse. Family."

  ELEVEN

  Evalle's mouth tasted too disgusting to describe.

  But she could not ask Deek for water. If she uttered a word, it could well be her last.

  She'd sit here quietly on the nicely sodded floor of his office and not draw his attention. Again.

  Deek stood bent over with his hands propped on his desk, intent on something he read. Gleaming black hair hung loose around his shoulders. When he took on human form, he did so in a breathtakingly gorgeous body. He'd ignored her for the last couple hours, which had probably been easier to do once he'd showered and changed into the chocolate-brown linen shirt and matching pants.

  Had to smell better without the contents of her stomach slimed all over his pants and shoes. His men had washed the residue of her calamari upheaval off the office lawn.

  She would never have guessed that Deek would floor his personal space with sod, but then she didn't spend a lot of time wondering about someone like Deek.

  Better to avoid him mentally and in person.

  Her wrists burned from where she'd struggled against the shackles anchoring her to the wall, but she'd stopped that once it became clear she breathed Deek's air for only one reason.

  He'd said he'd give her a chance to explain why he shouldn't kill her. "A chance" probably meant one sentence. She doubted she could plead her case thoroughly in one sentence. But Deek must have some personal code of honor that prevented him from toasting her until she actually supplied him with a reason for being here.

  The way she saw it, the longer she kept her mouth shut, the longer she stayed alive.

  Her refusal to speak had brought on a bout of yelling.

  He'd done so in four languages, one that sounded old enough to be biblical. He'd shifted into a centaur, then back to human form, clothes and all, shouting at her with every breath.

  When he'd returned from showering, he'd calmly asked her one time to explain herself.

  Nope. She'd kept her mouth shut and held on to her only hope of surviving. He hadn't said another word since then.

  His silence bothered her far more than his yelling.

  She could call Tzader or Quinn telepathically, but their lives would be at risk, too, the minute they walked in here. What could either of them do? Demand she be released when Deek had full authority here?