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"No Trillian? No Morio?" Menolly said, grinning.
"Not tonight. Trillian's back in OW, remember? And Morio… I opted out for the night." Camille gave her a hug, then reached for me. I held her tight and rubbed her back. "I'm too tired to think, let alone spread my legs," she added.
"I'm going to nap for a couple of hours," I said. "I'll be down in a bit," I told Menolly, who reached for her jacket. "Are you headed for the Wayfarer?"
She nodded. "Yeah, I'm on shift tonight. I'm leaving early, though, to catch a bite of supper before I get there."
Trying not to cringe, I shot her a wink. "Don't drink too much," I said. "And call if there's any problem. We'll have our cells with us."
As Menolly vanished out the door and we heard her Jag pull out of the driveway, Camille yawned.
Iris returned from the kitchen with a full and happy Maggie. "I took her outside, so she's done her business for the night. Are you girls turning in already? I thought we might have a game of Trivia Mania: Fae Facts." She shifted Maggie, who moophed at us twice, to one hip and held up a box.
It hadn't taken long after we came out of the Otherworld closet for consumerism to catch up, and now there was a host of games, outfits, action figures, and other merchandising capitalizing on our appearance. The Trivia Mania people actually took the time to talk to us in order to get their facts right. As a result, several of the more prominent Fae who'd settled Earthside and were rapidly becoming well-known figures in the community had given the game their seal of approval.
Camille gave me a look that said we were in for a late night and started clearing off the coffee table. Maggie took turns sitting on our laps. Her soft fur felt good against my hand as I stroked her head, scratching her between the ears, and her cinnamon-scented breath helped ease some of the tension out of my body. Even though I was tired, it was nice to take my mind off of murdered werepumas and the Hunters Moon Clan for a while.
The next night, everyone was fairly quiet on the drive out to the Puma Pride enclave. The day had been long, Camille hadn't heard back from Trillian yet, and we were all worried about Father and Aunt Rythwar. Menolly had learned nothing at the Wayfarer on her shift last night about the Hunters Moon Clan, Geph von Spynne, or Zachary Lyonnesse. And none of us were any closer to finding references to the Jansshi demons or how to kill them.
Chase had been short with me on the phone when I called him after lunch. He was working on a case that threatened to blow wide open. An OW dwarf had been murdered down near the Seattle docks. Chase confided in me that he was worried the Guardian Watchdogs had finally crossed the line from rhetoric into action. If so, the shit was about to hit the fan.
The Fae wouldn't stand by if they thought some self-righteous, paranoid bigots had gunned down one of their own. Chase didn't have much time to find the murderer and bring him to justice. And the OIA hadn't put in so much as a peep on the subject. My gut told me that we were on our own over here, Earthside.
Civil war in Otherworld, demons marching from the Sub Realms, and Earth hanging smack in the middle. What a delightful year it had turned out to be.
Camille drove, while Morio sat beside her. He was looking good. I liked Morio, though I didn't find him attractive in a sexual way. But today his shoulder-length long hair was sleeked back in a smooth ponytail, and his goatee and pencil moustache were neatly trimmed. He looked sleek but not effeminate.
"Everybody ready for this?" Camille asked.
"Yeah," I said, shifting in my seat. I'd worn a pair of leggings under a tunic that reached my upper thighs. A pair of soft leather boots laced up to my knees. Like the skirt and tunic Camille was wearing, my clothes were woven from spider-silk and would keep me warm and yet leave me free to glide through the undergrowth without a problem.
When we reached the junction leading to Elkins Road, Camille turned left. It was five thirty and already dark. The sun was setting around four thirty nowadays, well on its way toward the longest night of the year. Menolly relished winter, with its dark nights that seemed to stretch on forever, giving her extra time in which to walk the world.
As I used a pocket-sized flashlight to read the map that Zachary had given me, I glanced out the window. The moon had yet to rise, but I could still feel her there. Camille and I were bound to the pull of her tides, and I found myself dallying, wondering what the nights of the full moon must be like at the Puma Pride compound with everyone shifting. A sudden longing to be with others who understood what it was like to be twice-natured hit me, and Zachary's face appeared unbidden in my thoughts.
I let out a long sigh and stared ahead, suddenly feeling isolated. Attempting to return my focus to the map, I looked up to find Morio staring over his shoulder at me, a knowing look on his face. He, too, was a shapeshifter, though not a Were. But while he could understand on some levels, he wasn't at the mercy of the Moon and her monthly demands.
"There's the turnoff," Camille said, interrupting my thoughts. To the left side of the road twin posts buttressed a gate between them, and standing beside both posts were hefty men carrying shotguns. We pulled to a stop by the gate, and I jumped out of the backseat and approached the nearest.
"I'm Delilah D'Artigo, and these are my sisters. Zachary's expecting us," I said, wary of the arsenal they carried. The men didn't look friendly, and they were dressed in camouflage, which made me even more nervous. I'd brought my knife, but I didn't think it would do much good, especially against two burly bullet-wielding musclemen. Nope, especially when both of them were Supes.
They looked me over, then peered in the car. "Who's that?" the taller one sporting a buzz cut asked.
"Our friend, Morio. He's an Earthside Supe," I said. I thought they were going to pat me down, and I would have put up an unholy fuss if they did, but the man just grunted, then nodded me back into the car.
"Go through the gate and keep driving straight until you see the big house on the hill. Park in the driveway and knock on the front door. Don't go anywhere else without permission, you hear me? That goes for all of you," he added.
I blinked. Not so friendly, are we? I thought. Of course, they'd just had several murders in their Pride. It only made sense to be cautious.
"Got it," I said.
Camille gave them a slow smile, Menolly stared out the window, and Morio just kept his mouth shut. He wasn't much of a talker except when it came to Camille.
The guards stood back and let us through. Camille eased the car onto the dirt road, and we headed for the heart of the Rainier Puma Pride. My pulse raced when I thought about seeing Zachary again. I tried to visualize Chase's face to keep me grounded but couldn't ignore the feeling that Zach and I'd met for some reason. Some nexus point in fate had drawn the werepuma to me.
Along the road, other houses dotted the land. Some were small affairs—cottages really—while others were full double-decker farmhouses. How long had the Puma Pride made their home here? No doubt the cougars around the area found it a safe haven away from hunters and poachers.
Ahead, the road wound up a slope and to the right onto a dirt driveway, where several cars and trucks were parked. Camille eased into an open spot, and we turned our attention to the house that loomed over us. Three stories high, it was huge, a mansion really, and looked like it had been crafted by artisans rather than construction workers. The newel posts and railings leading up to the porch were hand-worked and freshly oiled. The door and walls were solid hardwood. As we sat there, staring at what seemed a palace totally out of place, Camille sucked in a deep breath.
