The first person to approach us was unexpected. She rolled up in her wheelchair and twinkled at Audrey.
“Hello, my dear. I’m Julia.” She held out her hand. Everything about her was graceful and elegant, from her carefully coiffed hair to her immaculate manicure.
Audrey took her hand and shook, beaming warmly. “I’m Audrey. It’s nice to meet you.”
“And where are you from?” Julia asked. The twinkle remained in her eyes but the steel underlying her voice was clear. It was obvious to us all what she was really asking.
“You mean, what is a human doing at an Otherworld ball?” Audrey said, not bothering to prevaricate.
“Indeed.”
I was tempted to interrupt and help her out but, by the tilt of her chin, she was going to manage fine on her own. “Lord Corrigan invited me. I may be human but I’ve known about the Otherworld since I was a little girl.”
Julia flicked me a speculative look. I gave a shrug that was attempting to give an air of insouciance. “Audrey’s family were once very well connected. They’ve kept their mouths shut for generations. There’s nothing to worry about.”
She raised her eyebrows. “She’s still human.”
“Yes,” I said with the faintest hint of a challenge. “She is.”
The older woman’s expression altered slightly. I couldn’t be certain but it looked oddly like delight. She inclined her head towards us both and moved away. I watched her go. It was hard not to wonder whether she’d had any contact with Mack. I knew how close they’d been. Anton, the new Cornish Lord Alpha, had been keeping me well abreast of the lack of information regarding his rogue werehamster though so it seemed unlikely. In fact, he was supposed to be here this evening. I had no doubt he’d make considerable effort to seek me out and repeat what I already knew. He seemed to take a certain glee in Mack’s prolonged absence.
Audrey nudged me. “That seemed to go okay.”
I jolted myself out of my reverie. “Um, yes. It did.” Unfortunately, at that point, I caught Staines’ eyes. He looked incandescent with rage.
A nearby waiter offered us long stemmed glasses of champagne. Audrey took one while Staines took a step towards us.
Back down, I growled, using my Voice to force his compliance. It’s not something I would normally do but I couldn’t afford to have him forget his place in such a public forum. Not when my plans to modernise the Brethren hinged on this evening.
His face grew bright red. She’s human.
Do you think I’m not aware of that? I kept my expression bland. I didn’t want anyone else in the room to get an inkling of what was passing between us.
You are treading on dangerous ground, my Lord.
I know. But I need our shifters to first see that not every human needs to be treated like they have the plague.
This is a bad idea. You should have consulted me first.
I stiffened slightly. I am Lord Alpha.
Yes, you are. And your efforts are commendable. But this is a potential bloodbath.
I knew he was right. I could smell the growing hostility in the room. Without forcing everyone to submit blindly to my will, I sent out calming instructions. There was a considerable loosening of tension but we had a long way to go before we were out of the woods.
“Lord Corrigan. Miss Banks.” I turned at the voice, registering the Arch-Mage. He kissed Audrey’s hand and smiled. “I have heard many things about your family. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintaince.”
I cleared my throat, asserting my authority. “How are things with you?”
“Good. And you?”
“Fantastic.”
He leaned in towards me. “I heard you had a little trouble down in Cornwall once the business with that Iabartu woman was tied up. Did a shifter actually turn rogue?”
“We’re looking into it,” I said, taut with a tension that I seemed unable to control.
“Do let me know if you require any help with the matter. “
“I’m sure we’ll be fine.” I met his gaze full on. We might be enjoying better relations but that didn’t mean the head of the mages wasn’t beyond some one-upmanship.
Sadly for me, he wasn’t ready to let it go just yet. “It can’t look good for such a new Lord Alpha to already have dissension in the ranks.”
I snarled softly, unable to help myself. Then I remembered my position and straightened my back. “As I said, we’ll be fine.”
The Arch-Mage’s mouth curled up at the corners. Having got the reaction he’d wanted, he finally changed the subject. “It’s curious that you’ve chosen to bring along Miss Banks as your companion.”
“Is it?” I gave her a glance, my eyes softening. “Who wouldn’t want such a beautiful, clever woman by their side?” On cue, Audrey smiled.
“Indeed,” said the Arch-Mage. “Indeed.”
The remainder of the evening continued in much the same fashion. My dominant position meant that I was able to dampen down the more obvious hostility towards Audrey. A few Brethren members were even polite and friendly, much like Julia had been. It didn’t change the fact that the atmosphere was stilted, however. Although I danced with her several times, and we made our way around the assembly chatting to various people, I knew she was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the stares in her direction.
“Shall we make a move?” I asked, after I caught her giving her watch a sidelong glance.
She smiled brilliantly. “Just let me powder my nose first.”
I watched her go, then ducked behind a nearby pillar where a waiter was hovering so I could ask for a glass of water.
“No doubt you’ve seen Lord Corrigan’s date,” a familiar voice said.
I stiffened. It was Julia, apparently unaware of my presence merely a few feet away.
“Of course I have,” Anton replied.
“She’s human.”
“So?”
“Anton…”
“Lord Anton,” he snapped. “And it doesn’t make any difference. It’s an entirely different situation. Besides, I’m sure you’ve noticed how everyone has reacted to her.”
“Yes, but...” She was momentarily drowned out by the sound of a cheer. “Good grief, is that Tom?”
“Down on one knee,” Anton snorted. “Grovelling just like he did when he was with us.”
They moved away while I shifted to my left to get a better look at what was going on. Both Tom and his apparent girlfriend, Betsy, had been acquitting themselves well since they’d joined the Brethren. I was still curious about their relationship, however, and how on earth Mack tied into it.
I spotted them just in time to see Betsy beaming and nodding. Tom slid a sparkling ring onto her finger and stood up, kissing her passionately.
“You look very pleased at that,” Audrey said, appearing at my side and nodding her head in the couple’s direction. “Like the cat that got the cream, in fact.”
I coughed. “It’s great to see a young couple get together. They’re good together.”
She watched them for a moment. “They do seem well suited.”
“They are. Shall we leave them to it and head out to the car?”
“Lead the way, my Lord.”
*
I walked Audrey to her door. When we reached it, she turned and gave me a little smile.
“I’m sorry if that was tough for you,” I told her.
“It’s okay. I knew what to expect beforehand. It wasn’t the easiest night of my life but it could have been worse.”
I bent my head to give her a kiss but she pulled back. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“Don’t be intimidated by how the shifters reacted. They’ll come around.”
“Actually,” she said softly, “it’s not them.”
I paused. “Then what?”
“You’ve been a lovely date, Corrigan. You’ve been attentive and kind. You’re wonderful on the dance floor and quite possibly one of the most attractive men I’ve ever met.”
“But…?”
“But you weren’t with me.”
I frowned. I didn’t understand.
“Let’s just say you seem distracted. And it had nothing to do with this evening. I think it’s something else entirely.” She bit her lip and looked me in the eyes. “Whoever she is, she’s a lucky woman.”
“There’s not another woman, Audrey.”
She smiled sadly. “Yes, there is.” She reached up and gave me a peck on the cheek. Then she unlocked her door and went inside.
Chapter Three
“Have we had any hits yet from the Othernet appeal?”
Lucy looked at me blankly. “What appeal?”
I clenched my fists underneath the desk. “The one for Mackenzie Smith.”
“Oh.” She shook her head. “Nothing of note.”
“What does that mean?”
She shrugged. “There have been a few calls but none of them panned out. We did what you asked and made her out to be as heroic as possible to avoid any wannabe vigilantes from acting if they spotted her. It seemed to work. Even with that, however, you know the crazies get involved when something like a rogue happens. There are lots of Otherworlders who enjoy yanking the shifter chains.”
“I want to see the names.”
“On the call list? My Lord, I can assure you…”
I growled. Lucy paled slightly and nodded before backing away. I rubbed my forehead. It shouldn’t matter this much. I definitely shouldn’t be taking my frustration about Mack’s disappearance out on other people either. Since Audrey’s frank assessment, however, I’d thought of little else. If I could just find her and talk to her…
It wasn’t the first time that I’d done it, but I tried my Voice again anyway. Mack? Where the hell are you?
As per usual, there was no response. In fact, I was certain she didn’t even hear me. I had been stretching my ability to communicate, however. A few days ago, I managed to reach the local Alpha in Newcastle. Mack might be on the other side of the world, of course. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be strong enough to make the Voice reach that far. I pushed my chair back and punched the desk. There was an ominous sounding crack as the wood split. The neat desk tidy, containing an array of multi-coloured pens, along with a sheaf of paper, slid to the floor. Goddamnit.
I exhaled loudly and got back to the mind-numbing paperwork. With the desk ruined, however, it was difficult to find a space where I could properly work. I was about to give up on my office and find somewhere else when the phone rang.
“This is Corrigan.” I could hear the anger in my tone and forced myself to calm down. Whoever was on the other end of the phone had nothing to do with my sharp-clawed kitten.
“My Lord Alpha, this is Andrew Farnam. I’m the…”
“The Alpha in Somerset,” I finished for him. “We have met.”
“I didn’t think you’d remember.”
“As I recall we had a particularly interesting discussion about the merits of Way Directive 49.”
“Yes.” He sounded strained. Clearly he wasn’t calling to pass the time of day or to debate the finer points of shifter law.
“What is it, Andrew?”
“We’re having some problems here, my Lord.”
I sat up straight, ignoring the drop in my stomach. “What kind of problems?” I prayed to the heavens above that it wasn’t another portal and another damned demi-goddess.
“A lot of the pack here have been sick.”
I frowned. Whatever I’d been expecting, it wasn’t that. “Go on.”
“We’re not sure how it started but two weeks ago three of our shifters came down with a fever.”
I grabbed a notepad. ‘What kind of shifters?” Different ailments affected different groups. Knowing who was involved could rather dramatically change any kind of treatment offered.
“A were-lion, werewolf and werefox.”
That made no sense. “Okay. Tell me more about the fever.”
He cleared his throat. “It only started with the fever. Unfortunately it didn’t stay that way. Their skin turned red. Then the whites of their eyes. They kept complaining of thirst. We thought it might be food poisoning. Or some kind of flu.”
“But?” I prompted.
“But then their liver and kidneys began to shut down. They were in agony.”
“Andrew,” I said quietly, “you’re talking in the past tense.”
“Yes, my Lord. This morning all three of them passed away.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. For several heartbeats both of us were silent. Eventually, however, I found some words. They sounded weak and trite though. “My condolences to the families. And to you.”
“Thank you, my Lord.”
With deepening dread, I suddenly knew that he wasn’t finished. “More are sick?” I guessed.
“Yes.” He spoke heavily. “We kept the first three isolated but they must have passed on the disease somehow. We have another five who are complaining of symptoms.”
“And yourself? How are you?”
“I’m okay.”
I took a deep breath. Whatever this was, it was damned serious. The cogs of my mind whirred. What would be the best course of action? I had to be decisive. Somerset needed strong help, not a weak leader. “Right. The most important thing is to quarantine everyone. I’m going to set up an exclusion zone. No-one is to be allowed outside. We can’t risk passing whatever this is onto other people. You’ll need to do more to separate the healthy from the sick within your residences.”
“Yes, my Lord.” There was a tinge of relief to Andrew’s voice. I knew it was because he needed someone else to take action. It wasn’t because he was weak himself; he was simply overwhelmed with what was happening to his Pack.
“I’ll send Doctor Higgins to you with a medical team and all the equipment you’ll need. He’s the best we have. He’ll get to the bottom of this, Andrew. And we’ll raid a damn hospital if we have to.”
“Thank you, my Lord.”
“I want reports every few hours. I’ll contact you via my Voice so you don’t need to worry about getting to a phone. If I try and speak to you at a bad time, you will tell me. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
“You’ll get through this.”
“I appreciate the support.”
“You know it’s why we’re here.” I hung up the phone and turned to stare out of the window. A flock of birds flew one way then swung round and flew back again. I watched them until they disappeared from view. Then I grabbed the chair I’d just been sitting on and threw it at the window, smashing the glass. The alarm began to peal and two wolves rushed in to check on my safety. I just stood looking at the fallen chair, frustration and despair seeping from every pore.
*
“So you think I can help?” the Arch-Mage stated, once I’d finished outlining the situation to him.
“Our doctor is taking blood samples of everyone who’s succumbed to this red fever. They’ll be here this evening.”
“The thing is, Corrigan,” he said with frank honesty, “we can’t cure disease. Believe me, we’ve tried. We can help alleviate a few symptoms but even then only for simple infections such as the common cold. Magic can do a lot of good. It can even change the world. But it can’t do everything.”
I nodded. “I understand that. I’m not looking for miracles. But if we can find the source of the initial infection, then we have a better shot of developing something to fight it.”
“Then I’ll see what I can do. In return…”
I wasn’t surprised. “Yes?”
“In return we are having a problem with some lubber fiends up by the Scottish border. There’s an outpost there. Perhaps you can provide some aid.”
“I’ll see to it personally.”
The Arch-Mage frowned. “I’m sure that won’t be necessary.”
I tried not to smile. He didn’t enjoy getting his hands dirty; apparently, as leader of the British mages, he thought it was beneath him. It wasn?
??t an opinion I sought to disagree with but it also certainly wasn’t one I shared as far as my own status went. “I’ll sort it out. Set up a portal this evening.”
He shrugged. “As you wish.”
I saw myself out of his office although I was forced to endure an escort out of the building. I was just at the main entrance, however, when I spotted a familiar figure. I strode over, ignoring the mage trotting at my heels.
“Floride!” I shouted.
The mage, who’d been leaning nonchalantly against a wall, looked startled. He bolted upright as I approached. “Corrie! Dude! What a pleasant surprise!”
I looked him over. Neither his manner of speaking nor his dress sense had improved since I last saw him. He appeared to be wearing some strange Hawaiian ensemble that clashed dreadfully. I shook my head to myself. “Where’s Mackenzie?”
His eyes widened even further. “Uh … who?”
He knew exactly who I was talking about. He also seemed to think I was born yesterday. “Mack,” I snapped. “Werehamster. Nasty temper. Dyes her hair.”
“Ohhhhh, Mack. You should have said.” He began to turn and leave. I grabbed his arm.
“Where is she?”
“I don’t know.”
I glowered at him. It would be useful indeed if Voice compulsion worked on more than just shifters.
“Dude! I’m telling the truth! I don’t know where she is.”
“You’re a tracking expert.”
He drew himself up. “And if the Arch-Mage requests that I put a spell out on her to find her then I will. But you are not my boss.”
I stared at him. I’d long since realised that the floppy-haired magician was capable of more than his appearance suggested. However, I’d also been aware that he had some cowardly tendencies. Despite my desire to find the bloody werehamster and throttle her before I locked her in my bedroom until she purred, I admired his sudden stubbornness. He obviously knew that I wouldn’t ask the Arch-Mage directly for help as far as Mack was concerned. Some things had to be dealt with in house.