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“It will simplify things, I believe,” Mordecai said. “Two places, rather than five. The thing is, we work because we all respect each other, but your mom and Nathan also trust me to know best about some things. You and Nick are going to have to give Gavin that trust as well. Some knowledge, you only get through the experiences of a long life.”
“But you’ve had relationships before, and Gavin hasn’t.”
“No, but he’s watched and analyzed them. He knows what makes relationships work and what makes them fail.”
Right, because he’s always known he’s different — incapable of the kind of emotion that leads to love. “Do you think his time with theSiabhra changed him so he can—” Lauren stopped because she’d been heading towards saying he hadn’t known how to love before, and now he did, and it sounded crass. It might be the truth, but some things shouldn’t be spoken out loud.
“He loves Zander as a kind of father figure, and has for nearly as long as I’ve known him.”
“How long have you known him?”
“When vampires come into their power, I make a point of learning about them and their top people. Gavin came onto my radar shortly after he joined up with Zander.”
“I used to wonder how you could think of someone by a different name, over and over, but seeing how Abbott morphed into Zander, I think I get it now.”
“It wasn’t always so. Two hundred years ago, one could move a thousand miles away and keep the same name, personality, and moveable assets. Vampires mostly kept to the shadows to start with, and without the requirements of birth certificates and government registration numbers, changing identities was much simpler.” Mordecai kissed the top of her head. “You should get that shower and go to sleep. I’ll take my leave now.”
“I thought you weren’t supposed to just be able to appear in the coterie house?”
“I can’t, but I created an exception in your suite and in two other places. No one but me will be able to, though, and that includes your mother. Let’s keep it our little secret, shall we?”
He left, and Lauren got a quick shower, sent a mass text out to her people to schedule a meeting later in the day, and fell into bed, exhausted.
Chapter 33
Pain infused every cell of Gavin’s body, and he once again breathed through the agony. There was nothing to do except endure it, so he stayed put until the torment dissipated, and then he exited into his suite and scanned Queenie’s memories to see what’d happened while he’d been dead to the world.
Nick and Lauren hadn’t left her suite yet, and the other shapeshifters who were taken and returned were all either asleep in a large bunkroom in the bowels of the underground, or were sitting in a side room with Ambrose and Ellania while some of Gavin’s largest guards stood at the doors. Queenie was doing everything she could to make them all feel safe, and he approved.
Seven of those taken were more stressed than the others, still jumping at imagined noises, and he looked in their heads to find their comfort foods. He then telepathed his cook to provide a buffet of those items and a few other things, enough for fifty shapeshifters.
While he dressed, he checked in with his control room for a status update of all his properties, and discovered a fight had broken out in one of his restaurants. He picked the phone up and made a call to the wolf alpha.
“Is there a problem?” Gavin asked him as soon as the call connected, before the Alpha had a chance to speak.
“There was. The miscreants are being punished. I’ve put the word out to my chief gossipmongers that you were able to engage several gods and demigods to recover our friends who were taken to another realm, and I’m assuring them you’re doing all you can to get the other six back.”
Gavin sighed. “I have no idea where they are. My blood connection to them isn’t triggering. If any of your wolves are bound to one or more of them, I’d like to see if I can use that connection to help find them. It can’t work unless they’ve been returned to this realm, and even then, it might not if they’re on another continent, but it’s worth it to try.”
“I can send two of my wolves to you. When will their arrival be convenient?”
Gavin sighed. “I know it’s impolitic to do so, but I’d like to request you allow those involved in the melee to assist in the repairs to the restaurant, rather than punishing them in the usual ways. We all act a little stupid when the person we love is missing, with no way to find them.”
“I’ve already beat the hell out of them and taken away contact with their wolf, so that option is no longer available.”
“As is your right.” He sighed. “Whenever you can get the two here will work. Please alert Queenie once you have an ETA.”
“I can drive them up now. We’re thirty to forty minutes away, and it’ll take me approximately ten minutes tochangethem to wolf and back a few times. They can eat in the car.”
Needing tochangethem back and forth ‘a few times’ meant there were likely broken bones to heal. At least he was going to allow them thechangesnecessary to heal, rather than throwing their broken bodies into the back of a van and transporting them as they were.
All supernatural leaders have to be a bit brutal to properly lead, and the wolves were more ruthless than most.
“A quick text to Queenie once you’re on the way will be appreciated. Will your wolves be able to handle the walk from the gate, or should I send a car to pick the three of you up?”
“They’ll be able to walk by the time we arrive, but thank you for the offer.”
Gavin debated who he should contact for more information and decided Nathan, in his role as part-owner of Drake Security, was probably the safest bet. He considered how best to approach him, and texted,I would appreciate an update, when you have the time.
