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Leif was sitting on a blanket near the hot springs with his eyes closed. So lost in his own thoughts he didn’t realize he had company.
“We need to talk,” I finally said.
He peeled an eye open and grinned. “Yes, I’ve been waiting for you to come around.”
“No,” I rumbled. His reaction was completely expected but no less infuriating. “The humans recorded what you’ve done. They’re watching you all over the world. And they’re all calling you by the same title.”
“King?”
“Hardly. Try monster.” The word applied to me too. “They have much more sophisticated equipment than you can imagine to track you down. It’s only a matter of time before they catch you.”
“Yet I still manage to kill them.”
“Listen, I’m the only creature on this earth that’s willing to help you. And as your own blood, I wonder why the hell I’m doing this.” I slammed my fist against the table. “I’ve lived peacefully among humans for centuries. You’re putting everything at stake.”
“You don’t have anything to worry about with the Sempiternal Scepter in your possession.”
“Don’t tell me you did anything.”
“I wish I could. I can certainly feel its presence. But I can’t find the damned thing anywhere in this mountain.”
“Good. I plan to keep it that way.” As expected, making headway with my brother would be like shoveling with a spoon. I needed to change the subject to something we had in common. “What do you know about Armand’s operation?”
“What do you want to know?”
I had to play my hand carefully. Make it sound like I had information that my brother didn’t. I was missing the forums. It was amazing how the fans seemed to know things, even when they weren’t in Sunset Springs. Reading the messages had made me feel like I was a part of excitement, even when I was stuck inside HQ. Now I was in the midst of my own episode and I felt even more cut off.
Was I ready to abandon this mountain? No. My brother would think I’d ceded it to him. But I might be ready for something different, as soon as I could lay the monsters from my past to rest for good.
“I want to know about the blood,” I said. “If he’s holding humans hostage to get it. And if you’ve given him any of those hunters.”
“Not sure how long he’s keeping them, as they’re only useful for a limited amount of time. But he’s got a bunker in one of the foothills. He’s turning it into his apothecary. I hate to say it, but the wolf is a genius. He understands modern life in a way that I’m not sure many of its everyday citizens do. Once he has the money he needs, he’ll have the finest machinery available. Access to healers. It’s an impressive plan.”
“What do you have to do with it?”
“All I’ve done is provide bodies so far. But we’ve made a deal, and it would benefit you to listen to it.”
“No.” I leaned forward. “He needs to be stopped before he destroys everything. And you’re going to help me do it.”
“Or?”
“I turn you into the human authorities, and let them decide your fate.”
“You wouldn’t turn your back on your brother.” He grinned at me, but even he couldn’t hide the fact that he was scared. His eyes were wide, and panicked energy rolled off him.
“It’s something I should’ve done long ago. Now, I need you to answer some questions.”
“If I must.” He still feigned amusement. I hadn’t forgotten how maddening dealing with Leif could be, but time had made patience harder to come by.
“Where’s the bunker?” My first order of business was to make sure Leif didn’t plan to turn his back on me. He wasn’t here out of loyalty. No, my brother was far more cunning than that. He wanted something.
“It’s in the foothills, near the human road.” So he was willing to work with me. Good.
“Near town? Deep in the mountains? Does it have any specific markings?”
He considered my question for a moment. “It’s on modern wolf land. Close to town.”
“Bade and Cardell have been spending time with two human women—”
