hellcat 05 - come hell or high water (4 page)

“Behave,” she told her mate, swatting him on the rear end.  “We’re here on adult business.” 

“We’re not in the meeting yet. I can’t see any adults around,” he protested, knuckling Gabi’s head until she elbowed him in the ribs hard enough that the breath left his lungs in a whoosh.

“Idiot,” she groused, disentangling herself and trying to fix her mussed curls.

“Brat,” he countered with a grin.

“Come on, you two.” Trish sighed like the put-upon mother of two naughty toddlers and grabbed each one by an elbow before frogmarching them towards the elevator doors.  Gabi and Kyle each wrapped an arm around her and gave her a simultaneous sideways hug. 

The tiny bit of childish normalcy had lifted a weight from Gabi’s heart that she hadn’t realised she was carrying. 

The meeting, as with all meetings, in Gabi’s opinion, dragged on.  She’d seen the end game moments after the meeting began, but apparently the majority of the others had not.  Perhaps it was because she knew Byron better than any of the others.  Perhaps it was that she was more of a realist than them and had suspected what was coming. 

“Disbanding the SMV entirely is a drastic measure, Byron,” Alistair said. His expression betrayed his shock.  “Surely we can continue without the Magi in a prominent role.  There always have been, and always will be, supernatural problems that have nothing to do with the Magi.”

“He has a point, Byron,” Margaret, the elderly Shape-shifter spokesperson, interjected. “As much as we have no qualms with the Magi and have always valued and appreciated their input here,” she gave Athena a sad smile, “who would look after
our
interests?  And those of the other races? Who would we turn to when trouble stirs that has nothing to do with the Source?”

They were right, of course; the Castius Magi, while largely beneficent and altruistic, could also be exclusory and almost unconsciously racist, in supernatural terms.  Many of them considered the other supernatural races to be lesser beings, in the way that professors at a university might look down upon those who had no tertiary education.  Their main focus would always be protection of the Source, followed closely by protection of their own kind, the rest of them would, ostensibly, be left to fend for themselves. 

Athena laid her hands palms down on the table, drawing everyone’s attention.  She was not the only Magus at the meeting, but she was the only one that Gabi knew.  The other two, an older man and a middle-aged woman, were strangers to her, and their expressions were closed, revealing nothing of their thoughts or emotions. 

“The Magi Council understands that this is a difficult situation,” Athena said, but her eyes didn’t meet anyone else’s, and Gabi knew instinctively that she’d argued against this decision, but would stand by it regardless of her personal feelings.  “We just cannot continue to be a part of the Society as it stands.  There is more at stake now.  So much more, and we need to be in a position to make decisions without necessarily consulting others and waiting for feedback from all other races.  We may need to act quickly and ruthlessly.  I know that each of you understands the significance of the Source and the fact that its protection outweighs any other concerns for us; it is now our primary focus.” 

Her open hands clenched briefly into fists before she eased them open again.  “We would like very much to continue to be able to work with all of you, and to be able to both help when we can and ask for assistance when we need to. How you would like to structure your own protection is entirely up to you, but I say again that we would like you to consider us your friends and allies, and those who have been a part of the Society in the past are free to offer their assistance at any point.” She indicated with a nod to Lance and James, the Magi SMV Hunters, and Melinda, the Magi Healer who worked closely with the SMV.  There were many others, not at this meeting, who regularly helped out at the SMV, not least of whom were the Erasers, the ones who could delete or alter human memories of supernatural events. Not having their ongoing assistance would be a blow to anyone trying to police supernatural events in the City. 

Athena was speaking again, apology in her voice.  “We will assist as often as we can, and would only turn down requests in the direst of circumstances.” 

“Thank you, Athena,” Byron said, taking the floor once again. “We do understand your position, and we do appreciate your offer.  Whatever happens, we will continue to keep the lines of communication open with the Magi, and trust that we can turn to you when we are in need.”  He gave her a sombre but genuine smile.  He was also aware that she was finding this meeting difficult. 

Then he addressed the rest of the room.  “You can imagine that without the Magi, the SMV, as it has been operating for the past two and a half decades, will not be able to function.  There is only really one way forward, and that is to evolve and adapt to the changes in the City herself.  She is shrugging off her old skin and emerging anew, and we must do the same. 

“I brought you all here today, not to tell you what is going to happen, but to open it up to you for suggestions.  I would like you to all go back to your people and discuss this.  I will offer my services in the next few weeks to assist in setting up anything new, if you would like me involved, but once things are established and settled, I’ve decided that I will be stepping away.” 

Byron’s last sentence was met with open-mouthed astonishment and a few actual gasps, but Gabi was prepared.  She’d seen the sadness and the loss in him, known it was becoming too much for him in the weeks since the battle, but today she’d sensed an aura of peace, relief and contentment around him.  She’d known he’d made some kind of decision, a life-altering one, and that it was the right one for him. 

He continued despite the shocked reactions.  “This is not a decision I’ve come to lightly, but I have had some wonderful news: Lara, my daughter, has informed me that I’m about to become a grandfather.” The most genuine smile Gabi had seen for weeks lit his features. “And I would like to take up my new job title with every ounce of my being.” 

Words of congratulations exploded around him, the mood in the room instantly lifting.  After all the death that had surrounded them recently, the news of a new life was almost overwhelming.  Byron’s eyes caught Gabi’s over the hubbub of handshakes and back slaps, and she smiled, giving him a wry nod.  He’d found the perfect exit strategy and orchestrated his termination of duty with the precision of a maestro. 

Gabi, Kyle and Trish waited as the rest filed from the room in dribs and drabs. Concern and stress were most prominent in the Shape-shifters. They were the most peaceable of the supernatural races, so the most vulnerable and the most reliant on SMV protection.  Liam, Julius’s representative, nodded his head respectfully to Gabi as he passed. Gabi knew he would report back to Julius the moment he returned to the Estate, but the Vampires were more than capable of looking after themselves. It wouldn’t be of huge concern to Julius that the SMV was being dissolved in its current form. 

The Werewolves didn’t seem concerned either. They were stronger than ever, having successfully formed the Werewolf Alliance, which brought all the Packs together as joint protectors of the City. It wasn’t without its issues, but for the most part there was little infighting, and they would always present a united front to an outside enemy.  Together they were a formidable force. Gabi foresaw them as the face of the new protectors of the City. With Kyle at the helm, the City and her inhabitants would be well protected.  The only trouble would come when there was no outside threat and the Packs once again turned on each other.  Gabi hoped that Kyle would be the glue and the voice of reason that kept them all on track at those times. 

Derek, Trish’s brother, joined them then.  The slight limp that came with walking on an artificial leg was barely noticeable now.  Gabi could only detect it because she had known him long before he lost the lower part of his left leg.  He’d put on weight recently, bulked up, and boy, did it look good on the man.  He’d always been well muscled and toned when he worked on movie sets as lead stuntman, but his subsequent infection of Lycanthropy and the loss of the majority of his leg in a fight with a human madman had sent him off the rails for a while.  He hadn’t been looking after himself, and his face had taken on a gaunt, haunted appearance.  One that had worried all those who loved him.  And Gabi did love him, though not in the way he’d like her to. 

They’d had words several times since his Change to Werewolf status had allowed her to reveal her secret life to him.  He hadn’t been able to control his anger and jealousy over her relationship with Julius, and it had begun to affect their friendship regardless of how hard Gabi tried not to let it. 

A few months ago he’d taken on a job at the SMV, helping to train new Hunter recruits. His hands-on martial arts abilities had made him the perfect trainer, and his new employment had been a turning point.  Gradually he’d begun coming to terms with his new circumstances, and he’d found enjoyment and passion in life again.  Gabi studied him as he pulled his sister into a hug, hoping that the news of the SMV’s demise wouldn’t set him back again.  That was the last thing he needed right now. 

Astute to her emotions as always, Derek’s lip twitched in a wry smile, the tiny scar on his upper lip dancing with the movement.  “It’s okay,” he assured her. “I know I’ll find something else to do. I’ll be just fine, my two mother hens don’t need to worry.”  He kissed the top of Trish’s head, flinching away as she elbowed him in the ribs.  “Byron asked you guys to stay too?” he checked. 

Gabi and Kyle nodded. 

“Any ideas why?”

“Nope,” Gabi admitted. She couldn’t figure out what Byron would need to say to the four of them together.  Their questions were soon to be answered, though, as Byron said goodbye to the last of the stragglers and made his way over to them.  He folded Gabi into a quick hug and shook hands with Kyle and Derek, giving Trish a friendly smile.

“Thank you for hanging around,” he told them.  “I’m sorry about the cloak-and-dagger stuff and the shock announcement from earlier.  I wish there had been time to fill you all in before the meeting, but things just got away from me.” 

A grumble of reassurance ran through them, assuring him there was nothing to apologise for. 

“This,” he seemed to search for words for a moment, “may sound like a strange request, but I’ve been asked to facilitate a meeting between the four of you and someone who would like to make an apology to you.”  He held up a hand to forestall the questions about to assail him.  “I will let the person explain themselves, I just ask that you open your minds and hearts and hear them out.  That is all; the rest is up to you.” 

Gabi’s curiosity was piqued. It wasn’t like Byron to be so mysterious.

“Alright, we can do that,” Gabi agreed for all of them. 

Byron nodded and strode away to the far side of the room and opened a door, beckoning to someone on the other side. 

A woman walked through, wearing jeans and a floral blouse.  She was petite with fine, light brown hair and large, haunted hazel eyes.  Gabi almost didn’t recognise her; the last time she’d seen this woman she’d had a strawberry-blonde dye job and was half crazed with rage and fear.

“Kimberley?” Gabi asked, double-checking. She never thought she’d see the Shape-shifting Doppelganger again. 

The young woman hesitantly lifted her eyes to theirs as she approached, her nervousness practically palpable.

“Kimberley has recently returned from the respite.” Byron filled in the silence when Kimberley didn’t speak.  “She has been working hard on her emotional recovery and is still undergoing treatment, but she wanted to meet with you.  It is important to her.”  He turned to the woman.  “Would you like me to stay, or would you prefer to talk to them in private?” he asked her.

“Uh,” she began, then broke off to swallow.  “I think I’ve taken up enough of your time today, Byron.  Thank you, you’ve been very kind.  I’ll let you get back to your work.” 

He gave her an encouraging smile and patted her arm reassuringly before nodding to the others and turning to leave the conference room. Gabi thought she could detect a tiny note of pleading in the last look he’d given her.

Kimberley swallowed again, the muscles in her jaw working furiously and her fingers clenching and unclenching in front of her. 

Gabi narrowed her eyes, but held her tongue. She’d been prepared to hate this woman after what she’d done: introducing a psychopathic human to the world of Shape-shifters, Werewolves and other supernaturals, resulting directly in both Derek’s and Trish’s Change to Werewolf as well as numerous other deaths and Lycanthropy infections.  She’d sold her own kind out for what she’d thought was love, prepared to betray them all for a man who could never have loved her. 

Gabi could’ve brought to mind the misshapen creatures Jason had created or the corpse of the boy in the laboratory’s makeshift morgue, but instead, the image that sprang into her mind was Kimberley being interrogated by Irene and Margaret.  She’d begun with brass and bluster, but this soon gave way to a truer picture.  One of a woman taken in by a man’s charms and wiles and then held captive by his aggressive, abusive personality.  Trish had also once suffered at the hands of a physically and emotionally abusive boyfriend, so Gabi understood a little of that reality, making it hard to despise the Doppelganger.

“I-I want to apologise,” she stammered.  “I know I have wronged you all.  Two of you irreparably.” She glanced from Derek to Trish, and her eyes darted inadvertently to Derek’s left leg, though his artificial limb wasn’t visible beneath his trousers.  “I have no right to ask for your forgiveness, but I would like to tell you that I deeply, deeply regret my actions and the repercussions that followed because of them.”  She paused, obviously working herself up to finish her prepared speech, when Trish broke rank and rushed forward to gather the woman in a hug, shushing her.

“You don’t need to explain,” she told Kimberley.  “You made a mistake, but it wasn’t
your
actions that Changed us, it was Jason’s.  You are no more responsible for his transgressions than Derek is for Changing me.”