Cursed To Death

Kiagehul chuckled when two of the wolves swallowed hard while watching the carnal act unfold across the flames. “But in the interest of time, because it does appear the man has prowess, let us fast-forward to where things began to go wrong.”

“Yeah, let’s do that!” the Buchanan clan leader said in a low rumble, gaining sharp barks from his men.

A snap of Kiagehul’s fingers and the images shifted. “You let the second alpha in… making the assumption that he came in with a weapon drawn to kill the first alpha?”

“Yes, but your magick backfired!”

Kiagehul held up his hand and then slowly strolled in front of the flames with his hands now gracefully clasped behind his back. “To assume makes an ass out of you and me.” He let out a breath and snapped his fingers. “Before you call foul and blame my subcontractor for wrongdoing, let’s be clear about the facts. You let Hunter go upstairs. He went to the door. The prostitute was supposed to kill Shogun in his sleep, if the Shadow Wolf didn’t find him first. Her weapon of choice was to be a Lady Derringer, point-blank range, aimed at his skull when he did what all men do when they finish-went to sleep. Her out would have been that he got insanely aggressive, threatened her life, and it was a matter of self-defense… A rogue Were alpha male that had already had infection issues well-documented by the UCE.”

“Right-but he didn’t go to sleep before Hunter came,” another Werewolf argued. “Our man went up in the false wall and waited. Once Hunter blew Shogun away, we were go

Kiagehul nervously cleared his throat and glanced at his security guards. “Yes,” he added, coolly recovering. “But your man rushed the process-didn’t allow the two big dogs to be in the same space long enough to fight.”

“Look at your own recounting, man!” Buchanan’s nephew shouted, pointing at the flames. “Hunter was warning his brother of a setup! He was trying to get him out of there, told him to bring his men out, pronto! Our man heard that bullshit while hidden in the wall-we have better hearing as wolves, just like we can smell a deal gone bad!”

“And you rushed your hand, blowing away your own prostitute in a botched hit that snapped his men out of their euphoria and sent them to war against you instead of each other! That was not my doing!” Kiagehul paced away from the fireplace and flung open the door. “This meeting is adjourned.”

The four battle-ragged Werewolves transformed and went airborne. Bulky Gnomes carrying silver-bladed battle-axes rushed them. Kiagehul ended the dispute by extracting his wand and blowing out the heart of the leader in a black lightning bolt from the tip of his ancient instrument. The three other Werewolves backed off. In an instant Kiagehul spun, directing his wand toward the standing coats of armor to send silver-tipped lances into the Werewolves in a rapid-power fling.

Blood and gore coated his floor and his hands. His henchmen snarled through glistening Gnome smiles. Kiagehul wiped his sweaty hands down his robe and flung it off, to once again stand in his pristine, moss-green shirt.

“Your spell failed in part… They were right,” a disembodied voice murmured in a lethal tone from the shadows. “Hunter did not go to war with his brother over the female… And this is why I said wait. I cautioned patience, because, as your subcontractor, I know wolf behavior… But I also wanted to see if what I had paid dearly for in this collaboration would be delivered flawlessly.”

“We will redouble our efforts… I don’t understand why Hunter had restraint. What could have interfered with his loss of reason?” Kiagehul said, backing up until his spine hit the frame of the mantel.

“I don’t care what the cause was for the failure… I am due a young body along with immortality as payment for my contribution, just as the Buchanan Broussard clan was due their revenge. I am concerned that my needs may not be met, even after I have so dutifully assisted you.”

“Everything that you desire will be taken care of. If you’d like, you may have Sasha Trudeau’s.”

“You make grand bargains and grand plans… but so far, I have only seen botched attempts.” A long sigh hissed out, circling Kiagehul and making him follow the sound. “It was my mark that felled the two Phoenixes… my agility that entered the garden with a dark spell. Tell me, what have you done that has borne fruit?”

For a moment there was silence and then an icy sound that echoed as though someone had spat. “The Buchanan clan could have been a valuable ally in this region. It was therefore a waste of blood, and I told you how we students of The Art of War detest the waste of blood. Make sure, the next time we are forced to spill such a precious resource, it won’t be your own.”

CHAPTER 17

As they moved through the outer gates and into Sir Rodney’s Fae encampment, Sasha was struck by the eerie silence. Before, the evening air had been filled with merriment, the quaint village streets lined with squabbling vendors hawking their wares. Not tonight. It was as though someone had rolled up the sidewalks. Not a soul, save Gnome patrols and Fae archers, was out. Even the air seemed different. There was no iridescent shimmer to it. The trees were a dull, normal green, not the vibrant neon colors that one would expect to see in a Crayola crayon box.

Neat little houses had the shades and shutters tightly drawn. Their footfalls echoed as they crossed the town square and continued up a steep hill toward the castle. Huge Grif fin Dragons circled the towers, their ominous shapes casting dark shadows under the pale moonlight. Fatigue and pure disheartenment made Sasha’s shoulders slump. This wasn’t what anyone wanted-to live in fear.

Sasha glanced at Sir Rodney, identifying with the sadness in his forlorn expression. Complete dejection was etched across his handsome face and his normally merry eyes were clouded by weariness. Albeit his back was straight and his head held high, he squared his shoulders like a man carrying the weight of the world on them. The Midsummer’s Night Fae Ball was most likely ruined. Lives were at stake, lives had been lost… and all for what? Greed? Power?

Unicorn-riding guards parted as their small, discouraged entourage of weary soldiers approached. Even the second drawbridge seemed to be tired as its pulleys creaked and groaned, dropping the massive wood plank with a thud.

No one spoke. Sir Rodney simply used hand signals to wave alert guards out of the way. The quiet, though weighed with tension, was a blessing. It gave her a chance to think. Then again, thinking only set her nerves on edge… There would sure be hell to pay in the human community. There were bad guys to catch, twisted Weres to bring to justice… and some Vampire lairs to open to daylight-starting with the baron’s, on principle.

“Milord,” a gaunt servant said, bowing deeply upon Sir Rodney’s entrance into the castle courtyard. “We are pleased that you have arrived safely and recovered all of your guests.”

Sir Rodney nodded. “Rupert… These good people have been to hell and back. Some may even require medical attention.” He turned to Shogun’s men and then looked at Shogun.

“We are fine,” Seung Kwon said quickly, showing off his healing gashes. “If we eat, we’ll be restored by morning.”

Woods nodded. “Same here. That and some good, old-fashioned shut-eye.”

“Rest, perhaps even before food,” Bear Shadow said. His voice was a low rumble and his breaths dragged in and out of his chest as though he could sleep where he stood.

“Then allow these men to relax and recover,” Sir Rodney said, as more staff rushed over to accommodate his guests. “Food will be delivered to your rooms, baths drawn, fresh clothing provided… anything you require. That you have to be sheltered here against external adversaries is a complete travesty.”