The Brotherhood Read online

  All of these thoughts revolved through a glass door built of regret and simmering resentment as I paused at the entry to the kitchen. Quaid’s broad back was to me, hands busy with the coffee maker, the scent of fresh brew drifting through the sunlit space toward me. I forced all spinning contemplation from my mind as I leaned against the wall and just watched him a minute. He looked relaxed at least, dark head down, shaggy curls winding behind one ear as he tucked the overgrown locks with one big hand. I loved the way his black t-shirt tugged tight between his shoulder blades, how his jeans cupped his well-shaped behind just so. The peeking deliciousness of his bare feet below the frayed hem. Even his toes were perma-tanned, the soft, almost coppery glow of his skin reminding me of sun and summer and happiness.

  Quaid turned as if sensing me watching him, deep chocolate eyes meeting mine. A half smile curved his wide mouth, the sexiest smile I’d ever seen. My whole body released its tension at the sight of that smile, the way sparks fired in his gaze as his lips parted, chest expanding when he drew breath to speak.

  “Quaid!” Tippy bounced into the room, brushing past me, her rounded assets leading the way. I watched his gaze flicker to her endowments before his smile faded to a tight, patient grin.

  “Hi, Tippy.” He turned from me, spoon chattering inside his mug as he stirred the honey he always poured into his java. My jaw jumped, a burst of fury at the interruption startling me so much I took a half step back, hands clenched together behind me.

  Tippy’s voice rattled on as she leaned against the counter beside him, but I didn’t hear a word she said. Quaid’s murmuring response reached me, too, even as I clenched up inside against the need to toss the redhead out the kitchen door on her well-rounded ass.

  Do not let her muscle her way in. Sassafras’s tone was icy, making me shiver, breaking through my anger I now realized was mostly fed by my demon. Though Shaylee and my vampire were both immensely miffed, if their stiff silence and dislike were any indication. You and Quaid need to work this out, Syd.

  Thanks for the marriage advice, Dr. Cat, I sent, more sharply than I intended.

  You’re welcome, he snapped back. Now get your behind in there and chase her off.

  Sass was right. This was ridiculous. After all, Tippy was a flirt with everyone, including attractive women. I watched my uncle’s undead wife and former queen of the Wilhelm vampire blood clan retreat in vague horror from the redhead only last night. It was funny then to see Sunny react that way, but not so much now.

  Before I could stop myself, I squashed my anger and forced a smile on my face, crossing over from the hardwood of the hall to the tile in the kitchen. Both Quaid and Tippy looked over to me as I did, as though I’d rung a bell just by making that simple decision.

  “Thank you so much for all your help this afternoon.” I went to her and hugged her, turning her away from Quaid. He grinned at me over the rim of his coffee, the smartass. I couldn’t help but grin back.

  Tippy blushed and hugged me with great enthusiasm. “You’re so welcome, Syd.” She let me go, blinking moisture from her eyes. “We’re all just so happy to be here. To help.”

  My anger vanished in a puff of smoke. Even my demon grumbled her guilt. Tippy was Tippy, and I’d never change her. She meant nothing by her flirting, I could feel it in her power now linked to mine. I really needed to get over myself.

  I guided her to the door. “Go have some fun, would you?” Her hand squeezed back as I grasped hers.

  Her eyes flickered to Quaid then back to me. The broad wink she shared was all Tippy.

  “Have a nice afternoon, you two.” She blew me a kiss, one for Sassafras, then left in a flurry of red curls and soft, sunny perfume.

  I leaned my back against the door and let out a giant gust of air. Quaid’s grin grew in size, though he didn’t move toward me, sipping still from his mug. “World’s Greatest Dad.” I thought of our kids and smiled back.

  “She’s a handful,” he said in his deep voice, without malice.

  “And a huge help.” I pushed off the door and crossed to him. Symbolic of my willingness to move past our division? “I don’t know what I’d do without the girls.” His mug was hot as I liberated it from him, sampled the sweetness and handed it back. He remained relaxed, an excellent sign. Maybe we were both over the mess. That would be awesome. I’d been sleeping alone these past few nights and I didn’t like that state of affairs even a little bit.

  “What did I miss?” He tilted his head to one side, brow furrowing a touch.

  I quickly filled him in on Sonja’s visit. Quaid’s scowl deepened, shoulders tightening as he set down his mug.

  “You should have told me,” he said.

  Oh boy. Here we went again. But I refused to let this happen, not when we’d finally found the old place we used to be.

  “I tried,” I said, as softly and gently as I could. “You were cut off from me.”

  His anger solidified, then flashed to guilt, though his temper didn’t go away completely. “Training,” he said, gruff, deep.

  “It’s okay,” I said. “I dealt with it.”

  “It doesn’t sound like you did.” Quaid’s attitude sent sparks up my spine. What the hell was his problem? I wanted him here to help and he was—

  Deep breaths, Syd.

  “You don’t think Gabriel deserves to make the choice?” I forced myself to stand as still as I could, proud I held my temper while my husband’s seemed to feed from his guilt.

  Quaid didn’t answer me, turning away, arms crossing over his chest, head down. I knew that look, that stance. He’d shut himself off from me, from listening. I hated it when he did that, but there was no way to reach him. Except yelling.

  Why did he want to fight all of a sudden? My vampire’s cool calm helped keep me grounded while my demon warred with her, wanting to beat some sense into him. Shaylee just turned away, her sadness the most troubling of all.

  I reached out and touched his arm, barely brushing the bare skin with my fingertips. He jumped a fraction, arms releasing at least, if his demeanor remained shut down.

  “How are things with the Council?” Maybe if I steered the conversation toward work…

  Quaid sighed deeply, scowl easing. The storm cloud of impeding battle began to break up. Will wonders never cease.

  “Busy,” he said, rubbing one large hand over his face. He still didn’t meet my eyes, but he seemed less ready to turn everything into an argument. I caught sight of Sassafras perched on the kitchen table, watching us. I’d forgotten he was there. Part of me wanted to shoo him away, and part of me was grateful he stayed. Not that the demon cat would have been able to diffuse a fight if it started, but his presence just felt like support even if Sass had his own agenda.

  “Any news about the werewolves?” It had been such a short time since the death of Queen Yana Moreau and the forced birth of her daughter. King Danilo, brother of my werefriend, Charlotte, and ruler of the werenation, had taken his wife’s death hard, not that I blamed him a bit. But his unreasonable resurgence of hatred for vampires was troubling. The disappearance of the Wilhelm Blood Clan, along with their leader, Piotr, bothered me in two ways. I wanted Piotr to stand trial for his role in Yana’s death. When his family vanished, that chance went with him.

  But worse, their loss just reminded me of the damage to the spirit magic on our plane. And, for all I knew, on all planes, thanks to the disappearance of Creator’s heart from the statue of her physical form still hidden under the Stronghold. My dear friend and DeWinter vampire king, Sebastain, and my former bestie turned undead ghost something, Alison, were the first to go missing. The Empress of vampires, Moa, gave me the impression more had vanished than just the two blood clans I knew of. Which just added to the weight of pressure I carried to find and replace the missing pieces of Creator before it was too late.

  Quaid shrugged, hands digging into his jean pockets. “Femke has her eye on Danilo,” he said. And stopped. I waited for more, but when he didn’t go on I sigh
ed, temper finally winning through. He turned to meet my eyes, his own hooded and dark. The need to fight it out still bubbled in his gaze.

  “Thanks for keeping me posted, Enforcer Leader.” Syd. Oh, Syd. Really? You’re going to give in to your temper now?

  Quaid almost seemed relieved as he turned toward me, anger snapping around him in visible sparks. “If it was any of your business, Coven Leader,” he snapped, “Femke would keep you posted.”

  Oh no, he did not. “That’s not fair,” I said. “Not even a little. You know how important it is, Quaid.”

  He rolled his shoulders in a shrug. “Then go fix it,” he said, pushing off and turning from me, heading for the hall and the interior of the house. “That’s what you’re good at, isn’t it?”

  I stood there and watched him go, anger dribbling away, leaving sadness behind. I hitched a breath, refusing to cry over that bastard. He knew how to hurt me, sure did. Funny how the ones we loved were the best equipped to do the most damage with the least amount of effort.

  “Syd.” Sass’s amber eyes flared, tail thrashing. “I’ll talk to him.”

  I shook my head, spinning to look out the kitchen window, tears burning though I refused to let them out. “He’s right,” I said finally, voice shaky despite my massive effort to the contrary. “I’ll go ask Femke.”

  Sass’s sigh was so heavy I turned back, managed a smile.

  “What am I going to do with you two?” He hopped down from the table and sashayed his silver butt out of the kitchen, going after Quaid no matter what I said.

  Let him. I sagged against the counter, lower lip aching between my teeth as I bit hard enough to hurt. We just needed a little more time, that was all. For Quaid to get used to his new role. For me to figure out how to let go of hurt and not let it bother me so very much.

  We’d work it out. I just hoped it happened sooner rather than later. I’d spent too many years longing for him, thinking at last I had my happy ending, for it to fall apart now.

  ***

  Chapter Three

  The smell of coffee finally lured me out of my sadness, the distraction welcome from my worries about Quaid and me. I had only just turned to pour myself a cup, deliberately looking away from his half empty mug so I wouldn’t be reminded of the last few minutes, when Mom’s magic gently touched mine.

  Sweetheart, she sent.

  Hey, Mom. I had to clench against the need to gush everything at her. Funny, no matter how old I grew I think I’d always have this kind of reaction. She was my mother, after all. The one I could turn to when I needed emotional support the most. I could be an all-powerful, immortal and near invincible being all I wanted. But, in the end, I was still Miriam Hayle’s little girl.

  She went on before I could make a total fool of myself and start sobbing about Quaid, thank the elements. Are you all right? Leave it to her to sense something was wrong. But her question helped, oddly. I deflected my concerns over my marriage to other issues weighing me down.

  The usual, I sent, letting some sarcasm through my magic as I leaned against the counter with my hot coffee in one hand. The pieces of Creator are still missing or in the control of our enemies, my son can’t seem to open Gates anymore, my second ran off to her sister without notice and, to top it off, the creature attacks in the veil seem to have started up again. Poor Max and the drach were busy cleaning up messes left behind by the critters who made it through the barrier between Universes. We’d spent years picking off groups of invading species during what I now privately called Pre-Massacre. But the attacks had vanished after the Brotherhood assault and Creator’s heart went missing. The moment Max and I lost the hand of Creator to my former friend and betrayer, Trill Zornov, all crap broke loose and the insurgence of unfriendly species from the Dark Universe had begun all over again.

  I needed to be with Max and his people, helping them. That was the biggest frustration on my plate. But Shenka’s ill-timed departure left me with an uncertain coven. Yes, my college friends were fabulous about filling in, but the family needed reassurance, especially after everything we’d been through with the decimation of the witch population. I couldn’t just leave them, not until I had a coven approved second in command I trusted to take care of everything.

  Mom’s concern came through loud and clear, the newly born Council power humming with sympathy. How different it felt from the ancient, weighty magic the North American Council used to possess. Though the theft of the power by the Brotherhood was a huge loss, I rather liked this fresh, enthusiastic young magic now representing all North American witches.

  Silver linings.

  Gabriel is doing his best. Mom’s tone didn’t chide me, but as his grandmother I knew she wanted to protect him. Still, she was a Hayle witch and a Council Leader and knew the stakes as well as I did.

  I know, Mom, I sent, staring down into my mug as I thought of my darling boy, only seven years old, and how much pressure he carried on his slim shoulders for one so young and sweet natured. I’m not blaming him. He had a big scare. We all did. I shivered slightly at the memory of the Order, the massive, armored force that was Dark Brother’s army, marching toward the Gate Gabriel created to the other Universe. Fortunately, we’d been able to shut it down.

  Okay, who was I kidding? Gabriel shut it down. Max and I had been useless. But the understanding of what waited for us—a gigantic, powerful force even the drach leader was afraid of, ready, willing and able to conquer our Universe—still gave me nightmares. So I could only imagine what Gabriel was feeling. He and his sister, Ethie, had been living almost full time at Harvard with Mom and Dad the last few days. I felt safer knowing they were surrounded by Enforcers, and that Mom was there to watch over them both. Guilt at being a terrible mother warred with the need to keep them out of harm’s way but there was no one I trusted more to protect my children than my mom.

  Are you and Max still working on other options? Now the Council Leader showed in her crisp tone, her professional manner.

  Absolutely, I sent, embracing my own role like an old teddy bear. If we’re correct that we’re being tracked when we hunt the pieces, we should be able to lay a false trail and lure the others into a trap we’re ready to snap shut. It was the only explanation I had for how both the Brotherhood leader, Liander Belaisle, and Trill had figured out where Max and I went to recover the hand of Creator. They had to be tracking us somehow. And I was determined to use that against them before looking again in earnest. So it was probably a good thing Gabriel couldn’t use his power at the moment. According to the dark maji, Trinol, having access to my son meant our side had the upper hand in finding Creator’s lost parts and reassembling her.

  I only hoped we could finish in time. With the damage done to the spirit magic of our Universe, we’d already lost several vampire blood clans. Who knew what other harm was happening around the veil? I’d been witness personally to the sudden and complete loss of an entire plane’s population, watched as that plane collapsed and was absorbed into the veil. The thought of such a thing happening here, on my plane, wasn’t something I wanted to contemplate.

  I have faith the two of you will figure it out, Mom sent, though there was curiosity in her voice, and the barest hint of worry.

  I’ll be over later to see you and the kids, I sent. I missed them suddenly, with an almost raving hunger. So hard to balance the coven leader with the maji and the mother and wife… there were times I still craved a normal life, if only for the freedom to focus completely on my family.

  Actually, Mom sent, slightly hesitant and with the same worry I realized had nothing to do with the bigger picture, I was hoping you’d be busy for the day.

  Doing what? I hated that I tensed in anticipation of the answer. Though if Mom was asking for help with something, could I say no?

  The kitchen door opened, four women filing through with grins on their faces. Tippy bounced in last, helping herself to a seat while Nicci tossed her dirty blonde bangs from her forehead and made a beeline for the co
ffee pot. I had a sneaking suspicion Mom was in on their sudden and grinning arrival, but gave her the benefit of the doubt.

  I want to do a full tour of the covens, Mom sent. I caught a flash of her in her office, hands sliding over the pages in front of her, the dark wood making the scene gloomy, though sunlight shone on her from the window to her right. Like a courtesy call, of sorts.

  Giving you the chance to check in and make sure everyone is doing okay. I caught myself nodding, shoved aside with a hip bump as Nicci began pouring coffee into four mugs. She wrinkled her nose at me, freckles dancing, eyes shining with mischief.

  Definitely in on it.

  Exactly. Mom’s image vanished as she closed up a little. I’ve already contacted a few of the covens, but I’m realizing just how worried they still are, Syd. I caught myself nodding to her, though she wasn’t in the room. The Shadow Council makes more sense to me now that I’ve been in personal contact with some of the coven leaders. Shortly after the Brotherhood fled with the Council’s power, disappearing like rats in a sewer, I’d been approached by the collective leaders of the North American covens and asked to represent them in an alternate Council, as a watchdog for the powers that be. Considering the rough and rocky track record we’d had over the last decade and a half, I hardly blamed them. Mom hadn’t been happy at first, especially when I failed to tell her personally, but she’d come around. Not much had come from the Shadow Council as of yet save for assistance to the covens from Steam Union sorcerers to teach them to use their sorcery for protection against the Brotherhood. Still, I was glad Mom understood how important the confidence and focus of the coven leaders really was.

  We’d spent so many centuries in self-satisfied complacency as a race, pretending to protect ourselves by burying our heads in the sand. It had taken tragedy after mishap after disaster to finally change the system. And though I still mourned my own losses, at least there was positive forward motion on all fronts.