S.A. Price (3 page)

"So maybe its one of the others..."

"It might be, but what is the use of a ruse?"

"I don't know..." She admitted with a sigh shaking her head.

"It doesn’t matter, it says it’s of grave importance, and we will uphold the laws and appear, as will all the Archon's. Then we will get to the bottom of this. I would ask that you go armed in your usual fashion."

"Of course Archon... When do you want to leave?"

"Within the hour. I’ll speak with Remy and Reece, leave them as Diarkos in case something actually is up. I would rather them here protecting the family. Pack, see to transportation to Ohio, I believe Dustin is still at the airfield."

Myra nodded. "I'll call him and ask him to meet us there."

"Wonderful Darlin." she said and stood. She walked over to Myra and smiled. The woman was beautiful, sexy and a brilliant painter, but she was still an enforcer of their nest and she would fulfill that obligation in spades, as she always did. "Myra, don’t worry, whatever it is, we can handle it. You know I’m not some flouncy Archon like Ramona, that skeleton in a Jackie O hairdo. We will be Ok."

"Oh I know that," She grinned, "I just wish our lives weren’t interrupted over something stupid like a land dispute."

"Agreed. But look on the bright side, we could be going to the Montana compound." she shuddered.

"Thank god..." She rolled her eyes.

Elise smiled. "See? It could be worse. I’ll meet you downstairs in an hour." She turned and walked into her bedroom proper, the larger room just off her day office. She knew it was going to look odd, Myra being her Defteros, but she was the only unmarried Archon of the group, and where the others would have their mates by their side, Elise would not. It killed her, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it. The love of her life wasn’t among the living, and being cheated out of her happy ending made it a sure bet she would never find another like him. So Myra would stand beside her, the spinster Archon, and she would hold her head high. She sighed, and turned into the closet to pack her clothes.

~12~

TWO

Merrick felt like banging his head off the wall as Kira paced the room for the sixtieth time. Her arms were folded defensively over her chest as she moved, unease leaking out of her pores. He could scent her distress, a sad, sour scent, much like one of an animal that knew it was living on borrowed time. If this were to go well she’d have to calm down. He watched her, letting her have her moment.

She was beautiful, blonde hair, blue eyes and a killer body. She wasn’t his type, never had been, but it would be widely accepted that they were a couple, possibly even married. Many of the Archon’s married the strongest mate available to them and Merrick did fall into that category. Playing it up would be good for their story but it would kill him to do so. Kira was like a daughter to him and his heart had been promised to somebody long ago, it didn’t help that there was a very good chance that somebody was going to be present today.

“You’re going to have to calm down.” He told Kira carefully.

“Calm down? Mer, they’re going to crucify me.” She answered back her body rigid with fear.

“I’m not going to let that happen.”

She paused looking at him all her fears and doubts showing in her eyes. “Promise?”

“Of course, you just have to get a hold of yourself. This isn’t like you, you’re good at this. Just remember to breathe.” He stood taking her shoulders in his hands and squeezing gently.

He watched her proudly as she gathered her wits. In seconds she had transformed in front of his eyes from a worried youth to what appeared to be a take no prisoners, ball-busting bitch and bravely nodded. “You’re right.” Her body language and scent under control she managed a weak smile.

“Good, now do you remember what I told you?”

“I’m pretty sure, you’ve been drilling it into me since we left Vegas. We’re all going to have to move you know. They’ll never let us keep it.”

“That’s up to them, the most important thing is to find our missing and then we can worry about where to move later.”

“And if I pull this off I’ll have my own nest.” She grinned cockily.

“Not quite.” He looked up at the clock. “We should go now.”

She shook head, her dirty blonde hair falling around her face. “Exactly how do you plan on not getting us all killed?”

“Let me worry about that, just play your part and everything will fall into place, ok?”

She cocked her head to the side, her hand on her hip. “Sure, but you know when we’re down there I get to give you the orders.”

He laughed patting her back as he led them out of their suite. “Only when we’re down there.”

The walk was a short one and they did it in silence, him adopting a more submissive stance to her more dominant stride. He kept his hand reassuringly on the small of her back as they moved into the communal rooms where the meeting would be. As expected the Archons and their mates were already there. Each Archon was allowed one Defteros, and all but one had chosen their mate. The only unmated Archon had chosen one of her nest to stand in.

~13~

He pushed any thoughts of Elise into the far corner of his mind; he didn’t need to worry about her today, about their failed romance. There were more important things at stake. As predicted the hush fell over the room as they strode in. Kira knew who they all were, he’d been very specific in his teachings, and she knew them all down to their preferred breakfast and drinks. Still she confidently looked around smiling at them, predator oozing out of her just as surely as the fear had been earlier.

“I think introductions are in order.” She smiled again sizing them all up. “My name’s Kira, I and my nest have been occupying the Las Vegas territory for the past three years.” She walked forward to the table taking a jug of water Kira poured herself a drink and took a sip before continuing. “Behind me I think you’ll recognize John Merrick, he’s been with me for most of those three years.” He smiled at them his eyes glancing over Elise. Kira had done well, and she had to establish that she’d started the nest on her own.

Elise smiled at Kira and inclined her head. "This is news to all of us, since last we understood, Las Vegas belonged to Olivia and the King snake nest.”

“This meeting isn’t over territory is it? I, as well as the rest of us, have a very busy life, and it is well known that territory disputes aren’t dealt with in such a manner. Observing our laws, you should have waited till the new year." She shot a look at Merrick, one of pure venom and then looked about.

The murmur from the other Archons cemented what the New York nest leader had said.

Merrick frowned at Elise, ashamed to admit that he was just a little turned on by her words. The Archon always knew just what buttons to press and just how to say them; thankfully he'd known that it would be her to throw up this first challenge and not Olivia. Kira smiled at her and cleared her throat waiting for the attention to shift back to her before starting.

"No, this isn’t about land, nor am I contesting or petitioning for it. Me and mine are secure in our positions, we don’t need any official ruling to tell us what we are and where we live." She smiled sadly as Merrick held his breath. This was the tricky part, "I'm afraid that the reason I've called you here is for something far more serious than a silly land dispute."

Elise raised an eyebrow and looked around. "Indeed? Then tell us, young one," she smiled, not using the title of Archon when addressing Kira. "What has brought you and yours out of hiding in the city you seem to think you can hold and into the forefront of all those who have legitimate seats of power?"

Kira refused to rise to Elise’s bait simply smiling at her. Merrick was willing to bet the girl’s jaws would be sore but she held her tongue. "What indeed..." She asked the room carefully taking her time and making them all wait. "Mer, love?" She asked him, no doubt throwing in the last for Elise's benefit. As discussed he passed her the files of the missing women and another folder of the dead men they'd come across. She took it before turning back to them. "How many of you have lost contact with your members over the past six months? Specifically females. Any disappearances? Trappings? Hunts going wrong? Maybe someone moved cross country and you can’t get them in..." She passed Elise the folders. "To date I'm missing twenty-six girls. Twelve of my males that I know of, are dead.

"There a few that I suspect are that way as well... now I know that it's not just me. Your numbers are all dwindling and the thing is you don’t even know it. You lose touch with someone and think nothing of it. Mine have been going for the past six months maybe even over a year, it took some time before I realized just what was happening. Who knows though, this could have been going on for years. It's hardly like we keep a census of our kind." She paused, possibly for dramatic effect or maybe just because she needed a sip of water. "Ladies, gentlemen... I believe we're being hunted and not by accident."

Marcus, the lone recognized Basilia, or male Archon, stood. "We have had a few disappearances recently, yes. Two females and one male. William, we found some time later, beaten and dead. The females we have yet to hear from, though Cara was going to South America for a study abroad program for zoology. We can’t be sure about her."

"Have you tried to contact her?"

~14~

"She’s in the Brazilian jungle studying anacondas. She’s one of the few working on the genome project, so no, it’s not possible. We know she landed though, and that her stay there will be over in a month." he said quietly.

"Then hopefully she's safe from this, but, a lot of my girls have disappeared from similar situations. Contracts that take them away, nothing suspicious, whatever is happening it is unrelated.

I'm sure it’s more than just you Marcus who’s lost someone, although I'm glad you can admit it. The trick is what to do now we've established a problem. We don’t have the human luxury of contacting the police, we police ourselves."

Olivia nodded. "We do. And while this is a pressing matter do not think to forget that you are in my territory, but we will speak on that later. Two of my boys, Frank and Kendal, both ex military, have gone missing. I usually don’t freak out about such things, the boys have been known to go walk about, but now that you mention it, it has been some time since they have checked in. Though I am sad to say, we found Anya, my niece, dead of an apparent overdose. While I mourn her I didn’t think anything of it at the time, the girl has been known to dally, but this raises questions."

"I agree, it raises a lot of questions, if we are indeed being hunted intentionally, every single death and accidental killing must be brought back up. But again that is for when we have time... right now I'll settle for finding my kin and having them brought back home safely." She looked up at the clock on the wall. "We should eat, at least break for lunch. I'm sure you all have calls you want to make now and, if you could, I'd like for you all to make a list of possible missing and their last known locations.

We need to determine if there is some kind of pattern."

Elise stood. "I’m not missing anyone from my nest, or the outlying areas. You forget, we are now a breeding nest so I always know where my people are. Geraldine, your nest is still breeding correct?

Are you missing anyone?"

Geraldine shook her head, "Everyone's accounted for... although we did lose Lara and Tom seven months ago."

Elise bowed her head. "I’m sorry for your loss, cousin, I had not heard. How?"

"They were on holiday, we thought hunters got them. We found Tom but thought that they..." She trailed off looking to Kira. "Do you think she's still alive? If she has been taken…"

"I just don't know." Kira shook her head. "It is a possibility though, a good one. We haven’t found any female bodies."

"Aside from Anya that is, if this indeed involves her." Olivia said and looked at her watch. "I must call the crèche, as I’m sure the rest of you will be doing as well. I do know that Elise was here first so I assume she’s had lunch arranged?" she looked at Elise who nodded.

"Yes, I have seen to the lunch and dinner menu for tonight and breakfast and lunch for tomorrow.

Nothing formal, Ramona, but it should be a sit down meal for both, as is respectful. Lunch will be in an hour or so, so please, do what you must, and it will be served in the solarium, so that we might take advantage of the warmth of the day." She turned to Myra and then to Geraldine, who was standing and clasped her hand, then let go after a small kiss on the cheek, and walked around the couch, careful to not go near Merrick.

He, on the other hand wanted nothing more than to go to her. Having her so close yet so far away tore at him, yet he and Kira would have to leave now. His girl had done well but not so well that he trusted her to sit in a room full of Archons and expect her to hold her own. That fully in mind he stepped up behind her and whispered in her ear that they should go. Giggling lightly she leaned back into him for a second and then cleared her throat, politely excusing herself but leaving no doubt in any of the Archon's minds as to where they were going.

He avoided Elise's hurt gaze as they left. He could always make things up to her later. He would have to. While it was all for show, he knew it still hurt. He knew her well enough that her schooled expression hid a wealth of emotion, emotion he hated to know she had because of him.

They left the room and headed back up to their suite, they only had an hour to brief before they had to come back and repeat the performance again.

~15~