Of Flame and Promise (9 page)

“How could you keep a demon attack from me?”

For all that Gem was trying to be quiet, he wasn’t succeeding. “Believe it or not, I did it for you,” I muttered under my breath.

“For me? How does this benefit me, or anyone—and how is it that your first call is to the leeches?”

I glanced over at his parents. Lex was helping Pop with his helmet and his partner was securing Momma to the harness. Oh, and look, they were pissed, too. “Can we discuss this later? I’m trying to make this a nice day for you, damnit!”

“No. We will discuss it now.”

I tossed the rope I was instructed to wind onto the hard-packed snow. “Fine. It happened at the state store when I was picking up your father’s sake. I didn’t know the owner was housing them—feeding them—whatever he was doing with them. I just wanted the fucking sake!” I threw out a hand at the sound of Gem’s parents’ audible gasps. “Sorry, I meant—oh forget it,” I mumbled.

It was too late; everyone was angry even before I “fucked” the sake. “Gem. He didn’t give me any indication he was a Tribe
were.
It was a liquor store—not some crazy prison camp stuffed with innocent people.”

“It was a
front,
” Gem said. His scowl matched his parents’. In fact, the resemblance was uncanny. “A temporary place to house demons they were transporting.”

“Well, yeah. I get it now.”

Gemini snarled for all he was worth. “If you had called me, there wouldn’t be anything to ‘get’ now. I would have determined something was wrong upon my arrival. Did you even stop to consider why there were demons there?”

“Of course I did. I’m not stupid. But I needed to get back to
you.
”

For a moment he simply froze. “
You’re
angry at
me
?”

“Of course I’m angry. You’re yelling at me.”

“And why do you think I’m yelling? Taran, if you had called me, Aric, Koda, Liam—any
were
you know—we might have been able to track down their location. But you didn’t. You—”

“I called the ‘leeches.’ Yeah, yeah, I know. You don’t like them, or trust them, and are convinced they’re out for prom queens and their own gain, and you’re probably right.” I shoved my hands on my hips. “But you forget, you were picking up your folks. I couldn’t call Aric, or Koda, and especially Liam, because they would have run and told you. I didn’t want you dropping everything to rush to a situation I was handling. So I called the Alliance members who would help, who would keep it quiet and buy me the time I needed to do something nice for your parents.”

Gem didn’t budge. “I should have been your first call,” he repeated.

“Maybe. And I’m sorry. But I can’t go back to make this right.”

I lifted the rope and edged to the cliff to look out, mostly because I couldn’t stand the hurt shadowing my lover’s face. Vamps had excellent noses, and could track to some extent. But they didn’t possess the hunting skills of a
were
.

Gem was right, I should have called Aric. Yet as stupid as it sounds, I would have felt like I was betraying Celia.

I meant well. But Gem couldn’t see past my call to the vamps, which sucked. I reached for the spare helmet close to my feet. Not the cutest thing I’d ever wear, but I needed to keep going. No matter how bad I wanted to curl into a warm bed and forget this horrible afternoon.

Pop strode to my side. I almost smiled. He looked so cute in his safety harness and climbing gear. But his irate scowl made it clear he wasn’t happy with me, either. “Tribe
weres
are keeping demons in the area.”

He wasn’t asking, he was informing me that he’d heard our chat.

I kicked at the snow at my feet. “Yes. The store owner who sold me your sake and I were attacked yesterday—the day you arrived. He didn’t give me any indication he was a Tribesman; in fact, he was scared stupid when he saw them.” I shrugged. “But given how they ate his face and all, I can’t really blame him.”

“What does he say about the dark ones?”

“Nothing. According to my sister, he exploded to bits when the vamps questioned him.”

Pop frowned. “When a stray
were
or outcast vamp is inducted into the Tribe, a spell is placed on him to keep their secrets and keep him committed. If he talks, he explodes,” I explained. “The vamps must have been very convincing. Too bad he detonated before they were able to get much out of him.”

“I’m aware of the spell and what it does,” Pop said.

He wasn’t being demeaning, despite his even tone. It was more like he was making me aware of how much he knew about the supernaturals and the war. So then why was he frowning? “I apologize if I’m coming across as rude. But if you’re familiar with the silencing spell, why are you looking at me like that? Is something bothering you?”
And if it is, please don’t let it be me.

“Aiko is committed as a
were
to defend and protect the earth,” he began. “As her mate, I join and support her cause. I don’t understand those who seek harm. It’s something I’ve never understood.”

Yeah, well, same here, Pop.
I glanced behind me to where Gemini stood with his back to me. He spoke low and quickly into his phone—probably to Aric—spilling the details the “leeches” had uncovered. His voice was gruff and angry, and his stance rigid, as if preparing to lunge. So not what I wanted to hear or see.

God, what a screw-up I was.

I turned back to Pop. This man would never be all butterflies and rainbows, but at least he was speaking to me and standing by me.

He crossed his arms, staring out into the horizon. “The owner probably didn’t know what he was getting into,” he said. “Demon children are hard to maintain and control. Their desire for human meat makes them little more than crazed predators. No conscience. No respect for life. Only the need to feed.” He looked at me then. “Tell me what the vampires discovered.”

I lifted the rope from the ground and untangled the knots. “Celia—my sister—said the locks were still secure around the cages. My guess is they somehow slipped through the bars.”

“Hai,”
Pop agreed. “They’ve been known to break their rib cages to squeeze through small spaces. The owner must not have fed them well enough. If he had, they wouldn’t have been so desperate to escape and hunt.”

He was right. “A local pack on the Nevada side found the fresh remains of tourists,” I told him. “The bite marks suggest they were used as demon kibble. But from what I know, there haven’t been more bodies discovered, so I’m wondering if the Tribe just ran out of food for them.” At least, that’s what I hoped. Problem was, less food meant more hungry and desperate predators on the loose.

Pop’s stern face tightened more than I thought was humanly possible. “What of the other cages?” he asked.

“What?”

“You said there were four cages, but only two demon children present—the ones you killed, correct?”

I involuntarily shuddered. “Celia says the other two cages had been used at some point, but the scents within them were older.”

“How old?” Pop asked.

I grimaced. “A few days, maybe longer. Looks like there are more out there.”

“Hai,”
he said again. “The Tribesmen are trying to maintain the numbers they have following all the Alliance raids.”

“That’s what Aric says,” I mumbled.

Pop nodded. “He’s a good, smart Leader,” he said.

Not when it came to my sister,
I obviously didn’t say back.

Something flickered in Pop’s face. “What is it?” I asked him.

“Tribesmen are feeding demons they can’t control.”

I huffed. “Yeah. Tell me about it.”

His stern face met mine. “Which means something else is controlling them.”

I hadn’t thought about it. Mostly because I hadn’t wanted to. “A Tribemaster?” I offered, although I didn’t want it to be true. Unlike demons—the ones straight from hell—Tribemasters were spawn of a demon and a powerful witch. Demon children were spawn of demons or Tribemasters and a non-magical human. Any combo was totally hideous, but the Tribemasters were a different breed of scary. Unlike demons, they had an unlimited time on earth, and unlike their mindless demon children spawn, they had cunning—making them cruel, lethal, and shrewd.

“Let’s hope it’s only a mature demon child,” I added.

You know your life is a nightmare when this was the better option of the two.

“Let’s hope,” Pop agreed.

Momma strode over, her lovely scowl firmly in place. In a strange way, I’d become used to it, mostly because it was all I knew. Lex bounded right behind her. He smacked his hands together and rubbed them hard. “You folks ready for the climb of a lifetime—
whoo!
”

Christ above, again with the “whoos.” My eyes danced to Gem. He disconnected his call and pocketed the phone in his jacket before taking a large step back. I thought it was odd, but didn’t think about it too much and returned to his folks.

Lex clipped the rope onto Momma’s safety harness. “On belay,” he said, acknowledging the clip was in place.

“Belay on,” Momma answered like a seasoned pro. Her rigid expression made her appear bored and possibly constipated.

Pop mirrored her features. “Aiko is very excited,” he said.

“It shows,” I lied.

Lex adjusted the rope around his waist connecting him and Momma, while his partner disappeared down the path and to the next steep as instructed. “This here is the highest point,” Lex said. “Now, ma’am, I’m here to be your safety. Take your time, take in the view, and jet down at your own pace. No need to worry, just enjoy it.
Whoo!
”

Pop edged as close to the ledge as he could and whispered something in Japanese to his wife. I wasn’t the cute and cuddly type, but I found them endearing in their own way. “Climb,” Lex said.

Although Lex was probably a pro, his “whoo-whoos” made me nervous, and my encounter with the store owner had made me more than a little paranoid. I lifted the extra coil of rope at his feet and snaked it around my arms.

He turned and winked. “Don’t you trust me, sugarplum?”

“I’m not your sugarplum. And if you drop her, I’ll roast your balls like kabobs.” I grinned and waved to Momma and Pop. “It’s okay, I’ve got her!”

Their slackened jaws remained their only response…and my cue they’d heard my interaction with Lex the stoner. With one last exchange, Momma began her descent. I tossed a glance over my shoulder, somewhat surprised Gem hadn’t growled when Lex called me “sugarplum.” And maybe somewhat disappointed, too.

He simply stood there, watching the spot before him until something caused his spine to straighten. The air stirred and the aroma of dry herbs trickled into my nose, making me sneeze. In a swirl of deep gold and bright yellow tendrils, Genevieve appeared, spinning in place and stopping directly in front of my wolf.

Their eyes met. Gem spoke low, quickly. Vieve listened intently, as if no one else existed, as if nothing else mattered, and as if his
girlfriend
wasn’t standing a few yards away. She nodded, clinging to every muttering—every syllable—every
breath
!

I didn’t think they could get any closer. But when it was her turn to speak, Gem leaned forward so she could whisper in his ear, her perfect lips close to his skin.

Maybe it was the day.

Or our fight.

Or this whole experience.

Or maybe Genevieve was just a man-stealing slut.

Something in me flared. A wave of anger I’d never known. He wouldn’t talk to me—in fact, he’d
yelled.
But to Genevieve, it was all soft words and attention he hadn’t bothered to show me since the arrival of his parents.

Gemini lowered his eyelids, taking in everything that wicked witch had to say, so close, so intimate—almost touching, almost
kissing.

Rage burned inside me, igniting my magic and shooting bolts of lightning up and over my head. Gem’s head whipped in my direction, his eyes wide as my power released in a jaw-rattling surge from my hands.
“Taran!”

He barreled toward me. But his focus was further ahead. I reeled around in time to see a current of blue and white light snake along the rope, electrifying Lex and launching him into the stand of pines with a yelp.

Holy heavens! Momma’s anchor was gone.

Gem plowed ahead, soaring into the air, reaching for the end of the rope, and…missed. To my horror, I watched the sizzling rope disappear over the cliff.

With a grunt and what—Jesus
Christ
—sounded like a
splat,
Momma Hamamatsu landed on the steep below.

“Oh, shit. Oh, hell. Oh,
fuck
!” I bolted forward, sprawling onto my belly between Gem and his father.

Way,
way
down below, Momma lay spread-eagle, her charred boots smoldering several feet away from her, having freaking
exploded
from her feet. The remains of the rope twitched and sputtered blue and white light around her unmoving form. If it weren’t for the glare fixed on her face, I would have sworn she was dead.

She sat up, causing her shattered helmet to fall away in pieces and revealing the outline of her body singed into the slab of rock beneath her. Smoke, I kid you not, wafted from her fricasseed hair. I wanted to die. I seriously wanted to die.

Gemini and Pop called to her, speaking rapidly in Japanese.

Funny enough, her attention was all on me.

My sisters spread out along my king-sized bed. They blinked back at me as I took another sip of wine, and another one after that. Celia opened her mouth, then closed it, before holding out her hand. “I’m sorry—I’m sorry,” she said. “Let me see if I got this straight. You
threw
Gemini’s
mother
off the side of a cliff?”

I took another sip and leaned back against my headboard. “Yup.”

“A
cliff,
” Celia repeated.

“A big one,” I answered, my voice oddly numb.

Emme clutched one of the pillows and pressed it against her. “That’s…awful.”

“Ya think?” I snapped.

“But, she was all right, right?” Shayna’s stare bounced around the room like she wasn’t sure where to look, disbelief spreading like fire around her features. “I mean she’s
were,
so she should recover, right?”

“Yes,” I answered stiffly. “But that’s not exactly the point, is it?” I placed the wine on the side table and dug my fingers through my hair. “It could have been Pop, or I could have killed her. How do you apologize for something like that?”

“You can start by saying sorry,” Emme offered.

“I did—don’t you think I did?” I dropped my hands away. “This has been a nightmare. I’ve tried, really I have. But nothing’s worked out. They’ve seen my nipple, for crying out loud!”

Emme grimaced. “Ah, yeah, that was unfortunate.”

“Unfortunate? It was one step shy of porn.” I stood and started pacing. “There’s no way to fix this. No way to look good. Is there?”

“No. Nope. No way, dude,” they all muttered at once.

I was sort of counting on their optimism, but the fact that these three couldn’t find one silver lining in the monumental crap storm this experience had become demonstrated just how bad things sucked.

Celia stood, tugging her stretchy shirt down over her skinny jeans. “What does Gemini say about everything?”

“He hasn’t said anything. The whole drive back to the lodge where his parents are staying he didn’t say a word. No one did. He mumbled something about returning later when he dropped me off, but he hasn’t called or texted since.”

Shayna cocked her head. “So where is he, then, T?” she asked, fiddling with the ends of her long, dark ponytail.

And there was the snap, crackle, and pop of my magic again. “He’s with Genevieve. Where else would he be, Shayna?”

Celia leaned back on her heels. “I see,” she said.

Shayna puckered a brow. “I don’t,” she admitted. “She’s head wand-waver, dude. I’m sure the furries and the Hermione Granger sorority girls are just working together to figure out where these demon smugglers are headed.”

Celia shook her head. “Shayna, it’s not that I don’t agree—I know Gemini is only strategizing.”

“Then what’s wrong, Celia?” Emme asked quietly, her soft green eyes carrying all the sadness I felt.

Celia bowed her head. “It’s how their interaction is making her feel.”

I wished I could deny it, but I couldn’t. My girl, Celia, nailed exactly what I was feeling. I walked to where I’d left my wineglass and reached for it, but then changed my mind. “I think I have to break up with him. End things now while I can still salvage what remains of me.”

“Wait—
what
?” Celia’s attention shot my way. “Taran, that’s not what I’m suggesting at all.”

Emme could barely speak. “T-Taran, how could you even contemplate something so extreme?”

“Yeah, T,” Shayna said. “I mean you’re, like,
mates.
”

“Please don’t use that word in front of me,” I stammered. A lump claimed my throat as I shook my head. “I’m clearly not meant for this.”

“Matehood?”
Shayna lifted her hands in surrender. “I’m only asking, T.”

“No,
happiness,
” I managed, a sinking feeling filling my chest.

I adjusted the ties of my silk robe, unable to take the stunned silence my sisters met me with. “I stumbled into this relationship, and kidnappings, demon invasions, and infected vampires aside, it’s been amazing. But I’ve kept it at arm’s length, knowing this would happen.”

“Knowing what would happen, exactly?” Celia’s voice was quiet, concerned, and while I could feel Shayna and Emme waiting for me to respond, I kept my attention on her.

“That it wouldn’t end well, Ceel. I don’t think happiness is something I’m meant to have. Look at what we’ve been through, and what we’ve survived. Every time something good happens, it’s like something bad has to happen, too. It’s like some kind of twisted scale balancing the good and the bad. Gem’s been the good. But this whole meet-the-parents thing—it’s been bad. Really bad. And I can’t help thinking it’s a glimpse of what’s to come.”

Celia stepped forward. “Taran, I know this hasn’t been the best experience for you.”

“Celia, that’s putting it lightly, and I’m not just talking about his folks here. Look at us—look at our lives. We have these powers”—I held out my hands and engulfed my fingers with fire—“as a result of a curse meant to kill us. This curse may have backfired and given us magic, but it also took our parents in exchange. I’m starting to think we’re cursed in a lot more ways than one.”

Shayna shook her head. “I think you’re overreacting.”

“Am I?” I shake my hands, putting out the flames. “Look at everything we’ve been through. Don’t you think it’s odd how much we’ve suffered for how young we are?”

Shayna smiled through her forming tears. “But I have Koda. And I’m happy.”

“And I hope you always will be, Shayna,” I said, truthfully. “But I’m not sure Gemini and I will be as lucky….I don’t think we’re going to make it.”

The door opened then, and Gemini stepped inside, his expression as warm as those of his beloved parents. He hadn’t bothered knocking, but for the time being this was his room, too. The thing was, I knew him well enough to know he’d heard me. And maybe my sisters did, too.

Emme and Shayna slipped off the bed. “Hi, Gem,” they both mumbled quietly as they passed.

Gemini tilted his head in acknowledgment, but he squared his sights on me. He wasn’t happy.
Well, join the club.

Celia was the only one who didn’t scamper away. “Did you find anything?” she asked. Unlike my other sisters, she didn’t bother with a polite hello. I couldn’t blame her. She knew things were just that bad.

Gem cast his gaze in her direction. “The coven was able to conduct a tracking spell at the store. It wasn’t strong enough to see which direction the demons had been transported in or out, but it was strong enough to detect other fronts in the area.”

“Well, yippee for witches,” I muttered. “All their wand-waving is finally paying off for them.”

Gemini stiffened at the slight, but continued. “We were able to organize a few raids, incarcerate several Tribesmen, and destroy about a dozen demon children. But every time the packs come close to obtaining information, we lose the Tribe
were
or vamp in question to the silencing spell placed upon them.”

Celia pushed back her thick, wavy hair. “Any idea why they chose this area? It doesn’t make sense to bring demons this close to the lake. They wouldn’t survive long.”

Gem rubbed his goatee. “Our best guess is that there was another stronghold close to here, but our constant presence and aggressive patrols are forcing the Tribe to move out of the region.”

“With a nursery of demon children in tow,” Celia offered.

Gem nodded. “The impact we’ve had on the war has made our enemies desperate. They’re trying to cling to what they have, and what they have are demon children. But as effective as demons are as weapons, they need to be fed, transported to safety, and given time to grow.”

I rubbed my temples. “Problem is, it doesn’t take long for these suckers to grow. And when they do, the Tribe is going to unleash them in droves.”

Gem, although he didn’t disagree, kept his stiff tone. “Their growth may be quick, but their temperament has worked to our advantage. Transferring creatures so volatile and strong can’t be accomplished in large numbers without risk of discovery. So they’ve been brought in in small groups, cared for, and moved out.”

“So South Tahoe is nothing more than a halfway point to wherever they’re headed?” Celia asked.

“That’s what we’ve determined,” Gem answered. “But which direction they’re going remains unclear. From what we’ve uncovered, everything points to the east—toward the Nevada side. The west side is too close to the Den and discovery.”

“That still leaves a huge area to cover.” I sighed when he turned my way. “Just because I’m upset doesn’t mean I’m not listening.”

“I never claimed you weren’t listening,” he countered.

Yup. And that was Ceel’s cue to leave. She glanced from me to Gem, worry creasing her beautiful face. “I should go,” she said. “If you need backup, don’t hesitate to call.” She walked slowly toward the door, pausing when her hand touched the doorknob. “We’ll talk later. Okay, Taran?”

“Looking forward to it.” I slumped on the side of my bed when Gem simply stared, his features alternating between anger, frustration, and worry, but mostly disappointment. I’d disappointed him,
again.
I’d hurt him,
again.
How could things be so ass-suckingly miserable?

I buried my face in my hands, trying not scream, but mostly trying not to cry for us. Was it over? That’s what it felt like then. I’d tried so hard. I really had.

Gemini reached for my hands, taking each one carefully. I raised my chin to find him kneeling before me, my jaw clenching so tight it pained my gums. God, I was angry, and hurt, and
humiliated.
He’d left me for Genevieve when I’d needed him most. Okay, not really. Protecting the earth came first; I got it. But it was hard knowing he was with her when I’d needed him with me.

“Hi,” he said. When I didn’t answer, his gaze softened. “You feel far away from me. My wolves and I hate it—
we
hate it. I don’t want us to fight. Will you let me hold you?”

It was then that I threw my arms around him like a wimp.

“You left me,” I said.

“No.” He gathered me to him, stroking my hair. “I stepped in to execute the duties as second–in-command. Nothing more.”

“That’s not what it felt like.” My throat twisted into a painful knot. “Especially given who you left me for.”

“I would never leave you for another.” His body curled around mine. “You’re the only one I see and desire.”

I clutched him tighter, wishing I could hold him forever, as my insecurities spilled from my mouth. “I went into this whole thing with you and your folks kicking and screaming. But despite my mistakes I committed to it. I did my best to make them like me, and I failed at every turn.” My voice trembled. “You might have noticed today wasn’t our best day.”

He stilled with his palm between my shoulder blades. “The introduction of my parents has…not gone as I’d hoped.”

“No shit,” I muttered. I pulled away and trailed my fingers down the side of his face. “How’s your mother?”

“She’s well,” he answered.

His silence thereafter told me what I already knew. “She hates me….They both do, don’t they?” Who was I kidding?
Hate
was probably not a strong enough word.

“It’s not that they hate you, Taran,” he finally said. “It’s simply that…they haven’t seen…” He worked his jaw. “They just don’t know you,” he added quickly.

My hands slipped away from his neck. “Really? This is the best you can do?” I stood and walked to the window looking out to the front of the house, although I couldn’t see anything past the disaster this day had been.

“Tonight is another moment for grace and understanding,” he said. “Let’s get dressed, go to dinner as planned, and try again.”

“I can’t go, babe,” I told him truthfully. I pressed my hands against the window ledge and leaned forward. “You go with them. You won’t screw things up. If I show, locusts will swarm the building and a plague will unleash upon the earth before we even get our salads.”

Strong, reassuring arms circled my waist. “This is my parents’ last night. I need you with me, as my mate, and my love….”

I choked down the sob his words stirred.

“Our time with them has not been ideal,” he continued. “But every intention came from your heart.” He kissed my head. “And that’s all I can ask.”

“But they
hate
me,” I insisted.

He didn’t exactly deny it. “Taran, regardless of what my parents think or feel, I love you. No one could ever change what you mean to me.”

I wasn’t so sure. I turned around and crossed my arms. Whatever emotion Gem saw in my features caused him to frown and hardened his stance. He stepped forward, his strong body pressing against me, his gaze claiming mine. My eyes widened briefly, only for my lids to lower and my heart to thump. As I watched, his hand fumbled to close the blinds.

I knew what he wanted before he touched me, before his fingers peeled off my robe and panties in quick, fluid motions, and long before he lifted my hips and hooked my ankles behind his back.

I knew because I wanted it, too. We both needed to feel something other than uncertainty. We needed that something good only our bodies could give us.

At first his kisses and wandering hands were slow and reassuring, his way of proving he was here with me, and not going anywhere. But I wanted more—his passion, his lust, and maybe his aggression to prove how hard he could love me. So when his hands smoothed across my bare skin, my teeth found the curve of his neck, and my nails his firm ass.

A guttural moan broke through his throat, my aggression inciting my lover to tap into the beasts caged inside him and fuel the man holding me in his grip.

Good. I didn’t want slow, or gentle, or careful. I wanted primal hunger, a man barely in control. Just as I wanted the hardness sliding across my belly and prodding me hard.

My breath hitched with how fast he pinned me against the wall, his urgency to enter me sending chills along my limbs. My body, although ready to accept his, wasn’t ready enough. Not for someone my lover’s size. I gritted my teeth as he rubbed against me, his smooth skin stroking me and stimulating those tightening regions that begged for his touch.