The Dark-Hunters (237 page)

Bride thanked her, then Vane took her around the room and introduced her to lions, tigers, bears, hawks, jackals, and leopards. Even a couple of humans were there.

Nicolette was right. She couldn’t keep straight who was who or what. Since there were only a handful of women, most of them mates for the men, they were easier to remember. But the men … it was enough to make her head spin.

“Where’s Fang?” she asked as Vane finished introducing her to the people in the kitchen.

“He’s upstairs. C’mon and I’ll introduce you to him next.”

Vane led her through a door that opened out into a grand Victorian parlor.

Bride paused at the sight of it. Plush and decorated with antiques, the house was stunning.

“This is Peltier House,” Vane explained. “The Were-Hunters live on this side of things where we’re safe from discovery.”

“It’s beautiful.”

“Merci,”
Nicolette said from behind them. “It has been our home for more than a century now. It is our goal to keep it so.”

“How can you do that without anyone finding out who and what you are?”

“We have our ways,
chérie,
” she said with a wink. “Magic does have its benefits.” She handed Vane a small votive candle.

Vane saw that the glass container had the name “Anya” engraved on it. His heart ached at the sight of it.

“We always remember our loved ones who are gone,” Nicolette explained. “Since Fang cannot honor Anya, I thought you might want to.”

Vane couldn’t speak past the sad lump in his throat as Nicolette led him and Bride into a side room where four candle stands were set. The light from the candles flickered like diamonds against the dark green walls.

“There are so many,” Bride said, awed by the number of names.

“We live a long time,” Nicolette said. “And we are at war. The Katagaria against the Arcadians, the Dark-Hunters against the Daimons. The Apollites against everyone. In the end, all we have are memories.”

She indicated two candles that were set up on the wall. “Those are for my sons. Bastien and Gilbert.” A tear slid down her cheek. “It is in their honor that Sanctuary was founded. I vowed that no mother, no matter if she is human, Apollite, Katagaria, or Arcadian, would ever know my grief so long as her child was housed here underneath my roof.”

“I’m so sorry, Nicolette.”

The bear sniffed and patted her arm. “I appreciate your words, Bride. It is for you that I am renouncing Vane’s banishment.”

Vane looked stunned.

“It is my wedding present,” Nicolette said. “You have no pack to protect her with and, as Acheron says, you have paid a high enough price for your kindness. You protected Sunshine for the Dark-Hunters and so we protect you and your mate.”

“Thank you, Nicolette,” Vane said. “Thank you.”

Nicolette inclined her head, then excused herself.

Vane lit the candle, then placed it next to the one for Colt’s mother. His hand lingered on the glass. By his expression, Bride could tell he was remembering his sister. That he was grieving horribly for her.

His eyes were bright and shiny as he watched the candle flicker. After a moment, he glanced to her.

“Come,” he said, taking Bride’s hand. “It’s time to meet my brother.”

Bride followed him out of the room and up the staircase.

As they passed the first room, a man stepped out whom Bride actually recognized. “Carson?”

He looked as shocked by her presence as she felt for his.

“Bride? What are you doing…” His voice trailed off as he sniffed the air. His eyes widened. “You’re one of us?”

“Us?”

“Carson is a hawk,” Vane explained.

“No way!”

Carson nodded. “I’m the resident veterinarian and doctor here at Sanctuary.” He opened the door to the room he was leaving to show her a state-of-the-art examination room that was complete with some of the cages Vane had mentioned.

“I can’t believe it,” Bride said as she stared at Carson. She’d known him for years now.

“Neither can I,” he said. He looked at Vane. “I suppose congratulations are in order. You do know what her father does for a living, right?”

“Yes. Neuter King.”

Carson drew his breath in between his teeth. “You do have guts, wolf. Lots and lots of them.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Well, I suppose you were on your way to Fang’s room. I’ll see you two downstairs.”

Vane took her to the next room, which was a bedroom.

Bride half-expected to see a man on the bed and was a bit surprised to find a brown timber wolf there. There was also another extremely attractive blond woman, who could have been Nicolette’s younger sister.

Vane introduced her to Nicolette’s daughter, Aimee, who quickly excused herself to leave them alone with Fang.

Vane released Bride’s hand as he closed the distance and knelt down on the opposite side of the bed where Fang was facing. “Hey, little brother,” he said quietly. “I brought someone here I wanted you to meet. Bride?”

She joined him.

The wolf didn’t budge.

“Hi, Fang,” Bride said. She looked at Vane. “Can I touch him?”

“If you want.”

She placed her hand on his head and rubbed him behind his ears. “It’s nice meeting you finally. Vane’s told me a lot about you.”

Still, he didn’t move.

Bride wanted to cry for them both. She could feel how much it hurt Vane that his brother wouldn’t acknowledge them.

“I guess I’ll take you back downstairs,” Vane said sadly.

“It’s okay. We can stay for a while. I don’t mind.”

“You sure?”

She nodded.

“Okay, let me go get us something to drink and I’ll be right back.”

“Wait,” she said before he could poof out on her. “Is there a bathroom around?”

“There’s one in Carson’s office.”

“Good.”

Vane flashed out of the room. Bride left to take care of her business.

As she left the bathroom, she noticed that Carson’s office had a two-way mirror that looked into Fang’s room.

But that wasn’t what made her heart stop.

Standing in Fang’s room was Bryani.

Chapter 13

Vane was behind the bar getting Cokes for himself and Bride while Colt razzed him.

“Now aren’t you glad I sent you back to her?”

“Shut up, Colt.”

“C’mon, wolf. I know you hate it. Say ‘Thank you, Colt.’”

“I’d rather stick…” Vane’s voice trailed off as something bright flashed onto the dance floor. At first he thought it was someone else joining the party until he realized the “human” couldn’t stay in human form. He kept flashing from human to wolf and back.

He also recognized him.

It was Stefan.

Vane put the drinks down and leaped over the bar. He ran across the room to the wolf.

“Easy,” Carson was saying as he laid the injured wolf against the concrete floor. “Can you stay in your base form?”

“Warn … Vane.”

Vane grabbed Stefan and used his powers to keep him human. “Warn me about what?”

Stefan was a bloodied mess. Someone had beaten him one step away from death. It was amazing the wolf was still alive. “Your … mother…”

“Don’t talk,” he told Stefan. “Think it.”

Stefan leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

“She and her Sentinels killed Petra and Aloysius,”
Stefan said in Vane’s head.
“I didn’t want to die. I made a pact with her that if she let me live, I would bring her here to kill you and Fang.”

Vane ground his teeth at that, but didn’t do anything to interrupt.

“She was supposed to let me go. Instead when she learned Fang was in Sanctuary, she turned on me. She’s coming, Vane. She may already be here.”

“Whoa!” Kyle’s voice rang out from the doorway that led to Peltier House. “Everyone, come quick. Vane’s little human mate is having a major smack down with some wolf chick upstairs. And she’s winning!”

*   *   *

Bride was terrified. Her heart hammered, but even so she wasn’t about to just stand there and let Bryani kill Fang.

She probably should have called Vane, but she wanted this over.

And she knew how to end it.

She hoped.

Bride threw open the door to Fang’s room.

Bryani turned on her with a snarl. “Stay out of this. It’s not your concern.”

“Yes it is. You hurt my mate, you hurt me, and I’m not going to let you do it.”

“I don’t want to hurt you, Bride.”

“Then leave.”

Bryani threw her hand out and slammed her back into the wall. Bride’s back throbbed at the impact, but it did nothing to loosen her resolve.

Bryani turned back to Fang and reached for him.

Bride grabbed the ladder-back chair and brought it down across the other woman’s back. Bryani fell to her knees, then tried to blast her with her hand again.

Before she could, Bride shot her with a tranquilizer that she had grabbed in the examination room.

Bryani screamed and rushed her. They went slamming into the dresser.

“I’m really too old to fight,” Bride said between clenched teeth. “And so are you!”

Bryani staggered back as the drug began to take effect. She used her powers to hit Bride with the lamp, but it fell to the floor before it could reach her. “What did you do to me?”

“I drugged you.”

Three seconds later, Bryani was sprawled out on the floor.

Bride went over to her and rolled her onto her back. Bryani’s eyes were wide open and the woman stared up at her. Satisfied she had her tamed for a minute, Bride seized her mother-in-law and dragged her into the next room, where she locked her into a cage. There was a red switch at the top that said “lock.” Bride flipped it and hoped that would somehow keep Bryani from using her powers against her.

“There now,” she said as she watched Bryani carefully. “I’m going to get Carson in a minute because I’m not sure if I gave you the right dosage. Believe it or not, I don’t want to kill you. But please notice that I said I don’t
want
to kill you. It doesn’t mean I won’t.”

Bryani’s hand moved.

Then again, it was just as likely Bride hadn’t given her enough, which is why she’d locked her in the cage.

“Look, Bryani, I’m really sorry for what happened to you. I am, and I understand why you hate Vane’s father. You have every right to. But that is between the two of you. It has nothing to do with Vane or Fang or Fury. They are
your
children.”

“They need to die,” Bryani gasped, letting Bride know she really hadn’t used enough tranquilizer. “They’re animals.”

“Have you looked in the mirror?” she asked her. “Animals eat their young for no reason. Vane didn’t try to kill you for taking me. He left you and your village alone. You’re the one dancing through time to kill someone who has never done anything to hurt you. My God, you beat Fury, your own flesh and blood, and left him to die. How is that humane? Stop lying to yourself. You’re not human, either, Bryani. Or maybe you are. God knows, humans have committed some of the most atrocious crimes imaginable against each other.

“Animals, like Fury said, only kill to protect and to eat. They’re loyal to those they love. My heart was ripped out of my chest and stomped into the ground by a human. And it was Vane who came along and made me feel happy again. He picked my heart up and he cradled it carefully in his hands. I know he would never hurt me, not like that.”

Bride’s eyes teared up as she realized just how much she really did love her mate. “I guess if I have to choose between a human and an animal, I’m going with the animal. So be warned, Bryani. If you
ever
threaten Vane or his brothers again, I’m going to show you just how human I am. I will don my camouflage, hunt you down, and skin you while you scream. Do you understand me?”

A massive cheer rang out from behind Bride, startling her. Turning around, she saw the whole Peltier clan plus some others crowded in and around the doorway.

But it was Vane who held her attention. The proud look on his face made her entire body hot.

“Damn, Vane, you got a hell of a mate there,” one of the Peltier quads said.

Bryani lunged at Bride. Her arm reached out from the cage as she tried to grab her. “You can’t stop me,
human.
”

“No, but I can.”

Bride stepped aside as Acheron walked through the crowd to stand before Bryani.

He crouched down near the cage and held her gaze with his. “I’m going to take you home, Bryani, and I’m going to make sure that you can never leave your time frame again. No more piggyback rides with anyone else.”

Bryani gave him a sullen look.

“No,” Ash said as if he could read her mind. “Alastor won’t help again. Your contract is nullified.”

“You can’t do that,” she growled. “He’s not free until all of
them
have met their mates.”

Ash gave her a taunting half-smile. “You should hang around the gods more often, Bryani. They’ve tutored me well on loophole laws. You see, all of your sons
have
met their mates. They just don’t know it yet.”

“Excuse me?” Fury asked.

Ash ignored him. “Alastor is free of you, and for fear of my retribution, he won’t enter into any new agreements with you.”

“What about
my
retribution?” Bryani shrieked as she rattled the bars of her cage. “Where is
my
justice?”

Ash stood up and sighed wearily. “I’ll tell you what. How about this for a bargain? You return to your time period and make sure Dare remains where he is, and I’ll give you the one thing you want most in life.”

Bryani cocked her head as she contemplated the Atlantean. “You swear it?”

“Yes, I do.”

She made a gesture from her heart to her lips. “It’s a deal. Now let me out of this cage so that I can enact my revenge.”

Ash shook his head. “I’m not going to let you kill your sons, Bryani.”

“But you said—”

“Your fondest wish has nothing to do with them. I’m sending you home now, and I promise you, by nightfall you’ll be a happy woman.”

Bryani vanished out of the cage.

“What are you going to do to her?” Fury asked.